Summary of Fall Events

To quickly summarize the past couple of months:
I completed my first 10K race and the kids won 1st place (for the girls) in the 1-mile Kids Fun Run. 

School field trips:  Emily's kindergarten class went to Lucky Ladd Farms.  We had a hayride and did a corn maze.  It was cold and rainy but only the adults seemed to notice.

I got to see the Tennessee State Capitol with Amy's 3rd grade class.  It's an incredibly beautiful building full of interesting history.  Did you know the TN state capitol is the only capitol with someone buried inside its walls?  (the architect).  There is also a former U.S. president and First Lady buried in the front lawn. 

Amy and her friends in the TN House of Reps:

 

Daisy Scout Troop meetings: beware, the cookie sales start Dec. 24!!!

Emily most recently earned her cooking badge after making some all organic, natural no-cook granola bars at Whole Foods (free!)

I volunteer in Emily's class at school each Wednesday and we were quite busy with some unique activities prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.  We talked a lot about Pilgrims and Indians and the kids got to make costumes to wear for the annual feast.  (They also got to choose authentic Native American names):

I got to eat two Thanksgiving school lunches that day.  One with "Mountain Flower" and the other with Amy. 

That weekend (before Thanksgiving), we drove up to Madison, Wisconsin to visit Matt's 87 (or 88?) year old grandmother and her husband Seymour.  The girls enjoyed helping with the cooking and telling Grandma all about our magnificent travels throughout Europe.  (We haven't seen Grandma since before we moved to England)

Matt's sister and her family came to Madison as well and the kids enjoyed playing with their cousins for a couple days.

Actual Thanksgiving we were back at home and had some friends over for the feasting.

 

Later that evening we went to some other friends for pie... and for the ladies to map out the Black Friday shopping spree:

Thanksgiving was a great break but but now we are having fun as we get back into the routine of school projects, homework, basketball games, cheerleading, track club, jump rope team....