Praying for our Friends in Colorado Springs

Just over a year ago we attended the most beautifully backdropped wedding.

I had never seen views like these in my life. KC and I were in awe.

We couldn't get enough of the mountains.

Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.

I am sadden to hear that there are fires threatening our friend's home, and that this is now the view for the Garden of the Gods . . .

Praying for the people of Colorado Springs and the surrounding area. And praying for the safety of the firefighters trying to put this thing out.

The views will change for a while, but Mother Nature has a way of fixing things over time.

Love you guys and know that we are thinking of you. Let us know if you need anything, now or a month from now.

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*** If anyone is interested in helping out the people of Colorado, here is a link that you can donate to for Home - Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado. , they are supplying food and water to the firefighters trying to put out the fires. ***

Cameron's B-day and Summer Fun

I was 2 weeks late on Cameron's party this year. The beginning of the summer is just so busy all the time, and there is an adjustment period of getting used to 5 kids around all the time.

Honestly, I was thinking about skipping the party all-together . . . but Cameron kept asking when I was going to make him his cake. A five year old doesn't let you forget to throw a party, especially my Cameron : )

It's been of my tradition to make a special cake for each child for their party. I asked Zoe if she was interested in making the cake, but she let me keep that baking responsibility. I'm glad for that, it's been fun to keep up with it through the years. (I'll have to find all my cake pictures and share someday)

Cameron asked for Luigi and mini chocolate chips this year . . . but I had made him a Donkey Kong cake last year. (this is last year's cake)

And we were keeping the party simple this year. So I went with his other favorite : )

I did include mini chocolate chips up the sides of the cake, he was very happy with that! He saw it on the counter top just after I had finished it and said, "Hey, there's a G on the cake!" and I said, "Yes there is, why did I do that" and he answered, "It's for a Packer fan!" with the cutest smile on his face.

He really is such a happy kid : )

He had to blow his candles out fast, because the wind wanted to do it for him.

And he quickly claimed an end piece that was loaded full of chocolate chips . . . which of course he got.

It was a beautiful day.

Here is a picture of the Buchanan side cousins . . . we missed Jack and Ella. (Ella visited us the next day and tried out the pool and slip and slide)

They spent the day playing in the water.

Or at least around the water like Castiel and Eli preferred to do . . . but Castiel seemed to get just as wet as the others without ever plunging in.

Here are some fun slip and slide pictures. Audrey and Cameron really love it. Olivia was learning how to. My mom may or may not have taken a tumble trying to help her go a little faster. KC, of course, had to give it a try : ) And Emmitt just took a walk on it occasionally and stopped all other traffic.

Fun day, fun party . . . glad it all fell together nicely and glad my little Cameron didn't let me skip it.

We also had a water balloon fight and a baseball game of adults verses the kids. And I surprised Cam with his preschool friend Paul who joined the party : )

Had to share this funny moment.

During the party, while Cameron was opening his gifts, there was an audible 20 second fart . . . and we looked in uncle Tony's direction.

I showed Emmitt this photo today and he said "I farted by Tony", I loved that he remembered . . . wonder if he was a little embarrassed yesterday.

Cameron got baseball bases, so we can play a real game in the backyard. (no more frisbees and hula hoops required)

And he also received a photo book of his week at the Lakehouse with Grandpa, which he started reminiscing with everyone at the party with big smiles across his face.

A late HAPPY BIRTHDAY blog to my little man, CAMERON! He is my sweet, goofball who loves to talk any one's ear off, play Donkey Kong with his daddy, play anything with Audrey all day, have Zoe make him chocolate chip muffins, Emmitt's best friend, Castiel's boxing buddy and talk about his fun-filled days at the end of every night with mommy while I tuck him in.

Truly a lovable, happy child . . . who my wish is for him to stay that way forever.

My Boy at the Lakehouse . . . Finally!

Cameron talks about the Lake House all the time.

When can I go? How much longer? I wish I was there.

Grandpa promised a boy's week as soon as school was out. A couple days after his graduation I said good-bye to him

But his first stop wasn't the Lake House.

He hopped rides on his way to Fond du Lac.

First he caught a ride to Milwaukee with my sister and family. They went to the Children's Museum where he got to lay on a bed of nails and touch a sting ray. He spent the day happily with his cousins.

Then he hitched a ride with my brother-in-laws parents and brother's family the rest of the way to Fond du Lac. Since he spent the day with them, he had no problem jumping into their car . . . from what I hear, he slept most of the way.

He was dropped off at my parents house where he got to ride (actually drive) Grandpa's tractor, go to Culver's with Grandma, and take a bath in their huge garden tub.

Grandpa S had to work on Monday, but as soon as he got out of work he picked Cameron up.

Of course, there was no leaving town before stopping in to see Grandma S. I was actually worried for her that they would be so excited to get to the Lakehouse, they wouldn't have waited around to see her. They finished packing up and said good-bye and off they went.

We all were talking about the fact that there was no way to tell who was more excited . . . Cameron or Grandpa :)

I received a phone call that night that they made it safely and that it was dark out, so they were going to start the fun first thing in the morning.

Then, just after 6am the next morning, we were receiving texts that they were out on the dock, watching the sunrise! The fun had begun :)

Grandpa told him to make a list of all the things he wanted to do that week, so a couple days before the trip I wrote as Cameron listed.

He definitely knew what he wanted and it consisted mainly of Macaroni and Cheese, fishing and no naps : )

Then on the back of the paper he wanted to write a letter to Grandpa himself) which Audrey helped him spell.

It says "Can we read together", but she wrote it all in lower case letters, which he always converts to uppercase letters and mixed up the "d" to a "b".

Looks like he had so much fun!!!

Here are some of my favorites : )

Grandpa said that he was "reading" his Bass magazines and showing him the big lures that they need to be using to catch the BIG fish. Cameron used a big lure and snag it in the weeds and broke his line. But give the boy a few years and he'll have it all figured out. He keeps telling me about his 14 inch Bass!!!

And from the looks of it, Grandpa got him to put his own worm on the hook!

So, from what I hear, there wasn't a lot of napping going on . . . but he was definitely worn out by the end of every night.

I want to thank Grandpa SO MUCH for sharing these photos with me. I can tell by the smile on his face that he had the best of times, I only wish there was a picture of the two of you together.

So I'll have to add some oldies but goodies : )

Cameron has grown up making regular visits to the Lakehouse since only weeks after he was born. The older he gets, the more often he wants to make the trip.

I was a little worried that I was going to lose him to the Lakehouse, but he returned home and as I was tucking him into bed for the night I said, "I'm happy that you are home" and he replied, "It's good to be home mom."

Thank you Grandpa!!!

(I'm sure he talked your ear off all week, I hope it isn't too quiet without him)

Cameron's Big Day!

Today was a big day for Cameron! And a big day for momma too . . .

He graduated from Pre-school . . . (he's in blue, 3rd from the left)

The beginning of the school year was rough. He cried most days that we took him, either on the car ride there or right in the classroom.

It lasted few months. He kept asking if he could go to his old school.

This was his first day of school. He was all smiles until we got into the classroom & froze up.

This is how he came back . . . crabby and never wanting to go back.

But we made him go back and back and back. We developed a few things that helped parting ways easier for him. He found a chair that he was happy in. He'd just sit there while the other kids played about the classroom waiting for their day to begin.

They tried to force him to participate the first couple weeks but it obviously made him more upset. I left a couple times crying. This was so unlike him. I talked to the teacher and asked them to just let him be. I told her he would join in when he was ready.

Eventually he sat in that chair without crying.

Daddy started a double fist bump good-bye, which Cameron had to teach me so I would do it right. And then he'd ask me to watch him through the window in the hallway. He'd sit in that chair and stare at me, I'd stand there for maybe a minute and then wave good-bye to him and he would wave back.

Then we moved into a fist bump, kiss, watch me through the window.

I talking months of this . . . basically the entire first semester.

Finally, he stopped sitting in that chair and would come over to the window and wave.

And then finally, he gave me a kiss and started playing with his friends . . . he'd ask my to look at him through the window, but he'd forget and be playing before I got there.

It was hard on me. It's hard to see your child go through that day after day. But he wouldn't have made it to this day if we hadn't pushed him along.

The video isn't all that exciting, I just want to share it with family. He is in a light blue polo and khakis. Also, the end of the video the kids all pop confetti poppers . . . most kids couldn't figure them out, but Cameron was the first to pop his off : )

This was a High School program, so he had a teacher, Mrs. Tielke, great with the kids.

Then he also had his "High School Friends" as he would say. Occasionally we would hear one of their names while he talked about his school day, but not very often. He would basically refer to them as "a Packer fan" or "a Bear fan".

But he had his favorite, Quinn, and we heard about her all the time. He would proudly say, "My high school friend Quinn, she's a Packer fan too!" He adored her. She gave many of her little admirers hugs good-bye, and I snapped a picture.

This is also Cameron's best friend from school, Paul . . . who we plan on keeping in touch with over the summer : )

The seniors high school students all had a project to put together a scrapbook for an individual student, it is a wonderful gift to remember their school year. The student even gave him a Green Bay Packer sticker, which he proudly pointed out and then said "and she was a Bears fan!"

They also received a t-shirt and sweatshirt with the name of their school on it, and he has already worn both of them this afternoon. Also we have a slide show of their year in the program and picture of all his friends.

Here are some of Cameron's shots.

It was a "growing up" year for my little man. It was a great year even through the struggles. And now summer has officially started for one of my kids :) He's been waiting for months for this day . . . because a long planned trip starts this weekend!

A week at the Lakehouse with Grandpa!!! We are going to start packing tomorrow :)