18 month pictures

In January while I was home in SC I had Jackson's 18 month pictures taken by Kickstand Studios. I was happy we got a hand full of great shots!

ALASKA!

Scott finally got his dream assignment...Alaska! So it looks like we will be moving to Anchorage sometime between mid-April and mid-June. We are both excited for the new adventure. We should be there unitl Septmeber 2013. Also, we found out that Scott is a Major Select! Yay!!!! So hopefully he'll pin-on this summer. God is GOOD!!!!

Picture Project

For a present for my parents I am organizing all of their photos. My plan is to put them all in chronological order, scan them, then put them all back in photo albums. Since there are thousands of pictures and most are NOT dated, it is going to take me a long time! My goal is to have the project completed by the time we take our family vacation in June. I think it would be neat to bring all the completed albums with me for everyone to look at while we are on vacation together. I am scanning them onto a chip so each of my family members can put the pics on their computer as well. I like this project because I get to learn more about my family in the process and I love pictures. So, this is where most of my "free" time is going in case you wonder.

Booger

A few days ago Jackson had a large booger in his nose so I picked it out and had it on my finger and showed it to him. He looked at it, took it off my finger, and put it right back in the nostril it came out of! Who does that?!

December 2009

Scott was able to use the sled I bought for my birthday to slide Jackson around on the snow in our backyard. It snowed 14 inches in Oklahoma while we were in SC for the holidays. I was happy there was still snow left when we got back.

Jackson and Grandaddy (Rachael's Dad)

We threw Josh and Hope a baby shower on January 1st to celebrate their baby boy Jasper. He is going to be able to carry on my Grandfather's name.

Jackson's cousins on Scott's side of the family. From left to right:

Waytt, Mallory, Sam, Ellison, Jackson, Gabbi, and Zachary

Grandmomma Watson (Scott's Mom) reading to Jackson.

My neighbor/friend Kristy took pictures of our house for us after Oklahoma got all that snow. This is the snow drift on the side of our house.

Jackson's 2nd Christmas. We were with Scott's family in Greenville, SC.

Kids love the IPhone kid apps!

Ok. So for those of you who don't know...I40 is closed and I mean CLOSED near the Tennessee/North Carolina border due to a rock slide that literally took out the interstate in that area. Scott and I had driven through the night (making good time) on our way to SC for Christmas. We were on target to get there by 9:00 in the morning after 15 hours of driving UNTIL we came to the road block on I40. Instead of turning around and following the recommended detour, we decided to try the road marked on our GPS that went through the national forest. The road wound it's way deep in the snow-covered forests of backwoods TN. It went from paved, to rock, then to dirt with driving conditions only suitable for 4-wheelers in some places. It wasn't until we came upon a river that my Expedition couldn't cross that we decided to turn back. Thankfully there was enough room to turn around and we almost got stuck...Scott was sweating bullets! There was no cell phone service, so I am very glad we did not get stuck!!! We finally made it to SC...6 hours late!

Below is the creek we crossed towards the beginning of our trek.

At least the scenery was beautiful during our little adventure...

Scott and Jackson both love watching Ice Age.

Jackson with his books

Our house lit-up for Christmas.

My prayer group at Cheesecake Factory celebrating Katie's 30th Birthday!

2009 Christmas Letter

It is hard to believe that 2009 is almost gone! At the beginning of this year Scott was still deployed, but thankfully he came home in mid-January. We prayed for God to put him in a job position where he would not have to leave home and boy did He provide! A few months after Scott returned home an opportunity came up for him to move squadrons and so he did. Since then his work schedule is the best it has ever been! The hours he works during the week are great and he was only gone 14 days this year since moving squadrons!
This year we did a lot of traveling to see friends and family (as usual). We went to Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Colorado, North Carolina, Germany, and of course South Carolina! :) Lord Willing we will settle down there one day so we can be close to our family.
Oklahoma has been a very good place for us. Our church life here has been great, we have made many friends, and Memorial Road Church of Christ has provided us many opportunities to serve and be served.
Also, this year we found a Naturopathic doctor that I love and has brought all of us needed healing...especially Jackson...he has come so far in his health this year, I can hardly believe it! I am so thankful to God for that! We are trying for #2, but we are in no hurry. I'm sure if God thinks we need another child, He will give us one at the right time.
Scott is still working on his Masters of Ministry. He is getting it through Harding University and most of the classes are on-line so it is very convenient. This past semester he has been taking a class called Hermeneutics and Exegesis. This class has required alot of reading and writing so he is glad it's almost over, although he has learned alot!
Jackson is almost a year and a half old and is growing like a weed! He is over 30lbs now and is about 33 inches tall. It's so hard to believe my baby boy is walking, climbing, and talking (or at least trying to talk). He is a happy baby and brings us so much joy! Scott and I love that boy more than we can express and thank God for him everyday!!!
My days seem to fill rather fast with tending to Jackson, buying and preparing food for all of us, cleaning the house, doing laundry, Bible study, event planning, Church events, walking, talking on the phone, e-mailing, etc.. I am very thankful for the opportunity to be able to stay home and do the things I really enjoy and feel are valuable.
We are heading home to SC for the holidays. I'll be there about 20 days and look forward to seeing many of you during that time! For other details and pictures from this past year, you can just scroll down through our blog. We hope you have a Very Merry Christmas and a Blessed 2010!!!

I think Jackson is excited about Christmas!!....he must get it from his Mom and Dad :)

Jackson's Health Journey

I am happy to report that for the past few weeks Jackson has been free of any sick-like symptoms!!! This is huge for us since most of the time...and I mean MOST...he has struggled with something. For the first 8 months of his life it was coughing, runny nose, ear infections, fever, eczema, vomiting, etc... As you can imagine, this was all very stressful for me! I had already been to a few conventional pediatricians and a couple of naturopathic doctors, but Jackson still was not well. So in March this year I decided to see another Naturopathic doctor here in Oklahoma City. His methods of diagnosing and treating people were very different from anything I had experienced, but I thought "you can't knock it till ya try it". After the first couple weeks with Dr.Reed, Jackson's eczema cleared up and he has stopped having ear infections all together. Jackson has had the croup about 4 or 5 times in his life and after each bout of the croup his cough will last a LONG time and it is usually accompanied with vomiting. Dr.Reed has been the only one successful in getting his cough to stop after each episode. After this last time he got the croup, Dr.Reed figured out that the persistent coughing was due to allergies. After treating the allergy problem, Jackson has stopped coughing and his nose has cleared up! Yeahh!!!! I am super-pumped about this and pray his great health continues!!! We have prayed and prayed for Jackson's health issues to clear up, and I believe Dr.Reed has been an answer to our prayers. All of his medicines are herbal combinations and Dr.Reed will tell you that his knowledge and treatment methods come from God. He says he could not think of them on his own:) Well, after 9 months of working with Dr.Reed I do believe he has a gift from God.
And on a side note...one reason I am so extreme about Jackson’s diet is because I know that what you eat effects your health and I want to be sure to do everything I can to ensure Jackson's good health.

VitaMix and Juicer

2 kitchen appliances that I use daily are the VitaMix and the Breville Juicer. These products are great and I don't know what I'd do without them! The VitaMix I have used for months to puree' Jackson's food, but after one of my last visits home, my sister-in-law (Chelsea) got me into making smoothies. This has been great because you can make a super-healthy meal out of a smoothie. Most everyday my smoothie is:
1-2 cups coconut water
1 Tbs Berry Green
1 Tbs Hemp or Flaxseed
1/2 Tbs Fiber
1 Tbs Udo's Oil
1 pitted date
1/8 cup almonds
1/2 banana
5 oz frozen berry mix

All organic, of course

We started juicing this summer after buying the Champion Juicer, but after a while we quit for several reasons...one of which was the difficulty of dealing with that particular juicer. So when I went home and Chelsea came over and showed me how to juice with this Breville juicer, I was hooked. As soon as I got back home, I went out to Bed Bath and Beyond and bought this Breville juicer and it is so easy to use and clean!!! So now, every morning before we eat anything, we drink a super healthy glass of juice. The main ingredients we juice are (all organic): carrots, apples, lemon, Romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, celery, cabbage, etc... The plan is to incorporate more and more vegetables and fruits in time. This has been a great way for me to consume vegetables since there are so few vegetables I will eat and then they are usually cooked which kills all the enzymes and many nutrients.

November Highlights

The hat Aunt Amie sent Jackson from Germany...Jackson's not sure about all the leaves... Jackson's first 4-wheel ride...

Santa Clause aint got nothin' on me!

Jackson is FINALLY eating more solid foods like mashed-up bananas (as pictured below), mashed potatoes, green beans, etc...

Kyle's groom's cake is probably the coolest we've ever seen...all of it is cake...including the pictures!

For Thanksgiving this year we went to Kyle's wedding in Denver...Kyle is one of Scott's good friends from college. Here is a picture of us from that wedding. We were able to get one good dance in while PK held Jackson, so that was great! :)

Kyle, Carrie, Rachael, and Scott

The 3 buds from The Air Force Academy: Ashley, Kyle, and Scott. I met them all at the same time in Daytona 2001.

At the wedding we talked mostly with PK, Courtney and Ashley...

Because Jackson is into EVERYTHING, we've been forced to put locks on most drawers and cabinets within Jackson's reach. That is what Scott is doing in this picture and I thought it was so cute how interested Jackson seemed to be in what his Daddy was doing.

And on a side note...Jackson now is able to light a match. Comforting. Very comforting.

October Highlights

Here is Jackson ready for church Sunday morning. Thanks Mom and Dad for pretty much his entire wardrobe. My good friend Laura stopped in for a visit...I think Jackson likes her!

We had some cold days in October and so here is Jackson suited up to play outside. We try to let him play outside for a half hour to an hour everyday since he loves it so much. We think he'd stay outside all day if we'd let him.

Dressed up for the Fall Festival at church. Jackson was not his normal happy self this night because there was so much noise and so many people. He does not like loud noises.

A beautiful sunset taken from our backyard.

Me and Jackson wandering around outside while we were away at a retreat.

One of my very good friends got engaged! Lindsay and I have been friends since middle school....Congratulations!!!!

July Family Photos

These pictures were taken in July 2009 by Lucas Brown with Kickstand Studio.
This is one of Jackson's one-year old photos.Scott, Jackson, and Rachael

The 7 Kellis Kids (ages)

top left to right: Ross (24), Rhett (26), Raegen (18)

bottom left to right: Rom (29), Rachael (28), Rochelle (14), and Raleigh (16)

top, left to right: Keke', Ross, Heather, Scott with Jackson, Rachael, Rhett with Bella, Bethany with Maya, Rom, Chelsea with Sophia

bottom left to right: Rochelle, Raegen, Raleigh, Mom, Dad, Rom, and Ryder