December 2014...meet January 2015!

I am not sure who gets more excited about Christmas, me or the boys. I LOVE seeing their faces when they open Santa's gifts!!! 

This year Cole LOVED opening presents. Of course he did not want to wait for anyone else to open theirs, but...who can blame him. He wanted to see what he got! :-) 

Holding their favorite gifts. Cayden- Paw Patrol toy and WWE wrestler. Cole- M&M's from his stocking.

New Jump-O-Lene!

Now...off to Iowa....

For Christmas with Mooma and Poopa.

Cardinals field Lego kit.

Kurio Extreme- Tablet!

Serious stuff! Flipeez hat!

1 tablet and 2 iPADs....hmm....

Next Stop: Mundelein, Illinois to visit Aunty Blythe and Uncle Dave.

Aunty Blythe had a hideaway pet on their bed when they arrived! 

Cole got Olaf and Cayden got a Husky he named Jay.

Cayden and Cousin Connor.

Cayden and Uncle Ari.

We tried to get the kids together for a picture...
Cole-2, Cayden-5, and Connor-9 months old

St. Louis Cardinals Step stool from Aunty Blythe

Off to the Shedd Aquarium...

A successful trip...Cole fell asleep quickly and Cayden even fell asleep for a bit in the car.

The boys thought the big buildings in Chicago were so cool!!! I loved seeing their faces as they were looking at the tall buildings.

Home after 6 days...

Both pop-a-shots are put up....

Fast Forward to a couple weeks later...

Yup! $1.28 ...granted I had 49 cents off from HyVee from the grocery store savings card...but still..that's what I paid! YAHOO!

Trying a little love and logic.

We make you dinner and if you don't like it and don't eat, you go to bed.

What happens when 2 strong willed boys won't eat chicken?

They cry for over an hour....

Cayden finally took about 6-8 SMALL bites. 

Why do we want them to eat better?

So Cayden doesn't get so tired when he plays basketball.

Cayden's Saturday morning Basketball game.

This is what happens when you have energy and play hard and run u[p and down the court.
Cayden was sooo tired during the last 4 minutes of the game, we caught him laying down.

Here's a video of Cayden's 1sty Shot in his Olathe League! :-) 

In Memory...January 13th, 2015

Tonight the world lost one of the funniest, most obnoxious (back in the day), craziest women...Betty Lou Spagat.

The cousins went back in forth tonight with stories that we remembered...good and bad.

She has been suffering for a while and now she is hopefully at peace. I am sure she is up in Heaven laughing' it up with my Mom and arguing with Phyllis and Grandpa Mark. She is also back with her family that she has lost through the years.

I found some old pictures of Grams5 (that was her license plate back in the day) with Cayden when he was only 5 months old. I am glad I was able to at least find those....I really had to search, but knew I had some.

We had gone back for Labor Day weekend to go to BG Days and 

to see my mom's dedication bench at the school she worked at.

Here's to:

Paperasses

Peeps and Poops stories

pinching butts

touching boobies

ugly dolls

cats

sparkling grape juice that makes you drunk

attempting Gingerbread houses

kidnapping and going to Bob Evans

Walmart trips

big hair

lots of makeup

long nails

and...

Clowns!

Milestones....

Cole is able to sometimes open the fridge himself,  turn on AND off the lights himself.  He is doing great at school with potty training...but not quite ready for real undies yet.

And...He LOVES bananas!  But...they have to be whole, NOT cut!

Cayden has started basketball again...so...Thursday - Saturdays are basketball days! Cayden LOVES basketball!

December 22nd night out...

We took the boys to Union Station to see The Polar Express on the big screen in our PJ's. It was awesome as Cole would say...He also couldn't stop saying "Wow its a big tv!"

December fun before break....

Cole has art time everyday. The things he has made recently are adorable!

I am also adding pictures of Cayden making his gingerbread man in his kindergarten class and drinking hot chocolate...which he just realized is the same as hot cocoa.

Also...Our school has a tradition called Madison Mart. It started out years ago to teach the kiddos about economics---goods and services and wants and needs. Now it is just fun. K-3rd grade make things and 4th graders have services like nail painting, face painting,  tattoos,  photo booths, and more. Each kiddo gets fake mobey provided by the office and get to spend it how they want. Here's Cayden picking out his tattoo and getting a tattoo. And...Spending 50 cents on a laptop. Kindergarten gets $1 to spend.

I liked Caydens reindeer and paper gingerbread man.

Like the picture of Cayden on the couch? NO Cayden, you are NOT Reggie.

Can't forget some Santa pictures! 

Cole wants a REALLY big cookie and some M & m's.

Cayden wants ..well....If there's a commercial,  he wants it.