Fun in September

It's Boy Scout popcorn season again!  It was just Sam and Ben pulling their little red wagon around our neighborhood this year to sell popcorn.  

Cub Scouts for Sam is winding down with just a few short months to go before crossing over to Boy Scouts!  Eric took the Den to Go Ape for a fun tree top and zip-line adventure!  They loved it!

Ben and I at the last jog a thon at Eagle Elementary!

The kids jog around the trail on the field and raise money for the school!  The kids look forward to this day as it's a day spent outside, being with their friends and having fun!

Eric and I got away to taste some bourbon with our friends Dave and Debbie for a weekend!  We have made this an annual trip together and something we look forward to all year!

I chaperoned Ben's field trip to Fort Ouiatenon for the Feast of the Hunters Moon.  Besides the constant down pour of rain, it was a pretty fun time!  As you can see the kids didn't seem to mind the rain one bit!  And I tried to make the best of it and smile just like the kids!  They are standing near the banks of the Wabash.  

The festival is quite neat.  There are volunteers that participate in recreating the fur trading and fall gathering of the French and Native Americans from the mid 1700's.  A lot of the participants will set up camp and stay in their habitats for the weekend.

Notre Dame

We were invited to South Bend to go to a Notre Dame football game with our good friends the Fulkersons.  They relocated to the South Bend area from our neighborhood this past summer.  Their son Luke and Sam are good buddies. We gladly accepted the invitation and headed north for a long day trip.

We met our friends at the Grotto.  It was such a pretty, calming place.  I can only imagine how much more peaceful it might be on a non-game day.  

There was a piece of stone from the Grotto in Lourdes, France, which the Notre Dame Grotto is a reproduction of.  

Ben also came with me to light a candle and say a prayer. 

We arrived on campus a couple of hours before game time to tour the campus.  

The Basilica.  So incredibly beautiful.

I don't think I've ever seen a prettier college campus.  

Luke's oldest brother, Daniel plays in the Notre Dame band!  How cool is this!  We were treated to a concert before the game began by the drum line, and to this picture!

Game time!

Luke, Sam, Nick and Luke's dad sat in premium seats across the field.  While Eric, Ben, Amy and I sat in not so shabby seats ourselves!

The game was super fun, I loved the band, and the Fighting Irish earned a win!

Amy and I.

Touchdown Jesus.

It's a bonus when you are great friends with your son's friend's mom. 

August

 We celebrated the first week of school by going to an Indian's baseball game with friends.  We were guests of our friend's to sit in a box suite for the evening.  It was so much fun and and a great view of the game, too.  

We had our cousin Grace and her mom come visit for the weekend.  Grace was participating in a fashion show in town.  Lucky for us they stayed the night with us!

 The dogs always enjoy a summer evening walk.  

On August 12th we celebrated my birthday by going out to eat at one of our favorite family places, Stonecreek.

Labor Day weekend we took a trip to Illinois.  We enjoyed a lunch date with Grandma Jill and Grandpa Dan.  

Then the boys spent 2 nights with Grandma Bonnie while Eric and I escaped to St. Louis for some much needed time together!

We ended the month of August with Bike to School Day.  Ben and I rode bikes to his school.  This is the beginning of the 'lasts' for elementary school for our family.  It's going to be bitter sweet!