Buddies! Alex Van Vleck, 5, shares some sunshine with Pumpkin Man on Oct. 29. He is the son of Erik Van Vleck and Barbara Bosche, Lawrence. Barbara submitted the photo.

Drink up: Holly Swearingen, 13, Lawrence, prepared her sheep at the 38 annual North American International Livestock Exposition on Nov. 10 in Louisville, Ky. Swearingen fed her sheep drench, which can be compared to a protein shake for humans. Swearingen has exhibited for seven years through the 4-H club. Linda Doane submitted the photo.

We are the champions: Kansas Soccer Association’s Dynamite, a U12 Lawrence soccer team, won a championship soccer tournament Nov. 6 in Overland Park. Back row, from left, are Mikayla Downs, Sydni Beeley, Leah Wethington, Emma Stramberger, Mariah Kaufman, Quincy Beeler, Samantha Powell and Maggie Brierly; front row, Emma Perez, Reagan Sullivan, Coach Todd Trahan, Kylie Hawkins, Maddy Johnson and Grace Patchen. Wendy Powell submitted the photo.

Nice wheels: Orion Baldwin, 6, went trick-or-treating as a race car driver on Halloween. Orion, who has cerebal palsy, had surgery Oct. 9 to straighten out one of his legs and realign his hip and was in a specialized wheelchair. His father built his costume out of paper mache and cardboard. Orion is the son of Kristy and Chris Baldwin, Lawrence. Chris submitted the photo.

Employer of the month: Celebrating of JobLink’s Employer of the Month for November, The Ballard Center, are, from left, Lori Martin (JobLink consultant), Tim Hodges (custodian), Doug Davison (director of human services), and Dianne Ensminger (CEO). Kari Bentzinger submitted the photo.

Future trainman: Nello Allegrucci, 3, was given a “N” for Nello on his ticket from an Amtrak train conductor. Nello, who wants to be a train engineer when he grows up, took a trip with his parents in October from Union Station to Lee’s Summit, Mo. He is the son of Hilary Brown and Scott Allegrucci of Lawrence, who submitted the photo.

Practice makes perfect: Carly Malsom and Austin Roberson, both of Lawrence, rehearsed at Point B Dance for their duet in the B HUMAN Dance Concert. Malsom and Roberson, members of the Art In Motion Dance Company, performed Nov. 5 at the Lawrence Arts Center. Cathy Patterson, artistic director of the Art In Motion Dance Company, submitted the photo.

photo by: Kevin Anderson

No time for confusion: Kenneth Rice of Lake Dabinawa has come up with a simple way to always have his clocks read either Daylight Savings Time or Standard Time without having to reset the time.

Love at first sight: Jeremy and Renaye Knighton, Topeka, admire their newborn daughter, Kya Jo Knighton, just minutes after she was born, Sept. 10, 2011. Kya’s brothers, Aidan and Jackson, are as excited as Grandma Jacque Knighton and Aunt Lorraine McVey, Lawrence. Lorraine submitted the photo.

September sisters: Rachel Smith, left, and Katie Cox, both of Lawrence, celebrated mutual September birthdays, as they do every fall, Oct. 22 at Applebees, 3900 W. Sixth St., Lawrence. Smith submitted the photo.

Robotics rumble: A group of Veritas students, pioneered a Lego Robotics team representing Lawrence, competed Nov. 5 in a “Rumble” at Cerner Corp. in Kansas City, Mo., and placed second. Back row, from left, are Kristian Anderson, Andrew Burger and Declan Oberzan; middle row, Corban Oberzan, Ben Burger, Ian Haas and Noah Haas; and front row, John Meyer. Eric Meyer submitted the photo.

Preschool pilgrims: For the annual Thanksgiving feast Nov. 21 at Green Pastures Preschool, Deb Hird’s Pre-K class sailed on the Mayflower to Plymouth Rock. Kathy Smith submitted the photo.

Always time for a ride: Bridget Schoepflin, 2, Baldwin City, rode the carousel Oct. 15 at the Maple Leaf Festival in Baldwin City. Bridget is the daughter of Jake and Jessika Schoepflin, Baldwin City. She is the granddaughter of Roger and Brenda Schoepflin, Grand Marais, Minn., and Dave and Amy Klamet, Lawrence, and the great-granddaughter of Henrietta Schoepflin, Baldwin City, and Doris Hughes, Lawrence. Grandma Amy submitted the photo, which was taken by family friend, Kathy Jorgensen.

Good/Bad reunion: Friends since birth 92 years ago, Betty Dobbins and (ret.) Dr. Gene Manahan, Lawrence, met again. Unfortunately, their reunion was Nov. 22 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital while both were recovering from falls. Dobbins and Manahan went to high school in Wellington. Their mothers were also good friends. Their daughters, Sherri Millsap and Kylee Manahan, submitted the photo.

Honorary pit crew member: NAPA AUTO PARTS recognized NAPA AutoCare Center owner Danny Fox with the Honorary Pit Crew Member award during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend Oct. 8-9 at Kansas Speedway. Fox and his group were given a private tour of the garage area, pit road and the NAPA hauler led by Michael Waltrip Racing’s Rick Wainright. His name was decaled on the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota and he claimed the official Honorary Pit Crew Member spot on top of the pit box near crew chief Chad Johnston. From left, are Justin Fox, John Krones, Martin Truex, Jr., Danny Fox and Steve Bruce. All are of Lawrence, except Truex. Beth Fox submitted the photo.

We’re No. 1! The second-third grade Perry-Lecompton Junior Kaws football team won the 2011 Toy Bowl Championship on Oct. 30. From left, are Clay McHardie and Matt Bahnmaier, assistant coaches; Ryan Rush, head coach, and Bob Folks, assistant coach. Bob submitted the photo.

All aboard! Conray Rodman, 3, was ready for trick-or-treating in his Thomas the Train costume his Gram Kim made. Conray is the son of Stephanie and Todd Rodman, Lawrence. Stephanie submitted the photo.

That time of year: Dillon Jones, 5, and Porter Jones, 1, prep their Christmas Tree in Fort Collins, Colo. They are the sons of Steve Jones and Cathy Bartlett-Jones, Fort Collins; the grandsons of Susie and Gary Bartlett, Lawrence; and the great-grandsons of Susan Durkin, Eudora; and Norman Bartlett, Lawrence. Gary submitted the photo.

A day to reminisce: The “Salty Dozen” Tailhookers Banquet was Veterans Day, Nov. 11, in the Stuber Research Hangar at Lawrence Airport. Navy pilots remembering how it was, clockwise, from left, are Jim Burnham, John Emerson,Vince Muirhead, Buck Newsom, Jim Cooper, Otto Newton, Al Stuber, Al Hoffman, Greg Pavlyak, Jim Henry, John Jones and Duane Finstad. Gayle Stuber submitted the photo.

’Tis the Season: Daisy through Cadette Girl Scouts, from Schwegler Troops 7112, 3329 and 7611, made prairie ornaments Nov. 14 at the Southside Church of Christ in Lawrence. The ornaments were displayed from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 on a Girl Scout tree at the Liberty Hall Festival of Trees. Stacey Lane submitted the photo.

Legendary costume: Ethan Forbes, 7, was Skull Kid with Majora’s Mask for Halloween from “The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” video game. He is the son of Ken Forbes and Amanda Sterling, Lawrence. Amanda submitted the photo.

¡Cepillate los dientes! El Luchador Dental, the Spanish-speaking dental super hero of Douglas County Dental Clinic says, “Brush your teeth!” The photo was taken Oct. 31 and submitted by Raymond Munoz.

Employer of the month: Culver’s was chosen as JobLink’s Employer of the Month for December. Celebrating from left, are Anita Burkhalter (JobLink consultant), Donna Nichols (Culver’s owner), Cindy Sanders (Culver’s employee), Michelle Cooper (Culver’s manager), Nick Czarnik, Rebekah Holbert, Nicole Henley, Karen Geyer and Albert Gauna (Culver’s employees), and George Nichols (Culver’s owner). Kari Bentzinger submitted the photo.

Gymnasts vault to top: The Lawrence Gymnastics and Athletics Level 4 team took first place in a competition Dec. 4 in Blue Springs, Mo. Back row, from left, are coach Rachel Rasmussen, coach Randy Laggart and Daniel Warren, fourth place, age 9; and front row, Chase Mondi, first place, age 6, Caelan Cordes, first place, age 10 & up, Devin Prather, first place, age 8, and Peyton Wheat, third place, age 7.

Wrap stars: Girl Scout Troop 1211, second-graders from Langston Hughes School, wrapped pajamas to give to children at the Lawrence Community Shelter Dec. 9 at the home of Carisa Stejskal. Back row, from left, are Avery Stejskal, Molly Roecker, Madison Beeley, Kylie Mehojah, Kaylen Flachsbarth, Karsen Ponzer, Addison Driscoll and Molly Weishaar; middle row, Piper Glidewell, Ashton Habiger, Hallie Davis, Savannah Randall, Livy Gowing and Samantha Whittlesey; front row, Callia Peterson, Paige Stoppel, Riley Bird, Cortlyn Ruckman and Haylee Johnson. Not Pictured: Sarah Edmonds and leaders Erin Mehojah and Carisa Stejskal. Carisa submitted the photo.

Not so scary scarecrow! Cooper Josefiak, 9 months, son of Kory and Heather Josefiak of Rozel, was ready for his first Halloween. His grandmother, Cindy Langton of Perry, submitted the photo.

67 and counting ... The 67th wedding anniversary of Jean and Charles “Okie” Snedeger, Lawrence, was celebrated with a family dinner Aug. 10 at LongHorn Steakhouse in Lawrence. They were married on Aug. 10, 1944, in Vallejo, Calif. Okie was in the U.S. Navy and had a 72-hour pass before shipping out for overseas duty during World War II. The couple didn’t see each other again for nearly a year and a half. Their daughter, Sonnie Kemberling, submitted the photo.

Family of the year: The Marilyn Colgan family was recognized as 4-H Family of the Year, Nov. 6 at the 2011 Douglas County 4-H Achievement Celebration. From left, are Margaret Hodges, Melissa Colgan Kalb, MD; Marilyn Hodges Colgan, DVM, MSM; and Michelle Colgan. Marilyn submitted the photo.

Honoring a special veteran: Emma Pogge, 99, Lawrence, was given a bouquet of roses by the Womens Veterans Reunion during Veterans week, Nov. 7-11, in Branson, Mo. Pogge is one of the oldest World War II women veterans. Dorothy Pogge submitted the photo.

Volunteer heroes: The Douglas County chapter of the American Red Cross honored dozens of volunteers during its 95th Annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony, conducted Dec. 7 at the Dole Institute at Kansas University. Three Red Cross volunteers received special awards (from left): Rick Farrier, Distinguished Volunteer Service for National Disaster Relief; Judy Green, Volunteer of the Year in Biomedical Services; and Mckenzie Brungardt, Youth Volunteer of the Year. Overall, chapter volunteers donated more than 9,025 hours of time and talent to support humanitarian services delivered by the Red Cross: disaster relief, blood collections, health and safety education, and emergency communications for the military. Mark Fagan submitted the photo.

Kings, cocktails and carols: Singing “We Three Kings,” from left, are Sheriff Ken McGovern, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical Chief Mark Bradford, and Lawrence Police Chief Tarik Khatib, at Cocktails and Carols with Kim Murphree and Friends Dec. 8 at the Eldridge Crystal Ballroom. The voting raised more than $400 for lawrencebluesanta.org, and Chief Khatib was named the Best Singing King. Kim Murphree submitted the photo.