Ethan's Awards

Ethan has certificates for being in the Chime Choir this year and making A-B Honor Roll too. He also got a medal for a PE award for having a good attitude and sportsmanship.

Katherine's Awards

Katherine made A Honor Roll all year! She also is a Champion Reader. However, her most proud achievement is making the SWATT Team. This a student who is knowledgeable in computers and helps teachers.

Jamie's Awards

Family Picture Finally!

As usual I didn't have another family picture taken until I was having another baby. Here are the best of the best  taken and enhanced by my brother-in-law, Adam Westenhofer. Thanks, Adam! You can see more photos on his facebook page.

Jeffery on the Ropes Course

 Jeffery participated in a lot of stuff today. He got on the ropes course, which was amazing to me because to pass to get on the ropes course you had to clime this ladder that was 3 feet wide and the wrungs were separated about a foot and a half. He first went across a stable pole to get to me, then he had to cross these wooden platforms (with some help).

 Then he went down the zip line. He told me that he loved this part.

 I love this picture with his cousin Luke.

 Here he is climbing the wall

and climbing the pole. I don't think he got much higher than this.

Happy Room for the boys

 I decided to finally make Jeffery's mattress in the floor into a normal twin bed. As you can probably tell there is not much area in their room.

 Ethan pretending to be asleep.

They are so happy to have their new (to them) room.

Jamie's 13th Birthday Party

 Jamie made her own birthday cake. Wendy didn't make enough icing to cover the whole cake so we just "made do".

 Jamie got lots of cards.

Paul sent Jamie on a scavenger hunt for her last present. Ear phones (2) and a splitter. Jamie also got a bike, too. We went and got it the next day. She already knew it was going to happen.

Rickwood Caverns Campout 3

 Here is Pigpen.

 Here's Ethan actually working. He was sneaking off playing in the water and dirt, throwing football and frisby other than helping us break camp.

 We're about to walk on the only trail at this park. We saw a lot of caves and crevices on the trail.

 Us.

We ate lunch before we went home. It was very windy at this time.

Rickwood Caverns Campout 2

 The kids had a rough time setting up the tent. Each one of them had a better way to do it.

 I wasn't kidding about it being cool.

 Becky, chilling, literally.

 Brian, Luke and Paul made it through the night.

This was the other play area. To the left of Luke are (2) holes, one big and the other small in diameter. Paul and Autumn found them in the night.

Rickwood Caverns Campout 1

 This year we wanted to start camping out more often since Ethan is in the cub scouts and needs to pass off merit badges and other items. So, we decided to go to Rickwood Caverns since it was relatively close and it turned out great. We had lots of fun and it wasn't too hot. We actually got cold that night.

 Wendy making sure she had no bug bites to suffer from.

 Jeffery loved it. he constantly played in the dirt and the water.

 we decided to start the fire going because we were waiting on the Smith's who took forever to get there. It all worked out though.

Here is Wendy and Jason's new tent. I can actually stand up in it, mostly.

Wading in the Creek

We went to Cades Cove on Friday - it was a super long drive, but still fun. There is a camping area at this location where many small creeks and branches run through. We had a chance to put our feet in and enjoy the cool mountain water.

I got a picture with all four children (this is my camera phone).

Ethan and Jeffery got overzealous in the water. This is Ethan's second time getting wet in this creek. Needless to say " he got drenched".

Here is Jeffery at first. The bottom of his shorts are slightly wet, but they eventually got all wet. Both Ethan and Jeffery got to take their shirts off and go through a spot where it was mildly deep (chest high on Jeffery).

Wendy loves wading in the creek. This is her favorite thing to do in the mountains.

Bikes at the Park

 We carried the new bikes to the park to ride.

 The pose.

 funny picture of Jeffery on his bike.

Ethan, getting ready to hit the road.