The McCammon Clan

Love knows no bounds!

2011-05-05T11:07:00.000-07:00

On April 29th, exactly 18 years from the day we met, Shawn & I were re-married! We could have never guessed that through a divorce, we would be able to find new love with each other!

What a blessing!

Let's play catch up...

2011-04-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

I didn't even bother to look at the date of my last post; I already know it's been way too long! The most recent updates are as follows: Today, Jake leaves for Basic Training in the Army National Guard, Dani will graduate in June from Battle Mountain High in Nevada, Connor is doing very well in school & has become quite the incredible drummer, and Madison has a 4.0 & is participating in the National American Miss Pageant again this year. Shawn & I will be getting re-married in about three weeks. Shawn's classes are going well and I've taken a new job as Director of Volunteer Services with an organization in Salem. Needless to say, life is good and we are blessed!

Jake & Madison

Connor

Jake's Send-Off Gathering on 4/10/11

Homecoming 2010

2010-10-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

High school days are well under way. Connor and Madison had a fabulous time at Homecoming. Connor and his friend, Jasmine, tie-died their clothes for the dance. Madison went with her friend, Jeremy. They all look so great!

Another year gone?

2010-10-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, I stop and wonder where all the time went! I had every intention of keeping our family blog updated but then life took hold. So, here's the updates; Shawn and I are living together again (not remarried), Jake & Will moved out, Shawn's going to school, I'm still working, Madison started high school, and Connor is a Jr. this year. Wow! That was fairly simple. lol! Most of our family updates and photos are now being done on Facebook- it's a one-stop-shopping center for the internet. No promises this time but I will try my best to at least do one update a month. Oh, and I'm doing Roller Derby! And, we got a new puppy- Duncan. I think that's about it for now. Take care!

I did it again!

2009-11-15T09:03:00.000-08:00

I really can't believe that I have let our blog go neglected for so many months. As usual, there's been a ton of things that have happened since July. My goal is to start weekly postings again. I will do my best to keep up on it. I'll be posting photos later today.

Newest updates...

2009-07-06T09:18:00.001-07:00

Wow! Sorry friends and family! So much has been happening over the past couple of months, and I have not had the time to even think about updating our blog. Most of you know by now are aware of our family circumstances, so I won't go into all of that. Instead, I'll share with you some of the wonderful things that have happened over the past few months. As usual, a glimpse through photos...

Connor's 15th Birthday

Silly times with Great Aunt Mary

Two of the McCammon Children Lettered in Band!
Great Job Dani and Connor!
The McCammon Clan! (And then some!)

Will's 18th Birthday!

Graduation! Watch out world... Here they come!

Tammy & The Boys
(Hey! That sounds like a great name for a band!)

Just not the same anymore...

Senior Prom 2009

2009-04-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Updates

2009-04-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Happy almost MAY!! Oh my gosh! Where has the time gone? So, I've been trying to update the blog with photos and events from the past few months. I finally realized that it will take me several weeks to update each month. So, instead, I'm just going to recap and start fresh. There has been tons going on with 5 kids in the house. We've celebrated birthdays and holidays; had concerts and awards; gone on trips; and made huge life decisions. If you'd like more information about the decisions that have been made, please call us. We'd rather tell you in person.

Today, we're getting ready to send our oldest boys off to prom! Wow! I really never thought we'd see the day. I'll post photos later today. It's amazing how quickly the time is flying by! The boys will graduate in approximately one month!

Promise- I'll do a better job of keeping the blog up to date! Hope all is well in your world!

Jazz Band Dinner & Dance "Sock Hop"

2009-02-28T00:10:00.000-08:00

Let's party!

Jake & Mommy

Play it 'til you bleed Will!

Our little girl...

2009-02-25T22:00:00.000-08:00

Madison Cast of The Vagina Monologues

Happy 12th Birthday!!

Oh yeah! High School Musical 3!!

Snow Ball 2009

2009-01-21T18:57:00.001-08:00

For this year's formal winter dance,
Jake decided to sport this stylish Kilt!!
Way to be a MAN!!

Connor was not liking the idea of meeting
his date's parents... poor guy!

Ahhh!! Too cute!

Dani's first formal dance at CHS!
Isn't she beautiful?

What we love about Jake's new girlfriend, Jessica,
is her personality & great sense of humor!
The only thing that upset her about Jake's attire was
that he didn't give her enough time to dress up with him! lol

Jessica, Jake, Dani, Jacob H., Pesci, Zac, & Ana

Happy 35th Birthday Shawn!!

2009-01-16T23:54:00.000-08:00

Of course, we like to say he's "53" instead...lol!

He was not amused!

Ahhh... but he loves his "Birthday Fruit!"
This year it was a blood orange... yummy!

Cousin Visit

2009-01-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

This weekend, my cousin Sonya flew into town from Colorado to visit family. Me, her, and another cousin, Carrie all met up in Lincoln City for some much needed "Girl Time." We had a blast together singing Karaoke at a local bar and exploring Newport. It was such a nice visit!

Sonya & Carrie on the beach!

Carrie, Tammy, & Sonya
Us at Yaquina Lighthouse in Newport!

Sonya taking photos from the near-top inside of the lighthouse!

Award Winner

2009-01-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

Madison Receiving her award for "Grand Honor Roll!"
She's earned a 4.0 GPA. Good Job Baby Girl!

Dyeing Connor's Hair

2009-01-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

Each year, our New Year's tradition has become dyeing some one's hair. This year Connor decided to go back to Black & Pinkish Red. It's a long process, now that his hair is super long.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2008-12-25T08:31:00.000-08:00

ICE ICE BABY!

2008-12-22T11:10:00.001-08:00

The Northwest has been hit pretty hard with snow and ice. Yesterday, there was about an inch of ice on most everything. By this morning we had more. These photos are from our backyard.

Sunday Morning....

Monday Morning...

SNOW! SNOW! SNOW!

2008-12-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

The kids have had an extra week off due to the ice and snow. While I've been working from home, they've been hanging out and enjoying time with each other and their friends. We woke up this morning to 3-4 inches of freshly fallen snow! For them, this means snowball fights, building snowmen and snow angels, and having fun!

Miss Desie LOVES the snow!
Madison is making a snow angel!

Connor's snowman!
Oh! I think Shawn lost this snowball fight!
(Nice Hat!)

Nana's Here!!

2008-12-17T19:56:00.000-08:00

Shawn's mom is here from Spokane! She's stuck in the middle of this glorious GROUP HUG!!

SNOW DAYS!!

2008-12-15T19:02:00.000-08:00

You may have seen on the news; the Northwest has been hit pretty hard with snow and freezing temperatures. This means lots of snow days! I, Tammy, will be working from home over the next couple of weeks to avoid traveling on the ice. Unfortunately, Shawn will have to work. However, we were all home today and decided it was a great time to take family photos... well, McCammon Clan photos. This means all the children living with us and a few extras that spend a lot of time with our family. Enjoy!

Dani, Madison, Will,
Pesci, Jake, Adam, Connor,
Desie and Keela!

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, all the creatures were stirring because the McCammon Clan has too many kids roaming around...

The Girls' Room

2008-12-15T18:55:00.000-08:00

With Dani living with us now, we wanted to make sure she didn't feel like she was moving into Madison's rooms. So, before we moved her stuff into the room, the girls and I moved everything out and decided to paint it!! It only took 5 minutes for them to decide on colors; brown walls w/ blue rugs/ curtains, and gold trim. It took several hours but the girls are thrilled with their new space! We know there will still be a lot of adjustments; however, this was a great bonding activity for the three of us and we know Dani feels like this is her room, too! (For those of you who don't know, Dani's birth name is Alyssa Danielle; she wanted her real name painted on the wall.)

Getting Dani

2008-12-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

On Friday evening, Shawn and I left to get Dani. Unfortunately, a huge winter storm was headed our direction. We decided to avoid the blizzard like conditions on the Santiam Pass and head South to meet up with Jim, Penny, and Dani in Lakeview, East of Medford. The total trip was suppose to take us 8 hours each direction. We drove 1/2 on Friday and 1/2 on Saturday. We ended up gone for over 24 hours. We spent 4 hours in Medford sleeping, an hour and a half visiting with Jim and Penny, and the rest of the time was spent driving!! Ahhh!! Here's what we encountered on our trip....

Outside of Medford, heading South on Hwy 140, not too bad...
Ooops... a road with no tracks. Figures! Turns out we'd been better off to take the Santiam Pass...
It's a little "nippy" outside of Lakeview...

On our way home, we decided to cut across to Burns and head back home via the Santiam Pass... a much better choice! It was dry all the way to Bend!(Yes, the mountain goat is real! On our way to Burns, we saw two of them playing in the road!)

Dani

2008-12-10T21:01:00.000-08:00

Dani, our daughter, who has been living with her mom and step-dad in Nevada, will be coming to live with us.
She will be here before Christmas! YAY!

Trip to Brownsville

2008-12-09T22:51:00.000-08:00

This is one of the locations where the movie "Stand By Me" was filmed. I didn't find any of the site locations until after I came home. The kids looked up the various sites and it turns out, I drove on most of the roads. We plan on taking a family field trip very soon to find the locations.

At the end of the movie, Gordie and his friends walked back into town on this bridge...

Decorating the tree...

2008-12-05T20:38:00.000-08:00

Connor & Jake... before we unwrapped the fake tree!

The ornaments...

Will, Jake, & Madison

Desie

2008-11-30T20:18:00.000-08:00

Miss Desie, Marc & Paula's puppy, has come to stay with the McCammons. She's adjusting well to all of us. Now, Keela has a new friend!

Desie LOVES Shawn!

Keela is wiped out!

An Amazing Day at the Beach!

2008-11-09T22:04:00.000-08:00

We spent the day with the Anti-Nana and Uncle Jack (Shawn's Aunt & Uncle) in Pacific City.

Jake and Connor Jumpin off a small sand dune...

The Anti-Nana jump-roping with kelp...

Madison & Uncle Jack digging a hole...

Jake

Shawn taking a sea foam bath... Ewww!

Jake enjoying his sea foam bath...

I (Tammy) climbed up this! OMG!

Shawn, Connor, and Jake with their beach treasures...

A view from the top of the sand dune...

Amazing sunset in Pacific City...

Beautiful Fall Photos

2008-11-05T23:15:00.000-08:00

This one was published in the Statesman Journal...

Haunted House

2008-11-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

The boys' senior project was a success! Admission to their haunted house was by donation only and they raised over $600! Of course, they were just thrilled they were able to make three people wet themselves! Go boys!!

Going strong...

2008-10-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been absolutely crazy around our house. The older boys have been working on their senior project, a.k.a the Haunted House! They've received donations of lumber, black plastic, and the old fire station for their project. Shawn and our friend, Scott, have been working with the boys to get everything ready for Halloween. All the money they raise will be donated to the Central High School Band. Way cool! In the meantime, Connor, Madison, and I have been spending a lot of time together when they're not at school and I'm not at work. They're both doing great! I've been extremely busy at work; driving from one school/county to the next. I love my job! We're all just out there living life! Unfortunately, it's been challenging for me to find time to keep current on our blog. In fact, I'm getting ready to head out the door to go plant trees at church. I'll post some more photos very soon! ttfn

Amazing!

2008-10-24T22:55:00.000-07:00

This was the view on my way to work this morning! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Senior Photos by Tammy...

2008-10-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

Class of 2009

Jake

Will

Adam, Jake, and Will

Busy Lives...

2008-09-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

Just an update from the past month. Kids are settling into school; busy with concerts, open houses, and daily life. I (Tammy) started working for SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) at the first part of September. And, have been taking Senior photos in my spare time. As soon as I'm done with the boys', I'll post them. Unfortunately, Shawn's employer implemented cutbacks in wages and hours. It sucks but now he has Mondays off. That's it for now! More to come soon...

First day of school... last Tuesday.

2008-09-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

Well, the kiddos are all back in school! WOW! Madison's in Jr. High; Connor's off to High School; and, Jake & Will are starting off their Senior Year. They all had a pretty good first week! YAY!

(For those of you who don't know, Will is one of Jake's best friends. He's been living with us since March.)

Shawn VS. The Hornets' Nest

2008-09-01T16:23:00.000-07:00

We figured out what was scaring our dog so bad in the back yard... HUNDREDS of Hornets!

Shawn attempts to kill them with poison...

When that doesn't work... well, see for yourself!

Our Crazy Life...

2008-08-23T18:44:00.001-07:00

So, it's been quite a while since the last blog post. A lot has happened in that time; after the Danies went home, Connor's friend Bleu spent some time with us. During his visit, my grandmother (on my dad's side) passed away. The night she died, I was calling her to say my good-bye as she was taking her last breath. It was a lot to process. Although the funeral was sad, it was an opportunity to let go of old hurts and spend time with my immediate family. After I returned home, I had only two weeks left at AmeriCorps*VISTA; which ended yesterday... on my birthday!! We had so much fun celebrating at the Community of Caring Celebration in Salem. I feel very accomplished and anxiously await the next steps in life. On Monday morning, at 9am, I have an interview at the University! We pray this will be the right opportunity for me to move into! Sorry that most of the photos are of me... but the kids did not go to Idaho with me for the funeral and they are also learning the art of hiding from Mom's camera!

My brother and his family!

Me, my brother, Ed, my sister, Odessa, my Aunt Lillie & Uncle Harry!

Me, Ed, and Odessa!

My Uncle Ken (my mom's brother) and Me!
The Coolest Women in AmeriCorps*VISTA
Me, Tiffany, and Crystal!

My Beautiful Birthday Flowers from Paula Snook!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

It's the coolest birthday hat EVER!

My HugBug and Me!

My best friend, Deana, and Me!

Shawn and Me!

Camping Fun!

2008-07-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

On our last weekend with "The Danies," we took all the kids camping at Beverly Beach, one of our favorite places. We had a great time going to the beach, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse (photos to come), the Hatfield Science Center, and just hanging out at our campsite.

Shawn and the Kids putting up the tents...

Ahhh... we do so love campfires!

Connor's Meditation Spot...

My niece Dani with Keela...

Just for fun...

Surprise Visit From Uncle Harry and Aunt Mary!!!

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

What a treat to be able to visit and enjoy a good meal with Uncle Harry and Aunt Mary! Brightened our day!

More family photos...

2008-07-09T17:04:00.000-07:00

Tammy and the Boys

Shawn and the Girls

Family Photos

2008-07-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

And, then some! We had some extra kids today for our family photos... my niece Dani and Jake's friend, Adam, were a nice addition to our pictures.

Plus they made great photographers for The McCammon Clan Photos!

We think they had fun!

And, we get the pleasure of having BOTH Danies!!

Independence Day!!!

2008-07-05T12:26:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful 4th of July! Woke up in the morning and headed out the door to the parade...

Shawn & Dani

Jet over Monmouth

Shawn's brother, Matt, and his band. Matt's wearing the fun hat!
Madison

Shawn, Dani, Connor, Madison & Jake
Then, we came home, cleaned up the house, had a BBQ with friends, then headed off to the carnival to watch the fireworks...

Madison, Dani, Connor, & Jake

Awe!

... and ride on a bunch of scary rides. Madison & I bravely joined Dani & Connor.
I think Connor & Dani loved every minute of it!

Then, it was back home to light some sparklers and take some pretty incredible pictures.

MEEP MEEP!!!!

2008-07-03T13:47:00.000-07:00

So, this is my DREAM car... and, we bought it on Saturday!

It's the coolest thing ever!! 2007 VW Bug- Fully Loaded!

Zero down; no payments for 6 mos. and a great interest rate!

I'm so excited!

We're still waiting to hear for sure on the financing but figure if they haven't called by now to get the car back... we should be good! YAY!!

I'm loving life!

Sad Father's Day...

2008-06-17T12:06:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, our best friends, Scott & Deana, discovered Scott's mom had died... Deana found her collapsed in the hallway; she was only 61yrs old. We are asking our friends and family to send prayers to Scott's family during this difficult time. Thanks!
We'll miss you MOM!!

Happy 17th Birthday JAKE!!!

2008-06-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

June 9th!!!

Blow out the candles and make a wish!

A Birthday "TWAP" from Jake's Band Teacher, Propst...

Now, stab the cake....

The "Birthday Fruit" for Jake & Will this year was a WATERMELON!

End of Year Activities

2008-06-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

Madison singing, "Revolution" by The Beatles at her talent show.

Madison recieving looking at her certificate for "Presidential Award for Academic Excellence." She had a 4.0 the entire year!!

Connor getting his 8th Grade Promotion Certificate...YAY!!

Alaska Trip

2008-06-07T13:28:00.001-07:00

June 1st- June 6th: Central High School Band Trip to Alaska

June 1st:Kids load up the bus for a long ride to the Seattle Airport.

This was Jake's 1st ride airplane ride! He was a little stressed out but handled the new experience very well, especially after the placebo we gave him.

Upon arrival in Anchorage, the band kids sat outside and played their instruments while waiting for the shuttle to the hotel. We arrived at around midnight... it was still light outside.

June 2nd: This Moose came down to the hotel parking lot for a quick visit.

Time to load up the bus and head into Anchorage.

We went to the mall to explore and do a little ice skating.

Then, off to climb a butte! All the kids and two chaperones made it to the top. The rest of us determined we were too old for that climb.
Back at the hotel, the management wouldn't allow the group to use a conference room to practice, so the band used the only space available...

Later we celebrated Will's 17th Birthday! It was the best day ever!

June 3rd

Time for a hike... all together, we hiked 7 1/2 miles.

Jake, Propst (Band Director) and Adam doing their "Man" pose.

On the way to the Independence Mine/Ghost town we had the most amazing view.

Hiking up to the mine...

Paula holding a snow marker.

Will and Propst with the wind in their hair...

Then, it was off to the Iditarod Headquarters.

We got to hold the baby Alaskan Huskies.

Jake with a couple of the team dogs.

June 4th: CHS Band Perorms in Downtown Anchorage.

Local NBC News Channel 2 interviewing one of the chaperones. The kids were on the 6 o'clock news in Anchorage! We missed watching it because we were out to dinner.

After their performance, the larger group split up to explore downtown. Paula got a pedicure at the mall while the rest of the smaller group her and I were chaperoning went shopping.

The boys (Paula & my group) posed with the Rumrunner's Sexy Monkey.

Later that night, the entire group went to dinner at Gwennie's, a favorite of locals.

June 5th:Portage Glacier

After we arrived home, we found out that the boat we were on hit an iceberg later the same day. You can read about it at: http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/429323.html

Jake and Adam

Then, it was off to Seward...

Ahoy Matie!

Adam and his pet crab... don't worry, it was plastic!

Jake and the sea lion.

Will and the REAL crab... but this one's behind glass.
Back at the motel... we had a low-key day. Due to some mis-communication and bad weather (not pictured), the kids were unable to perform in Seward as planned.
So, we ate pizza and had a talent show instead!

June 6th: Back to Anchorage

...and home. (One last look at Alaska!)We arrived back in Independence at 3:30am on Saturday, June 7th.

Tammy's Workshop

2008-05-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

Wow! The past few weeks have just been a blur! Fortunately, it's only going to get fuller over the next few weeks! So, yesterday, I presented my very first workshop on "Marketing Your Volunteer Program." Besides the zipper breaking on my pants, the day was a success and I was on top of the world by the time I got home last night!

Madison's First Concert

2008-05-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

On Monday, May 19th @ 7pm, Madison got to see one of favorite artists perform. Karl Anthony is a spiritual/ inspirational song writer, who spent 20 years working with youth. Madison had planned on singing his song, "One Prayer," at her pageant this year. When she decided not to do pageant, she emailed him and apologized. She continued to stay in contact with him and was thrilled to find out he was going to be performing at our church. Madison emailed Karl and asked him if he would sign her guitar and have a photo with her. He agreed and she might possibly still be on cloud nine after watching him perform...

Afterwards, we got to see the most amazing full moon!

Long Week!

2008-05-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

Let's see if I can recap through photos...

At the end of last week, Madison had a choir concert. As always, she did very well and is sporting the "Zoltan" sign from the movie, "Dude! Where's My Car"... don't ask.

Then, on Monday the craziness really started. I attended the Northwest Service Symposium on Monday and Tuesday. By far, the best presentation was the debate between robots and zombies! (Below are two of my fellow VISTAs Matt and Josh, the Zombie)

Wednesday through Friday morning, I was at an AmeriCorps*VISTA retreat out in the middle of the woods. It was wonderful to get away and enjoy nature.

Friday, after the retreat, I got on a plane and flew to Boise. The next day, I watched my sister Odessa graduate from Boise State University. Good Job, Sis!!

Later that night, while I was visiting with my parents (Hi Mom & Dad!)...

Shawn was at the Megadeth Concert (Gigantour) with Jake, Connor, Will, Pesci, Jacob, Ana, Scott, and Adam! (Madison went swimming with Deana & Boys).

And, finally, I came home today! It' has been a crazy-busy couple of weeks but it was all worth it! (You gotta love the view!)

Connor vs. The Cell Phone

2008-05-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

The end result...

Connor's Birthday!

2008-05-05T07:34:00.000-07:00

Can't believe he's 14 years old already!!

Happy Birthday Connor!

~ We love you~

Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)

2008-05-02T10:35:00.000-07:00

Today is a day to remember those who lost their lives in the Holocaust. On campus, flags line the sidewalks and buldings on each side of the street. Each flag represents 500 people killed!
This is how we remember....

Building a playground...

2008-04-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, as a "kick-off" to National Volunteer Week, I had the pleasure of coordinating volunteers to build a playground in a local park. Today, we spread the barkdust and watched as numerous neighborhood children began to enjoy their new "toy."

I was also fortunate to visit with the park's name-sake, Mr. John Pfaff.

What a wonderful experience!

Pretty Flowers

2008-04-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

So, Marc & Paula (Shawn's Cousins) were gracious enough to loan me a larger digital/slr camera. I finally got to play with it a little bit this afternoon and let me tell you... I'm going to LOVE this! (btw- the first photo is a crop from the second one!)

Tulip Festival...

2008-04-24T16:21:00.001-07:00

Last week on my way home from Portland, I stopped at the Annual Tulip Festival in Woodburn:...can you smell the beauty?

Are you smarter than MY 5th Grader?

2008-04-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

Not many college students were on Friday, April 11th, when Madison made her cable television debut! That's right... our daughter was on the Western Oregon University's Residence Hall Game Show..."Smarter than a 5th Grader." The show aired on the local cable channel for an entire week! A star is born....

Visit with Great-Grandpa "Sweet Pea"

2008-04-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, we went to Eugene to visit with Shawn's Uncle Virgil & David, and to see Great-Grandpa "Sweet Pea" and Great-Grandma "Turtle" (the nicknames were given by Madison when she was younger). We had a wonderful dinner and enjoyed our visit. We only get to see them twice a year and look forward to every visit.

Surprise Visit From NANA!!!

2008-03-27T23:01:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Shawn's mom surprised the kids by showing up to visit them for a couple of days. When she showed up in the morning, Madison was asleep on the couch. Nana woke her up with a, "Good Morning, Sweet Pea!" Madison's eyes popped open and, with a huge smile on her face, threw herself at Nana. (We all had tears!) The boys were almost as excited to see their Nana. It's been a long time! We spent 2 days hanging out, watching movies, and visiting. Last night, we went to DQ for ice cream, then came back to the house and played Yahtzee. Unfortunately, Nana left this morning and we all started missing her the second she walked out the door. We're hoping to get up to Spokane to visit her and Stan sometime soon!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T19:47:00.000-07:00

We have enjoyed our Easter weekend. The festivities began on Friday evening with egg dying. Only one accident... too bad it was in the shade of purple! On Saturday, Shawn and I went to get basket goodies...from the Easter Bunny. (I got a really cool digital photo frame!!) This morning, Shawn and the Kids got our traditional McDonald's Easter Breakfast. As usual, I happened to be in the shower when the Easter Bunny showed up... good thing I keep the bathroom door locked! After lunch, we hid the eggs (indoors due to rain) and watched the kids (including Jake's friend Will, who is staying with us for most of spring break) search for the "Golden Egg." The reward for finding it was $1! It took them an extra 15 minutes just to locate it. Right before Jake found it, Connor had looked DIRECTLY at it and said, "I found it!... JUST KIDDING!" Connor turned and walked away!!!! He never saw the "Golden Egg" in front of his face! Of course, I did hide the egg very well! We spent the rest of the day watching movies and hanging out. A lovely day, indeed!

Photo Post Cards

2008-03-16T17:46:00.000-07:00

Been messing around in PhotoShop for most of the day. Created these with some of my photos.

Just Breathe...

Sitting on the dock of the bay wasting time...(Otis Redding)

Awake to Spirit's Sweet Kiss

Open Eyes, Behold the Light!

Oh how they grow!!

2008-03-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

I was working on scanning in some old photos today and came
across a couple that opened my eyes to exactly how quickly
they grow. The photo of Jake was taken 12 years ago; the ones
of Madison and Connor were about 8 years ago.

Jake, Age 5

Connor, Age 6

Madison, Age 4

In the news...

2008-03-12T13:08:00.001-07:00

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080312/COMMUNITIES/803120346/1117

So, last month at photo group, a reporter from the local paper interviewed us, then wrote up a nice article. Check it out!
Also, I am not sick anymore... the pedialite worked! Thanks for all of the well-wishes! (Tammy)

Sick

2008-03-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

So, I've been sick and home from work since last Friday. I wasn't able to get into the doctor's office until yesterday. I thought for sure I had an ulcer or something. I figured since I wasn't vomitting... it wasn't the stomach flu. Well, turns out I was wrong. First of all, the doctor had to correct me in saying that there is no such thing as a stomach "flu." However, I do have a stomach virus. The bizarre thing, and I wish I had known this a week ago, is that the best cure is to flush it out of your system with 4 liters (that's a gallon folks) of Pedialite. This is the stuff we gave to our kids if they were sick/dehydrated when they were much younger. Turns out, it's great for adults too... better than Gatorade. Anyhow, the doctor said that the grape flavor is the best out of the three choices. If that's true, I hate to know what the other ones taste like because that was the nastiest crap I have ever drank. I thought for sure I was going to be throwing up purple all night long. I had to drink 3 liters of it before bedtime last night and the other liter this morning before I could eat or drink anything else. Last night, I drank the prescribed amount over a course of 5 hours. This morning, desperate for a cup of coffee, I gagged down the last liter in just under 5 minutes!! YUCKY! However, it seems to be working. My headache and fever are gone and my tummy is not as upset. I tell you all of this because the doctor said people could save themselves a lot of discomfort and medical expenses if they just tried the Pedialite first. I wouldn't have missed an entire week's worth of work if I had known. Just remember... grape is the best flavor and I just really wouldn't even try the other two choices if that's the case! (Tammy)

Interesting things found on the beach...

2008-03-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

Rocks with plant life growing out of them

Part of a brick wall A bone
A Glass Float... well, it's glass and probably floats : )

IRONY...

Connor's BFC!!

2008-03-02T15:18:00.000-08:00

So, the kids are way into drinking these energy drinks. As a good mother, I probably should not support this habit... but this can was so cool!

Shawn's Baby Got Back!!

2008-03-02T15:08:00.001-08:00

Yep! He finally got saddlebags for his motorcycle and it only took him 2 hours to get them strapped on. It's a good thing the weather is clearing up... his work is taking back the car next week!

Happy 11th Birthday, Miss Madison!!

2008-02-29T19:09:00.000-08:00

(I'm just a few days late posting...) So, for Madison's Birthday, Shawn took her and the boys to see the Harlem Globetrotters! Unfortunately, he forgot to take the camera. Later that evening, last Saturday, Madison had two friends spend the night for a "super model" slumber party. Deana came over too, and we set up the photo lights and took pictures of the girls in a "super model" fashion. Then, on Monday the 25th, Madison's actual Birthday, Scott, Deana, and the boys came out for cake and icecream... and the infamous Birthday Fruit! Madison's was a tangello!

Madison's New Boom Box

Super Model Madison

Time for Bed!!!

Birthday Fruit!!

Happy Birthday to Madison!

Madison

2008-02-16T09:46:00.000-08:00

Madison has decided NOT to do pageant this year! We talked about it the other day and she feels a bit overwhelmed (along with me) about the fact that they moved the pageant to May and she loses 4 months of prep time. So, she is going to take one year off. We are relieved (and a little disappointed) by her decision but hope she doesn't end up regretting it. I don't think she will since her decision was made on her own terms.

On a different note, Madison was in The Vagina Monologues again this year. I watched her performance on Valentine's day. Shawn and Connor went to her Friday performance. She did a fantastic job! We believe she was destined to be on a stage!

Happy Valentine's Day... to me!

2008-02-14T10:21:00.001-08:00

So, I woke up this morning and couldn't figure out why Shawn wasn't already out of bed and in the shower... probably because he was up half the night doing this....

Beach: Sunday Fun!

2008-02-14T10:13:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, we took the kids and a couple of their friends to the beach. Because there wasn't enough room for everyone to bring a friend, we made it up to Connor by letting him get his very own "Chocolate Mousse in a Bag." Yes... he's drinking it!

SNOW!!!

2008-01-28T07:51:00.000-08:00

It snowed last night. The kids and I are on a 2hr delay for school and work. I know it doesn't look like much but the ground is a solid sheet of ice underneath the snow. We're hoping for some more...perhaps enough to be able to have the entire day off. That would be nice! Keela, our dog, and I took a nice, cold step off the back porch... okay, really, I saw her beautiful foot print and decided it would be interesting to show a photo of our foot prints together. Ahhhhh! Isn't that special? I do think it looks kind of cool- don't you?

Snowball 2008: Take Two!

2008-01-26T20:03:00.000-08:00

That's right! Jake and his girlfriend are headed to her high school's dance tonight. They both still look fantastic!

Snowball 2008

2008-01-20T14:49:00.000-08:00

It's official... he's becoming quite the young man! Jake attended his first formal dance last night with his girlfriend, Savanna. They went with their best friends, Will and Ana. Shawn drove them all to and from the dance. Jake was so nervous through the entire process of ordering her flowers to ironing his suit (which Mom ended up doing for both Will and Jake). By the end of the night, they were all exhaused and had a fantastic time! And, because his girlfriend attends school in another district, they get to do it all again next week! Fun stuff!

Thank God!

2008-01-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

For the past few days, my brother-in-law, Art, has been fighting for his life. Earlier this week, he went to the doctor's office after not feeling too well for the past few weeks. After his examination, the doctor immediately admitted Art into the hospital... his kidneys were failing. He has spent several days in intensive care while the doctors tried to figure out what to do. Earlier today, he went through a very risky surgery where stints were successfully placed into his kidneys. Although he will be in the hospital for a while during his recovery, it appears he is going to be fine! Thanks to everyone we know who prayed for my sister and her family! Blessings to you all!

Alternative Idol Fun...

2008-01-15T08:20:00.000-08:00

That's right "Alternative" Idol! One of the groups I work with at school is the Alternative Break students. These young adults do service learning projects over their winter, spring, and summer breaks. This year, we have 6 trips going to various places. One of the teams is headed to New Orleans. For a fundraiser, last night they hosted Alternative Idol. Each contestant received votes through cash donations. Both Madison and I participated and, althought neither of us won, we had a great time!

She's growing up so fast...

2008-01-13T18:02:00.000-08:00

Today, Madison and I took some photos of her for the National American Miss Oregon Pageant registration..(yep! she's in it again!) I can't believe how much she's grown and how beautiful she is! We're definately going to have to beat the boys off with a stick here in a couple of years!!

Controlled Burn

2008-01-12T17:46:00.000-08:00

So, on my way to the grocery store, I saw flames roaring in the sky over by the local burger joint here in town. Turned out that Polk Co. Fire District was conducting a controlled burn for training purposes. I quickly drove back home, grabbed my camera, and came back to take as many pictures as I could.

Our Family

2008-01-12T13:28:00.000-08:00

Following so many before us, we have decided to start a family blog. Our clan hopes to provide our readers with family updates and fun stories. Hope you enjoy!