Another month gone!

Each month I keep telling myself that I will do better at updating the blog..and then another month just disappears. Life in the US isn't quite as interesting or eventful as living in a different country but it sure is busier! We really miss being able to travel around Europe and plan the next adventure. We have planned a road trip to Nebraska after Christmas and then a flight to Arizona in January. That will be our first flight since our return to the states in May! Not quite as exciting as spending Christmas in Paris, Spain, or Belgium.... We are able to take advantage of our frequent flier miles for that AZ trip though! Max started a new school on the 2nd of November and is now attending all day Kindergarten. He really enjoys having lunch at school, which I make everyday (not quite like the lunches at Copthill!), and being able to play outside a couple times a day. I'm not sure he is learning anymore, but he is having fun! Blake does miss having his big brother around but is happy they are going to the same school. I really do miss that bus picking him up and bringing him home each day! There are no buses at the new school, so I am now the official "bus driver"! Doesn't he look so sad....??? We have started a new round of sporting activities for the boys. They are both playing indoor soccer on Saturday mornings, which they LOVE!! We are lucky to have a wonderful facility in our town so that they can continue with soccer throughout the winter. Max and Blake are also signed up for wrestling! They have practices every Monday and Thursday nights and then can register to participate in tournaments on Sunday mornings/afternoons. I will post pictures next week as they are competing in their first one this Sunday. We need to be there between 7-8a and the wrestling starts at 9a. They will each wrestle 3 times throughout the morning. I'm told the tournaments last until about 1:00p and there is a lot of waiting time. We need to be prepared to bring something for them to do. It should be interesting. I'm just praying that they win one or two of the matches so they don't get discouraged. We have had some great weather this month and Dan and the boys were able to fish a bit in the pond across the street. It wasn't too successful, but Blake and Dan both caught one! Max loves to fish and could stay out all day, but Blake gets a little bored if the fish aren't biting. Can you blame him?! My Aunt Kay and Uncle Buddy stopped by our house for dinner one evening on their way from South Carolina to Chicago. My mom and I were able to take Kay out during the day and get quite of bit of Christmas shopping done! Thanks to my dad and Uncle Buddy for watching the boys play the Wii all afternoon!!...and jump on the trampoline, play baseball, play basketball, etc.. On the 13th of November, our town had a little community event to kick off the holiday season. It reminded me of why I love this place! I have to admit, it seemed a little early for Santa, but it was fun anyway!

That Saturday was Dad's weekend at U of I so after the soccer games, we all headed to Champaign for the last quarter of the football game. As bad as the IL football team is, it was amazing to see the stadium filled with orange! The boys really enjoyed it and it was a beautiful day. We spent the day with Kara and then ended it with Pierce's hockey game. Well, the little boys and I did. Dan took us to the hotel and went back to Pierce's house to party with Kara and a few of the hockey players and dads. Needless to say, he was not happy when Blake woke up at 7:00am the next morning! (I just can't imagine how he is going to be when Max and Blake have a Dad's weekend! Comments Holli??)

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving (for some reason I didn't take a single picture!) with Kara and David. My parents were visiting my brother in CO so I did most of the cooking, with help from Kara. She loves to bake so we had more than enough pies! We all have so much to be thankful for! Now for December...wrestling tournament, holiday parties, Kara's graduation, a couple birthdays and Christmas! Luckily, I have most of the shopping and wrapping done!