And new family photos!

We finally got family photos taken yesterday, the first since Cole was born. AND, I remember why we don't get family photos more often.... I can't believe how stressful a photo session can be! Everyone is trying to look great, baby is not cooperating, 6 year olds complaining, ugh. However, we ended up with a few good ones so it was all worth it in the end. Here's a sample!

Love to all,

Joy

Long Time No Blog

So we've been MIA since Halloween. School for Mom has gotten in full swing (almost through one semester!) and things have just been generally very busy. Cole is now running instead of barely walking which includes running FROM us! I think this is the beginning of that tricky age of parenting with children who can't yet reason and rationalize (AKA terrible twos!)

We've decided that for Christmas we'd start planning for summer! SOooo.. we talked about it and bought our first camping trailer! WOohoo! We've always loved camping and just can't see roughing it in a tent with very small children (and we've both always envisioned having a camper and eventually a boat as toys!) Here's a couple of photos of it along with a few of Cole running nuts (literally and figuratively! HA)

Halloweeny... come and gone

Halloweeny has come and gone... and it was well enjoyed by all! Cole didn't end up in his chicken costume as he was gripey and I didn't want to put him over the edge stuffing him in it. I guess it was a costume purely for the sake of a photo! Cameron and Kaden looked fantastic! Cameron actually has a cowboy swagger which is totally comical.

Mom and Dad donned togas for a costume wedding! Mom can't believe Dad agreed to it! They had a fantastic time at one of the most unique and fun weddings they've attended. It was such a nice event for them to get out together and have a night out. Today actually marks 4 years since Mom and Dad's first date!

Love, prayers, and Reese's to all,

The Perina Folk

And we have a date...

So we have a date for Cole to have tubes put in his ears, Nov. 6th. I'm a little bummed out because it's a procedure, but hopefully he'll feel better. At least we're not doing adenoids, unlike the twins, so I don't have that whole fear about general anesthesia and thoughts of them intubating my baby. That's a weight off!

Things have changed with Dad's job... apparently he'll be working in Denison, IA instead (long story). We're bummed, it's a long drive to nowhere but it kind of came down to that fact that he didn't have a choice so we'll make the best of it. God will take care of us and have us do as He intended.

Cole is walking all over and has developed an attitude when I have to impede on the great fun he is having to change a diaper or whatever the case may be. Is this the beginning of the stage of having children that I least enjoy!? I thought I would have a little more time enjoying him before he turned into a terror! Maybe it's his ears and he'll go back to being an angel after the tubes.

Mommy is still chugging away at school. It's a love-hate relationship for sure, but ultimately Mom feels enriched for bettering herself and looks forward to entering a new phase of her career and adult life. She looks forward to a position with her favorite OB/GYN whom assures her that he'll have a job for her when she graduates in May 2011!

Love to all and many prayers,
Joy

My poor babies!

I had Cameron to the doctor the end of last week to get antibiotics for an ear infection and this evening Drew took Cole to urgent care and low and behold, only 12 days of being off of antibiotics and he has both ears infected again. My poor babies! I feel so bad for them... I remember exactly what ear infections feel like! I'm calling the ENT tomorrow.. no more dinking around. Weather gets cool and the kids get sick... someone remind me why I love the midwest????

Here Chickie Chickie Chickie...

Here's my sweet little baby boy in his momma-made costume (it's impressive folks.. I don't even know how to sew!) Let it be said that it was awefully tricky getting him IN it, there were feathers EVERYWHERE. Good result though.. take a peek (and one of Momma and baby.)

Acme Snake-B-Gone

Yeay we're snake-proof! It was a collaborative effort between Mom and Dad but we got all the vents un-taped and stapled steel mesh under each of them so no critters, snakes or otherwise, will be able to invade. It was as fulfilling of a feeling as I'd imagine it would have felt for primitive man to make fire... almost makes you feel like you ought to eat a big rare piece of meat! =)

Cole went from taking a few steps between outstretched arms to just turning around and walking off across rooms. He's officially bridged the gap between first steps and full out walking. Such a big boy. He looks like an old man with his stiff swag though, it's hysterical. You can tell he's really proud of his newfound ability. He has figured out the power of shaking his head yes and no. He will crawl over to me, say "Nur" (which is his version of "nurse"), and adamently shake his head YES. It's too funny... don't know how I'm going to wean this kid though!

Love and prayers,
Joy

New Job for Daddy

Daddy had applied for a job at Hy-Vee in Council Bluffs as a staff pharmacist instead of a float-pool pharmacist which is what he was doing in Atlantic, and he got it! Congrats and the position Daddy, we're all so proud of you!

Vents are still taped closed...................... so Daddy, when you get over the excitement of the new position, could you tend to that?! Perdy please!

Mom heard some news today that someone she knows got in a bad car accident... reminds us all to say a few extra prayers for ourselves and those we love. Mom has been thinking a lot lately about being grateful for every single day, tough times demand we take nothing for granted. It's been a rough fall for many folks, hopefully the holidays will look up a bit.

Peace and love and all things warm and fuzzy,
Joy

POOF

Just like that... POOF and then they've all grown up. Birth a child one day, he walks the next, tomorrow he'll be in college. The twins are writing sentences and reading books... they'll have Ph.Ds before I know it. Here's proof of my little boy walking!

And more proof!

We also got Cole's pictures taken today in his Halloween costume that mom made. So adorable! He's got to win prize for most photogenic baby of the year. I'll have to scan the pictures to post... soon to follow!

Step It Up!

Cole is walking! He was standing against Mom's legs while she was sitting in the recliner and he decided it was time... he stepped away from Mom and walked clear across the room and gently and deliberately sat down as if it's something he's been doing all along. We're in BBIiiiiiggggg trouble! God love him.. he looks so cute side stepping along! We'll try to get some video posted of it soon!


Momma's baby is growing up... don't tell her, she'll get all teary-eyed.

Seek and ye shall find...

Too bad that's not true! Though I've sought to find the nameless serpant, no avail. We have reason to believe it exited our home and we sealed what we believe is the way it trespassed to begin with. Drew remains uneasy about removing the duct tape from all the vents... but it's getting darn chilly at night! Ultimately, the entire incident has just made us want to abandon our charming country home and high-tail it back to the city.

Drew's lab work came back basically inconclusive; no rheumatoid arthritis, no systemic lupus erythematous, no lyme disease. He continues to ache without a known cause and he's back to thinking he has West Nile. This did all start when he turned 30 on August 20th... do you 'spose the joint pain is a physical manifestation of psychological distress and depression secondary to aging and a midlife crisis? =) Ha... he doesn't appreciate my psycho-analytical babble when he's so stiff he can barely get moving in the morning. Hopefully he snaps out of it pretty soon.

Love to all, tell everyone you know that they should buy Joy's house... heck of a deal for a limited time only free included pet snake!

Snake saga continues.. all of our return air and vents are duct taped closed until we apprehend the suspect. Tune in for updates; same bat time, same bat place... yeah, like we need to have bats while we're at it!

My hubby.. the snake hunter

I'll preface this bit of information by telling you all the story from the beginning. Several days ago, my sweet big strong husband goes to the basement to do laundry only to return quite alarmed to say that he's spotted a snake. I donned a broom, dustpan, stick, and tennis shoes and ran for the basement. Long story short, the damned thing disappeared into a hole in the old limestone foundation before I could capture and maim it. Drew says "now I'm afraid it's going to come out of the return air vent in the living room since that's right above here" and I say "oh relax, that snake has no reason to go up there." Now here I sit at work at 1:30 in the morning and I check my email to read "the snake is coming out of the return air vent but only about 3 inches, hasn't moved in the last 10 minutes... guess I won't be sleeping tonight." He doesn't answer the phone... I'm guessing he's standing on the ottoman watching the snake, precisely where I'll find him in the morning.

Toofer Toofer Toofer!

Cole cut a top front tooth! He was a bear today and I couldn't figure it out.... TA DA! Toofy!

Ho ho ho

I think I'll go Christmas shopping today! Is it bad that I've already got the twins getting ready to write their letter to Santa? I just want to make sure Santa is prepared in plenty of time instead of making the elves work overtime at the very last minute!

Drew, Cole, and I went into town tonight and had a nice dinner out. Seems like we don't get to do that often enough anymore! It was such a nice break from cooking dinner and Cole was such a little sweetheart... smiling and waving at people at the next table and breaking hearts everywhere he turned. He also has a hollow leg with which to store food... get this, he ate two rolls, a container of applesauce, 10 oz. of milk, ribs, and half of a baked sweet potato! How will we ever afford to feed three growing boys... God help us!

Our First Blog!

Well, we've done it, we've joined the blog world! We're excited to have an avenue by which to update loved ones on just what our family is up to! We aren't phone people, and we don't do well when it comes to making important visits.... so hopefully this will keep us all interconnected!

Lots and lots and lots going on right now as it's a busy time of year for us. Cameron and Kaden are 6 years old and in 1st grade (the very mention of it gives Mom palpitations at the thought of her baby twin boys growing up so fast). They're playing soccer and although they're not the most athletic on the team, they enjoy it. Not to mention they're reading like crazy and learning so much that Mom wonders how they went to sleep babies and woke up little men. They love their little brother and have recently discovered they enjoy cleaning! WOOHOO! Mom did something right! They've been scrubbing floors and sweeping, now they're learning how to sort laundry. Won't be long, Mom and Dad's jobs will get much more easy!

As for Cole, well, he's just the peachiest little boy you ever met. He is 13 months old (again, Mom is in denial) and took his first three steps away from the ottoman without assistance the other night! He still doesn't seem like he's ready to just take off on his own, but he'll walk along anything and everything that he can hold onto. The livingroom has become his domain, toys EVERYWHERE! He still has two little teeth on the bottom but nothing else but boy can the kid eat! He's still the ham he has always been, wanting to kiss and smile and touch every pretty girl (and most ugly ones too) that he comes across. Poor kid is on his 6th ear infection in his life so Mom is worried we may need tubes!

Mom has gone back to grad school! What in the world was she thinking?! Now that Daddy is done with school and life could be so much more simple, Mom had to go and mess it all up! She loves it though and wishes she had never taken time away from it. She feels good about learning, though time management is tricky. Three years from now she will have graduated and will be moving on to her grown up job as a nurse practitioner! EXCITING!

Daddy is working as a pharmacist in Atlantic, IA right now and seeking out a position as pharmacy manager with Hy-Vee. He loves what he's doing and would be feeling relaxed and laid back if he didn't have these aching body pains! Dad has been having troubles with his joints for about a month and finally went to the doctor, seems he may have Lyme Disease!! Yikes!! Dad got bit by a tick in Minnesota back at the beginning of July so they drew blood work which is pending.

And finally, we have listed our house for sell. It's time to move on from Walnut, IA as Mom wants a school with more to offer for the kids and a newer house a little closer to her job and school. With the economy it's probably meaningless to even have it on the market, but we've buried St. Joseph and we will continue to pray that we see and do as is God's will.

God bless and love to all ~ The Perina Clan