A little updating

This summer we were given the heads up that Brayden's first project would be an"ugly Bug Contest"...a bug collection.  Turned out it was harder than we thought to find bugs.  We were forever finding them when we were least expecting, which means...no nets or container to keep them in.  I think the other kids had as much for trying to catch them as Brayden. I am just glad to get the bugs off our counters and house.  James learned all about a cicada killer which Brayden convinced him was living in a hole in our hard.  One night he came in and said we was going to catch it, I looked out and he had the hole covered with two nets-so funny.

Most of the work for this project was teaching Brayden how to research on the computer and then type it out.  It was SOOO hard for me not to grab the mouse out of his hand or to watch him type things out.  I think he actually liked learning and it didn't seem to bother him that he couldn't type.  Any project the focuses on finding ugly/cool stuff seems fun to him!!

This weekend Ron and I finally did a bike ride together that has been on my "to do" list for about 4 years.  Ron as rode the D.A.M. JAM ride a couple times with a friend and always talks about it being the best ride-better than Tulsa Tough.  The route is out by the Blue Hole in Pryor which we see about once a summer.  The ride usually rolls around and somehow I just can't quite pull it all together with the schedule/kids for me to go.  This year I decided I was going to try my best to make it work-funny how somethings just take effort or they just don't happen...and life just goes on by.  I found a wonderful sitter-usually my biggest stress, able to hang with the kids for much of the day allowing Ron and I to get out and enjoy some time away.  It was a great ride-fall air came in and I was actually cold???  Crazy as just a night before I was sweating so much playing soccer my shorts were dripping-the temperature swings are just crazy.  The route was beautiful-some hills, but that only meant some awesome down hills.    We rode 70 miles in about 4 hours-best were the kit kats at the last aid station.
I missed taking pictures but it was wonderful to be able to take a half a day without kids.

The kids spent their day out on the soccer fields.  The girls are joining into the whole team sport thing this year-giving it a try.  I was so proud of how they did.  Both girls are on random draw teams...which means basically that they don't know anyone and you really never know what type of kids/parents you will end up with-it can be quite an eclectic bunch.  They all had a great time and seems to have fun.  James was so excited to wear his uniform.  It was hard missing their games-actually just James and Becca- but fun to hear them talk about playing.  Becca said James team was just so "cute" good thing James didn't hear her.  James was set to score a goal from mid field...with his "hard" kick.

Andrea was my big surprise-one tough girl, and actually didn't come off the field whining because she was tired.  Nice they played a very new team and she actually scored some goals.  She must be on the older side for her age bracket because she was the tallest on the team.

I am ready for cooler weather...this is the water situation when we all play or bike ride for one day!