Country Christmas

Today after school we visited The Grove for a Country Christmas. We started in the log cabin where the kids learned about Christmas in the early pioneer days. Then we headed to the Redfield Estate where the kids had hot cocoa, decorated cookies and talked to Santa. It was the perfect start to the holiday season.

(evy and the owls)

(singing Christmas songs inside the cabin)

(cookie time)

(sugar cookie with too much candy!)

(evy's cookie was delicious!)

(evy chatting with Santa)

Go Wildcats!

After a fun weekend of filled with turkey, family and friends we decided we needed a family day and Matt had the idea to watch a Northwestern football game, so we headed to Evanston! We didn't know what to expect and how much the kids would like it, but tickets were inexpensive so we decided to give it a shot. We had amazing seats, football snacks and the kids had a blast...until about the 3rd quarter when the sun went down and it got a little chilly. Charlie had tons of questions and Evy loved imitating the cheerleaders. We will definitely be back next year! 

Let it Snow...

My kids do not love the cold and don't care too much for the snow, but today there was too much to not go outside and play! Hopefully this early snowfall doesn't mean a long winter is in store! 

(surfing in the snow)

(ahh! big waves)

(it's getting serious)

This is how we roll...

Charlie has made his stage debut! He is starring in a school play that is written by students. He has been practicing for nearly two months and it's finally showtime. He is playing 1/2 of the duo Florida Georgia Line and he's killing it!

Next door

We knew this day would come, we knew we'd be living with a construction project next door. Now, it's official. Our neighbors house was demolished today. Charlie left for school and there was a house next door to us, when he came home it was a pile of rubble. They probably won't remember the little gray house that was next door to us when they are teenagers...

Afterschool Adventures

After Charlie and I picked up Evy from school today, we went over to the Wildwood Nature Center to see the animals. Evy had visited earlier in the day and Charlie wanted to check it out. They are very brave kids - I wouldn't touch the snake.

(evy and the snake)

(petting our friend)

 

(charlie loving snake time)

Pumpkin Smash

Our park district hosts a post Halloween event, call The Pumpkin Smash. They organize various activities for kids to smash and ultimately dispose of their jack-o-lanterns. The weather was perfect and the kids were very happy to smash! They started by racing their pumpkins down the sledding hill and Charlie came in 3rd place. Then Charlie took a bat to destroy his pumpkin and Evy chose a mallet and she took it very seriously! 

(3rd place)

(ready to race down the hill)

(evy waiting for her race)