millhouse

OBEY YOUR PARENTS!!!

2011-04-18T16:40:00.002-04:00

Located in our basement is my favorite wall art. Why is it my favorite? Because it displays the rules. Yes, the rules. We read them a lot. Thanks to Caleb and his attitude (where does he get it from?!) Anyway, I found a cute cross stitch at an antique store and printed out some rules (from etsy), and put them into frames purchased here at IKEA.

We visit this rule a lot...

And this one too...

Now....if we could just get him to follow those rules.... :)

ABC's ... Easy as 1-2-3!

2011-04-18T16:13:00.002-04:00

A while back I purchased some ABC decals at Meijer (before they were discounted to only 9.99!!). Anyway, now that that basement is finished, I have been busy getting the play area organized and decorated, so I went to the Dollar Tree and purchased 26 random frames. My orginal intent was to paint them all white, but I just loved the natural look of them- it really made the colors in the letters pop! So, how does one go about hanging 26 frames? Thanks to one of my favorite websites, younghouselove, I was able to hang all 26 with ease. Step 1: Arrange frames how you want them. Step 2: Cut out pieces of paper to match the sizes of the various frames and tape them to the wall.

Step 3: Mark the nail holes on the pieces of paper according to where the hanging apparatus is located.

Step 4: Pound your nails on the marks you drew on each piece, remove piece of paper and replace it with the frame.

So, there may not be doorknobs on the doors yet, but at least this play area will have cute decorations.

More to come...

Maternity Leave Makeovers

2011-04-17T20:01:00.004-04:00

I decided to take advantage of the time I had at home with my babies, to do some house re-decorating (which, yes, I do quite frequently). So, here are a few pictures of the living room and dining room (and basement pictures will come soon!)... Living room before: Dining room before-before:

Dining room before:

AFTER!!!:

We moved the old couches down to the basement and purchased these lovely beauties at Art Van. They are a dark chocolate color...kinda hard to tell in the picture. And, yes, those are toys stashed under the coffee table. A little bit of reality for you there.

(I scored this sideboard on craigslist for 50 bucks and slapped some dutch blue paint on it and new hardware....bada-bing!)

I sold the table we made (the long, skinny, knock-off wood table). We were wanting something smaller (and circular), that would have the option of seating more if possible. This table was another craigslist deal (100 bucks!). It is solid oak and has 2 leaves that extend it into a nice lengthy table for when we need the space. And notice the cute claw feet. Ya, me likey. :) Of course, we painted it this lovely off-white color to match the hutch.

This hutch used to be red. I like it better now. That's all I have to say about that (use your best Forrest Gump accent when you read that please)

Stats:

Old table- sold for $400

New table- purchase for $100

New Chairs- IKEA, $20 each

New Blue Curtains- IKEA, $20

Hutch- $20 for paint and monogram

Sideboard- $50 + $15 for paint + $20 for hardware

New couches- $500

Coming soon!:

-we inherited a sideboard and coordinating shelf from Russ' parents that we painted and put in the basement.

-some cute alphabet wall art for the basement

-guest bedroom in basement

-new light fixture in entryway

-new play tent for Caleb (the old one broke) :(

Whew! I'm tired!

Amy Out.

Crazy Caleb

2011-04-08T19:35:00.005-04:00

This is what happens when you ask Caleb to help bring things to the dinner table (and aren't watching...) And this is what happens when you are busy and Caleb gets into things (notice the cool hat...)

And this is what happens when you buy new furniture and move the old furniture....and discover what your 2.5 year old has been hiding under the couch for 2.5 years.

.... the couches were big people....not easy to move....give me a break will ya? ;)

-am

this ain't yo mama's cloth diaper...

2011-03-27T08:14:00.004-04:00

While disposable diapers haven't completely left our household, we are proud to say that cloth diapers have successfully entered. At $6.99 a pop you can get yours here While comparable to BumGenius cloth diapers, they are a third of the price. Jackpot. We were blessed to have them (18 of them. that is) gifted to us at a shower, so the cost to get started was the purchase of this lovely diaper sprayer: It attaches to your toilet (with the help of your hubby) and sprays the dickens (or the poop) out of your diaper! So, without further ado, I give you, the Kawaii one size fits all, all in one, snap closure, cloth diaper:

Each diaper comes with 2 microfiber inserts and a waterproof shell. The diapers can snap up to make them small enough for a newborn, or big enough for a toddler.

Just snap away till you find the size that fits your little bean.

Tada!

Soiled diapers get sprayed first, then put into a "wet bag" to be washed later. Wet (peepee) daipers also go in the same bag. We use disposable wipes still- but those go in the trash.

We wash them daily right now because there are so many soiled diapers at this stage, but eventually we will wash them every 2 days or so. Cold water soak, then a hot water wash.

Pretty easy really.

And the best part.....

saving money!!

Frodo

2011-03-15T18:38:00.006-05:00

In honor of Frodo's birthday this week (St. Patty's day), we would like to dedicate this blog revival to him with some of our favorite Frodo blog posts. Take some time to click on the links and get to know our dog. I think you'll like him.

Meet Frodo.

He is one HUGE ball of fur. He likes the snow. A lot.

He really is a super dog (http://russellandamy.blogspot.com/2006/10/super-dog-super-dorky.html )

And a "smart" dog... (http://russellandamy.blogspot.com/2007/09/professor.html )

And he once was a skinny dog...(or as I called him "Rat Dog")

He likes to take baths but does not like hair cuts (http://russellandamy.blogspot.com/2007/03/monday-march-26th-2007-dear-diary-today.html )

He sometimes is a naughty dog (http://russellandamy.blogspot.com/2006/07/solved-mysteries-case-number.html )

Happy Birthday Frodo!

My first "Knock-Off Wood" project

2010-04-30T19:17:00.004-04:00

For those of you who know, I have been on a dining room search for quite some time . I sold our counter height dining table on craigslist (see below) and decided that I wanted a long rectangular table that would seat at least 8 and would be, of course, stylish.

I searched and searched....and searched.....and couldn't find what I wanted. I ended up buying an antique dining set (see below) that I spruced up, but after a month with that, decided that I STILL wasn't happy with it. As you can see, I also decided to paint the walls a more neutral color instead of the orange (which was a HUGE project....and now I miss the orange....see, I'm just never happy!)

Sooo, a friend told me about http://www.knock-offwood.com/ and, I was hooked!!! I made a list of projects that I would tackle, starting with the "rustic table".

The plans were REALLY easy to follow and the supplies for the table were around $150 (and that's only because I went wood shopping with my husband and he had to get the "best" wood....so, we did).

Assembly went quickly, but it was the staining that stretched out the project. True, it only takes a couple of minutes to stain, but then to wait 6-8 hours inbetween stains, when you put about 8 coats on....and then a couple coats of varnish....well, you get the point.

And the results:

Here are the details:

Wood- Pine

Stain- Dark Walnut

Varnish: Clear Satin

Chairs: purchased on craigslist (all 8 for $50!!) and stripped them down, painted, then reupholstered.

Paint- off white.

Fabric: Purchased at Joann Fabrics with my 50% off coupon (paid about $20 total, and then purchased some scotch guard for it with y 40% off coupon)

TOTAL COST (for the entire dining set).....drum roll please..........

$250!!!!

Now.....go out and start your knock-off wood project. If we can do it, YOU CAN TOO!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

2010-03-17T13:06:00.001-04:00

18 month update

2010-03-11T20:14:00.004-05:00

Top 10 things about my 18 month old...

#10. He surprises us every day with another new word.
#9. He likes to pick lint out of his toes...he calls them "ishies"
#8. Multiple times I have caught Caleb eating those ishies.
#7. He doesn't like his hands to be dirty..."Eeewe"
#6. He likes noise, banging, throwing, and hitting.
#5. He will not say "love you" unless he is trying to get our attention.
#4. He has formed an alliance with Frodo at mealtime...and now that we know and have put an end to his "sharing", he has found various hiding places to store food.
#3. He's a ham (as you can see from the picture above)
#2. He likes to shout "AMEM" at the end of prayer....and after the songs during worship at church.
#1. He thinks he's the boss. He's not.

Now for the boring stuff that moms want to know...

He's about 75th percentile all around. He's a good eater. He still sleeps about 12-13 hours a night and takes 2 naps a day.

Busy times

2010-03-11T19:46:00.005-05:00

So, ya....I pretty much stink at keeping up on this and I am not really sure who really looks at our blog anymore....but oh well.

I have been a busy bee lately changing things up a bit. As you may or may not recall, this USED to be our dining room...

Welllllll, one wintery day, I got cabin fever and decided that I needed a change, so I sold our table on craigslist. I had been wanting to do so for a while since it was counter height and our shorter guest *ahem, Mitch* couldn't scooch themselves in when they sat down. Anyway, the table sold quickly and before I purchased a new one, I decided that I would also change the orange paint to something more neutral, so that I could bring in a different accent color.

Using the money from the table, I purchased a hutch, a table, some cute wall decals, paint, fabric for reupholstering the chairs, and even more! What a bargain shopper, I know.

A couple of weeks later, and a few tears and cuss words later, this is what the end product turned out to be:

It's dark and kinda difficult to see, and for some reason the OFF-white table looks bright white in the picture, sooooo, I guess you are going to have to just come over and see the changes for yourself.

As for my cabin fever....well, it's raining outside right now.... so.... time to redo the bedroom???

Nah.

Or maybe....

Christmas with the Millers

2009-12-28T13:54:00.003-05:00

Snow (or as Caleb calls it, "NOOO!")

2009-12-28T13:47:00.002-05:00

Santa

2009-12-20T07:45:00.002-05:00

This and that...

2009-12-11T21:14:00.003-05:00

Caleb loves horses :)
All bundled up!

Caleb and Dadda on their way down the trail at my parent's house in WI... on the way to see the horses again.

Of course, we had to sneek in some bath time with Caleb's cousin Emma- and of course we had to take a picture so that it could end up on their graduation picture boards someday :)

And here is Caleb at home, helping me clean :) Sometimes, it's nice to have a child with mild OCD.

ya, it's been a while

2009-12-11T20:45:00.002-05:00

Here are a couple more pictures from Caleb's photo shoot back in August. Beth did an outstanding job. Check out her site at http://www.adoreuphotography.com/

Orchard Day!

2009-10-19T18:19:00.003-04:00

Well, we are back. Sorry it's been a while for our few blog followers. I've noticed that we've slacked on blogging since becoming big "facebookers"...

Anyway, here are a few pictures of our day at the Orchard. It was a beautiful day with great friends :)

First Steps

2009-08-24T09:03:00.002-04:00

Caleb took his first steps yesterday while the Millers were all here! In 2 weeks, he will be 1 year old, which is hard to believe. We celebrated his birthday early with the Millers yesterday so that Rhianon could be with us before she leaves for Guam tomorrow. I'll post those pictures as soon as I get them from Rhianon. Enjoy!

-am

Rachel and Brandon's wedding

2009-08-11T15:16:00.002-04:00

Well, it's finally over....thank goodness!! Weddings are so much work!!! It was a beautiful ceremony though, and a FUN reception. Rachel was a stunning bride. I'll post more pictures once I get them...

Summer, Summer, Summer-Time....time to sit back and unwind...

2009-06-15T20:32:00.003-04:00

As many of you know, I am on summer vacation- for 3 full months! Woot woot!

I am enjoying my time and my family. I just got back from WI and had a great time! Unfortunately, Russ was not able to come with us- so that made it not as great of a time as it could have been...but here are a few pictures to share with you all...

No pictures please!

2009-05-25T10:01:00.001-04:00

A Day With Grandpa Miller

2009-05-12T08:55:00.002-04:00

Dutch Boy

2009-05-10T14:12:00.001-04:00

Naked Baby!

2009-04-22T21:29:00.002-04:00

Katie Winne's Birthday Fun!

2009-04-22T21:07:00.004-04:00

We all got to act like kids again (not that we usually don't...but...)... We surprised Katie at Craig's Cruisers and it was a blast! Here are a few pics from the event...

It turns out that I (Amy) am pretty fierce on the go cart track. Just as Dana and Jeff.

This is supposed to be our "fake smile" pose. However, if you look closely, you can see that some people (RUSS) did a psycho smile instead...

This is our "awkward" pose. This is our "awkward hand" pose. Russ and Katie definitely win this one!

Easter

2009-04-22T20:40:00.002-04:00

We had a great time with the Miller's this Easter. Of course, I am going to let you all know that I, Amy Miller, won the Miller Easter Egg Hunt. Of course, maybe it was because Katie Mika wasn't there this year, but I'll take the victory nonetheless. :)

Our Little Song Writer

2009-04-03T11:20:00.003-04:00

Turkey

2009-04-03T08:30:00.004-04:00

On the move part 2

2009-03-11T18:23:00.003-04:00

A day in the life of Caleb

2009-02-21T09:19:00.005-05:00

During the day, Caleb likes to play, play, play! He also loves Frodo as you can see from the picture below...
Of course, Caleb likes to spend a big part of his day eating...but sometimes he just can't get it right...

When it's time to wake up from a nap, Caleb always wakes up with a smile!
After a long day of eating, playing, and sleeping, Caleb enjoys bath time.

Finally, the day is over and Caleb is tired out. Usually he will go to bed about 8/8:30 and sleep until 7 or 7:30 and wake up happy and ready for another fun filled day!

On the move

2009-02-18T18:17:00.003-05:00

4 Month Stats

2009-01-20T06:43:00.002-05:00

Weight: 15 pounds (25th percentile)

Height: 25 inches (50th percentile)

New Discoveries: Grabbing at things (especially other people's faces), holds his bottle, loves his feet, does NOT love rice cereal, and he sucks his middle finger and ring finger at the same time...no thumbs here!

It's been a while...

2009-01-11T16:00:00.007-05:00

Here are a few updates on our happenings since our last post before Christmas. Enjoy!

1. Christmas with the Cottrell's: This year we finally came to the realization that our family is way too big to fit into anyone's house. So, this year, we all went to the lake house in Northern Wisconsin. We rented it without really knowing how it would fit our family, but it turned out to be great! We had lots of fun playing games, eating, playing broomball, and spending time with the fam. I can't wait to do it again next year! Below is a picture of Caleb with all of his cousins!

2. Christmas at the Miller's: This year, Rhianon and Heath were here with us! We had a blast with them and were so thankful for the time spent with the WHOLE family together! Caleb was happy to finally meet his Aunt and Uncle as well :) Here is a picture of Caleb with Auntie Rhianon.

3. Skate and Capes: For Megan's 30th birthday party, we all ventured over to Livonia for Megan's Skate and Capes party. As you can see, the theme was Super Heroes. We had so much fun!

4. Caleb is now 4 months old....and SO much fun!! He makes parenting easy...really! He's been sleeping great, eating great, growing great....he's pretty dang awesome :) (brag brag).

A Mother's Love

2008-12-21T06:53:00.003-05:00

As I was laying in bed thinking about all I have yet to do to be officially "ready" for Christmas, I began to think about my little boy...as is the usual place where my thoughts drift. I began to think about how much I love him and what a miracle he is and how,thanks to him, life will never be the same.

Then my thoughts drifted to the manger scene of long ago. I, for the first time ever, truly feel like I can relate to the essence and mood of that scene. I can picture everyone standing around, staring into the manger at the miracle of Jesus...just like we do every day at our little boy. I wonder if they were all just waiting and hoping for Jesus to open his eyes or to smile...and when He did, I wonder if they all said, "Oh look!- he smiled!!" Every little twitch, blink, yawn, or gassy smile, suddenly becomes the most interesting and precious thing in the world!

And to imagine- having that much love for your child- and then on top of that, knowing that you were looking at the gassy smiles of the King and Savior and kissing the chubby little cheeks of the face of God.

Wow.

Thanks to HIM, life will never be the same.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Giggles

2008-12-13T20:01:00.002-05:00

What I've learned so far about being a mom and about babies...

2008-12-08T18:01:00.003-05:00

10. There never are enough burp rags.

9. Dogs like to eat baby spit up.

8. I feel more like a cow than a woman.

7. Husbands are BIG helpers!

6. Early mornings aren't so bad when you have a smiley baby to wake up to.

5. Change the diaper IMMEDIATELY when you suspect a poopy...or else it will creep up and out and all over.

4. Don't just pack extra outfits for the baby, pack an extra for the mommy and daddy too.

3. Letting Caleb cry sometimes is okay...even though it breaks my heart.

2. There's nothing like story time right before bed...SOOOOOOOO cuddly!!

And the #1 thing I've learned so far... to thank God every day for our sweet boy.

It doesn't take much...

2008-11-22T12:42:00.004-05:00

...to make Caleb happy. He has this one toy that he talks to and laughs at. Enjoy the cutest 2 and a half minutes ever!!.....

"O Christmas Tree..."

2008-11-16T21:08:00.005-05:00

Amy: "Can we get a Christmas tree? There's a slim 9 foot pre-lit on sale at Joann Fabrics."

Russ: "Oh ya, how much?"

Amy: "$119...that's a really good deal".

Russ: "So that's like me and a half. Does that look tall enough if I stand over here next to the window?".

Amy: "Yes."

Russ: "It really will only go to the bottom of those windows. How much for a taller tree?"

Amy: "There's a 12 footer at Sam's Club but it's $250."

Russ: "Check Craigs List."

Amy: "Okay. Here's a 12 footer for $150 here in Holland."

Russ: "Call em up!"

Amy: "You do it."

A little while later, Russ arrived home with this...Russ: "I might need a little help."

Amy: "Why? It can't be THAT big."

A little while later Russ began to assemble the 12 footer that he bought...

Amy: "Don't you think it's a little too big?"

Russ: "Let's finish putting it up and see."

Amy: "Okay."

Amy: "It's huge. People are going to make fun of us for our oversized tree. I've never seen a tree this big in a house before."

Russ: "It's not that bad. I like it! It's cool. If you're gonna put up a Christmas tree, it might as well be a big one. Besides, it's staying up now after all that work."

Amy: "I'd like to officially go on the record by saying that I wanted the 9 foot slim tree from Joann's."

Russ: "Okay Scrooge."

Amy: "We should blog this conversation."

Russ: "We should title it 'Mines Bigger Than Yours'."

Amy: "That sounds perverted."

Russ: "Yup."

2 Month Stats

2008-11-10T15:02:00.003-05:00

Well, it looks like our little Caleb is right on track and hanging aroundthe 75th percentile in all areas. Currently he weighs 13 pounds, is 23.5 inches long, and has Russ' beautiful blue eyes.

Oh and yes...he still has all that hair...

Family

2008-11-01T09:42:00.003-05:00

For those of you who don't have family nearby, I'm sure you can relate.

This morning my family left after spending a couple of days with us. Usually I cry my eyes out after they leave, but today it was different because I knew that I would see them again in a few weeks at Thanksgiving....that is until I picked up Caleb and got a wiff of his hair- it smelled like his Grandpa Cottrell's aftershave. The tears came flooding down. I was going to give Caleb a bath this morning, but I think I'll wait till later so I can keep smelling his hair.

I've been saying goodbye now for 12 years. It never gets easier.

Thanks Mom and Dad and Becky for making the trip to see us. It meant SO much to us that you took the time to come here for a visit and we had a BLAST with you.

Love you!

(This is is a picture of Grandpa Cottrell with Caleb when he was only a couple of days old)

Caleb Photo Shoot

2008-10-14T19:00:00.004-04:00

Well, we were going to pay for a photo shoot for Caleb's one month pictures and then decided to just give it a try one night. We are pretty happy with the results! Here are a few of the pictures that we took. Enjoy!

Russ' two favorite things....

2008-10-11T08:33:00.004-04:00

So, I asked Russ to watch the baby while a got a few things done around the house....and I came into the guest room (which was also his office for the month of September) and this is what I found. Who knew a guitar case would make such a comfortable place to sit :)

First REAL smiles :)

2008-10-11T08:28:00.003-04:00

Well, it's hard to believe that one month has already passed since Caleb was born. Everyone always says that they change so much so fast- and it's true!! Yesterday he had his first real smiles. It was the highlight of my day and I pretty much sent the picture out to practically everyone. It's kinda fuzzy because I took it with my phone, but it'll do :) As far as stats- um, we think he's around 11 pounds now...that's pretty much all the stats we have. At his last appt. at 2 weeks, he was in the 50th percentile for height and 75th for weight....or the other way around. Seriously, I don't know how all of you moms keep track of this! Anyway, enjoy the picture...it makes me smile :)

The Story of Caleb's Birth...

2008-10-01T19:13:00.002-04:00

So, many of you have been asking me about how my labor went, so I thought I would post the details for ya'll!

On Tuesday, September 9th, we went for a walk on the beach with my parents, hoping to go into labor on my own (after being overdue by 2 days). I was told earlier that morning that my actual date for being induced would be that Friday (yuck!). In addition to walking, I had plans to drink Castor Oil, which I did after lunch that day. All I got was a bad case of the runs. Gross, I know. After lunch, I decided to take a nap. I woke up from my nap with what I thought might be a contraction. I said to my mom- "Hmm, I think I just had a contraction...but I don't know". Then, nothing for about an hour. So, I decided that it couldn't have been a contraction and that I imagined it...or that I was still cramping from the after effects of the Castor Oil.

Minutes later I had a contraction that felt like period cramps. I told my mom and she wrote it down so we could possibly time them. Then, about 3 minutes later I had another one. Then another 3 minutes later another. In denial that this was the real deal, I decided that I would text Russ and just let him know that he should maybe come home soon from his meeting. For the next half hour or so my contractions were about 1-2 minutes apart. At that point, Russ still hadn't responded to my text, so I called him and told him to get home ASAP so he could take me and my parents to the hospital.

The car ride to downtown was loooooong. The contractions continued to be 1-2 minutes apart yet I still did not believe that I was really in labor. It just didn't seem like it was "textbook". I even told Russ not to call anyone else yet because I was sure that this was false labor.

When I got to the hospital, my mom stayed with me while the men parked the car. I got to the triage room (spelling???) and they checked me and I was dialated to a 4. I remember thinking then, "well, I guess this is labor". 10 minutes later they checked again and I was dialated to an 8. At this point they asked me if I wanted an epidural. DUH!!!! YESSSSSSSS!!!! So they rushed me up to the delivery room and promptly gave me the good drugs. :)

From there I dialated back down to a 6 and things slowed down significantly. A hour or so later (or maybe more...I don't know!) we decided that it was time to start pushing. My mom, Russ' mom, Jen, Rachel, and Russ were my moral support. They fed me ice chips, held my limp legs, took pictures, and managed to help flip me over onto all fours when my heart rate and Caleb's heart rate plummeted drastically. I still don't know how they did that. I remember panic setting in once they strapped the oxygen on and then I felt myself losing consciousness. Scary stuff. Apparently though, getting on all fours works. Our heart rates got back on track and we got back to business. Unfortunately, Caleb didn't want to come out. The doctor started using words like C-section and vacuum. We tried the vacuum and after 3 tries, Caleb finally took his first breath of fresh air!

Every day I think back to where we were a year ago at this time. We were hopeless and had given up. We were told we had a 3% chance of having children of our own naturally and after a couple of years of trying and after countless doctor appts. at the fertility clinic, we took a break from it all only to find out on New Year's day that we were pregnant with our miracle child.

God is good.

Every day we thank him for our little Caleb, our little miracle.

Caleb Pics

2008-09-12T11:15:00.002-04:00

birthday eve....

2008-09-12T10:05:00.005-04:00

this is one of my favorite pictures... taken the night before the birthday.

don't tell amy I posted this one, otherwise she will get that same look in her eye. :)

Introducing...

2008-09-10T02:01:00.003-04:00

Caleb Russell Miller

the stats: 8 lb, 12oz, 19 1/2 " long

What a gift from God!

Self Punishment

2008-08-23T16:13:00.002-04:00

notice: for best viewing results place left ear on left shoulder...

2 weeks to go....YIKES!!!

2008-08-22T15:41:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe that we only have 2 weeks left. Today we are working on the nursery some more so hopefully we will get it done before Caleb arrives and then we can post some pictures of our hard work (or should I say Russ' hard work).

Also, here is a lovely picture of the ever expanding belly. I can't believe how much Caleb has grown just in the last few weeks! This little guy sure is active too- I think he's gonna be a soccer player :)

Well, that's all for now. We will do our best to keep you updated on Caleb's arrival.

Till then...

moving sched.!

2008-07-22T18:52:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone...

here's the plan,

loading at 6pm at my parents house on Friday!!! (bonfire shortly thereafter???)

unloading at 10am at our new home on Saturday!!! (the beach isn't too far away if you want to make a day out of Holland)

also... if you're interested in throwing paint on the walls, the only day I will be working on it will be thursday... any help is welcome, but we will still be friends if you have something better to do! : )

just give me a call for directions...

thanks ya'll...

rm

We're Moving!! Finally!!!

2008-07-19T15:29:00.003-04:00

Hi all! Sorry it's been a while since we've posted. We've been playing the waiting game with our lives...waiting for the baby to get here already...waiting for my grad classes to finish (3 weeks!)...waiting for our house to close...

Hopefully on Tuesday we will be in our new home. Unfortunately, I will be leaving for WI on Tuesday as well, so that leaves Russ with all the work! So, I am calling all troops to come to help paint and move. Russ will be painting and staining Tuesday evening, Wed. evening, and Thursday evening from about 6-9. Friday evening we need Rockford peeps to help pack up our loot over at the Miller's house in Rockford. Saturday, we are calling on all Holland peeps to join in the effort and help unload the uhaul in the morning at our new place. If anyone can help, please call Russ. I feel terrible that I can't be there...but someone has to open the presents at our baby shower in WI, right? ;)

Here are a couple pix that I took of the house during inspections. Not the best shots, but I'll post more once we get moved in.

30 Weeks!

2008-06-20T13:18:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we were privileged to have another ultrasound, since Caleb was so shy at our first. However, he once again was quite shy. It took about 45 minutes to get these shots and they still aren't the greatest. So, let's see how good you are at finding the baby in the picture :)

And here's everyone's favorite...Amy's expanding belly bump (yikes).

Day 11

2008-06-13T10:35:00.001-04:00

Well... we're back, safe and sound, and on the ground... i don't think we even took 1 picture of our trip home....so here's the last of the pics... thank you rhianon and heath so much for being our tour guides... we had a blast!

day 10

2008-06-10T19:58:00.002-04:00

Day 9

2008-06-09T21:35:00.001-04:00

Guam 7 & 8

2008-06-09T03:04:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, we swam a little and snorkeled a little. When we got back, we got ready for the wedding of a co-worker of Rhianon's. It was a HUGE wedding! Beautiful too and good food.

On Sunday, the family had plans to go snorkeling at GabGab, but we locked the keys in the truck (oops)... So we went to the pool instead. Once the spare keys arrived, we went to GabGab and snorkeled, swam, bbq'd and played a while. Then we got ready for another family dinner at Pedo and Flo's house (neighbors and "adopted family" of Rhianon and Heath).

Day 6 in Guam

2008-06-09T01:28:00.002-04:00

On this day, we toured the southern tip of Guam and learned a little bit about the culture. We also went to our first "family dinner". We all had a great time!

day 4

2008-06-06T19:32:00.000-04:00

refrigerator down!

Days 4 and 5 in Guam

2008-06-06T18:52:00.002-04:00

Day 3 in paradise!

2008-06-03T18:22:00.001-04:00

Guam, Day 1 and 2

2008-06-02T19:37:00.001-04:00

Possible torpedo belly??

2008-05-18T07:38:00.005-04:00

Okay...so a couple of times I have seen pregnant women with a rather pointy belly that I refer to as "torpedo belly". I wonder if that will be me. Judging by the looks of it...I think so....yikes!

(6 months)

Introducing...

2008-05-03T10:41:00.003-04:00

CALEB RUSSELL MILLER!!!

Here are the few ultrasound pics that we had at 20 weeks. They are tricky to figure out, but for you experts moms and dads, I'm sure you'll have no problem!

This is a profile picture. Caleb is sucking his thumb so his knuckles are also in the profile.

This is the 3-D picture. I know it's difficult to tell what's what, but if you look closely, you can see his little button nose and his mouth. His hands are up next to his face as well. You can even see the umbilical cord!

This is the proof that Caleb is in fact a boy! The was taken as if he was sitting on the camera. Look closely between the legs...:)

We have another ultrasound in June. Hopefully we will get some better pictures then.

for those of you who wondered...

2008-04-29T18:45:00.004-04:00

...what I would look like if I gained 10 pounds, I thought I'd give you a little peep show.

The photo below is rated PG-13.

Yup, that's right...I'm wearing sweatpants. They are lovely too. So are my stretchmarks. Simply lovely. Actually, I had both before I got preggo- and wore both the stretchmarks and sweatpants proudly.

As soon as I get over to the Miller's house to use their scanner, I will post a picture of our little Caleb. He's very active these days. I think he thinks my uterine wall is a hamster ball. It's not.

Okay. There you go. Now all of you who have been asking for a picture can look at it and go "Oooohhh, so that's what pregnant Amy looks like". Notice I didn't let you see my face...that's because I was pale with nausea and my eyes were watering from my newly developed allergies. Good times.

(I just realized that this message is coming across a bit unhappy...that is not the case, just so you know. I am still thrilled to be Caleb's mom and can't wait to hold him in my arms, instead of in my belly!!)

So....

2008-04-21T16:37:00.005-04:00

Today we had our ultrasound. Our little bean was not shy at all. In fact, our little bean decided to give us a little glimpse of his manlihood. Yes, that right folks, we are having a BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have decided to name our little bean Caleb Russell. Already, he looks like he's going to be a big one!

As soon as we scan in our pictures, we'll post one for you all to see.

Ahhhh!! We have a son!!!!!!!!!!! crazy!!!!!!!!!!!! I still can't believe that we're pregnant!

Whoa.

Happy 30th Birthday to MEEEEEEEEE!!!!

2008-03-31T17:36:00.003-04:00

Yes, that's right peeps...I'm 30...and proud of it! Thank you so so so much to all of my friends and family that were able to make it- and especially thank you to Russ for being the party planner. I love you all and I had a GREAT time!

Here is a picture of a few of us at Marie Catrib's enjoying a delicious dinner. Dawn... you may now officially begin signing autographs for making it on to our famous blog ;)

After dinner, we went to Naked Plates and showed our creative sides! This is Whitney and Chase painting a...well...a something.

Here is the whole crew busy at work. I can't wait to see how my plate turned out!

Easter at our place!

2008-03-31T17:22:00.005-04:00

Yup, this year we were blessed to have Easter "dinner" and our famous Easter egg hunt at our place. Rhianon and Heath and Whitney and Jen ...you were greatly missed!Here are a few pictures of the action.
Katie was the winner! (as you can see)

A whole new life... almost...

2008-02-01T13:51:00.000-05:00

yes... as you all may have heard, we were surprised and excited to find out about an addition coming to our family towards the end of the summer! If not, well you're out of "the loop" and you should stay in touch with us better... :) In addition to that crazy exciting addition, my first Sunday at my new church is the day after tomorrow, our house is for sale, I have a new computer, Amy and I switched cars, I got a hair cut, gained 20 lbs., got a new pair of kicks, and drink much less coffee than ever before. I have what seems like a completely new life.... it seems like, anyway. We're really excited about all of the changes, hoping and praying we sell our condo soon because the drive to holland is terrible, especially with all of this stinkin snow... maybe if I had a better realtor... :) that's assuming there is a better one... not likely though. I am going to keep the real estate gig going to be able to help friends out and make a little side cash now and then, so if you're thinking about buying/selling, or just want some info or advice, give me a call. k... advertisement over, now, back to vain discussions about myself. :) jk... I'll spare you that train wreck (for now).
Anyway - I wanted to show you all my new church! With all of the sadness about leaving friends and family, we are almost equally excited about this place. It's great! The people have been great, co-workers great, Facility is well... they're building. But it's not about the building anyway. anyway... here's their website http://www.immanuel-church.org/ .
Enjoy... and visit sometime... k?!

gotta go -
blessings,

rm

the holidays

2008-01-01T21:55:00.000-05:00

Hello everybody.... (last comic standing, anybody?)

anyway... just wanted to let you know we had a great Christmas. thank you all for the gifts and more warm fuzzy stuff to say.... really we had a great time though, first with my family and then with Amy's... we even got to spend some time with the Guamarino's via skype. here's a few pics from the miller's Christmas.

ok... guess i only had one pic from that, and it was of a pile of bacon. guess you can tell where our priorities are. When we see piles of bacon, we take pictures because they last longer. We did get some video from the Miller's Christmas though.... ironically it isn't of any people... just of their dog showing off her new shoes...

From there we went to the Cottrell family Christmas Celebrations.... we had a great time as Amy's mom waited on us hand and foot, which seemed like a week long thanksgiving feast. We also got some great snowshoeing in...

Update

2007-12-23T07:06:00.000-05:00

Sorry for not posting anything lately- like all of you, we have been quite busy!

So here's what's been happening:

- As many of you already know, Russ has accepted a position with a church in Holland (Immanuel Church of Holland). He will be the Director of Worship and Music, as well as oversee some outreach and small group ministries. We have been praying about this for some time now and really feel that this is where God wants us to be. We will be looking to sell our condo (anyone interested?!?!) and hoping to find something between Holland and Wyoming (where I work). This is going to be an exciting time, yet I am beginning to feel the stress and worry come on. It is really difficult to think about leaving our church family. I think we have just been in denial about it happening- yet each day it gets more and more real. I know that for Russ, this is going to be even more difficult of a move, since he grew up going to Rockford Baptist. Please keep us in your prayers as we begin this new chapter in our lives.

- Nothing new with me. Just finished up a couple more grad classes- so I am officially 1/3 of the way through! If all goes well, I will be graduating in August of 2008! I can't wait to be done! I am going to really enjoy these next 2 weeks off- no school, no grad classes!! Yesssssss!! Although, I do have to admit, I dreamt about my 2nd graders and I woke up missing them- pathetic, I know.

- Frodo's fur finally grew back...he is back to his fluffy self and wants to spend every second out in the snow. It is difficult to get him to come back inside at times.

- We will be leaving for WI Christmas Eve to spend the rest of the week with my family. I am so stinking excited to see everyone! I still can't believe that I have been doing this (traveling back and forth) for 11 years now!!! For those of you who know me, you know what a homebody I am and how much of a "mama's girl" I am- so going home to see my family and to just spend time with them is pretty much all I can think about!

Welp- that's all for now!

We hope that you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! Enjoy the time with your family and friends.

Thanks for tuning in.

-am

I forgot I had muscles...

2007-11-11T07:29:00.000-05:00

Welp, yesterday we played in the RBC co-ed flag football tourney. We didn't do very well, but we had fun trying! Today, I feel some aches and pains. It's been a while since I have done anything like that, so I am definitely feeling it today!

Holy NIGHT!

2007-11-08T21:57:00.000-05:00

This is a video of our christmas candlelight from 2 yrs ago. I was talking to scotty about it tonight, and thought i'd get it on the web for the world to see.

Ma & Pa

2007-11-04T07:42:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have been asking how my parents are doing, I thought I would give you a little insight into what they have been busy doing. As you know, they retired last year and have been keeping quite busy ever since. This summer, they built a workshop out back so they could do wood-working stuff.

Here is my dad busy carving a sunfish out of driftwood (I think it's driftwood....)

Pretty impressive eh?!

As for my mama- she has been busy knitting anything and everything! Last I heard, she was busy knitting mittens....for me I hope :)

It's so hard being away from them like this. I just wish that I could be sitting in the workshop with my dad or knitting mittens with my mom (while drinking our peppermint mocha coffee, and listening to Christmas music). :(

I can't wait to see you, Mom and Dad, this Christmas! I love you both so much!

-am

Jeff and Katie Winne!

2007-10-21T07:24:00.000-04:00

First of all- congrats to the happy couple!!

Second...my apologies for not blogging in a while. Busy times.

The wedding was absolutely beautiful! Unfortunately, we did not get many pictures at all, so you'll have to deal with this one.

As for Russ and I- things are going as usual. Russ is still busy juggling his 2 jobs (and hunting season now too!), and I am busy with teaching plus I am cramming in full time grad classes (yes, I am crazy). Other than that, we filling the rest of our time with silly things like eating and sleeping :)

Well, gee, that's all the exciting news we have for you! Aren't you glad you took the time to read this today???? We'll try to come up with some juicier posts next time!

Thanks for tuning in.

-am

The Professor

2007-09-17T17:45:00.000-04:00

the professor decided to chase a muskrat into the pond this morning around 5:45 AM, so he had his yearly bath before me today! Needless to say, he is NOT as smart as he looks... but neither am I!

-am
.... just kidding...
-rm

Jump Camping 07

2007-08-24T10:47:00.000-04:00

Lost and Found

2007-08-08T09:06:00.001-04:00

We dropped our dog, Frodo, off at the groomer yesterday.

We lost our dog.

We found this one.

We'd like the the fluffy Frodo back please. If you have seen him, call us. Possible reward.

Ian Patrick Wells Stevenson

2007-07-23T20:07:00.000-04:00

Well, it's official...our college group of girls is moving on to the next stage- motherhood! Ahhhh!! Tara Stevenson (Wells) was the first one of our "college girls" to become a mommy! And since she is an only child, we all get to be Ian's Aunts! So, here is my newest "nephew": He is pretty much the cutest little boy I have ever seen! It's amazing how much you can love someone that you've only known for a few minutes.

Here are some of Ian's "Aunties" that went to see him on day 2 of his life...

Auntie Katie and Auntie Molly

Auntie Jen and Auntie Amy

Auntie Megan

This kid is going to be spoiled. :)

Bishops in town!

2007-07-23T19:58:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, we were blessed to have the presence of Matt and Mere and Caden Bishop- along with many other fabulous friends and family! It was great to see them!!!!! Russ and Caden
D, Doug, Matt, and Caden.
And of course, it wouldn't be a get-together without a rousing game of "TIPS". Contact me for official game rules :)
Katie and Jeff

Camping 101 scary stories

2007-07-22T10:11:00.000-04:00

cottrell campin

2007-07-02T17:56:00.000-04:00

Here we are gettin our gear all ready to "rough it"

actually this is ours....

Gettin a little fire started the good ol fashioned way...
actually, it's kinda hard to get a fire started like the great Survivor Man on the outdoor channel.

but... where there's smoke, there's fire... right? In that case, I WAS successful. I'd like to thank my parents for putting me in cub scouts for one year... i can also do a somersault (sp?)

AND, It wouldn't be campin withe the cottrells without some fishin.... the kids love hangin out with their grampa

The nightly ritual....

Nathan and Kristy...

Mom and Flavio (Rene)

Here's ame's parentals: (not likeing the flash when it's really dark out)

oh... also here's Frodo's Dad....they're actually trying to find him a good home... he obeys well, but is kinda bossy around other dogs... let us know if you have a home for him... he's a purebread Samoyed... and obeys very well.

Can't wait to see you all again...

Wikipedia

2007-07-02T11:15:00.001-04:00

Start of Summer Celebration in Rockford

2007-06-18T21:44:00.000-04:00

As I think back to last year's start of summer, and last year's post on start of summer, I decided to post a similar picture. Russ didn't understand why I would choose a spot where I couldn't see the band completely, but what he didn't understand was this:

1. I found shade on a really freakin hot day.

2. I had a blanket to sit on.

3. Tradition led me to the same spot.

4. I can do what I want to do....I'm 29 (yes, it's true...the big 3-0 is near)

Overall it was a great day! Great food. Great company. Great music. Great turnout. I am proud of my husband for the concert he organized. Great husband. :)

Best Argument EVER!

2007-06-04T20:31:00.000-04:00

I don't care what language this is in, but this has to be the BEST argument I have ever witnessed!!! It makes me wonder what this kid was arguing for. Check it out:

Oh Baby!

2007-05-26T09:11:00.001-04:00

Our dear friend, Tara (Wells), will be expecting their first little bundle of joy soon! I can't wait to be an Auntie (T is an only child, so I get ownership of that title!). The shower was great and so was the company...
Pictured above are some of the peeps that attended the shower...Katie Mika, Katie Holden, Megan, Tara, Emilie, Me, and Tracy.
Good Friends.
Good Food.
Good Games.
Good Memories.
Good Times.

She's the Best!

2007-05-15T08:02:00.000-04:00

Introducing .... (drum roll please).....

Ms. Parkview 2007 - Teacher of the Year!!!!!

She wouldn't let me bring the camera, so I had to use my phone, sorry about the quality. Her teacher friends also made her a tierra and a sash to wear, but she wouldn't. What a party pooper!

Another link to add

2007-05-14T17:03:00.000-04:00

Hey all!

We finally convinced Matt and Meredith Bishop to start blogging. Be sure to add them to your favorites!

http://mattnmere.blogspot.com/

If anything, go on and take a look at their cute baby. :)

The Good Ole' Days

2007-05-13T18:10:00.000-04:00

As difficult as it is to get old, there are some things your mind never forgets. For Nana, that's music and DANCING! She and Gramps used to go out all the time to dance when they were younger. When they talk about it, they just smile. You can tell the memories they do have left are good ones.

Today, we put in a Big Band Love Songs cd. As soon as Nana heard it, she started wiggling in her seat. Next thing we knew, she was standing up and dancing. Russ couldn't help himself, so he joined in on the fun. The look on Gramps' face was one I will never forget.

These are the kind of memories that I know Russ and I will always cherish.

Happy Mother's Day.

Caden Matthew Bishop

2007-05-11T19:09:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, we had the pleasure of visiting our long lost friends, Matt and Meredith Bishop. It was a GREAT visit- and as an added bonus, we got to meet their newest addition! Sorry about the blurry picture, but it's still cute. :)
I swear that Caden liked Russ, despite the look on Cade's face. I have to tell you though- when Caden pouts, it's the cutest thing you have ever seen! It just breaks your heart!
After a full day of this and that, Caden and I settled down for some R & R. I have to admit, this was the highlight of my trip. It was so precious how cuddly and sleepy he was. I could have done without the drool running down my chest though. ;)

Thanks Matt and Mere for the great weekend. We can't wait to come again!!

For all the Moms and Mom's to be:

2007-04-09T20:39:00.000-04:00

Just added to amylynncollections.com today is my newest diaper bag! It's a great bag and I've sold 3 already- better get yours quick! Check it out- give me a call or email if interested in a different fabric (or just order online- but please remember the site is still under construction!).

This is so much fun :) Who needs teaching anyway? ;)

-Amy

New Website!

2007-04-07T11:49:00.000-04:00

www.Amylynncollections.com has been redesigned! Check it out!!

Pouring in Paradise

2007-04-01T14:19:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone - just want to ask for your prayers for Rhianon and Heath who are about to experience their first Typhoon - it looks pretty nasty... here's a link... http://www.goes.noaa.gov/guam/guamloops/guamircolor.html

You can also find out info at www.guampdn.com... Remember that when they say storm is going to hit Monday, that they are 14 hours ahead of us, so it's 4:30 am monday now (as of this post at 2:30 pm in MI on Sunday)...

Frodo's Diary

2007-03-27T21:23:00.000-04:00

Monday, March 26th, 2007

Dear Diary,

Today began like any other day, 5 am i was awakened by my mother, fed, and taken out for my morning business... i like to do my business. That morning my dad also fed me, so i was one happy camper.... full and enjoying life.

I spent most of the day gazing out at the beautiful sunshine and panting from the 75 degree weather. When my parents got home for the day (or so they thought) they decided i needed to take a bath because my uncles were coming to visit next week. (and i was kinda smelly). I sure do love bathing...

Anyway, so while i was in there, my dad notice a couple of matts behind my ears, so he decided to cut them off. Next thing i knew they were running around in a tizzy and calling my grandma. Then i heard them mention the vet... that's when i started to panic. I still wasn't quite sure what was wrong, but i got a little excited because i got to go for a ride.
We eventually (after a few wrong turns) ended up at Skeeter's house. He sure was ready to play, and so was I. I think i got slipped a pill in some peanut butter though, because for the rest of the night i was seeing double. Double skeeter, double dad, double dr. Supp. Before i knew it i was being poked with the needle and stitched up behind my ear. Turns out my dad tried to "off" me.... yes we have a dysfunctional family. Thanks to skeeter's dad, i escaped with my ear still intact, not to mention my life.
whew! what a long day.
-Frodo

March 27th, 2007

Dear Diary,
Wow 5 am came early this morning. My double vision finally turned into tiredness and i was OUT cold. I think the cat was snuggling with me at some point, but i couldn't even pick my head up to chew on her.
It was another beautiful day, dad brushed me out in the sun for what seemed like 2 hours (really it was more like one). I also got to go for another car ride! This time i went to Grandma's for mom's birthday. I had a great time playing with chris. Also lucky for me, Gramps left the door open and i got to go for a nice jog down 13 mile road. Dad, Grandpa, and Mom were chasing me... it was SO much fun... until... i noticed a lovely stream that i thought i'd go for a swim in.
Unfortunately for me, i am not yet a good judge of currents and it was more like a raging river. I was immediately swept down the river, busily paddeling my paws trying to keep my head above water. Mom and dad were watching the whole thing, running down the banks and calling my name. All of the sudden i got stuck in some fallen tree branches, i could not touch bottom, and was afraid i would drown. Then, as all hope for me was lost, my mom screamed and my dad shed his shoes and jumped into the river after me. The river was near waist deep to him, and he even was stuck in the branches. He eventually was able to free me from the branches and carry me to saftey!
As much as my parents were happy i was safe, i knew i'd be in trouble for this one. But lucky for me i got to get another bath.
Happy Birthday Mom,

Love, Frodo

westmihomefinder.com!

2007-03-16T11:58:00.000-04:00

I have a new domain for my Real Estate -
It has great mapping features, mortgage calculators, and ALL the listings...
I also love referrals... so let the word out!

www.westmihomefinder.com

(thanks for the plug, russellandamy.blogspot.com)

Russ

The Race is ON!

2007-03-03T09:35:00.000-05:00

Dinner time at meadowlark... Gramps gets off to a quick start, but Nana is closing the gap around turn 2...

Gramps seems to gain ground in the straightaway...
Awh... he waits for her to go in though...
Love ya guys...

snow dog

2007-03-03T09:27:00.000-05:00

Just tryin to figure out how to post video - This is of Frodo playing in the snow that was deeper than him... I had a hard time getting him to come back in the house - silly dog... yea, i know we're weird animal parents posting video of their animals.

Summer Dreamin

2007-02-24T16:44:00.000-05:00

See how fun Start of Summer was last year? well... we're doing it again...

fri - night worship before the fireworks - June 8th, 8 pm

sat - afternoon, local bands June 9th, 1pm-4pm

Guitar Hero

2007-02-11T16:19:00.000-05:00

Have you played "Guitar Hero"?? If so, I'm sure you agree that it is SUCH a fun game! After watching our new friend, Katie, play (as seen below)- I was debating whether or not to give it a try, but I did and it was a very big challenge! I'm not a game junky in the least, so watching images flash across the screen and hoping that my hands would be able to push the correct buttons at the correct time, proved to be....well, lets just say...interesting. Katie is truly a guitar hero! After Katie Mika and I took our turns, we pretty much spent the rest of the evening in awe as we watched our husbands, Katie and Jeff play- Man- they're good!
Katie and I- never camera shy, as you can see.
...and this is how Arwin chose to spend her evening. She loves bags. Strange.

SNOW!!!!

2007-02-03T12:57:00.000-05:00

I challenge you to come over and TRY to get our dog to come in on snowy days...

Slumber Party

2007-02-03T12:51:00.000-05:00

Thanks to our dear friend, Tara, being in town for the Auto Show, we were fortunate enough to get away for a night of girly fun! There's nothing like good friends, junk food, and funny movies- not to mention confortable pj's and GREAT conversation.

Love you girls! Can't wait till next time :)

Christmas

2007-01-04T18:59:00.000-05:00

Below are the chronicles of the last 11 days of our lives. Enjoy!

We started off spending Christmas day in WI with the whole fam damily! Yes, as you can see, we are quite the crew! Although it seemed crowded at times, it was great to have EVERYONE there....even.....

....RENE'! It's amazing how much your "little" brother grows up when you don't get to see him that much. *sniffle sniffle* He looks great though and it was SO nice to be able to spend some time with him.
After much eating, game playing, and just plain being lazy, we decided to head back to MI for the Miller family Christmas. On our way back we took an unexpected detour through a quaint little town called "Niagra". IT WAS GORGEOUS! So we stopped for a few scenery shots before getting back in the car on our way to "El Krapids"

Finally we made it to our destination and kicked off our stay with....PRESENTS! As many of you know, it is Miller tradition to draw names every Christmas. It is very serious and top secret. You are not allowed to tell who you have OR tell what you want. Sooooo....as you can see from the picture, both Russ and I received the SAME gift! Crazy huh? Yup, Chase and Heath both seemed to think that Russ and I like the game "Settlers of Catan". Thankfully they were right, however, Russ was able to trade his game in for some cool soccer equipment. Wanna play Settlers? Just come on over!! It's fun :)

Our stay in Elk Rapids was pretty much filled with eating, games, and sleeping. Aside from the 3 dance videos we made, there was one other crazy - spur of the moment event....

...Chase and Heath (after trying to convince us to go with) decided to go for a dip in the lake...burrrrrrr!! Since it was so dark, and since they ran so fast in and out, it was difficult to capture the moment with our camera....but Russ was able to get this fabulous shot of Heath, just as he came up out of the water! Looks refreshing doesn't it?

Many, many other events took place- but if you want the whole story, you have to come over and we will tell you all of the interesting details....all while playing a lively game of Settlers.

Thanks for tuning in.

-am