Just a 3 star hike...maybe 2

Sundays call for hikes.

Dad found one on All Trails that he thought we should check out

in Blue and Grey Park.

As usual, we were doubtful.

We curbed our complaining a bit once we actually

hit the trail.

Emphasis on a little bit.

But we quickly warmed up.

It was a good day for a hike

Stretch our legs

Get out and get moving.

It was not the most scenic hike.

It was not the most obvious hike.

We went off-trail quite a bit

and needed some GPS guidance to find it again.

It's mostly a horse trail

which would explain the overgrowth...

But we're outside,

getting some exercise,

chatting with the fam.

Nor our favorite hike

but definitely a new story to tell.

Oktoberfest...at home

Dad had a great idea

to cook up brats, kraut, and potato salad

and serve it up with beer

to celebrate his birthday just a bit early

with the Reed side of the family.

We were just excited to get together

with Austin and Kayla!

Birthday?

Well, there was, of course,

cheesecake.

COVID-safe birthday wish 

Birthday, Oktoberfest, whatever--

we're just so excited to get together again!

 

Return to the Pumpkin Patch

After a game-packed morning,

we headed north to our favorite pumpkin patch.

It's our favorite because of the pumpkin donuts.

Mmm.  Donuts.

With donuts out of the way,

we turned our attention to making the loop.

First, we stopped to feed the animals

Lots of goats, 

a few rabbits,

a calf,

a donkey,

some sheep,

and 2 adorable pigs

Aww.  Aren't they cute?

Until they steal my ENTIRE BAG

of feed!

He ripped it right out of my hands!

Stupid goat.

Well, onward.

The bouncy rodeo is always fun.

Weston was quick to jump on

Jack found one big enough

Beck had a tiny horse

But I stuck with the ball

We all had some fun with this one

but not as much fun as we had with the peddle cars!

Weston was quick to jump on

And Beck found one that fit

Jack grabbed one too

(but he did get car-jacked once by a boy half his size

who insisted it was his turn when Jack stopped to 

adjust the seat)

I hopped on

but it was waaaay easier to let Mom peddle

and I ride on her lap or on the back

I move that trike though!

We had a lot of fun

tearing around the course

Mom could barely get us to pull over for a picture

until we noticed the huge slide next door

That track on the right was FAST

Case in point--

Jack was nice enough to go with me

(I was a little nervous)

and I beat him down by a long-shot

We went for a spin on the carousel 

Before we hopped on the hay ride

to explore the pumpkin patch

We didn't want a pumpkin--

those are cheap at the grocery store.

We wanted something different.

Something funky.

Our dumpkin

(good name, Jack!)

We scurried off to play some games

and jump on the giant pillow

The action shots were awesome

It was great to celebrate one of our 

old traditions again this year.

We got a little bigger

in the last 2 years...

But we still like to hang out together!

(for the most part...)

 

Reflections of a footballer

This is my first season playing football.

This is most of my friends' first season playing football.

We are playing our hearts out

but it doesn't always land in our favor.

But Saturday mornings,

in uniform,

with my friends,

playing a game...

I love it.

Feed the Reed

My soccer team has been doing really well this season.

We are the big 8th graders

in the 7th/8th grade league.

(but we still very much remember

being the little 7th graders in this league last year!!)

We've been winning our games with huge shut outs.

Coach has has pull a "subway" and stop scoring

once we are ahead by 8 or 9.

Then, someone gets picked as the only person who can score

the rest of the game.

I've only scored once in all my seasons with Phantoms

so today was MY day.

He called it "Feed the Reed"

4 defenders couldn't stop me!

(ok, it took a while to get it done,

but I DID get my goal!

Ask Mom to see the video!)

Scoring isn't usually my thing

But it felt good today!

 

A Man on a Mission

I have really gotten into cross country this year.

I've made it a goal to qualify for the City-Tri Run

 at the end of the year

I have to be in the top 23 on my team to make it

So I've been BUSTING it at meets.

I've left my friends in the dust

and have been trying for some serious PRs

I'll keep you posted...

Reading is Fun!

We have a reading choice board every month

that we have to do 10 of the 20 activities.

But Mrs. Kasper would be REALLY excited if we did all 20.

I'm a man on a mission...

Reading in sunglasses on a towel

Reading in a Royals shirt,

under a tree,

on a nice day

(that's 3!)

Just a few more activities to go...

Tuck's BIG ride

So I got this new bike for Christmas

with just 2 wheels.

Dad and I have been working on learning to ride

for months.

I throw a pretty nasty fit

about getting on it

but I also do NOT want to ride on the co-pilot anymore.

So we are at an impasse.

And everyone keeps wanting to go on bike rides.

Well, today, they pushed me hard.

We were going on a ride one way or another.

But I'll be honest.

I'm a little scared of my bike.

What if I fall?

What if I can't get going?

What if the turn is too sharp?

Mom and Dad said they'd help me every peddle of the way.

So after some tears and maybe some yelling,

I got on.

We headed down Blackwell

with just 1 topple.

And I got back on.

We took the back Legacy Loop.

I had to walk up a big hill or 2.

Mom and Dad walked with me.

But guess what?

The longer I rode,

the easier it was and the braver I got.

I was shifting gears to make hills easier

and even managed to itch my nose with one hand.

Maybe I like bike riding after all.

Our planned destination was the hidden waterfall and watering hole

in Legacy Park.

Me and Mom stayed on the main path

while everyone else hit the mountain biking path

with the plan to meet there.

Well, Mom and I wandered all over but couldn't find it.

Beckett popped a tire and Dad had to stop to fix it.

Twice.

Just as we were going to give up

(all we could find was a dried creek bed),

we heard voices and found this:

Jack and Wes found it!

The rest of us from above

The water was freezing

but a quick dip was all we needed.

Jack creeped us all out

by claiming there were leaches in the water.

Hmm. 

I wasn't sure I believed him,

but I also wasn't sure I wanted to get back in...

So we chilled on the shore for a bit.

We decided to head back...

and then Weston blew a tire.

I was having so much fun,

I insisted we turn our already 7 mile ride

into a 10 mile ride

with a stop at Dollar General for a cold drink.

Everyone was so impressed with my new found love of biking,

no one could disagree.

I told Mom my "worst-case-scenario" about riding a bike

was falling off and cracking my head open

and dying.

Well, she couldn't argue that that IS a worst-case scenario.

But she pointed out that I fell off

5 or 10 times

and didn't even have a scrape.

Ok. Fair.

I guess I DO like biking.

And I guess I'm better at it than I thought.