The Days Before Christmas

No - this isn't Halloween. (See the tree in the background) The kids insisted on putting on costumes just 3 days before Christmas. Even Treyton had to have a costume. It was pretty funny.

Cheyanna was so nice to share a tray with Deegan until he put a little dab of paint on EVERY cookie! Then I had to get them each their own tray.

Jordan got really into painting. He made some pretty great Christmas trees.

Treyton was pretty serious about his cookie painting - even if there was no paint on his brush (Q-tip)

Daddy even painted a few.

Treyton's jammies - he had fun opening the present.

Deegan's jammies - pretty excited!

Jordan's jammies - they even have a cape :)

Cheyanna's jammies - she made me take one picture of her holding the top and another of her holding the bottoms. Silly girl :)

The whole family looking wonderful in our new Christmas pajamas. (Mommy's favorite part of Christmas) PS. I would like some black ones just like this to wear at the hospital after this baby comes. :)

1st Grade Christmas Program

Cheyanna's class put on this cute little music program the last week before school got out for Christmas.

Her teacher put red glitter on all of the kids little noses! It was so cute.

The all had a little bell around their neck.

And antler headbands, too.

Cheyanna's 7th Birthday

I went to visit her at the school to take her class cupcakes. Then the first grade had an ice cream social so I stayed and dished up ice cream sundaes and rootbeer for the classes as well. Cheyanna is showing off the snowman she was making when I walked in.

Cheyanna's birthday dinner. She chose Teriyaki Chicken, Friend Rice and Egg Rolls. It only took her mother all day after coming home from the school to make them. :)

Opening presents at her family party (Katelyn Wagoner next to her).

Sleepover invitation in her birthday card from Grandma Rochelle and Grandpa Clinton.

Dress up dog from Mom and Dad.

Littlest Pet shop adoption center from Grandma Kim, Papa Rick and Aunt Lindsey's family. Purse from Grandma Rochelle and Grandpa Clinton.

Circus cake made by Grandma Rochelle

Cheyanna blowing out the candles at her family party with her best buddy and Baby brother, Deegan who loves her more than anything! Looks like Jordan - her nemesis for now, best friend sometime in the future, was trying to get in on the action and got caught by the camera.

Cheyanna durring 'Happy Brithday' at the friend party.

Her Princess and the Frog cake

Make-up set from Amber

Littlest Pet Shops (the fad right now) from Kiley Howard

Checkers, Magic kit, chapstick from Asacia

Fur Real friend from Mesa

SandArt + Suncatcher Kit from Madelyn

Santa Pictures

We took the kids to the Bass Pro Shop to see Santa twice this year. These pictures are from the second trip.

Cheyanna

Jordan

Deegan

Treyton hated it :)

Treyton screamed the whole time, but I made him do it anyways. :o)

Go vote for Treyton

Treyton is entered in a baby contest here. You can vote once a day until Dec 18th.
Please Go Vote!

Christmas Letter

Dear family & friends,
The last year and a half has been busy for us. Last summer we were renting a house in Mesa and building a house with Centex homes that we were scheduled to close on August 6, 2008. As you can imagine things hardly ever work out the way you plan. While we were in Idaho visiting our families Cole got an email that changed all of that in an instant. We found out that one of the big contracts that we were BOTH working under had been awarded to another company starting just days from that time. We didn’t know what we were going to do, so we came back to Arizona on a leap of faith that it would work out. We had to tell our home builder that we could no longer buy the home we had so looked forward to moving into. They were very understanding and refunded our deposit. Life carried on and not too long down the road we found a home that fit out family and our budget. We closed in January of 2009 and moved in that week. We are now living in San Tan Valley, Arizona and loving it! Also, this July we found out that we are expecting our fifth and final addition to the family and at our recent ultrasound they told us it was going to be a GIRL! She is expected to join us around April 12, 2010.
During the fall of 2008 Cole was the coach for Jordan’s basketball team. We enjoyed Saturday games as a family and Deegan wanted to be a part of the team so badly! Cole started a new job and is now working in the same office as his Dad. It requires lots of travel time, but he loves his job as the Director of Client Accounting and he is very good at it. Luckily he’s a morning person because it requires him to leave SUPER early in the morning, long before Alicia is out of bed. Cole still loves camping and being outdoors and he even managed to talk Alicia into a few camping trips this summer - one of them was even in the tent! Cole and Alicia taught the CTR 7 (Cheyanna’s class) which had 16 kids in it, but have since been released.
During Cole’s adventures coaching Jordan’s basketball team, Alicia was coaching Cheyanna’s cheerleading squad – if you can call a bunch of 5 through 7 year olds a squad. This was quite the task considering Alicia has absolutely no cheer experience. It was a fun little journey because Cheyanna’s squad got to cheer at Jordan’s basketball games. This was both convenient and crazy because as Cole coached the basketball team full of 4 and 5 year olds, Alicia had Treyton in the stroller, Deegan on her hip and ten little cheerleaders to take care of. Alicia was also the co-leader of the Daisy girl-scout troop that Cheyanna was a part of while we lived in Mesa. Alicia is now on the Director of the HOA board and the social committee chairperson for our HOA. She is also the PTO president of the kids’ elementary school, which is in its second year of operation. She is still working from home for the same company, but is now only part time which she enjoys as she now has time to clean the new house. :o) Alicia has also started a review and giveaways blog alongside of her family blog. If you want to see pictures of everyone you can see them at coleandalicia.blogspot.com
Cheyanna started out the last years adventures in full day Kindergarten at Ishikawa Elementary with a sweet little lady in her third year of teaching – who was previously a cheerleader for the Arizona Cardinals – too bad Alicia didn’t know that when she got roped into coaching cheer. Cheyanna loved her dearly and it was a sad day when we moved out to Queen Creek and she had to change schools and start the second half of her Kindergarten year at Ranch Elementary with a new teacher. She adapted quickly and her new teacher enjoyed having her in his class. She turned 6 just before the move and shared a tea party princess birthday with her cousin Sarah Fitzgerald. She enjoyed being a little cheerleader and also a Daisy girl-scout. She won best costume at the girl-scout Halloween party and the prize was a day a Girly Girlz which is basically a spa for little girls. She had a blast having her hair, make-up and nails done that day. She is now halfway through her 1st grade year and luckily for her parents she loves school and does very well there. She was recently chosen as one of less than 10 children in the school to go a field trip for children who show excellent character at school.
Jordan started out in a preschool held through the Mesa school district. Alicia was terribly concerned that he would have problems minding his teacher and following directions, but was quickly (and happily) proven wrong. He flourished in his class and his teachers loved him. He went from scribbling like mad to drawing pictures and trying to write his name in a very short time. He made new friends and changed so much. He has become such a great helper to his mom and loves to help with Treyton who is his very best friend. He loved playing basketball and especially loved having his Daddy as the coach. He was very disappointed when we moved and he could no longer go to preschool. He was super excited to start the new school year and begin his adventures in full day kindergarten with the same teacher Cheyanna had last year. He loves school and his class full of crazy boys! The only major mishap we have had was in week 3 when he cut his hair to the scalp and tried to cut the little girl’s hair who was sitting next to him. Luckily, he missed! He had his fifth birthday in March and immediately began talking about the birthday party he will have next year when he turns six and who he ISN’T going to invite. He still talks about this party 6-10 times a week, but has since started talking about who he will invite instead of just ruling people out.
Deegan turned three this November and is now completely potty trained! Alicia is so glad that his birthday party has passed because he loves mimicking his brother and the only thing he said for the months of August, September and October if you happened to make him angry were ‘You aren’t comin’ to my birthday party!’ He loves being busy and ‘helping’ his mom. It is well known around here that if a magic eraser comes up missing to check Deegan’s room because he loves to clean the walls – somehow they are still a mess though. He has the cutest voice his mom has ever heard, the scream that accompanies it on the other hand – not so cute. He also loves to play outside and much to Alicia’s dismay, catch ‘beedos’, tiny little black beetles, as well as flies, crickets, ants, spiders and anything else he can get his tiny little hands on. He is a big time Mama’s boy, but that has improved a lot since he went to preschool this fall. He loved preschool and his sweet teacher Miss Julie, but due to some family struggles she had to close her doors just two months into the year.
Treyton was a newborn a year and a half ago so he has changed the most out of anyone. He has rolled, crawled, laughed, talked, got teeth, taken his first steps, ran and learned to climb. He is a very happy, wonderful toddler who brings so much joy to our family. He loves to give kisses and hugs and especially to blow kisses at anyone who is looking. He had his first birthday this May and is getting braver everyday. He is constantly looking for something to get into and managed to take both Cole and Alicia’s phones for a swim in the toilet one day.
We wish you all a wonderful Christmas season and hope you have a wonderful year ahead!
Love,
Cole, Alicia, Cheyanna, Jordan, Deegan & Treyton Arnold

November at the Arnold's

November brought lots of fun and several parties to our house. We had Deegan's 3rd birthday on November 16th. He is growing up so fast.
We also got to host Thanksgiving at our house this year and that was a lot of fun. We had Cole's parents, two of his mom's sisters and their families and Rochelle's mom, Cole's Grandma Barrett, here as well. It was a great day with lots of good food. Clinton made a deep fried turkey that was injected with brine and it was super yummy! I ordered a ham from the pork shop by our house that baked all day and it was really good as well.

Cheyanna's class put on a cute little Thanksgiving play and Cheyanna had quite a few little parts. After the play they had a Thankgsiving feast that had all of the goodies as well. We went from there down to the kindergarten to have pie and juice with Jordan's class. As soon as we ate our pie we took the kids home and Cole took them all and went to the Zoo with his mom and his Aunt Janet who lives in Texas, but was here with her family visiting for the week. I spent the day baking and getting ready for Thanksgiving. I made a pumpkin roll that apparently was really good because Clinton stole what was left of it out of the fridge when they went home. That is the ultimate compliment. :o) I also made a really yummy apple pie that disappeared in a matter of seconds when we pulled out the desserts.

Isn't he just cute? The oven mitt is his puppet. Maybe Santa will bring him finger puppets this year.

Helping mom make dinner in a pumpkin.

We bought a new baby gate.

They don't like it.

I asked Cole to taste the cupcake batter and see if the new recipe was any good.

It must have been good.

Treyton kicking his feet up at the table.

Deegan copying his little brother.

Deegan turned 3 on November 16th.

Grandma helping Deegan open his presents.

Rochelle looked up and saw that Clinton was wearing Deegan's construction hat right as I took the picture - he looked a little silly.

Deegan's cake 'Old Swampy'

Blowing out the candles

My green faced 3 year old

Every birthday party someone gets smashed with a cupcake, but Braden and Deegan did such a nice job covering themselves that we skipped it this time.

Treyton fell asleep eating dinner, must have been a long day.

Treyton learned how to climb on to the counter this month.

Cole wouldn't let me stand on the ladder.

Cole putting the star on 'the mom tree'

All of the kids making cookies with Daddy

Jordan and Daddy

Treyton's first time helping make cookies.

Shy little Deegan helping put up the kids' Christmas Tree

Cheeser face Cheyanna

Jordan

Treyton's first time decorating the tree.

Deegan putting the star on the tree.

Cheyanna at her play

Cheyanna and her friends after the Thanksgiving play.

Treyton and Great-Grandma Barrett on Thanksgiving

Treyton had to try the hat on everyone in the house - new game!

Grandma and the kids playing some fun games.

The day after Thanksgiving we took the kids to see the lights at the Mesa Temple and when we got home Deegan fell asleep on the stairs while I was bringing Treyton in.

Halloween Pictures

Tinkerbell

Captain Hook

The Lost Boys!

Guess what?

I am pregnant! We had our ultrasound yesterday and I am having a GIRL! I am super excited! Our due date is April 12th, 2010.

September and part of October pictures

Maybe someday I will find the time and motivation to start blogging again, but in the meantime this is all you get. :o) A picture is worth a thousand words, right? These are the pictures from September and most of October. We just got home from camping, where I took my camera, but didn't take even ONE picture. Aren't I awesome? So just pretend that there are camping pictures at the end.

I came downstairs after taking my 'Sunday football nap' and this is what I found...

People sleeping on every couch! Looks like I'm not the only one football puts to sleep (Or maybe is it because my couches are AWESOME!)

Let's go Horsey! Jordan and Deegan

Too cute!

Cole, Deegan, Davin, Terrance - Must be Sunday ehh?

Cheyanna cleaned out her room. I only with this was a joke! Why we gave her the room with a walk-in closet is beyond me!

"Shhhhh!"

"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin?"

"It's okay Brother, she loves us!"

If this doesn't say 'hey! look at me!' what does?

"Cheese"

Deegan got up into Treyton's highchair, but got stuck on the way down. Haha!

Singing the alphabet is serious business around here.

Deegan was just hanging out on the kitchen floor. Can't remember why now.

My babies are bringing in the paper :o)

Isn't that the cutest little thing you ever did see!

Cole's birthday (which obviously fell on a Sunday -you can tell by his clothes)

Cole blowing out his candles with a little help from Jordan and Deegan.

Cheyanna and Katelyn during the Charter Counts movie at school. The school has a program for teaching the kids about character. The kids who showed the best charater during the first quarter got to spend the morning watching movies in the gym.

Cheyanna and her best buddy, Deegan

Treyton decided that digging through my purse would make him happy.

I had a meeting with one of Jordan's teachers during parent/teacher week. Treyton just wanted to jump on the trampoline so bad! The teachers just loved him! (It only makes sense, he is Jordan's best friend after all.)

Jordan is in the green shirt. The firetruck came to their school to teach the kids fire safety.

Jordan was trying REALLY hard to ignore me :o) Little stinker! This is at the Awards Assembly.

Sitting in the audience waiting for her award.

Cheyanna receiving her Honor Roll Award from the principal! (behind the boy in the red)

She wasn't co-operating with my picture taking very well

Deegan was 'helping' make the dessert for the teacher dinner :o)

My sneaky little boys sitting in the cubby beneath the fish tank.