Friday, April 27, 2012

Dad's Deploying...Again :(

I guess I, Hayes, will take this post.  You see, all the others in this family are too busy crying.  In fact, on the way home yesterday I pretended to fake cry to join in on the action.  But my laughter while trying to was a dead giveaway, I guess.  Mom told me to cut it out.

So, you may remember last year, when Dad deployed that time?  Well, his XO, then Lt. Mossbarger, had a baby girl THE EXACT same day as Y.  Cute.  So, here they are again.  Now Capt. Mossbarger (congrats) came to send the guys off.


And here's my Dad, stud, with my bro, getting a little love in before he takes off for the buses, to get to the Air Force Base 6 hours early.  Papa Jerry would be proud.



One last hug.  That was such a good one I have no worries that it'll stay with him til he gets home.
And Reeder's.
And Y's.
Mom didn't get one.  JUST KIDDING!  She did, she just didn't want it documented.  Love to you, Daddy-O, come home soon!

KAHL

Kappel Academy of Higher Learning.

Mom has had some really cool classes for me lately.  Here's science.  Learning about clouds and rain...

And rainbows and how they are made.
And what is an academy without a little home economics?  I told mom that soon she won't have to buy anyone clothes-I'll just make em for all!  (Thanks Grama Max for the sewing machine).




Can you hear a boy if he falls from a tree?

I should've started this blog with a picture of the tree.  And this is what my mom gets for trying to exercise.  Since there is no where that she can dump us and work out, she has resulted in taking us to a park, gasp, and letting Reeder and I play in the great open spaces of this glorious Earth, while she and Y circle a track.  And circle the track.  And circle the track.

Well, what's a boy in the desert supposed to do?  Oh my!  Is that a tree?  It MUST be climbed.  But coming down is a bit harder...

And I cried and cried.

And after about 5 hours of not walking Mom finally decided that there may be a problem. 

Turns out that it is NOT broken.  I wore a splint for a few days.  Still limping.  Mom thinks a fracture or something was missed, cuz it's been ten days and I still have a hitch in my giddy up (that's what dad says).  But, we'll see.  Maybe back to ortho next week.





Grand Canyon

THE GRAND CANYON!  WOW!



Time to get serious.  Let's start our work.  We only have three days to earn another, my TENTH!, ranger badge.
Had to squeeze in a class in order to fulfill the requirements.  Did you know the smaller the scorpion the more poisonous?

Notice Hayes, attempting to pay attention.  Me?  I'm focused.
A scorpion.
And the mules!  Did you know that people ride these things down to the Colorado river?  Well, we stopped by the stables and fed them.  PS.  Mom and Big Mama rode these a few years back.
Sometimes he likes alone time.
OK.  So, what is not pictured is sometimes just as important as to what IS pictured.  So, my Dad, my incredible Dad, hiked to the bottom, crossed the river, and came back up-IN ONE DAY!  That's about 18 miles (he went down Kaibab Trail, up Bright Angel)!!  And when he was a couple miles from the top-it began to HAIL!  My Dad is INCREDIBLE!  We met him after, he was cold, wet, and so happy.  And we were so proud of him!

So, during that time, Mom took us to a wild west show and a cool train ride.  Here's us meeting one of the Cowboys.  Oh, Weiler, get over it, she didn't leave you!
This is not the train we rode but pretty cool nonetheless.

The entertainment on the train.  She was a riot.  And really good singer.  Didn't Big Mama take accordion lessons?

Bearizona!!

I'm taking over.  I'm at the helm.  Weiler here.  THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH.  I LOVED BEARIZONA.  I want to go back.  This place was absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!  Do you get it?  GO!

And I am being 100% serious.  This was a dream come true.  I didn't even know what bears were before this glorious place.

Unbuckle the seat belts, cue the little computer they give us to learn about the animals, all children climb in the front.  Let's go!

I mean everywhere I looked it got more amazing!
Check out these little guys-they were only 3 months old.  And you can't see too well, but the one on the left is on top of his brother and sister.  Been there, done that.

Oh, this was the kindergarten class.  Those crazy bears were climbing like maniacs!

Oh, and the petting zoo.  Can this place get any better?  I think not!
Too cool for school.  I guess Dad had a pig growing up.  They fed it dog food.  Just ask Hayes, or Dad, they both know all the details.
Reeder loved the guinea pigs.  Asked Mom is she could get one.  Nice try, sis, nice try.
Then we went to a very delicious steak house in Williams.  And if there is a huge cow outside, you just HAVE to pose with it, right?
Geocaching.  Oh, the glory of this vacay.  And I actually was allowed to do a lot of hiking during this portion.  Good times, good times.
And, of course, I didn't just walk.
When I got tired, we'd let the others walk ahead and Mom and I would bond.


Check out this cache!  Gotta be one of the coolest we've ever found!
The Kappel boys.
bonding with my momma.

Alternate modes of transportation.  And very green.

Walnut Canyon

Another day of vacation, another outdoor adventure.

Today we went to Walnut Canyon.  Mom and Dad go for the hiking, Hayes and I go for the ranger badges.  Or, rather, I go for the ranger badges.  This is number 9.  And I am so excited about it that I guess that's why I put the pic first.

Aren't you proud of this junior ranger?  And this was a toughy-learned about the Hopi people and all sorts of other stuff.

Oh, and we also did some geocaching.  Since Y is either in the stroller or ergo, and sometimes needs snacks to coerce sitting, this is what his pants looked like by the end of the day.
Walnut Canyon.  Isn't this place just gorgeous?
Meeting with a ranger.  Learning about lichen and such.
And, the happy, exhausted fam.  That was one heck of a hike!  Whewy!
Hayes earning his ranger badge.  For those of you unaware, they have different levels for different ages.  So, Hayes had to do some matching game and tell her how the Hopi boys used bows and arrows.  Real tough stuff.
And Y studied the signs a bit while getting to stretch his legs.
Congrats Hayesy!
Now, not only did I have to answer VERY tough questions, but I also had to read the creed this go around.  This ranger wasn't accepting just anyone!

Off to the Grand Canyon!