Cox Family Adventures

December is always action packed! It is a time for Christmas activities, programs, and recitals. The kids get their time to shine. Here is a run down off the latest December happenings.

Lane came home from preschool dressed as Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. He was so please! He wore the red nose with pride for most of the day.

The Annual piano recital: Madison and AJ each played a piece and then joined up for a duet of "Little Town of Bethlehem."

AJ won a trophy for his art work in the "Reflections" contest. The theme was "Together We Can..." He created this nice painting titled, "Together We Can... Hike in the Fall."

Maddie also won for her clay sculpture titled, "Together We Can....practice gymnastics." That is me helping her do a back-handspring!!

Next was the School Christmas program. Each of the kids sang Christmas songs with their class. This is AJ, Maddie, and their cousin Kevin.

Grandma Sandra is always there to support the grand kids.

Monday night was Maddie's gymnastic/dance review. Here she is doing her back-handspring. Finally! It has only taken her 6 years to be able to do this! Way to go Maddie!

Then she danced to a true 80's hit....Madonna's "Material Girl." Her costume was complete with leg warmers and all!

My Dad enjoyed every minute of the 2 hour dance recital..... Thanks for being there Dad!

I think Maddie was enjoying the RED lipstick a little too much! She kept kissing her brothers to leave big red kiss marks on their cheeks! Maddie and her cousin, Keyera.

Cami, Keyera, and Maddie

Oh look, Dad woke up once the recital was over! Check out Andy in the background.....it looks like he was highly entertained as well! love it! Grandma Barb is always there with a smile and a helping hand for Griffin. My parents are the best!

Griffin made his debut in the Annual live Nativity Scene at Grandma Sandra's. He was honored to play the part at Baby Jesus....green binki and all! AJ was Joseph and Cami played Mary. Very cute!

Here is a cute shepherd boy....

Baby Jesus looked pleasingly at the gifts that the wise men handed to him....

Mary quickly counseled the baby to not "eat" the gifts!

Well, he did anyway!

All the gang...(except for Karl's or Kesha's kids)

I think my favorite was the shepherd with the orange beard! Kaylex was rockin' that outfit!
Thanks to Sandra for helping put together another successful Christmas Tradition.

What do you get when you mix four kids, a grandma, oodles of frosting, bowls full of candy, and the sweet smell of gingerbread?

I hope this tradition never dies! It is our kick-off to Christmas!

Griffin's first experience with this tradition was a success. First of all, he slept through the majority of the mess (thank goodness) and second of all, he discovered the many M & M's dropped underneath the kitchen table. He loved it!

November 18th....Griffin is ten months old!

He is still recovering from the Chicken Pox. A few light red spots still remain --

He loves to stand. We are predicting he will walking here in the next few weeks. So much for our Christmas Tree!

He is a busy boy...crawling, standing, falling, making funny noises, climbing stairs, sucking on suckers, spilling the legos, spitting up, smearing food on this high chair tray, giggling, clicking his tongue, flapping his arms to music, cutting teeth, and the list goes on. What would life be without Little G Man?

It was the opening of the Pheasant Hunt on Saturday. The kids got to participate! Not carry guns or shoot, but they got to hold the dead birds and smile!! Oh and they got to collect pretty tail feathers!

Kind of heavy for Lane....

It was a beautiful Fall day and the kids really do love being in the outdoors with their dad and grandpa! and the dogs too!

Saturday: "Ummm, I wonder what these FOUR little red spots are on Griffin's back?"

The next day..... yikes!!

From this.....
To this......
Yep, you guessed it! CHICKEN POX! Seriously?? I thought chicken pox where a "thing of the past." Apparently not! They don't vaccinate children until they are two years old. That is a little too late for Griffin. It breaks my heart to see his body covered in these ugly spots. Thankfully he isn't too bothered by them. Once in a while I catch him itching his head.

This last one makes me laugh, although it is kind of sad. I covered his face and body with Calamine lotion. He just keeps on smiling....what a sweet boy.
Who knows where he picked up Chicken Pox?? I must have picked the WRONG shopping cart at Walmart.....

I promise to keep him home for a week---

Halloween Highlights:

Good costumes, fun parties, creative pumpkin carving, excess candy, carmel popcorn from Grandma Barb, the ever challenging yarn spider web made by Grandma Sandra, Griffin is introduced to Dum Dum suckers, Trick-or-treating, and now going to bed! I don't have the energy to post all the photos, so here is a look at the kids in there costumes.

Maddie = Spiderina the Spider Witch.

Lane = Dinosaur

AJ = Caveman

Griffin = Bat

Sandra with 17 of her 18 grandkids!
THE END!

The Halloween festivities continue....

Last night we held the annual Creepy and Crazy Cox Carving Contest. Andy pulled out the win with this tiger face---

He gets to keep the cool skeleton trophy for one year. Then it will we passed on to next years winner.

While carving, Griffin found himself inside this gigantic pumpkin that Uncle Clint had carved.

This was Madison's masterpiece!! I love it! She did it all by herself.

"Has anyone seen Griffiin??? Help!!"

This was my Black Halloween cat. It won for the "cutest." whoopdie do--

All of the kids received a prize for different categories. They did a great job!

Enough carving for the year---it sure is fun though!