Autee

I just had to take a second to appreciate my sweet children. I have witnessed some very tender moments between them throughout their lives. And although the fighting gets a little worse each year, their love for each other is strong. I have to be grateful for that.

I know I don't take the time to appreciate Austin enough for all that he does to help me out. Especially when it comes to being the "big brother". He has always made time to play with his little brother and sister, and share with him. They have formed such a sweet little bond.

Since Tyler was born, Austin has gotten even better at being a brother, and adores his little clone. Tyler has most lovingly started calling his big brother "Autee" I know that he is still little, and can't form his words very well yet, and that soon enough he will be able to say actual names, but I have to admit, I want "Autee" to stay forever. Every day when Austin gets home from school, Tyler runs for the door yelling at the top of his lungs "Autee, Autee! Diss! (that means kiss). I hope that I never forget these sweet moments. In spite of mostly chaotic-filled days, I really love those short thrills.

"Autee"-a great big brother

Quick Vent!

I hate it when I spend all this time trying to upload photos, and write these blogs, and when you go to publish them, just about every time, the spacing is all messed up!!!!!!!!! It is maddening!!!!! Just so you know, I am a very good spacer, and on the edit, my blogs are spaced and aligned perfectly....but do they come out that way......NNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! Okay, I feel better after letting that out! (Hey don't judge, like you don't ever get irritated!)

Spring Break MADNESS!

Yeah! Boo! Whatever your take, Spring Break is over! We had a lot of fun playing, playing, and playing. We didn't get to go anywhere this year, but Lori came from Texas with her kids, and Melani came down from Utah with her little dog Boudie (Her new last name is Boudreaux, so she named her first dog Boudie), and we all had so much fun!

We spent a good portion of our week at my parents house, and enjoyed getting some sun, and swimming in the freezing pool (Well, okay, so only Tylee, and Colby were brave enough to swim because they are polar bears and arctic waters don't seem to bother them, the other kids got in for a few minutes each, but the adults all new better). We also played at a few parks, and played a lot of football!

Katelyn meeting Boudie.

Tylee holding Boudie.

Tylee trying to convince her uncle to swim!

Everyone playing football. (Colby, Zac, Austin, Alex and Mel)

Wow! What a catch MelBel!

Tylee on the zip line

Katie and Tyler racing down the slide.

(He was so cute climbing the stairs and going down this slide all by himself about a thousand times in a row!)

Tylee and Austin's turn!

Zac holding Katie playing some game no doubt!

Tyler enjoying some cream cheese frosting! Yummy!

Katie riding Colby like a horse (her favorite thing besides bugging the dog to death!!!)

Katie riding on Colby again!

In this picture, Katie saddled up her "Pops" to ride on, and I don't know if you can tell, but if you look closely, she put a jump rope in his mouth to make some reigns. What a good sport Pops!

Tyler with Boudie (I would not be surprised if that poor little dog's hair starts falling out from the stress of my kids. Katie and Tyler absolutely love dogs, but end up bugging them to death. Little Boudie tried so hard to just hide away from all the kids, but to no avail, they always found him.)

See what I mean. There is Katie doing whatever is necessary to get close to that little dog. He is a cute puppy!

All of the adults, except for me and Jeff (I have a baby who refuses to be left with anyone, and Jeff had to work) went to the temple. But Jeff and I did get to go to lunch at Nando's with everyone, and we took a few pics. I'm sad I missed the Temple, because going through with your family is so special, and I really wanted to go through with my niece Melani. We all adore her. She is the only daughter of my sister that died 11 years ago. We weren't able to see her for about 7 years after my sister died. So since we have been reunited with her, we are always thrilled to see her, and we all think she is just so beautiful, and smart, and talented, and fun (I could go on and on)! I know you think I'm bragging, but if you met her, I promise, you would know how smart, and talented she is. Another time!

Lolo and her hubba-hubba-hubby Charles

Mimi, Melani and Lolo going to the temple!

Melani & Tyler (Oldest and youngest cousins).

Anyway, back to the routine. I have spent almost my whole Sunday resting up for the week ahead. Sometimes, you just need to be lazy and recoup!

Happy Birthday Grandma Reenie!

My Grandma Reenie turned 90 on March 16! I know what your thinking "whoa nellie". Well, incredibly, she looks wonderful, she is up and around just fine, she takes very good care of herself, and aside from not having a very loud voice, can carry on a conversation just fine. I don't think anyone would guess 90, but anyway, we love you Grandma Reenie! It won't be long 'til we're celebrating 100!

We actually had a little party for her after church. And luckily, it was during spring break, so all of the cousins (with the exception of Melani, she was a day late) got to be there. So we made a big banner and colored it in, and I traced all of her grandchildren and great-grand children's hands. Everyone was supposed to decorate and sign their own hand, but they were all so busy playing, that it was too hard to accomplish. Anyway, we got the plastic champagne cups and some sparkling cider, and my brother Adam (aka Lukas 97.5 fm) roasted my grandma. It was hilarious, and he had us all cracking up. Afterwards, she opened her presents, and we enjoyed ice cream cakes from baskin robbins. Yummy!

"The Birthday Banner"

"The Birthday Table"

Grandma Reenie

Alex and Grandma Reenie

Grandma Reenie and Adam

Grandma Reenie and Coco (Adam's wife) enjoying a cocktail (NA)

Grandma Reenie and her "look-a-like" Lolo

Grandma Reenie and a very uncooperative Tyler!

Grandma Reenie surrounded by all of her great-grandkids on our side of the family

(Except for Melani, and Tyler the grouch!)

On Monday (her actual bday), we did a family home evening together. My grandma likes to hear us all sing, so each of the kids sang a song for her, and then they all sang together. Then all of the adults took turns singing hymns. It was a wonderful night, and I will always cherish those combined FHE's when everyone is singing and together, and it is just special to me. Anyway, as usual I took a ton of pics.

Katelyn singing "I am a Child of God"

Tylee singing "Book of Mormon Stories"

Austin singing "The Priesthood is Restored"

Zac and Colby singing "Army of Helaman"

Colby, Zac, Tylee, Austin, and Katelyn singing "Scripture Power"!

My dad...The sunglasses on my parents are completely normal, morning, noon & night, indoors or outdoors, doesn't matter.....the hat, however, isn't usually worn this way, and it became "a thing" that night.

Everyone had to get "jiggy-wid-it"

I love my family, we always have a lot of laughs!

Roena Lucille Cole - March 16, 2009

Equine Finesse

So, for Katelyn's birthday, my mom and grandma bought her horseback riding lessons. I checked several websites, and attempted to contact about 4 different people about the lessons, however, I only got a reply from one person. I decided to give her a go, even though she is a little farther than I wanted to go (Guadalupe & Higley). Anyway, today was Katelyn's first lesson.

I have to say that I was very impressed with Katelyn's instructor. I was honestly expecting someone older, maybe 40's, and to my surprise this very young woman (who I would guess would be maybe 20???) came out to greet us. She introduced herself as Merilyn, and started telling me her long career as a horse woman. She has ridden just about every discipline, and was very good with Katelyn. She had about 9 horses on her property, including a brand new baby colt that was delivered last night (he was so cute!)

The horse she started Katelyn on was Buster Brown, a Quarter Horse Pony, which means he is a quarter horse that was bred to be pony size, which is great for a small beginner rider. Anyway, I loved that she had Katelyn, lead him out, brush him down, comb his mane and tail, pick out his hooves, and help saddle him up for the ride. She only got to ride for about 20 minutes, and in that time learned how to go, stop, back up and steer him properly. I thought it was great! Correction, Katelyn thought it was great. She was not happy when it was time to leave.

After talking with Miss Merilyn, I found out that she is LDS, which is an added bonus to me, and I thought she had a great place, she was just wonderful. She is also an artist, so if you want a portrait done of you and your pet, she can do it. If you are interested in finding out more her website is http://www.equinefinesse.com/. I highly recommend her. Anyway, here are the pictures I took. They would have been better, but I had to fight Tyler kicking and screaming to get down and get into everything.

She already can't wait to go back. So this experience is either going to get it out of her system realizing how much work horses are, or it is going to fuel the fire. Only time will tell!

Happy Birthday Katelyn Novelle!

My sweet little Katelyn turned 6 on Saturday. I can't believe how fast time has gone. Anyway, we started the day with her favorite breakfast...pancakes and hash browns with ketchup. Her daddy made her 6 silver dollar pancakes and a big (slightly overcooked) 6 pancake. Yummy!

Katie blowing out her candle after we sang to her!

Katie had decided a family party was just fine by her, so my sweet and beautiful sis-in-law Nicole (Coco) let us have the party at her house. It was so nice, when we drove up, she had decorations on the garage, and all over the house. She had the table decked out with a ton of presents that she had gotten Katie. We just had it a family party because I didn't have it in me to do a kids themed party with all the games and stuff. So, we had my parents and grandma, my brother Alex, and of course Adam, Coco and Zac, and Jeff had his mom come and his sister Merriann with her two darling boys Jordan and Nathan. Adam was so sweet to set up his dj stuff in the backyard, and he had music going the whole time, and had the kids play musical chairs. The boys also got to enjoy playing football for about an hour in the front yard (which is Austin's favorite thing in the world). And my sibs and I jammed out in a few games of rockband which is awesome! And Coco kicked my rear at "Rockstar", you go Tina junior (Your Simply the Best)!

Coco & Mimi (hottie totties)

She still hasn't played with everything yet!

Adam aka Lukas getting the games started! I love you Bubby!

The kids playing Musical Chairs (FYI Jordan won)

Nathan, Jordan and Austin getting ready to slaughter Zac with silly string!

Ready, set, GO! This was at Zac's request for UTube

Katelyn, (surprise, surprise) could not have cared less that we had a party. She didn't care to eat Subway (her choice for lunch), she did not care about games or prizes, and she did not even care to eat her own birthday cake that her daddy decorated beautifully! All she wanted to do was play with Coco's 2 dogs, Molly and Gilly. She LOVES those dogs, and can't get enough of them. She bugged them until the second we went home. This girl has the craziest amount of love for animals than I have ever seen! She did come in to blow out her candles, then ran right back out. She came in to open presents, and grabbed some bubbles, and ran back out to see the dogs. So as far as she was concerned, the dogs could have been her only guests, and that would have suited her just fine! I did force her to pose with her guests, but as quickly as she could so she could get back to playing!

Isnt' this a beautiful cake? Jeff swears it's the "ugliest cake" he has ever done! (Show off)

Katelyn and "the Birthday Cake"

Coco and Katie

Grandma Reenie, Katie, & Pops!
Mimi & KatieCoo

Bubby Al stealing birthday suggie!

Me & Kapoodle

Katie openening up her presents. My little pony unicorn. Thanks Merriann!

Woah! Money! I'm rich, I'm wealthy! Thanks Grandma & Mimi!

Best Friends = Katelyn & Molly

More doggie lovin'!

"Post-Party Poop-Out"!

Gilly & Coco and Molly & Katie

Oh No! I think Tyler may follow in Katie's "dog-lovin'" footsteps!

After the party, Jeff's mom and family went to Macayo's for dinner. And since we had missed out on it the night before (see previous post), we of course had to go. We had a lot of fun visiting. But again, the poor birthday girl was too tired to eat dinner or dessert! (It makes me sad to see a 6 year old not care a thing about cake or ice cream). She fell asleep on me before we left, and was out for the night.

Nathan and Katie on the stairs waiting for a table.

Nathan and Katie coloring

Jeff's sister, brother-in-law and nephew

Tyler with his own kids meal (nothing makes him happier!)

Is that good???

In any case, Happy 6th Birthday my sweet and beautiful little Katelyn Novelle! I will never forget the day you were born, and that you were the most tiny baby I have ever held. 5lbs 6oz. You were beautiful then, and you are even more beautiful now. Your mommy loves you more than you will ever know! And yes, you will always be precious to your mommy!