Weekend Wrap-Up

Long weekends are the best, no? 

We had such a good one.  Tuesday Kase had his Thanksgiving Program.  He and his classmates said a sweet little poem and Kase was happy to have Kent there to enjoy their Friendship Feast!

Tuesday night the kids had a sleepover by the Christmas tree. They had been looking forward to it since we put it up!   

The kids were happy to have a few days off school and loved helping me bake pie for Thanksgiving!

They also got to visit Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Duane!

We spent the afternoon watching old family Christmas movies.  So good for the soul.

Here are a few more pictures from Thursday- Thanksgiving at my parents' house. The kids had so much fun together and we had fun hanging out all day!

Oh, Kent.  It wouldn't be a holiday without some photo-bombing from him. 

Friday morning Kylee asked me to take her Black Friday shopping to buy gifts for her brothers.  We weren't out super early, but early enough to get some good deals.  She was so proud of the things she picked out for them. 

Saturday the kids were so anxious for our annual cookie baking and ornament decorating party with the Pattersons. We made chili and soup, had lots of snacks, baked some yummy cookies, played some football, decorated ornaments, and played lots of other games.

It was a great day, we just love having our house filled with the people we love, especially during the holiday season! Hope you had a great weekend too!

Thankful Thursday (a day late)

I'm thankful that asked to look at her things labeled "Keepsakes" in our storage room the other day.  We had the most fun going through all those memories!

I'm so thankful Kael has worked hard on math- one of his toughest subjects.  His hard work is paying off!

I'm thankful for the days I get magazines in the mail.  I love having something new to read.

I'm thankful (and so is Kael) for these yummy pumpkin muffins my co-worker sent home with me on Tuesday!

I'm thankful for a wonderful Thanksgiving Day yesterday. Kael had fun playing lots of football.

Kent, Kase and Kylee had lots of fun exploring in the backyard.

I'm thankful for new board games! 

I'm thankful for the kids table.

I'm thankful for fun ideas when my dad and Kent get together.  We had such a fun wagon ride!

I'm thankful for this sweet moment. 

I'm thankful for my family.

Hoping you found lots to be thankful for yesterday, and every day! 

Weekend Wrap-Up

What a lovely weekend.

Friday afternoon, Kase and I went to do a little Christmas shopping.  We stopped to see Santa at the mall, but Kase was feeling too shy to go see him.  He waved from afar, then later decided he'd like to sit on his lap.  So sweet.

He was, of course, thrilled with the train ride afterwards!

Later that night, Kylee had a birthday party to go to, so the boys and I had dinner with my parents. Kent and I shopped a little bit afterwards while Kael and Kase hung out at my parents' house.

Saturday morning Kent had Men's Group at church, then Kael had a basketball game. It was a tough loss for his team, but he didn't seem too bummed. 

I had been looking forward to Saturday all week- I knew it was going to be super cold and windy out, and we had no other plans after Kael's game, so it was the perfect day to spend putting out our Christmas decorations! Honestly, it was my favorite decorating day to date.  In previous years, I've done the tree while the kids were at school, then let them decorate it.  Or we've done it hurriedly on a weekend between other plans.  But this year it was so nice.  Kent was here to do all the heavy lifting. All the kids helped with the tree.  We had soup simmering on the stove, Christmas music in the background, and Santa hats on.  When we finished, we had hot cocoa and later a family football game in the backyard.  We concluded the evening with a family movie night.  What a wonderful day.

Our Christmas train continues to be a favorite!

I'm (finally) totally in the Christmas spirit! Kent even spent the day today putting up more lights outside. We also got to spend a little time today with my sister and her family and later the kids played outside with friends. Later, Keith and Cindy came for a visit and we went out for ice cream.  Kylee chose a Candy Cane Oreo blizzard!

I'm so looking forward to a short week of school for the kids and lots of fun holiday plans ahead over the long weekend. Hope you all had a good weekend too!

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful that Kent took the time to explain Veteran's Day to the kids and also call each of our relatives who have served.  The kids were so interested!

I'm thankful for my bestie who can get me all the good books at the library as soon as they come out.  I just read The Magnolia Story and loved it!

I'm thankful that Kent sends me pictures like this:

Kent and Kael have youth group on Wednesday evenings (and Kase goes to preschool at our church). Kael evidently found Kase's backpack hook and hung his sweatshirt on it.  So sweet.

I'm thankful for the secretaries when I called to say the kids weren't coming to school last Friday so we could go to the volleyball game. They sounded so excited for us.  "Have fun! Enjoy your day off school!" 

I'm thankful Kael had a great game last weekend at basketball.  He just looked like he was having so much fun out there.

I'm thankful for Daylight Savings Time.  The kids definitely get up earlier, but so do I, and it's nice to have that extra hour in the mornings.  Monday, Kent and I both had time to workout in the morning and the kids and I had time to build a fort before they went to school!

I'm thankful that Kent got a new Fit Bit- did you know that if yours breaks within the first year, they will replace it? Kent's band was wearing out and they sent him a new one!

I'm thankful for dinner out Tuesday night with Kent's family.  So fun. 

I'm thankful the kids' passports came in the mail! That was fast!

I'm thankful for a friend who delivered blue lights for our front porches to the whole neighborhood to show our support for cops.

I'm thankful Kael continues to work hard on his homework and really thankful for the Campus Portal app that helps me keep on top of his grades. 

I'm thankful that Kylee walked in the door with a whole bunch of good news after school yesterday.  Among the news was that her fire prevention poster was chosen as honorable mention and will be made into a bookmark!

I'm so, so thankful for this uncharacteristically warm weather.  It certainly means that I haven't gotten started on anything for Christmas yet, but Kase and I are enjoying daily trips to the park!

I'm thankful for a fun weekend ahead, and a short week next week! 

Weekend Wrap-Up

Here's what we've been up to.

Kase is loving his Ninja Warrior class!

We enjoyed an extra long weekend since we took the kids out of school Friday to go cheer for our beloved Jaguar volleyball team at the state tournament! 

Several other neighborhood friends went too, which made for SUCH a fun day. 

Jaguars won in three games!!!

After a fun group lunch, we made our way to the UNI dome to watch the Jaguar football team. We were there early, so we played around on the practice field.  It was such a beautiful day and we were having so much fun. 

We came home happy and tired!

Saturday, we spent the day getting a few things done around the house, then we got to watch Kevin's team scrimmage here in Ankeny.  Afterwards, they came to watch Kael play.  Kael had a great game and his team won by one point!  We had lunch at Pizza Ranch with them, then came home and Kent put up our Christmas lights! The weather has been so nice lately so it totally doesn't feel like Christmas season at all to me yet.  I'm glad he put them up and also got down all our Christmas tubs so I can start decorating soon!

Saturday  night, Kent and Kael had a church youth group game night.  Kylee had a friend spend the night.

Sunday after church, we played outside most of the day.  Kylee and I did run a few errands- it was fun to go shopping with just her.  She's definitely starting to have more interest in things like clothes and shoes! Meanwhile, the boys played a lot of backyard football.

It was a great weekend and we clocked lots of family and friend time- there's nothing better! 

We wrapped up our weekend with family movie night- we rented the latest Ice Age movie and the kids thought it was hilarious! What a fun night.  Have a great week, everyone!

Weekend Wrap-Up

Here's how we spent our weekend.

Thursday night Kase tried a new Ninja Warrior class.  He had a great time! The coach asked if he'd be willing to join their Hot Shots team.  And while it was awesome to be asked, we decided that this Ninja class is enough for Kase right now. 

Friday morning Kase got to present his Star Student of the Week poster to his class.  He did a great job and had fun answering questions from his class.  Then, he and Kent read a book to his friends. 

Friday afternoon Kase and I played outside.  It was so nice out.  We played super heroes, Nerf guns, rode bikes.  It was great. 

After school, my mom took Kylee and Kael to visit my grandma for her 85th birthday! (Kase and I had gone earlier in the week).  She was so glad to see them.

Friday night, Kent and Kael went with my dad to the Jaguar/Valley football game.  Kael had the best time and the Jaguars pulled off the upset!

Meanwhile, my niece spent the night! The kids had so much fun playing together.  We did a spa, EZ Bake Oven, played, and watched a movie.  

The next morning we all went to my nephew's soccer game! Later, the whole crew came and watched Kael at his basketball game.

After lunch, we headed to Ottumwa to stay with Kevin and Kaity.  We have so been looking forward to this weekend! We celebrated Keith's birthday, too.  

Kevin and Kaity have an awesome backyard- perfect for yard games and a fire pit. 

Kaity made an awesome photo book that we all enjoyed looking at!

Kyle even had time to stop by for a little while!

With it being Daylight Savings Time, we were all up super early.  We enjoyed birthday cake on the deck around 10:00 this morning! Perfect!

The kids had fun picking pears (and cutting them open), raking leaves, and walking to nearby parks. 

We loved getting to spend time together. 

We spent the afternoon playing outside with friends, then had family movie night. It was a great weekend!