Wednesday October 30

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Tonight was the night of trick or treating!  Memphis and I met up with my friend Alicia and her daughter Josie (who was Daniel the Tiger) to go to the mall and then to our church for some trick or treating!  The mall was quite the adventure.  Memphis did well for about 4 minutes at a time and then would want to a)run b) throw himself on floor or c)just not walk but sit with me dragging him.  Now the funny thing was Alicia was dealing with about the same thing, Josie was a little better than Memphis!
After the mall, I went and got Randy before the church so that he could see Memphis.  Memphis and Josie did much better at the church (or it felt like they did)!

How cute are these two!?

Memphis loved the wagon, oh and we decided that the wagon should have come to the mall with us, we might have gotten better results!

The kids getting ready for trick or treating at the church!

Monday October 28

Tonight we had an early Trick or Treating since we do not have Noah on Halloween!  So we went all over town visiting with family. 
Noah and Memphis took some pictures before we left.  Each one thought they needed to pose for the camera!!!
 My two Hawkeye Boys!

Our first stop of the night was to Aunt Nancy's house!  The boys got a lot of good goodies and got to see Tessa, Emma and Rachel (cat and 2 dogs)

After Aunt Nancy's house we went to see Grandma Bailey.  She as usual had some great homemade treats for the boys.  YUM! 

When we left Grandma Bailey's house we headed to see Grandma and Grandpa Palmer.  They had pizza and chili waiting for us when we finally arrived.  Chris, Sara and Zach were also there!  This year all the boys just happened to be football players! 

Touch down Dolphins! 

Picture on left is the we are tough guys...but I think Zach is thinking what is up with Noah?  And the picture on the right is of Noah being silly again!

Zach and Memphis, Memphis lost one of his eye blacks along the trip!

The best picture I got of the kiddos with Grandma and Grandpa!

Tony just horsing around!

Sunday October 27

Out with the old, in with the older...what?
Yep that is right!  Today I said good-bye to my first purchase (when I graduated college), my table!  After Randy's grandma passed we thought it would sure be nice to have her table as we would be able to add a leaf on it and make it big enough for us to eat at least 8 people!  On my old table it might hold 6 but you were elbow to elbow.  Now there will be plenty of room for the elbows. 
I am truly excited to have this table.  I can only imagine the conversations this table saw, the dinners it held and the amazing people that sat at this table.  Glad we were able to give it a home.  It might not be the fanciest table in the world, but that is okay!

Old table...you have been good to me, now you be good to the family we sold you too!

Welcome to your new home!  Can't wait to add the leaf(s) in and make you big enough for Thanksgiving dinner! 

Friday October 25

After work today Randy and I got to meet up with Lee (my old principal from Winterset), Chad (ex-coworker from Winterset), and Greg (principal that hired me at Winterset)  and his wife Trish!  We all meet downtown to have a few drinks.  It was so much fun to catch up with these guys.  They are truly fun and I miss being around them daily!
After dinner Randy and I headed to Blu Authentic Thai and Sushi...not bad...but I think I will stick with Thai Flavors (if I want Thai) or Wasabi Chi (if I want sushi)!  But it was good to have dinner with Randy!!!

Lee and I thought we better get a picture!  Oh the fun we have!

Thursday October 24

This week has been busy!  Monday night, I have no idea what we did but I feel it was something I should remember, Tuesday night I had conferences until 8pm, Wednesday night I had a meeting but was home at a decent time, tonight I am sitting at conferences again (but will be leaving soon)!
Friday night we are meeting up with some of my Winterset Buddies!  I can't wait and then Randy and I will go to dinner downtown to a resturant we haven't been to before, Blu Authentic Thai and Sushi.  Love trying new places!
Oh, Monday night I was making dutch letters...gosh that is how busy I have felt this week!  Hoping for a quieter next week!  This weekend we do not have real big plans...maybe some relaxing and house cleaning (geesh I feel like I am always cleaning the house!)
I haven't had much time to take pictures so here are a couple of Memphis from the last couple of weeks!

Memphis was not about to lay in his bed so he decided to sleep in his doorway.  I covered him up with one of his favorite blankets.  When I moved him to his bed I took the blanket off and covered him with one of his quilts.  He instantly woke up and wanted the other blanket!  He definitely knows what he wants!

Back from Jaycee's Birthday, Memphis in mid air jumping with Grammy!

Saturday October 19

On Saturday, Noah played in his last football game of the year.  His team made the Super Bowl and boy was it a great game.  This was the closest game they had all year and at one point was even losing.  However, in the last couple of minutes of the 4th quarter Noah's team pulled through with a WIN!  They went undefeated! 
Noah's highlights of the season-when Noah first started he knew nothing about football and didn't really hustle much.  Now he runs on and off the field as fast as he can, he watches the ball and goes with it, and is starting to understand the game. 

Noah in the black #4 running to make a tackle

chatting it up on the sideline

Receiving his 1st place medal!

The winning team!

We are proud of you Noah!

Weekend of October 11-13

I have finally gotten some pictures to post of the weekend.  We had a great time and it was nice to be with family.
Saturday morning we headed to the farmers market.  I love the farmers market and wish I got there more often.  I bought a bunch of honey crisp apples (YUM!) and Noah got to have his usual breakfast pizza and donut holes!

This picture after he didn't want to get on the train, but big brother did!

Showing Grammie some love!

After farmers market we went home to relax a little before heading to Noah's game.  We had a great turnout of fans.  My dad, Tara, and Emma were able to make it!  Mom and Brent, Peggy and Craig along with the other side of Noah's family!  He definitely had the biggest cheering section that day!

Then after the game we all headed to Creston to celebrate Jaycee's 6th Birthday!  Tyler and Tori surprised her with a big bouncy house and the kids had  a blast!  Jaycee got to have about 6 friends spend the night.  The girls were pretty good with Memphis and Rigs.  But toward the end of the night Riggins went in his room with Memphis and shut his door and if you were a girl you were not allowed in!  It was the funniest thing!

Adults eating dinner

Emma and Memphis having fun!

Daddy having fun with Memphis going down the slide

Jaycee and Riggins

Monday October 14

We had a great weekend but I do not have my pictures to post.  So instead I have decided to post Memory Lane Monday and a picture that brings me back many years! 
I see this picture and can only imagine how excited I must have been to have a little brother.  And I look at my little hands and think of Memphis' little hands! 
I can only imagine how busy my parents were with me being 15 months old and my brother being a newborn!  YIKES!  Did you guys ever sleep?
 

Night of October 10

Tonight Randy got some much needed help from his dad to work on the mustang.  Peggy also came over and played with Memphis.  He had so much fun.  He learned all about hide and seek.  His favorite part is saying, "boo."
Way to cute!

He also figured out that if he pulls the chair over he can turn the lights on and off..I was hoping he wouldn't figure that out!

Grandma and Memphis relaxing before bed

October 10

Happy Birthday to Jaycee Mae Hanson!  We all hope you have the best 6th Birthday ever.  And we can't wait to celebrate with you on Saturday!!!

Tuesday October 8

Today is my Grandma Carralou's Birthday.  Normally, I don't say a lot about her birthday besides me always thinking about her on this day.  But today it feels different knowing that for the first time in 13 years she gets to celebrate with Grandpa again.  I hope they are celebrating together.  I miss both of them terribly at times. 
A few of the things I miss about my grandma is her smile and laugh.  Her delicious food (gosh probably why I love food)!  And the thing I miss the most is just her love, she always put her family first.  The other day I found a letter she had written to me when I graduated from high school.  She just couldn't stop saying how proud she was of me and to always follow my dreams.  I will forever cherish that letter.

Today Grandma would be 82 years old.  

Sunday October 6

Today, Randy and Noah worked on the mustang while Memphis and I relaxed at home and ran a few errands.  It was kind of a gloomy day outside with the rain and cool air.  When Randy and Noah got home Memphis and I had dinner ready for everyone.  Spaghetti and garlic bread...yum!
After dinner I decided that we should make some apple crisp so I had two lovely helpers helping me in the kitchen.
Overall it was a great day!

Saturday October 5

Today Noah had another football game and this game was his closet one yet.  I didn't get to go because it was pretty cool out and it was windy so I opted to keep Memphis home and Randy went out to cheer on Noah.  I asked Noah when he got home if he got in on a tackle.  In his words, "Jenny, I came so close like maybe within an inch of getting in on a tackle!"
Saturday night we had a wedding.  One of my former softball players and now my current family photographer got married and she looked beautiful!  I just wish I would have grabbed a picture of us.  But I got some of us just waiting and having fun at the reception. 
At the reception I ran into a long lost friend of mine, Brianne Key.  I have forgotten how much fun her and I have together!  She has a little boy that is 6 and him and Noah hit it off instantly!  So we have now decided we should get the kids together.

Noah getting ready for his game.  Memphis trying to help out!

Hey mom take my picture!

Noah had been itching to put on his Hawkeye Helmet he is going to wear for Halloween.  Too bad the Hawks didn't win this weekend, but hey they played a great first half!

Selfie of Randy and I at the wedding!

Boys being entertained by the iPad, a little bit of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to keep everyone entertained!

Another selfie!  Noah and I thought we should take our picture!

Friday October 4

Finally!  My glasses came in today!  I have been going for about 2 months in hope that nothing would happen to my eyes because Memphis destroyed my only pair of eye glasses!  And I mean destroy!  Randy tried to fix one side with quick steel.  I appreciated the fix as I was able to wear my glasses in bed but there was no way I would wear them in public.  However, Memphis got a hold of them again and ripped the other side to pieces, literally!  So needless to say I finally had to go and buy some glasses I just did one of those cheapy deals where you get a free eye exam if you purchase 2 pairs of glasses.  However, when I go in for the exam I am told I have very severe dry eyes.  (I could have told the dude that since that was part of the reason for me to get some new glasses) but this doctor didn't want me to leave with my contacts in...seriously...you just saw how bad my eyes were.  I looked at him like he was crazy and he then said well I suggest you go to a one hour optical and he gave me some eye drops and said to come back and see him in 5 days...yep that never happened.  But I am scheduling an eye exam this week with my normal eye doctor.

Supporting one pair of my glasses!  Maybe now my eyes will not be so red.