Big Train

I'm so far behind on posting! And I can't seem to find the time to catch up! A few weekends ago we went and saw the big, old Union Pacific train that came through town as part of Arizona's Centennial... the state will be 100 next year! Since the boys still LOVE trains, we headed down to the train yard to check it out in the rain.

They love watching trains on the computer. It's about the only thing that keeps Hunter still.

The train was huge!

Daddy and Hunter got some snuggling time in, too!

Braden's 1st Goal!!

And I got it on video! He did so good at soccer today! It was the first day it seemed like he really got it. He actually scored 2 goals! He was soooooo proud of himself. It was really sweet. 

I didn't catch much of the post-goal celebration as I was pretty excited myself!

Hunter thinks he's on the team (and he is almost as tall as some of the players!).

                 

But he occupied himself with something more fun. We had a ton of rain last night, which was great! But, once again, I'm glad it's not a regular occurrence because these boys love dirt and mud!

Celebrating Gramps

My Grandfather, more affectionately known as Gramps, passed on to Heaven last week. He would have been 92 in December! A good, long life. I was able to go back to Ohio for his services and to celebrate his life. It was so good to see family and also meet some extended family members for the first time. My Dad put together an awesome presentation of his life and I pulled some of the pictures to share here.

High school graduation in 1937 - way to go, Harry Dale Utterback!

He served our country in WWII and earned 4 Bronze Stars during his time in N. Africa & Sicily. He was a mechanic on planes & built runways. He's back row, furthest to left in this picture.

He married my Grandmother Vanda Welsh. My Dad was their first-born of two little boys (runs in the family!). We never got to meet our Grandma as she died from a car accident when my Dad was in high school.

My Dad grew up on "the farm" in Paulding, Ohio. It wasn't always easy for them, but you could tell there was lots of love.

My (stylish) Mom entered the picture and here Gramps is with her and my other grandparents. My Grandma is our only living grandparent now.

Gramps loved his grandkids! He might not have been the biggest "talker" in the world, but I always knew he loved me.

He didn't like to leave Paulding much, but he did come to Massillon for my bridal shower. Anthony actually was able to get back to Paulding the weekend before Gramps passed away to see him. And thankfully he had Inella in his life.

He loved the farm (and suspenders if you can't tell!). I told him how the boys love to eat edamame (because he grew soybeans). He didn't really get the idea of actually eating them green!

 
At his services, people talked about  his big laugh and I think this picture shows it well.
 

And here he is at his 90th birthday party.

Although we are sad that Gramps has left us, we were glad to see each other and spend time as a family remembering.

We especially had fun on the farm walking to our woods and enjoying the beauty of fall. We even saw a rainbow. Anthony and the boys weren't able to come with me, but both Braden and Hunter met Gramps and we'll keep his memory going!

Gramps loved making applesause and this picture shows one of the apple trees on the farm with the woods and fields in the background.

I'm proud of my Utterback heritage!

Dad and our Uncle Harry will be passing the farm on to Mike and me one of these days so Mike is practicing the farmer look. Brandy has a ways to go if she is going to be a farmer's wife!

Fall Fun

Fall was a relative term for us this year. It stayed pretty hot for the month of October. But we still took advantage of the things that made us think it was supposed to be fall...

     Trick or Treat 2010

                                      

Trick or Treat - 2011

With the exception of Toby, the kids are even in the exact same order on the couch! That was not planned. They've changed a bit!                                                                                                               

 Desert Botanical Garden Pumpkin Festival

This guy became our jack-o-lantern!

Boo at the Zoo!

We didn't get to keep costumes on too long because it was hot, but we still had fun. 

    

Hunter had fun! And yes, we were in the splashpad in swimsuits!!

Pumpkin carving.

 I missed the boys first horseback rides! They went to another pumpkin patch but I was in Ohio. I heard they liked it!

 Trick or Treat

 The neighbors invited us over to their pre-trick or treat pot luck. The kids thought it was cool hanging with the big kids!

 This was about as good as it got for a group photo.

 And not much better with just my 2! Anthony is even sitting behind them trying to help!

 Braden and Kyndal loved it and did a great job.

 Hunter wanted to eat every piece of candy that he got at the exact moment he received it. He also walked inside every house that we visited!

 We only made it the half way around the block from the Cooper's to our house. But it was more than enough for all of us!

 Johnny Depp's got nothing on this pirate!!!  

Braden is enjoying his pirate booty at the end of the night! He actually loved giving out the candy from our house. When the trick or treaters came to the door he would open it and yell "trick or treat!"