Satuday In the Park

It was a day for firsts.  We took the boys to their first pork and corn roast.  They saw their first tractors and loved sitting behind the wheel. They got a kick out of Daddy and Gramma on the tractors, too.  I think there were quite a few gasps from the crowd when Gramma mounted her tractor.  It was her first time on one.  Grampa drove his Uncle Joe's tractor when he was young, although he was only allowed to drive it straight.  The boys like the steering part.  

Their Great-great-grandfathers Lynch, McWilliams, Heiderscheit and Goedken were farmers.  Perhaps the land is in their blood.  Or perhaps they inherited an attraction to wheels.  Their Great-grandfather Goedken drove a 18 wheeler and won every truck rodeo he entered.  He owned his own truck and Grampa Terry used to love to wash it for him.

"I NEED to drive the tractor," Nathan told me, as soon as he spotted it.

The boys had their first hot dog.  Each one ate a whole hot dog, plus beans, applesauce, barbecued pork and corn.  Andrew enjoyed eating his corn Daddy style.

Andrew is at home with the animals.  He puts his face right in theirs and looks into their eyes.  They tend to back up before he does. 

Just after I took this picture, Andrew picked up the poor chicken.  We encouraged him to put her down.  We think he might have been checking for eggs.

Nathan prefers to be a couple of feet above the animals in the safety of Grampa's arms.

It was also their first concert.  As we entered the pork roast, Nathan froze and listened intently.  "I think I hear music," he told us.  He couldn't get to the music stage fast enough.  "I want to see the violin."  We explained there was no violin in the band.  He studied the drummer's technique as if he was hypnotized and enjoyed the keyboardists glissandos.  The tables weren't close enough for him.  He had to sit directly in front of the stage to be sure he didn't miss anything.

Andrew was interested in dancing to the music. He did not learn his dance moves from his Grampa.

It was their first pony ride.  I know it won't be their last.  Andrew prefers to study the horses, rather than to ride them.  Nathan NEEDS to drive them.  Gramma didn't try to ride a pony.  She doesn't do well going in circles.