Our dear friends the Carters from Boise came for Thanksgiving. We met Jon, Michelle, Linden and Stone 10 years ago after Kelly and Michelle had their second babies. We have both moved several times in those 10 years but we have still remained close friends. It's so nice to be able to pick up right where we left off.
We had a wonderful time showing them around Bend. We ran in the "I Like Pie Run". Everyone had fun and we had great weather which was nice. The Carters hit Black Friday deals in town and we managed a trip to Sun River for ice skating and a visit to the Sun River Lodge.
We will miss our friends but we look forward to the next time we are together. We love the Carter family and are so grateful for their friendship.
Hunter's teacher last year read the book series "Wonder" to her 5th grade class. The kids and I let Hunter's class sit together while we snuck in and sat in the back to watch.
The movie was about a boy with facial deformities who enters middle school for the first time. He learns how to navigate life as an average middle-schooler with courage and, most importantly, kindness. So many wonderful lessons were taught throughout the movie but most importantly to "Choose Kindness" above all.
This is one of those movies for the whole family. I only wish I had read the book first. You'll find yourself laughing and crying throughout the movie. Warmed our hearts!
What a great group of kind hearted middle-schoolers. So grateful their teacher arranged for them to go.
Lulu and Papa came for the weekend. It was a fast but fun weekend. We played lots of cards and games, went to the Veteran's Day Parade, watched Noah play soccer, went bowing and to the movies. We did a lot! We can't wait to see them again at Christmas.
For Hunters science class they had to create a model of an Atom. Hunter decided to select the biggest one on the periodic table. A gas called Oganesson. I had never heard of it and for good reason it was just formally named in 2016.
Abbie was awarded the kindness award today in chapel. She is the kindest person I know and makes everyone feel so important and valued. She is the friend, sister and daughter that everyone would like to have. We love and adore Abbie for her kind heart and strive to be like her.
Today we carved our pumpkins and roasted the seeds. It’s always a fun family tradition.
Preston turned six today. I can hardly believe he is this old. It seems like just yesterday he was born. We celebrated the day playing with some new toys and having Preston's favorite, hot dogs and pizza for dinner. The kids got to dress up and go to the High Desert Museum for a Hallows Eve party.
We love you Preston and life is just happier when you're around.
Preston got to go on his first field trip to the pumpkin patch with his kindergarten class. He had the greatest time and a week later is still taking about it.
Being Hunters 12th year this is a transitional year for him as he enters his teens, so we are trying to plan some memorable events for him. This weekend he and I went down to the Steens mountain area of southeastern Oregon. This is cowboy country so I thought it would be fun to go horse back riding while there. We went with Steens Mountain Guest Ranch. This is a working ranch where they heard 600 head of cattle. Tim and Susan (owners) do week long trail rides during the summer as they move cattle around. For us, it was just a 2 hour trail ride up to the Kiger Ridge area.
Being October the weather is starting to be more unsettled and in this wide open country it made for some great photos and lighting with storms and rain around.
Here are some pictures as we got ready to go on our trail ride at Steens Mountain Guest Ranch.
Pictures from the trail ride:
Short Video:
Couple other shots of where we stayed.
Great fun in late October!