In Flight

This post should have been before the next one, but nonetheless, here it is.

Thursday was the BIG flying day at Sky High. Parents were invited to watch take off and landing. Because the class is in Norman, we got the whole family in the van at 7:30 a.m. to drop Brendan off by 8:30 and (after a quick trip to Starbucks and the bank) then watch take off at 9:30. Below is a picture of Brendan in class before they headed to the hanger.

OU Piper Warriors

Brendan and another kid flew with the pilot (blue shirt) and an OU student who helped with the class and is also a pilot.

Getting ready for take off.

The next three pictures Brendan took before his turn at the controls.

We didn't get pictures of taking off or landing because we took video. I'll try to upload them later. Here is Brendan after flight, though.

I just had to add a picture of Cait who got all dressed up for Brother's big flight!

Sky High: Complete

Brendan graduated from the OU Sky High summer camp yesterday. He was really blessed to have the opportunity to attend this 2 week course and the information that he learned and the experience he gained is priceless! Flying twice in a Piper Warrior was just part of the exciting experience.

Gramma, Granny, Taelyn and our family went to the graduation ceremony yesterday. (In an un-air conditioned hanger. In the hot Oklahoma summer. For an hour.)

The kids had worked on reports during the week and presented them during the ceremony. I think Brendan was a little nervous but he did really good!

Here Brendan is receiving a certificate of completion.

After Brendan gave his report, Gramma, Taelyn, me and my little ones stepped into the AC so I could feed Cait and cool off a little bit. Cameron & Taelyn had fun playing together.

And Cait showed her Gramma her beautiful smile!

I am so proud of the young man Brendan is growing into and I'm so grateful that he was blessed with this opportunity. OU's high school (didn't know they had one!) is going to try a beta version of Aviation Science and Brendan has requested to participate in the trial. We are praying that he is selected. Not only will he learn more about aviation but it will look awesome on his transcripts!

Time Flies

Life seems to be super busy 'round here. It probably isn't really, but add fatigue and a new baby, and I just can't seem to catch up. But we are enjoying life and new baby and isn't that most important?!

You probably saw this on Facebook but it is SO precious to this mama. Baby smiles, especially at 5 a.m., can make all the world right. Caitlin has a beautiful smile and gives it more often each day. She also likes to coo while smiling and hearing you talk sweet to her.

Brendan has been at Sky High: An Exploration of Aeronautic from the Basic to Beyond this week and last. He has flown in an airplane, shot rockets, toured Will Rogers World Airport, taxied a plane and more! Thursday is the exciting day. He will actually take control of the plane IN THE AIR!!! He is very excited. I'm excited for him as well, but I do believe it is a mom's right to be a little nervous!

With Brendan at camp, Cameron, Cait and mommy met some friends at the Omniplex. We had a great time and Cameron LOVED the attention he got from these two special girls!

Brendan has been feeling especially destructive lately.

Thankfully, he is a good kid and slicing bottles in half with swords is sufficient for him.

Even dad had to get in on the fun!

JC and I celebrated our anniversary last weekend. We enjoyed a meal out while Caitlin spent her first time away from mommy with Gramma & Papa. She did super and took her first bottle with no problem.

JC surprised me with several anniversary gifts, including this fence panel bench that he made for me! I love how handy and talented JC is!!!

Also last week, Sesame Street Live visited Tinker AFB and Gramma & Papa took the grandkids to see them. (Well, all but Brendan!)

Cameron and his cousins had a great time!!!

So, that's about it. We have a short family trip planned for next week (that is actually a work trip for daddy) and then the kids and I plan to visit Granny & PawPaw one more time before jumping back into school. Brendan starts 9th grade!!!! and Cameron will start an actual preschool curriculum. We are not doing co-op this year but I'm sure we'll enjoy field trips and other fun adventures with our homeschool friends. Daddy starts back to work the first of August and we'll miss him. It is a blessing to have him home for the summer break.

Purdy Girl

Being a mom has got to be the most difficult, amazing, tiring yet rewarding job ever.

As we spend each day getting to know Caitlin better, I watch my children. I am in awe of them.

They aren't perfect, but they are so precious to me;

big, medium and tiny.

My heart is full.

I am blessed to be on this adventure.

4 Whole Years Old

Today our Cameron turns 4. Here are a few highlights from the years.

January 2007 - 7 months old

April 2007 - 10 months old

May 2008 - almost 2

August 2009 - 3 years

September 2009 - 3 years

July 16, 2010 - Happy Birthday, sweet & silly Cameron

Jump Zone

Cameron's birthday is coming up and unfortunately his cousins, Bella and Jackson won't be able to make it to the party. So, Aunt Leslie and Bella had the great idea to take Cameron and Brendan to Jump Zone. What a fun time the kids had... jumping!!!

It was hard to get them to sit still for a picture!

The ran and played hard for almost two hours!

(Brendan, too!)

Cameron also got the coolest PJs for his birthday present. He had to put them on right away! And he even posed for us!!! (He wore them Saturday evening and then to bed. We peeled them off for church on Sunday but they were back on that afternoon. He cried on Monday when he got them filthy and couldn't wear them for almost 24 hours...during which, he asked me at least a handful of times if I had done wash. It's about time to peel them off again!!!)

It was a great time with family and a super way to celebrate four fun years of life! Thanks, Ablas!

Summertime in Lawton

We spent the first week of July in Lawton. Here are some of our highlights from that week.

First, I have to say, Cameron makes me laugh. Regularly.

The boys got lots of pool time...always a fun time for them!

Caitlin and I enjoyed lots of time next to the pool. Her umbilical cord had not fallen off yet, so no swimming for us.

It was a blessing to my heart to see the boys playing so well together.

To celebrate Independence Day, we grilled some delicious steaks and then drove across town to watch some fireworks. This was Cameron's first "professional" fireworks but he was really more interested in the glow-in-the-dark necklace!

Sunday we visited our friends at church in Carnegie. The drive was overcast and beautiful. Here's a cloudy shot of Mt. Scott

and the windmills.

Sunday (and several nights following) Brendan and JC had a blast with their own firework show.

Does that look like a happy boy or what?!

We all watched (except Catie, who was sound asleep inside - away from mosquitoes!) the fun!

Pretty!

Run, Brendan, Run!!!

Cameron was happy enough to have sparklers.

Cameron found plenty to entertain himself.

More poolside time for Miss Caitlin.

And more play time in the pool.

This picture was taken minutes or maybe even seconds before Cameron almost drowned in the pool. He was supposed to play on the stairs while Brendan ran inside. I was sitting by the deep end - Caitlin in one arm and the camera in the other hand - when Cameron slipped, or maybe stepped, off and couldn't reach the stairs. Setting down my camera and then Caitlin on the bench and jumping, fully clothed, into the pool seem to go in slow motion for me. I think it was the scariest time of my life.

Thank God, Cameron, Caitlin and I all survived.

Overall, it was an good and uneventful trip to Lawton. Thank you, Granny & PawPaw for letting us visit!