It's been too long!

What a week we have had! A full house with Robert's folks - Betsy and Leslie and lots of fun! Betsy spent lots of time playing games - both bingo and dominoes and even a new dice game! The kids loved it!

We also got to gether with Brian and Lisa and we got some cute pics of Caitlin and Anna and a shot of all the boys too!

Caitlin is getting too big too fast! Already wanting to be on her feet! She is sure a cutie and enjoys being around all these crazy boys!

Well our clan is set to head out east! We are trekking to see the Lewis bunch this week! So be praying for safe travel for the kids and I as we go about 18 hours in the car on MOnday and Tuesday! We are so excited to see the Lewis' though and know it will be a great trip! I am sure we will post many pictures there and when we get home!

This weekend was my women's retreat and it was so great to get away and be encouraged! The ladies who planned it all did a fantastic job! I am so glad I was able to go - and my break out session went great too I think! God really blessed the weekend for many of us!

One of the Fun parts of Homeschooling

Today we got to go on a great field trip! I had a friend tell me about the owner of Papa Murphy's Pizza offering to have the kids come in and get a tour of the store - she quickly told me all about it and I added it to our list of future field trips.


We have had about 25 people show up for trips so far, and we are trying to plan 3 per month almost one per week. So I really thought that not too many would opt for this trip. We had about 37 kids today and a bunch of moms! It was so fun!


We were given a tour of the store, we watched them make dough for the pizzas they would sell today and tomorrow and we even got to order our own little pizzas to take home. In addition to our personal pizzas we were given a little container of cookie dough - enough for about 3 cookies per person. We were also offered pieces of their cinnamon wheel to eat while we were there. It was really so fun! The couple that own this particular store are just wonderful and incredibly friendly and just were so sweet with the kids and very good about trying to teach all the kids something! It was just a great trip!


We even bought a pizza for lunch tomorrow with Robert's folks as a treat! We of course live pizza and Papa Murphy's is our favorite next to homemade! Anyway, it was a great morning. We even got home and after lunch we did a normal school day! So we are ahead for the week!

Many Blessings - catch them when you can!

What a couple days it has been! We are having a good week here in the Cole home. Lots of things going on and lots to do, but overall things are going well. The boys have been doing so well waking in the morning because their mommy has been a sleepy head. The other morning (the morning of the 1st 2 pics) I woke after 7am and they were still quiet. I jumped in the shower because they are usually up by 7 and going full speed! When I got out of the shower I found my three precious boys on the floor in the living room reading - yes you read that right - reading! Hans Solo was reading the Bible too! Extra points for that! I just felt like I was given a gift! It was great.
The other pics of my little Princess are evidence that she is in fact a girl. I often worry about whether she will want to be a girl or more like a boy like her brothers. If you see her out or at home she behaves more like them than I would expect a little girl to do. But when I checked on her during her nap the last two days I found evidence that she has that mothering tendency! She has put her babies (and anything else in her crib) to bed as well. Often she does put them face down, but the details will follow, I am sure. I am just thrilled that she wants to be a girl and that she is playing little mommy!
Okay so as I am writing this I hear the kids (just feet away) talking about cutting with scissors - I finally stopped and asked for them and my Princess ran over and said - "Anna cut hair" and much to my horror yes she is missing hair! This is her first hair cut, not sure I will document it as such, but I know have a treasure of a lock of her hair! Not quite what I had planned.... oh well.
So much to do these next few days! We have babysitting for FREE at church tonight, so Robert and I have a hot date planned! I think he mentioned grocery shopping! WooHoo! I think I may even take a second shower today to get myself all dolled up!! You never know who you will see at the grocery store! :)
And tomorrow we are hosting some friends for supper, Chewie is sad they are coming for supper and not breakfast so they can stay and play all day - but they do in fact have a life of their own!
Then we are so excited because Grammie and Papa are in town - presently in Dallas with Cole Crew but should arrive sometime on Monday. That is after we see them for supper on Sunday at one of our favorite spots - Chuy's in Dallas!
On the calendar for next week....a tasty Shrimp Boil - a family tradition when the Coles are in town, lots of walks and playing with Grammie and Papa and even a golf game at the end of the week!
Then the kids and I are off on a Cross Country Adventure! We are trekking out to North Carolina to see The Lewis Family!! We will stop in Mississippi to see family and cannot wait to see my uncle and aunt and my cousin who I am sure has grown up quite a lot! So I am sure we will have tons of pics to share when we get back!
That is all for now -
Oh wait - I forgot, I went to check on my little princess last night before we turned in. My heart about jumped out of my chest when I checked her bed & it was empty - well of a little girl at least. I knew she was not sleeping on the floor because her floor was unusually picked up - so when I turned around in disbelief I saw her sleeping on the Army Footlocker by the door - no pillow nothing, feet dangling off. It was just hysterical! I did move her because I knew she would not sleep well there or for long, but wow! I thought she was missing for a brief second - well maybe not so brief!! Thankfully, she was just practicing for a tougher life to come I suppose! Too bad I did not grab my camera for that shot!

Saving the Day!

Well, today started way too early and has been way too long. Mostly because of my wonderful kids, but none the less, long!

We got up early (well got moving earlier than normal) and were out the door by 7:10 to get to a local hardware store to try and aquire a generator. I was worried when they opened at 8am that they would have a rush on them and be out immediately. Instead I found a very kind group of people who were not in the least rude or offensive. We all waited patiently and we all got a generator (or 2 in my case) and were on our way.

Yes, cousin Terri and her hubby Matt made their way to our house early this am to get that generator to improve their quality of life down in Conroe TX - just north of Houston.
We had a great (albeit short) visit and they were stocked when they headed back home. I of course snapped pictures the entire time trying to get a couple good ones of the kiddos for mutual grandmas and such.Not only was I blessed to find a generator or two, but they were $300 less than the price I was quoted on the phone last night! What a deal - especially to save that on 2! So Terri and Matt were able to take one back for her mom Linda as well. So two families will have a fan on them tonight and a cooler fridge in the morning for their eggs and milk.

I thought since the kids were so active all morning that they would calm this afternoon and - Boy was I wrong! They are still running like the "little energizer bunnies" the are! Tomorrow we are doing PE at home and I am going to wear them out or wear myself out trying!

So along with my brood you will notice our cousins - the young lady is a year younger than "Chewie" and the little boy is 9 months older than "Princess" - and they had so much fun playing and getting reaquianted!