Hey Everyone!

This week we went to a pumpkin patch theme park of sorts in Gretna, Nebraska. It's a local hot spot where they serve up turkey legs, kettle corn, homemade pies, caramel apples, etc. They have pedaled go-cart tracks, pony rides, pumpkin launchers, dog shows, pig races, and other crazy stuff. Some of our highlights were the Big Jumping Pillows (huge tarps at least 35 feet long and 15 feet wide staked down on the sides and filled with air).

 The Dried Corn Kernel pit.

and the Big Slide with burlap sacks.

We also liked the hayrack ride on the tractor, and had to snuggle because it was getting a little cold. :)

Grady got cold........Brrrrrrr

Easter

McKay had a fun time painting eggs this morning.  We opted for a less traditional sponge painting project because we thought he would enjoy that more at this age than color dipping.  We only a dozen, but that was plenty for our little family.

We got a kite.  I Natalie had more fun with it that McKay.  She somehow convinced McKay to hold the kite and throw it into the wind so she could fly it more than vice versa.

McKay had fun finding eggs.  Last year he was more interested in the leafs and grass than the egg hunting, but this year he caught on to the game.  Grady hardly
moved from where we put him down.


Grady is getting to be a noisy little guy.  He sounds more like a gremlin than a child sometimes.  We'll let you decide for yourselves (video below)!

Hi this is Mom and Dad. We're blogging!!!

Joshua and Natalie with Grady and McKay at Winter Quarters Aug. 2014

Happy Halloween!

This year I was kind of lazy and didn't have a good costume, but Natalie and McKay made up for it.  See how quickly you can recognize Natalie. . "Anyone want to buy some insurance?!"

McKay stole the show with Ryan's old bomber jacket.  Everyone thought he was so cool with his glasses and his hair slicked back.  He actually left his glasses on the whole day until we took them off him for fear that he would face-plant while trick-or-treating in the dark.  Once we got home he had as much fun giving away his candy as he did collecting it!

My one contribution to Halloween was the doorstep décor.  I thought the DreamWorks logo was mysterious enough to put on a pumpkin.  And I think Natalie and McKay enjoyed the pumpkin seeds more than the Halloween treats!

Two weeks ago we took the family to Vala's Pumpkin Patch.  It's an October theme park that is only open for one month out of the year.  I liked playing the fair-style games.  (This was the only place I've ever been to that you didn't have to pay extra for the games on the side once you bought your ticket to get in).  After watching three big guys try and fail, this little scrawny man showed them up hitting the bell on the hammer swing.  McKay loved the giant slide, the corn box, the jumping pillows, and the singing puppets.  We all had a blast on the racing tricycles.  This place seemed very unregulated, so you could pretty much do whatever your wanted.  They let us take McKay on our lap on the tricycles.  I even saw a lady with a newborn strapped to her chest as she rode, but I wasn't brave enough to do that!!

The corn box

Natalie and McKay

Hitting the bell!

Staying connected

Hey family.  Now that we're getting further apart, I thought it would be fun to have a family blog where we can keep each other updated on how we are doing.  Feel free to write whenever and whatever you'd like about what's new in your life.