Thanksgiving + Alpacas + Choir

Mason, Hannah, and I started off our Thanksgiving morning with a 5k! Hannah ran ahead of Mason and I's leisurely run/walk pace and got herself 2nd place in her age group - and won a pie and giant medal! We nearly missed her win though because the results weren't loading on my phone and when we asked at the prize booth they looked it up and said she got 25th. We were heading to our car when one of her cross country friends congratulated her. We were so grateful!! We turned back and collected her winnings!

 

Zane stayed home in the morning to make sure the cinnamon rolls got in the oven. He did that, ate 7 of them, and then started in on the cheeseball and charcuterie board upon our return.

It was just the 4 of us for the main meal this year, but we still cooked for an army.

We went to a friend's house for dessert. I made a gluten free chocolate pie that I feared would be more of a pudding, but it made it! Mason made is famous pie-caken, which is a pumpkin pie baked inside of a spice cake, but there are not photos of that because it was devoured. There was also a pumpkin cheesecake dip that was delightful.

Us. Post dessert and wishing for sweatpants.

The Alpaca Farm is having it's holiday open houses so we went, of course. 

Hannah took this photo of Zane shooting a free throw.

Hannah is in Honors Choir this year. It's a choir made of up 5th graders from all of the elementary schools in the district that requires a try out. She has been going to practice once a week since the beginning of school and they had their first concert a few days ago alongside other local children's choirs. Hannah had a "5 person solo" in one of the songs and it was gorgeous!

We went out to Broadway Brewery afterward to celebrate!

Halloween + Basketball + Room Makeover

We had a solid stretch where the weather was in the 50s and we had a fun experimenting with new soup recipes. It's also easy to make a bunch and eat it as leftovers during the week when we're driving the kids every which way all over town. I was particularly proud of my Potato Soup. Also made was Gumbo, Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice (a copycat Panera recipe), and I feel like there was one more but I can't remember - ha!

Mason took a quick work trip to Chicago for a training seminar.

It rained here, but that didn't stop the boy from shooting hoops. Basketball is life right now (except on Sundays when he has baseball camp).

7th grade.

5th grade.

There was a gorgeous rainbow!

I've been doing a lot of photo shoots lately! The fall weather and colors always gets people thinking about it, and I seem to have a lot of friends who have seniors in high school this year! This particular shoot was one of my all time favorites. We went to Rock Bridge State Park in the rain and this kid was phenomenal - so expressive, great style, and I got to spend time with his mom too, who is the art teacher at my school. She took this photo as I was trying not to slide back down the muddy embankment into the creek.

Hannah took a field trip to a farm with her class to finish off their corn unit. They got to pick a pumpkin while they were there and the rule was "if you can carry it by yourself back to the bus, you can take it." Hannah made it with this behemoth and only had to role it a little bit.

The Fall Festival at school is always a fun time. This year each grade dressed up as a decade and 5th got 60s. You could pick anything from that decade including style, games, movies, or toys that were popular. Hannah is a Troll Doll!! We had fun making her hair.

All ready for the trick-or-treaters!

Hannah had 2 friends from her class come over and the pig, devil, and Emma from The Promised Neverland anime all had a great time.

We were especially proud of our pumpkins this year. Mason and Zane stayed home to hand out candy and said they had a family ask to take photos in front of them!

The teal in Hannah's room has been outgrown. I told her I would paint it ONE MORE TIME and then am done for the rest of her life. I painted it grey because the rest of the upstairs is grey and it's a lovely neutral that will still allow her to change accessories with her style over the years. 

And after 3 days, here is the final product! Mason built the loft bed and we bought cube shelves to go underneath for all her STUFF. 

There is a chill space underneath for hanging out.

Everyone is happy! Except the dogs because they can no longer sleep on Hannah's bed because we don't trust them not to launch off. Ozzy is only allowed up there when he has supervision.

Rue all snuggled up in her chair downstairs.

Zane tried out and made his middle school basketball team! It's been exciting to watch them play and grow - he's been playing with a lot of these boys in another league for several years now. Their first game was an away game in a giant gym in a new school.

The gym at his school is a Gymnasatorium and the court is on the stage. No one fell off but the ball did come flying into the audience several times. A new gym is under construction but will not be complete until after basketball season.