Family

Ammon testing out his hunting backpack

Beautiful fall afternoon in our local park

 

Rocky’s coy cat look…

 

 

Breakfast burritos in bed, then unfortunately he had to go to school…

Yummy key lime cheesecake per his request

 

Fun party at Chuck E Cheese with the mouse himself

Ammon decided last minute that he should go hunting this year since we’re almost out of meat. So, early October, he and Kevin took a few days to go scouting for a good area to hunt. Kevin had never done this before, AND he got to take two days off of school to spend quality time with Dad, so he was pretty excited!

 

Is this not the biggest marshmallow ever?

We live here!!!!!

Looking for Elk/deer

 

Super snuggles!

 

Daddy and the kids had a super-fun, sleepless sleepover on the trampoline. Mom? She likes her bed! And, her sleep!

 

Someone learned to ride her bike! Annika showed so much perseverance and determination this summer/fall. She was going to learn to ride her bike no matter what! And…she did! She laughed herself silly when she finally got it. She was so pleased with herself and can’t wait to get faster so she can keep up with her brother and sister!

 

Usually, it’s just Colorado gold as they call it. All those gold aspens. But this year, the aspens had red on the tip tops and it was breathtaking.

 

She must get this from Ammon?!

Tasha was soooooo excited to get contacts. She had been waiting for this day. And finally, it was here…

 

It was a long few weeks while she learned to get them in and out without taking hours, but she finally got it and now she’s a pro. Except…she doesn’t wear them. They’re not her exact prescription because supposedly they don’t make them quite strong enough, but we’re doing a little more research on that and hope to see these beautiful eyes out in the open more often!

 

Every year, our town has a parade and fair/rodeo and we look forward to it! This year was no different. Excepting that this year, we actually participated..We raised four cute, but stinky bunnies for a month and Annika entered the “Mutton Bustin’ “ contest. For those of you who don’t know what “Mutton Bustin’ “ is, ‘cause goodness knows I didn’t before I moved to ranching land…it’s only for kids and they basically cling to a sheep for dear life for as long as they can. The one who holds on the longest wins. Annika didn’t hold on the longest, but it sure was fun to watch! I have video, but no photos…

 

Waiting for the parade to start

 

Big clown, little car!

 

Our cute little cowgirl!

 

Our decorated mutton buster/rabbit raiser (Kevin and Tasha raised the bunnies too, but Annika wanted to have a picture)

 

 

It was a whirlwind getting ready for school, since we arrived home a few hours before bedtime and they started school the next day, but somehow it all worked out!

 

Second Grade!

 

Fourth Grade

 

Tasha and her best friend, Phoebe on their first day of sixth grade, which here means…MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!! AHHHHHHH. (Tasha’s glasses broke, so they look a little thick in the middle)

About a week after we returned from Mesa Verde, Mom told me that my Uncle was terminally ill. Ammon and I decided that the kids and I should accompany her to Canada. So, in two days time, I booked plan tickets, hotels, a car, planned other accommodations and activities. I even booked a riding lesson with my incredible riding teacher from my youth. Although, we were going for a sad reason, we were looking forward to seeing family and taking the kids to see some things they’d heard about so many times.

Mom wasn’t feeling very well before we left, but we thought it was the flu…

 

We stopped to eat on the way to Denver..Look at the size of this burrito!!!!

Mom was still feeling crummy when we arrived in Littleton, so I dropped the kids to Lee and Ellen’s and took Mom to the emergency room. Mom and I both expected they’d give her an antibiotic and send her home…instead it was emergency surgery for her and a cancelled trip to Canada!

Thankfully, she was ok and is almost back to her normal self now. While we were in Littleton, I decided I had to take the kids and do some fun things, considering they were suddenly told they were being whisked off to Canada and then-boom! Just kidding!

 

.99 Pancake stacks at IHOP! Then we hit a movie at the dollar theater

 

We also made a trip to the Denver Temple to tour the beautiful grounds. And we may have stopped by Krispy Kreme donuts afterwards and had a few…(and watched how they make donuts!)

We also went swimming and drove by their new schools and the local rec center  so they could be more familiar with them when we move there in the spring.

Finally, the day before school started, Mom was released from the hospital and was well enough to travel home.