Morrell Family Adventures

Oregon!

2011-10-20T22:41:00.016-05:00

Well I suppose its finally time to stop shirking my duties as blog co-author and get a few words in to set the record straight. Let me start with that. Regardless of what you may have been told to this point:
1- Despite my newfound earthy appearance and relaxed stance on personal hygiene, I am not "smokin the reefer". However, I will say that the "medical Marajuana" market in CA seems alive and well - as evidenced by the dude tokin up a fat joint amongst all the hikers in Yosemite. I ushered my children quickly past the scene of the crime as they loudly inquired about what the funny smell was. Super parent rides again...
I know this is supposed to be an Oregon post, but this pic is one of my favorites from the quest thus far. PB&J with an incredible view.
By the way, in case you were wondering, California is awesome. The sheer breadth of landscape variety is astounding. The weather is fantastic. However it turns out that being awesome attracts people. WAAAAAYYYYYYY too many people. And already we've fallen far below awesome again.
Alaska, how I long for you.

2-There are few things that go better with cheese than a fine California wine. Except maybe ice cream. Tillamook Mudslide with an extra scoop of caramel pecan praline to be precise. I don't even know what praline means. Perhaps it is french for "delicious". In any case, the Tillamook Cheese Factory in Tillamook, Oregon was one of the best stops on this epic RV odyssey. Cheese curds and full fat ice cream. I nearly blacked out. MmmmmmmmmmmmAAaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuugggggggggggggggghhhh....

3- In all seroiusness, some OR pics.
This is the view from our campsite on the OR coast. Ridiculous, right? I can't believe we pulled the RV in almost on the beach. Nice work by my girl to find such an amazing spot.

To the right is the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. Still operational. Great spot to spy a passing grey whale, see some harbor seals, or gawk at a passing hundred and twenty brown pelicans.

Fogarty Creek State Park. Oregon has one of the most impressive state park systems I've seen. We scrambled on the rocks at low tide as the waves crashed in the surf. Even the sled do is smiling.

Another pic of the OR coastline. "Beautiful" doesn't even come close.

This is a travel stop along the Columbia River Gorge east of Portland. After a fantastic visit with Don and Char Chase (such gracious hosts!) we headed out east toward Montana. We stopped at Arlington OR to make some sammies and play on the playground to burn some energy. But the local ducks were as much entertainment as anything else my little cherubs could see.

4-Finally, this beard looks damn sharp. Attractive even. I get many comments. Favorable comments. Indeed...

The Redwoods

2011-10-18T23:35:00.000-05:00

The Redwoods of California

What magnificent forests! These trees are amazing. If ever you need a reminder about how small you are in the world, stand amidst these treasures. The girls didn't grasp the grandeur of these tress, but we did. Our campground was surrounded by them. We didn't really need to leave to enjoy them.

Maddie with her "walking stick"

We also enjoyed some coastal fun while in Cresent City. There is a nice aquarium with a spunky little sea lion, shark petting, interactive tide pool (you can touch the stuff). Madison was very touchy-feely, but Reagan wouldn't pet the sharks.

Lighthouse at Crescent City, only accessible during low tide

Travel to the Redwoods

2011-10-14T23:58:00.006-05:00

Our next destination was north on highway 101 through Mendicino wine country, partially on the California Coast, and the Redwoods. It was a beautiful diverse drive. We did stop at a tourist attraction of a house made out of one Redwood log which the girls thought was really cool. I think they wanted to bring it home for a playhouse. It was about the size of the RV, so not really an option to bring it home.
We arrived at Crescent City, CA and are staying at a beautiful RV Resort nestled amidst the Redwoods. It is beautiful and had a large playground about 15 paces from our site which is very popular with two little girls.
Our first day we went into the town and walked the pier to view the lighthouse. The tide was coming in, so we couldn't walk to the light house. It is on a small island that is accessible via walking path during low tide. We then went to an aquarium which was awesome. We really weren't expecting too much for such a small town, but were really impressed. They had a wonderful live demonstration on sea lions and seals, shark petting, a rare cow shark in their tank, a tide pool for touching starfish and other sea creatures, and several different shark species. Reagan wouldn't pet the shark, but Madison did. They also played with the starfish in the tide pool. We then went to lunch on the bay and watched the sea lions on the docks.
The girls spent the rest of the day, on the playground of course

The Log House and the 16ft tall carved bear on our drive

Mark is getting quite creative with the fire building!

Enjoying the pier

Lighthouse by the pier

View at the pier

At the Aquarium

Seals we watched while at lunch

Fun on the playground!

Sonoma County

2011-10-14T22:56:00.005-05:00

Sonoma County, CA

One of my favorite days so far, wine tasting! The countryside was beautiful with meticulously maintained vineyards on rolling hills. We stopped at two vineyards, Kendall-Jackson and Francis Ford Coppola. We chose these because we were told they were the most family friendly, and they were very friendly. The grounds were beautiful with flowers, wild strawberries, and of course vineyards.
The first stop was Kendall-Jackson where the girls picked wild strawberries and got balloons. The second stop was the Francis Ford Coppola winery which has been open for only one year. There was movie memorabilia from Coppola's directed movies including the desk from The Godfather and the Tucker from The Tucker. We had a wonderful outdoor lunch over looking the vineyards during harvest season. The girls were juice tasting while we were wine tasting. This was a beautiful property that is very family focused. They have many family events on the weekends, have a pool, and gift shop with toys. We were pleasantly surprised by this place. Oh, and we liked the wine, too!

Picking wild strawberries

Garden at the Kendall-Jackson Winery

Me at the Kendall-Jackson Winery, photo by Reagan

Kendall-Jackson

Lunch at Francis Ford Coppola Winery

Another lunch picture

Desk from the Godfather on display at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery

The Tucker from the movie "The Tucker"

San Francisco

2011-10-11T23:54:00.008-05:00

San Francisco

The fog posed a bit of trouble for us to see the Golden Gate Bridge today, but we did drive it and could see parts of it throughout the day. It was amazing to see how the fog hovered over the bridge. The rest of the city was clear toward the late afternoon, except for the bridge. Our first stop was the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which turned out to be a bit of a bust. We couldn't see anything due to the fog, and there was road construction delaying our travels. We did see some historical military sites and saw some people surfing.
We then crossed the notorious bridge and could see it well while driving over it, paid our $6 toll and headed to Fisherman's Warf.
The big green machine, affectionately known as sprout, is not meant for big city driving. We barely fit in the parking garage and the streets are quite narrow in downtown SF.
We had lunch on the pier, then boarded the ferry for Alcatraz. The girls loved the boat ride! We walked around Alcatraz, still unable to really get a good view of the famous bridge. The weather was awesome, minus the fog, and it was a great tour of Alcatraz. Madison slept on my back while Reagan, Mark and I took the audio tour. Reagan followed along for the entire 45 minute tour! We were amazed. She only told me once that she was ready to be done. I'm not sure it was 4 year old content or language, but she followed right along.
After our tour, we walked along Fisherman's Warf and headed back over the bridge we couldn't see.

Driving over the Golden Gate Bridge, the best view of it all day!

That bridge is back there somewhere!

Girls hanging out on the pier.

Riding the ferry to Alcatraz Island.

If the fog lifted, you would see the Golden Gate Bridge in the background...

Stairs on Alcatraz. I just thought they looked cool.

Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz

In a cell enjoying the audio tour.

Girls on the Agave Trail, no tequila shots or margaritas available, they're just enjoying the day!

Ferry ride back to SF.

Yosemite National Park Day Two

2011-10-11T00:55:00.006-05:00

Our second day at Yosemite was also filled with hiking and amazing views, but we had to spend a little more time driving. We worked on distracting Reagan from her car sickness and got through the day without her proving she was sick. We started with a short hike to Bridalveil Fall, then drove up to Glacier Point for great views of the valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Mirror Lake, Nevada Falls and Vernal Falls. I now understand why Ansel Adams spent most of his career in this place. It is beautiful.

At Bridalveil Fall, but you wouldn't know that unless I told you. Good smiles, though!

Bridalveil Fall with Daddy.

Bridalveil Fall

Hanging out by the stream during our hike.

more hanging out

Enjoying our hike to Bridalveil Fall.

Stone bridge along path, just looked neat.

View from Glacier Point, half dome on left, Nevada Falls on right.

Girls enjoying lunch while looking at half dome.

Enjoying the outdoors!

Glacier Point

Half Dome

Future rock climbers!
Sometimes the atmosphere is so awesome, you just have to do a handstand.

Yosemite National Park

2011-10-11T00:27:00.008-05:00

Yosemite was an amazing visit. We had a great time hiking and walking through the forests, looking at waterfalls and granite mountains. We were amazed at the beauty of this place, as apparently is everyone else. I have never seen so many people at a National Park before. There was a traffic jam leaving the park that evening. It took over an hour to get out of the parking lot, no exaggeration.
We were very lucky in timing our visit. The first snow had fallen a few days before and waterfalls that are usually dry this time of year were rushing! The famous Yosemite Falls, which is the tallest waterfall in the US, is usually not flowing in October. And it is usually quite chilly this time of year as well. We had a sunny, perfect day to view the Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. We walked to the Lower Falls and had lunch along the way.

"Piggy back" PBJ lunch for Madison. I somehow did not end up with peanut butter or jelly in my hair or on the back of my shirt!

Beautiful river view on one of our hikes.

Lower Yosemite Falls

The Family at Lower Yosemite Falls

El Capitan

The last hike of the day was to Vernal Falls. This was a quite strenuous hike for small children. Madison slept most of the way on my back and Reagan was a trooper! It was a great view of the falls and so fun to take a hike.

Travels to Yosemite National Park

2011-10-07T23:32:00.002-05:00

So, I am not a good navigator. I trust Google maps without considering what roads are the "quickest" which is a bit troublesome when traveling with an RV. We may need new brakes. I was almost voted off the island. We did see some beautiful scenery along the way. I took pictures so Mark could see it later as he was staring at hairpin turn after turn on 8% grades. But, alas we made it to our destination, a couple hours later (again) than expected. We stayed a nice RV campground that caters to "members" which we were not. So we traversed up the gravel road to the second class campers area. It was actually a good location and felt more like camping. We had, gasp, no cell service or WiFi. There was mini golf and a playground which the girls thoroughly enjoyed. I'm not betting my retirement on the chances that one of the girls will be WPGA material just yet though.
Car Picture along the route.

Next Chapter

2011-10-07T00:35:00.004-05:00

Since we are embarking upon a month long vacation, I thought I would post a few pictures and notes about our trip. We left Las Vegas on a rainy October 4th, delayed a couple hours due to military bureaucracy. We did get on the road and made it to Bakersfield, CA in time for a late dinner. We woke the next morning to clouds and while getting everything packed up, Maddie said, "Its raining on the the book!" There was a book on the couch and the roof was leaking! We've had this RV out several times and never had a leak.
After a quick stop for "fix-the-roof-stuff", we were back on the road albeit delayed again. We did make it to Three Rivers, CA just outside of the south entrance to Sequoia National Park. The RV park is the closest to a campground that we have ever stayed at, and our campsite is right on the river.
Our day in Sequoia, October 6th, was filled with rain, sleet and snow! The girls were ecstatic to see snow, so South Dakota should treat them well. We saw three black bears, amazingly large trees including the largest tree by volume on the planet, the General Sherman tree. We hiked through the giant forest in the sleet. It is truly beautiful and makes you feel very small walking through these 250ft trees with diameters over 30ft and over 2000 years old.
We also learned today that Reagan gets car sick. The drive into the park entails hairpin curve after hairpin curve and large variations in elevation. This was our first experience with vomiting in the vehicle. I really hope it will be our last.
The RV fix that Mark did seems to have worked. It rained all day and there is no "raining on the books!"
I have to admit that we are really second guessing the decision to take this long trip. Day one was a very delayed start. Day two RV had a leaky roof. Day three car sick child in the truck.

Sometimes its just fun to be silly. And sooo worth it.

2008-12-14T22:12:00.002-06:00

Fall Fun

2008-12-14T22:07:00.004-06:00

"Reagan helpi you Daddy!"

Her first foray into a leaf pile. She was hesitant at first, but caught on quickly. She even helped me bag some of it up as well!

The making of a Christmas card...

2008-12-14T22:02:00.004-06:00

Here's just a few of the attempts. As many of you have no doubt experienced, this entire endeavor is easier said than done.

I just finished finally building the mantle you see here - so we thought it would make a nice holiday pic.

Notice the number of stockings on the mantle???

Thanksgiving 08

2008-12-14T21:55:00.003-06:00

We had a big crowd at our house again this year, and much to be thankful for... not the least of which is our busy little toddler who is getting in to pretty much everything these days. She was a BIG help in all of the food preparations - "Reagan coooking. Reagan helpi-you Mommy!" Priceless.

Go JACKS!

2008-12-14T21:52:00.001-06:00

I threw the second pic in just because I love Cheetos, and apparently so does my little girl!

November updates

2008-12-14T21:47:00.002-06:00

"Surprise"

Jessica invited a bunch of friends over to help celebrate my birthday... though she had previously told me that we'd be going out. I came out from giving Reagan a bath, expecting to see the babysitter, and the house was full of friends. What a great surprise from a fantastic wife!

Halloween Party

2008-10-18T19:42:00.003-05:00

Reagan attended her first Halloween party today. She even told me over and over again on the drive there that we were going to a Halloween Party. She loves her Bumble Bee costume! Hopefully she'll still be happy with it on Halloween.

We visited the Pumpkin Patch this weekend to get our annual pumpkin. Reagan picked the toddler size one ("Reagan's pumpkin") which she's holding in the picture while standing next to "Mommy's pumpkin" on the front step.

Mark has been in Korea this week and off to Tuscon next week, so he's missed out on the Halloween fun this weekend. Luckily he will be here for the real deal to take Reagan trick-or-treating.

Better than ancient Rome...

2008-10-05T20:35:00.000-05:00

These pics are just a few of Reagan during the trip. I know she won't remember it, but we've got plenty of digital memories to show her some day.

We don't have too many of us eating gelato - it was gone too quickly. But the sight of Reagan eating pasta in the last photo is priceless. She went after that plate with gusto. We had finally stumbled into a local trattoria early in the evening after a long day of taking in as many sights as we could stand. Everyone was tired, thirsty, sweaty, etc. And I'll admit that I was a bit grumpy when we sat down as Reagan began to climb on the seats and well - be a little girl. Moments like these help you keep things in perspective. We all left the restaurant full, happy, and with big smiles.

Roma

2008-10-05T20:17:00.002-05:00

So I've been a bit lax lately on blog updates... But here are a few of the pics from Rome. It was the final stop on our incredible trip. There's simply too much to describe well. If the opportunity ever presents itself, I definitley recommend spending a few days here though.

In short, the traffic is insane. Not just that there's a lot of it, but there are boatloads of scooters and motorcycles weaving in between all of it. Lane markers are mere suggestions. I would have tried some pics of it all, but was too busy keeping my eyes peeled for what I was fairly sure would be a wreck of epic proportions. Strangely - we saw very few collisions. We also saw very few cars without at least one dented fender either.

St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museum (Sistine Chapel, etc) are overwhelming. The Colosseum and Roman Forum are no slouches either. We ran ourselves pretty ragged seeing the sights. Reagan continued to be more of a trooper than either of us imagined possible. Though we did bribe her with pasta, pizza, and plenty of gelato.

More Pics

2008-10-05T20:06:00.001-05:00

My favorite two girls on the steps of St. Peter's Basillica, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, followed by some cool drinks (milk and vino) at a cafe in front of the Pantheon.

Italia '08

2008-09-14T19:57:00.000-05:00

Why wouldn't anyone jump at the opportunity to take a toddler overseas for a zero-planning vacation tagged onto the end of a long TDY? My sentiments exactly. But, the last minute trip to Italy went off with out a hitch. Well almost anyway...

I ended up there as part of a three destination TDY recently. Jess and Reagan joined me about half way through the last leg of the trip (in Italy). Then we spent a few days criss-crossing Italian boot to see some sights and enjoy a little family R&R. The girls arrived in Venice after an extra day spent in the lovely Atlanta aiport due to mechanical issues, and re-routing through NYC the next day. Despite the extra 24 hours to get their bags on the right airplane, all of the luggage went to Paris for some bizarre reason. And there it remained for two days after their arrival in Italy. Thanks Delta. But not all was lost. Jess and Reagan needed time to recover from the time change anyway, and the bags arrived (in stages) partway through their first weekend.
Overall – international travel with a toddler is not for the faint of heart. And Jess did it solo on the first part of her trip. But Reagan is an amazing little trooper. And we all had a fantastic time. We got to see friends from AK (the Aystas) from SD (the Blacks) and add a few more sights and adventures to our list. Pics follow in the next couple of posts.

Here's our basic itinerary breakdown.
We stayed in Sacile (northeast Italy) for the first week. I was still working at Aviano Air Base for the first few days of the trip.
Day trip to Venice on Labor Day.
Visit to Rezzanello (south of Milano and Piacenza) for 3 days to catch up with John and Stephanie Black at their outrageous Italian villa.
Two days in Tuscan wine country with visits to Lucca and Florence.
The last three days in Rome (with a side trip through Pisa on the way) before jumping on a jet back to the USA.

Florence and Pisa

2008-09-14T19:13:00.000-05:00

Pics of the famous leaning tower in Pisa (it really looks like its about to tumble) and some of the sights in Florence. We only spent a few hours in Pisa - which seemed like plenty. Florence on the other hand - we tried to do in a day. That was tough. There's too much to see. Highlights include Michaelangelo's David (not pictured because they don't allow it), Ponte de Vecchio (the old bridge) and the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo). You can (and we did) climb the dome. 463 steps to the top. And Reagan would only ride with Mama. Jessie powered through. The view of this ancient and beautiful city was more than worth the work. The last pic is just a random lunch stop at a sidewalk cafe for pizza/sandwiches. The landmarks are neat to see, but moments like these are always my favorite memories. Reagan loves the pizza...

There is more to show - but I've got to get organized to get back to reality tomorrow- so it will have to wait for another day. More to follow!!

Ciasa de Black

2008-09-14T16:22:00.000-05:00

Rezzanello / Piacenza-
Fantastic! The diamond in the rough (if there was a rough) of our trip. We were treated to an intimate tour of rural Italy and some over-the-top hospitality by the Blacks. I didn't want to leave...
The Black's are staying in what can only be described as a resort villa during their stint in Italy. What a location! They are situated in the foothills of Italy's central mountain range with view of the plains and the Alps in the distance on a clear day. The pool you see is in their front yard. We visited Piacenza, and a couple of the other small surrounding towns, including a couple of neighboring castles.

Italy '08 - Venice

2008-09-14T15:25:00.000-05:00

Ahhhhhh, Venice...

Well, the girls finally had clean clothes by the time we made our weekend day-trip to Venice. I was still working up at Aviano, but we had a free day (Labor Day) to make the jaunt. San Marco's square was imposing and beautiful. Rialto Bridge was also impressive. The throng of tourists and shoppers were a bit overwhelming, but since we were there for the scenery and not the shopping, it was a day well spent. The best part of the day is a toss up between the adventure of working our way through the Italian mass transit system and sharing in Reagan's absolute glee over gelato (Italian ice cream).

The Rest of the Toddler's Hour

2008-08-18T20:04:00.000-05:00

I guess she's a busy girl! We're very lucky to have a healthy, playful little girl.

1 hr with a Toddler

2008-08-18T19:56:00.001-05:00

I am often asked, "What have you guys been doing this afternoon?" by Mark when he's either at work or away. So, today I thought I would follow Reagan around with the camera for 1 hour. That's right, all these pictures were taken in one hours time. Here are the highlights.

Silly Reagan, poor Abby...

2008-08-17T20:30:00.000-05:00

Grandma's Visit

2008-08-17T20:27:00.000-05:00

Reagan had a great time when Grandma came to visit. She's still asking for her and telling me what chair is Grandma's at the table.

More summer fun

2008-07-29T20:24:00.000-05:00

Some more family pics, with one of Reagan's first corn on the cob experience for good measure. She's got some good midwestern girl in her for sure...

Grandpa Russ and Grandma Sue came ready to show their "A game". Those little girls are a handful and then some.

We probably rode that escalator about 18 times...

2008-07-29T20:18:00.000-05:00

More pics incuding our first day with pig-tails, playing in the camper, and the aftermath of Reagan's first s'more! Her first self initiated phrase is officially "More Chocolate!"

Summer Adventures

2008-07-29T20:02:00.000-05:00

It's been quite a while since the last update. Sorry for those who've been waiting for some new pics. Here's a few from Reagan's first camping trip (and Courtney's woodland wedding). The pop up tent camper we rented was a big hit with the munchkin. Everything in it was just her size. I'm not sure where she was happier - outside (her normal favorite place) or in her own personal jungle gym! We also had great fun with getting the Morrell's all back together for the first time in 7 years. The shots of cousins Selene and Georgia Bea are adorable (not that we're biased).

In the next post, I'll include some other camping photos...

Swimming Lessons

2008-06-05T21:42:00.000-05:00

OK, so its more like toddler water survival, but you've got to start somewhere. Watching Reagan be scared and cry for me, knowing full well that I needed to let her learn was tough - and a bit of foreshadowing of things that are to come I suppose... But she did great! And by the last couple of days has been wanting to "swim" from Jess to the pool steps and back. She learned how to hold her breath, find and pull herself up on the step or side wall, and how to flip over on her back and float. And she even went off of the diving board (with extra "encouragement") many times.

Surprise Party

2008-04-22T20:20:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago, I thought we were headed to a BBQ at a friend's house. Well, it was a BBQ, but it was for me in celebration of my long awaited graduation. My preceptor who I've been learning from for the past 2 years and my husband pulled this off without me having a clue. I had a wonderful time, and I was very surprised. Thanks Lenora and Mark!

More Party

2008-04-22T20:19:00.000-05:00

This is my preceptor, Lenora, and host of the party.

more party

2008-04-22T20:18:00.001-05:00

My friend Karen who just had a baby, recently moved to FL, and has a 3 year old at home also helped with the organization of the event. As if she weren't busy enough! Thanks Karen!

more party

2008-04-22T20:18:00.000-05:00

There were also a few gifts. I now have an official desk accessory with my professional title. Now I just need a professional desk in a place of employment! Thank you to all. And I can't believe you all kept the surprise so well!

Love the slide

2008-04-19T14:38:00.001-05:00

Gotta love a soft landing!

So cute!

2008-04-19T14:23:00.003-05:00

Love the Spring Weather!

2008-04-19T14:15:00.001-05:00

Reagan loves to be outside, especially with her "Dada". Gee, I wonder why...

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T20:03:00.000-05:00

We all had a very nice Easter. Apparently the Easter Bunny didn't bring everything Reagan wanted, so she had a little tantrum. I really don't remember what this one was regarding. We went to a friend's house for Easter brunch with about 40 other people. There was an egg hunt and lots of playing outside for the kiddos. The children in the sandbox are withing 2 wks of age.

Reagan should sleep very well tonight!

Playing with Daddy

2008-03-23T19:54:00.001-05:00

Reagan is showing Daddy how to chew on her toys. She thinks this is very funny.

New pail

2008-03-17T20:50:00.000-05:00

Reagan has been having much fun filling her new sand pail with dog toys, pine cones, easter eggs, new sunglasses, mom's sunglasses, dog's tennis balls, leaves... She was very busy and must have been very thirsty after lugging that full pail around. See next entry...

Thirst quenched

2008-03-17T20:25:00.000-05:00

So thirsty after a hard day of playing. This is really an efficiency maneuver. Reagan gets a drink, Reagan's clothes get washed, and the floor gets washed. All in matter of seconds!

Cool Shades

2008-03-17T20:17:00.000-05:00

Reagan is figuring out how to wear sunglasses. She says, "Cooool" when she puts them on. I said cool to her once after she put them on and she picked it up. I say please and thank you at least 10 times per day, do you think she says "pleeease" or "tank you"? No.

Fire Truck

2008-03-13T17:18:00.001-05:00

Reagan's "school" had a field trip to see the fire truck today. She wasn't so much interested in the truck, but she did like the hat and the firemen. Yikes!

In the third picture she is with one of her teachers, Ms. Barbara, who Reagan is very fond of.

Reagan's School (Day Care)

2008-03-13T17:06:00.000-05:00

This is Reagan having snack at school. We call it school because the day care has classrooms and teachers. It's always impressive to walk in and see 5-10 one year olds sitting quietly at a small table eating. It's less messy than when just Reagan eats at home.

Too many toys

2008-03-11T20:34:00.000-05:00

Reagan has all these toys, but her favorite thing to do is climb on her parents...

The slide has been discovered

2008-03-11T20:28:00.001-05:00

Reagan has found new fun in the slide in our backyard. Luckily it came with the house. She has been enjoying the swing for quite some time, but the slide is new found fun!

We're here

2008-02-18T12:59:00.000-06:00

Yes, it' s been awhile since we added anything to this blog. I've attched a nice picture of Reagan eating so well. She doesn't like vegetables, but does like to play with her food...

We've also had some nice days outside, so I've attached some recent pictures of Reagan enjoying the fresh air. She wishes you a belated Happy Valentine's Day!

More of Reagan's rampage at Chirstmas

2008-01-07T21:56:00.000-06:00

Reagan kept herself occupied by emptying both Grandmas' cupboards, continuously. She also has found a new love of chairs and thinks their not just for sitting.

The picture of the 3 cute little girls are Reagan with her two cousins, Georgia Bea (6mo) and Selene (2 yrs in March).

Last, what else is one to do after all that activity but crash and burn...

Reagan learns how to open presents

2008-01-07T21:47:00.000-06:00

It didn't take long for Reagan to figure out the gift opening. She was amazed by the tearing of paper and all the boxes as expected. She also actually enjoyed a few of the gifts right away! We had a wonderful Christmas with both families. We even had a nice snow storm on Christmas day. (Nice for us because we didn't have to go anywhere.)

Christmas Eve Cookie Decorating

2008-01-07T20:34:00.000-06:00

We decorated cookies at Mark's parents house. Reagan didn't grasp the decorating concept, but knew exactly what to do with a cookie! She'll take hers straight up without frosting. And of course needed some milk with those cookies. What a health nut. She and her cousin Selene were looking for more cookies, I think.

Reagan's first day in the snow

2008-01-07T20:21:00.000-06:00

Mark thought Reagan would love to play in the snow... She doesn't like people to wear hats, so Mark couldn't wear a hat while outside with her or she would scream. She also doesn't like to wear a hat or gloves herself. So the escapade of playing in the snow didn't last long, but she did get a good feel of the white stuff. It also didn't bother her to fall due to the "Christmas Story" snow suit and the soft snow for landing in. Since snow pants and boots are not required in Florida, we borrowed them. They were a bit big, and she walked right out of her boots several times. Little girls who like to play in snow leave little Reagan with big boots to fill... Mark and I on the other hand loved the white Christmas.

Reagan's First Birthday

2007-12-31T10:04:00.002-06:00

Reagan celebrated her first birthday on December 21st in South Dakota. She loved Grandma's lasagna, eating it and wearing it. I don't know why we cleaned her up after dinner before the cake. She loved her cupcake and had a great time with the frosting, although I did expect a larger mess. Happy Birthday Sugar Plum!

Reagan'

2007-12-31T10:04:00.001-06:00

Annual Update: This Christmas

2007-12-08T20:51:00.000-06:00

(Mark taking over the writing now)
Reagan is now walking everywhere. She's a bit unsteady, but that doesn't slow her down in the least. She loves our dog more than the dog likes her. Abby tolerates her because Reagan feeds her when we're not looking. And sometimes when we are. We are amazed at how fast she's growing, learning and changing. We are still waiting for the gibberish to make sense. Someday we'll probably wish for the gibberish to come back. There was no gibberish during her first run in with jolly 'ol St. Nick, just screaming.

As we reflect back on the events of this past year, its tough not to recognize just how crazy and delightful it has all been. As you've seen from the first few posts - we've been busy. We've been tested on a few occasions, but mostly - we've been blessed. We have a gorgeous, healthy, mischievous daughter, who we may be a little too proud of. You probably couldn't tell, huh?

Jessica will graduate as a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner in a few months. And then back in the realm of gainful employment somewhere. We plan to travel back for her graduation from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in early May. What a milestone to look forward to! She's worked so hard -many times without any help at home. At least she only had an infant to care for on her own!

As for me (Mark) I'm as busy as ever. Probably more so if that is possible. And enjoying the excuse to get away from the office in time to put my little girl to bed at night whenever possible. Its my privilege to be the Weapons Officer and chief instructor pilot for a unique squadron here in FL that conducts operational test and tactics development for F-15Es, F-15Cs, and of course F-16s. And I was selected for promotion to Major recently - a rank that I should actually pin on some time next year.

We are planning on spending Christmas and New Year's in South Dakota with our families. We will also celebrate Reagan's first birthday there. Its been quite a while since we've travelled home for the holidays - and as luck would have it, many of our extended family will be there to for a change. It promises to be a great trip. I only wonder how quickly the grandparents excitement over grandkids will fade after a few days of screaming kids and mayhem in their otherwise quiet homes. But they've already agreed to the madness, and it's too late to back out now.

Wherever you find yourself this Christmas, I challenge you to take a few moments to reflect and appreciate your many blessings - in spite of everyday troubles. Remember not only your own family members that can't celebrate Jesus Christ's birth in person with you, but also the scores of dedicated professional military folks who are willingly separated from their families this year. They serve all of you, and deserve your gratitude.
Merry Christmas to you all! Many blessings from the Almighty in the year to come!

Annual Update AP (After the Patch)

2007-12-08T20:11:00.001-06:00

Mark graduated (got the patch and won a couple awards) in June, and we celebrated in Las Vegas with his parents, his grandfather and many friends. I'm not sure if he's recovered from that experience (Weapon's School, not the celebration) yet. At any rate, the first half of the year flew by for me, probably because I was in a daze for most of it!

We made it back to Florida at the end of June for some rest and relaxation. Little did I know that rest and relaxation meant tearing out a stone wall in our living room and building a new wall. I hated that stone wall. Unable to "cool his jets" from school, the busy body took a 3lb hammer and a chisel to the wall. Long story short, we know have a much brighter, updated living room! I love it. We're in the process of the master bathroom. Last year was the kitchen, sun room, dining room, guest room, baby's room...

The adjustment to parenthood has been much better since we've both been here. It is amazing how often an extra set of hands are needed. Mark's job has kept him racking up the frequent flyer miles between Florida and Las Vegas, Tuscon, Fort Worth, and Toledo. He also did the fly by for the University of Florida vs. Florida State football game over Thanksgiving weekend.

We were fortunate to have a steady care giver for Reagan while Mark was gone and through the summer. Amanda moved in October and Reagan had to start day care. It has been going pretty well. Things improved immensely once she learned how to nap there. She seems to enjoy her new friends. The day care is on the Air Force base which works out great for us.

The adjustment to life with a child has been the best challenge we've ever experienced. Now that we're both here most of the time, it's even better.

Annual Update BP (Before Patch)

2007-12-08T19:30:00.000-06:00

In lieu of a Christmas letter, we've started this site which we will hopefully keep up with throughout the year. So, I'll just start from the beginning.

January through June: A blur, little sleep, lots of coffee, confusion as to what day it was... Mark was at Weapons School in Las Vegas which started when Reagan was 2 weeks old. I would describe Weapon's school as grad school for fighter pilots. After successful completion, a graduate wears a special patch on their uniform for the rest of their career. I understand it to be a big deal, hence the title BP.

Reagan and I stayed in Florida and were much appreciative of my mother's visit shortly after Mark left and again with my sister and father several weeks later. I continued with school and work without much sleep. I'm not implying that Mark was living the good life. There is no way I would've traded places with him, even if I could fly a jet. Anyway, we made it through with several flights to Las Vegas and a couple to South Dakota.

Entering the Internet Age

2007-12-01T22:30:00.000-06:00

We've decided to enter the internet times and allow you to keep up with us when you choose. The title is Morrell Family Adventures, which will be used loosely. An adventure in the Morrell house may range from a new Reagan milestone, such as walking/talking to a vacation to Mark doing something cool at work. Most of the adventure will be Reagan learning how to be a kid.