Our Little Christmas

Every year we open gifts here so the kids can enjoy their toys before we leave for Indiana.  It was fun watching them open their presents and to see their excitement.  Donnie would open a gift, get excited and then say "next one."  Their favorite present was their scooters.  They each got one and the wheels light up when they ride.  They've been riding them non-stop since they opened them.  View Album for more pictures.

What a pair!

This is how I found Cadynce and Donnie after they brushed their teeth.  I promise they did not get this from Mom and Dad.  I prefer to use a cup to get my water, but I guess this is how you get it when you don't have a cup.  What a "kodak" moment (is it still considered a "kodak" moment?)

I love doing this...

Cadynce 2 months

















Donnie 2 Months





Colbie 2 Months

Look who's smiling!!!

Colbie is officially smiling.  I'm going to have to start carrying my camera with me around the house to catch her with a really big smile.  This picture will do for now.  She has started to talk a little too.  Check out her mohawk.  Every time I smash her hair down I think she looks weird so we're going with this look for now:)

Oh Christmas Tree

After we dropped Mimi and Grandpa off at the airport we bought our Christmas tree.  We have to get our decorating done so we can enjoy it before our long stay in Indiana.  Cadynce and Donnie were so excited to pick out a tree.  We got out our little artificial trees out so they could decorate with their own ornaments and stay away from mine!!!  I love my ornaments.  We are so ready for Christmas this year.  We play Christmas music 24/7.   Thanks to Mimi, Cadynce and Donnie know all the words to Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph.  I hope they are this excited when we're in the car for 21 hours.  View Album for more pictures.

Thanksgiving 2011

It was our first Thanksgiving in our newly remodeled house.  Grandpa and Mimi flew out to spend the weekend with us, and Cadynce and Donnie kept them busy (which is a nice break for me).  We fried the turkey again this year and had a whole lot of food to go with it.  I only had one major flop and that was the pecan pie...the first one.  I cooked it way too long and when it cooled it couldn't even be cut with a knife.  It took 24 hours of soaking and scraping to finally get it all out of the pan.  I made another one and it was at least edible.

Don and I were able to get a lot of shopping done on Friday night.  Colbie was pretty excited too and she stayed awake almost the entire time we shopped.  It was great having family here with us to share a Thanksgiving meal.  View Album for more

Colbie 1 Month

Here's our little girl at one month.

Our Thankful Tree

This year we made a thankful tree and each day we write one thing we are thankful for and stick it to our tree.  Cadynce and Donnie are having a lot of fun with it and it's cute to see what they are thankful for.  They really had fun decorating it.  Cadynce added butterflies and flowers.

Pow Wow/Waco Trip

Friday was Cadynce's pow wow at school.  The kids did a great job, and Cadynce was very into it this year.  After her pow wow we packed up the car and drove to Waco.  We stayed in a hotel Friday night (which is usually the highlight of the trip for the kids.)  The hotel had a giant fish tank and a pool.  Cadynce and Donnie were in heaven.  Saturday morning we swam a little more before going to the Waco Zoo.  The zoo was awesome and the kids loved running from animal to animal.  After lunch we drove around Baylor while the kids napped in the car.  The main reason for the trip was the Bayor vs Oklahoma football game on Saturday night.  It was a great game, but we left at the end of the third quarter (right when it was getting exciting) so we could get home at a decent time.  It was a great mini get-a-way.  View Album for more pictures.

Mimi Meets Colbie

Mimi came to visit for the weekend and meet my sweet little Colbie.  Colbie was wide awake when Mimi arrived late Thursday night.

Cadynce and Donnie were so excited to wake up the next morning and find Mimi at our house.  I got a nice break while Mimi played and took care of Cadynce and Donnie all weekend (and that's not easy).  Don and I even went on a date one night.  Thanks Mimi for coming out and visiting and all the help.  View Album for more pictures.

Halloween Fun

Monday morning I woke up to two trick or treaters at my bed.  They were literally yelling "trick or treat."  Cadynce and Donnie were a little excited, and a little disappointed to find out they had to wait all day before we could put our costumes on and go out.  When it was finally time, my "football game", Ariel, and my little red pepper headed out with our baskets ready for candy.  Cadynce ran everywhere, Donnie screamed "I got a sucker" at every house, and Colbie slept...as usual.  We just went around our neighborhood loop then called it a night.  View Album for more pictures.

Air Show

Saturday morning Don took Cadynce and Donnie to the Air Show before it opened so he could see the tent he had set up for work.  The kids had a blast in their coats and hats, and they were able to sit in several air planes.  We went as a family on Sunday to see the Blue Angels.  Cadynce and Donnie loved the show and really loved their ear plugs!  Colbie slept through it all in my front carrier.  View Album for more pictures.

Colbie: One Week

Colbie is a week old.  She is such an easy baby right now, and I'm enjoying every minute.  She is sleeping great and eating when she isn't sleeping.  She has just started to stay awake for about an hour.  Cadynce and Donnie are really enjoying her too.  They think every little face she makes is hilarious and they have a million questions.  They take turns holding her and smothering her with kisses.  Colbie is very loved around here.  She just had her one week check up at the doctor and weighed 7 pounds 7.5 ounces (70%).  She was 19 3/4 inches long (70%).  We are off to a good start!

School Parade

Cadynce had her storybook character parade at school.  She was so excited to dress up as Ariel and wear her red wig.  We signed her in at school and then waited in the pumpkin patch for the kids to come march around and show us their costumes.  Cadynce had the biggest smile on her face the entire time.  View Album for more pictures.

We're Adjusting

Colbie is five days old and changing fast.  She sleeps a lot right now and is eating quite well (maybe she'll be higher than the 10th percentile at her checkups).  Cadynce and Donnie are getting better every day (it was a rough few days), and we're figuring out life with a 4 year old, 2 year old, and an infant.  Thankfully the infant is easy, it's the other two that keep us on our toes.  View Album for more pictures.

Singing to Colbie

A Different Experience

Things did not go like I planned...at all.  Here's the whole story.

My mom arrived a week before my due date because I have a history of going into labor early.  I felt relieved when she made it and I was still pregnant.  Little did I know that I would not go into labor and I would "have" to be induced.  Monday before my due date I made a visit to my doctor and we decided to schedule my induction for the next morning.  I got a phone call Tuesday morning from the hospital telling me they bumped me because there were too many people and not enough room for me.  I thought for sure I was going to go into labor...I was wrong.  Wednesday morning we headed to the hospital for my induction and boy was that a different feeling.  I'm usually in full blown labor when driving to the hospital praying I don't have the kid in the car.

It was the most relaxing and enjoyable birth experience I've had.  We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 am and they got me right into a room and started preparing for the induction to begin.  At 6:15 am they started the Pitocin and 30 minutes later my contractions started.  Contractions were every two minutes and when they started getting stronger I received my first epidural.  It was really crazy hanging out completely pain-free while my body was preparing to give birth.  Don and I just hung out and watched tv and talked about what a different experience this was compared to our last two.  I texted, emailed, and talked on the phone.  Crazy!  I almost laughed when my nurse told me to lay back and take a nap.  I had to ask if she was serious.  At 11 am I told them I needed to push and they called my doctor and prepped for baby's arrival.  My doctor was there in minutes and Colbie was born at 11:13 am with only 5 pushes to get her out.  It was not in my birth plan to be induced and I never wanted to have an epidural, but it worked out much better than any plan I have ever made (given my history, I don't plan well!)  It was really nice to have my doctor there to deliver Colbie.  It was an overall great day...one worth waiting for.  View Album for more pictures.

Heroes of the Day

What an amazing day!  We welcomed Colbie Jade Clark to our family - and I think she already has her Daddy wrapped around her tiny little finger.  I'll leave it to Jackie to dive into all the specifics, but after just 4 pushes and at 11:13am, all 7 lb 5 oz and 19 inches of Colbie was born. All I can say is that Jackie's strength amazes me.

Cadynce and Donnie were literally bouncing off the walls with excitement as they met their new Baby Sis for the first time.  An now Colbie knows who was making all that muffled noise she could hear in the womb!!

Click here to see a few pictures - we'll be sure to upload more in a few days.

Waiting for Baby...

Here's what's been going on the past week while we await baby girl's arrival.  View Album for more pictures.

Some Videos of Donnie

Donnie's Cast is Off!!

Today we took Donnie back to the doctor to get his cast off.  We've been talking about it for a couple of days now, and talking about how he might feel silly when he tries to walk.  We were unsure how he would react to getting it off.  I've talked to several people and many of them said it took a few days before their child would even attempt to walk.  Well, I should have known that my little boy wouldn't be fazed by getting his cast off.  He just sat on the table while they cut it off, and had a huge smile on his face when he saw his leg.  He stood up on the table while holding on to Dad to test it out.  He wanted to get down on the ground and walk so we gave it a try.  Of course, he slowly limped over to the chair and then continued going back and forth.  He lost his balance a couple of times trying to go too fast.  The doctor came in to look at his x-ray and told us it might take a few days to walk...we laughed and said he'd been walking for the last 10 minutes.  They cleaned up his leg and we got his socks and shoes on and headed out the door.  We were the last people to leave for the day so many of the workers were in the hall as Donnie came walking out.  They were all so impressed with him and gave him a little cheer.  The doctor couldn't help but smile when he saw the fearlessness of Donnie and said, "I'm impressed."  That's my boy!!  We got home and filled up the bath tub for his first real bath in three weeks.  He stayed in for an hour playing and swimming around.  After his bath we enjoyed some ice cream and watched Donnie walk around and climb on and off the bed as if nothing ever happened.  Now the real challenge begins as we have to keep a close eye on him for the next three weeks to make sure he's not jumping or engaging in any risky behavior.  View Album for more pictures.

The Flood of 2011

Last Sunday evening we came home to a flooded house.  There was about an inch of water throughout the kitchen and front hallway.  All the carpet in our house was ruined and needs replaced, and some of the walls were damaged as well.  Help came within an hour and stayed for three hours getting our house as dry as possible.  Monday we accumulated 25 blowers and de-humidifiers running which completely dried out our house to the point we had to leave.  We stayed two nights in a hotel because our house was unbearable to be in.  Thursday morning they removed all the machines.  We are in a little bit of a time crunch with baby #3 quickly approaching her due date so we have to get this house ready...now.  We have already started with the removal of our carpet and the nasty tile we have wanted out of our house since we bought it.  Our house is totally torn apart right now so let's hope this baby can hold off at least another week.  View Album for more pictures.

My Rockstar!!

Here's a little update on how Donnie is managing with his cast.  This boy refuses to let his cast keep him from doing what he wants.  He has mastered how to walk with a cast, which I didn't believe he would be able to do.  Donnie loves to watch videos of himself, but I noticed that any time he saw a video of himself without the cast on he would say "I no like this video" so we are trying to take a lot of videos with his cast on.  He really loves watching himself with his cast on so here's a few clips.  View Album for more pictures.

A Lesson from Donnie

As most of you know Donnie broke his leg.  I'm learning a lot about this little boy, but also learning a few things from him too...

I think he's a pretty tough kid and I get to spend a heck of a lot of time with him, so I knew something was wrong by his reaction to the fall.  What he couldn't say with words he said with his body language.  I knew we needed to go somewhere and after a few phone calls we decided the Children's ER was where we needed to go.  When we parked the car and opened his door he said, "It not hurt anymore.  I want to go home."  We laughed at him and said "I don't think so!"  After a brief time in the waiting room we headed back to a room.  They felt bad for the big pregnant mom so they brought the x-ray machine to our room...score!  They brought Cadynce and Donnie stickers which kept them occupied while we waited for the x-rays to be read.  It didn't take too long for them to bring the bad news that his leg was broken.  Donnie was in good spirits the whole time and all the nurses loved listening to him sing the ABC's.  They put his leg in a splint and told us to contact an Orthopedic doctor for his cast...and they sent us home.

Donnie slept for about an hour and then he cried for the rest of the night.  It was a helpless feeling listening to him cry all night saying "ouchie" and all I could do was hug and kiss him.  He was in a lot of pain that first night.  Friday morning he was a little better and Don took the day off work to help me with the unknown (translation: big pregnant wife may need a little help...score.)  I'm enjoying the perks of being pregnant!!  We called the Orthopedic doctor and got an appointment for the afternoon.

Donnie, once again, was just as happy as could be.  They took their time putting the full leg cast on, making sure the angle of his leg was just perfect.  Donnie sat very still as they wrapped and wrapped his leg up in the blue cast he picked out.  For the casting of the lower leg he had to sit up with his legs hanging off the table.  For the upper leg, he had to lay on his back and Don held his leg in the bent position while wrapping the upper leg and knee.  It didn't take long for the cast to harden, and Donnie said "my leg not hurt anymore."

This morning, two things happened...at 6:45am Cadynce came in my room and said that she opened Donnie's door so when he woke up he could get out (a rewarding moment as a mom), and at 7am I heard Donnie's big cast dragging on the floor as he crawled to my room (what a joyful sound that was).  I was so proud of him.  We have gone through our day just like every other day.  As I watched Donnie this morning I couldn't help but think about his reaction to life's challenges.  He has not asked to be picked up and carried around because of this unexpected injury (and huge cast), and he's not boo-hooing because he can't do what he's used to doing.  Instead, he crawls around dragging his casted leg with a big smile on his face.  He has adjusted to his cast and figured out how to do certain things and how to get what he wants.  He gets himself on and off the couch.  He stands up to play, learning what he has to do in order not to fall.  He falls and gets right back up.  He insists on standing on the case of water bottles in front of the washer to help throw the clothes in the washer (just like he did before).  He is even trying to walk (which the doctor said he would do too).  I will confess that my thoughts were not quite so positive after hearing the news, but after Donnie crawled to my room this morning I knew what I had to do.  View Album for more pictures.

Allow Me to Brag...

I'd like to take a minute to brag about my husband...

Last night was the NFL kickoff between the Packers and the Saints.  It was a big deal for us (Cadynce, Donnie & myself), but a bigger deal for Daddy.  He has done a lot of great things at work and this is just another one to add to the list.  They just signed a deal with the NFL that has been in the making for the last 12 months.  This is probably the biggest thing ever to be done at his job and for the company.  We are pretty proud of him!!  So, I wanted to make it a special night with the kids even though they had no idea what the big deal was all about.  We talked all day about the game and where Daddy was in the country (not at the football stadium we pass several times a day).  We ordered pizza and breadsticks, and ate in front of the tv with our "cool" tv trays.  Cadynce and Donnie thought it was so fun to put their J's on and stay up a little late to watch the football game where Daddy was.  They mostly just ran around singing and yelling while practicing their football stance Daddy taught them.  All Donnie talks about is football and his "big muscles."  He is pretty obsessed with football right now.

 We are so excited for all the big things Daddy is doing at work, and thanks for letting me express how proud we are of him!!

First Day of School

 Today was Cadynce's first day of preschool as a four year old.  She woke up this morning and could hardly wait to leave.  Cadynce and Donnie discovered that it was a little cooler outside this morning than they're used to and came running inside screaming "it's freezing cold outside."  We put a jacket on them then sent them back out to play.  Cadynce was so excited that Daddy was going with her on the first day of school.  It was pretty awesome watching her walk in and know exactly what to do.

Preschool 2011 Open House

Today was the open house at Cadynce's school.  They open up the school for an hour so the kids can meet their teacher and play.  It was really fun to watch Cadynce this year.  She was so excited to see her friends from last year and all the teachers.  She has a new teacher this year and she is also new to the school.  She read Cadynce a book so of course she loves her already.  Donnie had a blast.  He walked right in like he owned the place and began playing with everything.  Once he found the play-doh he didn't want to leave.  He had quite a melt down when it was time to go...he will be so ready next year when it's his turn for preschool.  View Album for more pictures.

Daddy's Birthday

We had such a fun time getting ready for Daddy's birthday.  I took the kids shopping so they could pick out their own gift for Dad.  Donnie was easy, but Cadynce just couldn't think of anything good enough.  We were brain storming on what Dad likes and all she could come up with was "her", coffee and swimming.  When we got home Cadynce ran for the wrapping paper and began wrapping all his gifts and put them all safely in her bedroom.  They helped me make a dirt cake which was a lot of fun for everyone.  I have a couple of very good oreo smashers.

On the morning of Dad's birthday, Cadynce ran out of her room asking if she could get the presents out.  Daddy opened his gift from the kids.  Donnie picked out a football that we can play with at the pool.  Cadynce helped pick the one that matches his swim shorts!  Cadynce made a cd filled with their favorite music so he can listen to on his way to work.  They had so much fun watching him open their gifts.  They both made cards and Cadynce had me write on the inside, "My heart will never stop loving you Dad."

When Dad got home from work we went to Bigz to eat and play.  After dinner we went to the pool for a late night swim and then ended the evening with dirt cake.  What a fun day we had.  View Album for more pictures.

Breakfast and a Movie

A couple of weeks ago Don mentioned the name Tarzan to the kids and they wanted to know who Tarzan was.  They began watching little movie clips on the computer before bedtime each night.  It turned into an obsession.  Last Friday, we tried to find the movie and everyone was sold out.  I called everyone and found one Wal-mart that had a few left but it was not close to us.  That night was "kids night out" at the church, so Don and I went and bought the movie, did a little shopping, had dinner, and then picked up the kids.  They were dying to know if we found it and when they could watch it.  We told them they could watch it first thing in the morning.  As expected, Cadynce came barreling in our room remembering what we had promised the night before.  So, we all got out of bed and we turned it into a "Breakfast and a Movie" morning.  I made pancakes and set up TV trays for the kids to enjoy while watching Tarzan.  They loved it!  They can't stop talking about Tarzan, and often run around the house pretending to be Tarzan.  View Album for more pictures.

Our Summer

We haven't had a whole lot to blog about lately.  It's been at least 100 degrees everyday so we go to the pool ev-er-y day!!!  Sometimes twice a day.  We have two little fish, and they are totally crazy at the pool.  They are constantly trying new things, and Donnie can now come up to take a breath and then continue swimming to his destination.  Don and I even get to enjoy a little time in the lounge chairs while we watch our fish swim around.  View Album for more pictures.

In Action...

Last Track Meet

Track meets this summer have been a blast.  Last night was our last one, and the kids gave it their best.  Cadynce had her second best jump in the long jump (5 Feet), and she figured out how to run the 50 yard dash (in her lane and looking straight ahead).  She seems to be more of a jumper than a runner at this time.  Donnie came in dead last in both events each week, but he loves "racing day" and getting a ribbon.  He's by far the youngest (and cutest) kid out there.  View Album for more pictures.

Summer in Indiana and Vegas

I flew to Indiana with Cadynce and Donnie while Don stayed home to work.  After a few days of getting the kids settled I met Don in Las Vegas for our first vacation since having kids.  We spent five days in Vegas relaxing by the pool during the day and going to concerts, comedy clubs, and Vegas shows at night.  We spent a lot of time walking around enjoying the freedom and schedule free week.  I think our kids forgot about us as they spent the week back and forth between our parents.  They had so much fun I think we'll do it again!!  Thanks again to our parents for taking on our energy filled kids for the week and giving us a little break.  View Album for pictures.

Celebrating My Birthday

We will be in Indiana for my birthday so we decided to celebrate on Sunday.  We started the day off with a family hike at a park close by.  We brought the dogs along for entertainment (for the kids) and a bucket to collect things.  We hiked for about 45 minutes and the kids were awesome.  I think Donnie's little legs were getting tired, but a few stops along the way were a good distraction.  We collected cool rocks of all sizes, found a tree that looked like a "Y" and sat the kids in it for a picture, stopped for food and drink and the hike was almost over.  Cadynce walked Roxy most of the time so she was completely happy and Donnie and I had to play little chasing games to distract his tired legs.  There was a little playground at the end of the hike that we stayed and played at for a while.  We all loved it and decided we need to go back soon.

After the hike we went to the pool of course!  We had lunch and swam for a while.  Cadynce and Donnie both get better every time we go to the pool.  We headed home for a much needed nap and then went to dinner.  After dinner we had ice cream before going home.  It was another fun filled day.

Cadynce has been counting down the days until we leave for Indiana, and she can hardly wait to see everyone.  Donnie just runs around yelling "Robbie's House."  We are excited to see everyone.  View Album for more pictures.

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Father's Day/Track Meet

We had a fun filled Father's Day.  We started the day with a bike ride.  We drive to the bike trail then ride our bikes over bridges, under streets, through the nicely paved woods until we end up at a playground.  We get out and play a while before heading back to the car.  We have learned to tell Donnie about a bike ride when we are completely ready to go...or we will hear about it until we are ready.  He loves to go for bike rides.  We had lunch and then rested before going to the pool.  We swam for a long time and then had a late dinner at Bigz.  It was a great Father's Day.  View Album for more pictures.

Donnie Swimming

Just last week Donnie decided he wanted to swim...look at him now.

Long Jump

I only have video of Cadynce long jumping this past week.  Here it is...enjoy!

Donnie's Birthday Party

We had Donnie's birthday party Sunday night and almost all his friends were able to come.  We had a backyard filled with people on a hot, hot day.  The bounce house he got from Grandpa and Mimi was a big hit.  The kids enjoyed bouncing and sliding down every other way but the right way.  Don made sliders on the grill for dinner and I filled the table with dessert.  I made Donnie's favorite cake which is jello cake.  It was a nice cool cake for a hot day.  We had a great time celebrating Donnie's special day with friends.  View Album for more pictures.

First Track Meet

The summer track meets have begun.  Cadynce and Donnie were so excited for "racing day" as Donnie called it.  All Donnie talked about was "racing day."  They ran the 50 yard dash first.  It was a little unorganized, but they didn't care.  Next, we did long jump.  Each kid gets three attempts.  Cadynce got better each jump and on the third jump she knocked it out to win first place.  Donnie was awesome.  He would barely make it into the sand pit and run out with a huge smile on his face and say "again?"  We can't wait for next week.  View Album for more pictures.

It's a Girl!!!!

We had our sonogram appointment on Thursday morning.  Cadynce worked all morning on her sign.  On one side of the sign it said "Baby Sister" and on the other side it said "Baby Brother."  She worked very hard on the "Baby Sister" side of the sign making it very "pretty."  She placed a few stickers on the other side and called it "cool."  She was really hoping for a girl since she already had a brother, and that's just what she got.  The first thing she said was "I was right."  It was once again, so incredible to see our little girl and watch her move.  She was folded in half with her knees by her nose while she played with her toes.  We watched her as she yawned twice and then stopped moving to take a rest.  It's amazing that it's just as exciting the third time as it was the first time.  Baby Girl looks great and healthy and we are so excited to meet her.  We have 20 more weeks to go.

Donnie's 2...Finally!!

Donnie is officially two now, even though he's been acting like a two year old for several months now.  We decided to take a trip down to the coast.  We left Thursday night when Don got home from work (which was a last minute change in plans.)  It was a three hour drive and the kids stayed awake the entire car ride.  We rolled into our hotel after 11pm with some slap happy kids.  We got a good night sleep then headed to the beach in the morning.  It was an interesting morning at the beach...Don and Cadynce got stung by a jellyfish and my swimsuit top broke to the point that I couldn't even wear it!!  Thankfully, I had my coverup to wear (and I brought an extra suit).  We had lunch then let the kids nap in the car while we drove to check out a different beach.  We decided that the beach we were at in the morning was much better, but we would try the "salt water pool" this time.  We had a great rest of the day swimming and building sand castles then headed home.  View Album for more pictures.

Cadynce School Program

The school year has come to an end.  It has been so fun watching Cadynce grow, learn, and experience new adventures at school.  Cadynce has never been one to color, paint or have anything to do with any kind of art no matter how hard I tried.  I was shocked to find out in my meeting with her teacher that the art studio is her favorite place to be at school.  She has been coloring, drawing and painting at home too.  She will sit and work on a drawing for quite a while (which is not normal for her at all).

They ended the year with a special program for the families.  They sang 'Going on a Bear Hunt', 'Deep in the heart of Texas', and 'Jesus loves me.'  They played a slideshow of all the pictures they took throughout the year and then we headed out for a picnic.  Oh, and I should mention that Daddy took Cadynce to school in the morning and she thought that was so cool.  View Album for more pictures.