In the Swing of Things!

It will be Thanksgiving next week which is soo hard to believe!! Time is flying, my pregnancy is flying (I'm already 35 weeks - wow) and the kids are just growing up so quickly! It's hard to keep up! 

 

We are back into the swing of life and commitments! We chose to do a more nontraditional preschool experience for Jack and it's going really well! He enjoys each program he is enrolled in and we feel it is giving him nice exposure to a few different areas I don't feel comfortable teaching him!  On Monday mornings I drop him off at a neighborhood art class taught by a friends brother, on Thursdays he goes to Nativity Catholic Church for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, and on Saturdays I drop him off at German school which is taught at one of the all girls high schools in Northern KY. He asks before each day if it's "preschool with Mr. Luke? Preschool with Mrs. Lenard? Or preschool with Frau Lueker?" He looks forward to his different classes and I've loved watching him grow and develop this year.

 

 

The kids continue to be so excited for "Gerald or Geraldean" to make his/her entrance in just a little over a month! They tell everyone they can that "we are getting a baby for Christmas!" Joe and I are so so excited! Joe has been working like crazy on our 3rd floor to get it playroom ready for the winter! He is finished with the electric work, insulation, dry wall, and is currently in the taping, mudding and sanding stage. It's a big job but he has been learning so much and I've loved watching his enthusiasm for the work he has done! 

 

We are looking forward to thanksgiving next week and excited to see our Cleveland family and spend some time here with The Ricke clan! 

Pregnancy update: I have been feeling really good lately! I have had a burst of energy the last 2 weeks and I Have been trying to focus on the ease that is 2 kids right now and soaking up these great stages they are in! I am still running and love to give running updates because running is just such a love in my life! I am forever grateful for my running friends who continue to be patient with me on days I don't feel my best but push me to keep going when I can! I have cut out another running day during my week and have replaced it with walks so I now run 4-5 days/week and feel good with that amount! I thought I was going to have to cut back more but then my friend and I found ourselves clipping away at a 7:50 pace this week for our 5 miler and so I think I'm ok to keep running for a bit longer! Thanksgiving day Turkey Troy here I come!! I didn't journal as much about my running in my previous pregnancies which I regret a little because it's fun to compare and see what your body can accomplish! I do know I ran until pretty close to the end with the other kids and I do get a bit competitive with myself...as long as I can make it through my tradition of running a mile on my due date - we shall see!

We have had gorgeous fall weather and the most beautiful trees/changing leaves this year! I feel so grateful to soak it all in! I snapped this picture this morning which didn't do the actual sunrise justice but the way it was reflecting off our house and trees was stunning!

 

Halloween Festivities

October flew by and was full of costumes, travel and Halloween fun! The kids were of course really into Halloween this year since they are getting older and Jack declared "Halloween is the BEST day of the whole year!" All of October he spent preparing his Captain Hook costume, learning about Captain Hook and Peter Pan, wearing his costume and using the hook as a hand most of the month. Then Halloween night rolled around and right as we were getting dressed he changed his mind and asked to be T-Rex! The awesome dinosaur costume my mom made was ready to go so we didn't mind but it made me laugh at the mind of a 4 year old! Elisabeth wanted to be a doggy again and loved every minute of it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We celebrate a few birthdays in October - 2 very important ones being Joe's and Opas!

 

 

For Joe's birthday he went on 2 special dates with Jack - the Peter Pan play and bowling! Jack hadn't been bowling before and this treat was also part of a stop thumb sucking incentive! The boys had so much fun at these 2 outings and Joe said it really made his birthday week special!

 

 

 

 

We have been putting our foot down a bit with discipline this month and have started some positive/negative behavior charts that seem to be making life a little calmer and more controlled! 

 

 

 

 

 

We attended a nice cousin wedding in Cleveland last weekend and had a great time together with Joe's family!

 

 

And we got to finally meet our beautiful niece Therese! We all just fell in love with her she is so sweet!!

 

 

 

 

And to wrap up October was the always wonderful annual Halloween party at The Rickes! We love trick or treating in their neighborhood and enjoying the holiday with the family!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't stop laughing at this picture of Oma and Opa 😂 

 

And a pregnancy update: stef snapped this picture of me which perfectly captures my everyday! Always walking, always loving time with my kids, and most often having an extra kid in tow! I am 33 weeks (and feel a little more like 38 weeks). I am still running and feel pretty good but definitely slowing down in many areas! I am starting to nest around the house and wanting little projects done. I am beginning to count down and have to catch myself to not wish away these last 8 weeks of time with my 2 littles! I love when Elisabeth asks each night at bedtime "that baby coming out yet?" and then trying to stick her finger as far into my belly button as she can to "give the baby just a little rub."  Sleeping is getting a little tougher at this stage but I still feel like I have some energy I need to hold onto! With all the holidays coming up this last part of my pregnancy is going to fly by! Hello November!