Easter Weekend (Part 2)

Hhmm, it's nearly been a month since Easter. Tonight I actually put Jax in his bed after he fell asleep on me earlier. I usually just hold him because he's so snuggly, and he'll wake up for another feed anyway. But that doesn't help me get caught up on my blogging so we'll see how much I can get done. I'm falling asleep, and he'll probably wake up soon. *sigh*

The plan for Saturday over Easter was to take a trip out to Vavenby to visit Aveley Heritage Sheep Ranch. It's been a working sheep ranch for over 100 years. I had gone several times as a young girl, and probably haven't been there for about 20 years. It's always been my dream to take my own kids there, and the day finally came. (In October 2007, we drove out on a Sunday morning when we were remarkably early for church and needed something to occupy the time. We just drove along the back roads and down the driveway, but that's as far as we went.) Paul and I took our boys, my sister took her kids, and brother Colin took his two oldest kids. The first difference from when we used to visit in the old days was that there is now an admission charge to explore the farm. I had no problem paying it, because it always seemed weird to kind of unofficially snoop around someone's property. The Moilliets have diversified in the past several years to offer agri-tourism as a means of increasing their revenue. It cost more than a trip to the pumpkin patch, but I'd pay it again as the service, hospitality, and experience were exceptional. If you're in the area anytime in April, I highly encourage a trip to Aveley. (I can't remember when the tourism season ends.)

Speaking of April ... I made a new friend at the ranch! (Her name is April :) I was quite surprised to be greeted by a lady saying "I read your blog!". She had found my blog through our mutual friend Jamie (private blog), and hadn't made the connection to me until we showed up on her family ranch. She recognized my boys names and then introduced herself. I even have a link to Aveley from my blog but she hadn't noticed it before we met. Small little world, and even smaller when you're from that neck of the woods!

I thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon. I think my family did too. Despite a bit of drizzly rain, and despite the fact that we got there when we should have been eating lunch and didn't leave till almost supper time ... everyone behaved rather well. I was happy to see that although there were some new features and highlights, much of my experience was exactly how I remembered it and have nostalgically held on to for all these years.

We got there later than originally planned because we first stopped in to see my Dad's sister Linda and her Hubby, Jan (at the lovely Windmill B&B). We had a bit of a mini family reunion, although a few people were missing. There are just 4 girl cousins on that side of the family, and we were all there with all our kids. That was pretty fun, and as momentous as it was, we decided not to try to get a picture of everyone. My sister and our cousin are married to brothers, so their kids know each other well. My boys? Well, you know how they tend to just do their own thing? This is what they did while the men watched and the women chatted inside. (Two little girls were there somewhere too. Probably smelling flowers or something.)

Well, well. Guess who's awake now? Good timing.