The Zoo, The Museum, and a Goat Farm

The weather in March was amazingly warm! So warm, in fact, that all the trees bloomed and the grass started getting green. As I prepared my lesson for the music and movement class I teach in Family Housing for little kids, I had to move my lesson plans forward an entire month. We usually don't sing about popcorn popping on the apricot tree until late April! Crazy!

Since the weather was so nice, we started working in our garden and got our lettuce, beets, carrots, and peas planted. Sam was in heaven digging in all the fresh dirt. Check out our awesome rhubarb and chive plants! Those are gifts from my friend Jenny who moved to Germany. We've already put the chives to good use this season! And it's officially time for some strawberry rhubarb crumble!

See the dirt spot on Sam's forehead? I bopped him on the head with a shovel as I was turning over a heavy shovelful of dirt. Terribly uncoordinated moment on my part but he wasn't too upset about it. He just kept running away from me as I was digging yelling, "Don't hit me with the shovel, mom!" It made for some awkward looks from neighbors also digging in the garden who missed the initial incident.

We went to the zoo with our friends, the Jacksons and Posses. It was a warm day (about 80 degrees! In March!) but despite being unaccustomed to the heat, we had a really fun time. Sam loved being with his friends, William and Adam, and seeing all the animals. 

Stace and Scott. Staci ended up wearing William's sunglasses since she had forgotten hers. A rare occasion when having a kid is advantageous. I always steal Sam's snacks. :)

We stopped for lunch and Sam wanted to eat in the bushes rather than sit with the rest of us. Silly kid. Just after this point, we lost Staci and Scott and found Cam and Zach. It was a crowded day.

My favorite animal pose of the day. 

Sam really liked watching the gorilla sort through his hay straws. 

Hanging out with Cam and Zach. 

Sam loved the seals. He laughed and laughed watching them play in the water.

What a cute boy!

Sam's favorite part of the day was chasing geese with Daddy as we walked through the park back to our car.

A sweet leg hug.

The week of March 26-30th was Family Week for Family Housing. Every day, there are two excursions organized and mostly paid for by Family Housing; usually one to an attraction in Denver (the Aquarium, Zoo, etc.) and one in Boulder (bowling at the CU Rec Center, etc.) This year, Sam and I went to the Museum of Nature and Science while Don was at a conference in Breckenridge. Don and I went to the Boulder Dinner Theatre on a hot date to see The Drowsy Chaperone, which was a really fun play. We also went to an ice cream social with our friends and neighbors. I really love Family Week and I especially love riding the bus rather than driving to attractions in Denver.

Sam and I had a great time on the bus with Laurie-Anne and Josh.

Sam was so excited to get to sit next to his favorite friend. They ate bananas and talked about what they saw out the window (and only occasionally fought over who got to sit in the window seat). 

Scott, Staci, William, and Adam (and baby Jacob), also came. Sam loved sword fighting with Scott...

...and running around like crazy with the boys.

Sam loves the space exhibit and we spent a good chunk of our time at the museum there.

We went to a snake show. Sam didn't like it at all and got really bored and kept asking to leave. I was fascinated with the huge snakes the man brought. 

Sam also loved the Discovery Zone at the museum and sat and dug for dinosaur bones for about a half hour before I had to drag him away. About 40 other kids came and went while Sam sat and dug and dug. He can focus on one task that interests him for such a long time! Usually this means a task that involves diggers, tractors, and dirt or sand.

A few creepy pictures of the funny mirrors. 

My favorite part of the day was when Sam decided he needed to "swim" on the floor of the prehistoric ocean. They use lights in a portion of the exhibit on the earth's formation to make it feel like you are under the sea. So, Sam, army crawled/wriggled across the floor all the way to the entrance of the exhibit where he watched the movie on the earth's creation 4 times before I had to very persuasively convince him to go see a new part of the museum. Funny kid!

"Swimming" on the floor. 

On Tuesday, March 27th, I went with my new friend, Brittney, and her daughter Afton, to Fetchin' Goat Farms in Erie. It was a small operation with lots of new baby goats and Sam and Afton had a great time seeing the goats and chickens. I talked to the woman in charge of the farm and learned a lot about goats. Did you know that goat meat is delicious and a hugely popular protein source around the world (particularly in India?) Did you know that to "freshen" a goat means that the goat gives birth to a kid and begins to milk? The lady who owned the farm told me that a milking goat needs to be "freshened" or give birth every 2-3 years to keep their milk supply steady. Most male goats are sent to be butchered. So different than cows! Interesting stuff!

This goat's name is Tripod since it is missing one of it's legs. It was amazingly agile with three legs and kept up just fine with it's fellow farm members.

Sam and Afton ignored each other on both the drive to the farm and on the way home (a full hour in the car) but did have fun next to each other in the baby goat's shelters. 

My favorite picture of Sam recently. What a sweetie!

And a couple of silly pictures of Sam for good measure.