Steward Family Reunion

Every 4 years, the Steward family (including my grandfather, his siblings and all their progenitors) gather for a family reunion. We've been going since I was a kid, and I have very fond memories of spending time with my cousins (closely and distantly related) periodically throughout my life. I missed the last reunion because it was 4 days before Stellan was due, so I was extra excited for this one. This year it was held at a family member's farm outside of Portland. It was amazing!

First of all, we did spend some time before the reunion in Portland. We saw some (not enough) of the sights and enjoyed the perfect weather (very welcome halfway through a Florida summer). We also got to see one of my mission companions, Janae, who lives a couple hours away. Oh, and just being on the "Left Coast" felt so good. People spoke many languages and had many skin tones, we watched a cooking demo where the chef highlighted ways to substitute sugar for agave (in case we were unenlightened about agave's natural superiority), and I didn't see a single Bible or anti-abortion billboard.

And then there was the reunion. It was so great to see my siblings (it was the first time in a long time all 4 of us were together), my dad (Maggie was unable to join him - we missed her), my aunts and uncles, my grandfather, my cousins and their kids (most of whom I met for the first time) and to hang out. The whole thing was very laid back and unstructured and far too short.

The kids had a blast, and it was so great to see them playing with their cousins and running around like wild hooligans just like we did when we were kids. I'm so grateful we have these reunions, and also for all the people who worked so hard to put it together. Can't wait for the next one!

Happy Birthday, Stellan!

Stellan is so ready to be 4. He's tired of doing little boy things and wants to be grown up already. He has started playing video games with Daddy, asks questions constantly (and is doing better at waiting for an answer before moving on the next question), helps with dishes, yard work and even sometimes with Rachelle, and says things like, "Sorry, Mom; I can't play with you right now, I'm busy doing Stellan work." Stellan Work includes building train tracks, marble runs and Duplo structures. He starts school in a few weeks, so I'm enjoying the last little while of our morning time together while Rachelle takes her first nap. I love you, buddy!

I'm not ready for big birthday parties yet, so I asked Stellan what he wanted to do for his birthday. His requests were simple: play with Luke and have a triangle cake. Done. I even threw in a bonus swim for being so easy to please. A good-sized collection of presents from grandparents and other assorted relatives rounded out the evening. I hope 5 is as fun as 4.

Happy 4th of July!

Rachelle Turns 1

My little girl is all grown up. OK, she's 1. Insert stock statements about how I can't believe how fast the time as gone, how big she is, how proud I am. All of those are true, and more. Rachelle is still as sweet, tender, loving and easy-going as ever. And now she's a big girl. Happy birthday, RaRa!

Growing Up Fast

Being away from Rachelle for a week really made me realize how quickly she's growing. Before I left, she was taking a step or two at a time (she took her first steps 5 weeks ago at play group). When I came home, she was walking herself all over the house like a drunken sailor in a diaper. She is still as sweet as can be and continues to earn the title "Angel Baby". She likes to parrot everything Stellan does, including building marble tracks and jumping into large bodies of water with reckless abandon.

So for you grandparent types, here's a quick video of Rachelle walking around. Don't worry, Stellan's "horseshoes with Mardi Gras beads" game only lasts the first few seconds.

She Walks! from Krissie Cook on Vimeo.

While I Was Away...

While I was away at camp, Granny generously agreed to fly out from California to help with the kids. She is a super terrific person, and if possible, an even more amazing grandmother. The kids had a blast playing and reading and cuddling with her. She admits to having been pretty tired at the end of the day, which I totally understand, but you'd never know it to see her. I walked in from camp to find everyone in the backyard; Stellan was constructing a mud pool in our dirt pit, Granny was picking something up off the patio and Rachelle was crawling around looking 100% grubby and 110% adorable in muddy overalls. How does that Granny do it? She's a wonder.

She was here a couple of days before camp and a couple of days after, so we also got to attend the Billy Bowlegs Pirate Parade together and take her to our museum and the beach. We had such a great time seeing her, and now that she's gone, we are all in withdrawal. Thank you, Granny - we miss you so much already!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

We are celebrating my mother-in-law's birthday today. There was a huge surprise party for her yesterday but we couldn't make it, seeing as we live 2,500 miles away. That is not a reflection on how we all feel about her, though. Susan is a remarkable woman and a devoted fan of the blog, so I'm sure she's about to be mortified by the nice things I'm going to say about her right now.

Susan, you are one of the most special people in my life. You've adopted me as your own and I'm so grateful. You are an amazing grandmother to my children and will always be my husband's mommy. We all appreciate the close attention you pay to our lives and your concern for our well-being. We love you so much and we miss you every day. Happy birthday!

As a special Cookie Jar bonus, I'm including the video I made for the surprise party. Susan, I know you will balk at this because you don't want everyone to see your old photos. Luckily, you don't know how to leave comments on the blog so you'll never be able to tell me to pull the video down. Sorry, but I just had to let the world see how fantastic you are.

Happy Birthday, Susan! from Krissie Cook on Vimeo.

Girls Camp!

You may start reading this post with trepidation if you remember my more recent girls camp blog posts here and here. I mean, after canoeing in a thunderstorm and camping during a tornado watch, what could possibly come next?

I'm pleased to report that camp was a breeze. I had virtually no assignments and my girls were perfect little angels. They kindly respected the "No Drama Zone" I initiated before we left for camp and a good time was had by all. Basically, my job was to make sure my girls got to their assigned locations on time and also to lead the astronomy certification. Check and double check. I also helped in the kitchen, where the friendly but overworked cooks literally sweated the days away.

I will say that I think it's a bit wimpy to "camp" in air-conditioned dorms, but I do see that there are many possibilities for disaster if we were to actually camp in Florida in June. So instead I'll just be content with my happy memories, a dozen new teenage pals, a little extra padding from such delicious food and the hope that I'll be back next year.

Camping With Kirk

When the Odenwalders called to say that they had a couple of weeks off and would we like to meet them halfway between South Florida and here for a few days, we said yes. So we met at Rainbow Springs State Park and camped together. It was very hot and pretty buggy, but the water was a cool 70 degrees and kept us refreshed all day long.

It was so great to spend time with them! Kirk and Stellan are of course friends for life, and Rachelle and Heidi were besties since before they were even born. Everyone got along great and we enjoyed good food, relaxing time in and near the water and a beautiful nighttime sky.

Amy, when are you guys free again?

Butterfly House

There is a butterfly habitat in a neighboring town, so I thought we'd give it a try. The trip went smoothly until we pulled into the lot and saw that not only was the Butterfly House next to the beach, it was next to a playground and a splash pad. After some convincing, we decided to see the butterflies first and then get wet.

For all of you in Santa Barbara, you should know that this little exhibit didn't come close to comparing with the Butterflies Alive! exhibit you can see now through mid-September. The Butterfly House boasted dozens of butterflies in their garden, as opposed to more than a thousand in Santa Barbara. Despite its modest scope, it was very beautiful and the docents were friendly and informative.

Recent Adventures

We have been pretty busy, so I've been quite remiss in the blogging. To catch you up on things I haven't blogged yet, here are the CliffsNotes:

-Kevin was captain of an on-base intramural volleyball team. It made us all miss Team Condor. To see how they fared, watch the slideshow.'

-Kevin had a birthday. We celebrated all day and all night and had lots of fun showing Daddy just how much we love him.

-Stellan had his "Show Off To Your Parents Day" at gymnastics. OK, it wasn't called that, but that's basically what it was. I've included a video of his performances at the bottom of this post for you grandparent types, and anyone else who has a strong resistance to boring-to-just-about-anyone-but-family-of-child-that-is-not-yours videos. I would like to point out that this took place less than 12 hours after we got home from a cross-country plane ride, so it's a miracle he was even standing.

-The McKneeleys came to visit us. Melissa served her mission in Houston with me and Kevin, and Stephen was the ward mission leader in an area where Kevin and I spent 7 months. 10 years and 4 kids later, here they were at our front door! We were happy to offer them a place to crash on their way home from their Disney cruise. Come by again soon, McKneeleys!

-We baked. I know, not a banner item for most families, but we're not really bakers. However, when Kevin was charged with delivering a cake for a coworker's birthday, I busted out my Food Network Magazine and we rocked that cake. Entertaining and delicious. Watch the slideshow for details.

-We have spent this week with Natalie and Amanda, daughters of a friend who is chaperoning Cub Scout camp with her son Devon. Stellan has had the best time ever with "The Girls", who love to play with him and his toys. We've been busy exploring the lake, rivers, parks, our backyard and Stellan's new preschool (starting in the fall). Today they are with their dad, and while I'm enjoying the downtime, I miss hearing them say,"Can we do your hair after we make flowers out of pipe cleaners?" Girls are so fun.

Gymnastics May 2011 from Krissie Cook on Vimeo.

Father-Son Camping, Mom-Daughter Snuggling

Stellan and Kevin went on the annual Father Son campout with lots of friends from church. Things seemed dire on their way out of town, what with the torrential downpour and thunderstorm. But it stopped long enough for them to pitch a tent, eat some dinner and hang out with friends. It poured all night, proving that our tent is very close to waterproof, and then cleared up in time for morning adventures.

While the boys were gone, Rachelle and I spent pretty much the whole weekend doing what we like to do best - cuddle. Really. I just plopped her down in the living room with some toys and started reading The Hunger Games. She would play for a few minutes, then crawl over to me to snuggle. Then she'd play for a few more minutes and then she'd come over with her toy to snuggle while she played. Sorry there are no pictures, but I'm pretty sure no photo could do this weekend justice to the memory I'll always have of me and my super snuggly Angel Baby Rachelle.

When are you going camping again, boys?

Santa Barbara, I Miss You Already!

My dear friend Monica married Ian in Santa Barbara and she was kind enough to invite me. I was thrilled to share that happy occasion with them both. Their reception was at the Museum of Natural History, so it was like a double homecoming. The reception was lovely, I have reaffirmed how much I miss all my Museum friends and also how glad I was to have grandparents there to babysit my kids.

While we were there, we also got to see my sister Jenn and her kids (including brand new baby Noah - so precious!), go to National Astronomy Day (thanks for letting me a couple of planetarium shows, Javier!) and celebrate Mothers' Day with 3 of my 4 moms. What a great trip.

46

46 months old and 46 weeks old. Exactly. Today.

Tia Steph!

My sister Stephie is one of the most awesome and funny and smart and sweet people I know. So we were so excited to have her come visit us for a few days on her way to a work conference in Tampa. We had a great time together, and Stellan can't stop talking about all the fun things we did with her. Come back soon, Tia!