~Together... Is A Wonderful Place To Be~

~I made sure that Steve was still around to do the pumpkin carving with the boys. This is not my favorite thing to do.. Steve & the boys had a fabulous time digging out all of the guts & seeds..they carved two giant pumpkins~


~Cole & Kade were so proud of their finished pumpkins! They wanted to put the candles in and we made sure to light them every night..even though Halloween was still a few days away~


~Cole's multi-age class decided that instead of having the kids wear Halloween costumes to school, they would make it an educational experience. We came up with him being #64. "I ate an eight.. got sick on the floor..8 X 8 = 64"~


~Steve had to fly out the week before Halloween, so these boys have been my superheroes in more ways than one. They were very excited for trick-or-treating on the base this year. We went and watched a movie at the theater first, it was fun to walk out of the movie and have it be dark..let the candy gathering fun begin~


~I wanted Cole to have some strong, male influence in his life while Steve is away. We decided to enroll him in a taekwondo class. He absolutely loved it, and I love the respect that it demanded. He loved doing it with his best friend Carson~


~Cole is always excited when he gets to be the goalie on his soccer team. I cannot believe how much he has improved from last year.. it was very impressive. I felt like a proud soccer mom at all of his games and practices~


~This is Cole's soccer team.. the Green Dragons :) It was easy to spot their teammates when they were trying to pass the ball. Who doesn't look good in a bright, neon green?~


~We were out of our heads with excitement to come to Oregon. It took a lot of planning, packing, and getting ready for our move. The first weekend we were here, Uncle Dave came with his kids to the beach house and Cole was able to go out crabbing for the first time. We only caught about 5 crabs in two days..but they did catch this huge, red starfish. I was able to go out to round up the traps with Cole and we had the best time..I love being out on the water in a boat & I love eating crab~


~We waited for Cole to get out of school and then we headed up the mountain to a U-cut Christmas tree farm. The owner thought we were crazy to come out when the weather was only about 18 degrees because of the wind. We were having a great time until Cole got mad because we didn't go with the tree he wanted. I love this picture because it just shows that no matter how much fun we try to make for our children, sometimes it doesn't turn out the way we hoped it would~


~Cole's yellow school bus drops him off at 4 p.m., on nice days we hurry down to the beach as fast as we can so that we can get 30-45 minutes of play time before homework and dinner. It has been so cold here that the beach had frozen over, but the sky is clear and the sunsets are spectacular~


~Cole & Grandma had a great time slip-sliding around on the ice. Kade & Cole had a great time playing ice hockey on the beach with sticks and a rock~


~We were very lucky to run into Santa. Kade ran away as fast as he could.. wanting absolutely nothing to do with him! Cole wanted to sit on his lap.. but when Santa asked him what he wanted.. he froze, panicked and then said he wanted a Snuggie.. which is what the kid had just said that was standing in line with him.. it was classic! I told him Santa will know in his heart what he really wants~


~I took Kade two times to the barber shop in Germany begging him to behave and get a haircut.. he left kicking and screaming each time.. no matter what I bribed him with. So we came to Oregon with long, shaggy hair. We made a trip to Nana & Papa's house in Roseburg the weekend before Christmas, and all Nana had to say was that she used to cut his dad's hair when he was a little boy.. he hopped right up and was ready for the cape & the clippers~


~We had the best time at Nana & Papa's house. Papa had the great idea to make S'mores so he took the boys and hopped in the car and went and got all of the fixins'. The boys had 4 S'mores each.. the marshmallow all over their faces says it all! The boys love the fact that Papa has a serious sweet tooth & loves a good treat~


~There is always such good energy when we are around Nana & Papa. The boys love to be with them, and I am so glad we are just a couple of hours drive away from them right now. They always make us laugh and take such good care of us~


~We had to take advantage of being together.. even if it was a couple of days before Christmas. Nana & Papa got Kade a Transformer (no, I have not been able to turn it into the truck..not only me, but also 5 other adults.. yeah right, age 5 & older) But Kade loves it~


~They gave Cole this fancy Bakugan set. Cole {LOVES} Bakugan.. I must say they are also my new favorite toy.. they are super cool. They open up when they hit anything metal because they have a magnet in them..clever~


~Nana Mary suffered a stroke a little over a year ago. She is such an amazing woman and has been through a lot this past year. My boys loved to take care of her and help her around the house. They especially loved to go in her room and bring her lemon drops all day long. We love Nana Mary~


~The beach must make the boy's imagination run wild. The skies the limit literally here.. Grandpa Larry made them some paper kites and they took them outside and flew them off the back deck.. so cute~


~We had to get ready for Christmas.. and that means baking cookies. They love having their Grandma around because she is the world's best cook. I loved seeing the smiles on the faces of my two boys.. I could tell that they felt loved & completely happy~


~It is a tradition for our family on Christmas Eve after we read the story of Jesus from the Bible, to search under the tree for the star present. I don't think that my boys were expecting PJ's when I told them that they got to open a special gift that night. Kade was highly disappointed..and buried his head in my lap. I had to think quick, and was able to send them on a treasure hunt around the house to find another gift..this time a toy.. but don't they look so sweet in their new Christmas PJ's? Grandma & Grandpa worked all year to make the ornaments and sailboats for the tree.. this is their new tradition.. a beach tree. It turned out awesome~


~Another tradition in my family is sitting and waiting on the stairs on Christmas morning. I had to hurry upstairs to make sure that Santa had come. I called down to let the boys know that the reindeer had eaten the treats on the deck and that Santa had eaten the cookies and drank the milk. They were out of their heads with excitement- even Yoda the dog was anxious to see what Santa brought him this year. I love the sweet happiness that kids get at Christmas when they believe~


~Well, let's just say another tradition on my side of the family is to give a ton of gifts!! The boys were thrilled, and just tore into the gifts as fast as they could. It was so funny to hear what they loved about each and every gift~


~Grandpa won the best gift-giver award for the boys this year. He gave them a box full of paper and instructions for hundreds of paper airplanes, and he gave them remote controlled helicoptors that they get to fly in the house! We will never forget this Christmas for a couple of reasons.. Kade opened up this car that is in his hands and yelled out.."a cherry red Ferrari." It was priceless!~


~Another favorite moment of the morning. Kade had just opened up a ton of toys.. then came to Aunt Sara's gift. It was very well thought out and I agreed that the boys would love it. Kade opened it and jumped up and down.. so happy. Uncle Dave asked Kade what it was, and he paused.. then said "you put these on your feet." Well, they are actually bird feeders.. close, right?~


~Nothing is more sweet then getting handmade gifts from your children. Cole made two ornaments for me and a very sweet card. It said inside the card.."If I could give you anything for Christmas it would be a clean house." That boy knows me so well - I love my sweet Coley Smoleys~


~This was how we spent most of Christmas day. After the boys waited very impatiently for the helicoptors to charge.. they finally were ready for their first flight. Grandpa did a great job teaching them how they work~


~The helicoptors only can go for 5-6 minutes on a 30 minute charge, and that is basically what we have been doing ever since we got them.. life is all about the 30 minute charge. They are getting very good with them. Kade prefers to use his as a fan.. I am praying that nothing will break in the house..or eyes won't be propellered out~


~I love the fact that my boys get to experience some of the joys that I got to experience when I was a little girl. I {LOVE} my dad's famous ice box cake. I must admit, I was a little jealous that I was not the one that got to lick the beaters this time. I guess I have to pass down these little delights to the next generation~


~This will be a Christmas that we will never forget. We had to be away from Steve while he is deployed to Afghanistan. It was very hard to be away from my best friend during the holidays. I am so thankful that I was surrounded by my amazing family to help me get through this tough time. We gave out these Blue Star Banners to all of our immediate family to represent a family member serving in a war. I love to look at it hanging in the window and it fills me with pride for the sacrifices that my husband is making for our freedoms. I learned this year that together..is a wonderful place to be~