bbq cookoff

we had such a great time at the bbq cookoff last year that leanne and rex wanted to come back again.  we all loved going around and sampling fabulous items such as ribs, chicken, home-made tortillas, pulled pork, brisket and dutch oven sweet bread.

after the cook-off, we went home and watched 3 football games, ate some wings, calzones, kettle corn and these fantastic cupcakes.

reese went to her first junior high dance on Friday. 

it was a Halloween dance and they were encouraged to wear costumes.

she went as hermoine granger and her bff went as katniss everdeen.  apparently, they danced all night...but not with any boys!

place your bets

 when we started building the tree house, colin and i made a wager regarding which of our children would be the first to figure out that they could jump off the fort and on to the trampoline.  and the first one to jump was......reese

                           

and jack was quick to follow

mackenzie eventually jumped, but there was no camera nearby

surprise!

look what we found in our backyard...a chicken!

buster was so excited!  we had no idea where it came from and ended up giving it away to a friend of a friend.  as it turns out, our neighbors had started raising chickens and one of them flew the coop.  i felt so bad for giving the chicken away.