Firewood and Brisket, Soccer, and Happy Birthday, Ryleigh!!!

We had a gorgeous (a bit warm) week and then the weather was rainy/cool over the weekend.  We invited family over to help stack our firewood on Saturday: Uncle Dan,  Auntie Julie, cousins, Grandpa Chuck and Pama came over for the event.  Luckily, all of our wood got stacked on Saturday morning before it really started to rain. Daddy smoked a HUGE brisket so that everyone could feast after stacking wood.

Happy Birthday to Cousin Ryleigh!!!  Mommy and the kiddos called Ryleigh on Sunday evening to wish her Happy Birthday and to sing to her (her birthday was Friday and she is now FOUR years old!)

"Little" park play time on Wednesday.


Yes, the picture is blurry, but look at Ayson's laughing smile :)


On Thursday, Mommy had to check on Neighbor Denise's cats so we all went for the short walk. Addie did not want to walk back and she cried the entire way home, even after she got up on Daddy's shoulders...Mommy refused to carry her :)


Take a close look at Ayson...he is sneaking up on Daddy (trying to scare him).


Auntie Julie, Uncle Dan, and the cousins arrived on Friday night and the boys decided to start smoking the brisket that night so that we would be able to eat at a reasonable hour on Saturday (5 pm eat time on Saturday, not bad!)






Yum!


Dough nut holes!


TV time on Friday night for the kids and a snooze for the cat


On Saturday, Auntie Julie and cousins joined Mommy, Ayson, and Addie and went to the "Big Park" for the first day of soccer for Ayson.  While Ayson ran/played with Pre-K and Kindergarten age kiddos, Addie and the cousins played on the playground equipment.
Ayson was doing really well at listening/following directions and then he fell down pretty hard. He went to kick the ball (Mommy watched him "wind up") and then he slipped (feet went right out in front of him). He was rubbing his bottom and crying and as no coach approached him, Mommy went to check that Ayson was ok.  After he calmed down, Ayson refused to play anymore (soccer) and he wanted to just play with his cousins.  Mommy said no and that we had to stay until the end of the practice because we keep trying and do not give up. Ayson was given a choice of either playing soccer OR standing (not leaning or playing by himself) until practice was over. It was a LONG practice as Ayson refused to play soccer and he started whining...
We will have Neighbor Gianna and Daddy practice a bit with Ayson so he is comfortable and we will give it another try.

Looks like Auntie Julie and the kiddos had fun:)




The parking lot at the "Big" park was packed and we let the kids eat Jax (cheetos :) in the back of Mommy's car while we waited for the cars to clear out after practice.  First time "tail gating" for Ayson and Addie!


After the wood was stacked, Uncle Dan power washed the driveway, thanks Uncle Dan!


Addie fell asleep while eating her dinner...with plate on lap/in hand and fork in the other hand.  Too cute! (Remember, Mommy is not putting her down for scheduled naps during the weekends)


A little cat nap with Grandpa and Daddy.


Crazy cousins!!!


Addie can now get her own juice!  No accidents yet!!






Addie found her music card (a Valentine's card that plays "Heart and Soul") and then took it over to the piano and was playing while listening to her card.  Such a Dolly!

First Day of Kindergarten, GO Daddy, and Happy Labor Day!

A^4 had a super busy week with the start of Kindergarten, Mommy going to her last concert for 2015, Daddy participating in the Spartan Sprint, and an impromptu Labor Day cookout. The weather was super warm this week...we actually could use a bit of rain!

Monday:
The kiddos riding at the "little" park.  This is the first time that Addie really tried to ride a trike by herself.  Great Job, Dolly!


Ayson pumping on his own!


Grandma Collene came over Wednesday night so that she could watch Ayson get on the bus for his FIRST day of Kindergarten on Thursday.


Story time with Grandma before bedtime.


Grandma, the grand kids, and Ruby while waiting for the school bus.


Cheese!


Family picture time!


Ayson waiting for the bus...LOOK at that smile!


LOL, Ayson appears SO sad in this picture, but he was actually excited to go to school and see his friends.  The HUGE backpack he is wearing is the one he won last spring during the "Introduction to Kindergarten" night that was held for the pre-K kids and their parents.


On Thursday night, Mommy went to her last concert of the season at the brand new amphitheater on Onondaga Lake. The location of the amphitheater is actually a waste bed of a (sperfund Site (hazardous waste site) that Mommy previously worked on.

What a perfect night to see Miranda Lambert!


Girls: Noelle, her sister, Jen, and Mommy...lawn seats this time :)


Mommy was going to go to the New York State Fair (Syracuse, so 20 minutes away) and see the Steve Miller Band on Sunday night (9/6) but as the temps were still in the high 80s at 6 pm, Mommy decided not go.  Good thing too, as the crowd for that concert was the biggest on record for the NY State Fair...36,900 fans showed up to listen to the Steve Miller Band concert that only cost the amount to gain entry into the fair grounds ($12)...wow!

On Friday, Daddy set up the tire swings in the front and backyard trees.


Friday night fun


On Saturday morning, A^4 headed to Ithaca for the Spartan Sprint race that Daddy participated in with a friend (and colleague of Mommy's)

Addie riding an old school rocking horse at our friend's house.


Ayson and Emma goofing around.


Emma was awesome with our kids!  Thanks, Gian, Bev, Mark, and Emma for inviting us over!!!


Daddy ran the race on the team, Mountain Sucker, (Catostomus platyrhynchus), a sucker found throughout western North America...the team name is a joke for a friend on the team who supposedly found this sucker in NY...he mis-id'd the sucker (not hard to do in Mommy's opinion).

GO, Daddy!


Roll, Daddy!


Crawl, crawl, crawl, Daddy!


Success!  Team Mountain Sucker finished in 59 minutes and 50 seconds.  Daddy is already looking forward to NEXT year and beating his time :)


Afterwards, Emma and Ayson helping Daddy clean up.  Wow, was Daddy dirty!!!


Addie enjoying the sprinkler.


Super slip-n-slide time!


Other friends (and another colleague of Mommy's) also joined us for the cook out after the race. Their two boys go to the same day care as Addie (and Ayson when he is not at school).  As you can see, Addie and Ben play nicely together (Ben is 3 months younger)...when they are not fighting like siblings :)


Daddy and Bev on the dock with all the kids.  The kiddos were catching small fish with the nets...tons of fun!


Later, Emma orchestrated a band and all the parents were invited to watch/listen.  Both Mommy and Daddy were surprised to see Ayson as the "lead" singer :)


On Sunday night, we had the last chiminea for the "summer" of 2015


and last S'more.  Hi, Gianna!


On Monday, both Mommy and Daddy had Labor Day off. Mommy sorted through kids clothes (thanks, Auntie Holly!) and went to lunch with two girlfriends while Daddy stacked a bit of firewood in the garage (in preparation for the great "Wood Toss" party that will occur at our house NEXT weekend).  Afterwards, we had some friends over for a cook out in the late afternoon.

Sprinkler/trampoline time!  Nice air, boys!


Addie and Mikhan chowing down on watermelon.