Our First Snowfall!

Thursday Carter had his first Christmas Musical and they sang "Up on the Rooftop" and "Away in a Manger".

Today we had our first snowfall and the five of us went outside to make a snowman and ended up with something a little bit different! Lanie and Tinker watched from inside the house. Their visit with us is coming to an end and I am NOT ready for them to leave!

Here are pictures of our "Snow Turtle".

The past month has been an exciting one. My mom and dad came to visit us for several days and the boys were full of pure joy. They loved having them around to play with and to have the grandparents watch as they played video games. I would have to say that the best part for the boys was when grandpa Mike bought them both a nintendo DS. I am convinced that we will one day have to get them surgically removed for their hands. While the kids had a great visit mine was not so great. I spent a great majority of it in the hospital. To make a long story short we encountered a pregnancy that was not viable and now have to get my tubes tied AGAIN!
Carter turned five November 21st and we celebrated at Chuck E. Cheese with the Emma, Kate, and Kendra. This was the first time the boys had ever been to Chuck E. Cheese and now we have to go again on Cooper's b-day which is Dec. 4th. Luckily Grandpa Tinker and Grandma Lanie will be in town to help us celebrate.
Thanksgiving went great we had a huge dinner at the Z's with her parents, our family and four of our house boys. Everyone had a great time. I would have pictures but my camera has been broken for a long time and Ryan is getting me one for Christmas.
We, well I, have decorated the inside of our house for christmas and Ryan is going to put up the lights on the house, hopefully!
Kendra's dad was gracious enough to take some family pictures for us last Saturday. Cole did not smile for a single picture. Cooper apparently did not like the matching sweaters because after we went home, he was painting the bathroom(alone) and also painted his shirt.

Cooper, Emma Z, and Carter

Me and all my boys minus Trooper!
Emma, Kate,
Cooper, Carter and Cole

Day to day

Nothing too exciting is happening here. I just thought I would put a short update.
Carter is loving preschool and doesn't want to miss a single day. He now sleeps in his bed ALL night long because he "needs" to get a full night of sleep for school. He doesn't like having a three day "vacation" every weekend. On the good side, Carter wanting to sleep in his bed makes Cooper feel like he needs to sleep in his own bed too. This makes me very happy.
Cooper is addicted to the game cube and would play Mario Smash Bros. all day long if we would let him. When we leave to go somewhere he asks if he can stay home alone and play his game. We say no and then a big fit happens and a few spankings and we all live happily ever after. Coop is adjusting well to not going to school this year, we visit the library but he doesn't like the library man (and announced it very loudly in the library) because he didn't let him get ALL the stuff we wanted.
Carter and Cooper like to race around the yard however if Carter wins it is all good. If Cooper wins then somehow it becomes a tie. I don't think Carter will be a very good loser or "non-winner".
Cole is growing like a weed. He does very well at defending himself against his brothers. If you watched the video you will see him with his hair then after is hair cut. He looks so much like Carter now. He is our little escape artist, he loves to be outside and will do anything to get there. Unfortunately we are no closer to potty training with him. He is NOT interested at all. Well, I have a lot to say and a lot to do. The demands of Ryan's Job are unlimited! I miss everyone and hope all is well.

Carter's 1st day of school and other things!

Our New House

This is a video of our house at the children's home. The video only shows the front and back of the house and the main floor inside the house. We also have a basement with a livingroom, laundry room, pantry, bathroom and bedroom. On the upper level there are five bedrooms and three bathrooms.
After staying in my brothers country house for a few months when we were in Missouri I vowed to never live in the country again. However, we have only been here for three weeks and I am already falling in love with the view. The bonus is we have this wonderful view and are only twenty minutes from an amazing mall. Even closer than that is a wal-mart and a much loved and visited Target. Not to mention a Red Robin and the biggest movie theater I have ever seen. Kendra introduced me to the wonderful pretzel bites there.
This weekend three of our four boys living with us went on home visits so we had an eventful weekend with the one who was here. We went to the mall, Chili's, several video game stores and last but not least to Church. I know it doesn't sound like much but it seemed like a lot.
Today Kendra and I had a much needed and deserved girls afternoon out. It consisted of Applebee's (no highchairs needed), Wal-Mart and Marble Slab Ice Cream (it's no Cold Stone but it gets the job done)
I hope all is going well with all our loved ones and I will post more soon(no promises when)

I realize it has been a long time since my last blog and for this I am sorry. First things first, we have accepted a houseparenting position in Ohio. We will be moving outside of Cincinnati on August 6th. We are so excited! Although we are heartbroken to leave Carbondale and all the close friends we have made here, we are excited to start the next phase of our lives. This was probably the hardest decision I have ever made in my life. I know we have moved A LOT but this move has been the hardest. When we first heard of the job we said no we weren't ready to leave our church on Carbondale. However, we kept coming back to conversations about houseparenting and how much we missed having all the extra kids in our house. After an amazing amount of prayers, tears, and visiting the Children's home and seeing how well it is run, we decided to take the leap.
So here we are packing to move again. I have been praying that this will be our last move and that Ohio is where God wants us to put down our roots and raise our children.
I know many of our friends here are upset and even some are not talking to me and Our much loved Grandma Karen just cries everytime she looks at me or the boys. This pulls at my heart and makes me second guess at our decision. I know deep in my heart that this is the path that God has laid before us and as hard as it may be I am completely open to taking his path. One ladies at church told me that she was sad we are leaving but she realizes that what we are doing is best for us and since it is best for us then it is best for them too. I am paraphrazing and doing a horrible job at it.
My boys are excited to live by Emma and Kate once again and can't wait to get there. I am excited to live by Ben and Kendra again. Even after almost two years of being apart as soon as I walked in Kendra's kitchen I knew I had found my way home. I was lucky when I found one friend in college that I will forever be close to. Laura and I will always have a bond that can never be broken, memories that will never fade, I hope that our paths continue to cross and that plane tickets be in our near future. However, when Ben and Kendra came into our lives I knew I found my second sister. I can't wait for the talks over sweet tea, the walks around campus and raising our children together. I just want to say thanks Kendra for being a wonderful friend and a Christian woman one can only hope to be like.
I know I am rambling but I have so much to say and so much to be thankful for. I don't even know if anyone will read this but I am writing anyway.
I am hoping that after we get settled in I will have more time to write and post pictures.

These first two pictures are of cole in the tub, obviously. Less obvious is what is in his hair that he is so proud of. I will give you some hints and tell you at the end. It is a naturally made play toy.....It is released by the internal and external sphincters and is not played with by many people over the age of two......Here it is.....incase you haven't guessed....POOP!!! Many have asked why I took the pictures. I took them so when he is older I can show him what he made ME clean up when all I want him to do is clean his own dirty room. Also I figured that a future girlfriend would enjoy it.
Carter, Cooper and Cole are sporting outfits made by Greatgrandma Betty Woods. They love these outfits and would wear them everyday if mommy would allow them to.

The following pictures are of the boys making candy and a welcome to Carbondale sign for Lisa and Aaron. They moved to Carbondale the end of April and for this I am very thankful. It is very nice to have someone live so close that is family. We love them and can't wait for many playdate with them and Madi!

Bowling

We went bowling saturday night with the teenagers. We got a camera called a FLIP and we took it with us and shot some video. Here is a composite of the Woods family bowling. Enjoy!

Update!

Today was eventful! (Sort of) Carter and Cooper both made it to school and were not sick! Cooper had a dentist appointment and had to get two fillings. He sat there like a champ and never cried!

My friend Kristin and I joined Curves!!!! I even worked out today. GO ME!! OH, Coop tld me after we left the dentist that he still wants to be a doctor when he grows up so he can poke Carter! Cole has become quite the ham and bugger of the big boys. He does things that he knows will make them mad like turn off the T.V. and then he will get a devillish look on his face. He is just like his mother, I have taught him well. The boys do lots of cute things everyday but I am a horrible storyteller so I will have to write them out and then blog about them. Please don't hold your breath. Here are some more recent pictures.