Silly Kids...

I could write another novel about all the things that have happened in the last two weeks, but I think I'll just write a little today and then post some great birthday pictures from Emma's BIG #5 later this week!


The first weekend of December, my parents treated Emma and me (along with my sisters and Garrett) to see "The Nutcracker" ballet at The Whiting. It's performed by a cooperative between the Flint School of Performing Arts and a group in New York. Emma has heard the story, and we even watched the ballet on TV last Christmas, and she just loves the story, so it was her turn to see it "live on the stage"! She absolutely LOVED it! She sat between Kathi and me, and God bless Kathi, talked the whole show! :) It was so much fun to see her excitement, though. As soon as the orchestra played the downbeat of the opening piece, Emma looks at us and says, "I KNOW THIS SONG!!" So cute! I think we've created a new tradition!! Here's Emma, Gramma and Boppa with the "big ornament" in the background!


Bradlee's been doing great. I have this feeling that if he didn't have the tubes in his ears, he'd be on an antibiotic right now, since he has quite a bit of drainage coming from his ear. It's so comforting to know he's not in any pain and not missing so much school! He's quite the goof-ball, though. He loves to pose for pictures, no unlike his sister, and just loves to be in the middle of everything. This picture was taken in the car while we were waiting for Emma to be finished at school...what a ham! I KNOW he gets it from his Daddy, but that's why I love them BOTH! :)





Emma turned 5 on December 8th, which I just find amazing! I took her to the doctor for her 5-year check up....she grew almost 5 inches in the past year!! Amazing! This past Friday, I picked the kids up from school and Bradlee went to Tony's parents' for the night while Emma and I had another "Mommy-Emma night". We got dinner (McDonald's) and went to eat with Tony at school (he has a basketball game that night) then we went to see "The Princess and the Frog". What a great movie! Emma loved it, too, of course! She's added another new favorite princess to her list and points "Princess Tiana" out everywhere we go! Afterwards, I treated her to hot chocolate at Starbucks! We had a nice time together. I just love my little (I mean, BIG) girl!!!

Busy Busy!

I just have to say that I have the cutest little boy in the world...but there's definitely a reason why we call him the "shikval" ("tornado" in Russian!)...we thought Emma was hard to keep up with, whew! Bradlee's got nothing on her!! I took him to get his haircut the Monday before Thanksgiving and he cried the whole time! What a turkey! I think it was because Emma wasn't there to distract him! So when we got home, this is the look he gave me when I went to take his picture...it's the "I love you Mommy and I know you love me too...I'm too cute not to love" face! LOL It's also the look he gives me when he climbs up onto the dining room table before I can catch him and just sits there....I'm tellin' ya, Shikval! :)



Thanksgiving Eve we all spent the night at Tony's parents house, since we were headed back there for dinner anyway! We got up in time to watch the Macy's Parade! Bradlee LOVED the balloons and Emma LOVED the floats and the marching bands! Here's Bradlee and Beepee watching the parade!!





Emma got to help Nana stuff the turkey...she used apples, onions, garlic and spices...and it was DELICIOUS! Emma got a kick out of touching the raw turkey...and we saved the wish bone so she could take it in to school when it's her turn to have the mystery box. The mystery box is an old metal lunch box that each kid gets to bring home and put something in that the other kids get to guess by asking questions and such. Emma looks forward to taking it, and since she's in both morning and afternoon Pre-K classes, she'll get it twice as much!! She's already planning on having one of her friends help her demonstrate how to break it!

Bradlee's favorite part of dinner was by far the cranberry sauce! I swear, my kids will choose fruits over candy ANY day! He started by just putting his hand in the bowl, which was mistakenly left right by his seat...he was so nonchalant about it, so I had to take some pictures! He would just look around and then put his hand in the bowl and take a handful and go straight to his mouth! LOL Then he spotted the spoon...and a whole spoonful of cranberry sauce ended up on his lap! Although, some did manage to get on his face! :)

Yesterday, I took Emma to the eye doctor for a check up. Her eyes have not gotten any better since we last saw Dr. Chris in August...and I made sure he knew it. In fact, he even agreed with me that the crossing had gotten worse. So he is putting her in bifocals to try to train the eyes to focus. If that doesn't work by the end of February, then we talk surgery...

She had told her teacher, Mrs. Walters, that she was going to the eye doctor. Mrs. Walters told her that on Science day (Wednesdays), she could tell her class about her visit to the eye doctor...so a "nurse" helped us posed Emma for a few pictures to show her class! She didn't actually get to use these instruments this trip, but she's used them before, so she should be able to share with her class about her trip to the eye doctor! Should make a good story from Mrs. Walters to hear what she told them!! :)

We're all starting to feel better, but the time change has allowed for exhaustion to set in! Bradlee's had the flu this week, but nothing near as bad as Tony or Emma...we actually just thought it was a teething fit, since he just had a runny nose and a cough (we assumed, from the runny nose!)...he went to the doctor today and nope, flu. Three down, one (me!) to go!!! I WILL fight this one! :) Hope you have a great rest-of-the week! :)

Stupid Flu Bug...

I'm happy to report that I am NOT sick...and neither is Bradlee! However, had the flu last week, and Emma's got it this week! This means the odds are not so good for Bradlee and me, but we're working on it!

Last Saturday, Emma and I had a "Mommy-Emma" day...and what a great day it was! We ran some errands and then went to a craft show down at Holly High School. She brought some money she had saved in her piggy bank to buy some crafts. I bought her a crown and she bought herself a Disney princess necklace. She was very proud of herself! She had a little purse and everything. It was quite comical to watch her dig the money out to pay the girl for the necklace! She has become quite the young lady!! I took a picture of her in the crown, then when we were leaving and walking out to the car, Emma was running ahead of me, looking back to make sure the ribbon from her crown was flowing behind her....how cute!

That night, we picked Bradlee up from Tony's parents and then came home. While we were eating dinner, Emma went to get a drink and accidently dropped her cup. Fortunately, it was a "water bottle -type cup with a lid, so it didn't spill or make a mess...however, Bradlee started laughing. Now, whether Emma noticed that it made Bradlee laugh or she was just not paying attention, I don't know...but she started picking up her cup and dropping it, picking it up and dropping it, etc. Bradlee was laughing so hard I couldn't believe it! I had to take a picture...Neither Emma nor I knew what was so funny but Bradlee just laughed and laughed! What a funny kid!!

Sunday, the 8th, was my 30th birthday! I had a concert at a nursing home in Frankenmuth and had sloppy joes for dinner at Tony's parents'. The rest of the week included helping Tony get better! Not too much excitement, but I did get to take Emma and Bradlee to school and pick them up each day. I enjoy doing this, even though it's totally out of my way to work. I love seeing them interact with their friends and classmates and teachers! Emma didn't cry one day when I dropped her off, probably because I got her there just as Pre-K was getting going, so she didn't have a chance to realize I was leaving! She was supposed to go on her first field trip on Wednesday this week (in two days) to the elementary school across the street to have a "shared reading" time with the 1st/2nd grade split. I don't think she's going to make it, though, since the school district is requiring her to be "fever free for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medication"...we'll have to see, though!

I did have a coupon for a free dinner at Mongolian BBQ, and since Tony was sick, I asked my parents and Karyn if they wanted to go so I could use it. We had a nice time, and I had a great foil hat made for me...it's supposed to be a giant flower, but it wouldn't stay up, so the waiter called it the "drooping flower, because I was now 30"!! We had a nice time, being able to talk about adult things and not worrying about a 15 month old throwing food on the floor!!!

On Friday, my mom and dad made my traditional birthday dinner - homemade tacos! I think I've had tacos for my birthday since I cut my first tooth! :) Emma was probably starting to not feel good then, 'cause she only wanted dessert (although, dessert was Cold Stone Creamery cupcakes, so I wouldn't put it past her to just want the dessert anyway!!)...Bradlee, on the other had, ate a WHOLE taco!! He loved the tomatoes and cheese the best, but ate everything, including the tortilla and meat! A kid after my own heart, I tell ya!

Tonight, I picked Bradlee up from school and we had a "Mommy-Bradlee" night! We played, ate dinner, sang songs, and then had a bath....Bradlee LOVES his baths! He has to wear ear plugs because of the tubes in his ears, and he doesn't seem to mind them too much. He'll play with them at first, but then I start the bath water and he's so excited to get all his toys in the bathtub that he forgets all about the plugs! Here are some great shots....As I'm sure you can imagine, I got a bath, too!

It's Halloween!!

Well, it's been quite the Halloween for us at the Coggins' house! All the festivities started about 2 weeks ago when we went to Crossroads Village. Then our friends, Matt & Desiree, had a Halloween party last weekend, there was the trunk-or-treat at church last weekend, also. Then there was the kids' Halloween parties at school and FINALLY, Halloween! I would have to say that we got the most use out of the costumes this year than any other year in my ENTIRE LIFE! LOL

The parties were so much fun! The trunk-or-treat was a blast as well. There was a contest for "best dressed car"...and we won! Emma was Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" and Bradlee was Toto, so I dressed up as Glinda and we had all kinds of things from the movie to decorate our car. Here's the final product (you may have to click on the picture to see it magnified!):

On Friday, Bradlee had tubes put in his ears, so he didn't have his party at school. We're hoping this will solve all the ear problems he's been having. His surgery was about 30 minutes from the time he went into the room to the time he was out of recovery. He was so good! Once he god some glucose (sugar) water in him, he was his old self again! We were concerned that they wouldn't do the surgery, because he had a fever when we went in, but it was because he had ANOTHER ear infection that they just drained before inserting the tubes. Whew! I'm glad it's over and I'm anxious to see how they help. He's been great now that his appetite is back! :) So Friday afternoon, I picked Emma up from school and took her over to the bank I work at to show them her costume. She got to play the "cupcake walk" and won a cupcake with M&M's on it! Then we went to Kroger over in Flushing and she played musical chairs and won a prize, "throw a bag through the pumpkin's nose" and won, a ring toss and won (a 2-liter of pop!), putt-putt golf and won, and hockey shoot and won! We walked out of Kroger with a TON of goodies and didn't have to pay for any of it! :) LOL She was really proud of herself! We were in the card section and I said, "Hey Emma, let me take your picture!" and this is what I got:

So on Saturday morning, we carved our pumpkins! Since Bradlee was only 3 months old last year, he didn't get to carve pumpkins...he wasn't too interested this year, but I let him check it out on the table just the same. Emma was interested until she realized just how much "guts" can actually fit into a pumpkin! So I finished scraping out her pumpkin, and then carved it for her...she wanted Ariel (from "The Little Mermaid"), so that's what I did! I think it turned out pretty well! Then I did a face on mine. Tony went his own creative way and did an "H" for Holly!!

So it was finally time to put the costumes on (AGAIN) and go trick-or-treating! We went to my parents' house first, then headed out to Tony's parents' and then we met up with some friends and walked around a part of Flushing. The kids (all 6 of them that were with us!) only lasted about an hour or so before the whining and complaining started...so it was a quick night! It was pretty cold out, plus I just think everyone was so tired! We still had a nice Halloween....now only a week until I turn the "BIG" 3-0!!! :)

Happy Halloween!

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My Big A$$ Clarinet!

If you don't know, I am a member of the Flint Symphonic Wind Ensemble. This is my 3rd year and I absolutely love it! It's so great to be playing (clarinet) still...and at least put some of my college education to use! HA! Well, this year, the conductor, Roy, approached me and asked me if I would be interested in playing a contra-alto clarinet in the ensemble this season. He is the band director at a local middle school and received a grant at the end of last year for new music, instruments, etc. This was one of his purchases! No one has ever played it, since he doesn't have enough clarinet players in his school bands to have one move over to play it...so I get to play it!! It's so awesome! Unfortunately, though, there are usually no contra-alto clarinet parts in band music, so I am playing and transposing tuba music...tons of fun!!! I call it my "big-ass clarinet"...but around the kids, it's the "big-butt clarinet"! LOL I had Emma hold it while I took a picture so you could see just how huge it is! When I play it, I have to sit on a bar-type stool so I'm tall enough to reach the mouthpiece! It's so cool!!

This past Saturday we went to Crossroads Village for the "Ghosts and Goodies" event. You go in and get a trick-or-treat bag (adults included) and follow the path to 20 different stops and get goodies, the last stop being in the warehouse for cider and donuts! It was so much fun! We got the kids dressed up in their costumes and bundled them up in blankets and just had a great time...and even rode the train to see all the Halloween lights and decorations they had up on the 40 minute ride! Emma and Bradlee had a great time, too. I would post pictures, but I'm going to wait until Halloween, so I won't be repeating the costume pictures!!

Unfortunately, the sickness has not left our house...on Saturday, Emma woke up with a really stuffy nose and her eye "stuck" shut...took her to the clinic and she was diagnosed with a sinus infection and a "non-contagious" pink-eye...great. So she's put on an antibiotic just as Bradlee finishes his last one! Then last night, Bradlee was having a really hard time falling asleep and just kept crying and crying...so Tony ended up taking him into the ER and he was diagnosed with (another) double ear infection. Today, I had an appointment already set for Bradlee to have his ears checked from the last ear infection he had...and in it's place, they checked his ears, "yep, they're infected", gave him his second flu shot, and then referred us to an Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist. We see him on Thursday afternoon. I thought Emma had a lot of ear infections and sickness....Bradlee TOTALLY has her beat!!! ARGH!

Enter in all of this my having a major migraine last week and Tony having some consistent headaches this past weekend...just call us all petry-dishes!! LOL

Here is a picture of Emma playing on the computer. She's gotten so good, thanks to Tony's sister, Lynne and my sister, Karyn, playing with their (and Emma's) Webkinz on the computer. It's been so good for Emma to learn how to use a mouse and such. She gets on there and feeds her pets, plays games and even goes shopping for pink stereos and karaoke machines! What an amazing little girl! She reminds me of her Boppa (my dad) when she looks through the top of her glasses...HA!

Great learning!!!

Here's a little something showing what Bradlee learned at school! ENJOY!