Family Museum

During school conferences the kids had a day off so we headed to Davenport for the day for a family trip. We spent most of our time at the Family Museum in Bettendorf. The kids had a great time. Below are some of the highlights of what they did there:

Karley playing in the kitchen of the play house. The girls loved playing house in the "real" but pretend house!

Everything seemed so real.

Josie and Emma playing at the Super Market. All four of them really liked playing in this area also. They had all sorts of food to buy and sell!

Tessa stretching out on a bench while her siblings played.

They had a farm area where all the kids loved playing since they know how to take care of the animals from their experience on the farm.

Connor taking care of the chickens and Emma brushing the donkey.

The girls had a great time in the dress up area and showing their outfits off on the stage.

Emma and Connor challenging each other in checkers. A game they like to challenge each other in at home also. They both are pretty good at the game.

There was something that ALL kids enjoyed. Terry's favorite spot was the Stock Market area. He got a chance to"invest" in some stock and keep up with "current" stock market information. To bad his good investments weren't real we would have came home well off!

After a busy day at the museum and some shopping, the kids got a good nap on the way home.

This is a rare occasion to catch all 5 of them sleeping during the day!

Northern Pike

Connor, Terry and Matt went fishing the other day at a near by lake and Connor came home with the only catch of the day! He was very proud of his 22in Northern Pike. He was very excited to show his sisters that it was still alive and how big his mouth opened!!

Want to go for a stroll????

The other night Josie was playing with Tessa in the front room. As I walk in there she had Tessa in this baby doll stroller pushing her back and forth! She fit perfectly! So every now and then Tessa with get a chance to sit in the stroller as she watches her siblings play around her! She seems to enjoy seeing the world from a new view!

50th Day of School

Last week was the 50th day of school!! So Josie's class had a Sock- Hop to celebrate. The students got to dress up for the day and celebrated with dancing, root beer floats, blowing bubbles, etc. For their Sock Hop they had to bring a pair of socks to donate to a local charity as part of their Service to others. Josie had a great day at school and got lots of comments on her outfit. Thanks to Kristen's mom Carol for the use of the skirt, glasses and scarf around her neck!!

Here are a couple of her photo shots:

Finding her thumb

Recently Tessa has found her thumb! The other night I heard loud sucking coming from her room; as I look in her bed there was Tessa sucking away. When we see this, we try to give her her pacifier so we don't get another thumb sucker like her bigger sister Karley! Though at times, Tessa prefers her thumb to the pacifier!

Football game

Connor enjoys going outside and playing football with his cousins, neighbor boys or sisters. This day Connor was teaching Karley how to play football.

Connor telling a play to Karley and then he passes her the ball and tells her to run!

Karley running with the ball!

Connor recovering the fumble!

There was a lot of laughter going on during this game!!

School Halloween Dance

One more Halloween picture. Holy Ghost hosted a Halloween dance and this is what the kids dressed up as: Emma (Witch), Connor (baseball player), Tessa (lady bug), Josie (bunny) and Karley (donkey). They had a great time dancing and playing with their friends!

Baily Ford Park

Connor and Terry have really enjoyed going trout fishing and have found many new spots; it has been their favorite thing to do on the weekend if it works out. This particular one they really liked because Connor thought it would be a great place for his sisters to come along because they could fish or play on the playground. This is Baily Ford Park in Manchester. A couple of Saturdays ago it was a great November day and Connor wanted to take the WHOLE family fishing here. So we packed up and headed out! It was a great day weather wise and a great family outing.

This is how clear the water was in the creek; you could literally see the fish swim by!

Terry standing in the middle of the creek trying his luck!

Emma trying her luck from the bridge!

Connor trying his luck a little ways down stream!

Unfortunately, we didn't have any luck with the fish. Terry came close a couple of times, but the water was so clear that once they notice him, they took off even after many attempts to hide from them as well!

While the boys continued to fish, the girls and I went on a hike on the different trails. They had a great time discovering and observing nature. Before Emma, Karley and Tessa joined on the trails, we went jogging to check the trails out. Josie thought that was great exercise!!

Hiking up the steps!

Stopping MANY times along the way to decide what path to take next, look at leaves, pick up sticks and leaves (Karley came home with two pockets full) and just looking at different trees. The girls favorite were the pinkish/reddish leaves they found. They filled their pockets with them!

After walking the different trails, we headed over to the playground. The girls played there for a long time!

This was the girls favorite thing to play on: the wooden train! I enjoyed just watching and listening to them play!

A picture of the kids and me while eating a little snack before getting ready to go!

Karley catching a nap on the way home. The rings around her neck are from a twister game she brought a long to play with in the van when we left. She was playing with rings and the purple connectors the whole ride. This is what she looked like after falling asleep!

Also on our way home, we stopped for a late lunch and then we stopped by the Delhi Damm to show the kids what it looked like. They found that quite interesting. As they were walking along the bank with Terry they even found a part of a door with its handle and other household items and parts.

It was a great day.... Great idea Connor!!!!!

Checkers Anyone???

Tessa is going to know how to play all sorts of games by the time she is one! Here Josie is teaching Tessa how to play checkers! What great teachers she has!

Aloysius Elroy Berning

On November 4, 2010, Aloysius Elroy Berning was welcomed into the Berning family! He is the 20th grandchild for Mom and Dad. Matt, Natalie and Willa were very excited and all are doing well.

Aloysius was named after his two Great- Grandfathers: Aloysius (Matt's) and Elroy (Natalie's). Willa seems to have adjusted quite well with having lots of practice with baby cousins Tessa and Truman before the arrival of her brother!

Tessa (10 weeks) and Aloysius (1 day)

Willa and Karley being proud Big sisters!

Hefel Family Pumpkin Day

This year our family enjoyed another pumpkin family day Hefel's farm. The day included feeding the goats, a hay ride and pumpkin carving. We had great weather and lots of family fun!

Terry and the girls feeding the goats.

Picking what pumpkins to carve from the great selection.

Josie and Emma drawing their designs.

Emma starting the carving process.

Josie enjoyed cleaning her pumpkin out and collecting the seeds.

Connor starting the carving process with the eyes first.

Karley cleaning out the inside... she wasn't afraid to clean the pumpkin out!

Five little pumpkins sitting in a row!!

(the uncarved one is Tessa's and then they go in order from Karley's up to Connor)

Berning Halloween Party

We had our 6th annual Halloween party at Tim and Kristen's house. Each year there are always creative family costumes that everyone tries to keep as a secret until the party. Tim keeps the kids entertained each year. This years activities included: a tour around the house while listening to ghost stories and being scared by Matt and Terry has they hid outside, blowing cups off the table, stacking apples, and the kids favorite... they each had to draw a picture and afterwards Mom played a melody on the guitar and Tim, Stacy, Matt and I had to sing what was on the picture! Everyone had a great time with a lot of laughs!!

Belken family: The Nativity Scene

Brown family: Hawkeye Fans

Penny: Candy Corn Witch

M. Berning family: Egg, Bacon and Toast

Bowman family: Gilligan's Island

T. Berning family: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Oberfoell family: O-B-E-R-F-O-E-L-L

Mom and Dad: Southern Hosts

All the grandchild waiting patiently for the festivities to begin!!

Bed Head

The other day Karley came out from her nap with this wild hair!!