VerMeer Family

Busy Weekend

2011-10-11T09:09:00.003-05:00

The second weekend in October proved to be a busy one! There was football on Friday night...

Photos... trick-or-treating... and dinner with family on Saturday.

Followed by a trip to the hospital to see Brendan who had an emergency appendectomy on Sunday.

It was enough to wear an old man out!

Play-Doh

2011-08-20T12:57:00.000-05:00

We dug the play-doh out of the storage room and the boys had a ball for over 3 hours straight! I finally had to put it away when the pieces were ending up everywhere!! I couldn't help but giggle as I overheard the boys talking about their "masterpieces". Carter was the "boss" and the twins were the workers. Perhaps we have a new Cake Boss on our hands??

Vacation 2011

2011-06-30T12:46:00.000-05:00

Click images for credits!

Gearing up for Summer!

2011-04-11T08:53:00.002-05:00

The last few weeks of school mean... rain, sunshine, allergies, and a longing for summer. I have many adventures planned for the boys this summer... swimming, exploring, ball games, that is if their allergies will allow it! :-) Life has definitely gotten easier now that the boys are a little older.

Click the images for credits!

2011-02-18T19:43:00.001-06:00

All of this warm weather we've had lately makes me think of spring!

For page credits, click here and here!

Here we go Steelers!

2011-02-06T17:02:00.001-06:00

For credits click here!

Hoogeveens

2011-01-10T12:50:00.000-06:00

We were able to sneak this shoot in while everyone was home for Christmas break!

2011-01-02T19:46:00.002-06:00

December was quite a busy month for the Ver Meer household. It seems as though it came and went in a flash!! The month started with Carter's 5th birthday on the 8th, and next on the list was the church Christmas program.

We celebrated all the boys' birthdays on Saturday the 18th, and the house was filled with 13 wild boys aged 4-6. It doesn't help when three of the are our own. :-)

We ended the month visiting family, opening presents, and swimming at the motel.

What a way to end 2010!!! Looking forward to a joyous 2011!

Look Who's Five

2010-12-10T19:58:00.002-06:00

Carter celebrated his 5th birthday this week. I look back 5 years ago when he was born, and am reminded how busy life was back then. The twins were only 11.5 months old. I had three babies under 1, and Christmas was right around the corner. Although Carter was a surprise pregnancy, he was the best Christmas gift I could have ever asked for. He will always be the baby of the family and very special boy to all of us!

He was really excited about his birthday cards with money and his presents!

He was quite bashful with the birthday song singing though! :-)

Happy Birthday Carter.... and here's to many more to come!!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T17:50:00.000-05:00

What gorgeous weather we have had lately! It was a perfect night for trick-or-treating. The boys were ready to go!! Carter was dressed as Wolverine,

Mason was a GI Joe commander Snake Eyes,

and Spencer went as Iron Man.

All of my little Super Heroes!

There were plenty creepy and scary sights lurking around every corner. Carter being the cautious one always had to assess the situation before heading in for the candy.

Why, here he is now... assessing the situation from the back row. Something tells him to proceed with caution!

He's not so sure about this place and the strange growls coming from the front porch.

Yep... I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to go up there.

This is where he turns around and decides that the candy is DEFINITELY not worth it!

Fall Fun!

2010-10-09T21:38:00.001-05:00

We have been thoroughly enjoying the weather lately and getting outside every chance we get. Last weekend we made a trip to the Pumpkin Patch. A great time was had by all picking pumpkins in the patch and apples in the orchard.

Hooray, Hooray for our 1st Day!

2010-08-28T19:12:00.002-05:00

Wednesday was a big day for the Ver Meer household. It was the first day that all 5 kids headed off to school together.

Carter had his first day of preschool...

... and the twins had their first day of Kindergarten.

Everything went very well, and I think the boys enjoyed their day. One thing is definitely certain... school completely wears them out! They are hungry and tired by the end of the day. Fortunately they are ready for bed much sooner than they use to be. I finally get a few hours of quiet time before I go to bed.

Tuesday was the big kids and my first day of school. One of my paras brought me the cutest homemade gift I have ever seen!

I love all of the minute details and time put into it. Thanks so much to Cathy for brightening my day and making my school year start off with a smile.

Just Plain Tired!

2010-08-19T21:50:00.000-05:00

The month of August has been crazy busy around here. From shooting weddings, to teaching SMARTBoard classes, to preparing for a busy school year... I'm completely tuckered out! There are days when I get home and feel like curling up with a nice soft blanket and taking a nap, but there is just no time for that. I think the tiredness is affecting everyone in the house. Even the boys are feeling it.

I came home from my class last week and found Carter resting peacefully. I wanted to curl up right there next to him, but there simply wasn't room. You see... Carter was so tired that he fell asleep in the empty "toy box" tote.

Apparently all the work it took to empty the toys out was too much. He just climbed right in and fell asleep. It was the cutest thing ever!

Even kitty Boo was wanting to hop in and curl up.

What a view!

2010-07-16T12:12:00.000-05:00

After a dark and dreary day, I was sitting in my office and happened to peer out my window to find this.

It was a full, double rainbow. Unfortunately I didn't have a wide enough angle lens to capture it from start to finish. :-( Click here for product credits.

Master Chef Mason

2010-07-05T20:20:00.001-05:00

Mason couldn't wait to wear his new apron we bought on Saturday. He always loves to help out in the kitchen, so I couldn't pass this apron up when I saw it at the flea market. He thinks he is quite the master chef in the kitchen! Here he is whipping up some delicious monster cookies from the Schwan's man, or the "food truck" as he like to call it. :-)

Grandpa Gerber's Gophers!

2010-06-15T15:03:00.003-05:00

Once spring rolled around, our neighbor, "Grandpa Gerber", started trapping gophers. You see... the pesky little critters like to dig tunnels in his yard. The funny thing is that they only bother his yard and not ours?? It is as though they know where the lot line is. :-) The boys were happily entertained during breakfast, lunch, and dinner as they watched a gopher now and then through the dining room window. Grandpa Gerber successfully trapped three gophers and we thought the problem was taken care of. Last weekend during breakfast Spencer said. "Look mom, a gopher." Sure enough... there by the little tree on the lot line sat a rather plump gopher soaking up the morning sun. Mason said with a chuckle, "Grandpa Gerber is not going to be happy about that."

I thought to myself... how could you be unhappy about a cute little furry friend?

Then today we saw another...

A while later, we saw a few more!

Make that "7" total!!

Now we know why Grandpa Gerber wouldn't be too happy about that! :-)

Summer means weddings!

2010-06-12T21:58:00.006-05:00

Summer is just getting underway and that means weddings, weddings, weddings! From attending them to shooting them, I'll no doubt be busy this season. We've had lots of engagement shoots over the past month and should be wrapping those up in a few weeks. Then the real fun begins... seven weddings in nine weeks! Here are a few pages from the wedding we shot over Memorial weekend. Click here for credits.

"Carter"-man

2010-06-03T14:35:00.002-05:00

Ever since I can remember, he has always wanted to be Spiderman! You may recall this post and this post where I wrote about his love of the Spectacular man. I mean, who could blame him? Superhero status, cool outfit, super-human capabilities... Who wouldn't want that, right? Needless to say, I was not surprised to find him today wearing his mis-matched, two sizes too small, Spiderman pajamas and hanging upside down from the kitchen counter.

Notice the "scary" Spiderman costume lying on the floor? He likes to switch it up every now and then!

Ty's Senior Video

2010-05-08T22:21:00.002-05:00

King and Queen!

2010-05-02T19:48:00.006-05:00

Congratulations you two!!

As it turns out...

2010-04-19T19:03:00.002-05:00

... I ended up with some decent pics after all. :-)

One normal pic...

2010-04-18T16:25:00.003-05:00

... that's all I've ever asked for! Do you think I could get my own boys to cooperate?? No, instead all I get is this! Well, now that I think of it... this is close to normal for us!

Where does the time go?

2010-04-18T15:00:00.001-05:00

Always Remembered...

2010-04-11T16:04:00.001-05:00

Egg Decorating 101

2010-04-04T21:09:00.004-05:00

Walk in the Light

2010-03-11T19:39:00.004-06:00

I cannot wait for Spring! These are some pictures of Carter and his cousins taken last April. Look... there was no snow on the ground!

Credits: Click image for credits

Brotherly Love

2010-02-27T20:09:00.004-06:00

Praise God for answered prayers

2010-02-06T09:56:00.004-06:00

Prayers of thanksgiving! Ronel is now home with his family!!

Just look at the joy and expression on his face as they come down the escalator.

What a great looking family!!

Read about their reunion here. Houston Chronicle News Story

Prayers for Ronel

2010-01-30T22:39:00.004-06:00

My heart just continues to break for the families who are waiting to bring their adopted children home. Please pray for them! Here is one of the many stories that is so heartbreaking as told by another blogger.

My heart is heavy tonight for the adoptive parents who are still waiting to get their children home from Haiti, and for the children who wait in the balance. Since we got Kembert out last week, things have changed dramatically. On January 18th, the US government announced it was granting humanitarian parole for orphans already in the process of adoption. This made perfect sense: these children were shown to be eligible for adoption prior to the earthquake. The Haitian and US government go through extensive searches when a child enters the system to show this to be true, including the procurement of death certificates, DNA testing, and birthparent interviews. I was so proud that our country saw the value of evacuating these children into the care of waiting families in the US, not only to remove them from a precarious situation, but also to free up room in orphanages to take care of children who are orphaned or displaced as a result of the earthquake.

This all seemed to make sense for a couple days. The US agreed, Haiti agreed, and we saw lots of personal interest news stories of happy families united with their children. That is, until UNICEF stepped in. UNICEF, with their seemingly charitable gestures towards children worldwide, happens to be an organization that is staunchly, and often illogically, anti-adoption. It is also an organization that wields a great amount of power (and money), and when they put the pressure on, Haiti complies. There is a lot to be said about UNICEF's views. There is an essay brewing there - but for now, the short version is that UNICEF would prefer children without parents to be raised in an institution within their culture of origin rather than by a loving family of a different culture. In other words, race/culture trumps family/nurture/security. (It doesn't take a psychologist to see the faulty logic there).

Over the last week, the effort to get previously-matched children out of Haiti has slowed considerably. Extra steps have been added, redundant steps, steps that pose no added measure of safety since these children HAVE ALREADY BEEN CLASSIFIED AS ADOPTABLE BY THE HAITIAN GOVERNMENT, and since these parents HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED AN EXTENSIVE HOMESTUDY/DOSSIER/BACKGROUND CHECK. This is effecting hundreds of waiting children. One such child is Ronel. I want to tell Ronel's story, because I think it is a compelling example of the need for international adoption, and a tragic (hopefully only temporarily tragic) example of how UNICEF's corruption affects orphaned children.

Ronel was abandoned at the Rescue Center of Real Hope for Haiti, which is an amazing medical mission that takes in malnourished children and nurses them back to health. I am constantly amazed by the life-saving work these sisters do. When he was brought in, he weight 28 pounds (less than my daughter India). They were unsure of his age, but guessed him to be about 7 or 8 years old. Over a few months at the Rescue Center, his weight nearly doubled. Because his parents had died and no other family came to claim him, they searched for an adoptive family.

(photo from RHFH blog, before treatment)

Debra answered that call. I've never met Debra in person, but I feel like we're friends through this crazy blogging world. She is friends (the real-life kind) with Jamie, who posted a photo of Ronel on her blog. Debra saw the picture and knew. THIS WAS HER SON. She and her husband Ernest started the process to adopt Ronel. This was well over a year ago. Like many of us, they were in the wait to get him home when the earthquake happened. Like many of us, they moved into action to try to get their son home.

Ronel was supposed to come home the night Kembert did. He was one of the kids who did not get approval, and got left behind. My heart was so heavy for Debra that night, as she rejoiced for those of us getting our kids home. But even worse was reading this visiting missionary's account of what that night was like for Ronel:

Tara told me today that the boys were flying to the US. One was going to his adoptive family in Houston Texas, the other to a family in Dallas. When I got back from my days work, the boys were all dressed in their very best to meet their new families. They were so excited. I was so excited for them. It was hard to watch them go. Later in the evening after dinner, the truck returned from the airport where 27 children were flying to meet their new parents. In the front seat of the truck was Ronel, the 6-7 year old that was staying in my room. I asked why he was still here and Tara told me it was because they needed one more paper for him. The other children got to go. She said she hoped they could get the needed paperwork tomorrow. I would never wish for you to see the disappointment on Ronel's face because it would crush your heart... it did mine. It was dark and the power was off. He went into our room, laid down on the bed, pulled the sheets up and sobbed. It was so sad. Tara came in and talked to him in Kreole... I'm not sure what she said but I know she was trying to comfort him. After a time she got up and left as I sat across the room. I could not leave him by himself. I went over and motioned for him to move over and I laid down next to him. The tears were pouring out of him. He was still in his new clothes as he fell asleep.

The embassy wanted one more paper to send Ronel home. He was supposed to go home the next day. That was a week ago.

Three days ago, Debra's husband flew down to try to get him out. From Debra:

I did not know I would literally have to fight for him.
He [Ernest] just got word that the US is deciding to comply with a request from the Haitian government. That request is to approve of all children who leave the country after they have been cleared by the United States. France and Canada have not complied and are getting their waiting children home. Our US Ambassador has not cleared children and will not see the parents waiting/pleading. They were just told that the Ambassador has left for the day.
There are sick children and pregnant women sleeping on the floor in hopes to bring children home all the while nothing is being signed out. All documents are ready to go except for that approval.
...
E has said that every time they call him to the window Ronel runs up to his side and says a phrase in kreyol with an expectant look on his face CAN WE GO? As in can we go home. As in can we go to THIS home. His home.
I will not lie and say that I am not fighting fear. I am. I am fearful of Ronel being hurt again. Being left again. It would break Ernest. I cannot imagine what it would do to Ronel. Would he understand that we would still fight for him? To think of it makes my stomach sick.

That was written yesterday. They spent all day at the embassy again today. They still don't know if or when the ambassador will sign them out.

Ronel's story is just one story of hundreds. Hundreds of orphaned children with waiting families, and nothing separating them but political manoeuvrings and power plays that put children at risk. I hope that you will read this and consider educating yourself on UNICEF's history in thwarting international adoption, and register your voice of dissent.

Raymond Joseph
Haitian Ambassador to US
embassy@haiti.org
p 202-332-4090
f 202-745-7215

Kenneth H Merten
US Ambassador to Haiti
Tabarre 41, Blvd 15 Octobre
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Haiti-earthquake@state.gov
P 509 22 29 8000
F 509 22 29 8028

Hilary Clinton/Dept of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Main Switchboard:
202-647-4000

Recent Pages

2010-01-07T08:41:00.002-06:00

With all this winter weather outside, I have had a few days to catch up on my scrapping. Following are some of my recent creations. For credit information, please visit my Cottage Arts gallery.

Winter Wonderland

2009-12-26T10:36:00.008-06:00

What a wonderful day... snow, presents, family... it couldn't be any better!

Here is the view from outside the office window!

This is Jerry's car as seen from the garage. The drifts were piling up around it.

Fortunately, a kind gentleman was here to help scoop us out.

Hi, thanks Dad!!

The rest of the kiddos were able to make it by snowmobile. :-)

Hail, Hail, the gangs all here!!!

Preparing for Christmas

2009-12-21T22:28:00.006-06:00

The boys were busy this weekend getting ready for Christmas! They helped decorate the tree and helped make their first gingerbread house.

Here they are in front of their "beautiful" tree as Carter called it.

The house didn't turn out too bad... of course, they had lots of help from us. If you ask the boys what their favorite part of decorating the gingerbread house was they will tell you "the frosting"!

Raise your hand...

2009-12-08T14:38:00.002-06:00

... if it is your birthday today!

That's right, my baby turns 4 today. Here he is at his Christian play days program.

Puppy Charlie

2009-11-27T15:53:00.003-06:00

We had a visitor for Thanksgiving. Charlie is staying for a few days while Ty and Jenna are down in Arkansas. Doesn't he look thrilled? Poor little guy is tired from the boys chasing him around the house all day!

Now who wouldn't love this face??

The Gang

2009-10-28T22:04:00.005-05:00

You know, when you release these three at a football game...

...someone is bound to get hurt!

Unfortunately on this occasion, it would be Mason who wound up with a butterfly stitch to close the hole in his forehead.

Busy is not the word for it!!

2009-09-25T09:33:00.003-05:00

I know, I know... I haven't blogged for a month and a half. Life has been pretty crazy around here! Here is a list of the things that have interfered with my blogging... work, school (twins are in preschool now), football, volleyball, cheerleading, photography, and last but not least PACKING. Did I ever tell you how much I hate packing/moving? It has taken over all of the free time I used to enjoy. :-( The good news is that the big moving day is tomorrow, and hopefully we can return to some type of normalcy in our lives. Here are a few scrapbook pages I have found time to complete in the last month. For credits, click here.

Sad, but true...

2009-08-15T12:36:00.004-05:00

... Summer is quickly coming to an end. The summer has been fun, but it will be nice to get back to a normal schedule. Although I will miss the sleeping in part!

Unexpected visitors

2009-08-07T12:45:00.002-05:00

Mowing came to a halt yesterday when this little fellow showed up.

He had been in his nest in our backyard along with his six siblings.

They were frightened by the mower and small curious children, and they all took off out of the nest.

This little fellow sought refuge under the warmth of the mower and didn't want to leave.

The boys wanted to keep him, but he was gently placed back where he belonged.

Getting Ahead

2009-08-03T12:17:00.003-05:00

I have a feeling that I will never get ahead with these three around!! We begin our day with our normal routine... get up, have breakfast, brush our teeth, get dressed, make the bed, then check my email. As I am at my desk checking my messages, I turn around and discover that the boys have made a mess out of the 13 pillows I have strategically placed on my bed as well as added a few of their own to the mix. Feeling a little frustrated by the fact that I now needed to waste my energy redoing a job that was already done I asked, "What are you doing?" Their response, "We're making a sculpture!" My frustration was immediately replaced with laughter. How could I be mad at that response?? I didn't even know they knew what a sculpture was. I guess my attempts to turn them into well-rounded civilized human beings who are culturally diverse must be working... even if they are little tornadoes at home!

Summertime, Summertime, Sum...Sum, Summertime

2009-07-29T11:17:00.003-05:00

This is what summer is all about... blue skies, sunshine, day trips to the zoo, park, and lake. It is just a shame that in a few short weeks it will all come to an end. It has been a peaceful week here on the home front. The big kids have left for camp, so things have been a lot calmer around here. The boys are excited to pick them up on Saturday because they want to go swimming in the "big" lake.

Photo Walk

2009-07-19T16:19:00.004-05:00

Here are some of my images from the photo walk I attended on Saturday.

I've been busy...

2009-07-12T11:35:00.005-05:00

...catching up on scrapbook pages. Here are some of my recent pages. To view credits and more images, click here.

Independence Day

2009-07-05T19:52:00.005-05:00

When my sister said we were up for some adventure this 4th of July, she wasn't kidding! We were off to do a little bit of hiking and climbing. I was ready for the adventure... and then I saw this.

Let me introduce you to Pinnacle Mountain. Pinnacle Mountain, jutting 1,011 feet above the Arkansas River, has been a natural landmark for centuries.

After hiking 2 miles around the base trail, we began our conquest for the summit. It was a 3/4 mile climb to the top. Considering the 93 degree weather we were having, it wasn't an easy climb for me but I pressed on... and boy am I glad I did.

You couldn't help but feel free standing at the top as the birds soared around below you.

We live in an amazing country... filled with the beauty that God has created and brave men and women fight to protect. It was a perfect day!

I told Patty I think we're ready for Everest!!

Happy Birthday!

2009-06-29T20:08:00.003-05:00

It was a day filled with food, family, and fun!!

Rob and Libby's Wedding

2009-06-25T21:00:00.005-05:00

Audrey and I wrapped up our first wedding of the summer. To view the full gallery, visit the following link.

Summer Spectacular

2009-06-23T20:00:00.004-05:00

Carter was all excited tonight because he found a Spiderman toy at the park. He caming running up to tell and show me his new find which he refers to as the "Spectacular" Spiderman! To celebrate his new find, he took Spiderman for a spin on the merry-go-round.

Mighty Explorers

2009-06-15T18:09:00.004-05:00

The boys are always exploring! I can remember having the same passion for discovering new things when I was little. They are so curious about their surroundings, and love to find little treasures to play with. One thing I have definitely figured out is that small boys are all about getting dirty and playing in the mud!

Summer means Softball!

2009-06-05T10:14:00.003-05:00

Just jumping!

2009-05-26T18:15:00.003-05:00

Jeremiah's Graduation

2009-05-21T18:05:00.004-05:00

The boys had fun today at Jeremiah's Wee-school graduation. They were able to spend the afternoon in the park playing with their cousin.

Alumni Game '09

2009-05-16T15:30:00.003-05:00

I love Saturday Mornings!

2009-05-09T10:01:00.001-05:00

The Butterfly House

2009-05-04T21:59:00.005-05:00

We made a trip to the Butterfly House this weekend. The twins had a fun time walking around and trying to identify the different types of butterflies according to their chart. Carter on the other hand was terrified that the butterflies were out to get him!

Track Time

2009-04-29T10:28:00.003-05:00

It has been a very busy week with track meets 3 out of the 5 days. Not to mention that it has been windy, cold, and rainy as we sit outside!

We go to watch Jenna...

We go to watch Brendan...

And last but not least, we go to watch Tylor.

Mondays...

2009-04-20T18:14:00.002-05:00

Sunday Shoot

2009-04-20T07:05:00.003-05:00

Good Morning!

2009-04-13T12:28:00.004-05:00

Well, it is the morning after Easter and everyone in the house was trying to catch up on a little bit of shut-eye before heading back to school/work tomorrow... everyone but the bros that is. :-)
I awoke to the sound of the boys busily chatting downstairs. Typically they ask for juice as soon as they get out of bed, but not this morning... they had other things on their mind. They were going fishing!

Spring is here!

2009-04-10T21:48:00.002-05:00

Recent Pics

2009-04-10T21:20:00.000-05:00

Photo Helper

2009-04-01T21:42:00.003-05:00

Whenever I need to try out my lights before a shoot, Mason is always there to help. :-)

Perspective Challenge

2009-03-28T14:29:00.004-05:00

My challenge for this week was to create a page with a bit of perspective. Now, this is an area where I typically struggle in scrapbooking. I have a vision in my head, but I just cannot get it to look like it should on the paper. I worked very hard on this layout last night. I may have a ways to go, but I am pretty happy with the results. :-)

Click on the picture above for a link to the credits.

Concentration!

2009-03-19T22:11:00.000-05:00

The Bros

2009-03-15T22:03:00.003-05:00

Back to Scrappin'

2009-03-11T19:09:00.004-05:00

Recent layout of Carter. Created with the following CottageArts.net products:
Year-at-a-Glance Boy Paper Pak
Nature's Sketchbook - Elements 1 - Botanical Imprints

Lost in the archives

2009-03-07T16:28:00.004-06:00

I was going through some pictures today, and I came across this one I had forgotten to post. This is a photo I made for my dad as a present.

Show Choir

2009-03-06T00:03:00.004-06:00

Here are a few pics of the junior high show choir in action. They perform in the Pop's Concert tomorrow night.

Family Portrait

2009-02-27T08:57:00.002-06:00

I am so happy with my new portrait of the kids. It is hard not to look at it and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. I have many things to be thankful for, but a beautiful family is at the top of the list!!

Monster Truckin'

2009-02-19T22:25:00.002-06:00

The boys took advantage of the nice weekend by putting some miles on their new monster truck!

Velentine's dinner for 4

2009-02-14T19:45:00.004-06:00

Since Rob is working, Paige is babysitting, and Brendan is at the Basketball game, it is just me and the boys tonight. I still wanted to do something to celebrate Valentine's Day with the boys, but what type of romantic dinner can you feed to 3 and 4-year-olds?? Well, this is what...

Their very own heart-shaped pepperoni pizza from Papa Murphy's! To make the night just a little bit sweeter, I allowed them to eat it in the living room.

Could the day get any better than this??

Tangrams

2009-02-14T18:53:00.003-06:00

The boys are loving their new tangrams they got for Valentine's Day!

Wii

2009-02-11T20:50:00.002-06:00

The boys have discovered a new favorite pastime... playing Mario Cart on the Wii. I guess you could say that racing is in their blood - right grandma?

Cael

2009-02-06T19:53:00.004-06:00

It is amazing how much babies change in only 12 months. I haven't seen this little guy for about 8 months, and my how he has grown!

We are the Champions!!

2009-02-01T23:05:00.002-06:00

Texture

2009-01-31T21:44:00.003-06:00

I have been trying out some new texture techniques with some of my niece's recent basketball photos!

When it's cold outside...

2009-01-25T20:51:00.011-06:00

... what is one to do for entertainment? Well, if you are 3 or 4-years-old and you are stuck in the house because of the frigid temperatures, there is nothing better than step sledding. If you ask the boys, they would tell you it is better than the real thing! The rules are very simple: start at the top of the steps, lay on your belly, and crawl like crazy to be the first to reach the bottom.

If the tummy isn't working so well, you can try going down on your bottom!

If that doesn't work, use your brother as a sled!

If you've tried all of that and you still can't make it to the bottom of the stairs first, throw your brother into an ankle lock and he's guaranteed to submit within the first round!

Personal Disclaimer - UFC techniques are compliments of Rob's parenting!!

Polar Golf

2009-01-18T17:24:00.003-06:00

Well, the temps have finally risen above zero and the boys couldn't wait to get outside while it was nice today. They were looking forward to playing with all of their summer toys and I was looking forward to some peace and quiet. :-) They had a great time trying to play golf with the snowballs!

Chapped Lips

2009-01-15T19:44:00.004-06:00

With the temperatures dipping as low as they have been, it is no wonder that the boys have severely chapped lips. Course it wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that they are constantly licking them! Check out their red faces!

Mason's face is the worst. We have to keep a constant supply of ointment on his face. Rob says he looks like the Joker and Mason replies, "No, I'm Batman." Notice the nice red dot on his nose? When I asked him what happened he told me, "Spencer made me Rudolph!"

Carter's face isn't looking too bad. Just a slight hint of irritation.

Spencer is somewhere in between. If you are wondering how he gets his lips/face chapped just look at what he is doing in the picture.

Milestones

2009-01-13T17:56:00.004-06:00

It never ceases to amaze me how fast children grow. Everything from birth on is measured by milestones and percentiles. Some children are always ahead or ranking in the 90-100th percentile, while others seem to just get there when they get there. As a parent you cannot compare your child to others, no matter how hard it may seem. When your child doesn't seem to have the ability to sit and listen during Sunday School when everyone else is, you may ask yourself why not? When it seems as though everyone your child's age is potty trained and they are not, you may wonder what's going on or why are they behind. As I spoke with a co-worker yesterday, we decided that every child is different and will grow and develop at their own pace. We just need to remember to be thankful that they are healthy and that they continue to make progress. Praise God for the baby steps!!

And just when you are feeling a little down that your child seems "behind", they may just turn around and surprise you by reaching yet another milestone.

Spencer was pretty proud of himself when he realized how the buttons on his pj's worked! Do you remember when you learned how to button? I had a snoopy stuffed animal with a zipper, shoelace, velcro, and a button and that is how I learned. :-)

Scenes from the Backyard

2009-01-12T14:10:00.004-06:00

So what does it look like when a Canadian cold front sweeps down into the Midwest? Well... it looks like this!

It is a cold, blustery day and I am glad to be stuck indoors!

Wedding Pics

2009-01-04T22:58:00.006-06:00

My good friend Audrey and I finished our first wedding shoot this past Saturday. I must say that things went rather well. It was a lot of fun working with the bride and groom, and we were able to capture some great shots from their memorable day. Here is one of my favorites from the day... I will try to post more at a later time.

Christmas $$

2009-01-01T21:30:00.005-06:00

So what does a 3-year-old buy with his Christmas money?? A quick trip through the local Toys 'R Us and you will see that the only item a 3-year-old has in mind is that of his favorite neighborhood super hero: Spiderman! Carter loves Spiderman and is often found mimicking his spider-like reflexes. We tease him that his real name is "Carter Parker".

Credits: Pictures in this post were created with the Action Hero set from Scrap Girls, and Scrap Frames 8 from Cottage Arts

A Monster Hit

2008-12-29T21:23:00.003-06:00

Christmas was a monstrous hit since Santa brought a Monster truck loaded with presents. Check out the boys' new F150 pick-up.

Christmas is almost here...

2008-12-24T11:53:00.004-06:00

... and the boys have been busily getting ready. Good thing aunt Deanna gave them these shaving kits for their birthday.

Santa has been making his list and checking it twice and there are only 12 hours left before he decides if they are naughty or nice!

Visit with Santa

2008-12-19T18:40:00.006-06:00

We braved the mall and all the holiday shoppers last weekend so the boys could visit Santa. Notice that Carter is not in the picture? He was his shy self as always and stayed back about 5 feet from the "big guy"! Spencer and Mason told/showed him how it was done though.

Credits: All scrapbook materials and photo edge from CottageArts.net

New lights

2008-12-15T22:29:00.002-06:00

My new lights came today, and I think I am really going to like them! Here are a few pictures I snapped tonight using one of them.

Christmas Lights

2008-12-14T11:28:00.004-06:00

The boys love Christmas lights, so we took them to see this amazing light show on Friday evening. All the proceeds go to Make-A-Wish foundation.

Christmas Layout

2008-12-11T12:09:00.003-06:00

Here is a new layout I created using our Christmas picture.

Credits: For a list of credits, click here.

Where have 3 years gone?

2008-12-08T20:06:00.004-06:00

It was our baby's birthday today... he's 3 years old. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital. Although I was saddened that he would be our last child, he has definitely made our life complete.

Soccer

2008-12-04T17:38:00.005-06:00

The boys have taken it upon themselves to start a new bedtime activity... soccer. I must say that they are pretty good at it as well. Aside from the fact that they do not understand the no hands rule! It is a great way for them to release some of that extra energy and work together. I just wish they would try doing it earlier in the evening!! :-)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2008-11-27T16:12:00.003-06:00

Today was just what I was looking forward to... food and family! We enjoyed a relaxing day at home with the kids. Everyone tried their best not to stuff themselves. The boys were not too hungry because they stole a few bites as they helped prepare the food. :-) Mason loved the turkey the most and it showed, because it didn't take long for him to get tired.

You can tell who didn't eat that much turkey... they are still wide awake!

What a Week!

2008-11-20T07:06:00.005-06:00

Things have been rolling pretty fast around here. I have a few projects going on, schoolwork is piling up on my desk, and not to mention the football team keeps interrupting my schedule. :-) Not that I mind heading to the dome for the State Championship!! It will be another busy weekend were my housework is neglected, but you know what... I am enjoying every minute of it! Good luck boys - let's bring home a win!

Here are some photos from last weeks semi-final game.

Recent Pages

2008-11-12T20:37:00.003-06:00

Here are a few of my most recent layouts. I have been trying to catch up lately... there has been a lot going on!! For a list of credits, click here.

Kung Fu

2008-11-09T17:53:00.005-06:00

The much anticipated day has arrived... the release of the Kung Fu Panda movie! The boys were very excited and they had to get their stuffed animals out for the premier.

Lil' Stinkers

2008-11-05T07:10:00.004-06:00

Well, Halloween went off without a hitch and the boys are finally coming down off of their sugar high! The weather was as perfect as could be and the boys had a great time. I wasn't able to capture too many picture because they were always on the run!!

Waiting...

2008-10-30T19:23:00.002-05:00

... for Halloween!! We are hoping the weather is just as nice tomorrow for trick-or-treating.

Fall Layouts

2008-10-23T23:11:00.004-05:00

Here are a few of the new layouts I created with our pictures from Sunday.

For a list of credits, click here.

Wow!!

2008-10-19T18:32:00.008-05:00

What a fabulous fall day!! The boys and I decided to go for a walk and look at all the beautiful colors.

What I've been up to!

2008-10-16T22:26:00.003-05:00

I have been very busy with the wonderful job of photographing some adorable kids. Here are some samples from the past two days.

I consider myself very blessed and am very grateful to experience these great opportunities.

Catch-up Day

2008-10-12T18:44:00.002-05:00

I tried to catch up on some scrapbook pages today. These pictures were taken withing the last 2 weeks. Click here for credits!

Exhausted

2008-10-08T18:07:00.002-05:00

Exhausted basically sums up the way we are feeling after the busy week we've had. Lately I come home from work to find this!!