Weekend in Dexter

We spend last weekend in Dexter visiting my Aunt Shirley and Uncle Gary. Also know as Grandma and Grandpa Foltz to the kids. Chad went to hunt, I went to ride horses and the kids to play and see Grandma and Grandpa's new dog Blue. We had a great time but Chad didn't get any deer. There are a total of three blog posts for the weekend.


Blue, the new puppy. He was very well behaved for being a puppy and the kids thought he was just great.



Tim wishing he was outside and playing with Blue.




Nathaniel riding Twister. It is his first horse ride (I think?). He enjoyed it, so I don't quite know why he had this look on his face.

Coyote Bones - Weekend in Dexter

While on a trail ride with Gary I came across some coyote bones. After dinner on Saturday night I took Nathaniel and Nora out to look at them. It involved driving just a few miles away to a peice of property the Foltz's own and lease out for cattle grazing. The kids got to see a beautiful sunset. It sounds strange to say they haven't seen one before-or at least noticed one-but when you realize our house is surrounded by full grown trees and the kids go to bed at 7:00 it makes sense. So anyway, it's twilight and we had to hike about 75 - 100 yards into a pasture and just over the crest of a hill. We left the van at the gate which was just barely visible from where we were. The closest house was about a mile away and so we were truly "out in the country". I say all that to illustrate the point of how scary it would have been for the kids if the coyotes had started howling while we were still out there. Thankfully we were back at the van and I was unlocking the doors when they started.

We went back the next day with Chad and picked up all the bones (for some future science project). That is where these pictures come from.

The Cox Place - Weekend in Dexter

Country folk and farmers generally call plots of land by the previous owners last name. Sounds strange but it is better than referring to "that 80 acres over on the east side of 260th rd." This story is about the Cox Place.

I had wanted to show the kids a beaver dam that I knew was over the hill from house. But I couldn't remember how far it was. It wasn't accessible by 4 wheeler (or should I say Gary wouldn't let me take his 4-wheeler back there?) or car, only by foot or horse. Well horse was out of the question for 3 kids and myself so that left hiking. I was putting the hike off because I couldn't remember how far we would have to walk but I did remember it was up and over a rocky hill and through tall grass in some areas. In short the trip might be more than Nathaniel's legs could handle. Gary came to the rescue by mentioning that there was a beaver lodge on the Cox place. So we grabbed mud boots and loaded the kids in the van and headed off to see the beavers.

The Beaver lodge

A beaver tunnel from the pond to the lodge.

Hiking back to the cars.


A caterpillar we found on the way back.

Nora's 5th Birthday

After 2 postponments Nora's Birthday finally took place! We started out with a Princess Party for her friends that was followed by a family birthday party that Nora shared with her Great Grandpa. The girls came to the party in their favorite princess dress and we (we mothers) did their hair, nails and makeup. The only sour note was when Nora somersaulted down the stairs. Thankfully she was fine with only a few bruises.

Dassah, Abby, Nora, Ella and Kaily

A friend of mine decorated a beautiful cake. We ate the top layer for the Princess party and saved the bottom for the family party that Nora shared with Great-Grandpa who is 84 this year.

For more of Melissa's cakes and contact information see,
http://melissasfrostedfantasies.blogspot.com/

Great-Grandpa didn't mind sharing his birthday day with a princess and he sure didn't mind having the number 5 on his cake.