The Simple Things

"There comes a time in every rightly constructed boy's life when he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure."

---Mark Twain

I think the best part of my day is simply sitting back and watching Cole discover new and wonderful things. Thank you, son, for reminding me that happiness is found in the simple things and in being with those you love. You have brought so much happiness to our world just by being you. Daddy and I are amazed by you each and every day. I cannot wait to see who in the world you become as you grow up!

Touch A Truck Day

This past Saturday Emily and I took the boys to the annual Touch A Truck day! Let me say, it was cold and cloudy and soon after we arrived it started raining but we hung in there as long as we could but after an hour we bailed. Ben and Cole had a lot of fun while we were there though which is all that matters. Talk about Cole heaven! There were work trucks, tractors, fire trucks, garbage trucks, motorcycles...you name it and it was there. The best part of the event is that the kids get to climb in the trucks, around the trucks...all over and get a feel for what they are like up close. As soon as we walked in Cole ran to the cement truck. He had been talking about that all morning so I was thrilled that there was one there! He sat in the driver's seat saying "I build a road mama!" I think he really thought he was working! The boys received lots and lots of candy, stickers, and treats (in fact when we left Cole said his favorite truck was the ice cream truck - imagine that!). Cole was so excited for Rhonald to get home from work so he could tell him all about the truck show and everything he saw! We had so much fun but Emily and I agreed that next year will be better because we will make sure the daddies are off of work - lifting 2 toddlers into those big trucks is tough!

The Safari Park

A few weeks ago Rhonald, Cole and I ventured over to the Safari Park to have a picnic and enjoy the animals. We took Cole there last year but he was too young to care much about it. This year, however, he loved every minute of it! He thought feeding the goats, pigs and sheep was so much fun. He would laugh so hard when they would eat from him hand because it tickled so much. I think he favorite animals were the turtles and the monkeys. They even had a baby monkey (wearing a diaper) that was playing with the same baby toys he had - he thought that was great! There were several Kangaroos who had recently had babies. It was so neat to see the babies pop their heads out of their mommy's pouches to say "hi!" We all enjoyed the drive thru part of the safari - camels, llamas, etc came up to the car. Cole wanted to touch each and every one of them! It was such a fun and relaxing way to spend a Saturday!!! We all had a blast and hope to go back again very soon!

14 Weeks

I cannot believe that I am already 14 weeks and 2 days pregnant with this baby! Time is really flying by so quickly. Rhonald and I had our first Dr's appointment last Wednesday and everything was wonderful. We got to hear our little one's heart beat which was beating very strong. We are using a new Dr this time around so it was nice to hear how he does things and some advice he had for us. I feel great and have my energy back and I am so thankful for that. Keeping up with Cole has definitely made this a different pregnancy than the last one. I am finally having to wear my maternity clothes. I actually enjoy that - it is like getting a whole new wardrobe. Cole is really getting in to the baby thing. He talks to the baby a lot and loves to read to my belly. When he is watching a show on TV he will lift up my shirt so that the baby can see. Yesterday he put his head on my tummy and said the baby was crying. I asked what we should do and he told me that the baby needed milk and jelly beans and it would be ok. I am so excited to see him with this new little one in October. I know he will be a great big brother. It is so much fun to be going through all of this again. Like I said, it is going by so quickly that is almost feels like a dream...a wonderful dream!

A Little Piece of Heaven...2 Year Old Version

What could be better than a weekend with family, playing in the dirt, coloring and swinging for hours at the park? When you are a 2 year old little boy....NOTHING!

Like Father Like Son

Cole's very favorite thing to do with Rhonald is look at his fishing books and fly fishing things...the flies, the reels, the tools. He loves it. We have never pushed it on him but from a very young age he was interested in fishing and everything to go along with it. You can imagine how happy this makes his daddy! My parents live on a golf course and right behind their home is a big pond that is full of perch and crappie. Rhonald and my dad always take the boys down to the pond to fish in the evenings when the golfers have gone home. This year we decided it would be fun to let Cole go too. I let him pick out a fishing pole (he chose a Lightening McQueen pole of course) and bring it with us. He was so excited when Rhonald told him it was time to get his fishing things ready. Cole has been "practicing" in our living room for a week now. Rhonald did not put a hook on Cole's pole so that he would not get hurt but Cole never even noticed. He loved it!!! Tyler and Luke both caught fish and Cole loved "tickling" the fish and watching them in and out of the water. Kylie tried a little fishing too but she was more like me and did not like touching the fish at all! The difference in boys and girls I guess. Cole had so much fun that he has been begging to go again and I know Rhonald cannot wait to take him. Rhonald has already mentioned all of the neat places he thinks they should go as Cole gets older. It was awesome to watch them have so much fun doing something they both really love.

The Hunt

I have never seen as much determination as I saw during our family Easter egg hunt. Cole and Kylie were so excited to find their eggs - and so serious too. They searched and searched the yard for anything they could get their hands on. Kylie was so sweet and shared all of her blue eggs with Cole since he is a boy! Even when we informed them that they had found all of the eggs they kept searching. And what a difference a year makes. Last Easter I had to help Cole find the eggs the entire time but this year he grabbed his bucket and took off like a shot. He did not want, or need, any help at all! That sweet boy was stomping in the flower beds, the woods, everywhere and anywhere he thought there would be an egg. The kids loved opening the eggs and finding what goodies were inside. Cole did become quite a fan of candy over the weekend...something we never have around. At Easter dinner he told everyone that all he wanted to eat was candy and asked for candy every time he thought he could get away with it. Today he told me he was hungry and since it was lunchtime I asked him what he wanted for lunch. He told me "jellybeans!" Oh my - I think we have a monster on our hands...ha ha!

Forever My Baby

"It's a miracle how something so tiny brings such joy."

Happy Easter

We traveled to Nashville to spend Easter weekend with my parents and my brother's family. It was such a relaxing weekend and we had such a great time with everyone. Cole did fabulous on the 9 hour drive there and back (a true blessing). Rhonald and I were able to rest a lot since Cole was busy playing with his cousins and grandparents. We even got to go to dinner and a movie with my brother and sister in law which was so nice. Easter morning was so fun. The kids were excited from opening their Easter baskets and were all dressed up for church. We had a great traditional Easter feast that afternoon and enjoyed the sunshine and each other's company the rest of the day. It was so nice to be together and make more family memories. My favorite thing about this trip was watching Cole play with his 3 1/2 year old cousin, Kylie. He would follow her everywhere and do whatever she said. He loved being with all of his cousins but especially her and he misses her very much. He keeps asking me, "Where Kylie go?" I can't wait until we can all be together again!

Let's Go Fly A Kite

Easter morning was so exciting this year. Cole was really excited about the Easter bunny coming and when he woke up he wanted to look for his basket. His favorite gift from the Easter bunny was a Spider man kite. He had never flown a kite of his own but we have seen several at the park this Spring and he was very interested in them. After his nap that afternoon Rhonald, my dad and our nephews took Cole into the backyard and helped him fly his kite. He was so excited and could not stop smiling and laughing! It was priceless and the sweetest part was when he said...while looking at his Easter basket..."Thank you Easter bunny! Thank you!" That bunny sure knows what a guy likes!!!