German School Concert

Jack had his last day of German school on Saturday until the New Year and it included a concert and holiday party with all the classes and people involved in the German Society! Since Omi and Opa also attend German school they were there and they brought Oma and Opa along to enjoy it! Oma's dear friend is Jack's teacher (she has been teaching for 47 years!) so Oma enjoyed visiting with Frau Leuker! The morning was adorable and Jack was proud to show off some of his german language skills!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a very festive day and the kids enjoyed  

Singing  German Christmas carols and visiting with Saint Nicholas. We were so happy Oma and Opa could be there - they seemed to really enjoy themselves!

One Purple Spoon and a Baby

Elisabeth is really developing her personality and makes us laugh many times a day! She's a feisty, silly little girl and she just cracks me up! Her language is coming around and she has started telling lots of stories (sometimes only I can understand) but they always start with "one time last week...".  She picks up on everything around her and shows so much empathy and concern for Jack anytime he needs her. 

 

 

 

She is really really into babies, playing house, playing mama, cuddling her babies, feeding them, playing with her doll house, and packing up her purse with all her favorite things. Her and Jack are often found upstairs in the bedrooms playing "mommy and daddy" and using each room as different parts of their house. They get very into it!

When Elisabeth is asked what she wants for Christmas she will reply "purple". The girl is obsesSed with anything purple and will screech at just the site of the color! If you push her to come up with a more specific Christmas wish list she will tell you "one purple spoon and a baby from mamas belly." She is so so excited for the baby and is constantly loving on my belly, talking to my belly and "making sure baby is moving in there." 

 

On any given day if you open up that girls purse you will be guaranteed to find: a purple marker, her play phone, a lipgloss (or 2 or 3), her babies bottle, the hyena, and a purple lego. 

 

She runs around all day playing with "Jackie" and has zero trouble keeping up with him. She Screeches his name and squeezes him with hugs when he wakes up in the morning. She will do anything to make him laugh.

She still has a major obsession with Joe and begs him to put his cologne on her "and give me a big huge hug" each morning before he leaves  for work. Lately though, with baby just around the corner, she has wanted so many extra mama cuddles and snuggles and I am totally ok with that!

 

We got to babysit baby Henry a few weeks ago and Elisabeth was the best little helper! She couldn't get enough! 

 

 

St. Nicholas Day!

Definitely one of our top favorite holidays in this house! I used to get just about as excited for St Nicholas Day as a child as I did Christmas! It feels like the kickoff to Christmas and I have passed that excitement onto Jack and Elisabeth! They set their shoes up so early and we spent much of the week leading up to the holiday reading books about Saint Nicholas and talking about him! Jack learned a lot about him at Atrium and they talked about him at German school so he was well prepared! 

 

 

 

 

I love to experience their excitement as they open the bedroom doors to see the goodies in their shoes! Too much fun!

Thanksgiving!

We had a beautiful, relaxing, family filled Thanksgiving this year! We stayed in Cincinnati for thanksgiving day and then went to Cleveland from Friday morning until Sunday. Lots of time to just be together and do nothing which was much needed! 

Wednesday night before Thanksgiving joe and I headed out with some of my adult cousins! We haven't done that since more have gotten older than 21 so this was a really memorable night! Anna was in town from Norway so we all enjoyed showing her the downtown scene! 

 

 

Thursday morning my family all did the Turkey Trot! Truly doesn't feel like thanksgiving if not started downtown at a race! Joe and I decided to run with the stroller this year (well joe did all the pushing - hello 36 weeks pregnant!) but we did end up running the whole race and I felt so proud of myself - it was a fun year to run because I had no expectations and just really enjoyed Joe and the kids being with me! 

 

We headed to my Oma and Opa's house Thursday afternoon for the big family Thanksgiving! I took very few pictures but will always have the most fond memories of Oma and Opa's house during the holidays! My Oma still does much of the cooking (which every year we try to take from her but she just doesn't want to give it up). 

 

 

 

 

We then headed to Cleveland for the rest of the long weekend and had such a nice relaxing stay! We went downtown on Saturday to enjoy some Christmas festivities but otherwise took it easy which was perfect!

 

 

Again I took almost no pictures the entire weekend so just a few to capture the happiness we felt being a Grandma and Grandpas!

 

 

 

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!