Best Day Ever (bucket list update)

This morning the boys were content to sit around in their PJ's and play video games. Little did they know what was in store for them. :)

While they played, they completely missed the fact that we had packed bags for each of them and loaded the car. So when we told them to get dressed and get ready to go, they assumed that we were just running into town for errands and lunch.  Nate even noticed the bags in the back of the car and asked why they were there, but was satisfied with my noncommittal answer. 

We left the house at 10:45. Still on the road at 11:45, Tom and I were shocked that none of the boys had asked what was going on. We pulled into Solon, Iowa for lunch at 12:15. We ate at the Big Grove Brewery. Thank goodness for our patient waitress!

At this point the boys still thought we were running errands. I asked them if this qualified as a road trip (for our bucket list) and Nate informed me that, "it's not a road trip until you drive two hours and stay somewhere overnight."  

After lunch we headed to Iowa City so Tom could do a little beer shopping. Nile then told me that if we drove another 20 minutes it would count as a road trip. 

Novak fell asleep while Tom was in the store. 

A short 20 minute drive later, we pulled into the Wasserbahn water park and hotel in Williamsburg. It wasn't until we parked that the two older boys finally figured out what was going on.  And they were super excited. Novak was still sound asleep. :)

Most of my pictures are of Novak because he has been glued to me like, well, glue. 

Playing card games ("War") in the hotel room. 

Watching Netflix (SpiderMan)

Check off:

Road Trip (bucket list item #3)

Stay in hotel (bucket list item #2)

Bucket List update

In our quest to complete as many of the Christmas Bucket List items as possible, tonight we crossed two more off the list!

The boys weren't expecting the surprise stop at Orange Leaf (item #5). Then we went to QC Entertainment for bowling and a few arcade games (item #11).

Christmas Break Bucket List

Last night at dinner, the boys and I were talking about the things we/they wanted to do over their holiday break. Since we have one more week, I suggested that we make a list of all those things, and see how many we could cross off. Knowing that we might not get everything, I encouraged them to make the list fairly long so we could have a higher chance of success. 

So without further ado, here is the Christmas Break Bucket List!

Today we set about crossing off a few items. 

We started with #7, furniture shopping - we have been wanting to update our living room since our couch is stained and damaged by raising three toddlers around it. 

Then after successfully finding furniture (yes it is what is pictured above), without a single meltdown, we enjoyed lunch at Lagomarcino's, complete with ice cream sundaes for dessert. Bucket list item #1 and #7 complete. 

I wonder which we will complete tomorrow?

Christmas Morning

Santa was generous this year. 

Nate - Lego Mindstorms robot

Nile - BB gun

Novak - Batman robot

Merry Christmas!

Pumpkin day

Happy Halloween from a bat with purple wings, Principal Ryerson, and Harry Potter. 

How I really look on weekends

This weekend Novak really wanted to take my picture. 

Recently I had a professional head shot taken at work. 

I think the pictures Novak took of me are better. Definitely more authentic. 

Our annual family 5k

I think I post each year how much I love this race. It's one of my favorite things to do each fall, and it just isn't fall without it. I think the year Novak was born we skipped it, (he was a week old after all), but we have done this each year since Nile was a baby. 

This year, Tom ran the 5k, Nate and Nike ran the 1 mile, and Novak ran the 1/4 mile. I was a spectator for the first time. 

This was the 25th anniversary for this race, so they had a few extra special things on hand. The blacksmith from he John Deere historic site was there doing demonstrations. Novak talked to him (asked nonstop questions like "What do you do next?  Now what do you do?) for about 10 minutes. At one point during the barrage of questions the man made eye contact with me and I knowingly said, "welcome to my world!"

Playing with dad. 

Ready to run. 

Waiting for the 1 mile with his medal. 

Family photo. 

Crazy family photo. 

Note that Tom didn't get the memo. 

Also note cousin Brandton in the background. :)

Flag football

Nile had his first flag football game last night. This picture was on the community center web site. It made me smile. A lot. 

After complaining all day about how he didn't want to play, Nile was in his element last night. Running hard, having a blast. 

He says he doesn't want to play football in 5th grade when they start tackling. But he's definitely enjoying it now. 

Jack, Queen, King

Nile: "Mom, is that a king size or a queen size bed?"

Me: "A queen."

Nile: "Is there a jack size?"

3D earth

Nate has his first true science project complete!  He had to make a 3D model of the layers of the earth. 

He did all the work - with only limited guidance from me. (Mostly PowerPoint and printing help.). 

I'm pretty proud of how hard he worked on this. I think you can tell by the photos that he is too. 

The cards are a "key" with information about each layer of the earth. 

What he has worn for the last three days

At least I don't have a soccer ball on the van yet.

This was my view for a lot of the Labor Day weekend. 

Nate is now playing on a traveling soccer team, with games and tournaments almost every weekend. 

Yes, I am now a soccer mom. And I couldn't be prouder. 

I promise not to fit all the stereotypes. ;)

First day of preschool!

Someone had his first day of preschool today. Today was an open house where the kids came with parents to drop off school supplies and get more familiar with the classroom. 

Novak and I arrived at 9 am, and left at 10:30 when the teachers were cleaning up. He might have been the last child to leave. 

Here he is in the classroom. He was excited to "find the N" and take a picture for Dad. 

He is going to love preschool!

Lunch Helper

This year at school, Nate has volunteered to be a "lunch helper." The lunch helpers help serve food, help the younger kids with their lunches, and clean up the tables after groups come through.

So far he loves it - and it's left me wondering why he doesn't love to do these things at home. :)

Twist, twist, pull

As I was helping Novak brush his teeth, Nate ran down, his mouth full of toothpaste, to let me know that "Nile says his tooth is coming out tonight!"

Not a minute later, as Nate got back to their bathroom, I hear, "It's out!  Nile's tooth is out!"

Nile told me Nate gave him the tip that helped. "Just twist, twist, pull, twist, twist, pull, and zoink!  It's out!"

The dental hygienist warned us on Monday that there were four loose. The tooth fairy better get ready...

Five squared

Geneseo GSox baseball

This year, Nile played "travel" baseball for the first time. The travel was limited, as this team mostly just practiced together and then played one tournament. No actual "traveling" required. 

The tournament was this weekend in Geneseo, nice and close to home. It was an 8U tournament that was hosted by the 8U teams, they allow the 7U teams to play in order to get the experience. But man, were the 7U kids outmatched. 

The 7U team split into two for the tournament, and each was in a different "group" on Saturday. Three games later and both teams were 0-3. 

Nile played really well on Saturday, actually making contact with the ball every time he was up to bat. Many times he was thrown out at first, but we were thrilled that he was hitting, even if he didn't get to run the bases. He did have one RBI, and was on base at least once. 

Sunday brought two more games. The first game saw the boys doing better - scoring runs and making plays. Nile had another hit but also a few strike outs. He did have an RBI on his base hit and I caught a picture of him at first:

(Doesn't he look tiny?)

The second game found the two GSox 7U teams playing each other for 3rd and 4th place. It was great to see the kids all back together on the field, and I loved it when the outfielders on one team were cheering for the batter of the other team. So cute. Nile had one hit and one RBI in this game - and the ball he hit made it to the outfield. Not bad!

All in all, he really enjoyed the tournament and is excited to play again next year. Of course, next year brings more games, more tournaments, and a higher level of commitment. (From mom and dad!)

2014 Geneseo 7U GSox

Can you find the scowling Nile?  Here's a clue:  third from the left. 

Prairie flowers

I'm super behind on blogging, so there's lots to catch up on. 

This post is for you, Dad!

We have a few new flowers blooming in the prairie this year. 

Spotted Bee Balm (also Spotted Horsemint)

I think this is Lemon Bee Balm (or Lemon Horsemint), but I'm not sure yet. 

New bike

For his birthday, Nate got a new bike. 

I wish I had a picture of him riding the old one. Imagine his knees hitting his elbows and you'll get the idea. 

Turtle Plant

Novak found this plant growing in the flower garden (again this was a month ago). 

He called it a turtle plant. Can you see why?

Doppelgänger

A full month ago, on April 27, Novak and I were out playing with chalk. I found these photos that I had intended to post way back then. 

Finally!  Someone has figured out square chalk!  No more chasing it down the sidewalk!

Novak had never been traced before. He was unsure about the whole idea. But he loved it when we were finished. It was his idea to put his mini-me in shorts. 

Spring Break Day 3

On Day 3 we woke up to this:

37 degrees and the ground was covered in snow. 

So, fishing was out for the morning. We decided to head back in to Des Moines for museums. But...most of the museums are closed on Mondays. So we headed to one that was open. The Botanical Gardens. 

Touching the leaves. 

Weaving a reed into the display. 

Getting dripped on. (He is so hard to get good pictures of!)

Case in point. 

We hit the gift shop, where everyone found something. Three bird finger puppets, a gardening book, and a coffee plant. 

After the excursion and lunch at a local brewpub, we headed back to the cabin and Tom went fishing. It was cold but he caught 11 fish before taking Nate and Nile out to catch two more. Tom has pictures on his camera. 

At 2:15 am I woke up Nate and Nile and we headed outdoors to see the lunar eclipse. This was the first (and only) clear night we had here and the stars were amazing. The moon was pretty fantastic too. :)