Everybody Cheer!

Maddie's season of cheering ended for the year last week with a competition.  The girls could not have done any better.  They cheered, danced, and jumped almost perfectly!!  We could not have been prouder.  Lots and lots of practicing went into making this a great year!!

Ready to cheer!!

Awesome Job!!

Now let's dance!!

You Go Girl!!

Lots of fun and a big ole trophy, too!

Sweet girls and awesome coaches!!

I am so glad they get to experience this together.  

Coach Jinnie and Marley-Jinnie is a big help with coaching.  She's also pretty remarkable.  She actually suffered a stroke during the season, but was back on the sidelines with Lindsey and the girls in just a few weeks!

They make a pretty good team!!

The gang's all here!!

Cheese!!

And on a different note, we enjoyed a great early Thanksgiving get together with the Marine's (or at least some of them). It was wonderful to see everyone!

And we've gotten to spend some time with these cuties!!

This weekend we are heading out to the next gymnastics competition.  

The Hill, Tractors and Papa

Everyone should live on a hill!  And it's even better if that hill is on a dead end street!  For 30 years, our hill has been the source of countless hours of fun!  Let me count the ways-four wheelers pulling kids on garbage can lids on those rare snow days, riding bicycles, scooters and more, go cart rides, and the most fun of all-big wheels!! I'm not sure exactly how many big wheels we've been through, but each one provided lots of memories!! Maddie mastered the hill when she was two!

This was actually Lillian's first time to try, and she had it down in no time at all!!

Reed had lots and lots of help from his big sisters!!  They are both very patient with him (when they want to be)!

Before long, he was scooting down rather nicely!

You might be a redneck if................Chasing each other in a circle with the tractors and lawnmower is one of their very favorite things to do!  

Helping Pop do anything is Reed's favorite thing to do!!! He was a great helper with the blower!

Piggy back rides from big sister are always a hit!

And then there is this--Papa and Lillian have always been buddies!  The love you see is very mutual!!

Maddie and Reed also love Papa dearly!  Here, they are actually listening to Gracie sing on the Iphone!

Another visit is in the books!  We are headed east next weekend for a cheerleading competition!

Wild W est Days

Every other year, Aunt Sandra and Uncle Tony host "Wild West Days." It's a day filled with a hay ride, pumpkin patch, ponies, games and more.  For us, it's another chance to spend time with the cousins!  There is nothing these three enjoy more than that!  We loaded up early in the morning and headed to enjoy in all the fun!

First, we took a hayride over to the riding corral!



Anna and Paisley opened the day for everyone as we watched and waited to ride the ponies.

Lots of fun!  These ponies originally came from Alex City!  They were actually the main attraction at Maddie's 2nd birthday party.  The two little ones especially loved them today!

Wyatt and Maddie

I think Anna's horse Paisley was their favorite though!

Maddie was thrilled to get to ride it all by herself!

Scott, Papa and Reed-

The rocking horse and bean toss were big hits, too!

Did I mention the awesome train ride?  These two took quite a few rides!!

Face painting with Anna, talks with Gracie and rides with Cade! Cousins are the best!

Papa and Aunt Sandra took a little spin!

Checkers with a new friend, a great lunch, and wonderful singing with Grace and Will!

These three and Pop took another hayride into the woods for a game of tug of war, apple cider in the creek, and a visit to the pumpkin patch!

Aunt Sandra giving directions to the crowd!

And after a wonderful day, we headed home to watch a little football!

Fall Festival

Pop and I had a blast with Kion and Princess Belle at the Fall Festival at their preschool.  There was something for everything - Jumper, obstacle course, ring toss, pumpkin roll, cotton candy and more! It proved to be a perfect morning. We are all going to be very sad when our days at Jacob's Ladder are over. It's truly a special place.

Headed to join the festivities! Stop taking pictures and come on Nana!

Love this sweet girl-

And her awesome brother!

Lillian's class

Taking a spin around the playground!

Sometimes a princess just has to cut loose a little  bit!  That crown didn't last long on the obstacle course.

Pop occupied this cute thing on the playground!

The bean toss!

Taking a little break! Kion looks just a little tired!

Face painting!

Ring toss and pumpkin toss!

Princesses, a witch, superman, a fairy and a hula girl-so cute!

Sack races and cotton candy!

Pop introduced Reed to cotton candy, and he was pretty impressed with it!! Good to the last drop!

Lillian's day ended with the pumpkin roll!  She's a tough little princess!

Happy Fall-even if it has been almost 90 degrees every day!!