Family

2 weeks away from Christmas!! Really!!! The last few weeks have been busy. Really busy. My little business that started as a hobby, has turned full time. www.misslis81.etsy.com I never thought in a million years the Lord would bless this to what it's become. I am grateful! I am grateful that I get to stay home with precious boys and help contribute to our family. It's hard to work from home and take care of your kids. I'm torn most days. If I'm not making a hat or blanket, I'm not making money, but at the same time, I'm home with kids and they aren't in daycare somewhere. We have put our shop on vacation for the Christmas season so we can enjoy this time with our family. Jack and I have made some Christmas cookies already, we are having our first Christmas party tomorrow afternoon with our wonderful small group, and we are snuggled in tight waiting for a winter storm to roll in tonight. I LOVE this time of the year!!! Cinnamon candles burning, Christmas lights everywhere, and the excitement in my 3 year olds eyes as he talks about what he wants for Christmas.

Tonight Jack, Chris and I are hanging out on the couch watching a Christmas movie and drinking hot chocolate. As we were putting the finishing touches on our hot chocolate, we saw lights out the front windows and ran to see what it was....and here, only in Newark do we see a parade of fire trucks decorated with Santa and Christmas lights going all through town. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to rewrite "twas a night before christmas" about this town. :)

Quick funny story about Jackers. As most people know Ron Santo passed away last week, and it was all over the news. One morning, my mom went out to garage to get Jack and he turned to her wide-eyed and said, " Grandma, Santa died!" Could have been a really traumatic christmas. Thankfully grandma explained the whole situation, and Jack went right back to playing tractors.

Colorado Springs

Our trip to Colorado finally happened. It seemed liked we planned it so so long ago that it would never get here. In the midst of putting an offer down on a house and backing out of that contract, we almost postponed our trip. Thankful that we didn't :) We had a great trip. We flew out on a Thursday and the boys did awesome on the flight. Cole actually slept for the first hour of the trip. yay! Jack watched his dvd. We had beautiful weather the whole weekend. We planned for Chicago style November, not the case out there. It was very mild and beautiful.

Our first day there we went to see the Olympic training center, drove through Garden of the Gods, and then just drove around enjoying the mountain view. Jack really enjoyed seeing the mountains. When we got home, he asked if he could see the mountains here. Not so much! :) Lisa and I realized it had been 10 years since we first started rooming together in college. 10 years! Unbelievable. Jack and Lilian played so well together. For being together for 4 days they probably only bickered once. They played pretend house most of the time. Cole and Wilson was a little more of a love hate relationship. :) Wilson is a little more mobile that Cole and loves the drums. Putting two and two together??? Cole looked a little too much like a sitting drum set for Wilson. :) The babies are just a day apart in age.

The boys loved Lucy, Lisa and Daniel's dog. Whenever the dog came around Cole would start panting like the dog did, and by the end of the weekend Jack was asking Lisa if she liked his dog. If he could have fit her into his suitcase, he would have!

I love this picture of Jack and Lily!

And here they are almost 3 years ago exactly!

Saturday we went for a drive up the mountains to a little diner where we had breakfast. Great mountain views, a nice little pond and park for the kiddos to play at while we waited for our table. They had the most yummy cinnamon roll french toast! We took a few family pics that morning. Hopefully we'll get a Christmas card made with one of them.

I had a picture of Jack at 9 months old sitting in front of the mountains while visiting Lisa that I just loved.

Jack's new obsession with drums. And whenever Cole hears any music he immediately starts bounding up and down! I love it.

It was a wonderful trip. Definitely different when you have 4 children under 4 to contend with. Seeing Lisa and Daniel and their kiddos makes me so thankful for the friendship I have with her. Our lives have definitely taken different routes over the years, but somehow it still seems so familiar when we are together. And I still beat everyone asleep! :)

Cole's First Steps

Before I forget to write this down....Cole took his first steps today at Daniel and lisa's house. He did about 3 sets of 3 steps. Can't wait till he gets going a little more.

Candy

With Halloween just being over, and all the bags of candy laying around (deadly for me by the way :) I knew that getting into the candy wouldn't be a problem for Cole like it would be for Jack. The other day Cole crawled out of the living room and got really quiet. That can only mean something is up. I ventured out after him only to find chocolaty drool running down his chin. How in the world did he get candy? Yup....in his other hand is an Easter egg. He didn't get any Halloween candy, he decided to scrounge up some Easter candy. :) Not to mention the gold foil from the chocolate coin was in his mouth too!

The picture isn't the greatest, but you can see the choco mouth!

Happy Halloween!

As we were making our trick or treating plans for the weekend, it came up that I don't recall many instances of trick or treating. The few I do, was of me sitting inside watching Megan and dad go around the neighborhood cause I had been sick, or else we went to church for a fall festival type of thing. Not that Halloween is a big deal, but Jack enjoyed getting dressed up, and lets face it...candy is good! :) It has become our tradition to to the Tillers to trick or treat and visit mom(grandma) there. This year we met up with Megan and Tessa, Lindsey and Adam, Kelly and Micah. In previous years, Bob Saxon has dressed up as a gorilla. This has left a lasting impact on Jack as he was talking last week about the scary gorilla. Thankfully the gorilla was a chicken this year. Cole loved this so much. He was reaching out his had to anyone who would give him candy, and tried so hard to eat it through the wrapper. Such a change from last year, when he cried through the whole thing. So that was our Friday.

Cole really wanted to get Micah



Saturday was trick or treat around Newark. We got ready and headed out around 4. It was a beautiful evening. Megan and Tessa came down to join us. We just went to the neighbors in coy park, but that was enough for us. Then we headed down to Great grandma and grandpa's house so they could see the costumes. The kids has a great time playing down there. Jack immediately goes for the tractors, Tessa to any table that she can stand on, and Cole just crawled wherever he could. That was Saturday.


Then Sunday our small group planned to get together and go around the Koss' neighborhood. Again, a fun time to get the kids together. Jack didn't nap that day, so he fell asleep on the way up there, and then was quite grumpy for the next hour. Cole did well at the beginning of the night, but after trick or treating, he went crazy!!! Chris had to take him to the car and try to calm him down. All the while Jack and I enjoyed yummy chilie, corn bread, and treats for dinner!! Enjoy the pics!

Lots of Appointments

Poor Cole! He has been just out of sorts the lately. For the past many months he has been having lots or problems pooing, and now he has just seemed to be in constant pain or something. We have been to the doctor many many times. He takes miralax in his bottles (which he has seemed to completely up this week ) He's had xrays, exams...you name it. Still screams and tried to pull out his hair when he goes to the bathroom. Well, we went to his pediatrician last week and she just can't figure it out, so we have been referred to a pediatric g.i. specialist. Amazingly enough we got an appt less than a week later, today!! Last week I also took him to the chiropractor several times. And I have to say, Cole is like a different child. He has had several blowouts, is actually eating and drinking again, and is content to play. He hasn't just played on the floor for quite awhile. Yesterday was so sweet, Cole and Jack were chasing each other around the kitchen and living room and Jack looked at me and said "Mommy, I'm chasing him and he's laughing at me!". Broke my heart, cause all Cole usually does when Jack tried to play is scream! I hope that Cole continues to get better, and be my happy smiley boy that I know and love.

Today is going to be crazy. We have chiro appt, then off to Megan's to babysit for a bit until we have to go to the g.i. specialist. Thankfully Chris is getting off work early to meet me there. I am hoping Cole will take good naps in between all our running around so he isn't too cranky at the dr's office.

On another note...we ahve been enjoying this beautiful fall weather. Jack has been in love with all the harvesting going on. This weekend the field behind our house was combined. Everytime the tractor came around Jack would jump up and freak out! My family room floor is covered in blankets that Jack farms. He combines, and loads the wagons...you name it, he does it.

Here's a few new pics of the boys. I will try to get some more up soon.

Jack is all about picking out his own clothes. Stripes and plaids....NICE!

When I Grow Up...

Jack told his Grandparents this weekend that, when he grows up he wants to be a Grandpa and have white hair just like Grandpa Wayne. Not a bad profession I think. Even with all the new technology out there the poor kid probably won't have much hair when he gets to be a Grandpa. Maybe that's why he doesn't want to be a Daddy...future is a little brighter looking at Grandpa (The glare off the white hair helps).