Our Farm Trip.

This was our third fall in Wisconsin. We've tried out a different farm each year, but we have yet to find one to call our Fall Home. We've liked different things about them, but wouldn't say we LOVE them. I know, bratty. But our Utah County loving Cornbelly's set the bar pretty high. 

This year we tested out Sutter's Ridge. It wasn't too far away and we know a lot of people that have been there before. I loved the farm shop and all of the goodies inside. The people lived up to the Midwest kindness standard, and the kittens were adorable.

We did a hay ride and the girls were extremely particular about which pumpkin to claim. Claire had been talking about pumpkins in school and taught us that when you put a face on a pumpkin, it is no longer a pumpkin. It is a Jack-O-Lantern. And sticking with tradition, she HAD to have a white one.

In the activity area, there was a place for kids to pump water and the water ran on a track with a rubber duck afloat. The idea was you do it at the same time and it was a rubber duck race. It was impossible to pull the older two away from the water. Fortunately, I got Tiegan interested in the kittens and she and I sat a while with them in the kitten barn.

Claire and Aoife loved leading the way through the corn maze and I have no idea how it happened, but we were in and out in probably 15 minutes. I'm pretty sure we trudged through somewhere we weren't supposed to. It worked out because after 15 minutes the grown ups are frustrated and done and the kids just want out.

 I can't believe it's already NOVEMBER!! It is just flying by!

 Our Next Adventures: 

• Claire turns 5
• Uncle Jake comes for a visit (Aoife SCREAMED when I told her, "I'm so excited! I can't wait to tackle JAKE!!!!!")
• Ross' Birthday
• Thanksgiving
• Tiegan's Birthday

And then it's Holiday time! It's going to go so fast! I just hope this weather lasts. I let the girls go outside without a jacket the other day. They set up the sprinkler and then got mad when I told them they couldn't play in it. Because if the weather is this nice in November, it's obviously summer. I gave them some Halloween candy and they did forgive me.

Next up: Claire's mermaid birthday party.

A Family History Through Corn Mazes.

I love fall. I love everything pumpkin, colored leaves, boots, apples, and corn mazes. Yesterday was our 6th wedding anniversary. Crazy, right? We got married in the morning, did pictures, and then the reception wasn't until later that night. We had a huge gap of time and so what did we do? What any normal person would do in October. We gorged on soup, salad, and breadsticks and then headed off to a corn maze. Looking back, I 100% wish I had done the maze in my dress.

Every year to celebrate, we go to a fall festival and do a corn maze. The soup, salad, and breadsticks is hit or miss, but we never miss a corn maze. It's become a family event, and one that I really look forward to each year. We've had so many adventures, and our family has changed a lot since then. Here's a look at the Loveland Fam over the past six years. I think when we got married both of us were embarrassed about taking pictures, so some are missing which I seriously regret. Luckily, I am shameless when it comes to snapping pictures so we'll never miss another!

The beginning: We're married!! 

Year 1: We were still embarrassed about picture taking, but this was close to that time. 

I was also super pregnant and didn't do a great job styling my extensions. 

Year Two: The first year of having a little tag-a-long for our anniversary adventure. 

Year 3: Aoife joined in that year. (She's in Ross' arm, hiding.)

Year Four: Aunt Ena came to visit us and joined in our fall fun. Our first fall in WI. 

*That's Aunt Ena in the picture. NOT me. 

Year 5: Mama Loveland was here with us this year and was our lovely photographer. And Tiegan came along! 

Claire was sick this past weekend, but Ross is taking Friday off for us to have a whole day of Fall fun to celebrate. We'll pick up the rest of the Halloween costumes, and venture off to a fall festival for our annual corn maze. We still do smaller things for just the two of us to celebrate. This year, Ross surprised me with my most favorite painting. Not gonna lie, I teared up looking at it, and I'm amazed that he remembered me talking about it so long ago. Here's to hoping I get acquainted with it and don't cry every time I see it. Ross got socks. Superhero and Hogwarts socks, but don't worry. He loves them and he's also getting some pictures.  Six years down and so much more to go. Adventure is out there!!

UW Dairy Cattle Center

Today we went with my Mom's Meetup group to the UW Dairy Cattle Center. One of the gals had arranged a tour for us. (Note: If you go, park in Lot 36. Parking is the main thing that holds us back from any campus activity. We parked way the heck away which wasn't too bad of a walk, but with 3 tired kiddos, the walk back was dreadful.)

Anyway, I knew the university had a dairy and we love going to watch them make ice cream and the cookies and cream is literally the best I've ever had, but I had no idea that there was a cattle center on campus! As we were walking over the bridge Claire asked, "What's that SMELL Mom?" -Cows. The gent that did our tour was so great with our littles. We had a handful of 2-3 year olds and then Claire got to come today, too. We started in a lobby area where we slipped on some shoe covers which are meant to protect the cows more than anything. He talked to us about the different cows and buildings and gave us lots of general information before we started the tour. None of us moms came from an agricultural background so we were clueless.

We walked in to where the cows are weighed when they arrived. All of the little girls liked running on the ramp. Then we got to see the cows. The University actually has 80 cows on campus. There are 700 cows in total, but most are kept at other study locations. Tiegan LOVES cows. She was so excited and squealed a lot. He talked to us for a while in front of the cows, but I can't remember what he said. I was too busy trying to keep my children from playing in their food.

Then we went and saw where they get the food and he talked about that for a while. It was super fascinating. He told us about food and it turns out the preparation has a big effect on how much milk the cows will provide. (Grinding vs. chopping) The cows are milked twice a day, and each gives off about 10 gallons of milk per day.(80-90 POUNDS of milk.) One of the gals gives 22 gallons per day.

Then we got to walk past the cows again and into another room where some of the cows are involved in different studies. And then we got to see where and how the cows get milked. You can actually come in at 4:30 to watch the cows get milked. They have a great viewing area, and since you aren't walking around the cows you don't need booties. They get milked from 4:30-5. He talked to us about the milking process and the system that scans their chips and will tell the students how much they weigh, how much milk they'll give, and how long it will take to milk to ensure the cow isn't over or under milked. He said it takes anywhere from 5-8 minutes to milk a cow.

We were a little short on time, our guide had a meeting right away, but usually he lets kids stick their hands into a cow's stomach and talks about the anatomy and how their stomachs work. I doubt any of the girls would have done it anyway. Maybe Aoife.

At one point during the tour, I thought Claire was sucking her thumb and I told her to stop. Turns out she was plugging her nose and whined a little when she stopped. "But mom, it's kind of stinky!"

It's so cool that the University has so much for kids and is so willing to give tours and show us all of the cool things! They didn't have any baby calves at the time, but he gave out his card so we'll be checking in and will definitely be back with those little babes arrive!

Dating in Madison

We are the worst at Date Night. Our schedules are insane and family time is limited, so we just don't make it out that often. We've tried taking turns planning an at home date and an actual date, date jars, getting a babysitter and getting out the door and asking "What do you want to do?" and we end up roaming the bookstore or grocery shopping.

We're lame.

Until now.

A couple months ago I had a brilliant idea. It was around the same time as we started the Cash Envelopes.  If we were going to go on a date, we were going to do it right. Ross and I are very different people. You can tell from our Netlix profiles. But I love that we're different and I love that Ross has things that he loves and although I might not love it the same way, I want to be interested in his interests. I decided we were going to do one date a month. I'd take the odd months and he'd take the even months. But here's the catch. The person planning the date plans it 100% including babysitter and has to plan it around their own interests. What THEY want to do. We've done 3 months of this and here's how it's gone.

MONTH 1: Kate's month-
For this one I wanted something exciting and different. I booked us a room at Escape Chambers.  We got locked in a room for an hour and had an hour to solve the scenario. They had a few to choose from and I went with the one called "All In"

"It was all a setup. The dealer was in on it....the other high rollers at the table were in on it.....even the waitress played her part. They took you for everything you had. Unfortunately for them, you have a plan to take it back....with interest. You call up a few "business associates" and explain the job. They all think you're certifiably insane.....and they all want in."

So basically the situation was Ross and I got involved in an underground poker game and lost all our cash. We had to find the entrance to the underground casino and find the money and get out before the bouncer came back.

Seriously, SO FUN!! We arrived a little early and decided to get drinks and appetizers at The Vintage across the street before we headed over to get locked in a room. We had a blast. It was unlike any date we've had. Unfortunately, we didn't grab the money before the time was up but we'll definitely be going back to check out the new rooms.

MONTH 2: Ross' month-

Ross loves superheros. Especially Marvel. And board games. Originally his plan was for us to go to a game night at the local board game shop, but my work schedule didn't cooperate. Sorry, babe. Instead we went out for some grub and headed to the theatre to see Ant Man. And it was awesome. I don't have the passion for Superheros like he does, but the movie was great, the company was great, and I didn't have to plan a thing. :)

MONTH 3: Kate's month-

I splurged on this. Which isn't fair to Ross, but I've been dying for a getaway weekend. I wasn't planning on telling Ross and having it be a surprise, but I'm the worst at surprises and got so excited I told him maybe an hour after booking. We had a lovely getaway at a bed and breakfast on the East side of town, The Speckled Hen Inn.

I lined up someone to stay with the girls and we had some great quiet alone time. We started with dinner at Red Robin. Our food was taking forever and a manager came up to our table to tell us our food got lost somehow, but not to worry because they're working on it now and our meal would be on her! Free food!

I spent a lot of time picking a place and then the perfect room. And it did not disappoint. We played card games, relaxed, ate food, and just hung out together. Breakfast was phenomenal: Carmel apple scones, fresh raspberries, eggs from their chickens, grilled tomato, bacon glazed with maple syrup from their maple trees...so much food. And everything was from their garden. It was AMAZING.

Before we went home to resume normal life, we walked around some stores and grabbed lunch. It was the most relaxed we've been in a long time. Much needed getaway. I'm only sad it was one night instead of two.

Next Month will be Ross' month as well as our anniversary month. I'm excited to see what he plans, and if he knows the key to my heart, it will include food.