The Artwork Says It All

Each day Cade brings home a great piece of artwork from preschool... either penmanship practice, a coloring page, matching sheet, stickers and glitter, paint projects or free drawings. Well, a couple weeks back, they started discussing families and his teacher asked each of the kids to draw a picture of their family. Now, I have to say, that when Caden started preschool in August this year he didn't even draw faces -- not on people or suns, or pumpkins ... he barely had drawn a picture of a person before! So, I was thrilled when he came home with the following artwork:

Then Jarin and I started talking to him about his family and asked who all was represented in the photo. He started on the right, and named mommy, Caden, and Alayna, and the outer circle was our home. Puzzled, Jarin and I said, "Where's Daddy?" He proceeded to flip it over...

Cade looks at us with two big eyes, and as calm as can be says, "Daddy is outside grilling."

Another Wave of Technology!

Jarin and I upgraded our cell phones recently, which has meant that I spend more time on my phone and less time in front of a computer updating the blog with anything of much substance! Unfortunately, I've missed out posting so many fun things that have been happening, but it's made me realize how much I enjoy sharing all that we have to keep us busy. I think blogging provides me an opportunity to relive the funny spontaneity in our every day lives that I sometimes file in the back of my memory when I lay down at night.

First of all, Jarin's mother retired at the beginning of October! After years of working diligently as a bankruptcy clerk she decided it was time to enjoy the mornings in her pjs... and boy, does she deserve it! Clyde had a huge surprise party for her in which many family and friends traveled to enjoy her celebration. I think she was completely caught off guard, just as planned!

Since then I've tried talking her into coming down and doing house cleaning for me but between joining Sisters, raking the yard, and making all the repair calls for things they've put off for years, she claims that she has kept busy! A couple weeks ago however, she did come down and join Cade on his preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch and then picked up Alayna early from daycare and enjoyed walks, lunch, and flying kites. Now that is exactly what retirement is all about!

Oh, what else have we been up to? Hawkeye football definitely keeps us busy every weekend, which means there is a lot of packing and unpacking each week. But we definitley define our family with the football season, so I'd never give it up! On the way to Iowa City a couple weeks ago, Cade was in tears because he'd only been able to go to one football game this year. I had to explain that some kids (and adults) never get to go to any, so he was pretty lucky! Here's our Hawk fans:

Halloween has also come and gone now... Jarin and I dressed up for once this year! I swore I wouldn't post a photo of us anywhere, but it was fun, so I guess I will share!

 The kids were adorable (I'm just a little biased!) Cade was the rough and tough Harley man, and Miss Alayna was my "Aly" Cat. They trick-or-treated 3 different times, and I'm sure we'll be stocked with candy through Easter!

Funny story... at one of the houses, the lady handed Cade a thing of Smarties. He picked it back out of his trick-or-treat bucket, threw it back in her basket, and said, "I don't want that!" Then he took off, never asking for anything different! Jarin and I were mortified, and tried to teach him how rude that was, but of course, all we could do was bust up laughing!!

Happy fall to all of you and your families. I'll promise to post more in between all the Christmas shopping I have to do -- only 50 more shopping days!!