Thankful!

We had a great Thanksgiving with my parents. It was a very low key relaxed day and we all just enjoyed being together. Today (Black Friday!) we decided to brave the crowds and go to Fresh Market and the MALL! Yes, we are crazy! But we wanted to go to Belk to take advantage of some of the early bird sales so that Jimmy could get a sport coat and some new pants. He doesn't have to dress up for work and has a couple of suits for church and a tux but needed some more casual dress clothes so that he doesn't wear the "college" uniform of khakis and a blue blazer. We got a couple of really good deals on some Ralph Lauren items. He is going to be looking good this holiday season!

Here are a few pics from my parents yesterday:

Thanksgiving Feast

Jimmy had a Thanksgiving Feast at school on Tuesday. Several classes of preschoolers ages 2-4 all came together for one big feast as Pilgrims and Indians. They ate turkey, corn, green beans, corn muffins, and pumpkin bread!! Looks like Jimmy was a pilgrim. I would like to know how much of the yummy food he ate. Probably just the pumpkin bread! Ha! Jimmy's teacher Mrs. Hibberts is wonderful and often shares pictures of what they do during school. Here are a couple of her pictures from the big feast! Of the many things I am thankful for this year, I am definitely thankful for our wonderful church and the amazing preschool program and his teachers!

Jimmy-6 weeks

I didn't have a blog when Jimmy was a baby. I don't think I knew what a blog was at that point. I think I thought blogs were only political since I had heard about them in the 2004 elections. So, I wanted to post a pic of Jimmy at 6 weeks just to compare. Do you think they look alike? Does one favor Jimmy or me more?

Jimmy-6 weeks:





Cecilia-6 weeks:

Cecilia-6 weeks

Cecilia is 6 weeks old as of last Monday! I feel like she has gotten so big! She is starting to smile which is fun. I think she can recognize my voice and will follow me with her eyes if I am not holding her. She is sleeping pretty well-about 3-4 hours a night. She has been a pretty easy going baby. Doesn't fuss or cry too much and when she does we can pretty much figure out what she wants-food, new diaper, just to be held, sleepy, etc.

She is smiling here because she just spit up (which is why her clothes are half on/half off) and I think she felt much better!


We are looking forward to our first Thanksgiving as a family of four. We have so much to be thankful for this year. It will be a low key Thanksgiving as we will be going to my parents house and it will be just the four of us, Jimmy III and Cecilia.

Potty Training Woes

Potty Training=NIGHTMARE!!! Jimmy will be three on December 6 and has off and on showed interest in the potty so we decided to try potty training this past weekend. Needless to say that he is still pooping and peeing in his pants. I've read and asked for advice and the main common thread I see is that it is different for every child. Would you agree?? He now refuses to sit on the potty and the potty surprise bag is not enticing him at all. He even went to Wal-Mart with Jimmy to pick out his potty and get some big boy underwear (though Jimmy got size 4T! I had some others luckily!). I think we are going to have to try again in a few weeks. I am praying for patience.



Curious to hear if anyone else's children potty trained between 3-3 1/2 years? I feel all I hear is that most train before 3.

Show Us Your Life-Pets

Show us your life Friday at Kelly's Korner is about pets and I have a few...

We have three cats. I know, I can hardly believe it myself coming from a girl who grew up with 0 pets. We did have a little box turtle named Charlene for a few weeks if that counts. But she died when we went on vacation. Other than that no pets. My parents said I was allergic to pets as so was my brother. I am a little skeptical of that now as I have three cats and no allergy problems. Maybe my brother was allergic and it was just easier to say I was too so that they wouldn't hear the constant nagging to get a pet.

Jimmy grew up with lots of pets. Dogs, cats, bunnies, flying squirrels to name a few so a few months after we got married he suggested we get a cat. We went to the Humane Society and got Pumpkin, who turned into our very large tabby cat. Then we decided to get a second cat to keep Pumpkin company and we got Jack from our vet. That was it, until a pregnant calico cat showed up on our back porch in Ardsley Park. We took care of her and gave away her kitties and she ended up as ours as well. When we moved to Isle of Hope she quickly transformed into another lady of leisure and adapted well to being an inside cat as all of ours are. So here are a few pics:


Mama Kitty (such an original name, but she came to us pregnant so that is what we called her)


Pumpkin in the back, Jack in the front. Pumpkin is not very friendly but likes to eat.


Jack is the friendly lap cat and is always in the middle of it all:




No dogs, yet.

Indian Cookout

Jimmy had an Indian cookout at school yesterday. They had special Indian snacks (cheerios, raisins, marshmallows, m&m's) and cooked pretend buffalo meet (big marshmallows) over a pretend fire. Jimmy made such a cute little chief!

Let's try this again...

Practicing...

attempting to upload a video for the first time...

Cecilia-1 month!

Happy one month birthday (yesterday) to Cecilia!! I wanted to get this post up yesterday, but it just didn't happen! Gotta just roll with it...







Little Jim is quite the multi-tasker! Here he is playing his guitar and eating a popsicle. He is singing and playing his favorite song"If I Had Eyes"by Jack Johnson. We DVR'ed Jack Johnson's En Concert and Jimmy plays it in the car for him. He calls it "Daddy's Song"

Jimmy's 3rd birthday

I am so excited about Jimmy's birthday party! I have been stressing out about it for months trying to find an inexpensive option without having to have it at my house. I really wanted to have it at a playground but was having trouble finding a local one that would work, not be too crowded on a Saturday and have bathrooms. My solution: Skidaway Island State Park. It is convenient and inexpensive. I decided to rent one of the pavilions for a small fee but it definitely is not necessary. I also ordered his invitation from Tiny Prints as well as some thank you cards. I don't want to post an image of the invite yet since I haven't mailed them out yet. I LOVE Tiny Prints. I used them for Jimmy's birth announcement. I would have used them again this year but I am doing a combo Christmas card/birth announcement and having Christine Hall do the photography and design them.

I decided on a dinosaur theme. The theme is really just for the invites, cake and decorations. I also plan to have Jimmy wear something with a dinosaur on it for his birthday. I plan to get some iced sugar dinosaur cookies from Two Smart Cookies as favors. I did order this stationary for Jimmy:

Goals

A couple of years ago I decided that I needed to set some goals to work toward. Some short range some long range. One of the long range goals was to be debt free, besides mortgage and our car payment and I am happy to say that as of a few months ago we reached that goal! It made us think about the way that we spend money and it really has changed our lifestyle.

We set a goal to become more involved in our church and we have over the past several months. We attend regularly and give consistently. We have been going to Wednesday night supper. The church is right up the street so we can walk or drive in less than a minute. This is helpful in my weekly menu planning too! We see friends and meet new people.

I also made a goal to try and plan dinners for at least 4 nights a week. I try to make something on Sunday that can be leftover for Monday since I work all day. Tuesday is usually a sandwich day since I work all day too. Then I make something for Wed and Thursday. I am much more organized when it comes to grocery shopping. I always plan meals, make a list and shop once week, usually on Sundays. I sometimes have to run out on Thursday to get a few things that we might need. I have also gotten into freezing meals so I have a few things in the freezer when something quick but homemade is needed like spaghetti sauce or veggie soup. The weekends may consist of one night out (or ordering in) it just depends on what is going on. We try to sit down as a family and eat (though lately little JImmy hasn't been the best eater!) even if it is just for a few minutes. I think it is important to sit down and eat together as often as you can as a family. This has also considerable impacted our spending as we are not spending as much money eating out as compared to eating in.

Another goal I set for myself was graduate school. Now this one is long-range! I have no idea how long it will take me, hopefully no more than 5 years, as I balance work, family and school. I figured life will only get busier so now is a good a time as any. I have completed two courses, took this semester off and have registered for my class for the spring. Once I feel I have a good routine going with work and family I am going to attempt to take two classes next fall to make up for missing this fall.

I also wanted to get involved with something that would allow me to meet and interact with people beyond work and my own social circle. I have been hesitant to get too involved in something that would be too time consuming but recently I joined the Reunion Giving Committee for UVA Class of 2000 Reunion this summer. My friend Devon (hallmate first year and roommate second year) asked if I wanted to help out and thought this would be perfect for me. While I have no experience in asking people for money it is a great way to be involved in something with a dear friend who I don't see or talk to often enough as well as interact with some of my fellow classmates that I didn't even know while I was in school.

Lastly, I want to set a goal as far as fitness/weight control. I am in my thirties and it is time to begin some kind of routine. I really would like to set a goal and run a 5K so that is something I am thinking about.

Show us Your Life-Thanksgiving Traditions and Recipes

I had a few minutes so thought I would post about today's "Show us your Life" theme at Kelly's Korner. The days and weeks are running together that I almost forgot that it was Friday! Then I saw Kelly's post so thought I would share a little about our Thanksgivings.

We really don't have one particular tradition, besides turkey every year. Growing up Thanksgiving was just our family of four and for several years we went to Williamsburg for Thanksgiving and shopping. Jimmy grew up going to Newnan to visit all of his aunts, uncles and cousins. His mom is one of five so they would all get together every Thanksgiving. It is even bigger now that all of the cousins have kids too! It really is a lot of fun. They still get together every year, though now in West Point at his cousin's house. We have been going every other year for the most part. About 5 or 6 years ago I hosted Thanksgiving at my house when we lived on 52nd Street. We are staying home this year and looking forward to Thanksgiving with my parents and some family friends.

Here is a picture of the extended Cole family at Thanksgiving two years ago:



As for favorite recipes/food, it has to be my mom's dressing! So yummy! Sadly, I don't know how to make it or have the recipe! I always feel like food never tastes as good when I make it so I leave the dressing to my mom. For Jimmy's family Thanksgiving I make a layered casserole which is so easy and every loves!!

Layered Casserole

1 can of asparagus, drained
1 can of English early peas, drained (I use Leseur)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of mushrooms stems and pieces, drained
2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a square pyrex dish layer asparagus on the bottom then layer the peas. Spread cream of mushroom soup on top of peas. Then layer mushrooms and top with cheddar cheese. Cook at 350 for about 30 minutes or until warm and bubbly. I double the recipe at Thanksgiving and use a 9x12 pyrex.

Trick or Treat!!

We had so much fun on Halloween! The evening did not start out as we would have liked since Georgia was losing big time to Florida, but watching all of the kids trick or treat put everyone in a festive mood. A few of us from the neighborhood went over to the Tollison's and then we all piled on the golf carts and went trick or treating around the neighborhood and on the Bluff. We went a little early, while it was still light and then went back to the Tollison's for dinner. The Bluff was crazy! It is like a Halloween festival in itself. I guess when you live in million dollar plus homes everyone assumes you give out the best candy. Plus, I think all the residents like to out do each other! One house had a candy bar where the kids could pick and choose from all sorts of candies, cookies and treats.






Little Jimmy was dressed up like one of the monsters from Monster's Inc. He looked so cute!! He had a great time riding on the golf cart and going up to each of the houses for some candy. I had Cecilia with wrapped up in the Moby Wrap and she snoozed for most of the evening. No costume for her this year. I did buy a pumpkin sleeper but it was so hot on Saturday-80 degrees! She had on a cute Kissy Kissy halloween outfit that was Amelia's so she was dressed up a little bit.



One funny thing happened...One (or both) of the Tollison's dogs ate the "mummy dogs" (hotdogs wrapped in crescent rolls) off of the counter while we were trick or treating! Good thing Tracey was prepared and had extras!