Our "ordinary" life

Well, the last few weeks have been a blur. Feels like we haven't done much, yet we've been really busy and all of a sudden Deagan is almost 6 weeks old! He is really starting to fill out. He got a little cold this week and at the Dr. he weighed in at 10.5 lbs already! He's just like his brothers in that department... a chunk! He's starting to sleep longer at night and is awake longer in the day. He is very strong and holds his head up very well, does tummy-time happily, and even tries sitting up on his own sometimes. He also has started smiling AT US rather than gassy smiles and he coos and talks too. So adorable. I love this stage!

Corbin is still enthralled with Deagan and is such a good helper. He sings to him, holds him, and is quick to help bath and change him. Such a good big brother.

This little boy loves his hands above his head. He has to sleep with socks on his hands at night so that they stay warm!We have kept busy with preschool, library story time, play-group, play-school, and play-dates! We're lucky to have so many friends nearby.

It's been fun (for the boys AND mom) to have daddy home. There's been lots of wrestling, fort-building, car racing, "sword" fighting, and "shoot-outs" in the last 3 weeks.

Deagan is either really lucky or has no chance with these two as big brothers.

Quinton keeps us all entertained with his crazy dance moves.

We're very excited that Q gets to attend nursery next month... already 18 months old!
Quinton has also started to express an interest in potty-training thanks to the example of his big brother. It would be awesome if he picks up this habit quickly so we can avoid having 2 boys in diapers for too long!
AND...Winter is here, as manifest by our first snow 3 weeks ago. I'm really not a fan of the snow and cold, but I will admit that it's very pretty to watch snow falling when I'm curled up on the couch with a warm blanket and my newborn, drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music. However I did miss the 80* temperatures of Arizona on Thanksgiving day.

These are the ages and stages that make up our ordinary life. Blissful isn't it? Jeff is still job-searching and has several possibilities and "balls in the air" but nothing has turned official yet. I have really enjoyed having him home and count this whole ordeal as a blessing in disguise. He is really great at being Mr. Mom and the boys have loved having daddy around all day everyday. I think he's spoiled us all and when he does go back to work... it'll be yet another transition for us all.

Pirate Island

This is a pretty cool place, especially if you like Pirates, food, and arcade games!

We enjoyed a night out with Cole, Haley and their 3 kids this week, celebrating Ty's good grades!
Corbin was enthralled, Q was unsure, and Deagan slept through it all.

Corbin really wants a sword for Christmas and so this pirate Captain was a hit for him...

... and then in walked his cousin Ty in all his Pirate gear. Corbin wants to be Ty too!

We enjoyed some good food, conversation, and fun. The kids loved playing on all the arcade games and Tanz made out with some nice pirate booty! Look at all those tickets! That was from only 1 token too!

Corbin's favorite was the skeet ball. He didn't do bad, but he didn't earn enough tickets to buy a real sword so he's hoping to be a good enough boy while Santa is watching.... so he can find one under the tree on Christmas!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub....

....3 men in a tub.... and who do you think they be?

Quinton, and Corbin, and Deagan Moss--
They've all gone off on a spree!

This little guys' umbilical stump fell off a week ago so he got to join his big brothers in the bathtub. He's beginning to like his baths a little more now that he can be fully submerged in the water. He stays warmer that way. I think it's hilarious how he's all belly....

Our "New" News

It's all quite interesting actually....
Jeff has worked for Grand Canyon University for over a year and for University of Phoenix for the 3 years before that. In April GCU transferred Jeff to their Utah location and it's been business as usual until the week Deagan was born. Strange hiring freezes began, his manager and director were "walked out" and then last Thursday all the employees were called into a meeting and informed that they were CLOSING THEIR DOORS. They were given 2 options:
1- Transfer (back) to Arizona with a small re-location payment and keep your job
OR
2- Accept some severance and insurance for a short term and stay in Utah to look for a new job
So... Jeff and I have decided to stay in Utah since he has been looking to re-career for some time now. We view this as a sort of blessing in disguise. Strange, I know, but now we still get a paycheck while he looks for a new job that would better suit him and us....

Needless to say, we're on the JOB HUNT!
When I say we, I mean both Jeff and I. Jeff is looking for business/sales/therapy/law enforcement jobs and I am looking for an online adjunct faculty job.
So, for those of you living in Utah (or know anyone living in Utah) please keep your eyes and ears open for us and spread the word. We don't necessarily need your sympathy, just your networking! :) On the bright side.... at least the baby is already here and covered on insurance and we're both healthy!

Pumpkin Jack

Just wanted to document that we indeed carved a pumpkin this year. Just one though because really 3 ad 1 year olds don't do a lot of the carving.... but they sure like to watch and "help".
Here we are picking out a pattern.

EWwwww.... the pumpkin guts, yuck! Corbin really hates getting his hands dirty and would not help clean out the pumpkin or pick out the seeds.

Quinton had no problem digging right in and getting his hands dirty.

Ooohhhhh, scary pumpkin Jack..... now a Jack-O-Lantern.

He sure did a great job scaring all the witches and ghouls away! (Nice job Jeff.)

Halloween

Deagan's 1st Halloween

He was all smiles about it...
We had a pretty relaxing day at home before going to Grandma TeeTee's house for Chili, cornbread, and Trick-or-Treating. Here's the BYU football player (aka-Corbin) and the Lion/Cosmo (aka-Quinton) getting some of their first candy of the night from Grandma.

Haley and Cole (aka- Bat woman and Robin) showed up to the party....

...with their little Frankenstein (aka- Krew).

Deagan slept through all the excitement in his cozy football costume.

The 3 cousins had their pictures taken a hundred times before venturing out in search of more CANDY!

Our 3 ring circus this year...

...looks a lot different than last year!

Corbin was very confident this year in his Trick-or-Treating abilities. He knew exactly what to do. Who knew a Halloween day in Utah could look so nice. (I was honestly expecting snow by this time already, so I was pleasantly surprised!)

Tricks and Treats!

Corbin made out with enough candy to last until Thanksgiving... although at the rate he's eating it, maybe not! (Or maybe mom and dad have something to do with it's disappearance as well.)
Hope you all had a fabulous Halloween!

And GO COUGARS!

Fun Fall

One thing I never really did as a kid was play in piles of Fall leaves. AZ doesn't really have a legitimate Fall season so I missed out as a child.... but this year my boys got the full Fall experience. Jeff raked up the leaves in our backyard and the pile was taller than Corbin!

Jeff had a great time showing Corbin how it's done... and I couldn't tell who was having more fun.... Jeff or Corbin?

"Watch this Corbin..."

"Whoa dad!"

Then Corbin took full advantage of tackling his dad in all his vulnerability...

Here's a cute video to get the full effect:

Thank you Utah for all the Fall fun!