nana and padron brag book

Weekend in Downtown OKC

2009-10-10T18:34:00.003-05:00

We spent the weekend of Sept 26 in downtown OKC. We used the occasion of a family wedding to visit our OKC grandkids, visit Kent's cousins at the wedding, and then spend some quality time alone. We stayed at the Skirvin Hotel, which is a destination all to itself. The hotel is about 100 years old, and has been restored beautifully to its former glory.

Weekend in the Arbuckles

2009-09-15T21:22:00.003-05:00

Since most of us have our birthdays within a few weeks of each other, we decided to meet in the Arbuckle Mountains and have a family birthday celebration. On Friday night, we celebrated Rayna's 2nd birthday and Samuel's 3rd birthday. They got to decorate their own cake: Rayna at one end and Samuel at the other. On Saturday night, we had more cake and celebrated the adults' birthdays.

We stayed at a four bedroom lodge in the country. We hiked, went on paddleboats, went to the animal park, and made s'mores on a campfire. It was so much fun, we plan to make it an annual family tradition.

Back to Sandieland

2009-07-22T05:49:00.003-05:00

On July 18, we went back to my high school reunion in Amarillo. What fun! We saw some of my friends from high school that I have not seen in decades! Here is a picture of my good friends from high school, the BCP. There were five of us. The four that were there: Kae, Mary Nelle, Jane, and Janis. Miss you Ginny! Thanks to Celeste, Marla, David, and the rest of our classmates in Amarillo for organizing the reunion. It brought back lots of memories. Once a Sandie, always a Sandie!

Eva and Michael

2009-07-21T21:58:00.002-05:00

During our time in Amarillo, we visited my niece Eva and her husband Michael. They just bought a new house, and it is just great. That evening, we went out to dinner with them and my nephew Shelby. Sorry Shelby, I didn't get a picture of you!

Weekend in Amarillo

2009-07-21T21:23:00.003-05:00

Kent and I went to my high school reunion over the weekend. We combined the trip with seeing my niece and nephew and seeing some of the sites around Amarillo. We went to the Cadillac Ranch, Panhandle History Museum in Canyon, Palo Duro Canyon (it's really beautiful!) and the Amarillo Botanical Gardens. On the way back home, we stopped at Groom, Texas to see the largest cross in America. Really impressive.

Fixing the Truck

2009-07-07T13:10:00.002-05:00

On July 5, Kent was putting a gate on Clark's truck in preparation for his upcoming move. Samuel grabbed some tools and starting "helping" his Padron. I think he has a future with trucks. During the weekend, if he didn't see his grandfather, he would say, "Where is my friend Padron?"

Sweet Girl

2009-07-07T13:00:00.002-05:00

Our sons and family came to visit us for July 4. What a great time, even though the rain cancelled out our traditional setting off fireworks. Clark and Danielle are looking at houses, and plan to move near us in less than a month. Yeah!! Here are some pictures of our baby granddaughter. She is one now, and stands with ease. She hasn't started taking steps on her own, but it is obvious that she will be doing that very soon. She is beginning to say some words. She said "mama" and "dada". She says "look" and points. She says "hi." On Saturday, she learned a new word, "Nana"!! How exciting is that? I am definitely her biggest fan.

Aunt Mupp and Samuel

2009-05-25T13:01:00.002-05:00

Danielle has a way with kids. It is a God-given gift. The kids call her Aunt Mupp. She and Samuel had a good time outside at the new swing set. Later, she and Samuel learned how to separate the leis into different colors.

Birthday Celebration

2009-05-24T15:56:00.003-05:00

We drove to the city to attend Little Hazel's first birthday party. She had a grand time, and so did big brother. Hazel liked the gifts, but liked the cake even better. She made such a mess with the cake and icing that she went directly from the highchair to the bathtub.
We brought a little gift for Samuel, so he wouldn't feel so left out. It was a foam sword. Foam, so he wouldn't hurt little sister as he pretended a sword fight.

Fun with Rayna

2009-05-11T21:34:00.002-05:00

Here are a few more pictures of little Rayna. She is a real talker. In fact, she chatters all the time. The only problem is that most of her words are just one syllable. When you are around her for a while, though, it is very clear what she is trying to say. She is very happy most of the time. She calls Nana "Le" and she calls Padron "Doe".

Mother's Day in San Antonio

2009-05-11T21:22:00.003-05:00

We spent Mother's Day with Kent's mom this year. We had a wonderful bonus, because that meant I could have Mother's Day with my daughter and granddaughter, too! Our San Antonio family met at Kent's mom for barbeque and conversation. Little Rayna got to play with Hunter and Vicki's kids, especially little Katie who is her age. All in all, it was great fun. Here are some pictures of the family. The one with Grandma, Padron, Kara, and Rayna is four generations. Also, notice how sweet Rayna and Katie are. They are the same size.

Sweet Hazel

2009-04-28T20:08:00.003-05:00

Here are a couple of more pictures of little Hazel. She was an absolute delight the entire week. She was happy about 99% of the time. She did cry when Samuel pretended to be a lion, and the lion roared and bit little sister. But, that unpleasant game was over pretty quickly!

8 Days in April

2009-04-28T19:43:00.003-05:00

For the last 8 day, our house has been a hive of activity. Bret and Amber took a vacation to Hawaii, just the two of them. So, Samuel and Little Hazel took a vacation to Nana and Padron's house. Samuel is two and a half, and he is a bundle of energy, all the time. We scheduled some activities to keep him busy: a trip to feed the ducks, baking cookies, helping Nana make breakfast, a trip to the lake to see the water, and a few others. Little sister is very sweet and loving. She loves to cuddle, and she loves to laugh. Uncle Clark and Aunt Mupp (Danielle) were here, too, at least for half of the days. The kids love their Aunt and Uncle, and having some extra hands around was a tremendous blessing. My favorite moment of the week was the night that Samuel gave me a kiss and told me I was his friend forever.

Easter Surprise!

2009-04-12T19:59:00.003-05:00

We had a great Easter surprise! My niece and nephew from Amarillo stopped in for a visit. Seems they selected a new puppy from Shamrock, Texas, and since Shamrock was fairly close to us, they drove on over to see us. What a blessing! Eva and Shelby, we love you, and hope you come back to see us again soon!

Country Fun

2009-03-18T22:24:00.004-05:00

After the wedding, we spent some time at Kent's mother's place. We spent time in the sunshine with Kara and Rayna. Rayna loves the outdoors. She is quite a talker, too, but at 18 months, most of what she says is just one syllable. When we went for a walk, she pointed out the cow chips, and told us where to walk, and what to avoid. She pointed out the mess and said, "Poop. Yuck, Goss (gross)"

Family Wedding

2009-03-18T22:14:00.004-05:00

We all met in Belton last week to celebrate the wedding of Tyson and Amy. They make a beautiful couple. We had so much fun visiting with my sister, my niece, and their families. Everything was great--except the traffic on I-35! Here are some pictures from the wedding, the reception, and hanging out in the hotel.

Weekend with Hazel

2009-02-22T19:23:00.003-06:00

We had planned to keep Samuel for the weekend, and Bret called with good news and bad news. First, the bad: Samuel was sick with an ear infection and couldn't come. Next, the good news: Hazel would be glad to come in his place. Yeah!!
This was the first time we kept little Hazel by herself at our house. And, she was an absolute delight. She is very affectionate and very, very sweet. She loves soft things, especially stuffed animals. Her favorite was a stuffed purple bear. She liked to look at it nose to nose.
By the way, little Samuel is on antibiotics and he'll be fine! Next time, it will be his turn to spend the weekend.

Taking Sissy for a Spin

2009-01-11T17:39:00.004-06:00

We were in the city over the weekend celebrating our anniversary. However, we couldn't get that close to our OKC grandchildren without going to see them. Both were a little under the weather, but still well enough to give hugs. Samuel's favorite thing right now is to take his little sister for a spin in his new car. He would rather let Hazel ride than to ride himself. If you ask him if he wants Hazel to ride, he answers, "Sure!"

Christmas 2008

2008-12-25T18:04:00.003-06:00

We celebrated the holiday a day or two early with our sons and their families. It was great fun watching Samuel and Hazel enjoy the festivities. It was Hazel's very first Christmas, and she really loved it. She especially enjoyed the wrapping paper. Samuel liked his new "saurs". But his favorite gift was a flashlight from Padron.

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-02T18:37:00.004-06:00

Here are some pictures of Thanksgiving in San Antonio. Our entire family was there along with Kent's sister and brother in law, his uncle, and his nephew and family. Kent's mom prepared a wonderful feast.

Just the girls

2008-12-02T18:32:00.003-06:00

The day after Thanksgiving, Bret and Amber took Samuel to Sea World. Kara and I spent the day with Rayna and Hazel. I really like this picture of the two cousins enjoying each other's company. Rayna is very sweet with Hazel and gives her hugs and kisses.
In this picture, Rayna is giving her "look at me please, I'm adorable" look.

Meet Me in St. Louis

2008-11-17T07:34:00.003-06:00

Kara was in a wedding over the weekend, so we had the privilege of taking care of little Rayna during the wedding preparations and festivities. We took her to the St. Louis zoo, which she loved. She especially loved the kangaroos and the birds. She had a little bridesmaid's dress to match her mommy. Rayna loves to explore, and we found lots of things to explore in St. Louis.

Happy Little Hazel

2008-10-12T19:34:00.002-05:00

Hazel is fast approaching 5 months and her little personality is blooming. She was the only OU fan that was actually happy during the game on Saturday! She laughed even as the Sooners lost.

Hanging out with Samuel and Hazel

2008-09-28T19:57:00.003-05:00

We spent some time with Samuel and Hazel this weekend, before we went to the OU game. (Great game, by the way). I like the picture of Bret and Samuel hanging upside down on the inversion table. Samuel thinks this is a really funny game and giggles while he is upside down.
Little Hazel was in a great mood. She was showing alot of personality and smiling and laughing. She is four months now. When I look at her, I imagine that this must be exactly what her mommy looked like in 1978.

Cousins

2008-09-02T19:51:00.004-05:00

Over Labor Day, we got to see all three grandchildren get together. Rayna, Samuel, and Hazel are getting to know one another. Samuel calls his cousin "Mayna" which is sweet. He reminds himself and his cousin that they need to "share." Hazel is so little that she just watches all the action.

All Six Together

2008-09-02T19:45:00.003-05:00

With Kara and John back in Oklahoma, and Clark and Danielle married, our three kids and their spouses were all together last weekend. We met at Bret and Amber's for dinner and visiting. Here is a picture of the group together at last.

Rayna's First Visit

2008-08-28T19:37:00.003-05:00

Little Rayna has been in Alaska since her birth. Finally! She is moving to Texas and spent a whole week with us. It didn 't take her long to feel quite at home at Nana's. We caught her red handed, helping herself in Nana's pantry. She didn't get in trouble because she looked so adorable! She celebrated her very first birthday with us on August 26. She loved her gifts, especially her princess doll.

Hazel's Baby Dedication

2008-08-04T20:30:00.002-05:00

On August 3, Bret and Amber's church had their annual baby dedication. Because there is a very active and prolific young married group, there were lots and lots of babies to dedicate. Even the pastor and his wife had a new baby! Hazel Nicole looked beautiful. She looks just like her mommy. Both sets of grandparents were there for the occasion. Hazel is very interested in action. She wants to be held upright in the middle of everything. She especially likes to watch her brother Samuel play.

Summer Wedding

2008-07-29T12:54:00.003-05:00

I had a request this morning for some more wedding pictures, including some with the bridesmaids. The bridesmaids wore coral colored sundresses and sandals. The groomsmen wore blue shirts with flip flops. Remember it is an Oklahoma summer! Too hot for dress shoes.

Beautiful Bride

2008-07-27T17:21:00.001-05:00

Here are some more pictures of the wedding.

Wedding Day!

2008-07-27T17:10:00.002-05:00

Clark and Danielle tied the knot at a beautiful outdoor ceremony on July 26. The bride was absolutely beautiful and the groom looked great too. We are so glad to have Danielle as an official part of our family!
Here are some pictures of the wedding and the rehearsal dinner.

Independence Day in Alaska

2008-07-09T18:54:00.002-05:00

We celebrated the 4th of July in Anchorage. There is very little darkness, so fireworks aren't the best way to celebrate. Instead, there was a big parade, led by Star the Reindeer. Rayna watched from the backpack carried by her Daddy. There is also a picture of a mother moose and her cub that were standing by the side of the road by Elmendorf AFB.

Fairbanks: Land of the Midnight Sun

2008-07-09T18:31:00.007-05:00

We found the Fairbanks area to be really interesting. We went to North Pole, Alaska, which is just outside Fairbanks. Next, we saw an Ice Sculpture Museum. There is a big Ice Sculpture contest each year in Fairbanks, and some of the sculptures are frozen for our enjoyment. We went to the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. Finally, we saw a portion of the Alaska Pipeline.
Here is a picture of the hotel we stayed in. The significant thing is that the picture was taken at midnight. It was as light as the afternoon.
There is also a picture of a ice sculpture of a polar bear, Rayna and Nana taking a break at Santa's House at the Northpole, and several of the pipeline.

Visiting Miss Rayna in Alaska

2008-07-09T18:14:00.004-05:00

We left for Alaska on June 30 and returned on July 9. This was a really special trip for us, since we haven't seen our little Rayna since she was 3 weeks old, and now she is 10 months. At first, we were almost strangers to her, but after a day, she was glad we came, and even reached out for us.
The first thing we did was drive up to Fairbanks. We drove through Denali, and got to see Mount McKinley.
Here is a picture of Kara, Rayna, and Nana with the Denali Range in the background. Alaskans call Mount McKinley Denali,which means something like "The Great One."
The next picture shows Rayna at Denali. She is wearing a t-shirt that says "Alaska Grown." I guess we'll have to find a new shirt that says Texas Grown, since they will be moving to San Antonio in August!

Mirror, mirror on the wall

2008-06-11T19:04:00.005-05:00

One of Samuel's favorite things is to look at himself in my lighted makeup mirror. It magnifies his face, and it makes him giggle.

Summer Fun at Nana's

2008-06-11T18:55:00.004-05:00

Samuel spent five days with us to give his parents some quality time with little sister. We have had big fun! The highlight of the visit was an afternoon hosing down our lab Shadow. The only one who loves the water hose more than Samuel is the dog! Samuel filled up the dog's swimming pool, and the dog dove in after his dog toys. Both the boy and the dog were soaked!

Baby Hazel at Two Weeks

2008-06-08T20:45:00.003-05:00

We got to spend the day loving Little Hazel on Saturday. She is now two weeks old, and has definitely grown.

Mexican food aficionado at age 20 months

2008-06-08T20:35:00.005-05:00

Looks like Samuel has inherited our family's Mexican food gene. We took him out to eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant. He loved it, guacamole and all! Most kids won't eat anything green, but Samuel likes to lick it off the chips.

Greeting Miss Hazel

2008-05-25T09:00:00.006-05:00

Here are some more pictures of Hazel's homecoming. Samuel fell asleep with Padron while waiting for his sister to arrive at home. Then, Nana and Padron took turns holding the new baby.

Welcome Hazel Nicole

2008-05-24T22:17:00.005-05:00

On May 22, 2008, our son Bret and our daughter-in-law Amber blessed us with grandchild #3. Her name is Hazel Nicole. She is really beautiful with bright blue eyes. She has one little dimple in her right cheek. She is very good so far, and cries only when it is time to eat. Her big brother Samuel is getting used to another child in the house. He likes to give her kisses. He makes sure she gets her pacifier when she needs it.

Weekend in Norman

2008-05-11T06:58:00.006-05:00

Bret participated in the OU business school graduation, as he was awarded his MBA. We had a contingency plan, as we thought our Amber might go into labor during the ceremony. Not yet, though. Little Hazel will be making her appearance very soon, I am sure. Can't wait to meet her!
Clark and Danielle are busy decorating their apartment and making wedding plans. They took out time to watch little Samuel during the graduation.

Fun Outside

2008-04-27T23:03:00.000-05:00

Samuel says "side" meaning he wants to go outside and play. He slides, swings, jumps in the leaves, rides in his toy car, and feeds the dog. Here you can see him with his mommy and daddy in his backyard.

Clark does his taxes

2008-04-27T22:56:00.000-05:00

This may not be something notable to everyone, but it certainly is a definite move to adulthood. Clark did his own income tax this year without help. And, he got a refund.

Samuel's March Visit

2008-03-08T15:51:00.000-06:00

Samuel spent four days at our house during the first week of March. His parents were at a convention in Dallas. We had lots of fun together. He loves cell phones, so Padron bought one for him. He and Padron sat in the chair conversing.
Samuel and Nana made chocolate cookies together. He loved them even though he kept saying they were "hot." Being hot didn't keep him from eating four or five!
We also went to the city reservoir to feed the ducks. Samuel enjoyed throwing bread and watching the ducks run to get a bite.

Big Talker

2008-01-27T14:32:00.001-06:00

Samuel says a few words these days: hot, mommy, daddy, lola, and more. But he really thinks he can talk. He chatters with gusto, but only he really knows what he is saying. In these pictures, he is pushing buttons on the phone, and then chattering to who knows who on the other end. He was having quite a conversation!

Big Announcement

2008-01-27T14:26:00.000-06:00

Clark and Danielle have announced their engagement! Clark finally purchased the ring and popped the question. We don't know the date or any details, but we are glad to welcome Danielle into our family. May God bless their future together.

Big Year Ahead!

2008-01-05T09:19:00.000-06:00

2008 will be a big year for our family. First, Bret and Amber will bless us with another grandchild in May, and it's a girl! Next, Kara and John are expecting a new assignment, which will be closer to us than Anchorage. So, we'll get to enjoy our little Rayna more often. She is so beautiful, and we can't wait to hold her again. Clark will be going into the home stretch of college, with a projected graduation date from OU of May 2009. It is likely that Clark will be moving back to Altus at that time, and maybe Danielle will be moving with him.
Also, 2008 is the first year that HHP will be in our new building. The building is just gorgeous, and I am grateful to God and to JCMH for building us such a great workplace.

Samuel and the cat

2008-01-01T20:20:00.001-06:00

On New Year's day, Samuel wanted to spend his time looking out the window at the big dog. He loves to watch our lab Shadow. Clark's cat Cicero is every bit as enthralled with the big dog as Samuel is. They both crowded up on a chair to keep an eye on the dog. Cicero loves Samuel and does not run away even when Samuel pulls his tail. By the way, the cat does not run away from the dog either.

Samuel and the box

2007-12-25T14:12:00.001-06:00

So typical! Kids like the box almost more than the gift. Here, Samuel got in the box and we pulled him around. He enjoyed riding the box as much as playing with the toy that came in the box.

Christmas with Samuel

2007-12-24T17:14:00.000-06:00

We traveled to OKC on December 22 to have a Christmas celebration with Bret, Amber, Samuel, Clark, and Danielle. This is Samuel's second Christmas, but the first one that he was really excited about gifts. It was really fun to see him so excited. As you can see, he would sometimes take the gifts and just stand on them. Nana and Padron gave him a new drum. He took to it right a way. A budding musician? He also loved the riding horse that his great-grandma gave him. It is actually a zebra, not horse. He jumped right on it and began to ride. Samuel chatters all the time, but only he knows exactly what he is saying.

Almost ready to move

2007-12-21T19:26:00.000-06:00

Some people may wonder why there have not been any new posts on this blog. The reason is that my company is building a new building. We have been working in a building that is almost 100 years old since 1991. Now, our hospital is building us a beautiful new facility. What that means is excitement, but also hard work and long days. But it will all be worth it. We will be able to move after Christmas and open up for business on January 2, 2008.
The outside shot is a little fuzzy, but you can get an idea of how big the building is.

Samuel and Padron

2007-11-10T19:39:00.000-06:00

We went to see our grandson on November 3, just before we watched OU defeat Texas A & M. Padron had a great time playing maracas with Samuel.

Samuel is walking!

2007-10-21T19:42:00.000-05:00

Bret and Amber brought our grandson Samuel to see us for the weekend. He is walking and his favorite game is to walk from his Daddy to his Nana. Always brings a laugh. His second favorite thing is to go outside and watch the big dog play fetch.
Uncle Clark and Danielle came, too, and Samuel had a laugh or two for his uncle.

By the way, we have big news. Our Amber is expecting our third grandchild, to be born in May 2008. The other grandmas think I am showing off because the grandchildren are coming so fast! Samuel, Rayna, and now.......number 3!

Happy Birthday Samuel

2007-09-19T18:52:00.001-05:00

Little Samuel turned one on September 13. He had his first birthday party with lots of family and friends on September 16. Even though he was having some teething troubles with some new molars, he still poked his finger in his cake, opened his gifts, and laughed at the dragon "blaah" sound in his Baby Einstein book. He got lots of fun things including a firetruck, some books, little animals, and garage with little cars. Uncle Clark and his girlfriend Danielle gave Samuel some maracas that talk both in English and Spanish. Is this an educational toy? Padron is so pleased! Educational toys are his specialty.

Samuel is taking a few steps now and is starting to talk. We can't wait for him to meet his new cousin Rayna and teach her some tricks.

Welcome Miss Rayna to our family

2007-09-09T20:55:00.000-05:00

On August 26, 2007 at 3:03 am, little Miss Rayna Kae Williams joined our family. She weighed 6 lbs 14 oz, and was 21 inches long. On August 30, we flew to Anchorage, Alaska to meet her for the first time. She is just as beautiful and precious as she can be!
Rayna is a very good baby. She rarely cries, but she really likes to eat! At her two weeks check up, she had already gained a pound. She is thriving on her mother's milk.
Our daughter and son in law adapted easily to their new role as parents. Little Rayna is blessed to be born in a God-fearing and loving home.

Why we love Samuel: Look how precious he is!

2007-07-09T18:13:00.000-05:00

This picture was taken at the baby dedication. Samuel was cutting his teeth on the church pew.

Samuel and Padron

2007-06-27T21:26:00.000-05:00

Here is Padron at the church after the baby dedication. They both look happy, don't they?

Waiting for lunch

2007-06-26T19:11:00.000-05:00

We went to Oklahoma City for Samuel's baby dedication. We think he was the most precious baby there. After the ceremony at Bret and Amber's church, we all went to the Pepperoni Grill for lunch (Padron's favorite!) Here you can see us waiting for a table. Uncle Clark drove in from Norman for the event. This was a great Father's Day!