September 2025

I started out September with a beautiful sunrise.

Then I headed to Donut Days to pick up some breakfast. This is my favorite donut place in Lexington - especially their cake donut with white icing. 

The kids had done some things they shouldn't have so I took down all the TV's in the house. The kids came up with a list of things they wanted to do while not having their electronics. Apparently first on the list was becoming Smurfs. I didn't know what the kids were getting into upstairs while they were doing this, but they were having the best time. I told Jennifer I didn't care what they were getting into and that I would clean up any mess. I was just happy to hear them laughing and playing together without electronics. 

Another view of their painted bodies. They went all out. Maybe I could get them to do this for a UK game sometime. 

The also tried to set up a ping pong contraption, but they were never patient enough to get it completed. 

I taught Landon how to turn on and man the grill. 

A little late this year but I got my sidewalk chalk out and made the kids take their grade pictures. Brinley did not want to participate and would only give me this silly smile.  

Meet Landon vs. the leaf blower. 

Landon went fishing with his buddy Tate. He was able to catch this little guy. 

Brinley and her Henry Clay teammates signed up to play in a fall softball league in Georgetown. They couldn't play under their school name, so they played as the Cotton Candies.  Brinley continued playing at 3rd base for the team. Brinley has gotten so much better over the past year, but she still has a long way to go before she can get quality reps with the varsity squad. 

Another early morning sunrise. 

This little lady was waiting to see me when I walked to my car from work. She loves some popscicles, her front porch, and playing outside. She is enjoying some final days before the baby arrives. 

It's that time of year again for the Survivor Picnic. 

Landon and I riding in the train. This train has been at the last 13 survivor picnics. We sure have gotten a lot of use out of this train. Still works great!

This girl sometimes acts like she is irritated with me, but deep down I she enjoys her old man. I am so proud of her. For the last few years she been a very helpful worker at the picnic. This year she was in charge of the duck pond. Every kid had to go by her activity table because it was on the check off list in order to get something at the prize table. 

This was by far the smallest amount of people that we had to work the picnic. A lot of people were out of town and unable to help on the actual day of the event. We scrambled around all morning getting everything set up and it turned out to be a pretty awesome day. 

Exhausted was an understatement. We had loaded and unloaded the Penske truck a total of 4 times in less that 24 hours. We were all so tired, but also so thankful to have been able to celebrate all our patients. Some of these ladies have been a part of this for the past 20 years. This was my 13th year with the committee.

A lot of people were surprised that I skipped going to the UK game to attend the Survivor Picnic. Well, I would never miss the picnic. When we left the storage building I turned on the radio to hear we were only down one touchdown with about 7 minutes left in the game. I found a spot to watch the ending of the game, but Kentucky was not able to finish the comeback. 

Went out even earlier than normal so that I could see the blood moon. It was so bright and lit up the sky that you couldn't see as many stars as usual. 

Brinley's team also decided to play in the Kentucky fall league. This was most of the varsity girls and they didn't do much subbing out of the game. Brinley played third base and made a couple of good plays. She is doing great for still not even being in high school. I am proud that she continues to fight and work for a spot on varsity this year. 

We stopped for a little treat after her game at Graeters ice cream. Brinley enjoyed some mint chocolate chip ice cream and we talked about the game. I was proud of her and being able to take some criticism from me.

Another Saturday home football game and I was so pumped about the pre-game meal that they had from Dad's Favorites. They had one of my favorite sandwiches - The Rushmore which is served with a beer cheese dipping sauce. I'd dip about anything in this and eat it. 

I joined a new men's Bible study and we are studying the 23rd Psalm with a teaching fffffrom Louie Giglio. I was able to read the first two chapters while I was waiting for recruits to drive over to the stadium. 

With September 11th having just happened they brought a large flag out for pregame and saluted all the military in attendance. I can't believe that it has been 24 years since the attacks on 9/11.

Made our way down to the field to see the team come out of the tunnel. Always fun to see things from field level. I will never get tired of standing on the sidelines.  

Lot of opening action along our side of the field. Got to see an almost pick-6 and then two rushing touchdowns that happened right in front of us. 

On Sunday the 14th we officially got to meet McKinley and Taylor's son, Theo. He was born on the 12th. We got to meet him once they were released from the hospital. 

Landon and I took a night walk one night while the girls were at a softball game. Beautiful picture here by the lake of Jacobson Park. 

Landon had decided to spend some of his birthday money to buy himself a scooter. He has asked to ride it almost everyday and even rode it to school a few days. The most important thing we tell him is that he must wear a helmet.

Another sunset picture - God makes the most amazingly beautiful pictures every night. 

I had a day off so McKinley and I played some board games while both kids took a nap. While we were playing they had a surprise visitor - Mrs. Barb, who works with us at the hospital. 

Jennifer painted this paver to go with the stones I had painted with all the fruits of the spirit on them. We have put it back up into the park - I wonder if anyone will steal these. We are working on getting the rock garden filled back up after all of the stones were taken. Brinley made a stone telling people politely to not take the rocks. Below is the picture of the stone with all the fruits of the spirit rocks that I had painted. 

First time all year that we were all able to attend Landon's cross country race. This was a race where you weren't able to see much of the course, but he had to run through a creek at one point in the race. We thought about going to the Spoonbread festival afterwards, but Landon had blisters on his feet and nobody saw anything that they had to have when we drove past it. We instead stopped at Bucee's on the way home. 

I had gotten a coupon to try out a new car wash. We all went together and the kids had a blast vacuuming out the car. Then of course they couldn't help it - they just had to get into the trunk. These two are wild, but most of the time they enjoy being around each other. 

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Brinley and Jennifer have been busy painting bricks and rocks to create a tiny town. These are very cute and a nice addition to the rock garden. 

This was my souvenir from our trip to Alaska. It shouldn't have been that hard, but I struggled with it. For about a week I had only done the border, city names, and the animals. I finally set down and struggled through the water and islands.

Both kids participated in their school's color run. They got tons of colored powder all over themselves. It looks like from these pictures that they had a good time. 

The Maitland's came down to Lexington to meet Theo and to celebrate Grandpa's birthday. This was the first time all six grandkids were together. This was the first time Landon wasn't the only boy in the cousin crew picture. 

Ma and Pa with all their children and grandchildren. Theo was the sixth grandchild and therefore was awarded the infamous Ricker - long story for another day. 

Brinley is a good older cousin. She was helping take care of and entertain all of the younger cousins. 

First time holding Theo for all of these cousins. Brinley doesn't really feel comfortable holding tiny babies, but Landon and Olivia didn't have any problems.

I got a puzzle out and separated the border before I went to my Bible study. When I returned home I was surprised to see it completed by Brinley. She did all 500 pieces while I was gone. 

Jennifer has been busy painting pavers for the rock garden. We decided after someone stole all of our painted rocks that we would paint rocks with messages about God, Jesus and the Bible. Maybe these could serve as inspiration for anyone that walks by and sees them.