Long, Hot Summer....Gotta Love a Concert!

Vodka cranberries and vodka/Diet Cokes were the drink of choice Saturday night as we rocked it up with Keith Urban! As I said in my previous post, after Jake Owen played 45 minutes, Keith Urban came on and play almost 3 hours! Totally amazing time....and yes....Sara and I acted like we didn't have a care in the world! We had the best seats in the house and once again, Keith (yes, first name basis) touched Sara's hand again!!!! We were screaming and jumping around like teenagers and it was PERFECT!!! I truly believe that concerts are the place to let it all go and have a super time. I am glad my sister feels the same way because we have the best time! Although we have seen him many times, we know there will be more. I think the review the next day in the Minneapolis paper said it was close to a rock concert with a little country thrown in. No wonder our legs were tired the next day! :)

There were many highlights of the night, but one that just makes me laugh happened a fewtimes....can't help but smile. Once and a while, when Keith Urban would be talking or it would get quiet for a new song to start, Sara would yell out, "KIM AND SARA ARE HERE!". It was hilarious and priceless! We know he knew we were there as we have been many other times...right Sara?? Why else was the only had he touched as he walked by our whole side Sara's? (I was taking a picture of course). Yes...he knew. hahahaha

Besides his songs that we love, Keith Urban threw in all sorts of genre of music and no one was standing the whole night. He and Jake Owen sang "Jack and Diane" and they place was going crazy! He brought people up on the stage to sing, walked around the crowd many times, gave a guitar away, and just was super! Yes, we have seen him many times in concert, but every time gets better and better. So I leave you with one of the best songs of the night, "Long, Hot Summer".....another song for the Carolinas! :)

Barefoot Blue Jean Night

Well, Sara and I had an awesome time at the Keith Urban concert in Minneapolis Saturday night.  It was the last concert of his 2011 Get Closer tour and we had amazing seats!  It was exactly what we needed and an awesome show that lasted a total of 4 hours!

Before the show, we did a little bar hopping in Minneapolis and had a super time prepping for the concert!

The opening act, Jake Owen, is becoming more and more popular with his song "Barefoot Blue Jean Night".  Sadly that is the only song Sara and I knew, but he turned out to be amazing!!!!  (Nice looking as well so that was a bonus!:)  After hearing him, both Sara and I downloaded many of his songs the next day.  I am sure we will be seeing him in concert again.

Well...we loved "Barefoot Blue Jean Night", as did the whole audience!  The next day I was watching the video on my iPad and Alex and Elyse starting singing in as they loved that song (I think everyone does).  We must have listened to it and watched the video many times.  After watching the video, Elyse commented that she thought this was "so a Carolina summer song!"  She then said, it seems like we have songs we listen to while in the pool in North Carolina or on the beach that become the "theme of the summer" (which is true) and she thinks "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" is so a "Nadermann North Carolina song".  I just chuckled and said that I couldn't agree more.

Favorite line of the whole song for all of us "Never gonna grow up.  Never gonna slow down!".  She said she felt that was a perfect saying for our family.....She is so wise!!!!

So here is the video - our family theme song for the year!  Sara and I had our moment of "shining like lighters in the dark in the middle of a rock show", as Jake Owens sings.  Amazing night of carefree fun....with a little "headache" the next morning!!!! (I will post Keith Urban pics next).

UNI Homecoming - Gorgeous Day for Tailgating

Molly and Elyse playing "bags". Dome in back

Molly and Elyse

We finally had a weekend to get to a college football game.  It seemed like that was what we always did on the weekends in the fall in the past....funny how things change....but for the good of course.   Sadly, we haven't gotten to a Wartburg game to watch our nephew Brandon play.  Hopefully that will happen in the near future. 

Girls and Guys hanging out

With Wayne gone to Georgia to pick up a new Culligan truck and drive it home, the kids and I jumped in the car and headed to Cedar Falls for the day for some tailgating with friends and some action in the "Dome".  Of course, Elyse's friend, Molly, went along and Alex was with his friend, Spencer.  We ended up tailgating with some friends, played some "bean bags", football, and just had a super time tailgating in the sunshine.  I was proud to be a UNI alumni as I have NEVER seen so many tailgaters there!  It was impressive!  Way to go UNI!  You have to know that when I was at UNI, tailgating wasn't a really big deal (yes, I know....dumb).  But it wasn't.  We did "tailgate in our dorm rooms" but my how that has changed for the Panthers!  Very impressive turn out for tailgating!  Yeah! 

Spencer, Molly, Elyse, Matthew, Matthew's girlfriend, and Alex

We had parked along the football practice field so the boys ended up playing a lot of football against some other guys where were there while the girls hung out and "chatted". 

UNI played a fabulous football game that came down to the last quarter so at least we got to see a super football game!  Kids love every minute of it.  It made me realize how much I miss UNI but also Saturday college football.  Elyse and Molly still say they like tailgating better at Iowa State in Ames, but what can I say?   I still bleed purple and gold....Go Panthers!

And yes Wayne,  we did miss you lots!

Elyse's JV Volleyball - Up and Down - Now Done - Finishing up With Varsity

Check out that arm muscle! (Elyse number 14)

Elyse also had her last official JV volleyball game of the season. They went in playing Waukon with a win against them already this season but could not pull off a win last night.  It was a stressful night full of backrow errors, troubled sets, and just off.  It was too bad because they had just played the night before and won....oh well.....that's the joy of volleyball for Crestwood....you never know what is going to happen.  The night before had been a super night for all, including Elyse, as she has been working on her "quick hits" and doing awesome with them!  My favorite part of the matches is when she has a kill on a quick set and turns around so pumped!  Great moment to see her so excited and loving what she is doing! (Credit that to her coaches and Lindsey Sir for working with her on that.  Thanks Lindsey!)

So her JV games for the season are over.  She will continue to go with the varsity, hoping to get some more game time before the season is official over for Crestwood.  She is sad to see it almost end as she knows she has some "conditioning" to do before basketball starts.  Although her arm muscles have "bulked" up, she doesn't realize her running hasn't.  :)  Lucky her.

This weekend the varsity heads to the conference tournament....which could be a long day for all involved or it could be a great day.  Again, one never knows.  Then after a week of practice they face New Hampton, a team we went 5 games with, in the first round of Regionals. 

Great season of JV volleyball Elyse!  It's been a fun season to watch....amid the frustrations as well.  :)  But we love yeah!!!! 

Fast Season of Football....But Undefeated at 5 - 0



Alex in blue on top of picture

Alex open in endzone

Alex had his last 7th grade football game last night.  I have to say, we have been so lucky with football and the weather being wonderful for each game.  At times, I think the players probably wish it was a little cooler, but as a fan, it has been fabulous!  Almost as fabulous as the team!

Alex at bottom in blue going after guy with ball but being
 held off by BIG guy

Alex's 7th great team went 5 and 0 for the season finishing very strong last night.  While I could only stay for half before I had to head to Elyse's volleyball game (this is what our live will be like for a few years....running in different directions), Wayne stayed behind and videotaped saying it was an exciting game with lots of super blocks and runs.

Alex has totally enjoyed his first "legit" football season and is kind of sad to see it end.  But there is no down time as he starts AAU basketball practice this Sunday with a tournament already the first weekend of November.  (Which I can't wait for!  Love it!)  He thinks he needs some "down time" but Elyse just looks at him and says, "Welcome to the world of jr high and high school sports."  Too funny!

Great job Alex, number 82, and the 7th grade Crestwood Cadets!  Fabulous season of football! (Pictures are from last two games verse Charles City and Waverly)  I am going to miss watching football!

Beautiful October Day

Wow!  Wouldn't it be great if the weather would stay like today through the winter?  That would be awesome!  We can only cross our fingers I guess.  Instead of cleaning the house, we took a little time to visit a new pumpkin patch/greenhouse that just opened outside of Decorah.  We couldn't pass up on spending the day outside as much as possible.  I was looking for some yummy Honey Crisp apples but they did not have any at this pumpking patch.....hopefully next year they said. 

If you have little kids, Pinters Greenhouse/Pumpkin Patch is the place they would love on a beautiful fall day.  There are so many activities for little kids to do.  Wayne and I both commented that we know our little nephews would have loved it there.  (This is the first year we have done a "pumpkin patch trip" with my parents....sad face  :(   )  We pulled in and Wayne's first comment was, "We just need Graham and Connor".  So if you have little ones and are looking for a place that has tons of great activities for the fall, including hayrides, pumpkin patch, petting zoo, a HUGE slide, and much much more, Pinters is the place for you. 

Even though Elyse and Alex were a little too big for most of the activites there, we still had a super time and left with LOTs of pumpkins.  We did take some pictures outside sitting at Pinters landscaping area.  It was just a great day to spend with the kids and Wayne.....couldn't have been better.

Enjoy the beauty outside this week.......