THE COX FAMILY

November 25, 2008

Almost Forgotten

I've just realized here it is December and I never shared some of our Halloween photos! Where has the time gone? We did have great Halloween...Madelyn was (take a guess)....Hannah Montana, Mason was spiderman, and Jalen was a fireman. About a month before Halloween, Madelyn and I checked online and in several stores for different ideas for a costume. I tried to encourage a cute witch, pirate, genie, clown, cowgirl or anything but Hannah Montana. Of course I didn't win. Madelyn is like many other girls everywhere...in love with Hannah Montana so it wasn't surprising that we saw many neighbors and friends all dressed up as a blonde, cute rock star! Mason wasn't set on any particular costume, he agreed and was excited to be Spiderman when I suggessted it (I already had a costume I bought last year on sale:) This fits his personality so well...easy going, easy to please and doesn't put up a fight or fuss over things. Thanks Mason! Jalen has been very interested in firemen and firetrucks ever since his birthday. For awhile, he kept saying he wanted to be a firetruck for Halloween. I didn't know how that was going to work, but after getting the cute fireman costume for his birthday from his friend, Hannah, he was so excited. The pictures just don't do this outfit justice. It is so dang cute. It even has red suspenders, his name on the jacket, and real reflecters on the pants and jacket sleeves (that's why some of the pictures of him don't turn out so well) Anyways, they all looked adorable and had a great weekend.

November 16, 2008

Visit from the tooth fairy

Madelyn FINALLY lost her first tooth! She has been waiting for this day for months as she has watched all her friends and classmates loose their teeth over the last year. She anxiously awaited that night to leave her tooth for the tooth fairy. At 2:00 a.m. she woke me up to show me that the tooth fairy had found her tooth and left money! Now's she's even more excited for the next one to fall out.

We LOVE Fall!

The change in seasons has taken a whole new meaning since moving and living in Arizonia. I used to love fall for the beautiful colors, the starting of a new school year, and for football season. I do have to admit that experiencing college football with Alan was such an exciting time of year and there really was a feeling in the air on those fall Saturday game days. I miss those times!

Now, the fall season is primarily so exciting because we can finally enjoy the outdoors again. I love the cool crisp mornings and the time we can spend outside with neighbors and friends. It's almost like the neighborhood comes back to life in the fall. The kids have especially loved the change in season and spending more time outside. In many ways we have become very spoiled to the nice weather for the majority of the year. I came across a note I had written down last May when it had rained for about 2-3 days and the boys couldn't play outside. Here's their comments:

The sky is very cloudy and Mason says: "Why is the sky that color? Why does it look like that? I've never seen it look like that."

As Jalen opens the blinds to see another rainy, wet day he says in a gruff deep voice, "It's wet outside again! That's not fair!" (and then stomps up the stairs)

Thank goodness we only see rainy wet days maybe 5-10 days out of the year!

Here's the boys with our neighbor Cooper enjoying riding bikes outside

Run Away

Recently, after I had left for work, Alan got a call from our friend and neighbor Jeff Lundt at 6:30 A.M. asking if we were missing anyone. To Alan's knowledge, all our kids were home, but his answer to the question was, "I don't know, am I missing somebody?"

Jeff's response, "Yes, I have Jalen here all dressed with his cowboy boots and jacket ready to play with Braydon. The only problem is that Braydon is fast asleep (still snoring according to Jalen as Jeff let Jalen peek in to see him).

Yes, we have a runaway on our hands! I don't know which is more surprising, that Jalen could make it around the block and find Braydon's house all on his own, or that Alan had no idea that Jalen had gone out the front door and was gone that long without realizing it. We're definately keeping a tighter reign on him to avoid those run aways situations in the future!

Here is Jalen with one of his best buddies, Braydon Lundt

October 3, 2008

Lights, Sirens, & Action!

Jalen woke up to find presents on the table, and the kitchen decorated with balloons and streamers. He was so excited! It was finally his birthday! He was anxiously awaiting the day that he could tell people he was "three now, not 2 and a half anymore!"

Jalen was thrilled to discover a new green tractor with a bucket (his request like Grandpa's at the farm), and construction equipment from Nanna.

Jalen got the best card from Grandma Cox. He liked it as much as any of his presents.

What handsome boys!

Jalen is very interested in big trucks now, including fire engines. For the last couple of weeks, he has stated he wants to be a fire truck for Halloween. So for his birthday party, we took a tour of the fire station in our neighborhood. The kids all had a great time.

Here are the kids all inside the cab of the firetruck. They were excited to see the many gadgets and experience somewhat of a "ride" in the truck.

The firemen were so good with the kids. They talked about fire safety, fun facts about their job, and showed them their entire fire-fighting gear. The kids were very much entertained!

Cameron Lloyd took quite a liking to the fireman. She walked right over and sat down on his lap!

One of the best parts were the handouts...the kids all got firehats, stickers and activity coloring books.

Here's all the kids: Brecken, Ryder, Mason, Kade, Cody, Brayden, Ethan, Jalen, Cooper and Cameron.

We contined the party...of course we couldn't leave out presents, cake and ice cream!

Jalen was SOO excited about his cake. The night before his party, he kept sneaking out of bed to come and watch me decorate it. He said he just wanted to watch, but what he Really wanted, was to snitch the candy and lick the frosting. I didn't have the heart to be stern and keep him in bed because afterall, he was the birthday boy!

A very proud boy with his Fire Truck birthday cake!

I had so much fun spending your special day with you! Your excitment of the party, presents, and simple happiness you find from spending time with your friends and family is so rewarding for me. Our family adores and loves you. We are so grateful you are in our family! Happy 3rd Birthday Jalen. I love you!

xoxoxo

Mom

October 1, 2008

Happy Birthday Jalen!

We were so excited to welcome Jalen into the world, especially because his dad was able to be apart of it! Because Alan was living in Arizona and the kids and I were still in Utah, the fear of the baby coming without Alan was always on my mind. So we were so grateful Jalen came when he did. It was a Friday night, during the biggest high school football game of the season…Manti Templars vs Gunnison Bulldogs. There is a history of rivalry between these two schools and because Alan was a Templar and I was a Bulldog, the competitiveness continues! The nurses at the Gunnison hospital made sure that Jalen's first beanie was a royal blue, instilling Bulldog spirit from the very beginning!

I can’t believe Jalen is 3 years old! Time has gone by way too fast and at the same time, so much has changed….we lived with my parents in Utah while Alan lived in Arizona; Madelyn was only 3 years old; Mason still had a bottle; I was finishing up my last semester of nursing school; and Jalen was only 3 months old when we moved to Surprise. It seems crazy how much life has changed in such a short time!

Jalen is such a joy in our family. He has always been so easy going, full of personality, and very entertaining. He loves tools, trucks, tractors, his cowboy boots and gun. Here's a quick look at the past 3 years with Jalen apart of our lives....

Very proud mommy and daddy

Very excited big sister and brother

Jalen was a beautiful baby, dark hair and round face. He was a good baby, until bedtime...that was another story. He didn't like to sleep at night. I got up every night, multiple times for the first year of his life!

Daddy enjoying some precious time

I miss his long curls!

Jalen and his cousin Katelyn are only two months apart

Jalen absolutely loves dogs...I tried to talk Alan into giving one for his birthday this year, but we disagree on one thing. He only wants a BIG dog, I would prefer a little one, especially because we have a tiny yard and it would end up inside. Maybe next year!