Day 20

Happy Birthday to my favorite Mama of all times!  I only wish we had been able to celebrate with her in person! I love you Mother!

Day 20 has been a pretty big day.  We lived up the FFA's to the full for sure.  I surprised Chuck with a visit to Frying Pan Park Harvest Festival.  It was on the same farm where we had our Hoedown.  Actually, while we were at the Hoedown, I came across the flyer for the Harvest Festival and was thrilled because it was free admission!  Seems everywhere around here you have to pay no less than $15 a person just to enter a fall festival-type deal.  

So our outing consisted of roaming around the last functioning dairy farm in Fairfax county.  Of course there were plenty of barnyard animals to see, and lots of festival-like food to eat, too.  We each enjoyed grilled burgers and sweet potato fries that were out-of-this-world! 

We spent some time at the blacksmith's building, watching a guy weld.  I was particularly excited because my Grandfather was a blacksmith, and my uncle still owns and operates a blacksmith shop in Iowa.  Chuck and I talked more about my family history and he got to learn some new stuff about me.  

Blacksmith shop

 

Later, we watched a demonstration of an apple cider press- a really old apple cider press.  Unfortunately I can't remember how old, but it was pretty cool to watch!  

Can you spot the apples?!

My most favorite part of the festival was the old, original farm house. I absolutely loved the kitchen.  It fascinated me to see how women baked, did laundry, kept food cold, sifted flour, and even how their babies used to sit at the table (without highchairs, gasp!). I have a crazy admiration for those farm ladies of the past!  This house even had a Hoosier Cabinet, which was really exciting to us.  We recently got Chuck's great-aunt's Hoosier Cabinet, which is now in our dining room.  Too cool for school. 

Check out the kettle corn I'm holding- incredible!  Hoosier Cabinet to the left.

 Oh, and here is our token farm-animal picture.  I gotta admit, the cow was kinda gross.  She was leaking, but hey.  That's what most of you put on your breakfast cereal every morning.  Ick!

After the festival, we went to see one of our teens in a soccer game.  She, of course, did an awesome job!  It was fun to get to see her play.  We also polished off most of the kettle corn at this time!

Upon arriving home, we were greeted with a package stuffed in our door.  Hallelujah!  Thank you Aunt Barb!

She sent me a new fall table cloth that I love!  It fits perfectly in our dining room.  Here Chuck is writing on our chalkboard wall in preparation for our sweet friends, Austin and Katie who were coming for dinner.  We loved having them, and it was a great way to top off our festive day 20!