Christmas with our families was such a nice break. Watching Cameron's excitement and joy at opening presents was so sweet. She was happy to help everyone else unwrap their presents too! We had our first Christmas with Bo's mom on Christmas Eve. Cameron is now the proud owner of a little four-wheeler and a super adorable apron! And to top it all off, she got an adorable little kitchen with all the accessories to play with. We moved it into our kitchen so that she can play and still be near us while we cook for real. She even got a sweet little stuffed rabbit, a perfect replacement for the giant pig and pink bear that got left behind in Mom's house. Then Christmas morning, we all got together at my grandparent's house and celebrated Jesus' birthday. I was so thankful that we grabbed the presents under Mom's tree so that we could still give her the Kindle that we all bought. She can start a virtual book collection! It was tough to be my grandparent's house in the daylight since we could still see smoke rising from Mom's house.
We were able to see all of the Kilpatrick side of the family that evening where there was no shortage of presents or people! I was so proud that Bo's family is just as willing to love and support my mom. Everyone seemed to say, "Tell your mom if she needs anything..." We ate great food and Bo was finally able to watch a Cowboys football game with other dedicated fanatics.
We were fortunate to be offered a lovely home to stay in by an ACU coworker of Rachael's. This couple was traveling to visit family in Germany and had a great big house for mom and us to crash in. It had a wonderful split floor plan so we all had a bit of privacy, plus nice bathrooms for everyone and a comfy living room. We were happy to be able to relax and recoup in between insurance meetings and family time.
The unfortunate thing that took up most of our days was the inventory for mom's insurance. We were thankful that they didn't ask us to be as detailed as we initially feared, but it is still an exhausting process to remember each room of your house in great detail. How many bath towels were there? Where did I buy that chair? How old is the TV in the bedroom? What decade was the French armoire from? I know I probably seemed like a drill sergeant to my mother, but I really pushed her to get most of it done while I could help her. I didn't want her to face completing it when she was back teaching school and just get overwhelmed.
The news from the insurance fire inspectors was the same - no way to officially determine if some other problem started the fire, but it is most likely the heat lamp. But they both were in shock that the house was a complete loss and blamed it on the slow response and lack of action of the firefighters. Mom has declared that her next home will be somewhere that the Abilene fire department responds to! The huge pile of ashes was made a little less daunting when a friend of my grandfather's came and hauled off all the scrap metal. Now we will just need to somehow bury or get rid of the rest.
Mom seems to be truly peaceful about the situation. She knows that God is in control and that he has not abandoned her. I read somewhere that God doesn't give answers, but he makes promises. We are clinging to the hope that
-God will supply all her needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19)
-His grace is sufficient for her and Christ's power will rest on her. (2 Cor. 12:9)
-That he will make this thing work together for the good of those that love him. (Rom. 8:28)
May we all begin the new year praying with hope, loving with hope, and speaking the truth of hope. I came across this passage in Job chapter 11 when I searched for the word "hope" and thought it was so true of my wonderful mom:
7 “Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty?
8 Such knowledge is higher than the heavens— and who are you? It is deeper than the underworld — what do you know?
9 It is broader than the earth and wider than the sea.
13 “If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer!
14 Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you.
15 Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear.
16 You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away.
17 Your life will be brighter than the noonday. Even darkness will be as bright as morning.
18 Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety.
19 You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Give Us Beauty for Ashes
Four years ago, I thought that no day could ever be worse than losing my father. And each year, December 23 is always a sad time because we want to remember him and love on my mother, but we still want to enjoy Christmas and celebrate the season with joy. I remember the year that he died, how we took too long to leave San Antonio and only saw him briefly that evening before we left to see more family. But it saved me from being there when he had his heart attack. I don't think I could have recovered had I been there to see it all happen.
Yesterday, I watched the house that my father built burn completely to the ground, and I realized that while it could never compare to losing him, it was just like watching someone die. Someone that had been a part of our family as far back as I can remember. Someone that had been with us in good times and in bad, been the background to all our favorite pictures and memories. Someone that held the last physical reminders of my father.
Watching a house burn is a terribly slow and painful process. When my mother was woken up at 6:18 by the dogs, she thought they wanted to go outside. She opened the door to her little porch and saw smoke and realized there was a fire where her heat lamp stays on for her outside cats. We still aren't sure if this is truly what started it all, but Mom immediately got her two fire extinguishers and tried to put it out. When they ran out, she realized that she could hear crackling sounds up in the walls and roof, and she knew it was too late. She ran to wake us up in the back of the house, and we grabbed Cameron from the next room and ran out of the house. Bo ran back in to grab a few of our bags and realized he didn't even have shoes on. Looking back, we never thought that the whole house would burn, so we waited outside thinking that the firefighters would get there quickly and that most things would be saved. Now we know that we actually had more time and could have probably run back in to grab pictures and expensive jewelry and more of Mom's things. But you just don't think about them all being gone.
Cameron sat patiently in Bo's truck with Mom's little dog. She had no idea why she was up so early. Mom and I stood right outside her patio door and could see the smoke filling up the middle section of the house. She had just purchased and refinished a sofa table and said she was really proud of how it turned out. Since it was so close to the door, we ran in and grabbed it. Then she said how much she loved the enormous wool rug that took up their entire family room. It cost more than my first car! So we ran in and rolled it up too. We listened to my sister make frantic calls to the fire department again asking where they were and that my mother's house is 3600 square feet and would require more trucks than their small volunteer group would have. She begged them to call the Abilene fire department so that they could come assist. They told her no.
The fire trucks finally made it there more than an hour after Mom's first call. At that point, we could see flames jumping up from the roof and shortly after, the middle section of my mother's house, right where the heat lamp was on that small porch, collapsed in. We watched the flames spread to each part of the house and thought specifically about what was then burning up. Mom told us that she didn't have any clothes other than the pajamas on her back. She only had the jewelry she was wearing, but that most of her favorite things from my dad were in a small safe in her bedroom. I realized four hours later that I wasn't wearing my wedding ring either.
It is unbelievable how the biggest things in a home can be reduced to a pile of ashes. How can an entire refrigerator disappear? Where did my mother's beautiful armoire go? The firefighters pulled out a few picture frames and a silver owl piggy bank that had been on a table in her bedroom. It is the only photograph of our childhood that she has now. It has us three girls smiling from the bathtub. They also brought out two of Bo's dress shirts that had been hanging in the back closet. I have no idea why they didn't burn, but my cousin managed to wash one and get out most of the soot stains.
We all gathered over at my grandparent's house which unfortunately had a prime view of the fire as it lasted well into the afternoon. We made sure to get on Skype and tell Amy and Mina the news before we told anyone else. We all were still in shock, and just kept asking why it had to happen on this day, of all the days. Mom was so strong and gracious to the firefighters that literally just stood by and watched it burn. They said it was unsafe to go in the house to try to put it out, so they just sprayed a little water from the outside to make sure it collapsed in on itself and didn't start a brushfire.
Friends and family members were quick to respond with help. People brought clothes and toiletries, huge amounts of food, and cash for mom. We let our CBC family know how they could help, and we were astonished to hear that within just a few hours of asking, they had collected $5,500 to transfer to her account. We cried in Target. I told mom that one friend had given $1,000 and she replied that she had never even met him. We were overwhelmed with their generosity and so thankful that God has surrounded us with such loving Christians.
The Red Cross came to give her a debit card for immediate clothing and food expenses. Since we were in the house at the time of the fire, they provided money for four people so it was an amazing total of $875. Her insurance company gave her a check for around $1500 to take care of living expenses for the next two weeks. We knew that we had to make a fast shopping trip to get things for her, but it was the most depressing shopping spree ever. We started at Kohl's where she had to pretty much buy herself everything from underwear to a new suitcase. Picking out clothes wasn't fun at all because it was too hard to compare everything to the things she lost and missed. We kept thinking of things that were now gone. Rachael suggested that Mom just buy pants that fit in the waist and she could hem up the bottoms, but the sewing machines were now ashes. She said that Mom could borrow her sister's machine, but it had unfortunately been in mom's dining room too. Mom lamented that she had spent hours making her fabulous biscotti to give to everyone. And now she couldn't make more because her expensive stand mixer was gone too.
We left Kohl's with a whole trunk full of bags. The receipt said that she "saved" over $750 in sales and discounts. She even had a 30% off coupon! The cashier remarked that it looked like she was starting over.... All she said back was, "I am." She didn't have the heart to buy many shoes at Dillards. We have always loved shoe shopping together, but it is hard to do when you feel like you have to. She loved the shoes that she already had. Target was last and we had to buy every kind of toiletry item for all four of us. We didn't grab anything out of the bathroom. Bo even had to get a new electric razor (though I think he is enjoying his beard). It was odd to buy nail clippers and lotions and realize that I no longer had a bag to keep them all in. We headed home exhausted and quiet.
I had Mom make a quick stop at a Christian book store so that I could buy her a new bible. I found one with a hot pink leather cover that has side by side translations of the NIV and the Message. I highlighted Isaiah 61:3 for her too:
"...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. "
Yesterday, I watched the house that my father built burn completely to the ground, and I realized that while it could never compare to losing him, it was just like watching someone die. Someone that had been a part of our family as far back as I can remember. Someone that had been with us in good times and in bad, been the background to all our favorite pictures and memories. Someone that held the last physical reminders of my father.
Watching a house burn is a terribly slow and painful process. When my mother was woken up at 6:18 by the dogs, she thought they wanted to go outside. She opened the door to her little porch and saw smoke and realized there was a fire where her heat lamp stays on for her outside cats. We still aren't sure if this is truly what started it all, but Mom immediately got her two fire extinguishers and tried to put it out. When they ran out, she realized that she could hear crackling sounds up in the walls and roof, and she knew it was too late. She ran to wake us up in the back of the house, and we grabbed Cameron from the next room and ran out of the house. Bo ran back in to grab a few of our bags and realized he didn't even have shoes on. Looking back, we never thought that the whole house would burn, so we waited outside thinking that the firefighters would get there quickly and that most things would be saved. Now we know that we actually had more time and could have probably run back in to grab pictures and expensive jewelry and more of Mom's things. But you just don't think about them all being gone.
Cameron sat patiently in Bo's truck with Mom's little dog. She had no idea why she was up so early. Mom and I stood right outside her patio door and could see the smoke filling up the middle section of the house. She had just purchased and refinished a sofa table and said she was really proud of how it turned out. Since it was so close to the door, we ran in and grabbed it. Then she said how much she loved the enormous wool rug that took up their entire family room. It cost more than my first car! So we ran in and rolled it up too. We listened to my sister make frantic calls to the fire department again asking where they were and that my mother's house is 3600 square feet and would require more trucks than their small volunteer group would have. She begged them to call the Abilene fire department so that they could come assist. They told her no.
The fire trucks finally made it there more than an hour after Mom's first call. At that point, we could see flames jumping up from the roof and shortly after, the middle section of my mother's house, right where the heat lamp was on that small porch, collapsed in. We watched the flames spread to each part of the house and thought specifically about what was then burning up. Mom told us that she didn't have any clothes other than the pajamas on her back. She only had the jewelry she was wearing, but that most of her favorite things from my dad were in a small safe in her bedroom. I realized four hours later that I wasn't wearing my wedding ring either.
It is unbelievable how the biggest things in a home can be reduced to a pile of ashes. How can an entire refrigerator disappear? Where did my mother's beautiful armoire go? The firefighters pulled out a few picture frames and a silver owl piggy bank that had been on a table in her bedroom. It is the only photograph of our childhood that she has now. It has us three girls smiling from the bathtub. They also brought out two of Bo's dress shirts that had been hanging in the back closet. I have no idea why they didn't burn, but my cousin managed to wash one and get out most of the soot stains.
We all gathered over at my grandparent's house which unfortunately had a prime view of the fire as it lasted well into the afternoon. We made sure to get on Skype and tell Amy and Mina the news before we told anyone else. We all were still in shock, and just kept asking why it had to happen on this day, of all the days. Mom was so strong and gracious to the firefighters that literally just stood by and watched it burn. They said it was unsafe to go in the house to try to put it out, so they just sprayed a little water from the outside to make sure it collapsed in on itself and didn't start a brushfire.
Friends and family members were quick to respond with help. People brought clothes and toiletries, huge amounts of food, and cash for mom. We let our CBC family know how they could help, and we were astonished to hear that within just a few hours of asking, they had collected $5,500 to transfer to her account. We cried in Target. I told mom that one friend had given $1,000 and she replied that she had never even met him. We were overwhelmed with their generosity and so thankful that God has surrounded us with such loving Christians.
The Red Cross came to give her a debit card for immediate clothing and food expenses. Since we were in the house at the time of the fire, they provided money for four people so it was an amazing total of $875. Her insurance company gave her a check for around $1500 to take care of living expenses for the next two weeks. We knew that we had to make a fast shopping trip to get things for her, but it was the most depressing shopping spree ever. We started at Kohl's where she had to pretty much buy herself everything from underwear to a new suitcase. Picking out clothes wasn't fun at all because it was too hard to compare everything to the things she lost and missed. We kept thinking of things that were now gone. Rachael suggested that Mom just buy pants that fit in the waist and she could hem up the bottoms, but the sewing machines were now ashes. She said that Mom could borrow her sister's machine, but it had unfortunately been in mom's dining room too. Mom lamented that she had spent hours making her fabulous biscotti to give to everyone. And now she couldn't make more because her expensive stand mixer was gone too.
We left Kohl's with a whole trunk full of bags. The receipt said that she "saved" over $750 in sales and discounts. She even had a 30% off coupon! The cashier remarked that it looked like she was starting over.... All she said back was, "I am." She didn't have the heart to buy many shoes at Dillards. We have always loved shoe shopping together, but it is hard to do when you feel like you have to. She loved the shoes that she already had. Target was last and we had to buy every kind of toiletry item for all four of us. We didn't grab anything out of the bathroom. Bo even had to get a new electric razor (though I think he is enjoying his beard). It was odd to buy nail clippers and lotions and realize that I no longer had a bag to keep them all in. We headed home exhausted and quiet.
I had Mom make a quick stop at a Christian book store so that I could buy her a new bible. I found one with a hot pink leather cover that has side by side translations of the NIV and the Message. I highlighted Isaiah 61:3 for her too:
"...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. "
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Ainslee turned 3!
Even though Ainslee's real birthday happened on the weekend that we were in Las Vegas, Mrs. Cara graciously held her official party in Kerrville the following Saturday so we could join them! Cameron is always excited to see her BFF, so she took a great nap with the promise that we would leave to the party right afterwards. Those Gilbreaths sure know how to throw a party on the huge playset in their backyard, and tons of cute polka dot decorations courtesy of Aunt Lauren. See?
The kids had a great time playing outside and taking Ainslee's new pink Jeep for a spin! Joshua was actually a very good driver. I will give him an early endorsement for taking Cameron out on a date someday.
We all got to enjoy some finger foods and our choice of some delicious chocolate cupcakes (which Aben liked very much...)
...or a cute polka dot cake made by "Aunt Yo." She also made these cute tissue paper puffs that were hanging all around the house!
We are always happy to spend time with the Gilbreaths, and love getting to watch Ainslee grow up more and more. I think our gifts were well received, but it is possible that Cara might wear the headband more than Ainslee... Stylish either way!
Happy Birthday Ainslee! You are a wonderful big sister and a terrific friend! We always pray for you and hope you know how special and loved you are.
The kids had a great time playing outside and taking Ainslee's new pink Jeep for a spin! Joshua was actually a very good driver. I will give him an early endorsement for taking Cameron out on a date someday.
We all got to enjoy some finger foods and our choice of some delicious chocolate cupcakes (which Aben liked very much...)
...or a cute polka dot cake made by "Aunt Yo." She also made these cute tissue paper puffs that were hanging all around the house!
We are always happy to spend time with the Gilbreaths, and love getting to watch Ainslee grow up more and more. I think our gifts were well received, but it is possible that Cara might wear the headband more than Ainslee... Stylish either way!
Happy Birthday Ainslee! You are a wonderful big sister and a terrific friend! We always pray for you and hope you know how special and loved you are.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A Big Girl Bed
Bo and I casually decided last night that after Christmas, we are going to come home and have potty training boot camp. Roll up the rugs and bust out the OxyClean! I have read a few different methods and I think that Cameron is definitely capable of getting it down with some intense concentration and lots of rewards from Daddy. When she can make it through the whole night dry and go right to the potty in the morning, I think it's a sign.
But then I starting thinking that if she is not wearing diapers anymore, she will need be able to get up in the middle of the night to go potty if she needs to. That means no more zip-up footy jammies (that she really loves) and no more crib. We have never had any problem with her trying to climb out, and the thought of her being able to leave her bed at all hours is a little unsettling.
Sweet Ainslee has put her toddler bed on loan to us. I think it might get a fresh coat of white paint to go with all of Cameron's furniture, but I also need to look for some new bedding. I am certainly not planning to repaint or buy new curtains, but I think I like this one:
Not too terribly girly and I can't help but love the birds.
So wish us luck, and maybe buy us some carpet cleaner. Our baby girl is getting a big girl bed!
But then I starting thinking that if she is not wearing diapers anymore, she will need be able to get up in the middle of the night to go potty if she needs to. That means no more zip-up footy jammies (that she really loves) and no more crib. We have never had any problem with her trying to climb out, and the thought of her being able to leave her bed at all hours is a little unsettling.
Sweet Ainslee has put her toddler bed on loan to us. I think it might get a fresh coat of white paint to go with all of Cameron's furniture, but I also need to look for some new bedding. I am certainly not planning to repaint or buy new curtains, but I think I like this one:
Not too terribly girly and I can't help but love the birds.
So wish us luck, and maybe buy us some carpet cleaner. Our baby girl is getting a big girl bed!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Viva Las Vegas! (well, not you...)
Sweetie,
Please don't take it personally that Mommy and Daddy planned another trip apart from you so soon after Thanksgiving. Your daddy has always dreamed of going to the National Finals Rodeo which is always held at the same part of December in Las Vegas. Earlier this year, we decided that we were finally going to go and booked our trip for four days. After mentioning it to some friends, we even convinced Levi and Christy to join us! They are expecting Baby #3, so they figured this would be their last chance to get away for a while. We had such a great time (and spent way too much money), it was a perfect Vegas getaway!
Our first night there, we were staying at Treasure Island. When your daddy went to check us in, they told him they were sorry to say there were no rooms left with a King size bed (like we reserved about 5 months ago!) When he asked about a potential upgrade, the desk clerk talked with her manager and eventually told him about the "Executive Suite" that would only be about $80 more. I was standing across the lobby when all this conversation was happening, so I had no idea what a wonderful surprise I was about to get. When we came to our room on the 29th floor, it had it's own entryway! We opened the doors to a long hallway with two tables and big mirrors, and realized that there were two huge bathrooms across the hall from each other. One had a big jacuzzi tub and the other had a walk-in shower. The bedroom had the most amazingly comfortable bed and was separated from the living area by a huge frosted glass panel. There was a comfy couch and a TV by the bed and in the living area. Bo was in heaven! We even had an awesome view of Las Vegas Blvd. and all the runners of the marathon that next morning. It was definitely the nicest hotel room I have ever been in! What a romantic surprise!
The next three nights we stayed at the Mirage, just across the street. Let's just say, we had fun eating and hanging out there, but the gambling tables were not nice to us! At least we got to enjoy the volcano show for free!
If you ask me, the highlight of the entire trip was going to see "La Reve" at the Wynn Casino. It was the most amazing show I have ever seen, and the stage was actually a pool! The theater is round, so everyone's seats felt really close. The performers came down the aisles, up out of the water and even were raised and lowered from the 80 ft ceiling. They all had incredible strength, since the show combined gymnastics, dance, acrobatics and a musical of sorts. Of course, they don't let you take any pictures, so I will have to just remember it forever!
Your daddy will say that his favorite part of the trip was the rodeo of course! It was such an exciting night of competition since everyone is at the top of their game. I think our favorite events were the steer wrestling, team roping, and the saddle bronc riders. Our seats were not close by any means, but we still got a few cool pictures. Especially of Levi. He took that one himself.
Our unexpected part of the trip came on our last day when we were hanging out in the Forum mall next to Caesar's Palace. While I did a little Christmas shopping, your daddy walked through an art gallery and loved the photographs. He teasingly told me that he bought one, which I thought was funny. When we walked farther through the mall, there was another gallery for the same artist, so he insisted that I come take a look around. The artist is Peter Lik, and Australian photographer who is about to have his own TV show. He travels all over the world to capture these completely stunning shots with the most vivid colors you can imagine. Apparently, he uses some sort of silver in his film, so it absorbs the light differently. We both were blown away by his art. After a long discussion, we decided to buy a piece that will eventually be on our dining room wall. It was taken in Zion National Park in Utah, and has a rocky background with bright autumn trees in the foreground and a rushing stream. It actually seems to be moving because he uses a long exposure time. And let me tell you, lighting makes all the difference! The photos seem to change as you dim or brighten the lights on them. I can't wait to redo the dining room to showcase it properly. Too bad we have to wait about another month for it to be delivered! On a sweet note, we got to choose our series number and chose 605 since it is our wedding date. Makes it even more special!
We ate great food, had some amazing desserts, stayed up late and slept past 7:00, learned to play craps, and held hands a lot. After watching Levi eat a squid, we learned that he is pretty much a billy goat that will eat anything. It was a great time for us to remember how much we love each other and enjoy spending time together. Sometimes Mommies and Daddies need a little "minimoon!" We did miss you tons and were so happy to come home to see you. We could not say thank you enough to your Grammy and Savtah for trading off keeping you for us. You had a great time seeing everyone. Thanks for being such a wonderful girl to let us have our little getaway.
Please don't take it personally that Mommy and Daddy planned another trip apart from you so soon after Thanksgiving. Your daddy has always dreamed of going to the National Finals Rodeo which is always held at the same part of December in Las Vegas. Earlier this year, we decided that we were finally going to go and booked our trip for four days. After mentioning it to some friends, we even convinced Levi and Christy to join us! They are expecting Baby #3, so they figured this would be their last chance to get away for a while. We had such a great time (and spent way too much money), it was a perfect Vegas getaway!
Our first night there, we were staying at Treasure Island. When your daddy went to check us in, they told him they were sorry to say there were no rooms left with a King size bed (like we reserved about 5 months ago!) When he asked about a potential upgrade, the desk clerk talked with her manager and eventually told him about the "Executive Suite" that would only be about $80 more. I was standing across the lobby when all this conversation was happening, so I had no idea what a wonderful surprise I was about to get. When we came to our room on the 29th floor, it had it's own entryway! We opened the doors to a long hallway with two tables and big mirrors, and realized that there were two huge bathrooms across the hall from each other. One had a big jacuzzi tub and the other had a walk-in shower. The bedroom had the most amazingly comfortable bed and was separated from the living area by a huge frosted glass panel. There was a comfy couch and a TV by the bed and in the living area. Bo was in heaven! We even had an awesome view of Las Vegas Blvd. and all the runners of the marathon that next morning. It was definitely the nicest hotel room I have ever been in! What a romantic surprise!
The next three nights we stayed at the Mirage, just across the street. Let's just say, we had fun eating and hanging out there, but the gambling tables were not nice to us! At least we got to enjoy the volcano show for free!
If you ask me, the highlight of the entire trip was going to see "La Reve" at the Wynn Casino. It was the most amazing show I have ever seen, and the stage was actually a pool! The theater is round, so everyone's seats felt really close. The performers came down the aisles, up out of the water and even were raised and lowered from the 80 ft ceiling. They all had incredible strength, since the show combined gymnastics, dance, acrobatics and a musical of sorts. Of course, they don't let you take any pictures, so I will have to just remember it forever!Your daddy will say that his favorite part of the trip was the rodeo of course! It was such an exciting night of competition since everyone is at the top of their game. I think our favorite events were the steer wrestling, team roping, and the saddle bronc riders. Our seats were not close by any means, but we still got a few cool pictures. Especially of Levi. He took that one himself.
Our unexpected part of the trip came on our last day when we were hanging out in the Forum mall next to Caesar's Palace. While I did a little Christmas shopping, your daddy walked through an art gallery and loved the photographs. He teasingly told me that he bought one, which I thought was funny. When we walked farther through the mall, there was another gallery for the same artist, so he insisted that I come take a look around. The artist is Peter Lik, and Australian photographer who is about to have his own TV show. He travels all over the world to capture these completely stunning shots with the most vivid colors you can imagine. Apparently, he uses some sort of silver in his film, so it absorbs the light differently. We both were blown away by his art. After a long discussion, we decided to buy a piece that will eventually be on our dining room wall. It was taken in Zion National Park in Utah, and has a rocky background with bright autumn trees in the foreground and a rushing stream. It actually seems to be moving because he uses a long exposure time. And let me tell you, lighting makes all the difference! The photos seem to change as you dim or brighten the lights on them. I can't wait to redo the dining room to showcase it properly. Too bad we have to wait about another month for it to be delivered! On a sweet note, we got to choose our series number and chose 605 since it is our wedding date. Makes it even more special!
We ate great food, had some amazing desserts, stayed up late and slept past 7:00, learned to play craps, and held hands a lot. After watching Levi eat a squid, we learned that he is pretty much a billy goat that will eat anything. It was a great time for us to remember how much we love each other and enjoy spending time together. Sometimes Mommies and Daddies need a little "minimoon!" We did miss you tons and were so happy to come home to see you. We could not say thank you enough to your Grammy and Savtah for trading off keeping you for us. You had a great time seeing everyone. Thanks for being such a wonderful girl to let us have our little getaway.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Mommy's Trip to Costa Rica
Cameron,
Mommy is finally getting around to sharing all about my trip to Costa Rica over Thanksgiving. I wish that you and Daddy could have gone with me, but now that you are a big two-year old girl, we couldn't afford to buy three tickets! I was very happy to spend some time with Grammy and get to meet your new baby cousin, Naomi. Since she was born the day right before your birthday, Mommy got to see her celebrate turning four weeks old. Isn't she just precious?
But knowing that this was a pretty laid back trip, I think that you and Daddy had a great time here staying busy and visiting everyone. I was a little unsure of what we would be eating for Thanksgiving, but Amy and Mina worked hard to do lots of shopping and find tons of good stuff. We even had a Butterball turkey! Granted, I had no idea how to cook it and I was a little grossed out by the process. You should just ask your Grammy about my spectacular skills in making deviled eggs! Uncle Mina did a great job carving up the turkey that evening after a long day of cooking.
We even had the pleasure of meeting two of Amy's friends from work. They are both Americans that didn't have family to spend the day with, so we all had a great time eating and sharing stories. It was nice to know that Amy has some wonderful ladies to be around at work even though their jobs can be frustrating at times.
It was admittedly a nice change to not be on any sort of schedule, so at least a few hours a day, we would all just be lazy and read a book or watch a movie. I think Miriam has developed a pretty serious addiction to popcorn, so she had to get a fix at least once a day too. You will have to ask her how she can stand to eat it with all that lime salt all over it. I tasted some and it was pretty awful! But we love her anyway...
One of my favorite parts of the trip is visit we made to a botanical garden in San Jose. They have several sections of the really enormous gardens, each with a sort of theme and separate sections. There was a whole greenhouse for orchids with some really unusual ones. I guess I always appreciate things that I know I could never keep alive myself!
We had a great time just walking and talking, and don't forget taking tons of pictures!
(Okay, I just discovered how to create collages online for free and download them, so don't judge me if I get a little carried away...)
We also had an interesting time at the downtown market. Amy said it was definitely not a touristy area and that I was seeing the "real San Jose." It sure smelled real. :) Mom decided to relax at home with Naomi that afternoon, so it was just Mina, Miriam, Amy and I. I bought some beautiful woodwork that had all the exotic woods from Costa Rica, including one called purple heart that is my favorite. I came home with a small cutting board and a small round serving tray with a mosaic pattern and a hummingbird in the middle. I also bought you a traditional Costa Rican dress with tons of beautiful embroidery and a cute purple soccer jersey from the Costa Rican team. You can grow into them for next summer!
It was such a wonderful trip, even though it seemed short. I was jealous that mom got to stay with them a whole extra week! But I hope that someday, I will be able to take you and Daddy to whatever exotic place Amy and Mina are living at! No trip is too far for family.
Friday, December 3, 2010
The Miracle of Christmas (Cards)
I love getting Christmas cards. Not just because it is nice to actually get something other than bills and junk in the mail, but because it makes you feel special and loved that someone cared to send it to you! This year, I already have glittery garland strung across our entry way, just waiting for me to hang all the fun pictures and cards from it. For most families, it is a chance to share an update on how the kids are growing and how blessed they are to be together and happy. For many people, it is the only time that they will send something out to faraway relatives with love and thoughtfulness. It seems sometimes like snail mail is dying out....
But I think the real miracle of Christmas cards is actually getting everyone together and smiling. With a two-year old, it is a huge feat to have all three of us in coordinating clothing (without food or dirt all over it), smiling together and looking at the camera. I still have yet to accomplish this, but I haven't given up hope yet!
And thanks to Shutterfly, I am going to proudly send out our family Christmas cards this year. For just mentioning them on my blog, I am going to score 50 free Christmas cards! And this one is my favorite:
To check out all of their fabulous Christmas cards, head over to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards
I am also a big fan of their photo thank you cards, since Cameron has not yet gotten the hang of writing her own...
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/thank-you-cards/3x5-folded-note-cards
And of course, I love having a calendar full of cute pictures of Cameron to look at all year round! http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars
Merry Christmas to your family, and hopefully you will be seeing the smiling shiny version of ours very soon!
But I think the real miracle of Christmas cards is actually getting everyone together and smiling. With a two-year old, it is a huge feat to have all three of us in coordinating clothing (without food or dirt all over it), smiling together and looking at the camera. I still have yet to accomplish this, but I haven't given up hope yet!
And thanks to Shutterfly, I am going to proudly send out our family Christmas cards this year. For just mentioning them on my blog, I am going to score 50 free Christmas cards! And this one is my favorite:
To check out all of their fabulous Christmas cards, head over to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards
I am also a big fan of their photo thank you cards, since Cameron has not yet gotten the hang of writing her own...
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/thank-you-cards/3x5-folded-note-cards
And of course, I love having a calendar full of cute pictures of Cameron to look at all year round! http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars
Merry Christmas to your family, and hopefully you will be seeing the smiling shiny version of ours very soon!
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