I got a little behind on posting pictures. Summer ended with Maebel's birthday party. She had a bouncy house, and all the kids (and Grandma) had a great time!
It had been awhile since we had visited the Toy Train Barn so we went to see it again. We had great time trying to find everything on the scavenger hunt lists.
We went to Lapacek's Orchard again this year (multiple times, but this was the only time the boys came with).
Deer hunting was successful! Joey and Sam both got does on the same day! For some reason I only found a picture of Joey, but Sam is coming up soon with another surprise!
Sun Prairie Community Schools had some scavenger hunts. We have really enjoyed doing those. Grover had to find the cardinal at this stop.
Joey went in the tree stand with John this year...
Here is the surprise. Sam's first buck, and a very nice one!!
Joey had his first band concert. They have really started sounding good even with their limitations from Covid.
Joey is a teenager! Joey and Grandpa Rikli have a joke from their trip out west about Joey struggling to open a banana so they wrapped his present like a banana...
We got Halloween costumes right after Joey's birthday and they had to try them on right away. Sam saw this chicken costume and had to do it. It was so funny to see him walking and running around as a chicken!
Joey got a cool ride-on dragon...
Ready for Halloween...We were really nervous that a costume was going to pop or malfunction, but they both held up really well, and the boys were happy with their choices.
This was Joey's actual birthday...
We had a second band concert, and it was great again!
Sam found battery votive candles and wanted to do something creepy...
Sam has been making up games in Makerspace at school. Joey was at basketball practice, and we played his newest one. (I think Sam won).
Then we moved into basketball season. We are loving it! Joey made the A team at school, and they had a good season. They lost to Deforest and Waunakee when they were away but beat them both when they were home. Joey was one of the tallest kids. We'll see how long that lasts for!
Next up was Sam's birthday. Hard to believe he is 10!
Sam is playing basketball too. His season started off with a bunch of Saturday games so they could evaluate the boys, and then he made top 20 so he got to join a traveling team! He was so excited!
We made it to a new pumpkin patch place this year called Country Farmacy. Sam was the corn maze master. He had so much fun finding the checkpoints and figuring out which way to go. He definitely takes more after John than me!
Joey, I think you are a little too big for this one!
Joey loved being pushed on this one, especially by his Dad.
John got close to getting the gourds in the hole.
The boys had a Friday off while John was out west so I took off work, and we met G&G Hyland and Jay, Amanda, Maebel and Linus at Edward's. We hadn't been there in a couple years so it was fun to visit again. I don't think Joey was taller than the sign the last time we were there!
This is a very fitting picture. Sam IS a turkey!
Sam might be taller than the sign next year!
We celebrated Uncle Jay's, Joey's and Sam's birthdays on the same day at G&G Hyland's house.
Some got some more stuffed friends and was very happy!
Two cakes!
Sam did the tree climbing class again and loved it just as much as the first time. Can you see him in the blue jacket in the tree?
Sun Prairie had a trick or treat event in the Aquatic Center parking lot. We went last year when you had to sign up due to Covid and made it through in about 20 minutes. This year there wasn't a sign up, and they had TONS of kids. All the booths were running out of candy and having to go buy more. It was a beautiful day, and everyone was excited to be out trick or treating again.
Sam with Parker N Rex...
Xavier came with us, and was dressed as the guy from scream and went into the trees. It looked pretty creepy! :)
Church had a trunk or treat and Joey was at the boy Middle School booth with Mr. Mike. They were mariachi pirates.
We had a Halloween party with Julie & Family like we did last year. I didn't get any pictures at our house, but we went to their house after and got the kids before they ran off trick or treating (plus a random neighbor kid).
They got two new kittens who the boys loved.
It's hard to tell, but Joey is holding the black kitten here.
School basketball ended and Joey went into his YBA basketball. He made the B team for this group, and it has been great to see him become more confident and really improve! He is becoming a good player!
One tournament was on a day that Sam had a game in the morning so John took Joey and I took Sam. They had an option to livestream the games so I did that (along with the grandparents too). You could see the game really clearly. It was a great option to have!
Next up was Christmas! It comes so fast every year.
Almost getting a smile out of Linus!
Sam, Maebel and Linus decorated cookies. Sam and Linus were in charge and were giving orders and directions to each other with neither listening to the other!
Joey being a teenager with a little buddy.
Linus looked so cute in the Pikachu pajamas we found for him.
Christmas with the Rikli's was up next. Sam got a turkey call and a deer call, which he was very happy about. We have heard many of both in the past weeks.
We went to the woods during Christmas break. Sam was acting out for me where his buck was walking when he shot him. It was so funny!!
Sam got some big foot snow shoes from G&G Rikli. We got our first real snowfall so he had to go try out leaving random Bigfoot tracks in the snow!
John and I got to go to Rotary Gardens in Janesville to walk through their light displays. It is hard to take pictures to do it justice, it is so amazing!
Now we've started 2022 with more basketball and hopefully avoiding Covid. The Omicron strain is rampant right now (in January) so we are hoping to keep both kiddos (and us) healthy so they can keep playing basketball and going to school.
