Fall fun

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. :)

Drunken sailor?

It feels so wrong, yet so right, to laugh at this.  Go ahead, enjoy.

There's another, even funnier one, in Tom's phone right now.

Soccer time

Nate is playing soccer again this fall. He absolutely loves it! This year he is on a new team, the Rapids. Becky took some great pictures of him at his game today.

Fall is coming!

Tom took this great picture of Novak at the John Deere 5k Fall Classic. Looks like the corn is turning, and it's time for fall. I love fall, it can't come soon enough!

We had a running morning. Tom and I ran the 5k, and Nate and Nile ran the kid's 1/4 mile run. Tom took 3rd in his age group and I placed 2nd in mine. Not a bad morning!
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Chilly mornings

Now that it's cold out in the mornings, we have been driving up to the bus stop. It feels a little silly to drive a half block up when we are perfectly capable of walking, but it's cold. That, and most mornings we are barely making the bus. If we were to walk we would probably miss the bus. That or I'd actually have to get us moving a little faster. :)

Beautiful fall days...

Today was such a beautiful day that I took the boys to Empire Park in East Moline. Novak hung out in his car seat while Nate and Nile played.

Afterwards we went through the Sonic drive through for cherry limeades. Yum!

Missouri in November

This weekend we took a trip to Missouri for my aunt's 50th wedding anniversary. The boys got two nights in a hotel, swimming, three nap-free days (yikes), lots of playing, and lots of car time. Tom and I got to "enjoy" three days of driving (over 800 miles and 17 hours total), three nap-free days (did I already mention that), and two cranky boys, but we did still have fun.

I don't have pictures from my aunt's party (I left the camera in the car), but I do have pictures from the park in Clinton we played at before heading off to the party. It was over 60 degrees and sunny, the most beautiful weather.

I have the three cutest boys in the whole world!


I just love the expression on Nate's face in this one...


Nile, as usual, enjoyed going over the "bridges."

Introducing...Brown Bear

Let me introduce Brown Bear. Brown Bear is Nathan's preschool "Indian" name.
(I cringe even to type it, I'd rather say "Native American," but I feel I should stick with what Nate and his teachers were calling it).

Oh, and by the way - that's not red paint on his nose. He hit his nose with the lid of his laptop last week...

Today we attended Nate's preschool Thanksgiving Feast and program. Again this year I continue to be amazed at the improvement Nate is making. At last year's program he stood with the group and, well, just stood there. This year, he participated! Yippee!

Here are a few photos I thought I'd share.

The class singing one of the songs. (Nate is on the right side of the photo)


The boys go to do a little drumming while the girls dance.


The boys then got to dance while the girls played the drums.


After the program the families got to eat a special Thanksgiving meal that the class helped prepare. Vegetable soup, cornbread, applesauce, chocolate chip bars, and apple juice. Nate proudly informed me that he "dumped the corn into the soup!"

It was a good morning.

Tricks or Treats?

It was a truly awesome Halloween. First, the boys got to spend the morning with Grandma and Papa while Tom and I watched the strangest Iowa Hawkeye football game I have ever seen. But...in the end, the Hawks are 9-0, Nate and Nile got to spend some quality time with my parents trick-or-treating in downtown Geneseo.

We got home from the game about 4:30 and immediately started getting ready for the "real" trick-or-treating that had started at 4 pm. By 4:45 kids were out on the street and ringing our doorbell, and the boys were almost ready to go.


We met the first of the neighborhood kids at our house, and then we set off! The beautiful thing about a small neighborhood is we only had about 10 houses to visit, and it was just enough! (according to me and Tom...I think Nate had other ideas!)





After we returned to the house the boys counted their loot while we all watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!"

Quotes

Yesterday I spent a wonderful day with the boys. We have photo proof here.

I really enjoyed having some good quality "fun" time with them. True to form (and to his age), Nate added a few memorable quotes for the ages.

Line 1: Proving Nate also has John Deere green blood ;)
As we drive down Wolf Road, Nate sees a combine sitting in a corn field.

"Mommy, I see one of those little wiener combines!"

It was a tiny, 4-row, ancient, Gleaner combine. I could totally see where he had gotten confused and mis-spoke. I laughed hard before I corrected him (although I considered not doing so). But it did make this John Deere combine engineer happy.

Line 2: Proving that even the youngest understand things innately.
Nate: Mom, when Nile is 4, I'll be 6, right?
Me: Yes, that's right!
Nate: I can't wait to be 6.
Me: I can.
Nate: What?
Me: I am really enjoying this time. I like you being 4, Nate. I am not ready for you to be 6 yet.
Nate: (with that tone of voice that lets you know he thinks you are nuts). Mom, I'll still be here with you all the time when I'm 6!
Me: Thanks Nate, that makes me feel better.
Nate: And after that I'll be in the sky watching you! I'll be with you forever.

Okay, I'm tearing up now just retelling this story. I'm such a sap.

Fall Perfected

Today is one of those perfect fall days that we just haven't had many of this season. I apologize in advance for all the pictures, but we had a really fun time at the park today.

I sent this from my cell phone to see how it works

Nate and Nile checking out the animals at the pumpkin patch on October 4.