Aldo Leopold Field Trip

Mom chaperoned RyAnne's class trip to Aldo Leopold to learn about plants and trees.

The kids enjoyed the puppet show about seedlings.

Then we took a hike through the prairie looking at trees, leaves, and seeds. Above is a picture of RyAnne showing the guide something interesting she found!

Lastly, the kids all got to do a leaf rubbing of a leaf they found on the hike!

Spooky, Stinky Ghosts

The kids always make a craft for Dad's office door at school each holiday. This year, for Halloween, we made a spooky (ghost) stinky (from our feet) picture for his door.

Painting the feet was torture for Dakota who is extremely ticklish on his feet!

Stamping our feet on the paper!

All ready to hang!

Harvest Fest

Dad, Mom, Grandpa & Grandma C. and the kids had fun this weekend at the Autumn Harvest Fest in the Wisconsin Dells!

Dakota (& Bailey) proving he is no longer afraid of goats!

Clown entertainment - RyAnne is always the first to volunteer.

Painting pumpkins.

Face painting.

Happy Autumn!

Beautiful Weather

The weather this weekend was in the 80s! We spent a lot of time outside........ washing windows, raking and decorating the house for Halloween.

Our SPOOKY ghost!

We also went on a picnic and to the zoo.

Pete's Pumpkin Patch

Dakota, Bailey, and Mom took a trip to Pete's Pumpkin Patch today! Yes, Pete (as in Dad) and Dad did a great job growing pumpkins this year - 16 in all!

With 16 pumpkins to pick Dakota's John Deere came in handy! Dakota and Bailey took turns delivering the pumpkins to the front porch. Needless to say, we had pumpkins to share

Colors & Patterns

We have been working on colors and patterns at home. Bailey and Dakota are definitely tactile learners - especially when they are doing an activity they can eat:-)

Proudly showing off their necklaces and anxiously waiting to eat them!

50th Wedding Anniversary

Grandpa and Grandma Franklin's 50th wedding anniversary was September 17th. On Saturday, their kids planned an anniversary party in their honor.

The happy couple!

Dad and the kids enjoying the delicious food.

The kids love seeing their cousins! RyAnne had so much fun playing hide n seek with them! She tries to play it with Bailey and Dakota at home but they don't quite get the concept of the game yet! They always hide in the same place!

Dad and his brothers Randy and Jim.

It was such a nice party and such a reason to celebrate! Happy Anniversary Grandpa and Grandma! WOW 50 years! We love you!

John Deere

Dakota's most prized possession - his tractor-trailer (or so he calls it)!! The kid would drive around the house for hours if we would let him! He LOVES his tractor-trailer! When Mom mows he hops on it and chases her around. To top it all off- the neighbor gave him a John Deere hat to accessorize while on his tractor!

EEEEEEE-OOOOOOOOOO

Grandma Carter bought Dakota a fire truck bed and he LOVES it!

First Day - First Grader

RyAnne was SO excited to get back to school!

After hearing about a few incidences on the bus last year and then Dad telling Mom how at one of his meetings a friend of his (whose children attend Horizon and is a elementary principal in Sun Prairie) said he would never let his kids ride the bus - RyAnne gets chauffeured to and from school each day.

Happily hanging her backpack!

There was an assembly in the morning for the 1 - 5 graders and parents. She found her class line and listened intently.

After school when Mom picked her up she snapped a picture of her with her teacher - Mrs. Whalley. We sent it in to NBC 15 news and this picture was featured on the nightly newscast.

RyAnne said her first day was "GREAT" and loves her teacher!