Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch for our annual trip to pick out pumpkins, see the giant pig, ride on overpriced carney rides and polish off a six pack of apple cider doughnuts. It was a chilly but beautiful day and the girls all had fun. They got to run through the corn maze. Whenever Ceci and Katie are allowed to just run and run they have a blast.

Katie is my runner. I'm hoping she pays me back for my racing heart most of the day with a track scholarship. Today at Ella's skating lesson I literally looked away for a minute and she had run away from me onto the large ice rink...onto THE ICE. Another mom there said to me "you really have your hands full." Which I hear ten times a day. It's like when a stranger is staring at me and doesn't know what to say that's what comes out. Then she said: "I recognize you from pick up at Harper School. That one really can run. I've always wondered how you do it." Katie loves to just take off running. She's still doing that road runner sprint where her upper body is still and her little legs are a blur. On the way home from picking up Sophia she'll run for a long block without stopping a smile on her face the whole time. She just loves it.

The biggest take away from the pumpkin patch was that there are more chickens in the world than people. On the tour of the barn we learned that and Sophia reminds us from time to time. Usually when we're having chicken for dinner.

Here are some photos from the afternoon:



Sunday, November 1, 2009

The Marathon

Rick ran the Chicago marathon and did an awesome job!

I brought the girls and my mom and dad helped me while we cruised around the city catching Rick at various points in the race.

Our first stop was mile four. We soon realized as runners kept peeling off behind us that we were standing in front of the first set of trees along the course. We called it the pee tree and I kept having to tell the girls to turn around and stop looking at the urinating runners which were fascinating to them.
Here are Katie and Ella blowing on a dandelion.
Unfortunately we saw him more than he saw us. At one point all seven of us stood on a corner in Little Italy for 30 minutes waiting for him to come by. We finally spotted him and all were yelling and screaming. He totally ran past us without looking up. He just ran by looking straight ahead and unfortunately like he needed some encouragement. So we jumped back into the car and headed to mile 22 at Comiskey Park where we did catch him. While waiting for him at Comiskey the girls started sticking their hands out and got excited when the runners were slapping them. Katie and Ceci were trying to get in on the game too but faced the wrong way. I think Ceci was waiting for the errant runner coming the other direction and was confused when no one was coming toward her.
Here are Luke and Katie ringing cowbells that were passed out to the girls. I was hearing those bells in my head for a week after the race. We insisted Luke take home that bell to get back at Hans and Cathy for the High School Musical microphone they gave Sophia for her fifth birthday.

Maddy and Sophia wearing their dads' medals: