A Fun Weekend!

Our weekend started off with a fun night with Lisa and Eric. They had friends of theirs over who were a lot of fun to hang out with!

Brooke, Makena, and Landon

The kiddos were gearing up for a Halloween movie:) Becca and Ryan's little girl is Reese!


Then we took the kids to wine country for the day! Brooke loved learning all about the grapes. We then had a fun picnic but left the camera in the car so this is the only picture I got. Kids had a blast!

Sunday we had a church function in Orange County and were joined by "the cousins" as Brooke calls them:) It's really cute!
Brooke and Molly

Brooke and Ty!!!

Where's Graham!

So I couldn't find Graham for a quick moment:) and then found him in Brooke's closet sitting in Brooke's clothes and playing with her cell phone! He was pushing the buttons and dancing. It was priceless!!!

Please come if you can!!!!

Kristyn was one of my roommates in college who I went to high school with as well. This means a lot to her and please come if you can:)

This is article published in the Register.

OC Walk To Remember
What: Honors local children lost to stillbirth, infant death and pregnancy loss.
Founded by Kristyn von Rotz of Orange and Lyndsey McLaughlin of Irvine – both lost babies.
Von Rotz gave birth to her baby, Joseph Thomas, at 23 weeks on July 8, 2004. He had a brain abnomality and only lived for a minute. Still she and her husband were able to hold him in their arms.
She and McLaughlin came up with the walk as a place to give parents an opportunity to remember their baby.
"It's difficult when you lose a baby," von Rotz said. "Family and friends never get to hold and see the baby. It's difficult for them to understand your grief. The walk is a safe place for parents to remember and celelbrate their child. Parents bring photos and make signs. It's a wonderful opportunity to share memories of our babies and to share their life, no matter how long or short, with family, friends, and other parents who have experienced a similar loss."
Von Rotz said while parents of living babies can throw birthday parties, those who have lost a child only have a gravesite or an urn with ashes.
"The walk is the one day a year where families can celebrate their child," she said.
Von rotz --since her tragedy -- has had two children: Leah, 3 and Evan 1.
Last years walk raised $13,000. So far this year, von Rotz and McLaughlin have raised $35,000.
Event: The 5K, at UC Irvine begins with a memorial service where more than 60 baby's names will be read. Money raised from the event benefits support groups and hospitals to help parents who have lost babies. These include St. Joseph's Perinatal Hospice Program. The Guild for Infant Survival Orange County, CHOC , St. Jude Medical Center, UCI Medical Center, Saddleback Memorial Hospital, Anaheim Memorial and Hoag Hospital.
Join the walk: Saturday, October 11, 2008
Where: University of California, Irvine
Time: 8 a.m. registration; 9:30 a.m. remembrance; 9:45 a.m. 5K walk
To sign up: Go to www.ocwalktoremember.org
Proceeds: Help provide grief counseling and memory boxes so parents can have footprint kits, photos and other items to remember their babies.
Donations: Please send checks to OC Walk to Remember, P.O. Box 2131, Orange, CA 92859 or go to the Web site. For information on corporate donations or if you would like to volunteer for the walk, please email: info@OCWalkToRemember.org
Contact the writer: eritchie@ocregister.com

Shelly and Keaton

Today we went to the spectrum to meet Shelly and baby Keaton for lunch! Brooke was so thrilled that she got to hold him this time. Last time she saw him he was in the hospital. Keaton will be 1 month is Sunday and is already 9 pounds. He is so sweet!

Playgroup Day!!

So the day started off with the kids dressed in jeans because were gonna go to the park and mostly likely get dirty. I open the garage down to feel a gust of heat! It was already 87 degrees. I'm running late at this point and don't have time to gets shorts for everyone so we leave for the park. I forget my camera so sorry no pics today but we have so much fun. I have never been to this park but it was all fenced in and it had a gate that latched. I like that so no one can wander in or out without everyone noticing.

All the moms ended up sitting under the slide on the sand mind you. All the kids were building sand castles around us. It was fun!!!

Lastly I took the kids to McDonald's which if anyone knows me we just don't do. But Brooke was saying what a great day she was having so I decided to treat her. When we get home she tells me what a great mom I am and that she had the best day. She then preceded to give me a kiss and a hug. So after all that... everything we did was so worth it in the end!

Finally Graham can walk!!!!!!

Beach Day

This morning we took the kids to the beach for a little while. We had so much fun playing in the water and collecting seashells. Here are a few pictures of our morning.

Graham

So...we walked up the hill with Graham and Brooke to get some dip in dots. This is how he returned from the walk. He enjoyed himself too much! I guess that's what happens when you deprive your children from sugar!

It was 98 degrees today!

What a dramatic change from the other day. It was soooooooooooo hot. I was always say when it's hot at the beach it's hot! When is fall coming??????????

This is what I woke up to today!

Thought this was really cool! It was thundering all morning here. At first it was sunny and now it has become very dark. Crazy weather. We also got some rain. It's 71 degrees too. It reminds me of Castlerock CO and the river thunderstorm days.

Happy Birthday

I had such a great day!!! It first started off with a doctor visit at 9am for Brooke. She ended up having a super, very mild case of the chicken cox. That's right, she's had both vaccines and still gets them. Then we went to the outlets to shop with my mom who was staying with us. I got my new Oakley glasses that I have been wanting and then we were off to a "fancy lunch" at Belle Flor. Lastly mom and Brooke went out to run errands:) They came back with a Strawberry shortcake balloon, birthday ribbon, cake and cake plates. I wonder who picked the theme. We all had so much fun. Craig made homemade sauce and we had pasta for dinner. Thank you to my mom who really made my birthday such a special one. I love you!

Apparently I'm Not

I guess people like my blog:) Thanks to my mom and Kristyn and Jenny I'm gonna not stop my blog. I was thinking that I spend way to much time online but it made me feel good that people were going to miss my blog so...I'm back!!!! Stay turned for upcoming pics:)

I'm taken a break!

I've decided that it's time for me to take a break from the blogging world these days. Not sure when I will return but it's been enough for now. Please check back in a little while and see if anything is posted.

Take care,
Carlie

Four Seasons

Craig took me out to the Four Seasons for the night. We also were joined by friends Jason and Lizzy from Orange County. We were so delighted that they came all the way down to Carlsbad to celebrate my birthday!!! Check out the dessert platter. It was so yummy:) Thanks guys for making our night a memorable one. XXXOOO

Spectrum

We met Lisa and the kids at spectrum this week! Landon and Brooke loved getting the big gum balls from Wahoos! The little ones were checking each other out:) It was fun!!!

Graham's 1 Year Old Appointment

Graham had his doctor visit this morning. He is 23 pounds and 2 ounces and is 31 inches tall. He is 75% in height and 50% in weight. All in all the doctor was very impressed and said that Graham was right were he should be. Graham also got three shots which he took like a little trooper:)

Our Brooke!

Lately I have noticed how grown up Brooke is becoming. Today she asked me if she could change her sheets on her bed. Then she was helping me pick jammies for Graham the other night. I turned my back for one moment and she had all of Graham's jammies all over the rug in his room. I wonder where she learned that:) On our way home today she asked me how my day was and if I had a nice walk with Jenny. Too cute and so grown up. What happened...............
then there was Graham. I'm calling him my devil child. Serious he is...he throws himself all over the place, especially when he doesn't get his way. His new thing is screaming at top of his lungs for no apparent reason. We so can't go out to dinner with him anytime soon!!! When he smiles he squints his nose and you can see all his teeth and with that RED hair...he is my devil child:)

Keaton has arrived!

My friend Shelly had her baby today!!! Baby Keaton is a healthy 7 pound 8 ounce baby boy!!! Shelly had miscarried at 5 months, 2 weeks after Graham was born. It was a very hard time for her and I am just so glad she was able to have Keaton. Big brothers Mitchell(9) and Logan(7) were thrilled too.
This last picture was the view from her room. Not too bad:)