Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and a New Year

Sooooo, it's been a while since I've had a few minutes to sit in front of the computer for fun (otherwise known as blogging).  And with Cade asleep for a few more minutes, I will try my best to update y'all.

October - Our family welcomed our nephew (the boy's cousin) Thomas in October.  He is the fourth grandchild on my family's side and the fourth boy. We looked forward to meeting him in December at Christmas.

With Cade becoming a full blown walker, we really enjoyed Halloween.  The boys ran walked around the neighborhood in their costumes with a few friends.  They filled their goodie bags with candies and had a blast playing in their costumes.  The grown ups joined in the fun with an adult beverage in hand.  :-)

November - The whole family was struck with colds, coughs and flu bugs from mid-October until early November.  Thankfully, we were well at Thanksgiving, unlike the past two years.  As usual we spent Thanksgiving with Brian's family having so much fun.  Coming from a large family, we are always guaranteed lots of hugs and great conversation.  Oh, and wonderful wines to enjoy throughout the holiday.

We also made an impromptu visit to Grandma and Grandpa's house in November.  We became members of the SB Zoo so whenever we visit, we make sure to go to the zoo. The boys love it!

December - Seriously, how did the end of the year arrive so quickly?  Nuts!  Well, as quickly as the end of the year arrived, the actual month of December was a blur.  And boy, was it cold!  We had multiple weeks of frost and temperatures in the low 30's. Anyone reading this who lives on the East Coast has free right to growl at me right now...I deserve it. 

Christmas was AMAZING!  This was the first year Brock actually understood what Christmas means. He had a lot of fun making a wish list and asking a lot of questions about what Christmas. He's very curious. One thing we want to instill in our kids is that holidays are not about receiving gifts but more about the spirit of giving.  So we put together a bag of toys to donate to other kids.  Brock thoughtfully selected the toys to add to the bag.  I was proud of him for his actions. And in turn, Santa was kind to him, giving him a few presents from his wish list.

Legos, Cars and Planes were a big theme this year.  The boys are now learning how to share (ugh, wish us luck!).  In addition to presents, Cade got six, yes SIX teeth over the holiday break.  Two top teeth in the front and all four pre-molars are coming in.  Poor kid has been gnawing and drooling like crazy!

Having all four cousins together at Christmas for the first time was a blast.  Brock asked a lot of questions about baby Thomas and Logan, trying to understand where he fell in rank.  He seemed reassured that he was still the oldest and that Cade wasn't going to turn into a sister (now talk about medical marvels...).  The boys played together nicely most of the time and enjoyed each other's company.  We took them to the beach, the zoo and the park.  Lots of play was had, indeed!

Unfortunately both boys caught colds and coughs around the holidays.  By the time we arrived at Grandma and Grandpa's Brock was well but Cade was very ill. We ended up taking him to the urgent care where they put him on prednisone.  But by the end of the week, he was in tip-top shape.  The downside was baby Thomas and Cade had to be quarantined from each other, so I didn't get too many snuggles with my newest nephew - next time Thomas!

Welcome 2014! - We welcomed 2014 with a noon year's eve party. A few of Brock's friends gathered at the park and at noon, we blew bubbles.  That way the kids had a chance to actually celebrate without having to stay up all night.

Cheers to a new year filled with prosperity and promise!

Cade and his new year, new hair cut.  He looks so old now! :-(