Adventures at Papaw's Work

Everytime we are visiting Mamaw and Papaw, Coop asks and asks about seeing Papaw's busses.  After nap one day, the big boys took the little boys.  This visit wasn't so much busses, but tractors, still fun!  Take a good look at their wardrobe...it was December 27 and no one is in a heavy coat/hats!!!! Love it!

Uncle Aaron with the 3 wild ones

Just Like Thomas!

After having balls of fun in Kansas, the day after Christmas we were off to our next city and Christmas celebration...Missouri with the Jones'!  Adam and Aaron decided to do something fun with Cooper and Cash so they took the Amtrak train from Lee's Summit right into downtown Washington.  The train station is just minutes from Mamaw and Papaw's house, how great is that!?  Laney, Lola and I followed a few hours behind in the car, not near as fun, but it was a peaceful drive and I got to catch up with many friends on the phone!

Totally bummed that I didn't go along for 1 specific reason...picture taking!  Here's what they came back with...

Getting ready to board!

A little boy in such a big seat!

Towards the end the boys were watching Toy Story and both fell asleep, so sweet!

Of course they hit up the snack bar!

Christmas Day!

It was a beautiful Christmas day, sunny and in the 50's, loved it!  Hold on tight...there are a whole lot of pictures here!  I just couldn't narrow them down anymore!  

Will let the pictures tell the day...

Grandpa catching Coop as he was so excited he couldn't keep up with his legs and almost tumbled down the last few stairs!

Santa doesn't wrap gifts at our house...who can blame him?

 The first thing he spotted in his toys from Santa was that green trash truck he had been asking for!  Never mind that shiny red bike he had to crawl over to get to it :).

 Look of disbelief that Santa  Claus ate the cookie and drank the milk!

 He was almost as excited about these silly M&Ms as his trash truck

 Hello singing Justin Bieber toothbrush, where have you been all my life.  This toothbrush deserves its own post at another time...it's a pretty big deal in our house. 

 A digger!

 So, our little snoozer slept through Coop opening his gifts.  Doesn't she look thrilled?

 Then the doorbell rang, who could it be...

 Justin Bieber!!!!!!!!!!!  No words to explain his excitement.  Aunt Alli and Uncle Rusty kept bragging about their gift, they were right...it's awesome!

 Coop reading a book to Gunner

 We thought Justin might serve as Coop's stand-in for Christmas 2011, then we caught him...

 Yeah, he could have cared less about the big boy pants and note from Santa.

 All I wanted was a Christmas morning pic in their PJs...this is what I got.  

 Once all the presents were opened and semi-cleaned up, he was ready to ride!

We spent Christmas Day back down at my Grandmas.  Coop was so excited for Uncle Greg to take him on the big diggers.  Uncle Greg came thru on his word and had Cooper out there test driving it all!

 Uncle Greg's diggers and Papaw's busses are Cooper's dream modes of transportation these days :)

 Love it...it's like she has been watching me-trying to take Coop's thumb out his mouth.

 Happy 1st Christmas Laney Faith!!!!!!!!!

Laney hanging with the girls-Ava and Olivia.  Such a cute picture!!!

Sick Kids :(

A break from all the Christmas fun for something not so fun.   Today we saw our pediatrician for the 3rd time in less than a week.  Here's the story on each kid...

Coop-This boy basically had a runny nose off and on throughout our Christmas break and I just brushed it off as a cold.  He was kind of cranky when we got back but we just attributed it to getting back into a routine.  Well, I finally took him to doctor last Thursday.  One peek in his mouth and the doctor saw a really red throat with pus...I felt awful!  The verdict...a sinus infection!

Laney-Last Tuesday she had her 4 month well visit and the doctor noticed some fluid in her ear.  She said to keep an eye on it...could develop into ear infection.  Fast forward to today, the last 2 nights Laney has been up at 4:30, she hasn't done this since the first couple weeks of her life.  And, she just wasn't sleeping very soundly for the day.  I took her in today, the ear that had the fluid had cleared up, but the other ear was infected and she had a temp of 100.2.

That means we are amoxicillin distributors morning and night in this house for the next several nights. 

New Year, New You!

So, most of you know that I am lucky enough to stay at home with my sweet kids and it truly is the best job in the whole world!  But, my side job is pretty darn great too.  As a stylist with Stella and Dot, I make us some extra money that I use to buy myself some selfish things like clothes, pedicures and Chick-Fil-A...yeah, I am crazy :).  I even paid for all our Christmas presents with just my November $$.  And, I get to do something that challenges me and gets me out of the house a few nights out of the month to socialize minus children! 

I am just putting it out there because I am feel lucky that someone shared the opportunity with me!  So, if you have the slightest interest, get in touch with me...would love to talk about and answer any questions you might have!   

And, you must go to my website at Stella and Dot to see the new line of jewels that just debuted last night, love it all!!!

Here's the special for the month of January only...

Christmas Eve

We went to 4 o'clock mass with everyone else in southern Johnson county-Cooper was good, no he was  g-r-e-a-t!  With the occasional, "what's that" he was pretty darn quiet.  And for Laney, well, she slept of course.  Then we went to my grandma's for dinner.  On my mom's side, there are now 20 of us grandkids, grandkids-in-laws and great grandkids.  We range in age from 30 years down to 4 months, so there is lots of fun and lots of noise!

 Laney with Uncle Brock, pretty sure this baby girl was in someone's arms full time.  Thanks Mamaw Jones for the beautiful red dress!

 Laney Faith in her Christmas red!

 There are so many big boys for Cooper to crawl over which he does...literally

 Can you tell my smile is forced?  Probably because I was grabbing my sweet 2 year old and begging him for just one family picture to document Christmas 2011...

  I l-o-v-e babies in Christmas pajamas. 

I love Christmas Eve and all the anticipation it holds and I feel like the excitement is just brewing in our house.  Coop was kind of excited, but really just because we probably kind of forced the excitement...know what I mean?  For example, do you think he asked to put out reindeer food or cookies for Santa...not so much.

 Coopie putting out reindeer food :)

Taking down an Oreo for Santa-we figured one should do it, heard that guy has been pretty indulgent lately :). 

So, the quality of this collage is poor here, but you get the idea.  All 20 of us took a turn on Mama's lap for Christmas-a few of us bigger than others and some definitely doubled her weight!  

Basketball with the Boys

Grandpa and Brock took Cooper up to Lawrence for the women's KU-UMKC game...why, you ask?  Well, we have a family friend, Brianna Eldridge, that plays for UMKC!  As much as the rest of us wanted to go it was the night before Laney's baptism so there was lots of cooking to be done-so Grandpa and Brock were the brave ones :).  I was especially bummed as Allen Fieldhouse is one of my favorite places on this planet-I can't wait to educate my kids on that place in years to come!!!!!!!

Pics are from phone, so not the best quality but you get the idea

 Can you believe 3 years ago our football program won the Orange Bowl...man have slid down hill at a rapid speed since then!  However, I am hopeful with Charlie Weis running the show!

Rock Chalk Jayhawk, go KU!!!!  I should mention that the boys were cheering for the Roos-I didn't even put Cooper in a Jayhawk shirt...yeah, they are pretty close friends we were cheering with!