Blackberry Farm

We drove 45 minutes (at least) to visit a place our friends (who don't live 45 minutes from Aurora) have talked about being a great place for kids.  It's straight west on 290/88 which is exactly how one drives to Iowa from our house.  The next day we packed our bags and drove directly to Iowa.  No one was impressed with the drive to Iowa.

The kids had fun at Blackberry Farm. I don't ever need to go back but that's how a lot of those children places tend to go.  They rode horses.  

We rode a train around the farm area.

All the children sat in front of us so our ride was delightful.

There was a carousal.  The carousal is always a fan favorite unless...unless they don't get that one animal they JUST CANT LIVE WITHOUT.  Happens every time.  So we are forced to ride it again. They get off wanting to ride again.  I get off thankful I didn't puke.

There was a zip line the kids patiently stood in line to ride.  We waited 10 minutes to ride for less than 10 seconds.  There was no shade and it was 95 degrees out. They can be so determined and persistent when they want something.  I can promise you that something is never cleaning anything up.

There was a one room school house which was adorable. The teacher was pretty serious and asked the kids questions.  She told them about how there wasn't an abundance of paper to waste like there is now so kids used chalkboards and chalk.  She told them how kids would ride their ponies to school.  Now Miss M thinks she should ride a pony to school.  She told them about how it's a one room school house which means there isn't a room for a toilet.  Miss M was mystified that she would teach all different grades at once in one room.  I think she's still pretty blown away by all of it.  It will come up when I am least expecting it in the bathroom of a gas station on the way to St. Louis when I have no idea what she's referring to.  I have stored it away for later just in case.