Where Did We Go Wednesday? Valleyfair

Did you hear?

Valleyfair just opened for the season!!!!

We went about 10 days ago for the season passholder preview day, but it just opened this past weekend for everyone. We got season passes to Valleyfair last year and it worked out well for us. If you only go 2 times it has paid for itself, but go more than that and it's basically free. 

This year we did not go on the new ride, North Star. None of us are thrilled about spinning in a circle up so high. But I did get my daughter to go on 2 more roller coasters with me, the Renegade and the Corkscrew. Last year she went on only two other roller coaster rides, Mad Mouse and High Roller. She is slowly but surely, trying them all out. Plus there is a smaller roller coaster that both kids will go on called, Cosmic Coaster. My son went on High Roller last year and hated it and won't go on again, too scary for him yet. He did go on Mad Mouse and likes that one, so I guess he has some he liked. He likes a lot of the spinning rides, he doesn't get motion sickness as easily as the rest of us do. I can't wait for the waterpark to open up, that is where we spent a handful of days this summer and will again this summer. 

In the fall, we go there for Valleyscare. That was a lot of fun and is included in our season pass too.

Where Did We Go Wednesday? Shrohaven Dairy Farm

This past week I went with my son on a field trip to Shrohaven Dairy Farm in Owatonna, Minnesota. It is an Organic Valley Farm. Wild we were there the kids got to see how milkers work and how they get the milk from the cow and into the tank. They were introduced to three different breeds of college. They also had a petting zoo set up with baby farm animals including a sheep, goat, piglets, and a pony. At the end of the field trip the kids were given a snack of organic valley milk and string cheese as well as some cookies to dip in their milk. The Minnesota Dairy Association sponsors these farm field trips for our school and they get to go to another farm when they are in third grade. They gave me a couple coupons for Organic Valley products, but I am afraid I forgot about them in my pocket and they went through the wash.

Where Did We Go Wednesday - RAD Zoo

The RAD Zoo has been featured on here a few times. It is pretty close to us so we get a family membership and try to get there as often as we can. Even though it is close we don't get often as we would like because the kids are busy but it is nice to go there and because we have been going there since they opened we have gotten to know the owners and they let us know what things are new that we haven't seen so we are sure to see them. The zoo is filled with a large variety of reptiles and amphibians and fish and birds. It is mostly reptiles and amphibians but they do have other animals like birds and fish and sharks in there as well.

On this trip the kids got a little more education than we bargained for and saw these two box turtles mating. When I asked one of the owners questions about gestational period and laying eggs they offered to bring out there one-year-old baby turtle that is off exhibit. It was really neat to see that because hit was maybe an inch and a half to 2 inches long and it's a year old. They also brought out a baby alligator that is probably about 1 years old and was maybe 12 inches long. They said they acquired that one because someone had it as a pet and didn't want it anymore and they took it in.

This time the kids had a real treat and had the opportunity to pet the coral cat shark that they have. I am sure my kids have had the opportunity to put a lot more animals there then most people have because of the frequency we have gone and because the owners have gotten to know us. So I don't think normally people would get to pet the shark when they go. They do provide the opportunity when they are doing their shows to pet an alligator, a snake, and or a turtle or tortoise. So if you do go there there is a high likelihood that you will get to pet something and even possibly feed something like the turtles or tortoises.

Wordless Wednesday: Ag Power

These pictures are from our playgroup tour to Ag Power.

Wordless Wednesday #1

I have seen many other have a post called "Wordless Wednesday" as one or maybe the only post of the day. I like that idea to let the picture tell you a story, or in the case for my first Wordless Wednesday, a series of photos. In order for me to have a theme (I like themes!) I plan to include a picture(s) of a field trip or activity I did with one or both of my kids.