Whoa!

Dexter got a thrill out of the carousel at Lamb's Farm. He buckled himself in, held on tight, smiled, and said, "Whoa!" the whole time.

Special Buddy for Mommy

Despite not petting any animals myself (or maybe because of it), one little goat refused to leave my side.  He walked up to me and stuck his head against my leg. Wherever I walked, that little guy followed me and placed his head in the same spot. My special buddy :)

Petting Farm

Dexter and Ben enjoyed close up encounters in the petting farm at Lamb's Farm.  I think they pet every single animal in there!

A Place for Everyone

When we got to Lamb's Farm, we learned that it was a residential and vocational center for adults with developmental disabilities.  This became apparent as we wandered the grounds. Residents participated in the running of all the activities and services. Everyone was extremely friendly and eager to help and share their knowledge. Lamb's Farm even keeps "imperfect" animals visible. This created a truly welcoming and comfortable environment for everyone of all ages and abilities.  I should also note that the meal we had at the Magnolia Cafe was some of the best restaurant food we've had in a long time and Dexter made friends with all the servers. We will definitely be going back.

Lamb's Farm

Ben and I had seen Lamb's Farm from the highway during trips up to Wisconsin for gigs (there's no missing the massive Paul Bunyan and his giant ox, even speeding by at 80 miles an hour!).  It is a bit of a hike from our house but we always thought it would be a nice place to bring Dexter. It had a petting zoo, carousel, and, best of all, a train!

When I got a Living Social deal for a family day pass, I jumped on it.  Dexter was so excited about the train and talked about it for the entire 50 minute drive from our house.  When we arrived, we learned that the train was broken but kept Dexter in the dark about it. Blissfully unaware that he would not be riding a train, he enjoyed all the other activities. As we were getting ready to leave, Dexter said he wanted to ride the train and (bracing myself for a huge fit) I told him that we couldn't ride the train today because it was broken. Without missing a beat, Dexter said, "Maybe the train needs new batteries."  I said, "Do you think that's the problem?" Dexter replied, "Yes. They have to get new batteries and then we can come back and ride the train." "Yup," I said enthusiastically, "we'll come back another time to ride the train."  I was not prepared for the mix of disbelief and relief that swept over me - I truly was expecting a major scene, not rationalization and immediate acceptance of the circumstances.

Farm and Home Bargains

In addition to the farm vehicle rain boots that we bought for Dexter ($10), we found a number of other bargains at the Quincy Farm and Home including a door mat ($3), plates ($1 each), a birthday present for my mom ($35), a tractor pull set that will be a birthday present for Dexter ($9), and a toy tractor and bailer ($4).  The cherry on top was the fact that Farm and Home was having a "tax free" day on the day we went shopping!

Dexter LOVES his boots.  They are a little big, enabling him to just step right into them and shuffle around the house. We're hoping they last through next spring.