November

It's always a shock after the time change. Long shadows at 3? Dark at 5:30? Wow.

Monday

• Holly started her new job at ATK (Commercial Products / Federal Ammunition) today. It is 1.5 miles from our house so she'll save around an hour and a half each day in commute time.


• Woke up and it was 50 degrees so headed out on a bike ride to the dam and back. There won't be that many opportunities left.


• Played in the giant leaf pile. Gave the kids a ride swinging around in circles and played freeze tag and sharks and minnows. The giant leaf pile:
  
  
  


• Holly had a great idea of walking on the trail in Elm Creek in the dark. We saw an owl sitting on a log as we crossed over a creek. It flew away after we spotlighted it. Very cool. Lilly was on the lookout for coyotes.
  
  
  
  


• Made applesauce with the apples Lilly picked off of Grandpa Jerry's tree. Mmmmmm, warm applesauce.

Tuesday

• Left early to vote on the way to work. Realized I left the ignition on in the car after letting the kids listen to "Ain't it great to be crazy" yesterday evening. Luckily Holly hadn't left yet so a quick jump start had us on our way.


• Voted in the morning with Holly and Lilly. We were in and out in 15 minutes. Lilly said I should just vote for every guy named John. I said, "Sounds like a plan...let's just take a look here...for president...uh-oh..."


• 8 miles at lunch w/Eric H and Todd. We went a little early as it worked out for all of us. A political conversation/argument ensued after Eric said he wore black to symbolize his mood after Barack Obama takes away all of his money. :) Conversation left me really thinking that we're all good people and want to do the right thing, we just disagree if the government is the right vehicle to do it.


• Holly said I should go on a ride before her spin class since it was 70 degrees. It was great! Met Neil, Jay and Dave W on the corridor trail and did a lap of "The Local", north edition. Neil got us all to put in an effort going for the finish line on Oxbow Creek Trail. Home in plenty of time for Holly to make spin. Thanks guys, and thanks Holly.


• Played My Little Pony with Lilly and then read stories.

Wednesday

• Woke up and ran 7 miles before the thunderstorm. 60 degrees at 5 in the morning!


• Lilly's swim class. She's on to Little 3s next!


• Waxed the Corolla before winter. Now the 4Runner.

Thursday

• Run at lunch w/Todd, JVD and Eric. From the looks of the clouds when we left the building we thought the end of the world was coming. Turns out it didn't even rain on us. My left ankle hurt a little bit the rest of the day after this run.


• Sharks and Minnows with Lilly and friends.


• 5 mile run with Boo. Boo is such a good dog...he can run right beside me w/o the leash. My ankle bothered me a little bit.


• Lilly and I watched videos on YouTube. I mistkenly played this one thinking it'd be a funny running commercial like this one. Halfway through I asked Lilly if she was scared. She said, "No, let's watch it again!" When Mom got home she heard all about the scary video we watched and wanted to sleep in our bed.

Friday

• Ran 7 miles at lunch with Todd, Joe and Eric. No problem with my ankle. Some thought we were nuts running in "the cold" but I was warm the whole time. And it's gonna get colder.


• Holly and Lilly went to the store while I changed the tire on Holly's bike. She took it for a ride in the dark on Monday and ran over something that instantly flatted her front wheel. She said she was lucky not to go down. Yikes.


• Played Chutes and Ladders. Holly won.

Saturday

• Woke up early and ran my 9 mile route. Used a headlamp for the mile through the park. Not bad. Very quiet compared to a weekday morning.


• Loaded up the car and headed down to visit my Grandma and Aunt/Uncle in Waukee, IA. There was snow on the fields on the way down:
  
  
  


• Ate with Grandma, Jerel and Elaine at Pizza Ranch. Lilly did the "chocolate pudding dance" when she ate her pudding.


• Went over to Grandma's. Elaine and Jerel gave Lilly a Mr. Potato Head set to play with while we visited.
  
  
  
  
  Boo's excited:
  
  


• Grandma's apartment has a game room with ping pong, a pool table, darts and an elevated putting green. Here's Lilly playing golf with Jerel:
  
  
  


• Lilly took a little nap on Grandma's lap:
  
  
  


• Went to church with Grandma.


• Holly, Lilly and I met Chris, Amy Jo, Jordyn, Tom and Teresa at Cracker Barrel for dinner. It was great to catch up with them again. Lilly loved seeing Jordyn (she's 3 years older than Lilly).


• Watched TV with Grandma and crashed on the air mattress.

Sunday

• Woke up and hung out at Grandmas. Lilly kept wanting to wake her up.


• Said our goodbyes and left. It's always hard to say goodbye to granmda. :(


• Ate lunch in Ames with Kecia and Tim. Very good food at Stomping Grounds. Headed over to their house quickly to see the new doggie Mara (Marathon). Boo ran like crazy with her and their older labbie Lucky. Lucky dog is 11!


• Nice drive back to the cities.


• Ran the 8 mile Champlin loop.


• Quesedillas for dinner.


• Webcam talk with Aunt Bee. After a day in the car, Lilly couldn't sit still long enough to see her very well. Whenever Lilly talked she got as close to the camera as she could. Lilly didn't believe Geoff was at the beach.


• Another great weekend.