Vala's Pumpkin Patch

The kids were off school for conferences last week on Thurs and Fri so we took advantage of the day off and headed to Vala'a Pumpkin Patch on Friday (along with the rest of the city of Omaha!!). I love Vala's---it's another one of my favorite things about Fall in Nebraska. But boy it was crowded on Friday. The past few years we have always gone after school during the week and spent the evening there so I wasn't used to it being so packed! My mom went with us and it was nice to have her help because pretty much once you walk in the gates one kids wants to go one way and the other wants to go the other way so it's nice to have an extra set of hands! We also met Ellie's friend Claire and her mom Karen so that was fun as well. The kids loved the jumping pillows and the corn pit. I think they could pretty much spend the entire day in those 2 things. We also did the riding tractors and they loved a new playground area that they built this year. That was nice because it was enclosed and since Jack decided to get lost in the corn maze I needed something to contain him! I was so freaked out in the corn maze--I have NEVER lost one of my children before and after those frantic 5 min I don't think I ever want to do that again. I had told Ellie and her friend to keep Jack with them in case they got to far ahead and that evidently went in one ear and out the other because all 3 of them took off once they hit the corn maze and that was the end of it! I tried keeping up with Jack but he was too quick :) So I found a nice staff member who happened to be walking through the corn maze and explained what had happened--he was so calm and said it happens all the time (nice :) and he walked me through the maze (he was going very slow and I kept wanting to shake him and say could you hurry up) but I let him do his thing--he kept reassuring me that there was only 1 exit but I got freaked out when I asked him out big the corn maze was and his reply was "only 3 acres"---GULP!!! But thankfully my friend Karen called (who was waiting at the exit) and said that some nice person had found him wandering and brought him to her---he was totally fine and not freaked out at all! So anyway a nice little reminder that corn mazes are not for 3 yr olds and 7 yr old can't be expected to keep an eye on their 3 yr old brothers!!! My mom left around 4pm and then Dave came and met us after work. We had dinner in the barn cafe and then went back and did some other things. We ended up being there from 1pm-almost 10pm. The kids were wiped out and we managed to lose Jack's Husker sweatshirt and cute Halloweeen shirt (he had gotten it wet playing with the duck race game so we took it off to dry and just put his coat on him but apparently it fell off the stroller sometime between leaving Vala's and getting to the car--bummer!!).
Saturday was such a nice lazy day! It was overcast and cloudy which was just what we needed after a busy week filled with conferences and my organizing the teacher conference meal at school. Ellie had gymnastics on Sat morning and then we came home and ordered pizza and watched the NU vs Minnesota game. Both kids were so crabby and we actually got Ellie to take a nap which I swear hasn't happened since she was 3 so that was a big accomplishment! We rented "Soul Surfer" Sat night because Ellie wanted to see it again and watched that together. It was a nice relaxing day! Sunday Ellie and I went to see "How I Became a Pirate" at the Rose and then met up with Jack and Dave at the zoo because it was gorgeous day! Ended the day at my parents for dinner and then home to get ready to go back to school after a long 4 day weekend! I LOVE Fall and wish it would last forever!!!

Weekend

We had another busy but good weekend! Friday Dave and I got a babysitter and we went out to celebrate my birthday! We went to dinner at Mai Tai, then went to Kohls to shop for a little bit (when did we get so old that our dates include shopping :) and then met up with our neighbors Chris and Sarah for a drink. We used a new babysitter and the kids seemed to like her. Ellie said she stayed up until 10pm because her and Victoria were having a "girls night" after Jack went to bed---she should have been in  bed at 8:30 but I won't complain! Saturday was Ellie's last soccer game and the team played great! Ellie has been playing defense for the past few weeks and her job is to protect the goal---she has really come a long way in doing that! We will be excited for Spring soccer to start up! After soccer Ellie started gymnastics and I headed over to Tomato Tomato to help Jody with the Harvest Festival. It was a fun day and Dave brought the kids up and they played in the bounce house and painted pumpkins and sampled some yummy food! Ellie had a bday party that afternoon and then we headed to the CU soccer game that night---whew--Ellie was a little irritable by the end of the night but who would blame her when her crazy parents have dragged her all over town that day! Sunday was church and then Ellie had another birthday party at Build a Bear and then we went to Sortino's for her soccer pizza party. By Sunday night I was exhausted! My house is a wreck and I've got a busy week ahead with parent teacher conferences, teacher conference meal that I am in charge of and 2 days off of school for the kids! Also need to get my van in to get fixed from getting rear ended last week. UGH! We are excited to go to Vala's on Friday since the kids are off that day. We'll head out early and then Dave will meet us that night. It will cost us a fortune but we have gone every year since Ellie was 1 so it's worth it but holy cow it's a racket!! Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Fall :) I can't believe it's already mid-October!! Hopefully this gorgeous weather will last a few more weeks!!!

Stuff

This is just going to be a hodgepodge of stuff that we've been up to around here lately :) This weekend was fun! It started with a family movie night on Fri night. We got pizza and rented "Soul Surfer" ---what a great movie and amazing story. Ellie loved it! Saturday started with Ellie's soccer game--her team has been so fun to watch this season. A lot of the girls have played together for a few seasons and then we have a few new girls this season. They have really come together as a team and it has been a great season with perfect soccer weather! We have only had 1 game cancelled and that was for lightning that started after the game had started so they called the game early. So we have 1 game left to make up this Saturday and I have to say that I am actually a little sad that the season is over. I really like the other parents and we've gotten to know eachother because like I said many of the girls have been playing together for a few seasons. We'll have her pizza party on Sun night and then we'll be done until Spring. Ellie has really come along with her soccer skills. I can't belive she's been playing since she was 3 yrs old!!! Every season I think it's going to be her last and then she ends up loving the season and improving so much that she wants to play again. We'll just keep playing until she says no more!! Saturday she is going to start another session of gymnastics. We did a session this summer and then took a break for soccer and now she is excited to start back up again! What will I do when Jack starts activities??? Saturday night was the NU vs Ohio State game (Big Ten home opener!!) Dave and I were there and what a great game that was!!! WOW--we were down 27-6 in the 3rd quarter and half of the student section was gone (our seats are right next to the student section---good times!) The rain kept coming and it wasn't looking good. But somehow we ended up coming back and beating OSU 34-27. What a great ending!! So glad we are "die hards" and don't leave games early :) The kids were each staying at a grandparents house so we were in no rush to get home. My parents kept Jack for his 1st overnight at their house and Ellie went with Dave's mom for the night. We normally don't split them up but Dave's mom wanted to take Ellie to Wenninghoffs's Pumpkin Patch on Sat night because her church was having an event there and I think it would have been too much to take both of them. So it really worked out well and Jack did great at my parents. Sunday we picked up Jack and went to church and then went to Jimmy's Egg with just Jack (Ellie spent Sunday with Dave's mom). What a "weird" feeling to just be with Jack all day. It reminded me of the days when it was just Dave, Ellie and I. Jack missed Ellie tremendously and wasn't exactly thrilled that she wasn't there but we made it. We took advantage of just having one kid with us and went to NE Furniture Mart and picked out a new bed for Ellie. She had a full size bed in her room and it was taking up entirely too much room. So we went for a twin trundle bed and it arrived today! It is a great bed and she loves it! So finally Jack is out of his crib!!!!! We put Ellie's old bed in his room last night and he slept great. I can not believe he was in a crib (still sleeping with this boppy/nursing pillow) until he was almost 4!! But he LOVED his crib and there really wasn't a reason to move him out of it until we just decided it was time. We haven't decided if we are going to leave the full bed in his room or get him a twin so I haven't bought new bedding yet. So the poor kid is sleeping a pink bed with flowers on it :) I haven't taken a pic yet because I'm not sure he will like that in a couple of yrs so I am waiting to decide what we are going to do before I buy him bedding!! Sun night Jack, Dave and I went to dinner with my parents for my bday. Ellie didn't get back until close to 9. Her and Janet and Janet's friends spent the day at Ash Falls State Park near O'Neill, NE. Janet has a woman from Columbia South America staying with her and Ellie is enamered with her. So she was in 7th heaven spending the day with "Laydie" (not sure how she spells her name). She is great with Ellie and is very patient and kind to her--it's very sweet! Monday Julie took Jack and I out to lunch for my bday and then  we had our Brownie meeting after school and Tues we had soccer practice and then birthday cake with my parents. Dave brought Indian food home for my bday and we ate that after the kids went to bed. Oh and I forgot on Monday I got rear-ended by an F150 truck. I am fine but it jolted me and caused a little bit of damage on my bumper--not a big deal but a pain in the you know what because know I have to deal with insurance--fun fun!! I sat down to write thinking we hadn't had that much going on in the last week but evidently I was wrong! Still loving Fall and everything about it!! Our weather has been amazing (almost too hot--yikes that is going to come back to haunt me in a few months!) and it's just been a great Fall so far! I almost think I have figured out how to add pics to this blog. That is on my list of things to do asap--get pics added to previous posts. I'm hoping I can get it figured out soon!!!

Nebraska City

I love Nebraska City!! It is truly one of my favorite things about living in Nebraska in the Fall. It is the cutest little town will so many things to do and explore. I've been going to NE City since I was a little girl with my family and it's a tradition I have continued with my own family. I remember taking Ellie when she was just about 4 mo's old! So we took advantage of the beautiful weather on Sunday and headed to NE City for the day. Normally we just go to the Tree Adventure farm area and have a carmel pie sundae treat and then go through the Tree Adventure, pick a few apples and then stop at Kimmel Orchard on our way out (Dave loves the sunflower seeds they sell there :). But today we decided that since we have a state park permit we might as well go through the Arbor Day Farm state park----WOW--it is gorgeous! I wish we would have been smart and brought a picnic but now we know for next time (and we will probably go one more time this Fall I've decided!) They had free hayrack rides through the park so we hopped on that and went on a ride through the park. Then they had Apple Pressing demonstrations so the kids got to see apple cider being made. Then we of course had to get our bag of Kettle Corn and fight over it and then we let the kids play at the little park that I didn't know was there! What a great place. When I was a kid we used to always walk through the Mansion but we haven't done that with the kids because I don't think they would really appreciate it at this point. But it's fun to see from the outside and I think next year we will definitely make that part of the day--I bet Ellie would now love to see the inside. It just scares me think of my little kiddos "running" through the mansion and breaking something---yikes!! So maybe next year :) After that we finally headed over to the Tree Adventure area and realized we didn't have a ton of time because we had to be back for our Sunday night dinner with Grandma and Grandpa. So we had our snack from the Pie Garden and then headed to Tree Adventure. My kids LOVE that place and I love how they could spend hrs exploring it. It is truly magical to watch them in nature! I hate to always "rush" them through things so I was really trying to let them just enjoy it. What a great place that is. I know Fontenelle Forest has something similar to it for kids that we haven't been to in a while. They loved the giant tree house that you can climb and they loved the station where you could record your voice and listen it (I think it's supposed to be something where they are listening to things in nature but of course my loud kids were using it for something else--oh well!!) We spent a lot of time in the Tree Adventure that we had no time to pick any apples :( Bummer---no we will just have to go back another time this Fall :) We stopped at Kimmell Orchard on the way out for Dave to get his sunflower seeds (that he painfully shares with the rest of us) and then headed back to Omaha. Such a fun , fun day. One of my truly favorite family days during the year!! I swear I will figure out this posting pics things someday and be able to post pics to this darn blog----UGH!!!!