November Ends

Wrestling
Cole’s been having a good time wrestling this year, the matches have gotten tougher as he has gotten older and the other wrestlers have gotten better as well. He has also learned more of the rules and strategies of this sport.
This week’s match he went 1 & 1 earning him a second place ribbon. Cole won his first match on points and lost his second on points. He is proud that he has not been pinned yet this year. (He has fought to get off his back often)

The following week Mom (the mat coach) noticed towards the end of his first match that Wrestler Cole was watching the score table and seeing the points difference. I asked him after this match what he was looking for and he said “I wanted to see if I was winning by points or if I needed more.” We had a lesson on wrestling from the first whistle to the last whistle and not stopping until then. I also explained to the young man that if he wanted a for sure win and not worry about points that pinning his opponent was the way to go.
The second match ended during the first round as Cole pinned his opponent quickly. (Mat Coach Mom said, lesson learned apparently.)

Bounce Jo Bounce!
Jo has been in a gymnastics/trampoline class and really enjoying it. (bad Mom keeps forgetting the camera) She has gotten very good at her bridges and cartwheels. Watching her get stronger has been great and seeing her smile while she bounces on the trampoline is awesome!
Here she gets to wear the harness with the bungee attached. Not only does she bounce a little higher but also has learned how to flip!
We have asked her if she would like to do this class again and she has said “No.” Why her mom’s ask? “I just don’t want too,” Jo says. Moms quietly scream inside…"will we ever figure out our daughter?”

Turkey Weekend
We spent the holiday with the S-side of our family again this year, brining along a cousin from the B-side.

Turkey Trot
Last year the Turkey Trot was cold COLD. This year it rained RAINED! We were all soaked but the kids more than anyone else because they just trotted through the puddles rather than go around.
After the Trot. These turkeys were not happy birds but when I asked them to give me a pose before loading up in the car they obliged. Off to warm showers and dry cloths!

Dinner

Good meal, great family time and full FULL bellies.

Poor Lanna got sick so we told the kids they had to share Maggie’s room. The girls thought it would be fun to sleep in the bed together so they slept on it sideways. Cole wanted to be closer to them so he climbed up on the bench and that is how they slept.

Cole, Hannah, Jo & Maggie.

Geocaching
We had a beautiful day on Friday so Oma and I took the kids geocaching at the lake. It was more of a “Get out of the house and move our bodies” time.
The kids did a lot of running, helped Oma find a couple caches and then back to running on the trails laughing and playing.

What a Group!

Lanna, Maggie, Cole, Jo and Hannah