The boys

I was able to go down and see Chase and Cole tonight for the first time since I got home on break. It amazes me how much those two grown when I'm away at college!!

Chase turned 7 in September, but he talks like he's 30! He's in first grade this year, and he loves it. He can read very well. He's already up to my shoulder, if not past there, so I know that before long he'll be taller than me! There's something definitely wrong with a 7 year old being that tall!!! Of course, maybe it's just that I'm too short. :)

Cole is now 4. He'll be 5 in April. He goes to preschool right now, but this fall he'll be going to kindergarten. It's so hard to believe that he'll be old enough to go to school! Like Chase, he's very tall for his age. He comes up to about the middle of my chest. *Sigh* I guess that's one of the downsides of being short, all the little kids are taller than you! lol

We exchanged Christmas gifts with them tonight, just like we have every year since Chase was born. They were both thrilled with the k'nex (kind of like legos) sets that we gave them, and Holly and I loved the bath and body works sets that we got from them.

They just got a new cat, named Brutus (after Brutus Buckeye, of course!) and he is so cute! He'll just lay there in your arms and let you pet him, and he's oh so patient with the boys' hugs and kisses and squeezes! :D

I'll be babysitting them all day tomorrow, from about 6 am until around 4:30 or 5 pm. Since there's snow on the ground, I imagine that they'll drag me outside and convince me to play in the show with them (well, to tell you the truth, it doesn't take much convincing; I love the snow!) and go sledding with them. As is every day with thsoe two boys, it will be tons of fun and I'll be completely exhausted by the tiem I get home, but I wouldn't trade it for anything; well, almost anything. ;)

Making Cookies

Well, today I decided to be daring and I made cookies with Chase and Cole. As you can probably imagine, they loved the idea. However, by the time it was all done, I was regretting my decision. The kitchen was a mess, thanks to my two little helpers. However, I must add that Chase helped with the cleanup. He did quite a few of the dishes for me!

Despite the huge mess that was made, we did have fun. Chase and Cole both helped with the mixing, and towards the end, when the dough was getting stiff and hard to mix, Cole held the bowl while Chase held the mixer. It was so sweet! Cole absolutely adores his older brother and would do anything to please him, which, I must admit, Chase takes advantage of sometimes!


Once the cookies were ready to be put on trays and go into the oven, I sat the boys down at the table and let them eat their lunch, which consisted of hot dogs and a candy bar. That kept them busy long enough for me to get all of the cookies on trays and the first batch into the oven.

When they were done eating, I put Chase to work doing dishes (no, I wasn't forcing him, he volunteered!) and put Cole down for his nap because he was being a crab. He always looks so cute and innocent when eh's sleeping; why can't he ever be like that when he's awake?


Well, that pretty much sums up the adventure of cookie making with a six year old and a four year old! Next time I'll think twice before suggesting that we make cookies!!

(The finished result!)

My boys =)

I realized today as I was making lunch for the boys just how blessed I am to have this job and how much I enjoy it. I often forget what a great job I have and how much fun I have doing it because I'm too busy thinking about the few things i don't like about it.
I was standing at the kitchen counter today making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the boys and listening to Cole babble away about watches when it hit me. I realized that I would not trade this job for anything. Not only am I making good money, but I get to spend time with my two favorite boys in the whole world.
On top of that, I'm getting experience that I could not get anywhere else. When I was standing there making the sandwiches, I could see myself someday standing at my own kitchen counter, making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for my own kids. Having babysat the boys from the time Chase was twelve weeks old, I've had a lot of experience with kids.
I realized today that although I may get tired of listening to Cole's "chitchat", as Chase calls it, or watching cartoons on tv when I'd rather be watching a movie, I wouldn't trade this job for the world!