A heart breaker

Anika's 8th grade basketball tournament came to an end in the championship game with her team 1 point behind when the buzzer rang. But such is life.
They had a good season. This was the team I coached last year and it was fun to see how they had improved. As of right now, she says she is going to try out in high school, but she could change her mind in the next 9 months I'm sure.
So, we enjoy today, and the successes of points scored, balls stolen, and friendships that hold through wins and losses. Great job, Anika!

And now for Deck the Halls

The stockings are hung - and the tree is in process in this picture. I actually did almost nothing to decorate this year. The kids did it all, and that was AWESOME with me! We still have to paint the front door, but the Christmas music is out (my rule is not until the day after Thanksgiving), the outside lights are on (thanks to my dad and Matt), and Sinter Klaus is on his way tonight.  We have had a few Christmas books read in front of the fire by Christmas tree light and we hope to get some baking done yet. We also did a Christmas craft at Home Depot this morning - Maria thought it was a good time.

The Lerums are coming the Lerums are coming

That phrase was heard loud and clear, better and louder than 'Deck the Halls' let me tell you.
Every year for many years, we have done Thanksgiving with dear friends. Who knows if this will be the last, but we made the memories and kept the traditions...... the family game, bowling, real whipping cream, sledding, swimming....I'm sure there are more and the kids would tell you what each of them are, because 'It isn't Thanksgiving without the Lerums". I wonder if they are aware that the rest of the country celebrates it too, without us? Many hours were spent laughing and playing games, and eating of course. This year bowling was done PJ style. We had another couple - the MI football friends - join us as well!

Time to celebrate

Maria asked if she could have the girls in her class for a playdate in honor of her birthday. I don't do birthday parties, no party favors, no cake, but playdates and ice cream I can handle.  A local business has inflatables and was offering a cheap Thursday night special, so for less than $20, I picked up six little girls from school (that would be all the girls in her class, heaven help that teacher), come to our house for ice cream, a little Just Dance for Kids Wii and off to bounce for an hour. Whew! done with that one.

A few days later, Matt took Brandon and four boys to an indoor arena/arcade. They played laser tag, arcade games, ate pizza etc. Its called the Three Mile Project and it is run on donations by a group of Christians that want a safe, fun place for teens to hang out. Only certain ages are allowed in on different nights. Matt got on the volunteer list, so he is allowed in, but otherwise parents aren't even allowed in the door. Of course that means there are no pictures of the event, because I wasn't allowed!

Art work from the fair

With the arrival of my parents, came the kid's school art work. Every year we send the art work from school to MN to be entered in the Freeborn County Fair. Every year the kids make out like bandits - getting paid to do their art homework - who knew. This year we had a ridiculous amount of reserved champions and grand champions and now I have four new pieces of art work hanging in my living room!

Grandparents Day

This year, Grandparents Day and Matt's mom's birthday happened to be on the same day. The kiddos were blessed enough to have all four grandparents in school with them and come home to celebrate Mimi.
We love how much our kids enjoy their grandparents. Thanks for coming and making this day all that much more special for each of them!

A trip to the Big House

Our friends received four extra tickets to a U of MI game on Homecoming weekend and asked us to come along. Brandon decided to stay home and play in his indoor soccer game and a 3 on 3 basketball tournament, so only 3 of the 4 tickets were used. Thanks to friends who watched the girls and another friend who took care of getting Brandon where he needed to be.

Michigan football is horrible this year, but we still had a great time. Our friends graduated from the dental school, so we tailgated with a bunch of their classmates. We ate well, relaxed, and did our best to stay warm! And Michigan even decided to win.  It was fun to experience it all with them. The stadium is HUGE and a big hole in the ground. You walk in the stadium at row 70! How crazy is that?  Only in the land of the sand can you keep digging down!  Brandon said he gets to go next year. We'll see what happens!

And she's 8

Our little one isn't so little. Somehow, she continues to make herself known and not be left behind. She loves to color, can be very helpful, and is almost fluent in Spanish. She is discovering that reading is pretty good when you have the right book and she loves dogs. In fact, she runs outside whenever any of our neighbors are out walking theirs. She chose doughnuts for breakfast, chocolate bundt cake for dessert, and chicken patties for supper. True health that one.  There is still a stubborn streak in this one that you can't believe, but she can also be the sweetest thing ever. She and Jessica still share a room and are best of friends and worst of enemies. She also loves owls.
We love you little girl, and can't wait to see what the next years bring!

Time for pumpkins

Once again, pumpkin carving time was upon us.  Maria's was the big one this year.  Each year my dad has a pumpkin patch and when the pumpkins are young, he carves the kids' names in them. The pumpkin heals over the carve like a scab and you can clearly read the kids name. Maria's grew quite large. Brandon went for teeth, Maria's is a cat looking at the moon, Anika is all about Ninja Turtles lately, and Jessica always has to have a mustache and googly eyes.  Good times.  Each of the kids made one at church with GEMS and youth group. Maria (with Matt's help) made one that said 'Boo' and won third prize. I think it helped it was her birthday that night!

A crown of suds

Jessica loves to do dishes, and never stops entertaining us.

Dog SITting

Get it? She has all five dogs SITing, four of the dogs are not ours so we are dogsitting?  Its not funny if you have to explain it. But if you look closely you can see all five dogs sitting and waiting for Anika to PLEASE give them the treat.  The lab puppies are right in front of her, Charlie is to her left, a sheltie, Midge, our dog is the gray one, and dear Maize is the grandma dog who we all protect from the others!

Somehow, Maggie thinks she is a lap dog.  Anika is not convinced.

Time with the E family

Matt's youngest sister Jen, husband Ben, and three kiddos have recently been stationed in Guam with the Air Force. Before heading out over the deep blue sea, we met them at Matt's parents for a few hours of fun for several generations. The little E cousins played, and then the big E cousins got together for food!

We walked to the neighbor to feed the horse some grass.

Time to color

Big brothers and cousins

Matt's cousins Michelle and Chris. They are all the same age and were in high school together.  This is how you spell trouble!

Crazy hair day

It was Spirit Week again... and this represents crazy hair day. There also was PJ day, look like the principal day, dress up and look good day, and school spirit day.

Here is a picture of Maria looking like the principal with some of her classmates. This pic was from the school's facebook page.

Four pianos

I found out about this concert at work. Turns out there is something called the Collins Fund that sponsors a free musical concert every year.  I want to know why it took me three years to find out about this, but anyway! 

This year we got tickets.  Actually, I sent Matt, Anika, and Brandon to go stand in line and wait for tickets while Jessica, Maria and I went to a soccer game.  Each person in line received four free tickets, so we made out quite well!  And while in line, Anika and Brandon got to play on a grand piano for all the others in line.  Good times from what I hear.

The concert was amazing. My Aunt and her friend and our neighbors came with us, my aunt actually knew one of the pianists.  The kids were enthralled. Most of the concert was four people on four different pianos, but as you can see in the picture above, for one piece, they put four people on each piano.  Good times.

What more can you want than culture for free!

All I want for Christmas

September 21, 2014...... they are growing in, but the tooth fairy has been busy!