Class Trip to the Pumpking Patch

Friday was another class trip. This time to Ebert's Greenhouse for all kinds of fall activities. The 4K, 5K and 1st grades all went to Ebert's for the morning and had a great time.




The people at this place really go all out to entertain for the fall season, especially for kids. They had so many activities I couldn't begin to list them all.



First we started off in the story time building. Everyone sat on hay bales and listened to the "Farm Flu" story. They they led all of us through a maze that also told the same story. The maze was decorated with scenes from the story around each corner. I can't believe the work it must take to assemble all of this stuff.



From there we went into the craft building where each child got to decorate a gourd with eyes, ears, mouth, etc. Some had pigs, some had chickens, etc.



After that they led us to the hayride and took us all out to the pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin to take home. You can see Olivia in the picture way up at the front of the wagon. "Miss Independent" informed me that I should sit at the back of the wagon........

They also had a lady that played a banjo and sang songs for everyone going on the hayride.



After the hayride the 4K kids went to another building that had all kinds of learning/discovery stations. They had a good time playing in there and there was only one way in and out so it was easier to keep track of everyone in there.

From there we took them to see some live animals and they had the cutest playhouses set up. One was for Goldilocks and the Three Bears and there was a little red barn and some other cute things. All the kids were really good and by the time we got back to school at 11:00 am I think they were all pretty worn out from the cool fresh air and excitement.





It was a very special fun day!

Fall Is Here!

There are sure signs that fall is now here. When you try to rake leaves and they just get spread out again by a 4 year old jumping in the pile......when your monarch butterflies have been set free to fly to Mexico.....and finally school pictures are out.





It really has been a nice fall so far though. Great weather to play and run outside.




A few weeks ago Olivia and I were lucky enough to find the caterpillars that turn into Monarch butterflies while on a walk. We found two of them and only had to feed them for about 2 days before they formed their chrysalis. We had them in a container that we were able to take to school for all of Olivia's classmates to see and watch each day.









Finally the first butterfly came out and the class was able to release it outside the school. The second one had turned really black on a Friday and during the morning class it came out but wasn't ready to fly away before the kids had to go home. So, Olivia and I brought it home and released it in the afternoon. It was a really neat experience to see the entire amazing process from beginning to end. Olivia had a good time watching the butterfly before he flew away. She wasn't afraid to let it crawl on her.




And finally, Olivia's very first school picture was taken and I think it turned out really nice. She rarely poses easily for me to get a picture of her but now I know she can do it when she wants to.

Husty Homecoming 2010

Homecoming week is finally over for the high school this year. Jenny had been involved in everything and very busy over the last couple weeks. Kyle is on the football team and was also voted on to the homecoming court.





The first picture is of Kyle and Jenny with their friends/neighbors Ryan and Sara. These four have been friends since they were very very young and now Kyle and Ryan will be graduating this year, Sara has begun to drive and Jenny is a Freshman. It is amazing how fast the time goes by.


The past week had something going on every night leading up to the the "Big Game" and the homecoming dance on Saturday. During the week there was a dress-up theme everyday as well as powder puff games, volley buff games, the parade on Thursday with a pep rally/skit night right after. Then the football game on Friday which turned out to be a beautiful, warm night and they even won the game so it was fun! Besides Kyle playing in the game Jenny and her other Civil Air Patrol color guard members (including her homecoming date) presented the colors for the National Anthem to begin the game.




The kids stayed for a big bon fire after the game and then Saturday Jenny and I were off to the Paul Mitchell school to have her cousin Shelly style her hair and do her make-up for the dance.






By the time we got home from the hair and make-up Jenny had about 20 minutes to throw on her dress before her date and other friends came for pictures. Jenny went to the dance with a very nice young man she met and became friends with through the Civil Air Patrol. Even Steve approved of him. After pictures they went for dinner at the Mineshaft and then to the dance.




It sounded like they all had a very nice time but we are all glad the hectic week is done and we can get back into a normal routine.

Another First....Field Trip

Olivia had her very first school field trip today. Yes, even though it was 4-block walk to the fire station it is still considered her first official field trip.

The 4K, Kindergarten and 1st grades went to the local fire department for fire prevention week. They all had to wear their matching field trip shirts and they all marched down the street on this beautiful Fall day to see fire trucks and rescue vehicles up close.


They were all very cute walking back to school with their fire helmets on and they sure had a good time and were excited because you could see the sparkle in all their eyes when they got back. Olivia was very excited to tell me all about it and now she says she wants to be an emergency response person when she grow up.

GO FOR IT!

growing....groWING....GROWING

Olivia is growing so fast it is hard to believe. It seems like I just moved her out of her crib and into the toddler bed. That was a very big deal at the time and then all of a sudden the toddler bed was too small.



After borrowing a bed from her Aunt Nancy and Uncle Pat, we painted it to match her room (that's the paint I still had in the basement) making a few adjustments and buying a mattress we were finally able to set up her "NEW" bed yesterday. She was very excited and talks about being a "big girl" all the time. She really is growing up fast in so many ways. She loves school and has adjusted to that very easily.




Now she won't be sliding out of her little bed or be losing the blankets as they would slip off of the toddler bed. This new twin bed should last for a while now and as she is getting bigger her bedroom gets smaller and smaller.

Fun Day !

It's been a really long time since we were with Marilyn, Eleanor and Wesley but we were able to get together yesterday finally for a visit. This time the girls wasted no time getting together to play. Other times when they were younger they needed to be shy and take about 15 minutes to get to know each other again. This time though they are both 4 years old and had a lot of catching up and playing to do. They got along right off the bat and Wesley did his best to keep up with them.


All three kids were so good all morning and through lunch and then they played together for a while after lunch. They got along great, as if they see each other every day. It was a great visit for us at Grandma and Grandpa's house because now the kids just take off and play together without us having to watch them or jump up every 5 minutes. We got to visit with Marilyn and catch up on news and how they are all doing. Eleanor seems to be right on track with Olivia. They both go to 4 year preschool and are learning so much. Wesley is 2 1/2 now and we couldn't believe how he ran around and was talking so well. None of the kids fought, cried, whined or had any problems. They sat and ate their lunch with us real well and when it was time for them to pack up and head back home nobody was ready to leave.



That means they all were having a great time but two 4-year olds and a 2 1/2 year old still need naps so by 2:00 pm we could tell they were getting tired and we all needed to get home for a nap.



The time always goes by so fast when we get together with them but we had a great time visiting and playing and look forward to the next visit.




After a quick nap at home we had to get to Olivia's soccer game where Grandma, and Aunt Lynn, Uncle Jody and cousin Katelyn came to watch.

It was a very busy but fun, great day!!

Fall Camping

We were able to get another camping trip in this past weekend and this time we took along some of Olivia's other cousins. TJ and Anna came out camping for the very first time. It was fun because it was a whole new experience for them. We went to Mauthe Lake which was the first time we had been to this campground. It was also the first time we have ever camped with a dog too.

They have young Samoyed pup that they call "Bear". She did really well considering she is very young, never camped and has never slept outside of her kennel at home. TJ and Anna did great too. I think they really enjoyed themselves. They are great kids, very easy going, polite and ready to try anything.



They basically got a taste of everything too. Friday night it thundered and rained and Saturday night was pretty chilly but they were real troupers. We also did some hiking around the campgrounds on Saturday, we brought bikes along for them to ride around and did all the usual camping stuff.



On Saturday afternoon Jenny, TJ and Anna took a canoe out for about and hour on Mauthe Lake. Bear is very attached to TJ and paced the shore while waiting for them to return from their canoe ride.




We tried to fit in all the usual campfire meals. Friday we die hamburgers, Saturday we had pancakes, sausages, etc. for breakfast. We did hot dogs/chili dogs for lunch and ranch chicken breasts with baked potatoes for dinner. We of course had to do smores and pudgy pies and did a big breakfast on Sunday with everything left over. The kids were very helpful and interested in learning how to cook over a fire. TJ helped with the cooking and seemed to have a good time. Olivia loved having these two along and especially liked having Bear there.



It was a busy weekend but a lot of fun for all of us. TJ and Anna were a pleasure to have along and would love to have them try it again sometime.