Thursday, April 29, 2010

Pals

I talk a lot about Ryker and Campbell being buddies. Like I have said before it is a little of a one-sided relationship but every now and then I catch Ryker looking like he actually likes Campbell. Here is one of the times...
On an afternoon walk this week


Ok Ok she did have a snack and that might have helped! 

Thursday, April 22, 2010

You would think...

You would think after growing up on a ranch there are a few things I would do well. For example:
~Get dirty
~Cook -ok that goes with growing up anywhere but with a great great- grandmother who always had Sunday lunch for 20 (every Sunday! ) with picture perfect meringue pie AND a grandmother that can make dinner happen in 15 minuets never looking at a recipe or going to the store I would have a few learned tricks of the trade. Nope!
~Garden- my step dad Joel ( a jack of all trades) has tons of fresh veggies every season in fact he sends me home with veggies every time we go to visit. Hell he can't kill a plant! My Mom has more plants than she knows what to do with. She had the same little indoor tree for like 30 years! Me, well I killed petunias

So why I thought I could grow some of my own produce to cook with I don't know! Ok I'm cheating a little!!! We don't exactly live in a neighborhood where I could plant a garden and before I go off and get all crazy and rent a garden space I thought I would try my had a t a Topsy Turvy! Campbell and I are growing tomatoes, green peppers, and thyme. Trey almost passed out when he saw it in our backyard.
It's actually going well! I just got my first bell pepper. It is a little on the small side but I have great hopes for the tomatoes!
I took the picture next to a coke can for a size reference. 
 

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Fathers Picnic

Monday the Raccoon's class hosted a picnic for the kids and their dads! Trey went to SITH ( School in the Hills) at 10:30 and got to spend some time playing with Campbell and her friends. He said they had the most fun spinning and then circle time! Then they got to have a picnic and enjoy ham and cheese sandwiches and chips. I am only guess but I am willing to bet neither Trey or Campbell was happy to share their chips with the other!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Sad Hearts for our close friends

This is the first time I have thought to blog about bad news but if this blog really documents our lives then I can't leave this one out. Yesterday one of my best and oldest friends lost her brother Stewart in a horrible accident where a crane fell on top of him. Stewart, Scott and Jamie's father Donald and mother Cynthia have been very close friends of my family since well long before Jamie and I were born. My heart and prayers go out to my sweet friend and her family. Stewart leaves behind to younger children I hope you will al put in your prayers

J.P. called to Motiva | motiva, called, justice - Local News -

Monday, April 12, 2010

5 min for Mom Blog Party





Ultimate Blog Party 2010


Hi I'm Amber!


I started blogging  so my daughter Campbell , husband , dog Ryker and I can always have special moments of her childhood captured on paper, pictures, and videos in blog form. Before my blog, I have spent the 2 years year of Campbell's life updating photo galleries and facebook weekly. I want to share things with close family and friends in an easy to access format. Now that she is almost 2 I really want something for her to have. My facebook will someday die and where will all those little funny stories be? It was like a full time job and it was hard to really convey those special moments and add my own commentary about our daily adventures. Often things to special to share with my 400 facebook "friends" I had a blog I account I started after reading the book Julie/ Julia project. But I never wrote in it! Who would want to hear my ramblings? After I saw a friends amazing blog that she made into a book after the year was over I was totally inspired! It's so much more than a photo book, it's one of the books you get at a baby shower that never has enough picture room and a diary all in one with as many pictures as I want! And I take a lot of pictures!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

33rd Annual Cap 10k



Yep somewhere in that 20,000 people we were there! Campbell completed her first 10k! How did she do it you may ask well, 2 milks, 2 juice boxes, cheezits, cookies and a fruit roll up from starbucks and 2 episodes of blues clues on the iphone.
The Fierke's, The Danney's and the Collins headed out of Steiner Ranch at 7:45 this morning. It's was surprisingly easy to get the baby up and get us all there and on time. Trey set a goal for himself of 50 min. so he took off and left the rest of us to fiend for ourselves. Sean actually pushed the stroller the whole way!
Our group finished in about 2 hours and Trey finished in 57 min. The weather was a little drizzly but over all the kids did awesome!  It was a great morning with good friends enjoyed by all !

The start



Mile 2 pit stop
The Finish

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Easter Weekend take 1

The Easter Bunny came to the Collins! and kept coming and coming! What a fun weekend. Spring is my favorite time of year and I always think of Easter as the real start of spring. Last year I was so excited for Campbell to have the joy of meeting the Easter Bunny. Knowing even back them how much she loves animals I thought this would bring her much joy. I was totally wrong, sadly she hated the Easter Bunny and wanted nothing to do with him. This year I tried again and it was wonderful, she loves the bunny and all the festivities that went along with it!
Saturday we went to the Easter Extravaganza at the UTGC. Food, petting zoo, bounce house, egg hunt and best of all the easter bunny! Campbell fearlessly followed him everywhere he went for 2 hours!
    nothing but icing!  oh the eggs! 


Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Weddings and Flowers Girls and GroomsWoman ... oh my!

Call us wonder women but today Amanda and I knocked out Campbell's flower girl dress and my GroomsWoman dress. Yes, your reading that right I am going to be a groomsman. Well I like GroomsWoman but Chuck, the groom, likes best old maid. I vetoed that. Yep I am proudly standing by Chuck on his wedding day June 5th!

Minus one woops by David's bridal on the color of the sash for Campbell's dress ( don't worry the bride got them lined out!) she is set and ready to throw some flowers down! Crossing fingers that it arrives all in one piece.

The GroomsWoman dress was a whole different story. Many of you reading this know Chuck so you will be a shocked as I was to get the color swatch of his suit. I have not stressed over finding a dress thinking he will wear black or gray. It's Chuck for heaven's sake he went three straight years in high school that he would only wear black! What does Amanda bring me in the form of a color swatch from Chuck???? a stamped size piece of  brown meets olive green meets kaki! WTF chuckles!  How ever am I going to match that! Well it took the "AA shopping" team 1 hour! The result is an almost perfectly matched dress from J.Crew in the color fatigue! Oh and it is cute and totally re-wearable! Thank you Amanda for disagreeing with your fiancee that I should wear a suit! How easy was that!

PROBLEM: they took my measurements and get on the phone with the special occasions department form J.Crew and the cutest little gay guy turns to me and says "Miss they are going to order you a size 8 will that be alright?" H E double hockey sticks NO that will not be alright! He ran for his life and gave me the phone.... I'll keep it short but I begged and pleaded for this woman to understand that I have never been more than a size 2 and I was only 5 feet tall! And I JUST lost all my baby weight this month and if she ordered me a size 8 I just might run out in traffic. She swore to me they run small and we settled on a size 4 and a great exchange policy. We will find out in 5 days who wins- self-esteem killing J.Crew sales girl or me, crazy mommy that is will not eat again till the wedding just to prove a point that she has her pre baby body back!

Here are the results...

Detachable Satin sash with back bow Bridal Party Style H1203 - Girl's Dress with Skirt Detail



And the GroomsMan dress in fatigue...Ta da!



Now fingers crossed all dress and parts arrive here and fit! Stupid size 8 Ha!