Joe - Lindsay - Addison

Memorial Weekend

2009-05-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we all spent the weekend at my parent's house. We went for a bike ride on Saturday. I had some mechanical troubles with my bike and after over an hour of trying to get air in the tires, we finally managed to get it going. But, with such a late start Joe and I rode 25 miles with my mom while everyone else was out on a 45 mile route.

Saturday night Joe and I went with my parents and grandparents to a local winery to watch an Elvis impersonator. He was pretty good. I really wasn't sure what to expect. I'm certain that Joe and I were the youngest people in the audience. Addison stayed at G & G's with uncle TJ. Check out some photos from their time together, www.tjcameron.org.

On Monday we did a little yard work. Addison likes to help me in the garden. I showed her how to plant the peas in a nice row. Then I turned around and this is what I found. She was so excited about her work.

Addison is also getting very good at opening the car doors. She gets in the car, puts on a seat belt and then tries to put the keys in the ignition. I have to remember to lock the doors when ever we get home! Hopefully you won't read about the two year old that drove the car through the garage!

This was yesterday when Addison decided to dress herself. She wore the shirt like this for about two hours before she decided she needed help to make it more comfortable :-)

Just a Statistic?

2009-05-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

I started writing this post on Friday, but never got around to posting it. The sad thing is that the health of my family is still compromised five days later :-(

Last Friday, Joe stayed home from work with a horrible stomach ache and slight fever. I was determined to not get sick so I made him spend most of the day in the guest bedroom and even made him sleep there. One of our friends said that I was "mean and should be more loving" but there isn't much to love about a sick husband!

Addison vomited on Friday night and seemed to be fine after. She woke up so confused and traumatized in a huge nasty mess. After a bath at 1am, she crawled back into bed and gladly went to sleep. On Saturday morning, everyone woke up feeling OK. Whew...the worst must be over.

Unfortunately not! Joe was sick again on Sunday, while Addison was just a bit under the weather. This morning Addison woke up at 3am and has been vomiting ever since. We've changed her bedding at least three times and now she is laying on the floor in the living room. Poor kid :-( I just want her to feel better...or at least be able to keep some food and water down!

So are we victims of the Swine Flu? Yesterday the doctor didn't seemed too concerned. I choose to think that the swine flu is over-rated. I think we've just got something nasty that came from daycare or the indoor playland. Someday I'll learn not go there! We are not part of the .0000000whatever % that has the news media so hyped up!

On the bright side...I ran and finished my first ever 10K on Saturday. It was part of my training for a half-marathon and I'm planning to do in June.

Addison is 2!!

2009-04-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

Happy 2nd Birthday, Addison!!
Wow, I can't believe Addison is 2 already. The past two years seem like they happened overnight. Everyone says "oh, they just grow up so fast", but it really is true.

Addison left with my parents this morning and will be home on Thursday. I have so much planned for my 2 1/2 free days, I don't even know where to start! Hooray for grandparents!!

2009-04-04T11:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

I was reading Matt & Rachel's blog today and noticed that it has been two month since this blog was updated! Yes, we're due for an update...

In February, Joe and I spent two weeks with my family in New Zealand while Addison stayed with Grandma & Grandpa Roberts. I know that we had a great time, and I'm pretty sure that Addison had a good time too :) Here are a few photos. I really wish that this blog site made it easier to upload photos!

Watch out for the Kiwi's! The bird...not the natives :)

Our trip was mostly cycling. We cycled the Central Otago Railtrail from one end to the other. It was my first experience on a mountain bike and I love it! Here we've just reached the end of the trail and now we get on our road bikes.

A monument to the Border Collie.

Yes, it does rain in New Zealand. I think everyone in the group had given up on riding this day.

Franz Josef Glacier in the rain.

Sunset in Queenstown. This was my favorite town in New Zealand. It was beautiful!

In March, we visited the High Desert Museum in Bend. Addison enjoyed the animals. It was VERY cold that day, so we stayed inside most of the time.

She liked watching Speedy, the turtle, move but we couldn't convince her to pet him.

This is our most successful potty training day yet. She actually told Joe that she needed to go potty.

One night Addison decided to put daddy "night, night". She took every blanket, sheet, towel, wash cloth, mattress pad that she could find in her dresser and covered Joe up. She was so proud of herself, but frustrated because she couldn't get the blankets to cover his arms.

Addison went on an Easter Egg hunt today. We celebrated Easter with friends here in Redmond. Addison was really getting into finding the eggs and it went much better than the downtown egg hunt that we went to yesterday. I think that yesterday there were so many people and eggs it was very overwhelming to her.

After the Easter Egg hunt yesterday...

I haven't been working since we got home from New Zealand so Addison and I have had lots of time for playdates, library story time and gymnastics. Addison's favorite activity is gymnastics and everyday she asks for "jumpy jumpy". My new sanctuary is an 8x12 greenhouse. I've already been able to start veggies, plants and a few hanging baskets. It is truly a sanctuary when the outside temperature is 40 and the temp in the greenhouse is 80! My own tropical paradise :) We are all looking forward to spring staying permanently!

Little Monkey

2009-02-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

Addison has successfully learned how to get out of her crib :( I am not excited about the new skill that she has mastered. On Monday, she ended up taking her nap on the floor. Bedtime went well until about 1am when she got out of her crib and made her way into our bedroom. She spent the rest of the night in the pack and play.

Last night, Joe took the front off the crib so that it becomes a toddler bed. Addison didn't want anything to do with her new bed. She only wanted to sleep in the twin bed that is also in her room. So, we put a side rail on the twin bed and she went to sleep. That was pretty easy. Then at 2am, she was in our room again. UG! Too tired to deal with it, we put her in the pack & play and she went to sleep.

I was dreading nap time, but she was asleep in about 5 minutes and only got out of bed once. Hopefully tonight is just as easy! We've got to get tough and make her stay in her room...easier said than done. She does look cute in her new big bed.

Athsuuun

2009-01-27T08:29:00.000-08:00

I downloaded 140 pictures from my camera today...here are some of my favorites.

Addison has become quite a bookworm. She loves to have books read to her. She and Joe have a new weekend ritual. She climbs into our bed with her favorite books and he reads to her. couldn't resist this photo op today.

Addison has been taking a weekly gymnastics class for about 2 months. When she started she would sit in the middle of the mats and cry for the whole hour. After two weeks, I was ready to give up. The third week something happened...she started having fun. After about two months, she will let the teacher touch her, she jumps on the trampoline and even will go upside down around the bar. Just last week Addison decided to jump off the trampoline into the foam pit all by herself. This is about a 3 foot drop!

Addison is learning to talk and will say her name, but it sounds something like "Athsssuuun". She's also doing well with "peas" and "dank a". Her new favorite word is "jumpy", but that sounds more like "dumpy" and her favorite activity is jumping on beds, couches, and when she can't get on either of those, she'll settle for the floor.

I have more great pictures, but this silly blogger is frustrating me. I'll try another day. I'll try not to go so long between posts :)

New Pictures

2008-12-08T08:55:00.001-08:00

Wow! It's been a long time since our last post. Here are some cute pictures of Addison.

This is in South Dakota the first day we were there and the only day that it didn't rain. It was still cold!

Addison is learning to garden :) She like to push her wheelbarrow, but doesn't want to put anything in it.

Multi-tasking?

Dad's little couch potato!

Addison's New Trick

2008-11-10T19:30:00.001-08:00

While Addison was eating lunch today, I was cleaning up the kitchen and getting a few things done while she was strapped into a chair. I remember thinking that she was VERY quiet - oddly quiet. When I looked at her I noticed that she was shoving corn up her nose!

I was able to get two or three kernels out, but there were more up there. The doctors office suggested putting pepper up her nose to get her to sneeze. That got one more out. Then they suggested plugging one side of her nose and blowing in her mouth. That got one more kernel out. There was still at least one left WAY up in Addison's nose, so I made an appointment to go to the doctor's office. In the meantime, I got out the bulb syringe and got out two more kernels. At least one was STILL in there.

Our appointment wasn't for about three hours, so Addison and I went outside to play. Joe wanted to take a look, he was pretty sure he could get this last piece of corn out of Addison's nose. We were getting ready to leave the house when Addison came running to me saying "mama, mama" and held out her hand with a piece of corn. AH HA the last piece of corn.

I took her to Joe just in case, and he didn't see anymore corn in her nose! I guess all I needed to so was let her run around for awhile to get that corn out :) No more corn, peas, beans, or anything of similar size for Addison!

Road Trip Revisited

2008-11-10T19:08:00.000-08:00

Our visit to Mt. Rushmore. It was cold and windy, but we enjoyed the history. This was the best part of the vacation for me. The rainy three days in eastern South Dakota were very uneventful.

Addison enjoyed jumping in the leaves that were piled up in the campground.

We visited the "World Famous" Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota. They are famous for donuts and 9 cent coffee. The donuts were pretty good, the coffee was very bad. I really did miss Starbucks. Wall Drug is like a city inside a big building. It really was amazing. Addison and I found our way to the playground and couldn't resist this photo op.

Grandma Dena and I left the hunting party a day early and drove the scenic drive through the Badlands National Park. The Badlands are amazing. You could easily spend a day or more exploring all the trails and fossils that are inside the park. We just did the quick drive through.

FINALLY, here are some pictures of our trip to South Dakota. I really wanted to get some pictures of the hunting, but the weather was so bad, I didn't even get a chance to see where they were hunting. Joe said it wasn't like anything he's ever hunted before. There were LOTS of pheasants, but they were hard to shoot.

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up

2008-11-02T20:01:00.001-08:00

Yes, we made it home from our LONG roadtrip. We did take a side trip with the intention of going to yellowstone, but once we got within 50 miles we found out that everything except the roads were closed for the winter. Add that to the 20 degree temps and the huge wind and we decided to just come home. We finally got home on Tuesday afternoon.

So...onto my story. On Friday, I came home from the gym and had to go into the house through the garage because I forgot my house key. I set down all my stuff and went back to get Addison out of the car and I stepped on a randomly placed shoe and heard a "pop" in my right ankle. I really couldn't get up. Then I was in a real pickle because I was sitting on the floor of the garage and Addison was still in the car. Luckily, I had my cell phone in my pocket so I called Joe and told him he had better come home. I was sure that my ankle was broken. While waiting for Joe to get home, I was able to hobble to the car and get Addison. She thought it was pretty funny that I was hopping on one leg everywhere.

Joe took me to the vet clinic for x-rays. Luckily nothing was broken, but I still couldn't walk on it. I spent most of Friday on the couch with my foot elevated and packed in ice. I even used crutches for most of the day when I had to move around. I was really bummed that I didn't get to go to the midnight workout at our gym, but I guess that I had a good excuse.

Today I'm getting around much better. Although I did trip in the driveway and catch myself wit the bad leg. Luckily, the garbage can was only half a step away. Joe said that he is going to get me a Life Alert for Christmas. You know...one of those buttons that old people have to call 911 when they can't get up. I think Joe just doesn't want me to bother him at work again :0

Oh yeah, I can't forget. Addison went potty in her own potty for the first time today!!!

Somewhere Has A Name

2008-10-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

After three days of non-stop driving, Somewhere turned out to be Kimball, South Dakota. We arrived to this sleepy town on Monday afternoon. Kimball is a town of about 700 located just off I-90. Most people would never stop in a town like this unless you needed gas!

Monday afternoon was beautiful. We sat outside in the RV park enjoying the warm weather. We toured the town - that took about 10 minutes - then just relaxed. Tuesday morning the fearless hunters woke up to a torrential downpour. I'm so glad that I didn't sign up to go hunting :)

After the hunters set off, Dena, Addison and I drove east to Mitchell. Mitchell is famous for the Corn Palace. The corn palace isn't really a palace. It looks like some random Russian building decorated with corn cobs and stuck in the middle of a prairie town. We toured the corn palace, went to a few antique shops and then to Cabelas to pick up some forgotten hunting necessities. While we were in Cabelas, Joe called and asked me to get four sets of rain gear. All the hunters forgot their rain gear. The store was all sold out. Of all people to forget rain gear, you wouldn't expect it to be Oregonians! My plans to take all these great pictures of the hunting and scenery never happened. I didn't get some cute photos of Addison and Joe, but can't seem to find the cable to get them off the camera...maybe when we get home I'll find it.

The rains continued almost non-stop until Thursday. The hunters braved the cold, wet weather and went hunting as scheduled. The rest of us had a little cabin fever, so Dena, Addison and I left Friday morning and headed west toward Mt. Rushmore. We couldn't take another day of Kimball life. We drove through the Badlands National Park, had donuts and coffee at the world famous Wall Drug, toured the South Dakota Hall of Fame and found a great stopping point in Keystone, South Dakota. Plus, there was no rain!

Today we met up with the rest of the family and visited Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse. After a fun afternoon, Joe, Addison and I are headed home while the rest of the family goes to Nebraska for more hunting. We're taking our time getting home and planning to go through Yellowstone.

Except for the rain and cabin fever, the family road trip to South Dakota was great fun. Who knew that at 1600 mile road trip could be so much fun :)

Road Trip

2008-10-19T21:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we left Redmond Oregon headed toward Somewhere South Dakota. I'm not exactly sure where we are going, just that we are supposed to arrive tomorrow in South Dakota. South Dakota is supposed to have excellent pheasant hunting so that is the reason for the craziness of this road trip.

On this trip "we" is Joe, Lindsay, Addison, Carla (my mom), Scott (my dad), Dena (g-ma), Lauren (g-pa) and three dogs. We set out in two cars at two different times on Saturday morning and met for the evening in Missoula Montana. Here are some stats from day one:

550 or so miles

4 states

3 stops in the first 2 hours

1 toddler meltdown

1 tire on fire (thankfully it wasn't ours)!

1 run-in with Johnny Law

The first day was pretty uneventful and I wish I would have been able to take some pictures of the beautiful fall colors in Idaho. The tamarack trees are a brilliant gold color accented against the pines. It really is beautiful.

Day two brought LOTS of driving. We left Missoula around 7:30am and drove for about 12 hours. Montana also has beautiful fall colors. Most of the day was a good drive. Addison has been a super trooper and has adapted to all day in the car seat. She's actually getting pretty good at putting her shape toys in the right spot. Today also brought a bit of frustration. Carla, Dena, Addison and I were in one car while Joe, Scott and Lauren are pulling our house. We ended up having a little misunderstanding about where we were going to stop for the evening and drove an extra 31 miles. Usually this isn't a big deal, but Addison was letting us know that she was ready to get out of her car seat.

We didn't have very good directions to the RV park that we were supposed to stay at and we were lost. After turning around on the interstate once, passing our traveling partners as we were going the other direction, and then each car getting two different sets of directions to the same place, we decided to bag our original plan and drive to the next town. Hence the extra 30 miles. I really wish I had been able to record some of the conversation in our car today. I was laughing so hard I really thought I would wet my pants! Good thing this isn't tourist season or we probably wouldn't have been able to find a spot in an RV park. We really would have had to camp at Wal-Mart as Dena suggested (except I doubt that there is a Wal-Mart within 100 mile)!

So tonight we are in Sundance Wyoming and we haven't seen the sun all day. It is very cold! Tomorrow we are planning to arrive in Somewhere South Dakota. I sure hope we have directions to Somewhere South Dakota!

More Pony Pictures

2008-10-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

Addison is getting into leading her pony around the "field" (our back yard). She is very happy to let him eat when ever he wants. She'll even sit down and take a break every 10 steps or so. If Jose' gets too close, Addison will drop the lead rope run away screaming. For Addison, too close is Jose' not staying at the absolute end of his lead rope. I think that we are making improvements since the first day that he arrived!

Addison knows how to make the clucking noise, so she stands at the end of the rope and clucks. Jose' usually doesn't respond...the green grass is just too inviting.

Addison's second favorite thing is to feed the animals. She's getting pretty good at carrying the dog food bowls and usually only spills a few bites. She feeds Jose' by the handful. We had to put a chain on the feedroom door so Addison can't get it open. The other night she had a tantrum when I shut the door and told her it was time to go to the house. I think her dad distracted her when he let her feed the dogs. It looks like there was quite a bit that was spilled this time :)

It is so fun to watch Addison try new things every day. Sometimes she's successful...sometimes not. But, she ALWAYS wants to try and really wants to help mom & dad!

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

In between rain showers Sunday, we went pumpkin hunting. About a mile from our house is a great farm that gets all decked out for fall. There are hay rides, kids play area, petting zoo and of course, a pumpkin patch. We did take Addison last year when we went to get pumpkins, but she didn't get out of the stroller. I don't think that she was even crawling then. So, this was really her first pumpkin patch experience. The first thing she notices was the red wagon parking lot. She LOVES to ride in the wagon and she didn't waste any time climbing in. We pulled her out to the pumpkin field and she was very apprehensive about getting out of the wagon. Once Joe and I started filling the wagon with pumpkins she was forced to get out.

She finally got into the spirit and started looking for pumpkins. Once the wagon was loaded, she unloaded it - several times. After the pumpkin patch Addison wandered into the kids play area and really liked the tire swing. Of course she liked the swing, it resembled a horse!

We had a great time despite the dreary weather!

The Pony Project

2008-09-30T07:50:00.001-07:00

Finished or just beginning.

We finally completed the shelter and fencing for Addison's pony last weekend. On Friday I took Addison to my parents' for the weekend and brought her pony home. Jose' seems to be adjusting well. He would really like to play with the dogs, but the dogs are afraid of him.

Yesterday when Addison came home from grandma's house I took her down to see Jose'. She wasn't very excited. I was holding her so that she would be at eye level with the pony, but she screamed and arched her back and didn't want anything to do with him. So, I made her take a nap.

After a three hour nap, it was time to feed all the animals. Addison was much more willing to interact with Jose' this time. She helped her dad put the lead rope on his halter and bring him in from the grass. I think that she is mostly interested in the shiny snap on the end of the rope.

Addison thought that Jose's ball made a pretty cool toy too. Check out those super cute little paddock boots that Addison is wearing :)

A very big THANK YOU to the Sanders family - especially JC and Cindy, for letting this wonderful pony come to live with us. Jose' has lived with them for 17 years and is considered part of the family. Jose' has taught so many little kids to ride, I can't even count them all. We are so luck to have such a great pony for Addison. THANK YOU Sanders Family.

Four Years...already

2008-09-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

Today, Joe and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. I can't believe we've been married for four years already!! Time flies when you are having fun. Here are some of my favorite pictures from our wedding.

Weekend Fun

2008-09-04T15:52:00.001-07:00

For Labor Day weekend we loaded up Addison and the dogs and headed over the mountain to visit my parents. On Saturday Joe and I ran in a 5K with my mom and Addison (in her stroller). The 5k was part of a larger event that a group my dad is involve in puts on every year. My cousin and aunt participated in the sprint triathlon and Lauren's bf, Scott, did the Olympic distance tri. They were all so brave to get into the water on Saturday morning...it was SO cold.

After the race, we were waiting in the park for the awards and Addison really got into the belly dancers. These belly dancers were also dancing along the run route. Kinda weird.

Addison had a riding lesson on Sunday. Joe finally gave in and is building a barn for Jose'. We should be done in a few weeks and Jose' will come to live with us. Addison seems to LOVE riding. She even tried to brush her pony. I also had a chance to ride and my legs are still sore - but it was so fun :)

We also visited with both sets of my grandparents and as always, we had a fun time with family :)

Dad's Way

2008-08-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

Last night I played tennis so Joe was responsible for getting Addison to bed. She was in the bath when I left and everything looked like it was going fine.

When I got home, Joe informed me that Addison almost had a haircut! After her bath, she found a Yo-Go (yogurt covered fruity candy) in her high chair. She put it in her mouth then took it out and rubbed it in her hair. Since he had just put her pjs on, Joe didn't want to give her another bath so he decided to wash her hair in the kitchen sink. "She was such a squirm and so difficult that I almost got the scissors and cut her hair. But I didn't think that would be very good," was what Joe told me when I got home.

I think that washing her hair in the sink would be much harder than another bath..but dad has his own way of doing things. All's well, Addison woke up clean with all her hair still on her head!

Camping with The Cranes

2008-08-17T21:22:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, we drove to McCall, Idaho to meet the Crane Family. Matt and Joe went to vet school together and from some of the stories I heard over the weekend it sounds like Rachel did lots of cooking for them :)Matt and Rachel have two girls, Kelsey and Kendal. They both were perfect playmates for Addison.

We camped at Ponderosa State Park just outside of McCall. Matt called it city-slicker camping, but I think it was just perfect. We were right on Payette Lake with lots of trails and bike paths to explore. This was Addison's first camping trip. She slept in her mat in the tent and was really a trooper. Actually, I think this is our first vacation since Addison was born (one that doesn't involve going to visit the grandparents)!

I forgot my camera most of the time, so almost all these photos are from Rachel. Thanks Rachel :)

We biked from our campsite up to Osprey Point look out. It was about a three mile up hill bike ride. Normally, this wouldn't be too much of an issue, but we were on road bikes and this was a gravel road. The last bit was really steep. I think we were all off our bikes pushing. We finally got to the lookout and were really disappointed. We couldn't see anything because the trees were in the way. So, off we went...but then we discovered the "real" lookout. There are some HUGE houses along the shore. It was also a very steep drop into the lake, so with three adventurous little girls, we didn't dare stay too long.

Our campsite...

We went down to the beach near our campsite a couple of times. The water was very pleasant. Addison really enjoyed the sand in her toes. She probably sat for an hour watching the water wash the sand up on her legs.

Addison has a trailer that Joe pulls behind his bike. She probably rode in it more this weekend than ever before. She knows that she has to wear her helmet if she is going in her trailer. She's really good about putting it on. Now she has decided that she needs to wear it all the time. After we got back from our bike ride, she insisted on having her helmet. I guess she was really safe when she was running around the campground.

This is the only time I remembered my camera :) We stopped to have lunch on the way home. Only 3 more hours to drive!

Thanks Crane family for the great weekend!

Cute Addison Pictures

2008-08-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

This is a link to some pictures that my brother took a few weeks ago when Addison was visiting her grandma, http://tjcameron.net/shop/index.php?do=photocart&viewgallery=1004&vp=1

The password for the pictures is addy080802.

We just got home from a great camping trip with the Crane family, but more of that later :)

Addison's Vacation

2008-07-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

On Monday, Addison went to Grandma and Grandpa Cameron's house. She'll be there until next Monday. Life at home has been so quiet. Last night when I called, my dad said that Addison had her first shower. I knew immediately that he meant she got sprayed when my mom was watering the flowers. Addison loves to play in the sprayer. She doesn't like to run through the sprinkler in the yard, but if I get out the watering wand, she won't stay away. It is the best way to keep her occupied and nearby while I'm watering the flowers. I think my mom found that out too. This is the photo that my dad emailed this morning :) Looks like everyone is having a good time.

Day at the Lake

2008-07-27T22:20:00.000-07:00

Addison enjoyed sunbathing :) Yes..she was wearing LOTS of sunscreen!

Today our family went to Lake Billy Chinook for the afternoon. We all went swimming and had a picnic. Addison was so good. She didn't try to leave the blanket. It was actually a very relaxing afternoon. I completely expected her to try to run every direction and we would have to chase her. But, she had no desire to leave the blanket.

Addiction

2008-07-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

I have an addiction to flowers and antiques. Joe would probably describe the antiques as junk and that's probably a better description than antiques. Anything that is rusty, old, will give you splinters when you sit on it or looks old is perfect for the house or yard.

I also have a thing for flowers. Sunflowers and daisies are my favorite. Anything that resembles a sunflower or daisy can probably be found in my yard. As you can see from this picture, I really like chaos in the yard. I love how everything just blends together.

Last year I tried to plant mostly perennials so that I wouldn't have to plant as many flowers this year. With everything that I started in the greenhouse this spring, I think I've probably planted close to 200 plants this year. Last fall when I cut down the sunflowers, I left the heads. Now there is a sunflower forest growing. I think it will look really neat when they all start blooming.

I also love anything that climbs. I put an old bedframe piece out and planted some kind of climbing vine that the lady at the nursery said was "hardy and easy to grow". PERFECT!! It has gone crazy and almost covered the bedframe. I also planted these seeds to grow under this new fertilizer bin planter. As the plants started to climb up, Joe was sure that they were weeds. I couldn't remember what I planted and protested so he wouldn't pull them. Joe got on the internet and found out that I had planted Morning Glories and they are considered a weed. Well, how was I supposed to know that they would sell weeds in packets at the store??? Besides, the flower on the front of the package look pretty. We'll see what happens when these things take over the whole yard :)

The front porch has the cool old chairs that no one can sit in because they will give you splinters. They look neat though.

Today Joe asked me if I wanted to go for a drive to Prineville. I agreed because I knew that there are several junk stores there and if I was lucky maybe we could stop at one. To my surprise, we went to a junk store that had several old rusty wheelbarrows for sale. A few weeks ago I mentioned that I needed an old wheelbarrow for the yard. Sometime last week Joe went on a farm call and saw this store with all the wheelbarrows. How nice of him to take me there to pick one out! When we got home, Joe unloaded it and filled it with dirt. Now I just need more flowers (and to pull some more weeds)!

This kind of addiction can't be that bad :)

Fun Pictures

2008-07-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

Joe said that we don't need Cooper to retrieve for us anymore!

Did you know that a margarine bucket could make such a good toy?

We spent the last weekend of June in Salem with Joe's family. Joe and I met up with my aunt, cousin and brother for a bike ride on Saturday. Luckily we finished before the temp. reached 100 degrees. It was a beautiful ride through the farm country around Newberg.

On Sunday, we went to the Lavender Festival in west Salem. Joe let me buy some old "junk" for my garden. It really was his idea. It is an old metal fertilizer bin that has legs added and is a great planter. Now, I just need to get some flowers planted in it.

Addison had a great time playing with some of Joe's old toys. Notice a trend?? I really think that she wants a pony :)

Happy June Birthdays

2008-06-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday TJ and Auntie Carmen!!
June has always been a big birthday month in our family. My brother, aunt, and great grandma shared June 25th as their birthday's. For as long as I can remember the family has always had a party for these three special people. Since great grandma passed away a few weeks ago, this year the day passed without a party. I think TJ said it pretty well on his blog, www.tjcameron.org. Check out some pretty cool photos from years passed.

Rough Week

2008-06-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

A week ago Saturday, Addison took a tumble onto the concrete. She didn't catch herself with her hands so her eye and nose made first contact with the concrete. She had a pretty good shiner the next day.

We have all had a little cold for the past week and on Friday morning Addison woke up with very goobery eyes. I figured that her tear ducts were blocked again and didn't really think much of it. Addison and I went to visit Shawna in Portland as planned. Addison slept the whole drive and when we got there her eyes were really puffy and yucky. (Nurse) Shawna helped me rinse them with some saline and she agreed that it was probably just blocked tear ducts and no reason for concern.

On Saturday, Shawna thought Addison's eyes were looking much better and so we decided to go on with our day and not take Addison to the urgent care. We went to the Beaverton Saturday Market and went home with lots of wonderful fresh fruits and veggies then took a trip to Nordstom for a quick shoe shopping trip!

Well, here at home, Joe's eyes started bothering him and I didn't know this until LATE on Saturday night. I didn't put all of this together until I woke up on Sunday morning with a very red eye. HMMM...wonder if we all have pink eye? Joe went to the urgent care in Redmond and sure enough he has pink eye. The doctor was nice enough to give Joe a prescription for antibiotics for all of us.

We called Addison's daycare yesterday to cancel for today. Today the daycare called to tell me that one other kid is out of daycare with pink eye and another kid was treated last week. So, maybe it wasn't our fault! Since Addison couldn't go to daycare today, I couldn't go to work. I feel like a total slacker when I call in "sick" and only work two days a week! Today Addison looks great. Joe and I still look like we've been smoking too much of an illegal substance.

So, while we were playing hookie, Addison and I shared an Otter Pop. She wasn't too sure about the coldness, but soon decided that it tasted "umm" (this is something she learned during her last visit to grandma's). After the Otter Pop, Addison wandered over to the dogs and Gauge really enjoyed cleaning her hands and face. I wasn't quick enough to get a picture though.

Since another child is out of daycare with pink eye, Addison can go tomorrow and I get to go to work. I guess it is make-up for missing today. It makes me feel a like a little less of a slacker.

Project (nearly) Accomplished

2008-06-12T22:03:00.000-07:00

I finally was able to finish painting the guest room. I think I started in February. I ran out of paint and need to get a little more to finish the ceiling. But, I can claim it is done enough to leave the bedroom door open. There is no more plastic, blue tape or paint cans in the room. John, I hope you read this and come and visit soon. I'm sure it will be the best night of sleep you've ever had. I think with these colors the room is Zen-like. So relaxing...

It's So Quiet at Home

2008-06-10T19:39:00.001-07:00

Today I met my mom halfway between Redmond and Roseburg and sent Addison to grandma's house. This is the first time that we've been home and Addison hasn't been here. What will we do??? No crying at night, no fussy baby. Actually, so far it has been great! Grandma said she would call and let me know when she was ready to send Addison home. Anyone want to make a bet - Friday or Saturday??

Messy Addison

2008-06-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

The other day I knocked the box of Cheerios off the counter. The box was open and about half of the contents ended up on the floor. As soon as Addison heard the noise she was in the kitchen to find out what was going on. At first she was content to just kick and brush the cereal around the floor. Then she realized it was cereal and started eating off the floor. I quickly started vacuuming up the mess.

Addison LOVES the water. She has discovered that she can splash in the dogs' water bucket. She hasn't figured out how to turn on the faucet, yet. I'm sure that will be the next big discovery. This was yesterday when we were outside enjoying the sun and warm weather.

Saturday night Addison fell and hit her chin on the toilet and bit her tongue. Yesterday it was swollen and black and blue. I tried to get her to stick out her tongue so I could get a picture. Joe said it looks much better today. I think it still looks very sore!

Isn't she cute after her nap!!

Guess this will do until Daddy lets me get a pony!!

These diapers don't go! So frustrating!! Addison pulled the whole package out of her closet. It was all she could manage to drag them down the hall. She got tired and thought they might make a good ride! So cute.

June Flowers

2008-06-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

The weather has finally been cooperating and I've been planting flowers and veggies like crazy. On Friday I got a few strange looks from people driving by as I was planting in the pouring rain. Addison was very helpful when I let her come outside. I think that she only ate one handful of dirt. This little pile of dirt kept her busy for at least a few minutes.

She's learning how to "pet nice" and not grab handfuls of hair. The cats don't usually hang around for too long.

This is after Addison climbed through the flower bed with newly planted flowers and up onto the deck. The steps are too big for her and she discovered that it is much easier to climb through the dirt and flowers.

I have about 50 more plants in my greenhouse! My goal is to get them in the ground by the end of the week. I'll let you know if I make it!

Tally Ho!

2008-05-30T11:30:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday Joe and I took Addison to visit her pony, Jose'. Yes, this really is Addison's pony. Our friend and my riding instructor, Cindy, has taught many children to ride on Jose'. She has generously offered to let Jose' come and live with us. He hasn't come to live with us yet because Joe doesn't want a horse at our house. Joe keeps putting a condition on Addison having a pony. The newest condition is that Addison has to be able to sit in the saddle without assistance. She's not quite there yet. Once she has met this condition, then there will probably be another!

She was very interested in the other girls going over the jumps with their ponies.

Addison really enjoyed trotting. She was more worried about the helmet bouncing on her head than riding. She had a HUGE smile on her face the entire time she was riding.

Addison even got a grooming lesson. She really got into using the hoof pick (with assistance).

I think Addison will be a little rider!!

More Addison Pictures

2008-05-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures I founds on my parents' computer this past week.

Home Sweet Home

2008-05-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

Well, almost. I'm at least back in Oregon. I really enjoyed my trip to New York! We did lots of walking, saw two excellent musicals on Broadway and did a little shopping. I guess I better not forget about lots of eating too. There is so many excellent restaurants in NY. I felt like we were just eating all the time. The real reason that we made the trip was to attend Sabrina's graduation from the nursing program at Columbia University. It was a very nice ceremony and I'm glad that I was able to go.

I think that Addison had a great time with Grandma Carla. She was very indifferent when I got her out of her crib yesterday morning. She even threw a little tantrum when grandma left for work yesterday. I guess I could have stayed away longer!

Here are a few pictures from our trip. This is on Sunday after church. We walked from the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church through Central Park to Tavern on the Green. This picture is in front of Tavern on the Green while we were waiting for our table. The flowers were beautiful.

After bruch we continued our walk through Central Park toward Sabrina's apartment. Does the fountain look familiar? This is where the beginning of Friends was filmed. The rain held off just long enough for us to get to Sabrina's place.

I think this was on Saturday. We were walking from our hotel to the theater to see Mama Mia and there was a street fair. I was trying to show how many people were in the street. It was just so crowded.

Tomorrow I'll go to Eugene to pick up Joe at the airport. He's taking the 30 minute puddle jumper from Redmond. We're planning to go on a bike ride on Saturday so hopefully the rain stops. On Monday we'll all go home ...... sweet home!!

New York, New York

2008-05-15T07:26:00.000-07:00

I'm headed off to the Big Apple early tomorrow morning with my Grandma Dena and Aunt Carmen. We are going to celebrate Sabrina's graduation from nursing school. Our weekend will be packed full of graduation events and Broadway plays. I haven't been to New York since Joe and I went on our honeymoon, so I'm really looking forward to the trip. This is also the first time I've left Addison for an extended length of time. The break will be really nice!

Joe stayed home and is on call this weekend. He says that he'll be able to get lots of projects done around the house despite working--we'll see. Addison is staying with my mom for the weekend. I'm sure my mom will be ready to hand her off when I get home on Tuesday. Check back for some New York pictures next week!

It's Been Awhile

2008-05-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been too long since we last posted to our blog. It isn't that our life is boring, we just haven't taken the time to write about it. Here is a little recap -

Last Saturday Addison woke up with red spots all over her body. Joe did some research and decided that she could be reacting the the chicken pox vaccine that she got about two weeks ago. He called the pediatrician's office and was disgusted when the nurse read the information straight off of the website. He decided that he had better take her in to see the doctor to determine if she had the chicken pox. Luckily, she didn't. Only a sore throat and some kind of rash. After the doctor's visit Joe decided to go to REI and take advantage of the big sale. He said he forgot the stroller and had to carry Addison on one arm and all his purchases on the other arm. I bet he never forgets the stroller again!

I finally am getting back to painting the stressful guest room. I have a lovely green that I thought would be a great accent to the brown, but it looks more like baby poop green next to the brown. After painting almost the whole wall, I went back to Home Depot and picked out a new color. Now I'm back at the primer stage. Maybe by this weekend I'll have a close to finished product!

This morning the sun was shining and it was pretty warm. I found my roller blades and decided to take Addison in the stroller. We drove into the city park where there is a 3 mile long paved path. I got about two strides from the car and realized that there was something very wrong with my roller blades - one was missing the front wheel. UGGG! Of course, this is about the only wheel that is really needed. I looked all through the car for a tool to switch the wheels around but had no luck. So I loaded everything up, put Addison back in her car seat and headed home. I briefly looked through the garage for the missing wheel but couldn't find it. These are the roller blades I've had since my senior year in high school so I guess it isn't too surprising that they are missing a few parts. Maybe another day....

Addison made her first phone call today. No matter where I hide the phone or cell phone, she finds it. She loves to push the buttons. She made a call to Matt Crane in Utah. I think grabbed the phone before she left him much of a message. I knew eventually she would call someone. I'm glad it was someone that we know!

Finally, Addison is walking...everywhere!!! The farther she goes the more she giggles. The faster she goes the more she giggles. It is contagious laughter!

I guess that's about all the eventful things that we've been up to these past few days. We'll try to post more often.

Ouch!

2008-04-26T19:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Addison was getting in and out of her chair and was very proud of herself until she fell out and landed on her face. Immediately her forehead had a HUGE bruise and within a few minutes, her nose and the inside of both eyes were bruised. I was convinced that she broke her nose. The pediatrician's office asked me a series of questions and from my answers determined that Addison may have a broken nose and most likely didn't have a concussion so there was no need to seek medical attention. I still wasn't so sure. Joe wanted to see her and I needed to get her some baby ibuprofen for the swelling so I stopped at his office. He did the light in the eye thing and said "yeah..I think she'll be ok". I still don't think I was completely convinced. The nurse also said that we needed to wake Addison every four hours during the night and make sure that she was able to wake up and recognize us. That made for a VERY tired morning!

I took these pictures last night when Addison was having dinner - about five hours after the fall. The swelling had already gone down so much you can hardly see that she even has a bruise (my photographic skills don't help either). Look very carefully over her right eye and you can see some greenish-yellow coloring. I thought for sure it would get much worse and that we wouldn't be able to leave the house with out being accused of beating our child.

Below is the picture that I took this morning. The bruise is almost totally gone except for a little bit across the bridge of her nose. If her nose is broken, it isn't crooked! We're crossing our fingers for an uninterrupted night of sleep tonight!

Run Ladies Run

2008-04-20T22:13:00.000-07:00

Shawna, my best friend since 5th grade, and Kristen, a college friend, are running the Boston Marathon tomorrow. I think this is the third time these awesome ladies have run this marathon. I don't know if they ever read our blog but since it is WAY too late to call and wish them good luck, this will have to do.

YEAH Shawna and Kristen. GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN!!

Happy Birthday Addison

2008-04-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrated Addison's 1st birthday. I can't believe she's been here for a year already! The time has just flown by. I always thought if I was able to stay home and not work everyday I would be able to get so many projects done. I was sure wrong about that! Playing soccer and singing the ABC's takes up alot of time! It sure is fun though!

Here are some pictures from Addison's party.

Enjoying A Sunny Day

2008-04-18T18:19:00.001-07:00

We were all outside enjoying the sunshine yesterday. The weatherman says that it is supposed to be 18 degrees tonight and tomorrow's high is 39 degrees. YUCK! Joe took advantage of the warm sunny day yesterday to mow the lawn. Addison enjoyed riding a lap with him she couldn't get enough of doing laps on the driveway! The sun bonnet kept getting in the way :) Joe just came in from covering my peach tree with a combination of bed sheets and plastic. He called it the redneck peach tree and said I better take a picture in the morning. I'm sure the neighbors will drive by and think "only in Terrebonne"! I sure hope that my delicate little peach tree doesn't get too cold. I've been looking forward to these peaches since we planted the tree last year!

Last week Addison brought home a little doll from the gym daycare. She wouldn't part with it. Grandma Carla found out and got Addison her very own doll for her birthday...she'll be very happy on Sunday!!

Firsts for Addison

2008-04-16T18:09:00.001-07:00

With only a few days until Addison's first birthday, she has been very busy getting some "first" experiences.

This past weekend we visited her pony Jose' and while I was riding another horse, Addison got her very first pony ride. She wasn't very happy about wearing a helmet and as soon as it was removed, she was so excited. She even got into "clicking" to tell her pony to go. She was all smiles and even protested a little when she was taken off the pony. Joe is not looking forward to having a horse-crazy daughter, but I guess it is in her genes! I think he'll give in with just a little persuasion.

Today, Addison and I joined a couple of moms and babies at the kiddie pool for Addison's very first swimming experience. She had a great time chewing on the rubber duckies and floating in the float tube.

All these firsts and I forgot to take my camera. So, you just have to image a very smiley Addison sitting proudly atop her pony. Then, image Addison trying to squirm her way out of my arms in the pool. She was only successful once - and got a big mouthful of water!

Addison's Newest Photos

2008-04-11T21:21:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago Uncle TJ was visiting and he brought along his camera for a little photo shoot. Maybe he didn't intend to take photos of Addison, but I always get a few before he leaves :) There are some very cute photos of Addison and our very first family photos. Too bad it only took a year for the three of us to get together for a photo!

Go to www.tjcameron.net. Click on Addison + Family and the password is addy. Click on Addison on the next page and then look at all the cute photos. The best way is to run the slideshow.

Enjoy!

THANKS TJ!!

Watch Out...Here Comes Addison!

2008-04-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

Addison's new "car" is helping her to learn the art of walking. She has improved so much over the past few days. I took some great video but can't figure out how to get the video from the camera to the computer. These photos will just have to do! She cruises across the house and smacks into the wall. Then she just pushes as hard as she can in any direction to get the "car" to move. Whatever works!! She is very determined. If the "car" stops moving, she'll start pushing her high chair until it is stuck too.

Addison will be a year old in a little over a week. I'm sure she'll be toddling around on her own just in time for her birthday party!

Strolling on a Spring Day

2008-04-04T10:12:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Addison and I went for a walk to enjoy the fresh spring air. It is still a little chilly in the mornings so I bundled her all up and put the weather cover on the stroller. It takes longer to get her dressed and in the stroller than our walk lasts. I couldn't resist taking this picture of Addison looking out of her plastic enclosure. She has her own little sauna in there! I guess she stayed warm enough during the walk. She was sound asleep when we got back home!

Family, Friends, Food and Fun....

2008-03-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

...and some wine too! This weekend we had a houseful of visitors. My mom's side of the family (minus Sabrina who is in New York) came to visit. We even had a few more friends stop by on Friday night and add to the excitement - or maybe they just come for the entertainment. I'm sure they might say that this family can be entertaining at times! There is never a shortage of laughter with this group. Thanks Lee & Dave and Shawna & John for stopping by!

We celebrated a couple of birthdays, a few went shopping, others went hunting, and some just had a little R & R.

Addison was the center of attention (imagine that!). Auntie Carmen brought Addison a bathing suit from Florida and Addison seemed to enjoy modeling for everyone.

Grandma Carla has a way getting Addison wired to the brink of meltdown. I'm not sure what they were doing here, but I'm sure it had something to do with making Addison laugh.

I think Grandma Carla is also responsible for this mess. She gave Addison some black beans for dinner. Addison likes the beans, but they have her terrible gas last night. She was sleeping in our room and she kept waking and crying all night. Of course, Grandma retreats to her "home" parked in the driveway and doesn't deal with the after effects!

Thanks family for coming to visit. We always enjoy the fun times that we have together. Come back and visit soon!! Maybe next time we can remember to take pictures of someone/something other than Addison!!

Beef, Its What's For Dinner

2008-03-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight Joe cooked some yummy steaks on the BBQ. They were so tender and just perfect. Addison was eyeing our food so I gave her a few bite sized pieces. She LOVED it. Up until now, she has spit out every type of meat that we have offered her. Joe is so excited that his little girl is a beef lover!

YUMMM Chocolate!!

2008-03-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

Joe brought home a cookie on Friday and we gave Addison a little bite. She made a big mess. I'm not sure much actually made it into her mouth. I think she enjoyed it though!

Spring in Central Oregon?

2008-03-21T08:17:00.001-07:00

This is the view out my front window this morning. So much for blooming tulips by Easter. I guess I"ll have to go to the nursery and buy some! Joe was very quick to inform me that the heater in the greenhouse was still on. That makes me feel a little bit better. I told him I was going to book the first flight to sunny Arizona but then I saw on the news that Arizona has wild fires...maybe Hawaii sounds good!

Addison's little dog talks and one of the things it says is "Hug Me". This morning she was hugging it over and over. So cute.

Family Outing

2008-03-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

Today we decided to go snowshoeing and take Addison with us. The sky was clear and it was nearly 50 degrees at our house so we figured that it would be nice up on the mountain. We drove to Mt. Bachelor and went toward Todd Lake. The whole hike is about 3 miles. We were about 45 minutes into the hike when Addison got a little fussy in the backpack. So we stopped and checked her diaper, offered her a snack and removed a layer of clothing thinking that maybe she was hot- it was very sunny and warm. She settled down so we started out again. After about 15 minutes she was SCREAMING at the top of her lungs! There was NOTHING we could do to get her to calm down. So we decided that our tranquil walk in the snow was over and we better head back to the car. About half way back to the car she stopped crying and seemed to enjoy the adventure unless I stopped walking. As soon as I stopped, even for a moment, she started SCREAMING again. I don't know if you can tell in the photos, but this was the screaming when I stopped just long enough for Joe to take a picture. Thank goodness there weren't many other people out trying to enjoy a tranquil walk in the woods! They would have gotten much more than they bargained for :)

As soon as we were back at the car and Addison was in her car seat, life was happier. I really expected her to fall asleep on the way home, but I think she must have been so wound-up, there wasn't anyway she was going to sleep. I just put her in her crib and there was about five minutes of crying and then silence! Ahhh a sleeping baby :)

New Batteries...More Photos

2008-03-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

The digital camera is back in working order with new batteries. Joe was sick yesterday and stayed home from work. He was really sick in the morning, but by afternoon he was feeling better. He began to babyproof the kitchen cabinets with the little latches to keep Addison out. Addison was intrigued with the drill and really wanted to help.
Addison is so close to walking! This morning she was pushing her high chair around the kitchen. She was stopped by the rug, but kept trying. Yesterday she got inside the fenced enclosure around the fireplace and started pushing the fence. She walked half way across the family room pushing the fence.

Finally, Joe was able to finish the flowerbeds in front of the house. When we moved in, there was just a mound of bark with a few flowers planted. This year we'll have some real flowerbeds to plant flowers - lots of flowers! I think I have over 150 seed starts in my greenhouse right now!!

Rachel, I'm not sure that you can see the crocus buds, but they really are there. Sorry that you still have so much snow. YUCK!

Darn Batteries!

2008-03-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

Joe has a thing for rechargeable batteries. He won't let me buy new batteries for the digital camera, I have to find the rechargeable ones and use those. Well, this weekend every time I wanted to take a picture I got the message "battery depleted" - even after the batteries were charged! Today when I go to the store I'll get some new batteries. Hopefully by the end of today I'll have a photo of the flower beds that Joe built over the weekend!

Rachel, just for you...I'll take a picture of the tulips and crocuses that are starting to bloom :)

Well Baby

2008-03-05T08:13:00.000-08:00

Addison had her 10 month well baby exam on Monday. She weighs 18 lbs and is 281/2 inches long. That puts her in the 20th percentile for weight and 70th for height. This was a good visit because there weren't any shots!

Who is Mother Goose and What was She Thinking?

2008-03-03T07:43:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered why nursery rhymes have such horrible endings? Joe and I were online one night trying to figure out the words of some nursery rhymes. They seem so innocent but when you start to say them to your baby you wonder if you really should. Maybe it's ok until they really understand what the nursery rhyme says. They don't leave a very nice image in your mind when you read them. Here are some well know nursery rhymes with not so great endings...

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall:

All the king's horses and all the king's men

Cannot put Humpty Dumpty together again.

Jack and Jill went up the hill,

to fetch a pail of water,

Jack fell down and broke his crown

and Jill came tumbling after.

Jerry Hall was so small,

a rat could eat him, hat and all!!

There was an old woman who live in a shoe.

She had so many children she didn't know what to do.

She gave them some broth without any bread.

She whipped them all soundly and put them to bed.

Three blind mice. See how they run!

They all ran after the farmers wife,

Who cut off their tails with a carving knife.

Did you ever see such a thing in your life

As three blind mice?

There are some others that were even worse, but too long to type here. Check out www.mothergoose.com for the words to some of your favorites and even some lesser known nursery rhymes (probably good that they stay lesser known!).

Mom's Little Helper

2008-02-29T12:52:00.001-08:00

Addison likes to help me vacuum. Today she figured out that she could push the vacuum around the room. She did get frustrated when it was stuck in the corner. Maybe she'll take over the vacuum duties when she can walk!!

Bottle Time

2008-02-27T20:32:00.000-08:00

I was making dinner the other night and Addison started fussing so I asked Joe to get her a bottle. She suddenly was very quiet and this is what I found when I turned around. I guess I'll have to be more specific next time.

I'm not sure where we were going when this pciture was taken, but it is cute. Addison always takes off her stocking hat so we have to make sure to use the hat with the chin strap. I guess she though if she couldn't pull it off she would eat it off.

Sick Dog or Child?

2008-02-25T09:29:00.000-08:00

Addison went back to the doctor yesterday. Her cough was getting worse and she was rubbing her head more. The doctor said her ears didn't look any better so she prescribed a different antibiotic. The doctor also told us that we needed to make some saline drops and put them in Addison's nose then use the snot sucker to suck out all the snot. Joe asked if we could use the saline in a saline IV bag. The doctor got a strange look on her face kind of like...why would you have one of those on hand, but said yeah..same stuff. Cool- easy for us.

We've also found that giving Addison a teaspoon of medicine doesn't work very well. She tries to grab the spoon and it just goes right down her shirt. Joe went outside to his vet truck and came back with a syringe. If you look at all the stuff out of Joe's vet truck laying on my counter right now, you wouldn't know if my dog is sick or if my child is sick! Those dog restraint methods that Joe uses at work have also come in handy when we are trying to squirt saline down Addison's nose and suck out the snot! Poor girl she really doesn't like the snot sucker.

Addison Sized

2008-02-21T21:31:00.000-08:00

I found this cute chair in the Pottery Barn Kids catalog. Addison likes to sit in it for about two minutes. She can climb out of the chair but hasn't figured out how to get into it yet.

Addison has had a cold for about four days and it seemed to be getting better until this morning. I took her to the pediatrician and now she has an ear infection. She still is pretty happy and active for having an ear infection. She has also shared her cold with her daddy, mommy and grandma - such a sweet girl!!

Busy Days

2008-02-20T17:14:00.000-08:00

We went over the mountian and through the snow to grandmother's house last weekend. Of course I didn't take any pictures to share. It was a short sweet trip. The purpose of the trip was to get Joe's birthday present installed on his pickup. He likes the new look...

About two hours after we got home on Monday, Megan (friend from UO) and her husband Chris came to visit. Meg, Addison and I spent Tuesday sight seeing around central Oregon. Megan broke her ankle last week, so she was limited in how far she could go on crutches. We did make it to Smith Rock State Park and she took some awesome pictures. Chris spent the day on Mt. Bachelor. Maybe after this trip Megan can convience Chris that Oregon is a good place to live :)

Thanks Chris and Megan for visiting us! Enjoy the rest of your road trip.

Cupcakes Galore

2008-02-15T10:16:00.000-08:00

I found a recipe for Red Velvet cupcakes with buttercream frosting in one of my magazines. It sounded yummy and perfect for Valentine's Day so I made a batch the other day. I think I ended up with nearly 3 dozen cupcakes. I sent some home with my cousin Lauren and there was still about a dozen left. I decided to take them when we went to dinner with our friends Darrin and Terese last night. Great plan (or so I thought).

Yesterday morning I went to the grocery store to get wine for dinner and I bumped into Terese (I went to this store on a whim - I NEVER go there). She mentioned that she was going to make pink cupcakes for dessert. "Oh don't make cupcakes, I already made some and I'm planning to bring some," I told her. "Perfect!" she said.

When I got home I decided to put the cupcakes on a nice platter. My platter was up high in the cupboard above the stove and the cupcakes were sitting on a plate on the stove. When I got the platter down, I didn't realize that there was a small plate inside the platter and it fell and shattered all over the stove sending glass onto the plate with the cupcakes and probably into the frosting. One dozen cupcakes went into the trash. I arranged the other dozen on the platter and put them back in the fridge. Later in the day, I was in the fridge and had to move the cupcake platter when I accidently dumped that dozen on the floor! Another dozen cupcakes in the trash! Now I'm out of cupcakes I already told Terese that would take the cupcakes for dinner!!

I dashed up to the market by my house, bought the three ingredients that I was lacking for the recipe and a container of frosting (I wasn't going to make the frosting again) and at about 2 pm I started another batch of cupcakes. Joe got home from work and saw the mess and asked "you're making more cupcakes?" I said don't even ask, it's been a long day!

The cupcakes made it to Darrin and Terese's house without incident and we had a great dinner (except I don't know if anyone even ate a cupcake!). The finished product is in the picture at the top.

Oh if you are wondering...No, I haven't finished painting the bedroom yet!

I'll Enjoy the Grass from the Inside

2008-02-12T19:13:00.000-08:00

It was 60 degrees and absolutely beautiful today! My cousin and I took Addison out to the front yard to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. As you can see from the photos, she isn't very fond of the grass. We'll have to try again when the grass is greener and not so stickery. Maybe Addison won't be the outdoorsy girl everyone expects her to be :)

The Addison Show

2008-02-10T21:46:00.000-08:00

My parents and my autie Carmen came over on Friday afternoon. We spent the afternoon watching the "Addison Show". She seems to know that she is the center of everyone's attention. Addison was giving Grandma kisses but I couldn't take the picture fast enough.

On Saturday Joe and I went bird hunting with my parents in Maupin. We took all of our dogs and two of my parents' dogs. I didn't get any pictures because I was trying to control Cooper who always seems to be out of control. Everyone, including the dogs had a good time. Addison got to spend the day playing with Shail (Thanks Autumn!). I guess that was her first all day playdate.

Saturday evening our friends Lonnie and Cindy came over. They drove over from Roseburg to deliver one of their puppies to her new home. They also brought three more puppies along for the trip. The Addison Show turned into the "Addison and Puppies" show. Addison enjoyed the puppies as long as they were on the other side of the baby gates.

All of our company left this morning. We had a great weekend and always enjoy having friends and family come to visit (even puppies)!! Addison took her first bath in the "big tub" tonight and fell asleep at about 7:30. She was exhausted from all the activity. I sure hope she sleeps all night!!

Home Makeover

2008-02-05T12:38:00.001-08:00

Since the weather is cold and snowy, rainy, and sometimes hailing, I decided to get started on a home improvement project. Our guest bedroom has been described as the "most stressful room to wake up in" by Shawna's husband John. Everytime they come to visit I appologize to John that he will have a stressful morning. The previous owners had two little girls and this is one of the rooms we still haven't painted. This picture shows a little of the red argyle wall, ladybug border and flying bumble bee!

Over the weekend I got the majority of the room taped and primed. Yesterday while Addison was napping, I got out all my supplies and tried to open the paint bucket. I couldn't get it to budge so I put my foot in the middle of the lid hoping that would help to get it open. I was a little shocked when my foot went right through the lid and into the bucket and all the way to the bottom. My slippers, socks, sweats and the garage floor were covered with paint. So about the time I got the mess cleaned up Addison woke up from her nap and didn't want to spend anytime in her playpen so painting was done for the day. I'm not sure if the slipper is salvageable. When Joe got home he asked how the painting went. I told him what happened and he just shook his head. I guess he knows that it could have been worse!

Yesterday Addison was standing at the kitchen doors tormenting the dogs. I couldn't resist going outside and taking a couple of pictures. Joe reminded me that now I can't blame the dogs for the dirty windows.

A Blog? What for?

2008-02-03T19:51:00.000-08:00

Our friends Matt and Rachel started a blog awhile ago. It is pretty cool to see pictures of their girls growing up and know what is going on in their lives. Rachel inspired me to start a blog for our friends and family to check in and see how fast Addison is growing.

It seems like everyday Addison is doing something new. We should have started this blog about 9 months ago. Yes, Addison is 9 months old. Can you believe it? So, enjoy the photos and I hope that you check back often. Oh and if you haven't already, check out the pictures that Uncle TJ took of Addison at www.tjcameron.com. The password for both galleries is addy.