Trip to Rigby-March 2011

A couple weeks ago we were able to make a trip to Rigby to visit Ty's family (it had been since Thanksgiving that we had seen them and a trip down was due)! It's so nice to get away and even nicer to do it while visiting with family.

We mixed it up with:

...fun in the SNOW (we can't believe they had enough still to pull us in a sled behind the four-wheeler; we don't have any snow and haven't had any for a long time where we live)...

...a trip to the Idaho Falls Museum where they had a BODIES exhibit that was so interesting. While it was difficult to keep our little ones entertained, we had a good time learning all about the body (by actually seeing each and every part of the body preserved; and before some of you get grossed out, I have to say this type of thing isn't usually down my ally but it was very neat). There was so much education available there. The experience futher confirmed to me that the intricate and beautiful bodies we own did not come about by mere happen-stance or evolution. They are truly too brilliant and amazing for me to believe anything but that they are a godly creation...

...and good hard labor (okay so maby not so hard:)). The kids particularly enjoyed helping Grandpa down at the barn. The weather turned out great one day while we were there and the kids nearly spent all day down at the barn helping grandpa feed the cows and scrape (put your imagination to work as to what that means :)). While they were down there at the barn we saw wild turkeys that like to come in close to steal grain from the calves' troughs AND they saw their dad's cousin skin a dead calf that had been smothered by it's mother. The cow had had twins but would only take one calf so Ty's cousin was bottle feeding the other. Well, when the cow smothered her calf, Ty's cousin decided to skin it and graft it's hide to the other twin calf. This gets the mother to accept the new calf (one that she identifies as the other/old calf). It seems so cruel, I know, but that is farm life. Talk about a learning experience for my kids - one I wasn't too sure about, it just sort of happened.

On our way down to the barn with Ty's grandma (who lives right just down the road from Ty's parents, and right next to the barn).

The kids both just love the out-of-doors, being around the animals, and being Grandpa's helpers. Of course, they don't see this as work but rather as an adventure - I mean feeding the cows their hay and grain, it apparently doesn't get any better than that!

While we were in Rigby we were also able to attend a banquet in which Jefferson County honored several different people and/or entities and we are proud to announce that Ty's parents were both honored there as the Jefferson County Farmer of the Year and Jefferson County Farm Woman of the Year. These awards for Ty's parents I'm sure seemed particularly special as they had a difficult year last year (Ty's dad had surgery on his shoulder and was laid up right at the busiest/hardest time of year when there was much cutting, feeding, milking, irrigating, etc. to do). So congrats again James and Orillia for all your hard work!

We even got to say a quick hello to my mom and step-dad and my younger brother and his wife in Pocatello on our way home. It was a great trip and we hope to make more soon!