Oh Christmas Tree!

    Ready ...                                Aim ...                                  Fire!           

 Despite the crunchy needles and the missing ornaments, our christmas tree has just about made it to Christmas. Tonight Cole was rearranging the decorations, and all I can say is thank goodness for plastic ornaments. Grant ran around the living room giggling and pelting Cole with an ornament he commandeered. Luckily Cole is a good sport and he tried to take refuge from the flying ornament.

                                                             Present Jenga                                                                   

After the ornament battle, Grandma and Grandpa Decelles brought over some presents, and Grant went crazy with the packages. He stacked them as high as he could until they toppled over, and then he did it again and again. Grant doesn't even realize that even more fun is hidden inside. Cole is so excited about Christmas, and I have to say I am too. Tonight Cole and I snuggled on the couch listening to Christmas music and looking at the tree. When I asked him what he was thinking about he told me that he was trying to imagine what is in all the presents. I know it must be torture for a five year old to see so many presents and not be able to open them. Two more days must seem like forever!

Snack Time

 

Today we were at the zoo in time to feed the giraffes a snack of lettuce. Cole loves feeding the giraffes, and I was suprised today that Grant loves it too. I guess he has had a lot of practice lately with grandma and grandpa's goats.

 One of Cole's favorite things to do at the zoo is play in the stream under the treehouse and try to build a dam. He would stay for hours if he could. Last time we were at the zoo Grant didn't like the current of the water, but today he loved playing in the water. 

Football Season

Its football season, and this year Cole is giving it a try. Favre better watch out because these little vikings are on a winning streak. It took a while to get a win, and now they have won their last three games. Their coach is a man of patience because the practices in the beginning of the season were a bit painful to watch. It took about five minutes to get them set up for a ten second play. Now they have caught on a bit more and are starting to understand when he calls out plays. Cole doesn't always really know what is going on,  but he does good when he gets the ball and has fun with his teammates.  

Game face on-ready for action

 Number one fan!

Trick or Treat

The boys had so much fun at trunk-or-treat this year. Cole was Woody again, and Grant was a chicken cowboy. He loved his costume, and when he ran he looked so funny with his "legs" flapping. Grant had a little stranger anxiety when we started trunk-or-treating, but after Grant realized that he was getting candy, he lost all shyness and picked candy from car to car. Of course he wanted to eat it as fast as he got it. The candy was a hit, but Grant loved having so many cars lined up for him to admire the most. He walked between the cars inspecting each one. Cole had so much fun, I only caught occassional glimpses of him as he ran around with his cousins and friends.

My brothers and sisters always have the cutest costumes. 

Grandma and Grandpa gave kids rides all night on Dax.

Grant LOVED the cars

Lexie the flapper with Aubrey-the prettiest pirate ever. Sporty Caden and his daddy Zorro

On Halloween the boys had a blast trick or treating with the Primos. Caden was a goblin, Dakota a soldier, and Noah was the cutest Dumbo ever. Cole was very into trick or treating this year, I think he would have stayed out all night if he could. Grant was all warmed up from trunk or treating the night before and ran with the big kids from house to house collecting his loot, and of course checking out all of the cars in the driveways as well. I was suprised that Grant lasted the entire time chasing after the boys-legs flapping as he ran after them.

Quick Change Artist

Cole couldn't decide what he wanted to be this year for Halloween. Every week it was something different, so Halloween snuck up on us he still didn't have a costume. Luckily, Grandma has a huge costume collection and this year for Halloween Cole was Clark Kent/Superman at the school pumpkin walk, a lion and a samurai at his school party, and Woody for trunk-or-treat and trick-or-treat. He insisted on dressing as a lion for the costume walk at school, but after thirty minutes he was roasting. Luckily, grandma ran home and grabbed a samurai costume, so he was a samurai for the walk- still with a lion nose and wiskers. His Woody costume was a few inches too short, but I still think he looked adorable. 

Two Wheeler

Cole rode his bike today with no training wheels. I wasn't expecting him to do it yet because we haven't been practicing, but we just let go and he kept going. He just can't or won't turn yet. He does good in a semistraight line, and when it is time to turn he just jumps off the bike.

Today we headed back to Tumbleweed park to celebrate my nephew Jude's birthday. Jude is not only adorable, but also one of the best natured boys that I have ever met. You just have to look at him to make him laugh and as soon as he sees a camera he stikes an adorable pose. I know that he and Grant and going to be great buddies and partners in mischief.






Cole the rock climber--Grant the rhino wrangler



After Jude's party, we headed over to Freestone park for more fun at my Dad's office party.  Cole had a blast on the bounce house and was even able to climb on a firetruck for the first time. Grant was happy just to be outside and try to follow his brother around the park. They had some pretty amazing raffle prizes, and all of us won something. Cole won the cake walk and also an art set in the kids raffle. I was hoping for the ipod, but was still excited for a gift certificate to Charleston's. Romi and Jason won a two night stay at a golf resort in Tuscon and Clint and Michelle won seats to the symphony.



Jason, Brindy, Romi, Michelle, and Clint

Silly cousins 

Grant loved wearing the fire hat, but he kept putting it over his face





 Grant and Aubrey were fascinated by this old puddle-they played together for quite a while until they resumed their never-ending fight over Grandma's lap