Merry Christmas!!!

We're having a lot of togetherness this long Christmas weekend...snowed in because of the Midwest Christmas blizzard!! I'm just glad that it happened when we didn't have to go anywhere!!



Not sure how much snow we've gotten...probably 9-10 inches.



We let the boys open a couple presents on Christmas Eve...Collin got these stacking blocks...stacks them up taller than he is....

...and then proceeds to kick them over!

Christmas morning Dylan crawled into bed with us around 6, complaining that he was "starving to death". We made him stay in bed until until 7. Then he forgot all about being hungry. Ha!

Dylan and his Colt McCoy football jersey.

Collin and his 4-wheeler.

Moxie and her cat-nip filled scratcher.

Dylan and his lego set.

Collin and his Thomas train set.

I think I blogged about how we are changing the boys' rooms around. Well, while the closet is being built in the nursery, the boys are sharing a room. We thought it would be a bad idea, but the boys love it. Collin will not go to bed without Dylan in his bed, so it has definitely made it easier to get them to fall asleep. No more 10 trips into the rooms to get them water, or rub there back, etc. Not sure what will happen when we have to split them up. Guess I'll probably have to lay down in the twin bed until Collin falls asleep at night.

Dylan and I put this Gingerbread Train set together last Sunday. It was a good little project that kept us busy for maybe 20 minutes of the long, snowed-in weekend.


Collin did get to experience his 2nd sledding experience (his first was when I was pregnant with him, and I went sledding with Dylan down our driveway).

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

My boys

This is definitely a post about my boys. Quite a few pictures too! Last week we took the boys to see Santa Claus at Bass Pro Shop in Olathe. Collin found himself a pretty good sized present to ask for (which is kind of funny because he's actually getting a smaller, battery-powered version of the 4-wheeler that he's sitting on in the picture below).

We're in the process of doing a little remodeling in our house this week. Many of you know that we took the formal dining room and turned it into a nursery when Collin was born. We don't have a formal dining room set, and never will...we always eat in the breakfast nook. And there were only 2 bedrooms on the main floor of our house. So instead of moving Dylan downstairs to the 3rd bedroom which would have scared him to death, we had the doorway closed in and added french doors. Well, Dylan needs a bigger bed these days, and the nursery is bigger than his current bedroom. So we're having a closet added to the nursery, and then we'll switch the boys around. Actually they're already sharing Dylan's current room for the week or two it will take to finish the closet. Coach Davy is doing the carpentry work. Let me know if you have any projects you don't want to tackle, and I'll be glad to pass on his number.

Dylan has decided to become an architect. He designed this castle yesterday from scratch.

I do miss not having a girl to dress up in cute clothes, but I do love me a preppy boy-look with a rugby shirt and jeans!

The annual Jacobs/McAtee/McCarty Christmas party was Saturday night. I'm kicking myself for not taking a picture of the boys each year. This is our 3rd annual get-together, and here are the boys!! Yes, I know my child doesn't have any pants on!!

Holy Cow!!! Check this out!!!

I just found this giveaway on Mckmama's giveaway blog....check it out!!!

http://mckgiveaways.blogspot.com/2009/12/hp-touchsmart-giveaway.html

Happy Thanksgiving!!

My boys ready to watch some football!!

My picky eater actually liked the pumpkin pie!

The tree is up...yes I know it's leaning. Ugh!! I'll worry about that next year!

Next up...State Football on Saturday. Go Blazers!!! Horn Power!!

Giving Thanks

I'm thankful for our family's health and happiness.

I'm thankful for our immediate neighbors, who are some of most trustworthy people, and I'm so glad to call them friends.

I'm thankful for our little town of Gardner, and the family atmosphere it provides and the opportunities for our children that it provides.

I'm thankful for our group of Gardner friends...Flageolles, McAtees, and McCartys...they are our family.

I'm thankful for our group of friends in Kansas City...Janes, Bonawitzs, Hafners...we've been friends for a long time...we may not see each other very often even though we all live in the same metro area...they are our family.

I'm thankful for all of our friends back home (Marquette, Lindsborg, Kingman, Topeka) and all over the United States (OK, TX, MS, NV...to name a few)...we definitely don't get to see each other enough.

I'm thankful for Heather and JCPRD...they provide loving and caring and fun environments for our kids to enjoy. We trust them with so much!!

I'm thankful for our jobs...especially in this economy. A lot of changes have taken place this year, and I know I gripe about a lot of things, but I'm very grateful to have a job.

I'm thankful for my co-workers...we've spent 8 hours a day with each other for 9 years or so, and they're still some of my closest friends.

I'm thankful for our parents and family...there's too much to thank all of them for.

I'm thankful for my boys...they love me unconditionally...no matter how cranky I am.

I'm most thankful for my husband. He loves me no matter how much I take out on him. I love you so much, Matt!!

I'm thankful for Jesus Christ our savior.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

October Recap

It definitely doesn't feel like November around here. I think I brought back the Gulf Coast weather with me from Mobile...warm and humid.

I had one more trip to Mobile three weeks ago. This time it was so much easier being away from my boys. I ventured out a couple nights to different restaurants. The first night I ate at Los Rancheros...according to Trip Advisor.com, it's the best Mexican restaurant in Mobile. It was good!!! Quick, cheap and good!! Reminded me a lot of Chapalas here in Gardner.

On Wednesday night, I drove down to Mobile Bay and found a seafood restaurant right on the water....Ed's Seafood Shack. I ate the biggest shrimp I've ever seen, and I saw the sun set on the water.

We all went trick-or-treating twice. We went to BooBash on the Thursday before Halloween. Then we invited everyone over for chili on Halloween, and then us moms took the boys trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. Matt & Steve stayed home to hand out candy...and to watch the KSU/OU game.

Now we're just trying to make our Christmas lists, do homework, make holiday plans, chase Collin around, etc. Our crazy life, huh?!

Hugs for Everyone!!

I swear I could have hugged everyone I know since I returned to Kansas on Friday night!!! I hugged Matt & the boys hundreds of times...I even hugged my co-workers Jim & Pam when I got to work yesterday...with tears of happiness in my eyes!! I think I could have even hugged my boss, John...if people wouldn't have looked at me strangely! Ha!

It's not that I didn't enjoy my week of mommy time...it's definitely "you don't know what you have until it's gone". I am planning to get out a little bit more next week when I return to Alabama. Of course, since I was so stressed about going last week, a lovely fever blister popped out on my lip. Yuck!!! So I didn't really want to go anywhere...I ate mostly fast food in my hotel room. Next week I think I'm going to find a mall to browse through. I'll definitely have to leave some room in my suitcase!

Dylan's football team won their first game last Saturday...39-26! He got 2 carries as a running back...he's just so darn small and shifty...definitely like a Darren Sproles. The quarterback also threw the ball to him for a 2 point conversion, but he underthrew it. They have a game this Thursday night and another one on Saturday.

Collin is learning to say so many words...football, Oreo, cookie, monkey, bus. He also knows how to act out "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on a Bed"...he waves his finger like crazy when I say "the doctor said, no more monkeys jumping on a bed!"

Have an awesome day ya'all! (Nope, still can't quite do the southern accent...it's still too easy to say "you guys"!)

Greetings from Alabama!

Tonight's my last night in Mobile. I'm headed home tomorrow evening!! This week has been good...there is so much stuff that we're going to have to coordinate...and I'm sure I'll find out more when I come back down here on the 19th.

I have pretty much stuck around the hotel. I did drive down to Gulf Shores on Tuesday night. I arrived just as the sun was setting. I had just enough time to run down on the beach, stick my feet in the water, take some pictures, and pick up a few sea shells for Dylan.

I'm so ready to see my boys and Matt!! I spent much of the day on Monday getting teary-eyed, but the tears don't come so readily after 4 days of being away.

I think my mind is fried...I'm going to watch the Office wedding and hit the sack!

Alabama Pictures

I'm posting some pictures from Alabama...a couple of the office, and a couple from Gulf Shores. I'll post more about my trip later...going to sleep now...goodnight all!

Mommy's going on a business trip!!!

I just found out that I'm going to be the "key integration contact" for our Kansas City office. I'm going to manage the switching of our system over to the Mobile system in the next couple of months. This means that I'm going to be traveling to Mobile for 2 weeks in October...the week of the 5th and the week of the 19th. I didn't expect them to even consider me since I have other pressing committments at home. My friend Jim would have been perfect...he doesn't have any kids. But my boss really wanted me to go since he feels like I have the most knowledge about how our stuff works. And I told him as long as they were able to work around Matt's traveling schedule and I would only go for one week at a time, I would agree to do this. So, they agreed to split up my two weeks into every other week. After I return, I'll work on the integration a little bit each day, so I'll be able to keep my regular clients. I was especially worried about this because our clients are already uneasy about the merger.

I leave early on the Monday mornings, and return Friday nights. I'm so excited to be able to experience what Matt gets to do so much of. I'm going to miss my 3 guys like crazy, and I know I'll probably cry a little bit each night, but I'm ready to sit in my hotel room and read my books, and I'm even planning on making a few little road trips. I want to venture over to the Biloxi area, and check out the damage from Hurricane Katrina...see what has changed since we were there in June of 2001...and hopefully catch up with our friends, Aaron & Stefani Lapointe. Then I want to travel down to Gulf Shores and check out the beach houses for rent to see if that area will be a good vacation spot for our summer vacation next year with the McCartys and McAtees. I plan on walking out on the beach and taking a picture of myself!!! (Boy, it sounds like I don't get out much, doesn't it?)

Anyways, back to the here and now...Dylan had his first flag football practice tonight in the rain. But, the boys stuck it out. Dylan had some great spin moves to move out of the way of the defender. I think he may be like a Darren Sproles...tiny but able to zig-zag around the defense.

Collin's been reading more books...all he wants to do is sit on our laps in the recliner and read books these days. And he loves to "mump" on the bed..."jump" on the bed. Tomorrow night while the dads and the big boys go to the GEHS football game, all of us moms are going to Adrienne's house and let the babies jump on the trampoline.

We're going to try and take Collin to the KSU football game on Saturday. I figure he'll make it 1 quarter or hopefully maybe the 1st half, and then Mom & I will have to take him out to the van and let him play. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that since it's our last non-conference game, maybe there won't be a full stadium, and he'll have room to move around our seats.

Well, the bed is calling my name...goodnight everyone!!

The "Cool Street" block party

As promised, here are a couple of block party pictures.


Here is Collin with Fred, Blaire & Tim's basset hound. Collin loves Fred because he's so low-key.


Here's Collin & Caden interrupting the washers game that the older boys were playing.

It was such a great time...we have so many new neighbors on the street that it was a perfect time to meet everyone. We probably had between 30-40 people, counting the adults and kids. Here's to next year!

Go Cats!!!

Our Wildcats are playing at UCLA tonight, so their game just started at 9:30!! If they don't start doing better on defense...just allowed a huge run down the field...I may just have to go to bed. That ought to show them!! HA!

We had our block party tonight...I'll post the pictures tomorrow. We have such great neighbors...we've all heard other residents of the subdivision say that we all have the "fun street". And we really do. I know I've talked about it before on here...the kids are all the same age and they all get along...and all of us moms are good friends.

Last weekend Matt & Chris Flageolle constructed a swing set in our back yard. I can't believe it took us so long to finally get one! I've always felt bad because our boys go next door and play on their swingset...so now the neighbor kids can come over to ours!! Collin has already figured out how to climb up the ladder (I know the grandmas are going to cringe when they read that). Dylan loves the tree house...he immediately said that he was going to hide up there and play his PSP.

Chris wouldn't let me take any pictures of them while they were holding the instructions in their hands...ha! Guess I didn't get any more pictures!! Just kidding....I took the boys to a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese during the major portion of construction.

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing. Matt & Chris headed out to western Kansas Sunday afternoon, and they returned late Monday night.

I am reading the newest Dan Brown novel...The Lost Symbol. It's a fantastic read!!! I even put down my latest Sookie Stackhouse novel in the middle of reading it so I could start on the Dan Brown novel! I have 3 people waiting in line for it as soon as I'm done. Has anyone else read it yet?

This last paragraph was added Sunday afternoon....well, the Cats lost to UCLA...only by 14 points though...I expected a blowout.

Hope everyone has a great week!!

School Starts

Dylan is having a blast in 1st grade!! His teacher is Ms. Beverage. She is a sweetheart! And she's good friends with our neighbor, Robyn (so we always have an additional connection to her).

I did embarrass myself in front of her the first week of school. She was getting into her car at the same time as I was walking out to our car after picking up Dylan. I was busy talking to her, and watching Collin toddle along behind me (because he never wants to be carried anymore) at the same time. He tries to step off the curb, and falls face first into a puddle of water (it had rained earlier that day). She's like freaking out, as I calmly pick him up and brush him off, and he goes on about his business. I told her that Collin is my tough guy, at the same time as I'm thinking, "boy she must really think I'm a great mother!!"

Collin is also my daredevil. Dylan never stepped foot on a slide or jungle gym, until he was in preschool. Collin has no fear, and promptly climbs up the ladder and slides down the slide.


Back on August 22nd, us girls went out for Jenny's birthday. Back down to the Power & Light, we started at Howl at the Moon, but the band has totally changed, and it wasn't as fun. Well, one of the girls that Jenny works with was hanging out with some guys who had reserved a VIP booth at Angels Rock Bar that evening...free admission and free drinks. So, we spent the rest of the evening with them. It was a blast!!! We are definitely some sophisticated moms!!

The next day I sucked it up and took the boys to Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead in Overland Park...it's a petting zoo. You can also pay $5 and rent a fishing pole and worms. That's what Dylan wanted to do. So, since Daddy didn't go along, guess who really had to suck it up and actually put the worms on the hook....ackkkkk!!!

Here is a picture of Collin feeding the goats...I tell you, Collin is the total opposite of his big bubba. Dylan wanted no part of this...he even stood outside the fence!!

Last weekend we went to Max's birthday party (the son of Collin's babysitter). It was held at an indoor swimming park. Here's Collin walking through the fountains.

This weekend is the first KSU football game!!! Go Cats!!!

Watch out world...I'm a photo editor!!

The Three Muskateers

Dylan started school today. JCPRD's summer camp ended last Friday, and they didn't provide care Monday thru Wednesday of this week. So us 3 families each took a day where we watched the 3 boys. My day was yesterday.

Our three boys are so much like brothers. They've been together for 3 years now. They argue like brothers and compete like brothers. Everyone wanted to be first. I may sound like I'm griping...the day wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Hey, I got a day off from work and spent the afternoon at the pool!

This is their "senior picture" pose.

This is their "manly" pose.

I took them to the park before lunch. Thank goodness the City of Gardner had just dumped 3 big loads of new sand for the sandbox. They had fun stomping it into the ground and playing King of the World!

And last but not least, a picture of our little, but loud, cutie.

My New Obsession

I'm blaming the fact that I can't get the blog updated more often on the fact that I'm officially obsessed with I-Tunes. We bought Matt a new IPod for Father's Day because he washed his other one in the laundry, and I think Dylan and I have used it more than he has! Dylan has picked up all of the words to a few songs, and his favorite is "I Kissed a Girl." (Yes, I know this song is sang by a girl...he hasn't figured that out yet!!)

Oh, what have we been doing. Dylan just completed 2 weeks of swimming lessons in Olathe. He does really good swimming on his stomach and under the water, but he hasn't quite figured out the back float yet. I feel bad because we haven't been swimming as much in the month of July. He goes to pool with summer camp 2 or 3 times a week, so I don't want to wear him out by going during the evenings too. It's supposed to be really hot this weekend, so Matt said we could spend it at the pool!!

Collin is now running around on two feet!! And he talks like crazy!!! He loves to answer questions from his Uncle Steve (Brady's dad), and we're still not sure why he calls Uncle Steve "Ba". Not sure where he got that.

This is what it usually looks like in the mornings...a lot of crying and carrying on!

We visited Chris, Mandy, Megan, & Erin one Saturday night for a cookout. I got my baby fix by holding Erin the whole time. It's been so long since I've held a baby who will actually stay in my arms and not want to wiggle the whole time. She just slept so peacefully.

Megan and Collin jumped in and out of her wading pool. Collin decided to show off his muscles to all of us.

Here he's saying "How do you like these guns?"

Last weekend Dylan & Collin stayed with Grandma and Papa in Marquette. It was Marquette's 130th Birthday Celebration, so they went to the parade and BBQ in the park. Auntie Bev, Uncle Rod, and Cousin Susan came down from Des Moines to visit too!!

Matt & I went with Jenny, Steve & Adrienne to Jenny's dad's on the Lake of the Ozarks. OMG!!! I could live on the lake all the time. He had a fabulous house, boat, dock, jet ski, everything. They cooked us prime rib on Saturday night, and entertained us with the best adults only weekend ever!!! We went out on the boat several times, rode the jet ski, went shopping in Osage Beach, Matt & Steve took the paddle boat out fishing, etc. It was the best weekend!!!

Dylan starts school next week, and the boys have all decided to skip soccer and just play flag football. It starts in mid-September, but Coach Elder (Cayden's dad) is going to start practicing on weekends, so we can get the upper-hand. I'm in charge of teaching all of the moms about football. Now I know why Matt loves me so much...it's my football knowledge!!

Goodbye for another week!