The Samuel Family

2010-12-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

Great visit with Santa! A.J. started talking before he ever made it to Santa's lap. He explained how he wants a tractor with a trailer that hooks together, drums and a microphone....and many other items I couldn't quite hear. He told Santa he had been good - so Santa gave him a chocolate, gold wrapped coin.

2010-11-02T06:42:00.000-07:00

Our friend Kim took a few snapshots of us last Sunday.
A.J. was more interested in the leaves!

2010-11-02T06:37:00.000-07:00

Halloween night....

A.J. and Kelly were going door to door for over an hour!

I was very impressed they could handle the cold, but

I guess the candy was worth it!

2010-11-02T06:35:00.000-07:00

More Pictures from Dill's...........

2010-11-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

Facepainting, barrel rides, corn maze, smores, pumpkin picking.....
You name it and we did it at Dill's. : )

Every year we go to the Continental Office Halloween Party.

It is our FAVORITE Halloween outing and this year

was no different. A.J. had a great time with Kai and Sienna.

As you can see, A.J. was a firefighter this year.

He even rode around on his fire truck!

NEW PAJAMAS!

2010-10-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

NEW PAJAMAS!
SPIDERMAN PJ'S AND SLIPPERS!

A.J. and "The Claw"

2010-10-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

A.J. likes to give the evil growl, stop, turn-on the claw.....and come in for the attack! Sorry this is so dim.

Harvest Festival / Moon Festival at Hannah Park

2010-10-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

We accidentally stumbled upon the Chinese / Vietnames Harvest / Moon Festival on Wednesday, September 22nd at a local park. There were several families there celebrating with kid activities, drums, costumes, a walking parade, candle lanterns and goodies for the kids. They were so nice to ask all of the other kids at the park to join in and gave us lanterns and goodie bags. It was so fun to watch their walking parade and to see the children and their special lanterns. They ended with a christian prayer and yelled thank you up to the sky. We had a blast watching.

2010-09-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

A.J.'s first day of school went great. He just wanted us to reassure him we'd come back and pick him up. He looked at the other kids around him that were crying as if they were crazy! He couldn't seem to understand what their concerns were. He was just fine jumping in. SHEW!

2010-09-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

This show (KA: Cirque du Soleil) was AMAZING!

Las Vegas! We had a great time!

We went with another couple, Shawn and Valerie. This was our first trip away from A.J.....It was harder on me than A.J.!

2010-09-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

A.J. wasn't intimidated by the HUGE inflatable play area. He was the youngest to compete on this - at the St. Pius Festival. He also won a goldfish playing the toss game. They don't give you the fish at the festivals now - they just give you a ticket for a free fish at the local pet store. I'll take a picture of our new Tetra's for the next round of updates. Let's hope they are still around!

Yeah, David finally gets to eat! Check out that spray tan! He looked like a baked potato!

2010-09-10T13:50:00.000-07:00

Amazing transformation pictures of David!

Lots of fun with the kid version of a powerwasher. He's washed EVERYTHING in the back yard.

2010-07-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

Kadar will be missed. We had to put him to sleep right before our trip to Raleigh, NC / Alabama. What a wonderful dog!

Wow - Look at those beach bods! We were lucky enough to beat the oil to Pensacola Beach!

I'll post more photos of our trip soon!

2010-04-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

Can you believe Kadar is almost 13? He is doing amazing. His weight has only dropped 3-5 lbs. (due to muscle mass lost in his hips/legs) which is great for his age and condition. He still tries to romp and play with David in the yard (for about 5 minutes)....then has to sleep 12 hours to recover! A.J. always hugs him gently and says, "It's okay Kadar. You feel better." He is such a joy. We are blessed to have him. (Rheia and Mito think so too!)

2010-02-25T09:41:00.000-08:00

2010-02-25T09:40:00.000-08:00

2010-02-25T09:38:00.000-08:00

2010-02-25T09:27:00.000-08:00

February 2010 - Finally an Update from the Samuels!

2010-02-25T07:12:00.000-08:00

Kadar - 12 1/2 years old! He sure does sleep a lot now.

A.J. has been a big help as our 'fixer of all things that need tools'.

No nice poses for the camera, just a face down nose dive on the slide.

I know it has been a long time....but Facebook has been a serious distraction. Now I feel like I have to start keeping both sites updated. SHEW! I'll just upload a few pictures and/or videos today.....and give you the most recent run down of A.J.'s favorite things. He still LOVES cords. Cords, ropes, wires....anything long! He has been very good about asking us to plug things in (like his cd player or his "dd" player as he calls it). His most important chore in our house is to keep our cell phones charged. He checks in daily to see if they needs plugged in! He has also started using hilarious facial expressions, which of course, I can't catch in a photo. He is talking CONSTANTLY and raises the eyebrows, widens his eyes or squints and moves his arms and hands to make his message heard. During car rides, he insists we turn the radio off so we can talk. His record for non-stop talking is 28 minutes. It happened last night - driving home to Reynoldsburg from mom's in Grove City. I swear, every day I just am amazed. What a little sponge! Last note: Favorite Restaurant: Chick-Fil-A. LOVES IT! He finally went down the big slide this Tuesday night when we went for family night. They had a face painter, magician and a balloon artist.

As for David and I, things are just fine. We are thankful to have our jobs and our health and are looking forward to all that 2010 has to bring.

2009-09-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

Kai - at Mom's Labor Day Cook-out.

Mom and Sienna

John's grandson's - letting A.J. join in the fun. (That's root beer in the bottles, by the way!)

New tool bench from Pa-paw! Quite the hit!

Safety first!

Uh Oh

2009-09-16T06:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I reviews a Toys-R-Us product and it allowed me to enter our blog address.....I thought it was just going to post the pictures....but it posted my product review. Oops. Sorry. Anyway, the pictures are cute!

My Review of Home Depot Work Bench with Lights and Sounds Tool Set

2009-09-16T06:11:00.001-07:00

Toys R Us

The Home Depot Work Bench comes complete with clock, 3 pcs battery-operated tools and multiple hand tools. Each battery operated tool requires 2 AA batteries (not included). Set also comes with 2 bonus L&S tools: Air Wrench with light & sound is operated by 3 AA batteries (included for &quo...

Great Fun - but one tool won't work.

Tam Columbus, Ohio 9/16/2009

Pros: Durable, Lightweight

Best Uses: In The Yard, At Home

Describe Yourself: Novice

Primary use: Personal

The bench and accessories are a hit. It is hilarious to watch my son put the goggles on and rummage through the parts - and work with the tools. One of the drills didn't work (problem with battery connection?) but the entire package was still well worth it. It has been a lot of fun.

I can work just like Pa-paw!

: Picture of Product

Safety First! Love the goggles!

: Picture of Product

()

2009-07-02T07:28:00.000-07:00

We were all amazed at the elephant as he trotted right in to the water and played with a log like it was a pool toy. He is 5 and the volunteer told us that he is quite a character. It almost gave me chills watching him - less than 5 feet in front of us - playing like a child. Honestly, this was the best day I've EVER had at the zoo in my entire life. A.J. was even able (for the first time) to focus on the animals instead of the other guests and children around us. He was in a trance at each exhibit - seeking out the animals and staring at them. It was a joy to watch.

2009-07-02T07:02:00.000-07:00

GREATE video of the baby and mama elephants strolling by. A.J. was mesmorized.

2009-07-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

2009-07-02T06:53:00.000-07:00

2009-07-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

2009-07-02T06:35:00.001-07:00

This gorilla was literally inches from us....right on the other side of the glass. A.J. sat on the ledge near his head - but wouldn't sit still long enough for a picture. I think he was a little intimidated by the gorilla's size and the fact that he kept opening his eyes and looking at us. WOW.

2009-06-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

Long after Grandpa John, Cousin Robert and David were done installing the new swing set, A.J. was still working on perfecting it. It needed some final hammering!

2009-06-24T06:36:00.000-07:00

We had a great visit with my dad.....Jimmy..... A.J. calls him Pa-paw. It was so sad to see the week fly by - and for dad to go home. Can't wait until our next visit!

Powdered Donuts Anyone?

2009-06-24T06:25:00.000-07:00

Sienna stayed with us one night last week - and her and A.J. had a blast. They especially enjoyed the powdered donuts for their mid-morning snack.

2009-06-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

So, Mom gave A.J. his birthday gift early......A new spiderman bike! Yeah! A.J. can barely reach teh pedals - but is having a blast trying. We were shocked at how he picked up on the rotation and push so quickly!

Fun Dip

2009-06-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

On the beach (4)

2009-04-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

On the Beach (3)

2009-04-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

Pictures on the beach (2)

2009-04-24T13:38:00.001-07:00

Pictures on the Beach (1)

2009-04-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

The Exercise Bike!

2009-04-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

A.J. and Kaileigh had a blast riding the exercise bike WITH Ma-maw! They were both swinging back and forth holding on for dear life - loving every minute of it. What will they think of next?

Myrtle Beach (4)

2009-04-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

A.J. has his first taste of lemon - and loved it / hated it all at the same time. I wish I could have caught his expression!

The Wyndham had the perfect play area - that had a cushy cover on the ground. A.J. spent HOURS playing on that slide. O.K., I admint, David and I had fun on it as well.

(On the pier at Barefoot Landing)

More fun in the sand.......

Myrtle Beach (3)

2009-04-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

Sierra and A.J. both loved the beach! A.J. kept running in and then laughed as he ran out after the waves hit his legs. It was so much fun!

Myrtle Beach (2)

2009-04-22T09:45:00.001-07:00

We had lots of fun on the beach....but on the rainy day, we headed to Ripley's Aquarium. A.J. didn't like the tank that you look out from the middle.....but he LOVED the tanks he could stand next to. He got a kick out of the sharks that swam overhead, the sting rays that they could almost reach to touch and then the jelly fish that swam really close to the glass.

Myrtle Beach Pictures (1)

2009-04-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

Easter Egg Hunt at Ma-Maw's

2009-04-21T10:41:00.001-07:00

My Favorite Little Sweeper

2009-03-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

The obsession with the vacuum cleaner lives on. Hey, at least he does a good job!

Still Fishin'

2009-03-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

A.J. is in love with Fishing. Now we have a set of poles with magnetic fish and other creatures to catch in the tub. Between Grumps and Pa-paw, this kid will certainly be a fisherman. : )

Valentine's Day Pictures (Part 2)

2009-02-18T11:01:00.000-08:00

More Valentine's Day Pictures.....

Valentine's Day Pictures (Part 1)

2009-02-18T10:58:00.001-08:00

Pictures from Valentine's Day.......

2009-02-02T10:58:00.000-08:00

Say "CHEESE!"

2009-02-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

Yep, A.J. is still obsessed with the fishing pole Grumps got him for his birthday this past summer........He carries it everywhere. We keep reminding him that a fishing pole on a slide is a safety hazzard.....but he just doesn't get it.

2009-02-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

A.J. only lasted 5 minutes in the snow.....He kept wanting to take his gloves off so he could grab the shovel and get to work...........He quickly realized it was too cold on the hands for that. At least I got a couple of pictures before the "melt down"! We only briefly lost electricity, but it was enough to remind us how fortunate we are to have safety and warmth.

2009-02-02T09:09:00.000-08:00

A.J. just didn't enjoy playing or "driving" as much when he wasn't feeling well. Fortunately, he is feeling much better now! This video just seemed so pitiful........

2009-02-02T08:54:00.000-08:00

As you can see, Sienna is a year younger than A.J., but the same size! The rest are just miscellaneous pictures........being a ham, climbing and rearranging everything in site.

2009-02-02T08:44:00.000-08:00

We took A.J. to Chuck-E-Cheese (however you spell it....) with his cousins Michaela and Gavin. Had a great time......

Exhausted after Christmas.....

2008-12-29T12:01:00.001-08:00

Can you believe these pets?

.....and A.J. too.........

Boy, this Christmas fun is tiring!

Final Christmas Pictures.....

2008-12-29T11:47:00.001-08:00

More from Christmas....

2008-12-29T11:36:00.000-08:00

More pictures from Christmas.....

2008-12-29T11:31:00.001-08:00

Some Pictures from Christmas....

2008-12-29T11:26:00.001-08:00

Uncle Joey taught A.J. "Bam Bam"

2008-12-29T10:51:00.000-08:00

A.J. goes around with the hammer saying "Bam Bam" and hitting the walls and couches. Thankfully, that is all that Joey taught him to hit!

The Dancing Santa.....

2008-12-29T10:19:00.000-08:00

Check out these videos..........

2008-12-29T10:18:00.001-08:00

A.J. WITH SANTA........

Michaela, Gavin and Sierra with Santa

2008-12-16T08:29:00.000-08:00

Sierra with Santa.....

Michaela and Gavin (who was a bit scared of the big man in the crazy red suit! I don't blame him. : )

2008-12-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

Mom has this Christmas sled that she has filled with decorations next to the tree for years......This year, A.J. has decided that it is fun to load, unload, push, pull and even surf with the sled. He has gotten such a kick out of it!

(A.J. kicking back in his rocker at Ma-maw's.....)

(David with our niece Sienna.)

We are definitely looking forward to Christmas this year. The kids are all at such great ages to enjoy the decorations and excitement of all of the extra activities. A.J. has been so well behaved while we're out shopping. He used to HATE sitting in any shopping cart for more than 10 minutes......now he enjoys looking at all of the people and color-filled aisles. He is talking more and more, and we are starting to understand some of it! (juice, uh oh, hello, bye, NO, kitty kitty, bad dog) He is also becoming more independent. He lets us know that it is time for a nap or bed-time (by grabbing his blankie and drink and pointing upstairs).....something he used to fight with all of his might. He LOVES making choices regarding what to eat, drink or wear. He also enjoys being a helper.......He delivers the napkins to the dinner table.....and helps clear away trash.....He even throws his laundry in the laundry room! I wonder how long this will last? Ha Ha....... We are truly enjoying this time in his life...watching him grow and learn something new every day. His enthusiasm is contagious!

Grumps is coming for another visit this weekend.....we are looking forward to it!

2008-12-01T11:50:00.001-08:00

A.J. - at his most recent Doctor's visit.....for 2 shots. He loves the paper on the tables! He did great. When the nurse gave him the two shots, he scrunched up his face, and whimpered, but not tears. What a trooper.

Thanksgiving - Ma-maw's house

2008-12-01T10:42:00.000-08:00

Well, here are some pictures from Thanksgiving at Ma-maw's house (my mom's). We celebrated the Sunday before - since so many of us have 2 dinners to fit in. I left my camera at work the following week, so I apologize for not having any pictures from David's mom's dinner. A.J. had tons of fun at Nana and Papa's too. (Notice the bumps on his forehead and skinned up chin! A.J. has decided to run everywhere - with not such great aim. He had 2 goose eggs, one bruise and a skinned chin for Thanksgiving. )

"Grandma Jake" was kind enough to get this handsome outfit for A.J........I can't believe he didn't tug at the tie or the suspenders! My only challenge was trying to get a picture that wasn't a blur from his constant motion!

We have so much to be thankful for this year. Boy, are we blessed. Our son makes us smile every day....not to mention all of the love and support from our families and friends. We are thankful for all of you. I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful too.

2008-11-18T09:12:00.000-08:00

A Sunday Afternoon in the Tuttle Play Area

2008-11-18T09:04:00.000-08:00

Man, A.J. and Kai had a BLAST at Tuttle last weekend. Here are some pictures from their time int he kid's play pit. Kai was great about helping to keep an eye on A.J. in the midst of TONS of other children.... (Notice how A.J.'s tongue is out when he is concentrating or excited! I'm amazed he hasn't bitten it by now!)

At Big Run Park 11.04.08

2008-11-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

At Big Run Park 11.04.08

2008-11-05T09:55:00.001-08:00

The kids had a blast at Big Run Park. A.J. was afraid of the swings, but Sienna and Kai sure loved them. The leaves were beautiful and the weather was perfect.

Karen's Surprise 40th Birthday Party!

2008-11-05T09:47:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures from Karen's surprise 40th Birthday party. Although I didn't get a picture of the crowd, there were quite a few people there. We really had a great time. A.J. wasn't afraid of the dark at all......and kept forgetting there were steps between the family and living room. Thankfully, there were plenty of hands to catch him before he fell.

More halloween pictures.....

2008-11-05T09:37:00.000-08:00

A.J. greeted lots of trick-or-treaters by pusing the broom up and down the driveway. I was surprised that he kept his head piece on - as long as we kept it pulled up above his eyes.

Dancing at Shelly's Halloween Party.....

2008-10-31T05:55:00.000-07:00

A.J. had a blast at Aunt Shelly's work Halloween Party. This is our second year - and we are already looking forward to next year! When we walked in, he heard the music and started dancing - then got distracted, of course. : )

Halloween Party at Aunt Shelly's Work

2008-10-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

Halloween Party at Aunt Shelly's Work! (1)

2008-10-30T13:44:00.001-07:00

2008-10-28T05:59:00.000-07:00

CIRCLE S FARMS

Boy, A.J. sure had a blast at Circle S Farms. We went with Shelly, Kaileigh, Sienna, Ashley and Virginia came too. Shelly and I took turns taking pictures - so I'll try to post more once we share!

Ms. Ruth at the gym

2008-10-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

A. J. LOVES going to the gym to play while David works out.

He and several 'regulars' have become pals at the nursery.

Every once in a while, he gets so exhausted that he climbs up on Ms. Ruth's lap for a nice nap.

Where's A.J.?

2008-09-25T13:27:00.001-07:00

Well, Mr. Samuel has done a lot of interesting things over the last few weeks. He's started giving hugs, reaching out for help when he needs it, saying words......even brushing the dog's teeth! (David needs a new toothbrush now......) While we were on vacation, we lost track of him for a moment at Dad's house. Turns out he had pushed the front door open and was hanging out on the front porch, looking in at us!

VACATION!

2008-09-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

**Fort Morgan**
Fun at Pa-paw's house...
Gulf Shores........
Ella had NO problem heading for the sand and waves!
A.J. EVENTUALLY warmed up to the idea of sand on his feet...but not waves. He had no interest in the water.

VACATION!

2008-09-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

More fun at Pa-paw's. They love to rough house!
A.J. watched about 5 min. of a movie with Pa-paw....which is the first time he's ever paid any attention to a t.v. screen.
Chuck-E-Cheese was a blast.
**More pics from Fort Morgan**

Pensacola, Florida

2008-09-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

A.J. has been saying 'Dada' non-stop for weeks. I've been very jealous. Well, while we were in Florida, he started saying 'Mama' more often......and it was directed towards me! I was in heaven! (Well, at least sometimes it was directed at me.)

I haven't been able to catch in on video, but he definitely has been calling out 'Gogie' whenever a dog comes near. That is exciting because it is completely on his own that he identifies the word with the animals.

Pensacola, Florida

2008-09-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

We went to Pensacola, Florida this past week - and had a blast. At first, A.J. wouldn't even let me put his feet in the sand or water.......But after a while, he warmed up to the idea. Uncle Jason would build the castle and A.J. would beam a huge smile every time he knocked it down.

Aunt Shelly brought a fun slide to Ma-maw's!

2008-09-11T13:52:00.000-07:00

A.J. had so much fun as Kaileigh taught him how to climb up and slide down. Of course, I'm the nervous mom......but I had to stand back and just let them give it a try. It is so fun to watch how quickly he is learning now. Kai is so good with him.

2008-08-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

So, we went to the Hilltop pool with "Grandma Jake" on Sunday. A.J. was a bit timid at first, but ended up loving the water. He especially enjoyed diving into his floaty, trying to grab the strings that were on the bottom (for hanging the toy up to dry). We had a great time.

2008-08-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

A.J. had his first Gymboree class this past Saturday. We all (yes, David and I had to do it too!) were guided through several obstacle courses and toy areas, practiced playing, taking turns and cleaning up....then finished off with bubbles and a huge parachute game! The entire class was directed by song.......She would sing and play, all the while interacting with the group and each child individually.........It was a blast! A.J. slept for almost three hours afterwards.

2008-08-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

A.J. had fun 'gardening' on mom's front porch. I'm pretty sure the outfit is ruined....but it was worth it. It was very serious work for Mr. Samuel.

2008-08-19T07:53:00.000-07:00

Family dinner at Olive Garden.....WOW........kids everywhere! Craziness everywhere! Tam, David, A.J., Shelly, Joey, Sienna, Kaileigh, Jason, Randilyn, Ella and Mom. Insane. Of course, no pictures of me since I was the one snapping shots of everyone else.......when we weren't doing a dance to entertain A.J. Restaurants are still challenging at this stage. He's great - for 30 minuntes - then he's done eating and wants to explore.

2008-08-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

A.J. had fun watching Brandon's baseball game...........I can't beleive Brandon is 15 and in High School! He's turned in to such a handsome guy.

2008-08-19T07:20:00.000-07:00

Fun with pots-n-pans.

2008-08-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

So, A.J. has moved beyond just playing with pots-n-pans....He creates music with them, takes them out of the cabinet, puts them back in, repeat, repeat, repeat.....Sometimes he disappears - and I realize he has actually climbed in to the cabinet himself! Our end tables in the living room work great for that too. I wish I could catch it on video! He's sneaky. : )

2008-08-01T07:28:00.000-07:00

(Pictures taken July 12, 2008)

2008-07-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

Our cat (Mito) absolutely loves A.J. and doesn't mind him rough-housing or lounging on him!

2008-07-29T09:46:00.000-07:00

A.J. is having a blast with his 'quad'. Every day he is able to steer and hold the 'go' button down a little longer and with a little more control. This was the first night.....

2008-07-29T09:45:00.001-07:00

So now the tongue is out CONSTANTLY!

2008-07-18T10:29:00.000-07:00

We had several opportunities to celebrate A.J.'s first birthday. Poor kid - had to eat cake three times! I have the feeling he didn't mind!

2008-07-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

A.J. really enjoyed the fountains at Easton. He got so tired he had to sit to play. Thank heaven's for Michaela's flip flops!

Getting Started

2008-07-09T06:22:00.001-07:00

Well, I've never created a blog before......so here we go. I'll try to keep everyone updated as best as possible. We sure wish all of our friends and family were close by!

A.J. sure has changed from a little bitty baby to this wild toddler! Wow, time flies!