Day 2 - July 6, 2011

Here are a few pics to add to Leah's perspective (which was written by Leah)

We stopped at a state park in New Mexico and looked at some of the local historical Indian buildings. There was a museum we went through where Leah tried on some armor from soldiers,



Ashlyn tried out walking with a basket on her head,


and Molly is climbing into the Kievas, where the Indians performed religious ceremonies and there were paintings on the wall (no pics allowed). The weather is super hot and not that dry. It's typically over 100* and when the wind blows it isn't cool at all, but more hot air moving. It was refreshingly cool down in the Kieva, and the guide said the kieva is warm in the winter.


After this, we walked down and stepped in the Rio Grande. The river seemed to be smaller than normal, because we saw where there were dried river beds.



My favorite thing out west, the sunset :)

We did a lot of driving today and planned to make it to Four Corners, where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet, but we arrived a little too late. They closed at 8:00 and we were there at 8:50. Al tried to get us to climb the barbed wire fence, but we decided we'll wait until morning.


This is the sign welcoming us to Four Corners :( TOO DARK!

Day 2 Leah's Perspective

WOW! What a day of tired Kerce's!!!!! I hope we will all get a good night sleep:) we drove all day to find that four corners closes at 8:00. We got there around 8:50. So instead of moping around we goofed off taking pictures in front of the colorodo sign. So Grand Canyon and Four Corners had better watch out because here comes Kerce's are coming for them:):)

Day 1 - July 5, 2011

What a day! We actually started out of our driveway at 9:45 last night. I drove until we got to Pensacola, then Al took over for the rest of the night. What a LONG night! We had a plan to drive, drive, drive until we got to the Grand Canyon, and that's pretty much what we've done. Al made it through Alabama, Mississippi, and most of Louisiana, then Ashlyn took us through a lot of Texas. She even handled driving in Dallas downtown like a pro. We stopped for the night in Santa Rosa (a close cousin of Santa Clause Al told the girls) so we are about 100 miles east of Albuquerque. Our plan is to go to Four Corners tomorrow, possibly Lake Powell, then on to the Grand Canyon North rim. Hopefully we'll get a good night sleep and get a fresh start tomorrow. This is how our car looks loaded down with our things to make it through this adventure.


So excited to be out of Texas

My favorite thing about our trips out West (or one of them) are the sunsets :)

Learning about boys

Since we don't have any little boys who live at our house, it's fun to have our nephews visit so we can learn what life with them is all about. A friend of Al's gave him some crawdads all the way from Louisiana, so we had a good time playing with them before they got eaten. (Only Hayden and Al were brave enough to actually try them) Leah looks like she is going to try eating a crawfish, but Hayden was the one who followed through, showing us the difference between boys and girls :)

These things were HUGE!















Zade and Hayden saved two crawfish to take home to their mom and dad.






Uncle Al taped the claws so no one would lose a finger. I think he was the only one they got tonight.

Zade kept his distance. He wasn't quite sure they were safe after all. He kept coming in to check things out, but he wasn't interested in holding or eating one.


Hayden putting the crawfish meat where his mouth is :)

Sucking the head?? I don't think so!! We couldn't talk Hayden into trying it, but I definitely don't blame him. I looked inside after Al pulled the meat out. UUGGHH!!










Even Leah wanted to be a good sport and try some. Yeah Right!!

It's Nancy Drew!!

This week at Leah's school, they were challenged to turn off the television and computer and spend their evenings reading instead. Then, on Friday, the kids were encouraged to dress up as their favorite book character.
Leah has spent a lot of time in 4th grade reading Carolyn Keene's Nancy Drew Mysteries, so what better way to honor her than to be Nancy Drew?

Leah took alot of AR tests, and was able to earn 43 AR points this week alone! Maybe we should turn off the computer a little more often? Leah was also invited to a pizza party with the priciples for being one of the top 20 AR point holders in 4th grade. Way to go Nancy, I mean Leah!

More Cheering!

Our fall has gotten off to a busy start with cheering, cheering, and more cheering. Ashlyn has been cheering the Wildcats on to victory on Friday nights. They are 3-1, with no game this week.



This is the theme for the Wildcat football team this year, and a few shots from the first pep rally during school. Ashlyn's junior class was in a competition with the other classes to see who could eat food from a bag the fastest. I was laughing so hard I could barely take pictures. She had so much candy in her mouth she was gagging.


The guys love painting their chest each year in Wildcat colors.

The sign the team runs through each week.

The first home game of the year the cheerleaders ran to throw out plastic footballs when the Wildcats scored a touchdown. Ashlyn was ready to throw them to the top of the stands. She ran to the reserved section and aimed for the top...only to hit someone in the front row!! This is her telling Taytum about it. She has received so many comments on that!

The infamous heel stretch

Molly has been cheering on the fighting Bobcats who are 1-1 with 2 games left in the season. Molly has a game Thursday night in Madison, and then Tuesday night for the last game of the season.

The first game was in Lake City and it rained the whole game . What fun cheering in the rain can be with friends even when the team doesn't win!

Pep rally with Maddie. Notice the blue and red rubber bands on the braces to match her uniform and show her school spirit.

This was Molly's first pep rally to participate in. They did separate pep rally's for 6th and 7th grade during 1st and 2nd period, the 8th grade during 6th period. The girls had lots of fun showing their spirit to the school. This was all on Tuesday before their first home game. The boys were ready to take on Live Oak!

The half time show during the game. The Bobcats won their game at home.

Molly Cat!

Kick it! Kick it to a Bobcat! Kick it!

Molly and Karli Payne

Leah has the job of cheering on the Jets on Saturday afternoons. These games are usually in the hot, hot sun, but she does a good job supporting her team even though she hasn't had any wins yet.

She had team pictures at the park before their first game. Camryn, McKenzie and Leah.

Give me a J! Give me a E! Give me a T! Give me and S!

One we are the Jets!

Support for the injured player.

Leah's favorite cheer. One we scream, two we shout, three we say Jets Boom, knock 'em out! (This is the BOOM!)

Showing some spirit!!

Now if we can just get some football weather!

School is in!!

Friday night we got things kicked off with a community pep rally to get everyone excited about the start of football season prior to school starting. This was Ashlyn's first chance to cheer as a BCHS Varsity Cheerleader, and Molly's first opportunity to cheer as a BCMS cheerleader. The stands were packed and the gym was hot as we cheered on the cheerleaders, majorettes, dance teams, band members, and of course the football teams. Go CATS!!

Our first day back to school was pretty uneventful, and I didn't get much feedback when I asked how the first day was, other than the standard, "Fine".

Ashlyn is a junior and driving to school, with the stress of finding a parking spot in the area she wants to park.

Molly is in 7th grade and has been helpful in reminding me the things I need to do to cause her as little stress as possible, like turning in her shot records that I forgot to take to open house.

Leah is in 4th grade and at a new school, Keller Intermediate. She made me a little sad yesterday morning, reminding me how quickly they grow up. As we walked up to the school we were holding hands, and when we got closer, she discretely let go of my hand. I realized that I apparently needed that more than she did.... it's hard letting go. Especially of the baby. Only one more year that I can get away with walking her in to class. You can bet I'll be there with the camera as long as she lets me. So, with the first day under our belts, hopefully this year will be smooth sailing for all of the girls.