The Accidental Boilermaker

 Happy Halloween! The weather was iffy all day, warm but rainy. But once trick or treating started the rain had moved through. Last year we had 60 kids come to the house, so I bought a bag with 90 pieces of candy thinking that would be plenty. I also had two boxes of fruit leather I left with my dad just in case he ran out. Thank goodness because we had 123 trick or treaters! A new record.  People just loved Jameson’s hot dog costume. He got so many comments. They would ask if he wanted some ketchup for his hot dog which is just funny because Jameson loves mustard.  One last picture back home with the pumpkins. 

 Today was the final 5K for girls on the run.  It was a costume 5K and Evelyn and I made an awesome pair. I’m not sure if everyone picked up on who we were (Jasmine and Rajah). Evelyn’s costume is pretty cool if you ask me. Another goodwill find.  Jameson did a great job cheering and running around with his friend Chidera, one of the other coach’s son.  We didn’t get a picture of all the girls but every girl from our team was there except one.  Evelyn had a great run. I let her go ahead of me while I ran with friend, neighbor and fellow teammate McKenzie.  Me and McKenzie had lots of fun. Evelyn coming into the finish. 

Evelyn had a 3rd grade girls basketball open gym practice yesterday after school and again this morning. It’s an opportunity to learn and have fun, as well as to see if any 3rd graders are ready to try out for the 4th and 5th grade team. Nate dropped her off this morning and ended staying to watch because he said it was fun to see all the drills and watch Mr T the gym teacher coach the girls. In the afternoon we carved our pumpkins. My parents are here for Halloween, so Grandpa helped with the jack o lanterns. Jameson’s pumpkin Evelyn’s pumpkin My pumpkin

 Because we missed church Friday night to attend the trunk or treat, we went this morning. It worked out well because Nate was scheduled to play guitar. Jameson did not want to attend Sunday school. Sunday morning is so much bigger and the thought of being in a different classroom with kids he maybe wouldn’t know was too much for him. He sat and listened to the service just fine. After church I took Evelyn and Jameson trick or treating at the zoo. Most of the animals were able to be on exhibit since it was such a beautiful day. 

 Evelyn and I ran a 5K to benefit Fox Island county park today. Fox Island has been closed since June due to a derecho that toppled 100s of trees and made many of the trails unsafe. My dad and I did the fox on the run last October and I always think it’s fun to do trail runs. This year it was held at Metea county park. Evelyn and I had lots of fun. She found a special painted rock on the trail which I then carried for 2 miles. She also won a door prize - a very soft Vera Bradley throw blanket - which came in handy when we met Nate and Jameson at soccer and it was cool and windy. The race raised $3,400 for Fox Island. Today was also Jameson’s last soccer game. We thought about winter session but we would have to miss too many Saturdays. Jameson had a great coach and all the other kids on his team seemed like good kids. It was overall a really good experience.  Tonight was the fall food truck rally in the next addition over. Evelyn and Jameson enjoyed running around with McKenz...

 The school hosted a trunk or treat tonight. The weather was beautiful and it’s always fun seeing kids in all their fun and cute costumes. Evelyn wanted to be a black cat this year as she is very into cats right now. Jameson found his costume at Goodwill and of course I said yes you can be a hot dog. There were a good number of trunks and some random llamas that were so soft. They saw lots of friends and some teachers too. Evelyn found her friend Maddy from girls on the run. They were twin black cats.  We walked inside the school to see all the literacy pumpkins on display.  Finally we got in line for cotton candy. 

 Garfield is finished. It was a whole family project. Nate helped last night but punching the holes for the ears and the whiskers. We decided to keep the stem because he is after all still a pumpkin.

 Jameson has one last soccer game left. It just keeps getting colder but he doesn’t complain.  We worked more on our literacy pumpkin. Garfield is almost finished; he just needs some ears and whiskers. Saturday evening Bella and Millie came over and we had another bonfire cookout. It was a little chilly but still very enjoyable to be outside.  Today was a beautiful day so we went for a hike at Metea to see all the fall colors. 

 It’s fall break. Evelyn and Jameson came with me to Bible study. It worked well because another mom in my group had brought her twin girls and everyone knew each other from Sunday school.  They played together on their iPads and entertained themselves with no problems.  After Bible study we went to the pumpkin patch. There was lots of fun activities and they each picked out a pumpkin. They started on their literacy pumpkin after lunch. First step was a coating of orange paint. We spent the rest of the afternoon outside raking, riding bikes, jumping in leaf piles, and playing catch. 

 Jameson lost his first tooth! I jokingly told Nate he took a soccer ball to the face at practice but actually Jameson pulled it out on the drive home. 

 The fort4fitness fall festival was today. Nate took Jameson and Evelyn to Jameson’s soccer game and I ran my half marathon. It was great day for a race and I felt really good. I finished in 2:05:45 which is almost exactly my time from the spring, just a few seconds slower. I was happy to have a similar result. I got one shout out for my girls on the run shirt and officially met a guy who we often see running in the morning at the bus stop or running with his wife around the neighborhood. It was the 15th annual f4f fall festival and my 5th. In the afternoon we went apple picking.  We found a northern spy tree with a few apples up high in the branches. Thank goodness Jameson and Nate grabbed an apple picker.