Order Up...

Cameron has 2 new obsessions after playing sports. Taking pictures (of course with my camera) and cooking meals in the kitchen. We have a few meals that he has already perfected.

Naturally, Cameron started off wanting to help me when we baked cookies, like at Easter or Christmas. Now we have gotten to the point of him having to help me with EVERY meal I make! He also loves to make his own "mini" meals while I am cooking. He searches through the panty and adds random items and mixes them all up. We're starting to make some real progess though into actual meals.

Here is his first pizza he made all by himself.

First Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I just have one thing to say, Cameron's future wife better thank me for getting him in the kitchen at an early age! Married women out there...you know how nice it can be when you have a husband that can cook a good meal. Who knows, maybe he has found his calling. (We'll still keep the football close by though!)

Hey...what's Barack Obama doing?

As I sat at home Tuesday, miserable from the flu, I actually found that there was a great blessing in disguise to be found. Since I was forbidden to go to work, I was able to watch a full day of inauguration ceremonies!

What a beautiful and historical moment to experience. As I called my mother on the phone to share in the joy of the day, she made me laugh. As Cameron was playing, he saw the T.V. and turned around and said to her, "Hey...what's Barack Obama doing?" I guess he found it strange that he hadn't seen him on T.V. for a few months, and then suddenly, there he was again! Now I make sure to talk to Cameron about who is our President and why it was such a special event!

It truly hit me on Tuesday, what my dad has been talking about for the past year. As of Tuesday, I can look at Cameron and with NO hesitation in my heart, I can turn to him and say, "Cameron, when you grow up you can be the president if you want to be." I like to think of him as my little Barack Obama, (although this really confuses him when I call him this, and he always reminds me of who he really is by saying, "Mama, I'm not Barack Obama, I'm Cameron."

I know people are out there that still question who he really is and what he really is about. That is expected. But beyond the political viewpoints, I like to focus on the meaning of what just happened by him being elected in the United States. What a historical moment to witness. To see the look on people's faces on T.V, to see the hope and joy in their eyes, to feel that same pride...it's a beautiful thing.

My prayer now is that Cameron can grow up to appreciate this day and to live his life without any limitations on himself. He can grow up and make a difference too...now Val and I are left with the big job of getting him there.

A Sweet Boy to Remember

Sadly, a dear co-worker of mine and her husband lost their precious son this past summer. Nash Adam Sievers would have celebrated his first birthday yesterday, Jan. 15th. If you are reading this, I hope you can take time out of your day to visit this picture slide show that was made by a friend of Tracy's, to remember this special little boy.
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=7cd5f51a12d7082d5c98b5&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url
Words will never be able to express how deeply we all feel for this family, but hopefully giving everyone else the chance to see Nash's sweet smile will bring a smile to their face. May God wrap his arms around them all to give them the strength to make it through all the ups and downs that lie ahead.

Out with the Old...Locks of Love

Over the past few years, I have really been touched by children and even family members that have been affected by cancer. After seeing a few of these people lose their hair and purchase wigs, I decided to make a donation to Locks of Love. This organization makes wigs for children who need them. I figured...I was blessed to have hair that grows quickly (this is one hair advantage of being Hispanic!)...so why not grow it out and donate it to a good cause. After growing my hair out for the past year, I finally passed the 10 inches needed for a donation, and decided to start the new year with hair 12 inches shorter! Out with the old...in with the new. Here's the new look....

Can you tell that I was a little creeped out holding the hair??? :)

http://www.locksoflove.org/index.html

Our official Christmas!

Is it just me...or does Christmas come and go much faster now that we are older? The best part of our Christmas this year was that Cameron was TRULY able to understand the concept. Before the gifts started coming his way, we talked to him about baby Jesus, and how we were really celebrating his birthday on Christmas. This led to a discussion of why Jesus was born, how he ended up on the cross, and why he had to die for our sins. Then I realized...am I really having this discussion with a 2 year old??? :)
On Christmas Eve, we had to leave out cookies and milk for Santa. (Cameron was really excited about this part.) I decided to take a few bites out of each cookie...you know, to give that "visual" effect that Santa munched on a few, but he had eaten too many already to eat them all! Somehow though, when we woke up on Christmas morning, they were all gone! (Val stayed up until 2 a.m. putting together Cameron's train set, and he ate all of the cookies!)

Christmas morning was perfect. Cameron ran to the fireplace to check on his cookies and then ran straight to the tree. We've decided to leave out 1 gift every year that is unwrapped and already set up, so that way it looks like Santa set up that one toy specifically for Cameron. This year it was his GeoTrax train/airplane set. I honestly don't think Cameron has skipped one day since Christmas to play with it! Good choice Santa...it was just what he wanted!

Watching Cameron open gifts was pretty funny. EVERY time he opened a gift, he would say, "Wow...this is exactly what I wanted..." Except, when he got to any clothes! Those just got tossed aside and then he would say, "What's next?" Hmm...spoiled a bit?

This is the guitar he specifically asked Santa for... he likes to jam out while watching Imagination Movers.

We were able to spend Christmas Eve with Val's family and Christmas Day with my family. I was so excited because we all waited to open gifts at my mom's house together...and that is a big accomplishment. If you know me this is really important, and it doesn't always work as planned each year! We survived and loved every minute of Christmas 2008 and God truly watched over us this year.

As of today, 2009 has arrived. It makes me excited and nervous at the same time. I look forward to all of the great things God has planned for us, but then my crazy mind always worries about things that may not be so great. Hopefully God will grant me the strength in 2009 to enjoy all that life has to give, without thinking about the bad! I hope 2009 brings everyone what they dream of....