Pumpkin Time...

On our way to the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkins...
We like to find pumpkins that match each of us.
Daddy found a really big one, just for him.




We found just the right ones...

Carving time!

I know, I know...what are we thinking?

Here is another picture of Jack with a knife!!!

The final product...Our pumpkin family!

Being Professional...

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend Education Minnesota's annual teachers conference. Goldy the Gopher was there and I happened to have my camera in my purse. So - Rebecca and I posed for a picture with him! Mostly the picture was for Jack, because he loves Goldy. But also because Rebecca and I met at the U of M in our grad program through the College of Education and Human Development - so Goldy means something to us too.

Ironically, I happen to have a picture with Goldy from the very first EM Conference I attended while I was in grad school...in 2002!!! Do I look any more professional or teacher like now? I was trying to look as teachery as I could in the Polaroid. Can you tell?

Q: How do you get your 2 year old to eat fruits and veggies?

A: Give them a knife!!!

Now I know this doesn't seem like the smartest answer...especially given that Jack was just caught opening a can of Coke with a fondue fork (page down)...but he loved cutting up all his fruits and veggies, then eating them. He went through two bananas, about ten raspberries and ten blueberries. He also polished of about 6 sugar snap peas! Not bad!!! (Oh, and it was just a butter knife!)

Jack of All Trades

No, I don't just let my two and a half year old have pop any time he pleases.


As a matter of fact, we spent much of the morning with this line of questioning:


J: Mama, can I have some pop?
M: No Jack. We are not having pop.


A few minutes later:


J: Mama, can I have some pop?
M: No Jack. We are not having pop.



If you know my son at all, you already know that he is very persistent...especially when he wants something.

Much to my surprise, although, I don't know why I was surprised, I found my son with this now open can of Coke in his hand. Yes, open. No, I did not open it for him. I asked him how he got that open. He said, "I will show you," and came back with the fondue fork that he used to pry the top open with.


Now, the question of the day...Do I reward him for his resourcefulness in getting said can open or do I give him a consequence for his disobedience?

Marathon Results

Jeremy ran the Chicago Marathon this morning. I am amazed at what he has again, for the 4th time accomplished! Just look at his placements compared to how many people he was racing against!! I can't believe all those people ran and finished the marathon today.


Here are his results:

Dyer, Jeremy (USA)
BIB 2156
Div 30-34


Split Time
START TIME 07:31:18
05K 00:23:10
10K 00:45:07
15K 01:07:31
20K 01:30:05
HALF 01:35:02
25K 01:52:49
30K 02:15:53
35K 02:39:57
40K 03:05:36


Total
Place (total) 2196/33,475
Place (Gender) 1963/18,983
Place (Div) 367/3,120
Total (Net) 03:17:15

Evidence...

What do you make of it?

Healthy Breakfast: Whole Oats, Milled Flax Seed, Triple Berry Mix

Pasta Requested for Dinner...Wednesday through Friday

A pile of evidence...lets look a bit closer at the facts:

It looks like one of those nerdy calculator watches from junior high! Water Bottle mixed with electrolyte tablets
Healthy snacks A packing list

Bandaids? Oatmeal & brown sugar? Gels...what kind of gels? A black garbage bag?

What do all these things have in common?

Did you guess yet?

This might help:

Ah, yes! It is marathon weekend!

Jeremy will run his 4th marathon in Chicago this weekend!!!

That explains all the little piles of running necessities I keep seeing all over the house...

These are the "gels" referred to on the list above. I found them tucked in the closet by my shoe bin.

Jeremy will be gone from Saturday morning until Sunday evening.

Can you believe he needs this much stuff for about a 36 hour trip?

The marathon is on Sunday. It starts at 7:30am.

You can track Jeremy online by following this link: http://www.chicagomarathon.com/CMS400Min/Chicago_Marathon/spectators_volunteers/index.aspx?id=510

GO Jeremy!!!

Laps in Creativity!

I realize that I have not updated in a while...mostly it is because I have not thought creatively about what to write. So...I didn't. Or...if I thought of something creative, I was busy doing something else and lost my juice before I could log in. So instead I will give you a little playback of September in photos!

Jack and Mitch enjoyed lots of time outside. This particular day they both drove around the city that we made on the driveway. It was complete with everything from all the grandparent's homes to Target & Sam's Club (at Jack's request). And...at one point I was sitting on it as a drive-thru snack shop with a bowl of grapes.

Jack made another new friend. This one is a toad. Mr. Toad was even given a kiss before he was overly squished, then sent back to his mommy.

We were able to spend Labor Day in Hayward with Jeremy's family and grandparents. Here are the boys on the dock with Auntie Meggy! They LOVE love LOVE her!

In Hayward we went to a candy store. Jack LOVED it, as you can see from this quite full basket. A word to the wise...be careful with dinner bribing. Now Jack negotiates with us. Usually the negotiation begins with Jack grabbing his step stool, carrying it over to the treat drawer, and opening it up while he says, "I am just going to check something." Next thing you know he has his treat bag and he declares, "I will have three bites of apple, then I will pick a treat." Humm...I wonder how he learned that trick?

I turned the big 2-9! Well, I have decided that is what I will forever be now...but the truth is revealed on the cake below. My husband threw the most fantastic surprise party for me. I could NOT believe it. I honestly had not been so surprised since he proposed to me seven years ago. It was a wonderful day. Thanks Jerm!
We went to the farmer's market a few times. Jack really enjoyed finding new ways to eat our findings!

Consuming well balanced meals has always been important to us! Nothing like your 2.5 year old having a Caribou and apple for breakfast...

We enjoyed a beautiful day at the orchard with my friend Noel and her sweet ones, Kyle & Haley.

Mitch rode in the seat of a shopping cart for the very first time!! HUGE milestone, since we practically live at Target.

The boys had a lovely concert for me. Very impressive! (And thanks to the Manrodt's for passing on both of these pianos!)

Bathtime with two in the tub is WAY more fun than with just one!

After the bath...

And we began swimming lessons for both of the boys!

Well, that was what we were up to in September. Hope you enjoyed the pictures!