so many pictures...so little time to blog.

I'm a few days behind in catching up my blog. Last week Landon got to ride the bus for the first time. He was so excited.It was also picture day:)

Last Friday Josie had her 3rd grade field trip. I have Friday's off so I was able to go. Landon had preschool that day so he stayed all day so I could go with Josie. We went to the small town of Rockford. Rockford is just south of valleyford by about 10 minutes. We toured several businesses, went to Farmhouse Pizza and the kids got to make their own pizza's for lunch, toured a bank, museum, autobody shop, a grain storage place and finally ended up at the fair:) I had to laugh because at the first stop the guy asked all the kids, 'how many of you know what a combine is?'..I think almost all of the kids raised their hands. I guess living in a farming community, combines are a common site:)

All the kids got on the truck scale...

taking notes at the auto body store

The owner of the body shop had put a fake arm and finger in the door and hung a cell phone from the window to show the kids to not text and drive.

 We went to Farmhouse pizza and this sign was in the entry way....farm town? I think so...

 Josie made her own Pizza.

 We went to the Firestation and ate the Pizza's that we made. The firefighters talked about fire safety and handed out treats. Josie with Isabel and Annie.

 Emily, Brooke, Isabel, Josie and Annie.

 The whole 3rd grade.

 Eating at the FireStation. Watching the firefighters get in full gear in under a minute.

 All the 3rd Graders at the Fair.

 Each year the elementary classes make an art project and then it gets entered in the fair. We found Landons foot print Tractor...

 Josie's Cowboy Boot Painting....

 Josie made a Kite at one of the booths.

 Josie and Annie trying on Wigs...

 Josie sat by Zoey, my bosses daughter on the bus. They are 2 weeks apart.

We had a great time on the field trip. Friday evening Landon started Soccer. He has been so excited to play with his own friends and have his own team, rather than tagging along to his sisters stuff.

He loved it and can't wait until friday so he can play again. Saturday morning Luke and Rudy went to Suncadia to go golfing and headed to the seahawks game in seattle. Carli and I took the kids to the rockford fair and Parade.

 Landon found his Tractor.

 We let the kids play a game at the fair. you pick a duck and you either get a small, medium or Large stuffed animal.....Well Josie was the only one who picked small...She got mad and decided that she just didn't want a stuffed animal at all...So as she was throwing a fit I notice a severely handicapped little kid with a walker hanging out with his mom....I quickly made josie take the stuffed animal..that she didn't want and had her go give it to the little kid. She did it reluctantly...but then later asked if we could take some of her old stuffed animals to the childrens hospital:) Here is the dreaded duck game.

My best friend Andrea was in town for a 108 mile bike ride around Lake Coeur d'Alene. The kids made her signs and we met her at the finish line.

 Andrea did cartwheels and logrolls with the kids in the grass after her race:)

 After her race they had an octoberfest beer tasting going on at the resort. We went toy shopping while drinking beer with the kids...I think you should always get to drink beer while in toy stores:)...we had a great time!

Sunday we went up to GreenBluff to pick pumpkins and play at the pumpkin patch. We ended up staying all afternoon. The weather turned out great. We did a huge corn maze, played on trampolines, bouncy slides, ranger rides and feasted on pumpkin donuts. Here is landon making a 'pit stop' in the corn maze. he couldn't hold it and we were deep into the corn;)

 Most farms pull these behind slow tractors so they only go about 5 miles per hour. At this place they are pulled behind a ranger and do about 20!The kids loved it...and by the end of the day there was no line so andrea and I joined in too:) The guy pulled us through sprinklers and mud!

Here is a short video of the ride...It is not at top speed...but you get the idea

 Landon with mud all over his face after riding the ride.

 I took this one as we were barreling through the mud.

 Poor Landon's back was all bruised the next day from riding the ranger ride at the pumpkin patch!!

The kids found out that Andrea had not seen the movie Frozen...So we had an evening showing that night in the Theater room...

Monday the kids had school and Luke was home so he took over the after school duties...Andrea and I were able to have a day to ourselves. We went Zip Lining. It is a newer company called Mica Moon Zip Tours. they are out of Liberty lake. It was so much fun. I thought it would be pretty scary but it was not bad at all. They start you out on a couple short, non life threatening ones...By the end you are going over 50mph and over 1600 feet over canyons and trees.

 This was the first Zip. It was short and not too high.

 The views were really cool.

 This was a video of our guide doing one of the zips

We spent the rest of the day catching up. We were able to have lunch, go for a long walk and I even took her to my Barre Class. Monday night the kids helped Andrea pack up and clean her bike. She breaks it down into a box and can check it when she fly's. We were all sad to see her go. Hopefully she can come back during ski season and come skiing with us.

This weekend I am meeting my friend Jen in Hood River for our yearly get together. We have reserved a day at the spa at the Columbia Gorge Hotel.... I usually try to get together with her and andrea at least once a year. This year it worked out that it was back to back weekends. Looking forward to another fun weekend of catching up and enjoying some girl time.