Biking the Greenway

We live a couple of blocks away from the Grand Forks Greenway which has around 20 miles of bike trails along the Red River. Now that Crosby has mastered his strider bike we can go on family bike rides!

Ready to roll!

Striding over the bridge from ND to MN 

 We ditched the bikes for a while to explore along the river  

We saw our friend Steph Flyger on the way and she pointed out that Tim and I were wearing very appropriate shirts for being on the border:)

Backyard Fun

Many nights after dinner we find ourselves playing in the backyard. Carter and Cooper have loved playing soccer with Tim and me. Two on two keep away. Crosby sometimes joins in but usually just steals the ball and runs away.

 When he's not causing trouble with the brothers, he usually entertains himself. Here he is playing baseball in roller skates. Why not?

We borrowed the kid's hats...

 ...and Cooper did NOT want to be left out:)

 The last cones of summer! 

 A student left his skateboard in Tim's van last week. We got some good use out of it!

 And here is another one of Crosby...playing t-ball while the four of us are playing soccer. He cracks us up!!

Crazy Hair

After taking their showers a couple of weeks ago, the boys found a comb and wanted to try out all sorts of hair styles....

 The Wolverine (flat down the middle and spiked on the sides)

 Mr. Spike 

 The very serious "Bangs-Hawk" (bangs in front, mohawk in the back)

Not sure what this one is but I love Coops face:) So tough!

Potato Bowl Week 2014

There are so many things we love about living in Grand Forks! Potato Bowl week is just one of them. A week of events leading up to the football game and celebrating potatoes. 

It was a beautiful night for the famous French Fry Feed. Free fries for thousands! And jumpy houses for the kids.

We saw lots of friends from church, neighbors and students. Crosby borrowed a college student's hat and glasses:) 

 Next event of the week...the Potato Bowl Parade. A two-hour long, entertaining parade with LOTS OF CANDY! The boys loved it! We did too:)

 There were a bunch of old ladies sitting behind us and after a while the boys started giving all their candy to them. It was so sweet!

 And the final event that we attended was the football game. Tim has been mentoring one of the football players and he got free tickets for our whole family. The boys were pretty antsy and we only lasted about a quarter and a half:)

 But it was free:) They really enjoyed watching from the upper deck. Probably because they weren't confined to their seats.

 Go Sioux! I mean, Go North Dakota!!

Cooper's First Day at Pre-K

 Cooper has been excitedly talking about pre-school all summer long. We went for his orientation last week and he didn't want to leave!

Crosby joined us and had to bring his own backpack as well:) 

Cooper's classroom. He is most excited that their is a medieval castle to play with!

Two days later (last Thursday) Cooper had his first day. His school starts at 9 and he had his backpack on and was ready to go at 8:15. He asked me if he could just wait in the van because he was so excited! We compromised and he sat out on the back steps. Too cute! When he went into the classroom he walked right up to his teacher and shook her hand. He is confident and ready!!

Carter's First Day of Kindergarten

I've been both excited and dreading this day for some time...the day my oldest goes off to Kindergarten. Carter has been yearning for this day for about four years now:) For me it seems like he was born yesterday, and these six years have flown by and it is all just going by WAY. TOO. FAST. Slow down little man! 

 We took him school supply shopping the other day and he couldn't wait to get home to organize it all. I see so much of myself in him. It's surreal:) 

 Carter's orientation/meet the teacher was last week and as we headed off on the adventure he just took off on his bike and I had to beg him to slow down and stick with me. He is fearless! And so ready for this next step.

 Some fun pics in his classroom and outside the school. He is a pretty good sport when it comes to my love of picture taking!  

 The day went by really fast. A dear friend of mine had a little coffee-and-muffin-support-group-for-moms-with-kids-starting-kindergarten. The boys played hard and I had to wake them from nap to go get Carter at 3. I asked them to go get their shoes on and when I came into the kitchen I found them both trying to catch some more zzzzs!! 

 Carter said his first day was amazing! They did crafts, had story time and he couldn't stop talking about hot lunch! 

 I assumed he would love it but it was a relief as well. And what joy to get him back at the end of the day!!

Neighborhood Church Block Party

Kimmie offered to watch the boys while I took Carter to Kindergarten Orientation night. On the way over she passed a party at a church a couple of blocks from our house. We met up with her and the littles after we wrapped up and had some good times:)

The boys all did the Cake Walk multiple times. We went home with way too many cupcakes and cookies!

 Face paint! The boys thought this was the coolest thing ever.  

 Carter wanted a picture to show his cupcake prize and face paint::)

 They also had jumpy houses and firemen that let the kids spray their hoses. Lots of fun!

Carter's Book

The other day Carter came upstairs and told Tim and me that he had made a book about us.

 "Here is mom and dad getting ready for their wedding."

 "Daddy is down on his knee asking mommy to marry him. She says yes and they kiss." (How cute is this?? I'm dying!)

 "After they get married fireworks go off!"

"Then they go home and each sit on a couch and hang out." (Marriage according to my 6 year old!!)