Today officially marks the end of fall sports and the beginning of winter sports.   Unfortunately, the month of October is a month of overlap, so it's a little chaotic. I can't guarantee that life will slow down, but at least we can focus a little more.      

All 3 played soccer this fall, with Coach Andrew also stepping in to help with the Kiddie Kicker level.   Nadia loved having her Daddy as coach.    He was given the team of all girls.   It was a little challenging to manage all the giggling and gymnastic tricks.   The girls had to be reminded they were playing soccer and not gymnastics.   I give Andrew an "A" in the patience category.   

Ethan played Ames Parks and Recreation.   He was a little frustrated this season.   There were only 3 teams in his age groups, so he played each team several times.   His other complaint was that the competition was not very challenging.   He was bored.  

Ben had a very successful season with the Gilbert Soccer Club.   He is looking forward to Spring season.  He really had fun playing with new group of friends.

Saturday was the first hockey game of the season.  It was Ethan and Andrew' first game.   They played very well, but ending with a tie and a loss.    They have high hopes for the season.  

 

Ben decided to earn a little money this Hockey season.   He took the USA hockey official class with his friend, Seth.    Saturday was his first game.    He was very nervous.   The Referee-in-Chief for Ames Hockey came to help him.   After the game, Ben expressed how hard it was.   He was pretty sure that he did terrible.    The Referee-in-Chief assured him that he did great for his first time.   He spent some time after the game giving him some pointers.   I hope Ben works a few more games to increase his confidence.   He looks so cute in his official uniform.     

 

The tooth fairy made a visit to our house this week.    This was Nadia's first lost tooth and she was super excited to have reached this milestone.    She was even more excited in the morning when she found her dollar.     She exclaimed, "The tooth fairy is real!"     Maybe we should not have told her the truth about Santa Clause?!

 On Saturday,  the kids and I headed down to the farm, to enjoy a day of harvest.   We have made it a bit of an annual tradition.   They were working on beans; Jason was driving the combine and Grandpa was shuttling the beans to the storage bins.    Here a few photos to summarize our day. 




Ethan and Elijah stroll the field while waiting their turn in the combine.

 Uncle Jay is the combine / chauffeur / driver. 

 After Uncle Jay fills the combine, he unloads to the grain cart, which unloads to the semi, which is sent to the farm to be unloaded in the storage bins. 











 Grandpa's jacket matches his semi-truck as he watches the beans unload.

  The kids love to play in the grain.  It's almost like the sand at the beach but better.   Unfortunately,  the grain cart fills the semi to full for safe play.   I was really worried they were going to fall off the edge.  I remember spending hours playing in the wagons that were 1/2 full.   That's was before the big combine and grain cart. 

Grandma and Aunt Sarah "shoot the breeze"  while waiting to help move equipment to the other fields. 

Andrew and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary this weekend.  We didn't really plan ahead, as usual, but Andrew brought some flowers home after work (1/2 price! Thanks Groupon!), and we decided to leave the kids at home and head out for dinner.  Little did we know it was parents day at ISU and every restaurant on Duff and beyond was packed full of college families having some quality family time, and leaving us with a 1/2 hr or more wait (we grew a little annoyed...).  We started out trying Hickory Park, as we hadn't been there in a while, and who doesn't love their chocolate peanut butter shakes...and we ended up at Okoboji after trying several other places in between. Our last stop, before we bailed on the idea, was going to be Cafe Northwest, but 'Boji had a 15  minute wait. So we finally managed to find some food, and enjoy some time together.

We often find our anniversary a little difficult to celebrate in the midst of all our life's craziness, but I'm glad we took a few hours and did something together...after 16 years, we keep saying we'll take a "real vacation away together someday"...maybe we'll actually do that someday.

We have a spider that has built a very large web just outside our kitchen window.  We are all fascinated by him and completed gross out at the same time.   We have watched him build his web and kill many bugs over the past week.   

It was been a little difficult to get a good photo of him.   He crawls around in his web when we get close and that scares all of us.   Ethan and I were able to get this photos the other night.   Ethan held a flashlight right at him in his web and I quickly snapped a few photos. 

How long will he stay?   I can't answer that question.   No one has volunteer to remove him, so he's staying for now.   It's nice to have a little entertainment while we are washing dishes.  

 Wow.  I can't begin to explain how crazy life has become since school has started.  

I am teaching 12 credit hours this semester and also working my Athletic Training job for about 10 hours a week.   I have been gone every evening for a couple of weeks.   This Weekend I taught a continuing education class all weekend.   In between my paying jobs. I am coordinating the family schedule and running kids to events. 

All 3 kids are playing soccer this fall.  I have only been able to watch Ben play and hope to catch a little action from the other 2 later this week. Ben has been playing for a Soccer Club team in Gilbert and has enjoyed the transition.  His good friend Kyle is also playing on his team, so that has been great to share rides.  Here in this picture he is playing against a friend from hockey.   Ben and Kyle are in gray and Preston is in the Red Jersey. 

Ben  was also accepted to play in the 7th grade Jazz band.   He is playing his Orchestra Bass and a Bass guitar.   He thinks the guitar is way more fun.   He's doing a great job.  Jazz band is outside school hours, so that does require a little coordination. 

Ethan is busy with Soccer as well.  I hope to have a few photos later this week.   He has also decided to play Cello in the 4th grade Orchestra.    He had a really hard time deciding, but I think he has enjoyed it thus far.  

 Nadia has excelled in her first month of Kindergarten.   She has made lots of new Friends, and is excited to go to school everyday.   She is also playing soccer this Fall with Dad as her coach.  More photos to come.  
 

We are about 1/2 through our first week of Back to School.   All 3 are in school this year.  Which is quite a change for me.   The House has been quiet.  I hope that means I can get more things accomplished during the day.    That is yet to be seen, I tend to get a little distracted by shiny websites and glittery scrapbook pages.  

B is in 7th grade and once again has a pretty full schedule.  He is still playing the Bass for Orchestra, and Percussion for Band.  He is also trying out for Jazz band where he hopes to play his bass or borrow the bass guitar from church. 

He likes his teachers and has had a fairly light homework load.   So far is biggest complaint is that school is dumb.   What else could a 12 year old boy say.  

He still takes the bus, which makes it super easy for me. 

E is now in 4th grade.   It's really had to believe that he has only 2 more years of elementary school.    He really likes his teacher and I have heard great things about her from other people.  

He is still reading, reading, reading.  Often instead of completing his other chores, but I guess it could be worse. 

He is disappointed that he will be walking to school this year instead of taking his bike.  But he now has to walk his little sister to and from school.  I suspect that will be his biggest challenge this year.  

N is in Kindergarten!  I can't describe to you how excited she was for her first day.  The kindergarten has 2 days of meet the teacher before they come for the whole day.   She did not need the time to transition.   I wonder if the school district should consider a easy entry for the 7th graders.   They seem to need more adjustment time!  

She loves her new teacher and is making new friends. She is currently working on tying her shoes.  She almost has it figured out.

I hope and pray that they all will have a great year.

By the way,  I start teaching on Friday.   I will have a heavy load with 12 credit hours.  High school football is in full swing.        So life is already busy.