WILLIAMSON WRAP-UP

Some Things Never Change

2009-07-13T14:58:00.002-06:00

The top picture is Camdyn when we went camping in California when she was 12 months old. The bottom picture is our current camping trip of Camdyn. Some Things Never Change!

Colorado Trip - Part 2

2009-07-13T14:43:00.003-06:00

The second part of our trip, we met up with Craig's brother and his family up on the Mesa about an hour away from Grand Junction, CO. We camped in tents for three nights. During the day the temperatures were in the 70's and at night it got into the 40's. It was great camping weather. Nothing like Oklahoma. The first night we hung out at our camp site and went canoeing on the lake. The next day we drove around the Mesa looking at lakes and the scenery. It was beautiful! So many lakes. We found a random lake and canoed it for awhile. We drove to another lake (Eggleston) and took a hike. And then we went to another lake (Island Lake) and canoed around it. The second full day, we went to a fish hatchery and then drove up to the Black Canyon. Although it was beautiful, I almost had a heart attack because there wasn't a good fence. On the way back we stopped by a river to let the kids play in the water. Nothing like sitting back and relaxing with no worries, enjoying the nature God made and watching your kids get filthy.

Colorado Trip - Part 1

2009-07-13T12:08:00.004-06:00

We left on July 3rd for our summer vacation. We drove to Nebraska to spend the weekend with my parents. The town firework show was to be on July 3rd. Because of thunderstorms they postponed the show until the 5th, so for the 2nd year in a row we missed the show. We did get to do our own and watched the other neighbors do their. On Sunday we drove the eleven hours out to Delta, Colorado. About 1 1/2 hours away(about 10 p.m.) our car started making a weird sound. For the rest of the way we drove about 45 m.p.h. The next day Craig spent half the day trying to fix it. We did get to see some beautiful parts of Western Colorado. We went to Ouray, where we went on a small hike, with seven children five and under. We hiked up to the "baby bathtubs" and got to play in the stream for awhile. The water was freezing, but the kids didn't care. After our hike we went to the hot springs and did a little swimming. We had a great time in Delta and sad it will be our last time to go out there, but are excited that my sister is moving to Edmond!

Camdyn's 5th Birthday Party

2009-07-01T14:36:00.003-06:00

This year Camdyn had a Princess Tea Party for her 5th Birthday. Everyone came dressed as a princess and when they arrived they got make-up on, nails painted, tiarras and earrings on. Each girl got to decorate a crown and a bag. We played a game where each princess took off their shoe and I hid them. Then they went to find the shoe that matched. It wasn't much of a tea party, but the girls had fun!

San Antonio '09

2009-06-07T15:27:00.002-06:00

This year I decided that I along with all three kids would tag along with Craig to San Antonio. He went down there for work, so we made a little vacation out of it. On the trip down we stayed with some friends in the Dallas area, who just recently moved down there. It was a great stopping point for our long trip. Glad the Tindles were up for some company, with a newborn and a new home. Thanks! The next day we left early enough to make it to Sea World for a couple of hours. We saw the Viva show (dolphins) and the Believe show (Shamu) the first day. The next three days I was stuck in the hotel room with all three kids by myself, no vehicle. It was actually a one-bedroom suite, so it wasn't entirely crowded. Every night after Craig got off work, we went to the hotel pool and swam. The kids got good at doing tricks. Friday after Craig got off work, we went back to SeaWorld and rode some rides and tried to see the Sea Lion show, but it started raining and cancelled the show along with the rides. We left for the day and went back on Saturday. We saw the 4-D pirate show (which the kids disliked very much) and the Viva show again. Camdyn and Carter rode their first roller coaster and both loved it. We then went to the water park and spent several hours there. After a long day at Sea World we drove to Austin where we stayed with some family friends who had also invited some college friends over. We had a good visit with the Ellis's and Heijls! On the last stretch home we stopped by the Bedicheks in the Fort Worth area and visited with them for a couple of hours. The kids played together really well. It was a good trip! Thanks to everyone who let us take a break at your house.

More Random Pics

2009-06-07T14:54:00.001-06:00

Collin's 1st Birthday!

2009-06-07T14:40:00.002-06:00

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated Collin's 1st Birthday! Laura's parents came down and we celebrated Collin's and Laura's Dads birthdays, although Collin got all the presents. Sorry Roger. Collin enjoyed the cake a lot more than either of his siblings, but didn't care for the presents.

Pics

2009-06-07T14:30:00.001-06:00

Picture update

2009-03-31T21:14:00.001-06:00

December

2009-01-02T14:38:00.002-06:00

Here are a few pics from December including Craig's graduation, playing in the snow in Nebraska and other random pics.

New Look

2008-11-09T21:37:00.005-06:00

I know what some of you are going to say! He is only 5 months old. He is only a baby. But it was time. Yes, for Collin's 1st haircut! His hair was super long and out of control. Craig has been saying for awhile that he needed one, and today I agreed. Craig gave it to him and did a good job. Collin sat there watching Camdyn and Carter like nothing was going on. Now he looks like a little man!

Little Dishwasher

2008-11-09T21:32:00.005-06:00

Today after lunch as Camdyn was putting her plate in the sink, she decided that she was going to wash her plate. She washed her plate and then said if we bring her our plates she will wash them. So before I knew it, Camdyn had washed all of our plates from lunch. When should I start paying her allowance?

1st Run Together

2008-11-09T21:16:00.004-06:00

Lately I have been trying to get back into running. Everytime I go for a run, Camdyn says that one day she can run with me. I am all for that. She loves to run, play chase, etc. We have spent lots of time running around the house; she is a pretty fast little girl. Today as I was getting ready for my run, Camdyn said that she wanted to go for a run with me. I said sure, go get your running clothes on. She got on her running clothes, socks, shoes and was ready to go. We walked to our starting point and started running. She started running and within 30 seconds she was done and wanted to turn around and go home. Although a little disappointed, I said alright and we turned around. On the way home she got distracted by some pretty red leaves that had fallen. We spent longer picking leaves off the ground than running. As we were talking on the way home, Camdyn said "I didn't run for very long." I told her that is alright, we can try again another time. Her response to that was "Yeah, when I am 13 I can try again." Secretly inside I am thinking by the time she is 13 she is going to be setting records. No pressure on her part, whatever extracurricular activities she wants to participate in, Iwill support her!

Collin Sitting

2008-11-04T20:16:00.002-06:00

So Collin hasn't perfected sitting yet, but it takes a lot of talent to sit and laugh at the same time.

Collin - 5 months

2008-11-03T21:57:00.002-06:00

Collin is now 5 months old! He continues to be a fun, laughing boy! He loves to hear his sister sing. If you want to really hear him laugh, watch Camdyn sing to him. It is so cute. We fed him some cereal for the 1st time a couple of weeks ago. He did alright, but it took him a couple of times before he got the hang of it. He has also tried sweet potatoes and loves them. He is almost sitting up. He can sit for close to a minute before falling. Collin is now about 18 pounds, right where Camdyn and Carter were at this time. Enjoy the pics!

Bridge

2008-11-03T21:34:00.003-06:00

The past few weeks, Craig has been making trails through the woods. He spotted a place that needed a bridge, so a couple of weeks ago we decided to make it a family project. Using some logs from some trees we cut and some scrap lumber, we built the bridge. It may sound like a daunting task, but it only took a couple of hours to build. The kids did a great job helping. Camdyn was by Craig's side the entire time. Carter got a little side tracked after awhile, but did a great job helping. The kids love to go through all five trails; they all have names including the Hobby Lobby Trail. (named by Camdyn) Next time you feel like a hike, come on out and bring your hiking shoes!

Halloween

2008-11-03T21:25:00.002-06:00

Here are a few pics of the kids at halloween. This year Camdyn was a monkey (the same monkey that she was last year), Carter was a dragon and Collin was a turtle.

One tired boy

2008-10-20T20:41:00.002-06:00

This past weekend Scott and Heather Bedichek and their girls came up. They stopped by for a little while and the kids got to play. Carter and Avery played well together. The bottom photo is Carter asleep on the kitchen floor. During all the chaos, he found a quiet moment to take a snooze.

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-18T21:25:00.002-06:00

The other day we went to the pumpkin patch with Chrissey and her kiddos. We had a great time. Lots of fun things to do. The kids had a blast feeding goats, riding a pony, running around on big hay bails and going on a hayride.

Camdyn & Collin

2008-10-13T20:38:00.002-06:00

Camdyn is usually good with Collin. She definitely knows how to make him laugh. He loves to be sung to. His eyes just light up. Sorry for the side view. I didn't want to distract him.

Collin - 4 months

2008-10-08T14:09:00.002-06:00

Collin is now 4 months. He weighs close to 17 lbs. This month he has become so aware of his surroundings. He loves to laugh. His sister is good at making him laugh. He likes to have one finger in his mouth. Collin is still not rolling over and is really not close, but we are working on it.

Camdyn - 3 1/2 months

2008-09-24T13:51:00.001-06:00

Here is Camdyn at 3 1/2 months. What do you think now?

Carter and Collin

2008-09-23T09:23:00.001-06:00

The top picture is Collin a week before 4 months and the bottom picture is Carter a couple of days before 3 months. Any similarities?

Collin Laughing

2008-09-21T21:17:00.001-06:00

C - Off the wall

2008-09-21T20:27:00.004-06:00

Here are some pics of the wall that I built. I put some kids in one of the pics to give a size reference.

Stats:
650 Blocks at 85 lbs each
140 Cap blocks
72 cubic yards of backfill (that's 6 dumptruck loads)
165 feet long
1 hot summer

I'd like to give a special thanks to my build crew: My Dad, Alex, Laura and two very little helpers. Thanks guys.

Bubble Bath

2008-09-13T21:04:00.002-06:00

Today while playing in the rain, Camdyn and Carter decided to blow some bubbles. They loved playing in the rain and making bubbles.

Ready To Play

2008-09-13T21:00:00.002-06:00

I guess Carter is ready for Collin to play. I thought the top

pic is cute with Collin holding up one finger.

Collin - 3 months

2008-09-05T21:03:00.003-06:00

Collin is now 3 months! What a fun month it has been! He is such a happy and smiley baby. He is always ready to give a smile. He has definitely made the transition to three kids easier. He is a pretty predictable baby; awake 2 hours, asleep 1 hour and eating every 3 hours. After our trip in August, he began to sleep in his room. He has done great in his crib. Collin continues to chunk up weighing 15 lbs 10 oz. The pediatrician pointed out that Collin has a flat head on his left side. I noticed after she said it. As she was talking, I realized everytime he is sitting he is always looking to the left - in his car seat, in the kitchen, etc. Now we have moved him, so he is always looking to the right. If the problem doesn't correct itself, he will have to wear a helmet. Yikes!

Mini Vacation

2008-08-16T14:37:00.003-06:00

Last week we took a little vacation to visit family and friends. We left a week ago Friday to go to Kansas City, Missouri where we met my brother and his wife and their 6 month old, who we hadn't seen. My brother lives in St. Louis and we thought we would meet them there and go to a Kansas City Royals baseball game. My parents and my brother already had plans to go to the baseball game, so we decided to mee them there. The game was fun. The kids had fun and did well. After the ball game, they had a spectacular fireworks show. It was definitely worth staying for.

On Saturday we left Kansas City and went down to a small town in South Central Missouri (West Plains) to see some college friends. We stayed there for a couple of days. They have a 4 1/2 yr old girl and a 1 1/2 yr. old boy. Camdyn and Jayna played great together. On Tuesday we left West Plains and drove to Springfield to see my grandma. As you can see in one of the pictures, the kids crashed once we got to her house. We had a nice visit with her and some good cooking! On Wednesday we headed back home, where we are still trying to recover from lack of sleep.

Kiddos

2008-08-16T14:15:00.003-06:00

You would think after almost three months of new baby, that the newness would go away. Not so much. Almost every morning that is the first thing they ask for "Where is baby Collin?" Anytime Collin is on the floor or on the couch, they are right there in his face. He is one loved boy!

Wall - still in progress

2008-08-16T14:06:00.004-06:00

A couple of weeks ago Craig rented a tractor to help the wall building process go quicker. He made some good progress until he ran out of gravel and dirt. He had several good helpers. Camdyn and Carter helped part of the day as you can see in the pictures. Camdyn enjoyed riding in the tractor with Craig until he dumped dirt on both of them. Alex, my brother-in-law, came over and helped too. Thanks Alex! Hopefully one more day with the tractor and it will be mostly done.

Carter's hat

2008-08-16T14:00:00.003-06:00

Every time we go outside to play, Carter always finds his favorite hat to wear!

Craig's Project

2008-07-18T14:29:00.003-06:00

One of Craig's big projects is to build our retaining wall himself. He started at the beginning of the month, trying to to get a good start before his Dad came. He got the first couple of rows complete before his parents arrived. This week Craig and his dad completed another level, along with lots of shoveling gravel for back fill. Craig is now waiting for more stones to come, before he can continue. Thanks Bruce for all your help!

Collin's 1st Smile

2008-07-17T14:24:00.005-06:00

Collin was just over 5 weeks when he smiled for the 1st time. He had just woke up and I sat down with him. He looked right at me and gave me a big smile. It was so unexpected, I nearly cried. I love seeing his big smile everyday!

Collin - 1 month

2008-07-17T14:10:00.002-06:00

Here are some pictures of Collin during his 1st month of life. He is now almost 7 weeks. So he has changed a lot in the last couple of weeks. At one month he weighed 11 lbs. 11 oz. - chunky like his brother and sister. He has been a great baby for us. By the end of the 1st month he was sleeping 6 hours at night. Camdyn and Carter still can't get enough of him.

Camdyn's 4th Birthday

2008-07-17T13:56:00.002-06:00

We haven't been able to access our internet for the past 10 days. Here are some pictures of Camdyn's 4th Birthday! We had a backyard water party. For her cake, we dipped some ice cream bowls in white chocolate and decorated them with sprinkles. We stacked them and put candles on top. Camdyn had a great time! Her expression while we sang Happy Birthday was great! She didn't know what to think of all these people singing to her. Thanks to Kerri for some great pictures!

Fun Picture

2008-07-03T14:35:00.004-06:00

Cousin Hunter Visits

2008-06-19T14:00:00.002-06:00

Last weekend my sister and her family from Colorado came to visit us. They have a 2 1/2 yr. old and a 6 month old - Hunter and Briley. Camdyn and Carter had so much fun with them. All of the cousins were together except for my brother's baby, Chase, who is 4 months old.

Collin - 3 weeks

2008-06-19T13:46:00.002-06:00

Collin is now 3 weeks. In a way it seems like he has been around forever. He has been a great baby for the most part. The last couple of days he has been awake more, so he has been a little more fussy. Camdyn and Carter love him. Camdyn has done great. She has been a big help and enjoys holding him.

Father's Day

2008-06-19T13:39:00.004-06:00

This picture was taken on Father's Day. This is the best picture that we have taken with three or more of us in a picture. I don't think it is possible to get a good picture of all of us. We got Craig a shirt for Father's Day and shortly after he put it on Carter spilled coffee on it. Craig wasn't very happy. (that is not the shirt we got him)

Carter napping

2008-06-19T13:34:00.003-06:00

This is how I found Carter the other day after I put him down for a nap. His feet were under his dresser and his head was under his bed. Luckily, I went in his room shortly after he fell asleep.

The arrival of Collin Scott

2008-05-30T21:21:00.002-06:00

He is here!!

Collin Scott

8 lbs. 7oz.

19 inches

Born at 1:33am

April/May Pictures

2008-05-25T21:42:00.003-06:00

Here are some pictures from the last month or so. Baby update - we are inducing on June 2nd - if I make it that long. I probably will, but I am really hoping he will come before then. Craig finishes up his summer school class this Friday. It would be ideal if the baby waits till at least Friday, but that will make a long week for me. I am doing fine as long as I don't do anything. I am sleeping fine for the most part. There has been two or three nights where I lie awake for a couple of hours, not being able to sleep, which is unusual for me. Hopefully soon we will post pictures of the new one!

Big Boy Bed

2008-04-13T21:26:00.003-06:00

This past week we made the big transition (at nap time) from crib to bed. We were going to make the transition when we moved, but for some reason we didn't and it has worked well. He has done great, staying in his bed until he wakes up then he will come out of his room. In the next few weeks we will make the transition at night. I am excited to get him out of the crib.

Cute Pics!

2008-04-13T21:22:00.001-06:00

Spring Break, sprinkler system, Easter, etc.

2008-04-02T20:52:00.003-06:00

Over spring break, we decided to spend a night in Tulsa and let the kids swim and then the next day go to the Tulsa zoo. Camdyn loved the swimming. She swam from the time we got there (about 4:00) till 10:00 with the exception of dinner. The next morning she swam for about another 1 1/2 hours. Carter on the other hand liked to be in the water, but he was content sitting on the stairs. Occassionally he would go out for a quick swim, but would be happy when he returned to the stairs.

Craig has been busy doing outside work. He installed our front sprinkler system before we moved in and has been working on the back the last couple of weeks. Camdyn has been by his side as much as she can while he has worked on it. She loves being outside digging in the dirt.

The other group of pictures is of Easter and Quin's B-day party at the zoo.

Kid Pictures

2008-04-02T20:28:00.002-06:00

Now that the house is complete, I will post some pictures of the kiddos. These are some random pictures of them during the last month. Most of them are random pictures, although there are a few pictures of Carter's 2nd Birdthday!

Furnished House

2008-03-12T20:44:00.002-06:00

Here are some pics with furniture in the rooms. Most things are in their places. We still need to buy a dresser for Carter's room, therefore his room is a little empty. He is still sleeping in the crib in the baby's room. Hopefully he won't be confused. Now I just have to convince Craig that it is okay to put holes in the walls. (for wall decorations)

House Complete!

2008-03-10T20:51:00.003-06:00

After 7 months, our house is finished! We moved in on February 26th and have loved being here. Most everything is unpacked and put away. If you look in our garage it doesn't look like it, but it is mostly garage and shed stuff. We can park our cars in the garage for the first time in almost two years! The kids have adjusted well. The night we moved was pretty rough for Camdyn, but she has done well ever since. We have already had guests. The first weekend my parents came down for Carter's birthday and the next weekend Melissa (Craig's sister) and Alan came down. Enjoy the pictures!

Tool Time

2008-01-30T22:27:00.000-06:00

Last weekend I went to Ada, Ok to do my semi-yearly scrapbooking. While I was gone, Craig took the kids to Lowe's (Sorry Travis). While he was there, the kids craft was going on so he decided to let them create it. That day they were making tool boxes. They each came home with their own tool boxes, a Lowes apron, safety goggles and a certificate of completion. We may start taking advantage of more of the Dad and kids Saturday mornings at Lowes.

More Home Updates.

2008-01-30T22:16:00.000-06:00

Last week the tile was started and is almost complete except for the tile that we were short. The fireplace stone was also completed and the porches poured. Today the plumber finished his work which included the faucets, master tub, toilets, water softner, etc.

IT'S A . . .

2008-01-22T21:46:00.000-06:00

BOY!!!

Yesterday I had my ultrasound. Everything looks really good. We are excited, especially Craig. Now he will have two boys to help at the land.

Countertops Installed!

2008-01-22T21:41:00.000-06:00

Yesterday the countertops were installed and they look really good. We are happy with how everything is coming together. Tomorrow the tile work should begin. We are hoping that the tile choice looks good with all the other choices we have made.

More Progress!

2008-01-10T22:24:00.000-06:00

Things are coming along really well on the house. While we were in California the trim caprenter was working on the house. I was surpised when we got a call the day after Christmas and the trip carpenter was working. Yesterday he finished his work. All the cabinets are installed, the interiors doors are in, the closets are complete, the crown molding and the base boards are done, and the stair railing and fire mantle are up. There was a lot of things that the trim carpenter had to do and we are really pleased with his work. The pictures are the ones we took before he was done, so we don't have pictures of the the fire mantle and some of the other things he completed. The septic sytstem was also installed within the last couple of weeks. We now have all utilities running to the house. Today after school we went out to the land to clean up so the painters can start their work tomorrow. The porches and driveway are to be poured on Monday. This past week we have made our final major decisions for the house, the hardware and the lighting. The lighting was my least favorite thing to do. No completion date set yet, but it will be here before we know it. Yeah!

Christmas ' 07

2008-01-10T22:02:00.000-06:00

This year we flew to California for Christmas. It was Carter's first time on an airplane and Camdyn's 3rd. Camdyn was so excited! We left on Christmas Eve morning, arriving in California at 8:30 a.m., making for a very long day. That evening we opened presents and Christmas Day morning we opened stockings and later that day had our Christmas dinner. We mostly relaxed while there, although we went up into the mountains one day. Camdyn loved that. It was actually cold in California. Most of the time when the kids played outside, they had to wear their coats. Not what we were expecting. We stayed there for 8 days. We had a late flight out the day we left, which we were delayed a total of 3 hours. We even boarded the plane once, went out on the runway, sat there for about 5-10 minutes, before heading back to the gate, having to get off the airplane and board another one. By this time it was 10:00 p.m. California time (midnight Oklahoma time on New Year's Eve). We finally arrived home about 3:00 a.m. just in time to get about 4 hours of sleep and head off to Springfield, MO to my grandma's house to have a rushed Christmas with my family. We stayed there one night and came back home. We had a great time seeing family. Camdyn and Carter had fun playing with their cousins and meeting their new one Briley McCall born on December 11.

Jingle Bells

2007-12-21T21:48:00.001-06:00

House Update

2007-12-21T21:13:00.000-06:00

Here are pictures from the past couple of weeks. Most of the cabinets in the bathrooms, kitchen and utility room has been installed. That is exciting to see those in place. Today we went out to the land for the first time in almost two weeks and most of the brick work was complete. The house looks so different with brick on it. We are excited about the progress that has been made and hopefully over the next couple of weeks a lot more progress will be done!

House Progress

2007-12-08T21:57:00.000-06:00

A lot of progress has been made on the house in the last couple of weeks. Due to some delays we had on the exteriors doors of the home, the brickers have finally started bricking the house. A lot has been completed inside. All of the walls are up and textured. The cabinets were delivered and are now ready to be installed and the trim carpenter to do his work. From this point on, the process should go by quickly if the holidays and weather don't slow it down too much. We had to have more trees removed so the septic system can go in. Now we are going to have a bigger back yard for Craig to mow. We have made most decisions that we have to for the house. Only a few left. We are getting excited about decorating and moving in. Hopefully that will be possible the beginning of February if everything goes right.

BABY #3!!!

2007-12-08T21:48:00.000-06:00

Yes that is right, baby # 3 is on the way! We are excited, although amidst everything else going on (building a house, Craig getting his master's, Laura teaching and watching a 3 month old baby, and having 2 other young ones) I am not sure it has really hit us yet. I am sure once we move into our new house and get semi settled in, then it will hit us. It should only be 4 or 5 weeks until we find out if it is another girl or another boy!

Cousin Ethan's Visit

2007-12-02T22:53:00.000-06:00

November was a busy month for us with lots of visitors. Craig's parents came at the beginning of the month, followed by his brother and family and then for Thanksgiving my brother and his wife stayed with us. The pictures shown above are of Camdyn and Carter's cousin Ethan who lives in California.

Halloween '07

2007-11-04T22:34:00.000-06:00

We did several things for halloween this year. The biggest being Storybook Forest. The kids enjoyed it. Camdyn really liked the hay ride. Carter was happy once he got one sucker. Carter was a duck this year and Camdyn was a monkey. Carter didn't care much for getting his costume on, but once he got it on he was happy.

October pictures and update

2007-11-04T22:13:00.001-06:00

To say the least our lives have been a little crazy lately. Just a short overview of the past 4 or 5 weeks. The main thing is we sold our house. We were able to find a rent house for the short period of time that we needed. It is really as good as we could get for a rent house, although it has taken quit a bit of time to feel comfortable in it. The kids did great with the move and have adjutsted very well. We have stayed busy with our building process. The actual time that we spend out at the land has decreased, but we have been putting in a lot of time going to different places in the short amount of time that we have between Craig's school and my teaching. We have also been busy with company. A couple of weeks ago we made a weekend trip up to Nebraska to see my parents and this past week Craig's parents were here. We also decided to go on the church camping trip a couple of weeks ago. That was a nice break. This past weekend Carter got an ear infection and then pink eye. This is his first ear infection since his tubes were put in back in March. The baby you see with Camdyn and Carter is my sister's baby, Brinley. They love to give her hugs and kisses.

House Update

2007-11-04T21:44:00.000-06:00

Our house is coming along good for the most part, there are a few things slowing down progress. We are waiting on the exteriors doors and also for the correct windows to come in. We are also waiting on the inspection of all the framing and electrical work to pass. Hopefully, the next day or two that will happen and we can start insulating the house. There has been several small things that have also been accomplished over the last several weeks. We got our fireplace installed, two bath tubs installed and the well was dug and are now waiting for the actual pump so that the brickers can start. We have stayed busy making decisions on other house items. We have finalized all of the cabinets in the house, and some of the countertops. You may have seen in one of the pictures a no tresspassing sign. Our electrician notified us that he saw some debris left from what were some small fires inside our house. One was in the garage and another upstairs in the bonus area. So far they have scared off the culprit.

September Pictures

2007-10-02T21:13:00.000-06:00

Here is a brief catch up of the kids for the month of September. At the beginning of the month Camdyn and Carter started school. Of course, Camdyn loved it from the very beginning. Carter didn't so much, but now he loves it. He walks right in not even looking back. I am teaching the 4 year olds and am enjoying it. Carter loves to copy everything Camdyn does, which is cute sometimes. Most of the time it turns into a war. In the last picture that is why you see a hair bow in Carter's hair, because he wants to be like Camdyn.

FRAMING - 4TH WEEK

2007-10-02T21:05:00.001-06:00

This week the main thing the framers completed was decking the roof and finishing most of the siding on the house. They also completed some smaller things inside, like the chimney, fireplace (which the have to redo, because they did wrong) and the kitchen bar. This week they should be able to get most of the windows in and get close to finishing everything else. We will see if it happens.

Still Framing

2007-09-24T21:27:00.000-06:00

After a good week of work last week, most of the frame is up. There are only a few things that remain to be done by the framers. Two major things are decking the roof and completing the siding on the upper part of the house. Other than those two things there are a few little things that need to be done. Notice the stairs are complete as well as the cornice (sp ?) work around the outside of the house. The picture of Camdyn with dirt on her forehead is when she tripped and fell. She had a nice bump on her head, but was gone the next day. Maybe by next post the framers work will be complete.

Resembling a House

2007-09-17T20:42:00.000-06:00

Slowly, but surely construction on the new home is beginnning to look like a house. Last week, they worked about a 1/2 week. This week has started better, as they worked today. As you can see from the pictures, they have began to frame parts of the roof. They still have work to complete on the 1st floor, but it is starting to look what is on paper. As for our current home, we signed a contract on it yesterday. Pending all of the inspections and appraisals, we should be closing around the end of October. Now we are in the process of finding temporary housing.

FRAMING - FINALLY

2007-09-10T21:16:00.000-06:00

Last Tuesday the framing finally began on our house. The first couple of pictures is what they completed the first day, which was about half of the first floor. Since then they have completed very little. We are not really sure what the delay is, but for some reason they are working only part days and with a small crew. They have completed most of the bottom floor now and some of the joist. It is neat to walk through the house and see where all the rooms will be. The pictures with the kids is of one day when we were out there for a couple of hours talking with our builder and watching the workers work. The kids had fun playing on the lumber and dirt. They got quite dirty. The last couple of pictures are of Craig's '66 Ford. He decided we should get it out of the garage. We spent a day loading it onto a trailer and taking it to the land.

Baby Brinley

2007-09-08T20:44:00.000-06:00

My sister, Kristy, had her 1st baby on Thursday. Her name is Brinley Grace. She weighed 6 lbs. 15 ozs. and 20 inches long. Everybody is at home and doing well. She is Camdyn and Carter's 3rd cousin and they have 3 more cousins on the way. Camdyn loves to hold her and does very well with her, except for the time she pinched her nose. Carter is very gentle with her too. They both like to give her kisses.

Riding Tricycle

2007-08-30T20:48:00.001-06:00

Fingers vs. Fork

2007-08-27T20:54:00.001-06:00

What 18 month old do you know that would rather eat with a fork than with his fingers? Well at our house, Carter usually doesn't eat unless he has a fork. (if he doesn't have a fork, his food goes straight to the floor) It took us a while to figure this out. I am not sure where he gets this from, because we use our fingers with everything except spaghetti. Carter uses his fork for everything including doughnuts. The other morning we decided to go to Daylight doughnuts for breakfast. We gave Carter a doughnut hole and bites of a sprinkled doughnut which he asked for. He sat there for a couple of minutes not taking a bite. He would touch the sprinkled doughnut, but it never made it to his mouth. Finally, Craig brought back a fork and right away Carter spotted it and motioned for it. As soon as Carter got the fork, he began taking bites of his doughnuts. Who would have known. We thought we had a weird kid who doesn't like doughnuts. Nope. We just have a weird kid who likes to be well-mannered.

At least well-mannered in some ways.

Land Update!

2007-08-24T21:02:00.001-06:00

We are slowly but surely making progress on our land. We waited a week for the plumber to come out and do the rough plumbing. After a week, we ended up getting a different plumber, because the first guy was still busy. One wasted week. The plumber finally came out the following Wednesday. The Saturday after the plumber finished, was when the sand people were to come and pour the sand into the stem wall. That was the Saturday we got all of the rain, so it didn't get done. The next day we went out to the land and there was 4-5 inches of standing water inside the stem wall. Our builder pumped it out and then we had to let it dry out for 3 days. Finally, on Thursday the sand people put the sand inside the stem wall and the termite people came and drenched the sand with insecticide. Today, the concrete people came at 5:30 a.m. and starting pouring the slab, finishing just in time for the concrete to dry before the rain came again. Looking to the future. On Monday the lumber is to be delivered and the framers are to start the frame on Tuesday. In about ten days the frame should be complete, depending on how much it rains. Hopefully in about 2 weeks we can have pictures of our house!

Quiet Game

2007-08-24T14:06:00.001-06:00

Ride a Little Pony

2007-08-24T13:46:00.003-06:00

Concrete Evidence

2007-08-09T21:23:00.000-06:00

Last week was a busy week for our home construction. As you can see in the pics they dug our footings and piers and poured the concrete(the footings and piers are below ground level). Also last week they built the forms and poured the concrete for our stemwall(that is above ground level that the house frame actually sits on). This week we have had little progress. Next week we are supposed to have the plumbing roughed-in below the slab, and then have the slab concrete poured. Once that is complete they can begin framing the house. Click on the pic to see more. (btw, Craig authored this blog)

Foundation Album

Race/Camping Trip

2007-08-08T12:26:00.000-06:00

If you have read Kerri Tindles blog lately, you know what we have been doing. We started off last Friday going to the zoo with the Tindles and the Maucks. Later that night, Kerri and I ran the Sunset Series 5K and Camdyn and Quin ran the kids dash.

On Saturday morning, we met the Tindles down in Sulphur for some camping. It was not that bad except for the sleeping part, but who needs sleep. I thought it was a nice area with lots of trees to keep things cool and little creek to play in. Kerri even threw me a little b-day party. The kids liked to ride in the bike trailer, except for the helmet part.

It has begun

2007-07-30T20:46:00.000-06:00

Click photo for more

We have officially started construction of our new house. After Craig moved dirt all weekend with the Backhoe he rented, we were able to begin contruction. We were skeptical when our builder said that on Monday we would begin...well he was right. We went to the land after Craig got home from work and the footings had already been dug, and if all goes well the concrete will be poured tomorrow!! It's hard to believe it has actually started.

Jesus Loves Me

2007-07-30T15:12:00.001-06:00

Funny and Cute Pictures

2007-07-25T13:04:00.000-06:00

fun pics July

Click on the above picture to see some funny and cute pictures of the past couple of weeks.

100 Things About Me - Finally

2007-07-25T06:45:00.000-06:00

After getting back from vacation and trying to get caught up on everything else, I am finally getting around to this. Here it goes.

1. I am thankful that I was raised in a Christian home and that my parents are Christians.

2. I am thankful that my husband was raised in a Christian home and that his parents are Christians.

3. God has blessed Craig and I more than we could ever imagine.

4. I have 2 beautiful children - Camdyn and Carter.

5. There personalities are very different.

6. I am thankful that Craig is good with them, especially putting Camdyn to sleep.

7. I pray that they will grow up to be Christians.

8. I have been married 8 years this August.

9. I enjoy being part of the Edmond Church of Christ and Young Families class.

10. I ws born and raised in Nebraska.

11. I have 2 sisters and one brother.

12. Craig has 2 brothers and one sister.

13. We travel a lot to see jour families, who mostly live out of state (all except for one of my sisters)

14. Both of my sisters are going to have a baby within the next six months. Yeah!

15. All of my siblings (spouses) have had at least one miscarriage.

16. I have ran since I was about 10 years old.

17. I haven't always enjoyed running.

18. I enjoyed playing soccer.

19. I was part of one track state champion team and one state runner-up team.

20. I was part of one cross country state champion team and two state runner-up teams.

21. I was Nebraska all-state cross country runner for 2 years.

22. I enjoy competing in road races.

23. I used to run 7-10 miles a day in high school.

24. Now I am lucky to run 7-10 miles a week.

25. I enjoy being outside.

26. I started teaching at Sonshine School this summer.

27. I have a great co-teacher, which makes my job enjoyable.

28. I wish my kids would watch t.v.

29. I would probably abuse it if they did.

30. I enjoy watching my kids interact with each other.

31. I enjoy watching Camdyn helping Carter.

32. I am thankful that Carter has started sleeping in later the past couple of weeks.

33. I am not a morning person.

34. I am not a night person.

35. I need at least 8 hours of sleep a night.

36. I used to be a high school business teacher.

37. I used to coach cross country and track.

38. I have been skiing three times.

39. The first time I ever went skiing, it took me most of the afternoon to get down the hill one time.

40.We are trying to sale our house by owner.

41.It is tiring having to have the house clean at all times.

42. I like a clean house, although not under pressure.

43. We are building a new house.

44. We have 4 1/2 acres on a heavily wooded lot.

45. I am not a healthy eater.

46. I eat way too much.

47. I love to eat candy.

48. I like when I ask Camdyn to do something and she says "Yeah, I can"

49. I like when Carter likes to cuddle with me.

50. I enjoy rocking Carter to bed every night.

51. I am enjoying listening to Camdyn play in her room, as I do this.

52. I enjoyed being pregnant with both my kids.

53. I love being a stay-at-home mom.

54. I went to Oklahoma Christian.

55. I ran cross country and track at Oklahoma Christian on a scholarship.

56. I graduated with a degree in Business & a minor in education.

57. I met Craig during college at the Edmond Church of Christ.

58. We taught Bible class together, before we started dating.

59. I hate to talk on the phone.

60. I hate emptying the dishwasher.

61. I don't care to watch t.v. or movies much.

62. I used to fall asleep at the movie theater when Craig and I were dating.

63. I don't like to read books.

64. I like to be organized.

65. I like to scrapbook.

66. I wish I had a room I could keep all my scrapbook stuff in, so I would scrapbook more often.

67. I have been snorkeling in Hawaii.

68. I am not a very good swimmer.

69. I don't like to go on roller coasters.

70. I have been on lots of roller coasters.

71. I do not like to drink coffee.

72. I played the saxaphone for 3 years.

73. I was not very good.

74. I was a waitress at Country Kitchen in high school.

75. I deliverd newspapers (morning route) for about 5 years.

76. I worked in a corn field detassling corn for a couple of years.

77. I hated it.

78. I am thankful that Craig is a handy man and fixes most things around the house and with the cars.

79. I worked for an insurance agent as her secertary.

80. I hated it.

81. When I was in 7th grade, I brought home a dog that we found on our way home from school and gave it to my dad as a birthday present.

82. She just died two weeks ago.

83. I am very frugal.

84. I mostly shop at clearance racks.

85. I love watching Carter get excited when Camdyn wakes up in the morning.

86. I don't remember much from my childhood.

87. I didn't like to watch cartoons.

88. I am thankful Craig gets home from work at 4:30 most days.

89. I hate when he has to go out of town for work.

90. I hate being home by myself at night.

91. I like to cook.

92. I don't like to eat fruit.

93. I have ran one marathon.

94. I liked the actual marathon, but not the training.

95. I would like to run another one in the future.

96. I wish I wasn't so time oriented.

97. I get frustrated easily when I have a lot to do and I don't think I have enough time to do it.

98. I like to be at home.

99. I love to hear my kids laugh.

100. I love to be silly with my kids.

GRAPES

2007-07-25T06:36:00.000-06:00

Last year Craig planted 3 grape vines and this year we were able to pick some grapes. Craig cleaned, cooked and froze the grapes. Our intent is took make some grape jelly; we will see if we ever get around to doing it. Our garden didn't turn out very well. It hasn't been on the high priority list this year. We had a few beans, squash, and zuchinni. Nothing like the past. We planted tomoatoes late and haven't got any yet and the plants are dying. We have had a lot of okra and it is still doing well.

Boat Trip

2007-07-23T15:16:00.000-06:00

boat arkansas

A couple of weeks ago we went down to Arkansas to see Craig's sister. While we were there we rented a pontoon (sp?) boat and spent a few hours on a lake. We had a lot of fun! The kids didn't enjoy having to wear life jackets, but had a lot of fun in the water. Click on the picture to see more pics.

Zoo

2007-07-23T14:33:00.000-06:00

zoo lion

While Craig's parents were here a couple of weeks ago we went to the zoo. Usually when we go, we don't get a very good view of the lions. This time we got to see the lions up close. It was awesome. If you click on the picture, you can see a couple of others plus a video of the lion roaring.

COLORADO TRIP

2007-07-20T06:43:00.000-06:00

Colorado Trip

Over the Fourth of July week, we took a trip up to Colorado to see my sister and her family. We drove up to Nebraska to my parents house and the next day we all drove to Colorado along with my sisters kid. It took us 13 long hours. My sister lives 4 hours west of Denver and lives within an hour of lots of fun things to do. A few things we did was take a short hike to see a waterfall, went swimming in a hot springs, went to a lake and went fishing and canoeing, saw what is suppose to be the 2nd largest canyon (Grand Mesa), and went to a cherry days festival. We had lots of fun! Click on the above picture to see more.

Happy 3rd Birthday Camdyn!

2007-07-09T08:13:00.000-06:00

Camdyn 3rd B-day

Camdyn turned 3 on the Fourth of July! We were in Colorado visiting my older sister. We had a Dora party with them and my parents. The big thing we did was a Dora pinata. The only kids were Camdyn and Carter and cousin Hunter who is almost 2. Pinatas are differnt than when we were kids. There are maybe 20 ribbons hanging from the bottom and only one of them opens the pinata to let the candy out. Camdyn was the only one whe cared about the candy. The other two were happy with one sucker. She had fun and enjoyed most of the fireworks before falling asleep the last few minutes. Click on picture to see more.

Baseball Game

2007-06-27T12:17:00.000-06:00

Redhawks

Last week we went to the Redhawks baseball game with the church group. We had a great time. Camdyn had been looking forward to it all week and really enjoyed the loud music, especially when they played "take me out to the ball game". We had been singing the song all week. Thanks Brenda! Click on the picture to see more.

Rain, Rain Go Away

2007-06-26T21:29:00.000-06:00

playing in rain

With all the rain that we have had, we have been stuck inside a lot. Any time that Carter sees a puddle, he is there. I try to avoid the situations, like taking him to get the mail with me. A few times Camdyn and Carter have played in the water running down the street. Carter doesn't mind getting wet, including sitting in the water. Carter could play in it for hours if we let him. Click on the picture to see more pictures and videos.

Air Show

2007-06-26T21:18:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, we went to the air show with the Bosleys and Audrey and Carson. We met them down at Mike's work (in the tall weeds) so we wouldn't have to fight the crowd at tinker. We got there right in time to see the Blue Angels. It was hard to get a good picture, but we got some. It was really hot, but well worth it.

San Antonio Trip

2007-06-09T21:36:00.000-06:00

San Antonio Trip

This past week Craig had to take a trip to San Antonio for work, so the kids and I tagged along. We left the weekend before, so that we could do some fun things. On the way down there, we stopped in Fort Worth to see the Bedicheks. We met the Tindles down there and went to Sea World with them. That was a lot of fun. We went last August and Camdyn didn't care much for the shows. This time she was really into them. Carter liked them too. During the week the kids and I swam and played. Camdyn loved swimming. She liked to jump into the pool. She was really brave; by the end of the trip she would jump in and wouldn't want us to catch her. (she had on arm floaties) Carter didn't care too much for the pool or being in a floatie. He would have rather had some water to sit in and splash. That was a challenge. Craig had some long days. By the time he got back to the hotel we would swim for a little bit and then grab a bite to eat. The kids had some late nights, but did really well. Cindy Smith was in San Antonio visiting her parents. We got together one day and went to the zoo. Thanks Cindy for the get-a-way! On the way home, we stopped several times to give the kids a break. One of the stops was at Cabello's in Fort Worth. Cabello's is an outdoor store like Bass Pro Shop. It was a good trip, but we are glad to be back! Click on the picture to see more.

Progess on Land

2007-06-01T07:28:00.001-06:00

We are making some good progress on our land. The above picture is of our pad site from the east side of the property. We didn't realize how much a slope there was on our land until we dozed the trees. The property is completely ready for construction to begin, which could be as early as this week. We need to set a closing date and after that construction will begin. The pictuer below will be our driveway. The trees were cleared and we brought in some gravel for construction purposes. During the summer when all the trees are green, our house won't be able to be seen from the road.

Camdyn and Carter have enjoyed playing in the cars while Craig and I work at the land. At least we know where they are at all times.

Carter the climber

2007-06-01T07:06:00.000-06:00

Now that Carter has mastered walking, he is ready to take on the world. He wanted to get up on the slide, so I put his walking toy there and the very first time he climbed up all by himself. He was so proud!

A couple of Sundays ago, after church we went to get lunch and brought it home. We made it home with both kids awake, got everything ready to eat and started eating. Within five minutes Carter had fallen asleep.

A couple of weeks ago, Craig got a running stroller from a guy at work. We had been thinking about getting another one so that we could run together. This was great! We have ran a handful times with both of them. It is pretty hard, especially with all the hills in our neighborhood, but it is fun.

My Little Helper

2007-06-01T06:52:00.001-06:00

Camdyn likes to help out around the house or at least when it comes to her brother. One night she decided that he needed his diaper changed. He actually laid down for her and was letting her change his diaper.

Last Sunday when it was pouring, my mom said that she should bring down my umbrella I got when I was a girl. I said I had it and I got it out for her even though it isn't a rain umbrella. She loved it and wanted to play with it all day.

Camdyn has not been taking naps very well lately. It is a daily struggle. I thought because her and Carter's schedules are so different. Well, yesterday Carter's schedule was a little different where his nap was the time she usually takes her. So I read her a couple of books and told her that I was going to put Carter down for his nap. I came back and she had fallen asleep. She moved her pillow down to the foot of the bed and retuck herself back in and put her bear next to her. Well, last night was the longest night ever. She woke up to go potty and it took her two hours to go back to sleep. Maybe she really is done with naps?

The last 6 months

2007-05-23T14:09:00.000-06:00

What have you done in the last 6 months? When I look back at pictures I'm always amazed at how much our kids have grown and how much we have done. So here is a brief recap of our last 6 months: Camdyn and Daddy made a snowman, we bought 4.5 acres of land, visited the Brocks in Stillwater, Carter perfected crawling, enjoyed christmas(twice), spent new years eve at chuck-e-cheese's, Camdyn started to like books, visited the Gunters in Missouri, Potty trained Camdyn, Craig spent 10 days in Mississippi while I went to Nebraska, went skiing with the YFC, Carter's first birthday, Camdyn had a medical scare, Craig spent 4 days in California while I went to Nebraska, we planted our garden, refurbished our house, broke ground on our land, Camdyn graduated from pre-school, and Carter learned to walk.

Six months

Wow! Without pictures I might have forgotton half of those events. Thank goodness for digital cameras.

Fun in the Sun!

2007-05-15T11:38:00.000-06:00

swimming

Yesterday I decided to fill up our little sand turtle with water and let the kids play in it. I actually filled it up for Carter on Sunday and he loved it even though the water was straight from the hose. Yesterday they played in it for a couple of hours.

Over the weekend, Carter started walking almost everywhere he went. He is so proud of himself when he gets to where he is going. He still falls down quit a bit, but at least he doesn't crawl much. Click on the above picture to see more pictures and a video of Carter walking.

Kitchen update!

2007-05-14T22:00:00.000-06:00

Well here is a before pic of our kitchen and below is what it looks like after we tiled the backsplash. Craig has spent his time recently tiling and grouting the backsplash while I painted our pantry, and started scrubbing the kitchen floor grout. We decided not to retile the kitchen so we plan to replace some of the bad tiles and scrub and seal the grout. So far everything is going as planned. The end is in sight. We are almost done with most of the major stuff and then it will be time to do the little clean-up stuff, and to start on the curb appeal.

School Program

2007-05-08T14:38:00.000-06:00

Last week Camdyn had her school program, were each class sang a couple of songs. I wasn't really sure what Camdyn was going to do. I thought she would stand there not doing any of the hand motions. She did really well. She did all of her hand motions to both songs. The scratch on her face was from the night before, where she fell on brick and took a pretty hard landing.

Tile Time

2007-05-02T20:55:00.000-06:00

tile

After our housing painting adventure the next thing on our list was to tile both bathrooms and the entry way. We are thinking about selling our home, and we were told that tile in the baths instead of Linoleum would help the house sell quicker. Also Craig thought it would be good time for him to practice his tiling skill (or learn them, since he has never tiled before). I have to say that he did a great job. Both bathrooms really look great. He even let me set some tiles with mastic using the notched trowel (I thought I would throw in those tiling terms to make me sound experienced). It is tougher than it looks on TV, but overall it wasn't that big of a project and cost less than $75 for both bathrooms. Click on the pic to see more.

Carter's 1st Haircut

2007-04-29T20:35:00.000-06:00

1st haircut

At almost 14 months, Carter got his 1st haircut today. His hair was getting a little shaggy and hair was starting to stick out, so Craig gave him a haircut. He did really well. At first he didn't like it much, but that didn't last long. He looks like a little boy now. He is getting really close to walking. Craig and I decided that when he walks more than he crawls then we will consider him officially walking. It is fun to see him stand up in the middle of the room and walk. He thinks it is so fun. Click on the above picture to see more.

Almost Walking

2007-04-26T12:49:00.000-06:00

Carter walking

At almost 14 months, Carter is still not walking. He has been cruising around the furniture and with toys since 10 months. He is taking his precious time, just like Camdyn (she didn't walk until a little after 14 months) When he does let go, he only takes one or two baby steps. Most of the time he won't even let go. Last night he did take about five or six steps, but we couldn't get him to do it again. I am ready for him to walk. Most people say, "why." He is already into everything, so why not. It would make a few things easier if he did. Click on picture to watch a couple of videos.

Pictures

2007-04-26T12:18:00.001-06:00

Random Pictures-April

Here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks. Camdyn and Carter are starting to play together a little bit. Camdyn likes for Carter to chase her and do some things with her, but she is also starting to want to play by herself, especially with her babies or her alphabet letters. Carter has been a happy baby the last couple of weeks. He does a good job entertaining himself. The last few nights he has been waking up during the night and he will bump his head on the wall. Hopefully it will not last long. Click on the above picture to see more. Enjoy!