We welcome the snow each winter even though it means feeding the animals instead of letting them graze.

First my oldest drives the wheelbarrow down to the haystack.


Then she loads it until it is heaping full,

and heads to the pasture

where Canyon has been waiting since she saw the children grab the wheelbarrow.

I watch all this and hope there are other families out there where children have chores and responsibilities. Because who wants to go to college and find out you can outwork all the boys? Or that the girls think they should be pampered and taken care of? I see the confidence having and fulfilling responsibilities gives my children and I wouldn’t trade it for a Wii–ever.