Haycation 2015

Once again we spent some time on the farm in late May/ early June.  Kenneth and his 2 brothers came to help their father get the first cutting of hay done.  (His third brother, Dennis, just got married a few months ago and didn't make it this year.)  Jason, Kenneth's brother who lives in Arizona, brought his 5 (almost 6 year old), daughter, Grace out with him this year.  The kids loved having her to play with everyday.  The other cousins who live in New York spent as much time with us as they could, but school was still in session while we were there.
The kids love being on the farm!  So much to see and do and so many cousins to play with!  The weather was very mild this year, which was wonderful!  Usually during this time, we have some cold days where we have to dig out the coats and some hot days that are pretty unpleasant, but this year, it was pleasant most every day.  Sweatshirts in the morning and then just gorgeous weather in the 70's the rest of the day.  I was loving it!
Enjoy the pictures of our visit to the farm!

The boys and their toys with Grant out in the field

The kids love getting rides on the 'Bobcat'.  They even got to try their hand and driving it this year- with Mom and Dad right by them, that is!

Emma driving the Bobcat

Love those fluffy clouds!  Check out the bird in the right upper side of the picture!

Kids playing on the bales.

Grace and Grant- these 2 are only a couple of months apart in age.

Beautiful panoramic shot of the hay field and surrounding area.  Gorgeous!

Rake and Wrapper

Rake and Baler

Working in the sunset.

Arianna posing in the tractor connected to the mower

Grant and the heifers.  Although my in-laws sold the milking cows, they still have about 60 heifers.

Fishing at the pond

The kids had fun out their with Daddy

Dad fixing some knives on the mower while the kids hang around

Uncle Scott and Aunt Jenni got chickens recently and the kids had a ball playing with them for a little while

Aunt Jenni and Arianna with a chicken

Hello sweet chickens!

Beautiful morning on the farm!

Kate woke up screaming most every morning and I had to take her out of a house on a walk so she wouldn't wake everyone up.  It turned out to be a blessing.  I love the early mornings on the farm!

Kate became known as the 'screamer' this visit.  She woke up screaming and screamed a lot of the day.  I can't wait til this phase is over!!!!  Good thing she is so cute!

Daddy taking time to read to the kids one morning

The kids love Roxanne, the kitty

Boy time- hanging out in the truck bed with Uncle Joseph

The brothers talking and laughing- Lydia and Arianna in the foreground

It was quite the job feeding this crew!

Crazy Kate!

Attacking Uncle Jason with the pillows

Story time with Mom/ Aunt Heidi

Amusement rides with Uncle Scott and the Skid Steer

Up they go!

Woo hoo!

Beautiful!

Grant learned to ride a bike this time around.  Now all three of our big kids have learned to ride a bike on the farm.  Perfect place to learn with the soft dirt road.

The kids spent a lot of time in their house under the trees.

One of the rooms- all decorated and everything!

More decorations

From the outside

Hello heifers!

Kenneth mowing in the evening.  I love this picture!

Capture the flag was a favorite game this time.  The kids mostly had fun playing- except when they fought about someone not following the rules!

Kate loves Roxanne!  (Poor kitty)

Arianna saying hello to the pig

Kate chasing Roxanne again

Emma made Roxanne a dandelion necklace

All three brother out working in the field simultaneously.

Grant riding with Kenneth while he raked

Arianna out in the field while they worked.

Scott wrapping a bale

Arianna having a turn with Dad

These three were waiting for their turn on the tractor

Grant up on a bale

Arianna jumping the bales

Emma's turn!

Kate just got to sit up on the tractor.  She's still a bit too squirrelly to get a ride on a tractor without a cab!

Kenneth brought a box of fireworks from Kansas and put on a show for the kids

The audience

Kenneth: the pyrotechnic

These girls had so much fun together!  Lydia is there, too, but she is in an anti-photo stage.

The finale- the patriotic floating lantern

Mom and Dad Larchar

We try to get a photo of Arianna, Lydia and Benjamin each time they're together- but Lydia wouldn't have anything to do with it this year.  These guys were all born within 2 1/2 months of each other!

There's the best we could get of Lydia!

Saying goodbye!  The van's all loaded and ready to go!

Some final shots

 Pig pile!

Kate says goodbye to Grandma!

Kate loves 'Cott'  She took a little while to warm up to him this time, but couldn't get enough of him by the end of our visit!

Thus ends another 'Haycation'.  'Til next year!