Make a Difference Day

Brady (along with other Student Council members ((which are also my students)) from HMS) and I participated in this past Saturday's Make a Difference Day.  Ironically, the mission assigned to us from Delaware County was to help out with history and land preservation at Camp Lazarus, a Boy Scout of America camp ground.  Brady has camped there many, many times so we were excited to work "behind the scenes" at the camp.

Receiving our assignments:

One group was sent to make some sort of wooden holders to be used for collecting maple syrup from the maple trees.  Another group was asked to clear vegetation from paths throughout the camp.

And our group was asked to clean out the Sugar Shack, where the maple syrup buckets are kept, to split wood and then to stack the wood.

Our group reporting for duty!!  Brady wanted to hang with the big 8th graders.  Plus, splitting and stacking wood sounded like the best job offered!

Cleaning out the shack and stacking the maple syrup buckets.

 

You're not done yet Brady...keep on cleaning!

Time to start splitting and stacking wood!  Here we are receiving specific directions on how to stack wood and how to help with the splitter.

After about an hour of stacking and splitting, the men needed a break.  So the rest of us posed for some pictures.

They have built their muscles splitting and stacking wood!

Back to work for about another hour.

The tractor couldn't have come at a perfect time to relieve us from our duties.  We were tired and hungry.  We took a little hay ride around the camp site towards the amphitheater for a quick group picture of the kids.

There wasn't enough room for all of us to have our own seat, so my only option was to sit on Brady's lap.  The kid next to me is literally saying, "I can't believe my teacher is sitting on my lap."  Get over it kid, I'm not that heavy and I'm not your teacher today, I'm just some other kid's mom!!

Great work today kids!  I'm proud to be a mom of one of these kids as well as their teacher.

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE fall this year?  These are some pictures I took while enjoying the woods, the great trees and views at Camp Lazarus....while the kids worked :)

So, so pretty!  I can stay all day out in the woods taking pictures.  Did I mention that I LOVE fall this year?

Katy, our Super STAR

Katy was in the latest production of Dublin Coffman High School's performance of High School Musical 2.  She was a part of the first scene of "What Time is It?" Great job Katy, we are so proud of you!!

Flashback Friday

My very good friend Brenda, has motivated me to post pictures from the past...Flashback Friday.  I have some really good old pics from back in the day of friends, family, my kids, etc. to share.  Although, this first one is in honor of Brenda! 

This is a picture of Brenda and I on the night of our Baccalaureate before high school graduation in 1992.

Brenda and her husband of 14 years, Chadwick, have actually been together since high school.  They celebrated 20 years of being together this past week.....WOW!!!  This flashback picture is of me, Chad and Brenda at our Junior Prom in 1991.....we were crazy back in the 90s.

Check out their love story on the Reed's family blog She has even posted some more pictures of her and I...some not so flattering...but funny! :)

Miss you Brenda and Chad!!  I really need to come to Arizona for a visit!  xoxoxxo

Come back next Friday for another Flashback Friday!

4 going on 14

Sometimes I wonder what I would have done without a little girl.  I have been blessed with a little "mini-me".

She found my boots and brought them out my closet.  I guess I better buy her a set.  It is almost chilly enough to wear these boots.  It won't be long.

 

I was folding laundry and left to get more laundry and Archie took over the laundry basket...with Alyssa's help!

Perfect Weather For Outdoor Sports

Brady is such a big kid now.   Repelling at a recent boy scout outing, SO brave and SO cool!!

The crisp fall air is perfect for Falcon football.  Cole's team is    5-1-1.  Play-offs start this Saturday!  GO BG!

This Purdue Boilermaker had about 40 pounds on Cole.  Cole held his own though by fighting him off & defending him just about every time.  

Alyssa cheering Cole on and the BLOB on the ground is how Brady shows his support!! 

Going for a walk

Both Stuart and Winston have leashes now so that they can enjoy the fresh air with a little more freedom.  We don't really take them for a walk...we walk where ever they hop...

 

Archie was a bit jealous....he is actually whining (which sounds like a seal) in the background!

Funny how he whined for just a bit...he then just decided to quit the complaining and do something else he'd rather do while the bunnies hopped around the yard.....he is such a lazy dog!  We still don't get why he can't just lay on the ground....what is so comfortable about a picnic table???

Historical Trail Medals

Boy Scouts of Troop 844 presented Cole with his Historical Trail Medals for completing the Valley Forge and Ben Franklin Historical Trails in August (pictures of the trails were posted in August...see old posts).  There was even a sweet moment where Brady put Cole's medals on his uniform...without even poking him!

Both the boys have earned their medals located on their left shirt pocket!  Way to go boys!

9 years ago....

....I laid in a hospital bed smiling yet crying at the same time.  October 5th, 2000 was the day I brought my twin boys into this world. 

We continue to celebrate BOTH their birthdays.  Christopher gets balloons sent to Heaven every Oct. 5th and Cole celebrates with friends.  Cole invited a few of his friends over for a birthday OSU slumber party.

We started the evening by going out to dinner at the House of Japan for some Japanese food and some entertainment of cooking the food.

On the way out........do we have enough room??? 

Trying out chopsticks:

Soup came first and just about all of them tried it!

Alyssa LOVED it...even the mushrooms!

  Ready for the fireballs?

Flipping shrimp into the chef's hat.

An onion volcano!

Then to David's and Monsi's house for a quick celebration of Monsi's 30th birthday.

 

And then back home for some cake, football and late night 9 year old conversations....led by Brady.............

Seriously...an air soft machine gun????????

 

Nighty night boys...no inappropriate tv or conversations...I'll be down to tell you to be quiet and to fall asleep real soon....and several times!!! (Don't you just LOVE how Archie has his own blanket too?)