What are you thankful for?

I hope everyone had time to reflect on all the blessings in their life this past week.  I had time to reflect on how doing too much for others may leave me doing too little for those that I love the most. Even good intentions can have bad side effects. So I thank the good Lord for grace!

The kids requested that we serve at the community Thanksgiving dinner again this year. Grandma Val came down to help as well. Brenner ran orders, Nola and I delivered completed orders, Grandma Val served (and wore a lovely hairnet!), and Matt refilled the trays in both food lines. Then we ran out of turkey! But luckily more was found - it was great to participate again this year!

Looks at these two. Love them both very much!

Brenner being silly.

The weather was gorgeous on Saturday and Matt finally got the tractor running - woohoo!

We hosted the Hinck family for Thanksgiving on Sunday (before the blizzard came!).

I wanted to try some new desserts - chocolate turnovers, French apple tart, and pumpkin cheesecake. Who just wants plain old pumpkin pie?

Our family pic! The kids made cards for the tables to say what they were thankful for :)

Eadlin and Nola sneaking extra dessert!

What do the boys do - nap and screen time?! Luckily everyone made it home safe. We are thankful that everyone came but made it home safely!

Some turkey fun from Nola's class!

Some examples of work from 5th grade - composition, science, and math.

A very lovely note from Brenner (it was a class project but we will take it!!!!).

Circus time and 3v3 SMSG

It's Monday morning and I could go back to bed! We had a fun-packed weekend - thank goodness this is a short week with Thanksgiving!

Brenner's class went to the circus in Kansas City. Brenner and a buddy are deciding whether to ride camels, elephants, ponies, or go down the inflatable slide.

Tigers and fire - oohhh!

Painful looking acrobatics - oouuucchhh!

Sitting elephants  wooow!

Did someone say cotton candy?!

Brenner decided to ride the camels and was especially glad that he got this one which he called "jiggly hump" because the first hump was really jiggly! It was a really fun time for all of us - I hadn't been to the circus since I was his age! But I still insist that clown are creepy (notice no pictures of them!).

We had 3v3 Show Me State Games for both kiddos and wow was it cold. But Grandma Val is a trooper and cheered them all for all 7 games (hence our tiredness this morning!). Here we are warming up at McDonalds between games. Check out B's hair - he is becoming a little obsessed!

Nola was a team captain for her last game. It was about 35 degrees and hazy. Brrrrr.

Nola was a bit sluggish on Saturday but played really hard on Sunday. I asked her Saturday night what the deal was - she said that she didn't like me hollering all the time (I was the coach). So - I adjusted and simplified my instructions to the girls on Sunday and it went much better!

The girls were outmatched in every game and this purple team thought it would be an easy win, but our girls rattled them for sure. Defensively I think we were evenly matched, we just came up short on our shots. However, Nola had some awesome passes and made a goal!

Best thing is that the girls were all smiles. And they all want to play futsal in January - but let's just enjoy this soccer hiatus for a while :)

Brenner's last game (and I had the camera on the wrong setting but we are rolling with it).

The kids and I thought it was cool how only two shoes were in focus and decided it would have been really cool if the ball was too!

It was a pretty physical game. B got taken down in the first half with cleat or shin just above the knee caps. He was out for a bit but did come back in - sporting some pretty good bruises though!

Fighting for the ball. The boys lost 5-4 on a bunk call by the ref - even our coach was a bit peeved. Nevertheless, the boys worked hard in the cold weather and we are proud of them!

These boys have played together for a couple years now - hope they keep it together!

We can't end the weekend by just going home - it was off to piano practice! We have a new teacher Mrs. Poulsen who teaches the Suzuki method. The kids seem to like it so far - I think that it will be great for Brenner who prefers to play by ear.

While one is playing, the other takes time to read! Love these kids!

Winter - already?!

Winter came early to Missouri!We had snow this week - and not just a dusting (more is falling today!). The kids started up 3v3 soccer practice, Nola had her 2nd grade program, brown bag lunch - the list goes on - but I am very thankful that my job allows me flexibility to make it to all of the "stuff"!

Brenner's class had some help with financing (Money in the Middle is what I think it was called). They had to earn money to purchase items. Good lesson. I asked Brenner which job he selected and he said "they made me be a banker!" Hahahaha!

Nola's second grade program was soccer themed - so we didn't haven't to change from soccer practice (which was right before the program). She had a ball and we enjoyed all the soccer songs! Except for "Kick it" because you don't kick a soccer ball - you dribble, shoot, or pass :)

Brown bag lunch with parents. Nola requested Subway. A classmate didn't have a parent so we were lucky enough to have her join us!

Our selfie - and wow - the first time I can see me in her!!!!!! Didn't know I had a twin!

That night the snow came - but soccer practice wasn't cancelled. The director didn't think they would get that much snow that fast!

The boys took the lead on making a snowball (they basically played all practice but hey kids need to be kids!). Yes- Brenner has on shorts. Like I said to my mom when she commented on that - "do you not think that his parents told him to wear pants?" Did he get cold. Yes. Will he remember that the next time we tell him to do something. Unlikely.

We had about 5 inches on our back deck on Friday morning. I am not ready for winter!!!!!

Beautiful pine tree - wait that is one of our oak tree ;)

Nola helping me make french toast on Saturday morning. Brenner was reading and Dad was hunting. It was a quiet morning!

A picture from Brenner's fall party the week before - he had a ball with his buddies.

Brenner is learning about the Bill of Rights. When we were getting our flu shots Monday, Brenner asked me to listed to his reciting of the Preamble. I said I would have to look it up on my phone! He had to memorize - and earned extra points if he recited it early (which he did of course). He only missed a point for volume (let me assure you that he doesn't have that problem at home!).

Fun project with pasta for the different life forms!

Nola's vocabulary words that they free write sentences. If you read them, you can really see who Nola is and how her precious little mind works!

Examples of math and phonic work that Nola is doing.

Halloween and Brenner turns 11!

Whew - what a busy week! We had a great time celebrating our anniversary, Halloween, fall parties, and Brenner's birthday! Tuesday our sitter backed out so the kids went with us to our anniversary dinner (Pho - without complaints!)and then we took them to the park to play. A bit different than 14 years ago! Then is was party after party after party!

Nola's class ready for the parade. Doesn't our goddess look quite angelic?!

They had the parade around the parking lot this year - it was a bit chilly - even for Nola!

Game time during during the class party.

Who forgot to brush this morning?!

Nola beating all the boys in the tarantula toss game. It was hilarious because after she smoked them she walked off nonchalantly! #girlpower

We had Nola's parent teacher conference. She is doing great - nothing really for her to work on but fluency when reading. Great job, Nola!

The kids were waiting to go trick or treating when Brenner ran inside and said "you have to come see the Mantels!". Our neighbors had quite the costumes! When have you ever seen a chicken, goddess, Halo soldier, and ape together?!

Too much candy!!!!

Brenner had his fall party on Friday. It was held inside given the wet weather. Brenner didn't interact with me too much - he is growing up!!!! Here he is waiting for face painting.

Brenner was up early to get his birthday presents from us - check out this cool chair (again my feeble attempt to not be sat upon during movie night!). Brenner loved it and also got some gloves for soccer and a new book.

Next it was time to prepare the lunch for his party. He asked for Bill Durhams (build your own nachos). Brenner specifically asked for canned nacho cheese - ugh!

Spooky castle cake. Brenner said it was one of his best cakes yet! Base was rice krispie treats (thank you Nail It on Netflix!).

Mostly cash this year from family and friends but Drystan gave him a pogo stick. The kids had a ball trying to get in the most jumps. Drystan won with 341 (or 1000) depending on who you asked!

The crew - a great group of kids. Nola held her own as the lone girl!

Singing happy birthday!

Nola found a new friend!

All the boys spent the night. Despite the unlimited sugar supply and TV marathon, these kids were great. We had no issues at all (no clogged toilets for a remake of Nola's birthday!). The boys did a great job of including Nola! What a great way to celebrate Brenner!