Life in the Land of Enchantment

Vivian's Latest Trick - Watch Out!

2009-07-29T21:52:00.000-07:00

Learning to stand!

And watching a cartoon with my biggest brother! (Well, actually, smiling at everyone in sight as my brother watches a cartoon.)

The Great Facebook Takeover . . .

2009-07-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

Since it's almost effortless to upload photos from iPhoto to facebook, that's were most of my photos are ending up these days! One day perhaps I'll be creative (or find time) again and do a little more with this site, but in the meantime, here are some links to the Lee family adventures from June and July.

But first, a picture of the Cousins during our trip to MI . . .

Vivian Joy
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=286898&id=904030719&l=fa3890fa2f

Be Vewy, Vewy Quiet
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=286905&id=904030719&l=12cc7805b3

Father's Day 2009
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=286906&id=904030719&l=332905734d

Adventures in Michigan
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=286925&id=904030719&l=fc1c4df442

The Golfer's Last Week
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=286928&id=904030719&l=ace1563f48

Bows!
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=286929&id=904030719&l=8e8629a775

Pool Time!
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=286930&id=904030719&l=d3e52470a0

Summer Fun Begins . . .

2009-06-02T10:35:00.000-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=263166&id=904030719&l=e04afc9e20

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=263177&id=904030719&l=af0b022c5f

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=263174&id=904030719&l=4188582cb7

The Merry, Merry Month of May

2009-05-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

Lots of pics from the month of May!

Mother's Day Brunch at Kindergarten:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=261450&id=904030719&l=a7f05c781c

Mother's Day:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=261454&id=904030719&l=19d480f9c8

Vivian Joy:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=261448&id=904030719&l=21556b02c6

Pilates Girl:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=261115&id=904030719&l=843c0b0c1e

Getting Stitched Removed:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=261457&id=904030719&l=f583d12a80

Bubble Boys:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=261459&id=904030719&l=24430c6305

Brunch With Gammie and Boppa:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=261460&id=904030719&l=4d47a1d293

In Your Easter Bonnet . . .

2009-04-13T06:40:00.000-07:00

Photos from a wonderful Easter Day! Here are the boys hunting for eggs, Vivian in her first Easter bonnet and dress, and all of us enjoying a wonderful brunch at Gammie and Boppa's.

The link to the rest of the photos:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=241480&id=904030719&l=4655fc1323

April Fool's

2009-04-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

I April Fooled the family with a chicken pot pie that wasn't. Since we have chicken pot pie with some regularity, this wasn't a stretch. However, it looked enough unlike a real pot pie (and I cannot lie with a straight face!) that they knew something was up. This one was made of pudding, bananas ("potatoes"), and "veggies" made (believe it or not) from salt water taffy. The kids actually liked it, but I had made a real pot pie, too, so that we could eat a decent dinner!

Vanity, vanity . . .

2009-04-13T06:21:00.000-07:00

Already learning to admire herself in the mirror!

Napping at the Park on a Chilly March Morning

2009-03-25T09:42:00.001-07:00

Baby Doll

2009-03-25T09:37:00.001-07:00

OK, there may be just a little too much pink going on here! Oh well!

The Stats

2009-03-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

Vivian had her 3-month check-up last week, and it turns out that she is a string bean - long and skinny!

Weight - 12 lbs, 5 oz. - 50th percentile
Height - 25 inches - off the chart!
And her head is right around the 50th percentile, too! Nice and round and perfect for bonnets - lol! (See below!)

Tummy Time!

2009-03-23T13:49:00.001-07:00

The Mad Hatter

2009-03-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

It all started when I decided that Vivian would need an "Easter bonnet." Unable to find one online that I liked and not wanting to drive all around town looking for the perfect baby bonnet, I found an easy pattern and made one out of white eyelet. It was so simple, inexpensive, and cute that I promptly went nuts and made bonnets to match the rest of her current wardrobe! I'm taking a break from my "mad hatting" but saw plenty more fabrics, trim, and ribbons to keep her head adorned with bonnets all throughout the spring and summer!

Little Sister Bling!

2009-03-12T20:32:00.001-07:00

Hands!

2009-03-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

I've gotten very good at using my hands to play with my toys and can also find my hands to suck on!

11-Week Smiles

2009-03-12T20:23:00.000-07:00

Of course, mommy noticed my messy face AFTER taking these photos!

Happy Girl!

2009-03-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

See How Strong I Am!

2009-03-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

Practicing my sitting (with help!)

I'm not so sure I like this . . .

And practicing my standing!

Cutest Moccasins Ever!

2009-03-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

Here's Vivian wearing her super cute moccasins from her Auntie K!

Vivian's New Quilt

2009-02-21T20:22:00.000-08:00

Vivian received a beautiful new baby quilt made by her Great Aunt Sue. All three children have received similar quilts. (See the nursery photos from December 2008.) These quilts are works of art!

Better Late Than Never . . .

2009-02-21T20:14:00.000-08:00

Finally, Christmas Photos! Vivian was less than a week old here, and Erica was looking a little tired!

Christmas photos here

Find a Penny Pick It Up

2009-02-21T19:57:00.000-08:00

Cameron has been collecting change in his piggy bank, hoping to purchase a new $10 Star Wars lego set. (His current obsession with Star Wars and all things having to do with outer space is a whole other topic . . . ) On Monday, we counted up his change, and sure enough, he had what he needed. Cameron sorted the money into piles by type of coin, which we then put into ziplock bags labeled with the amount in each bag. Unfortunately, it was President's Day and the bank was closed, so we were not able to switch out the change. The cashier at Target was perfectly accommodating, though, even through the counting out of 200 pennies! (I somehow think that had it not been an excited little boy handing over his change to buy a new Lego set, he might not have seen much humor in the situation! And luckily, there was nobody behind us in line!)

You Might Be a Redneck . . .

2009-02-21T19:51:00.001-08:00

Tank top, army rifle, Nascar . . . what more can I say about this photo?

Life's a Circus

2009-02-21T19:16:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, Cody and the boys were supposed to go to the Shrine Circus. At the last minute, however, we could not find the tickets. I knew where I had had them last, but they were nowhere to be found. We tore the house apart and even emptied out the trash. No tickets. About an hour and a half after the circus started, I finally found them. Let's see if you can find them more quickly than I did . . .

I was sitting in this chair the last time I had the tickets, and knew that I set them down on one of the two side tables.

Look carefully. Can you find them?

Maybe it will help to narrow in a bit more . . .

Yes, there they are! Rolled up and stuck in the vase. And who might have done this? "Gordon, did you put the circus tickets in the vase by the kitchen?" "Oh yeah! I did it." (Big smile) Fortunately, the tickets were given to us for free, and there was a performance the next day, so alas, the boys and Cody were able to attend after all, and had a great time!

Peek-a-Boo

2009-02-10T20:08:00.001-08:00

Just a cute pic of my fun and funny three-and-a-half-year-old.

It's Good to Have Older Brothers Watching Out for You

2009-02-10T20:01:00.000-08:00

The Nursery Patrol is on duty and Vivian should be quite safe in her crib. (Gordon was responsible for this!) I think the one on the far left is wearing a chef's hat, so he can whip you up a meal before the ambush!

Pretty Baby Pictures

2009-02-10T19:46:00.000-08:00

My Big Brother Loves Me . . .

2009-02-10T19:30:00.001-08:00

. . . but I don't always love being held by him!

Me and My Super-Daddy

2009-02-10T19:12:00.001-08:00

Reading With Grammie

2009-02-10T18:53:00.001-08:00

All Dressed Up

2009-01-25T19:09:00.000-08:00

Vivian wore a dress for the first time today. So cute! And check out those mary jane socks! Cameron thought she looked like an "Irish dancing girl." (How he knows what an Irish dancing girl looks like I am not quite sure!)

One-Month Smiles!

2009-01-20T18:46:00.001-08:00

Vivian turned one month old yesterday, and has started smiling!

And I Promise . . .

2009-01-16T20:53:00.000-08:00

I WILL get the Christmas photos up here one of these days!

Rockin' Vivi

2009-01-16T20:49:00.001-08:00

Vivian celebrated her 4-week birthday with a little jam session at the dinner table. Here's a quick clip.

My Big Brothers Love Me

2009-01-16T20:46:00.001-08:00

Show 'n Tell

2009-01-16T20:37:00.000-08:00

Cameron REALLY wanted me to bring Vivian in for show and tell, so last Friday, on her 3-week birthday, I dropped by his classroom for a special show and tell session. Cameron was very proud to tell the class about his baby sister.

Vivian and Grandpa

2009-01-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

A couple nice photos of Great Grandpa Strong holding Vivian at Mimi's memorial service.

Vivian and Mimi

2009-01-07T08:04:00.000-08:00

Cody's Grandma "Mimi" passed away last Friday, January 2. On her last really good day, just before she slipped into a coma, Mimi was able to meet and snuggle with Vivian for about 20 minutes. What a special time for her and a precious memory for all of us. We are so glad that Vivian was able to meet the beloved Mimi, and that Mimi was able to find special joy in her great-granddaughter.

Go To Sleep You Little Baby

2008-12-31T11:59:00.000-08:00

A pretty picture of our sweet Vivian. Christmas pictures coming soon . . .

Our Bundle of Life and Joy

2008-12-22T20:16:00.000-08:00

Announcing Vivian Joy! This little bundle joined our family on Friday, December 19 at 3:35pm. Five days late, and after a few "false alarms," my water broke at around 7:50 on Friday morning. After about 4 hours of some barely noticeable but somewhat regular contractions, we decided that we had better go to the hospital just to be on the safe side. I spent about 2 hours in the maternity triage, where I had about 2 more hours of these mild contractions. The monitor showed them coming quite close together, actually, but I was barely feeling most of them, many not at all. Because my labors with both Cameron and Gordon had progressed so quickly, I was a bit perplexed by this seemingly sluggish progress. Well, at around 2:30 the contractions began to get much more uncomfortable, and I sent Cody to grab the midwife on duty to let her know. By the time she came to move me to the delivery room, it was obvious that this had changed from "phantom" labor to the real thing. I was at 7 cm and going fast. Vivian arrived less than an hour later. I had planned on a "natural" childbirth this time, given my fast deliveries with the boys and a bad epidural experience with Gordon, but I'll admit that as Vivian's debut grew closer, I was asking if there was time for something to take the edge off. Nope, no time. So, I pushed this little one out the old-fashioned way. It was intense, but my recovery has been very easy and swift and I am feeling great. We brought Vivian home the next evening.

The biggest surprise was Vivian's size - a whopping 8 lbs, 1 oz. and 21". Cameron and Gordon were 7 lbs, 3 oz. and 19" and 6 lbs. 13 oz. and 19.5", respectively, and I was at the exact same weight as with both boys, so the fact that she was so much bigger was totally unexpected. Even the doctors and midwives were estimating that she'd be a 6.5 to 7 lb. baby. Perhaps this extra weight is all due to her fingers and toes, which are the longest I've ever seen on a baby. They look just like mine!

Cameron and Gordon are very excited about Vivian's arrival. Cameron is particularly attentive to and enthralled by her, and wants to hold her as much as possible. Today he told me that she looked bored, and went to get some music to play for her.

At just three days old, I know that this may change, but so far Vivian is just as sweet and good-natured as can be. We are very excited that she's here!

And a final note on her name, Vivian means "Full of Life." Her middle name, Joy, is my mom's middle name. So, her name means "Full of Life and Joy", and it's particularly fitting as we approach Christmas to say that our hope and prayer for this little one is that her heart and life will always be attuned to the One who came that we "may have life and have it to the full" and that her "joy may be complete" in Him.

Here's a link to several photos from Vivian's first three days.

Knock-Knock

2008-12-12T21:56:00.000-08:00

While my parents were in town last month, the boys kept us quite entertained with their joke telling. "Interrupting Cow" was an oft repeated joke, and as you'll see, what Gordon lacks in timing, he more than makes up for in enthusiasm. We're not sure that Cameron quite gets the "Fun Guy" joke, but he sure seems to think it's funny. And, what little boy wouldn't laugh at a joke that has the word "poop" in it?!?! Watch the videos in order . . .

Luminarias and Fondue

2008-12-12T21:25:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we hit Old Town with Cody's parents for the annual Luminaria Stroll, followed by fondue at the Melting Pot. There's nothing like guiding your children through streets lined with candle-lit paper bags and then supervising them around bubbling cheese, scalding oil, and deadly fondue forks. Are we really qualified to be bringing another child in to the world? (Seriously, though, it was fun!)

Thanksgiving Pics

2008-12-12T21:13:00.000-08:00

Just a few belated photos from Cameron's Thanksgiving lunch at kindergarten, and a couple more from Thanksgiving Day.

Life is Simple When You're 3-Years-Old

2008-12-12T21:03:00.000-08:00

Gordon made this cute little "thankfulness tree" at preschool just before Thanksgiving. He named several things for which he's thankful, which the teachers then wrote down on the leaves and put on the tree. The first three were to be expected:

Mommy
Daddy
Cameron

The fourth, which his teachers said was totally unsolicited by them, was very sweet:

Baby Sister

And the last three just cracked me up:

Suckers
Mac 'n Cheese
Hamburgers

Life is very uncomplicated for a 3-year-old. What a great reminder to be thankful for all the little things we take for granted, like suckers!

More Family Photos

2008-12-12T20:50:00.000-08:00

I tried to narrow down the photos from our family photo shoot, but finding that almost impossible since there were so many great ones, I posted most of them here.

Nursery Pics

2008-12-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

Since we didn't know either boy's sex beforehand, the nursery decor was pretty "gender neutral" - lots of green, yellow, and light blue. So, instead of starting from scratch with Baby Girl's room, I decided to go with the yellows/greens/blues already in the room and just added some bright pink and a few other "girly" touches. I made the new crib bedding, re-arranged a few things on the walls, and displayed the beautiful baby quilts made by my Aunt Sue. Since our house is on the market and we don't know if we'll be in it long-term or not, the only thing I didn't do was to make a new valance for the window. Otherwise, the room is looking very sweet - with lots of little memorabilia from the boys' infancies and plenty of feminine additions for our little girl.

Coming Soon . . .

2008-11-28T21:44:00.000-08:00

Knock-knock jokes and Thanksgiving photos and funnies. But in the meantime, here I am at almost 38 weeks.

This Little Girl Won't Be Prissy . . .

2008-11-28T21:23:00.000-08:00

With two older brothers, I think that prissiness will be an impossibility. The boys like to go into "Baby Sister's" nursery to check out all the tiny new clothes and other things that have begun to fill the drawers and closet. Their description of some of these items, however, cracks me up.

My favorite from Gordon: I have a little box that I've filled with tiny hair bows. The hair bows have little clips that open when you squeeze them so that you can attach them to baby's hair easily. Gordon likes to check out this box of bows, but refers to them as Baby Sister's "clampers" due to the little clips that "clamp" into baby's hair.

And a funny one from Cameron: I received a darling sleeper that snaps down the back and has a little flap that snaps horizontally just above the backside. Cameron loves that sleeper because, as he says, "We can just undo this little flap and she can poop out the back like a concrete mixer."

Yep, she should be all set with her clampers and her concrete mixer p.j.'s!

Family Photo Preview

2008-11-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago Cody's sisters and aunts hosted a wonderful baby shower for me. I'll post more photos soon, but in the meantime, here's a sneak preview of some family photos we had taken by long-time Lee family friend Amy (Noon) Free, who was in town with her mom for the shower.

More Cute Sleepy Photos

2008-11-28T21:03:00.000-08:00

I love that Cameron and Gordon often climb into bed together in the morning. It's fun to listen to their conversations, like Cameron teaching Gordon to count to 100 or trying to read to him. Here are a couple pics from one morning earlier this month. Gordon was apparently more "up and at 'em" than Cameron, and hence doing some "little brother pestering."

And I couldn't resist adding another photo of Gordon napping in my bed. I love to come in and see the funny sleeping arrangements he creates . . . Here is in buried in pillows.

34 Weeks Down, 6 To Go

2008-11-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

And for my belly watching contingent . . . it keeps growing.

Halloween

2008-11-02T18:36:00.000-08:00

Well, in contrast to the last two years when I spent hours coming up with (and sewing!) clever family costumes, this 6-weeks-away-from-delivering-a-new-baby mom had no mental (or physical!) energy to do anything creative for Halloween this year. Instead, the Halloween mantra was: "Whatever costumes we have on hand, those are your choices, boys." (Our neighbors who have hosted a big costume party the last two years did not do so this year, eliminating the need to outfit myself and Cody. Whew!)

Anyhow, Cameron was going to be a pirate on the front the Batman on the back. I am not exactly sure how this was going to work, but I never found out because he changed his mind and decided to be Luke Skywalker. He wore his karate gee with a belt from another costume and carried his blue light sabor. Pretty clever, I thought! Although he was in desperate need of a haircut, he wouldn't allow me to cut his hair until after Halloween because, apparently, Luke Skywalker's hair is shaggy too. Gordon chose the lion costume that Cameron wore two years ago.

I've also included a few photos from the kindergarten "Fall Carnival" held on Halloween at Cameron's school. Gordon and I stopped by, and Gordon got in on the face painting. HIlarious!

And back when I had some creative juices . . . . Two years ago, the Lee Family headed off to Oz, and last year Neverland.

31 Weeks

2008-10-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been asking, here are a couple "belly shots." I'm 31 weeks today, due December 14 - two months and two days away! (Cameron recently informed us, "You said that our baby sister would be here before we knew it, but this is taking a REALLY long time!")

A Wooden Pop Gun + A Broken Section of a Tent Pole =

2008-10-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

A Violin, of course!

On Friday night, Cody played a YouTube video of some cool, funky violin music. The boys were having a blast dancing to the music, and then improvised with their own little violin. As you can see by the pictures of Gordon, we had some pretty intense violin playing going on! There's also a short video clip of Cameron dancing to the music while Gordon takes a little magazine break. (Listen carefully to Gordon. After he says, "Not me" he starts dancing a little and says "Rockin!") The dancing and violin playing intensified again after this video was taken, but alas, we have no footage because the boys soon crashed into one another and Gordon bumped his head, putting our jam session to an end.

Laziness or Good Time Management? You Decide . . .

2008-10-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

In order to help mornings go smoothly, Cameron has a checklist of responsibilities that he must complete by the time he goes out the door. This list includes making his bed and getting dressed, amongst other things.

So, a few weeks ago he had a brilliant idea. He would just sleep on top of his covers so that all he had to do to make his bed in the morning would be to straighten the pillows. This was going well for him, but the other night, he came to me and told me that that he had another idea. He was also going to sleep in his clothes so that he would already be dressed the next morning.

And so here he is, fast asleep with two of his morning responsibilities already completed!

Gordie in a Nest

2008-10-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, I allowed Gordon to take his nap in my bed while I took a rest myself. As I tried unsuccessfully to sleep, I could feel Gordon rustling all around. Finally, when he calmed down, I looked over and saw what all the commotion had been. He had built himself a little nest out of pillows and then fallen fast asleep in it. Precious!

A Sunday Hike and Picnic

2008-10-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, we took a little hike in the foothills and had a picnic. Cameron proved himself to be a pretty daring mountain climber! Afterwards, he even drew a picture of the mountain he had climbed. (You can also see pics of my 29-week pregnant belly here!)

Names for Baby Sister . . .

2008-09-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

I am terrible about recording the funny things that my kids say, which I regret, because I've already forgotten more of them than I remember. But I thought I'd share this little nugget from Gordon.

We are having hard time deciding on a name for Baby Girl, and periodically ask the boys for suggestions or ask them what they think about certain names. For a long time, Gordon suggested that we name Baby Sister "Sassy Cat." Then, a few weeks ago, on a Saturday morning, Gordon came into our bedroom and announced that her name should be "Princess." Then, later that morning, we asked the boys what they thought about a couple names, and Gordon looked very thoughtful, then with a big smile exclaimed, "I think that we should name Baby Sister 'Cobra'!"

What do you think? Sassy Cat, Princess, or Cobra? Any of them strike a chord with you?

Cameron's Birthday Week!

2008-09-16T17:22:00.001-07:00

Cameron celebrated his 6th Birthday last week! The week started out with a bang, quite literally, when Cameron ended up in the pediatric urgent care on Sunday to receive stitches in his left eyelid. Let's just say that the incident involved Cameron, Cody, and a ceiling fan, and we are very, very thankful for the near miss to his eye. Cameron is one tough kid, though. The doctor could not believe how still he lay there to receive his stitches. Here are a some photos of the prize fighter a couple days after the incident.

On Tuesday night, Gammie and Boppa dropped by with a pretty cool birthday gift - a Leapfrog Learning System.

On Wednesday, his actual birthday, Cameron brought "C is for Cameron" cupcakes to school. He brought the same type of cupcakes last year, but this year he specifically wanted white frosting with chocolate chip C's. Last year it was chocolate frosting with white chocolate chips. Here is Cameron is at his classroom birthday celebration.

As gifts, Cameron received several Target gift cards, which he used to have the shopping spree of his life - three new Transformers, a slinky, a Lego set, and a Spiderman magnetic writing thing. He also received an awesome pirate watch and pirate socks as well as some cool new Sketchers shoes.

And here is Cameron one week after his accident - stitches out and eye healing up nicely!

Girls' Weekend

2008-09-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

I spent a few days away in Sunriver, Oregon with 3 college friends - Katie, Tasha, and Micheleen - and their babies. I, on the other hand, had no children with me, other than the one I'm toting around in my belly!! It was a fun weekend!

Preschool Time!

2008-08-20T08:09:00.001-07:00

Not to be outdone by his big brother, Gordon also started school this week. Preschool! He'll be going for four hours a day, two days a week, leaving me with two wonderful, glorious, kid-free mornings . . . until December, when we start all over again with Baby Sister!

As you can tell, our boys like the thumbs-up pose! Gordon has adopted the Thomas backpack and lunchbox, as well as the same shoes that Cameron wore on his first day of preschool. The brown socks pulled up to the knees were at Gordon's insistence! I tried to fold them down, but he was having none of it! Cody and I joked that "Our boys really need to be better adjusted." Both boys bounded off to school without a look back! In fact, neither boy has ever really had a problem going to school, the church nursery, being left with a babysitter, etc. I guess they think Mom and Dad are overrated!!!

When Mom's Away . . .

2008-08-20T07:47:00.000-07:00

It was "boys' weekend" around here, as I traveled to Michigan for my sister-in-law Michelle's baby shower. (Our babies are due just 10 weeks apart!) Cody, Cameron, and Gordon had lots of fun, including a ride on the Railrunner. You can tell that Dad, not Mom, was in charge - Gordon wore his tee-shirt inside out just because he liked it that way!!

The Brothers

Happy Boys

Goofy Faces

And Cameron practices his photography skills as Cody practices posing!

Kindergarten Kid!

2008-08-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

Well, Cameron started kindergarten today! He has been waiting for this day for months, and was very excited to start. He had his clothes on, shoes tied, bed made, lunch box in his backpack, and was waiting for breakfast in record time! (Let's hope that he's so eager every morning!) Here are some pictures of the big boy on his big day.

These photos are almost exactly the same as the ones taken three years ago on his first day of preschool, but he's swapped out the Thomas backpack and lunchbox for camoflage, and appears to have grown several feet!

Here is Cameron on his first school bus ride! I was a bit apprehensive about the bus, but Cameron really wanted to ride. (And, I figure it will have its advantages once the baby's here.) However, we (well, I) did have a little drama this morning! After the bus came for Cameron, I drove up to school to meet him at his classroom for a "goodbye" activity in his classroom and the "Boo Hoo Breakfast" put on by the PTA. A teacher meets all the kindergarteners at the bus and brings them up to the kindergarten playground. Well, somehow Cameron and another little boy didn't get picked up by the kindergarten teacher on duty and when I arrived he was nowhere to be found! It turns that out he had followed the bigger kids onto their playground without being noticed. (Probably because he is about as tall as a 2nd grader!) He was completely unfazed, but I was in a panic and his teacher was mortified by the mix-up! Needless-to-say, the teachers will be on specific lookout for him tomorrow, and Cody or I will follow him up to school for the next few days to make sure that he gets where he is supposed to be!

And he's home! Safe and sound and on the correct bus . . .whew! (AND, he seems to have had a wonderful day!)

More Travels . . .

2008-08-09T19:36:00.000-07:00

We are either crazy, or just trying to make the most out of the summer . . . or both. Only a few weeks after returning home from Michigan we drove to Los Angeles for four days. A week later, we drove up to Greeley, CO where the boys and I stayed for a few days while Cody ran from Fort Collins to Steamboat Spring as part of the Wild West Relay.

As always, we have plenty of photos of our adventures, though I forgot to take photos of many people and places in LA . . . I guess I was too busy visiting!

Click on the links below to view our photos:

Fun with Auntie K and Uncle Richard at Kidspace in Pasadena

A great time with great friends at the Kvinslands

Having a blast at Zuma Beach with Stacy and Annika

More fun at Lake Balboa park

The cousins having a great time at the Denver Children's Museum, at the pool, and just goofing around

And here are some photos we took while dining at In n Out on our drive home from Los Angeles. The last one really "cracked" us up. (I'm so sorry. We couldn't resist.)

It's a Girl!

2008-07-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

We found out today that are having a baby girl! See the ultrasound images here.

Our Trip to Michigan

2008-07-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time in Michigan, and have lots of pictures to share.

Here are various photos from Michigan including shots from the "road trip," time with family, and Cameron's first lost tooth.

We stopped in Chicago along the way, intending to hit Shedd Aquarium, but when we arrived we discovered that it was "free day." The entire city of Chicago had shown up and the lines to get in were unbelievably long and slow. The aquarium was completely full and they were only letting people in as others exited. Needless to say, we didn't have enough enough hours in our day to wait, so we headed next door to the Field Museum and still had a great time.

We had fun seeing the "Great Simpsons."

We were able to visit Aunt Carol and Uncle Dan at the lake a few times. The boys had a blast on the SeaDoo, fishing, and making s'mores.

And finally, we wrapped up our trip with a fun 4th of July visit to the Ritche's in Grand Haven. We watched a parade, hit the beach, and saw an amazing fireworks display down on the river.

Mission to Mars

2008-07-16T20:35:00.001-07:00

Several weeks ago Cameron and Gordon took a trip to Mars! Inspired by the Discovery Channel's series "When We Left Earth," Cameron decided to retrofit the exersaucer, suit up with his little brother, and embark on a daring mission into space.

The Shuttle

Preparing the Ship

The Daring Duo (For the life of me I cannot remember their "astronaut names.")

Gordon Flies Solo

Cameron To Ground Control

Birthday Boy!

2008-07-13T16:31:00.001-07:00

I am just recovering from the haze of early pregnancy and travel, so these photos are more than a month belated. None-the-less, here are some pictures of our 3-year-old celebrating with a big slice of cake on his actual birthday and then at a small family party the following weekend! Click here for the birthday photos.

It's a . . .

2008-06-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Baby! OK, I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. No news on baby's gender, but we did catch some good first glimpses today - quite an active little thing, at one point bouncing off of his or her head! We've yet to produce a particularly passive child, however, so this comes as little surprise! Cameron and Gordon were fascinated by the whole experience, and baby looks nice and healthy so far. Below is a quick video. Click here to see several more photos of our little one.

P.S. Three years ago today, we were shouting "It's a Boy!" as we welcomed Gordon into the world! Happy Birthday to our three-year-old! Photos later . . .

Choosing the Sex of Your Baby: Thoughts from a 5-Year-Old Boy

2008-05-30T14:35:00.001-07:00

Today Cameron said, "Mom, I really hope that we have a baby boy instead of a baby girl. Do you want to know why?" "Why?" I asked. "Well, because we already have all the clothes and stuff we need for a boy so we won't have to do a bunch of shopping." "Oh," I asked, "Is it that you don't want me to go shopping and spend a bunch of money, or you just don't want to come shopping with me?" "I don't want to come shopping with you and have to be good in the store." When I suggested that if we have a girl I could leave him at home while I went shopping for girl stuff, he got a big smile on his face and said that that would be fine. :-) Time will tell if we get to recycle the boy stuff one more time or if we (I) "have" to go shopping . . . (Either way will be OK!)

A Happy Mother's Day . . .

2008-05-12T07:20:00.000-07:00

We had a relaxing day and a wonderful brunch at Aunt Susan and Uncle Dave's house. Here are some photos of the day.

And Baby Makes . . .

2008-05-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

Five! Yes, it's true. In December we'll be adding another little Lee to the family. I am just a few days past 8 weeks, but am feeling sick enough that it's probably safe to share . . . :-)

Spring Fun!

2008-04-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

Spring's here! The weather has been warming up, and we've been cleaning up the yard and having fun outdoors!

Cameron went fishing at Shady Lakes where he caught the first AND the biggest fish of the day! We cooked them up and they were delicious!

A few weeks ago, Cody "found" a special treasure map. Cameron determined that it was a map of Old Town, and so we went on a treasure hunt. Cameron discovered that when you folded the map, you found the clue as to where the treasure would be found - in the carved hallow of a special tree. Click here see more photos.

Cameron and Gordon's cousin Haric and Aunt Kjesle were in town a few weeks ago. Kjelse has posted several photos to their website. Here's the link. You'll see many photos of the boys together, along with photos of Cody's birthday celebration.

Cameron has been zooming around the cul-de-sac with no training wheels! He's doing a great job on his bike! He also also gotten to 13 jumps on his pogo stick!

And finally, Gordon has taken a couple recent trips to the urgent care. He fell off the hammock at his Gammie and Boppa's house, and a pyracantha thorn became jammed in his arm. It broke off, leaving about 3/8 of an inch of the thorn buried in his arm! He was a trooper as the doctor numbed him up and dug the thorn out. A week and a half later, he fell and hit his upper gum and lip, which bled profusely. This time, though, his mom was not such a trooper! I have a terrible time with blood, and fortunately Cody was able to be home within minutes to help. (I was feeling rather faint. . .) Gordon is healing up, and we're just hoping that his front two teeth don't turn dark as a result of the fall. Time will tell . . .

Easter Sunday

2008-03-24T19:35:00.001-07:00

We had a lovely Easter, starting with church, followed by a fabulous dinner at Cody's parents, and ending with long afternoon naps trying to digest all that food! Click here to see photos of the day.

Resurrection Eggs

2008-03-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

The boys had fun learning about Easter with this neat thing called Resurrection Eggs. I heard about this idea, and put together my own version. The boys opened one egg each day leading up to Easter. Each egg contained something having to do with the week leading up to Christ's death and resurrection. There was a verse and written explanation to go along with each egg. The boys had a great time with it, and looked forward to it each day!

One More Photo of the Sweethearts . . .

2008-03-09T07:55:00.000-07:00

Auntie K (the special, surprise guest at the Sweet Sixteen party!) just sent us this cute photo!

Spring Soccer Here We Come . . .

2008-03-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

Saturday March 1st was the first game of the season. A beautiful, sunny day in the 70's. (We had snow flurries today!) The Lions are off to a great start. Cameron scored three goals. It's incredible how much they've improved since last spring.

Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen!

2008-03-06T14:09:00.000-08:00

February 29th was Cody's dad's 16th "real" birthday, so Cody's mom planned a Sweet Sixteen party at the Route 66 Diner - complete with burgers, fries, malts, and hoola hoops. We all dressed up in our 50's threads and had a blast.

Three pretty cool cats.

Greaser Boy Gordon. Watch out or he'll give you a knuckle sandwich.

Is this one hip family, or what?

Sweethearts

Cameron trying out a hoola hoop. Check out his new kicks.

Nobody Goes to Kindergarten in Diapers . . .

2008-02-26T20:09:00.000-08:00

Isn't that what everyone says when you're concerned that your child isn't potty training soon enough or fast enough or cooperatively enough? "Don't worry, nobody goes to kindergarten in diapers." Meaning: Relax. It will happen. Every child gets it eventually.

Well, I have some exciting news to report both along the lines of potty training and kindergarten, but totally unrelated to one another and in reference to two different kids . .

First, Gordon, the potty training superstar!!! Since Gordon wasn't showing too much natural inclination toward using the ol' potty, we decided that we would have to use the same method as worked for Cameron. The cold turkey method. The "this-is-the-way-it-is-going-to-be" method. Obviously, there has to be some receptivity on the child's part, or you have a mess on your hands. We tried this about three months ago with Gordon, but he just proceeded to poop and pee all over the house and kick his potty seat across the room. Um, yuck. But, with Cameron gone for the whole weekend (another story for another blog) and three more months under Gordon's belt, we decided that it was time to go it again. So, on Friday morning I told Gordon that "Today's the day! You're not wearing diapers anymore!" He put all his diapers in a bag, we took the diapers out to the trash, and potty training began! (Of course, I retrieved the diapers when he wasn't looking since he still needs them while sleeping.) Well, hallelujah, praise the Lord, Gordon cooperated, and was basically trained within the day! He has only had a couple small accidents, and for the most part is taking complete responsibility for himself. Wahoo! We even went on an errand to Trader Joe's the very first day. He has been all over town in his big boy undies, and today at MOPS he let his teacher know when he had to use the potty. It's amazing (and probably a little perverse) how getting your child to successfully put his bodily waste in the toilet can make you feel like the most powerful woman in the world!

Here are some photos of Gordon throwing out his diapers, giving thumbs up after his accident-free trip to Trader Joe's, and waiting for his big brother (who, by the way, he still calls "Brother" and not Cameron) to come home from his weekend trip.

And now for Cameron . . . no, no pictures of his bare bottom, but we did register him for kindergarten next year at North Star Elementary School. We had a tour of the beautiful new school last week, and today we turned in all of his registration materials. Of course, he still has six months to wait before school begins, but he is pretty excited to be all signed up. Here are some photos taken today when we went to the school to register him. (On a sad note, however, the principal's son is one of the two snowboarders who went missing at the beginning of January in Colorado. They haven't found the two young men yet, and they are presumed dead . So, we are keeping the principal and her family in our prayers.)

Pancake Day!

2008-02-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

So, Tuesday was International Pancake Day. Who knew? What better excuse to eat pancakes for dinner!?! Here we are making and enjoying the famous Lee Family Pancakes. The boys loved having pancakes for dinner (much more than the squash concoction I made the next night!)

Am I allowed to give out the recipe here? If this blog entry suddenly goes missing, you'll know that I have been ordered by the PFFR (protectors of famous family recipes) to cease and desist immediately. LOL!

4 eggs
3 cups of buttermilk
2 cups of Bisquick

Mix in a blender and, using a ladle, spread thinly on a hot skillet. Eat as many as you can!

Pizza Night!

2008-01-26T19:05:00.000-08:00

Making pizzas on Friday night.

And, yes, that is green bandage on Gordon's head. He took a head dive into the wall - twice. The second time he put a small crack in the wall - no kidding!. Here is a photo of Gordon at about 17 months of age, after the the first of many head dives he has taken in his short life.

The Karate Kid

2008-01-26T18:46:00.000-08:00

Cameron has begun to take karate lessons. Here he is proudly sporting his new "gee" on the first day of class.

Jo Baby!

2008-01-26T18:42:00.000-08:00

Aunt Nancy Jo (a.k.a. Jo Baby) was in town for a few days last weekend. Here's a cute photo of her and the boys.

Growth Spurt Maybe?

2008-01-19T06:56:00.000-08:00

Gordon's lunch one day last week . . . no kidding here:

half a turkey and cheese sandwich
half an apple
2 bananas
2 bowls of oatmeal

People have been commenting on how much he appears to have grown in the last month. Hmmm, I wonder why?!?!?

More than Meets the Eye . . .

2008-01-12T21:34:00.000-08:00

Transformers! Target was sold out of Transformers after Christmas, but they finally received a shipment so the boys were able to use their gift cards. Thank you Aunt Kjelse, Uncle Brad, and Haric!

A Good Start to 2008 . . .

2008-01-12T20:57:00.000-08:00

With almost two weeks of 2008 under our belt, we can say that we've been having a good time! Take a look at the following photos to see what we've been up to.

Last weekend we visited the Albuquerque (Art) Museum for the Family Day event tied to the Egyptian exhibit. The boys visited the art area where Cameron made a cool color-transfer project.

Like his older brother, Gordon has not proven to be too receptive to potty training, but he's still two months away from the age Cameron was when he trained almost overnight, so we're keeping our fingers crossed! The other night I finally got Gordon to sit on the potty for an extended period of time. (And he went - yeah!) Here he is "waiting for the pee-pee to come" and playing his harmonica to pass the time. He took several breaks from sitting on the potty to do some very important things such as walking around the house with a red toy bin on his head!

We also made a toilet paper roll ramp like the one Cameron saw in a magazine. The boys had fun trying to roll a ball into a cup.

And finally, what's more fun than playing with play dough??? Making it of course! Here are some photos of Cameron making and kneeding his play dough, and then playing with the finished project. We haven't had enough snow to make a snowman this year, but Frosty the Blue Snowman is a good substitute!

Christmas Day 2007

2007-12-30T21:27:00.000-08:00

Click here to see all of the fun!

The Children Were Nestled All Snug In Their Beds . . .

2007-12-30T21:17:00.000-08:00

Don't you just remember trying to fall asleep on Christmas Eve? The only thing better than being a 5-year-old waiting for Santa is getting to be Santa for that 5-year-old and his little brother.

Christmas Eve

2007-12-30T21:03:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely Christmas Eve at Cody's Aunt Susan and Uncle Dave's house. However, when Cameron heard that the Santa-tracking radar had spotted Santa flying up from South American, he panicked and insisted that we leave RIGHT NOW. He was afraid that if he were not asleep in his own bed, Santa would fly right by our house. No worries, sweet boy . . . Santa wouldn't do that to you.

Sunday, December 23 . . .

2007-12-29T20:51:00.000-08:00

. . . was day that started out in a very promising way. We woke up early (as is always the case with two little boys!), had breakfast, and opened some early Christmas gifts from Great Grandma and Grandpa Simpson. With the money they (so generously!) sent us for Christmas, we had purchased tickets for the Polar Express train ride that evening, which would depart from Santa Fe and arrive at the North Pole! We also used some of their gift to purchase matching cowboy p.j.s for the boys (since everyone is encouraged to wear pajamas on the Polar Express!) as well as a copy of the book to read on our way up to Santa Fe. The boys also received new Christmas sweaters, which we thought that they could wear to church that morning. So far so good . . .

In addition to some early Christmas gifts, this was a big morning for Cameron, as he was to play the Joseph in the Nativity play at church. Cameron and Cody left early to help set up, while Gordon and I stayed behind to finish getting ourselves ready. Now, here's where things get interesting . . . Mind you, I had Cameron's Joseph costume at home and HAD to be at church in time for the play. . .

Before I recount the events of the next hour or so, here are some photos to "wet" your appetite . . .

A mass of soggy jewelery and make-up?

Drawers lined up against the wall?

A pile of sopping wet towels?

Wet blankets all over the kitchen floor?
>
Holes drilled in the ceiling?

What on earth could have happened here?!?!? Well, at the risk on revealing myself to be the biggest dummy around (or perhaps just confirming your already held opinion to this effect), here it goes . . . Before getting in the shower, I put a piece of clothing in the bathroom sink to rinse it out. I then turned on the shower. Now, here's where it gets hazy . . . I either forgot to turn off the water to the sink, or Gordon climbed up and turned it back on. (Cody thinks that I should go with the Gordon defense, and to my credit, a couple days later I did discover that Gordon had left a bathroom faucet running, so it is entirely possible that this was his doing.) Anyhow, I took a nice hot shower, but when I turned off the water, I heard water POURING all over the bathroom floor. The clothing had stopped up the sink, and water was running all over the counter and completely flooding the bathroom! All of the cabinet drawers on my side of the bathroom were FULL of water, with makeup, jewelry, and my blow dryer floating around in them. In a panic, I started pouring the water out of the drawers, using every towel I could find to mop up the floor, drying the cabinets, and trying to keep Gordon (who at this point was desperately trying to get me to peel an orange for him - sorry, not now, kiddo) from slipping in the water and cracking his head. As I began to get the bathroom situation under control, it occurred to me that I should check downstairs to see if any water had leaked though. As I made my way down the stairs, I heard water pouring into the kitchen. OH NO. Fortunately, there was no gaping hole in the ceiling, but water was flowing from the light fixture over the kitchen table, and also spurting from one of the recessed light and one of the vents. After several frantic phone calls to Cody, I finally reached him, and he started LAUGHING. To make a long story longer, he raced home from church to find that I had pretty much mopped up the mess, but water was still gushing from the light fixture. He proceeded to drill some holes in the ceiling to see if water was building up any place else, while I threw myself together (with no blow dryer and sopping wet make-up!), put Gordon in his Christmas sweater, and made it to church in time to give Cameron his Joseph costume. Cody stayed behind to make sure that the kitchen ceiling wasn't about to collapse, and made it in time to catch the last last half of the play.

Once the drama was over, and I began to see some humor in the situation . . . I thought about how I might be able to put this event to the "12 Days of Christmas" - 12 gallons of water, 11 holes in the ceiling, 10 different towels, 9 frantic phone calls . . .

The amazing thing, however, is that there was really no damage. Although, my bathroom sink is less than a foot from the doorway into our bedroom, all of the water flowed to the right, completely avoiding the bedroom carpet; nothing on or under the kitchen table or counters was ruined, not even my camera which was being splashed with water; and other than a few holes which need to be spackled and painted, the ceiling sustained no damage. Even my blow dryer and the light fixture still work! Thank goodness for Christmas miracles!

And, alas, Cameron did a fantastic job playing Joseph, and we had a great time on the Polar Express!

And that wraps up the soccer season . . .

2007-12-19T21:47:00.001-08:00

Well, we missed the last two or three games due to cold, rainy and/or snowy weather. I think the league needs to start "fall" soccer at the beginning of the fall next year so that the last few games don't take place (or end up being canceled as the case may be!) in December. Oh well! At least the kids had a great time tonight at their soccer party. The very official and highly competitive organization for preschool soccer (i.e. Coach Wall, his teammate Carson's dad) named Cameron Best Defensive Player. Way to go Cameron! He did do a great job of defending the goal whenever the opposing team had the ball.

Click here to see photos of the party.

Christmas Caroling at Preschool

2007-12-19T21:37:00.000-08:00

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

A Visit from Grammie and Grandpa

2007-12-19T20:12:00.000-08:00

My parents came to visit this past weekend. We all had a nice long weekend, which included making gingerbread houses, riding the tram, a trip to the aquarium, a birthday dinner for grandpa, and more! The boys received early Christmas gifts from Grammie and Grandpa - a DVD of "The Lion King" and the most coveted items on the Christmas list - pirate ships! Click the links below to see photos of our weekend.

Making gingerbread houses with Grammie.

A ride on the tram.

Opening gifts.

Merry Christmas from Our Home to Yours!

2007-12-19T20:04:00.001-08:00

A Gift for Mom and Dad

2007-12-19T19:50:00.001-08:00

Cameron made us a Christmas gift at school. He very carefully walked it out to the car, because there was something breakable inside, and then proceeded to use all of his powers of negotiation to get me to open it up right then and there. Our conversation went something like this:

Cam: Mom, don't you want to open it right now?
Me: No, I'd like to have something to open on Christmas morning.
Cam: But don't you want to know what it is?
Me: Yes, but I'd like to wait to open it.
Cam: Can I at least tell you want is it?
Me: No.
Cam: Don't you even care what it is?
Me: Yes, of course I care what it is, but I'd like it to be a surprise.
Cam: But mom, you'll be really glad to have it before Christmas.
Me: OK, well, maybe daddy and I can open it up tonight.
Cam: Well, can I give you a clue?
Me: No, I don't want you to ruin the surprise.
Cam: Well, all I'll tell you is that it's somebody that they wanted to kill. Oh, and his mom and dad are in there, too,

Why, whatever could this gift be?!?!?!?!

(In the end, yes, we did open it that night. . . . and we love it! )

First Snow!!!

2007-12-19T19:46:00.000-08:00

The first snowflakes fell on December 11. Yippee!!!

Cowboy Cameron

2007-12-16T18:57:00.001-08:00

A cute photo from Cameron's Rodeo Day at Pre-K, held back in October

We Got Elfed!!!

2007-12-15T20:50:00.000-08:00

HA HA HA - Cody is the funniest, I think!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1251577522

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

2007-12-12T21:16:00.000-08:00

December has been a fun month as we prepare for Christmas - decorating the house, seeing the River of Lights at the Bio Park, and doing the Old Town Luminaria Stroll. Click here to view the photo albums of these events.

Thanksgiving in Los Angeles

2007-12-12T19:56:00.000-08:00

Well, I figured that I had better get my act together and put up a post about Thanksgiving before Christmas has come and gone! We drove to Los Angeles and spent almost a week at Auntie Kirsten and Uncle Richard's home in Pasadena. Cody spent the first two days conducting business in LA while the boys and I played and visited friends. Richard's parents, Kathy and George Farmer, were also in town, and we all had lots of fun, including Thanksgiving dinner at the Ritz Carlton and a visit to the Gene Autry museum.

Click here to see photos from our trip.

This cute photo taken at the park includes many of Cameron's "first friends" - and now their little siblings as well (with friends Sydney and Kasey in the background holding the newest additions - brand newborns Lukas and Lincoln.) We have an almost identical photo of the "original gang" sitting in a row in that same spot, taken in the summer of 2004. Old friends are the best friends!

The Art of Writing A Letter to Santa (as Performed by Cameron Lee and Narrated by His Mother)

2007-11-11T08:19:00.001-08:00

How to you get a 5-year old to keep his letter to Santa short? Make him write it himself!!! The process will take so long that he will add only the "essential" requests to his letter . . .

First, he must choose the proper writing implements. Cameron started out with a pen, but since he couldn't erase his mistakes, he went for a Christmas pencil. However, when the Christmas pencil kept breaking, he chose a Halloween pencil. But, since he had to erase and rewrite his work quite often, he found it necessary to brush away the eraser shavings. So, he went on the hunt for a paint brush. After searching the backyard (and I have no idea why he thought there would be a paintbrush in the backyard), I found one for him in the craft box . . .

Not being in kindergarten yet, Cameron cannot spell, but he does know all his letters. So, I sat with him and spelled out each of his gift requests as he painstakingly wrote them. . . Upper case "P" (write "P", erase, brush away the shavings, write it again), lower case "i" (write the "i" and then engage in discourse as to how Santa will know which pirate ship he wants), lower case "r" (write the "r", erase, brush away shavings, have mom assure him that we will make a note that it's the Fisher Price one he saw at Target) . . . you get the idea. One of the funniest moments came when he was writing "Dear Santa." I spelled it out for him, "D-e-a-r space S-a-n-t-a comma." He looked at me seriously and said, "Who's Comma?'

And finally, after a LONG time, we have a Christmas letter!

Take a look here to see photos of the entire process . . .

P.S. These lucky items made the cut:

Pirate Ship (Fisher Price one at Target)
Shuttle (space shuttle)
Army Rifle
Scooter
Pirate Book (Pirates of the Caribbean)
and a couple "after the fact" additions, a Transformer and a Drum Set.