the ducky outfit.

Twelve week old Ryan.

Nine week old Hannah.

Five week old Lucas.

Hannah's first haircut

I don't know why it was so difficult for me to get Hannah's hair cut.  I guess I just think it is so pretty and it makes her so girly.  I do realize that it's just going to keep growing back.  She did great with sitting still and following directions.  It is fun to have photos to complete this page in her baby book, too.

A fun little color! 

Beautiful.

To top off the day of beauty, Ava S. gave Hannah some pretty make-up.  

Look at the pucker of those lips!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

apple unit

Kindergarten spends a time learning all about apples, including Johnny Appleseed.  

Lucas' first school field trip - an apple orchard. 

Lucas and Bo. 

Checking out the animals - the goats had a "sky walk" like way to get from different pens.  

(look in upper right corner)

Lucas and Ava. 

The Alice in Wonderland table.  

There are certainly changes from a one-room school house to today's school conditions.

Happiness on the jumping pillow!

The corn felt very cool and refreshing after being in the hot sun.

Wrestling Collin's dad, Dave, in the corn.

Lucas didn't want to give up 30 seconds up playing in the corn to take a photo with mom.  

I should probably get used to that... :-( 

Some of the fun parents (if I do say so myself) in Lucas' class.  

(front) Mea & Mya's mom

(left to right) Ava's mom, Gracie's dad, me, Collin's dad

Next, there was Apple Friday at school.  Several parents, grandparents and other special people got to help the kids do more investigating and hands on learning about apples.  

Graphing his favorite apple - they got to do a lot of taste testing of apple products. 

He chose yellow delicious as his favorite apple variety.

They also tasted apple chips, apple jelly and dipped in caramel and peanut butter. 

Creating an apple jelly jar :-) 

Peeling an apple for chopping and cooking into applesauce. 

I tagged along to Art class and then got to eat lunch with Lucas.  

He loved eating at the special "guest" table in the lunchroom.  

I love that I have the ability to participate in these activities.  My kids bring me so much joy! 

Moms vs Sons flag football

The PTO sponsored a moms versus sons flag football game at the beginning of the school year.  There was no question about our participation... Lucas wanted "to verse" me!  After I signed us up, the organizing teacher asked if Brent would be willing to coach the boys.  For Lucas, the thought of Dad being his coach and "versing" the moms was crazy exciting!  

Lucas is in the lime green shirt, Coach is in orange. 

I'm across in the grey t-shirt and sunglasses. 

The moms. 

Brent did a really good job of giving the boys each a turn at being quarter back and center.

The boys loved handling the ball, Lucas included.  

It was a fun event for the boys and the moms!  

And, by the way, the boys won :-) 

Cousin's Vacation 2013

How about a long weekend at a house in the cliffs of Wisconsin, on a golf course, with a swimming pool and 16 members of your family?  YES!  IT'S COUSIN'S VACATION!  

There are so many photos from this weekend.  They aren't in any particular order so forgive me if it appears we keep wearing the same clothes ;-) 

There was art time - Gramma Mary and Hannah.  

Adele and Abby.

Aunt Karen, Adele, Gramma, Hannah and Abby.

There was video game time - Uncle Dom, Ryan and Nick. 

Hannah and Will watched, too. 

Lots of us took naps, including Papa.  

Movie watching. 

Will, Hannah, Claire and Lucas. 

Baby holding - Nick and Ryan.

Views and playing at Wyalusing State Park

Adele, Claire, Ryan's car seat, Hannah, Claire and Aunt Karen.

Practicing her gymnastics skills... she has some work to do :-) 

Abby and Adele.

Caleb, Nick, Uncle Brian, Will and Uncle Dom.

Claire, Adele, Abby and Caleb.

front: Hannah, Nick holding Ryan, Lucas and Will.

back: Claire, Adele, Abby and Caleb.

Mommy and Ryan.

Ryan, Lucas and Hannah.

Nick, Will and Abby.

Caleb, Claire and Adele.

Karen suggested doing something special to remember Aunt Ann while our family had this time together.  September is Uterine Cancer awareness month so it was a great idea to release 42 peach/orange balloons in memory of Aunt Ann.  Peach is the cancer awareness color for uterine cancer and Ann would've been 42 on her birthday this year.  

Brent was in charge of pictures during balloon release.  

He did good :-) He even got a picture of each of the kids.

Caleb.

Abby.

Adele.

Nick.

Claire.

Lucas.

Hannah and Will.

Ryan.

The kids each had a clump of balloons and one each for Gramma Mary and Papa Richard.

It was calm and peaceful to watch the balloons float away on this beautiful evening.

We watched for about ten minutes before they were out of sight.   

Lots of pool time!  

Will, Lucas and Gramma.

Will.

Caleb and Nick.

Brent, Lucas, Caleb and Claire. 

Secrets!

Lucas. 

There were a lot of splashes off the diving board.  

And a lot of contests to get BIG splashes! 

Coffee on the deck - Papa, Brent and Ryan.

More naps - Uncle Dom.  But this one was right in the middle of our Trivial Pursuit game :-) 

Ryan played Trivial Pursuit on Daddy's team. 

More gymnastics with Will and Hannah.

And some wrestling, too.  

The dancing, gymnastics, pool and wrestling tuckered this little girl out. 

She fell asleep in the middle of supper.  I didn't mind the snuggle time. 

More baby-playing time. 

Abby, Ryan, Aunt Jen. 

Uncle Brian was in charge of the fire pit. 

Lucas took this picture on my phone.  In the pitch dark until the camera flash went off!

Nick, me, Will and Caleb.

Lucas, Nick, Hannah and Caleb.

Claire and Hannah.

Claire and Ryan.

Grandkids - 2013

front: Will, Lucas, Hannah

middle: Abby, Claire, Ryan, Gramma Mary, Papa Richard and Nick

back: Adele and Caleb

On our drive home, we stopped at Pikes Peak State Park.

Such a great weekend spent with family and making fun memories!