Here are some pictures!
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Sandbox Completion!
So, we finally finished the project that got this blog started! After a multi-month process that started with the removal of shrubs, ivy, and landscaping boulders, it is done! We only had to get 2 cubic yards of sand, we only took like 60 trips with the wheelbarrow, and Carsen has played in it everyday since!
Here are some pictures!
Here are some pictures!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Carsen the Little Hero
My son Carsen is one of my personal heroes. I needed to let the world know just how cool he is! He is truly a little hero! We are seriously blessed to have him in our home.
Before I tell this story let me first say, he HATES doctors. He had a visit to the doctor when he was younger, that we'll just say...didn't go well. Carsen hates going to the doctor so much that when he isn't eating, we've told him that not eating, could make him sick and he'd have to go to the doctor. That gets him eating. This same trick works with cleaning his room, washing his hands, and taking his vitamins.
So yesterday morning we had a crazy day. The window in the truck was shot out with a BB gun. So I made a police report and found a place that we could take the truck to have the window fixed. I found a place that would allow me to drop the truck off. Then Melissa could meet me there and we'd take the crew to Raegan's 1 year check up.
Carsen wanted to see what the "Bad Guys" had done to the truck. So I took him out to look at the shattered window. He was shocked that anyone could do this, and wanted to go get them. It was then that it occured to me. We had neglected to make any sort of arrangement for Carsen during Raegan's appointment.
I asked Carsen if he wanted to help me take the truck to get fixed and of course he jumped at the chance. I got him in the car and we went to the autoglass shop. One the way to the shop, I explained our morning. I told him that I needed him to show Raegan that the Doctor helps us. I asked for his help and I explained to him that it wasn't his visit but I need him to be a good big brother and teach her how to be good at the doctor. This kid is terrified of doctors offices of any kind, and he looked me in the eye and said..."Ok dad."
Reason Carsen is my Hero #1 He faced his greatest fear head on
We dropped the truck off and Carsen was his regular cute self, flirting with all of the receptionists. Melissa pulled up in the van and we all got in the car. I watched Carsen explain to Raegan "not to worry" that it would "be ok".
So we pulled up to the Bryner Clinic and got everyone out. Took the elevator up to the doctor. I could see Carsen wasn't comfortable. He ran off and saw the fish. Before we knew it, we were in the room waiting for the Doctor. The Doctor was running late and in an effort to keep Carsen occupied we pulled out some crayons and let him color on the paper that covers the examination table. He drew the cutest little picture of Raegan...I wish I snapped a picture of it...
The doctor finally came in and told us the good news and bad. Good news was Raegan was a very healthy little girl. The Bad news...this was the big shot day. A total of 5 injections...plus he reccomended the flu vaccine for Raegan...and Carsen.
Carsen had come to the doctor with the understanding that this was not his visit and he wouldn't have to worry about anything more than just watching Raegan, and now we're asking him to take a flu shot?!?
So I looked him in the eye and asked him if he would show his sister how to be brave and get a shot. He looked at me right in the eye and said "Yes Dad." Wow...here's this kid, deathly afraid of Doctors, and even MORE afraid of Shots, and he would take one if he thought it would help his little sister.
So he sat up on the table and got a shot right in the leg. One he wasn't planning on, one that we had told him he wouldn't need to worry about. He did it for his little sister. Just about made me cry.
Reason Carsen is my Hero #2 He faced pain because he thought it would help his little sister.
Then it was Raegan's turn. If you haven't had this experiance it's a hard one as a parent. To take your child to the doctor and have them give them a shot or do something and have your child look up at you with eyes that just scream out "Why, why are you letting them do this to me." Well Raegan was going to have 6 shots, 3 in each leg. A second nurse came in the room to help, so that Raegan would get 2 shots at a time.
I held Carsen at the time trying to help him feel a little bit better about just getting stuck with a needle. By the way...he wanted to watch and see what the nurse was doing...so he watched her do it the whole time. I know adults that can't do that.
Raegan cried of course, as would any child being turned into some sort of medical pin cushion. Holding Carsen suddenly became more and more difficult. I watched him in an instant go from a crying little boy with a hurt leg to a boy who wanted nothing more than to protect his little sister. He yelled "STOP HURTING MY SISTER!!!" and, "STOP MAKING MY SISTER CRY!!"
Reason Carsen is my Hero #3 When he saw his sister hurting he INSTANTLY forgot his own pain and wanted to protect her!
In a moment it was done, but not a moment I think I'll ever forget watching that kid try to help her any way he knew he could. We took the kids back down stairs and loaded them up in the car. Raegan still had residual cries. You know the kind, those involuntary cries, where the more you try to supress them the harder it gets? Well in the car, Carsen's biggest concern was making Raegan feel better. For a few moments all I heard from the back seat was, "it's okay Raegan, you'll be ok."
What a lesson in selflessness I learned from my 3 year old little boy yesterday! He really is my hero! He's caused me to pull my hair out, sometimes I've had to put myself in time out because he decided it was time to take a sharpie marker to our leather couch. Then there are days like yesterday, where he becomes the teacher and I learn from him! We're so lucky to have him in our home!
Before I tell this story let me first say, he HATES doctors. He had a visit to the doctor when he was younger, that we'll just say...didn't go well. Carsen hates going to the doctor so much that when he isn't eating, we've told him that not eating, could make him sick and he'd have to go to the doctor. That gets him eating. This same trick works with cleaning his room, washing his hands, and taking his vitamins.
So yesterday morning we had a crazy day. The window in the truck was shot out with a BB gun. So I made a police report and found a place that we could take the truck to have the window fixed. I found a place that would allow me to drop the truck off. Then Melissa could meet me there and we'd take the crew to Raegan's 1 year check up.
Carsen wanted to see what the "Bad Guys" had done to the truck. So I took him out to look at the shattered window. He was shocked that anyone could do this, and wanted to go get them. It was then that it occured to me. We had neglected to make any sort of arrangement for Carsen during Raegan's appointment.
I asked Carsen if he wanted to help me take the truck to get fixed and of course he jumped at the chance. I got him in the car and we went to the autoglass shop. One the way to the shop, I explained our morning. I told him that I needed him to show Raegan that the Doctor helps us. I asked for his help and I explained to him that it wasn't his visit but I need him to be a good big brother and teach her how to be good at the doctor. This kid is terrified of doctors offices of any kind, and he looked me in the eye and said..."Ok dad."
Reason Carsen is my Hero #1 He faced his greatest fear head on
We dropped the truck off and Carsen was his regular cute self, flirting with all of the receptionists. Melissa pulled up in the van and we all got in the car. I watched Carsen explain to Raegan "not to worry" that it would "be ok".
So we pulled up to the Bryner Clinic and got everyone out. Took the elevator up to the doctor. I could see Carsen wasn't comfortable. He ran off and saw the fish. Before we knew it, we were in the room waiting for the Doctor. The Doctor was running late and in an effort to keep Carsen occupied we pulled out some crayons and let him color on the paper that covers the examination table. He drew the cutest little picture of Raegan...I wish I snapped a picture of it...
The doctor finally came in and told us the good news and bad. Good news was Raegan was a very healthy little girl. The Bad news...this was the big shot day. A total of 5 injections...plus he reccomended the flu vaccine for Raegan...and Carsen.
Carsen had come to the doctor with the understanding that this was not his visit and he wouldn't have to worry about anything more than just watching Raegan, and now we're asking him to take a flu shot?!?
So I looked him in the eye and asked him if he would show his sister how to be brave and get a shot. He looked at me right in the eye and said "Yes Dad." Wow...here's this kid, deathly afraid of Doctors, and even MORE afraid of Shots, and he would take one if he thought it would help his little sister.
So he sat up on the table and got a shot right in the leg. One he wasn't planning on, one that we had told him he wouldn't need to worry about. He did it for his little sister. Just about made me cry.
Reason Carsen is my Hero #2 He faced pain because he thought it would help his little sister.
Then it was Raegan's turn. If you haven't had this experiance it's a hard one as a parent. To take your child to the doctor and have them give them a shot or do something and have your child look up at you with eyes that just scream out "Why, why are you letting them do this to me." Well Raegan was going to have 6 shots, 3 in each leg. A second nurse came in the room to help, so that Raegan would get 2 shots at a time.
I held Carsen at the time trying to help him feel a little bit better about just getting stuck with a needle. By the way...he wanted to watch and see what the nurse was doing...so he watched her do it the whole time. I know adults that can't do that.
Raegan cried of course, as would any child being turned into some sort of medical pin cushion. Holding Carsen suddenly became more and more difficult. I watched him in an instant go from a crying little boy with a hurt leg to a boy who wanted nothing more than to protect his little sister. He yelled "STOP HURTING MY SISTER!!!" and, "STOP MAKING MY SISTER CRY!!"
Reason Carsen is my Hero #3 When he saw his sister hurting he INSTANTLY forgot his own pain and wanted to protect her!
In a moment it was done, but not a moment I think I'll ever forget watching that kid try to help her any way he knew he could. We took the kids back down stairs and loaded them up in the car. Raegan still had residual cries. You know the kind, those involuntary cries, where the more you try to supress them the harder it gets? Well in the car, Carsen's biggest concern was making Raegan feel better. For a few moments all I heard from the back seat was, "it's okay Raegan, you'll be ok."
What a lesson in selflessness I learned from my 3 year old little boy yesterday! He really is my hero! He's caused me to pull my hair out, sometimes I've had to put myself in time out because he decided it was time to take a sharpie marker to our leather couch. Then there are days like yesterday, where he becomes the teacher and I learn from him! We're so lucky to have him in our home!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Raegan is 1!!!
This Sunday we celebrated Raegan's first birthday! It was great to be able to be with family and friends! We also put the party on this blog so members of the family who are far away were able to be with us as well!!! We had such a fun princess party, all the food was, "princess food." We had
Pocahontas' turkey, and potatoes, Snow White's caramel apples, Seven Dwarf seven layer salad and seven layer dip, there was Belle's Patisserie (rolls), and Aurora's 3 fairy dips. Also,
the whole house was covered in pink crepe paper, and we had Belle and Cinderella on the walls. I think Rae loved it!
Carsen and Raegan have been playing with all the new toys, Carsen doesn't quite know how to deal with toys that aren't his... They have been really cute though, Grandma Judy and Grandpa Steve got her a princess car that she sits on and scoots around. They got one for Carsen for his first birthday, so he got his car out and they have been racing, well, Carsen has been racing. Carsen is trying to teach her how to play with everything, he was even showing her how to hold her dolly, how to rock it, and how to put it to bed.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Happy Birthday Raegan
So I need to get better at regularly posting! Raegan's birthday is tomorrow. But we're having a family party today. Carsen is so excited he can't wait...Melissa has made the most incredible cake. I made a little Raegan video...watch and enjoy...
Monday, September 3, 2007
Late Night Raegan
Raegan, our one year old (almost) wasn't feeling well tonight so she was up late. All of the sudden she started feeling better...she was using the remote control as a phone...so we took a video...
Day of the Sandbox
I decided to welcome myself to the 21st century web 2.0 and start a blog. I don't know how much time I'll have to actually work on this but I though what the heck, why not try.
In January 2004 my wife Melissa and I bought a house. It had been built in 1978, and to tell you the truth I don't think much had been done to update it at all. Melissa is an interior designer (she has a degree in it) and I am a tinkerer. So we've embarked on several projects to update our home. I thought THIS might be something worthy of a blog.
Several weeks ago we started a major landscaping project. More on this in another blog, but part of that project was to clear out an old garden in our back yard and start turning it into a sandbox for our two children.
We dug down about a foot until we hit clay and leveled everything out. Then we pretty much left it until today. Today we s
tarted focusing on this part of the puzzle. We have been trying to decide exactly what type of boarder we wanted to have for the sandbox. The ideas we had were pavers of some sort, bricks, landscaping ties and then Melissa in her briliance thought that we might use concrete.
tarted focusing on this part of the puzzle. We have been trying to decide exactly what type of boarder we wanted to have for the sandbox. The ideas we had were pavers of some sort, bricks, landscaping ties and then Melissa in her briliance thought that we might use concrete.So today we worked on building forms for pouring the cement. Melissa's plan is to do designs on the top of the cement you'll have to tune in later to see how that turns out!
The other thing we did today was destroying and replacing our mailbox...
That was just fun...
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