I’ve always wanted to visit Scotland, and I planned a trip this year. As kids do, mine immediately started telling us what trinkets we should bring home to them. High on the list was a Highland cow – preferably live, but they’d settle for a stuffie if transportation was an issue.

Cow dogs. Too smart for their own good.

“Public speaking is scary; I get it, but you have to do it, and in this family, you will learn to do it well.” I found these words tumbling out of my mouth following my 10-year-old daughter’s 4-H meeting. 

Sorry, Case, you must do better to impress the 4-year-old farm video critic. The 20th century technology of four-wheel drive has your state-of-the-art autonomous technology beat in my little guy's eyes.

"Pa-pa-pa avocado. See, Mom, it starts with P, not with A," says the very sure-of-himself 4-year-old Ethan. "No, bud. Ah-ah-ah avocado. It starts with A," I say, trying to be as reasonable as possible. He insists, "No, my teacher says it starts with a P." He then folds his arms and glares at me.

Dad made a turn on the hillside and looked back to see a fire starting from where he had just driven.