Ry's birthday(s) and Texas trip

Ryan was pretty happy to get two birthday cake celebrations this year--the first with Grandma and Grandpa Quigley right before and the second with his Auntie Marie, Uncle Dan and cousins in Texas on the day.


Ry and his awesome 'Mater cake' made by grandma

We made our first trip over to Texas for the Thanksgiving break. The kids travelled really well--considering one was technically still only two at the time.


Dan and Marie were super awesome and made Ry a superman cake (as requested by Ry)and hamburgers with cheese, watermelon and grapes (also as requested)



Gracie and Trevor


Having lunch with Gracie at her Kindergarten



At the children's museum--Ry is grocery shopping



Kaya


Trev


Gracie



Ryan in the spaceship--by far the highlight for the boys


Big Chess

Dan raised and prepared the turkey this year. The kids got to watch the process. Makaya had the biggest reaction in exclaiming "Hooray!" and clapping when her daddy de-headed the bird.




Uncle Dan showing what's inside a turkey's stomach


Tractor Train ride--super cool.


Thanksgiving dinner--I was trying to get the kids to look at the camera and say gobble. Kaya was flapping her arms, and Ryan was gobbling at her. Trev and Gracie just focused on eating.




Mmm... drumstick...


Post-Thanksgiving dinner tractor train ride




They were required to sit together for a picture prior to pie eating


Turkeys

The chickens were also pretty popular. Trevor and Grace set up 'chicken school' where they would take clipboards out and mark down stars for chickens who were being good. They said they were also teaching the chickens to play freeze tag... uncle Dan declared the chickens need some rest.




Trev was trying to be one with the chickens in hopes that they'd let him pick them up


Loved the tire swing

Pumpkin Farm

We made our annual pumpkin farm visit last weekend. It was a lot of fun--both boys got to enjoy it thoroughly this year. We met Mike, Alisha, and Thomas out there, and my parents rode over with us in the spacious minivan. Everyone had ample leg room and cup holders.


Corn pit

The official pumpking measuring stick was moved inside near the activity area this year--it was harder to get the boys to stand there and make any sort of sustained and pleasant eye contact. Lots of exciting things nearby.





Ryan liked going in and out of this little tunnel area


Rubber ducky racing--they got to pump the water to move the ducks back and forth


Ryan gathered all the ducks he could find and lined them up before sending them back over


What's cooler than tractors, cows, and trains? A cow-tractor-train!








Me and baby


A piece of corn from the pit got lodged behind Trev's ear--I think it stayed there a good half hour or more until they got on the bouncy pad


Bounce pad




Mom getting some air

Bouncy Video:



Looking for pumpkins--Ryan had a bit of a hard time because he was looking for one with a happy face on it. Reading Halloween books gives children too high of expectations...




Heading back with our pumpkins




Pumpkin heads


Petting zoo--goats!


Goofy boys--Ryan is quacking loudly for this picture

September went by pretty fast. The month seemed to fill up with school (for Trev and myself), soccer, and general playing around.

Trev started his first organized sport--soccer. He's playing for the Phantoms and they've had three games now. It's pretty fun to watch the kids run around in mobs, work hard to turn the ball the right direction, stay on the side of the field they're supposed to be on, and try really hard not to tackle the ball. And then there's my own child who is also throwing in superhero moves and poses and trying to be the extra goalie. He seems to like it (win or loose) and usually has a heroic tale by the end of the game. Last week he scored his first goal too--very exciting. However, he's not convinced of the point of practicing and thinks that the games are a little too long sometimes.









Ryan is enjoying his days of solitude when Trev is at Kindergarten. He goes straight for Trev's room for undisrupted tag and lego time. But the day is still peppered with "where's Trevor?" "I want my Trevor".



Trev has homework on most weekdays. I guess they're getting them into the habit early. He likes the pages where you have to circle and find things but seems to find all the name writing a bit excessive.



Ryan is generally goofy--he likes to have his picture taken "cheez!"

Thousand Giants Trip

My parents came to visit for an extended weekend. It was their first time visiting in August and they seemed to make it through without melting. We spent one of the days up at the Trail of a Hundred Giants (giant sequoias) and Kernville.


Eating Lunch--smiling real quick so their mom will let them eat their lunch in peace again




Pretending to make a campfire... smokey the bear probably would not be too pleased


Aren't they cute


John, Trev and Ryan way up there








Trev using his Airbender/ninja moves on the walk back


These are not rocks. They are pirate ships.



Before leaving the boys were pretending to go night-night... I think Trev could have fallen asleep up there if left undisturbed