Festivity

 M's tumbling group did a performance at a school fall festival.  The kids had perhaps never seen such a crowd of children running wild.  We stuck together through performance and then I let the kids play on the park just as it was getting dark.  Thankfully nobody was hurt or lost.  M did text me when she and lP got lost on their adventure to get cotton candy.  To a child that attends the school, it would have been a wonderful setting of familiar teachers and students.  For our kids it was overwhelming, but they did have a great time.

B and lP dressed up for our neighborhood party.  We have a really lovely neighborhood.  I'm very grateful for this childhood they are able to have.  The houses are far apart but recently the neighborhood gives residents signs to post by their driveway if they are handing out candy.  The kids walk far but the neighbors give out handfuls of candy. 

Monkey Bars

I've been working toward doing a pull-up for a few months now.  I still can't do a real one but I can do 3 sets of 8 assisted ones.  Today I took the 3 big kids to the Terrain Race and I was able to do two obstacles that involved holding onto bars.  One was an inclined bar, about 6 feet long then rings and balls on ropes.  I was able to shuffle my hands along the bar but dropped at the rings.  Later I was able to do the monkey bars and I was shocked at each one that I hadn't fallen yet.  I'm so grateful for this because I never imagined I'd be able to do the monkey bars.  They were big, like a 2 inch metal pipe, at 30 inch spacing, and probably 8 bars.  Wow!

It was a lot of fun to take the kids on this adventure.  P was very encouraging in our preparations and took the little boys with him to a concert so we could go do this activity.

rain or shine

Today we planned to get our flu shots today but the clinic only offers walk-in on Tuesday and Thursday.  So we decided to go and play at the park, but it was raining.  No problem, it was a light rain and it was nice to just be outside for an hour and a half, not letting the rain stop us.  Later at home it was raining hard and the kids were enjoying going outside with umbrellas and feeling invincible.  I'm glad they get to have these experiences.

Saturday fun

For lP's birthday this year we got a groupon to a trampoline park.  I'm glad she chose to spend the time with her family.  It was fun.  We went to Gtown and visited the butterfly museum, Panda Express and the trampoline park.  Grandma L came along for all the crazy fun.

 Grandma always brings a bag of pennies and she is so sweet handing them out to our children and all other children that come by and show interest.  I'm grateful for her example.

 lP was serious about trying to hold still and attract a butterfly. 

 There were several butterflies on the path.  B and L were very sweet and protective of them.

This was probably our best visit to the butterfly garden yet.  It was not too hot, not too crowded and the butterflies were very accessible.  M and lP enjoyed this Atlas moth.  It doesn't look like it is 4 inches but it is huge!

 It was such a nice time.  I'm really glad we got the pass for the museum so we can go with Grandma L often.

 L climbed into the grabber game, of course.

 P was carrying my purse because I was bouncing with the kids!

 We attended the ward in Gainesville because Grandpa S and Grandma C were giving their homecoming address in church.  The children walked home afterward.  It's pretty nice living within walking distance of church.  Also, they had been unpleasant on the way to church so it was nice to let them get a walk going home.

Arm Wrestling Dad

Daddy is so strong.  He wrestled the lot of them.  I'm so glad that he's our Dad.