Football

Football season has finally come to an end for us. Jasper was able to play tackle football this year instead of flag football. Normally the tackle teams are for fifth and sixth graders, but they do allow some fourth graders to play. Jasper loved playing! He did quite well for it being his first year. He did get discouraged a few times because some of the kids we bigger than him. He just had to be reminded that he was playing against sixth graders.

Jasper played number 10 for the Chiefs. He would wear a red and yellow sock so we knew which one he was since they all look the same in their helmets.

Ben's favorite sport is football so he helped coach as much as he could.

We were lucky to have some pretty nice weather. The last few games he had were really cold. We only have a few weeks without practices or games until we start wrestling season!

Fun City

Since Ben worked a lot this summer and we had a new baby, we didn't really get to take a family vacation. The boys didn't have school last Friday and Ben had the week off so we decided a few months ago we were going to take a mini vacation to Fun City in Burlington, Iowa. They have a waterpark, arcade, bowling and go carts!

We invited Ben's mom to go with us. She had been wanting to go to Fun City with the kids for a while and she helped take care of Allegra so we both could play with the boys. We left Thursday night after Jasper's football game and got there around nine. It only took two hours to get there. Friday morning we got up and were able to spend a lot of the day playing and swimming. Allegra loved the water!

We were able to go bowling twice. Ben won both games and I did terrible so I was last. Mason got second in both games! The boys used the gutters. With my score I should have too. Mason was so proud of himself!

Jasper thought he was hot stuff too.

We did go carts as well. The boys were too little to drive so Mason rode with me in an Iowa State car. We beat Ben and Jasper! He laughed the whole time.

We came back Saturday morning since Nancy had to go to work Saturday night. It was a nice quick trip and we had a lot of fun! We will definitely be going back again!

Life

Life sure seems to be flying by these days. It is very rare that we have one night a week where we are able to stay at home. Jasper is in tackle football this fall and has practice most nights and games on Thursday. On Friday nights, we like to go to area high school games and support high schoolers we know. Jasper loves playing. He gets that from Ben. He is liking school a lot and is participating in the chess club that meets before school one day a week.

Mason is doing great in Kindergaren. He comes home and tells us who was naughty and who did or said what. He has little things he has to practice every night and he already doesn't like homework. I'm hoping we get over that pretty soon. He is anxious for wrestling to start as there is not a football league for him.

Allegra is rolling both ways and sits up pretty well. She's up to 15 pounds 11 ounces. At our last doctor appointment, we were told we could start cereal. I didn't start it sooner because she never really seemed to need it. She sleeps well through the night so I didn't have to fill her tummy with cereal before bed. She doesn't eat a whole lot of it but she seems to like it. She's starting to talk more and more, especially when the boys aren't around. She actually gets the chance to talk then.

Yesterday we were able to celebrate Jay's baptism. It's always great to have Kathy's family over. Allegra and Jay are only one pound different! It's going to be so much fun to watch them grow together.

I don't think life will slow down anytime in the near future. I wish it would because I love watching my kids grow.

Baptism

Sunday we were joined by many family and friends to celebrate Allegra's baptism. Ben's brother Rod and his wife Tracie along with my brother Marcus are her Godparents. It was a great service. Jasper, Mason, and our nephews Levi and Owen were able to stand in front and watch as well. I think they were more interested in making silly faces in the basptismal bowl than watching.

After the service, we provided cake for fellowship so our church family could celebrate with us even more.

My sister Kathy and nephew Jay were able to make the trip from Ames. They were here for a few days so we got to spend a lot of time with them. Jay gets baptized at our church in September.

It was a beautiful day for such a beautiful little girl!

First Day of School

We have survived our first day of school! Jasper was excited to go back to school and see his friends again and Mason was excited to begin Kindergarten. I took a vacation day today and we dropped them off this morning at school for the early morning program. There were a few tears and the boys weren't the ones to shed them.

Mason said his day was "good" and Jasper's was "awesome!" They are anxious to go back tomorrow. Sounds like we are going to have a great year!

Three Months

Allegra is now three months old! It seems like we were just coming home from the hospital. Allegra celebrated her day with Grandma Deana and Grandpa Jim while I was working and the boys were at another baseball tournament. Aunt Sara came for a visit too! After I got off of work, I went to pick her up and mom and dad's pool was warm enough for us to take her swimming for the first time!

She didn't cry at all! She took turns swimming with Sara, Grandma, and me. She loved it! She was so content just sitting in the water.

This wasn't her only first of the weekend. I got home from work today and Jasper told me Allegra can now roll from her tummy to her back! I can't believe how much she has changed in just three short months. I am excited to see her grow, but I wish it wouldn't happen so fast!

Back to Work

I am into my second week of being back at work. My 12 week baby vacation, as I call it, flew by way too fast! I enjoyed my time off so much that I didn't really want to go back. I must say that summer is the perfect time to be on a 12 week leave! Allegra is such a good baby and it was fun to be home with her and the boys. Last week was an emotional week just trying to get into the routine of things again and I know it will get better with time.

Who could leave this adorable face?