Sweet Pickin's 2010

Fall is here again which means a trip to Sweet Pickin's the local pumpkin patch. This is the third year we've been there only this is the first year the kids have not had a field trip to the patch. This time it was just our family, we had so much fun. Here are the kids in the corn maze.

Annemarie and the pumpkins.

Will and Jack in jail, they look pretty happy there!

Doug and Annemarie checking out the trike course.

Will on the trike trail.

Jack swinging.

The boys in the sand pit.

The kids and I on the "Pumpkin Pillow" a new addition to Sweet Pickin's this year. It's kind of like a bouncy house without the walls. The kids loved it especially Annemarie, there was a lot of screaming and kicking when it was time to get off.

Annemarie and Jack showing off their pumpkins.

Annemarie and the pumpkin she picked out. It was the perfect size.

The boys and I in the pumpkin patch.

Pool Time

We did get some pictures from the pool. The pool was freezing but because it was so hot out it really didn't matter. The kids (including Doug) love being in the pool.

Annemarie taking a break from the water.
Will's getting so big!

Crazy Jack showing off his "crazy face".

Doug enjoying a cool beverage and the wonderful weather.

Me! I was there too. I found the perfect spot/temperature in the shade.

Palm Springs 2010

We're back from our trip to Palm Springs. Mom took the whole family and we stayed at my grandma's house. It was such a treat! We had a great time visiting with Mom and Corey (Erin too, of course), the weather was hot but perfect. Unfortunately I did not do a very good job taking pictures (probably because I was enjoying being on vacation). Some highlights included Doug golfing, the boys and I went to the Living Desert, lots of swimming, shopping and of course dining out! Thanks again Mom for such a great trip!

Will and Jack enjoying a pre-flight snack.

Annemarie all smiles and giggles. She was pretty good on the way to Palm Springs.

A beautiful giraffe at the Living Desert. I was amazed at how close we could get to them. Also, they let you feed the giraffes in the morning. Will was not interested but Jack and I were. We fed them these hard round pellet things. It was so cool.

Will and Jack ready to explore.
Jack the hummingbird.
Will the butterfly.

Train town was a big hit with the boys. We stopped to see it a couple of times.

Jack and Will on the merry-go-round. They were pretty certain this was their first time on a merry-go-round. I think they're right, but how is that possible??
Our one and only family photo. We enjoyed dinner outside at Las Casuelas. Always a treat!

Annemarie being silly for the camera.

Erin and the boys getting ready for a golf cart ride.

Jack and Annemarie on the playground at the PS Airport. This picture was taken around 6:20a and it was already 80 degrees out!

Kootenai Falls Swinging Bridge

This weekend we took a day trip to Kootenai Falls to check out the swinging bridge. Kootenai Falls is just past Libby but before Troy, about an hour and a half from Whitefish. Erin had been out there and highly recommended it. We were not disappointed! It was beautiful and the "hike" was perfect for the kids.

Annemarie all ready to go!

The happy hikers.

This is the bridge that went over the train tracks. A train went by while we were crossing it. The conductor waved to the kids and blew the train whistle. It was so loud!

The path ran along the river and we saw a group of kayakers. We think it may have been a class there were so many of them and they kept practicing paddling and flipping over in the rapids. It was a lot of fun to watch.

The swinging bridge. Only five people are allowed on it at a time. It was really well enclosed but it moved a lot.

The boys and I out on the bridge. They enjoyed it and loved making it move.

The gorgeous view from the bridge.

Doug and the kids on the bridge.

Another fun family outing!

Annemarie's Surgery

Last Monday Annemarie had surgery to remove a small round cyst at the base of her neck/throat. Thankfully the cyst was benign, but the removal of it was quite an ordeal. Because of her age Annemarie had to have general anesthesia. She did really well before her surgery in the hospital and was a bit upset afterwards. Surgery took place around 8a and after a day of sitting on the couch and watching movies Annemarie was back to her usual self around dinner. She was running around and being crazy it was as if nothing had happened.

Annemarie is doing great. She has a small scar where the incision was made but it will fade over time. We're so happy everything went so well!

Erin Turns 30!

Happy Birthday Erin! We celebrated Erin's birthday with a fun and yummy dinner at Tupelo. Aunt Lynne, Uncle Kenny and their friends Patti and Bud were in town so we were able to all get together and celebrate. We had so much fun!

Picture Day

I feel like picture day is very Americana. At a time when most pictures are digital it's kind of fun that this tradition is still going strong. It's something we did as kids and I love that my kids get to do it too. I'm a huge believer in making my boys wear something they typically would not wear to school (the Star Wars t-shirt doesn't make the cut) and preferably something with a collar and lots of buttons. Here's a picture of the the goofs hopefully the school pic turns out well too.

GNP Hike to Hidden Lake

Last weekend Team Peppmeier and Erin went for a hike in Glacier Park. We're finally at the point where the boys can hike a couple of miles and don't complain too much. Last weekend we drove up to Logan's Pass and hiked up to Hidden Lake. It's such a beautiful hike (Mom, Erin and Corey hiked it during their visit), the weather was good and we saw mountain goats up close.

Doug, Jack and Annemarie along the trail.
Erin and Will along a steep slope.
The boys and I.

We made it!

The happy hikers.

Gorgeous Hidden Lake.

The mountain goats decided to use the trail along with all the hikers.

Jack's First Day of School

There were a lot of crazy smiles on Jack's first day - this is the best picture I have. Jack's first day of Kindergarten was on August 31. He's been looking forward to school, but when it came time to actually walk into the school he was a bit nervous. He's much better now, walking up to school on his own. The kindergartners have a separate entrance to the school so I drop Will off first on one side and then take Jack to his entrance. Jack's teacher's name is Mrs. Olson. She's so great and Jack likes her because she is very nice. Jack also has a few friends in his class including Matthew Peschel. They actually sit next to each other in class. Good luck Mrs. Olson!

Will's First Day of School

August 30 was Will's first day of school. This year the boys are going to the local public school. It's a big change from last year's school but the boys have been very excited. Will is in 1st grade and his teacher's name is Mrs. Calobeer. He really likes her and thinks she's so nice and so smart - a great combination for a teacher. Here's to a great school year!