Mirror, mirror

We were enjoying the last full day with all three boys and Mom home. So we headed to Empire Park.

After a lot of whining and overall crankiness, Novak finally decided to enjoy himself. He especially enjoyed this mirror.

Phipps Prairie Park

We took advantage of a perfect fall day to visit a park I had never been to before. The Phipps Prairie Park in Silvis is wonderful! The playground was fabulous, and it has a prairie and nature trails. I can't wait to go back and explore some more, we only had 20 minutes!

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!

Bike Paradise

This may sound weird. It sounds weird to me. But here goes. I wish we had more concrete at home. Or even blacktop. You see, right now our street is gravel. Before it was gravel it was blacktop covered in potholes, ruts, and grooves.

Not very good for learning to ride a bike. With the old blacktop, the kids basically got their wheels stuck in all the uneven spots and constantly needed to be pushed out. Now, with the gravel, it's too hard for Nate to pedal (at least that's what he tells me) so he won't ride on it.

Yesterday Nile and I found a new place to ride bikes: the parking lot at the park at Richmond Hill. This parking lot is not very commonly used, and there is no through traffic - so it's perfect for bike riding. No cars, and no potholes. So today we packed up Nate's and Nile's bikes and headed to the park to play. I was amazed how well they did when they had a smooth surface.

Nile's biking skills have been helped greatly by the fact that yesterday my dad realized that the tires on his little bike were both flat and needed air (as in they had no pressure - didn't even register on the tire gauge!). Dad aired them up, and he took off and hasn't looked back - before he could hardly pedal the bike and I thought he was just having a hard time. I really should check Nate's tires too. I'll probably find out that his are incredibly low too, since we haven't ever aired them up.

The boys rode around for over a half hour. Nile kept telling me that he was on the "Number 5 Bike" and Nate had the "Number 1 Bike" - in fact, once he asked me if I could see the number 5 on his back...I'm not sure where that came from. Then Nile told me that his bike was from Chicago, and it was really fast. And Nate's bike was from Iowa. Hmmm.

Fragile Butterfly

Today at the park, the boys found a butterfly that had just emerged from it's cocoon (at least we think that's what was going on). It was slowly starting to stretch out it's wings, but was still very fragile and sensitive.

My two beautiful boys were so careful - they didn't touch it, didn't even try. They ran to get me and show me what they found!

Luckily it crawled up the tree and was out of reach before a 5 year old human tornado came over (another child, not mine)...otherwise I fear what would have happened to this poor butterfly!

Nate's new trick

Nile's new trick

The Sport Blaster (?)

It's an absolutely perfect day to be at the park (cloudy and cool). Nile wanted to show everyone his "sport blaster," whatever that is :)

Up and at 'em!

The boys are enjoying the playground at the resort early this
morning. I realized after we got out here that it wasn't even 9 am
yet. But now another girl is out here so I don't feel bad any more.

Must be a good one...

To draw Nate's attention away from playing at the park!

(Nate got a new Transformers book from Tom today.)

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."

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.

Secret Park

Today while Nate was at preschool Nile and I went for a 6 mile run along the Hennepin Canal. 2.9 miles outside of town, in the middle of practically nowhere, we found a "mini-park" with a park bench in someone's memory and some kind of marker for the canal. Nile loved sitting on the canal marker...?

excuses

Earlier today we are playing at the park when Nile stops halfway down the spiral slide and calls me over.

Nile: "Did I burp or toot?"
Me: "What?"
Nile: "Did I burp or toot?"
Me: (trying not to laugh) "Well, which end did it come out of?"
Nile: "My bottom!"
Me: "Then you tooted."
Nile: "Excuse me Mommy!"

At least he's polite...

found time

Sometimes, on these days that I am home with the boys, it is way too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine. We've been in a fixed pattern on Monday mornings for a while now. We eat breakfast, Nate gets to watch a show on PBS, then we head off to preschool at 9. Nile and I go to the gym so I can get in a run, then afterwards we run errands until Nate is done with preschool at 11:30. Then we rush home, I scramble to get a relatively healthy lunch on the table, eat, and play for a short time before naps. Some days I am more stressed managing this routine than I have ever been at work.

Today I found myself with extra time. The post office was closed, and Nile and I had a full hour with nothing to do. Even though it was only about 30 degrees, we went to the park. The sun was shining, and Nile and I had plenty of time to wander around.

It did wonders for my psyche. Today I remembered just why I stay home (part time) in the first place. I was able to show Nile the war memorials at the park, teach him about mud (or as he called it today, "mooud"), and just enjoy being with him. I am refreshed and energized.