Maples' Memories

Mardi Gras - kid style!

2012-02-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

So our good friends Kain & Kelly met us in Crystal City, VA for a kids Mardi Gras, complete w/face painting, magicians, ice skating and beads. The kids had a great time and were so tuckered they both fell straight to sleep in the car. It was great to see our friends and fun for the kids as well. We were planning to go to Sat night church after, but thought we might not want to show up as a zebra and green tiger?? Enjoy!

And so it begins...

M's class at school is called 'Zebras', hence her request.

H wasn't so sure about this at first...

but he and M loved it once they were done!

Maddie & Daddy's 1st ice skating venture!

Tuckered out on the drive home.

Christmas travels

2011-12-30T19:49:00.000-08:00

Just a few pictures from our travels to the Bells and the Maples over Christmas. Santa came to visit the Bells and the kids loved it, although I think the adults were just as excited! We enjoyed our time w/both, and hope you enjoy the pictures!

Hat/scarf gift from Grandma & Grandpa.

Family portrait.

New hats from Matt & Connie, Yan & Sam!

At the Opryland Hotel.

Hunter learning how to wink!

Siblings

Announcement

2011-11-23T11:49:00.001-08:00

This post pretty much speaks for itself, so for those that didn't already know....now you do!

Family time in Tenn

2011-11-17T17:49:00.001-08:00

Just a few pics from our family Christmas party 2011 (yes I know we had it on the 12th of Nov!). It was a long drive down & back, but so very worth it! We had a great time w/the whole clan, and Maddie & Hunter got a night of camping w/Bruce & Mary which they loved. It's so nice to be just a day's drive away from home, so we're taking advantage every chance we get. Not sure what Christmas holds in store yet, but hopefully more time w/family. Until then, enjoy!

Maddie loves to read w/Uncle Sammy!

A loving papa.

And loving aunt/uncle too! :)

You can't build gingerbread houses without tasting the goods!

And so did Hunter.

A throw-in from Halloween night.

Marine Corps Marathon is done!

2011-10-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

The marathon is behind us, and with a finishing time of 3:43:28! Thanks to all for the support, and especially my wife who is caught red-handed below!

Thanks for the motivation Coach! ;)

Getting some nutrients at mile 20, just before the 14th St bridge.

Just havin' fun

2011-10-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics of recent playing, decorating and enjoying donuts! Enjoy!

Candy corn dress made for Maddie by Grammy. Can you tell she's been eating chocolate?

Just hanging out.

Enjoying the local park.

Decorating mini pumpkins.

Krispy Kremes decorated for Halloween!

Our beloved dane.

Follow Bill along the Marine Corps Marathon!

2011-10-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

You can sign up at the following website to receive emails, texts, tweets or Facebook messages of all the splits as Bill runs the marathon this Sun. Start time is 0800 EST, and he's hoping to finish in under 4 hours. Results will be delivered instantaneously. Sign up and cheer him on!

Follow Bill here!

Fall camping

2011-10-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

So we took off from the big city last week for some fall camping in the Shenandoah mtns and it was awesome! We found corn mazes, pumpkin patches, caverns and a southern kitchen serving great food! It was our longest venture in the camper thus far, and we continue to learn tricks of the trade to make each trip a little better. The leaves were starting to change and it was beautiful. We landed in New Market, VA in the heart of Civil War history, but admittedly didn't take much of that history in this time around. It was a wonderful trip....enjoy the pics.

In the corn maze!

Funny lookin' haybale.

Sporting some new boots.

Inside Luray caverns.

Supporting the Vols, even though they were playing #1 LSU!

Bill got in on the fun @ the corn maze farm!

Happy Birthday Maddie!

2011-10-08T07:28:00.000-07:00

So our 'little' girl just turned 4 years old! Grammy & Pop Pop were able to come up for the week, and everyone had great fun. Bill had to fly to AZ for a couple days, and ran a Marine Corps trail race through Prince William Forest, so having them around to help w/the kids and the house was wonderful. Shannon may have had a b'day too, but unfortunately we didn't capture any photos of that. Her big gift was tickets to see Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center, and that's where we're headed today! Woohoo! Grandma/Grandpa were up just a couple weeks before, and so we were prompted to keep unpacking and getting the house in order. Thanks to both g'parents, as they both helped so much around here! Enjoy the pics...

Surprise! Her new Dora tent.

Maddie loves her new Dora tent from G'ma/G'pa!

Can you say 'all boy'?

Grammy & Pop came for a week....Charlie wanted in the picture too!

Maddie in her new tutu on her big girl bed!

Maples Family photos

2011-09-07T18:24:00.000-07:00

This post is for all those who haven't seen the pics from our Maples' outing to Cannonsburg (in Murfreesboro) this May. It was in the midst of the cicada season, so Maddie was petrified for most of the outing. Hunter on the other hand was fascinated, but he also showed his true colors with an occasional fit. Nonetheless, it was a good day and we have wonderful memories to share. Enjoy!

Swimming & Camping

2011-08-06T07:31:00.000-07:00

This post is mostly pics from recent swimming occasions, but also a couple from camping and around the house. We enjoyed a visit from Grandma & Grandpa while Bill was on travel to Vegas. The visit helped expedite furnishing our guest suite downstairs, so this is an open invitation to come visit! After their visit, we hooked up the camper and spent a long weekend at Lunga Park again. It was a nice break and we enjoyed catching up w/friends as well. Still getting the house arranged and furnished, but trying to mix in some camping and site-seeing along the way. Enjoy the pics and come visit!

This used to be daddy's fun cape!

Keep that look Maddie....for the next 20yrs! :)

Maxin' & relaxin' in the camper.

These guys came right up to our camper. And they hiss!

Enjoying the kiddie pool.

Maddie's swim lessons.

Maddie's new haircut & her yearbook from Montessori.

Grandma & Grandpa doing the spoiling thing! DONUTS!!

Been awhile....

2011-07-13T17:42:00.001-07:00

So I realize it's been a LONG time since we last posted, but we've had just a few changes. In no particular order we: shipped our kids to TN for a month, moved 3000+ miles, saw lots of good friends/family along the way, packed & unpacked our entire house, bought an RV, started a new job in the Pentagon, and a few other things. It has been a whirlwind of a couple of months, and we're finally settled in Alexandria, VA...very close to Mt Vernon. We're renting a house here in a very friendly neighborhood, and we're just 2 miles from the Mt Vernon bike trail that snakes along the Potomac River all the way into Wash DC! Bill has already ridden his bicycle to work and is running a lot (maybe in prep for another marathon?). Shannon is getting the house organized and has enrolled Maddie in swim lessons and preschool. The kids have adjusted and play so well together every day. The house is much larger than any other we've lived in before....translation: come visit!

The new Maples rig! Fun times ahead!

Heading home to TN! Thanks to both sets of gparents for sharing the load!

Bill's last flight @ China Lake. Preparing to get soaked!

Thought this was a pretty cool sign, esp considering it's in Las Vegas.

Did not expect a snowstorm as we passed through CO in late May! Not fun.

We drove through the same storm that leveled Joplin, MO. Not fun either!

Enjoying the botanical gardens in Huntsville w/the Hulls!

The kids enjoyed it too.

Nothing like popsicles on a warm summer day.

Changes are a' comin!

2011-04-23T19:17:00.001-07:00

So a new toy arrived this week and can be credited for the last 3 pics you see here....an IPad 2!! Yay! Bill wanted it to Skype w/the family while he's traveling, and also to read/work while he's commuting in the DC area. It is great fun so far! Things are moving quickly now, as Bill leaves for a 3 week detachment to Yuma Monday, and the kids return to TN w/Bruce & Mary in 1 week. The movers are scheduled, the POD is coming, and we'll be on the road eastbound in less than 1 month! We still haven't found a house to rent in DC, so please pray for this. One recent answer to prayer is the pending sale of our Yuma house though. Yay again! We should close later this month and have one less complication in our lives. April has been fun, but not looking forward to saying goodbye to the wife for 3 weeks and the kids for a month. Enjoy the pics.

Grammy took a family photo before church.

Hunter at the park...yes, he got up there himself!

Shannon finishing strong in a local 5k to benefit wounded Marines.

Bill had some extra baggage for his 5k!

I'm sure I'll pay for this one, but we have to show the whole family, right??

The IPad has a camera like a carnival fun-house! The kids loved it!

Another fun house pic.

Birthday Party & Sea World!!

2011-03-21T19:05:00.001-07:00

So Hunter turned 2 last week and Shannon threw a party at the local park for all the kiddos to enjoy. As evidenced below, there was no shortage of cupcakes w/blue icing!! The kids had a great time and even saved 1 cupcake for Daddy! Yay! Since it was a short work week, we packed up the family and headed to San Diego for the weekend. Sea World is free to military, so we showed up late on Friday and saw half the park, then came back Sat morn for a couple hours to see the rest. The kids loved the whale and dolphin shows! We also had fun at the Mission Bay park on the water, shopping for RVs and Bill had fun shopping for guy stuff during the kids' naps! IPad 2 here we come! Enjoy!

Told you!

An impromptu portrait w/the 2yr old.

Shamu & friend.

Haven't perfected the whole ice cream thing.

Just being my cute self!

Bill & Maddie's trip

2011-02-19T17:05:00.000-08:00

Just a few pictures from our current trip to visit Patrick & Patty in Huntsville! We're also spending time w/Grammy & Pop Pop in M'boro and a day trip to the Chattanooga Aquarium w/Grandma & Grandpa. It has been great fun, and we still have 2 days left! We've been hiking on the mountain, visited the Arsenal, and spent countless hours playing. It will be over much too soon, but as you can see we've documented it well. Enjoy!

A chocolate treat after the aquarium! Like mother like daughter! ;)

This is a keeper! Too cute!

Acting like the penguins.

An afternoon shot of the shuttle at the US Space & Rocket Center.

We (Patrick & Bill included) spent lots of time playing here!

More playground fun.

Cousins having fun!

Pics from Grammy

2011-01-30T07:06:00.001-08:00

Below are just a few pictures we borrowed from Grammy's camera during her visit. Most are from Maddie's trip to TN last summer. Enjoy!

Snow & Vacation!

2011-01-27T19:31:00.001-08:00

Just a few pictures left over from the 'big snow' we had here, as well as some pictures from our get-away to the mtns and Vegas! Grammy was kind enough to come out and keep the kiddos for 6 full days, broken hand and all! We're so thankful to her for this, and we used the time to spend time at our cabin on Mammoth Mtn and a few days in Las Vegas. It was very relaxing and great fun. Thanks again Grammy! We're back in the groove now, and Hunter is in potty training. Grammy got him started and we're seeing success. He is putting full sentences together and he has such a vocabulary now that we've stopped keeping track. Maddie is getting better at riding her bike and is turning out to be a very silly kid but also a nurturing soul. Enjoy!

What can I say?

This is a scene from Death Valley on our journey back home.

Shannon on the snowshoe adventure.

Not bad for scenary, eh? The mtns silly!

Maddie had fun making snow angels and playing. Most of it was gone 2 days later!

Snow in the desert!

2011-01-02T17:55:00.001-08:00

It started snowing on our way home from a shopping trip today, and hasn't stopped yet! These pictures were just before sunset, and there's much more after just an hour. Shannon helped the kids throw snowballs and showed them how to stick their tongues out to catch snowflakes. Charlie loved the snow and ran wild in the yard, then proceeded to lick it right off the patio furniture! No snow days here though!

Yummy snow!

Where's it coming from??

Think my truck will get around in the snow? :)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T11:16:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to share a few pics from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The kids had much fun opening new pajamas from Grandma & Grandpa on Christmas Eve and amazingly went right to sleep in anticipation of Santa's arrival! Christmas Day brought orange danish & cinnamon rolls, then time to open tons of presents! Maddie got Dora bedding, a new dress, clothes, dolls and a new bike! Hunter got more cars and trains than I've ever seen in one room, a big caterpillar dump truck and lots of new clothes too. They haven't stopped playing w/them all morning. Special thanks to both our families who were so generous! We enjoyed video-chatting while the kids opened their gifts. Thanks again!

The new dump truck!

Candy canes!

Hunter opens his Thomas PJ's.

Maddie was so excited to get Dora PJ's!

Not a new toy, but they sure enjoyed it in their new PJ's!

Hunter loves trains!

Pics around the Christmas Tree

2010-12-19T17:28:00.000-08:00

Just a few pics after church today. Our Christmas cards are already in the mail so you won't see these on there. Charlie wandered into one also, but it wasn't very flattering! Enjoy!

Dec is here!

2010-12-05T07:56:00.001-08:00

Well, Thanksgiving is but a memory and Christmas fast approaching. The kids are enjoying the Christmas tree and decorations, and anxious for Christmas Day. They're enjoying playing in the leaves, going to park, and art/music classes during the week. Maddie has 2 more weeks of school until the break. Hunter gains more personality by the day and is very engaging. He loves trains, and will 'strenuously object' if you take him away! Maddie is a good big sister, and wants to hold his hand when walking down the street and give him random hugs. We're looking forward to the Christmas break, although we'll miss being with family this year. Enjoy!

We went to ride a tiny train that one of the local families owns and Santa was there!

Yes, we actually have leaves in the high desert! And our house is at the junction of 2 streets, so we gather all the leaves on the street when the wind blows!

Ready to go!

Sup?

Birthdays and Hunter the photographer

2010-11-13T10:28:00.000-08:00

So the last 4 days have been exciting, with the Marine Corps' 235th Birthday, Bill's ??th birthday ;) and Hunter learning to use the digital camera! Bill finally got to wear his Evening Dress uniform, which has been hanging in the closet for 2 1/2 years, and Shannon got to wear a dress that she's been waiting to wear for 5 years! The Ball was quite fun, and a welcome reminder of why I do what I do. One of Hunter's favorite things to play w/is our digital camera, but just this week he found the button that actually takes the pictures! So you'll see some closeups of him below, self-portraits! Enjoy!

All dressed up and someplace to go!

Our newest photographer!

Bill's 20lb weighted running vest. Happy b'day!

Who does this kid look like??

Maddie wanted a picture where Mom & Dad were standing too.

Our little boy was exhausted after playing at the park, and we wondered why he was so quiet. Here's why....he was out cold!

Halloween

2010-10-31T20:15:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to share a few Halloween pics. Maddie ran from house to house gathering candy w/her best buddy Tyler 'the cow'. Hunter wasn't far behind, although he really didn't care about the candy. He just wanted to shout 'trick treat' at each house. It was great fun, especially for mom who gets to pillage all her favorite candies! Happy Halloween!

Hanging Out

2010-10-24T15:03:00.001-07:00

Just a few pictures of the kids hanging around the house. Greg paid us a brief visit recently, Grandma/Grandpa are here now, and Grammy/Pop Pop arrive tonight following their cruise! A busy few weeks at the Maples', but great fun all around. Enjoy.

Sharing a blankie on the couch...a theme here!

All dressed for church!

Our new UT football tackle dummy is a hit!

Same place, different positions.

Familiar yet??

Hunter had good times w/Uncle Greg!

Birthdays and Air Races!!

2010-09-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, this post has a lot of pictures, but we've had a lot happen recently! First, we've had 2 birthdays in the Maples' household, as Maddie turned 3 and Shannon turned.....well, that doesn't matter. ;) Anyhow a friend of Shannon's baked a cake and cupcakes for Maddie's party and they were delicious! Thanks Angela! Shannon's birthday was spent in Colorado w/her friends Mendi & Barry, but she came home to a surprise! (see below) Happy birthday to the Maples' girls!!

I had the fortunate opportunity of attending the Reno Air Races a couple weeks ago in Reno, NV. It has been on my 'bucket list' for years, and as this is our last Fall in CA, I jumped at the chance! I took dozens more pictures than you see here, but more importantly I had a great time. The races were exciting, and I got a 'pit pass' so I could get up close & personal w/all the airplanes and their pit crews. It was awesome! I tent camped in the high Sierras on the way there and back, and the scenery was incredible! I hope to do much more camping before we leave this area.

That's all for the moment, enjoy the pics!

Posing w/the b'day cake.

Her 1st Barbie!

Three years old.....let's party!

Shannon's surprise b'day patio!

Bill's patio on Topaz Lake, NV.

Air races show center pylon. The planes often pass lower than the top of this pylon during the races, and at several hundred miles per hour!!

The Canadian Snowbirds demonstration team.

2010-09-02T17:31:00.000-07:00

A number of pictures from our recent trip to Monterey and San Fran. We had a great time, as did Grammy back home w/Maddie & Hunter. We hit the aquarium and saw some beautiful homes/landscapes in Monterey, then continued to SF for a race and stay at the Marine Memorial Hotel near Union Square. We enjoyed some dinner and seal entertainment at Fisherman's Wharf as well. Enjoy!

Shannon loves her otters!

Having fun w/Grammy!

Bruce & Mary should recognize this....its where they exchanged vows!!

The fish in the Monterey aquarium were beautiful!

I always wanted to be an astronaut!

After the 5k/10k race in San Fran.

These guys were just feet away on base at the Presidio.

August update

2010-08-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

We received a couple more photos of the camping trip from friends, so I thought we'd share. Since we enjoyed the trip so much, as do both sides of the family, we're thinking about getting an RV! Who woulda thunk??! Let the search begin! As for the kiddos, Hunter has more words everyday and understands almost everything we tell him. Obeying everything we tell him is a completely different story! His favorite new things are to go 'BOING' up & down on our bed, to play w/balls in the kids pool and slide down the slide. Also all his molars are in! Maddie has enjoyed dancing while Mommy watches dancing shows and has worn out her princess costume! Maybe she'll get a new one for her b'day?? Shhh! ;) Her new words are 'shoulder web' (blade), 'beefurger' (bird feeder) and 'abracadabra'. She's preparing (as are we!) for a trip home w/Grammy after a week-long visit here, and we're gonna miss her terribly! We pray that she has an easy transition and a wonderful time back in TN. Enjoy!

Hunter loves mommy's cowgirl hat!

And Maddie loves wearing Daddy's helmet! Kinda hard to eat that apple though!

Couldn't resist another 'all boy' photo.

The family Maples taking a break from the hike.

Maddie has a chain for Grammy's arrival, and takes 1 link off each day. Only 3 more days!!!

Camping!

2010-07-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

We went on the Maples 1st Inaugural camping trip to the high Sierras this weekend! We rented a camper from the base Outdoor Rec facility and we were off. The remote campsite was private, and we joined 5 other military families from our street to enjoy it. The kids did great, although the campsite was flush with very fine 'moon dirt', so it got into/on everything! We almost ran out of wipes trying to clean the kids, but they were dirty again within 5 min. We hiked the 'Trail of 100 Giants', caught little frogs in the meadow, watched the free range cattle and of course cooked smores! It was a lot of fun, and we'll certainly do it again. Enjoy!

Maddie would be so proud!

Who's the real spectator here??

Standing inside a giant sequoia!

Token family pic. :)

Classic example of the moon dirt!

Around the house

2010-07-17T10:35:00.000-07:00

Maddie's creativity has increased of late, due in part to the preschool she's been attending. She's made a number of art projects at school and they're proudly displayed in the kitchen for all to see. She helps around the house (with prompting) and today she wanted to put a diaper on her bunny. She was so proud! Hunter's vocabulary is expanding daily, with new words "help, wow, yeah, and book." He's building w/his blocks and running everywhere! The two of them are playing together which is so fun to watch. Enjoy.

Good thing Hunter has on his hat!

What fun!

One of momma's flowers in her garden.

In the process.

I did it!

Projects & Parties

2010-07-05T15:53:00.001-07:00

This weekend proved to be a busy one, with several projects around the house and a 4th of July party hosted at our house. Below are some pics of Shannon's goodies, Bill's bench project and of course, the kids. They are having fun playing together as you can tell. Hunter's new words include "Maddie, down, water, beep-beep" and he has started to nod/shake his head when asked a question. Maddie has enjoyed 2 weeks of preschool at the Montessori School and brings home art projects almost everyday. We took them on a trip to Manhattan Beach outside LA last weekend, which was a fun trip and Maddie's 1st to the beach! Enjoy!

Flag & 'Firecrackers' courtesy of Shannon!

The before.....

....and the after!

Hunter often walks around w/his hands like this...its the funniest thing!

Maddie & Hunter enjoying the car toy.

Maddie's 1st beach trip!

He hangs on even in his sleep when Momma's driving! ;)

Hangin @ home

2010-06-20T08:54:00.001-07:00

We have a new addition to the 'Maples photo collection' thanks to Grammy. She had the bottom photos done while we were in Hawaii, then framed them and gave it to Shannon for Mother's Day. The colors are a perfect fit into the collection. The rest of the pics are just relaxing around the house. Enjoy!

Enjoying 'Dora' while wearing my favorite princess outfit!

Maddie's first day of preschool!

Nothing like the laundry basket for reading a good book.

I love it!

More lazy weekend pics

2010-05-30T19:53:00.001-07:00

Just a few more pictures from the weekend. Its been a fun & relaxing one so far, as you can see. Swimming, gardening and loving on Charlie!

Only way to keep the critters out is chicken wire and netting! Keeps the bunnies/birds out too! :)

This is just 1 days' harvest! Yum!

Evidently its not 'One size fits all'.

Peering into the oven....(sorry its turned the wrong way).

Tour of CA & Gparents visit

2010-05-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

Just a few pictures from Grammy & Pop Pop's visit in March, and our trip to the Tour of California pro bicycle race last weekend. Stage 6 of the tour started in nearby Palmdale, where Bill was able to meet one of his cycling favorites in Viatcheslav Ekimov (below). We then followed the race on Stage 7, a time trial in downtown LA. We were fortunate to use Bill's Marriott points to land a beautiful room on the top floor of the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel, overlooking the HOLLYWOOD sign and all of HW & LA. It was a tremendous trip! Enjoy the pics!

A happy little boy and Grammy!

Maddie enjoying a book.

Beautiful girl in one of Grammy's creations!

The start for Stage 6 in Palmdale!

May Update

2010-05-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

A few recent pictures of the kiddos. Hunter is walking everywhere and says mommy, dada, bup (up), sorry, nite-nite, and clasps his hands together when we bless our food. He's into everything as one would expect a 14mo old to be. Maddie is just getting sweeter by the day, giving kisses to mommy & daddy without prompting and routinely telling us shes loves us. She likes to pray for everyone's friends, but states that Charlie doesn't have any friends b/c he's a dog. She may have learned that from daddy, but its her belief now! ;) Enjoy!

I have the ball!

The new couch....we love it!

Just a happy boy w/his shape toys.

The water table is fun for hours!

No caption req'd.

Ahoy Mateys!

Easter

2010-04-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

Just a few pictures from our in-house Easter egg hunt, Maddie's new 'doo', and the outfits Grammy sewed for the kiddos. Hunter has a couple of teeth coming in on top finally, but its causing him some obvious discomfort. He's very huggable of late, and we're finding that he's our sensitive one too! When scolded, his bottom lip immediately quivers and he soon erupts into sobbing until momma or dada comfort him. Its a sight to see, but fortunately a rare one as he's such a good kid. Maddie is so helpful and much more engaging in conversation as well. She routinely makes us laugh just with her expressions and enunciations. As always.......enjoy!

Found one!

The back of the outfits.

'Daddy what are you doing?'

Hunter hangin' in his rocking chair.

Here's the new doo!

Hawaii and Homecoming!!

2010-04-04T12:59:00.001-07:00

A few pictures from our recent Hawaii trip. Grammy & Pop Pop were kind enough to fly out and keep the grandkids while we tried our 1st Space availiable trip on military transports. While these 'Space A' flights are intermittant and often cancelled at the last minute, they're also free which more than makes up for erratic schedules! We were fortunate enough to catch Space A flights in both directions, so our airfare was $0!! We did have to catch a couple taxis and a train down the CA coast when we returned, but it was fun and exciting. We had a great time seeing new sights and experiencing the history behind Hawaii and WWII. The kids had a great time w/Grammy & Pop Pop also, although Grammy has all those pictures. Here's a few from their visit and our trip. Enjoy!

Our 1st stop after being in Hawaii only 1hr! Beautiful!

We spent a couple days in San Diego awaiting a flight and took a stroll around the Hotel del Coronado.

In front of the anchor of the USS Arizona.

A jeep tour through Kualoa Ranch where they filmed Pearl Harbor, 50 First Dates, King Kong, and currently filming our favorite show 'Lost'! We even met some of the extras!

Grammy helping Maddie w/her fingerpaints.

A beautiful sunset aboard a dinner cruise in Hawaii.

Hunter's b'day and Gparents arrive!

2010-03-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics to commemorate Hunter's 1yr b'day and some silly pictures of both kids. Hunter is walking everywhere now and is quite content to play and roam around on his own. We still keep a watchful eye as he's particularly attracted to our plants, computer, TV remotes, etc! His favorite thing to do is turn off the cable TV! Argh! Maddie continues to amaze us w/her vocabulary and has learned to ride her Dora tricycle. Grammy & Pop Pop arrived to watch over the kids while we go trapzing over to Hawaii for a few days! Woohoo! We'll post some pics from the trip when we return.

Tongue out=focused!!

Enjoying the new bath toy b'day presents!

Still in the 'warmup' period when picking up Grammy & Pop Pop.

Only 16 more yrs!!

Pop Pop did the dishes....and bubbled Maddie's nose!

Winter Getaway

2010-03-06T08:18:00.000-08:00

Bill's squadron leases a ski cabin at Mammoth Mtn every winter, so we took a couple days this week to enjoy it. Its always in high demand on the weekends, so we elected to try it w/the kids during the week to avoid the crowds. It was a good time, even though we didn't get to ski. We did spend plenty of time chasing the little guy around, as toddlers and wood-burning stoves don't mix! The bedrooms weren't heated at night either, so sleeping bags were essential. All in all, it was good fun for all, and a new experience for the kids.

Hunter peering out the cabin window at the snow

Safe to say there was lots of snow!

Maddie all dressed for tubing

A view of the cabin living room

Kids....what else?!?

2010-02-21T19:59:00.000-08:00

Bill has been gone for almost 3 of the last 4 weeks, so Shannon had plenty of quality time w/the kids! ;) Since our last post, Hunter has started walking! Bill was in Las Vegas, but saw it happen while webcam-ing w/Shannon! What luck! Hunter is now into everything and truly a toddler. He is also waving, signing 'All done' and 'doggie'. Maddie is still a great big sister and helps around the house and w/Hunter. She loves to sing, practice counting things (in English & Spanish---thanks Dora), and play outside w/her friends.

Thanks for the Mardi Gras beads Grandma & Grandpa!

Josiah came to visit!

Am I cute or what?!

Picnic!

2010-01-31T13:51:00.000-08:00

Just a few pics from today's picnic. Hunter is on the verge of walking, and has stood without assistance for as long as 15 seconds before sitting! He has a couple of teeth which you can see well below. He loves to dance when we play music for him and has just started clapping. Maddie is a great big sister and her vocabulary continues to amaze us. Enjoy.

Picnic in the front yard.

Sorry for the seafood, but Maddie was having fun!

There's those teeth!

We're having fun now!

Christmas '09

2010-01-02T16:20:00.001-08:00

A few pictures from Christmas. Maddie is really beginning to understand what Christmas is and mom tried to help by putting up our Advent calendar in her room and by helping her build a chain out of construction paper. I'm sure you're wondering what significance the paper chain held.....it had 25 links and Maddie got to tear 1 off each morning! It was very exciting as the day drew closer! It became very evident through the morning that Maddie received many gifts though, as she lost interest in opening new presents to playing with all the toys she had already unwrapped! Hunter still doesn't get it, but he sure enjoyed playing anyhow.

Posing for the holiday pic.

Maddie trying on a new outfit and Dora boots over her Christmas pj's.

Hunter sporting a new Christmas outfit with cap!

Hunter cleaning the sliding glass door.

Merry Christmas!

More & More Kids

2009-12-21T20:08:00.001-08:00

Just a few pics over the past month. Hunter is crawling everywhere and cruising around the furniture on 2 feet. We've caught him standing for a second or two, so walking is just a matter of time. He's also cut his 1st tooth and is a drool-monster! Maddie is in a big-girl bed now, although we continue to work through the potty training. She loves to wear mommy & daddy's socks and shoes and her vocabulary is simply exploding! Our favorite new phrases are "Oh my goodness!" and "Hey buddy!" to her little brother. Sorry for the delay since our last post!

Watching tv together tonite.

All dressed for church.

We love to take baths!

A happy little boy.

Hunter enjoying Charlie, and vice versa!

A couple more from Grammy

2009-11-13T20:44:00.001-08:00

Just started crawling...no stopping me now!

And another beautiful dress by Grammy!

2009-11-12T18:38:00.001-08:00

Just returned from a impromptu trip to Tenn due to a death in the family, so the Halloween pics are a bit late. Shannon is still there due to an illness she came down with, and Bill & Maddie are back home. In no particular order....

Showing off Uncle Patrick's trade!

Maddie and best friend Tyler....cowboy & indian!!

Our little monkey, literally.

Mom and Maddie pre-trick or treating.

Weekend trip / Kids

2009-10-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

So while the grandparents were visiting, Bill & Shannon got their 1st weekend away since Hunter joined us! They visited wine country in central CA, hitting Santa Maria, Solvang and San Luis Obispo. It was fantastic! Sleeping in, eating out, and tasting different wines...just a great, relaxing weekend. Thanks to Grammy and Pop pop for babysitting all weekend!! Below are a couple pics of the trip, and several of the more popular subject....the kiddos! Enjoy.

A Dutch colony in the middle of CA! More importantly, this is where Lance and the Discovery cycling team off-seasoned for several years.

Santa Maria was beautiful and we stumbled into a wonderful Fall Festival.

Shannon's new favorite pic.

Goofy little girl.

Hunter is sitting, but also beginning to crawl now!

Visit from Grammy & Pop Pop

2009-10-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

A few pictures from the visit...

Maddie loves her Pop Pop!

Three generations on Pop Pop's harley!

No caption required....

Grammy made this dress for you know who!

B'day party!

2009-09-26T14:31:00.000-07:00

Here's some recent pics from Maddie's b'day extravaganza, and some just hanging around the house. Enjoy!

The inflatable caterpillar was a hit!

Grandma w/the kiddos.

Maddie's fav. new outfit and accesories.

The Dora b'day cake w/kids galore.

Maddie likes to wear daddy's Marine cover.

Hunter sportin' a hoodie!

Another ER visit

2009-09-19T07:48:00.000-07:00

Sept. 11th. A day we will never forget. Now, the Maples family has another reason not to forget it....it's the day our daughter broke her first (and hopefully her last) bone. She was playing on a jungle gym, and fell about 5 feet off a ledge and landed on her wrist. She has buckle fractures in both her radius & ulna, which meant that she got a full arm cast. She is handling it really well. She has to wear it for 4 weeks, and can't get it wet, which is proving to be a real challenge in the bathtub.

Critters & Kids

2009-09-07T17:53:00.000-07:00

So the past few days have brought a number of different critters to our domain. Thought we'd share a few pics of those, as well as our harvest and of course the kids. Enjoy!

Maddie decided to wear daddy's socks & shoes.

Daddy's favorite time w/Hunter.

Unwelcome tobacco hornworms invaded our tomatoes! They died.

Pepper harvest

Another unwelcome visitor! It died too.

Friends' Adoption Fundraiser

2009-08-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

Hi All! Some old friends of mine are adopting a little girl, and have set up a fundraiser to help defray the costs of airline tickets to bring her home from Taiwan. They are having a live auction via webcam on August 30th for many donated prizes. Most of the prizes are relevant only if you live in the Knoxville area, but there is still the option to make a donation if you feel led to do so. Please check out their website and keep them in your prayers. This has been a long journey for them, and it is exciting to see it finally coming to an end. To go to the website, simply click on the title of this post or type in http://bearsforclaire.blogspot.com

August

2009-08-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

Hunter is reaching for everything now, and rolling at will! He is a smiley kid, and for that we're grateful. Maddie loves her little brother, even when he pulls her hair. Her vocabulary expands everyday, and daddy's favorite thing is her response when we call her: "Yeah dada?" He also enjoys when she says "hode you dada, hode you" as she's still working on her 'L' pronunciation. She's good w/it when it comes to "lol-pop" or "li-aid" (lemonade) though! Below are some recent pictures of random events.

Big sis & Lil bro

2009-07-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

Just a few more pics from the week. Hunter enjoys his new seat and chew toys and Maddie enjoys climbing all over Charlie!

New Accomplishments

2009-07-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

What a month we've had! We left our house with the noisy swamp cooler in June, and came home in July to A/C w/no noisy, flapping vents every time the wind blew. It has been so nice, especially since it has been somewhat humid out here (swamp cooler doesn't work well in humidity). Bill's mom flew back with Shannon and the kids so she wouldn't have to fly w/them both by herself. She then stayed to help unpack the house. I'm happy to say that within 3 or 4 days we had all but a handful of boxes unpacked (most of them books going in the library), and pictures hung back on the wall. While we weren't eager to move out and then back in, I have to admit that it was relatively painless (except for the nights spent in temporary housing w/the mice & roaches).

While Carolyn was here, we decided to try to potty-train Maddie. Carolyn spent a total of about 5 hours in the kitchen working intensively with her on teaching her to use the potty. Unfortunately, at the time, Maddie had just been diagnosed with a UTI, which made it hard to get her excited about going to the potty. Despite that major obstacle, I'm happy to say that she has had great success. She still needs reminders to go, but she is getting better about going every day. She's even had 2 days w/no accidents!

She's also communicating a LOT more. She repeats everything you say (so we really have to watch what we say). The other day she grabbed the squirt bottle, pointed it at Charlie, and said "Enough!". Poor dog, but that's exactly what we say when he barks incessantly. She's enjoying working her puzzles, playing outside in her water table or swimming, and playing with her brother. She can't get enough of that kid! We're very blessed that she loves him so much.

Hunter has become much more active. Since we got home, he has rolled over from his belly to his back and has come very close to rolling completely over from his back to belly. He's grabbing at toys, sitting up in his bumbo seat, putting everything in his mouth, drooling non-stop, and still smiling all the time. He's a very happy baby. As of his appt last week, he was 15lb 6oz!!! So, he's a solid little boy!

Hunter's 1st solid food!

2009-07-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

Hunter no longer sleeps through the night since we started traveling a month ago :( Momma is up a couple times a night now. So, we decided to try the old trick of feeding the baby some cereal to fill his belly for the night. Great plan, but it didn't work out so well. He just kicked it all back out! We'll try again soon, though, cuz momma needs some sleep!

Tenn Trip

2009-07-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

Well the month-long Tenn. trip has come to an end, so we thought we'd share some photos from our time there. Bill could only stay for a week, but Shannon and the kids got to stay for an extra 2 weeks to catch up with family and friends. We spent some time on the Maples farm, some in the Bell pool, and lots of time seeing folks. Hope you enjoy!

Maddie's new favorite pasttime.

Four generations of Galbraith ladies!!

Maddie got some seat time on Pop Pop's tractor!

Hunter being his usual happy self.

Quotes from Maddie

2009-06-12T20:37:00.000-07:00

Maddie is becoming more vocal w/each passing day, stringing words together into short sentences so we can understand much more. Some recent quotes that have brought smiles to our faces:

"All done dada." This quote was mid-hug as daddy was laying Maddie down for the night. She was obviously over the whole hug thing and ready to get on w/the sleeping thing!
"Beep beep Charlie!" We've used beep beep to warn Maddie that a door is opening or that we need to pass by her. She used it today to get past our Great Dane.
"I'm coming" or "running" She does this while running down the sidewalk, down the hallway, or anywhere else she has the room & freedom to run!
"Excuse me" This comes after Hunter, Daddy, or Maddie toots or burps (Mommies don't toot or burp)!
"Down low" We decided it was time to teach her "down low, too slow" since she'd mastered the high five. We get some good belly laughs out of this game :)

Here's some recent photos as well:

We're headed to TN this week, so we'll post our next update after we return next month. Until then....

Hunter's 2mo check

2009-05-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

Hunter had his 2mo. checkup this week, weighing in at 12lb 1oz and measuring 22 1/2". He's a growing boy!

Maddie and daddy have had an off week, Maddie w/an ear infection and daddy w/a 24hr virus of some sort and a lingering sore throat. No big plans for the Mem. Day weekend, other than spending time together before Bill heads to Yuma and San Diego on travel. Shannon and kids will join him in Yuma to catch up w/old friends and to get some family pictures made, so stay tuned for some great pics!

Lazy Sat afternoon

2009-05-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics/video from our afternoon. Our neighbors moved to NC last week and were kind enough to leave their swing which is Maddie's favorite! We have great shade in the front yard which makes the evenings wonderful to enjoy in the grass. Even Charlie gets to enjoy...

Think she's having fun?

Daddy's nap was quickly interrupted.

Hangin' w/the dog after mowing the yard.

Maddie and daddy.

Hunter & Maddie

2009-05-03T17:22:00.000-07:00

Just a few recent photos. Hunter is growing, smiling and coooing now, and momma is getting more sleep! Maddie is enjoying helping out w/little brother, giving him a paci and kisses. Enjoy!

A happy boy!

Maddie enjoying the flowers Grammy and Mommy planted!

An unhappy boy.

Easter Weekend

2009-04-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

Some pics from the last week:

After Easter services

Pigtails!

An excited big sister!

I love my rocking chair from Grandma & Grandpa!

Modeling my new hat.

Hunter's saga

2009-04-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Our little man has had quite a week! It all started at his two week check-up, when I expressed concern about Hunter possibly having reflux. After explaining all the symptoms, the doctor had us come back in a week for a weight check (which was this past Monday). He wasn't present for the weight check, so I made an appt for the next day to further discuss my concerns. We went back on Tuesday, and the doc again checked his weight. He said that he was gaining weight, so he wasn't concerned. I pressed and said that I wasn't concerned about his weight gain, either, I was concerned about what appeared to be acid reflux. So, he then started pressing around on his belly & said that he felt a hard mass at the bottom of his stomach. He referred us that afternoon to get an upper GI series. The radiologist said that he didn't see anything, but would give it a closer look. About a half hour after we got home, the doc called us and said that Hunter has pyloric stenosis & he would need surgery. He wanted to see him the next day to check his weight again.

We took Hunter back on Wednesday, and he was the same weight as on Tuesday, but the doc said the mass felt bigger to him. There is no one in Ridgecrest who does the surgery, so we were going to have to go to Loma Linda Hospital (2 1/2 hrs away). We asked the doc for an ultrasound for further confirmation before sending him into surgery, but he refused & said it wouldn't show anything that the GI series didn't show. Besides, he was 100% certain of his diagnosis. We started to tell him that we were hesitant to take our child into surgery w/out further proof. At that, he cut Bill off and told us that we could hesitate all we wanted, but he had other patients to see to. With that, he turned and walked out the door & closed it behind him! Needless to say, we will be seeing a new pediatrician!

We ended up taking Hunter to the ER on Thursday. Fortunately, this was a top-notch hospital, with their own pediatric ER wing. They performed an ultrasound (both the tech & radiologist) just to be sure of the diagnosis. The three doctors who looked at him & the GI series pictures all were in agreement that it was NOT pyloric stenosis & he did not need surgery. Furthermore, none of them mentioned feeling a mass at the bottom of his stomach. The chief of the peds ER told us that he has episodes of acid reflux, and gave us some advice on how to limit his discomfort. The icing on the cake was when the ER doc called our pediatrician to report their findings. Our pediatrician told him that when we bring Hunter in next week w/full-blown stenosis, then he'll just send us back down there. He then proceeded to hang up on the ER doc!

So, all is well!!! We have a healthy little boy who suffers from some reflux.....very doable! Fortunately, Bill's parents had already decided to stay an extra week, so we had someone here to care for Maddie & Charlie. Sadly, they are leaving tomorrow, though :( Bill is also leaving for a week for work on Monday....so next week will be very trying!!! Thank you to everyone who prayed for Hunter this week!

Hunter & Maddie

2009-04-05T15:43:00.000-07:00

The little miss is now 18 months old! She'll be 19 months on the 19th. I can't believe how quickly time has flown by. Her vocabulary is through the roof, and she is now practicing yelling every word she's learned. Some of that is likely to get our attention now that Hunter is here, and some is just practicing her newly learned skill. She loves to go to the park and climb all over structures there. Daddy & the grandparents took her to her first gymnastics class yesterday. She was a bit hesitant to participate, but we think she'll open up to it the more she goes. She loves going outside every chance she gets, whether it's to play w/the chalk, throw Charlie's ball, go for a walk or just to run around. She loves to be around Hunter. She tries to crawl into his chair with him & put his pacifier in when it falls out. He's not such a fan, though :)

Hunter is adjusting to his new life. He turned three weeks old yesterday. He's eating every 3-4 hours, and is only getting up once or twice during the night. Although, he sometimes has a difficult time falling back asleep. While I don't think he's a colicky baby, he definitely struggles w/reflux. He spits up about one meal a day. At 2 1/2 weeks, he only gained back his birthweight plus 5 oz. We have to take him back tomorrow for a weight check, and if things haven't improved, then we'll get further advice from the doc. We're not as concerned about the weight as we are seeing him suffer w/the acid reflux.

Wally & Carolyn have been such a huge help to us during this transition time. They plan on leaving sometime this week, and they will be sorely missed. Ridgecrest doesn't exactly have the amenities that Yuma provided! All in all, the Maples are doing very well & would like to thank everyone for their prayers, cards, and well-wishes for our newest family member!

More Hunter

2009-03-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

Here are some more shots of Hunter.

Momma between feedings.

Proud 'pop-pop'!

Hangin' with dad.

Up close and personal.

Hunter Elijah Maples has arrived!

2009-03-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hunter Maples is here! We're exhausted from the past couple days, Shannon especially, but very happy to be home and have everyone healthy! We departed for the hospital after a spicy Mexican dinner on Fri night, with Shannon's contractions only 8-9min apart. They progressed slowly through the night, but sped up quickly after the water broke at 5am Sat morn. Hunter arrived at 7:27am on March 14th, weighing in at 7lb 13oz and measuring 20 1/4in. We spent the night, surprising getting several hours of sleep, and were discharged this afternoon. Lots of upcoming appointments this week, but Bill has 10days off courtesy of the Marine Corps so that will help! Thanks to all who prayed...they were answered! Enjoy the pics!

Our wonderful nurse Ania!

Mom holding Hunter for the 1st time!

Maddie came for a visit but wanted to chat on momma's phone.

Maddie has taken to Hunter quickly and is having fun!

Hunter just seconds after his arrival.....not for the weak of stomach!

Grammy & Pop Pop have arrived!

2009-03-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

Bill's parents arrived yesterday in anticipation of the new arrival. They're staying in a local RV park at the fairgrounds in their new slide-in camper. Maddie warmed up to them very quickly and had great fun yesterday and today. Below are some pictures of that fun, dinner, etc.

Grammy tickling feet!

Sure do like corn on the cob!

Fun playing in Daddy's truck before a hike.

Maddie's new favorite quilt...quilted by Grammy!

President's Day Weekend

2009-02-15T18:15:00.000-08:00

Update: Thanks to all those who prayed for Patty recently. She is doing much better and her baby is a healthy 19weeks! For those interested, Patrick & Patty's Blog is linked on the left-hand column of ours, so feel free to visit.

Shannon is doing well, 36 weeks tomorrow! She is feeling the weight of the baby w/every movement, and he is an active one! There's no nausea to speak of so we're thankful for that. We're still working on the names, so nothing yet. His room is coming along quite well though, as curtains are hung and the new dresser/hutch is in place. Now we just need a crib!! Maddie knows where to find "momma's baby", but we're not convinced that she understands what's going on. It will no doubt alter her world in just a matter of weeks. Bill's parents depart TN for an extended visit out here within the next week or so, so we're excited to see them and to have a couple helping hands around the house. Maddie is very excited to see them too!

Below are just more random pictures of late. Maddie's new favorite thing is to try on mom and dad's shoes and walk around the house, so we had to capture that on camera.

Wearing Daddy's flight jacket....just a bit too large!

Wearing daddy's Nikes in the kitchen.

Trying to help get undressed resulted in a new headband.

Miscellaneous Maddie

2009-01-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

Maddie's new fish glasses.

Bill & Maddie on Pop Pop's new Harley!

Fun after dinner!

Maddie giving momma's baby a kiss before bed.

Boo!

Prayer Request

2009-01-17T20:19:00.000-08:00

Please pray for our cousin, Patty. She is about 15 wks pregnant & had surgery a week ago. She has had difficult pregnancies (many of you know Baby Abby), so this surgery was aimed to help strengthen the womb....giving the baby a better chance of growing the full 40 weeks. However, a week later, Patty was put into the hospital for hemorraging. The baby's heartbeat sounds good, but the bleeding hasn't stopped after 24 hours. Please pray that the doctor's will find the cause & be able to stop the bleeding. Patrick & Patty have a blog, so if you would like further details & information just click on The Hull Munchkins blog on the left side of the page. She has an entry about the procedure.

Maddie's quiet time

2009-01-08T20:50:00.000-08:00

So, the munchkin woke up from her nap & wasn't interested in snack....she just wanted to play in her room. So, I left her in there for a few minutes to go get snack ready for later. This is what I came back to...

Christmas!

2008-12-13T16:10:00.000-08:00

Most of you are probably wondering why this blog is entitled Christmas when it's only the 13th day of the month? Well, in short Shannon leaves for TN on Thurs morning and I'm following w/Maddie the next Mon, so we celebrated our Christmas today. It was a relaxing and fun morning, as Maddie got her own pony!! Actually, the pony from the previous post was such a hit that Shannon found one online and Maddie got to ride it today for the first time! Below are some pics/video from that. Shannon's score was a Wii and Wii Fit game, one of which Bill won free in a raffle last week in Orlando! We've had great fun w/it so far, especially the workout functions of the Fit game. Bill's score was a Garmin touchscreen GPS and some pushup handles. Is that a hint?!? Anyhow, they were both much appreciated and can't wait to use them! Hope your Christmases are just as blessed as ours, and we can't wait to see you all over the holidays! Merry Christmas and God Bless!!

Shannon's big score!

Bill trying to do pushups w/Charlie on his back!!

Need I say more?!?

Oh yeah, we had 40+ mph winds for the past 12hrs, and here's one of the local tumbleweeds! It's half the size of the car!!

Birthday party

2008-11-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

Maddie & I got to attend a fun birthday party today, & I was able to gather a couple pics & video of her playing. I think we found our next Christmas present for the kid! Before the party, however, she got a little mischievous.

She was having a great time riding around in the car until she saw me, then she decided that she wanted "up".

Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T11:29:00.000-08:00

Turkey dinner is served! What a wonderful Thanksgiving! While we both would have rather been with extended family this year, the Lord truly blessed us with a great Thanksgiving. We slept in (thank you Maddie!) and never made it out of our pajamas for the whole day! We had a dinner with all the usual fixings, accompanied with little to no stress!

We have much to be thankful for this year. One and a half healthy children, a non-deployed daddy, a wonderful new home and community, loving friends & family, and a gracious God who never lets us go.

We hope you all had a great & safe holiday that was full of recognized blessings!

This is how we know she's ready to eat...pretty hard to miss!

Here's how we know she wants to watch "Baby Signing Time"....again, not hard to decipher!

New wagon!!!

2008-11-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

Here's Maddie in her new wagon.

I love it when mommy tickles me!

Smiling through my pacifier.

Although proud papa thinks she's saying Da-dah, what she's actually refering to is the dog.

A busy little girl

2008-11-01T12:24:00.001-07:00

Our little pony didn't like to keep her paws on.

Keeping busy at a neighborhood party.

Trying hard to gear up some excitement for the Big Orange!

Wearing her new dress & reading her new Clifford book (both of which Grammy made). She's striking her new "what's this" pose.

Ultrasound results

2008-10-27T19:38:00.000-07:00

Well, the results are in and it's a boy! Guess we shouldn't second-guess the Chinese after all?! Anyhow, the sonographer (thought that was someone who works with underwater acoustic receivers?!) was very informative, showing us the division between the left/right brain, all the baby's organs, the length of the umbilical cord (longer is better?), etc. We learned quite a lot, and most importantly that the baby is very healthy and growing as expected. Now begins the process of deciding names.......

Random pics from the week.

2008-10-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

Below are pics from our trip to Santa Barbara, the zoo, the LA fires, a visit by Bill's mom and brother Greg, and some from around the house. Bill is off to Virginia for the week, so our next post will hopefully include the results from the next sonogram....keep your fingers crossed!

Still waiting....

2008-10-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

For those expecting news today, unfortunately we have none. After a thorough ultrasound, the Dr. was unable to determine the sex of the next little Maples. We have another appt scheduled in 3 weeks, so stay tuned .....

Happy Belated B'day!

2008-09-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

Maddie is opening her presents & is apparently very excited about her new outfit! Charlie is, of course, right in the thick of things....gotta know what's going on!

This was her second birthday party, but this time daddy, grandma & grandpa were able to be there! She learned what to do w/the cupcake this time. More of it ended up in her mouth than on her body or the ground.

Hanging w/Grandma & Grandpa at the Trona Pinnacles. We discovered that she loves rocks, as she cried when we made her leave them there!

First haircut!!

2008-09-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

Can you see her signing "more" for more animal crackers? She's already a foodie!

Today was a big day, daddy got a haircut! Oh yeah, so did Maddie. We must admit that she was heavily distracted with animal crackers and there wasn't much to cut, but mission accomplished. Not much else to say, so enjoy the pics!

Bull riding

2008-09-14T21:12:00.000-07:00

I joined some cowboys in the infield of the Pendleton, OR Round-up this weekend to watch some bull riding. That fence you see between me and the bulls 50 feet away is only made of PVC pipe! Thanks to Casey for getting us the front row seats!

Some pics from the week

2008-09-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

There was a parade of 1000 flags through our town to commemorate 9/11. They walked 100 rows of 10 men to Freedom Park, where they placed all the flags.

We found an amazing little town about an hour of us that reminded us of our beloved Smokies! There were people tubing down the river, fishing, having picnics...it was glorious!

The Many Faces that are Maddie!

2008-09-05T10:59:00.001-07:00

Just so you have some perspective, these pics were all taken within 2 minutes, so it's safe to say that we have a moody kid! The full-on frown is the newest in her repertoire and she uses it frequently! Her 1-year checkup is fast approaching, so we'll post the new stats when we find out. Enjoy!

Off-roadin'

2008-09-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

Here's what Bill does in his free time. Between supporting SCORE races in Mexico and running his truck offroad from Vegas to Reno earlier this month, there's always time to wrench on the truck and make small improvements. China Lake is surrounded by great offroad areas, and there's actually a 250 mile race here every Spring. Don't look for him to turn pro anytime soon, but if you want a fun ride, come on out! Kudos to Cricket who helped me build this offroad beast and filmed this clip.

Walking!

2008-08-25T17:08:00.001-07:00

Okay...I know I already posted today, but I forgot a very important element! Maddie took her first steps out on her own last night! You can just see the pride beaming on her face! I was able to capture a few of them on video this morning....go Maddie!

Whirlwind Month

2008-08-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a month we've had! It started when I found out I was pregnant. A week later was our anniversary, and we spent it in Vegas. Bill had a conference there for work, so Maddie & I joined him in his luxury suite (compliments of Uncle Sam)! We got to go swimming, watch a circus act at Circus Circus, visit Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden (with dolphins, lions, tigers, leopards, & panthers), and plenty of shopping :) A few days after we got back, I wrecked my car. Maddie & I are perfectly fine (if you don't count a bruised ego). I cracked my rear bumper, but unfortunately the air bags did the most damage. We are still waiting on the appraiser to get back to us (extremely frustrating).

Then, a week later, I rented a car & drove to Yuma. Bill flew the jet down earlier in the week, as he had two weeks of work there. So, Maddie & I got to visit daddy & friends for a long weekend. Finally, to cap things off, I took a temporary part-time job at the church we have been attending. After hearing about my background at Stone Ridge, they asked me to fill in while one of their secretaries is on vacation. It's 3x/wk for a month or so. It's been a good opportunity to meet people in the church, and it feels great to be able to help them out. Bill returned home on Sunday, and will be home for a couple of weeks before going on a cross-country. I would say that we are both ready for a bit of downtime!

I would add pics of Maddie, but we are having computer issues & I can't access them right now. I'll try to add them once we get it fixed.

Expecting!

2008-08-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

Maddie is going to be a big sister! Shannon had an ultrasound last Monday before our Vegas trip, and found out the baby is healthy and approximately 7 weeks old. That puts the arrival in mid-March, which means a whole new winter maternity wardrobe.....yeah!?! Let me be very clear......."we're not pregnant"...Shannon is. We ARE expecting, but as it's physically impossible for US to be pregnant, I'll leave that task to Shannon. The good news (I think?) is that I'll be around for this pregnancy and delivery to welcome Hadji #2 onto this earth. Stay tuned for more details as the belly grows......

Kermit's Near Demise

2008-07-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

Maddie & I had quite the traumatic experience today. You see, we had an incredible thunderstorm last night, which produced much cooler temperatures today. So, I decided that we should sit outside (when it's not 112 degrees) & enjoy the weather. While sitting there, I saw that our grill cover had collected a large amount of water (we were actually grilling when the torrential downpour began...go figure). But, when I picked it up & emptied the water, two little frogs hopped out. I thought this would be a great teaching experience for Maddie. So, I set her on the ground, pointed out the frogs, made the appropriate "ribbit" sound, etc. She must have thought they were cute, as she immediately crawled for them. I let her do so, assuming the frogs would have some sense of danger & would hop away. But, oh no...one frog just sat there and let my 9 month old pick it up!

Two thoughts immediately went through my head. The first was that she was going to squish it to death & the second was that she might try to eat it (as everything goes into her mouth right now). So, I panicked. I promptly started yelling at her to drop it, while shaking her hand vigorously (must have been a wild ride for that poor frog), to which Maddie appropriately started crying. I finally pried open her fingers & let the frog fall to the ground. It sat there stunned for a moment before it hopped away. I think Maddie & I were also both quite stunned at what had just happened. I soothed her, apologized for yelling, and went back inside leaving the poor, stupid frogs to fend for themselves in this untamed land, full of dangerous babies.

Bath time!

2008-07-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Communication Woes

2008-07-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

One of the worst things about living in a small town, is terrible reception...when contact with the outside world is what you need the most. In the month that we have had service, I don't think a day has gone by when our internet has consistently worked. Our home phone has had static so bad, that I've had to hang up w/people & call them back on my cell phone. Then, unfortunately, unless I was sitting outside in 100 dg heat, my calls would frequently be dropped.

All this to say, I think we are finally in a much better place for communication w/everyone!!! Verizon came out once again yesterday, and hopefully everything is fixed (except the cell). No more static & the internet works!!! I did learn that there is only ONE Verizon tower in Ridgecrest & it is all the way on the complete opposite end of town. They are planning to put another one in closer to this end of town...but don't know the time frame on that. In the meantime, I'll just continue to make calls when I head into town (closer to the tower) :)

Mt. Whitney

2008-07-08T07:28:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome July 4th weekend, despite living in the middle of nowhere! We had our first family picnic at a local park, and Maddie enjoyed her first swing ride. There were flittering smiles, as she just wasn't really sure if it was supposed to be fun. That night, Bill & I were able to enjoy the local fireworks display from our driveway. Living in the land of forest fires, you can imagine fireworks are limited out here....but for Ridgecrest, we were impressed. I sure do miss TN fireworks, though!

On Saturday, we decided to take on Mt. Whitney. Bill got a fancy, new backpack for Father's Day to carry Maddie in & wanted to try it out. We decided to do a "leisurely" hike, and tackle just the first 3 miles of the mountain...which ended at a lovely little "lake". The three miles was at an incline of 1500 feet, and we were feeling it by the time we made it to our destination. The summit to the mountaintop was another 8 miles! Our puny 6 miles roundtrip was more than enough for us. It was a very rewarding day! We were told when we arrived that there have been bear sightings almost every day, so we had to empty our car of everything that smelled (gum, baby wipes, lotion, food, etc) or they would tow our car!! While it would have been cool to see, we fortunately didn't encounter any bears. We'll definitely do this trip again!!

Trial Run

2008-07-06T16:16:00.000-07:00

We're deciding rather late to give this whole blog thing a go. This is a trial post to even see if we know what the heck we're doing!