Fall

I ran a race.  Don't worry, I just did the 10k.  For some reason everyone thinks I ran a half marathon.  But, I'm smarter than that.  I found this photo o their website.

 We celebrated present day.  I got Twister.  The kids thought it was hilarious - until I made them watch it with me.

 We hiked Table Rock.  Each kid brought a friend.  It was genius. 

 I received my diploma - that's right.  I have a Master's degree.  Apparently they will give those to anyone.

 The cutest football player you ever saw:

 We grew a couple of watermelons in our garden.  I know, I am just as surprised as you are.

 Another race photo.

 We watched the harvest moon/lunar eclipse on our roof together.

 And another race photo.  I don't know why they aren't all together.

 This cute boy:

 Brandon and some of his football team got all dressed up to visit a teammate in the hospital.

 I am not sure what is happening here.  I guess this is how Cody likes to shop.

 Cody bought something with his own money for the first time.  The cashier was so nice and patient with him.  He was so excited.

 We played butts-up in the basement.

 Brandon brought home a crayfish/crawdad.  Yay!!! (A mother's dream).  Luckily, I mean sadly, he died after a week and we were done with him.

 Kathleen's cute volleyball team.

 Kathleen has an amazing serve.

This is the only kid I know who asks to be buried in the sand with his face down. 

 Kathleen and Cody have been way into chalk art on the driveway lately.

 Homemade root beer:

 Halloween party:

 The bishopric serve scones at the ward Harvest party.  It is tradition.

 The basement has been framed.  The boys think it is a jungle gym.  Oh please put up walls before they break something!!

 Brandon dresses himself for church:

 Ryan, Kathleen and I all kind of matched one Sunday.  We all had gray and black on.

 Carved pumpkins:

 Halloween piano recital:

 Cody wore this on hat/sunglasses day at school.

 Kathleen and Brandon dressed up like a decade for red ribbon week.

 Halloween dinner:

 Our garage:

 Ryan and I did a witches fun run (he dressed up like Harry Potter).  Ryan is such a good sport.

 Brandon started wrestling.  This is new territory for us.  I was wondering how he would react when he saw the uniform.  But to my surprise, he didn't seem to  mind at all.

August

On our way home from the cabin we decided to take a different, and more scenic (aka car sickly) route home.  But it was beautiful

 We went to McCall for ice cream.

 More cabin pics:

 Cherry seed spitting contest:

 Movie night:

 I graduated from Mississippi State University with a Master's degree in Geoscience.  Alyssa, Clayton and Annabeth came to visit and brought me flowers.  Yellow...my favorite.

 Annabeth loved picking peaches with Kathleen.  Look at that smile.

She had no qualms with just picking up a garden tomato and devouring it. 

 Kathleen was excited to show Brandon how to navigate middle school.

 We had one last hurrah before school started by going to Wahooz with some friends.

 They are building a new middle school.  It should open next year and Brandon and Cody will eventually go there.  But for now, it is under construction.

 This kids sold peaches and slushies.

 Kathleen got a summer job as a counselor at a kid fitness camp.  She worked so hard planning out activities twice a week for the whole summer.

 We went to the school to check out Cody's new classroom.  He was so cute organizing his supplies in his desk, just how he wanted them.

 Brandon started football.  He had his first game at the BSU stadium, which was super fun.

 The fair:

 First day of school:

 It's no longer cool for mom to walk the kids to or from the bus stop once they start middle school.  So I just have to sneak in pictures from the house as they walk home.

 Kathleen had volleyball practice on the first day, so I got this gem of her and a friend after practice.

 Kathleen was so excited that she made the "A" team for 8th grade volleyball.

 We went to a little community carnival.  The kids had fun climbing the rock wall.