Dancing

Nothing like a little Big Rock Candy Mountain and some dancing to end St. Patricks Day.

The snow is coming!!

The first snow of the year is arriving about 2 weeks earlier than last year!  It's supposed to start tomorrow night and go through Tuesday.  It's a big storm with a lot of snow up the hill (like up to 4 feet or more) but only about 4 inches for us.  Cole is very excited about the upcoming storm!  He keeps telling me that the fog means snow is almost here.

We tried to be outside for a bit before it got too cold and the rain came.  Cole helped me pick up the deck which was awesome of the little guy.  He likes to "work".  He helped Grandpa clean up around the barn too.

But we got to enjoy one last fall day before the storms arrive!

Ready, Set, Go!

Grandpa Glenn has been teaching Siena how to start a track race.

Cole's new sweater

Grandma Carole was knitting a sweater for Siena and of course Cole wanted one too. So she let him pick out the style and pattern and here is the result. He loves it!

Skype

This is how we say goodnight when the kids are at Grandma Terri's and Grandpa Dale's for the night.  Cole lasts about 30 seconds and then he is off to watch Wipeout.  Siena just wants to punch the keyboard.

Swim Lessons with Grandpa Glenn

Grandpa Glenn (with the help of Grandma Carole on the side lines waiting a wet child) has been getting Cole used to the pool again.  It hasn't been his favorite thing to do so it takes some convincing to get him in there but he will go if Grandpa is in there.

Siena on the other hand screams when you try to take her out of the water.

Hide the car keys

One of Cole's favorite activities when he was Siena's age (actually it still is one of his favorite) was to go on tractor rides. Here is Siena's on her first ride driving the tractor.

Cole's head is deadly

Yesterday at our annual Mesple family Christmas party (2008) my mom bent down to pick up Siena and Cole was underneath as well. Cole stood up very fast and his pumpkin sized head connected with my mother face. It instantly put her to tears and you can see it resulted in a very swollen soon to be very black eye, you can see the blue skin near the lower part of the eye lid. She is lucky he didn't hit her nose or mouth. At the impact he had she would have lost a tooth or broken a nose. Fair warning to anyone around my son - Always know where his head is.

*update* - here is her eye today!

Gut feeling

I shot straight up in bed at 1 am this morning. I knew what had happened.

Goodbye Grandpa. I love you.

Giving thanks and saying goodbye

Not sure where to start with this post. My tears are bluring the screen at the moment.

Thanksgiving is a holiday spent with family and for the first time that I can remember my grandpa was not able to spend it with us. One of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life was say good bye to my grandma 4 years ago and this morning I had to say good bye to my grandpa. He has not passed on yet but he will any hour now. He is my last living grandparent and I am going to miss him so much. He is one of the most kind and generous people I know and with out him we would not be where we are today. He would do anything for his family and I feel so fortunate to of had him for my grandpa.

He has had an amazing life. He was a veterinarian and part of his job included being the vet for the Fresno zoo! He has been retired for my entire life plus some and traveled to over 60 countries with his last trip being a year ago (at age 89) to Chile and Argentina. There was nothing that he couldn't do and he is truly an inspiration.

Seeing him this morning was difficult. Sitting on the bed holding his hand was enough for me. I know he knew I was there. I know he heard me tell him that I loved him and that he was the best grandpa any one could have asked for. I know he felt Siena crawl over and kiss his hand and the fact that he smiled at Cole when he kissed his cheek was perfect. They have always had a bond.

Nobody wants to see another person dying but my grandpa is so fortunate to be at home and have his children and grandchildren and great grandchildren by his side, holding his hand and supporting him until the end.

I could give thanks for so many things in my life right now but they would not even be possible with out my Grandpa Tom. I will be eternally thankful to him. For everything that he has done for me. He is an amazing man and life will not be the same with out him in it.

I miss you already.

Tractor Rides

Cole loves tractor rides.  For over a year now Cole has been going on tractor rides almost daily.  Since he has gotten bigger he has moved to the "cargo" area.  He loves riding back there with his Uncle Russell, his Grandma Carole, and of course Hank and Onyx.  

Cole was being especially goofy the other day.  I was asking him to smile for me and he proceed to make his "face".  He also likes copying what ever Russell is doing.

What I did while mom and dad were in Tahoe

Climb through the dog window

Feed Megan goldfish crackers

Get stuck in the kid statues

And of course run around naked in the bath tub