Twas the day of the farm tour and all through the house,
Every creature was stirring, yes, even the mouse.
The children were loaded in the van with great care,
In the hopes that the Rhodes Family soon would be there;
The children practiced what they would say in their seats,
While they snacked on organic, non-GMO treats…
We had a lot of fun at the Great American Farm Tour Minnesota Meetup. The park was packed with kids and the lawns were packed with like minded small farmers. It was a lot of fun meeting new friends and sharing our farm stories.
If you haven’t heard of The Great American Farm Tour, you should check it out! It’s about small farmers using permaculture methods to grow food and raise animals. My Dad recommended the Rhodes family to me last year and I’ve been hooked, watching almost all of their YouTube episodes.
All of us were excited to meet and talk to Justin and Rebekah. Rebekah was even sweeter and more beautiful in person. They were kind enough to take the time to talk to each and every person. I can only imagine how tired they must be after traveling across the country, but they were kind, patient and respectful to everyone.
My Dad and Cat were the most excited to meet the Rhodes. I think it might be the highlight of the year for both of them. Cat was especially thrilled that Justin asked her to play her ukelele.
Waiting for the Rhodes to release their video of the day, all of my family had the farm tour youtube tab open and kept hitting refresh all day. lol You’ll have to check us out in the video below. If you don’t have time to watch the whole thing, you can skip to 7:42 to see us!
What farmers are you fans of? Do you have a favorite YouTube channel or a channel of your own? I’d love to hear about it!
Happy Farm Tour to all, and to all a good-night!
Check out our video of the meetup!
Check out the video from The Great American Farm Tour to see what everyone was growing at the Minnesota meet up:
It was a hot Saturday as we drove a little over an hour to Community Park in St Francis, Minnesota. We drove up to meet my parents and sisters at the Great American Farm Tour Minnesota Meetup.
There was a lot of major road construction along the way, and thankfully Nate was driving. I get anxiety driving in unknown places with a lot of traffic. Add detours to the mix and I might have gotten us lost.
As we neared the park, we saw a bus heading toward us. Nate asked me, “Is that them?” as he pulled the van over to the side of the road. The bus had slowed and turned onto a dirt road. The kids were hopping in their seats in excitement as we saw the Great American Farm Tour logo on the side.
We debated if that was the turn to the park, since we were so close, but decided it was a private farm. We thought they were perhaps running behind and had just gotten to their host’s house and they might be a bit late to the meetup.
The park was mostly empty when we got there. There were only 3 other cars in the parking lot. My parents greeted us and let us know that only two of the people were also waiting for the farm tour. I let them know that we had just seen the bus and perhaps they would be a little late. The children played at the park and I caught up with my parents.
As time wore on, I began to worry, was this the right park? Was this the right day? The other car waiting for the Rhodes left without saying anything. I began to look for the meetup information on my phone. My Dad was the one who let me know, but since I was behind in watching the farm tour, I personally hadn’t seen it yet.
It took awhile to find the info because I couldn’t figure out how to pull it up on my phone. I watched the youtube video to find out the date and I laughed when I realized we were indeed a day early. I could tell my Dad felt awful about it, but it honestly didn’t bother me. I called it our planning prep trip. Now we knew about the road construction and detours and we also knew exactly where the park was. Sunday, Nate would be a work and I would have to drive up instead. Plus, I got the joy of seeing my family two days in a row, a rare treat!
We hung out awhile longer, playing with the kids and enjoying our family time. Cat ended up going with my parents to spend a night at their farm.On the drive home, we stopped at Aldi’s for some snacks before dinner. It had been a fun day and we looked forward to returning to the park again on Sunday.
Have you ever gotten a date wrong that ended up being a blessing instead of a disappointment?
A Park With Beautiful Rolling Hills and River Views
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 4, Day 4 Afton State Park
It was early on Saturday morning when Nate playfully tried to wake me up. He told me he’d already gotten the kids out of bed and they were getting breakfast. We were going for a walk! He had picked the spot and did all of the work to get everyone ready. He even made my morning tea. What a wonderful way to start the day!
It was a beautiful day for hiking. The high was 81 with a cool breeze. When we started out, it was still in the lower 70’s. The drive there was scenic and peaceful. The park was packed with people.
This was my first time to the park, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was a little worried seeing how packed all of the parking lots were. I didn’t realize it was such a popular destination. Thankfully, we were able to find a spot to park.
Heading down the trail, we encountered some beautiful views of the hills surrounding the river valley. I was easily able to see why this was such a popular park.
Unfortunately, I had forgotten our bug spray. The mosquitos were huge and the lower we descended into the valley, the more gnats and mosquitoes there were. We tried to walk fast and mostly kept to the center of the trail to avoid them.
Once we got down to the beach, the breeze kept the insects away and we were able to relax. The kids enjoyed checking out the dock and then searching for agates and rocks to skip. We watched the boats zoom past and we thought about how fun it must be to tour the river from the water.
Heading back, the bugs weren’t as bad. Maybe it was because it was a little later in the day and a bit warmer. Heading up the trail was a bit more difficult for me, but the rest of the family wasn’t fazed. They jumped up the steps like mountain goats. I lagged behind, tired and struggling to keep up.
Later that night, I ended up in bed sick. Perhaps Princess’ fever wasn’t allergy related after all, and she had passed a virus to me. I spent the next week bedridden.
For some reason, I always get the sickest in our family. Over the years, I’ve learned holistic remedies to heal faster and keep from getting as ill as I used to. I also don’t get sick as often as I used to, thankfully.
Have you been to Afton State Park? What is your favorite area?
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 4, Day 3 Night With Nate
We got some new nail polish called Ella and Mila that is low on the toxicity scale. It’s the least toxic I’ve been able to find that is also affordable and works well. Cat painted Princess’ and my toes and put cute little feather decals on too.
After running around with the kids all day and Nate’s long work days, it can be hard for us to find time alone. I thought it would be fun to join him for a night-time walk before bed.
It was a beautiful, warm night. Being as hot as it was, I wore my pajamas on our walk. My pj’s were cute matching shorts and a t-shirt, acceptable for wearing in public. I personally wouldn’t be comfortable during the daytime, but I didn’t think we would be seeing many people. As it turned out, since it was such a warm night, there were a lot of people out taking walks.
Nate and I walked up to a gas station where he got something to drink. In the harsh lights, I felt awkward in my little PJ shorts, but I tried to play it off like it didn’t bother me.
As we walked back toward home, I could hear thunder rumbling in the distance. Beyond the trees, I could see occasional flashes of lightning. The storm looked like it had passed us over for the night.
We met a man out walking who asked us if our power was out. It turns out, that half the city was without power. We chatted with him for a little while before heading the last couple blocks home. Fortunately, our power was unaffected.
Unfortunately, poor Princess had a small fever and had been asking for me while we were gone. Cat said she had been doing mostly well but had only gotten hot shortly before we got home. Poor kiddo was either sick with a virus or was having an allergic reaction to something mildly corny she ate earlier in the day.
What do you do for alone time when money and time are short? Do you enjoy taking walks at night, or do you prefer going in the daytime?
I have always joked about having a brown thumb instead of a green one. I have good intentions with plants, but I usually kill most of them. My problem was that I watered them too much. For me, caring for a plant equaled watering it. I literally loved them to death.
I did manage to keep hardy plants alive, to my great joy. My brother got me a Philodendron as a gift when I was 13. It’s the only plant that has survived this long.
My parents were great gardeners. As a child, they had a huge garden in our yard. I can remember working with them to weed, pick off pests, gather ripe plants and care for my own little garden plot. And occasionally, they had me get to lawn care and landscaping near me to make the garden more aesthetic-appealing. My favorites were the raspberries bordering 2 sides of the garage and the strawberries.
When I was given my own little corner plot, I planted Shasta daisies, echinacea, and zinnia among a few other flowers. I loved flowers and the butterflies that they drew to our yard. My Mother had flower gardens in raised planters that my Father built all over our property.
After my own children were born, I gave plants a renewed interest. I tried a few easy house plants, a few palms, some morning glories outside during the warm months, hanging petunias or impatiens. I tried peppers many times but they rarely produced peppers and if they did, were never large enough to eat. I’ve overloved and killed many orchids over the years.
With the addition of extreme allergies to my life, I’ve had to learn to grow my own food. Organic food from health food stores is usually incredibly expensive and is not always guaranteed to be corn free. The safest option is home grown because I control all of the factors of what my food is exposed to.
When I first moved to this house, my Mom helped me plant a small outdoor garden. The weeds overtook it to my great frustration. Creeping Charlie choked out most of my plants. I did get some tomatoes and small ears of corn (ironic, right? This was pre-corn allergy.). After that, I gave up planting in the ground. Nate built me a planter around the mulberry tree in the backyard, which I grew flowers and hostas in, for an easy to maintain, decorative garden.
Inside, I grew potted plants. I tried basil by the sink but I ended up overwatering it. My next sink plant was rosemary, which, as it turns out, LOVES being overwatered. In fact, if I don’t water it often, it starts to die. I also grow potted plants on my porch and bring them inside over winter. My theory was, if they die, that’s ok because they would have died if I had left them outside to die by frost. If they live, I have another plant to enjoy.
This last year, my gardening skills have grown, as has the number of plants in and out. I have several plants that live inside year round, Outside, on my porch, my number of potted plants has grown. After installing a critter fence, it was clear that the plants where staying healthier and growing faster. Those pesky critters can really make a dent in most plants. Those interested in the specific fence used, I found it here. I renewed my attempt for ground grown plants. I planted several things around the porch outside and started a new side garden. I’ve also planted raspberries and blueberries along the fence.
I am not an expert gardener. I have, however, turned my brown thumb into a green one with persistence and determination. I’ve never given up. If my plants die, I try again. I do more research. The best way I’ve learned is by experience and trial and error.
I recommend everyone give gardening a try. It is so rewarding. When I eat food from my own garden, I have a great pride and satisfaction that I have never gotten from bought food.
If you are afraid of killing plants, don’t let that deter you! Keep trying! Start with potted plants. Try something easy to maintain, like impatiens, petunias, philodendrons, or palms like I did. Otherwise, try checking out the end of the year plant sales that most greenhouses have. You can usually get plants cheap or for free. Use the mindset that if it dies, at least you tried. Research what you can do differently next time.
Do you care for any plants? What do you grow? Have you also overcome a brown thumb or has gardening come naturally to you?
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 4, Day 2
Historic Fort Snelling
Today we visited Fort Snelling. My parents, my sisters Shannon and Liz and Liz’s boyfriend Jimmy had a lot of fun! We’ve been here many times and every time I find something new to enjoy.
Although I’ve always visited Fort Snelling as a tourist, my Dad visited as a child, before it was restored as a historic landmark. When he was a child, his uncle and cousins lived here!
Fort Snelling has always been one of my sister Liz’s favorite places. Since she was a child, she’s always loved the cannon blast. That might be because, when she was little, my Dad used to tell her that they set it off just for her.
After hearing the cannons go off, we went to get root beer and cream soda for the non-allergy people. Then, we practiced walking on stilts. My Dad was the best, to everyone’s amazement.
We checked out some of the usual buildings, like the tower and the schoolhouse, but my favorite was the medical rooms. There were some new displays that I haven’t seen before. I especially got a kick out of the weather diary. The climate here was judged “the most excessive among all military posts in The United States.”
Liz, Jimmy and the kids had great fun making star wands in the arts and crafts building. Liz has always excelled in making a four-sided star. In usual tradition, she gave her star to the youngest in our family, Princess. Jimmy was kind enough to give his star to Mr. Awesome.
After we were done for the day, we cooled off inside the gift shop and art gallery area before heading to our cars. This year’s exhibit was a display of beautiful photography by Paul Kitagaki. Accompanying the portraits were moving stories of families and people who had lived through the Japanese internment. There was also a fascinating display of old clocks.
Later that night, we met up with my friend Joleen and her son Drake for fireworks at our local golf course. It was a lovely evening. The fireworks were beautiful and seemed to be right on top of us. It was the perfect finish to a fun day.
Have you been to Fort Snelling? What is your favorite part? What historic sites are near your home? I’d love to hear about it, share a link to your blog post in the comments!
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 4, Day 1
Home Workout
I’ve been having an argument with myself over if I should post this workout video or not. I’ve been feeling a bit self-conscious. I’ve edited the video, put it on private on youtube, and there it has sat. Buuut, I can’t seem to post the next video until I post this one.
You see, I am not a body builder. I am not super fit. I don’t have an amazing body. I have a normal, soft, squishy, cuddly body. I am ok with that. In fact, I am more than ok, I love my body. I’m not obsessed with myself or anything, I’m just comfortable with who I am. I’m thankful for all of the things my body has done for me and all of the journey’s we’ve been on together.
I don’t need big muscles, rock hard abs, a butt you could bounce a quarter off of, thighs that could crack a nut. Instead, I have a lap that is soft and great for sitting on for stories. I have a tummy that makes an awesome pillow for snuggle time. My butt is comfortable to sit on, unlike my skinny days. My arms are big enough to hold all of those I love. I don’t need much more than that.
So why am I doing a 5 week workout challenge? My goal is not to have a super model body. My goal is to get a moderate level of exercise so that my body is healthy, regardless of its size or amount of squishyness. My goal is to inspire others to move their bodies and get healthy too. My goal is to show that you don’t have to be perfect or even strive for perfection to exercise.
Getting daily exercise doesn’t have to be boring or grueling. There are so many ways to exercise! Walking, hiking, jogging, running, dancing, rock climbing, pilates, trampoline, swimming, biking, I could go on and on. Find something that YOU love and do it!
Although I feel confident about how I feel about my body, for myself and for my family, it’s a different thing to expose oneself to the world. Seeing myself on video, and my not so perfect body, I worry not about what others might say as much as how my children would feel if they saw others saying bad things about me. I’ve seen some cruel things said online about a lot of different topics. My heart hurts for those that the comments are aimed at.
Ultimately, I’ve decided to be brave and post this video regardless of what anyone else might think. Should anyone say anything mean, I will let it roll off my back. The only opinions that matter to me are of those I love and of myself.
Do you ever feel self-conscious about your body? Do you worry about strangers making rude comments? How do you handle that kind of situation?
4 Year Old Adventure
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 3, Day 4
The big kids went to the drive in with Grandma and Grandpa, so Princess and I decided to go on an adventure. We went on a walk downtown and along the river. It was the perfect evening for a walk and we had a lot of fun!
Princess LOVES going for walks. She is a little outdoors girl. If we could live outside, she would be so happy. One of her favorite activities is camping. She’s always asking me when we can go play outside together. I let her lead us on this 4-year-old adventure.
I’m naturally a home body. I love hiding inside. I’m always looking for ways to motivate myself to go outdoors more because the outdoors are beautiful and they always make me feel closer to God. Doing this exercise challenge has been a great way to do that. I do love to explore new places too, but it’s nice to have a little girl who pushes me to do so.
I hope we’ve been inspiring you to get outdoors too if you are naturally a home body like me. Exercise doesn’t have to be gruesome and horrible. Getting outside, exploring the world and all of the wonders that God created for us to enjoy is fun and exciting. The person who moves slowly on the trail is still moving faster than the person at home on their couch. So get out there and get some fresh air!
Have we motivated you to get outside this week? Do your kids love to go outside as much as my little outdoor girl?
5 Week Workout Challenge: Week 3, Day 3
2nd Convention Day, Covered Bridge Park
The second day of the “Don’t Give Up!” convention was great! I felt bad for the people next to us because the kids had to get up and go the bathroom in alternating shifts. I suppose that’s typical with kids. Since my kids are all getting older, they sit pretty well except for the bathroom breaks.
After the convention, Princess wanted to go all the way to the top of the parking ramp. I brought us up and parked the van so the kids could take in the view. It was a beautiful and windy day in Rochester.
On the way home, we stopped in Zumbrota to see the covered bridge. I have always wanted to go check it out. It’s really beautiful and in great shape! I’m so glad we got a chance to visit!
We took a walk along the creek and then stopped at an amazing wooden park. It reminded me of a park that used to be in Burnsville called Skyland. It was torn down to put in a modern park several years ago, which has always made me sad. I loved playing at Skyland when I was younger. I’m really glad the children had the chance to enjoy this park. They want to come back every time there is a convention.
Have you been to the covered bridge in Zumbrota or do you have one near where you live? I’d love to hear about it or see your pictures!
UPDATE: I made a typo! It turns out that it was advertised as the only remaining “original” covered bridge in the state. There are other “non-original” covered bridges. I did find a list of all of the covered bridges, check it out! http://www.dalejtravis.com/cblist/cbmn.htm
Today was the first day of the “Don’t Give Up!” convention. We really enjoyed it! We left right before lunchtime. Every time I’ve tried to stay for the second half, I’ve had an anaphylactic attack from airborne food allergies. The last time, I had to have my dear friend Karen drive me home because I couldn’t walk, much less drive.
I could have gone to the E.R., but I usually try to avoid it if at all possible because there’s always the potential that they could do more harm than good with corn allergies. Hospitals are full of corn derivatives. In the severe allergy support group I’m part of, I often hear stories about how the ER accidentally gave them something that made them worse because they didn’t understand what was safe and what wasn’t.
This was the first time I left during the final song instead of after. I think this was also the only time I’ve ever left not gasping for air or incredibly dizzy. From now on, I’ll always leave during the final song before lunch. I always wish that I could stay, but I’m thankful that I’m at least able to attend the first half.
My favorite part of the conventions is hearing the singing of thousands of people. I love the Kingdom songs and hearing that many beautiful voices always brings tears to my eyes. Seeing everyone work together to pull off such a large event is always another of my favorite parts. There are always so many smiles, helpful people and a feeling of love and unity that I haven’t found anywhere else.
After leaving, the kids and I enjoyed a walk along the river in Rochester. It was a beautiful day. When we got home, Cat and I stopped by our local health food store for gluten free tortillas, then made a quick trip to the library to return books.
I’ve challenged Cat to read four classics over the summer. She really enjoyed Romeo and Juliet during school. Hopefully, she’ll learn to love the older classics as I have. Lately, she’s been into learning about Japan and learning more about drawing.
Have you attended the “Don’t Give Up!” convention yet? What was your favorite part?
