Life Lately

'Tis the season to completely neglect your blog...fa la la la la...

Here are some highlights of the happenings here at the Coles' since Halloween.

I painted and applied a cute design to our lazy susan.  Crafting doesn't come easy to me, but it sure is rewarding when my project turns out just as I envisioned it.

Our little Elsa and strong army guy at Halloween this year.

The weather was perfect for trick or treating.  Sam wanted to go with his neighborhood friends and Lena with her's, so Rich and I split up and tackled the neighborhood with the kids' chosen trick or treat mates.  It was a fun night!

Sam went to work with me one beautiful fall day to hang out while the teachers were having an in-service day at school.  He loved being downtown and thought my office was cool.  Lol.  I loved having him with me. 

We had a little birthday gathering for Matt at a restaurant near the airport.  Good times with family just can't be beat.

Our last preschool Thanksgiving feast. It made me a little sad at how fast these years are going and so proud at how our kids are growing into awesome little humans.  

We were a little late (for us) this year getting our Christmas decorations up.  But we finally finished on Thursday - Lena added the final touch!

We had an old Christmas wreath whose berries had melted while hanging on our front door at the old house.  I liked the grapevine/pine cone base of it, just needed to get those sad little berries out of there.  So...brace yourselves...I crafted again.  

I cut out all of those melted plastic berries and created the cutest wreath ever!

Just look!  Isn't it beautiful?  I used an idea from pinterest as my guide, because that's how I roll, and was shocked how well it turned out (3 hours later).

I love it!

Thanksgiving at Aunt Nancy's yesterday was so fun!  It's been awhile since we stayed in town for Thanksgiving, so it was extra special.  Spending time with these people, my cousins and aunts and uncles and grandma, well, it was just the best day.  I love my family.  My photos didn't turn out too great, but I did catch a couple of cute moments.

I also had my annual GWA (girls' weekend away) at the beginning of November, but I did not take one photo.  What?  I'm not sure how that happened.  As soon as I snag some from the other girls, I'll post more about that fun weekend.

Hope you're enjoying this holiday season as much as we are!

Happy Halloween?

Well, it was for one of us. 

 

Lena has been pretty sick for six days now.  Our pediatrician diagnosed it yesterday as just a bad cold virus that needs to run its course. 

 

Boo. 

 

She's had on and off fevers, constant runny nose, coughing fits that have burst blood vessels in her eyes, a bloody nose last night...it's the sickest my poor girl has ever been.  She's missed school all week, including her very first Halloween party.  I hated that for her so much.  She would have loved dressing up with all her friends. 

 

Boo on viruses.

 

Sam seems fine so far, knock wood. He's been a little whiny, but I'm attributing that to lack of sleep (Lena's coughing and me medicating her through the night have been waking him, I think). 

 

Anywho, here are our two cuties from a couple of weeks ago, the night we got their costumes.  So happy and healthy.  :)

Despite Lena's cough and low fever, we braved the rain and snuck into Sam's school parade yesterday (thanks for convincing me to do that, Lori).  I couldn't bare the thought of him seeing all the other parents there and looking around for me and my not being there.  So virus be damned.  We went anyway.  I think he was happy to see us!

That's his best pal, Avery, in front of him dressed as Dorothy.  She likes to pick Sam up and carry him around, which she can do easily since she's about a head and a half taller than my boy. :)

 

Sam was all geared up to trick or treat in our new neighborhood, despite the rain and wind.  The black knight fears nothing...

 

But he does get annoyed when his umbrella falls out of his hand.  Too funny....

 

He didn't stay out long, which is good because poor Rich had to take Sam out and Rich isn't feeling too great himself. 

 

Boo.

 

I had to stay at home with Lena, who nearly missed the entire evening.  She passed out as soon as we left Sam's school parade and slept through me coating her up, getting her in and out of the car, carrying her through the rain to pick up Sam after school, through Rich coming home from work, dinner and Sam getting garbed in his Batman gear.

 

That girl was out cold.

 

 

We thought she might just sleep through the night, but she eventually woke and helped me pass out candy, looking pretty and pitiful at once....my poor baby girl.   

 

She did have a for real Snow White moment while sitting on the porch, though, which cheered her up for a moment.  I ran inside to get her a muffin and, when I approached the door, I saw her still sitting there in her chair wrapped in her blanket...and a squirrel sitting on the porch about a foot away from Lena.  The squirrel was looking at her, she at the squirrel.  I had to laugh as I imagined her in a forest surrounded by woodland animals singing "With a smile and a song, life is just a bright sunny day, your cares fade away, and your heart is young..."

 

Lori's trick or treat was postponed to Saturday, so maybe we'll have a more inclusive, enjoyable family trick or treat night with them then, God willing!

 

Happy Halloween!

Life Lately

We are unpacked and settled and in love with our new home and our neighborhood! 

 

Nearly all of our pictures, shelves and decorations are hung, furniture is placed, many meals have been cooked and enjoyed, the lawn has been tended beautifully, rooms have been cleaned, floors have been vacuumed, there are no more boxes (except on shelves in the basement and garage, where boxes should be).  We even put some of our Halloween decorations out yesterday. 

 

Our new place feels like home. 

 

It's not perfect yet.  We're still trying to figure out what to do with a couple of rooms, how to arrange things, designating play areas, budgeting which project Rich should begin first.  And we still want some corner tables and plant stands and porch furniture and stuff for our walls, and about 50 other things.  But we don't need for any little thing.  It's already comfortable and homey and warm and welcoming and happy, just like a home should be. 

 

Here are the kids playing out front.  It's a no-outlet street filled with kids of all ages, so Sam and Lena already have some friends who like to play and ride bikes.  And our neighbors are the most welcoming bunch.  Truly.  We are already feeling that sense of community that we were missing so much at our first home. 

We have a mailbox on our front porch!  Not sure why this excites me so, but it does. 

Fall wreath on our door, which we get to hang on the outside since we have a covered front porch now.  Yippee!

Entry way with stairway and brick/ceramic floor.

 

 

Our cozy family room in the back of the house.  The door and windows open up to the screened porch.  And the fireplace is wood burning...can't wait to light that puppy up soon!

 

 

 

Our living room, which Rich intends to make into a library sometime soon with built-in bookshelves and cabinets along two walls.  For now, it's another living area and kind of a play area for the kids.

 

Our dining room, which opens fully into our kitchen and also into our living room. Been spending a ton of time in here. 

 

 

Our kitchen, which I love.  I'm even getting used to cooking on an electric stove...still need some practice, though.

 

Perfect kitchen window over my sink...this weekend I watched through this window my kids playing, my husband raking leaves, and squirrels and chipmunks busy forging for acorns in our backyard.

Our little homework/desk area on the side of the kitchen.

The upstairs is all done too.  But I haven't gotten any photos if it yet.  Or the basement.  More to come...

Sam had his first walk-a-thon at school last week!  He did such a great job and had so much fun.  I ended up being able to stay for the whole thing, which was a nice treat.  So proud of him! 

 

With Lena in preschool two days a week and Sam only in half-day kindergarten, he and I get to spend some alone time together, which has been awesome.  His favorite place to go so far is the park.  Here he wanted it to look like he was holding the matchstick on the page in his hand...so silly. 

He also picked me flowers. 

Us in my car, which is where we've been spending an inordinate amount of time lately.  Lena's always ready for her closeup. :)  My sweet girl. 

So that's been our life lately, give or take.  Hope yours has been as full and happy!