Overflowing

Almost a year!

2012-02-13T19:08:00.000-08:00

You were right, Kim! It's been WAY too long.

To update, Jason is in the Nuclear Technology program at Idaho State University's ESTEC - Energy Systems Technology and Education Center (http://isu.edu/estec/nuclear.shtml for more info). He will graduate in Spring of 2013 with an Associates degree, and ESTEC has assured us that nuclear plants around the country will be knocking on his door. Their program is very unique, because of the amount of hands-on instruction. It's exciting to see Jason so engaged and anticipating the future. It's intense with him working nights and going to school all day, but we feel sure that it will all be worth it.

Matthew is in Kindergarten this year and doing so well. It's so fun to hear him read a book and solve math problems. What a great kid.

First-Day-Of-Kindergarten pancake

Audrey began talking in full sentences in December. Her thoughts are amazing and she cracks us up with things like, "I tan't bewieve it!" and "Oh my dosh!" and "What da' hett??" LOL

Penny lost some weight last year - 31 lbs and 29 inches! YAY! - and got a little healthier. My energy and immunity makes me feel 9 years younger (no, not 10. Nine - that's when Jason & I got married) and I CANNOT WAIT to see what's going to happen in 2012! Warning: your instincts are correct. This is about to become an Herbalife commercial. Can't help it - love the stuff. Call me.
I'm even considering entering a spring 5K. Yikes, did I just put that in writing? We'll see if I can get up over more than 20 seconds at a time... : )

We're all healthy and Big-Picture-Kind-Of-Happy. Future looks bright, and God is SOOO good! Only sad news is....the Jacksons moved. Hey, another great reason to head for the beach for an upcoming family vacation. Love U, miss U guys!

Family Portrait

2011-01-07T20:44:00.000-08:00

Fall 2010

2010-10-07T21:52:00.001-07:00

Life these days

2010-10-07T21:33:00.000-07:00

Nothing terribly interesting to report. We're considering a trip to Kansas in the near future. But for now we're just focused on preschool for Matthew, playgroup 2x's a week, and making the house look welcoming on the outside. We have a decent yard of grass in the back yard, but I'll be so glad when all the dirt is covered with grass, no potential for mud or weeds to grow. It's a joy to be back there while the kids play, pulling weeds, watering, making stone paths...or in the front tending to my tiny garden garden, mostly tomatoes, rearranging the bulbs, or cleaning the garage (ahem - unpacking...still). Matthew rides his bike around the neighborhood with other kids, gets the mail for mommy, covers his sister with dirt...Audrey mostly just wants to push something around, like a stroller or truck, and eat green tomatoes (argh), or be covered with dirt.

We love our home and we love going out for fun and coming back to it to rest. Come join us for a rest sometime!

Prayer answered

2010-10-07T21:17:00.000-07:00

...Matthew DOES love preschool. We start getting ready to leave around 12:30, but it only takes about 2 minutes to get there. Matthew is usually waiting in the car by 12:45, with show-and-tell toy in hand. I would say he likes it. They learn a new letter of the alphabet each week, upper- & lower-case AND sign language for the letter. They study words that begin with the letter, the sound it makes, how to write it, each snacks that begin with the letter (they had Danimals yogurt drinks and Ding Dongs yesterday)...and the moms teach the class, about 2x's a month. I taught this week...survived, and enjoyed watching them learn, especially the cute little dark-haired boy. My only concern - he needs to speak up for himself more ("Can I please have the blue paint now?"), but I'm just pleased and amazed at his sweet behavior, his above-average speech, and the fact that he really enjoys his time there. Thank you, God!

Preschool

2010-09-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

Matthew will start preschool today. We are so excited. Well, Matthew is...reserving judgement. I think it's just "fear of the unknown", but I'm praying that he LOVES it!

The Legacy Run, Honoring Eileen Huffman

2010-06-05T21:39:00.000-07:00

I walked the Legacy Run today, with Audrey in the stroller. It was an honor to be a part of it, and a joy to be there with the whole family.

Did you hear that they are developing a breast cancer vaccine? My mom was reading about it, amazing!

My Birthday Presence

2010-04-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

...the presence was my parents, from Kansas! What a thrill it is, not only to have some "ME" time while Nana & Papa are soaking up time with my babies, but to see them all enjoy each other so much! The relationship between Nana & Matthew is heartwarming (insufficient word!), and between Papa & Audrey is amazing! As little as they have all seen of each other, they know each other, even the 10-month old. God has created these bonds. There is no other explanation for it.

Big Boy Party

2010-04-28T22:06:00.001-07:00

The "Big Boy Party" actually took place about 2 weeks ago, but I thought it might be of interest...we have struggled to get Matthew's "mimi" (binky) away from him for some time now, and when we lost it a few weeks ago we decided it was divine intervention and went with it. He gave it up surprisingly easily. That first week I heard him mumble, "I want my mm....(trailing off)" a few times, as if to say, "oh, forget it. I give up." We'd talked about it long enough, he knew this was really the end. Praise God!
Ironically, (or maybe NOT) he poked a toothpick through the end of AUDREY's binky Saturday afternoon. She was quite upset when she tried to suck on it that night, and the next 2-3 nights were rough without it (for mom). We couldn't get a new one until Monday, but the interesting thing is that when I tried to give her the new one, she got REALLY mad and has refused it ever since. I'm realising more & more that I'M the one who's been dependent on it all this time! I didn't know how to have a baby without a binky! We're still adjusting, but at the same time I'm so relieved to think that we won't be struggling with this 4 years from now!

2006 on 14th Avenue?

2010-04-28T21:54:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter everyone!

2010-03-29T22:00:00.000-07:00

Built an igloo...partially

2010-02-01T21:17:00.001-08:00

It was a nice day and

the TONS of snow that we got yesterday was BEGGING to be played in. I've always wanted to make an igloo...if it doesn't melt this week, maybe we'll finish it. We had a great time together!

Good light for photo's

2010-02-01T21:15:00.001-08:00

Portraits

2010-02-01T21:11:00.000-08:00

I found some outfits that I'm sure won't fit when the weather is appropriate..
but I couldn't resist taking pic's of them any way!

2010-01-28T22:21:00.000-08:00

Audrey's laughter is healing to my soul after a hard day. Matthew loves it too, and THAT - their little friendship - blesses us in the biggest way! You parents of multiple kids know what I mean.

Matthew blowing a bubble

2010-01-28T22:18:00.000-08:00

I'm probably biased, but...how many 3-year-olds do you know that can blow bubbles with their gum?? I'm amazed!

Audrey's opinion of Cheerios

2010-01-28T21:59:00.000-08:00

Audrey dressed up

2010-01-28T21:54:00.000-08:00

Sorry I'm so bad about keeping this updated. I'm not crazy about the way it ends up looking when I've posted something, so I don't bother very often. Oh yeah, AND...I can't find time. Well, here's what I can give you for now...

Our latest family photo - Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-30T22:52:00.000-08:00

Drinking from a bottle - we get to go on a date!!

2009-11-03T00:24:00.000-08:00

Bath time for Audrey

2009-11-02T23:57:00.000-08:00

Dressed for church

2009-11-02T23:51:00.000-08:00

Elmo

2009-11-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

Robot

2009-11-02T23:27:00.000-08:00

Apple Pie

2009-11-02T23:25:00.000-08:00

my new haircut

2009-11-02T22:52:00.000-08:00

Hug Me

2009-08-31T22:04:00.000-07:00

First smiles

2009-08-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

These precious moments

2009-08-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

ZZZZZZzzzzzzz

2009-08-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

A bitter-sweet goodbye

2009-08-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

After bath time with Gr'ma

2009-08-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

Mommy & Audrey

2009-08-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

Audrey, looking back

2009-08-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

One week old

Audrey, 6 weeks old

2009-08-25T14:50:00.000-07:00

We're glad to be back home from Kansas, although it was a wonderful visit. Things are nice & quiet here, but we try to get out from time to time. Our neighborhood is so peaceful and friendly and mommy has fun making our house more of a home every day (crossing fingers).
As we've said all along, STOP BY sometime! We love visitors and we SO want to share this with everyone who helped us get here, and if you're reading this, well...chances are you helped!
P.S. Found my camera, so much better pictures are forthcoming! Stay tuned!

2009-08-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

Naomi Lovelace & Audrey Callantine
August 2009

More Audrey pic's

2009-07-19T22:40:00.001-07:00

Audrey, resting

2009-07-05T16:44:00.001-07:00

We will go home sometime Monday - please come see us soon!
The Callantines

7 lbs 11 oz, 20 1/2" long
born (CSection) 10:41a 7/3/09
Dark hair, dark eyes (?), dark skin - Gorgeous!!!

Audrey, resting

2009-07-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

We will go home sometime Monday - please come see us soon!

The Callantines

Audrey Natasha Callantine, 7/3/09

2009-07-05T16:36:00.001-07:00

New life..

2009-06-10T22:07:00.000-07:00

We have a new life, to which we are definitely adjusting. The best part is not having the extra 35-hr-a-week time comittment; FREEDOM and REST!! I take naps ALOT these days, of course, mostly due to my "condition" - a new life that's to come in the next 4 weeks, or so.

We're excited to have our grass coming up nicely, a few plants/flowers all around in the front, mail coming to our mailbox, a garage to pull into (especially with the incredible rain we've been having), space for everything that we need (and some extra space down below to store stuff we really DON'T need), and everything getting to it's place...well, in my dreams! But no deadlines, no pressure, just thankful for this amazing blessing, and so excited to share it with everyone. An invitation is NOT necessary - please come see us - but we hope to start officially inviting friends out soon.

We still covet your prayers, especially for baby coming soon. Pray for courage and endurance, safety and health, and the adjustment for Big Brother M. We'll keep you posted!

Surreality (is that a word??)

2009-05-15T21:38:00.000-07:00

It's so surreal, living in the new house, so long anticipated and so many little things that we've dreamed about for almost 2 years, coming true one at a time.
I took a BEAUTIFUL walk this morning (the midwives will be so proud) up Rapid Creek Rd, listening to the rushing stream all the way and enjoying the INCREDIBLE beauty all around, and I can't believe it's all mine! I can't believe I get to see all of this every day and enjoy it, and then come home to THIS HOUSE!! Ah, you must come & see us!!!
Of course, my camera has gone on the blink just in time for all the excitement...so pic's will have to wait, but don't worry. I'll make one from a shoe box or something, b'c I have to have pic's of all this! So, watch for pic's forthcoming...

IT'S MOVING DAY!!

2009-05-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

PRAISE GOD!!!
We passed the big one - the USDA Rural Development inspection - and we are moving in TODAY!! Drop by to see us, or carry a box or 2! Thx 4 UR prayers!!

PHEW!!!

Building fence

2009-04-26T07:40:00.000-07:00

We started building fence yesterday and got most of the posts set in concrete. We'll finish setting posts today and start placing rails and pickets, as long as the weather holds out. It's hard work, but great to see what we've accomplished in a short time.

See you next weekend at the Open House!

OPEN HOUSE: MAY 2ND 10a-2p

2009-04-11T20:13:00.000-07:00

PLEASE COME and see our house completed! We are so excited to share this with all of you, especially those of you who have helped us get to this place.

This week, we still have to put in our 35 hours, and Matthew will come with us for most of that. We will probably spend most of our time digging up rocks, to prep for grass. Bring a
shovel or heavy-duty rake and take a few beautiful landscaping rocks home w/you! (I do want to use alot of them in our landscaping, but there is plenty to share!) Inspections are taking place this week and next, and we hope to be building fences mid-week next week.

If you can't make it for the Open House, pls stop by some other time. If we're there working, we will have the lights on outside. We love visitors! Also, we'll be moving in probably May 3rd (Sunday) and are happy to provide drinks & CARDIO workouts for anyone who want to join us!

CARPET!!!

2009-03-07T10:06:00.000-08:00

Carpet pad installed (compliments of the Jimenez's)

2009-03-04T22:13:00.000-08:00

Chasing through the new house

2009-01-30T22:35:00.000-08:00

The kitchen cabinets

2009-01-30T22:30:00.000-08:00

P.S...Good thing we're building 4 BR's!

2009-01-06T22:55:00.000-08:00

Our Xmas Snow

2009-01-06T22:33:00.000-08:00

A quick THANK YOU to all of you who volunteered time this last month, and kept our heads above water. If only you knew how truly valuable your help was to us!
Also, an update: we got an extension on the deadline! We have until the end of February to finish. At that point, we will lose our construction supervisor, so...we need to be DONE or KNOW what we're doing!! Praise God for the extension!

The deck

2009-01-06T22:25:00.000-08:00

Sidewalk, and notice where the car is parked!

2008-12-12T22:43:00.000-08:00

CHH!! The car is in the driveway..THE CAR IS IN THE DRIVEWAY!

2008-12-12T22:38:00.000-08:00

Update

2008-12-12T18:53:00.000-08:00

See new photos below, of our deck!
We are progressing, however slowly. OUR home is ready for installation of inside doors & trim, and paint, etc. On house #5, we still have a little bit of inside framing to do and then it will get drywall. It's also being sided now. We still have to build fences (120 ft. each house), so that will be in the COLD, but...God has blessed us with phenomenal weather this fall, for which we are sooo thankful! The time estimate is 2 months + (SIGH!), considering our current rate (slow!), so as usual: WE NEED HELP! (We'll be painting tmrw!)
Since we are almost completely inside, and 4 of the houses will be heated by next week, we hope our progress will really pick up (and our volunteers!).
Regardless of your ability to come & help, we LOVE visitors for moral support, and we really covet your prayers, more than ever. Thank you for what you have offered up to this point.

The deck

2008-12-12T17:50:00.000-08:00

The deck 2

2008-12-12T17:24:00.000-08:00

2008-12-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

M with the darling neighbor kids

2008-11-09T22:07:00.000-08:00

Can't wait to have these nice neighbors!

Stay tuned

2008-09-22T21:40:00.000-07:00

Well, it occurred to me this afternoon that our lives are...not consumed, certainly, but definitely...SATURATED with this building project! We daily find teco nails in our pockets (which we quickly take back to the building site with us - need every last one of those suckers!), and have grown quite fond of our large water mugs, 64 oz, and 100 oz. Matthew has become very familiar with the routine and asks frequently if we're going to go build the "new house" today.

The most blessed thing that happened this week was that we got the 5th & last house trussed!! PTL!! I regretted not being able to be there, as Matthew was sick, but I will not lie and say that I was looking forward to it either. It's done, behind us, NEVER TO TRUSS AGAIN.

That also means that THE REALLY HEAVY WORK IS NOW FINISHED and we've been able to bring Matthew with us to the site a few times. He has a blast there, watching the inevitable Praying Mantis, riding his tricycle with neighbor kids (something to look 4ward 2!), collecting nails in a bottle, or climbing up & down the ladder as daddy works in the crawl space (he's very careful, and we keep a watchful eye).

This week, we expect dry-wall in 1 or 2 houses (possibly ours). I've been so looking forward to that the whole project, since my dad told us that it's the sheetrocking that will make the most difference in how big the space feels. Speaking of Dad, he & Mom could be here visiting as soon as next Saturday and we cannot WAIT to walk them through our house, and to work on it with them side-by-side! That will be a blast!!!

Ok, here are the newest pic's I have, even though they are a week old.

A week in the life...

2008-09-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

Here's what a typical week looks like for us right now. It starts on Saturday, b'c that's when our hours start to acquire for a week's worth of work.
SA Drop off Matthew around 9a, work in Inkom until about 3 or 4p, pick up Matthew, go home and SIT ON THE COUCH
SU Sunday School/Church, if we can pry ourselves out of bed; if not, brunch, household chores, naps, more household chores. Jason sleeps as much as possible, goes to work at midnight.
MO Jason gets home at 8:15a, breakfast. Daddy goes to bed; Mommy does something with Matthew (playground, have friends over, go swimming) to try to make up for the weekend's neglect : ) Jason works @ midnight
TU Breakfast w/Daddy; Daddy goes to bed; MOPs (Mothers Of Preschoolers) meets at the park, or other fun place, so M gets to play w/friends again; Jason works @ midnight
WE Breakfast w/Daddy; Drop off Matthew, work in Inkom 'til 2p; pick up Matthew; Daddy goes to bed; Mommy tries to survive the remainder of the day and watches the house..fall....apart.....
TH Same
FR Same; Game night @ friends' house; Daddy sometimes can't make it b'c he's POOPED

2008-09-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

Matthew in Kansas

2008-08-24T21:45:00.000-07:00

We've got a handle...

2008-08-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

We're finally back on track in the building process. Well, technically we're probably still behind schedule, but Kerry (constr. super.) is very pleased with the hard work we've all put in the past 2 weeks and seems encouraged by the progress made on the houses.
On the Callantine house:
We hope to have doors and windows installed this week, electric and siding soon after that. Wow - it's going to be such a drastic change at that point.
It feels like the families are pulling together a little more, even though there have been frustrations and setbacks. We're more & more excited by seeing the progress that's taking place, and motivated by the prospect of picking out cabinets & hardware & colors of paint, etc... Stop by any time to see it, we love visitors even if you don't have time to volunteer! We just enjoy sharing the excitement!

Map to the house

2008-08-20T21:59:00.000-07:00

Ground break

2008-06-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

The Map

2008-06-18T23:25:00.001-07:00

We love to have new people come and visit our new house. You'll excuse us for not inviting you to take off your coat and sit awhile, or to stay the night!

See bottom of the page for a map to our new house!

2008-05-24T23:33:00.000-07:00

I'm not a blogger, or a writer...but i think this will be a better way to get information out about the house.

Overflowing

Almost a year!

Family Portrait

Fall 2010

Life these days

Prayer answered

Preschool

The Legacy Run, Honoring Eileen Huffman

My Birthday Presence

Big Boy Party

2006 on 14th Avenue?

Happy Easter everyone!

Built an igloo...partially

Good light for photo's

Portraits

Matthew blowing a bubble

Audrey's opinion of Cheerios

Audrey dressed up

Our latest family photo - Thanksgiving 2009

Drinking from a bottle - we get to go on a date!!

Bath time for Audrey

Dressed for church

Elmo

Robot

Apple Pie

my new haircut

Hug Me

First smiles

These precious moments

ZZZZZZzzzzzzz

A bitter-sweet goodbye

After bath time with Gr'ma

Mommy & Audrey

Audrey, looking back

Audrey, 6 weeks old

More Audrey pic's

Audrey, resting

Audrey, resting

Audrey Natasha Callantine, 7/3/09

New life..

Surreality (is that a word??)

IT'S MOVING DAY!!

Building fence

OPEN HOUSE: MAY 2ND 10a-2p

CARPET!!!

Carpet pad installed (compliments of the Jimenez's)

Chasing through the new house

The kitchen cabinets

P.S...Good thing we're building 4 BR's!

Our Xmas Snow

The deck

Sidewalk, and notice where the car is parked!

**CHH!!** The car is in the driveway..THE CAR IS IN THE DRIVEWAY!

Update

The deck

The deck 2

M with the darling neighbor kids

Stay tuned

A week in the life...

Matthew in Kansas

We've got a handle...

Map to the house

Ground break

The Map

CHH!! The car is in the driveway..THE CAR IS IN THE DRIVEWAY!