Camo cookies

Cody wanted to make "camo cookies" the other day, so I was trying to figure out how to do that. I decided to add green food coloring to the batter and make chocolate chip cookies. Except that after we baked them they looked all kind of brownish anyway. Oh well, he had a good time.

So did Sarah! While I was putting the cookies in the oven, she was "measuring" baking soda. I think I need to buy a new box before we make more cookies!

Daddy was tired when he came home from work, so Sarah crawled up on the couch to read him a story. She loves to read to anyone who will listen (or not!)

First snow

After the church Christmas party on Saturday, Mom brought Dana and Destiny over to play in the snow. The kids had soooo much fun! The didn't have snow gear with them, so I dug through my yardsale collection and found stuff to (almost) fit everyone. Cody of course had to wear his hunting vest.

They had sled races down the side of the yard. Sarah just got pulled around in the baby sled- which she only wanted Grandma to pull, not mommy!

Their favorite part, though, was building a snowman. It was Cody's first, and he loved it so much that he kept hugging it!

Dana decided that the snowman needed some hair, so Grandma pulled up some onion grass for her to plop on top! Cool dude!

fall turkey

On Monday, Mike was off work for archery season. In between the morning and evening hunts, he came home to eat and take a nap. Right after he went upstairs, I saw a flock of turkey come out into the field, so I yelled up to him. He really wasn't all about shooting a turkey, but since Cody was really excited about it, he went out and broke them up while I got Cody dressed in camo. They went out together to the hunting shack and called this turkey back in! Cody was really upset that Mike shot it because he wanted to be the one to shoot (with his toy bow) so Mike let him shoot it when they walked up to it and it was still flopping. So, Cody got to "finish it off" He is so proud of his turkey!

There were a lot of "high-fives" and "good jobs" going around!

Once again, Sarah wasn't afraid to pet the dead turkey. UGHHHH!
After all the excitement, Cody wasn't ready to be done hunting, so he went out to his "tree stand" with his bow and was looking for some more!

fall fun!

We finally got to take our annual fall hayride on the last weekend they had it. The kids had so much fun! The first and last thing we did, of course, was check out the reindeer. Cody was pretty impressed with the rack.

We took the hayride, but Cody wouldn't smile because he wanted to ride on the "camouflage" (green) tractor and only the orange one was running.

The kids had a good time running through the pumpkins and seeing who could pick up the biggest one.

And, of course, they had a blast playing on the haybales until their hands were red and numb from cold!

Welcome home, Chris!

Our friend Chris has been in Iraq for the last year, and finally got to come home, so his family threw a wonderful party to welcome him back. The kids had a great time seeing their cousins, and Matt was a magnet for all of the kids. Tina says he is like a real-life jungle gym! Cody was never far from his side, that's for sure.

The had Steve Summerhill playing music and singing all evening. Sarah was in her glory. I think she looks like a groupie in this pic. She loved sitting up front with him and watching him sing.

And of course, she loved playing ring around the rosie with anyone who would take the time. She sings parts of it herself now.

Corn!

I had been buying corn a lot at the stand on my way home from work, and I was in the kitchen husking some when Sarah kept saying "Hup ew!" At first, I couldn't figure it out, then I realized she was saying "help you!" So I gave her an ear of corn, and she had a good time husking it. She was very picky about getting all of the silk out!

vacation

We went to Virginia for vacation this year. We had so much fun and (gasp!) I barely took any pictures because we were always busy doing stuff. Oh well...

The hotel where we stayed had a pond with ducks outside of it. The kids loved to go look at them every morning. Sarah was saying "du" in this picture.

Busch Gardens just opened a new section that features Sesame Street characters. There were only a few rides that Sarah could go on and it was so hot anyway that the kids just wanted to do the water stuff. At this waterpark, the characters come out every hour for a show. Sarah enjoyed watching them. Cody was just annoyed that they turned the water off during the show!

At Water Country, Cody got to ride almost all of the slides. Sarah went on a couple different ones, but mostly enjoyed the kiddie area.

Cody also enjoyed all of the wildlife at the park. He is definitely his father's son!