That Time of Year!

The start of fall means it is time to sign Ryker up for YMCA Basketball again. This year Kefford was talked into being his coach which Ryker was so very excited about, completely thrilled that his Dad was going to be his coach! These pictures were taken at the first game that these boys played. The pictures are not the best but it is OK, they work.

We ended up winning this game which was really exciting. It was really close but these boys pulled off the win. ryker made quite a few of the shots and really hustled, I was impressed. The Fighting Tigers (team name) have had 3 games since then and were basically slaughtered. But the important thing is they have fun. We are glad that we won the first game so it can't be a complete shutout!

I think Kefford is a great coach and has really been good about teaching the players different plays. The kids just need to do better at implementing them in the game. Ryker enjoys it and that is all that matters!

Park Time!

Avynleas teacher told the class that if they all met there sight word goals by a certain time that she would take them to the park that is right next to the elementary school. Of course this goal was accomplished and so Rylee and I joined Avynlea and her class on their little field trip. The weather was a bit more chilly than I really would have like it to be so while I tried to stay warm in the sun Rylee played with Avynlea and her classmates.

I am glad that I got to go to the park with my two Little's! Even though I would have had more fun sitting in my warm house with a good book I knew they had fun and were happy that I came so I am happy that they were happy!

Builders

We went to a safety fair for Rykers cub scout thingie and while we were there we got free building kits from the Lowe's booth. We had the option while we were there to build them but that is not how we roll. So we took our kits and our free Lowe's aprons and headed on home. After we checked out the safety fair of course. It was actually quite interesting and informative. I figured I would be bored stiff but I wasn't! We walked through a lot of booths and learned lots of things about drugs and fire safety and home safety and car safety, we got free hot dogs (speaking of, we got our hot dogs as we were leaving and after we walked back to our car I noticed the HUGE blob of ketchup on my shirt..what a slob...I could just imagine how may people I walked by and I hope none of them noticed my food stain.). We also got to see the fire department cut into a car just how they would if it was involved in a crash and that was the only way to get the people out. It was crazy cool and happened so fast.They had that car torn apart in under 8 minutes...fascinating and riveting!

So when it was all done we came home and Kefford helped the kids build their trinkets.

Rylee was first and was actually the one who initiated the building. After we found my child size hammer she got to work building her binoculars.

Kenedy was next and she wanted to build hers right in the middle of us watching the BSU football game. GO BRONCOS!!! It was a long game as most football games are and of course we were smoking the other team so I fell asleep in the middle of the game and the building. Unfortunately I did not get a picture of the picture holder she made but trust me when I say it turned out pretty darn cute!

I woke up in time to snag some pictures of Ryker as he finished building his binoculars. He did a great job!

Avynlea was at a birthday party during all of this building fun and as far as I know still has not put her kit together. I am not even sure we know where it is, but as it has not been mentioned lets just not remind her that she never built it and move on! :o)

Josh and Mallory come to visit,,AKA: The best Hay Ride Ever...AKA: In the Pumpkin Patch...AKA:Pumpkin Carving!

One weekend in October my brother came to visit bringing with him his girlfriend Mallory. The kids were all super excited to have Joshua coming and were happy to finally meet the famous Mallory. Obviously she was a hit with everyone who could fit on her lap, I really tried to worm my way into the love fest of all things Mallory but Rylee is a scrappy fighter and would not let me have a turn on the coveted lap. :o)

Joshua really wanted to go pick pumpkins so that he and Mallory could do some fun carving. There are a number of pumpkin farms around these parts but the only one I could think of was Linder Farms. So that is where we went.

We were really disappointed by the prices they were asking for the pumpkins, plus the hay ride cost money regardless if you were going to get a pumpkin or not and even the pathetic hay maze cost money to go in. Overall we did not want to give up our money at this place and so Kefford called his Dad to see if he had any pumpkins we could have. After hearing about our sad tale he told us to come on out and that he even had a hayride the kids could go on.

While we waited for the hayride to show up I took some pictures for Josh and Mallory, I think these would be super cute engagement photos ;o)

Then pulled up the best hayride I have ever seen. Keffords Dad hooked up a trailer to his pickup truck. Inside of it he stacked some boxes "hay bales", on these he had a bowl of candy and four sodas for the kids. Then Kefford and Bob put the small picnic table inside the trailer and told the kids to hop in. They were so excited and he pulled them around the farm for a while and then brought them back around to the pumpkin patch, right in front of his house!

It was the best :hayride" the kids have ever been on and they loved it. I thought Bob was creative with his little ride and I know the kids will not forget this fun time.

Bob went back to work but told us to go ahead and pick whatever pumpkins we wanted. I was in charge of the knife, dum dum dum, and had the kids pick their pumpkins and then I would cut it off the vine.

I did a really good job cutting the pumpkins off until it came to the one Joshua wanted. He specifically requested me to keep a long stem on his pumpkin and of course the stem broke off. So he picked a different one and same thing. It was really only his pumpkin that this happened to...crazy. Next time cut your own pumpkin!

After we got back Josh and Mallory carved up their pumpkins. Since Avynlea had just lost both her top teeth Joshua did an Avynlea pumpkin.

We had lots of fun having Joshua and Mallory visit us and hope they can come back soon...please, please, please! :O)