Walking Daily By His Grace

A Week In The Life of Cami...Day 7 The End

2009-12-17T11:31:00.000-08:00

Dear Dan and Anna-
Things are just too quiet aroung here today! But, I bet not at your house! :-) These are some pictures from our final day with Cami yesterday. We really had a wonderful time with her. Thanks again for asking us to watch her!

*Finally opening her "early" birthday present...we kinda' forgot...but she didn't know either way! Happy birthday today,Cami! :-)

*Hannah and Heather putting it together...

*Cami tried, for most of the rest of the day, to push it around like a stroller...it's not going to last long if she keeps that up!

*She will be missed...:-(

*I have this picture as my screen-saver...

*Heading home...

*Since I already talked to you on the phone last night, Anna, there is not much else to share except that we are glad you both had a wonderful, relaxing time and the girls have caught up on much of their school work! :-)

P.S. I think I'll take a break from blogging for awhile! :-)

A Week In The Life of Cami...Day 6

2009-12-15T21:01:00.000-08:00

Dear Mommy and Daddy-
Thanks, Daddy, for writing me! Can't wait to see you! 'Member how I said we might see Josiah today, welllll, we couldn't! It's been a long day...this house has a leak in the yard. Something about 9 gallons of water washing away somewhere per minute. We couldn't go see him cuz Pam had to take care of this business all afternoon and ya know what?? We don't have any water until sometime tomorrow. I had to have a "spit-bath" tonight! Yuck! Just kidding...:-)

*This is a picture of the hole where the man found the water. At one time, the water was gushing out! It was cool--I thought anyway...Pam didn't think it was so cool...
*We didn't get many pictures today because of the busy day, but these next few are just because I am so cute!! Pam took me to Walmart today--have I ever walked on the white floor at Walmart? Because today Pam let me walk on the white floor and it scared me! I would walk a few steps and then stop and start shaking and crying. It was very strange!

*I am playing hide and go seek with one of the girls... *Me in all my cuteness...with Craisins, of course! I am not constipated either. That's good.

*Pam said she wants to keep me!

*Blankie, bucket, baby (somewhere in there!) and BOZ: It's all good as Daddy would say!

* I was tired today because I went to bed so late last night and then got up early this morning but I did a really good job. No potty--no time!

*Pam showed me pictures of you on the blog and that was not a good idea! I cried and reached my hands out for Mommy (sorry Daddy!) I think I am getting ready for you to come home. I miss my brothers too, but I have had a great time.

More hugs and kisses! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Love-

Cami

P.S. Happy Anniversary, Mommy and Daddy!

A Week In The Life of Cami...Day 5

2009-12-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

Dear Mommy and Daddy-
Sorry I couldn't write to you last night. I was at Ladies Night Out and we didn't get home until 9:30 because I had so many people to talk to! So...this will be short! Here is me Monday morning...I woke up 4 times during the night and Heather cuddled with me each time. She was so tired and so was I! I sat on the stairs for a very long time, just my blankie and me...
*I think I spent most of the day in my jammies, but that's ok right, Mommy? Pam said it is, because that's what the girls do sometimes because they are homeschooled...:-) (But not a lot!)

*I like markers! But you knew that already...

*The girls kept saying, "Come on, Cami...put it on your lips! Do you want some lipstick like Mommy???" I couldn't resist--they thought I was so cute...I like it when they think I'm cute. It comes off--it's not one of those permanent kinds...

*Ok...Pam really didn't want this picture on here, but I think I am tiring her out! I don't know why...she doesn't even get up with me at night! She says something about her back everytime she picks me up...does that mean she's old, Mommy? I think she just needed some cuddle time and of course I was glad to give it to her! :-) She actually fell asleep and Caley took the picture...she is so sneaky!

*Green Bucket! These are little chore cards with magnets on them...see how smart I am, I spelled my name! Not really, I just love to put them on anything that is metal! They are all over the house, too! Pam says she wouldn't be surprised if we find things that don't belong to me after I get home because of all my stuff--does that make sense...because I know I sometimes don't make sense!

*Russ is one of my favorite people in this house! Actually all the people in this house are my favorite...this is Russ and me after Ladies Night Out last night. We were watching Kung-Fu Panda and it was almost 10:00 pm! Is that late for me...I was so happy! No one would even know that it was that late.

*Did you know that I like olives--in fact I LOVE olives! That's what I had for dinner tonight--pretty much that's it! And some milk...it's not that Pam is a bad cook, it's just I think I am picky!

*I did not go potty today, but I tried! It just wouldn't come out...:-) Pam gave me Craisins again and you know what that means! But at least I'm not constipated! :-)

*I fell off of a chair and hit my head on Hannah's Biology book and that was the first time I have cried the whole time I have been here! Night times don't count Pam says!

*Pam and I are going to leave today so the girls can get some school work done--I am distracting them too much...:-)

*I love you Mommy and Daddy...thank you for the letters and hugs and kisses. I am looking forward to when you get home! I miss my brothers to. Hey, maybe Pam will take me to see Josiah at school today? I gotta go...xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Love-

Cami

P.S. Why didn't I think of it before...please give Grandma and Grandpa hugs and kisses from me too!

A Week In The Life of Cami...Day 4

2009-12-13T20:20:00.000-08:00

Dear Mommy and Daddy-
Mommy! When we got home from church tonight, I walked in with the girls and you were talking on a machine! I tried to talk back to you into the machine, but you just kept on talking and talking and talking...:-) I love you and miss you. Did you get my hugs and kisses I sent yesterday? Today was a very busy day, but we still got some pictures and I was a really good girl.
*When I got up this morning, Pam put me right on the toilet and I went potty! See me?? I just got out of bed and I am so happy! Everyone is so amazed that I can wake up and be so happy and they are happy too that I don't cry when I go for my nap or at bedtime.

*The girls had to be to church early for the program. Here is a silly picture. I wasn't so silly because I just wanted to eat--I ate oatmeal with strawberry yogurt and it wasn't too hot this time. :-)

*I like these girls very much...I'm not sure I will be able to leave them when you come back...they spoil me! (Like letting me have 3 cookies at church tonight! Not just little ones either! Hee-Hee! I think if you were there you would not have let me have all 3!) I love them! (The cookies and the girls!)

*Pam gave Russ a haircut yesterday and it kinda reminds me of your head, Daddy! :-)

*Right before bed, Heather was playing with me because Pam said something about how I hadn't pooped today...I just betcha I get Craisins tomorrow. I haven't had any for 2 days! :-) Now watch, I probably will get constipated...

*That's all for now...I did got to the girl's piano recital tonight and Caley only had to take me out for a short time. So, you think I could take piano someday? Or maybe Mommy, you could teach me because Pam said you are a really good player! :-)

*More hugs and kisses to you: xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo! Love- Cami

A Week In The Life of Cami...Day 3

2009-12-12T19:26:00.000-08:00

Dear Mommy and Daddy-
I love you sooooo much and I miss you very much! When are you coming to get me? Pam didn't give me any Craisins--something about a blow-out yesterday...I am having a lot of fun. I only woke up once last night and slept until 8:30 this morning. Is that a long time for me? Pam thinks so...the only thing that happened was the whole front of me was soaking wet when I woke up and so was my bed. Yuck!

*Here I am playing with my "goggie". For some reason, I think Peppie is really tired of me. My "goggie" would not get the ball when I threw it for him. I just laughed. There's my favorite green bucket!

*Pam really doesn't like it when I do this :-)...she says everytime she turns around I am gone...Doesn't she remember that 2 year olds like to climb so much? I went up and down the stairs a lot today. Green bucket!

*I am playing "Jenga" my way...

*I love this green bucket! I want one, please!

*Yeah! The green bucket! I want one--maybe could we borrow it for awhile?

*This is me after my long nap...but Heather's room really didn't smell that good when Russ came to get me...even without Craisins today! Pam and Russ were listening to me sing before they came and got me and they said they "heard" me say..."Hannah, where are you?" :-) They wouldn't let me sleep with the green bucket...why?

*Dressed in Hannah's sweatshirt...I didn't really like it, she just happened to catch me smiling!

*Hannah and Heather gave me a bath...the water was too cold that's why I am not happy here.

*I went to church tonight to watch the Christmas Program that the kids do. Pam said I did a really good job sitting/wiggling almost the whole time until Caley took me out at the very end.

*Oh, ya know what? I went potty on the toilet today and Pam gave me a chocolate chip! I will try again tomorrow. I really don't understand why everyone was clapping and smiling so much...

*I ate really well today, but I am going to bed right now because I am getting cranky!

*Here are some hugs and kisses for you both! Blowin' you a kiss right now....xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox :-)

A Week In The Life of Cami...Day 2

2009-12-11T20:45:00.000-08:00

*I'm really not sure how this picture missed last nights bunch...but it reminds me of how graciously she tolerates my 3 girls! Today I had to talk with them about sharing her! Around this house she is the baby doll...(and Queen, I might add...but you already knew that!)

*Last night was a little rough, but Heather got the brunt of it. Cami was up 3 times in the night and I didn't hear a thing because Heather insisted the monitor be turned off, "because she didn't want us to hear her sleeping..." How do you hear someone sleeping anyway??

*Still full of smiles and hugs in spite of a rough night...

*Yes, we have her do chores, including throwing her own soaked diaper away...I love watching her walk...Anna, she walks exactly like you!

*Coffee table art--we taped a bunch of paper to the coffee table and let her have at it...she did a great job until she started to eat the crayons (and Polly Pocket clothes and pennies)...I thought you told me she doesn't put things in her mouth anymore! :-)

*We tried 2 times today and I was sure she would go...she drinks a ton throughout the day--no wonder her diapers are so soaked in the morning!

*This picture really doesn't do justice...the house really is a mess until she goes to bed. I have forgotten what it's like to have an almost 2 year old around!

*The day started with..."Cami, no stairs! Girls, get to work! Cami, no stairs! Girls, get to work!" Then came Duct-Tape-Down-Time! Never heard of it? You should try it sometime! You can't really tell that she has duct tape strapping her to the chair. I was careful not to get it on her skin. Just kidding...I used it on my girls instead! :-)

*Hannah had to have 100 pennies for a project of some kind in Biology and Cami's reaction to the sound of money was incredible! She could not stuff those pennies in her pockets fast enough! Very cute!

*Favorite Toy: Little green bucket from IKEA

Favorite Food Today: "Cake" that's what she called banana bread and I had to hide it because she was becoming, well...ballistic because I would not give her another piece; Craisins (thanks for sending that huge bag--another cause for ballistic behavior as well as a HUGE craisin diaper blow-out right before bed!); and Milk--pretty much what she survived on all day long. Do you have 13x9x2 pans of cake laying around your house a lot, for her to want so much !?!?!?!?!

Favorite Word: Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!! But a little more forceful today! :-) Oh yes, cake was high on the list as well.

Favorite Memory: She was a little fussy today for a short time...I thought she would want one of the girls but she wanted to cuddle with ME! That made my day! :-)

Reality Check: I get nothing done with a 2 year old around...by the way when was the last time you gave her a bath?? :-) I probably should have one of the girls do that tomorrow...

A Week In The Life of Cami...Day 1

2009-12-10T20:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Dan and Anna-
We will try and stay faithful to this over the next week so you'll have a daily update on how Cami is doing. Happy Anniversary and have a relaxing and restful vacation!
Love-
The Williams Family

*Dropped off at 7:00 a.m. obviously excited to be here...and promptly began to explore!

*The diapers did not fit her baby, but Hannah and Heather tried them on her...just a little tight!

*She may have a life-long aversion to oatmeal and strawberry yogurt from here on out...someone who ought to know better (that would be me...) didn't let the oatmeal cool off long enough to prevent permanent damage to the tastebuds!

NOTE: Tastebud test done after dinner tonight...Picture her little pink tongue feverishly licking an EXTREME SOUR WARHEAD...Taste buds are just fine! :-)

*Received many, many hugs and kisses alllllllllllll day long and had to pry her out of one of the girls' arms tonight just to get some for me!

*Terrorized Peppie pretty much all day long...

NOTE: Much to my surprise she remained in this ONE outfit until bed time...I was sure the girls would change her outfit at least 2-3 times from the mounds of clothes you sent...

*Sweet picture! She played with this Cami-friendly Nativity Scene for quite sometime...the same one the girls played with from about her age.

*Hannah was teaching her how to text...not really--she was a major distraction (in a good way) and the girls hardly completed any of their school work today! Oh well...there's always Christmas Vacation!

*You were right, Anna! She is picky when it comes to eating...I tried to disguise broccoli with cheese and she very carefully picked the cheese off and ate it. Caley tried to get her to eat it, but with no luck, as you can see.

*Naptime went well...she fell asleep right away and I had to wake her in order to get to Hannah's swim meet on time. She did great sitting with Heather for 2 hours while I timed. She was a hit with several of the girls on the team. This picture was taken at 8:00 p.m.--I was worried that she may not go down based on what you had told me, but she fell asleep right away...no fussing at all. We'll see what the night holds..at least Heather will be there to cuddle with her if needed.

*FAVORITE WORD OF THE DAY: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

*FAVORITE MEMORY: She had us laughing so hard at dinner...we were asking her open-ended questions and she was actually answering us with her language--it was amazing! It was as if she clearly understood what we were asking and was equally sure we understood her answers! We did not...we were in tears from laughing so hard! Great ending to Day 1!

Precious Baby Girl Born...15 Years Ago

2009-09-21T22:36:00.000-07:00

Hannah was born 15 years ago today! She doesn't look anything like this 3 month old picture... :-) I do have to say that she has been such a blessing and joy in our family. But to think that this was already 15 years ago is amazing!! These years have flown by with her and I am so thankful for all the pictures and hours of home-video we have. Sweet memories with many more to come! We dedicated her to God when she was born and continue to release her into the Father's hands, because you see, one would think it's easier to let go as they get older...I find myself wanting to hold on tighter, knowing that each year brings me closer to having to release her completely. Oh, I know I'll never stop being her mom...but those that have experienced the wonder of teenaged girls know what I'm referring to. There's just something special about a relationship between a mom and her daughter...what a blessing!

**Happy 15th Birthday, Hannah Lynn Williams!!!**

Corn Cob Cutting...

2009-09-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME. And yes I AM yelling...

Recipes...they are useful to a certain extent. Usually, when I try a new recipe, I follow the recipe exactly how it is written the first time and then I modify it or completely chuck it--never to use it again. This was one of those that I should have chucked, but it was easy enough to modify--and very tasty. Notice how nicely the kabobs are put together in the picture. Easy, right? Wrong!! Especially when it came to cutting corn cobs into 1 1/2 inch pieces!!! THIS WAS NOT EASY! And I have since modified the recipe and roasted the cobs right on the grill--no cutting involved. Notice I attempted to use 3 different knives and I was sweating when I was done and my hand hurt so badly that it took a few days for it to feel "right" again! By the way, the 2nd time I prepared this, I tripled the recipe and put in way too many roasted red pepper flakes--I guess you don't need to triple those! Burning mouths, lips, teeth and nasal cavities completely drained. And yes I did make my family finish all the food because there was no way I was going to waste such yummy food...even if it was too hot!

Free...

2009-09-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

We found the FREE rock...Russ posted an ad on Craig's List and some guy was beggin' him to come take all the rocks we wanted off his property.

We had the FREE labor...Kyle helped with a load.

Hannah and Russ worked together finding a creative and FREE way to move the rocks from the side of our driveway to the front of the house.

What a great idea!

If you ever drive by our house you will see that it is unfinished. Russ calls it an "eye-sore". I say we just need more FREE time, which won't happen anytime soon...

Sleeping Bag Wars...

2009-09-16T19:59:00.000-07:00

Our kids have grown up having sleeping bag wars. Bailee Vollmar was introduced to them not too long ago. You'd never catch me having them...way too claustrophobic.

Strawberry Pickin' June 2005

2009-06-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

Here's the picture I was talking about. They all seem so small! And it was only 4 years ago.....

Jeremy Abbey, Hannah Miller, Jessica Abbey, Caley, Heather, Matt Miller, Hannah, Emily Abbey, and Brian Abbey

Strawberry Jam Makin'....

2009-06-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

Heather and I make a great team...Caley and Hannah had to be somewhere and we didn't want to wait so by the time they returned we had made 12 batches of jam.

I better be careful...I might get fired from my jam makin' job for eatin' too many berries! Ohhh--they were so good! I wish the season was longer...

This was just a partial stack...Heather was taking most of the pictures.

Strawberry eatin'....

2009-06-27T21:31:00.001-07:00

I've always told my kids they need to be weighed before we go out to pick because of all the berries they eat.....I've also told them I was "fired" from my strawberry pickin' job for eating too many berries...really I was.

Strawberry Pickin'......

2009-06-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

This is probably the last year that this will ever happen....all the kids were free to help pick berries. Brian and Caley actually had at least this part of the day off. As the kids get older and busier, this is seen less and less. These pics are from Caley's camera, so they are on her computer. When I get back on my computer I will try and post a picture like this from several years ago!

Mother's Day Photo Shoot May 2009

2009-06-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

Caley borrowed Shawn Abbey's camera and took the girls to some of her favorite spots downtown. The only bad part about Caley being the photographer is, she is hardly ever on the "right" side of the camera. These are some of my favorites......

I Miss Them...

2009-06-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

They are heading home from 10 days in AZ as I write this....this year's 10 days seems longer than in the past maybe because 2 of them are gone.....

Hmmmmm...

2009-06-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

When they should have been sleepin'....

....they were playin'... Need to take that camera away at night!

Happy 17th Birthday Caley! April 12th, 2009

2009-06-26T18:26:00.001-07:00

These are out of order--but our gift to Caley was a snowboarding trip. She went one day this year because of work and saving for her mission trips.

At HooDoo with Chantal...

Starbucks on the way...

Birthday cake and icecream with some of the gang...

Each year goes by faster and faster...

Easter Baskets By Elle April 2009

2009-06-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

Kyle and Elle moved into their new home in Dec. and desired to reach out to their neighbors during Easter. These were the baskets they delivered with an invitation to the Easter Production and yummy cookies.

They brought this one to us Saturday night...and they were gone by the time they left!

Fire Pit Season Opens April 2009

2009-06-26T16:59:00.000-07:00

Kyle and Elle Rossi....

With our family...

I Forgot About Spring Break...

2009-04-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

I mean "not-so-spring" break! It was so cold! The week before I had been really sick with a fever and all for 5 days. I really don't remember much about that week except being in bed most of the time--in fact so much that my back and hips were hurting. Then the week of Spring Break I developed a pretty nasty cough that is still lingering. Monday we went to the coast because the next day Hannah was going to get her wisdom teeth out and we knew she wouldn't be up to going any other time. Russ's parents and his sister and her son stayed over a couple of nights. We met up with them and went to Mo's for dinner.
All of us in the motel staying out of the rain and cold. The kids, minus Caley, went down to the beach for a short time but it really was just too cold.

Caley's camera again...on our way.

Caley worked much of Spring Break and I am thankful to say, because Russ had the time, he was able to fix the leak under the kitchen sink and replace the faucet. I feel so much better when everything is in correct working order in my home...

Caley's Photos...

2009-04-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

It's been nice having a second camera "following" Caley around. What I mean by that is this. She is almost 17 and we aren't with her every moment or every day. Nor is she with us--and that's the way it should be. It's the natural progression of things. But, as she has the camera, her social, independent life is well documented. Plus, she's learning to take some really neat pictures, many of which I will be posting as they become available. She likes to edit, but I will try and grab them before too much work is done to them.

"Maa, I can'n fweel my whip..."

2009-04-04T13:53:00.001-07:00

These were Hannah's "mouth-stuffed-with-cotton" words as we were driving home after she got her wisdom teeth pulled. After her braces were removed and teeth x-rayed, it was discovered she had 6 wisdom teeth and maybe another growing. My immediate concern? How are her teeth going to remain so beautifully straight if she has all these teeth moving and growing--we just paid a lot of money. I didn't want to do it again! The oral surgeon's concern? Those wisdom teeth, at least 4 of them, were growing in such a way that to leave them in might damage nerves or something like that. So 4 were removed and 2 are still in--atleast she still has a little "wisdom" left until she's 16 when the other 2 will be removed along with all her wisdom, I'm sure. :-)

Right after arriving home...time for movies and drugs!! Nice handy ice-pack...

"Mom, why can't I have another Jamba Juice?" "What do you mean I have to make my own?!?" I thought she was going to get away with little or no swelling...

There's no cotton in those cheeks, just lots of swelling! Real food and more movies...so goes our first experience with a child having their wisdom teeth out. Currently, she is playing with the slowly dissolving

stitches dangling in her mouth. Gross! "Look, Mom!" No Thanks!

The Elusive Great Harvest Girl Photos...

2009-04-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

Many of you know by now, that Caley works at Great Harvest. When she first started, I really wanted to get a picture of her in "action". Well, she really, really didn't want us hanging around her work place snapping photos. So, out of respect, we didn't. Recently, while the manager was away, these pictures were taken by a customer. All of the workers arrived wearing red and green shirts. Now, you have to understand, they have many different colors that they wear. We could turn it into a math problem and figure out what the probability would be of the workers wearing green and red shirts on any given day, but we won't because Caley is not very keen on math.:-)
I did finally get my pictures for memory sake and for that I am happy...

Done With Swimming For Now...

2009-04-04T12:47:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure about this track stuff. I ran track in highschool but I don't remember the meets being so loooooong! It's fine if the weather is nice like the first meet was. Heather took these pictures of Hannah at her first meet. This past Wednesday was a different story. Evidently, when there is a home meet, Sprague doesn't have an acceptable track so they have to use Willamette University's. We arrived at the meet at 5:30 and didn't leave until 9:30! It was absolutely freezing--I'm talkin' long johns and I never wear long johns, they make me claustrophobic--my winter coat with a fleece sweatshirt underneath and 2 blankets wrapped around me. And of course Russ next to me to help keep me warm. It was pouring down rain most of the time--sideways. I felt so sorry for Hannah as she ran the 100 hurdles and the rain was blasting her face. I do believe she said it was invigorating. She has chosen to do the hurdles--and what I have been anticipating finally happened at Wednesday's meet. She caught her toe or more like her leg, on a hurdle during the 300 hurdles and literally did a face plant! She was even in first place! It seemed as if the entire crowd could feel her pain. I really couldn't believe it, but she got back up and finished the race and hurdled every hurdle and didn't come in last...now that's what life is all about isn't it? Finishing the race strong...

Hannah and a fellow hurdler...

Heather took these pictures. I was videotaping so we could later watch it and talk(and laugh with her)a bit about form and flailing arms...you get the idea!

By the way, Hannah didn't hurt her face in anyway. She did more like a full body plant and came away with a scraped elbow, hipbone, hands and some nice bruises on her knees. She's also going to stick with the hurdles. If only the shin splints weren't so bad...

It's Official...

2009-03-30T15:53:00.000-07:00

We are now the proud parents of 3 teenage girls!! Heather turned 13 on Monday, March 16th. We stole Bailee Vollmar the Saturday and Sunday before. Of course Heather wanted a barbeque and it happened to be pouring down rain. Russ went ahead with it only because it was her birthday. We went shopping--actually they shopped and I followed them around as shopping is my least favorite thing to do. Then, I took all the girls to the play "Little Women" out at Corban College. Very well done...but, verrrrrrry long! We got home around 10:30 pm so we had to have Bailee come home with us after church on Sunday just so we could have cake and icecream. Can't have a party without cake and icecream! Here are many pictures of Heather's 13 years. She has been a joy and blessing in our lives as we watch her grow not only physically but spiritually in her relationship with the Lord.

Bailee and Heather. By the way, the reason the presents are on the blanket is because I bought sparkley, pretty, girlie paper since it was Heather's 13th--usually I turn Christmas wrap inside out and just use that--it's just wrapping paper, right? Well, this paper was loaded with glitter! It was everywhere when I was wrapping--my face, hair, clothes and I can even see it on my shoes still. Who in their right mind would put glitter on wrapping paper!?! I wanted to toss the rest but the girls wanted me to keep it, so it's under my bed gathering dust with the rest of the stuff under there!

Heather shortly after being born--what a head of hair! Thanks to Sharon Abbey, all of my kid's births were videotaped in a very respectful manner. Russ and I watched her birth video the other night--the girls just aren't into watching yet. Can't figure out why...:-)

At 2 months with Caley, who is 4 years old here.

This is one of my favorite pictures--I'm not sure what Hannah is saying, probably something like, "Mommy, Heather poopy!" Hannah is 21 months here and Heather 3 months.

The sweetness of a chubby-cheeked baby...a forever memory! 9 months old here...

Happy 1st birthday, Heather! She hadn't had much sugar up until this cupcake and she devoured it! She hasn't stopped craving sugar since...:-)

2 years old...and a spit-fire! Our annual hunt for the perfect Christmas tree...

More from year 2--wanting to be like her big sisters...the best part was hosing them off so they could actually come in the house!

With Cathy Cordero before kids and I'm pretty sure in the stage of wanting kids...3 years old

A visit to OMSI--oh how I miss these days...4 years old

Goin' to a Harvest Party...2 orphans and a cute little Indian. 5 years old

Getting sweeter as the years go by...6 years old

I think this was in Troutdale--we met Nana and Papa at McDonald's for a 7th birthday celebration.

8 years old and loving the beach rain or shine...

9 years old holding a pygmy goat in GrassValley, OR...

10 years old--coming out of a snow cave she built near Mt. Bachelor

The crazy side of Heather actually kicked in way before 11 years of age. This is just a sample of that.

Caley's picture of Heather this past summer--12 years old. Happy, Happy Birthday Heather. We love you very much!

Club Rocksalt...Awwww!

2009-03-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

The girls volunteer at Club Rocksalt at church on Tuesday nights. One of the assignments that the kids were to do with their parents was write a letter to one of the workers telling them thanks. This was what the girls got from Dan and Anna Steiner's little guy, Josiah and Dan and Nikki Hughes's little girl, Olivia.

Very sweet!

Goofy Girl Pictures from Caley's Camera...for your enjoyment!

2009-03-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

Caley has way too much fun with her camera!

Amanda Mac at Konditorei...

Amanda Mac at childcare on Sunday nights...

Oh My!

Caley and Hannah on their way somewhere...

Caley kissing the little Konditorei man?? By the way I had to look Konditorei up in the phone book to make sure I spelled it correctly...such a strange word/name...

Caley's eye--the way it's been since birth...

Sisters...

When they should have been doing homework at piano lessons, they were playing!

Interesting feature on Caley's camera--she hasn't a shy bone in her body! I love her personality...I don't think she ever really gets embarrassed!

Mom's Gone to Retreat--Let's make pizza!

2009-03-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

And they did...not without some problems and a message on my phone asking how to get the dough to stop shrinking everytime Hannah tried to roll it out...

Here is the final product much smaller than usual--I think they gave up on trying to get it to the size of the pan...

Now that I look at it, it IS quite a bit smaller...

In the oven it goes on my new Pampered Chef pizza stone--I love it! This is my second one. These new ones have handles and are much easier to get in and out of the oven--especially when one's oven is half the size of a regular oven! There's my commercial for Pampered Chef! By the way, Cathy Cordero, you should start your business again--I would have another party!

Hannah and Heather trying to stretch the dough to fit the pan but it just kept shrinking...I think at one point Russ and both of the girls were stretching it to fit but of course no one was there to take THAT picture!

Hannah at the onset...one thing I forgot to tell them is that the dough needs to sit out for several hours so it's easier to work with...oh well, a great lesson learned. I'm sure there will be another time to try...

Remember this???? I'm on a roll now and I can't be stopped!

2009-03-29T19:11:00.000-07:00

Remember these pictures that I posted? They were taken during the ice and snow. Remember how Hannah had just, moments before, been standing with the camera taking pictures of Russ chopping up debris from the tree? How thankful we were that it was Caley's car that was crushed and not Hannah! Time to brag on MY husband...

The damage was done...

This branch was the width of the entire drive and then some!

The bragging part...Russ was smart. We put in a claim to State Farm and got a good chunk of money. They almost totalled the car. Russ did some research and found the hood and side fender for $150 and fixed it himself. No paint necessary--just removing the old and on with the new! I love it when things work out that way! Great job, Russ! Thanks for taking the time to find a way to save money!

Caley was very thankful to have her car look better than when she got it. Now, no dents at all!

Cordero Clan...

2009-03-29T18:46:00.000-07:00

Those of you who attend Salem Heights need to get to know one of the newest families attending. Billy and Cathy Cordero and their children Will, Emma, and Lincoln. We have known Billy and Cathy since before they were married. They moved away for a few years and we are very glad they are back. We are enjoying watching their children grow. Wonderful family! We had the opportunity to care for the little Cordero's on a couple of occasions. Billy and Cathy took Emma out for lunch for her birthday. Will was at school and we got Lincoln. Didn't get much out of him--hardly a smile. I think he was a bit overwhelmed with how the girls wanted to "mother" him and all he wanted to do was climb up and down the stairs...things were different with his siblings here. He is quite the character!

Will and Heather playing Battleship--why the smile? He was very proud of the fact that HE had just tooted and it was a good one!

Emma and Lincoln--very cute!

Anything can be used as a climbing toy...

Isn't he just the sweetest thing?!?

Playing the piano...

Building lego with Heather...

See what I mean?? "Mothering..."

He enjoyed helping Hannah practice...

Sweet music together--even if it did clash!

Yuk!

2009-03-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

This was really gross! The piece on the left has the initial bite and then Caley cut it open and...this is what she gets for trying to eat in a healthy manner!

YMCA Season to an End...

2009-03-29T18:05:00.001-07:00

Hannah and Heather had a great season swimming for the Y this year. They swam hard and all the medals and ribbons in the below picture attest to that fact. These were awards from 2 meets: The YMCA State Meet and The YMCA Regionals Meet. State everyone can swim in and Regionals individuals have to qualify with their times. We are very proud of them for their hard work this year. Great job, girls!

This is my mom's 2nd annual over-nighter trip with the girls at the Regionals meet at Mt. Hood Community College. They stayed over 2 nights this time and I even stayed on Saturday night. This is a picture of the motel room and Subway dinner. Hannah ate a whole foot long in no time at all!

Thanks, Mom, for paying for the motel room. We always enjoy spending time with you. My dad flew in from Colorado on Friday and stopped to see them before he headed home. No picture because I wasn't there...

Nana and the girls...

Heather and Nana...

Hannah and her food...always eating it seems!

This is what you get when you send the camera with the girls and say, "Get me some pictures..."! From left to right: Jessica Abbey, Heather, Emily Abbey, and Morgan Crueger holding Hannah.

These next 5 shots are courtesy of Shawn Abbey also known for Abbey Carpet Care! Thanks, Shawn!

I love this picture! It captures Hannah right in her element.

Hannah, Heather, and Jessica Abbey figuring out which race is next at State...

Hannah Banana...

Preparing for a race....one day we hope to have a BIG new camera with a BIG lens for zooming in, but for now Shawn can be the designated photographer!

Russ giving Heather a pep talk before a race...

Snapshots of Sprague Swimteam...

2009-03-29T16:59:00.000-07:00

Here are some random pics from Hannah's first year of swimteam with Sprague.

Kinsey Nolz's senior year.

Hannah made it to State as an alternate--didn't swim but did get to go with the 5 who qualified.

Earning her letter.

These next 4 are from Shawn Abbey's BIG new camera with the BIG lens that takes really cool pictures. After awhile he became the designated photographer...This was a race between Hannah and Emily Abbey. Hannah beat her by 2-3 seconds. They have been competing against one another for many years. It's fun to watch them compete at this level.

Caley encouraging Hannah before a race. Caley really wanted to swim this year but having a job to pay for car insurance ended up being way more important for her...

Hannah swimming the 500 Free. She ended up liking this race the best--very long swim!

Being goofy before a race--from Caley's camera.

Oriental Breakfast Anyone???

2009-03-05T23:13:00.000-08:00

I have to post this because blogging wasn't around when my children were 2, 3, 4, or 5 years of age and saying the most darling things imaginable...(Did we even have a computer back then???)Hannah is on the left and is just 2 years old and Caley is 4. Heather is still 5 months away from being born when this picture was taken. Today Hannah is 5' 10 and 3/4" and is 14 years old and here was our conversation tonight. We are leaving for the weekend for the YMCA Regionals Swimmeet at Mt. Hood Community College. Hannah and Heather get to stay with my mom in a motel because of the ridiculous hour they have to be to the pool for warm-ups. They love staying in motels because it's very uncommon in our family and she says, "Mom, do we get that oriental breakfast like we have before?" I paused and kind of snickered and said, "Uh, Han, you mean the continental breakfast?" Big smile..."Oh, ya!" The reason it's so cute is it just doesn't happen anymore and boy do I miss when they were little! It's fun for our family to watch many of your little ones and hear the cute things they say. I better get to bed--not only is it late but I need to be up to make that "oriental breakfast"! Love you, Han!

This Was So Much Fun!!!

2009-02-24T21:06:00.000-08:00

When my brothers and I were kids, my dad pulled us around attached to the back of his pick-up...and got in trouble. I think, if I remember correctly, he went around a corner so fast it caused my little brother to slide under a car. Did I imagine that or did it happen?? I can't remember. We literally did this for hours on 2 different days pulling the kids behind a tiny Nissan Versa.

We started off safely--about 5 miles per hour and eventually I got up to 20 mph. There was lots of snow for padding!

I drove the car--because I am the safest driver in the family!

Caley after plowing through a snow bank...

Heather had the best style and I think the most fun. She stayed on the longest even when I tried to throw her off around corners. One time I literally threw her into a snowbank! It reminder me of water skiing and kneeboarding.

Taylor and Heather weathered the frigid temperatures the longest.

We started out with all four of the girls on one sled then they figured out it worked better weight wise with just 2...much faster!

Great memories for Christmas 2008!

Christmas Morning!

2009-02-24T20:57:00.000-08:00

We made a last minute decision to travel Christmas Eve because of the weather. Even though the 3 hour trip turned into 7--we're so glad we went. We spent time with my brother and his family and my mom and dad.

Peppie opening his treats.

Heather with her cousin Taylor.

Waking up on Christmas morning--I like it that the girls still get excited!

Sleepy-heads...

My dad special ordered these for Caley's car and even installed them when he came down about a month ago--thanks, Papa!

Aren't We Glad This is Gone!

2009-02-24T20:45:00.000-08:00

We are glad to be done with this weather from December--it's almost painful to re-visit this time period--only because I'm so far behind!

The house and backyard.

We only lost electricity for 3 hours!

Isn't Peppie cute?

No lights but lots of family fun!

Heather the Arabian icecube...

It's Time to Blog Again!

2009-02-24T20:41:00.000-08:00

Photo--courtesy of Caley Williams

Winter Beauty in Grass Valley

2009-01-24T23:38:00.000-08:00

I Need To Start Blogging Again...

2009-01-24T18:59:00.000-08:00

I had to start somewhere...I really don't know how you all keep up with this. The amount of pictures is overwhelming plus the fact that we have 5 big people in our home (3 of which don't take naps anymore) using the computer for various reasons--mostly school during the day. I would rather do something else with my time than sit at the computer when it is available. And...I get stressed because I want everything to be PERFECT because I know someone (Russ) is going to read for grammatical errors so I try to go back before he sees the posts and correct everything! Talk about stress! Oh well, it's good for me to be corrected. This picture is of our dog Peppie. I'm not quite sure what he's saying, but I think it's along the lines of, "Hey! Play with me! I'm being neglected!"

Results of Ice and Snow...

2008-12-30T23:02:00.000-08:00

Pictures of Caley's car with a branch crunching the front hood. Hannah had just been out under that tree, not too long before, taking pictures of Russ cleaning up the debris.

Insurance is going to cover it! Even with the deductible it's worth it.

Snow, Ice, Snow and It's Still Snowing...

2008-12-22T10:04:00.000-08:00

Lots of snow and ice the last week or so. I know, I know--those of my family that live in Spokane and eastern Oregon laugh when we have a whole week of school cancelled for "snow". I laugh, too! We really have enjoyed it--the girls more so than me. I had to give up snowpants, gloves and boots this year to Hannah--I sure hope she stops growing soon! This is Hannah and Heather with our neighbor Cassie. They were using boogie boards to slide down the hill on our street before the trucks came around and dumped tons of gravel on it.

I remember being able to withstand frigid temperatures as a kid. We never came in from the snow unless we were called in. Same with the girls. When they did eventually come in, Hannah couldn't feel her bottom for at least 2 hours.

I don't think they were actually moving--just a great shot.

Where's the mountain???

Caley and Hannah trying to catch snowflakes??

"No Ball" Random Pictures

2008-12-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

Our church put on a "No Ball" for our highschool youth this year. According to Caley and Hannah it was very fun and worth all the time they spent tracking down dresses to wear and doing hair and makeup!

Why can't these pretty girls just smile naturally?

I, as a mom, thought is was nice to see most of these young men dress up.

Beth and Amanda--now there's a nice smile, Amanda!

Caley and Hannah before leaving the house.

I think Russ was a little afraid to let them out the door...

Me helping with a tiny bit of make-up--kids at this age have such beautiful skin why cover it with make-up?!?

The dinner at the church...

Picture at the ice skating rink in Portland where they played broom hockey. Russ and I played this in college. Very, very fun! Hannah with some of her friends--I'm sure they were glad to get out of those dresses and back into their usual attire!

One of Many Thanksgiving Traditions-Family Photos...

2008-12-05T20:30:00.000-08:00

You know how it is...on one hand you dread it because you want the perfect picture and on the other hand it can be one of the best times spent with family. We've done this for several years on the weekend of Thanksgiving. We figure out what to wear--what color we have the most of that year-- grab the tripod and camera and head downtown. Mostly, the photos have consisted of the girls, simply because they are the ones who have been changing so much over the years. I think the last family photo was 2005. I'll have to dig some of those out of the archives...

I'm not sure what happened here but it must have been funny! This is one of our favorite spots in a very secluded alley downtown. At one point, I didn't post the photo, I started laughing hysterically and couldn't stop because we were actually "posing" facing Liberty or Commercial in front of an old building and people were just staring at us!! You can imagine how ridiculous we felt...that's why we search for the old buildings in the alley way...

This one is my favorites--it's a simple, traditional pose.

Everyone else liked this one--I actually did too, after I got use to the bottoms of our feet. This and the one above were taken in the alley across from the downtown Great Harvest. Wait!! I'm giving away all of our secret spots...

Hannah, Caley, and Heather... I wish I had hair like them...maybe I'll try growing mine out--maybe not! This one goes on the annual photo mug. (Spoiler for the grandparents!) My dad actually started this tradition at the Oregon State Fair when Caley was a baby and we have been doing it ever since! My parents used to have all of them displayed--too many now. This will be the 17th one! I really like this one because of the creativity--Russ and Caley working together.

Willamette University after a few hours...

Gotta include the funny ones, too! Look at Hannah's head. Doesn't it look like she is hugging someone from behind the statue??? Weird!!

This was just fun setting the timer and walking hand in hand...just like when they girls were little...
Across from Willamette...
THE END!

Thanksgiving Day

2008-12-05T20:09:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving this year was spent with Russ's parents in our home. We had a great time together eating, playing games and eating some more!

Family picture...

Russ working on the turkey--complaining the whole time it was burning his hands--I think he needs to do more cooking!

Grandpa with the girls trying to figure out a math problem Russ had his kids do at school--only problem, he forgot the answer...

Hannah eventually started drinking out of the bottles instead of her glass..

Beautiful picture...Caley had just come off of working long hours at Great Harvest: Tuesday 11-5 pm, home to sleep for a couple of hours and then back for the 8-1am shift, then Wednesday from 10-4. She absolutely loved it!! What I would give to have that kind of energy again...

Too much turkey and not enough exercise...

Playing golf...

Grandma and Grandpa with the girls...

6th Grade D-Team Activity...Crazy!!!!

2008-11-24T19:39:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know, Russ and I work with a bunch of great 6th graders at our church along with Dave and Ranelle Hudson, Ashley Strom, and Nick Noffsinger. What a crazy night! We definitley learned many interesting things about these kids. We took them bowling and out to dinner. The guys went to McDonalds (Yuk!) and the girls to Taco Bell (Double Yuk!!)

If all of the girls showed up at any given time, there would be 14 of them!

Here's Dave, Russ, and Nick with a few of their guys.

This is Morgan Connelly--I think she got ahold of the camera once and really liked it! Lots of deleted pictures after that!

I think Nick got a strike on this one--he's been in a league before so not fair for these guys.

The "Hansen" boys--obviously not related.

Rachal and Morgan

Do you really think they sat here so nice and calm?? No way! Not until I intervened to remind them that they were actually out in public...

At one point, the manager had to tell them not to use the slippery part of the floor for ice skating...we'll have to work on proper etiquette before we go out again.

Not a Subject to be Made Light of But....

2008-11-24T19:24:00.000-08:00

Russ and I were gone somewhere, Hannah was at swimteam practice and Caley and Heather were home alone. We never know what we'll find on the camcorder or camera when we return. Heather had somehow figured out how to double her legs up inside her sweats and this was the result. It gave her a slight taste of what amputees experience. I want to be respectful, but it was hilarious to watch her walk up and down the stairs, swing her leg (half leg) up onto the couch and manuever herself up onto the black chair.

If you look close enough, you can see how her feet are tucked in the back of her sweats.

Goofy, but cute!

Blessings...

2008-11-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

Behold, children are a gift of the Lord...
Psalm 127:3

The last 2 days have been rough. I have been sick and have spent most of both days in bed. My children are a blessing to me in that they are so encouraging and sensitive. They have gone above and beyond what is expected of them in a normal day. Clothes have been washed; dishes taken care of; house continually picked up; closing my door in hopes that I'll get more rest-not realizing it makes me feel better to hear the activity of the day in its normal volume; Caley taking and picking up after a busy day at work; school work accomplished in a timely manor (for the most part!). All went on as scheduled--pretty much without me. What a blessing that is to me!! Knowing that only God deserves the glory for how these 3 are turning out. Thank you, Father, for these blessings...they truly are a gift from You!

New Hair Styles...H & H Salon, Inc.

2008-11-13T19:40:00.000-08:00

Since the time my girls were little, probably 4 or 5, they have loved to style hair. Really, anyone who would let them touch their head they would work on them. My mom loves it. I tolerate it on occasion--only because I have so much junk in my hair it hurts me to have them try and brush it out. It really hurts! This may be just a tad too personal for me but I would have felt bad posting just pictures of my mom on here. She's going to kill me anyways--I should have done it...

Any votes for this one?? This was one of the "good" ones...those of you that see me on a regular basis know I don't look this bad...my mom actually liked the bangs down in front. They're pretty crooked from my last chop to save money :-)

I'm sorry mom, I couldn't resist! Just think of the memories you are building with the girls...

Beautiful, but it makes her look way too old...There were many more that could have been posted. I'll be nice. If anyone wants their hair re-styled, call H & H Salon!

Nana's Visit...Pam's mom if you can't tell...

2008-11-13T18:55:00.000-08:00

My mom just came for a visit last week. We always have a great time when she is here. Shopping, shopping, shopping--I strongly dislike it. For some reason it makes me really tired. It would be better if Papa could come, too. (For a visit...not shopping.) He is a pastor so it's very hard for him to get away. At least if he looks at the blog he can see part of what went on. Mom has made a few fleece blankets for the girls for Christmas over the years. She thought it would be fun if they learned to make them this year. It really was easy. She was counting on taking the blankets home, wrapping them, and putting them under the tree until Christmas. Well, the girls didn't know that part. It didn't happen. If you have ever wrapped yourself in one of those blankets it's hard to unwrap--they are just way too cozy. I wish I would have gotten a picture of the girls sleeping with their blankets--they have 2 or 3 piled on their beds at one time. We don't use the heat upstairs and they prefer that.

Nana and Hannah measuring and cutting.

Matching the pieces--part of the fun is picking the kind of fleece you want. So many designs to choose from...

Hannah tying.

One of the yorkies that never leaves Mom alone--they are her babies and it shows. This is Kokoa.

Heather measuring...something.

Kokoa on the left. Bear on the right.

Kokoa would lay down right in front of her and not move and Bear would crawl under her legs just waiting for attention--like they don't get enough!!

Heather working on hers. Caley was at work so no pictures of her working on hers--that's what happens when you grow up and get a job!

Pretty Creative...

2008-11-13T18:43:00.000-08:00

This reminds me of the times when my kids were much younger and they would recieve a new toy for their birthday or Christmas. What did they do? They wanted the box more than anything and didn't play with the toy in its intended way. Here Hannah and Heather are building a "city" with all the different card games we have. They do play the games as intended but it's also fun to see how creative they can be with random stuff.

Their city was much larger but by the time I got the camera for another shot the dog ruined some of it.

Looks like someone took a bite out of this picture. Strange!

Dutch Blitz-i-tis and other wacky games...

2008-11-09T22:20:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons I love fall so much is how it brings our family inside. We experience game "spurts" in the fall and winter, especially when it starts getting so dark outside. We love playing Dutch Blitz--it's very competitive and fast paced and we can spend too much time playing. Shortly after this picture was taken, I developed Dutch Blitz-i-tis--this means I'm getting too old to sit on the floor for long periods of time in this position without developing some sort of back ailment. For the time being, I'm taking a break from this game while my back heals. I really did injure my back almost 2 weeks ago and this probably added to it. Looks like we'll be moving to the kitchen table...

Look at the intensity!! I guess ya had to be here!

This is an example, one of many, how my kids play with games in the way they aren't intended. Hannah and Heather are using Dominoes to build towers and then see who could blow the other's over the quickest. Easily entertained...Of course, I thought I had the order figured out so start at the bottom.

By the time these pictures were taken, they were so lightheaded they were ready to be done.

They should really have a decent lung capacity since they are swimmers, but it's hard to blow and laugh at the same time.

They figured out they couldn't blow all the way across the table...

A Week With Westly...

2008-10-27T21:08:00.000-07:00

This past week we had the pleasure of watching Westly because his regular daycare provider was on vacation, I think. The girls and I enjoyed him so much. The only time he cried was when he was tired, hungry, or poopy! Other than that, he smiled the whole time. What is it about babies anyway...we started calling him AJ (Ashley Junior). He looks so much like her and I discovered that's where he gets his smile--she smiles all the time, too. I've already missed holding him this week and listening to him jabber and crinkle the liner in his bottle as he's feeding...I offered to watch him again so Paul and Ashley could go on a date, but Ashley said I'd have to fight both sets of grandparents for him.

Caley trying her hand at another photo session...

I used to think that we should keep having babies so the older kids could experience caring for babies, but when would we stop that... and then we discovered babysitting opportunities and serving in the nursery. That pretty much has taken care of that!

Definitely loved by the girls...

Helping Caley with her math...

Cute and very smart...5 months old and flipping pages on his board books and pretty much holding his own bottle...did my kids do that?

Standing up between the girls...I guess I don't remember my girls doing this so early.

Beautiful baby boy...

We are finally done...well, almost...

2008-10-24T13:08:00.001-07:00

This house has been a huge project over the course of the last few months. I am thankful we are finished with the majority of it for now. There are still little things to do--those are the hardest to complete because they are so small nobody would even know they exist except Russ and me. Picture the front door in vintage red and the grass healthy and growing and all the shutters up and touch-up done and..., and..., and...

Babysitting Cambria Steiner--Oct 2008

2008-10-11T20:34:00.000-07:00

Anna took Dan out to dinner for his birthday and we had the wonderful opportunity to watch Cambria for the evening. Caley and Hannah had to babysit so Heather had her all to herself most of the night. I wish I could learn how to put these in order...oh, well. I couldn't decide which pictures to post so I posted most of them...Thanks Dan and Anna!

I remember my girls at this age, constant drooling and everything goes in the mouth, including the dog's leash...
Stinky diaper!! I was later informed, by Anna, that Cambria doesn't poop that often. That explains a near blow-out at 9 months old...Heather had nothing to do with this one! We had just changed her diaper, too...
Heather's favorite time of the night--putting Cambria to sleep in her lap.
Isn't she precious? Sure makes me want another...I'll wait for grandbabies though...

Caley working with the camera again--I'm not sure but I think they stuffed the blankie in her mouth to help sop up the slobber...
Hmmmm--Dan or Anna's????
Hannah--what a goof!
Sure looks like Micah...
Very sweet..sure made Heather's night!
The rest are Caley's pictures...
One of our favorites...
Another favorite...
This one makes me just want to smooch her chubby, little cheeks...
We had a great time and yes, Anna we would gladly do it again. Next time bring Micah and Josiah, too!

Doggy sitting Raw-lee...Sept. 2008

2008-10-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

Caley volunteered to watch Rich and Erin Rowzee's little long-haired something overnight while they went to visit family. Isn't he cute? 12 weeks old and in the process of crate training. It was comical to see how excited Caley was until he wouldn't settle in his crate for the night. When she came down the stairs lugging him for the 1oth time to go potty she said, "I sure hope having babies isn't like this!" I could only laugh!
Very cute puppy and fun to play with...
Wow! Green eyes...something wasn't right when we took this picture...
The girls and Raw-lee--I'm not sure how the Rowzee's spell his name but I think my way is pretty creative...
This was right after the cute picture above--he preferred playing and terrorizing Peppie over being cuddled by the girls...
What a sweet dog! An accident free experience...at least where the carpet was concerned!

Favorite Memories From 4 Years Ago...August 2004

2008-10-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

I came across these pictures today as I was deleting some others and thought about the fact that I don't need to post current happenings only. We had planned to go camping this weekend but, of course it rained. These were the days before our tent trailer. Kurt and Laurie Faville have a little (and I mean little) cabin in Florence, OR, that they graciously allowed us to use. No running water inside--a hose outside. No electricity so we used our propane lanterns and rats...the pit toilet was a bit of a hike, open on 3 sides. I always made the girls come with me even if they didn't have to go...

This is the living room--basically a 12x12 room with a loft...

Hannah at that time didn't mind slugs and bugs and snails...the girls were 12, 10 and 8 years old
This is the loft--we thought the girls would all sleep up there until they saw the rat traps. They were also fearful they would slip off and come crashing down on us in the middle of the night.
At the beach--Caley...
The cute little cabin...
On the way home...

They weren't sliding at all. We made it look as if they were.
They sure tried though--we thought those jackets were slippery enough.
Heather and her lone sand dollar...
Look how little Heather is!!!
We love the beach!

I Should Be Grading Papers Tonight...

2008-09-25T20:25:00.000-07:00

Here is how I spend most of my day.
Heather is studying World History this year and is pictured here working on a project for Ancient Egypt. One of the reasons I love homeschooling so much is the amount of material I learn right along with my girls. Much of it I don't remember learning or most likely, didn't!

Hot Days in August...

2008-09-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

Remember those really hot days in August?? The ones where nothing brought relief except being sprawled on the ground underneath the ceiling fan? We had worked on the house most of the day and decided to drive up to the North Fork. It was very refreshing for the girls and me--not so for Russ with his broken arm. We didn't stay long...not quite the right time of day/evening to go..too many strange people... I really wish we had this in our backyard...maybe that can be next year's project!!

More Caley Pictures...

2008-09-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

I told them I wanted "school" pictures. They came back with these...

When Hannah was just about as tall as Caley, people often asked if they were twins especially when they would wear their hair in a messy bun...I think that's what it's called!
Handy tripod...

Happy 14th Birthday, Hannah! Sept. 21st 2008

2008-09-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

Another Birthday--I think it's time to scan the baby pictures. Caley took this one. Russ and I were busy on the house a couple of Saturdays ago and the girls went and had some fun downtown with the camera. They just need to slow down--growing to fast for my liking!

No Pictures...Just Praises

2008-09-25T19:14:00.000-07:00

Today was another milestone for our oldest daughter, Caley. After 7 weeks of waiting, a lost application, reapplying, checking in almost weekly (this young lady is very persistent--for which I am so proud!), struggling on her own to discern God's will, and waiting some more...phew! She got the job!! She is now officially an employee at Great Harvest Bread Company. She had her interview this morning and the owner called her by this afternoon offering her the job! I think I'm more excited then she is...We are in that place in our lives, with our children, where we are releasing them more and more to experience what God intends in all of us--to completely trust and wait on Him. It's exciting to see God's work in our kids inspite of how hard it is to watch them experience waiting. God is faithful though and we should know it because of His past faithfulness in our lives. Great lesson for a teenager!
Great reminder for me...

Kidnapped!! Sept. 2008

2008-09-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

This is a first as far as I can remember. When the 8th graders moved up to Highschool Cause this last week, they were all kidnapped between 6:30 and 7:00 am. They could only wear sweats and had 1 minute to get ready. They were then driven to the Holt's for breakfast and then to church looking as if they had just gotten out of bed. Leandra Uram is pictured here coming to wake Hannah up and Caley was in on it, too. As Hannah was rushed out the door she turned around and said, "Here!" She dropped her retainer (slimey I might add) into the palm of my hand! Yuk!! She did make it through the morning. I wish I looked that good first thing in the morning...

Summer Fun--2008

2008-09-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

Hangin' out at our house. Usually the kids pool their money and buy icecream.
Amanda and April MacCollin and Julie Nobis with the girls

Nick and Zac here, too...

What's wrong with this picture??? August 2008

2008-09-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Nothing is wrong with this one, but...

I seriously can't believe that one of my daughters is taller than me. I'm sure she gets the height from you, Uncle Wayne! I'm also sure I am shrinking! That happens ya' know...

2 Down--1 to Go!! August, 2008

2008-09-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Hannah the morning she gets her braces off after 2 years...

After the braces are removed, now they can go ahead and eat candy--like they weren't eating it before!!!
Hannah at the age of 12 just getting her braces on. More pictures to come of her life this week. She turns 14 the 21st of September...

Going Back...Again, July 2008

2008-09-14T15:22:00.001-07:00

I didn't get very many pictures of the girls in swimteam this summer. I should have, we were on another team but, sometimes I find it hard to time, cheer, eat and take pictures all at the same time...

Many ribbons and a couple of trophies by the end of the season...
Heather after a race...
Hannah, too...
Heather in a relay...
Me timing with BJ Blair...

I'm Procrastinating...

2008-09-14T14:53:00.001-07:00

I should be out painting trim right now, but I just don't want to. I guess that's OK. I'll go out in a bit--maybe. I'm justifying not going out in this heat because we have small groups tonight and I don't want to be stinky. Besides, all of my favorite brushes are still dirty and soaking in a bucket of water from yesterday's painting. Maybe I won't (can't) go after all...

The garage is done!! I love this picture! I even found new outdoor lighting at Fred Meyer. Five lights for $53.
Jay starting on the garage.
Finishing the garage...
Tearing off the back of the house...
I wonder how many times he has really fallen off??

Trim...I was smart this time around. Instead of painting all of the trim by brush, I used 4 inch rollers instead--much, much faster. By the way, see those shorts? Whenever I do any kind of painting, I wear them. They are covered in so many different colors of paint. Why get other clothes dirty when you can have designated paint shorts?

Heather helping with the trim...
Caley painting trim around the garage--this was hard, their (Caley and Hannah) necks and backs were aching from the awkward position...
Another friend, Jim Hedstrom helping with higher stuff ...
Hannah waiting her turn to paint around the garage...

The End is Near....

2008-09-06T21:37:00.000-07:00

Have you ever started a home project thinking it would take just a minimal amount of time to complete and it turns into an opportunity to experience God's incredible blessing? We have been in the midst of that over the last several weeks. These pictures will help you to understand why there hasn't been any time for blogging, vacations, etc. It started with just a little dry rot that we've been ignoring for atleast two years...then moved on to Russ falling off of a ladder or 2 and breaking his elbow (you might want to ask him about that...) and then the blessings too inumerable to count, came pouring in. After I got over the initial disappointment of Russ breaking his arm (Yes, I was very upset! How in the world were we going to accomplish this incredible task????), I told him I was sure God allowed him to break his arm to teach me a thing or two....and so it has been. Here we go in no particular order because I don't know how to do that nor do I have the time to figure it out...

Me and Peppie trying to get out. At one point I had accidently taped off all the doors because Jay is so incredibily fast and the girls were all trapped inside for a time...I thought it was funny, they didn't.
Jay with his respirator--such a clown...
Wow!
This side is 20-30 feet up. I couldn't even be in the area ladders make me nervous especially when someone is dangling from one...
Forgot to mention we are having the roof replaced, too...more pics to come...

Caley using the chop-saw...
Heather picking up dry rot--hope she doesn't get some kind of rash...
Shawn Barnes in his element--heat (I think 99 degrees this day) and height. He came for many hours 2 days in a row--we eventually had to make him go home...what a blessing he was.
Thanks to Vince Vollmar I now know how to caulk the correct way. No big blobs of mess anymore--I even have a handy little tool.
The Barnes boys--they were a great help, too and enjoyed the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath it on one of the very hot days.

We provided lunch on several days for those that helped.
Caley being....Caley!
More dry rot...
Isn't that gross? I discovered this spot and knew we couldn't ignore it...
Learning from Dad...he was really limited for a long time and has been able to use his arm quite a bit in the last couple of weeks although it is still broken...

Vince Vollmar, the professional caulker!

Russ making sure Kurt (teacher at his school) is doing the job right...
Vince was up to something...
Kurt and Aaron (teacher friends of Russ)

Both of these pictures show more dry rot...This was before Russ fell off the ladder...Ask him how it happened!!!
Isn't he handsome?? I think so...
This was the spot that we have been ignoring for 2 years until we discovered we could pretty much step through it...
Steps that were recycled 10 years ago when we did major work have finally given out...one of Kurt Faville's workers built these. He did a great job. Russ felt they were a little beyond his ability.
There!! I don't feel so guilty now (Anna)! There are more pictures to come. The roof is on the garage and partway on the house and trim is almost done...The End Is Near!!

Caley's Photos

2008-09-06T18:09:00.001-07:00

Pictures of the cute Hurley kids...Emma and Caleb

And more adorable pics of my BEAUTIFUL sister Heather...

Anna-- I got this idea from the pics that Kaitlynn took of you're kids!

Hi this is Caley again. I just wanted to let you all know that i had the opportunity to practice taking pictures of these cute kids and my beautiful sister! I really want to be a photographer when I grow up and so I decided to get started now! =) I need a portfolio of pictures anyways for the class I want to take in college...so I'm just startin' early. haha I hope you like them as much as I do!

Our House...In Progress

2008-09-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

Hannah painting...

Jay Lacy spraying paint...and covering my smiley face.

Jay again...
Mr. Vollmar pressure washing the house...

Jay at the end of the day. Covered in tan paint. =)

Hi this is Caley on my mom's blog. She told me to start updating you all with our "new" house. Also for me, I'm getting tired of seeing the same old blog that was last done on August 2nd. So I'm updating that too for my enjoyment. haha =) As of right now...Mom is working on painting trim, and my Dad is doing something with a ladder. So...here are a few picuture to let you all know what's going on with our house. Enjoy!!!! Oh-- and those of you who came and helped us that one day, I know my parents appreciate it so much! Thank you!

Do you remember when....August 1st 2008

2008-08-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

I have to bump ahead here. I still am not caught up for this year, but I couldn't wait on this one. (I hope all of you at the family reunion are viewing these--I'm cramming for you!) I never imagined I would find myself in this spot so quickly! Do you remember when you got your first car? I sure do--it was a navy blue '65 Comet. I was so excited! I washed that thing, (even though it was so oxidized it didn't even look clean), waxed it. Spent hours with it--something you would think only guys do! I loved MY first car. Russ was the same way with his first car. Well, we got to experience this all again through Caley yesterday. Oh the excitement--and that's only after looking at many, many cars. Russ and I found ourselves wanting to help with armor-all, which we did until we were gently instructed by Caley to "Please stop, I don't like it on the door handles, I don't like to touch it." Even the smell of that stuff brought back so many memories! I don't use it on the van--I don't like it on the door handles, I don't like to touch it....hmmmm I wonder where she gets it?

Caley standing with her 1990 Geo Prizm with only 92,000 miles on it!
Now Hannah and Heather can "fight" over who gets to sit in the front of this one. I'm sure Caley will work out some kind of system, or Hannah will win because her legs are so long.
I have never seen this girl work as hard as she did to clean this car--something I'm sure all of you remember doing yourselves...

Very happy to be working...

Very, very happy to get my van back!

First Ever Piano Recital July 2008

2008-08-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

The girls have taken piano for several years from one particular teacher. In January of this year, we switched to another teacher whom I've known for many years. She is an excellent teacher who pushes the girls very hard! They had their first recital this July. I think I was more nervous than they were! It brought back memories from my childhood when I had recitals--something which I did not enjoy. But I know how beneficial it is for kids to gain this experience at an early age, therefore we make them do it! :-)

Heather, Caley and Hannah with their instructor, Hanna Schmidt.
Caley playing beautifully...
Intense Hannah!
I'm so proud of Heather--she has made the most progress in 6 months time and actually loves taking piano lessons!

May 2008 Camping Memorial Day Weekend at Tumalo Falls

2008-07-31T19:57:00.000-07:00

We went camping with the Miller Family, Zac Bell and Nick Noffsinger. We only were rained on for about an hour. It was a great trip!

Tree hugging...
Greg Miller laying on the ground in the hammock that didn't work..or was it that he was too heavy??
Tumalo Falls...

The "hike" to the falls. It wasn't even a trail it was a road. See how bored Heather was? :-)

All the "kids".
Russ and Zac...
Rock climbing and cave exploring...
Bike riding along a very busy road...
The clan...

More from Father/Daughter Day...

2008-07-31T19:51:00.000-07:00

One more thing...anytime we go to the beach, we buy and eat enough salt water taffy to make us sick! This time was no exception--braces and all!
It's nice to know I am loved and missed. My family came back from the beach and we all went out to dinner together.

Father/Daughter Day April 2008

2008-07-31T19:34:00.000-07:00

Lincoln City, OR
Freezing cold...
They really never do grow up...
Heather lending a helping hand...
This is something our church does every year for 6th grade on up daughters and their dads. They eat breakfast together at the church and then each family decides what activity they want to do. I think my girls pick a trip to the beach every year. They had discussion questions Russ

asked them and they had questions to ask him. It's a great time for Russ to spend with the girls.

April 2008 Caley gets her license!

2008-07-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

Caley got her driver's license without much problem--she just drove with her door slightly ajar during the entire test! The tester was not aware of this--even with all the lights in the van on. Caley didn't want to ask to close it as she thought she would automatically flunk her test! I say good thinkin'! Way to go, Caley!

Wow has life been busy! I can't keep up with this thing for the life of me. I think I'll do less writing and more picture posting so I can get caught up. I really wanted to be caught up for this weekend's family reunion which we are unable to attend. Sorry, Family! Keep checking for updates.

Making Memories...The Australian Way/ March 2008

2008-06-28T23:13:00.000-07:00

My grandparents (mom's parents) met in Australia. He was in the service and she an authentic Aussie. They married and had my mother. She was raised in Australia until she was 3 and then they relocated back to the states. My great-grandparents owned a bakery and my grandmother helped with the family business for many years. As a result, she developed an incredible ability to bake pretty much anything you could imagine. I have very fond memories from the time I was maybe 6 or so of helping my grandmother with the baking and then enjoying licking the beaters and the bowl--most of which would end up all over my face. My favorites were pies and pasties--which my great-grandparents made and sold in their bakery. I'm not exactly sure why we've never made them before this year. I think we've always said, "Nobody can make them like Nana did!" So..nobody tried. Well, the girls and I and their Nana finally attempted them and they were excellent--just as I remembered. Amazing how food can bring back so many fond memories of my growing-up years.

Making the dough..I think one reason we never made these was because my Nana and her family used lard. That sort of scared us away...Yuk! That's what made the pastry so good--we use shortening instead.

Hamburger, chopped potaoes, carrots, onions and salt and pepper-very simple but after they are baked so yummy smothered with ketchup!

Putting them together...

This was the first time so we were rather ambitious. We made 165 of them and it took us the better part of 2 days.

Great memories with more to come...

Happy 16th Birthday, Caley! April 12, 2008

2008-06-28T18:01:00.000-07:00

Grandma & Grandpa, Kurt & Laurie Faville, Kyle & Elle Rossi
Grandpa probably telling one of his many childhood stories...
Entertainment by Elle...transforming a towel into a chicken!
Gifts...

Happy Birthday, to you!

Elle put together a 16th year survival kit as a gift for Caley, complete with encouraging scripture verses. Kyle told Caley that they bought her a car because of his new "high-paying" job. He even handed her a set of keys and we covered her eyes only to reveal this tiny car to her out in the driveway. We actually had her believing there was a car of her very own sitting in the driveway. Oh, to be 16 again!

Moving on to April 2008: Caley Turns "16"

2008-06-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

First steps and chicken pox..be thankful there are now immunizations for this. I feel soooo old!
Always laughing!
They change so fast...
Turning "3"...when "The Lion King" was just becoming popular.
With Nana and Papa's dog Buffy--the all-time favorite dog.

Caley's first bath...she's gonna' love me for this one!

Yes...this really is Caley!
Holding hands with Daddy...
Very cute...if I recall she spit up green peas on this beautiful white carpet--no worries Abbey Carpet Care to the rescue!
This was about the only piece of "furniture" we had when we moved into our home almost 15 years ago.
Wow!! Have we ever changed! I think people really do look better with age...Caley turning "1"

I thought I would post these pictures. This obviously was before the digital camera era. I'm thankful for my scanner though...I intended to make Caley a slideshow for her 16th birthday but ran out of time--plus with homeschooling she is always here and someone is always using MY computer. HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY, CALEY! Much love to you!

YMCA Regional Meet...March 2008

2008-06-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

Regionals was held at Mt.Hood Community College.

Heather swimming one of her races--I can't remember how she placed. It was a very competitive meet.
Nana paid for a motel so the girls could stay overnight closer to the pool--it was the weekend of the time change--that made it even earlier that we had to be there.
Huge pool!! Covered in the winter but open in the summer. Not very much seating...nothing like breathing everyone else's air...Yuk!!
Very early hours...one thing I don't necessarily like about swimming in the winter!

Caley and Hannah's ear piercing with Russ...2004 & 2006

2008-06-04T22:28:00.000-07:00

Wow! They change so much! It's fun to compare what each of the girls looked like at a certain (same) age.

March 2008:Traditional Ear Piercing...

2008-06-04T22:13:00.000-07:00

Before...
During...
After...
When the girls turn 12, Russ takes them to get their ears pierced. I don't know why we picked that age--maybe because they seem fairly responsible and can take care of their ears by themselves. Fun for Russ to have that time with each of the girls. I'll try to find pics of Hannah and Caley, too.

March 2008: Happy 12th Birthday, Heather...

2008-06-03T22:28:00.000-07:00

This was the birthday party--very quick! It was Easter week and amazingly busy with Russ gone every night because of play practice. Heather didn't even open any presents--we just took her to Target and told her to pick out a few things...don't recall having done that before.
What an adventure it has been with these 3 girls! All I can say to those of you with small children right now is, "Hold on!" "Buckle-up!" Whatever you need to do...I don't think I was quite prepared for how incredibly quick children grow up. God is gracious to us as parents as we raise, train, discipline, make mistakes, re-train, etc., our children. What a gift and blessing they are. As I think about Heather's 12th birthday, it is not without thankfulness for what He has done in her life physically. Some of you may remember, she was born with a hole in her heart (atrial septal defect). I was always told by her first cardiologist that if a person had to choose a hole in their heart that would be it. Not life threatening, no physical symptoms--just a hole. No need to really do anything, we'll just watch it. God, in His sovereignty, had been at work all this time changing circumstances little by little. We just remained faithful having her checked every 3 years. We received word that her cardiologist retired and she was being assigned a new one. Our first appointment was June of 2007-the end of another 3 years. As we met, Dr. Kyser continued to ask us questions. No, we didn't know her heart was enlarging and no we definitely didn't know she had 2 holes. He recommended a procedure called Cardiac Catheterization as soon as we could. He just so happened to specialize (See!! Isn't it incredible how God just knew we would need this particular doctor??) in that area. This was completed in July 2007 and by August 2007 both holes had completely closed and her heart, if I remember correctly, was back to its normal size by the day after the procedure. We are so thankful for God's hand in all of this--amazing how He works and exciting for us to reflect on His wonderful sovereign grace!

February 2008: What Happens When Goofballs Get the Camera...

2008-06-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

The girls just had gotten haircuts and were being goofy--they should be careful, they never know what's going to show up on here!

High School Swim...February 2007-08

2008-06-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

This is from 2007. Caley lettered her freshman year.

Athlete of the Month January 2008
Caley has been swimming for Sprague High school for 2 years now. Her freshman year she placed 5th at districts in the 500 Free and this year she placed 6th in the 500 Free. I can't believe she chooses to swim this, I get so tired just watching her!

February 2008 YMCA State Championships

2008-06-01T15:53:00.000-07:00

Loving sisters...
Fierce competitors...
Coming home with some medals...

Haley Ferry for a visit...February 2008

2008-06-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

Early (really early!!) morning getting ready to leave for a swimmeet in Tillamook and she's still smiling...
Wearing Hannah's boots...
The girls didn't want her to leave...she was so fun and easy!
This was so sweet! All the girls fell asleep and Haley held onto Heather's finger the whole time!
This is where our girls used to sit next to Russ while he did his school work.

Caley's Snowboarding Buddies...January 2008

2008-06-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

I think this was the picture taken of Caley returning from Mt. Hood after taking a pretty good spill that resulted in a concussion...needless to say, she was out of commission for awhile...

January 2008 Happy 43rd Birthday, Pam!

2008-06-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

For some reason it makes it seem so old when I have to type "43". The girls wanted to have a party for me so we invited some friends (Abbeys, Millers, Favilles). Caley also had a swimmeet that evening so I knew it would be a rush getting dinner for such a large crowd. I decided to make quesadillas ahead and warm them in the oven while we were gone....they were warm alright! To the point of being hard and difficult to eat. Maybe it was just me that noticed because everyone was gracious enough to eat without saying anything...Thanks, All!

December 2007 No Furnace Christmas Day...

2008-06-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

Decorating the tree...
Annual gift of new pajamas...
My mom and Dad and their babies...

Had a great Christmas with family. Nana and Papa, Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Jeanne and Andrew all came for Christmas dinner. The furnace went out early that morning but with the help of 2 space heaters and the oven we were able to get the house up to about 65 degrees--nice and roasty-toasty!

November 2007 Counting Down the Days until Mt. Hood Meadows Opens...

2008-05-31T19:26:00.000-07:00

Caley LOVES snowboarding...more pictures to come!

November 2007 Oh My...

2008-05-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure I'll be too popular putting these on but we were laughing so hard at Hannah and Heather. These are great memories. Wish some of you lived here to enjoy our girls like we do...(Nana and Papa :-))

November 2007 Annual Thanksgiving Pictures

2008-05-31T19:06:00.000-07:00

Every year on Thanksgiving weekend (if it doesn't rain) one of our traditions is to take either a family photo or a photo of the girls. We are due for a family photo next year I think. We try to be creative with old buildings around the Salem downtown area. Russ just brings the tripod and camera and we save a ton of money by taking them ourselves.

October 2007 A First Time for Everything...

2008-05-31T18:57:00.000-07:00

I think this is the first time the girls had ever carved pumpkins and scooped the junk out. They've always painted them or used permanent marker. Can't remember where Caley was...

October 2007 A Weekend at the Beach...

2008-05-31T09:02:00.001-07:00

Heather with her books as we finished the last session...
She wouldn't let me put in the really goofy picture...

This weekend was a special weekend for just Heather and me. I had this time with Caley and Hannah when they turned 12 or 13 also. The whole focus of the weekend is on purity. It's pretty intense but also much fun as we spend time together talking, praying, shopping, eating, hanging out at the beach...and the list goes on. I wouldn't change this time with my girls for anything...

Still Catching up...October 2007

2008-05-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

This is what homeschoolers do for fun....Can you guess who is who? Check out the popcorn kernel in the braces--I'm sure Dr. Kaplan was not very happy!

Hannah Turns 13...Yikes!! Another teenager...

2008-05-29T14:32:00.001-07:00

Caley is the cake-maker in the family. Something strange happened to this one though...maybe too many candles!
Talking to Nana and Papa on the phone...
Hannah has been blessed with tons of friends most of them from our church youth group. (September 2007)