Down on the Farm

This is actually from last week. The boys school had a night for first graders called "Down on the Farm." It was a night for families to see the first graders Encore programs (PE, Music, Art and Technology).

In music, we got to play the alto xylophone (I think) along to a play about Farmer brown. We played whenever the teacher said "grow". Mac's music teacher does an after-school program with guitar classes. Mac can start when he's in 3rd grade and he can't wait!


We also danced in music.


Dose Doe! (I have no idea how to spell that!)


Give it a whirl Elly!


PE was also a big hit...this is an obstacle course through the food pyramid. There was also some rope-swinging. I was hoping for a dodgeball game, but not today.

In art, we made a bracelet with colored beads symbolizing the amounts of serving from each of the food groups you should eat in a day, as well as minutes of exercise. We drew a picture on the computers for technology. A lot different from the Oregon Trail computer games I remember when I was kid!

Oh yeah...

and Elly's super-excited...


to take up longboarding!


By the way...I think it was 3o degrees this day. Daddy, where are her shoes?!

As you can see, our snow is gone. We got a skiff today, but no big snow falls in our forecast right now. Just cold.

Our First Snow!

Yesterday we got our first day of snow


We started a family tradition last year of going out to breakfast on the first day of snow. The kids and I hit McDonalds for some McGriddles! I thought they would be super excited to go...and they were, but still not being adjusted to the time change, they were up way too early and a bit grouchy by this point. Ah well, I'm sure as they get older, breakfast will be easier!


the boys got some wrestling in on the trampoline


Elly loved the snow too, but I had to bring her in earlier than she wanted since she's not fully geared up for the snow yet!


The boys could have seriously played in the snow all night. Couldn't even entice them with hot apple cider.


Still enjoying it today, but it doesn't look like it's going to last through the weekend. That'll give us some time to get them all geared up!

Sam's in Costa Rica!

Sam left for Costa Rica this past Saturday. He is a volunteer for Engineering Ministries International (EMI) and will help with designing drainage and grading for a pastors camp in Orosi, Costa Rica. Hopefully I can add some of his pictures to my blog when he gets back. Meantime, the boys and I are doing some learning on our own...

We made a "Costa Rica" bulletin board with maps of where Sam is, and are searching magazines for native animals and other charateristics of Costa Rica.


Sam explained to the boys what he was doing and what the country is like, so it's fun to see them find pictures in magazines that they think fit.

He's got a busy schedule (7am -past 8pm) and the internet is spotty, so I don't get to hear much from him...had my first short message from him this morning. He's doing great, although he hasn't seen any monkeys yet! :) Pray for his safety and that all goes well at the homefront. He gets back on Sunday night.

Has it really been 7 years?! Happy Birthday Mac!

I can't even believe that this was 7 years ago... We had no idea of who this baby boy was going to be.


And here he is now! A kid who can't have enough friends and just loves them all. Always up to something with a sparkle in his eye (the creative juices are always flowing). He is growing up and we're so proud of our 7 year old!


Mac, a little shell-shocked, woke up to a bed of balloons on his birthday


He wanted a guitar-pumpkin birthday with apple bobbing. So we made a guitar cake and had discounted Halloween orange plates and napkins...


and apple-bobbing...in a non-germy way.


It's tough to blow out 7 candles!


Mac's birthday present and new friend "Fluffy Eliason." Mac has wanted to be a veternarian for some time now, unlike his brother who would rather be a "people doctor" because he doesn't want a lion to eat him (side story). Mac has also wanted a dog for some time now...but we're going to start with a gerbil.


Hopefully we can all be friends... Happy Birthday Mac!!!

Twick or Tweet!

Can you guess what we are?


Does that help?!


It's the Great Pumpkin, Incredible Hulk and an owl... We started off the night trick-or-treating to our neighbors


We then went to a Fall Festival at our church


Played some games...




...and more games




Oh yeah, and candy. Elly managed to suck all the chocolate out of this wrapper by the time we left.


We then headed to Maryanne and Dave's house, our good friend's Claire's parents. They do this cool thing on Halloween where they open up their garage and have chili and cider for anyone who cares to stop by and hang out...which a lot do. Such a great idea. We've gone there for 4 years now and always have a good time. We eat some chili and chat, take the kids around the neighborhood, then back for more visiting at the "chili house" as they are affectionately known. It's great.


At the beginning, the kids sprinted from house to house...we had to ask them to wait up multiple times...


Elly tried her best to keep up


The kids would always add, "There's one more coming!" Elly made quite the trick-or-treater...She'd say "Twick or Tweet...Hap halloween...dank you!"


Thanks Madzie! I think she'll be the one to make sure Elly's taken care of in the midst of all the boys!


Made it back with lots of candy. Save some chocolate for mommy!

Walkin' and Wheelin' Wednesday!

On Wednesdays, the boys' school encourages them to walk or ride their bikes. You would think that I would embrace this, but in all actuality...I'm rarely too excited about it. I think the problem is that
1. I have turned into a slight fair weather biker and it's getting cold in the mornings and,
2. the thought of getting them ready for school is hard enough on most mornings (I've got a major lollygagger on my hands), but then ride bikes too?!

However, I've come to find out that no matter what mood the boys are in on Wednesday mornings, they do not want to miss riding their bikes and even my lollygagger can turn into Mario Andretti on that bike ride to school. We have not missed one yet.


Starting out on the beginning on our trip. It's COLD and the wind is blowing...not my ideal bike-riding weather.


See the "A" in the distance? That's for Aggies, the CSU Rams original mascot. Aren't the trees beautiful this year?!


Made it! Crossing the street with all the other bikers.


They get their bikes across the playground quickly, so they have time to play with their friends befor the bell rings.


Then they have to put their bikes in the racks by themselves...don't even think of trying to help them...


This is why they do it...for a hole punch...and a chance to win prizes.

I've always wanted my kids to be active, and seeing how much they get into riding their bikes to school on Wednesdays does make me happy...even when they drag me away from my cup of coffee on a cold day when I'd rather just wave to them out the window while they get on the bus. Ah well, it's good for me...I wonder what they'll do when it snows?

Fall Farm Day

It has been a beautiful Fall here in Fort Collins. The tree's are gorgeous and we've had plenty of blue sky. Today's a bit dreary, which reminded me to get out some Fall pics before I'm reporting snow!

Last weekend we had a great time enjoying a Fall festival at Boyles Family Farm. Our good friends Matt and Claire used to be neighbors of ours, but have since moved out to Kersey to follow a dream of having a farm. You should read about it on Claire's blog. We love heading out there and this past weekend were joined by Jim and Debbie, as well as Sara, Andreas and their clan. Check it out...


Jake, Cade and Elly checking out the turkeys...their days are counting down...


Nate and Simon have been buddies since they were born!


Nate showing Simon his new skill of tying his shoes


There was a flower arranging contest in which Claire sent everyone out with clippers to pick from their flowers, including these beautiful ones, to make a bouquet. Debbie helped out with judging, lending her floral design expertise.


Mac, Jake and Cade got to take turns cutting flowers for Sara's bouquet


Putting in some finishing touches...


The kids took time out to catch a poor grasshopper


Grandma helping out with finding pumpkins


Mac and Madzie pausing for a pic


Just Elly's size!


Claire drove out the van to the pumpkin patch so the kids didn't have to carry them all the way back to there house


However, Nate and Simon decided they'd rather carry their pumpkins back to the house


It was really far for two little boys with big pumpkins, but a determined Nate and Simon will not be detered...it took them a while, but they carried them the whole way.


The kids all painted their pumpkins back at the barn


Mac found a barn cat


Got some soccer in before heading home...Nate and Jake showing some teamwork at the goal

What a great Fall day...