Veteran's Day 2013

Our family went to Tyler's Elementary School Veteran's Day Assembly.

He did an amazing job singing in the school choir.

Chris happened to notice the gentleman standing next to him was wearing MY brother’s bracelet. He is a Marine that actually served with my brother in Quantico, Virginia!!!! He visits Abe’s grave weekly and said he is going to the cemetery Sunday to have a beer with him. Amazing! Needless to say I cried like a baby and hugged the poor guy over and over. I was emotional while trying to hold Levi AND video Tyler singing so it is quite wobbly and out of focus. Tyler decided to sing his song for the camera at home. He wanted to dedicate it to all the Veterans our family loves most:

Great Grandpa G - Army Paratrooper

Great Grandpa T - Army Medic (died in France)

Cowboy Grandpa - Army

Uncle Jim - Army

Uncle Abe - Marine

Sheldon's Tummy Daddy - Army

Sheldon's Tummy Mommy - Army

Thank You, Soldiers

Words and Music by Michael&Angela Souders

When I lay my head down ev'ry night  

and go to sleep in peace, 

I can stay there knowing all is well, 

while you're standing on your feet. 

Keeping watch, protecting shore to shore, 

in the air and oceans, too, 

defending freedom at all cost, 

for the red, white and the blue. 

CHORUS 

Thank you, oh thank you, 

men and women brave and strong, 

To those who served so gallantly 

we sing this grateful song. 

To the soldiers who have traveled  

on to countries far and near, 

in peace and war you paid the price 

for the cause you hold so dear. 

That we may wake each morning bright, 

and know that freedom rings, 

because of your great sacrifice, 

your country joins to sing: 

CHORUS

Bad boys, bad boys! What ya gonna do?

What ya gonna do when my boys come for you?

Trunk or Treat at the church

Sheldon and his buddy from nursery were checking out each other's wheels.

Tyler gathered lots of candy in his evidence bag with his friend Ethan while we socialized.

Tyler left with his ninja friend to Trick or Treat and we headed home to pass out candy

to the neighborhood kids.

Our K-9 puppy was all tuckered out.

Sheldon LOVED passing out candy.

In between Trick or Treaters he would dump out the candy and throw it back
in the bowl...over and over again.

Flashback:  October 25th School Carnival

After the carnival when Sheldon was in bed, Chris and Tyler assembled the car.
We gave it to him the next morning so he'd have it at Grandma and Grandpa's party.

Silly boys!

 Chris stopped by the house during his break. Naturally I made him pose for a photo.

 Cousins

Pumpkin Pizza

 Cake Walk

Family Night Pumpkin Carving

We finally got around to carving our pumpkins on October 28th.

Sheldon is obsessed with Elmo and LOVES his pumpkin. Once again Tyler chose a hunting theme.

   

Pumpkin Patch

Monday night is Family Night, so we headed to the pumpkin patch on October 14th. We definitely have some handsome boys. However, getting them to look handsome at the same time is challenging. Most people would put all three boys in one photo. But for now we'll be thankful for this collage. If you would like a copy of a photo of just Sheldon, I would be happy to email it to you or have it printed out at a Walgreens near you. Just ask his Tummy Mommy or Tummy Daddy first. He has quite the fan club with all his Tummy Family and their friends.

Group photos often sound like this:

"Hurry Chris. Levi's awake and the boys are all together. Grab the camera!"

And they look more like this:

I especially like the Honey Buckets in the background. Tyler's face and Sheldon's escape are a close second. So every time you see a collage of all three boys you can be certain that there were several failed attempts that look something like this.

This picture of the older boys in the hay maze is one of my favorites. Maybe instead of collages I need to learn how to photo shop Levi and Mom into the photo :)

Most of these photos aren't perfect. They might be out of focus or have bad lighting but they are photos of everything I hold most dear (with exception to the the smelly animals)  ;)

 Jumping in the hay at the end of the maze.

 Another failed attempt at all three boys.

So these will have to do.

Farm Animals

Hay fort and slide

  Sand box