ONE happy farm...

Yesterday we had 90+ friends and family on the farm to celebrate Pioneer Day.  Our Primary children, ages 18months to 11 years, along with Primary leaders and teachers all came to participate in activities to help us remember what the early Pioneers did to bless our lives today.    Our Primary Presidency is brilliant.  The whole day was an absolute success and joy to see.

 This adorable covered wagon welcomed all the 'Pioneers' to the farm.

 Each child was given the name of an actual pioneer child that crossed the plains so many years ago.  The children were given handmade bonnets, aprons, and vests.  They spent several hours re-enacting events, trials, and visiting 'locations' that the early pioneers would have experienced.

 They visited Chimney Rock, Fort Bridger, crossed the Platte River... and many other sites.

 They learned about handcarts and how they could only hold the bare essentials.

 It was quite a challenge to maneuver the handcart over the bridge...

over the rocky terrain, and through the woods... WHEW!!

 So many skills learned in one morning.  Everywhere I looked one of my littles from Nursery was working hard and I just did not think my heart could keep from bursting.  Oh how I love them!

 Savannah brought several of the animals to the front pasture for the children to see, pet, and hold.

 Children that were a tad intimidated by the larger animals at first... slowly would gain courage and trust and pet and feed the horse and donkeys.

 Jed brought his Angus from his farm a few properties down from ours.  I think cows are so gorgeous!  

 Willow, our little goat, was a crowd pleaser.  Most of the children had met her when Savannah took her to the Christmas party in a diaper... she was just weeks old then.  She is a smoozer, the children obviously like a good smoozer.

 After all the activities, the children were thoroughly hot and exhausted... the leaders brilliantly pulled out the yummy snacks and water.  Earlier the children made homemade butter and this was then spread on homemade bread... add to that dried fruits and you have happy kiddos!!

 The children spent the rest of the time on the hammock, running around, jumping off logs, and resting in the adirondacks.

 Shawn gave a few of the children a little spin around the farm on the 4-wheeler.  So much for handcarts and roughing it...

 One word:  BRAVO!  This was such a fantastic day.  The work and thought that was involved in pulling off such a large and successful event was so wonderful.  And to go to church today and sit with our Nursery littles as they remembered the fun they had was just a delight.  Thank you Primary Presidency!