Patoka 2011

As of tomorrow September is over and fall is almost here. But, that doesn't mean we stopped having fun! Rain or shine our family, including our extended family, continues to have a great time! Last weekend was the Payne Family Annual Patoka Camp-out! We really roughed it in the cabins, but our spirits were high even when the rain fell down. It rained most of the time we were there, but we packed the fun in when it wasn't raining, and we found ways to keep having fun when it was coming down. September was tons of fun....we can't wait for October!

Wyatt discovered "laundry rides"!

Patoka is not complete without the barrel train! Gwen and the other girls even learned how to hitch a ride :-)

Gwen and Alayna were having a blast on the train (even though Alayna's face isn't showing it here)

Gwen was loving the train so much that Poppy bought her and Wyatt their very own car during the family auction! We can't wait to use it!

What family reunion is complete without a Fancy Nancy party? Gwen and the other little cousins loved their girl time together...the boys even had their time talking football inside :-)

"More tea, please"

Wyatt may have been the only boy at the tea party, but he loved it!

What is the best thing to do when you have 11 kiddos together?

A PINATA!!!!!!

(Gwen has already decided she is having one at her birthday party)

After naps it was time to dress up again! This time to trick-or-treat in our Halloween costumes! Gwen decided that this year she wanted to be Little-Bo-Peep and Wyatt could be her little lost sheep.

We found Bo-Peep and her sheep!

Such a cute little sheep!

My happy little guy!

Gwen really wanted the pinata to break....it just had other plans. It took an intermission due to rain and some adult interventions to get this pinata to spill its candy!

Gwen loves to swing!

We had a great time getting to see all the family and playing together! We loved getting the chance to see our Auntie A "who lives too far away" according to a particular 3 year old. Gwen had slumber parties with Whitney and Ashley while at the camp-out and loved it! She even read Auntie A. a princess story before bed without being asked (it was using the Bible, but still super cute!). We can't wait to get together again!

Notable Quotes:

G: "Denver and I are getting married at the zoo and we are going to ride an elephant. Daddy is going to walk me across the island so I don't trip."

G:"Where does Gram live?"

M:"In Tennyson"

G:"But what about Huntingburg?"

M:"That's North of here. Gram doesn't live North of us"

G:"Oh, so that is where Santa lives! He lives North"

G:"Mommy, why do they put poop on the ground?"

M:"To help the corn grow."

G:"Is it pig poop. Bill has a lot of pig poop. Is it turkey poop?"

M:"It can be from pigs or turkeys"

G:"Pooka has a lot of poop. They should use dog poop. I have a lot of poop. They can use my poop too."

M:"Okay, Gwen. That's enough."

G:"No more poop talk?"

M:"Yep, no more."

G:"Mommy, guess what? I am 10 today!!!!"

M:"You are?"

G:"Yes, I am. Let's go get my ears pierced!"

M:"Sorry, Gwen. You are 3, not 10. You will have to wait."

G:"Okay. Mommy, guess what? I'm 25! I can have a boyfriend!!!!! Denver and I are getting married at the zoo....."

G:"We should watch Shaun the Sheep, Dad. We can laugh together because my laugh is cute!"