Laura Ingalls Wilder

I have so enjoyed reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder books to Ainsley. It was always such a treat, after putting the boys down for rest, to be able to plop down on her bed and read her a chapter. And while GooF got the boys ready for bed at night, I'd lay down on her bed and read to her. . .1 Chapter often turned into 2, then 3, until before we knew it we'd been reading for an hour. We always had a dictionary handy. . she loved to help me look up words we didn't know. Now we are on the last book of the Rose (Laura's daughter) series. We snuck in the book, "Natalie: Schools first day of me," a great short Christian chapter book for those of you who have a soon to be kindergartner! Anyway, I enjoyed spending that time with Ainsley and I learned a lot from the characters in the Laura Ingalls story. . .some parts of their simple life I longed for, but mostly I was thankful for my washing machine, telephone, toilet, etc.

Ryan and I recently had the privilege of taking Ainsley to DeSmet! My parents took care of the boys for the day/night (thank you!). We left early afternoon and stopped at the Dairy Bar in Brookings :)
When we got to DeSmet we did the in town tour, then went out to the homestead and enjoyed all the activites there, and finished off the day with the Pageant, "The Long Winter." I think our winters are long. . imagine not being able to leave your house, being hungry, cold, and bringing in frozen clothes from the clothesline.

Here is our little "half pint" getting real water from the well. . .

Washing clothes. . .

Touring in town. . . Going on a covered wagon ride to a school session in a one room school house. . .Ainsley even got a turn to hold onto the reins and drive the buggy!!!!

Waiting for the pageant to start by playing old maid, sitting up front on a very bumpy horse and buggy ride, and eating candy/popcorn. . .Enjoying the pageant and getting her picture taken with Laura (who was actually our tour guide earlier in the day) and the other girls. . .
Ainsley asked how come Mary could dance so well when she's blind. . .Did I mention I am thankful for allergy medicine?! I was allergic to something out by the barn (it's making my eyes itch and chest feel wheezy just looking at the pictures), but Ainsley loved her first horseback ride. . .

Our little "prairie rose" for the day. . .

If you've made it this far, reading this post, you're in for a treat. . . me as ma, GooF as pa, and Ainsley as Laura. . .Now Ainsley as Laura. . .Now, for the real treat, trying on clothes. . .

GooF was such a good sport all day. . .SEE!He hadn't read the books but we really appreciated him being along! He even drove us home at 11:00 at night.

All in all, it was a great day spent with just our little Laura Ingalls fan. She got to make a corncob doll and she spent her money from Grammy on a rag doll.