Fall Break

Since daddy was busy with work, the kids and I had our own fun on fall break.  We stayed at daddy's hotel for 3 nights...enjoying the luxuries the company bought that daddy didn't have time to use..  We ate at Moes on the way to the hotel.  Champ was super excited about staying in the city.  We swam at the hotel once we arrived.  Princess kept saying, "I swim in the pool."

On Thursday, our hotel toilet clogged.  I mentioned it to the front desk on our way to a Starbucks breakfast.  He asked me if we were going to the hotel grill.  I said no, and I asked him if it was any good.  He offered to let us try it as his treat.  So, we had an elegant buffet using fine china.  That was an adventure with 2 kids.  At one point, princess wandered away from me as we returned from the buffet.  It scared me to death.  We went to the pool again.  Then we went to eagle creek and enjoyed their playground and nature center.  Next, we grabbed lunch at chick fil a.  My sweet friend Lori met us downtown.  We had a picnic lunch downtown with her.  Then we enjoyed chatting.

On Friday, we went to breakfast at Starbucks.  It was incredibly busy.  I was grateful that the kids could watch some shows on the iPad while they waited.  Next we went to the children's museum.  I ran into 4 families I knew from our old church, despite the fact that there were tons of people there.  We also ran into my sister and two of her boys.  We ate lunch with them, and we went to two exhibits with them.  Princess loved sitting on a stationary motorcycle.  She loved playing hot wheels, and she was drawn to the carousel.  She was so excited about riding a horse.  She did pretty well with sharing.  Champ was really into the art stations at the hot wheels and dinosaur exhibits.  We went trick or treating at the library.  Champ dressed as superman, and princess refused to put on her princess costume.  We ate dinner at our favorite taco place.  We finished the evening at the pool.  Princess protests getting dressed for everything except the pool.

Today i brought a steak n shake breakfast back for the gang.  we went swimming before we checked out of the pool.  Then we went back to the children's museum to see some things we didn't get to yesterday.

My birthday week

Friday was my birthday.  I started the day with a cardio kick boxing class.  My mom came in at the end to say happy birthday before she exercised.  Princess got up extra early for my birthday and screamed in joy for awhile.  Champ made me a birthday card.  I loved playing hangman with "happy brfday" being the word to guess.  My parents came to eat lunch with my co workers and I.  They brought mccalisters.  I got a gift card from my class at the start of our fall party.  One parent brought me a milkshake and an apple pie.  My family dined at our favorite local diner.  Champ went to game night at church, while hubby and I loved on princess.

Saturday morning I got up and ran for 70 minutes. Hubby made the best pumpkin pancakes for breakfast...I am sneaking in healthy food whenever possible. We went to visit my grandma and her new husband.  It was the first time everyone (except for me) met him.  Princess clung to me till some toys were brought out.  Then she kept asking Gus to lift her up.  It was cute.  Kids sat down and colored for awhile.  Princess kept getting up to show her picture to each grown up in the room.  Boys went to play wii at the clc. My parents babysat the kids in the evening.  Hubby and I went to cheesecake factory for dinner.  We loved the avocado egg rolls, turkey burgers, and ultimate red velvet cake.  Then we went to the outlet store to buy some presents for me.

Today we enjoyed church before girls went grocery shopping while boys got haircuts.  Boys took champs good report card to incredible pizza company and baskin Robbins.  Both gave him treats for good grades.  We went to the school playground with the rich family this evening.

The weekend in review

On Saturday morning, Kelly and I ran in a race benefitting the local children's hospital.  It was run by middle school students, so it ended up being a cross country race and a little less than a 5k.  Boys played wii at the clc, a favorite treat.  We got a babysitter for the evening.  Once princess warmed up to the idea of a babysitter, both kids loved her.  Daddy and I went to Morton's to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first date.  I always love their food.  We also walked a little around downtown too.

On Sunday, we were all in church or Sunday school.  We went grocery shopping.  Princess napped while boys watched the NFL football game.  Unfortunately, I went to school and worked on grades since they were supposedly due the next day.  (I learned Monday that the grades deadline got postponed.)  We did some errands in the evening.

Last night was a great night after school.  It was still warm enough to play outside.  Princess sat on my lap for a long time and let me read to her.

Today it was warm enough to play outside after school too.  We took a long walk with princess in the stroller.  Boys played football outside while I read to princess.  Champ and I have worked a lot on homework, especially his spider report, which is due Friday.

Little Miss Independent

Princess and I are at war each morning.  I want her to wear clothes, and she has no interest in it.  In addition, she has decided pants in general are unnecessary.  I took the two kids to mccalisters last night.  Princess took off her pants while standing in her seat. I put on her pants, she took them off, I put them on, and the pattern continued for awhile before I gave up.  Some people got a good laugh out of us walking to the car with her pants down at her ankles.  When we aren't having a battle over clothes, we are battling over teeth getting brushed.

In other news, I helped in champs sunday school room last sunday.  I had my last round of conferences this week.  Daddy went to the dad's club meeting at champs school.  Boys played wii at the clc this morning.  I ran in an almost 5K at the nearby middle school today.  The course was through the grass and hills, so it was harder than I had anticipated.

Super sundayOctober

I helped in the champs class at church this morning.  I even got on stage during large group instruction to help lead the songs.  The pastor asked anyone with an October birthday to lead the songs.  Champ was insistent on me being up there.  We played on the playground there as usual.

Meijer is always an adventure with the family.  I love when everyone helps unload the car.  Even the little one can grab a bag of cheese to move from the car to counter.

We finished off the lasagna leftovers from moms birthday.  I made 2 recipes from pinterest:  upside down pumpkin pie and some kind of pumpkin coffeee cake.  Pie turned out ok, but the pumpkin coffeee cake is delicious.

While baby slept, the rest of us enjoyed the colts come from behind to beat the packers.  I tried to do a little running with the champ.  Although he complained early and often, I got him to run for 9 minutes.  Unfortunately, he tripped and fell on the run...making the experience worse.  I told him it doesn't matter how many times you fall down, but how many times you get up.  I ran, and then champ and I walked some.

Daddy and champ carved their pumpkin tonight.

Busy week

The week began with me enduring a teacher evaluation committee meeting.  I came home for dinner, but i quickly left again for a PTO meeting at champs school.  Tuesday I had the champs parent teacher conference after school. He is doing great, but he is very anxious.  We babysat for the worgess boys in the evening.  Wednesday evening was packed with parent teacher conferences for me.  Thursday night hubbys county leadership group had a get together at a local farm.  We cooked our own hot dogs, climbed hay bales, played in corn kernels, and more.  Last night we celebrated my moms birthday at her house.  Grandsons watched a movie, and granddaughters played relatively well together.  Today we went to the library.  Princess remembered the park next door and started to leave the library on her own.  We got the kids new pants from jcp.  Boys went to clc to play wii, but it was taken.  I was pampered with a new cut and color.  Then we had dinner and bonding time at the worgess house, despite big Caleb and Abby being at a football game.

Princess put her own socks on for the first time Thursday.  They were inside out, but I will count it.