Thanksgiving at the farm

 We just spent the past few days at the farm for thanksgiving.  And since grandma is selling the farm this could be the last thanksgiving at the farm. I'm not sure whether I want the farm to sell fast or not.... but we made the most of it and enjoyed every minute of it. 

Little girl had several plop down crying sessions. But this one wasn't her terrible two fault... daddys hit her in the head with the football.

 She was happy for some of the day...

 I can't remember what Brent and Robbie were looking at.

 Brent was looking at pictures of Robbies halloween costume. 

 Joel doesnt look too impressed! 

 Not sure why she was crying here. 

 Poor thing. But she sure is cute. 

 Mary made friends with Lenny by feeding him a lot. 

 Joel sat and colored all weekend. I think most of us joined in at some point to color with him.

 Colin and Grandpa.  

 

A great weekend and especially a great time to be thankful for all the fun we've had over the years at the farm. 

Thanksgiving

Turkey before thanksgiving 

Turkey on thanksgiving 

(Drawn by Joel)

Joel has already told me today that he doesn't want to look handsome and tomorrow he won't be handsome (handsome boys wear button up shirts)

Colin asked me if I had lipstick on my eyes (makeup) and when I asked him if it looked good he just laughed. Not sure if that meant good or bad. Guess I need to get out of workout clothes and get dressed more often! 

Happy thanksgiving! 

Making meatballs

 Brent had the kids help him the other night making meatballs for dinner.

 

The boys really enjoyed it. And got a little too into it by trying to make giant meatballs.  But by the look on Norahs face I have no doubt she will keep these boys in line - doesnt matter that she's the youngest. 

How to brush your teeth

Joel

This boy.  Last year this time he had sludge in his bladder and I was busy googling what that meant and this year I'm googling birthmarks.  He was born with a rather large birthmark on his hip.  I was always glad it was on his hip and not his face.  But it really hasn't bothered him at all. It was really cute when he was little and would try to scrub it off in the bath thinking it was dirt. 

Last year we started getting his birthmark mapped out and measured by a dermatologist just to be on the safe side since apparently his birthmark type can turn cancerous.  We went in for his annual check this morning and the doctor decided to take a dime size biopsy of it. Poor boy.  I had told him he was just getting it measured and pictures of it and they go and cut him open and then stitch him up.  (so in Joels mind I lied to him and when you think about it I did)

  My grandpa always said his dr was knife happy since every time he would go in they would slice him up.  Joel would agree with grandpa today.  Its been changing colors and grew a lot this year so we are getting it checked out to make sure. 

But Joel was a complete rock star!  The same boy who, at the mention of his 4 year old shots, ran out of the exam room screaming bloody murder which ended up in two of us holding him down.  Today he got up on the table and I blocked his face while they gave him a shot and numbed him up then took scissors to cut out a perfect little circle (I was impressed) and then stitched him up.  I unfortunately had to see it all because I was the buffer and while I almost got sick a few times it was also fascinating how they did it.  It was deep and big.  Joel didn't even flinch.  The doctors were very impressed with Joel and so was I.  We go back in two weeks to get the stitches out but he's already refusing to go back so I have two weeks to talk him into it.

I took him and Norah to Duck Donuts after and this sweet boy didn't want to pick out donuts for himself.  He wanted to pick out donuts for Colin and made sure to get all of Colin's favorite ones. 

Tonight while Brent was putting him to bed he quietly asked Brent, "daddy....why did the doctor cut me up?"  Hard to explain to a child why you have to be proactive for cancer.  And if we mention cancer, Colin would freak out because he remembers How-How with cancer.  Colin has emptied his piggy bank each spring for the school cancer awareness week so a cure can be found and people like How-How can be cured.  These boys make me an even bigger worrier than I already was but man am I really really proud of them 

Another half

Yesterday I ran my fourth half marathon! It's still crazy to me but this time I felt really good running it which is a good thing because Sarah talked me into doing a full marathon! 

Bethany met me in Richmond. Third year running this so it's become one of my favorite fall traditions....although it was freezing this weekend and I was numb for the first few miles. 

Sarah ran her first full marathon! 26.2 miles!  

It's so fun to talk to Bethany the whole time and catch up. Halfway through Bethany handed me some energy chews. I like to eat mine all at once. Bethany took her time and ate a few every mile. Right after that I was feeling really good and was amazed at what great shape I was in compared to the last few times I've run it. And then we found out after the race that the chews had shots of caffeine in them! Ha! No wonder I felt so good.

Bethany and I are already signed up for the shamrock full marathon so it'll be an interesting winter training for it but I'm excited to train and cross that off my bucket list. And I'm hoping for a very mild winter to run.

Sarah has always ran the races first then talked me into them. First it was the 10k then the half marathon and now the full. I hope she doesn't try for anything longer! Ha! But she did amazing and is already encouraging Bethany and I on what helped her this time. 

What's that smell?

Sweet girl

Always asks me "what's dat smell?"

Sometimes I make it up if it's not obvious to me what she's smelling. 

We were in the store the other day and I was emptying the cart and holding her since she refused to sit in the cart or stand. (Not an easy task to empty a cart full and hold her) so I wasn't paying too much attention when she kept asking me what's dat smell while shoving her fingers in my face. I couldn't smell anything and said I don't know. She kept asking and shoving her fingers in my face and finally she got tired of me not answering and sniffed her fingers, licked them and proudly and loudly announced that it was pee!!!!!!! 

My big girl

This girl is growing up way too fast. 

She also has always tried to keep up with the boys too which also makes her act older.  her favorite song right now is Taylor swifts shake it off and she is constantly singing "shake it off" or saying "this sick beat ahhh" 

Babies shouldn't go up so fast! 

It's crazy that she's already older than Joel was when she was born. We are content with what we have and not planning on any more kids at the moment, but I'm not sure that longing for a baby will ever go away. 

Especially when we go visit best friends who have a newborn.  And then we are all in love and Brent tells me to stop sending him pictures like this! Ha! 

Reading

Colin and I have been reading Harry Potter the past few months. Brent was amazed one weekend when we both stayed up past midnight reading. It was then that I learned Brent has never stayed up late reading a fiction book. My brain can't imagine that at all. I have spent many many nights staying up late reading since I was little. Brent was used to the fact that I stayed up reading at night but the fact that Colin pleads to stay up every night reading is amazing to him. And even more amazing I think that Colin woke himself up at 5am to finish a chapter. 

He also found out Colin is reading another novel at school in between assignments. So basically Colin has his nose in a book all day long and I couldn't be more happy. 

He is on the last Harry potter book and I'm just waiting for him to finish so I can read it. It's my first time reading them and I'm glad it's with Colin. It's so fun talking to him about it.  We made a deal this weekend where he could stay up as late as he wanted but if he went to bed past midnight he had to take a nap the next day.  So he went to bed at 11:59 both nights! Ha! 

He woke up at 5:21 this morning to read so I'm hopeful I will be reading the final book soon.  

Leaves

We've been going on bike rides lately and Joel will stop and pick the perfect red or orange leaf. 

He refuses to take the training wheels off even though they aren't really touching - I have it so one is a few inches off the ground. But he will bike a few miles with me so the training wheels stay on. Whatever gives him confidence. He told me that when he turns 6 he will take then off 

She dressed herself and put the tutu my mom made her under her dress. (Mom she could use a few more of those!) 

It's really fun and also a little sad when we know the exact streets to go to for pretty trees since there aren't many that have turned colors or will turn colors this fall. But the fact that Norah is in a sleeveless dress in November is nice! 

He takes this job very seriously