Rapp Kids

Collins had a blueberry beard on this morning.

Boys were building their new Hero Factory guys.

Colton showing off his new Hero Factory.

Collins has a favorite stuffed animal. It is a pink pig that we simply call "Piggy." She loves it!

Here she is giving Piggy some love.

Collins behind the wheel!

This was crazy!

Today the weirdest thing happened. Let me give you the story in bullet format.

• Collins was sleeping, boys were being noisy so I sent Carter and Colton outside to play. Yes, it was kind of drizzling, but they were happy to be outside.
• I was downstairs working on school lesson plans for next week. Hunter was practicing the piano. Thus, I could not hear my cell phone or the home phone ring.
• While on the trampoline, Colton's basketball escaped and went rolling down the hill away from our house.
• Carter told Colton that he would go down into the woods to find the ball. 
• A bit later, Colton comes in the house crying and tells me that his ball rolled down to the waterfall and that Carter went after it.
• I (feeling a bit annoyed) said that I would go look for the ball and would find Carter and tell him to come back to the house. I never like the boys to go down to the waterfall by themselves and especially not on a day like today when it had been raining lots. The waterfall is always at full speed after a big rain.
• As I walk into my room to get my shoes, I notice that the answering machine light if flashing. Trying to multi-task, I push the button to listen to the message as I grab my shoes. It was Todd on the message and it went something like this: "Hello, hello. Is anyone there? Call me back as soon as you can. Carter got lost in the woods and a neighbor is bringing him home."
• I quickly call Todd and at the same time hear a car pull into my driveway. So I hang up the phone and go to the door. It was a very nice man, who lives on Country Bluff Drive (just a street over) who had heard Carter yelling out in the woods behind his house. 

So let's wrap this thing up. Carter headed out into the woods, not toward the waterfall, but in the opposite direction. He couldn't find the ball so he just kept walking and pretty quickly realized that he was lost. Apparently he was in the woods yelling, "Mom, dad....Todd, Bronwyn!"  Thankfully this gentleman heard him and came to his rescue. And guess what, when asked Carter was able to recite Todd's phone number.  What a blessing! Each morning before school we pray and then do Questions. I quiz the boys on questions like: how many states in the U.S., current and past presidents, branches of the !government, continents, seasons, months, days of the week, Bible questions, whatever we are studying that week...plus their address and important phone numbers. Woo hoo! It paid off and Carter knew what to do. 

When he got home he was cold and a little wet, but just fine overall. He gave me the biggest hug and got a little weepy as he recounted the whole story to me. I was so thankful. We stopped to pray and thank God for so many ways that He protected Carter today. 

Silver Dollar City

Thursday was a perfect day to visit Silver Dollar City so we put school on hold and I took the kids out to SDC for the day. It was lovely weather and no crowd, which is a perfect combo for a day at the park. Right now as part of the Harvest Festival, Silver Dollar City has a "Salute to the Great American Cowboy." The boys got to observe a true to life chuck wagon set-up and sample some beans and cornbread made authentic cowboys. Hunter declared that he would have gotten along fine as a cowboy eating beans and cornbread twice a day. We also watched a Western Stunt Show. The boys couldn't quit talking about it. So fun! We are planning to go back soon to do it again.

Everybody together for a picture.

Connor 's pose is awesome.

Waiting for the stunt show to begin.

Don't worry, he posted bail.

Great American Plunge - Carter and Connor.

Hunter by himself.

Front row, ready to ride Wildfire.

On Friday

Yesterday morning, before I woke up, I heard footsteps run past our bedroom door and then the front door open and close. I laid there a while and then decided to get up and see what was going on. Carter is usually the first kid awake and he had decided to get outside for a morning workout. When I found him he was attempting chin-ups on a tree branch. Todd got the picture of his muscle pose.

We took the boys out for a fun evening of bumper boats and go-karts.

This was just about the only thing Collins was big enough to ride.

Connor

On Wednesday night at Awanas, Connor was asked to write out a list of things for which he is thankful. This was his list.
(I left the spelling just as he wrote.)

• Parents
• God
• Awanas
• Flexabilety
• Dark hair
• Brothers
• Saving me (I asked about this...he was thankful that God saves).
• Bible
• Friends
• Longhorns
• Freeking people out
• Sister
• Anything good

Things that make me happy

1. A clean bathroom with a candle burning
2. A fountain drink Coke
3. Dove Dark Chocolates
4. Getting Collins out of her crib each morning and after naps
5. Watching a movie late at night with Todd
6. Days at home with the boys doing home school (OK, some days this makes me crazy, but overall I love it.)
7. Covers all the way up to my chin
8. Cleaning out a closet
9. Helping a friend
10. Looking at past End of the Bend blog books
11. New shoes
12. A chance to sit and read
13. When all the kids are in bed and the house is picked up. All is quiet.
14. Q&A Time at the beginning of our school day
15. Seeing God answer a prayer (More than happy...amazed and thankful at His great plan.)
16. Fall weather
17. Hearing Connor laugh
18. Watching Hunter care for Collins
19. When Colton does something I'm Third for his brothers
20. Carter's moments of greatness - when he chooses to be kind, to be helpful, to be thankful