Bird Walk

A while ago Riley had heard about this free bird tour/walk. We decided since Rhylan loves birds and Gracin loves to be outside, it would be a perfect family outing. We had our own personal tour fuide take us around the park/reserve and help us find and identify many birds. They gave us all binoculars to borrow and gave Rhylan a bingo sheet with the pictures of the birds to mark off as we found them. She took this very seriously. We were also able to see some birds they had rescued. Rhylan has asked many times to go back.


Here she is asking our guide which bird we just saw so she can mark it off. She was so funny, she asked a ton of questions. She even said "we live by the desert and sometimes we see quail!"
Trying to figure out what bird is next.
This was my favorite part. Rhylan had taken a few steps ahead of us and stopped, turned to us and said shhhh! then tip-toed a few steps and looked through her binoculars. She had found about 20 ducks and geese.

Painting pumpkins

Rhylan wanted to do an idea she saw in a book. She wanted to paint her pumpkin instead of carve it. So that is what they did. They had a lot of fun. She painted a ghost, a pumpkin face and a cave. Gracin pretty much painted blobs.

Children's Museum

I decided to get a free culture pass from the library and take Rhylan to the Children's museum, just the two of us. She had such a good time and has asked again and again to go back. I love places like that where the kids get to be free and I am not worried about her touching something she shouldn't be, or playing with something that isn't a toy. Its all fair game there. I think her favorite part was the kitchen. She got to use real kitchen tools and pans to make fake pizzas for me. She really had fun putting it in the big pizza oven.



Ready to cook!!

Checking out the pizza oven.
I lost her in this noodle forest a few times, I just had to hold still and listen for the giggles to find her.






These little stinkers kept cutting her in line!!!
The tree house/ fort building exhibit was a huge hit with Rhylan. I think every toy room should have something like this. I didn't get a picture or our fort when we finished it but it was awesome.
Hanging at the art center.

Packing peanuts

Riley got a large box full of packing peanuts and decided to dump it on Rhylan! Then we continued to play, make snow angles, and throw the peanuts around, and bury the kids. They thought it was the best. We are still finding them in the couch!

Zaks pics

Hey friends and family of my brother, Zak. I have finished his senior pics and have put up a few of my favorites on my photography blog. Just click on my logo on the left hand side.
Right there
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Pumpkin Patch

While we were visiting Pinetop, we went to a pumpkin patch in Snowflake. The kids loved it. They got to roam around and pick out the best pumpkin they could find. I like that they didn’t pick the biggest ones they could find, each was appropriate for their size. Granny, Pa, and Zak hung out with us too. We usually call my dad Papa, but Gracin actually started to say “PA” with enthusiasm so we kind of like it. It sure made my dad happy for Gracin to call him by a name and be happy to see him. At the pumpkin patch there was also a hayride (that Gracin SCREAMED through) a little train pulled by a four wheeler, and a pumpkin launcher. It was a good day. Gracin also found some chickens to make friends with.

Gracin kept doing this and saying "COWD!" (cold)

Mom, Dad, and Zak.

Here they are heading for the train ride, Gracin was pretty unsure!

My new favorite picture.
I never get the two of them smiling and looking!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is Rhylan and her pumpkin she picked out.

Here is Gracin trying to pick up his pumpkin.

Zak preview

I went to Pinetop this last weekend. I had so much fun. While I was there, I took my brother's senior pictures. He is such a stud. Here is one I've done already.