Following blogs...

Every month or two I catch up on people's blogs (even more often than I post on mine, eh?!). Several follow The Pioneer Woman which I've checked out a couple times as well. The other day a post on her blog was shared with me about Usborne Books -here. I was so excited because I sell those books!! AND I love them just as much as she does, if not more!!! You can check them out at my website!!

Remembering...

Remembering that day 8 years ago. I can't believe it has been 8 years...

I was under the weather and decided not to share it with my co-workers so stayed home. I logged into my dial-up (my how times have changed) and saw the first plane had hit and perhaps even the 2nd. I remember feeling shock then I called my parents to see if they'd heard. The day and week passed in numbness...

I'm so thankful that God is in control... I wish I could leave all in his hands and let him control me... We heard so many good things at our church convention last week about prayer.

New Words & Comments in our house!!

Kolby is learning words and sounds!! His newest word is uh oh uh. He says bonk, crash, hi, bye bye, nigh nigh (for bed), mama, dad, Kyle (not just like that but I don't know how to spell it :)), barks, moos, acts like a monkey, quacks (usually while looking at books in meeting!!), yes & no (both in words and sign), diaper, cheep cheep (bird), cheesssssse (for pictures)... I'm sure I'll think of more!! He and Kyle LOVE to play together! Kyle reads books to Kolby. The newest game Kolby plays is to ride the fire truck into the room, make a big noise to get my attention, I say "Well, HI!! How was your day today??" He grins, looks at me... I say, "Bye bye, have a good day at work!" and he drives away with a wave!! Over and over and over....

Kyle comes up with big words and comments! The other day while driving down the road he said, "Mommy, you desperately need to get some stuff done?" Ummmm... Yes I do!! =D

While Grampa Wayne and Gramma Dawn were here last week, this was the conversation with Grampa as repeated to me by Gramma:

Kyle: What you doing Grampa?
Grampa: Shaving. (I think he asked if Kyle does that...)
Kyle: Maybe when I'm 81.

Hope all had a good Labor Day!

New Website!!

Just a quick post to say I officially have a new website name for my bookstore!! www.WeRaiseReaders.com

Kolby's 18 month appointment

We went in for Kolby's 18 month checkup on Monday - he was 33" and 24lbs 5oz! Growing so fast!

Exciting opportunity with Usborne Books & More!!!

WOW - there are AMAZING things happening at Usborne Books & More! If you have EVER thought about joining Usborne, this would be a good time. :) Our CEO just offered an INCREDIBLE offer for any looking to bring in some extra consistent income. Email me if you want details: delandkari@dkcampbell.net. Absolutely no pressure -- just had to share about the great news! :)

Cold thoughts make it cooler right??

I thought I'd try an experiment to see if thinking of cold times would make it feel cooler... :)

The following pictures/memories are from our power outage in January when we lost power for 2 days or so.

Chairs in front of the fire... blocks in front of the chairs because Kolby was moving them.

Playing in double layers

Candles and the fireplace

Beautiful ice...

Rough housing - Del got to stay home because the roads were pretty bad and they were sending people back home after they got there anyway... no point in risking an accident!

Good thing I'd made the cake before the power went out so I could decorate it during the daylight hours!!

Little people puzzles...

Big people puzzles...

More of May!!

Gramma found these cool fans :) and the kids ended up crowded around Aunt Teresa fanning her! Okay, how's that work??? And they still play with the fans (in July)!!

Grampa & Gramma with the grandkids!

Left to Right: Ryan, Kyle (back), Preston, Madison, Kolby

Grampa & Gramma

Us...

Of course, we didn't have the camera out when the rest of the families had their picture taken because we had already loaded up... :(

First swimming of 2009 - check out Kolby's cool cloth swim diaper by Imse Vimse!!!
Some of the faces of Kolby... He likes to ham it up!! The pictures of him in the striped shirt were taken at our local Las Fajitas - In the center picture he is standing on the little bar where they rest their feet on the high chair. He would get a chip and then scoop (and I mean scoop) queso or salsa!! Fun times!!!
More at Las Fajitas! Del didn't realize he was supposed to be in the picture some of the time... :)

Since we'd sold both trucks, we had one vehicle so one day the boys and I decided to walk to the nearest park - only 1.5 miles away!! Kolby rode in the stroller while Kyle & I walked. We were almost there and Kyle said, "Mommy, my legs are tired!!" I knew we were in trouble... So, after our picnic lunch, playing on the playground and swinging, Del came on his "lunch hour" to pick us up and take us home. What a wonderful Daddy!!

May's gone??

So I'm WAYYYYY behind... the other day someone commented on following my blog but it had been a while and they wanted to see pictures of the boys... erm, oops! You see (by the following) that I actually start things then don't finish them... get sidetracked or something. :)

In May, I sold my truck, finally. It was a sad but necessary parting and found a good home in Louisiana, of all places so someday some of you could see it on the road!! :)

Kyle is pretty self-sufficient... all his bowls were in the dishwasher so he found a cup for his cereal and milk as well as a cup for milk to drink!!

Ride'm cowboy!! (Looks like they were sporting new haircuts...)

Love the grin on Kyle's face!!!

Hang on!!!!

Fun new breakfast idea!!! I got some recipe cards from Usborne Books and their idea had a flower for the cutout - very cute but not exactly for boys!! We had a lot of fun with breakfast!!



May found us in Texas for Kyle's 4th birthday and a couple Usborne Books parties!! We had a grand time at Grampa Wayne and Gramma Dawn's with Uncle Kent, Aunt Molly, Madison, Preston, Uncle Kory, Aunt Teresa, and Ryan!!

All four Grandsons...

And Grand-daughter!! Madison reading!! Was fun to see her read stories to the boys!

Aunt Molly househunting...

Serious games...
Kyle had been eyeing this cake for 6-8 months at Wal-Mart so I decided it must be the cake he wanted for his birthday!! He is STILL talking about it!! :)

Actually, he's concerned (still) about what happened to the cupcakes we left behind at Grampa & Gramma's house... :)

More to come of family photos etc...

4 THINGS YOU CANNOT RECOVER …

This was shared in an email today and helped me to see a little more clearly...

Graduation...

We are no longer Daddy and Mommy - we have graduated to Dad and Mom. *sniff sniff*

Exciting new opportunity!!

I have found a new opportunity!! Well, several, actually...

I have found a way to save money on books for the kids (all the way until they are teenagers)! I have found a way to earn free books for myself and help others do the same!! I have found a way to promote literacy! And, I have found a way to make money and others can do the same, too!

Have you heard of Usborne Books at Home? Well, they are now Usborne Books & More and my boys LOVE them!! I decided I would start selling them! Of course, you can attend a home show and order books for yourself or for gifts. You can have your own home show and earn books, not only off your party but parties booked from yours! You can sign on to sell them to earn discounts for yourself and/or to make money!!

Anyway I look at it, it's a great deal and fun!!! I received my "kit" in the mail a couple weeks ago and my boys are loving the books!! I hope they'll be in a condition to actually share at your party!! :)

You can check out my website: www.ubah.com/A3442. You can enter to win $50 of free books, you can host a show, you can purchase books online or you can learn more about becoming a consultant yourself!!

I have dates available in the Houston area in March!!! :) I have dates available in April etc in Arkansas!! If you just want to see the books, let me know and we can sit down and learn about them together!! :)

Naptime today

So, Kyle is supposed to be sleeping. Of course, he doesn't go down for his nap until Kolby wakes up from his... so much for Mommy time! Anyway, I peek in because it has been really quiet for a while - just want to make sure he's okay. He's not sleeping. He's just looking at the door. So I decide I'm going to snuggle him. He gets in my lap and I cradle him. He sticks his arm out behind me so I tuck it in.

Kyle: "No, don't do that. My arm might get hot."

Me: *snicker*

I run my hand over his eyes to close them... they pop open.

Me: "Close your eyes so you can go to sleep."

Kyle: "No, my eyes might get hot!"

Me/Kyle: *giggle giggle laugh laugh*

Birth without Choice

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pamela-paul/childbirth-without-choice_b_168652.html

A Times Article on the Trouble with Repeat Cesareans

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1880665-1,00.html

Our day today!

This morning I was tired so slept in a bit - Kyle did too, I think... He had eaten a couple cookies for breakfast and then I fixed him some yogurt and cheese stick. I couldn't figure out why it took him SO LONG to finish his breakfast! Tonight we went to some friends' house for supper and I asked Del how many cookies he'd left for us to eat - all of them. 10-12 cookies. And Kyle ate them all before 9am. Whew! No wonder he didn't have room for breakfast!!!



After we got home from dinner and visiting, I opened my truck door to get Kyle and heard some beeping... the CO alarm was going off (2nd time this winter) - stinkin' battery!! So, I went in the house, made sure the pilot wasn't out on the fireplace after I reset the alarm and went in search of the instruction booklet. I read all of the sections about the CO detector and what I should be doing etc. To make a long story short, we've never installed a new battery properly and when it is done right, the racket stops right away instead of going on and on....!!! Wooohoooo for reading the instruction manual!! I just replaced it in December or something but I guess two days of detecting battery only was too much. So, tomorrow I'm off to buy new batteries! As well as food to restock the fridge and freezer!!

Kolby's Birthday Weekend

We went to Branson, MO for chiropractic appointments on Kolby's birthday so decided to make a long weekend of it! We found an awesome 2 bed/2 bath condo with TONS of extras (pack'n'play, toys, detergents, condiments...) at http://www.vrbo.com/. Our condo was the Homestead and can be seen at http://www.bransonweekend.com/. Mark and Pam joined us (no pictures but they are in the video...) for Kolby's birthday dinner and good visits!!

Opening Presents

Eating Cake!!


Saturday is was COLD so we stayed in - played games, tried to take naps... Wayne, Angie and Talia came for supper and brought some yummy chili and cornbread!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY TO OUR SWEET KOLBY

Exactly one year ago today you came into our lives! We were so glad to meet you! You were almost smiling before we came home from the hospital :) and you had stretches bigger than any I'd seen before! Now, you are walking from here to there, getting into big brother's things, following us around all over the house and even touring on your own... We are so glad you are part of our world!

We love you sweet Kolby!

High Fives!!!
Daddy, Mommy and Kyle

Viewing pictures...

So, I'm trying to figure out an easier way to post pictures (in quantity) :). How do you make your picture collages? I'm looking for some ideas... my July 4th post is done in Photobucket - do you like it or is it too much? I know that more frequent posts would help the situation but it is too late for last year... :)