a very busy morning

Note: I wrote this blog post on Sunday night because I will be in the car for at least 12 hours on Monday hauling butt back to Minnesota. Sorry for the "delayed" post, but these photos were too fun to skip.This was my alarm clock this morning! Actually, the sun woke me up as it peeked over the horizon, and this guy's call came shortly after.I threw on some layers and headed out to get photos of the horses in the field during sunrise -- after all, you don't get a shot like that very often. But when I got to the field, all of the horses began trotting toward the barn because I suppose they thought I was there to feed them breakfast (fat chance).As I followed them to the barn, I spotted this little guy in there. Not in the nursery with the other baby goats, but in the main area.Cutie, right!? At first, I thought he had slipped through the gate past his mama, but then I realized the last goat (who was pregnant last night) was standing next to him. And then I realized I could hear a baby goat crying in the barn, and this guy's mouth was shut.So I slowly entered the barn to see she had twins! Cuties, right!?I ran back up to the house to grab Jenny (my friend who is in charge of all this chaos), and I hoped I wouldn't have to wake her (still sunrise, after all). Ha!When I walked into the kitchen, the kids were finishing up strawberry-rhubarb scones that Jen had made from scratch earlier that morning. Does she even sleep? I'm really not sure.I told her about the babies and she threw on some jeans and she and her eldest daughter and I ran back out there. She needed to give the babies some medicine and get the placenta out of the barn before someone ate it. I really wanted that photo of her carrying the placenta in the pitchfork exiting the barn, but no one deserves to have their photo taken that early in the morning even if they are carrying a placenta with a pitchfork, so I skipped it (sorry!).After moving the new babies and their mama over to the nursery, Jenny milked the goats and then fed the horses and chickens.By 8:30, all eight kids were fed, dressed for church (with matching shoes and socks!) and they were loading up the van to head into town.I was heading back to bed because I am now realizing I am the laziest sloth on the planet. But whatever, I was beat! I'll be the heathen who goes back to bed thankyouverymuch.After church, Jenny made brunch for the family (egg sandwiches on croissants) and I had to shoot a photo of William here. This kid eats CONSTANTLY. I have no idea where it all goes, but he is hungry all the time. And you guys? The amount of planning that goes into cooking for a family of 10 (plus her mom next door and her pesky photographer house guest) and the AMOUNT OF FOOD that is consumed is INSANE. At least her kids help with cleanup and the dishes.I am blown away by this lifestyle and how well this family works together, and I am so happy I made the trip to witness the wonder.