Ernie Miller Nature Center - Olathe KS

Last weekend Diana and I took Spencer, Andrew and Chase out to one of the local county parks to get out of the house for a while. It was a nice day (brisk and cloudy) to go hiking and look at some nature. We all practiced some tracking which turned out pretty successful. Spencer found a deer in some scrub oak while he was tracking out ahead of us. It was fun to make some memories with the boys.

Diana and the boys

Brian and the boys

Heading up a trail

Beaver pond

Diana and the boys cresting a hill

We saw some monkeys

Spencer is quite an outdoorsman

Fall Fun

Pictures in the Park

Diana took the boys to an area behind the hospital where she works one afternoon and took some pictures that she could could use as "school pictures" since they are so expensive. I think she did a great job! Jordan was working (as he very often does) and did not participate in any of these events. We wished that he would have been able to, but he is almost 18 and that just isn't cool anymore. He is still a great kid though.

Chase (8)

Andrew (12)

 Spencer (14)

The Three Amigos

Halloween

Halloween was pretty successful for the boys this year. They participated in the "Trunk-or-Treat" activities at the church and went trick-or-treating as well. They made out like bandits and still have candy laying around the house, which I enjoy as well. The boys were pretty creative in putting their costumes together, as you will see.

Spencer picking out a pumpkin

Andrew, Diana, and Chase carving pumpkins  

Chase

Andrew 

Spencer 

Andrew (part two)

Court of Honor

November started off with a Court of Honor in which Spencer and Andrew both earned several awards. Spencer earned several merit badges and is close to getting his Eagle rank. Spencer is also a member of The Order of the Arrow, which is the Boy Scouts honor society. Andrew earned several merit badges and his Star rank. Both he and Spencer are on track to earn their Eagle Scout awards pretty early. We are very active in scouting and the boys love it!

Andrew receiving his Star rank as Diana and I look on

Art Show

Chase was selected as a featured artist in the annual Olathe Elementary Schools Art Exhibit. There are only a few students selected each year and their art is showcased at the school district offices for several weeks. The event is kicked off with a public reception for the artists, which was very well attended on opening night when we went. We enjoyed refreshments and some pretty incredible art, which lined the hallways in nice frames. Chase is pretty talented and we were very proud to support him on his big night. He was very excited!

Chase posing with his artwork (oil pastel)

  

Andrew's 12th Birthday / Deacon

Andrew turned 12 last week and it was a big weekend for him. He had an interview with the bishop, had his family birthday party, was presented in Sacrament Meeting, ordained a deacon, and attended his very first General Stake Priesthood Meeting. He was pretty excited to hit this milestone. I felt very grateful to have participated in this adventure with him. Now he gets to participate in the Troop and will get closer to his Eagle award. We are pretty proud of Andrew. Heck, we are pretty proud of his brothers too. 

Andrew's Birthday

Diana made a cookie/cake

Chase somehow made it into all of the pictures

The newest deacon in the Olathe 1st Ward

Chase's Birthday/Baptism

Chase and I had a pretty great birthday this year (Aug 23) and it was filled with some big events. Chase turned 8 and had his baptism, and is now a Cub Scout. He has been pretty excited about both of these events for quite a while. Brandon, Emily, and their kids came down to visit and got to participate in the baptism, which really meant a lot to Chase. Diana and I had to come to the realization that this was our last child to be baptized and our "baby" is growing up. We thought we were ready for the kids to grow up, but we were wrong! Being a parent is pretty great. We hope you enjoy the pictures.....

Birthday (Aug 23)

The birthday boys

Diana decorated Chase's room while he was at school

Grandpa and Grandma Colbert and Uncle Steven came over for cake, which was great because Grandma made the cake (it was awesome)

Chase is thinking about his wish

Chase opening his big present (slot car race track)

Baptism Day (Aug 28)

Brandon's family came down this weekend

We spent the morning in Independence, Missouri at the LDS Visitor's Center and playing tourist

Andrew, Diana, Emma and Isaac (sidewalk)

Brandon, Hazel and Spencer (by the entrance)

Diana

Anna, Chase, Andrew, Ivy and Isaac watching a presentation

Spencer, Chase, Brandon and Andrew

Brandon....this is an awesome tour

Chase

clockwise from left: Ivy, Spencer, Emma, Andrew, Isaac, Anna and Chase

Around the corner from the visitor's center is the original Independence temple site

About an hour after we got home from Independence we had to go to the church for Chase's baptism

Jordan was able to get off from work long enough to attend

Chase

Diana, Brian, Andrew

Spencer, Jordan

front row: Chase, Anna, Emma

middle row: Diana, Andrew, Isaac, Ivy

back row: Brian, Spencer, Brandon, Hazel, Emily

BSA 100th Anniversary Court of Honor

This past Thursday we attended the Boy Scouts 100th Anniversary Court of Honor. It was a combined Cub Scouts/Boy Scouts event which included a presentation by the Order of the Arrow (BSA Honor Society). It was long, but full of fun stuff. After it was over Spencer was elected to the Order of the Arrow by the Troop. It was a full night!

Chase loves cupcakes!

Diana is so excited to be here

G'pa and G'ma Colbert with cousins Andrienna and Chyna

"My compliments to the cook"

"How you doin'?"

"That's my boy"

Love my farmer's tan

Tent

Andrew

Spencer and leaders

Order of the Arrow presentation

Andrew's patrol participating in the OA presentation

Andrew welcoming a new member to the troop/patrol

Presentation on the life of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts

Andrew's patrol performing a skit

same skit (Chase in blue)

Andrew receiving awards

Spencer receiving his Life rank and pinning the mother's pin on Diana.

Spencer had to complete the Life rank for a second time because Utah lost part of his records