Autumn Nights

After dinner, we usually go outside.  The kids play and ride bikes, and eventually we all take a walk. For the past week or so, I've brought my camera because the evenings have been so gorgeous.

I feel like I can hardly do justice to the golds and oranges that color our landscape or the slight chill in the air or, as of this week, the unmistakable hum of a combine in the fields around the house. Much as I love spring and summer, autumn nights are perfection.

Relatedly, have you heard of the Waterlogue app? It turns your pics into watercolor-type photos. Most of my adult life, I have been anti-watercolor prints.  I saw them only as decoration in a 1980's South Beach condo (with brass frames, of course).  Lately, though, they've been all over the design blogs and have started catching my eye.

I have issues with faces and colors hanging on the wall (thanks mom), but I think blurred, muted watercolors would look great on the wall, especially if they were actually photos that were meaningful to us.  In fact, I might have my (long-awaited, much-discussed) gallery wall inspiration!

One Sunny Fall Afternoon

Last Saturday was a gorgeous fall day- not cold, just crisp- and Frank decided we should go to Sugar Grove Nature Center.  We try to go there at least once a season.  (Remember this post from last year?)

The Nature Center has an indoor museum with snakes and frogs, etc, and they also have a huge wooded area where kids can play.  It's not a park, per se, but they have rustic structures where the kids can play.

Um, do you know my kids?  Playing outside with leaves and sticks is right up their alley. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, but I did get some pictures on Frank's phone (this is my way of apologizing for the quality... normally his phone takes great pictures, but I think it was just too bright outside and most of these have a glare.)  You can still get an idea of our afternoon, though...

Mama-Daddy selfie!

Probably the craziest thing of all--- Carter on the same bench one year later.  Look how he's grown!

                                                     

School and Races and Birthdays and Dragons

A few weeks ago, Jacob started has second (and final) year of preschool.  Since it is his second year at the same school, it was not that big of a deal.

Our First Day of School pictures did not go well, however, and the best picture I got was of him turned towards the door (because he was mad at me).  Needless to say, I never posted it to Facebook!

The first day was a short day where parents attended with the kids, so I was able to snap some pictures.

I love his little shark backpack!

At the end of the week, we went to Gary and Anna's.  Frank and his friend Mike signed up for a 5K on Saturday morning that a neighboring town was holding as part of their centennial celebration.

It was so humid on Saturday morning, and it rained sporadically on the runners.  I got to go cheer them on and take some pictures.

Don't you love small towns?

There was a clown in the race.

This is Frank, a few hundred feet from the finish.  I love this one, because I knew at this point how well he had done.

Medals!  Frank took 4th overall in the race, and 1st in his age group.  Mike got second in their age group.  He joked that next year he's not inviting Frank so he can take first. :)

That evening, we celebrated Anna's birthday/retirement with a family dinner at a 1920's gangster-themed steakhouse.  It was pretty cool.  They had a live pianist and we had him play Happy Birthday as they brought out the cake.

The following morning, we took the kids to "Castle Park" in Carbondale.  This park is the most unusual park I've ever seen.  (You can read more about it here).  Carter wasn't in the mood to have fun, though, so we wrapped it up pretty quickly.

Whew!  I think that catches you all up on the past couple weeks!