An invitation to rebel against your genes (and maybe jeans)

I am extending this invitation to all members of the Wahlquist clan who will be in Denver for Thanksgiving. There is a 5k race Thanksgiving morning in Highlands Ranch that Kenna and I will be running in and we would like to include all interested family members to participate as well. For those of us with actual Wahlquist genes lounging in our bodies this does seem like an absurd proposition (Me? Run? TVs were invented so I could sit on my couch and watch other people do that). But I urge you all to ignore those coach potato tendencies, lace up those old sneakers, and join us on race day as we watch Kenna run an amazing race (I will be doubled over a trash can around mile two, it is at 5ooo feet after all).

This is the link to the race website:

http://www.highlandsranchchamber.org/td5k/register.html

Goodbye old friend

In late August, I mentioned to Marc that I thought it was time to start shopping for something to replace our 'little van'. It was starting to scare me a little with the funny noises and rattles it would make. The AC hasn't worked for a year (yes, it was quite a miserable summer, thank you) and we had decided a while ago that we weren't going to sink any more money into repairing it.

So Marc dove into the car shopping process head first devoting every spare moment to test drives and internet research. I had forgotten this little fact about Marc. When I mentioned maybe we should start looking, I wasn't quite ready for the intense focus that followed!

He finally decided what he wanted. It had always been our plan to trade in the van, give me his car and have a new one for him. I didn't anticipate (because I don't consider myself a sentimental girl) how sad it would make me to get rid of the van. Three of our kids came home from the hospital in that car. We took lots of fun trips (Canada among them). There are just a lot of memories attached to that car and I miss it lots. I have learned in the last couple of weeks that a little SUV is not practical even for a mom that only has two kids home during the day. It is hard for them to get into and you can't take any friends with you because there is not room for a third carseat.

So long 'purple van'.....it's been fun.
This is what Marc chose...
He says he wanted a convertible because he thought the kids would like it!!!!

Sarah Margaret's birthday

Last week our sweet Sarah turned five! She is such a sweet girl. We had a great celebration in honor of her birthday.Sunday was our family party. Sarah chose an iCarly theme.
We hooked up the video camera to the TV so they could make their own web shows and had some 'random dancing'.
A computer cake...
And some fun presents....
Wednesday was her actual birthday and she got a little present before school.
She had lunch at Red Robin with dad.
And then a girls night out with mom, Ella, Aunt Rachael, Monica (her cousin) and grandma. The stars somehow aligned again and Disney princesses on ice opened in Cincinnati on her birthday. It was opening night so tickets were cheap!
Sarah didn't know until we got there what we were doing.
The girls enjoyed some over-priced snow cones.The show was great. It told the stories of the classic princesses, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella among others. It was really fun to watch and the girls really loved it.
I can't believe it has been five years since Sarah joined our family. We really love her so so much!

Apple Picking2010

We continued our annual tradition of picking apples last weekend. We drove up to Columbus to visit with Marc's cousin Beth and her family and checked out one of their local orchards. This one was light years better than the one we went to here, but Tanner was disappointed that the trees weren't big enough to climb (though that did not stop him from trying). We had lots of fun and there were tons of apples.

Another attempt at a family picture!

(Wow Beth! I had no idea you did that until I saw the pictures! Thanks for helping her!)
Tanner and Dillon have a good time together!

Good thing we aren't having family pictures taken!

It has been a rough week for Mary. She walked a little too close to the swing and got smacked in the head. You can see what's left of that bruise above her left eye. Then she was running downhill at the park to see the ducks, stumbled and couldn't get her hands down in time. Her nose met the pavement first! Then she bonked her head on Tanner's dresser in the same spot as the swing bruise, so that one is actually worse than this picture shows! Let's hope this week is better!

A belated but sappy birthday poem for my little sis

As I think back on the days growing up with my sister

There were times I would have preferred a weeping blister

Over the years we have grown up and live far apart

And now I realize something obvious from the start

She was a actually a friend and I’ve missed her

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TARYN!!

If you're going to write a poem about your sister and the only rhyming word you can think of is blister you should proceed with great caution.

I miss summer!

Over the summer, this is what our regular schedule looked like. Except for a few weeks of swimming lessons, we had lots of time for playing with friends and cousins and spending time together. I remember thinking that in some ways I was excited for school to start so we could get back into a routine. Now I wish it were summer again.Below is our current afternoon regular schedule. This does not include things that come up like Parent-Teacher conferences, department meetings, book club, etc. I think I may have allowed the kids to do too much!