Snow Days

Central Arkansas had winter weather the past two weeks in a row. What a treat for us down this way!!! The first weekend it was just ice, but the kids did not care. They loved playing in it. It was Caleb's first time to ever see ice/snow and he didn't quite know what to think at first. He warmed up to the idea of playing in it pretty quick and especially enjoyed riding in the wagon. Each time we would take him out, he would start crying and pointing to get back in!!! The second week we got about 4-6 inches of snow!!! Sadly, both of my babies had colds/fevers/ear infections and we didn't get to play in it as much as I would have liked. Being stuck in the house for four days straight with sick babies and no way to get out and about gave Mommy a great deal of Cabin Fever!!! I enjoy the first day or two being at home, after that I'm ready to get back into a routine of play dates, bible study, and Mother's Day Out!! I love time at home with my babies, but I also love adult conversion. I know it will not be long when I will be missing wiping these baby noises and missing these precious days with my babies. Thank the Lord for snow days that make me take a break from the routine!!! You got to magnify the snow!!!

Slidin in the snow.




Tasty

Caleb's first snow

Snow angels with our neighbor, Jude.

Ready to play!!

View from our front door.

Cold day at the zoo!!

Funny quotes by Kennedy

"Mommy, if the Grinch steals Christmas, Jesus will be so sad about His Birthday."

"He is a wild man, Baby Jesus gave us a wild baby!!!" (refering to her brother)

"Daddy, How did God make all those birds in the sky in the same place?"

"Mommy, can I have a Wizard of OZ bed in heaven?""

"When I have a baby I'm going to call her, Ashley, and if it is a boy, Alex. Alex and Caleb will be good friends!!"

"Gunnar, will you marry me?"

"Daddy, I'm going to be sad about Katie Belle for a month and an hour."

"Mommy, can I marry Caleb, he is still little."

"I'm as thristy as a flat chicken" (Have no clue where this came from)

"When I grow up I'm going to be a policelady, no I'm going to be a mommy."

"Can I marry George Washington?"


As you can see, Kennedy is cracking us up these days. I love, love all that she is learning about Jesus and all the cute things she is saying. She is also very interested in who she is marrying these days and I have no idea why, but she names different people all the time, George Washington being the most interesting. Who knows where she came up with that one!! Her Gigi asked her the other day where she got her good manners, walmart?? "She said, no my mom and target!!"

Goodbye Katie Belle

Katie Belle, our dog of almost nine years is on her way to live with her grandparents (Dave's dad and step mom) as I type this. We made the decision for Katie Belle to go live with them earlier this week after Caleb and her had an incident. Caleb was playing rough and rowdy, as he usually does, when he jumped on top of Katie Belle. Of course, Katie Belle being the animal she is defended herself and Caleb ended up with four stitches near his right eye, a bruised face, and a cut up mouth. It scared us so bad seeing our sons face bloody and not seeing exactly what happened, but we are very thankful that his injuries were very minor. The stitches are out and he will probably have a very small scar to remind us of this day. I'm sure only one of many scars he will acquire over the years.

We loved Katie Belle very much, she was our first "baby". Dave and I got her a few months after we were married in 2001. I had wanted a dog in college, but of course most apartments do not allow dogs, so it was our first big step as a married couple, adopting Katie Belle. We went to the humane society and looked at all the dogs. I didn't see one that jumped out at me, but as we were leaving the lady said, "Wait, we have one more in the back that just came in a few days ago and she is really sweet." They brought Katie Belle out and I knew she was our dog. I just could not leave her there, so we took her home that day. We had a bumpy first few weeks, like most new parents. I laugh, because we acted just like new parents of a baby, nervous and not real sure how to take care of her. I know, ridiculous, it is a dog, but we loved her.

She got very sick the first week we had her and took her back to the only place we knew to take her at the time, back to the humane society. She was diagnosed with Kennel cough, but nothing serious and we were back home with her later that day. Katie Belle grew to be part of our family in no time and adapted to all the changes that came into our family over the years, but I think she is just to old to adapt to Caleb's rough and rowdy ways. I'm thinking of it as her retirement home and so thankful Dave's dad is willing to take her. We know they will take excellent care of her, love her, and we will get to visit her still. I didn't realize how much I was going to miss her until last night. It just hit me as I was coming home from babysitting some friends kids that it would be the last time she would greet me as I came home. I feel a little guilty for being so sappy and overcome with emotions about this, there are many people this past year that have lost children, loved ones and had much harder things than losing a dog. I'm very thankful for my wonderful husband, healthy children and all the Lord has and will bless us with, but I'm really going to miss our Katie Belle!!! Bathtime

OG Katie

Serious

Not happy about being our Christmas card :)

Christmas 2009

I know, I have been neglecting my blog lately. I totally skipped blogging during the Thanksgiving holiday and figured I better do Christmas before too much time passes me by. We had a very exciting and busy Christmas season in the Coyle House. We had so much fun celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!!! We watched a Christmas Parade, baked lots of goodies, looked at lights, ice skated, cut down our tree and decorated, attended an awesome Christmas Eve service, visited with family and friends. We had a wonderful time and so did the kids. This time is so much fun to share with my children, I love all the special memories we made this December!!! Looking forward to many more to come in 2010.

Fariy Tale Party

Kennedy had a wonderful time at her Fairy Tale/Wizard of Oz birthday party on Saturday at one of her favorite places, the museum!! They made wands and crowns, read The Tortoise and the Hare, petted an actual hare and tortoise, toured the museum and of course cake and presents. Kennedy was so excited and had a blast. We then headed to the Clinton Library Lawn for a few professional shots of Kennedy and us in remembrance of this day. It is great having a best friend who is a talented photographer and kind enough to take our pics. We finished off the night with dinner at the Flying Fish with family and friends. It was a great time for all :)

Princess Kennedy

Petting the tortoise

Kennedy & buddies petting the hare.

Fairy magic

Prince Caleb

Me & my honey

Kendall & Kennedy

Suprise, Suprise, she wanted a Wizard of Oz cake!!

Kennedy & cousins; Joshua & Paris

So proud of her cake :)

Where did time go???

Kennedy this fall

Kennedy & Daddy, I love how proud he is!!!

Getting ready to leave the hospital.

Kennedy four years ago!!!

Kennedy Grace turns four years old tomorrow, four. I could not envision this age just a short time ago. She has been such a joy for Dave & I to watch grow. She is a girls girl who loves fashion and has been dressing herself and having an opinion about what she wears since age one!! I can only imagine the conversations we will have when she is a teenager about her clothing choices. She is sweet and soft spoken, but can get mouthy with mommy and her best buddies at times. She loves her brother so much and I love to watch them play together. When Caleb is not around (napping) she asks where he is and misses him. She loves to color, paint and draw and is learning to write her name. Kindergarten is still a year and half away and I'm glad she has a late birthday. She is so ready, but I'm just not ready for her to be gone everyday! She loves to help mommy cook and read books. Happy Birthday Baby Girl, we love you so much!!!!

Halloween

I love Halloween!!! It is my favorite holiday. I know, it is not near as important or significant as Jesus Birthday or His resurrection, but Halloween is so much fun!!! I heart this holiday for so many reasons. It is my favorite time of year; October, when the weather is beautiful and usually w/out record rainfall. It brings back so many good memories for me. My mom always made me really cool costumes and even dressed up with me some years. We would go to school carnivals, hayrides, haunted houses, and trick or treating with cousins. Halloween is also a time that my hubby's artistic side really comes out. He is great at creating costumes and did so at his previous office for several years, now he gets to do it with his family!! I also like that we don't have to go anywhere on Halloween, no expectations or places to be except our little family and friends. Being adults of divorced parents other holidays can be very stressful visiting four sets of grandparents in four different cities, Halloween is just for us!!! Not that we don't love each and every family member, but Halloween is less hectic. And last, but not least, it gives us an excuse to be big kids! This year, we dressed up as the cast of Wizard of OZ. Of course, Kennedy had been planning this for a year. She got a Dorothy costume from Santa last year and it has been a love affair since! Two costumes and three pairs of ruby slippers later the day arrived. She had many dress rehearsals. We knew Caleb would be the "snarecrow" as Kennedy called it, Daddy the Tin Man, but my costume was a little harder to find or make. Kennedy wanted me to be the good witch and I was not sold on being able to pull it off. Halloween Express had a Glenda costume for 60 bucks, no thank you. So the week of Halloween, I traveled to a costume store(lion, but no Glenda), Savers (no luck), and almost giving up hope, I pulled into a tiny thrift store on JFK for one last try and there it was, a puffy beige ballerina dress!!! Kennedy and I were so excited. I'm not a crafty person, but was really proud of myself. We spray painted it pink & glittery, made sliver stars to attach, and Daddy helped with the crown. Kennedy & I made some of the best memories making it together, she was so gitty helping put it all together. We made trips to Party City, Walmart, Target, two Michael's trips, but it was so worth it!!!! Halloween morning, Kennedy was up at 5:30 a.m. ready to go. We started the day with pumpkin pancakes, craved a pumpkin and roasted seeds, headed to Michael's for the finishing touches to the Glenda crown ( which they were having a kid craft time when we arrived, perfect), lunch at Chili's, and finally it was time to get dressed. We went to Trunk or Treat at the kids school and then back to the OC for trick or treating with friends!!! It was a perfect day. Sorry for the long post, but Halloween is my favorite!!!

Kennedy with her pumkin and seeds.

Craft time at Michael's

Dorothy & Glenda "The good witch"

TinMan & Babies

Dorothy & ToTo

OZ Family

Iron Man & Dorothy

Best Buds

TinMan AKA #1 Daddy

Ready to Trick or Treat

Granny Coyle's Suprise Party

Dave's Granny turned 80 years old on Saturday and all her kids planned a suprise birthday party in her honor!!! She was so suprised and excited when she pulled up to see brothers, sisters, kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, neices, nephews, and cousins waiting to wish her a Happy 80th Birthday and celebrate her day. She was brought to tears, it was so sweet. Granny is such a special lady and has always treated me like a granddaughter as soon as Dave and I started dating. I love her so much and so does everyone else in the family, We Love You Granny!!!!

Pumpkin Patch

The kids and I and some of our friends went to Schaffer's Pumpkin Patch on Friday. The pumpkin patch is always a fun time and something I look forward to each year. Kennedy loves picking out a pumkin and playing with all her friends. Caleb's favortie part was the petting zoo. He loves animals and loves making noises at them, he cracks me up and thinks most animals roar like lions :) They played on the playground equipment, looked at the animals, ran through the hay tunnels, drove tractors, took a hayride/tractor ride out to the patch, and had a picninc lunch with their little buddies. It was a great day!!!