Santa Cruz

We stayed in this white/cream condo for a weekend
Room #2

Master Bedroom

Cole's photo skill of a lamp that looked like a sculpture

Clean boys

Out to watch the Christmas boat parade

Trying for Christmas shots

Playing on the beach

(Cole's first time on a beach.. that he would remember)

Cole was frightened that a train would come

Bass Pro Shop

Turkey Day

Emergency trip Colorado

Cole Turned 5!

Russian Blue sitting funny

We found our punkins

Back to School

My two week break is over and so is the boys. It went by super fast. I'm taking my last class for my Teaching Level II credential and it is really knocking the wind out of my sails. I prefer to spend my vacations doing fun stuff with the boys. But this break didn't allow too much of that.

Cole used to have a hard time with transitioning back to school. I prepared to hear that his first day back to school was a rough one. I was ready to .. I'm sure I looked like a cat with my ears down and head turned to side and tail wound up tight. But to my surprise, Cole came running to me chiming that he had a good day and that he was a good boy in both classes. He reached into his cubby and there sat a small blue paper certificate, it was a reward for being the "Star of the Day". I just keep growing more and more proud of my little guy. Big hugs, big praises, appetizer and horchata in a Taqauria with Mommy, ice cream for dessert, and a pizza slice on the refrigerator.

Fleet Week

I'm not sure what he was doing, but I was pointing out the jets.

Cole was full of questions.

Cole: "What is this? Can I take a picture with it?"

*google image

Awesome!

Dane and I took the boys to Fleet Week in San Francisco. It is pretty awesome to watch the Blue Angeles roaring past the Golden Gate Bridge and through the bay.

Oktoberfest in Tahoe

Polka Dancing
watching the dancers

Running in a downpour

Playing in the woods

A helping hand from big brother

Made there way out of a ditch

Some tough dudes

Fresh and clean out of the shower

Two days was enough in this tiny cabin

It mostly rained

We took our annual trip to the Tahoe cabin. As luck or un-luck would have it, we ran into yucky weather again. Last time it snowed, but that was ok because the boys woke up to snow and it was so beautiful. This time we had RAIN, Rain, and more rain. The trip wasn't a complete loss.

Once we arrived we went straight the Squaw Village Oktober Fest. I was able to pick up a beer & a 1/2 liter mug. The beer was not very good but the glass mug is nice. We watched some German dancing and the boys did a little dancing. Toward the end of the festival, the rain was coming down as a torrential down pour. Most everyone ran for shelter under the eves of the buildings, but Tanner was super excited by the rain and started running and screaming with delight. Cole started crying and stating that he doesn't like rain. However, he them decided to join his brother. It was nice watching them experience this.

Cole's drawings

Mobile whiteboard w/ ledge that has eraser and wheels on the bottom
Water bottle

Road Trip Dinner

Wordless Wednesday

Indian Summer

photo taken from google

A nice, tree lined, wide path with the sun setting. It looks tranquil. Imagine walking on a path like this on a warm Autumn evening. It's evenings like that, that are my favorite... The sun is setting and the air is still . Our path isn't as tranquil as the above picture but our path is very nice as it cuts through our development, lined with trees and charming old fashioned street lamps, as it winds around making its way through most of our town.

We have been enjoying our evening walks on the neighborhood path for the last few nights and the kids like them too.

The new Blog is up and running! Come check it out http://www.ourjourneywithboys.blogspot.com/

Featuring my dear cousin Denise in Utah, my Alabama bff Lisa, and myself in California~ taking a single photo a day from our lives and raising boys.

Another Blog

I'm planning another blog in addition to this one. Moms of boys will be posting a single picture, any random picture from their day on this blog. Moms will be from coast to coast.
I'm trying to figure a good name for this blog. I'm a bit stumped; others have already claimed the names I like.
We hope to start it this week.. maybe even tomorrow~

I let my natural curls lead the way on my new do.

I'm liking my new cut. :o)

New Do

Tanner had a good laugh when he took this picture
Here it is in a blury picture
I hope to get a better picture soon

A new Do!

This momma went from what used to be a pretty blonde (that the roots grew out an inch), bra strap length hair w/ fun colorful extentions (that all fell out already) hair to a very, very different look. Pictures will be posted tomorrow. :oP

$ in my pocket

Eekks... I rambled on my last post. And I made mannnnyyy mistakes. Posting after midnight has to stop. I will keep this one short.

Both boys had a great day. Tanner's school had a Book Fair, so Tanner and I went to see what he wants. We did and I was floored by the expense, now grant it, a portion of the profits go toward the school, but if I can get the same books from Barnes and Noble and get 20% off with my teacher discount... Then I'm going for the Barnes and Noble route. I need $ in my pocket more than the school. (sorry school)

Anonymous

Tanner hasn't been getting much print lately. So I thought I'd post a fun pic that

I ran across the other day. Cole was a newborn and Tanner found some mischief...

I caught him in the act. He decided to take a bath in the bathroom sink. circa Dec '05

A few days have passed... life has been busy.


Last Friday the family went to a Chuck E Cheese Birthday Party. We've been wondering what to do for Cole's 5th Birthday. Now that we attended a Chuck E. Cheese birthday party, and it was one of Cole's friend's. . The cult type chants of the employees sucked kids in as their eyes glaze over. Cole seemed completely smitten by the big mouse, the boy couldn't get enough of the extremely large rodent.. HUGS, Hugs, and more hugs. Cole's birthday is the day after Halloween and will be here before we know it. Our recent visit to CEC has cemented a very near B'day party for our boy.


Saturday was a scrapbooking with the ladies evening out. I didn't get much done but enjoyed chatting it up.


Sunday was a day of R&R.


Monday, the boys behaved well in school, earning themselves a new start to the pizza slices on the refrigerator.


Today, we got word that Cole had a rough day. Dane and I are trying to evaluate what went wrong. It is possible that maybe nothing went wrong with Cole except that he may have just had a bad day, we all have bad days happen to us. But, I will note what we did different or forgot to do for journaling and keeping notes. We forgot his usual dose of St John's Wart this morning and last night we up'd his Melatonin dose. He has been waking up the past few nights in the middle of the night causing very sleepy and crabby wake-ups. Dane and I wondered if maybe the double dose would help him sleep through the whole night. We will make some tweaks tomorrow. And pray that today was just a bad day and that tomorrow will be better.


Ok.. So what is up with the Anonymous title? I got an anonymous reader post today! I don't know who you are, but I'm happy that you like my blog. You have questioned about how to subscribe to my blog. I'm not a pro at this but I believe that you have to subscribe to google (free) to get a sign in and password, then you go on my site and click the "follow" tab at the very top. I hope that helps you. Please let me know and welcome to my blog.


Stay tuned my new reader and my friends and family~


This momma got a new toy! Pictures will be more frequent to add to the postings as this new toy will be so much more faster... :o) I will not need to upload my regular camera photos and deal with the cords (often times lost) to post pictures in the very near future. Hubby and I are finally getting out of Dinosaur mode. LOL


Stay tuned for another exciting little blog fun, also in the near future. I'm keeping this one a secret for now.

Talent

This kid attends the High School that I work for. AMAZING VOICE and TALENT! How Great Thou Art by Jake Tickner.

Notebook

Dane ran into Cole's K teacher this evening when he was picking him up from his after school program. The teacher asked Dane if she should continue writing in Cole's notebook since he is doing so well. I'm thankful that Dane suggested that she continue as Cole is always excited about his notebook and the great messages from his teacher. She agreed that it would be a good idea to continue and is willing to do this through till the Christmas break.

Tanner had a yellow day; he teased a classmate. :o(

Purple day 12

Purple day 12 yesterday.
This will be my last day about posting Cole's colors. He has been doing so well in school and we are very proud of his progress.

We are continuing with the rewards of pizza after 8 days of good behavior and also giving silly bandz each day that I pick the kids up and get the report of a good day.

Purple Day 11

We got a nice e-mail from Cole's K teacher. The principal of the school gave the teacher an aide to help out with Cole when he first started. We got a message from the teacher that Cole has been doing well without an aide. I e-mailed her and asked her how long Cole has been without an aide.
She wrote the following e-mail:

"She stopped shadowing him a week now. He is doing each station on his own. He knows he needs to do 4 stations to get fantastic. He is so pleased with himself when he is on fantastic. It's really cute to see."

She and we are so pleased with him too!

Cole was super excited to tell me that he saw his brother on the playground while at his after school program.

Cole: "I saw Tanner on the playground. I was calling and calling for him and then I saw him. Tanner came over to me and said hello to me and gave me a hug. I told him, 'I was looking for you for ever' ". Awww

Purple Day 9 & 10

(silly bandz)

Cole is continuing to do well in his K and after school program. His K teacher pulled Dane aside and mentioned that Cole's Aide is no longer working with him, that he has been carrying himself with great behavior and participation.

I've pulled away from going to the GYM or going to Barnes and Noble. I've made a pizza from foam paper and cut it into eight wedges with a magnet glued to the backs of each slice. The boys will receive a pizza slice for each day of good behavior. So far they have 5 pieces and now have 3 days/slices to go. Another incentive is the (crazy, I wish I invented) Silly Bandz. they get two bands to add to their collection each day of good behavior. Tanner loves wearing them and Cole can take them or leave them. Tanner will trade them with classmates or give some away from time to time and Cole seems to just loose them.. lol

Cole's first "scene" drawing

Do you see the clouds and the sun? Do you see the boat on the ocean with the man and flag in it? Do you see the waves with the two fish and one shell? Do you see a man floating on the buoy, holding on to the flag?

I see all of these things and I'm pretty impressed as this was Cole's very first drawing of something random in his head. He has drawn family before or people ...actually his people usually come w/ hair and ears, but not in this drawing. This time, he had a scene and this was his own I'm going to sit down and draw moment. He was so proud to show us his creation.

Purple Day 8

Finishing up the week with all good behavior. Both K and after school program mentioned that Cole really gets it when he gets in trouble. K teacher stated that Cole messed up and became sad because he didn't want his teacher to write about it in his notebook that the teacher writes to his Mommy. He then showed perfect behavior for the rest of the day.

Tanner got a Yellow today. He was goofing around during transition to Music class.

A little funny with Cole. I was getting ready for the day yesterday morning and had one of Dane's T-Shirt on. It is not very often that I throw on his T-shirts. Cole came downstairs from a shower and saw me.
He walked right up to me: "Mommy, are you pregnant?"
I said: "Nope, why do you ask that?"
Cole: "Because you are wearing a big shirt."

Funny kiddo!

Blue Day

When you hear Blue day you think bad, but this blue is a good color. Green is good, Blue is better, and Purple is best you see. I'm posting about yesterday again as I was dog tired again last night. I'm happy the boy is doing well. We didn't get to reward him last night, but he isn't asking for it and it is probably best that we start phasing out such stuff. I'm getting fat from too much ice cream anyway. He knows that he is working toward Chuck E Cheese again and that seems to satisfy him. :o)

Purple Day 7

I was so tired yesterday evening, so I'm posting this morning. Cole did another day of great behavior. I forgot to leave the notebook in C's backpack so I had to call his teacher on her cell to get the report. She stated that he likes to lie on the carpet during circle time but quickly sits up when asked. He doesn't care to hold his writing utensils correctly and complains that he can't write, but when she points out to him that he is holding his tool wrong, he corrects it. He has been actively engaged and participating in classroom activities. Overall .. she says she would give him 80% good boy points. We are proud of him and took him out to ice cream. No time for library or pool. However, he was content w/ just ice cream.

Purple Day 6

Teacher tells me the only meltdown he had was when he was told that he didn't get an award for perfect attendance for Aug (he missed 1 day). Other than that ... perfect behavior, earning a purple day.

We followed through with our belated promise of Chuck E Cheese. Cole needs to know that there are rewards worth working toward. Now I just need to figure if I want the goal to work from Wed ~Wed or adjust it back to a Mon ~ Fri goal.

(The boys got special id cards at CEC. It was a random pick

as to who gets what but it sure came out pretty accurate)

Mr Tanner had a minor incident in his PE yesterday, causing Yellow behavior. Today he pulled a Green day. Oh... I should add that Tanner is now in 2nd grade and they don't do Purple. Green is the highest. We are always happy that he gets green and it is becoming the norm for him these days.

Purple Day 5

When Cole was getting ready for his day this morning, I asked him if he was going to have a good day. His response, " I'm going to be a good boy today!" His body crunched together and his fist drawn tight against his chest....eyes squeezed shut.. " I'm so eh-cited to keep having good days and then we will go to Chuck E Cheese!"
I've been telling him the plans to go to Chuck E Cheese for about two weeks now. His goal was to get through all of last week w/ good days. He did it! And we (Dane and I) sadly dropped the ball as other things got in the way. But Cole never asked and here we are rolling into a new week. Cole still has that goal and this momma needs to get a chart for Cole to know when the goal of his will come to fruition. I'm ready to go to Chuck E. Cheese ... Umm tomorrow... The boy needs to know that his goals are within reach ;-)
Well he did it, another Purple Day and we are so very proud. His request was to go swimming. I somehow talked him out of it as we are having unseasonal cold weather. He then requested the B & Noble.. I somehow got away w/ not making it to that location as well. Instead, Cole got to run to a couple of stores w/ me. He never complained and seemed content to get a strawberry frap and a brownie from Starbucks.

Friday was a Green Day. Cole wanted to go swimming but I had a Bunko event to go to with the church and Dane wasn't due home until I had to run out to Bunko. We just told Cole that his reward is going on a family picnic on Saturday. He insisted that we need picnic baskets, one for him and one for Tanner.

Saturday we did go to a picnic. Dane had his High School Reunion family picnic. It was very good and fun too.

Sunday was a day of laziness.... This Momma is ready for a day of R & R.

PD4, GD, and a DP

P4=Purple Day 4 on Wednesday
Special Rewards = McDonalds Happy Meal and Playland with a Sundae with Mommy and Tanner, then going to Barnes and Noble with Daddy and Tanner.

GD=Green Day today.. Not as spectacular as a purple day and indeed a good day!
Rewards=an evening out with Mommy that included Barnes and Noble that included scoring on two books, then shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond, Pier 1 Imports, Cost Plus World Market. The kiddo was such a good little shopper too. Not a single incident or struggle. :o)

DP= Developmental Pediatric
We had our consultation with Cole's DP. She feels that Cole is boarder line ADHD. She encourages that I continue with my punish/reward system and continue with St. John's Wort as Cole's negative behaviors have been minimal. We asked if he could outgrow this as he matures and she said it could happen. I truly believe he can outgrow this as he has outgrown so many other RED flag behaviors.

Pics will be coming soon... check back to the other posts too as I will be matching photos to the last week or so posts that are missing photos.

Purple Day 3

That's 3 days in a row! And he got "Kid Of The Day "! We celebrated with swimming .. Oh! And, yes today is a great day to have a purple day with the reward of swimming as it was 103* temp today. We went out for ice cream after and Cole made the following statement:

"I am a good boy now. I'm not going to be a bad boy anymore."

I pray that this will be true. :)

Tanner has a sweet thing to say about our sweet little Sami. Sami likes to hide under our couch and it's also her usual nap location. She will only come out when she hears me call for her. Tonight when we got home from swim and ice cream, Tanner rested on the couch. Sami heard me near the couch and sauntered into my direction w/ a tiny squeak of a cry. To this Tanner said, " Mommy, Sami comes you just for you, she has such a sweet tiny cry. She is so tired and week with a week cry. But that is ok, she doesn't need to be strong, she is just a baby, babies don't need to be strong."

Purple Day 2

I can get used to this. We got another message from Cole's teacher that he had a great day.

He requested to go swimming and ice cream. That we did!

I haven't mentioned much about Tanner the last few weeks. Tanner is doing great! Tested well in his Reading level. The teacher enjoys having him in her class. He loves when Cole has good days because then he gets the rewards too and never complains when Cole has bad days because many times the whole family ends up a bit punished as well. We are very proud of how far Tanner has come since his K year. Tanner had his 8 yr appt. He is in the 50% for both height and weight. Dr just recommends that we give him vitamins because he isn't much of an eater.

Rewind a little

the boys with the church group kiddos

So cool to see pictures of them at a function without us~

Friday Night~ Dane and I got a date night via our church supplying care for the children and allowing the parents a night out. I was so thankful that Cole had a good day at school because going to church and seeing his church friends is a rewarding experience. He loves his friends, especially Caleb. We dropped the kids off then headed out to the best burgers in town then caught the movie, THE SWITCH. Great burgers, Good movie, and Quality time with my Best Friend.. my Hubby.

The movie had a little boy in it and the little boy reminded us so much of our Cole. He looked like him and had his quirky personality too.

Saturday~ Nothing special

Sunday~ Tanner swam most of the day at our neighbors pool and we ran a few errands.