Here's what I'm up to:

I got my first client about a month ago. She's a real sweetie and has beautiful babies. I am really enjoying working with her. I am really glad I decided to go ahead with Peer Parenting. It's very rewarding and it gives me the opportunity to get involved in Foster Care, from another perspective, the mom's perspective.

Being involved in Foster care, in one way or another, whether it be foster parent, peer parent, caseworker, or whatever you may be is not the most glamorous thing, but the excitement of helping reunite a family is just beyond words! Kamber is now home with her mom and I couldn't be happier! My client, I am currently working with, is doing great! She's genuinely trying and putting her all into it.

Just today, we opened our file with Foster Care to provide Shelter Care. What that means is that a baby would come to us temporarily, while the RFC finds a permenant foster family for the baby. The baby would more than likely be with us only a day or two, sometimes a week and very rarely they could stay with us for up to 2-3 weeks. They will only call us on weekends and holidays. Shelther Care is used for after hour care, until they locate a Fost-Adopt Family. They did tell me make sure my bassinet was out and ready to go because they can call at midnight and say, "We are on our way!"

Anyway, that's what I have going on right now, at least a fraction of it! lol! My life usually consists of taking care of Landon and Korbin and cleaning, to name a few. And that's exactly what I need to go do! Clean my house! I've been sick, still am actually, so my house has been neglected.

It's been the weekend, Chris hasn't been working and hasn't had anything to do, so I got on Chris about it. Chris said, "I've been taking care of the boys, I couldn't keep the house clean, too!" I replied, "But I do, everyday!" And my sweet husband then went on to tell me what I good wife and mommy I am and how he knows I do so much and he admits he can't do it all...lol...he never tells me that!! It made me feel so appreciated! Unfortunetly, sometimes I feel too needed...lol..ah...off to work I go!!

McDowell Family Christmas Party

Every year the McDowell's have a family Christmas party with John's siblings. This year Chris thought it'd be nice to start the tradition with his family. We invited everyone over to our house. It's been a while since we've all been together, so it was really nice to see everyone. We had all 5 kids, spouses and all 5 grandkids there.
In the morning all the guys went out on a pheasant hunt. Later, we had a declicious dinner, a smoked turkey made by "Grandpa". It was sure good! Then, we opened presents. We do a gift exchange each year by drawing names. (Thanks everyone for our presents, they were perfect!!)
Here's a cute picture of Korbin, now 20 months old!

This is Jamar, our nephew. He is Ty an Joy's little guy. They are expecting their second, a girl at the end of January.

Above, is Isaac. He's our nephew, too, and belongs to Justin and Diana.
Landon got binoculars from Grandma and Grandpa. He was so excited!

And last, but not least, here's Grace. She is Justin and Diana's newest baby.

Grandma made all of the kids pajamas. We didn't manage to get a picture with Isaac and Grace, but here's the other three cousins.

We had a great time and we were so excited to see everyone!!! Thanks for coming!

Celebrating Landon

Landon's birthday is on Friday. He will be six years old. I just can't believe it!! I figured I'd do a tribute to Landon! (Actually I just got a brand new printer/copier/scanner for $30 and I'm dying to try it out!!!)
Here's Landon's hospital picture. He is less than a day old.

Our Landon baby, sitting in a hamper...

Here he is at 18 months old in his Burnley Football Jersey (soccer) that his Grandad Browne gave to him:

Landon's Uncle Justin took this picture for us when he worked at Sears:

Here's little Eden (about 2 months) and Landon (about 15 months). I can't believe how they BOTH have grown!

This was our first professional family picture. Landon is about 18 months.

Landon two years old in an outfit from his Great Nana Hussey:

Ahhh....a two year old Landon and a Daisy puppy!!

Two year old Landon at Grandma and Grandpa's house, on Sugar, the good old horse.

And I think Landon's about 3 here. I can't believe how young everyone looks!

Landon 3 years old with some friends, Emily and Logan Hadley:

These are some of my favorite pictures!

And one more muddy picture:

Now just for fun. Here is Landon at 6 years old (or just about):

And here's Chris, at 6 years old:

And here's me, Christina, at six years old:

Soooo....who do you think he looks like?

It's been a GREAT and FABULOUS and WONDERFUL six years with our sweet little Landon boy!!! (There are more new posts, but you'll have to scroll down and click on "older posts".)

Please, Please, Please, Please....

SNOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!! We are waiting!!!!

Family Hunting...

Tree Hunting, that is!

We went up to Middle Beaver, I think. (It sounds familiar.) And after a few walks around, Christina found a perfect tree, up a hill side. Chris and Landon approved of it, anway! lol. Chris's family found their tree, shortly after.
Here's Korbin and Grandma (or mom...I never know what to say...grandma or mom??..depends, who's reading I guess!)

Korbin!! He had a fun time riding in Grandpa's truck.

Grandpa and Uncle Wayne (again is that Grandpa or Dad...lol!!...you get the idea!)

Grandma, Landon, Uncle Wayne and Korbin in Grandpa's truck!

And the finished product:

Thanksgiving 2008

This year was our year with the McDowell's, so we headed off to Wyoming for a few days. Chris's sister, Diana and her family, was there. Also, there was quite a few of Chris's cousins, uncles and aunts. Some of them we don't get to see very often, so it was really nice to get together and see everyone! And of course, Grandma and Grandpa Eyre, Mom and Dad McDowell and Wayne were there, too!
Here is Korbin with Grandma Great. (Grandpa Great is in the background.)

Diana and Isacc talking to Dad and Grandma and Grandpa.

Bracken (Chris's cousin), Landon, Isaac (my nephew) and Korbin's head

Me and my newest neice, Grace. (Justin and Diana's baby.)

Cousins: Isaac and Korbin

Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky.....

I have two places I keep markers. I have an activity cupboard in the kitchen that is up high and baby locked. And then I have a few markers in the classroom, in the closet, on the shelf, in a box and the classroom door is almost always shut. So, how was Korbin obtaining all these markers?!?!
Regularly, my walls were getting colored on. Each time I saw the marker he'd colored with, I'd pick it up and put it up in the activity cupboard, behind locks.

Still, my hardwood floors were coming up colored on, out of the blue! I was baffled!

Then, it was my couches!! How this kept happening I couldn't quite figured out! I was determined, by this point, to throw away every single marker in my house!!!! So, I threw them out!

By no other means than a miracle, I walked into the dinning room, after having a shower, to find this:

Korbin had been storing markers for all these weeks, in my flower vase, on the dinning room table. I'm guess he must of got his hands on them when we were doing an art activity, stashed them away and then zipped his little lips shut, not telling a soul and just basking in his artistic expression around my house!
The vase was just STUFFED with markers, crayons and colored pencils. What a smart little guy we have!! Thank goodness for Mr. Clean Magic Erasers!

Daisy

Daisy had surgery a couple of weeks ago. She stepped on some metal. It went all the way through her paw and metal shards stayed in her paw. They had to surgically remove the metal. She's okay now, but you can see by this picture how miserable she was. The medication they used to put her to sleep took away her ability to swallow for 24 hours, so she drooled PUDDLES for a day. Her fur was soaked from drool. Poor girl!!
Oh and she missed most of the Pheasant Hunt, so she's been pretty sad about that, too. She lives for Pheasant Season!!!

Landon's Sleepover

Well, I'm going to have to play catch up. I haven't blogged in almost a month!
A couple of weeks ago Landon had a friend sleep over for the first time. His name is Mason and he's Landon's BEST, BEST, BEST FRIEND,EVER!!
They played and then watched Kung Fu Panda. I figured they'd fall asleep, but at midnight they were still quite lively, doing flips off of the couch onto their sleeping bags. I went out a few times to quiet them down, but in the end Chris went out and yelled at them (at 1:30am) to go in seperate rooms and go to sleep! lol!!
It must have shocked them because when I got up a few minutes later (because I heard someone up walking around)Landon was sitting on his bed with no blankets or a pillow. He said, "Dad told me I had to come in here now!" lol!! So, I got the boy's situated with blankets, pillows and night lights and off they went to bed, in seperate rooms, at about 2am. lol!! It was a fun night!
Chris has made a new rule that there are no more sleepovers at our house on the nights that he has to go to work the next day. Fair rule, I figure.