Bach Invention Number 8

Caleb has been working very hard on his Bach Invention and I think he's finally mastered it.  I took this video of him practicing this weekend.

Leaves and Candles

The leaves are starting to fall at a pretty good rate here. The kids have been eager to help with the raking and were pretty cute this weekend, raking and then taking breaks with our neighbor Kyle. 

 Lina and I needed a little girl-time this weekend, so we went and made candles together. We got to pick the scents we wanted, and could even mix different scents together. It was a nice activity!

Spooky Sprint 5K

We've all been anxiously awaiting this year's Spooky Sprint 5K. This was Caleb's 4th year running in the race and he had a very fast goal set for himself this year...but first a look at Caleb at his last 3 races. 

Caleb at age 4. He ran a 34:23

Caleb at age 5. He ran a 31:41

Caleb at age 6. He ran a 29:15

It was a beautiful Fall morning, so Lina and Levi and I walked part of the race course and met Randy and Caleb at the finish. I was pretty nervous for Caleb since he was hoping to break 23:30 min....little did I know he would shatter his goal!

Caleb and Randy getting close to the finish

When I saw Randy and Caleb make the final turn of the race, they were just over 21:00 min. I knew Caleb was going to finish with a phenomenal time! He crossed the finish line in 21:54 min, with an overall pace of 7:03 min/mile! He ran so hard he felt a little sick, but recovered quickly and was so happy and proud! 

Here is a video of the finish and of Caleb getting his 3rd place award for the 12 and under division. The kids who finished 1st and 2nd were 12 and 11. 

After the race, it was time for the Monster Bash inside the Y. The kids had a fun time playing games, doing crafts, and jumping in the bouncy house. It will be a day we remember for a long time!

Friday Night Piano

After dinner on Friday night, the kids put on a show at the piano. Here are a few outtakes...Lina is particularly funny!

Afternoon Happenings

I read recently that people should take more pictures of everyday events. I definitely don't take as many pictures as I used to of the kids, so I thought I'd document what our afternoons are often like. 

Adelina and Oscar doing IXL math homework. 

 Levi taking a much-needed nap. 

 Caleb working on homework at his desk. I think he was making his to-do list for the day's assignments. 

 Adelina working on some math worksheets.

 Caleb working on his weekly Reader's Response. 

 Heading out to gymnastics and piano lessons. One backpack has piano music, the other has homework to work on while Lina is doing gymnastics.

 Levi coloring and snacking in the gymnastics waiting area.

 Caleb reading a library e-book on the iPad.

 Lina doing an obstacle course.

 We always have a few minutes to spare between gymnastics practice and piano lessons, so we often try and sneak in a little park time.

 The kids love these three-across slides!

Storybook Walk

On Tuesday after preschool, I took Levi to Greenwood Park for a picnic lunch and a hike. This yellow jacket was our companion and Levi really enjoyed watching it. 

 The hike was actually a Storybook Walk about why leaves change colors in the Fall. It was very nicely done and Levi and I really enjoyed finding the placards placed along the hiking trail.

Apple Peeler

After picking so many apples on Sunday, I decided to make a big batch of applesauce on Monday. I had bought an apple peeler last year for $8 and it was such a great investment. The kids liked helping me prep the apples and eat the finished product!

Melrose Common Renovation

Melrose just received a big grant that they will use to renovate our beloved Melrose Common. All three of our kids have spent countless hours playing at the Common and I couldn't help but take a walk down memory lane!  Here are a few photos that I found of the kids over the years. 

I took the kids to the Common this week before they close for the renovations. How they've grown!