Saturday's Succotash ...

Bed Head
Campbell had some serious "bedhead" this morning ...I mean literally standing straight up. I had to catch it on film - although it was tough since I had him on my hip and couldn't look through the viewfinder to take the pic -- it was a luck o' the draw situation. Funny.

KARMA

How do you keep a 2yr old busy???? Let a fly in the house. Today, a pesky fly joined us indoors. Ian caught a glimpse and chased him for a good 20 minutes all over the living room. The fly would land, Ian would find him and slowly walk over in an effort to capture him. The fly was never captured, but he never rested either. Ahhh, karma.

"CLOSE IT!!"

Earlier this week Ian discovered his ability open the refrigerator door. frankly, I'm surprised we were able to keep it a secret as long as we did. At first it was cute...he'd open the it, put his cup in the door, then return, take a swig and shut the door. Eventually, he started taking other things out and putting toys inside. It was less cute when he'd bring items he wanted to eat or drink that were not "on the menu" at the time. Mid week we grew tire of saying "Close it" everything we heard it open so Thursday after work, Jon picked up a lock (strap/latch). Friday was great - he'd go to open the door and was met with defeat. BLISS. I WIN! LOL Regrettably, no. By Saturday he'd figured it out. I though maybe I'd forgotten to latch it, but then watched him reach up, work the "buckle" and open the door. FOILED. Curse that smart little boy - Why doesn't he use that braid for good instead of evil?? ha..ha...

Pumpkin patch

This evening after work, we stopped at the local farmer's market for pumpkins ... we left with pumpkins, corn, bell peppers and one of the biggest apples I've ever seen. The challenge was ensuring Ian didn't throw it. We had several close calls. LOL honestly, the fruits and veggies were all so huge - bigger than I've seen. I mean cabbage heads the size of basketballs ... crazy!

Don't those eyes just SCREAM mischief?

Yet this big bro looks so sweet and gentile. ha..ha....ha.

Ian getting up close and personal with the pumpkins

Friday's Random Sampler

The other morning I was with Campbell when I heard Ian's voice via microphone. I tiptoed in our room to find him singing (used loosely) "I Will Survive" I guess this was how Jon kept him busy while in the shower... it was a pretty funny sight. LOL

Last night after dinner, I went into Campbell's room to be sure all was in order before putting him to bed (I always need to be sure there's a clear path among boxes for those late night feedings...) Anyway, I found that Ian had brought his pillow and blanket and put the bears to bed next to Campbell's crib. So sweet.

This is the "AFTER" shot...

... This morning I was at the table checking email, Campbell was on the floor and Ian was sitting watching Bob the Builder. From the table (steps away) I could hear the baby was fussy, but chalked it up to the usual sounds that follow a short (too short) nap. After a couple of minutes, I got up ... thinking he had rolled into the couch or a chair, etc. (the sofa blocks the view of the floor)

SURPRISE!! I found him on his belly (as pictured) with Ian laying on his tummy across Cam's bottom creating a "T" shape. As indicated in the picture, Ian was ASLEEP. Yes, there he was, sleeping on the baby. Ian had been tired and brought his bear and blanket to the living room, so I knew nap time was around the corner ... just had no idea Campbell's bum was so a cozy place to sleep. LOL

As I relive it on paper, I realize it's a serious had-to-be-there kind of story, but I had to share.

Catch up pictures...

I've added some general pictures from the past week or so in Oregon. A few are from Saturday - we took a drive to the coast that afternoon. It was rainy (I would add a sarcastic "surprise, surprise" here, but it's actually rained very little since we've been here. LOL) The rest of them speak for themselves... Campbell with a "cookie" ... eating cereal ... Jon and Ian washing the car ... blah, blah...

Mexican Hat Dance.

We have a sesame Street/Elmo DVD all about music. Ian was watching it the other day while we were running around and that night, he started “singing” one of the songs that “Rosita” sings (I think it’s the Mexican Hat Dace, which funny enough was my first piano recital piece back when I was 5 ... LOL) Anyway, it was too funny, so I had to record it.

House warming ...

Well, we've made it to our fourth state in as many years. Arizona, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and finally, Oregon. We left Phoenix on Wednesday with the help of my Dad and his friend Don who drove the U-Haul. We anticipated taking three days, but as luck would have it, we made it there Thursday evening around 6pm. (Campbell's not the traveller Ian was as a baby, but we were blessed, and both of the boys were great on the road!) of course, we couldn't have gotten on the road without everyone's help - so a big THANK YOU to all of the family and friends who helped get things packed, loaded and cleaned. We really appreciate everyone's help Campbell on the road -wonderfully convenient that he's able to help feed himself. ha..ha.

Ian letting go of some of the energy he saved up while driving the first day - lots of energy. We ended up in a Motel 6 in a town along I-5. It was so rural that there was a sign in the office explaining that we were in the country and that the bugs, flies etc where part of the environment and there was nothing they could do. LOL You'll see by the video, that Ian had a lot of energy to release - and Campbell was enjoying the show. I wish I'd captured his giggles just before - it was hilarious how he was just laughing while watching Ian

Day two - back on the road Thursday morning - a little sleepy, but all is well.

Campbell giving me that "Oh, Mother" look that is sure to plague me for many years... ha!

We got into town and miraculously, Jon, Dad and Don unloaded the entire truck in a few hours time. Crazy, since we'd all spent two long days driving, but they were leaving on an early flight the next morning and wanted to be sure we everything unloaded (even though, the EQ was coming on Saturday to help - boy were they surprised when they got here. LOL).

Ian spent the first night running wild through the house - not knowing what to do with all the space! pretty funny actually. It's so nice to have a fenced yard for him to run around in. The neighborhood is great and there's a school at the end of the street with a great playground. it's worked out marvelously, considering we did everything via phone/email/fax (thanks Kylie!) Jon and Ian have taken time to explore the nature path down the street - coming home the other day with their mouths and fingers stained purple from the wild berries. ha..ha!

Here are a few photos of the house the day after we moved in ... you can see everything is literally strewn all over

Happy Birthday, Mimi

Fall is full of birthdays ... we had a blast celebrating Mimi's birthday at the end of September - a fun evening at the Texas Roadhouse. The food was fabulous and as always we had fun with family. We had brought a cake and the servers were so surprised that it was "homemade" and not from Costco. I just think it's funny that nowadays, "from a box" is still considered "homemade". ha..ha... Anyway - we offered a piece to our server - and suddenly other servers were coming to the table asking for cake. It was hilarious. We were glad to be able to celebrate birthdays before our journey along the Oregon Trail.

Happy Birthday, "Auntie M"

We celebrated Aunt Meredith's birthday before heading to Oregon - As always, Ian (like every nephew) enjoyed being the special helper.

Big Hole...

A couple of weeks ago we took a day trip to the Grand Canyon ... Can you believe we got there and didn't have our camera?? Unbelievable. But, we found a disposable and relived the "old days" where you couldn't see exactly what shot you got. Mystery is fun. LOL It was funny as Jon was taking some shots of Ian, some foreign tourists walked by and kept taking pictures of Ian. Of course, all Ian needs to see is a camera and he a total cheese ... whether he speaks your language or not. ha..ha... You can see Jon's been on "vacation" for a few days (I confess, I love the "scruffy" version of Jon, but eventually, I lose out to something like church, weddings, etc. LOL). We had a great time, it was nice to sneak away from the summer heat for the day.

Ian turns TWO ... August 12, 2007

We recently celebrated Ian's 2nd Birthday ... Saturday morning Ian helped make his cake. I handled the eggs, but Ian was a champ at adding the ingredients. He wasn't sure about the beaters, but warmed up to them eventually. Truth be told, I think his favorite part was getting to sit on top of the counter while he was helping. LOL. It was a weekend full of celebrations and Ian was showered with gifts from all his Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins ... We all had a blast.

The Baby Whisperer ...

....is named Naline. She works at Kiddie Kandids in the Paradise Valley Mall ... and she has magical powers. ha..ha....

We decided we would get Ian's 2 year pics (his birthday was Sunday) and Campbell's 3 Month pics (which we celebrated on Saturday). Let's just say that at nearly all times, one or both of the boys were crying. Not whimpering ... hysterical crying. You wouldn't know it from these pictures. She picked Campbell up (so they could "connect") and spent 15 plus minutes bouncing and talking to him until he was smiling again. Of course each time she clicked, the smile faded, but the fact that we got anything at all is amazing. We started the process at 1:45 ... and left at 3:20. Mind you, the only waiting we did was for 10 min. while they printed the pictures. I couldn't believe how much time she took with them. She is a pro!

Campbell Forrest, 3 months

Ian Clark, 2 years

Escape to Pine Top ...

Last weekend we headed north to the White Mountains. It was nice to escape the heat of Phoenix for the cool pines - a beautiful woodsy contrast to the desert. We had lots of rain but no complaints - we needed it badly ... We had fun with Mimi and Grandpa Honk - exploring the surounding towns and enjoying time to relax. We made a stop at the HS Jon had taught at in Whiteriver - everyone was surprised and excited to see him after almost 4 years. (but I'm sure really surprised to see him walking in with kids! LOL) It was a great weekend!

Celtic Festival, Flagstaff AZ

A couple of weeks ago we made an impromptu drive up to Flagstaff. We saw on the morning news that there was a Celtic festival up north. Not needing to twist our arms to get out of the heat and considering the Russell Scottish heritage, it seemed the perfect way to spend the day. So, we quickly got our stuff together and loaded everyone in the car and after a quick trip to the storage unit to trade strollers, we were off.

The drive up was peaceful....The boys slept, Jon studied and I kept my eyes on the road and hands at "10 and 2" ha..ha... We got into town and it looked a it overcast - a nice change. We got everyone and everything our (there are always so many "things") Just as we got the boys buckled and were ready to walk to the festival, the rains came, at first just a sprinkle or two...and then it was a downpour. We quickly got everyone and everything back into the car and decided to wait out the rain. This might have been Ian's favorite part of the journey. He had a great time playing with Jon in the driver's seat. We couldn't believe how much rain - and how big the drops were....not to mention the pea size hail. YES! Can you believe it?? HAIL! The good news about the AZ rain is that you usually don't have to wait too long for it to pass. About 30 minutes later, we figured we were safe to walk to the park.

The festival was nice and were a lucky to have brought the jogger instead of the "everyday" stroller... lots of mud. ha..ha.. Many of the clans were represented - it was great. I was at the Welsh booth while Jon and Ian were talking to the McDonald Clan - hearing their history etc... turns out the Campbell Clan played a MAJOR part in the demise of the McDonald clan. Which turned out to be pretty funny when they asked what the boys' names were. Of Course "Ian" was a no brainer... but you should have seen the reaction when they heard the baby's name was Campbell. Surprised they didn't run us off with shotguns. Ha!

Eventually, it started to pour again, so we made a mad dash back to the car. We enjoyed eating yummy food, listening to the bagpipes and haunting the McDonald clan. LOL Brought back lots of fun memories from our wedding, kilts, bagpiper, et al. What a blast!

Campbell ... Giggles & Grins

Big Brother

The other afternoon, I was standing in the kitchen when noticed Ian standing in front of Campbell in the swing ... his back was to me, and while Ian hasn't shown any aggression to the baby, my instinct was to hustle over and be sure all was OK.

I tip-toed behind him to find him trying to feed Campbell with the bottle ... so I grabbed the camera and tried to sneek a picture without him noticing. How sweet it was to see Ian want to help and Campbell to let him.

Scuttle Bug

Well, we decided we were borderline negligent letting Ian cram his little body onto his tonka truck so we got him a Scuttle Bug... it's a great little scooter for toddlers that folds up nearly flat for super portability - so we can take it with us and save space in the house. Hooray! Jon took him out for a spin the other morning (yes, in his PJ's). I should add that this new addition didn't happen without a great deal of effort... LOL

Let me note that this is the last BLUE Scuttle bug in town - but there are plenty o'pink (apparently they're not big sellers) We'd seen these at Toy's R Us a few weeks back and last week I thought I'd see if they'd gotten anymore in stock. I didn't see them, so I asked about a shipment. The Customer Service guy said they should have 4 blue in stock and sent someone to search. After a thorough check of the store, they found none. They called 3 other stores who's inventory indicated "blue on hand" all came up zero - but he found one about 45 minutes away and they would hold it for me. Since Dad was home with Ian, I decided to go for it. I arrived at the desk only to find that in fact they only had them in PINK. After an exchange of words including one checker asking if it was for a boy or girl - duh ... and me explaining my extreme disappointment due to an extra 90 minutes of travel, driving in 113 degree temperatures, the price of gas and the fact that I was actually having to nurse Campbell at the Customer Service desk while having the conversation... the Russell's left the store with three free items and a crisp $20 bill to purchase the scooter at another Toys R Us who absolutely, positively had it in Blue. Considering the drive, Campbell's mood and my Dad entering his 3rd hour of babysitting, I decided to head home and go to the store later that night (Jon was working 12-12.) before heading out again, I called the store that had it on hold to double check. I apologized for being crazy, but asked the girl to open the box and check the color. Yep - it was PINK - ARG! Imagine the frustration - but, I was happy I hadn't made the drive. We called the last Toy's R Us in the Valley - in south Chandler. Yes, they had it...yes he opened the box and it was in fact blue - the last blue one in the store and he would hold it for me. So, I packed the boys in the car and we headed back into the adventure. When we arrived, The guy at the counter remembered my call and went to get the box. It was GONE. He panicked a bit since he'd already had to survive hearing my story. I panicked a bit because I'd just driven 40 minutes in the heat at 4pm and we were just about to head home during rush hour. Trust me, I was not going home empty handed. In the end we triumphed after a thorough employee had simply re shelved it. I can't believe we actually went to all that trouble, and we surely spent more that it's value in gas hunting it down. ha...ha.

Summer Fun with Out-of-Towners

This weekend, Aunt Amy came to Phoenix from Salt Lake with her boyfriend Ken. We spent lots of time at the pool seeking relief from the brutal Arizona heat. It's one of Ian's favorite past times, so we didn't complain. (Campbell on the other hand doesn't love the water as much, so we hung out at the edge...)

Farmer Ian

Last week Ian had fun helping Grandpa Honk water the garden - he loved the hose attachment. LOL I was concerned about him being out so long in the heat, but he managed to keep cool enough in the water and shade. He has fun with the water and shovel and bugs (I was not such a fan of the bugs and did a little freak out dance when I found them in his clothes later that night. We'd stripped him of the muddy clothes and left them outside while he came in for a bath. Let's just say that by the time I went out to get them, his jeans had already been claimed by a spider and beetle. ACK!)