Quayle Covey Blog

Happy Hollidays!

2010-12-04T00:09:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving here with the regular crew- which includes "Granny Parkinson" and "Poppy" Reese. We reflected on all of the things we are thankful for. My favorite part of dinner this year was the decorations the kids made. They painted "leaves" on brown paper and we all wrote things we were thankful for on the leaves. It was fun seeing things through the eyes of the kids. The adults were thankful for the usual things- "My sweet husband," "My son," "health." The kids had things like,"presents," "wind," ""presents," and "pumpkins." Keilani also colored a personalized turkey and cut it out for each person at the table. I thank God for their sweet spirits and the reminders of simple truths he speaks through them!

Halloween

2010-12-03T23:45:00.000-08:00

This fall we made two trips to the pumpkin farm and had a fun-filled halloween trick-or-treating with friends. Best of all, Aunt Janna was visiting from Portland!

Apple Hill

2010-12-03T23:35:00.000-08:00

We are trying to do some more field trips this year with our fellow homeschoolers. We kicked off the year by heading up to Apple Hill. I found a terrific program at Denver Dan's where the kids get to tour the orchard, pick their own apples, and then come back and turn their apples into pie with their "Cooking Kids" program. The kids had so much fun making their pies- they were nice enough to share with us. I think it was the best pie I've ever had! YUM-O!

2010-12-03T22:53:00.000-08:00

Soccer!!!
A few weeks ago soccer season came to an end. Jacob toughed out his first year of "real" soccer and Keilani played bunch-ball on an under-6 team (no goalies). Both kids made quite a few goals!! Keilani started off the first half with lots of chatting and giggling, but by the end of the season she was a little tiger! She was focused and driven! (That's my girl!) Soccer season with two kids was exhausting- we had practice/games 4 out of 7 days every week. But, now that it's over I miss how much it wore out the kids! They have been so stir crazy!!! Bring on the basketball!

2010-09-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

My blogging has gotten behind (again). Here are some pictures of some fun we had this summer. We made a couple of trips to Tahoe, a trip with Granny to Folsom Lake, The State Fair, a few museums, a trip to Paradise to celebrate my Dad's birthday, and 2 camping trips!

2-Wheelin!!

2010-07-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

So, I left Jeff with Jacob a couple of weeks ago and said "It's learn to ride your bike day!" I knew Jakey would do better without Mommy nearby- he tends to be a bit tougher with Dad. When I came home, Jacob wanted to show me his new skills. I couldn't believe it!! I guess I expected to hear horror stories and see skinned knees, but he did great. He sure picked it up quickly. Jeff had some great little tips he taught Jacob too. He's only been able to practice a couple of times since then because our street isn't great for riding. But his progress is amazing- he's so confident and proud! It brings tears to my eyes- it's one more sign that he's growing up.

11 Years an counting!!!

2010-07-22T22:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary to us! We try to get away at least for a night every year on our day. This year we got 2 nights in Tiberon- across the bay from SF- it was super fun and relaxing. Every couple needs a weekend away at least once a year. Maybe a few times a year if you have 3 small children.

Happy 4th of July America!

2010-07-22T22:37:00.000-07:00

Our 4th was pretty busy this year. We went to one parade as a family the week before the 4th (since Jeff always works all day on the 4th, this was extra nice!) On the actual day, Jeff worked his tail off while the kids and I went to the Carmichael parade at the end of our street. We had some friends over to swim after and then we decided to go over to Jeff's event in Rancho Cordova with Granny. It was a bit crazy out there for me with the 3 kids, but super fun for them. It's quite the celebration- tons of vendors, a carnival, and fireworks to finish it off. The kids all did well with the fireworks this year, Jacob even uncovered his ears for the second half! Meigan wasn't a huge fan, but there were no tears.

2010-07-22T22:18:00.000-07:00

We had such a nice Father's day. It started with a special breakfast (Jeff's choice of course!) We showered Jeff with some fun gifts including a trophy for being Daddy of the Year! After breakfast, we headed up to Paradise to hang with my Daddy and the Reese family. Poppy and Jeff fished with the kids a bit, we ate some yummy food, and the kids had a blast with their cousin! And the weather up there was so gorgeous it makes me want to move back!

Happy Birthday Sweet Keilani!

2010-07-08T22:47:00.001-07:00

What a better fitting birthday party for the sweetest girl in the world than Strawberry Shortcake! We had our own strawberry patch for the kids to pick stawberries, a pinata, and lots of swimming! Keilani wanted cupcakes for her friends, but her own "special cake" just for her. Who could say no to that? Keilani was allowed to have 3 friends stay after the party for a sleepover. The girls made their own pizzas, watched a movie, and were asleep with no trouble whatsoever! We've been blessed with Kei Kei for four years- here's to many more!!

Boating

2010-07-08T22:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our first (hopefully not our ONLY) outing on grandpa's boat on Folsom Lake. It was a little too cold to swim, but the kids braved it anyway. Jeff took the kids on a tire swing. The water level was so high we could hardly believe it!

Tee Ball comes to an end.

2010-06-09T22:35:00.000-07:00

Tee Ball came to an end last week. Next year Jacob will move up to the "minors" where the kids pitch, there are 3 outs to an inning, and where you only get 3 chances to hit the ball! Tee Ball was so cute and fun. The kids never loose, they just have fun. Can't it stay that way forever?? Why do we have to move up to the world of competitiveness and disappointment? *sigh* It's like the end of innocence. . .

First Swim Day of the Season!!

2010-06-09T22:10:00.000-07:00

We usually start swimming in May, but this year we had to wait until June! We had a swim party scheduled all season for the baseball trophy party. We weren't sure it was going to happen. One week before the party it was raining and we hadn't even uncovered the pool. Suddenly, the sun peeked out and the day before the party it was 95 degrees. We decided to test the water and it turned out to be GREAT!

2010-05-14T22:15:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day 2010!!!

2010-05-14T21:31:00.000-07:00

Jan had a birthday just before Mother's Day. We had a fun day celebrating her!

2010-05-14T21:09:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had a short visit with our good friends, the Backlunds. Trish and I treated ourselves to dinner and a night of Daughtry and Lifehouse at Arco! They rocked and we had a good time. The next day the kids played and we watched Jacob play baseball. Then, they were off again. A short visit, but fun anyhow!

2010-04-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

In February, we signed up for Disney's give a day, get a day promotion. Jeff, Jacob, and I each signed up to volunteer one day and received a ticket to Disneyland in return. We found a great volunteer opportunity that could be done at home on our time- making fleece tied blankets for "Binky Patrol," which gives homemade blankets to hospitalized children and teens. I thought this would be something Jacob could help with, but the ties were so short, he couldn't do tie them. He did pick the fabric and tighten the knots after I loosely tied them.

So, when our vouchers came we debated when to make the trip. We decided we'd try to beat the summer craziness by going on our spring break which was the week after most of the school districts around here. We found out, however that So. Cal had plenty of schools on break that week! Oh, well. Even though Disneyland's lines were pretty long, we still had fun! Keilani braved Thunder Mountain Railroad and told Jeff to put his hands up! Jacob tried out Indiana Jones, which he said was fun, but he didn't want to do any roller coasters after that! They all loved Peter Pan, Nemo, and It's a Small World. Meigan still goes around the house singing it!

To help cut costs, we stayed with my family (Aunt Janet and cousins Olivia and Haley) in Northridge- we brought tents and camped in their back yard! Disneyland was our first day, then we went to the La Brea Tar Pits and hit the beach and pier in Santa Monica. The kids sure loved the beach! They played in the sand for hours! The Tar Pits were pretty amazing too. Keilani refused to take her picture in front of the pit outside because it was "too sad"- it had a baby mastadon statue crying out for his mommy mastodon who was stuck in the tar. She is such a sweet and tender-hearted girl!

Easter 2010

2010-04-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

Easter was a bit rainy this year! The Easter Bunny brought some nice baskets and eggs filled with goodies- he left a note saying he hid them inside this year because "he didn't want to get his paws wet!"

T-Ball (Farm) Year #2

2010-03-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

Jacob is playing Little League again this year. He's doing such a great job! It's amazing to see his improvement from last year. Today he played at the pitcher spot in the field (the coaches do the actual pitching). He fielded the balls perfectly! And he can throw so much farther than last year too! Isn't he so cute in his uniform?!

Happy 2nd Birthday Sweet Mei Mei!

2010-03-25T21:54:00.001-07:00

My baby girl turns 2 on Saturday! We celebrated with her pals today by making bears at Build-A-Bear! Granny P. and Grandpa and Grandma Q. came along too, and were VERY helpful. I put the girls to bed hugging their animals. Thank you friends for making it a wonderful day!

Snow, Snow, Snow!

2010-01-30T16:56:00.000-08:00

January was the month of snow for us. We made 2 sledding trips and spent a few days in Tahoe in the middle of a winter storm. The kids loved being at the Condo- we brought the Wii and the place had an indoor pool- and of course jumping on the bed is only allowed at hotels, so that was fun too! The Tahoe weekend started with a girl's night and ended with a boy's night with me and the kids there in between. We had to pick one of the worst snowstorms of the season to go up in! Jeff came down the hill Tuesday- it took an hour to dig his car out and another hour + to get chains on before he even left the parking lot!

The kids had a great time at the snow sledding, catching snowflakes, and making snowmen. But Meigan was unimpressed. She said, "I no like snow." It was just too cold, too windy, and the clothes were too puffy! Maybe she'll like it more next year!

2010-01-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

Big Boy Gym

2010-01-30T15:03:00.000-08:00

Jacob's so buff!

Plugging Away!

2010-01-30T14:33:00.000-08:00

The kids are making great progress in all they do.

Meigan is speaking in longer sentences (like "I want more snacks, Momma"). She is very curious and very busy. She's running circles around us, dancing, jumping, counting to 5, and even went pee on the potty! In the schoolroom she likes to pretend to be the teacher - she stands up and points to the map and says "ABC!" Meigan is in gymnastics class once a week and has a lot of fun.

Keilani is such a little joy. She is very imaginative and chats it up with dolls, stuffed animals, and of course all her friends! She knows all her letters and sounds and is starting to read short words. She loves gymnastics and Awanas and can't wait to go to preschool next year. She is a great helper and always giving me little love notes.

Jacob is really starting to grow up. He is doing so much independently now which is really nice. He will be six in February and will probably have lost his first tooth by then (the bottom 2 are loose). He is reading chapter books all the time- in fact he finished one it 2 sittings this week! It's great how much he loves books- the other day he didn't want to come eat pizza yet because he was too busy reading! Jacob is also in gymnastics and impressing us with his strength. He will start t-ball again in March.

More Christmas Fun!

2009-12-19T21:44:00.000-08:00

We've been having some fun family time the past few weeks. We are enjoying the little holiday traditions we've started- looking at Christmas lights in our jammies, building gingerbread houses, and of course our "advent time" which is sitting on the couch as a family each night in December to read and discuss a different book about the real meaning of Christmas- celebrating the gift and birth of Jesus!!!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. . .

2009-12-09T22:25:00.000-08:00

Not quite like the snow days I used to know, but fun for the kids nonetheless! So, it snowed a light dusting in the wee hours here, but it rained before we got out there just before 7. Suprisingly, there was still enough snow on top of the cars to make some snowballs! Now they really can't wait to go to the mountains and play in the snow some more!

Happy Birthday Jeff!

2009-12-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

Jeff enjoyed steak burritos and chocolate caramel cake for his birthday. Since his birthday was on a Thursday, he got to golf and play poker on Saturday.

2009-11-21T20:39:00.000-08:00

Last week the kids and I made a road trip to visit some family and friends down south. We had a great time - we got to see Great Grandpa and Grandma Parkinson, Uncle Roger, Aunt Janet, Cousin Olivia, Cousin Haley, their cute puppies, The Backlund Family, and my momma (Tutu to the kids)! The kids had a blast at Lego Land and the beach, but most of all they just had fun with their friends and family. We love all of you and miss you lots!

Lil' Princesses!

2009-11-03T22:25:00.000-08:00

There are some things that we buy for our kids that are a huge waste, but this one was really priceless! I took Keilani to Disney's Princesses on Ice a couple of weeks ago with 2 of her best buddies. She didn't take her eyes of the stage the entire time! She was totally enthralled. I'm sure it's something she wont forget! Before the show, we went to Applebees (Kids eat free!) to make it a complete "girls night out!"

Trophy #2

2009-11-03T22:16:00.000-08:00

Jacob finished year 2 of soccer. He had a great time this year and he really performed well. Next year he moves up to the big leagues- Under 8s with real game rules on Saturdays. It will be crazy next year- Keilani will start playing on Friday nights too. 2 different practice days and 2 different game days!

Fall Fun!

2009-11-03T22:04:00.000-08:00

We've been busy celebrating fall the last few weeks! We went to Bishop's Pumpkin Farm in Wheatland with some friends- it was incredible!! That will definitely be our new tradition. It had so much fun stuff for the kids - and the pumpkins were only a few dollars a piece ($2-$4).
We also helped out and played at the Greenhouse's annual Harvest Carnival. Jeff donated the hot dogs and our life group manned the craft table.
Unfortunately my camera battery died after 1 picture on Halloween night. So, I have one picture of Meigan trick or treating- it is a cute one- but I'm a little sad that I didn't get pics of the other 2. Oh well, next year!

:)

Happy Halloween!!

2009-10-17T22:23:00.000-07:00

Here are the kids' costume picks this year: Strawberry Shortcake, Apple Dumpling, and Lego Wii Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Exploratorium

2009-10-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

Last week we ventured to San Francisco for a free day at the Exploratorium. The drive was fine and the kids behaved really well. They had a lot of fun with all the hands-on experimenting. One of their favorites was the room that "took a picture" of your shadow. They also liked the Alice in Wonderland room and the earthquake table. We didn't make it upstairs, so I guess we'll have to go again sometime!

2009-10-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

Recent pics:
They're so cute. For real.

Lil' Gymnast and a Soccer Star!

2009-09-04T23:26:00.000-07:00

This summer I asked Keilani if she wanted to do ballet or gymnastics. She did "fairytale ballet" about 3 times and loved it. But, one week the ballet room was closed and they let Keilani's class do gymnastics, and she was hooked! So, we switched over. I was really looking forward to the Nutcracker recital, but she's so full of energy that gymnastics suits her perfectly!

Homeschooling Adventures!

2009-09-04T22:52:00.000-07:00

Jacob is officially a school-boy now! Kindergarten started 3 weeks ago. He's been doing a great job on all his schoolwork- lots of perfect papers! He got 100% on his first spelling and math tests! We are so glad we are home schooling. Everywhere we go we are "doing school"! At the zoo we were talking about whether the animals were mammals, birds, or reptiles. We are in the back yard planting seeds and watching them grow. And we can work with the kids right where they are at. Keilani is learning a new letter every 3 days and working on writing. Jacob is doing a 2nd grade reading program and first grade math. And of course we can talk about God's work as much as we want- the patterns on a snake in math, grace in the characters of a book, and the complexity of everything in science!

Granny's Surgery

2009-09-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

Granny was diagnosed with Colon cancer this spring. But, Praise God she came out of surgery cancer free! She is recovering well and much more quickly than we all imagined! Yay for Granny!

Camping

2009-09-04T22:17:00.000-07:00

We had a blast on a weekend camping trip this summer with a group of friends. We camped in Santa Cruz by the beach. It was a bit chilly until we drove up the coast a short ways to the beach. The kids had a blast playing with friends, climbing trees, making smores, and chasing the waves!

Celebrating 10 years in Cancun!

2009-09-04T21:47:00.000-07:00

Jeff and I had a wonderful weekend in Cancun in July. We celebrated 10 years of marriage!

I like to drawings!

2009-07-09T21:37:00.000-07:00

Here's some of the latest refridgerator art from Keilani. It's a picture of grandma. See the resemblence?

And here's Jacob's picture of the family:

Family Time

2009-07-03T22:25:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our anniversary lunch- we took the kiddos back to Rusch Park where we got married. Notice the same bridge in our wedding picture below! This week we also spent a day at the SF Zoo to reward the kids for filling their "speaking nicely" sticker charts.

Our first decade anniversary! 10 years of marriage!

2009-06-25T22:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary to us! Still lovebirds!

June 26, 1999

Disneyland! 5 days- so super fun, so very tiring. We all had a blast.

2009-06-12T23:09:00.001-07:00

The Birthday Princess

2009-06-12T22:37:00.000-07:00

Keilani Mei had a magical princess birthday yesterday. She turned 3! Her big gift was a big girl bike- princess themed of course. She got piles of gifts from family and friends- I've never seen so much fru fru princess stuff in my life! I didn't like dresses, pink, or barbies when I was little, but as Kei Kei gathers more of these things, I've decided it's all pretty FUN! Keilani is such a bright and cheery girl - she's beautiful inside and out. Happy Birthday Princess!

There Will Be A Day - Jeremy Camp

2009-05-11T21:49:00.001-07:00

Praise God- there will be a day. Romans 21:4

A great visit

2009-05-01T22:08:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we had our good friends here for a visit. Their 2 oldest kiddos had a sleepover while Mommy Backlund took a little break. It was a busy day for sure, but I found out that I can hang with 5 kids- for a few days anyways! I took the kids to Bounceopolis in Folsom to get some of the energy out and later we had a movie night and then it was sleepover time. I sat in the room until they fell asleep and it worked! Check out all the cute pics. Can you tell who has a crush on who?

Easter

2009-04-12T21:41:00.000-07:00

Hope you had a lovely Easter. We sure enjoyed the great weather! The kids woke up to a note from "E. Bunny." They found their baskets and then even more goodies from grandpa and grandpa. It was hard to hold them off from running out the door at 7am to hunt for eggs! We made it until about 8 and I finally gave in. We made it to church and celebrated Jesus' resurrection. Granny P. and Aunt Judy joined us for dinner (and brought the kids more goodies!) You have to know I brushed their teeth extra long tonight!!! Check out the cute pics!

Happy Easter!!

2009-04-11T23:19:00.001-07:00

We just watched this wonderful video that we've had sitting around for a month or so. We had no idea it was going to be about Easter!! It is awesome- you just have to watch it: "Fruitcake and Ice Cream" (http://www.northpointministries.org/player/player.jsp?occurrenceID=3109)
God bless your Easter!

Meigan's a Toddler

2009-04-09T22:55:00.000-07:00

No more babies around here- Meigan is now walking almost entirely now. She hardly crawls at all any more. Here's a video update. She really exhausts me- she is so curious and independent. I'll find her at the other end of the house opening things and finding new troubles. :) But boy is she cute. So she gets away with everything.!

Another Surgery

2009-04-09T22:32:00.000-07:00

On Thursday Jeff finally had sinus surgery. This was after 3 years of chronic sinus infections and daily pain. He was seeing an ENT doctor for the last year who was reluctant to do surgery and who made him see a neuroligist, allergy doctor, and more. Finally, Jeff sought a second opinion and was sent to an ENT at Kaiser Roseville who was optimistic that surgery would help. Dr. Kirnon spoke with me after Jeff's surgery on Thursday and said his deviated septum was one of the worst she'd seen and his right sinus was very diseased. She was quite sure he will feel a lot of improvement after surgery. Thank you Dr. Kirnon!
Jeff's surgery went well. It took all day Thursday and has been a rough recovery so far. Because he was bleeding so much, the doctor had to put packing in his nose which added pressure and pain to an already painful procedure. This morning she removed that which helped a bit. He's had some trouble with the medications too- not being strong enouch and also some allergic reaction. He's slowly eating a bit more and watching some TV, but mostly he's sleeping (in a recliner chair because he has to stay at a 45 degree angle). He could definitely use your continued prayers and encouragement. Thanks for all the well wishes, I have been passing them on!

Mei Mei's cupcake

2009-03-30T22:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

2009-03-27T23:07:00.000-07:00

Meigan turned from baby to toddler today! I can't believe it's been a year already! We had a fun garden themed party at which Mei Mei's friends planted flowers in "Meigan's Garden" in the back yard. She enjoyed her first cupcake and left the party early for an overdue nap. We had a nice barbecue in the evening with Granny and Grandpa and Grandma.
We are so greatful for every day with our beautiful girl. She is so happy and fun and independent. Her curiosity leads her on new adventures every day. She is a blessing and a joy. Thank you God for Meigan Elaine!

We love to read!

2009-03-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

The kids love their books. Jacob is moving toward chapter books- he's reading a Magic Tree House book in this clip. Keilani knows about 6 letters and some of their sounds, but she likes to "read" books too- she has three or four books memorized. She's reading Eric Carl's "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" in her video.

Big steps for Mei Mei

2009-03-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

Meigan has been working on walking more and more every day. Her record is 15 steps.

In and Out and then a pop. . .

2009-03-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

Keilani's surgery went well this morning. We woke up at 4:50 so we could get ready and have a sip of juice before the 5am cut-off. Keilani snuggled with Grandma until we left at 5:30. We went into admitting where Keilani and her Snuggly Pup got wristbands.
We were whizzed right in to pre-op where Keilani got dressed in her surgery pajamas and was given a small cup of Versed to help her relax. She DID NOT want to drink it. She spit some out and then I had to give her the choice to drink it or be held down and forced to drink it. She finally chose to drink it (big sigh of relief for mommy). The medicine made her really loopy and happy. She waved a princess wave to mommy and said "Bye Mom!"
We were sent back to the waiting room and tried not worry. After not too long the surgeon came to us and said, "She's done. Come on back." Everything had gone prefectly. Keilani was sleeping peacefully. She woke up after a while without tears. The nurse was amazed that she didn't try to pull anything off. She whispered to me a bit. And after a bit she was eating a popsicle and chugging juice.
She recovered so well the sent us right home!
All was well at home and Kei Kei was pepping up and even playing outside a bit, though she was bearing a bit of an attitude about everything. But, hey she has some reason to be a bit cranky!
Then came the call for naptime. She was not having it at all. I picked her up and she started to flail around when we heard a sudden "pop." The sound was kind of like a shirt button popping loose, but louder. My stomach sank a bit. I looked at Keilani and asked her, "What was that?" She started crying "It didn't pop, it didn't pop." I asked her if it was her stomach and she wouldn't answer. I told her it was very important and to tell me. She nodded. At this point my stomach sank all the way to the floor. She could tell. She was crying and I started calling for Jeff. So, we hurried to the car and headed toward the ER. By halfway there, she was calm. At that point I started second guessing. Was it just her back cracking or her sternum popping? We knew we had to play it safe and go in. The surgeon met us in the ER room. He said he'd be suprised if the inner stitch broke, but even if it did, there wasn't anything to do about it now. (It wouldn't really cause much internal bleeding). He said worst case scenario would be that the stitch did break and the tissue could come back out the hole, but most likely scar tissue will build up blocking the 1mm opening and preventing that.
So, there's a small possibility that we just went through surgery and then undid it. But prayerfully, her tummy bump is fixed.
And regardless, our sweetie is Okay!

Just can't be mad at that face!

2009-03-09T22:19:00.000-07:00

Check out Keilani's latest trouble- playfoam in the hair! This was after a week of coloring on the walls and lipsticking the carpet. Today's infraction had it's own natural consequence of getting the foam out of the hair. She was crying just talking about it.

Happy Birthday Jakey!

2009-02-21T22:41:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe, but on Friday Jacob turned 5 years old!! He's officially a big kid now! What a wonderful blessing and joy he is. He brings us smiles every day. We love his sweet spirit and incredible mind. His energy amazes us (and exhausts us too!) Jacob enjoyed his birthday very much. Thanks to everyone who helped make it so special for him!
Here are some pictures of yesterday and his party today.My, how you've grown!

Busy Baby

2009-02-05T23:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a little clip of Meigan- she is going nonstop like this all day long!

Ski School

2009-02-02T22:13:00.000-08:00

We had a great time celebrating Faye's birthday up at Boreal last Friday. We took Jacob and put him in Ski School for the morning with his buddy, Eben. Jacob did really well and had a lot of fun. He learned to go up the chair lift and stop himself by "making a pizza slice." The boys had fun after their class throwing snowballs, making a snowman, and "sledding" on a snowboard.

Mei Mei on the Move and Growing Up!

2009-01-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

Baby Meigan's little personality is really starting to come out now. She is very curious and she really loves music. She went from no crawling to speed crawling and she can even get up the stairs.

She pulls up on everything. She can say Ma Ma and she tries to say "all done." She never took to pureed food, but she loves all the food we eat chopped up (and oatmeal too).

Meigan graduated to big kid bath time with her sissy. Here's a cute picture of the girls in the tub together.

Sick of Being Sick!!

2009-01-18T22:51:00.000-08:00

Our house has been plagued with illness. Before Christmas all 5 of us had a cold- the girls had fevers on Christmas Day. New years brought a stomach bug. Then, just when everyone was starting to feel better another cold hit. This round ended up causing Jeff a sinus infection and Jacob an ear infection. We haven't been able to do our normal activities, play with our buddies, or even run around much. The kids have a coughing fit just walking down the street. * * * sigh * * * I hope that we can have a nice long streak of health after all this ends!!

Wii Wish You a Merry Christmas!

2008-12-27T23:36:00.000-08:00

We had a nice quiet Christmas at home this year. All 3 kids were sick, but the presents helped them stay happy. We did miss Poppy (my Dad) very much though- he couldn't come down for the sake of his own health and safety. Since we couldn't attend a Christmas Eve service, Jeff played guitar and we used homemade drums to play Little Drummer Boy and other carols. We had a nice stew dinner and hurried the kids off to bed (so that Santa wouldn't pass us by!) The kids had a sleepover in our room and woke us up right at 7. Santa had filled their stockings and left a nice thank you note for the cookies.

After stockings, we opened our Santa gifts - a Nintendo Wii and games! This was a fun and popular gift for everyone. The kids like the Mario Kart game. Jeff loves the Wii Sports. Even grandpa played!

After breakfast and some Wii time, we opened a million more presents and then ate a delicious ham dinner. Jacob read the Christmas story from the book of Matthew(NIrV) to us:

After dinner we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and ate cake. We had a great time visiting with Granny and Aunt Judy and opening a million MORE presents this morning at Grandpa and Grandma's house.

At first it seemed strange not to travel this Christmas, but it was really WONDERFUL to have a slower paced holiday. It gave us more time to reflect on Jesus and to enjoy each other.

Jeff plays Wii Boxing

2008-12-27T23:34:00.001-08:00

This was too funny NOT to post!

Date Day

2008-12-23T22:08:00.001-08:00

Jacob and Keilani filled their marble jars a couple of days ago - they get marbles from us when they have great behavior or are especially helpful. Their reward this time around was a date! Jacob and Mommy went on a date ice skating. Keilani went on a date with Daddy to the Folsom Zoo. We all had a lot of fun! (There are only pics from Jacob's date because we went at the same time and Mommy had the camera.)

Merrrrry Christmas!

2008-12-18T21:47:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Encore! Encore! (Charleston Version)

2008-12-18T21:41:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The Good News of Christmas

2008-12-12T21:56:00.000-08:00

It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment.
As moments go, that one appeared no different from any other. If you could somehow pick it up off the timeline and examine it, it would look exactly like the ones that have passed while you have read these words. It came and it went. It was preceded and succeeded by others just like it. It was one of the countless moments that have marked time since eternity became measurable.
But in reality, that particular moment was like none other. For through that segment of time a spectacular thing occurred. God became a man. While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb.
The omnipotent, in one instant, made himself breakable. He who had been spirit became pierceable He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. And he who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl.
God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created. God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother.
God had come near.
He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. The hands that first held him were unmanicured, calloused, and dirty.
No silk. No ivory. No hype. No party. No hoopla.
Were it not for the shepherds, there would have been no reception. And were it not for a group of stargazers, there would have been no gifts.
Angels watched as Mary changed God’s diaper. The universe watched with wonder as The Almighty learned to walk. Children played in the street with him. And had the synagogue leader in Nazareth known who was listening to his sermons...
Jesus may have had pimples. He may have been tone-deaf. Perhaps a girl down the street had a crush on him or vice-versa. It could be that his knees were bony. One thing’s for sure: He was, while completely divine, completely human.
For thirty-three years he would feel everything you and I have ever felt. He felt weak. He grew weary. He was afraid of failure. He was susceptible to wooing women. He got colds, burped, and had body odor. His feelings got hurt. His feet got tired. And his head ached.
To think of Jesus in such a light is -- well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn’t it? It’s not something we like to do; it’s uncomfortable. It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. Clean the manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes. Pretend he never snored or blew his nose or hit his thumb with a hammer.
He’s easier to stomach that way. There is something about keeping him divine that keeps him distant, packaged, predictable.
But don’t do it. For heaven’s sake, don’t. Let him be as human as he intended to be. Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out.
Listen to him.
“Love your neighbor” was spoken by a man whose neighbors tried to kill him.
The challenge to leave family for the gospel was issued by one who kissed his mother goodbye in the doorway.
“Pray for those who persecute you” came from the lips that would soon be begging God to forgive his murderers.
“I am with you always” are the words of a God who in one instant did the impossible to make it all possible for you and me.
It all happened in a moment. In one moment...a most remarkable moment. The Word became flesh.
There will be another. The world will see another instantaneous transformation. You see, in becoming man, God made it possible for man to see God. When Jesus went home he left the back door open. As a result, “we will all be changed -- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”
The first moment of transformation went unnoticed by the world. But you can bet your sweet September that the second one won’t. The next time you use the phrase “just a moment...,” remember that’s all the time it will take to change this world.
From "God Came Near" by Max Lucado
(available @ The Bible House, Target, Amazon, and christianbook.com for as low as $6.99)
You can read more of the story of Jesus in the book of Matthew

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-28T22:01:00.000-08:00

We are glad that God gave us:
Meigan said, "DaDa"

Keilani said, "Mommy"

Jacob said, "Meigan"

Faye said, "Our jobs, our house, and the blessing of staying home"

Jeff said, "My beautiful wife and kids"

Family Traveling

2008-11-25T21:36:00.000-08:00

Here's a clip of our car ride down to Visalia last weekend. 3 kids in the car for 4 hours! It was actually a pleasant trip. This is for all you who will be traveling this week.

Discovery Kingdom

2008-11-14T22:11:00.000-08:00

We went to Homeschool Day at Discovery Kingdom on Tuesday. It was a lot of fun! The kids had a great time and did really well. The baby was especially patient. Both girls lost it at dinner, but I think that was to be expected after a long day with no nap! Here are some pics:

Things our kids said in the last 2 weeks. . .

2008-11-14T21:17:00.000-08:00

"Excuse me; We licked your walls and we're sorry." (At the frozen yogurt shop- I made Jacob go appologize.)

"Uh, Mommy, you need to come see this. Keilani just . . ." (At least 6 times about all kinds of misdeeds!)

"Don't say thank you to me!"

"Stop looking at me!"

"Jacob just sat on me!"

"Yo Mommy, Hook me up with some of that" (Jeff prompted Keilani to say this one.)

"Hey Mommy, let's play the game where I guess what's in my mouth."

"I have 100 tears."

"Hey Dad, I counted 7 poos on the floor up there!" (Keilani pooped all over upstairs just for fun.)

Happy Halloween!!

2008-10-29T22:28:00.001-07:00

Soccer Star!

2008-10-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

Jacob finished up his soccer season strong with his last game on Friday. He was so proud to receive his trophy at the pizza party on Saturday. The coach paid him a great compliment as Jacob came up- he called J the best listener on the team. It was a tough season- we had to play a lot of teams that were older and more experienced. But, the SHARKS never lost hope. They never gave up and always tried their best! What more can you ask for?!

Homeschooling Update

2008-10-29T21:48:00.001-07:00

So, we've come to a new decision about Jacob's schooling- we've decided to continue homeschooling him, but drop some of the curriculum until next year. So, basically we are not calling him a Kindergartner until next year. Next fall he will be enrolled with our charter school as a Kindergartner.

It is a hard choice because of his advanced skills. Is it better for him to be a young Kindergartner now, but closer academically to others in his grade, or to wait a year to be the same age as his peers, but years passed them academically?

He's been doing great with our school time. I didn't feel like I was pushing him too much. He wasn't have a hard time sitting still or doing the work. But I couldn't stop wondering and worrying that it wasn't the right thing to do. Maybe he should have one more year to just be a kid- to play and build, and do art, and read just for fun. So, that's what we're doing!

Apple Hill

2008-10-16T22:39:00.000-07:00

We went on our second trip up to Apple Hill today. The weather was awesome, the kids had a blast, and we picked up 3 pumpkins, but no apple pie! Here are some pictures from this year!

And one from last year:

Babbling

2008-10-11T22:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a cute video of Meigan talking away!

School Papers and More

2008-09-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Here are some of Jacob's school papers he wanted to show off. He is doing 1st grade math- adding single digit numbers, writing short sentences, reading short chapter books (Henry and Mudge, Stuart Little, Arthur), and doing a great job in all subjects. He loves writing little notes all the time- One morning he came up with the green post-it (it says, "SuperDog.Com") - I guess it's a sign of the times!

Cutest Girls Ever- in the Whole World- of all time!

2008-09-19T22:56:00.000-07:00

Here are the little Quayle princesses having a blast at the park this week! Aren't they sooo adorable!

Aunt Janna and Apple Hill

2008-09-19T22:44:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a couple of weeks, and I guess I'm behind in my posting, but our favorite Aunt was here! Janna came to visit for a few days and we had so much fun. She came with us up to Apple Hill where you can see that Jacob caught his first fish on his own. It cost me about $20 because they charge $6 per pound up there!

Not So Magic Glue

2008-08-27T22:59:00.000-07:00

So, Jacob's magic finger turned out to be not so magic after all. He tripped on the threshold today and took a spill breaking open the dermabond glue job on his finger. So, we took a trip back to the doctor. She couldn't glue it again because it might trap germs inside, so she left it open and had it wrapped up really well in bandages. I have to check it for infection and re-do the dressing every day. *sigh*
Here he is now:

Pictures from Yesterday

2008-08-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures from yesterday- the glued together finger and then the fair pics.

Here are the pictures from yesterday- the glued together finger and then the fair pics.

Glued back together in the ER

2008-08-26T22:53:00.000-07:00

So our calm morning at home ended abruptly today when I heard a piercing scream from Jacob which I knew instantly meant he was hurt. He had been out "helping" Grandpa with some yardwork- shoveling dirt for some planting Papa was doing. While Grandpa was putting topsoil on, Jacob was making a fort with all of Jeff's coolers on the deck. Grandpa continued planting and put the pruning shears down on the deck. Jacob picked them up and chopped open his pinky finger. It was ugly- blood pouring out all over. I could hardly bandage it because it was bleeding so much and the cut was on the tip which was an akward place to bandage.
So we weren't sure if it needed stitches, so I took him in to the urgent care at Kaiser Morse Hospital. It was a long 2.5 hour wait, but I'm glad we did. The Dr. soaked his finger in a saline/iodine mix. When it came out it looked so much better. The doctor said she had good news- Jacob didn't need stitches because she could use glue! What?
"Dermabond" to the rescue! So, she took out a superglue looking bottle and applied 3 coats. His finger is almost good as new! I've never seen anything like it. So, Jacob was glued back together and sent on his way.
We came home and followed through with our plans to go to the State Fair and had a great time. I'll post some pics maybe tomorrow.
Thank you, Dermabond!

First day of Kindergarten!!

2008-08-18T22:48:00.000-07:00

Today was our first day of Homeschool Kindergarten. Jacob awoke to a fun back-to-school balloon and special first-day cookies. Jacob did a great job today. We did about an hour of school. He breezed right through the work and mostly stayed in his chair.
We are doing Scholastic Reading, McGraw-Hill Math, Kindergarten Standards for Science and Social Studies, and a Bible program called Discipleland- Old Testament Heroes. Jacob loves superheroes, so he really likes that one!
Today went by very smoothly and I'm excited to keep going!
Here's Jacob's first school paper- he was asked what his favorite season was and why.

Potty Training Yays and Woes

2008-08-18T22:40:00.000-07:00

Keilani is doing a great job keeping her diapers and undies dry during the day. She is such a big girl!

But wait, it couldn't be so easy could it? No, there's more to the story. Our pretty princess has developed a nasty habit. It goes right along with her general messiness and love of gooshy mucky things. She sticks her hands in her dinner plates, she sticks her hands in mud, she sticks her hand in glue and paint. So doesn't it just follow to stick her hands in her stinky diaper? 4 times now we have had the wonderful surprise of cleaning up that mess. DISGUSTING! *ahh parenthood*

So, any great suggestions for hurrying the process of getting a child to do their business in the toilet?

The Sharks!

2008-08-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

Jacob started his first year of "real" soccer on an under-6 team this year- The Sharks. He has a lot of fun and is pretty good at dribbling. He's very fast and he's scored a couple of goals at practice. His first game is next Saturday.

Camping at Sly Park

2008-07-31T23:18:00.000-07:00

We had a great time camping at Jenkinson Lake this week. G-ma came too which was great. Our ratio of adults to kids was 3:3! The kids had a blast. They roasted marshmallows, made dirt castles, went on "hikes", and road down the hill on their bikes. Every time we turned around Keilani was brown with dirt again. She has a special talent for getting messy!

A visit from our good friends

2008-07-26T22:33:00.000-07:00

The last 3 days we've had special visitors, our good friends the Backlunds. We sure had a great time with them. We love them so much! Jacob was crying when it was time for them to leave. I've never seem him so melancholy as he was this afternoon. It was heartbreaking!

The kids had a great time swimming and playing and going on a special trip to Fairytale Town (or as my kids call it, "Humpty Dumpty.") Trish and I had a nice mom's night out and went to Q'bole in Folsom for dinner and then to Color Me Mine for a bit of fun.

The Backlunds are such good friends of ours and we really look up to them as an example of a Godly family. They challenge us by living out their faith in their little daily happenings. (Like when they were at our house they modeled Jesus' servant heart by doing our dishes.) I hope that our family can be a witness to our friends too!

Why we are homeschooling.

2008-07-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

In a few weeks we will begin a new adventure- homeschooling Jacob. Many people have asked us why we are choosing to homeschool. I don't think I've given a great answer to anyone and I think it's time I do. I wanted to be able to explain myself better, so I've been praying and thinking and reading. So here goes.
As I we started realizing that Jacob has unique academic talents (reading at 2), we we had to consider this question: What will be the best education for our son? And as I pondered this question, I was brought to a new question- What does God want for the education of our children?
I know that God has uniquely gifted each child and I believe he wants us to develop those talents. I know that the things that God's values are not the same things that the world values. I also know that God has made some specific commandments in raising children. One of those is Deuteronomy 11:18-19 which says, "You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
I believe that the most important thing to teach our children is God's word and his values. As a former public school teacher I know absolutely that these are not taught in public school. And I am really not sure that we would have enough time in a day to make-up what is lacking in a public school classroom if they are there 6 hours a day (+ ?? hours of getting ready, transporting them back and forth, eating, bathing, and homework). I also know that there are values and influences in a public school that I don't want my kids taught. It's not about evolution and homosexuality. It's teaching them to let other's go first, forgiveness, loving our enemies, etc. etc...
One thing that really impacted me was Jacob's preschool at First Covenant Church. What I loved about it was that they didn't just have a Bible story time. They talked about God throughout the day. While the kids were outside fascinated with a butterfly, the teacher engaged them in a conversation about how God made it able to fly. When a boy was crying because he lost his teddy bear, the class stopped to pray for him. That was an "Aha!" moment for me. This is what the Deuteronomy passage is all about.
Will we homeschool them through high school? I don't know. We will take it one day at a time and continue praying about it. We will reevaluate every year. We do want to make sure the kids can get into a university if they want to. It will just depend on the schools and on each child. They are all different with different needs, talents, and feelings.
Please support us in our decision to homeschool by praying for us and encouraging us and keep the playdates coming!

Happy 4th of July! Hooray for Summer!

2008-07-05T22:51:00.000-07:00

We had a great time for the 4th this year. Jeff worked 2 events and we attended both- the 20th annual Carmichael Parade in the morning and the Carnival/ Fireworks show at Sunrise Mall. Jeff spent a few hours at home with us in between which was nice. We did not get to visit with him at either event- he was too busy which is good! After the parade, the kids napped and then we had a little BBQ with Grandpa and Grandma Quayle as well as Granny Parkinson. The kids had fun playing in the sprinklers after dinner. Then I put the girls to bed and Granny and I took Jacob to the carnival and Fireworks show in Citrus Heights. It was perfect because you watch from the parking lot by your car. Jacob isn't a fan of the loudest booms, so he watched the finale from inside the car and was happy instead of scared. Today we swam in our NEW pool and did some fireworks in the street. Jacob really liked the "snakes" because they looked more like something out of a toilet. Silly boy.

9 Years Strong!

2008-06-29T22:55:00.000-07:00

June 26, 1999- a very young couple full of energy and optimism got married. They had known each other for 6 years, since they were just 16 years old! Some people worried that it wouldn't last, that it was just infatuation.

June 26, 2008- That cute couple is us, and we just celebrated our 9th anniversary! Still in love (though a more mature love), we have survived many ups and downs, but never questioned our decision to marry. We are Blessed beyond belief with 3 gorgeous kids, a beautiful house, successful jobs, and wonderful family and friends. Thank you to those of you who have supported us and believed in us.

Our marriage is strong and happy. It is built on love. Our love for each other and God's love for us. And God has helped us by teaching us that a healthy relationship is not 50/50, but 100/100. We are here to help, encourage, and serve each other, not be served. Not to say that we live in perfect harmony every day, but when we do come on hard times we remember God's truths and we try our best to live them out in our marriage.

To celebrate our anniversary, Jeff and I (and Meigan) spent 2 days in Monterey. It was a nice break and we had a good time. Thanks Mom and Dad for watching J and K!

Here's to many more years together!!

Summer Visits

2008-06-29T21:20:00.000-07:00

We've been having a nice summer so far. Aside from the endless sprinkler runs in the backyard, we have visited with lots of friends and family. Granny Parkinson comes down from Lincoln about once a week, Poppy Reese came down for father's day, and last week we went to visit Great Grandma Lulu in West Sac. We've also made a few trips to see our buddy Drew and his family at Stanford Hospital. Thankfully, he was released to a hotel in Palo Alto on Friday and hopefully will be home soon!

The kids have had fun hanging out with friends, going to local parks and activities including a couple of spray parks, Fairytale Town, and the Sacramento Zoo. Jacob also got a special invitation to "Bounce U" with a girl from preschool! More fun to come with Summer Preschool, VBS, and a visit from The Backlunds!

We love Daddy!

2008-06-15T21:45:00.001-07:00

Dear Daddy,
I love you way up to heaven and back. I like when you rough house with me. I like when you are silly and read me "The Belly Book." You are so awesome. I love you so much."
Love,
Jacob

Dear Daddy,
Happy Father's Day! I love you, Daddy. I like when you read to me."
Love,
Keilani

Dear Daddy,
Dada! Ooooooo!
Love,
Meigan

Dear Jeff,
You are the most wonderful father and husband. Thank you for working so hard to provide for us- I can't believe you chose to work today (carrying the burden of MY dental issues.) I love how you play with the kids and bring joy and laughter to our home. You are always willing to help me when I ask. I praise God for giving me such a strong, loyal, and loving husband!
Love,
Faye

Kei Kei says thank you to Grandma Tutu

2008-06-14T22:11:00.001-07:00

Kei Kei says thank you to Grandma Tutu

Happy Birthday to you, Keilani Mei!

2008-06-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Keilani!! 2 Years Old

2008-06-13T22:17:00.000-07:00

Keilani turned 2 on Wednesday. She had a fun day. She woke up to pink balloons all around her room. When she came out she found a whole room full of presents from Grandma and Grandpa Quayle including a huge doll house which she loves. We ate a special breakfast. While Jacob was at preschool, Jeff and I took Keilani to Build-A-Bear at the mall. She chose an elephant. She helped stuff it, put in a heart, and create a special message button with an elephant noise. Keilani chose a pink dress for her elephant. Next, we took "Floppy" with us to eat lunch. Later on we ate pizza and had a Minnie Mouse cake and ice cream. She opened more presents and went to bed with a smile. Keilani says thank you to her Aunt Judy, Tutu, Elijah and Alia, Grandpa and Grandma Quayle, and Jacob for the gifts you gave.

Keilani Mei

2008-06-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

J's Swim Lesson- Freestyle

2008-06-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

Baby Mei Mei

2008-06-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

Drew's Dogs

2008-06-05T23:31:00.001-07:00

This is a special post for Jacob's buddy Drew. He's in the hospital right now missing his puppies whom we are dogsitting. Bandit and Bibby miss him so much- here they are to say "Hi Drew! We can't wait to play ball with you and lick you!"

Yummy!

2008-05-30T21:54:00.000-07:00

So, my pal Kate was so sad that I didn't include this picture in with the baby shower pics. So, the explanation of the picture is: At the baby shower for Meigan a few weeks back we played a game. Little plastic babies were frozen in ice cubes. The first one to "break their water" won a prize. A few of us had margaritas, so the sight of them in our drinks was a bit disturbing!! (Kate didn't win.)