Casey eating Video

It's a bit long but I have not mastered editing yet. And I hope I changed Van's video to public so all can watch.

Van helping me feed Casey.

New Camera

Mike got me/us a Zi8. I tried it out with Casey and Van. Van has been videoed on Amber's phone and knows the deal about being able to watch yourself after. He just doesn't get that you can't watch yourself while being taped. So it's a bit hard to get him to fully finish what you asked him to do before he starts asking to see.

Trying to get Van singing his ABCs then I join in to help him remember some of his missing letters.

Remembering Helen Van Sickle

My Grandmother Anna Ellen (Helen) Van Sickle passed this morning. She lived a life of 90 years and we have known this was coming for quite some time. She had 5 children, 5 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren which leaves me to wonder if 5 was ever a lucky number for her.

Things that I remember or have learned from her....

She had this pink outfit around the time of my high school graduation. It was pepto pink and completely matching from the LA Gear high tops, socks, long shorts, shirt and tennis visor and I think a matching fanny pack. But this was the way she always dressed, everything matched. My gifts of clothes from her came this way too.

She always had my favorite potato salad from the store in the fridge. She was also the one to create my hatred of stew. My grandmother was not a very good cook. Stew was one of the only things that she made that my Dad could tolerate eating when he was dating my Mom while she lived at home. Each time we would go for a visit the first dinner we would eat was stew. I hate stew. Once you mentioned liking anything edible that she had, it was always in the house each time you came.

I believe I get my need to garden from her. She had a huge vegetable garden in the back yard. There was mint and rhubarb, tomatoes and cucumbers. I do flowers. She would spend hours tending that garden.

She was an Army nurse, signing up to serve during WWII. I remember the white uniform she wore when she worked at the VA hospital. I had my own white paper nurse hat and stethoscope.

I learned about the strength of unconditional love. She was not a fan of us using Van as a nickname. Van was her nickname for my Grandfather Willis Van Sickle (who I was naming Van after), she was the first to call him that. She expressed I think to everyone except my mother and I that she did not want me using Van unless it was his real name. Well, she lost that battle, but that did not stop her from loving on him the first time she met him. (pictured above) Nor did she stop loving me nor I stop loving her, I did have an issue of not liking her for awhile though. I learned that just because you love someone unconditionally doesn't means that you have to like or tolerate all of their behavior or even forgive right away. It means you will always care about them.

Her passing was not a surprise. She had not been doing well over the past few years. It started with losing hearing and then not following conversations. She went into a care facility about 2 years ago and the best way to describe it was kicking and screaming. There are not many that would kick and scream over anything after 85 but she did, she even ran away once. Which is proof that my stubbornness is hereditary.

The one thing I do not have is a material item that will always remind me of her in my home. Nor do I have an idea of what that could be. I have a painting of my grandfather and antique cameras, barware of my great aunt, jewelry from others. I hope I can find that item somewhere in my memories of her.

VAN'S 3!!!!!!!

Van turns 3 officially the 30th at 6:48PM. Today (the 29th) was his birthday party. And of course it was a Handy Manny theme. The ladies at Paper and Cake helped make it not so Manny centric. Mike and I were a bit overwhelmed with the party goods with Manny plastered all over them, we wanted Manny to look like a guest at the party not be the center of the party. They designed the banner, cup sleeves, dump truck and marker holder along with the invitation and thank yous. The cake is suppose to look like a tool box with the Handy Manny tools inside and the goodie bags were hat hats and felt tool belts.

The neighbors and friends came over to play and have cake. Last year I planned an outdoor activity and it was bitterly cold that day, this year I planned nothing outdoors and it was a beautiful 70 degree day. The kids played and got on the Wii and then opened presents.

Van and Austin coloring

Van and his new Handy Manny tool set

Blowing out the candles, Mike only had to help with the last one

Opening family presents before the party

Handy Manny balloon that is almost as big as Van.

Thanksgiving

A new tradition has started in our household. This is the second year of making a gingerbread creation with Van on Thanksgiving to keep him occupied. Last year we made a train, this year I cheated and bought a preassembled house and bug out any old candy we had.

Mike and Van flew a kite in the morning.

Casey found something funny about dinner.

The boys together.

First Food (?)

I am not sure I call rice cereal food but Casey had his first bites of it this morning. And like Van I am not sure how much of it he actually ate since most of it seemed to come out when he smiled. He didn't fuss he just had a look of confusion.

Sail Away

3 days after getting home we hosted a Disney Cruise Line Party through the House Party.com site. Let me explain. Houseparty.com pairs companies that what advertisement with people like me, someone who likes the product and is will to host a party, through an online application procees. Basically I sent in my application online with tons of others and was picked because I fit into the demographic they wanted, 2000 people who cruised with them before. I really signed up wanting Shutterfly to send me free 8x8 photobook coupons and Martha Stewart to send me 3 Christmas projects, the Disney party was just for kicks. I did not get Shutterfly or Martha parties. So the neighbors enjoyed a night of food and sailing themed fun. The picture is what paperandcake.com helped me do with the decore since what Disney sent me was a bit varied for my taste. (I am now addicted to their website and they are nice enough to be designing Van's birthday decore) As a thank you gift, which at one time they said was onboard credit, they sent my a totem pole. Being very picky about my Disney merchandise we put that sucker up on ebay as soon as possible. I think the biggest hit was the chocolate dipped Mickey rice crispy treats, the chocolate was so good and I had my doubts when I picked up the Quick Dip package at the store.

We were having a nice time and the kids made mini cupcak liner leis and photoframes. And I forgot to pick up the camera and take a picture. SO no pictures of the party. :(

I do have some gift bag leftovers so email my if you want a grab bag of stuff.

Going into DC

Today was Casey's first Metro ride. We went into DC to see the Smithsonian's American an Natural History Museums. First were the newer hands-on exhibits for kids and then the Butterfly Conservatory. Pay the extra money to see the butterflies, where else could a 3 month old stare so closely to a butterfly. Casey caught sight of the butterflies when flying and one landed on Van and my Dad for about a second before flying off. It has been cold and rainy for the past few days so my plans to go stop outside of the White House and take a picture was changed to infront of the Washington Monument, Capital and Smithsonians Castle since you cand do all 3 in one place.

Shared photo book from kaylee

Click here to view this photo book larger

Mount Vernon

National Zoo

One stop we try to make while in DC is the National Zoo. It's the 3rd vistit for Van and 1st for Casey. Van was excited to see all the animals that we watch on webcam at home up close. We walked and walked, its no longer the smooth circle around the park since they strated construction on several projects. We sawthe octopus and the young elephant playing soccer with 2 balls at once and a nice man let me use his large camera lense to take a picture of the new baby gorilla and it's mom. Casey slept through most of the zoo like Van did his first time. Van decided he wanted to become a zookeeper so he could play with the animals, this was after I had convince him that he could not hold a mirrecat or go play with the elephant.

Christmas Picture Try

Cute Casey

Halloween

Friday night Van's Little Gym had a Halloween party. It was cold and rainy so we lucked out and not very many showed up. There was a teacher per kid and Van love the attention. He bowled with pumpkins, swung like a monkey and climbed the rock wall. One of the teachers caught the eye of Casey and flirted her out of the ladybug antenna. Her just kept staring at the antenna trying to figure out why there were things coming out of her head and then just smiled when she put them on his head. Van is now signed up for his next class of team sports ages 3-6 where they teach the basic skills needed for most sports and team playing, it should be an amusing class.

Halloween night we had a pre trick-or-treat party. I saw the cutest print out yourself Halloween party set on Paper and Cakes website and could not pass up the chance to use it. All the neighbors came by to eat mummy dogs, bug cakes, witches broom and pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes. Then work off all that food by trick-or-treating around the subdivision. Van and Casey were Jack Skellington from Nightmare before Christmas. My mom made the hats and I sewed the jacked and overall. Van was in it again this morning play magician running around saying "addition, addition" and "moccous pocus" waving a pencil. No magic happened though.

Busy Weekend

Welcome to the neighborhood Graydon. Our neighbors Dina and Heath surprised on Saturday with their adoption of a little bundle of joy named Graydon Slack. Arms full of Casey's 0-3 months clothes and odds and ends we spent a good portion of the morning with their family meeting Gray. Born October 15th he is about 3 months younger than Casey. 3 houses on the cul-de-sac now have babies, Spencer 6 months, Casey 3 months, Gray 9 days.


Sunday we went to Boo at the Zoo. We walked around with neighbors Austin, Michael and Kaitlyn. Van was a monkey and Casey a banana. Van didn't keep his costume on for very long and walked around in his "Van" costume.

After nap we went to the pumpkin patch to get our pumpkin to carve Saturday. This week I get to prepare for the pre-Trick or Treat party we are having.

Oak Alley... not buying a pony

This weekend was the annual Oak Alley Planation craft fair. It was the first worth while weekend excursion we took when we first moved here 2 years ago. I now have become somewhat obsessed with going each time the craft fair is held in the spring and fall to get pictures in the old oak trees that line the entrance to the sugar plantation home. Last spring we didn;t go de to rain, so even fighting colds I was determined to go. Van obviously lookes sick and I forgot to take Casey's hat off to showoff that hair. So not the best set of pictures I have taken there.




We didn't want to spread Van's cold around by letting him in the petting zoo. He watched all the animals from behind the fence, you could see how much he wanted to be in there holding a bunny. Surprisingly he said yes to a pony ride. He let the man put him up on the pony and didn't need me or Mike to walk around with him and then he had a conversation with the "cowboy" about what sounds the animals make. My cling to mommy and daddy boy did it all by himself.