Thanksgiving Blessings

Yesterday my sweet Colby had his preschool program and Thanksgiving feast. I am so proud of him, he stood up with his class and sang every song like such a big boy!


I hate to even admit it, but I was a little misty eyed. He is growing up so fast, and over the past few months has really matured in so many ways. He knows the whole alphabet phonetically and is now sounding out words and trying to read. He is counting with confidence, and has a great analytical mind. Probably his favorite things to do are to play outside, to construct things out of blocks, and to draw all kinds of pictures. He is drawing much better and more detailed than he was just a month ago. He loves drawing dinosaurs, people with really long legs, maps, and hearts. I really can't believe he is 4.5 years old and will be starting kindergarden next year.

This is a video of Colby singing at his program. He is singing the zoofari alphabet song. Please excuse the horrible videotaping, I had a camera, the video camera, and a wiggley Brody in my lap :)

Colby loves his friend Maxwell. Sometimes they make trouble together....but they are the best of friends. Colby used to get really upset with Maxwell because he would call him "Toby" --learning all the sounds of the letters is hard! But now they just get each other.

A couple of weeks ago Colby decided spinning in the office chair would be fun, and Brody had to join in...this next clip is of Brody and Colby spinning till they are sick.

So, reflecting on this time of year, I have so much to be Thankful for, so many I could never list them all, but I am most thankful for my family - my two sweet boys that have taught me so much, the most patient and giving husband in the world, my wonderful parents who have taught me so much over the years and my wonderful sisters and brother... together we have something pretty incredible, really different than most families, and I am grateful for the incredible bond we have no matter our differences...this is real love. I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many moments I have shrunk in awe and humility at our Father in Heaven's masterful plan. I am thankful for my beautiful home, I am thankful for Matt's incredible job, for my incredible best friend, and that God has blessed my mom and dad both this year with miracles of healing strength and health despite some rocky roads. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Love ya.

Austin

Last week, Matt went to Austin on business to recruit at UT. I begged to go, and I easily got my way! I love my hubby. Thanks to my in-laws we were able to get away for 4 days without kiddos. It was fantastic. I was a little misty eyed leaving the kids, but I knew they were in good hands. I love the Texas hill country. It is so beautiful this time of year. The weather pretty much parallels here, but the scenery is out of this world. Our hotel was downtown in one of my favorite areas, just down the street from Zilker Park. It is a gigantic park with trails around Town Lake, and just down the street is the Zilker Botanical Garden. Right out of the airport, Matt and I headed to Rudy's for some of the best BBQ in Texas, and then we went to the gardens.

I love plants. I can't help myself. It is kind of ridiculous. The gardens were just absolutely beautiful. Huge trees just surrounded the whole garden and all the little paths and water features were so neat.

There was no one there. It was almost like being in your own little fairy tale. Seriously, it was that beautiful. That night we met Marz and Mark for dinner at Maudie's (the restaurant), there is nothing better than Texas queso.

Thursday morning we slept in. How incredible. Till almost 9am! Its been years, seriously...anyway, we Met Marcie at Kerby Lane. Isn't this restaurant cute! This is what I love about Austin. There are so many fun and unique local businesses. This one happens to be downtown just a few blocks from my old clinic. I loved that area. The food is so good here. We ate a fantastic breakfast and then Marcie, and I spent the day hanging out and shopping around while Matt worked.

Later that night, Marcie had to go to this client appreciation party, hosted by a Realtor friend. I was glad I got to go. Her friend introduced Marcie and talked about her jewelry line and gave some of her pieces aways as gifts. It was pretty cool. Let me tell you, what Marcie has built for herself is pretty awesome. I am so proud of her. Her pieces are just exquisite. I got to see all of her amazing new pieces and see the incredible amount of work she has been doing for Aveda. She just finished part of a 700 necklace order and has done this single handedly with only one other girl she hired to help! She really is an amazing artist and a great talent for marketing herself and designing brands and logos. You rock Maudie! I know there are wonderful things in store for you.

Marcie and I outside her adorable house near Lakeway, modeling her ever so fabulous jewelry. If you want to check out her line you can go to her website http://www.seedsforgoodness.com/

There you can view some of her pieces, but she really has so much more than what is on her site. Recently she has been making custom pieces for clients, using old family heirlooms, and redesigning them into incredible new pieces. She has been so busy with all her orders she hasn't had time to completely update her website, but if you have anything in mind you can always contact her. I love the long necklace I am wearing in the picture, and she has many other styles.

On Friday we went to some of the boutiques that carry her line and then we shopped around again, it was a fun lazy day. By the way do we look like twins? I kid you not, every where we went at least one person asked us if we were twins. Marcie and I have this joke about this because way back when....we took a trip to Arkansas with my mom and some kooky hillbilly hung out his truck window screaming at us "are y'all twins." We have since adopted a name I won't share with you for those kind of men. He he he....

On Saturday, Matt and I drove around looking at our old stomping grounds and looked at some houses out in Dripping Springs. Then we met Marz for lunch at Rudy's before heading to the airport.

I love the atmosphere of this place, its seriously a gas station with this big barn as the store and restaurant, and then out back is this incredible yard with picnic tables. It always makes me a little sad when we are there, b/c it always seems to be my launching point. We always eat here and then leave. This was our last stop before getting on the road to move here, so it is always bittersweet.

So long Texas, till spring time. I miss it every day!

BOING

Last weekend we were just about to leave on a errand and I checked my email. A sweet family in our ward was cleaning out their garage, and believe it or not were giving away their trampoline. Yes, for free! We probably scared them, they had literally just sent the email, and here we were driving up to their home, like vultures ready to snatch our free loot! We were so excited because Colby has been bouncing all over the neighborhood at friend's houses and has really enjoyed it. We are thankful for this free blessing that has already proved to help rid Colby of TONS of pent up energy!

We still need to get a pad for the springs and some padding for the poles that support the net to make it safe, but what a awesome surprise! Thank you McGregor Family!

Cell Phone Pics

Most of the time we are doing something really fun, I do not have my camera! But thanks to wicked cool cell phones, I have captured some pretty cool moments, that I would never have had my camera for. Yeah, your right, just more shameless brag book pictures of my kiddos...but this is my journal, and for me that is a perfect entry! So anyway, early October, we stopped by the park to run around and get some energy out, to our surprise this sweet lady and her kids brought these cute baby turtles to the park. I know, I know, kids can get diseases from reptiles...trust me, I bathed them in hand sanitizer every 10 seconds.

Can you see him? That little tiny turtle, they were wild dessert turtles that this lady rescued off the road. Colby was needless to say totally thrilled!

I love little unexpected treasures like that. It totally made Colby's morning and it was so nice to meet a nice "stranger." It doesn't happen all that often that we run into such friendly people.

Brody in the back seat of the car during his first experience at the car wash. Look at those eyes. I think he liked it, but was a little scared too. Seriously, that look never came off of his face until we got out of the car wash.

The first night Matt was out of town (in the Netherlands) I took the boys to El Ricos for dinner. The weather was awesome and the food was great (as always). We happened to go on FHE night so we got a great deal. It made my night go by much faster, and we had a great dinner that I didn't have to cook! Yeah, Brody ate the whole plate of beans and rice, and then handed the plates to the waiter and said "kank you", and "ger go." It was so cute.

Colby had a blast climbing up and down the stairs to the second floor balcony. He was a super good boy for me that night!

A couple of weeks ago before Halloween, we went to Mimi's house and she showed us some kittens that had found a new home in her backyard. Colby played with those kitties the whole time we were there. He didn't want to leave. He picked out his favorite and hauled it every where in the back yard.Poor kitty, later Colby told me he put it in the tire swing and let it go down the slide.

A couple of days later when they had all been taken to new homes, Colby cried for about 10 minutes because he wanted to take one home. It was so sad, but we are not quite ready for a kitty.

We had kind of forgotten about Colby's power wheels truck out in the garage, until the other day. We got it out, and Colby drove Brody to the park. Brody squealed , laughed and smiled the whole way.

Santa brought this to Colby I think 2 years ago this Christmas, and it has been so much fun.

So there ya go, pics from my cell. They are not the best quality, but you get the picture!

Halloween

Halloween started early this year. Colby's awesome little preschool had a party on Wednesday, and all the kids wore their costumes to class. We love Mrs. Vanderpool!Colby worked so hard to earn his Darth Vader costume. He earned money by staying in bed, and doing chores around the house. He was so excited the week before his party when he earned all his money and got to start wearing his costume. He loves all things Star Wars...so we had to dress Brody up to compliment Darth!

Wednesday night we also got to go to Mimi & Papa's carnival. Every year their ward has this huge carnival. It is so much fun. This year everything was incredible. The food is awesome, and everything is free! We had chili and hot dogs for dinner, the best kettle corn ever, and even snow cones at the end of the night.

Brody debuted his Yoda costume! He would not wear the ears though. But it was great that he had this warm little costume because it was really cold. Normally we are sweating it out in costumes but this year the weather was perfect.

Something new to the carnival this year was a petting zoo, and let me tell you it was so good! All kinds of beautiful bunnies (lop eared, angora, and others), the funniest chickens you have ever seen, ducks, baby pigs, and baby goats. They were all super friendly and nice. Colby's favorite was this brown bunny.

Colby had a heck of a time crawling up this giant slide with his cape on, it was kind of funny. It probably took him 5 minutes to climb up this huge slide, and all the other kids in line waited so patiently. Then when he go to the top he didn't know he had to slide down right away, he thought it was a bounce house. So he was up there just jumping and laughing. Finally he slid down, and he had so much fun we had to do it again!

Mimi and Papa were in charge of the candy walk for a while. Next year we need to get some pictures with everyone. There are just so many fun things to do, that we forget about it.

Colby and Brody loved rolling the pumpkin to play this bowling game so much, that we came home and made our own with water bottles!

Brody couldn't get enough of the animals, we went in the petting zoo 3 times I think

I laughed so hard when I saw these chickens. My sister Marcie and her best friend Debbie have had this inside joke about chickens for years. All I could think of was getting some good pictures for her. These chickens were fierce! Chicken Couture if you will. They had these huge puffs on their heads and some of them had curly feathers....Brody loved them.

The baby pigs and goat.

Carving pumpkins on Saturday was so much fun. The big pumpkin was not so fun to clean out, but it did make a really cool jack-o-lantern. Colby was so excited to open them up, but not much help in cleaning them out. He carved the littlest one with only a little help from me.


Brody literally ran, when he saw us pull out the costume on Halloween night. It was funny. But he did let us put on the Yoda ears and he had fun walking to a few houses before he climbed in the stroller. Colby loved every minute of Halloween.

Colby kept saying, "This is the best Halloween ever." After about two streets he was complaining because his pumpkin was too heavy and he was ready to go home and eat candy. He loved to open the door for the trick-or-treaters and give them the candy.

Our pumpkins this year! Colby picked out the dragon. It didn't take that long to carve, surprisingly.

Who knew Darth Vader and Princess Jasmine were friends! Colby cried for about 5 minutes when he found out he wasn't going trick-or-treating with Meghan! He was so sad, but luckily we ran into them just around the corner from our house. he was very happy to see her! Meghan and Colby have been buddies ever since they were about 1 year old.

We had a great Halloween! How was yours?

Brotherly Love

"Mama, I first falled in love with Brody when he comed out of your belly." -Colby-

Colby has been saying this over and over for the past few weeks and has really developed a soft spot for Brody. Don't get me wrong, most days they are fighting and stealing toys from each other most of the day, but at least once a day, they both love on one another. Colby loves to hug Brody and Brody lays his head against Colby (sometimes burying it in him) and says "mmmm." It is the most precious thing. I hope that they will grow to be close and love each other as much as I love my sisters and brother.

Brody getting down with his bad self...in his leisure suit! This boy loves music and loves to dance.

We have had such beautiful weather, we have spent tons of time outside enjoying the play set we got a few years ago. I will never forget the 2 gallons of sealer/stain this thing guzzled when we moved it from the old house last year. That's not so much fun, but playing with these precious boys is so much fun.

Brody loves to climb anything he can reach!

Colby loves hide and seek and asks me nearly every day if we can go on an "adbenture" (no that is not a typo, that is how he says it)!

Brody loves to swing! I don't have a picture, but Colby is doing so awesome at swinging all by himself! He has the pump down!

Since Brody has his big brother to look up to, he is much more independent already than Colby was at the same age. He is wanting to do all the things Colby does, including sitting big boy style on the bench. The other morning they both were watching a cartoon and eating breakfast, so cute these first moments.

Oh yeah, did I mention wrestling? These boys love to climb all over each other, and as you can see they do it to their mama too!

Brody is always innocent. Well, okay maybe not, but he sure looks that way. He will be my little toot into everything, but gives you one chubby cheeked look, and you've melted! Stinker!

See I told you, all over each other!

What is cuter than a diaper bottom in those footsie pjs? I don't know! I love it. I love both boys right after bath time, all fresh and baby smelling clean. Soft and cuddly in clean jammies!

I love my boys and I am so glad they love each other!