Turkey Trot with Presley: November 27th

This is Presley's second year participating in Girls on the Run. 

Every year Girls on the Run ends with a 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. 

I dreaded it last year and I dreaded it this year. 

Logan and Rylan offered to run with Presley this year, but she told me she was really counting on me to do it with her.  

I am not a runner.

But it's really not about that to her.

She wanted to be with me, to jog with her, and to finish that 5K hand in hand. 

So we did it together this year.  

 I'm always glad for the time with her. 

The girls were really excited to see each other this morning. 

They spray painted their hair and came in tutu's and long knee socks.

They wore headbands they made after school stating what they were thankful for. 

Presley forgot hers but its painted with the word "family".

Last year, she ran way ahead of me and would slow down and wait for me. 

This year she ran side by side with me for most of the race. 

As we were running we would talk and make little goals.

She'd look ahead and say, "let's run to the next mailbox or the next brown pole or the next crosswalk"

But then when we'd make it to our goal, she'd say "I think we can go just a little further mom".

I was impressed as I thought about this is how her life will be, just going a little further than she thinks she can.
Challenging herself. 

 I was trying to telepathically tell her this, because let's face it, I was a little out of breath. 

Mid race she said, "Let's finish this holding hands mom"

And we ran almost the entire 5K, up hills, down long streets, past houses with little girls waving in the window at us, down the hills, as parents and coaches cheered us on from the side, as cars zoomed past us.  

And at the end there was a marker that showed 3 miles and we knew we only had 0.2 to go.
She held my hand and said, "let's sprint to the end".  

So we did, just me and her.

Angela, Presley, and her teacher Mrs. Lammert.

At the end with her Girls on the Run medal.

  

Lea's Day-Lea's, Week 47

Day 323, Wednesday, November 19th

Harper getting hugs from her preschool friends Kimball and Greyson at the end of their preschool day. 

Day 324, Thursday, November 20th

Coming right along.

Day 325, Friday, November 21st

On our way to dinner.  The first snow of the year. 

Day 326, Saturday, November 22nd

Presley took the challenge of making a snow angel on the trampoline in snow. 

Day 327, Sunday, November 23rd

Family picture time 

Day 328, Monday, November 24th

Ry receiving his soccer medal for the fall season and his coach said a few words about each player. 

Coach Jose said,  "we didn't know Ry coming into the season but we know him now.  He always finds a way to make a good pass or dribble around the defender.  We don't know if it's his older brother teaching him these things or what."  Ry is wearing a fake gray moustache in this picture. 

Day 329, Tuesday, November 25th

I pulled out the winter totes (of course the snow has melted now) and these two think they're ready for skiing. 

Lea's Day-Lea's, Week 46

Day 316, Wednesday, November 12th

Logan has to dress nicely for school on game days. 

Dave was trying to teach him to tie a tie. 

It was one of those moments that reminded me that someday Dave will be doing this same thing on his wedding day. 

Day 317, Thursday, November 13th

The Foothills Falcons lost by one point. 

Day 318, Friday, November 14th

Logan's favorite teacher Mr. Johnson asked me to go on a field trip with Logan's class. 

That's Logan way up there in the purple jacket, and I'm zoomed in.

Needless to say, I felt a little like I had the Ebola virus. 

Good thing I've went on lots of field trips where he did hold my hand.  

The girls in his class were nice to me. 

Day 319, Saturday, November 15th

I took the kids to the park in the dark and Logan swung and texted. 

Day 320, Sunday, November 16th

Dave and I ran to Costco and left Logan and Presley in charge. 

We came home to Ry and Harper jumping from the stairs onto a pile of pillows and blankets. 

This seems safe. 

Day 321, Monday, November 17th

Ry giving me the "I Love You" sign as I dropped him off. 

He does this every day. 

Day 322, Tuesday, November 18th

I made cookies tonight and Ry and Harper warmed their hands from the oven heat. 

Lea's Day-Lea's, Week 45

Day 309, Wednesday, November 5th

Rylan's Fire Team had an opportunity to have an indoor practice with the Upper Valley Force, a group of special needs people within our community.  Here they are playing Red Light, Green Light. 

Day 310, Thursday, November 6th

Some days you get a smiley, heart-eyed emoji from your teenage son and you're grateful for it. 

Day 311, Friday, November 7th

The house is coming along...the view from the upstairs family room window. 

Day 312, Saturday, November 8th

Fall shopping trip to Portland. 

Day 313, Sunday, November 9th

We didn't do too bad!!

Day 314, Monday, November 10th

No school on Tuesday meant these three thought they could sleep together in Presley's bed. 

Here they are pretending to be asleep.

Harper's smile gave it away. 

And the fact that I could hear "shhh, she's coming, close your eyes" on my way up the stairs. 

Day 315, Tuesday, November 11th

The glow of the IPhone illuminating Logan's face in the car on the way home from basketball practice.  

Halloween 2014

We had a very busy and fun Halloween. 

In the morning I tried to get some cute pictures. 

It was backwards day for Logan so his shirt is actually inside out. 

Ry liked his minecraft pumpkin shirt. 

We started this morning with good news for Presley. 

She got to have her cast taken off!!

She said it was still a little tender, but it certainly didn't slow her her down while trick or treating. 

In the afternoon Harper and I went to volunteer in Ry and Presley's classes for their Harvest Parties. 

After Logan's school basketball practice I picked up a pumpkin pizza from Papa Murphy's and then we got ready. 

The Nelson's chose to be Alice in Wonderland characters.

Alice....Harper

Mad Hatter...Rylan

Queen of Hearts...Presley

Tweedle Dee...Logan

I want to make sure and record that Logan loved this costume.  He picked it out and convinced the others to go with this theme.  I thought for sure he wouldn't want anything to do with trick or treating with us or going as part of a group.  I was wrong.  He wore this costume out with his friends later and told us lots of his friends wanted to take selfies with him. 

Logan was wanting to go walk with his friends so we all went to Broadview Neighborhood where he met up with his buddies and the rest of us stayed together and went trick or treating. 

At one point the kids went up to a door with a big group of kids and the other kids walked through the owner's grass.  Our kids walked around to stay on their driveway and off their grass.  Dave stopped them to compliment them on having good manners and Harper piped up with "Hey, we try to try".  So we've been saying that all week long. 

Ry found a classmate.

Peeking in to see if anyone was home. 

We stayed out until about 9:00.  Ry was cold and probably could have went home at 7:30. 

It was a fun Halloween Day and Night. 

Lea's Day-Lea's, Week 44

Day 302, Wednesday, October 29th

Harper at 11:00--I showed her this picture in the morning and asked her why her animals are all facing the other way and she told me that she didn't like them watching her when she sleeps. 

Day 303, Thursday, October 30th

Table Talk for the night...the kids really did have the sweetest answers and it was good for each of them to talk nicely about their siblings and to hear nice things about themselves. 

Day 304, Friday, October 31st

The Nelson's as Alice in Wonderland characters.

I thought for sure Logan wouldn't go for a theme this year, but he picked out his costume and  LOVED it.

Day 305, Saturday, November 1st

Logan's soccer game in Sedro-Wooley.  

I liked this picture, even if Logan was scored on. 

Day 306, Sunday, November 2nd

Our house was so close to making the paper...our lot is where the dump truck is on the left side. 

I received a few texts telling me our foundation was in the paper...close, but no. 

Day 307, Monday, November 3rd

Logan didn't know I took this picture. 

I guess he likes a hair wash and head massage. 

Day 308, Tuesday, November 4th

Presley and I had a few minutes to wait together before Logan came out from basketball practice. 

She's telling me about a boy in her class who smiled at her during music class today.

I asked her what she did and she told me, "my face turned as red as a red hot pepper".