The ChroniCOLE

more pictures

2010-03-18T12:20:00.000-07:00

after bedroom

before bedroom

after dining room

before dining room

after bathroom

before bathroom

sorry they are all backwards but I guess I haven't figured out the order of things - opps....

Our 2nd Flip

2010-03-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

Ok I am not as good as Troy as with these pictures so here it goes....
after kitchen
before kitchen

after kitchen

before kitchen

Before

After

The Shasta House
Much like the Brazos house, we bought the Shasta house at the sheriff's sale in November of 2009. While the scope of this project was similar in nature, the size of the Shasta house was more than double our first rehab making it a bit more challenging to complete within our time frame.

The exterior of this house needed some attention. Cedar shakes donned the first story, front side of the house when we bought it. They were in serious disrepair, so we replaced them with matching vinyl siding. We also replaced the garage doors on the front, put in a regular pass-thru door where a garage door had been installed on the back, added some support columns for the overhang in the front, and had a huge stump ground out of the front yard.

Unlike Brazos, the kitchen in this house existed...albeit disgusting. However, with more than 40 cabinets and nine drawers, we decided to salvage the cabinets themselves to help us keep within our budget. We moved the refrigerator to open up the kitchen and dining areas. Then the woodwork was professionally painted to ensure a nice finish. We topped the cabinets with our own custom concrete counters, added new hardware to the door & drawers, and finished the kitchen with a new light fixture, nice stainless appliances, and ceramic flooring.

As I said in the intro, the rest of the house was similar in scope to the Brazos house. It took a lot of paint, ceramic tile in here and there, new carpet throughout the rest of the house, new door hardware, all new light fixtures, and a lot of time and effort to bring this house back to the condition it deserved.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all of our friends and family all over the U.S, Canada, and anywhere else you may be reading (I know there are a few of you elsewhere). We've had a great holiday season and are wrapping things up with a wedding in Ontario tomorrow.

Any of you been to Ontario in January? It's a balmy thirty degrees BELOW zero today...and I actually just heard one of Sherry's uncles say, "It's really quite nice today!" Are you kidding me?!?!? These people are not normal. Sherry's dad shovelled snow for 10 hours on Tuesday stopping just long enough to eat lunch with us. I seriously wanted to offer to help him but I'm just not that tough. So I helped in the kitchen most of the day...really, I like to be macho and that was kind of a blow to my own ego. But I knew I'd freeze to death, so I just avoided him most of the morning.

Then I spent Wednesday on the couch with my new battery powered electric heating socks trying to thaw out my toes. Really, I knew battery powered socks existed, but now I know why. Necessity is the mother of invention, eh? (can you tell we've been here a few days? I'm starting to say "eh" a lot, and I watched an entire hockey game or match or whatever they call it? ) Did any of you know there was some big hockey game last night between the US and Canada?

It was like when I was a kid and the president was on EVERY channel we got...everything on TV here for the last 3 days has revolved around this game...that and the announcement of the Canadian Olympic hockey team. They were all so happy to have won last night in some kind of sudden death, double over time thing. And, of course, I'm the only full blooded American here. I know they really wanted me to care and everything, but I've never watched hockey in my life. But I think they just wanted somebody to tease...I didn't have the heart to tell them that all of our first stringers are still in football season.

On a serious note, we're thankful to be here...Sherry and I got married four years ago yesterday(agreeably the best four years of our lives). But some of you know what a struggle we've had with visas and greencards and all of that stuff. This is the first time we've been able to be here with her family, and it's been a real blessing...regardless of an ambient temperature that would cause the abominable snowman to shiver. We hope that you all have had as good a holiday season as we have and that you're off to a great new year. We love and miss you...most of you anyway :)

Our Wonderful Son!

2009-12-23T06:17:00.000-08:00

This video is a bit long but.....so worth it. Jacob LOVES music and loves to dance.

He did this for about a 1/2 hour last night and would have continued had he not faceplanted into the couch. :)

craziness......

2009-10-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

ok life has been crazy - we close on the house tomorrow PTL and things aren't slowing down....we are hoping to buy another house to flip next week so be praying...

here are some updated pix of the cutest boy ever :)

love you all....

Our First Flip?!?!

2009-09-08T12:15:00.000-07:00

Many of you that have followed us for the past several years know that we fixed up our first house and converted a 100 year old church into our second home. Well, now we've decided to try our hand at "flipping" a house for the purpose of making a profit.

Last month we purchased a house at sheriff's sale and have all but completed it as of yesterday. With the exception of the carpet (which we had Lowe's install), we were able to complete all of the work ourselves in just under 5 weeks. While still managing to keep our other obligations afloat, we flew through this project (faster than we'll likely do any future flips).

It's on the market, and the ad reads as follows:

"House For Sale By Owner - $99,900

713 Brazos Trail, Lafayette, IN 47909
(off of South 9th St. in Rolling Hills)

This 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with a full 2-car garage has been completely refinished and is move-in ready. With nearly 1150 square feet and a nice-sized mature lot, this is a great family home with something for everybody. Recent updates include:
Brand new kitchen with granite counters, ceramic tile, & stainless appliances
New vanities, ceramic tile, and lighting in both bathrooms
New paint, carpet, blinds, and ceiling fans throughout

Near Wea Ridge and McCutcheon schools, this house also has central air conditioning, natural gas heat, a washer / dryer included, and automatic garage door opener as well as a few other bonuses. For more information or to schedule a showing, please contact us at 765-430-4102 or info@tippyvss.com"

The fun part is looking at the pictures...both before and after. Below are some of them that we took...the first four kind of show the condition when we bought it.

Crazy Days.................

2009-08-18T09:38:00.001-07:00

Jacob loved it when we went to the zoo here in Lafayette.

His new favorite thing is to crawl up on EVERYTHING.

He wants to be just like Daddy so we let him pretend to drink out of a coffee cup like Daddy.

I guess he also wants to be like Sally Jesse Raphael - if you don't get that it might be because i am old :(

He always wants to give kisses when he is dirty after lunch or supper.

Life has been a little crazy the past few weeks and months.

I like to at least post pictures on here for you guys to enjoy.

We recently bought another house - to renovate and then resell hopefully in the next month or so.

So that has been keeping up busy but we really do enjoy working together like this.

Here are some recent pictures of Jacob.

Jacob's First Hair Cut

2009-07-19T17:37:00.001-07:00

Before the haircut.

During the haircut - he isn't sure what is going on here :)

After the haircut - look all handsome.

So we decided it was time to cut Jacob's hair. Troy wanted to buzz it and I just wanted to trim around his ears because I didn't want him to look like a little boy. :( So we compromised and gave him a hair but didn't buzz it. He looks so handsome and yes he looks all grown up. It makes me sad that my little baby isn't a baby anymore.

For your enjoyment.....

2009-07-08T18:33:00.000-07:00

God has blessed us so much with Jacob.....He is such a Joy and brings so much love and happiness into our lives....I wanted to share this video from tuesday night with you.

Awe......look who I love :)

2009-06-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

Ok - this is my dad being a goof ball! It made us laugh that is for sure :)

This picture was taken when my entire family went on vacation in March. We had a wonderful time as a family. I LOVE this picture and I ADORE my husband. :) I sure am one lucky gal!

Happy 1st Birthday Jacob

2009-06-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

So Jacob turned 1 this past sunday.

I it so hard to believe how fast this year went.....we have loved it all and have been thankful for the opportunity to be parents.

Jacob also just started walking about a week before his birthday. It was fun to see him walking around with his friends.

Jacob is walking and about to turn 1

2009-06-02T08:03:00.001-07:00

Jacob loves the swing that Daddy put up for him!

Look at him.....mr. serious. We are so thankful for all the stuff people give us...like his swing and the play house behind it. Used is better than new sometimes.

Jacob and Hannah enjoying the rays while the other kids play in the pool.

Jacob enjoying his big boy chair.

Jacob loves watermellon which he must get from his daddy. I had a hard time even touching it! ICKY! He couldn't get it in his mouth fast enough.

This makes me happy.....

2009-05-01T05:18:00.000-07:00

Jacob just randomly grabbed Troy's finger and put it in his mouth. They had been doing this for a good minute before I grabbed the camera and got it on tape.

Some pictures...

2009-04-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures I took last night - Troy, Jacob and I were enjoying the gorgeous day outside and we were trying to blow bubbles for him. He just wanted to look at the grass and dandelions. Oh well!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

2009-04-15T07:49:00.001-07:00

But you look so young grandma :)

I am a big boy helping daddy with his new air compressor.

I hope you have a great birthday grandma. I love you and miss you very much!

Some pictures.....

2009-04-13T07:36:00.001-07:00

From our vacation with my entire family for a week.....it was wonderful!

All of us kids together for the first time in over a year.

Jacob is a perfect blend of both mommy and daddy and has our LOVE for icecream :)

Jacob loves his Grandpa Syroteuk.....look how they match.

We were organizing Jacob's room and look who wanted to simply play.

Let's Do It!!!

2009-04-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

First of all, we just want to thank all of our friends and family that have kept us in prayer and been an encouragement while we have been going through this process of beginning a new chapter in our lives.

Secondly, we want to let you all know that we’ve officially decided to go into business for ourselves and have been getting everything in place. If you would like a complete overview, we’ve now published our website at http://www.tippyvss.com/.

Thirdly, we want to ask for your help in getting the word out there that we’re up, rolling, and looking for business. We believe that our friends, family, and our professional acquaintances will be our best source of advertising. Our initial push is going to be in records management. So, here’s what we’re asking you to do…if you know of anybody who works in a “records-intensive” office (medical, insurance, legal, real estate, h.r., etc.), send them our website info. Basically, we want to offer solutions to better organize and/or store paper records.

Finally, I do appreciate the opportunity that I was given over the past several years to grow both personally and professionally and would not want our business to have an adverse effect on their business in any way, shape, or form. Therefore, at this time, we’ll not be conducting any overlapping business in Tippecanoe County or with LAMMCO’s customers elsewhere.

As always, we covet your prayers for guidance and wisdom as we begin this new venture.

Time for a career change?

2009-03-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends & Family,

Many of you have known for a while that there were likely some changes coming with regards to my work situation. As a result of the downturn in the economy, Dan (the owner of LAMMCO) considers it necessary to do some restructuring of the business in an effort to reduce overhead. His reorganization plan includes the elimination of my job with my tasks and responsibilities being distributed amongst the other sales and office employees.

For some time, Dan has been hinting that he would like to see me in full-time sales. So, it was no surprise to me that last week he offered to keep me on staff in a commission based sales position. Sherry and I considered the offer, sought counsel from a number of sources, and spent much time in discussion and prayer with regards to our future. The conclusion that we’ve come to is that accepting a sales offer with LAMMCO is not a wise or feasible option for our family.

Despite the tough economic times, it seems that God is clearly directing us to pursue other opportunities that will allow me to grow professionally and provide financial security for our family now and in the future. Fortunately, we believe that we’re in as good a position as we’ll ever be to take some time to carefully consider all of our options. Therefore, it has been mutually agreed that today will be my last day at LAMMCO.

Sherry and I covet your prayers for guidance and wisdom. We’ll be taking a family vacation next week and hopefully using that time to clear our minds and begin to focus on the next chapter in our lives. As the direction we’re heading begins to take shape, we’ll keep you all updated with the details.

In the meantime, please change my e-mail address to troy@tippyvss.com and feel free to send us any of your questions, comments, or concerns.

Troy

Pictures

2009-03-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

I am cool in my 3-d glasses :)

I guess jacob will either be a hair dresser or a police man :)

pictures!

2009-03-13T07:03:00.001-07:00

Here are some updated pictures :)

Fair Oaks Farm!

2009-03-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

jacob looks like such a big boy here - he is 9 months old already - troy is obviously enjoying his gum :)....i love these boys....more pictures later - blogger isn't working right..

Some new pictures!

2009-02-28T16:03:00.000-08:00

I thought this was so cute....i put him in my t-shirt this morning.

Such a cheesy grin :)

Crawling and Climbing Stairs

2009-02-21T06:08:00.000-08:00

This is Jacob after he snuck up the stairs :) He looks like such a big boy in this picture.

So this is for my family - this is how fast jacob is at crawling and crawling up stairs. We can't leave him alone down by the kitchen without putting something in front of the stairs.

Pictures :)

2009-02-18T07:51:00.000-08:00

So this is Jacob under the chair and he kept trying to stand up and he would hit his head.

This is him a few seconds earlier obviously happier and he had not hit his head yet ;)

Our happy boy - just out of the bath and happy as can be.

I love his laugh!

Look at that tongue.....I love it.

Well.....i know i don't need to say it again but i think i have the best hubby in the world. When i read his valentine's post i cried quite a few times....he is such a good writer and it was all the things I wanted to hear. You girls know what I am talking about! :)

Happy Valentine's Day, Baby

2009-02-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

No flowers, no candlelight dinner, no jewelry, and no candy…all she asked for was a handwritten letter from me for Valentine’s Day. I hope the content makes up for the fact I typed it all out…

Hottie, Baby, Gorgeous, My Angel, Beautiful, and sometimes Sherry,

I know that you asked for a handwritten letter for Valentine’s Day, but you know it would have taken me until Christmas to complete…not to mention wadding up & trashing reams of notebook paper. And you didn’t really tell me what you wanted me to write about…so I hope that you’ll be ok with a typed letter about all things that made me fall in love with you & keep me falling more in love with you every day of my life.

I love you for the way you love God. One of the first things that I fell in love with was goal of pleasing Christ in all you do. Despite the pain and agony it caused in the first few months while you searched God’s word and for His will…despite you “breaking up” with me once or twice…your love for God and unashamed passion for Christ is just one of the hundreds of reasons I love you.

I love you for the person you are. The more I got to know you in the beginning, the more I fell in love with the person you are. I love that you weren’t afraid to make the first move (seriously…Living Nativity 2003…fess up…you started it with a simple cup of hot chocolate). I love that you are sensitive & empathetic. I love that we can sit and cry together listening to a sad story and being thankful for the way we’ve been blessed. I love that you’re willing to approach a complete stranger and give them a ride simply because nobody should waiting for a bus after dark in sub-zero temperatures. I love the way only you can make me laugh...at times when I don’t want to but need to, and sometimes when you don’t even mean to. I love that you’re a hottie and you think that I am, too. I love the way your jeans fit…let’s just say they are “flattering” in case you’re mom is reading this. I love that you’re the eternal optimist and find the silver lining in EVERY situation, and I love you for using it to balance me out even though I give you a hard time about it. I love that you can find importance, contentment, and enjoyment in the simple things in life. I love that you’re the one person who is not afraid to confront me when I need to be confronted. I love you for the mother you are to Jacob and the mother you’ll be to any other children we have. It’s hard to imagine a woman who loves her child more. You make it easy for me to love you because of all that you are.

I love you for loving me more than anyone deserves to be loved and for loving my family as your own. Despite my past baggage, despite my downfalls, & despite my many faults…I never for a second have had to question or wonder about or doubt your love (except for when you broke up with once or twice J … JK). I cherish your unfailing love for me every minute of every day. I love that you love Christie & she loves you and that you’re willing to sacrifice so much to help maintain that relationship. I love that my mom would refer to you as the BEST thing that ever happened to me. And I love you for becoming and being a part of the Cole family…and all that comes with the territory.

I love you for supporting me & trusting my decisions 100% of the time regardless of how crazy I may seem and in spite of my own doubt. “Hey…I have a great idea. Let’s buy a 100 year old church filled with pulpits, pews, and pianos and make it our house. No, seriously…let’s walk out on a perfectly good house that’s not costing us anything to live in. What about plumbing and electricity? I’ve seen people do it…it only takes a half hour TV show to do the whole thing.” A full-price offer and 24 hours later…deal done!!! Career ideas, crazy inventions, spontaneous trips…How about we buy a pottery wheel? Offering thoughtful insight and helpful suggestions, but supporting & trusting 100%.

I love you for ALWAYS wanting to be with me. I love that we can spend every minute of every day together and have fun regardless of what we’re doing because we’re doing it together. A few of things that come to mind…our first “projects” in our first house (tiling the tables, making the headboard, replacing the outlets in the dark), figuring out the plumbing and electrical and framing and drywall in our new house, getting shot with the occasional nail gun, watching the Bolton trips every Monday evening for the first year, serving together at the Community Center and in the snow at the Living Nativity, reaching out to dozens of new young couples in our church…the list could go on forever. But I love that no matter what we’re doing, you’re content as long as we’re together. I love that we’ve never spent a night apart and that we’ve never NOT gone to bed together.

I love the memories we’ve made and the ones yet to make. Through the good times and the bad times, I love that you are there with me. “Sneaking” off to Florida for our first real vacation is a fond memory as is the walk from the elevator to the hotel room on our honeymoon night (you remember what I’m talking about…how awkward). The bird that got into our first house and the bats that get into our new one…memories that I love sharing with you. Losing our first baby shortly after mom’s passing…not fun times, but memories not soon forgotten and surely one that helped us to grow in our love for one another.

There are so many ways that I love you, so many memories we’ve made, and so many more thoughts that I could share. But it suffices to say that I think you’re more incredible today than when our crush first began five years ago…you continue to amaze me in everything you do and in every way…and you still give me butterflies in my belly and make me weak in the knees.
Hottie, Baby, Gorgeous, My Angel, & Beautiful…I don’t know what God has in store for us tomorrow, but I know my love for you grows with each day that he gives us. Thank you for being you and loving me.

I love you more today than I ever have before!!! Happy Valentine’s Day, Baby.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Giggle box!

2009-02-10T06:35:00.000-08:00

This is how easily our son laughs :)

We are so thankful for a happy boy.

New Pictures

2009-02-10T06:29:00.000-08:00

Does he know how cute he is? I love his camo hoodie.

Showing off his cool Vancouver shirt from his Auntie Brandy :)

Peek a boo ;)

Superbowl Sunday :)

2009-02-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

GO TEAM! We really don't care who wins this year since the COLTS aren't playing but we still look cute in our football pj's and this fun football cap.

Pix for Family in Canada :)

2009-01-27T09:34:00.000-08:00

Look at the cheesy boy :)

Jacob has figured out how to put his pacifier back in his mouth :) sometimes he isn't super accurate but he still sucks away.

I love it!

200th post and our son is crawling.....

2009-01-27T06:43:00.000-08:00

Ok...sometimes I think my son is advanced, but i am sure every mom thinks that and then this past weekend he figured out how to actually crawl. He will be 8 months old on Feb. 7th - craziness. On sunday it was pretty rough looking but every day he gets better and better. We didn't work with him at all, every once in awhile I would put his favorite toy far away from him and he would somehow get to it but now he has figured out how to crawl. He also pulls himself up on things, our house isn't great for this but he has found a few ways to do it. So maybe he will now lose some of that serious baby fat that he has. So stinking cute though. ;)

More Pictures!

2009-01-14T12:40:00.000-08:00

happy boy in the outfit aunty brandy gave him - go canucks :)

he is so not happy in this pix - he had bonked his head and didn't like that at all...

He is so cute!

Recent Pictures

2009-01-14T12:20:00.001-08:00

Jacob didn't feel well last pm so he was super cuddly with daddy :)

Jacob and his buddy Silas.

His outfit from his aunty holly.

Where did that puff go?

Here are some pictures from the last two days!

Jacob loves his daddy!

2009-01-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

This little man LOVES his daddy! :) Enjoy!

Happy Monday

2009-01-05T06:55:00.000-08:00

Well Jacob is learning so many new things, he can sit up on his own for about a week now, he can pick up puffs off his highchair table and put them in his mouth. He can also crawl backwards and do a perfect circle. :) He is working hard on crawling but we are in no hurry for that, because I keen hearing once they start crawling......

I hope you all have a great monday.

End of the Year Pictures...........

2008-12-31T07:11:00.000-08:00

Jacob LOVES his kitty :)

I am making him do push ups already :).....I will miss this when he learns to crawl.

Look at that cheesy grin...I love it!

He isn't supposed to smile with his teeth :)

Our so very happy boy.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T17:16:00.000-08:00

Our silly boy and his crazy teeth - he is trying to crawl.

Go Purdue!

Merry Christmas! Opening presents is so much fun.

Don't you love my new necklace that Daddy made me?

I LOVE this hat.

Merry Christmas - Here are some pictures for our family far away. Love and miss you all.

Push ups...

2008-12-16T07:23:00.000-08:00

This is Troy and Jacob doing Push ups....so cute...I know he is actually trying to crawl but he just goes up and then backwards.

Cuddling and Vampire Teeth :)

2008-12-16T05:57:00.003-08:00

My son has his bottom two teeth and his eye teeth - craziness! And now he likes to grind his teeth, the sound is horrible, he will have nubs of teeth soon I am afraid.

I love this picture of Jacob cudding with Troy - anyone who has a 6 month old knows they don't like to cuddle much anymore.

More Pictures!

2008-12-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

Pictures

2008-12-09T16:37:00.000-08:00

My girlfriend Alyssa and her hubbie own their own photography business and do a fantastic job.

While we were there visiting Alyssa took some pictures of Jacob. I LOVE them. It was so wonderful to see them and we are so thankful that they took the time to take these pictures - if you are in the greenville area and need pictures taken - they come HIGHLY recommended.

Vacation

2008-12-07T10:36:00.001-08:00

I love this picture.

I think Jacob might be a pilot or something - Troy always has him flying through the air.

We just got home from vacation.....there is something wrong with going from 77 degree weather to 7 degree weather within 13 hours. We had a great time visiting family and friends and getting some rest. Jacob was sick the first four days and was pretty miserable but he recovered 1oo% and was back to his cheerful self. We took 10 days and drove to Florida....it went really well and Jacob travelled so well.
We stayed with Beth and Eric in TN and then with Alyssa and Chris in Greenville, SC. We surprised Sarah Curtis which was wonderful and then we spent hte rest of the time with Troy's family in Florida.

Got Milk?

2008-11-24T08:46:00.000-08:00

Jacob has a double ear infection and so the Dr. told us to give him some yogurt to help with the antibiotics. When I saw this I thought it was hilarious.

I am so thankful, Jacob has been so happy despite this, and he is getting his fourth tooth in five weeks. I am hoping once all this craziness is over his night time sleep patterns will go back to normal.

Winter is here!

2008-11-17T09:47:00.000-08:00

Our drool monkey!

Our big boy at a little over 5 months :)

The weather has turned cold and dry.....Jacob head is so dry so I put lotion on it last night so it could moisturize all night.

Here is a picture of it after I played with it a little bit.

Glasses?

2008-11-10T09:11:00.000-08:00

Ok so Troy has horrible eyes and I have had glasses or contacts since high school so we are pretty sure that Jacob will need glasses - so I thought I would see what he would look like :)

I had the glasses on him a total of 5 seconds so please don't comment on how I will hurt his eyes... I thought these pictures were TOO cute.

I laughed out loud when I saw him .....jeez I love this kid :)

video for aunty brandy :)

2008-11-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

i know you miss him so here you go....this was him wednesday, i had just gotten off the phone with troy and he was being mr. giggly so i pulled out the video camera.....for those of you wondering if i just happened to get him on video this happy this is how happy jacob is 99% of the time.

Family Fun!

2008-11-05T09:58:00.001-08:00

Jacob LOVES his cat!

Grandma and Grandpa Cole and the boys.

The weather has been gorgeous - it is November and we have had sunny - 70 degree weather every day - Jacob and I are about to go for a walk but i wanted to update and post a few things.
He has been rolling over from back to front for a few weeks now - has a botton tooth and is working on two top teeth - unfortunately he may look like a vampire because they aren't his middle top teeth. I am praying they really AREN'T the teeth I think they are....oh well.
I have had a upper respiratory infection but i am feeling much better and slept better last night than i have in a long time.
Jacob is 5 months old on friday - hard to believe - i will try and upload more picture later - it keeps giving me an error.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T16:46:00.001-07:00

Our Lil' Pumpkin...............

End of October......

2008-10-31T13:32:00.000-07:00

October

2008-10-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

We have had lots of fun this month - Jacob is getting so big - he was 17lbs at his 4 month check up and 25 1/4 inches long. Troy, Jacob and I went out and helped Troy build a tree stand.
On your mark - get set - go!
Our little cheesey boy!
Jacob's friend Silas - they hang out a couple days a week.
Our first hayride/bonfire as a family! It was so much fun.

4 months old

2008-10-06T07:22:00.001-07:00

sitting in a high chair -
our beautiful blue eyed boy...

one of his favorite things to do with daddy...........
I think he will be crawling in no time....

Jacob is 4 months old tomorrow - It is hard to believe how fast he is growing up.

He has his 4 month check up today so I will let you know all the stats later - I am guessing 16lbs and at least 25 inches long.

Family visiting

2008-09-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

My Nana came from England for 10 days - it was so wonderful!
Jacob enjoyed spending time with Nana so very much.
Hanging out with daddy!
My sister Brandy was able to come this past week as well - it was great to see her.
The latest family picture :)

Some pictures for my mom ....

2008-09-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

Jacob in his towel that our good friends Jen - Joe and Jackson gave him....WE LOVE IT!!
Smiling for Grandma Syroteuk :)
Loving his baseball hat.
Mommy and Jacob.

What you looking at? pose :)

Just some pictures........

2008-09-08T11:48:00.001-07:00

The rare occasion that Jacob is kinda grumpy :)
Daddy and jacob hanging out on saturday morning....I love his hand on Daddy's shoulder....how did I get so lucky to get these two? Just chillin with his daddy!
Look at our son's belly :) this was after we fed him last pm.
Mommy and jacob this morning before my shower - sorry :)

The best gift of all............

2008-09-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

Jacob gets his toes from his mom - all pretty much the same length.

In the extra saucer acting super old.
Blowing out his pants....................
While sitting on my lap :(
Then he was put on clothes probation - for about 2 minutes :)

Today is my birthday and I am just reminded how good God has been to our family.

I have an amazing husband and we have a beautiful son, I have been able to stay at home full time with Jacob and it has been such a blessing.

One of our favorite things!

2008-08-28T06:26:00.000-07:00

A big video but so worth it :)

Bath time!

2008-08-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

Jacob loves taking a bath - sorry about the loud running water in the background and then his spitting up at the end of the video. :)

The latest on Jacob.............

2008-08-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

Our serious faced boy :) Jacob has found a new friend to sleep with. Jacob loves the water - he takes after his daddy.

Nice surprised look!

Some pictures when Holly was here.

2008-08-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

Our little family!
Aunty Holly and Jacob
Before our bath - a favorite time of our day!
Flirting with Aunty Holly!
Our tired little boy!

10 weeks

2008-08-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

Jacob is going to be 10 weeks on saturday and we had our dr. apt today.
We sure do have a healthy boy - he is 14lb 3 oz and 24 inches long.
In the 90% in his weight and length and only 75% on the size of her head.
That was a pleasant surprise.
I will try and post more pictures soon.

2 months old and meeting family

2008-08-11T06:15:00.000-07:00

Meeting Grandpa for the first time!
Grandpa and Daddy visiting with Jacob.
Jacob listening to Grandpa before he goes to bed.
Jacob and mommy having a serious game of Phase 10.
Jacob and Uncle T.J. got along great.

We were able to meet up with my parents and brother this past weekend. Jacob did wonderful - we took 8 hours to get there the end of last week and Jacob fussed only the last 20 mins and then when we came home we did it in 2 days.

It was so wonderful for my dad and brother to meet jacob for the first time and then my mom of course missed him like crazy since she hadn't seen him since he was 2 weeks old.

He had grown so much since then of course - we are thinking he is about 14lbs :) - he has a dr. apt on thursday so we will let you know the accurate statistics.

6 1/2 weeks old and the latest happenings

2008-07-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

We haven't gone over the rule about sticking out your tongue yet!
This is our Jacob - Usually so very happy :)
Just Chillin!
Hanging out in his Big Boy chair!
He LOVES sleeping on daddy!

Isn't it funny how all we ever talk about now is our baby :) Well my youngest sister is coming to visit next week - she will stay for nearly a week and we are excited.

Then we are going to see my parents the following week- they have a conferance and we will meet up with them - my dad will get to see jacob for the first time. My brother will meet up with us there at that time as well.

Then my Nana is coming from England the middle of September, and I am hoping my oldest sister Brandy will be able to come then as well. We love company :) and really haven't had any since my mom came right after he was born.

Other than that things are going well and I LOVE being a stay at home mom - enjoying all his little smiles - quirks and even tear less cries.....God has blessed us with such a wonderful little boy.

More Pictures!

2008-07-16T17:11:00.001-07:00

Look how big he looks in his swing!

Something was awfully funny :)

Our Little Man!

2008-07-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

So it amazes me how quickly they grow and change - we don't have a dr. apt for another 2 1/2 weeks but we weighed him on our scale the other night and we think he is about 11lbs now.

He is giggling and making fun noises - we love him more every day and are so thankful for all that God has given us.

Really, he's a happy baby

2008-07-07T17:26:00.001-07:00

Lest anybody (you know who you are) thinks we only torment our child...this is one of the 28 videos it took to get one pouty lip...

By request...more pix

2008-07-07T17:13:00.000-07:00

Not convincing, Jacob.

Don't take it personal, Grandpa...he loves you too!!!

Daddy serenades?

2008-07-06T13:55:00.000-07:00

Some new pictures

2008-07-02T14:19:00.003-07:00

I don't know how to rotate it but it is super cute.
My little angel!
So.....................
who's head does jacob have :)
This is jacob's first bath - he wasn't in this state of shock the entire time. I think he did enjoy it after the intial surprise.

Ok - jacob is down for a nap so i need to make this quick - here are some new pictures.

Wanna hear how God is still in the business of giving us all our needs and wants?

Troy built us an amazing deck this summer and so we have been looking for deals on patio furniture - well the beginning of summer isn't the best time to buy or get a good deal but I kept looking. We wanted a set that didn't have cushions because we knew we would not be good stewards of bringing those cushions in all the time so it limited our options and for everyone that knows us we didn't want to pay a lot either.

Well I found a set we both liked at Payless but it was $35o and that was quite a bit higher than we wanted to pay. So I notice that it is 15% off through today and you can also get a Payless gift card for $300 adn they will give you 10% more on that so it would be $33O - So....i thought that makes the patio set a really great deal. Well I went to payless today and bought my gift card - picked out the patio set and went to customer service and paid for it all it was about $321 after taxes. Well some lady in line squealled when she saw Jacob and it scared him so I have a baby that is screaming when they inform me they don't have any of the patio set in stock but I could buy the floor model - well I had already looked at that and there was a hole in one of the chairs so I wasn't interested. So, we went and had lunch with Troy and I called the Payless on the west side of town - they had none in stock but I could buy the floor model - I asked if there would be a discount because of that....I was told sure - come on in and we can talk about it.

I got to the store and met up with the manager - I was hoping for a 10% and wishing for a 15% discount so I decided to keep my mouth shut and let the mgr make an offer. He hums around and says - what about $200 - eek! I nearly screamed I was so excited. So.....he was telling me I get to pay $100 less and it is already put together. I LOVE IT!

So...we got our gorgeous patio that was regular priced $350 for $170(because of the $30 bonus by buying the gift card). Isn't God so good! Giving us even the little things we don't need - the things we want.

I Need Help!

2008-07-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

Ok i am completely caught up in writing all my thank you cards from mr. jacob but i have a problem.
4 people brought gifts to the hospital and didn't include a card in them ......i have figured out all of them but 1 of the gifts - it should be a known rule that you have to put your name on the card or bag when you are dropping off a gift to a new mom that is on drugs and hasn't had much sleep :)
so....the gift was a really soft wonderful blanket - a plastic photo book for you to put in pictures of people that love baby in it - and a set of plastic keys that make fun noises....if you brought me this gift of if you were there when someone dropped it off could you please let me know.
thanks so much!
i will try and post some pictures soon....troy is so much better at that and work has been crazy for him so he has had nearly 2 weeks of late nights at work.

3 weeks old

2008-06-27T12:21:00.000-07:00

ok - so we had our three week apt today and i have no worries if my son is getting enough to eat -
when he was born he weighed 7lbs 5oz and was 20 " long - today he weighed 9lb 11oz and is only 21 " long....yikes - i told him he better start growing the long way :)
we are thankful he is gaining weight and is healthy - God has blessed us in so many ways!

A New Day!

2008-06-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

i love babies feet

are you seeing a theme?

I want to thank everyone for the input you gave me - it is so nice to hear from other mom's and amazing the diverse advice you will get - i have taken it all to heart and am so thankful for the time you have taken to share it.

Jacob and I have had a great day and we had a good night last pm - troy is SUCH a huge blessing to me and has been a great help and so understanding....even though it does make him nervous when his so happy go lucky wife cries at the drop of a hat :) i love you baby....

i also wanted to make sure my mom knows how much i love her and appreciate the time she spent with us these past 2 weeks - we miss her dearly and i am sure she will say jacob was just missing her and that is why he has a bad night/day :)..

Home Alone!

2008-06-23T08:06:00.000-07:00

our wonderful friends the bolton's
first day at church as a family
sleepy boy
go purdue!
troy and abbie bolton

well today is my first day alone with the little guy - last night wasn't a good night - he slept from about 10:30pm until 2:30am and then he would feed a bit - fall asleep - i would try to put him down and then he would start crying again - that occured until 6:30am when i feed him again and then sat in the rocking chair and we were both able to sleep from about 7am until 9am...so i fed him at 9am and he has been awake all morning and i just fed him at noon and he crys when i lay him down but sleeps in my arms....any moms out there have any advice- i don't want to spoil him and hold him too much but i don't know if 2 weeks old is too soon to be worrying about that? any advice is appreciated - my mom flew out this am and i think the last 2 weeks he has had his share of ALWAYS being held - i keep hearing i need to enjoy this stage because it will pass quickly....go ahead and keep telling me that - going on about 4 hours of sleep it will make me feel better :)

good thing he is so stinkin cute - and that i can type with one hand

Jacob 6-20-08

2008-06-20T18:01:00.001-07:00

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

Well......Isn't it amazing how your life can change so drastically in a week or so.....i went from being very pregnant and ready to pop to now being able to bend over and walk up the stairs without breathing so heavy. :)

More importantly Troy and I went from being a couple to being a family......it has been the most amazing feeling and the most emotional thing for me. I didn't know it would affect me this way! I am so thankful for my son, and in light of this past week I am SO incredibly grateful for my husband. I always knew I had been so blessed by falling in love with my best friend in the whole world but you can add fatherhood to his list of many talents. I knew he would be an amazing father but seeing him in action has been such a wonderful experience and makes me fall in love with him more every day. We are just now trying to figure out how he can retire and stay home with Jacob and I full time.

You can pray for us - We are going through a lot of firsts and it can be tough....if any of you know Troy and I - we are connected on every level....and how pathetic am i - having troy go to church without me yesterday you would have thought he was leaving me for good - i couldn't stop crying. The poor guy he didn't know what to do. :)....but even in that, I stayed home with our son and was able to spend some quality time with him and get a little extra rest...and we got to look forward to seeing Daddy when he got home. We are in a whole new and exciting phase of our lives and I know it is just going to get even better as we venture out into the world as the three of us. We love this little guy so much already it makes our hearts hurt and we love each other more today that we did yesterday because of this new phase of our lives.

We love you guys and can't wait for you all to meet our new family member.

Webcam

2008-06-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

Hey - we just had a brilliant idea...our computer has a webcam. For those friends and family that would like to see Jacob in real time, load windows live messenger and IM sherrysyroteuk@hotmail.com and we'll hook you up.

Jacob 6/12/08

2008-06-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

Jacob didn't exactly sleep through the night last night, but it was pretty close. He slept on my chest in the recliner until about 1. After eating, he slept until Sherry woke him at 5 to eat...and again at 8:30 . His doctor appointment went well yesterday...weighed in at 7lb. 9 oz.

Canadianizing him

2008-06-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

See what happens when mom & dad catch up on sleep? Grandma Syroteuk had him covered in red maple leaves and probably started teaching him ice hockey technique. I think I even vaguely remember waking up to her singing to him in Canadian..."...x,y, & zed, next time won't you sing with me, eh?"

Jacob 6/10/08

2008-06-10T10:20:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah

2008-06-08T18:30:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, the guy in scrubs isn't one of the doctors. He's one of the pastors at church...they had their baby this morning and are right next door to us tonight. A lot of people from church were able to kill two birds with one stone today...small world, eh? (I stuck the "eh?" in there for all you Canadians so you'd know that we're thinking of you).

If you were sick of seeing them, you wouldn't keep coming back :)

2008-06-08T18:27:00.001-07:00

And more pictures

2008-06-08T18:23:00.000-07:00

Some more pictures from today...we've got hundreds now, but they kind of look alike. There's only so much we can do within the confines of this room. Home sweet home tomorrow though.

The latest

2008-06-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

So...24 hours and a couple of showers later, the pictures are a little more of the public variety. I've been working hard to get some posted for you all who aren't able to be here, but it's a fine line of what to post and what not to post after 2 days with no sleep, showers, razors, or change of clothes.

For those wanting details, I'll let Sherry fill you in on whatever she'd like to share...again, there's a fine line there...and WOW...there's a lot that's way past the line. As for the summary, Sherry's water broke at home Friday night after having contractions for a couple of hours. We headed to the hospital and called Dr. W on the way to let him know we were headed that direction. We got checked in, and the rest of the night/morning were pretty typical from what I understand...other than I've never heard of a L&D nurse that didn't know where the cervix was located?!?!?

Sherry got here epidural at 5:30, began pushing at 9, and Jacob was born at 10:13 a.m. Got to give props to Sherry...she was a champ. I couldn't have been more proud of will and determination to get that boy out...anybody who knows about circumference of heads of Cole babies understands :) Lacking a lot of sleep, the rest of yesterday is kind of a blur.

Today, though...the swelling is down, everybody has slept pretty good, and Sherry and Jacob are both doing well. Lord willing, we'll head home tomorrow mid-afternoon. Please feel free to write, call, or stop by here or there.

We want to thank all of the doctors (esp. Dr. Wickert for coming in on his weekend off), nurses, friends and family for all of the help, encouragement, love, and prayers. We love you and appreciate everything. God bless!!!

Let's try some video

2008-06-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

More pictures

2008-06-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

Jacob Eugene

2008-06-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

Jacob Eugene was born this morning at 10:15 a.m., weighed 7lbs. 5 oz., and was 20” long. More to come later...

FRUIT FLIES

2008-06-05T06:12:00.000-07:00

Well I read my friends blog this morning and realized there are people in the world that are dealing with fruit flies and they don't know what to do.........so i wanted to let you in on a secret....

we have used these pest strips for the past 2 1/2 years and we have had NO fruit flies whatsoever AND we leave fruit out on the counter top...you can get them from Lowe's or Home Depot.....Hope this helps!

Here are the details!
Hot Shot®2.3 Oz. No-Pest StripItem #: 69690 Model: 5580
$5.97
Kills flying and crawling insects
Convenient strip leaves no odor
Lasts up to 4 months
Just hang or stand up in homes, garages, storage places and more
For indoor use

some pix

2008-06-03T06:51:00.001-07:00

My mom and I feeling Jacob!
My wonderful Husband and the best thing that has ever happened to me.
My wonderful sisters.....it was so great to see them! This is me at 8 months pregnant. We missed you Brandy!

Some pictures from when we went to WI for my brother's graduation.

the latest

2008-06-03T05:38:00.000-07:00

well....i am over 50% effaced and a whopping 1 cm dilated....so...........we better be working on that - however i did vacumn and mop our entire first floor last pm (3000 sq ft) and dust so hopefully that helped......we also watched the movie...p.s. i love you ...oh my goodness - bawled my eyes out.....which they say a good cry can help bring on contractions - nothing much else going on- our next apt is next monday...be praying i am dilated to at least 3 or 4 cm - my mom flies in on monday and i would LOVE to have that baby in the first week she is here....my dr. won't induce unless i am 3 -4 cm and even then probably not until i am week overdue (first due date is today and the due date he is going by isn't until the 11th) eek! come on jacob lets get this show on the road.
love you all and we appreciate your prayers.....can't wait for you all to see our little man.

39 weeks

2008-06-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

well.........i am 39 weeks this week and ready to go :)
we had a really nice weekend - beyond nearly being wiped off the face of the earth by a tornado....we believe we had one touch down about a mile from our house - it took some huge trees out....we lost power for about 4 hours so we went over to Troy's parents and hung out with them until about 11pm and then came home.
On saturday we went to some garage sales and went for a walk hoping to get jacob going.....not too much result from that other than swollen feet....saturday pm our neighbors daughter got married and we ran into town to see Jeff and Betty's little girl.....boy is she cute. We also stopped at Sonic for their 99 cent shake! it was the first time at Sonic since they opened so that was a yummy treat.
went to church on sunday - ran some errands and then hung out at the neighbors pool for about 3 hours - OH MY GOODNESS!!! i nearly forgot i was pregnant - it was the best feeling in the world. We at supper with them and then came home and vegged for a bit on the couch.....falling asleep of course....i didn't sleep well last pm - jacob was moving around like a crazy man and he is pretty far down there so he was hitting every nerve and there was quite a bit of pressure...prayerfully at our dr. apt today i will have dilated some....i will let you know!

38 weeks pictures!

2008-05-29T05:52:00.000-07:00

Kinda hard to see - it wasn't even dark outside - wierd! - here I am at 38 weeks....we will take another one soon - well i would be ok if Jacob was on the outside by 39 weeks :)

My poor puffy feet :(.....i am looking forward to having my ankles back.
You can be praying - my mom is flying in monday the 9th and I would LOVE for Jacob to be here by then or the next day because I don't want mom sitting here for 2 weeks with no baby.

Pictures of the Deck

2008-05-29T05:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of the finished deck...I think we will powerwash it and maybe seal it. My father in law did that to their deck at home and it made it look almost brand new.
This natural wood knot caught my eye yesterday - we have lived here for a year and a half and i have never noticed it before......it nearly made me cry. I LOVE IT! and it represents exactly what Troy and I are all about - so much LOVE!
View from the house of the deck.

View towards the house of the deck - Troy built a bench and it is super cool!

My hot husband and his Puffy wife :)

38 weeks and a nice long weekend!

2008-05-27T05:26:00.000-07:00

Well....we are officially 38 weeks tomorrow i think :)...i got back and forth on this due date thing - i think i am actually 39 weeks but we will see how far along Jacob thinks we are.
we had a wonderful weekend....i actually did want the baby to not come until now because i wanted one more weekend with troy :) i know i know - and every day i want one more day with just troy but we are getting more and more excited about Jacob's arrival and have decided he can come any day now.
we came home friday after work and both fell asleep on the couch by about 8:30pm, however we were outside by 8am saturday working on the deck....we were able to completely finish the deck over the weekend, most of it by saturday early afternoon. the boltons came over for supper saturday pm so that was really nice and the kids really enjoyed the deck....sunday - we went to church, ran errands, troy built a bench on the deck and his parents came over for a couple hours in the evening to just visit....monday we slept in :) yahoo!!!! did a few things around the house but mainly hopped from one cook out to another.....it was another nice day.
i am feeling pretty well still - i guess, not much to compare it to but i am ready to have this baby and have some of my body back....i have had swelling pretty badly and it just keeps getting worse....my hands are tingly all the time and wake me up numerous times during the night, i have had some contractions, nothing consistent but that too will come hopefully sooner than later.
we have a dr. apt today at 3:45pm so we may have more of an update tomorrow.
i hope you all had a wonderful weekend - i will try and take pictures tonight of the deck and get those posted soon.

Pictures of Deck

2008-05-20T06:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a side view of the deck.

A view of the deck as it comes off the side of the house.

All we have left to do is add the rails and spindles. Here is my wonderful father-in-law, I love him SO much :)...I think I have the best in-laws in the world.

The Latest Happenings

2008-05-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

well...what is new - we had our dr. apt last week and i am not dilated but am 50% effaced - which can me something or nothing - we have between 2 - 3 weeks left depending on which due date you go by....i am about at the point when he can come anytime and it would be ok....however, after going to our childbirth class on saturday and watching a video of childbirth (i have been trying not to watch any of these videos)...i had that fun look of panic/fear on my face for quite awhile...knowing that he has to come out and that it can be ANY time is a little nerve racking.
we worked on the deck all weekend- it is looking awesome - i took some pictures last pm and will try and post them at home tonight - i forgot the camera at home - i know i know - not smart at this stage.
troy's dad has been a huge blessing with this deck and even our neighbor Tom came over for a bit this weekend - it is hard for me to sit by and watch but there is only so much i can do and it is usually just handing troy boards and nails.
it will be so nice to have a deck to sit out at during the day and in these gorgeous evenings...
well ...we will keep you posted on our lives - i have been praying for an obvious sign of labor, like my water breaking ( i would prefer at home on a friday night - if i can be specific :) but God is good and in control and all will go according to His perfect plan...
we will talk again soon ;)

36 weeks and counting

2008-05-15T07:08:00.000-07:00

here is a picture of holly and jacob :) here is troy and i and a nice nose shot of holly - i will add more pictures when i get copies of them.

well............we did it - troy and i went to WI this past weekend and surprised my family...my mom knew about it but dad, the girls and tj didn'tknow about it. it was wonderful to see them and spend some time with them. they wanted to see me all pregnant and i wanted that as well.

unfortunately brandy wasn't able to join us but we are looking forward to seeing her after jacob is born.

tj graduated with his masters, it was mother's day weekend so we gave it a go - it wasn't too bad - we had to stop a lot for me to use the rest room and just get out of the car for a little bit but we are sure glad we made the trip.

it is my dad's bday on the 19th so there are quite a few family members that want me to have the baby on that day - we will see about that.

we have a dr. apt this afternoon so i will keep you updated on how that one goes...

hope you all have a great thursday.

Let the guessing begin :)

2008-05-08T05:35:00.000-07:00

So, I am curious when people think we will have the baby, what time, length and how much he will weigh. I will give you a little information to help you make an informed guess :) My original due date is June 11th, my ultrasound showed him of having a June 3rd due date. I have gained 25 lbs total and he is still high :)...i have Felt very few braxton hicks contractions and am feeling pretty good right now.
I will try and get another picture posted soon!
Have a wonderful Thursday!
So I need from you!
Date of birth-
Time-
Weight-
Length -

34 weeks

2008-05-01T06:06:00.000-07:00

Here is another picture of me at 34 weeks. I figured I should put one on that shows that I do wear nice clothing :) and not just sweatpants and t-shirts.

Also, this one isn't taken by Troy sitting on the couch. :)

34 weeks and the latest happenings....

2008-04-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

nearly finished product :)

34 weeks!
What is left of the wheel chair accessible ramp. We will get rid of all that stone and seed it for grass.
All the extra wood we will now use for the deck.
Work in progress!
Isn't he adorable :)

Well, I am 34 weeks this week - hard to believe how fast time has gone by.

We have been busy around the house - Troy and I were enjoying some time outside a few weeks ago and in talking decided we should build a deck. Note...when I say we I mean HE :). However, the only reason we can afford to build this deck is by taking apart the wheel chair accessible ramp that ran the entire length of our house. We never used it, and all that wood would make building the deck an option.

So Troy has worked very hard on taking the deck apart and salvaging as much of the wood as possible. Some guys from our Connection Group came out one night as well to help him take nails out of the wood, Thanks Guys :). Troy's dad has also been able to come out a few times to help him get some stuff done.

So yesterday, we were able to nearly finish the stairs to the small deck that we will be adding on to. The deck will extend into our back yard and we will be able to sit and enjoy seeing and hearing the creek that flows behind our house. I can't wait :)

32 weeks and counting

2008-04-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I am 32 weeks yesterday and we had our Dr. apt today. I just love our OB dr. and am so thankful that he is a deacon in our church and a very Godly man. I wanted a Dr. that I knew we would on the same page Biblically and we have been so lucky to have him. So, I am measuring perfect, gained only 1lb and baby Jacob was kicking like a mad man for him when he listened to the heartbeat. My bloodpressure looks great and all in all he is VERY pleased with everything. If you guys could be praying about my mom coming to stay with us. My mom is so far away and wants to be here for the most important time (for me that is RIGHT after the baby is born for a good week or two). Pray that it will be clear for when she should buy tickets and all that fun stuff.
Also, in light of reviewing our budget very carefully since we are going from two incomes to one, I have been seeking new and creative ways to save money.
If you want to share with me what is your creative way to save money that would be great.
I will share my latest one but you can't laugh at me - it works for us. I always bought skim milk and would gringe at the increasing cost of this, $3.60 a gallon in most places. RIDICULOUS! So my brilliant idea is that I now by 2% milk and put 1/2 of it in another gallon jug and then I add water to the rest of the gallon. I take one gallon to work (because i have breakfast at work in the morning). Anyways, to me it tastes the same and it works for us and a gallon of milk is less than $2.00 again.
Ok- share your ideas! :)

OPPS!

2008-04-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

I FORGOT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES........
I AM THANKFUL THAT I DON'T HAVE TO SUCK IN MY TUMMY :)

What I am thankful for:

2008-04-10T07:08:00.000-07:00

There are so many things I am thankful for........ I think when you are pregnant there are so many things that change, hurt, stretch out :), are different that it is easy to focus on those changes, not all bad but definately different.
So I am listing some things I am thankful for.
I am thankful:
1. that God has blessed us with this healthy boy that is growing inside me.
2. for a wonderful husband that has been so helpful, supportive and loving.
3. for my pre pregnancy size 8 :)
4. for the ability to feel Jacob kicking and squirming.....an amazing feeling.
5. that a few of my girlfriends have given me/loaned me SO MANY maternity clothes.
6. that I only have 63 days until my first due date, 55 days until my ultrasound due date and only 50 days until Troy's desired due date :)
7. for the baby shower I had over a week ago and all the amazing present that Jacob got.
8. for ice cream.
9. for my health, body and ability to get up every day and go to work and not be on bed rest.
10. for weekends- i LOVE weekends....time to spend with my hubbie.
11. for my husbands ability to pretty much do anything...stuff around the house gets done quickly and well because God has blessed him with many talents.
12. for many friends and loved ones that have surrounded us with love and support in so many areas and on so many levels.
13. for sleeping - i love to sleep and am trying to savor every night for the next 63,55 or 50 days :)
14. a wonderful Savior that His Grace and compassion is new every morning.
15. so many things.............i may start another list in a day or two ;)