ANOTHER GREAT WEEKEND!

Another fabulously fun-filled THREE day weekend!

The boys and I had the day off from work/school on Friday, 10/25, and we enjoyed it to the max!

Friday morning we drove into Ankeny and met some friends at the Playground For Kids.  The Klein, Allen, Mattes, VanMaanen, and Reynolds kids all enjoyed running around, jumping, playing, and eating, at the Playground For Kids.  It was a great way to spend a morning on a ‘day off’!

Friday night the boys and I met my friend Tory and her family at Night Eyes at Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines.  Lee was unfortunately stuck at work again.

We enjoyed watching the kids trick-or-treat while Tory and I got a minute to catch up and enjoy each other’s company!  It was such a fun night!!!

The boys in their red ninja costumes ready to begin trick-or-treating at the zoo.

Tory and Joe’s kids, Bode & Emery, with Brady and Tyler.

The boys with Curious George.  They were able to see many characters at the zoo that night!

I love the tradition of having them ride the camel in their halloween costumes.  It’s been two years in a row.  Not sure how long it will last, but I absolutely love it!

My boys and I LOVING Night Eyes at the Zoo!

The boys heading to the next trick-or-treat spot.

Taking a mini break to eat some candy!

Love these Ninja’s so much!

  After Night Eyes, we headed to Court Ave. Brewery downtown Des Moines for great conversation and fabulous food!  It was such a fun night out with Tory and her family!

Saturday morning we got up and headed straight to Dysart for the Fireman’s pancake breakfast.  For the past year, Brady has said that he wants to be a Fireman when he grows up, so I knew it would be extra special for him this year.  We usually try to make it to this breakfast every October. 

We enjoyed breakfast with my Grandma.  Brady absolutely loved checking out the firefighter’s boots, coats, and helmets.  And before we left, they got to get onto and look inside the fire trucks.  They were so happy!

We then spent the rest of the morning at my Grandma’s house with my Grandma, Uncle Kendall, Aunt Brenda, and Cousin Kyle.  Lee took the boys across the street to the park for a bit and then we made the trip back home.  It was a nice morning!

Saturday night was game night!

Love this time together with them!

Sunday morning I went to Williamsburg Outlet Mall to do some shopping (for the boys!) with my Mom.  We got what was needed and, as always, enjoyed our time together!

Sunday night our church had trunk-or-treat.  It was gorgeous outside and the boys had a great time getting more candy, playing games, doing crafts, and seeing their friends.  Love our church…and our friends!

Brady and his buddies, Henry and Drew.

Brady and Tyler.  Red Ninjas at Trunk-or-Treat 2013.

Brady and Henry.  Emily, Henry’s Mom, was at trunk-or-treat by herself with 4 out of their 5 kids, so we took Henry around with us to help her out!  :)

Tyler, Brady, Henry, and Drew.

Tyler, Brady, and Henry playing bean bags—jack-o-lantern style.

Church Halloween Photo Shoot!

                       

Craft time.

Making a ghost sucker.

This was an amazing 3 day weekend.  One that I didn’t want to end.  There was so much family and friend time and it was absolutely perfect! 

Happy Halloween!

LOVE

Wasn’t sure what to title this post…

However, ‘Love’, really fits. 

I absolutely love that Brady is so into his cowboy books right now.  He slips them on whenever he gets the chance.  And the John Deere shirt really makes this outfit of his 100% Iowa boy.  Love. 

The love that these boys have for their dogs always shows!  They may not always be the nicest to our little girls, but they do always love them.  Love. 

FUN WEEKEND WITH MATT AND LAURA!

Matt and Laura came to visit us a couple weeks ago!  We loved having them here and kept them busy!

We woke them up bright and early Saturday morning for the boys’ early morning soccer games.

Both boys played awesome and tried to show Matt and Laura their awesome and athletic soccer moves.  They both gave their game 110% as it was the final game of the season.

Soccer player, Brady.

He was dribblin’, and dribblin’, and dribblin’ it down the field……

And then he looked up at his opponent and lost control.  ALMOST made it all the way down the field and into the goal.

The Reynolds Family on a typical Saturday morning in the Fall and Spring.

 

Saturday evening we met the Klein’s at Bass Pro to go "Fish Bowling.”

After a great night of bowling, we all headed over to Jethro’s for an amazing dinner.

After Brady would roll his ball down, he would lean up against the wall and put one leg over the other to watch his ball go down and hit the pins.  Too funny!

Tyler loves to bowl as well!

After Church Sunday morning, we went to pick out some pumpkins for carving. 

Sunday afternoon was pumpkin carving time!

I got the area all set up and the materials needed ready.  Then, all I needed was my camera.  Matt helped Tyler with his pumpkin, Laura helped Brady with his, and Lee did one of his own.

Years in the past, neither of the boys have liked to clean the ‘guts’ out of the pumpkin, so Lee and I have always had to do it.

This year Tyler finally cleaned out his whole pumpkin, with some help from his Uncle Matt.  And Brady, well, you’ll see below.

He didn’t quite know what to think of it at first, but he stuck with it and got it all cleaned out!

He started with a smile…

It quickly turned to, ‘what in the world is this stuff on my hands?’……  (he hates his hands dirty!)

To, ‘You need to clean this off my hand right now!’

Brady ended up not cleaning out any more guts from the pumpkin, but quickly dried his tears and really did enjoy watching everyone else get their hands dirty and ended up having a lot of fun!—as long as he wasn’t putting his hands in that thing!

Tyler still cleaning out his pumpkin.

Showing me how dirty his hand is and PROUD!

Laura showing Brady what’s still inside and keeping him in on the action, without getting dirty.

The pumpkin crew!  And yes, Brady does have clothes, but he wears boxers around the house all day long!

After pumpkin ‘gutting’, Matt and Tyler went outside to play some football.

The final products.

Brady’s, BOO, and Tyler’s.

Tyler wanted to show his jack-o-lantern to Lucy.

Brady with his jack-o-lantern.

They boys with their jack-o-lanterns!

 

Sunday evening was spent relaxing around the house.

Aunt Laura and Brady playing Trouble.

Tyler writing on his white board and showing Uncle Matt.

                 

It was a great weekend spent with Matt and Laura!