Random October 2013

A note from Jordan written for the parent open house. "Dear Mom + Dad, Thank you for being the best mom and dad in the world! I hope you enjoy all of your hugs kisses! Thank you for making dinner and working every night. I hop you had a safe walk here. Thank you for coming to back to school night. Love, Jordan"

Kailyn, Jordan and Ava playing twister.

Sweet Ava.

Silly Chase.

Caden teasing Chase.

Chase pretending to nap.

Ava loves to dress up. Trying on Jordan's skirt.

Here is Ava is playing pretend. She was using the dish towels as blankets.

Kailyn had to create a plant cell using edible ingredients. We used colorless jello which was giving us problems. She spent a lot of time trying to get it work and then the next day school was canceled due to a huge rainstorm that caused massive flooding. All that work to just to throw it away (because of the coming weekend and no school Monday her teacher emailed the class and told them to just take a picture and then throw them away)

Our superhero Ava had an exciting day fighting crime. All that crime fighting apparently wore her out. Here she is asleep wearing her towel superhero cap.

One day the kids were having fun trying to draw pictures. I told them they should try drawing with their left hand. Then I told them to try and draw blindfolded. Then it just snowballed from there and soon they were trying to draw blindfold with their feet. It was great. Our kids and their friends were entertained for hours and just laughing hysterically over the things they created. I loved watching them laugh and have fun with their friends.

Caden demonstrating the blindfolded, foot drawing.

Kailyn giving it a try.

Jordan and her creations.

The kids love to tie their blankets around their necks and pretend they are capes. Notice Ava and Caden's "capes."

The kids posing on Caden's birthday.

Ken's Quick Trip to Montana

So, Ava and I took a little time to travel to Montana to visit my parents.  We left our home at 4:30 am and arrived just in time for my nephew's primary program at church.  Here are some pictures of the weekend.

First up: Fall colors were great.  I really wanted to get the right picture of the sunset, but my camera is not the best.  Regardless, it was beautiful.

 The next morning, Ava and I were able to help do some chores.  We moved some straw into the newly remodeled chicken coop.

Ava, at first, was scared to death of the chickens--you could say she was "chicken" of the chickens.  It didn't take too long for her to warm up.  She helped move the chickens around as needed, and when we had to run errands, she got down to eye level, clapping and stomping to persuade the chickens back into their home.  This from the girl who would not initially get off the table when the chickens were nearby.

Another picture of the colors

On the second night in town, Ava and I were able to meet up with G&G Jones for dinner.  My parents were also able to join us.  Unfortunately, we forgot to take pictures.  Ava got a ghost toy from G&G Jones, which kept her busy while the adults talked.  It was a lot of fun, and I'm glad we could meet up.

Ava found this bike and rode it around.  Cute, right?

Taking food to the chickens.

On the way home, we stopped in Wyoming briefly to see my grandparents.  It was a long trip home, and every once in a while Ava would ask me where we were going.  I would tell her the next major town.  She started to say she was hungry (imagine that), so I told her we would stop somewhere to find something to eat.  Quite randomly, she announced she wanted to eat pancakes.  I don't often think of pancakes while traveling but figured it would be fun.  She was sooooo excited for the pancakes.  I filmed her because she was so hyper and talkative.  Very cute.  When the waitress arrived, Ava announced without prompting that she needed pancakes.  She also announced chocolate milk as her choice of drink.  She worked on a kids menu coloring project.  Just before the meal arrived, she turned the menu over and saw the pictures of the food.  She pointed to a couple and stated she did NOT want them (a "scary" pancake face with bananas for the smile, etc).  Then she saw the picture of the hamburgers.  Just as our pancake dinners were arriving, she announced she wanted a hamburger.  What a silly girl.  All excited about pancakes, and then, as the food was arriving, stating she wanted a hamburger.  She was a little disappointed at first but had some of my hash browns with ketchup and then was all over her pancakes.

We made it home around 11 pm that night.  It was a lot of fun having her on the trip with me.

US Pro Cycling Challenge

We had the US Pro Cycling Challenge come through our town. For those non bicycle people, this is a pretty big deal. We decided to head downtown and check it out. The kids loved all of the booths that we visited while we waited for the bikers. There was so many free samples the kids were in heaven. There was ice cream, yogurt, chips, jelly beans, chap stick, bags, stickers, dried fruit, etc. The irony is we originally showed up early to do the bounce house but ended up trying all of the samples and not doing the bounce house (at $10 a person for one turn....I think not)

Testing an ice cream sandwich. The kids said it was delicious.

They had one of those cutouts where you just pop your head through. The pictures turned out pretty good.

Jordan

Caden

Ava

Kailyn

Chase

Jordan loves samples. Showing off the chap stick she won.

The girls trying the hula hoop.

Chase showing off some of the things he got.

We got so excited when we heard the bikers were coming. We ran over, blew up the kids slap sticks (like two long balloons you blow up and then hit together to make noise) and watched and cheered as the bikers went whizzing by. We realized we should probably get a picture of the actual bikers so we pull out our camera just in time to hear that they were done for the day. No more bikers, and no picture for us. Even without proof we were actually at a bike race, we had a great day.

Family hike in the mountains

Originally the plan was to take a camping trip to Yellowstone when the kids had some days off of school in September. Plans were quickly axed when we learned the temperatures normally dip below freezing at night (we had planned on tenting it) and there were no cabins available. Then the plan was to just go camping here locally. Then we got the worst rain storm this area has seen since the 80s. The mountain roads were washed away and many places were flooded. Plan C, we decided to go find a non- flooded area and do a hike. We just needed to be outdoors. It was a great day for a hike not too cold or hot and a bit cloudy. We did get a little rain on our hike but luckily it wasn't too much and we were fairly dry under a tree eating our lunch. We ended up doing a 4 mile hike. 

Ready to hike.

We found some great rocks to climb. Caden loves to climb.

Chase did great, until almost the end and then he needed a little ride to refuel and then he was off again.

First Day of School Pics 2013

School started on August 20.

Caden
1st Grade

Jordan
3rd Grade

Kailyn
5th Grade

Jordan, Caden and Kailyn

Chase wanted a picture too, and he insisted it included owl (the red thing in his hand).

Ava such a poser. "My picture too Mom." Then she says, "I want to see Ava."

Only 2 at home this year...well, for a little bit at least.

Chase started preschool 2 days after the big kids started school.

Chase
Preschool

He has absolutely loved preschool and asks everyday if he has school and if he doesn't he wants to know when he gets to go again.

Did I mention Ava loves getting her picture taken.

She is a pretty cute photo subject.