Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Christmas Eve day we took the kids to go see Santa. Better late than never. With all that has been going on we just seemed to lose track of time, but the kids had to get there request (light sabers) in so luckily for us he was still around. He was looking a little rough, maybe a long season for him, but the kids were happy and didn't freak out so that is all that matters.

That night they got to open one gift. Jammies of course. Tyler got spiderman and Dylan got cars.

Christmas morning was busy. The kids got all they wanted and more. Santa was very generous and got them the light sabers they have been waiting for.

Kyle's loot

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa D for the wagon!

We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas too!

It WAS a Merry Christmas

So despite injury and crankiness we did manage to have a Merry Christmas. Here is the photo finally chosen to go out on the Christmas card. With all the trauma it took to get it I think it turned out pretty good.

With the Christmas card I sent out Kyle's birth announcement. I thought it turned out really cute. (Thanks Katie!)

On Tyler's last day of school they put on a little Christmas program and invited all the parents. He was an angel and did a wonderful job.

Jeff's Mom, Brother and Grandparents came from Michigan. We had great weather for them and I think they were happy for the change in scenery. We went to two movies, did some shopping and of course went out for steak, bbq, and tex-mex.

The Pictures

He almost looks proud doesn't he? Trust me, there is no pride in not being able to button your own pants.

The Result

Make sure to read "The Conversation" first.

• A swollen and bruised hand
• A hurt knee
• An aching back
• Sore ribs
• Scraps and Scratches and Bruises all over
• A limp
• A lot of groaning
• Won't go to Dr.
• Can't get out of bed by self
• Can't button own pants
• Can't put on own sock or tie shoes
• A really really really ticked off wife
• Finally will go to Dr.
• ProMed Dr visit
• An ex-ray of hand
• A referral to an Orthopedic doctor to look at hand.
• A massive splint on hand.
• One ProMed bill
• Trip to Chiropractor
• An Orthopedic Dr. visit.
• A recommendation for hand surgery the day family is coming into town
• A really really ticked off wife
• Trip to Chiropractor
• Hand surgery the day family is coming into town
• Kids at friends houses all day.
• At hospital all day. The day that family is coming into town
• A very stressed out wife
• Two wires and one screw in hand
• One weird half cast/splint on hand
• Pain pills
• One Orthopedic Dr. appointment in 2weeks
• In cast/splint for 6 weeks
• One huge medical/hospital/doctor bill (Merry Christmas Jeff)
• A really ticked off wife
• Still can't get up from laying position by self
• Still can't put on own socks and shoes
• Still can't button own pants
• Not much help at all
• One majorly deserved I TOLD YOU SO!
• One not so happy wife

Picture to come later.

The Conversation

This is a conversation that took place at our house 2 weeks ago.

Jeff: I think I am going to go dirt bike riding. Rushell: Hmmmm. When? Jeff: Friday. Rushell: With who? Jeff: Some work guys. Rushell: Hmmm. Have you before? Jeff: No. These guys ride all the time and invited me, so I think I will go. Rushell: Hmmm

Jeff: So do we have stuff going on this Friday? If not I think I am going to go. What do you think? Rushell: Well.... I guess so..... I don't know..... I just makes me nervous. Dirt bike riding seems kind of dangerous, those motorcross guys get hurt all the time. Jeff: Oh it will be fine, we are just going to go for a little bit, have some fun and then come home. We will be on a track made for dirt biking and everything. Rushell: Right. But people still get hurt and I really can not afford for you to get hurt right now. Not only is your family (mom, brother and grandparents) coming soon but we need to get the house ready and finish up Christmas stuff. I really can not afford for you to get hurt. Not to mention we don't have medical insurance. This just really worries me. Jeff: Okay... I get that, but I will be fine. Rushell: Right. No jumps or anything crazy okay? Jeff: I'll be fine.

All by myself!

Also this weekend, Tyler mastered riding his bike all by himself. He got starting and stopping down, and now he is off!

Parades!

Most of you probably don't know this, but my husband loves parades. I think it has something to do with growing up in a small town and having a parade for everything. At first I thought it was funny (okay is still think it is kinda funny, a grown man loving parades this much), but now we actually have a lot of fun taking the kids and finding all the parades around. This weekend we went to the Georgetown parade and holiday stroll. It was pretty good and there was lots of free stuff, we will probably hit it up again next year. Here are a few pics of us waiting for the parade to start. Next weekend will be the Pflugerville night light parade, we can't wait!

Bah Humbug!

I hope your Christmas card photo shoots are going better than mine! AGH!!!!!

This may be what you get!

If you want a card from the Megerles email me your address (rushell@coolofftexas.com), I know alot of you have moved since last year!

Riding a Bike

Tyler is also learning to ride a bike without training wheels this weekend. He did really well for a four and a half year old. Just a little bit more practice.

Thanksgiving Weekend

We have had a really great weekend. Jeff has only had to run one call, and the phone has hardly rang. Now that I think about it is funny that that is how I determine a good weekend for us, but we hardly ever get him just to ourselves and are very thankful that he we have. Anyway, Thanksgiving day we went to our friends the Simmons and enjoyed a great dinner and hanging out. That night we of course watched the University of Texas game and of course they won, "Hook Em Horns!" Friday morning I went to Walmart at 5am like a crazy person and got a few things that now make me done with my Christmas shopping. WooHoo! Of course by the time I got home everyone was ready to get up and there was no hope of going back to bed so I decided it was time to decorate for Christmas. Jeff got all the stuff out and I put on my favorite Johny Mathis Christmas cd and we were set. Here is the house and our motorcycle Santa with side car reindeer that moves up and down.Saturday morning we went to the Austin Blue Santa parade downtown. We had to park a ways away because we were a little late but is was still really great and we were still able to donate our children's toys to the "poor children without mommy's" as Tyler puts it. This picture cracks me up because Elvis is riding on this float with Santa. What in the world? I guess it just goes with everything else here in Austin and there motto, "Keep Austin Weird."

This is our rig walking to the parade. We had to park about 6 long blocks away and never new that the one baby stroller could carry 3.

That afternoon we also watched White Christmas, a Thanksgiving weekend tradition in my mind, but not everyone seems to love this movie as much as I do. Come on people it is a classic! This is us watching, notice Dylan playing with something and Jeff so excited about the movie he talked on the phone most of it. Oh well, we are still going to watch it every year!

It has been such a great weeekend, but now Dylan is throwing up and running a fever. Hence why I am blogging right now while Jeff and Tyler are at Church. I hope everyone has had a great weekend too, without the throwing up part. We love and miss you all at the beginging of this Holiday Season. Take Care!

Happy Birthday Dylan!

Dylan is 2! He had a great day! We met some friends at Hopping Hippos to play and eat lunch. On the way home they all zonked out which made for a quiet afternoon. Yeah Me! When Jeff got home we headed out to Ghatti Land. They have a pizza buffet and then arcade games in the back. He was to little for some of the games, but just loved running from each one all lit up to the next. We only convinced him to leave with the image of choo choo train birthday cake and presents waiting at home. He is such a great little man. So content and happy with most everything. He is a guy of few words but has really started to talk more and more. His new thing is "Oh Bummer" which he seems to even use in context, but my favorite is hearing all the "pease, dank yous, and waf yous." We love you too Dylan Doo! Happy Birthday!

Gobble Gobble

We had playgroup at our house today. I helped the kids make these fun turkey hats. I thought they turned out really great!

Best Friends

Avery***Dylan***Jaeden***Tyler

Sorry Big D

I finally decided this poor plant has been through enough. Really it was now only a stick with 3 leaves. There use to be more but after two years of being picked, pulled, reduced and replanted, I just don't think it will make it through another replanting. Sad times! You were so good to us little plant, sorry we (Tyler, Dylan and a little bit of Bridger) were so hard on you. RIP!

I also want to thank Jen and D for bringing this plant into our lives, I really did try my hardest to take care of it.

Cheese!

So I really hope everyone else out there has a hard time get one good picture of there kids. "hold still, look at me, smile, look at me-the camera-or even just this direction would be great!" These are all things coming out of my mouth when trying to take a decent picture and it takes like twenty minutes for one decent shot. Anyway... I got these the other day and thought "wow, these are to bad, it must be a miracle!" Thought I would share, mainly for grandparent, and just bragging to the rest of you that my kids are sooooo cute!

My Toothless Wonder! My Speed Racer! Them together, one looking the other not, of course. Them being silly, trying to take a picture with Kyle. Dylan was eating cheese and liked holding it up and saying cheese for the pic. GOOD TIMES!

Kyle's Blessing

We decided to bless Kyle this past Sunday while my parents were still here. Jeff did a great job and I am so blessed to have such a great husband. I love cute pictures of brothers. This is them above nice and happy before church when we should have taken our picture together as a family. And this is the our attempt for a family picture below after church with three crying boys and us not knowing what else to do besides laugh. Good Times!

Proud grandparents. Thank you Grandpa and Grandma for coming and sharing Kyle's special day with him. Thanks Grandpa for staying a whole week and keeping the boys busy and happy for me. Dylan is walking around today saying "Were ganpa?" We love you!

Halloween

We had a great Halloween. Grandpa took them in the morning to Pioneer Farms, a park here, that puts on a little carnival thing for the kids and they play games and get candy. Then when Jeff got home we went to the outlets mall in Round Rock and the kids trick or treated from store to store. After we got home and had dinner it was finally dark and my dad stayed home with the baby and to hand out candy, so Jeff and I could take the boys around the neighborhood together. Buzz and Woody were a big hit and got plenty of treats. It was a very busy day and now Tyler is wondering when the next Halloween will be. We are working on understanding the concept of one whole year.

A Boy Thing

For the last few weeks city workers have been working in the drainage ditch behind our house. I think we thought they were just cleaning it out, but it sure is taking a long time. In the three years we have lived here they have never done more than mow along our back fence and it was beginning to look like a forest. Anyway, they brought in diggers, bobcats, and all sorts of tractor like machinery. Most of the work was the week grandpa was here visiting, and him and the boys would stand out there watching over the fence for hours. Now that grandpa is gone, Dylan heard the tractors back there this morning and pulled me out there to help him see. Lets just say that after two minutes of watching I was done and put Dylan down (he can't see unless you hold him) and he was not happy. What is the big deal? All that digger is doing is moving dirt around. I couldn't take it much longer so I told him he will have to wait for dad to come home because Jeff doesn't mind watching that for hours with them like Grandpa. It must be a boy thing.