The New "Kids" on the Farm

Let me start by saying, no, this is not a pregnancy announcement, but an announcement about a new type of kid that has joined our current "Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids" - Goat Kids!  If you follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram you've already gotten a glimpse at our new kids, but now I'm officially sharing the news here!

Mr. K and Miss A with Chewy and Boy

Last week we bought two male dairy goats as a bottle project for Mr. K for the County Fair.  Growing up I loved raising sheep and pigs, and I always wanted our kids to have the same experience.  Our county has a great "pre 4-H" program for the County Fair, and I was excited to discover that Mr. K was old enough to participate this year.  Since it was already June, it was impossible to find a bottle lamb, so we went with the best alternative and got two bottle goats.

Miss L and Boy hanging out on the gator

The goats which Mr. K named Chewy (because goats like to chew things) and Miss A named Boy (because he is a male), are now three weeks old.  The kids will bottle feed the kids (baby goats) till they are six weeks old.  After that time they will eat a pelleted feed.

Miss A and Mr K doing morning chores
of bottle feeding the goats

The best part of having the goats on our farm is that the kids have the responsibility of taking care of them - feeding in the morning before breakfast and in the evening after supper, are learning about animal handling and care by getting the goats halter broke, and they're simply having fun!

Who am I kidding, I'm having fun too!

Have your children or you yourself ever participated in a "bottle" program?  What questions do you have about the kids' kids?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

2016 Family Summer Bucket List

Each summer our family loves creating a Summer Bucket List.  I am personally a "list person", so creating an annual bucket list helps me keep track of everyone's wishes for summer fun.  We have had a lot of fun the last few years (2015, 2014, 2013) crossing things off our list and making memories (some of which have even become traditions).  I'm sure this summer will be no different!

This year's Summer Bucket List includes things that we have done in the past, things we want to do more of, and some new things!

Last year we went on a vacation in Alaska and went fishing every day.  Ever since we've gotten back from that trip, the kids have been asking to go fishing again.  So this summer we're going to go fishing at our local lake during Iowa's Free Fishing Weekend - June 3-5.

We have had camping on our Summer Bucket List every year but have yet do it (besides backyard camping)!  This year we'd love to rent a camper (or buy a new one - our old one isn't "livable" anymore) and go camping at one of our local campgrounds.  Both My Farmer and I use to go camping all the time when we were first married in an old pop-up camper.  But once we started having kids we haven't been back.  Our plan is to have that change this summer!

You can't go camping without campfire pizza pockets, hobo packets, campfire apple pies, or s'mores.  S'mores are such a classic summer food and we plan on making them camping and just for fun at our house.

Last year we went Letterboxing once and this year we'd like to go on more letterboxing adventures in our area and when we are traveling.  We have our letterboxing journal and ink pad in the van, ready for our next endeavor.

Inspired by Jen from Just a Mom giving it a TRI, this summer we'd like to have some pizza and park family nights.  What is more fun and easier than grabbing a pizza and taking it to a local park for some good food and fun.  Our kids love going to the park and love pizza - so this is a perfect summer combination for some family fun.

It has been a couple of years since we've been to the Des Moines Zoo, so we'd like to go again this summer, especially because they have a Curious George exhibit going on right now - and we have big Curious George fans in our family.  We are also going on a family vacation to St. Louis this summer and we have plans on going to their zoo too.

We aren't being picky, but we'd like to go to a Science or Children's Museum this summer.  We are planning on going to the St. Louis Science Center on our family vacation, and we are interested in doing a day trip to the Iowa Children's Museum.

Each summer our family gets a membership to our local golf course but it always seems like we don't make time to go golfing.  We have actually already been golfing once this year and hope to do more golfing on Sundays after church.

So there is a look into our family's Summer Bucket List.  What is on your family's list for this year?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Comments for a Cause - Alex's Lemonade Stand

June is here along with the summer weather and schedules.  Despite those summer schedules, I couldn't go any longer without telling you about this month's Comments for a Cause.  But before I get to that I need to recap last month's cause, Lullaby Lane.  Thank you to all 79 comments last month that helped me give a donation of $39.50 to this local project that will give those that have suffered a miscarriage a place to grieve and pray.  I was amazed by the amount of support for this cause and comments made last month.  I appreciate everyone gathering around this effort despite my limited blog posts last months due to my "maternity leave".

In the month of June I'm excited to be donating $0.50 for every comment to made on my blog to Alex's Lemonade Stand.

I first heard of Alex's Lemonade Stand on the radio, as some local radio personalities hosted a lemonade stand, along with a local youth listener, to benefit this organization.  Alex's Lemonade Stand is a national organization that raises money to fight childhood cancer.

When Alexandra "Alex" Scott was four years old she decided to make "lemonade out of lemons" and set up a lemonade stand to help the doctors of "her hospital" help kids like her.  See, Alex had been fighting neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer, since before her first birthday.  In 2000, on the first day of her lemonade stand, set up in her front yard in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, she raised over $2000.  Alex set up a lemonade stand each year with her brothers after that till she passed away in 2004.  Her legacy, and tradition of hosting lemonade stands, continues today through the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Today Alex's Lemonade Stand raises money and awareness of childhood cancer, primarily through research into new treatments and cures.  They also strive to encourage and empower others, especially children, to get involved and make a difference for children with cancer.  Simply by, "one cup at a time" since that first lemonade stand in 2000, Alex's Lemonade Stand has raised over $120 million.  That money has funded more than 550 research projects, created a travel program to help support families of children receiving treatment and has developed resources to help those affected by childhood cancer.

So help me this month, through "one comment at a time", help raise awareness and money for childhood cancer through Alex's Lemonade Stand.  Hopefully you'll be hearing more about this organization in the coming week as the nationwide event, Alex's Lemonade Days, is set for June 10th-12th.  Have you ever been to a Alex's Lemonade Stand event or stand before?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Country Fair Blog Party: June 2016

Happy June 1st and the start of a new Country Fair Blog Party!  Before I share how you can link-up to this month's Blog Hop, here are the Blue Ribbon Winners from May's Country Fair Blog Party:

During last month's Blog Party, Just Plain Living's How to Keep House Like a Mennonite, was the most viewed post from the link-up!  Congrats to Marie on getting the most clicks and receiving a Country Fair Blog Party Blue Ribbon!  This post includes some helpful tips and strategies, mixed with a little humor.  You'll have to check it out!

Each month I always pin several new recipes from the Blog Party.  In May, one of my Country Fair Blog Party Blue Ribbons goes to My Other More Exciting Self's Southwest Turkey Chopped Salad.  Lara does a great job of sharing turkey recipes on her blog and I can't wait to try this salad.  It sounds like the perfect summer dinner!

My final Country Fair Blog party Blue Ribbon goes to Vickie's Kitchen and Garden's 8 Ideas to Get Kids Interested in Gardening.  As a Mom with four little kids (only two of which are really old enough to be of some real help in the garden) I loved these ideas on how to get the kids involved.  In fact this week we followed one of her tips and checked out some "gardening" books from the library.  The kids have been having fun reading them before we go out to check on the garden.  Be sure to check out the post for all of Vickie's ideas!

I can't wait to see what great posts get linked up to this month's Country Fair Blog Party.  Country Fairs are all about food, family, friends, farming, animals, arts and crafts, canning, baking and more.  And that is what our our blog hop is all about too.  Feel free to join our Country Fair by linking up to 3 of your posts.  This blog hop is a great opportunity to check out new blogs, and if you blog yourself, have your posts reach a new audience.  Be sure to visit some other party goers and let them know you are stopping by through the Country Fair Blog Party.

Also, be sure to visit my fellow co-hosts:
Jan of Tip Garden
Laurie of Country LINKed and
Nicole of Tales of a Kansas Farm Mom

We're excited to see everything you share this month!  What is your favorite link from this month's Country Fair Blog Party?  Whichever post is mentioned the most in the comments will receive my "Readers Choice" Blue Ribbon next month.  Remember to Comments for a Cause!

An InLinkz Link-up

A Week's Worth of Blessings

It is hard to believe that a week ago, My Farmer and I welcomed our fourth child, a baby girl, to this world.  She still feels so new, and so little, but at the same time she has jumped into the flow of our family quite well.  I wanted to introduce you all to "Tinker" but I couldn't find just that one photo that would share how truly blessed I have felt this past week.  So here are seven photos (for a week's worth of time) to show you our newest bundle of joy.

This photo My Farmer took of me and our little girl literally minutes after she entered the world.  I think my face says - holy cow, our baby is here (she was born exactly 30 minutes after we were admitted at the hospital and was delivered by the wonderful nurses because the doctor didn't make it in time), and at the same time, do we really need a photo.  But now, I'm happy that we have a look at the precious first minutes.

Here's the first photo of My Farmer and Tinker after we got settled in our maternity room.  I think his face says, I can't believe I am the father of one boy and THREE girls, but at the same time, she already has me wrapped around her finger - literally, look at her hold tight onto her Daddy's finger.

To say the kids were excited to welcome their baby sister to the family would be an understatement.  The anticipation level was quite high for our household for a solid week prior to Tinker's arrival (so thank goodness she came a few days before her due date - I'm not sure the kids could have lasted...).  It was fun to hear the kids coming down the hallway the morning our baby girl was born.  I could hear them tell everyone that they were on their way to meet their new baby sister, and my Mom told me that they were telling everyone, if they were interested or not. 

LP is loving his role as big brother for the third time.  He is a great helper and thinks Tinker is "so cute".  He may have been rooting for a baby brother, but he got over it before even arriving at the hospital.  I think he'll enjoy being the big brother to all his little sisters.

MP is loving having a new baby sister at home.  If I would let her, I think she'd probably hold her all day long.  She is also a big helper; she assists with most diapers and gives me "tips" while nursing.  There is definitely no shortage of love for our new baby girl from her big sister MP.

JP has entered into her role as big sister very nicely.  She loves tickling her baby sister and giving her kisses and hugs.  Every day she'll take her turn holding her for about a minute, but then looses interest and is off and running to the next thing (the attention span of a 16 month old is not very long...).

I am so thankful for four happy and healthy children, for a great husband who is a caring father, for a supportive family, and for quiet moments to enjoy and soak it all in.

As time has gone on since starting this blog, our family has obviously grown.  We have always used our children's nicknames we used in the womb for on the blog, but now that we have four, I'm wondering if I should change their names to actually better fit who they are.  What would you all think if I changed the kids' names to reflect their actual first names?  Let me know your thoughts and remember to Comment for a Cause!

Comments for a Cause - Lullaby Lane

With May in full swing I can't go any longer without sharing about this month's Comments for a Cause.  But before I share about this month's cause, I've got to recap last month's support towards Iowa C.O.P.S.  During the month of April I had 86 comments, equaling a donation of $43 to help fallen police officer families.  Thank you to everyone for all of your comments and support for our "Blue Families".

In the month of May I'm proud to be donating $0.50 for every comment to made on my blog to Lullaby Lane.

A map of Lullaby Lane at Elmwood Cemetery in Mason City, Iowa

In less than a week, mothers and their children will be celebrating Mother's Day.  Mother's Day can be a fun holiday, but for many, for several reasons, it can be an emotional one.  One reason it can be emotional as a mother is if you aren't able to celebrate with all of your children.  I'm sure many of us know someone - a family member or a friend, or maybe even ourselves, who been affected by miscarriage.

Dr. Jonna Quinn OB/GYN at Mercy North Iowa is witness to these losses on a daily basis.  She is a member of this year's Leadership North Iowa class and is a member of Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa's Fetal and Infant Loss Bereavement Committee.  When this year's Leadership North Iowa class was charged with developing a service project she brought up the idea of creating a place for those who have experienced miscarriage to be able to go and grieve.  From their, the idea and plan for a prayer pathway, Lullaby Lane, was created.

Lullaby Land is currently a designated section in Mason City, Iowa’s Elmwood Cemetery where children lost to miscarriages less than 20 weeks old are laid to rest through Mercy North Iowa.  The Lullaby Lane project includes creating a paver pathway to lead up to the current memorial headstone.  Parents who lose a child to miscarriage will have the option of having their child’s name and date of loss engraved on a paver to be installed in the pathway.  This part of the pathway is being handled by Mercy North Iowa's Bereavement Committee and the Leadership North Iowa class is handling raising funds to support the construction of the project by October 2017 for the annual ceremony that takes place for pregnancy and infant loss awareness month.

"Fetal loss and miscarriage is a tragedy that affects many of us.  We hope these families can feel the support of our community and know that we will work hard for them to have this piece of comfort during their difficult time," said Dr. Jonna Quinn.

So please help me support the efforts of both Mercy North Iowa's Fetal and Infant Loss Bereavement Committee and this year's Leadership North Iowa class with the construction of Lullaby Lane by commenting all month long on any of my blog posts.  Do you know of other projects similar for those that have lost a child to miscarriage?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Country Fair Blog Party: May 2016

One of our May Day baskets waiting
for our neighbors to discover it
after they return home
Follow me on Instagram (@PlaggeVal)
to see more of our daily adventures

I hope you have had a great May Day!  Our family had a great afternoon (that turned into evening) delivering May Day baskets to our neighbors.  For some, the baskets were a surprise when they returned home, and for others, we turned into their supper guests. ;) Delivering May Day baskets has been a fun family tradition of ours for years, and for my family growing up.  It is a fun way of starting off the month and celebrating spring!  Another great way to start off the month is by sharing a new Country Fair Blog Party!

During the April Country Fair Blog Party, Ally's Sweet & Savory Eat's 25+ Spring Salads post was the most viewed from the link-up.  Congrats to Ally on getting the most clicks and receiving a Country Fair Blog Party Blue Ribbon!  I love this post and actually just made her Chopped BLT Caesar Salad from the round-up the other week.  This post will get you in the spring spirit and will give you lots of ideas for your next lunch or potluck dish.

And talking about recipes I've tried from last month's link-up, I've got to share about Jay Tried and True's Pork Fritters.  I made these last week and they were delicious!  We had them both plain and as a sandwich for easy eating in the tractor ;)  They were simple to make and were very filling.  Our entire family and our entire spring planting crew enjoyed them and that's why they get a Country Fair Blog Party Blue Ribbon.

My final Country Fair Blog Party Blue Ribbon from last month goes to Alarm Clock War's How Old Are Your Cows?.  Mary Beth does a great job of explaining her family's cow-calf farm.  I love how she made each stage of the farm and the cow's lives relatable.

I can't wait to see what great posts get linked up to this month's Country Fair Blog Party.  Country Fairs are all about food, family, friends, farming, animals, arts and crafts, canning, baking and more.  And that is what our our blog hop is all about too.  Feel free to join our Country Fair by linking up to 3 of your posts.  This blog hop is a great opportunity to check out new blogs, and if you blog yourself, have your posts reach a new audience.  Be sure to visit some other party goers and let them know you are stopping by through the Country Fair Blog Party.

Also, be sure to visit my fellow co-hosts:
Jan of Tip Garden
Laurie of Country LINKed and
Nicole of Tales of a Kansas Farm Mom

We're excited to see everything you share this month!  What is your favorite link from this month's Country Fair Blog Party?  Whichever post is mentioned the most in the comments will receive my "Readers Choice" Blue Ribbon next month.  Remember to Comments for a Cause!

An InLinkz Link-up