Ponca 2013

we got back from our annual family trip to Ponca State Park a week ago.
yesterday, B kept saying "mom i'm going to pretend Ponca".
you can only imagine how fun it is for a 3 year old (the rest of us really enjoy it too) but for a kid, the dirt slide, (2nd) cousins/uncle joe to play with, hikes, snacks, & everyone doting on him. it is just non-stop fun! if you ask him what his favorite part was, he says "every part. except the coconut oil" (chapped lips/skin = bed time slathering of coconut oil.)

ready to hit the road...in (accidentally) matching outfits!

shawn had basketball stuff at grace thursday night/friday so we went up early thursday afternoon!

all ready to go adventure!

and we were greeted with hot chocolate from grandfather

the weather was perfectly "fall" nice & cool to make the cabins feel warm, but not cold enough to keep you indoors the whole time.

old ponca shirt from cousin heidi! and he wore her watch almost constantly.

first taste of hot cocoa

friday morning. B woke up & about 20 minutes later threw up everywhere! i say to much junk food. rested for a while & ate some apple slices & then was back to himself!

when we got back to grandmothers cabin there was a pile of clean clothes that had instantly been taken to the laundry mat.

exploring the town with sisters & dad!

 

and searching the store for lemon pepper!

bonus used book sale!

talking to grandfather

so worn out! he was watching a cartoon & having a snack before bed...

what we do all night...

breakfast tree!

THIS is the dirt slide.

we went on the haunted hay rack ride! glad to report it was fun & not to scary

frisbee with grandpa tim

our family group this year. can't wait to see who is all with us next year!

eh, hem.

i feel sheepish.
awkward to type.
you know when you have a pile of christmas thank-you notes? and there they sit, staring at you, halfway through january & then finally in february you just throw them away so you can rid yourself of the guilt?
yeah.
that's how i feel.
the pictures from the end of august & ALL of september have been staring at me.
everyday!
does that help?
i wanted to blog EVERY DAY!
but never got to it.

so HI!
did you have a nice september?
was it a good transition from summer to fall?
that has been what's happening here.
hot days slowly fading into sunny, but cooler days.
and they have felt good. (ok, lets not forget that they have also brought their fair share of seasonal allergies. LOTS of sneezing has filled my days.)

and OH!
i've been saving some funny Bentley quotes!

#1. riding in the car. B: why don't cows have to wear clothes? me: god made them with lots of hair to keep warm. B: I wish god would have made us like that. me: well we are made so special because we are made in gods image! B: I DON'T LOOK LIKE GOD, I DON'T HAVE A BEARD!

#2. shawn & B wresting. "dad you are tquishing me!" tquishing?? ooooh, SQuishing. Bentley say SSSquishing. "TQuishing!" no, SSSSSSSquishing! "TTTQuishing!" "DAD, THIS is JUST how I speak English!"

and now for a quick picture summery of what we have been up to...

end of august: car ride back to atkinson to spend time with ALL the kliewer family! B requested DJ to make him a dino.

lots of fun cousin time.

the in-laws. (we went on a siblings date & from our meal to dairy queen we split up this way!)

back in omaha// zoo trip with the cousins!

bentley & angelina- 3  shelby & Jedidiah 5 & 1 1/2

lots of cowboy days here.

so excited that football season is upon us AND that i have TWO cheerleader sisters!

apples from mom, pumpkin from shawns garden!

we spent an afternoon at the library! we must remember to do that more often.

still working wednesdays at jayz cafe! we usually have a quiche special. mom thought this one was especially perfect looking!

homecoming game! our little candidate! didn't get the crown, but she is OUR queen!

what the apples that didn't get eaten or used in apple crisp got turned into. apple sauce!

fall means school has started which means andrea has a few sub days which means jed comes to play! and play they do!

ok.

i feel better.

and now excited for october!

a fun month here.

and it's the month where we get busy again.

is september the only month we aren't busy?

i think so.

basketball practice for shawn starts a week from today!

i promise i will be back soon!

happy monday! (i've got to go start some laundry.)

kansas.

this summer our trip to kansas was a little different than usual.
usually, we go down some time in june to help with wheat harvest.
due to weather & crop issues there wasn't need for our help this year.
so we just scheduled a weekend for us all to hang out!
it was such a great time!
it was relaxing just to be on the farm, eat meals together, & let the kids play!

intense kansas clouds!

so glad to be with grandma!

and less then 10 minutes of being on the farm...mud.

Jed, Gage, Bentley, & Lane. the guys.

little Logan sneaking in with the big boys!

she loved to have shawn hold her.

the newest baby, Andelyn! B was smitten.

the back sink is a favorite. shawn looks through the doorway "anna, is bentley supposed to be naked?" (no, he wasn't)

a highlight of the trip--3 wheeler rides with uncle wayne!

i love checking the grocery list.

a turtle the boys caught!

we ALL got to play beauty shop with celine!

celebrated an early birthday for andrea!

first time seeing a scorpion in waynes kitchen. celine saved me from stepping on it!

such a beautiful reminder of gods promises to us!

if you want to see even more pictures, check out andrea's blog!