Kick Off to the Holidays

It is certainly holiday kick-off season.  PRE-BLACK FRIDAY SPECIALS and many more promotions coming at consumers this November.
The 4-H club had our annual bake sale.  We started it a few years ago because we were a small club, and we needed some money.  The bake sale was held in Lemon Park, (in Pratt.)  Each year they hold a yearly event to kick-off the Christmas season.  Several  musical groups, and the chamber gives away many prizes. My kids enjoyed a hay rack ride around the park once the lights were turned on. Allie won a toy nerf gun and was SO thrilled.
Have you ever seen the Lemon Park Lights in Pratt?  You should, it's one of the largest free Christmas light displays around. They turned the lights on Saturday and they will shine until the end of the year.

Veterans Day

Allie is a 4th grader and this was her last Veterans Day parade at her elementary school.  I think my grandpa has been able to come and enjoy the festivities.  My two nieces still attend the school so he will still be welcomed next year.
The third and fourth grades sang several songs. A few kids got to do solos.  A member of the Pratt Police force who is a veteran was the featured speaker.
One thing that stuck to me during his speech was how Veterans Day was celebrated when he was a child.  He said all of the churches in Pratt would ring
their bells or chimes at the 11 hour of the 11th day of November.
This year I also brought along my aunt to the assembly.  She has recently moved back to Pratt after living in Minnesota for a several years.  Hopefully her first winter back won't be too nasty.    I think she enjoyed the chance to get out and enjoy an event in the community.

Big Horn

I took a picture of this cow because she has such big horns, and when she swung her head around, all of the other cows moved back.  She was also a bit bigger than the other cows.  I imagine when she steps up to the bunk, she gets plenty of space.
What beautiful weather we had this weekend.  Of course it did rain on Friday and that messed up some of our early trick or treat time.  We went out Saturday and got enough candy to last us for a few days.  One house had hardly any kids stop by so they loaded the kids up. Weston was Spider-man, Allie was a box troll and Addie was a skier.
There was a cute video about the 'candy tax.'  I think you can imagine what the candy tax is: Dad gets what he wants from the candy bowl because he took the kids out trick or treating.
Sonic had 50 cent corndogs, so we had a few Saturday evening. Maybe more rain this week?

Change is in the air

Finally we reached the end of the first nine weeks.  The girls were glad to get out of school early on Friday.  My niece Kaylee got home and asked her mom if they needed to go anywhere.  Her mom told her they would be staying home.  Kaylee went and put on her pajamas and was ready to take it easy.  First grade can be rather exhausting.
Allie asked me today, "Why are things changing?" Why do things change?  I don't really know the answer to that but it seems to be inevitable.  Change can be hard, and change can be good.
One change I have noticed is our highways.  The expansion west of Wichita on US Hwy 54 is about to be finished.  I don't know if they will start another section of the road or not.  However, when I was a child it took two hours to drive to Wichita.  With improved roads, and the speed limit increased we can now get to the west side of Wichita in one hour and ten minutes.  I consider this to be a good change.
Addie and I rode horses Saturday afternoon and change was certainly in the air.  I had on a few long sleeve shirts and a jacket.  Fall was in the air.  It has stayed fairly warm so far.  I can remember one Halloween we went trick or treating in the snow.  Hopefully we won't have any snow this weekend.
One last change I would like to mention is Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 4, 2015 at 2:00 AM.  The clock is set to go back one hour at that time.  So remember Fall back, spring forward!