There's No Place Like Home

Hayden's Tractor Party

2012-01-25T11:17:00.001-08:00

So Hayden turned 3 and before we moved we wanted to give him his own little bash with his buddies in New Mexico. He was set on a tractor themed party and as it turns out that is not the easiest thing to find. So I made some banners from tractor fabric and ordered the balloons from Amazon. We had pull back tractors in the party favors and invitations with tractors on them. If we'd been in Kansas, I would have had boatloads of people with tractors and tractor rides would have been on the docket. However, we just stuck with a bouncer this time. It burns a lot of energy off for kids and off sets the sugar they eat. We had a morning shindig and so a cinnamon roll cake was in order. Hayden loves cinnamon rolls and can eat them thanks to his Grandma B's recipe she cooked up for him. She still makes them better than I do though. We'll blame in on the altitude though. He had a fun time with his friends and it was good to have their parents who are our friends in our house to celebrate one last time.

Shocked that even with a bouncer, the kids were interested in the toy baskets.

Little man so excited to hear "Happy Birthday" being sung to him.

Getting ready to chow down.

Gave the little ones their chance in the bouncer after the bigger kids got worn out.

The action wore out the littlest ones.

Hayden's 3rd Birthday

2012-01-24T13:01:00.000-08:00

Can't believe we've hit 3. I can't really remember what life or I was like 3 years ago because so much has changed now that its like he's always been here. But at the same time 3 years seemed a long way off when we brought him home from the hospital. I mean it's just right around the corner from kindergarten! So here he is on his actual birthday which was spent quietly at home together. We made it a fun day for him doing things he enjoys and making him cinnamon rolls that he likes. He opened his gifts (which have been unfortunately put into storage until mid February.) He has hit 3 with roaring ferocity! He is stretching his baby wings and trying to gain more independence every day. I love him so much and just when he pushes you too far, he charms you again with what is going on in that smart and sweet little mind of his. He is a great and complex little man and am excited to see what the next year brings for him!

Hayden and Daddy playing with his first Hotwheels track

Safety first, compliments of mama

For our first bicycle that is a balance bike

Taking it for a test drive. Mountains in background (tear)

Yum!

Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-25T13:10:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas 2011! Our little ones are celebrating their 2nd and 3rd Christmases and it was a fun one this year especially with Hayden who popped out of his room asking if Santa Claus came. So precious! Clare just enjoying all the new things to play with (albeit inappropriately sometimes). We shared in an exciting morning together and I'm looking forward to more of this chapter in our lives.

In love with the new BIG DIGGER

Checking out his new chair

Checking out the new kitchen

Happy girl in her new chair. Sit is a new word and this place will be just the right height for her to climb into.

Looking a the new cabbage patch doll brush.

In awe of the fact that there was more to be had

What have we found here?

Getting down to business

Bless his heart, he didn't know if the box was the gift or not. After he unwrapped it, he was ready to move on because he thought what you see is what you get. Little did he know that exciting clothes (every almost 3 year olds dream) lie inside.

Taking a moment to rest from all the unwrapping. Whew!

Clare opening one present, because there was too much to do after that

I think it was a hit as she is giving it a big hug

Eating a little Hayden sweet toast...that's his version of ours

Eating a little baked french toast

Daddy opening his toy and the kids offering their unwrapping assistance

Checking out her new little purse and figuring out how to wear it over her arm

Working a little energy off by wrestling Daddy on the ground

Wearing their hooded towels around the house while playing in their new little kitchen that Santa brought them

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-25T12:51:00.000-08:00

Clare all dolled up and hamming it up for the camera.

Brother Hayden trying to get sister to look at the camera for me.

Clare making her rounds.

Two cuties!

Before Christmas Eve service

Late at night after Santa's visit!

Wintertime fun

2011-12-25T12:09:00.000-08:00

Our sweet neighbors Tom & Kathy, gave Hayden a little Christmas gift. They gave him a little wooden car that has to be assembled with hammer and nail and after getting home, the boys got right to work. Hayden took a few swings by himself, but it was mostly a guided lesson (which isn't a bad thing when you're working at the table in the house and not on a workbench.)

Here's sweet little Clare all dolled up in her sweater dress taking in the Christmas tree.

She like to pretend to eat the candy cane ornaments on the tree and would pretend she was taking bites of it.

Clare did pretty well not taking the tree apart over a month's time. Less than a handful of times was I handed an ornament and left looking for the hook on the tree. At least I knew it was on a low branch.

Durango and The Polar Express

2011-12-14T14:29:00.001-08:00

On our way up to Durango, there is a good stretch with very little to stop at and during this trip our eldest was potty training. So, during one our stops with a little potty chair, I decided to take a few pictures of the picturesque surroundings. This horse posed for me the most of the six that were in this open pasture. You also see Derrick and Clare taking in the view and getting the fresh air.

Once to our hotel, we took in the view shortly as the sun set behind the foothills of the bigger mountains we would see tomorrow. We had a riverview room and it was lovely to hear the moving water. It just makes you feel more hydrated here. We ate our packed dinner and bathed the kids, we got into our pajamas as that is a prerequisite for the Polar Express and headed over for our adventure.

Once there, we waited for a little while in the warm depot. We then got out to the loading area where we got to see the steam engine, the Polar Express, pull in just as the book describes it, cloaked in a blanket of steam. A nice lady offered to take our picture as a family. Always appreciated.

We loaded the train and it was nice and warm inside. For awhile we enjoyed hearing the book The Polar Express read aloud, we drank hot cocoa (and apple cider that I brought for my little milk allergic guy). The conductor came through and punched all of our golden tickets. We sang Christmas carols and enjoyed all the Christmas lights as we rode along. We saw Santa Clause on his sleigh at the North Pole then we got to see him on the train. He gave every child a beautiful silver jingle bell. Hayden didn't know quite what to say to him and Clare had no idea what to make of this man with a white beard and dressed all in red. But they were quite impressed by him.

After the train ride we got to walk around the train museum and there were some beautiful displays. The kid's favorite was the large electric train table. You can even see Clare perched up on her tiptoes to see it moving around. There were beautiful train engines in there as well and old train station benches, where the kids posed together for me.

One more stop by the trains on our way out. Hayden is in front of the Polar Express (PE) caboose and then one of the depot. It was a beautifully kept train station.

Some beautiful mountain views closer to Durango Mountain Resort ski area. We probably won't get any skiing in this year, but we wanted to show Hayden what skiing looked like. He was ready to hop on the slopes that day.

Fall Happenings

2011-12-06T13:56:00.000-08:00

This is how she protects her goods, she carries them around and when she gets tired she sits down on the stairs.

Again, her favorite spot playing with some stacking/nesting boxes

I'm going to miss these stairs. A little quiet reading time.

She's a fire-baby

In the zone, engineering yet another train track.

The little man

Showing off his wheels

Loading up the trunk of his tricycle

Feeling frisky in the cooler weather. That ball got thrown at me by Sadie to inform me of her need for a game of fetch.

A Saturday at the zoo. Stopped to feed the ducks.

Clare in her happy place...shoulder ride from Daddy

The zoo train

Having a snack during the ride with our friend, Isaac, who happened to be at the zoo too.

Snow Day!

2011-12-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

We got an early snow for the city this year. Usually we don't see much until January and sometimes February. But we had a cold front come through and so we made the most of it. It was perfect packing snow and since we've seen Frosty the Snowman a couple times this holiday season, our little guy wanted so badly to make his own. He finally got to see the carrot nose in action and was quite pleased with his blueberry eyes. Derrick is proud of his work but was a little sore from bending over rolling the giant snowballs for an hour.

The munchkin enjoying the fresh, crisp air

Daddy working hard with Hayden studying his approach

Lazy helper....her version of sun bathing...snow bathing

The grass was green after Daddy rolled almost all of it up in the snowman

My contribution, the produce for the face

My little cream puff was getting a little chilly so we were snuggling

The proud boy

Daddy with his helpers and Hayden's very first snowman

Trimming the Tree

2011-12-03T09:06:00.000-08:00

Our littlest elves were at work with us the day after Thanksgiving trimming our 9 1/2 foot Christmas tree. Hayden loves Christmas trees and was convinced Santa was coming that night. He was a little disappointed the next morning when it didn't have any presents under it. However, he takes great joy in turning on the lights at night. We had a fun time decorating it, and for Clare, taking the decorations down occasionally. We all participated this year and I hope that it becomes a tradition to do this as a family for many years!

We Give Thanks

2011-12-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

We have so much to be thankful for this year. I could begin to list everything, but this could get to be a long post. We are thankful to have such good friends here in New Mexico and having gotten to share Thanksgiving with them at their home. We have missed a few Thanksgivings in Kansas but that is about to change. We are so thankful for the life and experiences God has given us and all that he has taught us in this past year. It was an abundant feast in His lessons. Here are pictures of our Thanksgiving and our literal, feast at Thanksgiving 2011.

During the day, relaxing with a little play

My little helper under foot in the kitchen

Enjoying the turkey

Enjoying the turkey, Part II

The family complete with Sadie

Home Sweet Home... for Sale...Sold!

2011-12-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

Well here we are almost a year and a half after having bought our first home and putting a lot of literal blood, sweat, and tears (yes, let's not forget we bought and started gutting this when I was 6 months pregnant and moved in a couple days past my due date, I was crying). Our house is as complete as we are going to be able to make it in our updates and we completed almost everything we had in mind when we started, with exception of a few things that will be passed on to those after us. We have been wanting to move closer to family for a while now and the opportunity finally presented itself, just at an awkward time. So, in faith, we stepped out and put our newly remodeled house on the market in the fall (worst time of year) and in an awful real estate market. God is good! It sold in just short of 6 weeks on the market without us losing our shirts on it. After so much work on the house, we're very emotionally attached that it feels like its being adopted. It makes me happy to know that another young family will be moving in it and hopefully making many wonderful memories in it as we have done. However, since not everyone will have the opportunity to see it before we move, I wanted to share some of the photos of it that were taken for the marketing of it. Enjoy the tour!

Home Sweet Home...for a little bit longer

The view from the front of our house

Our entry and formal living room that we hadn't quite outfitted yet.

A view of the formal living room and the dining room

A bird's eye view of the the room from the second floor

The family room

Another view of the family room

The breakfast nook

The breakfast nook and kitchen

The kitchen close up

Another angle of the kitchen

The view from the sink

The backyard and the back of the house with balcony

Another angle of the yard and patio

The stairway

The second story hall bath

Hayden's bedroom

Clare's bedroom

Guest bedroom and office

The master bedroom

Another angle

Master bath

A Walk through the Cottonwoods

2011-11-04T13:24:00.001-07:00

Not the actual river...as a disclamer...not that the Rio Grand is really that grand at least not at this point in the river. BUT its water, nonetheless.

Today we went on a walk through the Cottonwoods along the river. It was a beautiful early November day and the leaves are just losing their color of fall. I had to take one more walk through the colors before it was until next fall that I got to see them. How better than to do it with our dear friends. Hayden's best friend's mom is conveniently one of my dear friends and so nature provided a beautiful play area and a quiet place to talk and walk for us. I love this little spot I've just found. It is busy on the weekend, but during the week it is quiet and today we had it virtually to ourselves. The boys got to run off A LOT of energy. Hoping that this naptime is extended today so I can blog, bath the dog and mow the lawn one last time. Anyway, the pictures don't do it justice. But walking in a tunnel of very big, very old yellow colored cottonwoods was just a great way to end the work week, if my work week in fact ever does end. Onto dog bathing now.

Unleashing their energy on the woods. Little boys being little boys.

Finding a dead tree limb to ride

Finding a mound to climb

Hanging out and catching our breath at a fortuitously downed tree trunk.

Even Clare appreciates nature. God's toys. Hayden on yet another tree trunk.

Trick-or-Treaties

2011-11-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

This was our inaugural trick-or-treating adventure. With 2 sets of short legs and parental guidance, we made it to 5 houses to all the neighbors directly around us who we know pretty well in about 30 minutes. It was a pretty warm night for the end of October so our kiddos were sweating in their hefty and snuggly costumes by the time we got home. What candy that Hayden couldn't eat because of allergies, I traded out with candy he could. He ate about 4 pieces that night and I swear was practically vibrating from the sugar. We had to burn some of it off, so Derrick sacrificed himself to a wrestling session with the kids. You'd be surprised the number they can do on you with a 26 lb 2 1/2 year doing a body slam on you. The baby girl, well, she's scrappy. Overall, we determined Hayden's candy of choice is Skittles and Clare had to settle for a Halloween yogurt snack. Not quite fair, but she needs a few more teeth in my opinion and a better tooth brushing form before I'll submit to giving her candy. So she'll have to wait until next year to relish in her Halloween takings. Each night since Halloween, Hayden has asked to go trick-or-treating again. And he loves handing out candy to the trick-or-treaties (not treaters). Its so precious that when I'd open the door to them he would yell "Trick-or-treat" too. He thinks its great having so many kids come to his house in one night.

Tent Rocks

2011-10-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

This handsome fella and myself ventured up to Tent Rocks National Monument this weekend. It is the best kept secret for hiking. You get canyon views and mountain views and beautiful weather which just comes with the southwest. We packed a picnic lunch and hiked for about 2 hours which was all we could handle and Hayden made it all the way up but his little legs were failing him on the way down. Oh well, at least it was down. Its a lot easier to carry him that direction since it is uphill to the end of the trail. Clare rocked the bjorn with a little chapped chin to show for it. Here's the pictures for it.

A little to big of a bite of sandwich.

Having a little lunch

"Draw" says the potbelly cowbaby

Hayden under the exposed roots of a tree in the canyon that was still standing tall. Guess we can expose our roots and still survive.

Some narrow spots in the canyon

The tent rocks

A celebration smooch at the top

A view from the top

Clare Turns 1 and the Celebration!

2011-10-11T13:42:00.000-07:00

Baby girl turned one on Sunday! I cannot hardly believe that it has been a year and I can when I look at all we've done and all that's happened. To celebrate her milestone birthday, we returned to Kansas where a large majority of family lives to have her birthday party. Her aunts flew in for the celebration from New York and Colorado and friends even drove from Kansas City area. We had a great time (minus the exceptionally windy day). It was relaxed and fun and playful. Even the adults got into it.

Playing peek-a-boo through the playground equipment

Grandma K taking her down the tunnel slide. (She eventually ended up doing this on her own)

Aunt Michelle pushing her on the swing.

Hayden and his Aunts playing around

Grandpa and Hayden (hiding his face for the picture)

Michelle feeding Clare her birthday party lunch

Grandma B and Clare

Great Aunt Kay getting a smooch in

Daddy teaching her the fine art of eating a cupcake

Clare giving it a try and doing pretty well at it

The day of her birthday we bid farewell to our out-of-town visitors (Michelle and Rachael) and had a quiet late morning and lunch at Gage Park. It is a great little place that I loved in my childhood. It was just as much fun for my kids. We ate our lunch at a picnic table, played on the playground for a bit, rode the carousel, and walked through the rose gardens. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the scenery so much!

Balloon Fiesta '11

2011-10-06T13:41:00.000-07:00

Four score and...alright 6 years ago, my darling and I, sans babies and heavy one lab puppy, went to our very first Balloon Fiesta. You have to get up very early to go the mass ascension to get the real show and it is always a gamble. If it is too windy or rainy, the balloons do not go up and you have balloon hangover without the benefit of watching any balloons go up. We decided to risk it this year and wake up our kids who are trained to sleep until 7:30, a grueling 2 hours early to go to it. The Balloon Fiesta park which is a glorified stretch of grassy open space normally is about 8 minutes from our house. It took us and hour and 15 minutes to get there. Yes, people from outside our state, this is a BIG DEAL. Ok, now that I've nerded myself out here. There really isn't anything like it for adults and kids alike. To watch literally 1000 balloons go up in the air in a matter of two hours and float within view, you really cannot capture the sight with a picture. However, I made a feeble attempt at it. More successfully, I believe, I captured our family's joy in sharing this amazing experience together. I'm telling you, folks, its worth adding to the bucket list.

A returning favorite from Germany. Complete with stormtroopers walking around.

The middle bee is smaller than the other two because it has been added in the past year. Usually the other two fly holding hands in the sky. So the middle bee is their baby. We thought it was pretty cute.

My snuggle bunnies all bundled up taking in the show and waking up.

Imagine this times 50

The end.

New Mexico State Fair

2011-10-05T14:08:00.001-07:00

For the first time in 6 years of living here and having the State Fair in town, we finally made the effort to go. It was a warm day but the activities were fun with the kids. Its funny listening to mariachi bands and seeing adobe style barns I have to admit though. They had great activities like this farm where the kids get to pick apples from the orchard, get eggs from the chicken coop, milk the cow, ride little tricycle tractors, and harvest the different crops from the area. At the end they get a prize. Hayden had a great time doing collecting everything.

In the chicken coop collecting our egg

Collecting our red and green chiles...one of the twists on State Fair that was new to me.

Riding our (saw) horse into the sunset

Ahh, the bounty after a hard day of work.

Daddy and Clare outside the FFA barn with a McDonalds sign on it. Ironic, don't you think.

In the FFA barn. Hayden and his next happy meal.

Clare taking in the scenery, but not without a little snack.

There was a Lego experience tent (Jackpot) and Hayden was in the zone. At best we can tell he was working on a predominantly polar bear zoo with all female zookeepers.

Daddy and the kids in front of the lion cages. The female lions were watching my children and the fences didn't really seem lion-proof so we didn't stick around this show very long.

Labor Day Weekend in Colorado

2011-10-04T14:14:00.000-07:00

A morning up in the mountains taking the Georgetown-Silver Plume Railroad. Beautiful day for it and the kiddos loved it!

Aunt Rachael let me get away for the day with Aunt Michelle biking around Denver and enjoying leisurely meals and sightseeing.

At the park enjoying the flowers with Michelle and the kids.

11 Months (I'm a little behind)

2011-10-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

I cannot get enough of this baby girl. I can only call her that for about 5 more days and then she's going to be on her way to toddlerdom. I'm a little behind on this but have been very busy lately. I was not going to let it escape me though, as she has just too precious of a face and too sweet of a disposition to let one slip by. She started taking her first steps just after she turned 10 months and gained more and more strength and balance and confidence in this month. She's so independent and feeds herself most everything. She drinks from her cup. She likes to figure everything out for herself. She loves her brother and imitates anything that he does (both a good and a bad thing.) She is perfecting the art of the tantrum. She is very dramatic and has a sense of humor. She loves to wrestle her Daddy. And, oh, does she love her daddy. That man walks through the door and she squeals with delight and heads his direction. In fact, most of the smiles you see in these pictures where on her face because he merely walked outside to see what I was doing with her. She's a beautiful little girl and her personality is showing itself more and more. She sweet but has her share of spice. I love my little girl and can't believe one is around the corner.

Hayden's First Day at Preschool!!!!

2011-08-24T08:35:00.000-07:00

Our little man who we welcomed a mere 2 years, 7 months and 23 days ago (technically 24 as I am writing this because yesterday was the big day), is off to preschool. His teachers are very nice and he likes them. He didn't fuss or cry (though I never expected that from him because he's never been that kind of kiddo) and when I came to pick him up he ran from me screaming "NOOOOOOO!" Apparently home isn't providing enough stimulation these days despite my best efforts. He's been ready to strike off into the world since he could walk. Anyway, we did the pictures, celebrating the big day for him. We're so proud of him and are excited to see him grow in the next school year!

The Last Few Weeks in Pictures

2011-08-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

At the aquarium...Clare loving the view and Hayden having a special moment with the sea turtle

Buzzing around town (and as a side note I was not driving at the time)

Playing around at home riding the resident rocking elephant and "checking our email"

Spray park fun with best friend Isaac and little sister Irelyn

Grabbing a graham cracker snack on the kitchen floor

Playing at the park shoveling, climbing and sliding after a short run for me

Playing in the backyard shoveling rocks

Clare at 10 months

2011-08-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

Baby Girl is 10 months now. In her 10th month she started saying her first words which were "hi" and "bye" while waving. She says that all the time when we're out of the house to other people and even waves to airplanes in the sky. We've also heard "mama" and "dada" regularly and "cat". She is now gaining more confidence standing on her own and taking a step here or there. She's a masterful cruiser. She likes to climb on anything she can get her little leg up on. She loves to be tickled and will throw herself backward on the floor with her arms and legs out and wiggle to let you know that she is ready. She makes a great motor noise while driving cars around. She thinks its funny to put silly things on her head and call it a "hat". She has a sense of humor and is friendly and quick to learn things. I show her once how to do things and she remembers how to do them from then on out. She itching to walk and from the pictures you can see her hanging on the back door watching her brother play outside. He wants her to play too and will often bring sidewalk chalk over for her to draw on the concrete right outside the door. She is a doll, plain and simple. She is just a pure blessing to her and not a day goes by that I don't thank God that He sent her to us.

A Week in the Life...

2011-08-02T09:46:00.000-07:00

Just a few pictures capturing our last week in short. Some weeks' pictures are more memorable than others.

Daddy's out of town, so McDonald's cooked for us this night and we took it to a park and played afterward

Notice how my son recruited older ladies to help him on the seesaw

My friends Sara and Amber (who is expecting) at a shower that Sara and I threw for herA normal evening after dinner

Things got a little crazy this night...as I heard..."Oh no mommy, miss baby took off her diaper"

Me and my honey

Lounging on a sick day or rather day 5 of our sick days

Girl's Weekend

2011-07-26T06:14:00.000-07:00

Clare and I just got back a few days ago from our California Girl's Weekend. We went out for a wedding of one of my good friends and a friend for 22 years. Clare was the flower girl in the wedding. I was the flower girl carrier since she didn't decide to up and walk at 9 months. During our trip we found some time to visit Huntington Beach which was just down Pacific Coast Highway from where we were staying. It was the first time Clare will have seen the ocean officially. I think we'll have to go back to refresh her memory however. I had to visit the water (which I miss so much and I love the ocean) and we had a leisurely breakfast down on Main Street. So fun! But so tiring.

When back at the hotel it was all that I could do to get the girl off the phone. Text, text, text. I mean, come on!

At the wedding itself with my pretty little flower girl.

With a group of friends from high school at the wedding and the bride herself

Dancing in the fountain or at least trying to convince Clare to cool off her little feet that way.

July of Visits!

2011-07-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

Our July has been bustling and we had the joy of accepting many visitors. We created many more cherished memories over a two week span!

Visit #1 Grandma B:

Learning a little chopsticks with Grandma B

A second little peanut interested in learning

The whole crew tinkling the ivories

Visit #2 Grandma and Grandpa K:

Making ice cream with Grandpa and even getting to pour in the rock salt

Catching some of the backyard view with Grandma

At the zoo, watching the zebras

A taller view from the shoulders of Grandma

Feeding the ducks and geese with Grandpa

A better view from Grandpa's arms

Catching some reads with Grandma

Daddy - daughter photo

Getting their spicy fix at their favorite New Mexican restaurant on the last night

Visit #3 Aunt Rachael:

Sharing some organic plums at a small lavender farm

Checking out the goats, sheep and chickens

The silo at the ranch

We had so much fun and it was super busy! Thanks for all the visits! It means a lot to everyone!

3/4 down! Clare at 9 Months

2011-07-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I have to start thinking about a 1st birthday party for my baby girl. This year is going at lightning speed. She is a blast at this age. She is a great crawler as she has been doing this for a couple of months now. She cruises on furniture and walls and will walk and push anything she can get her hands on that slides (and by that I mean cereal boxes and even books.) She loves to feed herself and will eat pretty much anything. She's drinking from a sippy cup by herself. She'll give you a high five and clap her hands to "If you're happy and you know it." She is quick to let you know she does not agree with what you are asking her to do or in her brother's case taking a toy from her by letting out an ear piercing scream. Sometimes those screams are just for fun. Either way, I'm sure the neighbors think I'm killing her. She loves loves loves her brother and wants to do what he does. They have fun diving on his double bed into the pillows and stuffed animals together and he rocks at playing peek-a-boo with her. He can get her laughing harder than anybody. She actually is liking to draw and has taken to Hayden's etch-a-sketch and sidewalk chalk, though you may notice a chalky residue around her mouth in these pictures. She sticks EVERYTHING into her mouth. I can't take my eyes off of her for a minute. She listens though when I tell her not to. She still knows how to lay her head on your shoulder and cock it to the side to melt you. She is a master at throwing fits (thank you big brother for your demonstrations). She often points to things with her pointer finger and says "this." I would say it is a coincidence but she does it all the time, so we tell her the name of objects. She dances to music and loves to reach her little hand up and press the keys on the piano. She is bursting with personality and you can't help but love her to pieces. She still has deliciously chubby cheeks and legs even though she is low on the weight scale (high on height). Guess I serve highly nutritive skim milk here. She's looking more and more like her brother. Anyway, I can't wait to see what she does in the next month. The girl amazes me all the time! Below are some sweet pictures of them playing together that shows a little of their sweet little relationship.

3!0!

2011-07-14T09:34:00.000-07:00

I had a great 30th birthday! So admittedly there was more in the build up of it than the actual day proved to be (as I was dreading this change of decade), but it did get me goal setting for the next decade. There is much you can accomplish in a decade or not so I decided to pen my own personal goals. They are the following:

1. Make bookshelves for my house from scratch
2. Read enough books to fill them
3. Memorize one book of the Bible
4. Travel to Europe (for the 3rd time)
5. Travel to a new continent (Australia or South America most likely)
6. Learn how to take more artistic pictures (through a class and practice of course)
7. Use them to decorate my walls
8. Maintain my health and physical fitness (specifically measured by by body weight at BMI)
9. Publish a book (most likely an food allergy cookbook unless I am inspired otherwise)
10. Learn to change the oil in my car

That is it for now, but I will add to it if I am just blowing through the list :).

As for the celebrations, Derrick treated me to my favorite Einsteins Bros. bagel for breakfast, followed by an hour long Swedish massage while he watched the kids. He booked a babysitter and took me out for dinner to a lovely restaurant and even arranged for them to bring out a plate of chocolate truffles with a candle to blow out. It was a great and relaxing day. The next day we celebrated with many friends, though I wish there could have been more family there, I am so blessed to have so many to celebrate with me here. It was a fun little pool party with food and family fun.

Lazy Days of Summer & The Fourth

2011-07-05T05:47:00.001-07:00

We had a happy 4th of July over at a friends house for a cookout! Here are Daddy and baby girl rocking her patriotic ensembles. The whole fam did but I'm always the one behind the camera so if I get myself in there it is generally not a flattering picture or it is done by a professional photographer. So no family photo unfortunately. That and Hayden saw the baby pool and doused himself with water 5 minutes after we arrived. So Hayden had a blast with the other kids that were there including his going on 8 year old buddy.

Here we are taking rides in the Radio flyer wagon in the back yard. Little missy got quite upset when we stopped pulling it and took her out. Pure fit! Amazing coming from a little 8 month old. But watching their daddy pull them around, I told him, I wish I could bottle this memory and get in out later in life. It was just a simple summer evening as a family. I love it. To me its almost too good to be true on days like these I can't but help go to sleep at night a very grateful woman.

8 Whole Months...

2011-06-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that my baby girl is 8 months today. I both feel like that can't be possible because 8 months couldn't have possibly passed and that I can't hardly remember what it was like to not have her in our lives. She is a multi-faceted personality. She is both sweet and gentle but has a sassy little side too. She goes with the flow for most things but will let you know when there is something that she doesn't like (like getting her face wiped.) She is crawling and started that one day shy of 7 months, pulling herself to standing like a pro, feeding herself cheerios, puff, crackers and soft diced fruit. Her first two bottom teeth came in at 7 1/2 months and she handled it like a champ. She has great fine motor skills. She has attempted some free walking, though she's not quite there yet. She is desperate to keep up with her brother and crawling just isn't cutting it. She's a whopping 16 lbs, and she so little trying do all of this that she surprises me everyday. She still does her adorable little head cock to the side and loves looking at her reflection. She has no interest in baby toys and likes to drive the dump truck, fire truck and hot wheels because that is what Hayden is playing with. I think she is growing up faster than I am ready to let her grow up. But she makes me so proud to be her mama everyday.

When it (t)rains it pours

2011-06-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

Haha. Yes we are train addicts here lately. But when you have the opportunity, you have to take it. We were bestowed upon by our friends whom one of them works at BNSF a family night train ride and so last night we boarded up a nice passenger car and rode for about 2 hours. Hayden gorged himself on snacks given out such as Goldfish and fruit roll-ups so by the end of the 2 hours confining him to a seat was a little challenging. Clare, of course, fell asleep halfway through, giving me an excuse to hold a warm cuddly little baby. It was a fun time and a unique experience for us. We traveled through some of the more distinct sights of Albuquerque like Route 66. However, most of the ride's scenery was what can only be described as the shanty towns of Albuquerque. I just live in a bubble. I could not, could not believe what I was seeing were peoples' homes. I was in such shock, I forgot to even take pictures. Some of these people actually had out-houses attached to their homes. Junk lining their yards. Houses crumbling. I don't know whether to be glad or sad that my kids didn't understand what they were seeing. Nonetheless, I went to bed last night with true gratitude in my heart for all that has been given to me. I'm glad I get to do a little through some volunteer work to help those in need. However, I came face-to-face with how big the gap is between the need and its being filled.

Route 66

Adventures in the Heartland and Clare's First Visit to Kansas

2011-06-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

Day one, we boarded the plane with two kids, 5 carry-ons, and checked 3 suitcases. I swear I used to think traveling was tiring, but it has now achieved a whole new level. We occupied 1/2 a row on the plane and both the kids did great. Especially Clare who did well for her first time, with no painful ear incidents. Hayden loved the turbulance, so while I smiled through my nausea, he was exclaiming "ooooh, bumpy" with glee. We made it there with one flight (thank God) and were received happily by my parents who drove up to pick us up. We stopped at my Grandma and Grandpa B's house to drop my parents off and visit with them for a bit. To Hayden's surprise they had given him a battery powered John Deere tractor and trailer and one for his cousin Colton too. Let me just tell you that I would have died and gone to heaven if I could have had one of those when I was a kid. Shoot, I'd take one now if I could fit into it. But, my two and a half year old loved it and was a blur in most pictures I took. He caught right on to driving it but was fascinated by the wheels and would watch those instead of the "road." Needless to say, its a good thing that Dad was chasing him around saving the day as needed. Clare also met for the first time her Aunt Katie, her Uncle Jeremy and Colton (who at this time could have cared less since he is 2.) It was an exhausting but fun-filled day. And I'm so glad we got to see so many in one day!

Clare's first plane ride

Daddy on the plane with Hayden. One of the many highlights of Hayden's day.

A big welcome

Aunt Katie meeting Clare for the first time

A natural on our new battery powered John Deere

Hayden and his cousin, Colton

Grandpa with his pile of great grand-kids. Happy man. A happy man.

Great-Grandpa getting his hands on baby Clare. He could hardly stand the wait.

On Sunday, the first full day we were in Kansas we stayed with Grandma B we got to enjoy the company of both of the kids aunts, Michelle and Rachael, as well as some other extended family who came in for dinner. We broke in Grandma's new pool for its second summer and this was the first time Clare had donned her rocking new bikini. Ok, now I said I would never buy a bikini for my baby, however, it occurred to me that this could be practical in the case of an emergency diaper change. I still do not like what it stands for. But you have to admit, she's pretty cute in it. Hayden loved playing in the water but still loves the security of the floaty. We had a really nice time catching up with everyone.

Prepped and ready for the pool...sunglasses, check, sun hat, check, coverups, check, towel, check

Rocking his tanlessness in his swim trunks.

Hayden gets the whole idea of lounging.

Don't be mad at me Michelle. I thought you looked awesome in this picture. Great shoulders and arms!!!

Hanging with Daddy post-swim

Aunts Michelle and Rachael

On Memorial Day we just bummed around and slipped in a visit to Grandma B's old house. Derrick and his sister Michelle helped out by mowing the expansive yard and the kids played around outside. I wanted to take Clare there just once so I could say she had been to the place where Grandma and Grandpa lived and where Daddy had once lived too.

A family photo at the same spot that Derrick and I stood and took a picture when we were just dating.

Hayden at Grandma B's old house

Riding the big bad grasshopper lawnmower with Daddy

So much green!

On Tuesday we visited Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa B for the day. We got to see a couple of Derrick's cousins and Hayden took a quick liking to Jack, Derrick's cousin's son. It was restful. Their house is always like its own little world. Its peaceful and you feel cared for and its just a happy place to be. This was Clare's first visit there and first time meeting her great-grandparents. She came out of her shell after a little nap.

Playing on the living room floor together

Walking through Great-Grandma B's flower garden

Taking in the scenery with Grandpa

Having dinner at Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa's house

On Wednesday, we bummed around Grandma and Grandpa K's house. We had two visitors, the the kid's Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa K. This was the first time that they had met Clare and almost a year since they had last seen Hayden. We got to listen to a few thunderstorms that day which is a rarity for us these days.

On Thursday, we got to try out the Kansas Children's Discovery Museum. It was its opening week and Hayden and Clare really got to enjoy it. They had a crawling area for babies and appropriate toys for her which she loved. For Hayden he loved to paint. I had no idea how much. There is such a creative side to him. Grandma and Grandpa K really got to play with both the kids as did Derrick who misses out on on weekday fun a lot. It was a lot of fun for both big and small. Where was this when I was a kid????

A manly man with his hard hat on

Ahh! A nurturing side to my boy. No I did not encourage nor set this up. He even got the doll to put in it himself.

A climbing fool

Who is that cute little girl? I think I'll give her a kiss.

Trying to paint Grandpa's face. Aren't you glad there is glass between you and Hayden?

On Friday we went to A Day Out with Thomas. For those of you who may not be familiar with him, Thomas the Tank Engine is very popular with the little boys. We actually rode a train pulled by the Number 1 blue engine. It was very Special, Special. Sorry, a lot of Thomas lingo in there. We went there with Grandma and Grandpa K, Aunt Katie, Uncle Jeremy, and cousin Colton who shares the interest with Hayden. Hayden loved loved loved his first train ride and that it was on Thomas himself. He loved the petting zoo, getting a Thomas character temporary tattoo, playing with all of the Thomas train sets that they had out for kids to play with, jumping inside the bouncy, and getting to experience the fire truck up close and personal. It was smoking hot for early June, be we powered (and sweated) through it and overall had a blast. It was a great end to our trip. Clare, well, she fell asleep part way through. When she is a little older we will find something like this that she enjoys a little more.

All Aboard!!!

Clare at 7 months...and she's on the move

2011-05-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

Our sweet baby Clare is 7 months today and creeping quickly toward that one year mark. I can't hardly believe it though I say that every month. She has grown more opinionated through the passing months. She is impatient especially when it comes to food. I can say with certainty at this point she loves Cheerios the most and the independence of feeding herself. She doesn't like to wait for someone else to do it. She cocks her head sweetly to the side when she is being silly. She is the noisiest in the morning and right after her bath before bed. She loves to scream, not out of anger, but just to feel and hear herself scream. Shes saying a lot of syllables like dadada, bababa, and mamama and occasionally something that sounds like a sentence that makes no sense at all. She's experimenting with language nonetheless. She loves loves loves her boys (that would be Daddy and Hayden.) She squeals in delight when she sees them or even hears their voices coming her way. And one day shy of 7 months she really got going on that crawling. She had been trying to and landing a crawl step occasionally for about the last week and a half. And yesterday she finally got the motion right. I would try and help her with the coordination of it much like I did with Hayden who would let me, but she would have none of that. She likes to do it herself. She follows Hayden as fast as she can now wherever he goes and wants to play with what he is playing with. Its a new experience for him too. That whole sharing thing with a sibling no less. It will be interesting trying to childproof with a toddler who is a whirling dervish of hazards for a newly crawling baby who is still very oral. I'm going to have my work cut out for me keeping a very close eye on both of them. I'm convinced she will be walking for a year because she will want to keep up with Hayden when he is outside no doubt. I at this point have to keep a tight hold on her as she tries to wiggle out of my arms at a park or somewhere he is running around. She is still our happy little girl and always a breath of fresh air. Seven months later we are so blessed to still call Clare ours.

A Big Boy and A Mobile Girl

2011-05-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

So, here is baby girl Clare. She is mostly a happy little girl. She is now crawling a bit but is creative in how she gets around by rolling like a Team 6 Navy Seal, army crawling, face dives forward and now the ever classic crawl intermingled in there. If you turn your back on her, you will most likely find her under a piece of furniture.

Exhibit A: We have a thing for tables and sometimes brother Hayden even joins in the fun (though often forgets there is a table above him and hits his head.)

Exhibit B: We don't always like the positions we get ourselves into. (Yes, I know she is crying in this picture. But it was too humorous to pass up and I promptly saved her after it was taken.)

Hayden is going to preschool two days a week in the fall (small tear forming in the corner of my eye.) He's such a big boy and is so excited about going. I thought I would beat the rush on mini-backpacks and get him one for his carry-on for traveling this summer. When he has it on, he looks like such a boy. Lord knows he thinks he is all the time anyway. When I give him a kiss on the cheek he wipes it off and says "NO! Hayden big boy!" I tell him that even big boys can get kisses on the cheek from their mommies.

Hayden with a baseball in hand. Currently his favorite sport. He's contemplating life in this picture.

Hayden's version of a smile when I told him to look at the camera and smile. Well, we need to work on that one a little.

Take Me Out to a Ballgame

2011-05-03T05:59:00.000-07:00

Last night we took our kids to their first baseball game. Our friends Kelli and Daniel were nice enough to share with us some tickets they had received through Daniel's work. It was a bit chilly for May 2nd (considering we'd seen snow that morning) but we decided to fare it anyway. It worked out because there was hardly anyone there so we got the no lines at concessions or bathrooms frill and didn't have worry about annoying people around us who weren't fans of the runaway toddler. For Hayden's part, he did really well. He even sat and really watched the game for an inning with his Daddy who was attempting to explain some of it to him. He got to hi-five the team mascot, Orbit. He couldn’t decide whether Orbit was a dog or a bear and really neither one of us can really tell either. And, whilst Hayden didn't get the full experience with the food, he did get some nacho cheese-less nachos. Our little Nacho Libre often asks for "chips." Chips is in quotations because he says it just like the character in the movie Nacho Libre. Rent it if you haven't seen it. Many quotable lines. Anyway, back to the original content of this entry. Overall we had a great time. In one of these pictures you will see Hayden snuggled up with Kelli. I think he was happiest at this point because, well, Kelli is his first crush. I kid you not. He asks for her all the time and cries for her when she leaves. He even woke up last night crying for her. That’s awesome for a 4am wake-up call, your two year old son crying for another woman. When he found out she was married and met her husband Daniel for the first time, he said to me "Mommy, who dis guy?" Needless to say, he was a little disappointed that he had some competition for her affections. So I think that Kelli was probably the cherry on top of the whole baseball game extravaganza for him. So add another first for Hayden...and we'll repeat it for Clare because while she was trash talking the other team with her babbles, I just don’t think she have even the tiniest recollection of this event.

Happy Easter with Jesus (and a Famous Bunny too!)

2011-04-25T16:35:00.000-07:00

Easter 2011 was a blast as Hayden is old enough to understand some of the cultural traditions like Easter egg hunts and the Easter Bunny. He is also starting to understand Jesus and who he is to us as His followers. As Hayden would say when giving a fist bump (or knuckles) to someone else, "Knuckles for Jesus" [too]. We enjoyed church followed by brunch out. We then came home to find the Easter Bunny had been here and enjoyed an Easter egg hunt. We shared our Easter dinner with a nice young couple relatively new to town. Later in the afternoon we made Jello jigglers in the shape of bunnies and eggs. We have to be creative since we're working with some allergies. No dyeing eggs for us or making festive cookies or chocolates. Its better for Mommy anyway, easier on the waistline. The evening was a relaxing time, just enjoying each others company and catching up with family from far away thanks to Skype.

The whole family complete with Sadie before church

Before church with the Easter baskets with our Easter Bunny treat behind the kids.

Seeing and enjoying what the Easter Bunny left inside the house and that our lettuce and carrots were gone after church.

After the Easter Egg hunt with the videographer for Easter 2011

Making bunny and egg Jello jigglers (or jig-a-ders if you ask Hayden) and trying them. They were a hit.

Clare's version of kissing Mommy which was a little wet.

Zoo Shenanigans

2011-04-16T14:19:00.001-07:00

So we love the zoo. We have a membership and we often go for a couple hours at a time, enjoy what animals we want to see and then have a picnic lunch. This time of year is one of the best. The mornings aren't too cool and by lunch it is perfect outside. We had two great outings this week. I went with the kids once this week and for Family Day Fridays on Daddy's day off, we all went again by request of Hayden. The animals were particularly active and we got to listen and see the lion roaring and the seals interacting by swimming up to us. We watched tigers playing in the water and the baby elephant and its mama eating grass a mere 5 feet away from us. Hayden loves animals and is a sponge wanting to learn more about them. We often start in the stroller but his seats gets taken over rather quickly by discarded jackets and purses.

6 months, half a year, oh my where does it go?

2011-04-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

Our little baby girl is just growing up so quickly and I can't hardly believe it. She sits on her own and has for several weeks now. She is finding her voice and likes to scream. Not just out of frustration and discontent, though occasionally she throws a little fit, but just because she likes how it feels. These are ear-drum busting screams to which Hayden promptly says to her "no screaming baby Clare". It just amazes us that these noises come out of her because she has been quiet and docile since she was born. She also enjoys blowing bubbles immensely which is not so fun when you are wearing white and she is eating peas or butternut squash. She is eating solid food but really wants what everyone else is eating. She will often grab off your plate, or more brazenly, out of your hand something which you are eating and try and shove it in her mouth. (Just today, some birthday cake that her daddy had in his hand...that was some nice blue frosting to clean off of her hand). I caved and gave her a cracker the other day which she promptly gobbled down. I would NEVER have done that with Hayden. It's funny, but the second one actually grows up faster than the first one because they are always chasing the first one. She really wants to walk and gets mad at us when we try to help her crawl. She still clings to us like a little monkey and does the cutest little things like laying her head on your shoulder when you carry her. We all just enjoy her so much and look forward to seeing what she does in the next month.

Derrick's Very Own Mini-Me

2011-04-02T14:31:00.001-07:00

I believe the pictures speak for themselves.

Official Family Day

2011-04-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

With our house remodel, we had left behind doing fun things together as just a family. They had to be wedged in between work and work around the house which seemed to be a never-ending task. So, Derrick has every other Friday off from work and I am officially calling it Family Day on that day. Our first day was at the Botanical Gardens. It gives us some green therapy to go there and Hayden loves the model trains and farm animals. Clare is wanting to take in the surroundings of wherever we are at so she got to ride shotgun for the first time in our front and back double stroller. We even packed a picnic lunch and share that together before heading home for naps all around. Yeah for naps!

Mommy Photo Session

2011-04-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

I try to be consistent with taking pictures. I make the effort to always carry my camera in my now jumbo sized purse which doubles as a diaper bag. However, I get on kick occasionally, especially when my children are acting rather docile and looking especially adorable. I have to pick up the camera and begin a Mommy photo session. Hayden now runs at the sound of the camera turning on however, after taking cues from our professional photographer, who plays with Hayden while she takes the pictures, I was able to capture some of him that weren't a sour face or produced a blur in the image. This day wasn't particularly extraordinary, just a normal play-at-home after a nap sort of a day. But I hope my memory holds what these days were long many years from now

Then, I attempted to get myself in the shot (as I take more pictures than I am actually in.) That was a great cuddle.

Grandparent Parade

2011-03-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

We are so blessed to have so many who love us and want to come and visit us and our kiddos. Just last week we were honored to have Grandma and Grandpa K (my parents) and our kiddos great-Grandma and great-Grandpa B (my grandparents) visit and at a separate time their Grandma B (Derrick's mom). It was a house-full for a few days but what is so special about that time is that they get to see the kids in their comfort zone. So it is a more real picture of who they are on an everyday basis. Our visitors get their best moods in the morning and sometimes their not so good moods too. But they just don't miss a minute of it because of transit time. I am especially touched by the great-grandparents making a 13 hour drive down here to meet baby Clare for the first time. It was very special and I will never forget it. I am also so grateful for the effort all of our family has made to be a part of our kids lives as traveling is not the easiest right now with two very small children.

5 Months!

2011-03-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe we are sneaking up on a half of a year having our little Clare. She is such a joy to be around that it is flying by. Every night, though exhausted, when they go to bed, it makes me a little sad that I never get that day ever again. And that the next morning they are just a little bit different. Clare has accomplished sitting on her own at 5 1/2 months. She's loving having a new view. She rolls around and can often be found in crazy positions in her crib. She is pushing up on all fours occasionally and hates being left behind by everyone. So maybe she has a fire lit under her to learn to crawl. She's very grabby and will try and snatch anything anywhere close (including a chocolate frosted donut she grabbed right off of my plate one morning...apparently she possesses my sweet tooth.) She is laughing more and more and still enchants most she meets with her beaming smile. She is such a great baby girl and I am so privileged to have her as my daughter.

Mmmm...Rice Cereal

2011-02-25T14:29:00.001-08:00

Miss Clare has begun her journey in joining the rest of us at the dinner table each night...
As you will see from the pictures she didn't know what the fuss was about when it came to food after she gave the rice cereal a go. Now, that cheeseburger Mom had on her plate that we had to pry out of her hand, that's where she wanted to begin.

Clare is Dedicated to the Lord

2011-02-17T14:56:00.001-08:00

Our little Clare was dedicated on February 6th at our church with other new babies and children. We desire to raise her up to be a devoted servant to Christ and live in His will for her all the days of her life. Thanks to you for your prayers in this desire of our family's heart.

Clare after dedication

4 Months!

2011-02-17T14:38:00.001-08:00

Clare is just a great little baby girl. She rises a little earlier than we’d like most days, but at least she does it with great joy. You can’t hardly even be mad when you walk in as she starts kicking her little legs and smiling when she sees you. At 4 months she can roll over now both ways, from belly to back and back to belly. She’s doing baby sit ups constantly (I could use to do a few of those) to get stronger and can almost sit unattended. Her legs are strong and she loves to stand holding nothing but your fingers for 10 or more minutes at a time. I can’t keep things out of her mouth so we have to monitor her brother’s sharing spirit when it comes to toys. I tell her everyday that I love her joyful heart and her joy is from the Lord. Her scripture verse is “Be joyful always” 1 Thessalonians 5:16. It is a beautiful and direct command from the Lord and I already am taught by her because she embraces that command and obeys it fully. I am so blessed by her.

Studio pictures we had taken of Clare at 4 months

Clare at 3 months

2011-02-17T14:28:00.001-08:00

Bless her little heart. I can only hope she'll forgive me for always being so behind on everything. I will get to it though, even if it takes me longer. Clare is such a joy. She has so much to say...when brother is sleeping. At 3 months she starting cooing to you as if in conversation. She really get into it in the morning while Hayden is sleeping and doesn't quite understand why I'm trying to teach her volume control. She is happy but also a little feisty. At 3 months she is grabbing objects with her hand and working to get them to her mouth. We all love her so much. She just melts you when you meet her.

January and February

2011-02-17T13:32:00.000-08:00

Well, I know it’s no shock and surprise that it has taken me this long to blog. Forgive me. I'm not good at keeping up on everything. I think I need to commit to one thing or another instead of dabbling in mediocrity with everything. My house is kind of clean, my laundry always almost done, I somewhat have a blog. I sometimes really do wish there were two of me. But mostly my two beautiful children are how I spend most of my time. I figure, everything will be pristine again someday and my blog will be up to date. Then I will just have to make sure I have something to blog. They make my life exciting.
To catch up, we have had many things happen in the span of a month and a half. Our little Clare has up and turned 4 months on us but I will keep her to a separate entry. We had a week of "no school" (or work rather for Derrick) due to inclement weather. It was a lovely time...until our pipes froze and burst, flooding our garage and a few spots in the house. Derrick is a very handy man and was able to get our pipes in working condition but it looks like our remodel has now extended itself to the garage. We're still in the process of dealing with that. However up until then, we were feeling blessed to have heat which much of New Mexico did not have due to natural gas shortages.
We began to look for a preschool for Hayden in the fall and are pretty sure we've settled on one. He'll go in the mornings. He's just so bright and he amazes me every day at what he knows. It's so precious to hear him singing (even when he's supposed to be sleeping) the ABC song over the monitor. He actually has it down. His language development is exploding. He's speaking in actual sentences and can recall exciting and scary parts of his day. He still loves to read and has a new love for puzzles. He was supposed to be starting gymnastics and soccer for toddlers (just to burn off energy and start to learn to follow instructions from other people than Mom and Dad...don't worry, I don't have visions of an Olympian) HOWEVER, he fractured his collar bone. We don't know when or how. He gets hurt ALL the time and cries and because we couldn't see evidence of it until what we believe was a week later we just visited the doctor. Poor guy, we couldn't figure out what he was complaining about when we would pick him up. There is nothing we can do but let it heal for the next 4 weeks. So our physical activities will have to be postponed for now. We'll start swimming lessons in the summer. One of these days, surely I'll be able to wear him out...he certainly wears me out. We have been blessed by having minimal illness this year however. For that I am grateful. Now onto some pictures.

Already playing together

The beloved dump "guck" or dumptruck

My smiley girl

Pulling Woof-woof (his beloved stuffed dog) around in his gon-gon (or wagon)

Happy girl on her play mat

Watching the snow fall

Clare in her exersaucer

My handsome little fella bundled up outside for some playtime

Snow still falling

Getting to work on the snow with his dump truck and shovel

Hayden Turns the Big 2

2011-01-02T20:01:00.000-08:00

Well my oldest is officially a two year old. I can't hardly believe it. It really has gone fast. Every year goes faster. While I don't post every picture I take, I'm so glad that I take so many. Its amazing to see the difference in my kids throughout one year. He amazes me more all the time. His language development is amazing. He is making sentences using 3 or more words now and knows his colors and basic shapes. He is counting and knows his family members even from far away. He loves to jump from the stairs, play with Sadie, and loves anything that is remotely related to a car. He loves to read still and looks forward to playdates with his friends. He is passionate and stubborn and independent but has a sweet and gentle side with his mom and sister. He is his own little person and everyday he makes me so proud. We had a party to celebrate and his friends and their parents and his Grandma Vickie and Grandpa John were able to come. He had a blast and even enjoyed a piece of cake this year. It was dairy, egg, and peanut free and actually tasted pretty good if you ask me. If you want the recipe let me know... And now, to the pictures.

Opening his birthday gifts in the morning

The Lightning McQueen cake from cars

Mama with her 2 year old little boy!

A Quiet Little Christmas

2010-12-26T20:08:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas (as I post this 1 day after)! Our Christmas was quiet as we celebrated in our new home this year. Traveling with an almost 2 year old and a newborn was not a sane act this year and though we missed the hubbub of family celebrations, we got to connect with some over phone and Skype throughout the day. Christmas Eve, we celebrated in the morning at a brunch over at our friend’s house. We then went to Christmas Eve service at our church. Christmas celebrations started out rather rocky due to Hayden boycotting a nap that day which led to total breakdown later and Clare exploding in her cute outfit about 2 minutes into Christmas Eve service began. However, we made it through all the plan evening festivities and praise God for his wonderful reminder as we settled in after kids went to bed, he blessedly put on “It’s a Wonderful Life” to remind us to look at all the blessings among the messiness in everyday life. Christmas Day consisted of a nice breakfast followed by opening gifts. Though Hayden was distracted completely by the second gift and checked out after that. I shouldn’t have wasted the wrapping paper I realize now, though it does look pretty under the tree. He has so enjoyed his gifts, in fact, that removing him from play the last two days have proved challenging. We found the need to get out and enjoy the 50-something degree day that was going on outside and found our way to a park after naps (all around). Then shared in Christmas dinner together! I am grateful for the wonderful family I have and though I have received beautiful gifts this year, I can sincerely say that I am the most blessed by the gifts of my husband, children, family and friends that are in my life and care deeply for me. God bless the rest of your year!

Christmas Eve before Service

Christmas Morning in our pj's

The prized possession...Mack from Cars!

Mama showing off her rocking new purple slippers! Thanks Daddy!

Later in the day at the park, a happy Clare in the stroller.

Hayden playing on the playground equipment

Daddy and Hayden having a race on the slides

Sadie joining in the fun

Happy 30th!

2010-12-26T19:44:00.001-08:00

Derrick is officially a grown up. Isn’t 30 when that happens? If so, I’ve still got 6 months to live a wild and crazy life of someone in their 20’s. Oh wait, we have 2 kids, a dog, an SUV and a mortgage. We may have graduated to that before we hit 30 anyway. But we celebrated it well here anyway for him. His family flew in to surprise him and many friends joined him to celebrate this big occasion. I hosted this surprise birthday party for him at our new abode, with the help of many. We wish that all of our friends far and near could have come and it makes us grateful that wherever we go, God has provided us with the friendships that we have needed and enjoyed. And God has given us friends who sincerely care to "Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn" (Romans 12:15) as we go through our lives together.

Clare's Second Month

2010-12-26T19:25:00.000-08:00

Forgive me, for I am a little behind. Rather, Clare forgive me. I am trying to keep up with everything for my blessed second child as I did with my first and am constantly gasping for air. So tonight after baths, I have abandoned the leftover steamed carrots on the stove to complete this, alas, almost 1 month late. However, I am doing it so the pictures will be slightly dated as these little sprites grow at amazing speeds. At Clare's 2 month appointment, she weighed in at 11 pounds 1 ounce having grown 1 ounce short of 4 pounds since her birth. Amazing! The girl, admittedly, is like her mama and doesn't turn away a good meal. So growing this one is EASY. In case you missed it, my little bean pole of a boy doesn't much care for dining (unless I spoil him with the occasional Happy Meal) and would much rather starve to death as he plays. But back to the littlest munchkin. She is a happy, happy, happy little girl. I can't get enough of her smiles and they just make my heart burst. She coos and does her version of talking. She is very vocal. She is strong and can roll with the best of them. She loves watching big brother play. Mostly, she is very social and wants to be a part of everything that everyone else is doing. We love her so much, all of us, even Sadie who tries to get the occasional lick off on her. Anyway, to the pictures now!

A Visit to Santa Claus

2010-12-12T13:01:00.000-08:00

So despite my fear of older men who dress up in costume to put small children in their laps and it being the heart of cold and flu season, I felt is was better judgment to not pass on my fears and cynicism to my kiddos and to avoid the question later in life of "why didn't we ever go see Santa Claus." It went really very well given we had to wait in a 45 minute line on a Friday morning to do it. It cracks me up that you can now buy USB drives which give you the rights to print and publish your pictures as you please. Back in my day not so long ago, or at least what I deem as not so long ago, it was strictly a photo sheet situation which you picked up at a later date and time. Here you have the immediate gratification of not only seeing the picture but walking away with it in your hand. Amazing. Even Santa visits have evolved.
Anyway here is Hayden at almost 2 years old (23 months) and Clare at 2 months and 1 day.

Oh an by the way, Hayden knows who Santa Claus is now and everytime we see one he calls him Santa Claus. I just hope he doesn't think Santa always wears gym socks and a groovy 70's button up under his outfit.