Thursday, August 30, 2012

This & That


* My sister bought us this mirror-thing to put on our back seat. It allows us to see Jaxen (since he is in a rear-facing car seat). It works so well, and we love it - Thanks Jess!


* Jaxen and I. We don't have that many pictures together, so I am trying to get more. When he cooperates (see picture 2).



* Jaxen got a chance to hang out with his friend, Gabriel. Their due dates were only 1 day apart, but Jaxen came early so he is actually 2 weeks older. (Notice how Jaxen is looking at the camera...his momma has taught him well!)



* I tried a sling-thing out last week with Jaxen. I would say that it did not go over that great.



* Our babysitter has been out sick this week. So Jaxen came to work with me one day! He did great. And my work people loved seeing him!




Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Jaxen - 11 Weeks

Jaxen is 11 weeks old today - and we have entered the following stages:

* Drooling. Jaxen is drooling. It basically drives me crazy! I am constantly wiping the drool from his face, chin, clothes, hand, arm, my shoulder, my chest, my clothes...you get the idea. Yes, sometimes I just use a bib to catch all the drool. And I will get over all the drool. One day. Hopefully.



* Looking out. Jaxen does not really like to be confined to just look at me anymore when I hold him. He loves to look out and see everything! I hope he does not forget what I look like...!



* Talking. Jaxen is talking (cooing) up a storm these days! It is soooo cute! Nik is trying to get a video of it. I will post it when we get it.


Jaxen, telling me that he is done taking pictures!

Good thing daddy came to the rescue!

My sweet baby boy - you make us so happy! You have brought so much joy into our lives. And we just can't imagine this world with out you in it!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Weekend Happenings

Our weekend was low-key and that is just the way I like it!

Jaxen - Friday

Jaxen - Saturday

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We relaxed Saturday morning and then went to a birthday party that afternoon. The party was for twins, who were turning 1. They are adorable and we had such a great time at the party. This was Jaxen's first birthday party to attend. He did great. Ate, slept, drooled...you know... all the fun stuff!


Rosie (mom), Kevin (dad), Harper & Hunter (twins)

The smash cake!

Hunter, after destroying his and his sisters!

Jaxen and I hanging out at the party.

Saturday evening, Nik took care of Jaxen while I planned our weekly menu and went grocery shopping. I enjoyed myself. And I don't know the last time I enjoyed myself while grocery shopping. Funny what you begin to enjoy...!



Then we hung out at the house until bed. A very relaxing and nice day! I love weekends like that!

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Sunday we headed to church and I dropped Jaxen off at the Nursery for the very first time.  I was not sad. I was actually happy he can go to the nursery now! I dropped him off before Sunday School, and then after I went to check on him. Apparently that is a no-no. (Nobody told me the 'Nursery Rules'). He was trying to eat, but was a little fussy and I guess he heard my voice because he got really fussy! I went in and fed him for a little while, but then was able to hand him off so I could attend church. I think he did okay in the nursery.

Sidenote: I did not go check on him because I think other people are incapable of caring for him. I actually feel the opposite - that they are probably more qualified than me! Ha! However - this is a new thing for Jaxen, and I want to make sure he adjusts well. If that means that I need to check on him some, and help out when he is fussy until he is used to them, and they are used to him - then that is what I want to do. Make sense?

Anyways...I think Jaxen (and daddy) played too hard at church because this is what their afternoon looked like:



Hope you had a great weekend!




Sunday, August 26, 2012

Road Trip - Part II

Saturday afternoon I loaded Jaxen back in the car and we headed to the mountains!


Going to Ruidoso was the main purpose of my trip to NM. Back in June the Bonita Park Campgrounds  (where Nik and I met, worked and lived for 6 years) was burned badly by a fire.

I really have no words. I have tried writing this post for a few days now and I get stuck right here everytime. It is sad. It was really hard going back and seeing the camp. Seeing what all was lost. The hurt. The pain that people are experiencing with losing everything.

Nik took a ton of pictures while there, but I'm just going to share a few.





Jerome, standing inside a burnt-out Juniper tree.

Inside PAC

PAC and Petty Hall

Where the Gym and Snack Shack once were

The place of our first home


Gunstream Chapel




However, God is good!


Armstrong Tabernacle - Just behind it, trees and a fence were burned. 
But the Tabernalce was untouched!

This fence divides the camp.
To the right, the 'lower camp' - untouched by the fire.
To the left, the start of the 'upper camp - destroyed by the fire.
As Nik told me while he was driving me around the first day,
"It was as if God put His hand down and said 'no more'". 

Although the fire destroyed much of the camp - there are still lodging facilities, meeting rooms, offices, kitchen, pool, zipline, and putt putt that were untouched!



The camp has had many work groups come to help out. When we heard about the fire, Nik knew he wanted to get a group together to go to the camp and help in whatever way they could.

The Work Group

The trip was scheduled for Wednesday through Monday. But since I had just started working the week prior, I did not think I could ask for that much time off. So I told Nik he would have to work without me and I would drive down Friday and stay in Roswell, then drive to the camp on Saturday. So that is what we did.

Nik and 7 others headed to the campgrounds Wednesday and worked Thursday, Friday and Saturday. (They took Sunday off as a 'rest day'). One of the needs that the camp had was to rebuild the paintball course for the guests. When the group found out what they were doing, they were excited and started making plans of the layout.

What they started with.

And the work begins...

All the trees that they cut down and worked with.

I think Nik was a just a bit happy to be working
with a chainsaw again!

Celebrating after cutting down a big tree!

A work in progress...

The dirty workers.

Nik, showing off a job well done!

The completed course!


With forts...
And fences!

The work crew and staff after reviewing
the completed paintball course.

We are so glad we were able to go back, even for a short time. The work that the group did was outstanding and will be a blessing to the groups coming in.

I got a chance to visit with so many people there and hear how God is working through the midst of this tragedy. Please be in prayer for the people who lost their homes, the camp and future that God has in store for this amazing place.