Frolicking through Lavender (aka:the calming affects of lavender)

Today did not start out as a day that I would want to write about. Lets see. My 10 year old talking very loudly next to a sleeping mommy and baby. Waking up to the sound of two kids fighting about the need for another bowl...once again, loudly. It just kind of went downhill from there. Rachel had a girl scout activity in the afternoon out in Newberg (a 40 minute drive), so I was searching for something to do for 3 hours with the kids in Newberg. I ran across a upick lavender farm and some antique shops while searching online and figured that we could stay busy until Rachel was done. This was still amid chaos and I really did not want to go. I wanted a nap time. (for Elise and me!) I wanted a relaxing afternoon. I wanted anything but a trip that looked like more than I could handle today. But away we went anyway.

We went to Red Ridge Farms for the lavender, which turned out to be the right place to start. One whiff of the lavender and I was in heaven. I can smell it now. (mainly because I have some drying right next to me) This place was spectacular. Idyllic. It looks out over rolling hills of farm land. They have a nice, somewhat classy picnic area with the cute and punny "picnic thyme" sign up. Next to the upick lavender fields is a grassy area under a covered archway. This allowed one of us to sit with Lilly in the shade while the others cut lavender. Away went the chaos of the morning. The girls enjoyed making their own lavender bunches to bring home. (Although, Elise did not want the baby bunch that we tried to trick her with. She wanted a big ole bunch! Why do I ever try to trick a 2 year old?) I was put into a happy splendor brought on by a perfect afternoon. Yes, there was still some crying. Even a very ucky poopie diaper without wipes. (Yeah for wet paper towels!) But the lavender worked its magic. And right after arriving at a church activity for dinner, I overheard a woman telling someone about the calming affects of lavender. Well, there you have it. I think I am going to keep lavender throughout my house.



Challenge: Can you guess what Elise is saying in her picture? How about whose idea it was to sit up there for a picture in the first place? Whoever guesses correctly (or is the closest) is going to get a little surprise in the mail. This should be easy since the viewership on this blog is pretty low. You can make your guess in the comments.