Butler Homecoming 2011

Last Saturday was our annual trip to Butler for their homecoming game. We've been going since Cale was not quite a year old. I look forward to taking the kids because Butler is a relaxed place to go for a college football game.  And, homecoming has some family-friendly things, too.  We never make it in time for the pre-game fun things (one year we will), but the boys just like the chance to roam around part of Butler's campus.  The difference this year was that Andy had the chance to be the atheletic trainer for the game that day.  How cool is that?  He got to go back and be the trainer for the school he graduated from for the team he played for!  I figured I could handle the kids by myself.  I was probably a little delierious from working the night before and not having any sleep.  It sounded like a good idea to me.  First things first, that Saturday, the 3 older kids had gymnastics-wear them out early.  We came back home after that and I packed some stuff, including lunches, to take to the game.  I had a few moments when I almost backed out of going to the game, but I knew that Marcus and Cale were looking forward to this.  So, into the car went the kids and me and away we went.

First thing on our list was to see the Butler Bulldog.  The boys look forward to this and started looking for the bulldog as soon as we entered the stadium.  Cale needed his picture taken

Liam was in a pleasant enough mood to say "hi". 

Then it was Ewan's turn.

Our first seats were on the "hill".  I thought this would be nice because the kids could move around.  And, the view was pretty good.

Hmm, I don't think they were watching a lot of the game.

I made the executive decision to move to some bleacher seats in an empty area of the stadium.  We went inside to get a drink (Strawberry Crush) and watched the band and dance squad perform (they did a routine to the song Moves Like Jagger-one of the kids' favorites)

Our new view of the field also offered a view of the trainer-hello Andy!  We stayed for the entire game.  The boys were able to move around and play on the bleachers.  They did pretty well.  It was harder to contain everyone without Andy there to help.  5 against 1 aren't great numbers.  Liam was the hardest to control.  He's just a determined 2 year old who has a plan and doesn't want mom to interfere.  His new tactic is just to sit down and not move so you either have to carry him or try to get him to stand up by pulling on his arm-always fun to do in a crowd of people.

Oh Kella!  Why do you look sad?  Are you hungry, cold or upset that Butler got trounced by a school I've never heard of?  Poor baby was ready to go home.

After the game, we went into Hinkle Fieldhouse for a snack.  We also had to get our pictures taken with another bulldog.

Kella wasn't sad for long!  A happy baby glad to be home!

starting off fall break

Fall break for us was last Friday and this past Monday. We did not have any big plans since Andy had to work Friday night and I was working Friday night and Sunday night. But, we managed to do a couple fun things.  On Friday morning, after the kids had spent too much time playing together, we made the snap decision to take them to Bounce Planet-a place with a bunch of bounce houses.  For some reason, several of them were tearful as we left the house.  But, they calmed down and got excited to be going somewhere new and fun.

Liam was not into bouncy right away.

No worries, the rest of the boys ran right in.  This was a huge inflatable slide.

Then, Liam figured out that it was a bunch of fun so he joined in.

"Don't worry Daddy, I've got you!"

This place had 10 different bounce things set up.  They had slides, obstacle courses and different enclosed inflatables.  They boys ran themselves tired.  It was so nice.  (For them and us :-) )

Kella got carried around and got to see all the action.  She was tired, too, by the time we put her back in her carseat.  She fell right to sleep.

A good start to fall break!

fall school photos

Here are Marcus and Cale's school photos. Thought I would share them with you while I had the chance. I made them actually bring a nicer looking shirt to wear just for the photo.  They didn't quite understand why they had to do it and probably just chalked it up to "something that mom wants and isn't going to budge on so I might as well do it".  They're getting so big!    Here's a link to last year's photos to see how they've changed.  This week, they've got basketball player evals, karate, and boy scouts.  Sounds like we should be busy!

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yellow belts!

On Tuesday, Marcus, Cale and Ewan all tested for their yellow belts in karate.  They were pretty excited and for the past week, even Ewan practiced his kata that he would be tested on.  They all got it!  Time to put away the white belts.  Now, Ewan got a yellow striped belt because of his age and Marcus and Cale got a regular yellow belt.  Andy got to see the boys test also, which was nice.

Here is Ewan.  His teacher was very impressed with how hard he tried and was patient with him while testing.

Marcus did great!  Mr. Phifer said that he did one of the best jobs testing for a yellow belt that he had seen.

Cale also did well.  He also liked seeing the students testing for the blue belt get tested for sparing skills.  He is dying to get sparing gear, which we promised him after he got past being a white belt.  I guess it's time to pay up.  (my camera *sigh* cannot handle dim lighting in any setting.  I should have taken all my pictures with my cell phone-like these next three)

Here are the new yellow belts putting on their belts and hiding their old belts in their gi tops.

newly promoted

the newly promoted with Mr. Phifer and Mr. Fulk-two of their teachers

I hope that this is something the boys will keep up with.  I read a statistic that 1 in 500 students that start karate will achieve black belt status.  I don't know how far the boys will get, but it would definitely be cool if they kept up their classes for a while.  They have really enjoyed their classes and I know they are proud of getting their yellow belts!

Tiger Cub field trip

My little Tiger Cub troup had their first field trip last Wednesday.  We are supposed to be learning about community helpers and I decided to take them to get a tour of the police department.  I have been on several tours of the fire department, so I needed a change.  The tour went pretty well.  The boys behaved great, including Ewan, Liam and Kella.  They got to see the interrogation rooms(they swore they could all see through the glass window to the other side), the police cars(and climb around inside one), some (unloaded) guns and the taser (the officer showed them the electrical current-cool!), among other things.  The officer sometimes talked over the kids heads, but that was okay, because the adults enjoyed learning stuff as well.  I call this trip a success!  And, thank you to the Kokomo Police Department for a great experience!  Now, to plan for more of these outings...

final pictures from Grammy Pammy's visit

Here is what happens when you ask boys to decorate with gourds.  The "fun" part is that I don't actually know how many gourds we got, or everywhere the boys put them.  I found a couple in our bedroom, the piano and now most of the others are downstairs-I think. 

Had to get a picture of Grammy and Kella

someone else wanted a bow in their hair, too....he is partial to the yellow bow-maybe because it matches his favorite shirt 

one with all the grandkids-so hard to get them to look at me-I think they do this on purpose

apples, apples, apples!

Some of the bounty from the apple orchard.



Marcus's turn for a field trip

Marcus's class went to Conner Prairie last Friday.  Connor Prairie is a living history museum with several different time periods in Indiana's past.  Andy, our official field trip chaperone, got to go and be a leader to a small group of kids.  They saw a Civil War exhibit which they thought was cool.  (I guess there was something about a cannon.) Marcus sent a telegram to our email account (interesting meshing of old and new technologies) We haven't taken the boys there yet, so it was Marcus's first time to go.  I'm sure we will go back and invade with the entire family. 

Cub Scout campout

Last Saturday, Andy was able to take Marcus and Cale to a Boy Scout campout for their pack.  Since I had to work that night, they were not able to stay the night, but they did get to do all the activities.  It was a whole bunch of guy stuff-geochaching, bb guns, archery, hayride.  Apparently it was at Andy's "dream house"-acreage, woods, isolated from society...They definitely had fun and were totally worn out, and that, in itself, made the day worthwhile.  And the having fun part was nice, too.

I told Andy that he was a brave person to stand in front of the boys with the guns.  He said he felt pretty safe there.  Apparently, there were no marksmen-in-training at this camp.

Saturday at the apple orchard

Last Saturday, Grammy Pammy and I took the kids to an apple orchard.  We went last year, and had fun, so we wanted to do it again.  Such a difference a year makes!  Last year was cooler and rainy and the orchard was not very busy.  This year the orchard was crowded and the trees fairly well picked over.  Never the less, we manage to fill a huge bag full of apples.  Grammy made a pie that evening, I've made baked apples and have taken some as snacks for after karate and we still have probably 10 waiting to be eaten.  Next up, an apple cobbler.  Yum!  The boys did well.  Marcus complained that he was tired, but he managed to walk around and climb some of the apple trees.  I sent Cale off down the rows to find trees with apples on them.  That was a great way to run off some energy.  The car ride back was interesting-tired, hungry boys do not make the best car riders.  But, I know they had fun and enjoyed being outside.  Something they'll remember.

my little industrious boys

Kella slept for part of the time.  The bumpy paths did wake her up.

Liam, so happy with his apple, which he ate as we walked.

Grammy, on the phone with Uncle Joe.

She woke up!

gingerbread men-Grammy Pammy has a good memory!

Last time Grammy Pammy came to visit, she and Ewan read the Gingerbread Man story. Ewan asked Grammy to make him some and she said she would next time she came. Well, this last weekend Grammy came to visit equipped with already cut-out gingerbread men, ready to decorate and bake.  Once, I was able to corral the boys and bring them in (no small feat in itself), they had fun decorating and eating the cookies. (And, I'm pretty sure the cookies were all gone by the end of the weekend)