Campbell Clan Adventures!

We are still alive!

2010-03-24T06:22:00.001-07:00

I am taking a minute and posting a few pictures! Everyone is well! Rod survived Spring break with all the kiddos home and my ever so brief trip to Atlanta!

Sweet Sixteen!

2010-02-12T20:41:00.000-08:00

I am feeling a sense of satisfaction tonight! My first baby turned sweet sixteen today! Here are a couple of videos and pictures from the big day!

The gang - Brennen, Tay, Taneur (top right) and Zoe (bottom right)
Isn't she beautiful??

And the youngest crowd - Cadence, Matthew & Reagan at lunch today!

Reagan's Writing

2009-11-05T11:25:00.000-08:00

I have to brag! Reagan is doing so awesome in school! Everyday, the kids are given 20 minutes to write in class. They are encouraged to sound out words and write them down as you hear them spoken. So here is Miss R's latest writing masterpiece! (the drawings and writing on the first page are about liking unicorns!)

The next page is a little more clear - She likes butterflies, Ms. White, Sammie and Taylor (not her sister, her BFF as she will tell you!

Ms. White is awesome! I really appreciate her teaching style of not constantly correcting and letting them enjoy what they are doing. She is a believer that writing letters backward and spelling self correct without making them wrong! Great way to build confidence in writing at an early age!

Halloween Pictures

2009-11-01T06:55:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update with Halloween Pictures. We had a great night and the kids has a lot of fun - adults too!

Taylor & Zoe
Matthew & Mommy
Matthew & Jennifer
Rod
Cadence, Emily & Reagan
Shelby & I
Princess Belle
Boyfriend Chance, Reagan and Vail
Matthew!

Ready, Set, Go....

2009-10-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

Taylor won a gift basket at her orthodontist. Inside was goodies for the Arizona State Fair. We let Matthew play with the hat and our nightly ritual after dinner has to give him the hat. He puts it on and runs laps around the kitchen island - not a clue why....

We captured it on video last night - complete with his new saying...... Ready, set, go......

October Updates!

2009-10-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

A Conversation with Matthew!

We are good here in hot, sunny AZ! We are still holding out in the high 90's during the day and probably will be for the next week or so. I am sad to see summer coming to an end. I love the hot weather!

Last weekend was HELL! The girls were out of school Thurs, Friday and the following Monday for Fall break. Taylor started feeling yucky Thursday morning, and by Thursday afternoon Reagan was ill and both were running a fever. A trip to the doctor Friday afternoon confirmed our fears - the FLU! So 2 prescriptions of Tamiflu later, we were just praying that Matthew would make it without catching it! Wishful thinking! Early Sunday morning he woke with it and the fever. Luckily we got Tamiflu called in for him and he started that on Sunday! We made it through Monday and Tuesday Reagan was up to going to school and by Wednesday all of the kids were healthy once again! KNOCK on wood, Rod and I somehow escaped it!

I completed the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure 5k last Sunday. My time was about 38 minutes or so and that was my official kick off race for my 1/2 Marathon training. I am running the PF Chang's Rock'n'Roll Marathon (the 1/2 portion :) on January 17, 2010!

Rod is well. He has a budding new career in website development! He has been putting together sites for a couple of new clients and has been doing a great job. If you know of anyone needing web services - www.rncgroup.net!

Taylor is doing great in school. 10th grade seems to agree with her pretty well. She is kicking booty in English (I can't relate - never enjoyed or did well!) I am encouraging her to think about a career in journalism. She is an excellent writer and it comes naturally for her.

I love Reagan's school! She has a fabulous teacher that seems to be a great fit for her personality. No complaints coming home and the reports so far is that she is doing great. I talked with her Spanish specials teacher and he told us how she refused to participate for the first two weeks - not Reagan like at all - but finally she warmed up and jumped right in, even knowing the stuff that they had been learning!

Matthew is almost 18 months! (Pouty face from Mom!) His new word is dinner - all meals are dinner! He can count to three (probably from the Reagan threats, You better do "X" by the time I get to three - one, tw0......, three!) And he likes to sing. Every now and then you can pick up the letters that he is saying and recgonize the ABC's! He also got his first haircut! My good friend Jennifer came over and gave him a little trim! Here is a video from that!

Back to School

2009-08-24T17:20:00.000-07:00

Our girls started school today!

Taylor is back at Foothills Academy in 10th grade - I must have had her when I was 9! HA HA! Taylor has a whopping 10 students in her class. Gotta love those ratios! It was sad that they lost over half students from last year, but they did get 3 new ones in. She is in for the final 3 years! Amelia is in the other class - smart staff for not putting them together!

Reagan is at a new charter school Foothills Academy Elementary Prep! It has been down to the wire for them to get their lease signed and everyone moved in for the year to start! Because of a agreement with the owner of the building, they could not offer kindergarten! So Reagan is a transitional first grader! She thinks it is cool to have "skipped" a grade. Since the school does multi-age classes, she will get everything she needs! Here are pictures of her friends Samantha (one of Taylor's best friends, Zoe's little sister) and Dominick (Reagan and Dominick went to Rising Sun Montessori together last year).

And Matthew gets to be the center of attention for a few hours a day! He is growing like a weed and is talking more and more everyday! He loves to put his fingers in his ears and yell! Very nerve wracking! Here is a quick picture of him!

June 20!

2009-06-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

It's been a while! I have been busy working and hanging with the gang! Rod has been doing some computer work for a client and the kiddos are having a fun summer! The temperature for June has been VERY cool compared to years past and we have been loving life!

Taylor survived her freshman year! She passed all of her classes and made above average on all of the areas of her standardized testing! I would like to rub that in to all the elementary teachers that were not her greatest fan. NA NA NA - yeah, I know, really mature, but that was hell to live through! Taylor spent weekend in LA with Jenn, Janet, Amelia and friend and she is heading to Lake Powell for 2 weeks to be with Angela (from soccer) and her family on their houseboat. I am insanely jealous! Stay tuned to pictures of new hair!

Reagan is ready for kindergarden! Holy cow - where has the time gone???? She is going to summer camp during the weekdays at Rising Sun and enjoys getting out of the house (Rod enjoys it too :)) We are so excited that Taylor's school is opening a K-5 charter in the fall, so Reagan will go there! They are having the multi-age class rooms and constant evaluation to keep them engaged and challenged!

Matthew is growing leaps and bounds! And he is a TALKER! His first word was "GO". He now can say Reagan, DUDE! and Uh oh! And much, much more that we don't understand. He is better at sleeping all night! (Thank goodness!) This video is from this morning wandering around my sewing room!

I got 3 inches chopped of my hair and I am loving it! Here is a picture!

Matthew's First Birthday!

2009-04-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

Poor Puddin!

2009-04-05T10:15:00.000-07:00

We had an adventure on Saturday afternoon! Matthew is doing a great job learning to walk, but he is still very wobbly! He was walking in the den with a toy in his hand and fell! We thought he smashed his hand and when I scooped him up to comfort him, blood was gushing out of his mouth! I darted to the kitchen and we got him cleaned up a little and discovered that he had a cut right about his lip and he was bleeding in his mouth too! He didn't bleed too long, but the cut on the outside seemed to be gapping open a little so off to the ER we went! He was a good sport! The doctor agreed that he needed a stitch so that's what he got! He was OK being swaddled and held down, but lost it when they covered his face with the sterile field sheet! It only took a minute and then I had him back in my arms. Rod and I made it through with only minor trauma! Here is a picture of when we got home!

Taylor had a "Old fashioned" sleepover as she called it! It was a fun group of girls and 2 of the guys came to hang out for a while Friday afternoon. Of course they were up all night and I think Rod heard them last at 4 AM! It was great when I went to get them up and there were 5 girls in Taylor's queen size bed! I am so sorry I didn't take a picture! It was classic!
No, the boys did NOT spend the night :)

2009-03-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

Hey! We have had a busy week. It was back to work for me for the first time since Reagan was born :( and Rod is home with the kiddos - everyone survived the week and came out alive!

I have the position of Business Analyst for Apollo Group, Inc which is the parent company to University of Phoenix. I will be helping with the institutional reporting with in the student financial aid department. Good area to be learning with Tay 3 1/2 years from college!

We have had a fun weekend! Reagan went to a birthday party today and got to ride Ellie May! Here is a picture and a quick video! She had no fear!!

Last week Shelby put together a trip to the Herpetological Society for a bunch of us with kiddos. It was great! Reagan and Taylor got to feed the tortises and Reagan got to ride on the back of one! We saw crocodiles, alligators, iguanas, all sorts of lizards, snakes, tortises and turtles. We even got to see the crocodiles being fed - not a pretty site!

Matthew is very, very mobile and has started climbing! Here is a picture of him getting himself into trouble! Gotta love that look!

Stick a fork in us, we are done!

2009-03-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

My B A B Y, the last, the one that we are supposed to cherish and hold as little forever has done the unthinkable - taken his first steps. I am sooooo SAD! He walked out of my arms excitedly into his sister's this afternoon.

Last night we celebrated our friend Rob's birthday with all of the families. Here is Reagan and her boyfriend - Chance van Zweeden! Aren't they cute???

Taylor is on spring break this week and is hanging out with me!

More later, I am tired!

February.....

2009-02-26T10:08:00.000-08:00

Hi! We have had a big month! We moved (yes, again and no, we are not addicted to moving). I think we have finally chosen the best house for us! It has a playground with 2 slides, swings and two levels for climbing. Rod has an office off the living room and I have a sewing/craft room off of the den. There is a HUGE bonus room upstairs where we have toys, the kids tv and my weights. It also has a patio. And we have a cool pool that is FENCED! I can let Reags out to play without any worries (other than AZ wildlife HA HA). No, I am not unpacked completely and it may take me a year! I am being kind to myself and taking it slow - or it may be a little rebellion to the fact I need to unpack again. Our goal is to be settled here until we buy (cross your fingers!).

Taylor celebrated her 15th birthday on the 12th! It was a week of hanging out with all of her buddies! She had a dinner on her actual birthday that Jen & Amelia & a passing boy attended (no need to mention - the facination came and went with record speed) and then had school friends over for Friday the 13th! It is neat being close to more of her friends and having them coming and going!

Reagan is Reagan - my challenging one! She LOVES her preschool! I get a fight every day when I go to pick her up - "No MOMMY, I don't want to go!" Guess that is confirmation that she is where she needs to be. We are working on staying calm and not pitching fits (HA HA - any suggestions are greatly accepted!) I hope she grows out of this - but I am not yet convinced that it will happen.

Matthew is growing up waaaayyyyyyy to fast! He is 10 months old now. We have finally stopped breastfeeding - much to my dismay. He decided and let me know by biting me everytime we tried to nurse. It did not take me long to catch on and throw in the towel. He was DONE - he has not even nudged at the breast since. I am sad though. He now has 5 teeth! He is an expert at crawling and loves to try to climb the stairs (under adult supervision only!). He is starting to let go when he pulls up and will take a few steps when he is in the pack 'n play. I am sure that it won't be long until he is walking!

Christmas to MLK Day!

2009-01-18T15:44:00.000-08:00

OK - once again we are way behind! Since Christmas we have celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary (12/30), had a great New Year's eve celebration with Margie & Ronnie and Rob & Shelby and all of our kiddos at Margie & Ronnie's house. It was a lot of fun and the kids actually were awake when we left at 1:40 AM! I was amazed.

School is back in full swing and Reagan is at the BEST Montessori school - RisingSun. Miss Anna from last year is there and Reagan is so happy. We love Mrs Mara and have found a great new school family. The half day program works so much better than full days and I look forward to her being there next year for kindergarten as well.

Matthew is growing by leaps and bounds! He will be 9 months old in a few days. I cannot believe it! His new trick is pulling up! And he does it on everything. He also has cut his two top teeth - yes, all at once!

Taylor came out with great grades for the first semester of high school! We are SO proud of her! She actually made a 97 on her geometry final.

I am really, really trying to get my butt motivated on eating smart and exercise. I really fell off the wagon during the holidays and enjoyed baking all sorts of sweet goodies and biscuits and eating everything I wanted. I have a new blog that will feature my journey from the past through me getting to my goal of 140 pounds this year. Check it out - Shrinking the Fat.

Rod's parents are here visiting and we are in beautiful Sedona, AZ. We went and walked around Midgely Bridge at Oak Creek Canyon and had a very cold picnic at Slide Rock Park. We ended up sitting on the curb to stay in the sun and Matthew & Granny in the car!!!

Christmas Morning

2008-12-25T06:57:00.000-08:00

Good morning Everyone! Here is how we started our day!

Merry Christmas!

And here are some pictures too!

FINALLY!!!!

2008-12-23T07:57:00.000-08:00

Wow - Have I been remiss in posting! Nov. 29th was the last one! We have been plugging along!

Taylor has finished her first semester finals and is out of school. English is the only grade in so far and it was passing! Now 5 more to go! She went to Cali with her friend Amelia and spent the day at Universal Studios. She had a great time!

Reagan W\\\\\\\\\\\\\` - ok - I am skipping to Matthew for a moment - as I went to get a cup of coffee, Matthew decided to post a few characters to the blog - Here is what I returned to find...

Just LIKE his Daddy - tongue sticking out in concentration and everything! And then he was not happy at me taking it away!

He is still creeping around - he gets up on all fours and then lays forward on his tummy and then back up again. He is growing so fast! His 8 month birthday was on Sunday!

Now back to Miss Reags. She was invited to Vail's birthday party at the Ice den. What a great time! Here is a video of her first ice skating experience! She did so great!

Santa is much anticipated! With a list 2 miles long. We are trying to get things worked out for her to begin a new montessori preschool in January and she is very excited about that as well. Keep your fingers crossed that we can get it worked out!

Rod and I have been sneaking around working with Santa on a BIG Christmas surprise. All will be revealed shortly!

Merry Christmas everyone!

What we are thankful for.......

2008-11-25T06:47:00.000-08:00

It's two days after Thanksgiving, and I am behind in posting what we are grateful for.....

Reagan is thankful for "Mom, my whole family, my momma Bonnie Willingham (yes, she said first & last name), Sissy, and nothing else."

I am thankful for my life, my children being healthy and happy, my husband, all of my family, my circle of friends, LLI for changing our thinking and outlook for the better almost 4 years ago! Being in beautiful Sedona for a week!

Taylor is thankful for "My whole family, all of my friends, my life, texting, food, a warm home, and and of course the little man that is always cute and kind to me Matthew!! And I am thankful for all the smiles and hugs i get from everyone! :D "

Rod is thankful for "My wonderful wife and kids, my family, friends, being able to work at home, LLI and all of the opportunity that it represents, and being able to travel the world."

Party, party

2008-11-16T15:14:00.000-08:00

This has been a busy weekend for birthday parties! Our friend Raven had her 5th birthday on Saturday and we went over to her house for dinner and cupcakes. It was a fun night for the kids and the adults! Today was celebrating Olivia's 3rd birthday at the Train park. Matthew, Reagan and I got to ride the train! It was Matthew's first train ride. You can see our friends Kristen in the blue, Lisa in the jersey, Skye is in the camo and you know the rest of us!

Taylor has had a full weekend of hanging out with friends! She is happy to have lots of free time with no soccer.

So today I was pushing Reagan on the swing. Matthew found great humor in this for some reason. Please excuse the video and know you are playing the video for the audio more than the picture! I had a camera in one hand, pushing with the other and Matthew in the carrier - enough said! Enjoy though!

And now for the really fun news...... Drum roll please......

I shaved Rod's head! He wouldn't do it earlier because of concern of sunburn during the summer, so now that it is not summer. I was the instigator and he can blame me, but I like it and all of our friends agree that he looks good. What do you think?

Drama, Drama!!! Enough ALREADY!

2008-11-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

I am not very in love with desert living after last week!

Poor Little Miss Reagan got stung by a scorpion! It was under a pillow on the couch. I do not like AZ wildlife - bugs included! So a call to the pediatrician and poison control let us know to just wash with soap and water and put a cold wash cloth on it. You don't have to worry unless she starts drooling uncontrollably. And it takes 6 hours for the effects of the poison to peak. ARGH - information that I wish I did not need to know!

And that was after Jill (our occasional babysitter) got stung last Thursday while playing with Reagan on the floor in the family room. She was OK too, but enough is enough!

Rod has become the scorpion hunter! He has purchased a black light and searches through the house after it's dark! Last night was the first night he didn't find one! The exterminator explained that they come out during the day when it warms up from where they are hiding in the walls - makes me feel great!!!!

Taylor had a trip to the ER after heading 3 balls in her final soccer game Sunday. They only played 4 last weekend (yes, that was heavy sarcasm!) She was OK and took Monday off school to rest and recuperate! No child should have to do that! 2 back to back games each day left her exhausted and disgusted at 3 losses and one tie. We have had a welcome break from practice and have one more tournament this weekend for the season to end. I guess there won't be enough girls to play this next season since we have reached the high school age and most schools have teams that they will play with - we don't so Taylor is HAPPY to take a break. Now to figure out what to do next......

We had a great Halloween! Reagan and Matthew went trick-or-treating with Reagan's boyfriend Chance and his sister Vail. We made it about an hour and headed home. Taylor went with Amelia and her mom Jen to trick-or-treat. They had fun and Jen and I have decided that this year was it - they are too OLD to go without the front of Reagan :)))

Here is also a picture of our pumpkin!

And a quick little video of just good clean fun (excuse the corny pun!)

Recovering from last night.... not the parents, the kids

2008-10-26T08:18:00.000-07:00

Well Reagan and Taylor both had a big night last night! Both had Halloween parties! Reagan went to Lifetime Fitness for their parent's night out Halloween style. She was in costume and had a great time! Her favorite part of last night was "the bouncy house" and nothing else! They had pizza and watched Monsters, Inc.

Reagan had school pictures on Thursday and I am so grateful that Rod has the flexibility to be home and help with running everyone here and there! I had a class at the gym (more on that later) and he got Reagan ready and took her for the pictures! Last year's were really great - can't wait to see what she's done this year!

Taylor and Amelia went to a school friend's Halloween/Surprise Birthday party. It was a little unnerving turning her loose at a party like that, but Jen - Amelia's mom - did the due diligence with Conor's mom and approved! I tried, but never got my message returned! They got to hang out until 11:30! And Rod went to get them. Of course I am waiting for the dead to arise and get all the details!

The soccer team did not do so hot yesterday, but Tay was very excited to get to play forward. And they did score (go Nicole)! So while it was tied for a while the other team got another one in and we lost 1-2. Next weekend is a tournament!

Matthew is really mobile these days! He rolls, rocks, lunges forward and can get to anything he wants. It is just a matter of days that he will crawl for real! And the second tooth is almost here! This is going by tooooo fast! He is really a little boy!

We had our 6 month doctor visit - he is 27.5 inches long, 16.4 pounds. That puts him in the 80% for height and the 30% for weight. Tall and skinny can work! We have slowed down on eating solids - he is not that into it right now.

Here is a little video of our creeping this morning!

I have been working really hard at the gym the past two weeks! I have joined the cardio O2 club where you work with a trainer in a group setting to achieve running goals. I have discovered how much I like running and hope this will make a big difference! Plus I need the cardio to burn off the baby fat - 8 pounds to go to pre-baby weight! Rod is in search of a new trainer - Brian is leaving for a better job in Nebraska! So I might drag him along with me until he figures that out! He looks great and I am really proud of him!

No, I haven't forgotten about my blog!

2008-10-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

We are moved! The new house is great and the location is even better. 10 minutes to school and 15 minutes to the soccer carpool. Life is good. We are finally settling into a routine and beginning to relax. This moved kicked our booty! All in all it took 16 days to complete everything and return the trailer. I have informed Rod that we will be in this house until we are clear and can afford a packing crew, moving company and a designer & organizational specialist for the new house. We will call everyone in and leave for vacation - then when we are home, everything is moved, unpacked and perfectly organized!

Taylor is plugging along in school. Quarter grades were so so and she has much room to improve. It was fun to chat with some of her teachers at a fund raiser this weekend - all are in agreement that she is very, very capable and can do great things. Now to convince her that it is true :) Her soccer game this weekend was lost 4-1 and they are all going to get a couple of months off this year from Nov to Feb. We are all looking forward to that!

Reagan is now going to school 3 days a week instead of 5. 5 days was way too much and was making her a grumpy butt! And add that on top of her precociousness and it was not pleasant for anyone :) She is loving her new room and is sleeping better in this house than she did at the purple house. Knock on wood, she has slept through the night since we moved in!

Matthew is beginning to eat solids - his favorite is baked sweet potatoes! He does not like oatmeal at all and spit out every bite! Avocado and bananas work and I am thinking we are going to try brown rice next. I am proud to declare that we have not bough any baby food (yet HEE HEE). All has been cooked or mashed up fresh. I am sure that won't last too long! He got his first tooth this week and I suspect he is working on the second already. He is not too bad when teething - just a little runny nose and a couple of restless nights.

We had family hot tub time this afternoon. We are really enjoying going out and having the hot tub. Here is a video of the kids playing.

Hugs from all of us to you! Have a great week!

2008-09-27T08:53:00.001-07:00

Hello All!

We are celebrating finally finding a new house to lease! We are moving on Tuesday and this has been a crazy ride! We decided at the close of summer break that where we are living is too far for all the activities the kiddos are in. Both Reagan and Taylor go to schools that do not offer bus service, soooo the 20 miles or so one way to school really, really add up fast! So our new house eliminates about 10 miles to school. It is beautiful and has some GRASS in the back yard!

Taylor played in a soccer tournament last weekend and they won the last game on Sunday. She did a great job playing goalie and sweeper! She and Rod are at a game now - luckily there is only one this weekend.

Reagan's social calendar is packed with parties, parties and more parties! We went to Morgan's 4th birthday last Saturday and she got to ride a horse! Today we head to Briyanna's princess pool party!

Sense of Accomplishment

2008-09-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

I had a very intense Mommy in charge of all 3 day yesterday! Rod was at a one-day training for our home business and Reagan had a 4 hour birthday party! I drug Taylor and Matthew because Tay had a soccer game and hour after the party and wouldn't have time to get home and back in time (can't wait to move!) The party was outside - jumpy castle, clown, horse - the works. And did I mention it was hot as hell! So we blew that off early and went home to cool off for 45 minutes before we had to leave again. Then on to soccer. The game itself is about an hour and 15 minutes total, but the 45 minutes you have to be there before makes it kinda long. So we made it on time, I successfully got the double jogging stroller out, kids loaded and chair stacked on their heads. After, we loaded up and went to dinner - we had 45 minutes to were had to be back for the last game at 8:00! At 9:40 we were in the car heading home with Rod calling and telling me to come to Greasewood to say hi to everybody. Everyone was asleep before we got back to Dynamite! I got the two little ones in bed without waking up (thank god) and changed to go hang out and have a beer with the LLI gang. It was a very full day and I crawled in bed at 12:45!