Through the eyes of a 16-year-old boy

I handed Kurtis the camera on our annual pilgrimage to Baby Animal Days and this is what 90% of the pictures ended up being...
Jenessa.

AKA, a cute blond that my brother is gaga over.

More pictures of Jenessa's flawless skin and pearly white, straight smile. I think he took these just to rub it in my old face that I'm wrinkly, pore-es-ly (is that a word?), bags-under-the-eyes-tired, and weathered.Seriously, stop Kurtis!While Kurt was busy taking pictures of Jenessa - who ironically looks a lot like our cute hair desser, Shayla - Cole decided to make a move on her.
You snooze, you loose Kurtis!A few observations about Baby Animals Day 2011. The snowy, rainy, miserably wet and cold spring weather hampered our secret of going to B.A.D. on a non-official B.A.D. weekend. You see, for the past few years we've gone on the weekends where there are typically just the animals out, no vendors or extra activities (like these cowboy cutouts) that the American West Heritage Center puts on during the real B.A.D. opening weekend. But since they extended the actual B.A.D. two additional weekends, and today just happened to be the nicest weekend weather-wise all month, everyone decided to come out to the festivities. We had to actually wait in line to ride the train and ponies! Not to mention squeezing into the animal pens with about 300 other kids and parents lugging strollers, cameras, and purses around. Boo. The secret is out now.

Second, Cole needs a farm. Seriously, the kid LOVES animals! Maye it's because the only books I seem to read to him are about animals. He pointed and babbled at every furry, feathery creature he could see. And unlike his sister, he wasn't afraid of touching them.This poor little goat got a nasty b-slap (pardon my french... I needed the graphic description for Jeff to get the full effect) from Cole after they babbled and "maaaa'ed" back and forth to each other for a few minutes. I wasn't really expecting it either since moments before Cole had been gently petting the goat. For a second I thought I thought Cole was going to get a head butt in retaliation.Cole also had quite the fun with this little calf. This calf was very friendly! He ran over to Cole and Jenessa and started licking Cole's fingers and shoes. Cole giggled and giggled! It was hilarious.
Speaking of calves, here I am begging my Dad to let me take this one home with me. I'm not bitter or anything, but when I was 15 I wanted a calf really bad. One of my Dad's coworkers offered to give me one as a learning experience. He gave me a resounding "no" several times, even with my well-thought out plan to keep my calf at my Grandpa's fields. Maybe Jeff will let me keep him...This would have been a good picture had Kurtis told me to open my eyes!This one is better. We were lucky to have Ruby and EZ join us this year. Every other year, Ru-bug has been sick. I had to tell Pearl this was a treasure map to the train (her favorite part about B.A.D.) in order to trick her into carrying it around. I get nervous every time Pearl gets on a horse. She got bucked off a pony ride a couple of years ago, actually twice on the same day on two different horses! She seriously flew up on the air and Jeff happened to grab her jacket before she would have hit the ground. Ever since, she has insisted someone walk beside her, except this year. She actually told me, "Mom, I can do it by myself!" She gave us a big thumbs up after the ride was over.
The only animals Pearl said weren't stinky, and for which she would grace with her presence for more than 5.2 seconds, were the pigs. Go figure.I'd say B.A.D. 2011 was a success!