It's almost Autumn

Well, since my last posting, The Iowa State Fair has come and gone, School has started up and football is in full swing!! Heck, the Iowa/Iowa State game has already happened!!

The boys went back to school August 24th and now we are all in 'school mode'. Mike gets them up at 6:30 AM, on the bus at 7:20 AM and at school in class by 8:15 AM. They get out of school by 3:15 PM and come home on the bus by 4:10 PM. Me, I'm out the door by 5-5:30 AM and have to be at work by 6:30 AM. I leave work around 3 PM and try to get home by 4 or so. That way the boys aren't home alone too long!! Mike, of course, leaves home around 3:00 PM to be to work by 4 PM and gets home around 1-2 AM. Yep, we are like ships in the night!!

My dear niece, Stephanie (Stevie) turned 21 on September 1st! She's my sister, Brenda's daughter. She's going to college out at DMACC in Ankeny. Brenda's son, Brandon Scott (Scotty) will turn 18 on the 10th of October!! And he is graduating early...in December! I hope he is planning on going to college too! I just want to know... What the heck happened?...they were just little kids, last year weren't they?? It's funny...we remember them as small children and don't think about how long it's been and how much they have grown!! And suddenly they are graduating and going to college! Heck, Zac will be graduating this year and, I believe, he's graduating early as well...in December. What he has planned I don't know. I know he'd like to go to college for diesel mechanics but he may change his mind!!

Mike and I attended 2 weddings in as many weekends this month. My cousin, Scotty's oldest daughter, Heather (Aaron), got married the 12th and Mike's niece, Danielle(Chance), was married on the 19th! They were both such beautiful brides. My dear husband was having a tough time with the fact that he watched her daddy grow up, have two beautiful little girls. Now those little girls have grown into beautiful young women and are getting married and having babies of their own!! He was really feeling like 'Where has all the time gone!!' It was only yesterday that Raymond was tagging along with him everywhere. Now Raymond is a grandpa to Raylinn's little Riley!!

Now on to other, less philosophical, things...

Hunter is in the Pride of Iowa Youth Football League.(POIYFL) It's full tackle football! The team name is The Little Warhawks and they have won their first game...27-6! We are really proud of them...it wasn't a winning season last year. They are much improved, I think! If you would like to follow along with how they are doing here's the website for the league http://prideofiowayouthfootball.com/
So far Hunter's grades are good (have to stay on him about spelling!) but other wise no complaints from the teacher. His home room teacher, Mrs. Schneider is the same teacher Zac and Alex both had. She's had them all now!! (Poor Thing!) Hunter has also begun playing the Trumpet...OUCH! Practice is hard on us all!!! :-) As of this week, Hunter is in the school wide play. They are doing "Willy Wonka" aka "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". Hunter is an Oompa Loompa! He wanted to be Grandpa Joe but Mrs. Young wanted an older, adult-sized student for that part. Hunter is happy none the less...tough to keep him down for too long. He came home from the first play practice and was singing the Oompa Loompa Song! He's a funny kid!!

Alex has hunting and fishing on his mind (mostly hunting) and has joined FFA this year. He goes to the Tuesday evening trap shoots. He's all about shooting those clay pigeons and as I understand it...he's pretty darn good...a competition class shooter.
Not quite sure what else the FFA guys do...but I know they DO have a fundraiser this Holiday season. They always sell fruit, nuts and candy and I must say it's good stuff. So be prepared to spend a little money, get some good stuff and help these boys raise some money for the things they do.
Alex has his hunting license and deer tag bought already so he can go hunting this fall! With his own money, I might add. He really would love to get that buck we see at our house all the time but he'd settle for a doe again I'm sure! He also wants to try to get one with his bow. I'm not so sure about that...I hate the idea he'd hit one and just wound it! That is the worst thing you can do as a hunter in my book!
Alex is also anxious to go to the new Bass Pro Shops that opened up in Altoona! There's an archery range and Lord knows what all in there and he's wanting to go.

I finally found an exercise class I can go to and not interfere with anyone else's schedule!! It's Mondays and Thursdays 6-7 PM and Hunter has football practice from 5:55 to 8 PM. I can drop him off a few minutes early and I'm done way before he is! And my class is like 5 blocks from the practice field! It's great!! The class is taught by a gal I went to school with ...I found her at the class reunion and found out we live about 3 miles from each other and have since Mike & I moved here in 2000!! I'm really glad I went to that class reunion!

So that's it for now...Looking at the calendar I see 3 months 'til Christmas! Check out my ticker at the side of this post! 93 Days!!! How crazy is that!! It will be here before we even realize it! If you are making gifts...it's time to get going!! Have a great Autumn season and I'll post again next month!!