Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Is it almost Christmas?
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Happy 4th Birthday Jackson!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Camping Photos
We Survived Our First Camping Trip!
With so many state parks in the state of Oklahoma, we finally decided to head to Arrowhead State Park on Lake Eufaula. On the first day, we set up camp, let the kids run around for a while, had dinner and then sat around the campfire and roasted marshmallows. It was a fairly typical camping experience for that first day!
The hardest part about camping was sleeping in the tent. Although it was nice during the day and in the 70s, it got down into the mid 40s the first night! We dressed the kids in layers and put them in their sleeping bags with an extra blanket. Jackson slept great - but the girls were bothered more by the cold.
On our second day camping, we drove to another state park called Robbers Cave State Park for the annual fall festival there and to climb the rocks at Robbers Cave. The kids enjoyed the carnival games and the cotton candy and snow cones at the festival.
But if you were to ask them, they would all agree that visiting Robbers Cave was the most fun. My kids love to climb rocks and go hiking on trails!
For our second night at the campsite, we had some visitors! A very determined raccoon spent the evening seeing how close he could get to our campsite. In fact, he got within a few feet of the girls sitting around the campfire! Our fierce little dog Rudy let us know the raccoon was out there and kept growling at him. The raccoon finally gave up. Later, as Kevin and I were walking over to the bathrooms we saw a skunk! We quickly turned around and decided to head towards the other bathrooms. I wasn't going to chance an encounter with a skunk!
We had a good time camping. It was a fun experience for the kids. I can see us camping again next spring and summer!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Pool construction
After it was all dug out and before the concrete was poured.
This is the pool with the concrete poured, the coping and the tile work done.
The new concrete decking around the pool - plenty of spots for sunbathing!
A close up look at the tile and coping.
Pool construction has gone quickly here at the Hill homestead. They started digging mid September and have completed 80% of the work by mid October. All that is left now is getting the pool components hooked up to electricity, the plastering and a little more decorative tile work. We are looking at having the entire project done by Halloween! Of course, the kids might want us to kick on the heater and get it warmed up just enough so they can jump in before winter comes!
If anyone wants to know where we'll be next summer, you'll probably find us by the pool. No big vacations for us probably anytime soon! We'll be vacationing in the backyard. So of course, we welcome anyone who will want to come to Oklahoma and take a swim with us!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Connie Hill; 1936-2008
Connie, Katelyn (4) and Brittany (2) Dec 2004
Connie and Jackson (2) February 2007
Kevin's mother, Connie Hill, passed away on September 26, 2008.
Connie Hill was born Constance Laing in Fettercairn, Scotland,April 1936, to Alexander and Mary Laing. Her father, Alexander, worked at the local whiskey distillary. Connie grew up in Edzell, Scotland, where she later worked at the US Military Base there. She met Kevin's father at the base,where he was stationed, and they married in the late 1960s. They moved to the states shortly afterwards.
Connie had two children, Pamela and Kevin. (Pamela is 5 years older than Kevin). After Paul retired from the military; the family moved first to Indiana, then to Iowa and finally settled in Blue Springs, Missouri in 1987.
I first met Kevin's mother in 1994, when Kevin and I started dating. She had recently suffered from a stroke and was stil rehabilitating from it. Kevin always told me that I should have known his mother before the stroke, because of course, a stroke can change a person. The one thing Connie's stroke could not change was her love and admiration for her son. It was apparent right away that Kevin's mother thought Kevin hung the moon! She took pride in everything Kevin did, especially his success in school and his success on the baseball field.
A few years later, Kevin and I got married and Connie became my mother-in-law. After Kevin's dad (Paul) retired from his job at the Lake City Armory (located near Blue Springs), Paul and Connie moved around quite a bit. They lived near us twice, the first time when we lived in Houston and the second time here in Edmond. I know it was enjoyable for Connie to be close to Kevin and her grandchildren. By the time they moved to Edmond in November of 2004, we were aware of Connie's diagnosis with Alzheimer's.
I am thankful Connie was able to be near us, even if it was a short time. I know she loved seeing Kevin and her eyes always lit up whenever Kevin came over. In the fall of 2006, Connie had to be moved to a nursing home. She lived in the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau for about 2 years. Kevin's sister Pamela, who resides in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, visited her daily and cared for her at the nursing home those last 2 years.
Even with Connie's passing, she will always live on. Kevin looks so much like his mother. And Katelyn has Connie's eyes. We are saddened now that she is gone but also relieved that her suffering is over. As we grieve for Connie, we are reminded that she is in heaven with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And that helps make this process a little easier.Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Labor Day at Table Rock Lake
From left: Brittany, Taylor, Emma, Katelyn and Matthew
Katelyn and Brittany in the screened in porch at our condo
So, three adults and 6 children sharing a 2 bedroom condo was quite an experience. However, we spent most of our time swimming and on the lake.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Kevin's very own Mini-Me!
There really is nothing as cute and sweet as a son follow his daddy everywhere and trying to emulate his every move! Since Jackson turned 3, he has been all about his dad. From trying to dress like him to trying to act just like him - Jackson follows Kevin's every move.
This past weekend, he informed me that he was going to wear two shirts - just like dad. Kevin usually wears a white t-shirt under a dress shirt for work. So, Jackson had to put on two shirts.
Jackson says that Dad can fix anything because he has tools. If Kevin had tools out, so did Jackson.
Every step Kevin made, Jackson was right behind him. If Kevin went outside, Jackson went outside. If Kevin had to run an errand, Jackson went along.
At the end of the evening, Jackson wanted to "sneak out" to the hot tub with Kevin - no girls allowed. Kevin grabbed a Gatorade for himself and of course, Jackson had to have one too. Out at the hot tub, Kevin and Jackson had to wear their sunglasses.
When they were done in the hot tub and came in to get dressed, Kevin had slung his towel around his neck. As soon as Jackson saw that, he ran for his own towel and did the same thing!
I love watching Kevin and Jackson together. Right now Jackson really is Kevin's Mini-Me.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Jackson wants to be just like his Dad!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Fun in the city of Denver
Our first stop was the Hammond Candy Factory. They have been making candy since 1920. We were able to go on a factory tour and watch candies being made by hand and with the help of vintage machinery. Katelyn took detailed notes and found it very interesting. Brittany and Jackson were just waiting until they could go to the candy store and stock up on candy! It took a while for the kids to pick out exactly what they wanted. We left with candy canes, lollipops, ribbon candies and chocolate bunnies.
In the evening Kevin joined us for dinner at the Downtown Aquarium. The Aquarium consists of a restaurant and a museum. We sat right next to the tank and all the kids were fascinated watching the fish swim around. After dinner we went into the museum to see aquarium life from all over the world.
We had been to the Downtown Aquarium when we lived in Houston and thought this Aquarium had a better exhibit.
Jackson was excited to see "Nemo" and "Dory" in a tank. Brittany and Katelyn were intrigued by the sting rays that they could actually touch. The only Hill family member who touched them was Kevin!
The following day, the kids and I met up with Michele Woytek and we went to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This is one impressive museum. It is massive - with three stories of exhibits. We spent the entire day there and still did not see everything. This is one museum I would highly recommend to anyone traveling to Denver. The kids kind of ran through it and I wish we could have spent a little more time in the exhibits. Our favorite exhibits were the Gem and Mineral Exhibit and the Space Odyssey Exhibit. Of course all the kids had fun in the Discovery Zone. Katelyn spent most of her time at the dinosaur dig. We ended the day with a trip to the museum store where Katelyn left with a bracelet and quartz keychain. Jackson and Brittany wanted dinosaur masks and more rocks to add to their growing collections. I guess it should come as no surprise that our kids would love all things about rocks and minerals, as their father has a degree in geological engineering!
I think we have spent enough time in museums lately. Although, there are other museums I would like us to visit when we get to Colorado Springs on Thursday. However, tomorrow we will take a break and do some shopping. Katelyn has been really looking forward to this part of our vacation!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The beginning of our Colorado Trip
Monday, February 18, 2008
News and Updates - It's been a while!
Church activities kept me busy -from teaching Sunday School to Voter's Meetings to a fundraiser dinner that I helped to host. The dinner was a very unique idea. The school's parent organization cooked the dinner and asked that each table have a hostess. My friend Brigette and I hosted a table. Each hostess was responsible for decorating the table in a theme of their choice. We decided to go with a Caribbean theme, as you can see by the photo. The best part was the live beta fish in the vases that served as our centerpieces. It was the talk of the evening!
We also began new activities for the girls - ice skating lessons twice a week. I know, I'm crazy right? With dance lessons twice a week for Katelyn and once a week for Brittany why add something else? The girls really wanted to try ice skating last semester but I could not fit it into our schedule at that time. We decided to start in February. Katelyn and Brittany love it and have improved dramatically. It's so interesting to watch their different learning styles emerge on the ice. Katelyn still rushes at everything she learns. When her group practices skating across the rink, she is determined to try and finish first. Which means she falls down every now and then! Brittany is a very patient learner. She does not really seem to care that she is the last one to cross the line - just that she does it right and does not fall.
February also brought with it a decision about schooling. It was enrollment time at Holy Trinity and we sat down and decided the girls would return to school at Holy Trinity in the fall. We knew when we began homeschooling in January that it would probably only be for one semester. I still believe homeschooling is the preferred method to teaching the kids. There are so many things about homeschooling that I do like. However, our circumstances mean that I am responsible for practically al aspects of the kids' lives with no other adult help or reprieve for myself. If we lived in town with family and Kevin did not have to work so many hours I would keep homeschooling. However, that is just not our reality. I know there is a great network of homeschoolers out there to help support each other in this endeavor. However, support from friends is not the same as support at home from family. And that is what I need most. Our circumstances just don't provide for that.
I admire everyone out there that homeschools. I know what an awesome sacrifice it is and also how rewarding it can be for parents. Homeschooling is still going to be part of our lives as I will hve Jackson at home with me next year. Kevin and I decided to keep him home and not send him to preschool 2 mornings a week in the fall. I know that putting a child in preschool is the thing to do as soon as they are old enough to go. However, neither of us really believes it is that beneficial for his development at this time.
I am looking forward to returning to Holy Trinity. I have actually missed being a part of the school. I am excited for Brittany because she will have Katelyn's 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Cyr, and we absolutely loved her. She is an amazing teacher. We have also heard great things about the 3rd grade teacher. Of course, there are things about the school I may not always agree with. However, at least I know the curriculum is sound and they are in an environment that I believe is better for them than the public schools.
That being said, we are taking advantage of our homeschooling schedule and going to Colorado for a vacation. We'll be in Colorado for a conference that Kevin is attending and then heading to a rustic log cabin for a few days in the mountains. The kids are excited about seeing the mountains and the snow. It will be a nice little trip for us.
So I have lots of packing and laundry to get done before we head out. I'll try and come back with great photos of the kids mountainside!