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.

These Adventurers are Tired! Day 8!

We spent this day trying to finish up with any last minute site seeing, or visiting anything we thought we missed. We've had a good time, but are ready for home and sleep. Going full blast for all this time has definitely caught up, and it will be hard to get back to reality without a break.

Ashlyn at the Flintstone campground sign in Custer, SD.

Molly delivering ribs at the Flintstone park.

These burrows were at Custer State Park that were descendents of other burrows that were used to haul visitors up a mountain trail. When the park stopped this they released them into the wild. These were the only animal in the park we were allowed to feed, and they were quite happy to get a snack.

Two guys with the same name... I'll let you figure that one out :)

This is the sign for the slide that Leah requested to go down for several days that we traveled back to. It was 2000ft long.

The girls on the lift up to the top to slide down.

On the way out of South Dakota


Molly tired out and catching a nap in the back seat of our second home, the van.

This is the last state sign we came to. The girls were SO tired of getting out to take pictures. Ashlyn has been telling everyone that they had to take pictures with 20-30 signs. I would like to go on record to clear things up. I only had the girls take pictures with 19 signs, and some of those were at their request.

Our last western sunset that I had to catch on the go. The sky is so colorful there, something I will miss.

This Adventure is Hot! Day 7

Today we started out in the Badlands of South Dakota. It was amazing to see the landscape. On one side of the road there were mountains with nothing (why the Indians called them the Badlands) and on the other side there was grassland as far as you can see. We went from a temperature in the low 50's last night, to the mid 90's today. It is definitely warm, but they have nothing on a Florida mid 90.

I didn't realize that I looked like a guy with this hat on. Nobody in the family told me until it was too late.

Mountains of the Badlands

Prairie across the road from the mountains.

There were grasshoppers EVERYWHERE! Al squished a couple. All the prairie dogs were eating them, that is the ones that weren't eating the food people were giving them. We walked down a short trail, and they were literally flying out of the way with every step.

I was amazed how they sit back on their tail to eat. This one was eating part of a sandwich someone gave it. We read that you're not supposed to feed them because they don't drink water, so it messes their metabolism up... they were everywhere, so they must survive somehow.

Encouragement to stay away from the prairie dogs :)

The girls on a boardwalk through part of the Badlands where fossils were found.

We were on the way to Custer State Park and saw this truck with antlers in the back. We talked to the ranger who was driving it, and he said they found these elk that died from fighting. Al was so impressed with the size of the antlers. The ranger thought they would score about 405 Boone and Crockett. It would have made the record book for sure!

Buffalo are everywhere out west. This is in Custer State Park. They are auctioned off in the fall every year from this park. People from all over the U.S. and Canada come to buy them for their land, breeding, or for slaughter.

The biggest white tail deer we saw in South Dakota. Don't know why they would run away, maybe because Leah had half of her body hanging out the back window of the van??! Click on the pic to see their horns better.
An elk that would make any hunter excited. Al loved it when we saw these.





This is the monument from the Wounded Knee Massacre. The U.S. Army killed over 200 Indians after taking their weapons from them when they were attempting to surrender. This monument is in the center of a rectangle that holds those bodies. This was in the Indian reservation. It must be a harsh reminder.

Welcome to Nebraska! This was on the edge of an Indian reservation here.