HALLOWEEN IN KNOX

Becca shows off her 'witch' costume. Just before going trick-or-treating Becca and Bizzy walked the back part of the lot at Yellow House and took some pictures. She also brought along her friend, the jack-o-lantern.

 I CAN RIDE A GO CART

Becca rides the pedal-powered go carts at the Pumkinfest.  This was really hard as the track consisted mostly of mud. After trying two or three of the different carts, she finally found one that would allow her to pedal through the mud. After riding the go carts, she took a ride on the cow train, a series of drums cut to allow riders and painted a cow theme.

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I WANT TO LIVE ON A FARM!

Becca enjoyed the fun part of Pumkinfest, that is, play-acting the role of what life would be like on the farm. Life-like models of cows with udders attached to bottles of water allowed kids the opportunity to "milk".

Not only that, she "rode" a farm horse, and lassoed her dad with a rope. Anything that imitates riding a horse, Becca truly loves. If she had her way, she'd have a horse on the property at Yellow House. Our little acre, however, is too small to keep a horse.

A HAYRIDE IN ZIONSVILLE

Corn is the grain of life. We eat corn with nearly every meal. Corn is the backbone of the midwest. 

Becca and I nearly sat on a cob while on the hay ride. Mommy told her to toss it aside, but Becca wanted to scrutinize it.  You know fall is at its height when the cornstalks all turn brown. 

These pictures were also from the Pumpkinfest in Zionsville. Below, Becca plays in the corn pit, just like the one she and her classmates participated in at Guse's in Wanatah.

A Brief Respite on a Bridge

 We found this bridge while visiting the Zionsville Country Market Pumpkinfest on Sunday, Oct. 23.  Located just north of Indianapolis, we stopped while on our way home.

Here, I stopped for a momentary respite on a tiny bridge across a tiny creek (if you can call it that) and leaned against the railing. Bizzy caught me with her new camera.

Then (below) Becca came along and rested with her dad.  Bizzy caught us both in great repose!

Who's That Behind Me?

At the Zionsville Country Market Pumpkinfest, Becca finds, yet again, a pony to ride. After Daddy had to help her into the saddle, Becca took a couple of trips around the pen. While riding, Mommy took this picture with her new Canon digital EOS Rebel. What a great shot!

After her ride, Daddy went back in and helped Becca get down.

Speaking of Pumpkins

After riding the pony, Becca went straight to the tiny pie pumpkin patch for her free pumpkin. From here, she went to the decorating tent to decorate her pumpkin.

To say that Becca loves pumpkins is putting it mildly.

PUTTING MY NAME ON THE PUMPKIN!


We were at Guse's Corn Maze for the second grade field trip this week and, after a harrowing 90 minutes traversing the very confusing corn maze, Becca and I and her whole class took a hay ride to the pumpkin patch.

After searching for 20 minutes, Becca found the perfect pumpkin. Here, her teacher, Mr. Masson, lends Becca a sharpie so she can put her name on it.

Oh, and for the first week of October, the temperature rose to a record-breaking 87 degrees that day!

We had so much fun. This was Becca's second trip to Guse's; her first grade class went there last year. This was my first field trip with my daughter. I, too, had so much fun!

SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER!


You can tell when summer is almost over. Bizzy and Charles goes back to work. Becca heads back to school (a second grader this year! Wow, is the time flying or what?) The temperature starts to dip below 60 degrees. The boats come out of the water after Labor Day Weekend.  The piers come in by the end of September. . .

And, Grandma and Grandpa leave for Arizona.:(

We know we all will miss Grandma and Grandpa, but Becca says she will miss them more.  By the time our lake residents were ready to leave, Becca was riding the bus to their lake house nearly every day just to get that much more time with them.

We helped them get the houses shut down (the one to Grandpa's right - on his left as you look at the picture, and the one in the background behind Grandpa) and ready for the winter.  Our lake house remains ready for whenever we wish to head to the lake on a long weekend for some much needed relaxation.

--

Dr. Elizabeth Ratliff

Knox High School Principal

Piano Going Well For Becca

Becca shows us her skills after only two lessons.  She is absolutely having fun learning the keys, practicing notes, reading music and conducting her Hanon scales.  Enjoy!

AT THE BAND COMPETITION

Knox High School's marching band, the Red Brigade, competed at Goshen Sept. 9, and placed second overall (a first top three at their first meet in several years) and also earned Best Overall General Effect.

While waiting for the band to take the field, we sat in the stands and goofed off.  Here Becca shows her excitement while waiting to hear the band's latest production.  We asked her to show us how to prepare for the flute and this is what we got!

 AT THE BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL


Becca loves riding horses.  Whenever we hit a festival or fair, Becca heads straight for the pony rides.  Whenever she rides, however, she rides pony-sized horses.

This year, at the Marshall County Blueberry Festival, Labor Day Weekend, Becca found the big horses.  Here, she's being led around the ring.  After about a 10-minute ride, she gets off . . . then proceeds to ask for a horse - for the next 3 days!

We love her, but have no room for a horse right now.  Besides, we know a few people who have horses, so invitations to ride with them come from time to time.

After the ride, Becca thanks the man who helped her and takes off her helmet.

TO THE FOOTBALL GAME WE GO!


High School football season has begun. While on the way to the first game of the season, Bizzy snapped this picture of Charles driving.

Our beloved Knox Redskins got off to a great start, trouncing the Winamac Warriors 55-6.  Then things got a little hectic, with the Redskins losing the next three games against powerhosue opponents North Judson, John Glenn and Jimtown.  Looking at 1-3, Knox traveled to LaVille Friday, Sept. 16, and snagged another convincing win, defeating the Lancers 41-16.

Five weeks in and we still have Homecoming at the end of the month and away games the first two weekends in October.

Wish us luck!

HARVEST FESTIVAL IN KNOX

Whenver there's a festival in the area, Becca loves hitting the carnival rides. Here she's riding the giant swing that goes around, and tilts at the same time.  The girl gets carsick whenever we go to town, but put her on a merry-go-around or a swing and a way she goest!

The Knox Harvest Festival occurs on the last weekend in August.

PIANO LESSONS BEGIN!

Becca began Piano lessons this week.  We were hoping to start her at the beginning of the summer, but, as you know, fun gets in the way.  Not to say that playing piano isn't fun; it is!  

Bizzy's assistant band director at the high school got married over the summer and his wife was a band director at a major high school in South Bend, that is until she moved to Bass Lake to get married.

She offered to teach Becca and leaped at the chance. Charles got the piano tuned and Becca began her Hanon scales.  She's loving every minute of it!

COLTON'S BIRTHDAY


For Colton's 17th Birthday we all went to Pablano's Mexican Restaurant for a taste of home.  While there, the employee's all sang "Happy Birthday" (the American version) to Colton and placed a huge plate of fried ice cream in front of him.  It was so delicious, Becca stole a couple of bites.

A few days later, Colton headed for home.

BECCA SURFING AT VBS


This summer, Becca got the chance to attend Vacation Bible School at Eagle Creek Church with many of her friends from school.  Here she's sitting next to Gabe, who's in her class at school.

Of course, it helps to have your parents teaching the science crafts portion of the VBS program.  Biz and Charles were asked to help out and got to be there to see Becca participate in all the activities.

We all had so much fun we're planning on being there next year as well.

BREAKFAST AT THE FARM WITH COUSINS


Becca was able to go out to the Sanders Farm (Uncle Rod's) and have breakfast with her cousins, Vinny and Carmen Garcia. Here they are shown sharing a cardboard box, playing together and having fun. They must be pretending they're in a boat at Bass Lake! Ah, imagination! What would we do without it!

OFF TO THE FAIR!

One of our favorite things to do in the summer is go to the Starke County Fair. Here, Becca and Leslie visit the Conservation Clubhouse. Becca likes going here to try and fish for a goldfish. Her Uncle Chris has been taking her fishing and teaching her how to fish, so Becca thought she'd try out new techniques in fishing.

Becca also likes going to the animal buildings. Her favorite is the pig pens. Although the picture says contrary, "Something smells!" Becca can't wait to go see the animals.


We've been told that Yellow House has enough property to put in a pig pen and Becca could raise a pig for 4H when she's older.  We're just not sure we want to go through that. Charles has a hard enough time trying to get a garden to grow.

Elizabeth "Biz" Ratliff

While driving to Valpo to see the movie "CARS 2" Becca pops over the seat to have her pic taken with Aunt Leslie!

We watched the movie in 3D and then went for a bite to eat at Red Robin. For the most part, we had so much fun!

COLTON LEARNS TO FLY!
"Why can't I?" asks Becca.


After straightening the basketball hoop, which suffered a blow by the snow plows this winter and was skewed off-center by about 10 degrees, Colton sets the hoop to regulation height and practices his dunk.  He reached the rim earlier in the week, and here is showing Bizzy (who took the shots and video) and Becca, sitting atop Titanic, still on the trailer at the garage, how he does it.

First, Colton takes a run at the hoop, dribbling as he is supposed to.


He takes his allotted three steps. . .




Stretches the ball up with both hands . . .

And, SWOOOSH!!! Nuthin' but net and hands!

As you can see, Colton is pretty far off the ground. His next learning objective? The Alley OOP!

BECCA ENJOYS DIP IN LAKE!

Every chance Becca gets, she jumps in the lake. What can we say, she's a fish!  I guess that's why she keeps telling us that she wants to be on the swim team and not the basketball team. Although, she has enjoyed playing basketball with her cousin Colton, just as much as she has enjoyed frolicking in the lake with her Uncle Claude E.

Here, Becca gives a thumbs up after swimming under the pier. We keep telling her not to do that, but she says she can hold her breath long enough.

A NICE SWIM!

Becca and Uncle Claude enjoy a cool dip in Bass Lake between the piers.  Becca loves nothing more than swimming in Bass Lake, except maybe swimming with a buddy!  We have certainly enjoyed Uncle Claude and Aunt Kasey's visit during the middle part of June, sometimes hot, sometimes cool.  Uncle Claude helped get boats and jet skis running and tubing and lake activities has been a part of the everyday functions.

OFF TO THE MINT FESTIVAL!

We all enjoy going to the Mint Festival, held every June on Father's Day Weekend, in North Judson.  Becca loves going and enjoys all the activities, especially the pony rides. Every year, afterwards, Dad has to contend with the one question, "When can we get a horse?"

While at the Mint Festival Becca enjoys getting her face painted. She chooses a different design each year, but it always looks similar to a cat face. Afterwards, Becca found Colton and posed for a picture with her 'brother'.

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 BECCA LEARNS TO MOW THE YARD!


Dad went out the other day and began mowing the yard at the new lake house and Becca decided it was time to learn how to mow!  Because the yard is smaller than the one at Yellow House, Dad had to get out the electric push mower. As you can see, it can be pretty difficult to mow while trying to drag an electric cord behind, but Becca manages to do it.

Now, everytime Dad mows, Becca is right there to help.

MOWING THE LAWN AT SUNNYBROOK!


Right after Memorial Day, Biz and Charles closed on the lake house they've been trying to buy. The grey house in the back, now dubbed "Sunnybrook" as in "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Cottage" is the new summer vacation residence of The Ratliffs.  If you look closely, the brown house on the left is the cottage occupied by Biz's Mom and Dad, the Sanders.  We were lucky enough to buy the house right next door so that we can be close to Mom and Dad.

Becca has decided that one of her new chores at the lake house is helping Dad mow the lawn. Dad is happy about that!

As you can see, she is also happy about helping out. Life at the lake is not all about swimming! As Mommy says, "First, we work, then we play!"

OFF TO THE CONCERT!

Here, Becca is wearing one of her favorite dresses as we get ready to attend the Spring Choir concert at Knox High School. Among the many things Becca enjoys, besides dressing up, is listening to her mommy's students sing and perform concerts. Every time Bizzy says its time to go to a concert, Becca is in her closet looking for the perfect dress to wear.

Off to the Zoo!

For the end of the year field trip, Becca went with her class and the entire first grade to Potawatomie Zoo, in South Bend, for the day.  She had lots of fun petting animals, exploring the habitats, and being outdoors. Here she can be seen with her friends (from class and the zoo:).

Biz measured her the other day and noted that Becca has grown a full inch just since early March - in two months!  Becca still remains nearly a full head taller than most of her classmates.

Happy Birthday Bizzy!

As my Momma always said, "Never send a Bundt to do an Angel's job!"

For Bizzy's birthday, Charles tried to bake Bizzy her favorite cake - an Angel Food cake. So, rather than use one of her two Angel Food cake pans, duh!, he poured the batter into Bizzy's fancy swirl Bundt cake pan. . .

The cake batter overflowed in the oven, puffed out of the pan and refused to pop out when it was done cooking. Luckily, Charles had the foresight to put a cookie sheet beneath the cake, so cleanup was minimal.  The result, however, can be proudly seen in this photo.

Bizzy says this one takes the cake!