Field Trippin

Mailey started her day out happy and ready to go on her first school field trip to the pumpkin patch. The church across the busy street where the church is that Mailey goes to PDO at has pumpkins and storytime. Did that make sense? The busy street part is important because we had to have a police escort of 4 squad cars blocking the road so we could cross. That would definitely have been the thing to get a picture of, but I was too busy making sure small children still did not get hit by a car. It was fun, and kind of chilly, but Mailey started going downhill soon after it was ending. She started crying when I left her, and then I got 2 calls during the day saying she was still crying. The only time she did not cry was during lunch...smart girl gotta eat...and then she finally crashed out on her nap mat. Yes, I did not go get her, but Tyson was until they called to say she fell asleep the second she laid down. I was deep in the heart of TTUHSC on my second field trip of the day to the Life Learning Lab with Tracen's ACT (GT) class during the crying drama. Did you know that 2 field trips on my PDO day equalled out to running across town like a crazy lady? I really experienced the 'Day Out' part of PDO. But it was very worth it, and I am so thankful I can go to these trips with my kiddos. Tracen was able to do and learn amazing things. They got to examine each other with real tools and stethescopes and doctor gear on. The learned about what makes someone fat and unhealthy and how germs travel if you do not wash your hands properly. They also were able to interact with the 'live' dummies that nurses and med students train with. The dummies can talk, blink, and their stats can go all over the charts. The kids could see and feel them breathing and their hearts beating. Even bowel sounds were audible. Just crazy! They also got to go to a room with 3D glasses on and watch as each body system and organ was constructed on the screen through a computer. It was an amazing field trip.

Posing smile
So cute!
Beth cracking up...love this picture
Grant and Mailey
The scarecrows were a big hit with her
Attempt at a group shot. I love her face in this one
And I refuse to smile through the hole
Tracen's face when he first heard his own heart beating. Priceless.
Getting his throat examined
Scrubbed out and ready to go
Future Doctors and nurses
Did I wash my hands well enough?
Having some extra fun
The fat heavy gut vest and learning how you could get one, too if you do not take care of your body
Feeling the creepy guy's breathing and heartbeat
Oh wow, he really is breathing
Explaining creepy guy is not real
Talking into the mic to make creepy guy say another symptom. Most kids just wanted the lady behind the computer to kill creepy guy so he would be dead. Lovely.

Corinth...Texas.

One of our college students decided to get hitched in the same town Marc and Sarah live in. How convenient?!
We decided to celebrate birthdays and weddings and pumpkin patch time all in the same weekend since we would already be there for the wedding. Mom, Dad, and Scott came up and Ryan hung out with us, too. Daniel, the surrogate brother and part of the Marc/Ryan/Daniel trifecta was there as well. We got to see people we love, students we adore and miss, a prayed-for baby who is now one, and the Christer himself dancing. What more could we ask for?
Awesome weekend.


Wedding boys, long lost buddies. Tyson, James, John, and Griggsy
Michael and Tatum
Cara Jane and Chris dancing...what a wonderful girl he chose
Bride's cake made of cakeballs
Groom's cake of Dublin DP and donuts
Chris and his sweet, sweet momma
Sis Katie and bff/brother Chris
Us and Christer. We have loved watching him grow up from a college boy to a super man of God
Proof the dude danced. We all said he never would again, and can't you see how excited his face is about it all?
Maybe another reason, like one of the main ones, I loooooved being at the wedding. I love this girl beyond belief
The best dancer
Miracle baby Tatum McCracken in round #2 of clothes due to an overabundance of blueberries the night before. Wow. Makes you never want to see/feed/eat them again!! Ha Ha, I loved being in the bathroom with Melanie, poop everywhere, using paper towels as wipes, and scraping the junk into the sink. Getting to be a mom with her after praying she would one day become a mommy was a priceless, and very stinky, moment :)
Chris and Cara Jane leaving...bad pic but they threw Fall leaves from Vermont as they left...way cool

Later that day we headed to a pumpkin patch and had some fun as a family.

Spider
Pumpkin
Fits them perfectly
Cuties with blue lips
Sweeeeeet little boy
Mailey would not participate in the "I'm this tall this fall" picture


Grandkids
Cute little family
Family picture never really works out!
Tracen on top of the hay tower
How most of her pics looked due to a very short nap
Running to her Bud
Pop and Mailey, in their usual positions
The End.