Annual Gingerbread House

Usually our gingerbread house is a Chase and mommy project, but this year Cole is finally old enough to help. After thinking about how to best split up the work between the two, I decided to split the house into Chase's half and Cole's half. It was very funny to see the difference in the two. Chase is very methodical and concerned about using every last candy piece to make the house perfect. Then there is Cole, who I spent most of the time telling not to eat the candy or icing. He liked decorating and did a great job, but would have been just as happy if I had let him eat the whole house instead. It was so much fun to have two helpers this year!

Gettin ready to start...

Cole adding decorations to my icing drops

Chase concentrating on the project at hand

Cole debating whether to eat or decorate with the candy

Chase fixing Cole's side for him

Santa in the Hood

Santa made a stop at our neighbor's house on Sunday morning to visit with the kids and eat a little breakfast. The kids so loved seeing Santa in a peaceful environment (ie. not the mall). Although they have already done the mall visit, this was too much fun to miss. This year just seems to be a huge breakthrough for the two of them. Neither Chase nor Cole is scared to sit in his lap and they both just talk his ear off. I am starting to think it is because they have each other, but who knows!

Hectic Holiday Season

So, the holidays are just not going to be a great time for me to blog. Things are just so busy and I just can't dedicate the little (to no) free time I have for blogging. Ever since Cole was born, the holidays have been more than just Christmas, as he was born on the 21st. Not to make excuses, but I am trying to prepare for his 2nd birthday, still working on a contract basis, trying to prepare for Christmas, playing tennis, trying to keep up with my great friends, spending time with my family and attempting to keep up with my regular duties here on the homefront. Bottom line, blogging hasn't been a high priority. However, I do plan to post pictures as I can from birthdays and holidays between now and the new year. Hopefully 2009 will provide a little more freetime for me!

Cole's Cold

I mentioned that Cole had gotten sick before we left. Whenever he gets any respiratory illness, he always ends up on a nebulizer. This time, I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures of him while he was getting one of his treatments. He just looked so cute laying on daddy's chest cuddling with his lamb!

A trip for me and my boys

Earlier this month, the boys and I hopped on a plane and headed to Jason's mom's in South FL for a quick trip. We did so much while we were there: parks, playgrounds, walks, the beach, dinners out, visits with great grandparents and shopping! It was a wonderful getaway and we are still having a hard time adjusting to how cold it is back here.

Pictures before our 1st big plane flight (Chase's 3rd and Cole's 1st)

Pictures from the beach

The boys out shopping (notice Cole's black eye? He is an accident waiting to happen!)

Cole eating a italian on our last night

Playing catch up

I hate that I am so behind on my blog right now, but things have been very crazy here. I took the kids on a little get away to FL to have a break and enjoy the sunny weather. But, prior to leaving, I had a stomach bug and Cole ended up with a cold. While we were there, Cole shared his cold with Chase. When we got back, I came home to a sick husband. To say the least, it has been a sick Villano household over the last few weeks. With the holidays coming, I am going to do my best to keep my posts up! I intend to post pictures from our FL trip shortly.

At Last!!!

All I can say is that it may not have been the prettiest game I have ever watched, but it was truly monumental! Jason and I sat in the stands on Saturday night screaming louder than ever before as Georgia Tech finally defeated Florida State. I say finally b/c it hasn't happened since 1975...yes, I said 1975! And, we were there to witness it firsthand. It was so much fun and the celebration continued for quite some time. Luckily it was the same day as Chase's last baseball game, so I had my camera on me to document the post-game flooding of the field.

A Season to Remember

This past weekend marked the end of the third season of sports for Chase. To say the least, it was the best season so far! I just loved watching him play baseball and I know that he loved playing. He loved it so much that he was mad at me when I mentioned that Saturday was his last game. However, he ended the season with a bang, with multiple great hits and some great defensive plays as well. The moms were even calling him the team's power hitter...makes me smile just typing it :) After the game, the coach presented Chase with his very first trophy (soccer just gives them medals at this age). He couldn't stop talking about it and even took it with him to spend the night at Nana and Papa's house that night. Now we just wait till Spring for baseball to start again...can't wait!

Halloween Activities

Somehow, every year, Halloween seems to go on for a week. And, this year was no different. One of our neighbors threw a Halloween party for the kids on the weekend before Halloween, Chase had a fall costume party at school and then, finally, there was the actual trick-or-treating on Halloween night. Since I am so behind on my blogging, I am going to post a blend of pictures from the events below...

Chase (the Power Ranger)

Cole (my cute little monkey)

Chase and Cole (one of the only shots of both together)

Chase and Spiderman Hunter

Cole and Gracie in the Magic Pumpkin Patch

Mommy and Cole

Papa with the boys

Pumpkin Patch

Sunday we made our annual trip up to Burt's Farm in Dawsonville to get a few pumpkins and some fall pictures of the kids. However, this year was very different from last...it was crazy busy! There were people everywhere and longer lines than I have ever seen. Since we made the trip just in time for the kids naptime, it was understandable that they didn't have much patience. We opted out of the hayride and just decided to pick out some pumpkins, eat some boiled peanuts (mommy's favorite!) and get what pictures we could before a major meltdown occurred! It seems that our plan worked pretty well...there were only a few small meltdowns along the way and some serious resistance to pictures as a family. All in all, it was a beautiful fall day, a great drive through North Georgia and more great memories for the Villano clan!

A Buzz Birthday Bash

For Chase's actual birthday, Jason and I decided to take him to his first "real" football game. We took him a few times when he was a baby and a toddler, but this was the first time as a big kid. We left Cole with Grandma and spent a whole day just me, Jay and Chase. We headed down to GT early on Saturday morning and let Chase get a taste of tailgating for the day. He met one of Jason's frat brother's little boys and just had a blast playing with him most of the day. We took him to traditional gameday activities, that we don't usually do, like the Wreck parade where you cheer on the team as the players follow the wreck to the stadium. Then, when it was gametime, we headed off to the stadium. We had 7th row seats on the 45 yard line. Our normal seats are much higher, but since it was vs. Gardner-Webb, a lot of people didn't go and we were able to use some neighbors' seats to get closer for Chase. Little did we know that the game would be so close, but it made for a fun ride! Chase had a great time and so did we!

Chase in the stadium before the gameChase and Jonas at the Wreck Parade

Me and Chase at the GameJason and Chase at the game

4 years gone by...

It is hard for me to believe that it has been 4 years since Chase came into our lives. When he was born, I thought that time was moving so slow, and now, I look back and it has flown by! He has become this precious little boy with one of the sweetest souls you will ever meet.

Then (October 2004)

Now (October 11, 2008)

Pictures from his birthday weekend to come...

Good Times with Grandma

I have been a little delinquent in my posting over the last few days (which is why there are about 4 new posts today), but it was for a good reason! Jason's mom, Janet, has been in town visiting with me and the kids. I say me and the kids b/c Jason is always traveling when she is here. It has been a lot of fun and we have been keeping very busy with the boys. We are just so grateful that she was able to make it up for Chase's 4th birthday this coming weekend!

Grandma and Cole when we were out shopping!

Grandma and Chase cooking dinner

Backyardigans Birthday

Cole's girlfriend, Gracie, turned two last week and her parents threw a huge backyard party with the Backyardigans for all of her friends and family. Cole loved being at the party, getting to have cake and playing on the playground. That was, until the Backyardigans really showed up! Cole (and Chase) did not like the them in person! They must look so nice on tv when they are a few inches tall...not so fun in person, when they are two or three times bigger than you! As you can see, until the Backyardigans left, someone was holding Cole at all times, and Chase wasn't too far away either! Cole almost came around and gave Yuniqua a high-five...but he changed his mind when daddy got him close!