Monday, October 2, 2017

October always has a million pictures

cub scouts popcorn show and sell 
Johnny, Ryan, Matthew, Nickolas

Finally!!!  And both in one night! 
And for the babysitter nonetheless, way to go Kiley!


Erin's "cider and s'mores" party
I was tagged in this one, not the best of Chloe, but that's Miller in the blue and red stripes.  Coincidentally, he's her newest best friend at school and happened to be at the same party.  She adores him!  They are so cute, they sit together at lunch everyday [remember I'm a lunch monitor now!] and talk and laugh and giggle.  If she weren't five, I'd think she's boy crazy!
*Miller is the same one that she ran into at the park over fall break
*and since I'm posting from the future, I can tell you ... just wait until you see the pumpkin patch field trip pictures :) 


HA!!!!  Ryan was flipping through this book at
Target, couldn't resist this selfie ;)

This counts as a pumpkin patch right?!? 
We're such awesome moms!

Small group birthday dessert 
Happy Birthday Sam!


Proud Momma right here!!!!!!!!!
Ryan was one of only three 4th graders to make the MES Academic Bowl!  
He went through two rounds of testing and beat out some of the smartest kids I know!  I'm so excited for him!

Loved finding this message in Abby's drawings!  
And Chloe's teacher told me when they called Ryan's name on the announcements, she said "that's my brother!!"  happy mommy :) 



We're outta here!  
Picked the kids up early and we're off to Bert Adams scout camp for the weekend.

Seth, Spence, Ryan
 Lots of playing in the big beautiful field next to our campsite.
Brendan, Chlo, Abs, Spence, Max, Logan, Ryan


On Saturday, there were lots of planned activities the kids could do.  We split from the boys who were doing things like BB guns and archery.  
The girls and I went on a guided nature hike where we saw this poplar tree.  Yep, it's still alive, there's leaves higher up.  It has heart rot and has been struck by lightening at least three times.

bouldering with my little monkey.  
They climbed all around the walls of this old barn-like building.


speaking of BB guns,
here's my baby boy about to shoot his eye out.

pumpkin patch picture #2 of the year, point Mommy! 
The girls were not impressed for some reason.



Chloe with her parapro Mrs. Smith
Chloe was in heaven having Mrs. Smith there!! [she has a 3rd grade scout].  By the end of the weekend, she was an honorary Smith.  She sat with her, she went to the bathroom with her, she even helped them pack up their tent.  We felt a little ditched, hehe :)

Ryan, Matthew, Spence


Matt Ryan to Julio Jones!
These costumes weren't planned, but
I doubt they could have planned it any better if they had tried!

The risk of bringing along new Halloween costumes [both long dresses], that might get ripped and would end up smelling like campfire, didn't seem worth it.  But they still looked cute in their pumpkin shirts!


 the Webelos! there were only five between two dens
Johnny, Jackson, Spence, Ryan, Matthew

While he's no AJ ;), Chloe did take a liking to Spence and tried to hold his hand all night.  
Oh goodness, we're in trouble!

Poor Maya ;)  
Zach sent us this pretty funny text from their evening stroll.




Sunday, October 1, 2017

i9 fall sports - with a fancy camera!

I borrowed the Conleys' fancy camera for Ryan's birthday weekend.  

Practicing with the fancy camera on Maya :)

my beautiful girls - this picture got framed!
probably my all-time favorite picture of these cuties


Saturday, September 30th  - all the family was around for Ryan's birthday, woohoo!
cousin Emily came to cheer them on!!

Mari, Chloe, Claire

Claire, Chlo, Mari, Alice, Couper
love these kiddos!  
*Claire asked her Mommy for "pigtails like Chloe always wear!"
*Kelsi, Briana, and I may or may not have picked soccer for our kids so they could stay friends.  The preschool bffs are all at different schools this year.
*If you're Chlo-Chlo, I'm pretty sure soccer is more social then anything else :)

Abby's warmups
Chloe and Mari
Our three play on all the same teams as the Esterling three this fall.  
It's a fun Saturday with our friends!


Henry!  Ryan loves boy cousins

Abby, white #10
*I love that she always runs back to Coach Daddy for a high five.
*She scored three goals this day!
*This girl is a fearless competitor - she's right in there every play

I hadn't planned to bring the camera to sports, so glad I grabbed it at the last minute!


Jackson, Abs, Sawyer, Cooper
Great friends and great soccer players!  This combo won the game 10-0.  
All ten goals between these four! 


there's a short break in between soccer and flag football. 
The Luksiks joined us for our weekly picnic!


Ryan, #16

pass...
  the awesome QB Ryan to WR Cooper reception! 
...catch!  and a great run


Kenley joins us! 
Abby loves having baby cousins :)

Ryan and Cooper, best buds

Monday, September 4, 2017

Ryan's 10th birthday! - family and weekend fun

After Friday night's party, there was lots of family around on Saturday to watch sports and celebrate Ryan!

lots of lovely ladies, we missed you Sarah and Nichole!!


hooray for cousins! 
We missed seeing the Zering crew though!

yay for a whole bunch of us!

the Chase representatives

the Crouse/ Hayter side

the birthday boy loves brownies!
ten candles, goodness!

Henry had a blast with this bird

two handfuls!





HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
Ryan and Daddy headed out the Falcons game!🏈
Sunday, October 1st 


the new Mercedes- Benz stadium!

the handsomest ten year old ever!




fun at Wills Park with the Luksiks during the game

the long, fun weekend caught up to her!  
She napped for almost two hours!





Sunday, September 3, 2017

Ryan's 10th birthday!! - party and friends

It's fun letting the kids help out with party planning and invitation making as they get older :)


Ryan's birthday crew!  
Aaron, Ryan, Ryan G, Lucas, AJ, Cooper

six cool kids!

hey, great idea!! :)

they worked up an appetite, dinner at Culver's!

crazy kids!

back at the house for s'mores

"AJ!" 
[in the most sing-songey five year voice].

Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma for hanging out with the girls while we skated
[they joined us at Culver's for dinner]