Catchin' Up October

In our October, we pretty much stayed in the area.

I actually blogged about one of the biggest events in Landon's life HERE.

I had a daughter who was a "professional sign holder",

which is kind of an inside joke for our family,

but it is based off of a guy who stands on a corner with a sign,

advertising for a local business, as he dances and spins, twirls and throws the sign.

(Oct. 9)

We discovered a new park. (Oct. 8 & 14)

Enjoyed the fall weather at the skate park. (Oct. 22)

We made a trip to the Rocky Mountain National Forest

to get our money's worth out of our annual pass. (Oct. 15)

Jeff took the kids to downtown Golden for a picnic. (Oct. 23)

My oldest baby, also turned 12, and we had some visitors for his birthday. (Oct. 29)

Kansas Fun

After our week in Oklahoma, and picking up Jeff from the airport, we headed to Kansas.

There was lots of "family" stuff going on.

Talking, laughing, playing games, cutting and playing with my nieces' hair, shopping,

listening to mom and Aunt Barbara talk about the "olden days",

while I was trying to take in as much family history as possible,

seeing many uncles, aunts and cousins that I rarely get to see.

We made it to our annual trip to the State Fair. (Sept 18)

Jeff had to try out a HUGE outhouse.

We then got to celebrate Landon's 8th birthday... (Sept 19)

with some special visitors from Topeka and from California.

Going through my grandma and grandpa's things. (Sept 20)

The place were my grandpa died a tragic, yet heroic death & the church where my mom went to as a kid and was married in.

(Sept 21)

The boys got to go fishing with Uncle Dave, who is an avid fisherman, and they all caught some. (Sept 22)

To Landon,

As I'm writing this, your birthday was 39 days ago (September 19), but as you may remember we were at Grandma and Grandpa's for your birthday, and there is NO Internet access, so I couldn't get to my blog. We had just finished having a fun week in Oklahoma and we still had several days left of fun in Kansas.


Now your brothers birthday is almost here and I have to write to/about you before I can write for him.

I can't believe that you have been my son for 8 years! It's been wonderful to see how you are growing, and how God is molding you.


Your heart is so big! I love that your heart goes out in sympathy to your brothers and especially to Kaylie when they are hurt or crying. I've watched you several times go and check out why Kaylie was upset and then you do anything you can to help her so she will be better, even come and "negotiate" with mom or dad.

I see your tender heart and your desire to please. Words and tones can cut you right to the heart and you would rather go without than to think someone is angry with you. This can be good and it can be bad, as it is said, many times our strongest strengths are also our greatest weaknesses. May your heart always stay tender toward the Lord and may your desire to please, be for Christ and not for man.


You stump me with your lack of attachment to things. You get gifts, you buy toys, even very expensive things, and within a day or two, you would trade it (if we would let you), you let anyone play with it, and you really don't care what happens to it. It's not a bad thing at all, because this world and all things in it are temporary, and the looser we hang on to things, the easier life will be. But what do you get a boy who has nothing specific he really wants or collects?


You amaze me at the comments that come out of your mouth. They can be so funny or they can be so serious, causing your daddy and I to really think before we answer.


There are so many wonderful things about you, and I can't share them all here and I can't even think of them all as I'm sitting here typing. But I know I love you! I love your hugs. I love your laugh. I love that you are so funny. I love your smile where you're missing those two front teeth, it just makes me want to eat you! Even the angels love you, because God sent you with an angel's kiss.


May you grow in Christ, and become a man whose heart is soft for the Lord, yet a warrior for His kingdom.


I LOVE YOU!!!
xoxoxo
Your Momma

Promises to Me

All of my boys took this promise today, with their left hands over their hearts and their right hands in the air:

I, {Preston, Tanner, Landon}, promise to always

hug, kiss, and love on my mama,

no matter how big or how old I get.

No matter whether I'm married,

or whether I'm a daddy,

I will always

hug, kiss, and love on my mama.

I make this promise.

Amen!

It was done individually and of their own free will.

It started with Preston when we were standing in the kitchen and

I was hugging him and he was hugging back.

I asked if he promised to always do this,

and he said "Yes".

So I made up this promise,

knowing that he is soon to enter into those teen years.

(I'm sure there are already boys his age who already won't love on their mama's.)

After that went so well I moved to the next and then to the next.

This is recorded here for future references...

and believe me that they will be reminded of it someday!

All About Landon

10-10-10

This date was a big one for our family.

Landon, was baptized into Christ.

He has been talking about it for quite some time, but at first Jeff and I didn't think he was quite ready, but he made that call on his own. He decided he needed to wait.

He then brought it up again and said that he was ready.

Jeff went through the study that he used to go through with anyone who was wanting to get baptized and felt sure that he was ready.

On Saturday he lost a tooth!

Sunday.

Getting his confession of faith (which only required a yes),

and Jeff also tried to get him to share why he was wanting to get baptized,

but he got a little stage fright and wouldn't say a word and just smiled.

Jeff praying with Landon and Kurt, whom Landon shared his day with.

On Monday he lost his other tooth!

Zippin'

So my inventive son,
who can just about do any knot and can create anything from a pile of scraps,
worked to create a zip-line,
with the help of Landon.

All he needed was several ropes, a chain, a pulley, and a couple of carabiners.



They used some tire chains, that they picked up from some garage sales,
as a ladder to get into the tree.
Which Kaylie is modeling on how to use.



Also needed was a brave little brother,
who was kind of like the chimpanzee's sent to space,
to make sure it was safe.



They even figured out how to get the rope back to the tree.



Once deemed safe, the rest wanted to go too.



Things were fine tuned so those who couldn't climb up in the tree could still enjoy the fun.
All friends worked together so all could enjoy.

~July 20