Way To Go Momma!

Christian said something funny while I was getting ready yesterday morning. As most of you know, he is an early riser. He is up at the crack of dawn--no later than 7:30am-dressed and ready for the day. He always comes in my room and gets me up as well. Anyway, he came in and woke me up as usual, and I got up and was getting dressed when he said, "Good job Momma! You know how to dress yourself--just like me!" LOL He's so funny!

She Said WHAT?!?

So here goes the post for today. Miss Caroline said her 1st word!!! She was sitting in her high chair in the kitchen watching John make dinner for the kids and himself. I was in the living room looking up Weight Watchers on the internet (yes, I have fallen victim to counting points, but that's another post) when I heard Caroline yelling.
And what was she yelling, you ask? That's right---DADDY! DADDY! DADDY! Now, I thought my ears were deceiving me. I just let it slide. That is, until John went over to her and picked her up. She quit yelling instantly. John brings her in to the living room and proudly announces, "Did ya hear that?!? She was saying DADDY!"
No, really? LOL
So, there you have it. After the long hard pregnancy, wonderful C-section, sleepless nights, breastfeeding for 8 months, and nothing but all of my days spent at her beck and call, she says DADDY first. What can I say, my girl loves her daddy--and that's fine with me. :)

Fun Times With Family

The past week has been a whirlwind of fun! As noted in a previous post, my aunt Jamie and her husband Bobby, along with his 2 children, Alex and Sophia, came to visit from Austin. We did several fun things while they were here. We went to a dog show, AKA the Canine Caper (my grandma volunteers with Carine Canines, a group of therapy dogs--the dog show was for them), ate at the Big Texan, played outside in Grandma's backyard with water guns and the sprinkler, and went to the WT Events Center and spent several hours at their indoor pool that has a big slide and a lazy river. Basically, we have had a ton of fun! :) Here are a few pics from the past few days...enjoy!

Side Note: If you are wondering why Daddy Haskell is not featured in any of the pics, it is because he was gone to Albuquerque, NM on a business trip from last Thursday until Sunday night. We missed him and are EXTREMELY glad he is home!

Christian finds a snail while exploring with Bobby and Jamie in Grandma's front yard

They named him Gary, after the snail on Spongebob Squarepants :)

And here we have Christian and Jamie playing a game of Frog Tennis

Grandma and Caroline sittin' pretty!

Caroline getting a drink from her sippy while Jamie inspects the balloon dog made by the clown at the Canine Caper

Caitlin loving on a black and white Sheltie

Here are the black and white Shelties again...aren't they cute?!?

Caitlin decided to help Grandma sell the Caring Canines calendars--it was their fundraiser

The Haskell group in the gigantic rocking chair at the Big Texan---the food was SO GOOD and the cowboy hats were free!

Caitlin, Christian, and Caroline with their new cousins, Alex and Sophia (and Bobby squished in the back)

My Babies--Just For Fun

Just because I thought they were cute pics! :)

Congrats and Best Wishes!

Well, congrats are in order for my aunt Jamie and her new husband Bobby! They got married on the 19th in Taos, NM. No one knew until they were on their way here to visit for a few days. We were all so excited that we threw together a little reception for them (as seen below). Best wishes to you guys, and welcome to the family Bobby, Alex, and Sophia!

Updated Pics

Daddy John holding Alexis and Caroline and Christian being a picture crasher LOL :)

Alexis (almost 4 months) and Caroline (7 1/2 months)

Here are some updated pictures of Caroline and her friend Alexis. Jill was kind enough to invite us over to a "party" on Saturday, and we took the opportunity to let the girls show their hammy sides (ok, let's be honest, they really don't have hammy sides yet--but it's always fun to take pics of them). Aren't they a pair?!? :) Jill, John, and I were talking about how they will probably grow up to be ornery...LOL

Father's Day Tribute #3

Steve with Nathan and John--February 1979

Caitlin and Grandpa Haskell --October 2005
Christian holding Grandpa Haskell--December 15, 2005

Caroline and Grandpa Haskell--January 2007


This one is for John's dad, Steve. We hope you had a blessed Father's Day at your new home in Colorado. The kids send their love, as do John and I. Thank you for being so kind to us and the kids--we can't wait to come and visit! :) We love you!

Father's Day Tribute #2

Dad holding me--May 13, 1981

Father's Day 2007 with Caitlin, Christian, Caroline, and Pappaw

This post is for my dad. He has always been a great man in my life. I remember when I was a little girl, that I was in complete awe of him. Like Caitlin with her daddy, I thought my dad hung the moon. He was always kind and giving, and STILL IS! The most fun I had with him was when he took my high school basketball team on trips out of town. We had a blast, and he is responsible for my love of oldies music. :) Dad, you truly are a wonderful man, and my children have an awesome Pappaw! We love you!

Father's Day Tribute #1

John with Caitlin-December 17, 1998
John with Christian March 9, 2004

John and kids with Caroline-November 4, 2006

Today, I wanted to take the time to thank John for being such a kind, loving, wonderful daddy to his 3 children. It is so nice to have such a great man in my life. I find it so cute that Christian thinks Daddy can fix ANYTHING, whether it be the Bronco or a torn piece of paper. Caitlin thinks he hung the moon. If she has a chance to go somewhere or do something with him, she jumps at it. Caroline calms down instantly in his arms, even if she was right in the middle of a screamfest. He holds them, rocks them, reads to them, and sings to them. There is nothing more precious than a daddy that loves his babies! So, here's to you, John, for being a terrific daddy! We all love you SO VERY MUCH, and are so proud of you.

Guess Who

Alrighty, I know that all 3 of my darling children look like their daddy, but a lot of people have commented lately on just how very much Caroline looks like John. So, for all of you out there who were wondering if his baby pics look anything like hers, here you go! I am going to leave it up to you to figure out who's who! :)

To Melanie

*singing*

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!

Haaaapppyyy Biiirrrttthhhdddaaayyyy dddeeeaaaarrrr Meeelllaaannnniiieee.....
Hapy Birthday, tooooooooooo yooooooouuuuuuu!!!

We love you "Aunt Melanie"!! Hope you have a great day! :)

She's Famous!

When you read today's Amarillo Globe News, you will see someone on the front page that is very special to me--my mommy, Kathy Rieken! She turned in an essay to the Globe News about what it means to be an Amarilloan, and they not only published that, but also several pics of her at the Big Texan. I am posting part of her essay here, as well as the beautiful pics. If you want to see more (and we all know you do!), the go to amarillo.com and look for yourself! YEAH MOM (MIMI)!! WAY TO GO!!

Essay:

Kathy Rieken
An Amarilloan is a special breed of Texan. Like all Texans, we like things BIG - trucks and SUVs, ranches and feedlots, and 72 oz. steaks - but we like our town not so big.
An Amarilloan appreciates that we have lots of room and some big ideas. The wind that blows our tumbleweeds is harnessed to turn gigantic wind turbines to power up the rest of the state. We grow and pack enough beef to feed the world. And we step up and take care of the biggest weapons of them all (weapons that wouldn't be necessary if everyone minded their own business and respected other people's freedoms like Amarilloans do.).
An Amarilloan enjoys our town's unique things: Colorful quarter horses standing patiently on street corners for little cowboys to ride them. A performing arts center with world-class acoustics and a cattle-truck-panel ceiling. Cadillacs with their noses buried in the dirt and their tail fins pointing toward the stars. Twin-rotor ospreys circling like eagles over the prairie. A lone rider trailing a Texas flag across the rim of a Spanish-skirted canyon.
An Amarilloan realizes there're some things we don't have much of - rain, trees, predictable weather - but we also don't have much bumper-to-bumper traffic, shortage of parking or smog. We have everything we need right here, but we're also close to the mountains and right at the midpoint of the Mother Road, Route 66. Being closer to four other state's capitals than our own has some challenges, but Amarilloans are used to being independent.
In the world's estimation, it's a little town, with fewer than 200,000 people. But if you're an Amarilloan, like I am, you thank God you live in this place - the biggest little town in Texas.

And That's Why It's Called A Honeymoon

When we were driving back from fishing in Medi Park this evening, Caitlin asked one of her famous deep questions.

"Momma, why is a honeymoon called a honeymoon?"

"I don't know Cait, what do you think?"

"Well, Momma, I think it's called that because a man and a woman sit under the moon....and eat a bunch of honey!"

And there you have it. Another great mystery solved! :)

Mommy, Wow! I'm A Big Girl Now!

I gave Caroline a "big girl bath" today, and she loved it! She wanted to float on her tummy and chase toys the whole time. It just proves that she's growing up way too fast...no longer do we need the baby tub. :( I think I still detect a hint of red hair, though, especially when it's wet! WooHoo! LOL

The Rest Is History...

Since today was not a good day to swim or play outside, we decided to take the kids to the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum in Canyon. We recently watched the movie, "Night At The Museum", and the kids were crazy about it! They were rip roarin' ready to see if it had a T-Rex that comes to life. LOL

Side Note: If you haven't watched the above movie, I HIGHLY recommend it! It's great for all ages too!

Anyway, we all had a great time. Caroline was even good for the entire 2 hour ordeal. We took our time and looked at all of the exhibits, and I saw some that I hadn't seen before. All in all, it was fun way to spend a gloomy day! :)


John's thankful the firefighter gear has changed over time...

And he's also glad that the ambulances have changed a bit!

I thought Dad had a lot of guns! This is only 1/4 of the display!

Me and the kiddos in front of some old bones :)

Here is the T-Rex that we all were waiting to see...fortunately it stayed put and didn't chase us

And this is why we live in this time period and not in the prairie days...

Chillin' in the cabin's kitchen

Some really cool saddles, and Caroline having fun right along with sis and bro

It could be worse...

I had to break down and take Caroline to the doctor today. She has been running a low grade fever for about a week, refusing to eat (and we all know that is NOT normal ha ha), and then having a much higher fever as of today. Much to my surprise, she has strep throat. With a little amoxicillin, rest, and "Mommy time", she will be back to her healthy, active, entertaining self in no time. :)

Congrats!

Congrats to John for making the Dean's List at Bellevue University! He has held a 3.5 or higher GPA through 18 or more semester hours...he is quite the hard worker! :) We are all so proud of you, Daddy, and we can't wait until you are finished with your degree. LOVE YOU!!

Shop 'Til We Drop

That's right! Misty, her girls, me, and the three C's went out shopping today (I am sure I will be getting an ugly look from Daddy Haskell when he gets home). We checked out Old Navy--have I ever mentioned just how crazy I am about that place?--and Joann Fabrics, which is a sin in itself. I can't ever leave that store without finding fabric that "called my name" the whole time I was shopping. :)

Christian has decided that instead of running away when Jacey tries to kiss him, he needs to pucker up and kiss her right back! In fact, he kept getting into trouble for laying those sweet kisses all over her face! At one point, she was screaming at him because he kept lifting her shirt up. He told us he just wanted to see her belly. Sheesh! Well, she is quite pretty--I can see why he's so crazy about her!

Jazmin and Caitlin are just way too grown up for their own good (wink). They are so darn cute together...reminds me of my elementary days. When I see them playing hand clapping games, talking about their classmates, and carrying purses, it makes me smile.

Caroline and Phoenix were stroller-bound during the excursion, so I didn't get any pics of them this time. Oh well! Phoenix is definitely growing fast though. I will have to get an updated pic some other time. Caroline screamed her head off in Joann's...something about a fabric store that sets her off... :)
Aren't they all so sweet?!?
Shall we make wedding plans now or later? LOL
Too sassy for their own good, I tell ya!

Consider The Lilies

I love to browse the pictures from gettyimages.com on a daily basis. There is always something that catches my eye. This is the image for today, as well as the verse that the Lord put in my heart to go along with it:


"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith!"
Luke 12:27-28

Something For Everyone

This, my friends, is a show and tell posting. As you are all fully aware, I like to make stuff for the three C's. Well, here we go:

I found this cutey-patootey swing purse at the dollar spot in Target. Added Cait's name and VOILA! :)

The front of Christian's new train-carrying bag
The back side of the train-carrying bag
The front of Caroline's new bubble romper (btw-I combined patterns to make it, so it's a one-of-a-kind!)

And now the back of the bubble romper...

So there you have it--something special for everyone! Also, I am including pics of Caitlin's new haircut, because she wanted to show all of her grandmas! :)