Pumpkins!!!!

Last weekend my Aunt Julie and cousin Courtney came over to help me carve my pumpkins for Halloween. It was great having them over and my mom enjoyed having their expertise in carving pumpkins. Glad you could both come over and hang out with mom and I.

Mom and I carving our "Great Pumpkin."

Helping Aunt Julie at what I do best...critique and advise.

Finished products...5 mighty fine Jack-o-lanterns.

Here is a picture of me with my "M" pumpkin.

Happy Halloween to everyone!!!

Eve of Halloween

Here at 2732 we've had a Halloween visitor to help us prepare for the big day. A very huge, unique, kinda cool (in spider terms) looking spider landed on our front doorstep. He hung around for awhile to help us prepare for the holiday, but has finally left. I kept thinking that if it hung around long enough for the holiday that we could really scare some people with real life Halloween decorations, but I guess it had bigger and better things to move to. It was really a huge spider, the pictures do not do it justice.

Pumpkin Patch

At the pumpkin patch they have lots of typical farm animals lurking around.

I really enjoyed observing and clucking at the chickens.

After clucking at the chickens mom and I got lost in the maze of hay bales. I think mom was a little worried that we'd never make it out of there, so I took the lead and tried to find our way out.

Also entertaining was the cows. I "moo-ed" and "moo-ed" at the cows and then chuckled to myself.

My friend Alexus, went down the slide and fell into a big mud puddle.

My other friend, Payton, did the pumpkin sling. He got to launch a bunch of poor innocent pumpkins into an open corn field. It was awesome watching the pumpkins explode upon impact.

At the Schaakes Pumpkin Patch (http://www.schaakespumpkinpatch.com/) they are nice enough to give you a ride out to the field in hopes of finding the Great Pumpkin. Here is a load of people coming back with their pumpkins.

Friends, Tara and her son Payton.

Friends, Ashton (daughter to Tara) and Kathy and her two kiddos, Alexus and Preston.

Payton picked up a very big pumpkin and had to lug it around everywhere until we left. I can't wait to see his finished pumpkin. He picked out a good one.

Here's the tractor that pulls all of the pumpkin patch visitors around. It's a classic.

All these people searching for their great pumpkin.

Still searching.

All the kiddos.

After the long day we had, my friend Preston and I were tuckered out and our little legs were done for the day. So, my mom got a wheel barrow and we piled in, pumpkins and all. It made for a much easier journey back to the car.

We miss you Grandma Sharon

What's better...

than spending some time with approximately 16,300 of your closest friends while raising a few Championship flags? Answer: not much. Mom, dad and I went to "Late Night in the Phog" at Allen Field House on the KU campus to raise the championship banners our team received last year after winning it all to become national champions. Late Night has been going on at KU now for 20 years or so. It's the first day that the team is eligible to practice. So, they open the doors to the public and they have all kinds of skits, entertainment, slam dunk practice and then a scrimmage. It's a lot of fun and this year was a little more special because we were able to reflect on the wonderful season we had last year. Needless to say, it was very loud in there for the full 6 hours we were there.

People everywhere waiting to get inside.
What could this be?Why, it's our Big 12 Championship banner unveiled.


Another surprise.
It's the National Championship banner.A third banner was actually raised for the Final Four, but mom's pics didn't turn out as well, so I didn't include it.

Me and my friend Preston chillin' and waiting for the fun to begin and chowing on some popcorn.

Mom and dad are in trouble. I found myself sitting in front of this cute girl and I spent most of my time making sure that she knew I was there. I was fine tuning my flirting techniques and I've still got it.

Here's who I like to call "Uncle Billy" addressing the pumped up crowd while everyone screamed crazy for him. I love Uncle Billy.

Friends Jason, Kathy and Preston joined us for the fun on Friday night.

With all of the "hot" energy in the Phog that night it got very warm sitting high up in the rafters, so here's how I started out dressed for the evening.

As it got warmer I started peeling the layers.

I finally threw in the towel and went bare chested. I could have at least painted "KU" on my chest so I would have been better well prepared. Reflecting on some good memories.