Field trip to the source of the manuer smell invading our open windows

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It's that time of year again. It's spring, it's getting warmer and things are blooming again! For the preschoolers at school, that means the annual field trip to the farm! For the second year preschoolers, this day has been a looonng time-a- comin'. Justin went last year as a 3-4 yr. old preschool class, and now this year as a big 4-5 year old preschooler. Really, what a difference a year makes! This was a whole different trip this time.

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The kids are older and more aware. Aware of what?

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The smell is horrible! This farm happens to be right up the road from us, and there are so many times where I open up the windows to let some nice fresh clean air in to lighten up the smell in the house...only to have the house smell like ammonia and cow poo. So, the windows get buttoned right back up, and on top of the stale house smell, we are graced with the smell of poop now too. BUT...that is fine by me. I'd rather smell that, than exhaust from cars/busses when I open the windows.

Also, just like last year, I got the mooshy heart felt feeling by the warmth and generosity of the farmer and his wife, for letting us visit their farm. They don't just let the kids visit and have a "sort of" cool field trip. These are grandparents who truly love kids and have as much fun as the kids do for these visits!

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They get to do hands on things too- feeding newborn calfs, collecting eggs, holding piglets...you name it.  Not to mention the highly anticipated tractor ride where they pile in the back like a bunch of clowns in a clown car.

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And isn't a field trip the perfect time for some stress-free, classroom-free bonding with your little friends??

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What else is spring known for?? Blossoming buds on on the trees, blooming tulips and daffodils, the smell of fresh cut grass, wet dirt being stirred up, the smell of rain and worms, and baby animals being born...baby chicks, piglets, calfs, and... puppy love. Sharing a nice fuzzy dandelion with a girl in the middle of a waist high field of green grass and flowers.

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You can tell what the look on his face is, even though you can only see by the squinting of his eye, and the raising of his cheek bone. It tells me he has the biggest, happiest, flirtatious, puppy loving smile going on. A look not for me- but for the little girl in pink with her blond pigtails blowing in the wind. Wishing on the dandelion fuzz. Like one of the last posts where me and Justin were talking about dandelions and making wishes...I wonder if he is wishing for chocolate ice cream, floating in the air and being able to breathe, or maybe for something else this time...who knows?