Anything?

This speaks for itself. JD, we will be saving this for later!

Thanksgiving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving is an understatement. My heart is full today.  There's no better feeling.  We have spent the last few days preparing for today - we have a small group this year which is nice. Although, I do miss having more of our family here to celebrate together.  We're going to have us and the Grandparents - some nice quality time.

JD, you are proud today (not unusual) because you helped to decorate our dinner table. We have homemade placemats, placecards and napkin rings.  It was a joy doing this with you and I just love that our table is so "homemade".  I wouldn't want it any other way.  It's the best table yet.

I have some alone time this morning to reflect a little bit on this thankful day and when I went back to my blog 6 years ago, I fell apart.   It was 6 years ago TODAY that we finally had you both home from the hospital.  I remember so vividly that year just telling our family that I didn't care at all about thanksgiving dinner or any of the holiday hoopla - I just wanted the day at home with my babies. And we got it. We pushed so hard to get out of there by Thanksgiving.  Having you boys reunited (JD, you were already home) and our family under one roof for the first time was a feeling I will never ever forget.  Every thanksgiving for forever, I will go back to that day and smile (and cry, I'm sure).

We have made our "I'm Thankful For...." lists.
Here's what you guys are thankful for this year:

JD:
My life
For everything you and Daddy do for me
My Family
My cousins
My Grandparents
Our house
My toys
Mommy, Daddy & Cole
Having my family over for Thanksgiving

Cole:
My Family
TV
My stuffed animals, blanket & toys
My brother
My friends
My cousins

I am looking forward to a wonderful day with all of you today. I am blessed beyond measure and don't know how I got so lucky.  You guys are my everything. I can't wait to cozy up on the couch and watch the Macy's day parade together....you make me so proud and happy.

Love,
Mommy

Kiss Room

JD, this was your latest art that I found on our bedroom door. My, you are smarter than we thought....

Door Decor

October 2012

JD's Spider Trap

"caution, you will get trapped by the spider"

We had an extra large cardboard box and this is what it turned into!

My Family, through Cole's Eyes

Rules....

This is the latest sign that JD has posted on his bedroom door:

JD, the craft boy

A boy after my own heart. The last few months, your creativity has really blossomed. When I ask what you would like to do in your free time, you always say "crafts Mom". Each and every afternoon, you disappear down to our office and start working on some sort of drawing or project. Its so awesome! You seem to have brainstorm ideas at odd times and then you have to race down to do them. Immediately. I am saving all of them - from brown bag hand puppets to signs for your bedroom door.

Here are a couple recent ones. The "Members only" sign went on the sunroom door. The prayer sign is my favorite. You came upstairs with an extra large sign that you had written "we can pray" on. Then you asked Daddy and I if we had some prayers to add. Which we did.

I love your creativity my love. And I love to do your projects with you. Its our special time together, which I treasure so much.

Pit stop

On our afternoon bike ride, we stopped at the dock for a rest. We even got some sillies out. I love these afternoons with you guys!

Picture Day...nightmare

I am sure this is just the first if 12 long years of fights over picture day outfits. I think this might be one of the battles I need to choose not to fight.

In an effort to minimize the fight in the morning, we picked out the clothes last night; everything fit and all agreed on the outfits.

Silly me. Suddenly this morning none of it fit and it was the worst outfit EVER. REALLY? You would have thought I was making them wear a 3 piece suit! It was just a rugby shirt and khakis! And I didn't even ask them to wear nice shoes (I said sneakers since it was PE day)!

Not the best way to start the week off. Cole, you yelled, screamed, threw your clothes and cried for 30+ minutes. JD, you grumbled but humored me. Thank you for that. It was painful.

School pictures are the worst anyway. I only buy them for posterity; and they cost a ridiculous fortune for crummy posed pictures.

I had an a-ha moment this morning. Next time, you guys can wear whatever you wish. It will make for better pictures anyway since you will be happy with your clothes. And I am sure the outfits will give us a good laugh someday.

I am choosing my battles and this is not one I am going to fight again. I hope I remember this next year!