Date Night and Weekend activites

Yesterday Grandma and Grandpa took the kids for the evening. The weather was super nice and so we decided to take a drive up to Grafton and enjoy the weather and the river. We stopped at the loading dock for some drinks and nachos. We then went to the Grafton Winery for the sunset, drinks and dinner.
   While at dinner I was taking some pictures of the sunset and a lady came up to us and told us what a cute couple we were and asked to take our pictures for us.
   It was a really nice evening and one that I think Chris and I both needed. 


Before that we had Colin's last soccer game of the season. He has grown so much as a player this season. He has decided that he really likes to play defender. He has a great long kick and really good arm to throw the ball in.
 Alyssa is happy that the season is over as she didn't enjoy going to his games however she is a great big sister and would go to each game and even some practices to go for a run with Chris.

This weekend we also carved our pumpkins for Halloween. Last weekend we were able to go to a friends house and came home with 27 pumpkins so we had a nice selection to pick from for carving. We even allowed Alyssa to carve her own this year. At one point I did have to walk away because she was making me nervous but she did a great job and parts that needed help Chris was able to help her with .
Colin drew the face he wanted on the pumpkin and Chris carved it for him. I found a design online that I liked and printed it out to carve since I'm not good at drawing.
 

21 years

21 years ago today I went to a high school football game to flirt with a cute guy I had been talking to. The conversation was super awkward, however after the game we went had pizza and played mini golf.
15 years ago today that same cute guy asked me to marry him.
Our life has had many ups, downs, and middle of the roads. He has stood by my side through all of it.
We have been together through my parents divorce, both of us finishing college after we got married, me struggling with my job, me starting my own business, finishing my masters, having a very sick child and chronic pain.  Life isn't always easy and there are time we get into a rut or have some pretty yucky fights.
  However I feel that because our relationship was long distance for a good part of 5 years we have learned how to communicate better than others.
  For me it is also the reminders of the love we have for each other around the house. We have a picture from our early dating years lining our steps. On the mirror on our dresser we have an index card that lists what we admire about the other person.
 Our relationship isn't perfect, and we have learned it takes work. It is work that is worth it to have your best friend by your side helping raise the family that we have always dreamed about.

Swimming

Alyssa has decided she wanted to do swimming lessons again this fall. She is already a pretty good swimmer, however her strokes needed some work. She has thought about joining a swim team and I told her before she joined a team I wanted her strokes stronger.
  The first class she walked away angry and said she didn't want to go back. The second lesson she remembered her goggles and did much better.
   She is now to the point that she looks forward to swim. Her strokes are getting stronger and she is getting good at diving off the diving blocks.
   She has another 8 weeks of class. At that point she will decide if she is done with swim or if she wants to move up lessons to one that will get her even more ready for the swim team.