Reagan's Big Weekend at Purdue!

A tradition in the making

--For the past three years we've made plans to attend Purdue's Spring Game (which is really a scrimmage) and the Bug Bowl and all the other fun events they host, for Josh's birthday. Reagan loves it...and we've actually made it twice now (the first year, when Reagan had just turned one, we ALL came down with the stomach flu!)

This year Reagan was so excited to see (and hold) the tarantulas...they are all she's been talking about for months. There were tons of other fun things to do...milking cows (which we passed on this time!), holding farm animals, making rockets, participating in contests, learning about local ecology, entomology and all the species of plants and tree growth that live in this area. Not to mention tons of great food, horses to ride and craft projects galore for the kids--that introduced them to chemistry, biology and more! Purdue does an EXCELLENT job with this family event. Really...if you live ANYWHERE near there...GO to next year's event!

Here are some photos of us at this year's Spring Fest!

Reagan riding a pony at the Cowboys for Cancer Booth!


Reagan holding a millipede!


Reagan holding a hissing cockroach! (We went back the next day and the roaches were VERY stressed out about being held a couple of thousand times so he really did hiss at her...she wasn't daunted in the least!)


I forget what this little guy is called..."horn" comes to mind, but we do know that he eventually turns into a moth! He reminds me of chewed up gum!


Purdue has a GORGEOUS campus...all brick and impeccable landscaping!


Josh and Reagan after the game, with her autographed football. (They were both a little awe-struck!)


I love this face Reagan is making!


Ok is he not adorable!?? This poor baby calf was soooo exhausted from the people oohing and awwing over him, that he needed help just to get up and reposition! He looks like swiss mocha!


Reagan showing off her coyote footprint cast--she thought it was so neat to actually get to see bones and stuffed (as in REAL stuffed) animals as well as make casts of their footprints.


Reagan hanging out with one of the many fun creatures roaming around this weekend (a huge KUDOS to Purdue students and faculty AGAIN!)
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This little guy was in love with Reagan. He kept cheeping at her and even gave her a peck on her mouth (YUCK!) and tried to run away when the students tried to take him back. He eventually nuzzled right up on her neck and kept closing his eyes, trying to sleep on her shoulder! SOO SWEET!



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And finally, here are two days worth of photos of Reagan and her beloved tarantula. There are actually TWO tarantulas here...the last photo is of a "baby" tarantula (only five years old) who had rarely been handled before the first day of the event (Reagan held this one on the second day of the event). The poor student that was handling the "baby" (Rosie is the spider's name) was shaking like a leaf and very nervous about Reagan holding Rosie...little he did realize Reagan is a pro at this type of thing now!