UFF DA 2011 Day 3 - Saturday

Saturday morning we went to the golf course and watched everyone tee off for the annual UFF DA golf tournament (this family reunion is hard core... they even have prizes and champions, but we'll get to that later).  It was really fun watching the golfers tee off.  Then we went to a local farmer's market where the kids got to make a cute craft and Dana got some yummy looking veggies.  Sorry, no pictures of the farmer's market.

Arabella, Henry, and Jack loving the golf carts

AB, Jack, and Henry sat here watching every single golfer tee off.  After everyone hit, they would clap and cheer.

Good luck hug for Daddy

Robbie, Tommy, and Dave

"Zszsooooommmm!"

 

Saturday evening we always have the UFF DA banquet dinner.  During dinner, they present the prizes for things like closest to the pin, longest drive, etc.  Then they use some system for figuring out two winners... Low Gross Score and Low Net Score.  This year Dave won Low Net with a score of 72 (par for the course)!  He said it was the best game he's had in years.  All the golfers seemed to have a great time and had some great stories to tell about the day.  The rest of the night we spent chatting and hanging out with family we usually only get to see once a year.  The kids had a great time hanging out together and they were all really well behaved.   We even got everyone gathered together for a large group picture. 

Jack, Amara, and Arabella (each 3 months apart in age)

Not the best picture of me, but it's the first picture Arabella took with my camera that didn't include her finger or the ground.

Low Net Champ - Dave Leighton
Low Gross Champ - Tommy Olson

Dave and Craig

Emily helped Arabella roast marshmallows

Mmmm Marshmallow!

 

Hanging out with family (not sure why Robbie is kissing Dave... strange family)

Grandpa Bob's 10 Great Grandchildren

Jeremy, Robbie, Dave, and Josh screwing around

Hey we finally got a decent picture together!

The Leighton Family

All in all, it was a great family vacation.    We can hardly wait until UFF DA 2012 in Byron, Minnesota! 

UFF DA 2011 Days 1 and 2

Harrison Butcher, Henry and Jack Thomas, and Arabella Leighton

 On Thursday night, we went over to Dana and Josh's house for a family BBQ.  I stole this picture from Dana... Don't the kids look like they could all be siblings? 

 On Friday, I took Dave's Grandpa Bob and Arabella to the Garden of the Gods and to the Air Force Academy for a day of sight seeing.  I got a ton of pictures, but am only putting the best ones on here.  See below!

I love this mischievous look on her face... I had just told her not to go exploring too far by herself

Arabella at Garden of the Gods

 

Grandpa Bob and Arabella at Garden of the Gods

 

Cutest little face... Okay, I'm a little biased

"Look at the mountains, Mommy!"

I had this momentary lapse in judgement when I allowed her to climb all the way up to the top... not because I was scared she would fall, but because I couldn't help Grandpa Bob and help her and I realized what it would be like to have two kids. 

Garden of the Gods - isn't it beautiful?

 Then we left and went to my dad's alma mater... the Air Force Academy.  I'd never been there before, so I was excited to see everything.  I was a little disappointed that it wasn't just open for me to go wherever I wanted... but I guess I understand with national security and all that.  Anyway,  we saw a few airplanes on display.  Then we went to the visitor's center and bought Arabella a cute AFA hoodie (size 4T - completely huge on her, but someday it'll fit!).  We decided to hike to the chapel which didn't look that far on the map... not the best idea... it was 1/3 mile up and down hills.  Grandpa Bob was a real trooper and Arabella only needed to stop a few times for a rest.  Once we got there, it was beautiful.  Bob and I decided that there must be some sort of meaning for each of the steeple things (the pointy things).  We discussed it for a long time trying to come up with what the meaning was... I later googled it and there is absolutely no meaning.  Sheesh.  They should've had a meaning. It would've made it more interesting.  Anyway,  we also saw a group of cadets marching in a large open area.  We watched them for a while and the tour guide told us that it was their first day.  I texted my dad a picture asking if he remembered his first day... he did.  :)   Then Arabella and I hiked back to the car to head home (we decided we would just pick Bob up in the car).   It was a beautiful campus - much more beautiful than the UNI campus! :) 

B - 52 Bomber on Display at the AFA

Resting on our hike

The Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel

Road Trip to Colorado!

 We drove all the way to Colorado Springs for Dave's family reunion (UFF DA - more pictures of the reunion will be uploaded soon). Dave's mom, her friend Ken, Dave's brother Steve, his wife Joanna, Dave's Grandpa Bob, Dave, Arabella, and I hit the open road in search of mountains.  We rented two cars and caravaned across Nebraska and part of Colorado.   Arabella was a total trooper the entire way.  We brought lots of things to keep her occupied (worksheets, DVD player, stickers, books, bendaroos, and coloring books).  She did great.  Here is a picture of her listening to her music on my iPod.  This is the first time I've ever really let her hold it and listen with earphones.  She seemed to really like it. 

;

We stopped in Paxton, Nebraska for lunch at Ole's Big Game Bar and Grill... oh the memories.  When I was a kid, we (my mom, dad, sister and I) would drive to Colorado to ski over Spring Break with my Aunt Debby, Uncle Al, and my cousins Andy and Maddy.  I can't even remember a trip that didn't include a stop to Ole's for lunch (usually following a visit to Cabela's).  In case you can't tell from the picture, it's full of mounted animals that Ole himself shot.  It's also famous for their Rocky Mountain Oysters (delicious in case you've never tried them).  So I talked everyone into stopping at Ole's for lunch so I could relive some childhood memories.  Arabella loved it.  She walked around looking at every single animal and deciding which animals were scary and which were cute.  She decided her favorite animal was this little baby seal under the paw of this ten foot polar bear.    We even looked at all the old black and white pictures and finally found the picture of my Uncle Al playing football for Nebraska (Go Big Red!) so that I could show Arabella.  She was very proud and decided that Uncle Al is famous.  

We finally saw mountains and felt like there was an end in sight. Once we got there, we relaxed at our hotel for a little while, then headed over for a family BBQ at the Thomas' House.  

I'll post more pictures and tell you more about our wonderful family vacation tomorrow! 

 

Here's a preview... Garden of the Gods, Air Force Academy, a golf champion, and TONS of family pictures!

Arabella's Soccer

I'm ready to go!

Listening to Coach Michelle

 Arabella began playing soccer with the Des Moines Junior Menace this spring.     She absolutely loved it!      She loved being a part of the team... wearing her soccer jersey (to every single practice religiously)... playing the skill games (her favorite was "Red Light Green Light")... and scoring goals (even if they weren't always in the correct net)!     Here are a few pictures of our Soccer Sweetie! 

Go Bella Go!

Sweet Arabella

I envision her telling this other little girl that her hair looks pretty or something like that.  Ha ha!

My Future's So Bright, I've Gotta Wear Shades!

I can hardly believe Arabella is almost four years old. She is such a delightful little girl. She makes us laugh all the time, she's got such a funny personality. This week she is at Grandma and Grandpa Camp (First half of the week at my parent's house, second half of the week with Grandma Patti - she's sure to come home a spoiled little girl)!

Here are a few of my favorite recent Arabella-isms:
-- "Mommy, can you please back forward through the commercials?"

-- "When will Cinderella come out of the red box?" (She's actually referring to the Disney Vault... she wants to own the Cinderella DVD, but mixed up Red Box with the Disney Vault. LOL)

-- "My Davi had to go to heaven because he was blind. Jesus died on the cross so that my Davi could go to heaven and not hurt anymore. But I still miss Davi... and Jesus too."

-- "I need to go to the library with you Mama. You don't pick my favorite books. You pick your favorites!"

-- "I like these artificial flowers better because they are brighter."  So I ask, "What does artificial mean?"  With a look like I'm a complete idiot for not knowing, she says, "It means they aren't real... you know Mommy, like fake stuff." 

-- Talking to Grandma... "My mommy knows so much more than you because you don't live with us."

Arabella Can Snap

Arabella is very excited because she can snap.  This is a big accomplishment for her.  She has been working on this for months.  I love the look on her face at the end of the video.  She is so proud of herself!