Weekend before Thanksgiving

Friday night Shannon went up to KU med to visit a student so the kids and I got McDonalds and had an evening at home.  I got out the little Christmas tree for Callie and Chase to decorate and the little people nativity set for Cole to play with.
Saturday Mom came down to hang out and help out :-) with Cole while Callie and Chase helped me decorate the tree Shannon put up.  We had a good day decorating and playing.
Cole thought the santa sleigh was for him - he promptly picked up and tossed santa to try to fit himself into the sleigh.  Once situated he started trying to rock it back and forth.
Sunday Jenny stopped by in the afternoon for a visit - so nice to catch up and meet E.

notice Cole's high heels in the santa hat pic and when playing with the santa train below.
and Chase crafting away with Callie Friday evening too.

 

Callie's Birthday & Halloween

On Halloween Callie turned 9!!!  Crazy!

Weekend prior to Halloween:   Callie and her bff, Catheryn, had a joint birthday party the weekend before for their class (they are in the same section again this year).  Their party was at the YMCA swimming pool in Pittsburg.  It was from 3-5.  We let them swim for an hour.  Had cake and drinks, open presents, and swam the rest of the time.  The kids had a great time.  They were a great group.  Chase woke up from nap in time he wanted to come too.  I was nervous taking him when I was going to be busy but decided to give it a try with a warning that Daddy would come get him if need be.  He could not have done better.  He swam the entire time, ate cake with the kids, didn't need me but was cautious/not crazy in the water, wore his life jacket without complaint.  It was fun and he was exhausted.  Callie is so good with him like that too - when I looked to see where he was eating cake he was on the towel right next to her.  Although if you ask him were he went/was going he always said Catheryn's birthday party (not Callie's - he thinks Catheryn and her little sister are great).
So by the time I snuck out of the house not waking up a napping Cole with the kids, their swim gear, the cake, the party supplies - I got there and when pulling up realized I did not have my camera.  Catheryn's mom took a lot of good pics to share with me so once I receive them I will update with them.

Halloween:  Callie opened her presents from us before school.  That evening we did our normal stops and while at the UMC trunk or treat in Frontenac we met up with Catheryn and her family.  We went together to the area we usually t-r-t.  They four big kids went non stop.  Cole splashed in puddles as it had rained all day - he and daddy were usually a lot behind.  The kids had a great time and once they were done we headed to John and Lindas for the last stop.  Callie had some drama getting her clown makeup off!

Costumes - Chase's must have that made no sense to me.  Callie was going to be a monster high girl cleo de nile but changed to clown when she found the wig at Grandma Peggy and Grandpa Gary's house.  We ordered the overalls and shoes that she had to have online.  They were quickly ditched as too hard to walk in - hum who would have seen that coming???  Cole I ordered an 18month as that is easily what he is wearing.  It was way too snug.  He wore it but the hood would not come up :-)

Weekend after Halloween:  We had Callie's family birthday party.  She decided she wanted a rainbow cake.  Rather than cooking I had opted for pizza so we had plenty of time to cake decorate.  Callie and Chase made the cake.  I made the frosting.  Colored the blue and frosted the cake.  I piped the white edging on.  Then Callie and Chase took over.  I separated the frosting out and they colored them.  I put the frosting in pouches.  Callie decorated her cake all by herself and Chase decorated napkins or cupcakes with left over frosting.  We had so much fun.  They did great.  I was so glad I was not stressed or busy cooking so I could enjoy it and not mind the mess.  Great memories!

November 11-18

I have been bad at blogging and looking back some of my favorites to read are just normal what life was like then.  And since I am really just writing this as for us to read back on here is last week.

We have joked that each time I have had a board meeting or something I NEED to be at at work Cole has been sick this year.
Monday, Nov 11th, I had payroll and a board meeting.  The boys had both been fighting colds and feeling yucky.  Early in the morning Chase woke up with a fever.  Shannon had a Veteran's Day program at work so I called his parents.  They watched the boys while I ran to work for the AM.  I called and got both boys appoints.  We ran to Joplin to the ped as Cole had started running a fever by then.  Sinus infections for both.  Shannon picked Callie up from the Church after school program and I got home in time to get to my board meeting in the evening.  They boys stayed with John and Linda on Tuesday but were both back to school/daycare on Wednesday.
Wednesday Callie and Chase had practice at the church for Christmas Program.

Friday Cole had his 18th appointment.  When Callie got out of school Christie brought the boys to me when she picked up a couple kids from school and we headed out.  We picked Shannon up at Riverton, went the doctor appointment, then headed to Chuck E Cheese for awhile.  The kids loved it, ate, played, and picked out their goodies.  Cole enjoyed it all too.  The ride where you sit with ChuckE and have your pick taken was broken but Cole would not leave it.  Since he really didn't have to share as no one else wanted a broken ride we spent a lot of time there.  He also went up in the slide play area with Chase.  I was a nervous wreck thinking he would freak out up there but he loved it and had the biggest smile coming down with Chase.
After that we went to Toys R Us to get them each a catalog and look around for their Christmas wish list.  Then we walked down to Petsmart to make Chief a tag.  It was a pet adoption day so there were lots of dogs in addition to the normal fish, birds, and rodents.  It turned out to be a very fun evening.

Cole's stats: He was 50th percentile in weight and between 50-75th in height.  22.6 lbs and 33in
He is so much smaller to me than Chase was.  He is wearing the clothes that Chase wore perfectly except that Chase having a begin of Jan birthday vs Cole end of April so he is 4 months younger.

Saturday we headed to Mom and Dad's house for the guys to work cattle.  All the cousins were there and the weather although extremely windy was unseasonably warm so they had a lot of fun playing.

Sunday was a normal Church, pick up pizza, naps, grocery run, nice catch up evening.  John and Linda are redoing their living room so we did not go to their house this Sunday evening.

Monday, Nov 18th we made our third trip to a doctor appt in joplin.  We went to an ENT for a second opinion on Chase.  He has had constant trouble with his left ear even with the tube in and now in that ear his 3rd tube is out.  Both ENTs have now recommended adenoids and tonsils out - not too sure what/when we will do it.  I know the adenoids need to come out.  I am not sure on the tonsils.  We do not have much trouble but they are big and since he will be there anyway they want to do them too. 

Preschool

Chase is really loving preschool.  Even on the days when Callie is off because of inservice or something and he has school he doesn't miss a beat.  He loves going.
He has always been so into the fire trucks when Callie has had them at school for fire safety week.  Finally it was his turn at school.
He was nervous about the Halloween party there for some time now.  He did not know what to expect and it was out of his comfort zone so he wanted no part of it.  He even cried that morning that he did not want to go.  But by the time I had dropped Cole off Callie had him willing to go even if not in costume.  Of course he had a great time and was happy as could be when I picked him up.  Lori said he changed into his costume early on. By the way that was the costume he had to have - it made no sense it was a cars muscle costume???  and it was crazy expensive.  lucky for him I found it on ebay at a price i was willing to pay.

Random

 Callie and Chase have so much fun playing together.  They have many moments but they do so enjoy each other....planning what to play and playing for hours at whatever random thing they made up.  They enjoy their home time to play.

 Shannon's garden may not have done too well in many things this year but the pumpkin crop was the best yet.

 Sticking out his tongue on command.

 The whole group exploring.

 Planting new bulbs.  Chase was shoveling dirt into his wheelbarrow.

 Chase one night decided he was "reading" his Thomas book to Chief.  He was less than impressed.

 No matter where he went chase followed.

 Cole's new love is Callie's old high heel princess dress shoes.  He LOVES wearing them and will put them on anytime he can.  He is usually then pushing the doll stroller loaded up with whatever he might find to haul.  Such a nice perk to having a big sister ---- hand me down girl toys :-)

 And for such a girlie girl her Daddy has her unafraid of any animal/reptile, etc.

 He mostly just wants ME all the time.  In the mornings trying to get ready if he is up he is clinging to me.  When we get home I have to just forgo getting things done and hold him or he is crying at my feet.  If I leave the room he is upset and following me.  Don't get me wrong I LOVE it but it does make getting anything done a challenge.  I try hard to stop and remember to enjoy it rather than get totally flustered.  Here I had actually had to leave - this is him still at the door after being worn out from his fit.

 Carving pumpkins - this is a Dad project.  Cole and I played in the other room.  The kids both drew their faces on and Callie carved hers.  Chase carved about half of his.  I was so impressed.  I actually didn't believe Shannon that Chase had drawn his by himself and asked callie if she helped him.  No he had done it by himself.  And she even carved hers by herself.  Too big.  They had fun!!!  but Shannon didn't get any good after pics - I will have to try to if they are still going.

 I will post Halloween pics later but here is Cole in his high heels again pushing his dump truck - because of course.