Chickens, & Horses, & Pigs, Oh My!

It has been a while since I have blogged, and I have a great excuse. Last week Ryan and I met up with Kim, Kate, & Jack and flew to Pickering, MO to visit our Grandma Shirley and Great Gran. Yes, that means Ryan had her first flight. She did such an amazing job on the plane. I was actually pretty surprised. She slept the whole time, both flights. It was the car rides that were unbearable for her.
Anyways, we had such an amazing trip. It is so cool that Ryan got to meet her great great grandma, and of course great grandma is pretty impressive too.
While we were there, we had the goal of seeing a different type of livestock everyday. This task was more for Kate, but I enjoyed the rewards of it as well. First, Grandma Shirley lined up the amazing task of 160 pigs coming by her house on their way to get slaughtered. As soon as I heard the word slaughtered my heart was broken. But, apparently these pigs have never seen soil, they are raised for kill. Not like that adorable story makes things any better, but it somehow put my animal loving heart at ease thinking these huge, stinky pigs were not taken out of a gorgeous home, they were taken from a parking lot. Now, being an animal lover, this was very hard for me to witness; but the pork sandwich I had once I got inside eased my pain.

So the pigs were marked off of our list, now it was on to horses. Ryan loved the horses. I think it was because she has two of her own at her house at all times. The horses' name was Babe and so much fun to pet. I just love how innocent and clueless horses look. Okay, so we've seen pigs and horses, now onto the chickens. Oh, we also saw cows up close and personal- but no pictures were captured of Ryan. I will have to say my favorite animals were the chickens. We were able to feed them and every time I it scared them to the other side of their pen. I was probably giving them all mini strokes, but it was too funny to watch their reaction to my noises. Ryan was pretty excited by the chickens. Whenever they pecked at the grass she would jump back a bit, I think she thought they may get her.

Overall, we had such an amazing trip. I always enjoy going to my Grandma Shirley's house. There is just something about that house that brings back the most amazing and vivid childhood memories. You'll have to check out my sister's blog for a better description.
Here are a few more highlights from the trip:
Jack & Ryan laughing at Aunt Jenny

Kate is giving Ryan her medicine. She wants Ryan to grow up so badly!
Aunt Kim reading a bedtime book to all of the babies!
Great Gran and her great great grandchildren
Ryan's first swinging experience at a park. She absolutely loved it.
4 generations (we are missing my mom for the fab five)
I love this picture. We are all wearing the same color. Kim and I decided it would be a good idea to straighten Kate's hair, paint her fingernails and toenails, and put eyeshadow on her. She looked 10 years old.
Ryan and her Grandma Shirley, look at those dang eyes!