Pixie Tales

Christmas 2011

2012-01-24T10:41:00.000-08:00

Needless to say, after being gone for a week, Christmas was a bit hectic. But isn't Christmas always hectic? I'm really trying to figure out how to have a relaxed, enjoyable holiday. It never ceases to completely stress me out, which doesn't make it overly enjoyable. The kids did have fun though.

Friday was our first day home and Loren worked while I stressed about Christmas shopping. Ideally I would have had it all done before we left, but again, I can't ever seem to get my act together for Christmas -- the end of the semester this year was particularly chaotic. Addie had asked for a "real frog" for Christmas, so Loren picked it up on his way home. We hid in the bathroom (the hallway one that Addie doesn't use -- that stays really nice and warm) until the big day.

Saturday I hit the stores again, alone, shopping for the kids. I had put this off hoping that Loren and I could do it together, but we just hadn't found the time without the kids to go. So I headed off alone, with a few key things in mind. We weren't trying to go overboard, but Addie had requested a few items.

That evening, Christmas Eve, we headed out to my mom's for dinner. We got to spent the evening with her and Domonic, Kris, Domonic's daughters Wendy - with daughter Dresdyn - and Sarah - with son Elijah and boyfriend Tom - and my Grandma Dean and Ray.

Dresdyn and Addie are reading Grandma's new Christmas book.

We enjoyed some delicious food and the kids went crazy opening presents (I think they were done in about 10 minutes and the living room looked like Santa's sleigh had exploded).

After we got home that night and put the kids to bed, Loren and I stayed up to wrap all the gifts and get the stockings ready. We had checked on the frog before our wrapping adventures and then, much to our disappointment, in checking in on him again before bed, found him lifeless. Poor thing was already gone. :( We think it was the water we used in the tank. I was super bummed that he had gotten Addie her frog, but couldn't get a new one until after Christmas.

Christmas morning we were up and ready to see what Santa had left.

The kids' stockings were knit by Loren's Grandma Dee, and both have their names on them. :) The dogs both have stockings too.

Yes, Hayden got a mop. He broke our old one, and although he was happy with this for the day, he seems to still prefer the broken one.

After pillaging the stockings, we moved on to the wrapped gifts.

After Addie opened her presents, I decided to show her the frog to let her know we'd get a new one on Monday. To my surprise and Loren's disgust, she was actually quite thrilled with a dead frog. It let her hold it and didn't hop away! So my morbid little girl enjoyed her dead frog for the morning, until dad finally took it away. She seemed quite fine with it and was excited to pick out a new frog the next day. We had some breakfast and were joined throughout that morning by Uncle Ryan and Aunt Cassie, and my dad and Denise. Addie was happy with present after present... :)

The kids put on their new pjs. These dino jams glow in the dark!

New froggie jams for Addie, but the little squirt can't keep the pants up around her tiny waist! :)

That evening we went to Rick's house for dinner. I think the kids had a great holiday. Definitely made a haul, and got to see the whole fam.

We headed to Zamzows the following day and she picked out a fire-bellied toad, which she promptly named Hoppy. We got him set up in his new home and I'm happy to say that he is still alive and well. :)

My brother and Erin were out of town for Christmas, so we got together the following week. Addie was more than happy to keep the festivities going. We went to their house, with my mom, Domonic, dad, and Denise, and had another nice dinner (seriously, I think the food is my favorite part of the holidays!) and I think we finally finished opening the last of our gifts. It took a bit for Addie to understand Christmas was over, but she knows she has a birthday to look forward to, so she's ok. :)

Laying Low and Driving Home- Days 6 and 7

2012-01-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am finally ending my trip (only a month later). ;) Wednesday before we left we really didn't do much. Poor Grandma Dee had caught the stomach bug that started with little Logan, as had Conor (which we found out eventually made it through the entire family for Christmas).

We just hung around the house and explored the grounds a bit more...

Loren took this and he is very proud of it. Can't even remember what she was crying about.

Visited with Steve, Dillon, and Lynette a bit and called it a day.

We left bright and early Thursday morning -- I got everyone up at 4am -- and hit the road. Missed traffic and had a nice clear drive over the mountains. After enjoying our 40-65+ degree weather, we were unhappy with the painful cold we encountered in Reno (knowing Idaho was as bad or worse). We spent some time at McDonalds having breakfast and then continued on to Winnemucca. There we found another McDonalds with a play area and let the kids get some energy out. We were all ready to be home. We pushed on and after a short ice cream break in Nampa, we made it -- I believe around 7pm (much nicer than our usual 11pm stroll). Overall the kids did great -- I believe we only had maybe 20 minutes of tears in the car, both ways. That's pretty great in my book. ;)

Now we're trying to decide if we're ready for the road trip again in April -- it's Grandma Dee's 80th birthday..

Peet's, Redwoods, Beach, and a Gorgeous Day! - Day 5

2012-01-18T18:40:00.000-08:00

You'll notice that our typical trip always includes Santa Rosa, San Fran, the redwoods, and the beach. So off to finish our ventures we went. Get ready for pic overload!

We started our day meeting Granmda K (Loren's grandma on his mom's side) at Peet's coffee in Windsor. It was great to see her and the kids loved running around outside on what was shaping into another absolutely beautiful day.

This pic is twofold. One, to show the beautiful sunshine, and two, most importantly, to show my Addie's fabulous sense of style. Thanks Uncle Ron and Aunt Patty for the hat!

Hayden loved running around outside exploring the grounds. I can't believe what a little boy he has turned into! I think my baby days are over.

Boys and sticks...

After our visit we hit the road in search of the redwoods. We usually hit a small park outside of Guerneville (super cute little town in a setting like McCall but only 20min from the beach - my paradise) called Armstrong Redwoods.

It's always hard to get decent shots here because the lighting is so weird -- mostly very dark with some bright sunshine-y spots. Our camera doesn't seem to like it.

We finally decided it was time for a family shot. Loren kept trying with the self-timer, but his head was always cut off (that's what happens when you set the camera up for a shot of me). We finally preyed on some passers-by to help out.

On our way out, Loren got the fantastic hold-the-arm-out-and-hope-for-the-best shot. Most family pics we've gotten in over a year!

After the redwoods we continued our journey right out to the beach. If you go past Guerneville you'll end up at Bodega Bay. All of this is heading west of Santa Rosa, and is a very nice drive (but probably not one if you get carsick). Now, with as much as I love the ocean, I will admit I was hesitant to go on this venture. The beach there is always cold and incredibly windy -- I'm always ready to turn right back around as soon I get out of the car. But Loren insisted, so I went along. And it was the most beautiful day on the beach ever!! It was clear with beautiful sunshine, about 60 degrees, and absolutely no wind! I was in heaven. (I was also reminded that even when it's a not-so-nice day, it's still a beautiful and fun drive along the highway)

We grabbed some sandwiches and had a little picnic on a rock, which was great until the seagulls nearly ran us out (seriously, they swiped our whole bag of chips). Hayden, of course, immediately ran out to the water, fell, and got soaked. So he ran out in just a diaper.

Here he is dipping his found treasure (a stick) in salt water. Delish!

He enjoyed playing in the little pools of water in the rocks.

He absolutely loved chasing the birds.

Addie was content to dig in the sand and play on the rocks.

My little runner.

This is Hayden's usual face when he discovers something. It is accompanied by a shriek and pointing.

My little rock climber.

Just love the little footprints!

Yep, that's my boy.

He wanted to eat the sand too.

Oh how I love the water!

After the beach we ventured back to Grandma's. Hayden found a new playspot (kitchen cupboard). :)

To the City! - Day 4

2012-01-10T10:18:00.000-08:00

Oh how I love San Fran. I find an excuse to go there every time we're down. :) Loren, on the other hand, typically dreads it. This time I had Addie on my side -- once I told her there was a zoo, we were in. ;) We set off early in the morning to make the most of our day. The trip in was actually quite good (traffic wasn't horrendous) until I got some lovely news about school.

I had run in the store for some diapers and cash for the bridge, and on my return poor Loren showed me an article he found -- about University of Idaho discontinuing fee waivers for other state university employees for online and hybrid classes. I say poor Loren because he got the wrath of my reaction to this news. To say it lightly, I was a bit upset. One of my top considerations in the PhD program I chose was that it was eligible for fee waiver. With about half of it left to finish, this was definitely not good news for me. Granted, paying full tuition for the remaining credits is still a great bargain for getting my doctoral degree, but after a number of advising issues, unclear expectations, and less than stellar classes, this was my "last straw" with the program and I have since decided to pursue a degree at Boise State again. I begin this semester (assuming I'm accepted - cross your fingers) and am currently happy with my decision -- I already have connections with great faculty in the Education department, the classes are offered in person (I'm so sick of online classes), I've heard wonderful things, and I can actually finish sooner. Oh, and did I mention that I get to walk at BSU graduation in front of all my coworkers and students? Very cool. :) But I digress, back to San Fran...

I think this may have been the first time we didn't stop at Marin to enjoy the view. Both kids were asleep and I was still upset about the news, so we just continued on over the bridge. We didn't even manage to get lost in San Fran. :) (thank you Droid Incredible!) I did get to enjoy a beautiful ocean view on our way, making me forget my troubles, and we arrived just as the zoo opened. It was clear, sunny, and about 60 degrees. Perfect!

Hayden didn't even want to leave the first exhibit we found - giraffes. He may have been happy to stay there all day. But we finally got him to move on, and then he was off!

It's a pretty nice zoo. Rather expensive compared to ours, but that's totally expected (I think we about spent what we spend on an annual pass here). Got to see some new animals.

Here we are checking out the gorillas.

We rented this wagon, but managed to end up carrying both kids most of the way. Why does that always happen? We were pretty dead tired by the end of the day!

Hayden is at such a fun age for the zoo. He's just fascinated by everything! Addie is already getting bored with certain things.

One of Addie's favorites was the hippo. She also liked the kangaroos and tiny baby turtles (SO cute!). The baby turtles and rhinos were probably my favorite. I think Hayden's may have been the rake (see below). ;)

We, of course, had to ride the train. Pretty short and you mostly see greenery, but fun for the kids.

After the train ride we had some overpriced zoo food. We were all getting pretty tired, but wanted to hit a few more exhibits.

My little peacock.

And you know the carousel is a must. We were literally the only people on it (and this is way bigger than Boise's).

After the carousel we checked out the playground. The kids played a little, but both were pretty tired, so we headed off to finish our outing with the children's zoo. Loren was also hoping to beat 5pm traffic out of town. The children's zoo area has goats and sheep that can be pet, among other animals.

Hayden was in hog heaven after finding this rake. I think he raked the whole zoo. ;)

He also liked harassing the goats with it.

We had a bit of a hard time getting him away from his precious rake, but we finally did. After that a quick stop at the bug exhibit, and we were off. We made it out of San Fran a little after 3pm, I think, but ended up hitting some major traffic around Santa Rosa (missed our turn-off). Once we finally arrived back at Grandma's, we were all pretty beat and ready to settle in for the night.

Party Time! - Day 3

2012-01-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

I now have, of course, waited so long that I'm not sure I can remember each day's events. :P But I have pics to help. :) Our Sunday morning began with some new noises upstairs. Addie insisted that there was a baby and I said she was crazy. And then remembered that Loren's cousin Jake had come in Saturday night from Florida with his little boy, Logan, who is just a few months younger than Hayden. So upstairs we went to investigate these new people (well I've met Jake before, but new to the kids). Instantly my thoughts of my big wild boy (Hayden) were surpassed by even bigger even wilder Logan. :) We said our hellos and caught up a bit, and then I had the brilliant idea to take the kids outside to explore the grounds.

My little bronchosaurus is just chillin' on the tractor. No biggie. Just some farmin'.

I say that this was a brilliant idea, because about 10min after being outside, poor Logan took a header on the pavement and split his lip and scratched his face. Great kid watching on my part. :P

Here you can see Hayden and Logan together (mind you Logan is 4 months younger than Hayden) and you catch a glimpse of Logan's nice lip.

Addie decided she was going to act as photographer. Managed to capture the only pic of Grandma that I got on the whole trip!

And beautiful shots of Bubby and myself. I'm not quite sure why I always insist on the cheesiest smile for her.

We just hung out for a bit that morning. The kids played and eventually Uncle Ron and Aunt Patty, cousin Liz with husband Arron, and cousin Peter showed up. Sunday was officially family day.

The festivities were later that afternoon. The whole Sand clan was meeting at the Kenwood church for Christmas festivities, good food, and a gift exchange.

Addie decided to wear her pretty "Santa" dress.

The kids had a blast at the party, playing with cousins Dillon and Conor. Hayden basically just enjoyed getting into trouble. ;)

Dillon even found Addie a bug that came home and spent the night with us. I finally talked her into letting it go the next morning.

The evening was spent with silly kids. Hayden cracks me up in the background.

Addie was really into posing for the camera that night. She kept insisting I take more pics. Crazy girl.

Sunshine! - Day 2

2011-12-28T15:55:00.000-08:00

Day 2 - Saturday
Got more than enough sleep (although Hayden was up quite a bit), but still seemed in a bit of a haze. Had some breakfast and enjoyed some downtime with the kids. Then we decided to venture into "town" (Santa Rosa). Drove around looking for some food and conveniently found ourselves parked right next to Russian River Brewery (Loren has only talked about them for 6 months). It was such a gorgeous day we actually got to eat outside! 60 degrees and sunny was heaven compared to the 30s we'd been having at home. We enjoyed a casual lunch (Loren loves the beer, but I wasn't overly impressed with the food) and then caught the last few minutes of Connor's basketball game.

Addie was a little chilly at first, but quickly warmed up.

Eating outside with kids is the best, because they can run a bit more wild and it's not quite as obnoxious. ;)

She's into making faces these days.

And Hayden, as always, is into eating.

This is pretty much standard. A face, hands, and front covered in food. In this case, greasy pizza.

After that we hit the park (one of the coolest parks I've seen -- love that place) and the kids finally got some energy out. Sad that the ponies weren't there though. :( They even got to feed the ducks and geese when another mom took some pity on my breadless children. ;)

I found myself with a monkey on my back for a bit...

Who would want to play on playground equipment when there are sharp rocks to be climbed?

After driving in a circle, we found Whole Foods and grabbed some snacks and beer (of course!) and headed back to the homestead. Visited with Aunt Lynette and then got to have dinner with Uncle Ron and Aunt Patty, and cousins Liz and Arron, and Peter. After some delicious chocolate ice cream (Addie's choice) and some downtime enjoying Disney Princess Singalong Songs (my choice -- haha, just kidding) we hit the hay.

California Bound - Day 1

2011-12-28T15:46:00.000-08:00

So I attempted to do this same thing with our July trip, and then our computer crashed so I only got halfway through. I have yet to finish that one, but here goes round two with our California trip. I can barely find the time to sit down and write at all, so I know there isn't a chance of getting the whole thing done at once. I also know as a reader you'd get beyond bored with the pics. ;) So we'll just do a day at a time...

Day 1 - Friday (12/16)
Day 1 of this trip is always immensely exciting - since it involves a 12+ hour drive through Nevada. :P I really can't find a redeeming quality of Nevada - and don't say Vegas, because I'm not overly fond of that place either. I woke up at 4am to finish packing, loading the car, and just make sure everything was ready. We were on the road by 5:20am and I took the first leg of the trip (first time ever -- I've finally convinced Loren that I can drive apparently). I figured I'd only drive maybe an hour or two, but the rest of my party zonked out until right before McDermitt -- and who wants to stop in McDermitt? -- so we pushed through to Winnemucca. Excellent start to the trip! (you must remember my last trip to California -- last year when Hayden was 2 weeks old, I was still a hormonal wreck, we had 2 extra people with us, and we were given the worst-ever advice of leaving at night so the kids would sleep - ha! instead no one slept and we were all exhausted, grumpy, and a bit overly emotional) We grabbed a bite, let the kids get some energy out, and then hit the road again. They watched some movies (thanks Amy!) and I attempted to get some sleep, but Addie was insistent that I "could nap when we got to California" -- mind you, we discovered that "California" means Great Grandma Dee's house, because after we crossed the border and I told her we were in California, she shouted "No! This isn't California!" :) We were doing so good we even bypassed Reno and hit the mountain. It was clear and gorgeous! SO much better than the blizzard we hit 2 years ago when we had to put on chains and drive for what seemed like forever at about 10-20 mph (when Addie was 9 months old and I was still a freaked out new mom). The kids were ready to get out, so we hit a rest stop after going over the summit. We explored the woods and ran around a bit, and then headed for Auburn.

There we stopped for some food and ice cream and then loaded up for our last stretch. Unfortunately we hit late afternoon traffic near Sonoma -- and found our gas light turned on with no gas station in sight and had two kids awake from a nap too early -- wailing for about 20-30 minutes. Amazingly we made it to a gas station in Sonoma -- I'm positive the poor Sub was running on fumes! We got out for a minute, and Addie decided she was ready for the last 20 minutes to finally get to "California". We ended up making it there by about 5:40pm our time, so we made some good time with 2 littles. :) We checked in with Grandma and learned that we had the whole downstairs apartment to ourselves, so we settled right in. Addie was ready to see second cousins Dillon and Conor, so they came to visit for a bit. With the little sleep I got on the way, I was definitely ready for bed!

PicaBOO!

2011-12-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

I don't usually use my blog as a place to complain about businesses, but I often use the Internet for reviews of places and enjoy honesty. So I just have to give a critique of Picaboo. You may not have heard of it, but it's an online place to order custom photo gifts such as calendars and books. They promote frequently on Groupon and it always looks like a fabulous deal (over 50% off). So I thought I'd take advantage. Well I've regretted that decision for about the past week.

I've made photo gifts at Shutterfly, Walgreens, Costco, etc. Most are about the same -- I obviously don't have a favorite. I expected this to be about the same. Well I now definitely have a favorite of NOT Picaboo.

First off, you have to download the software on your computer (any you expect to use to work on your project), which includes Adobe Air. I should have known right there (I hate anything Adobe -- I still use the Reader, but I find their products incredibly bloated and slow, and they have obnoxiously frequent updates that inevitably freeze my computer). Initially I thought working offline might be nice -- figured it would be faster because there wasn't so much uploading/downloading. Boy was I wrong! This is the slowest software I've ever used. I seriously felt like I was working off a Commodore 64 (a little shout out to an early 90s computer). Every task takes 10-20 seconds. It doesn't sound like a lot, but add that up and that's a lot of time. I actually timed what it took to turn the page on the preview -- 30 seconds! With a 46 page book that's 23 minutes! Ridiculous. Also, since it isn't web-based, you have to save regularly. And you guessed it -- it takes a good 30+ seconds to save each time. And with 2 littles around, I save frequently. You also have to create an account and sync your project if you want to work on it from any other computer. Outside of the time issue, the backgrounds are vast, but hard to see without individually previewing each one, and not accurate to their titles. You also can't change your background theme once you've created the book -- just change individual pages. The photo editor leaves a bit to be desired and you can't zoom in on a photo to edit it -- just try to make a guess what looks good on a 1-inch rendering of the image. When you flip between pages, you can only select the page number -- no preview of the page or title (again, with 46 pages it's a little difficult to remember which page contains what).

On a good note, the pages are completely customizable (you don't have to stick with the templates provided). This would be a nice feature if it didn't take an hour to do everything! Also, I ordered Christmas cards from them (another Groupon -- before I used the software) and I think they came out great. So, I'm hopeful that the painfully long process will be worth it in the end when I see the final product.

So, although the regular Groupon offerings for Picaboo sound fabulous, I would definitely recommend sticking to places like Shutterfly and just watch for their deals (honestly, I don't think I saved much more by using Picaboo -- I just didn't get a free copy for myself like the other places often do).

Okay, that's my rant for the day. :P Good night!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-27T14:45:00.001-08:00

Typical Thanksgiving for us this year. :)

Headed out the door with my girl.

Started out a bit different -- loaded up the van and headed towards Rick's to pick up the Subaru (Loren was driving separate so he could run off to the football game) and noticed the power steering problem was getting worse (started Tuesday). Stopped at the dreaded Mart (Wal) to pick up some fluid and discovered the heater wasn't working either. Made it to Rick's, Loren popped the hood, and steam billowed out. Apparently a radiator hose had a hole and was spraying coolant all over the serpentine belt. Thankfully we had the Subaru right there so we loaded up and headed out -- who wants to deal with car issues on Thanksgiving? Off to Grandma Dean's we went.

There we found Grandma Dean with Ray, Mom with Kris, Uncle John, Uncle Scott and Aunt Chris, and cousins Steve, April, Sequoia (4), and Miriam (2); Michelle and Harrison (2); and Stephanie and Damian (4). The most kids we've had at a holiday in a long time! Ate way too much delicious food and enjoyed catching up.

My super handsome stud muffin. This was handed down from Becky Brown whose son I believe wore it for a wedding. We don't really do many weddings and we're heathens that don't go to church, so we don't really have many excuses to dress up the kids. :) So why not holidays?

Addie is a another story. She had a beautiful yellow dress my mom had given her on in the morning, but of course changed her mind by the time we were ready to leave. So she picked a too big black tee with a too big denim skirt, white tights, new reindeer slippers, and a denim jacket. ??

Boys will be boys. And boys will have battle scars. I swear he's always got a mark on his face. This, I believe, was Hayden vs. keyboard tray.

He was just too stinkin' cute in this get-up!

Thanksgiving this year happened to also be my mom's birthday. The girls, of course, had to help her open presents.

Look at those dimples. :)

A few of the kiddos out playing with Steve.

I mentioned Addie's skirt was too big. She eventually lost it and just went with tights. She took a walk like this. That's my girl. ;)

Hayden was completely wore out by late afternoon and finally fell asleep in the car. We then ventured back to Rick's to watch some football and finish stuffing ourselves. Both kids were tired and whiny -- Addie said she wanted to go home, so we loaded up and left Loren to enjoy the game in peace. A few minutes down the road Addie started crying that she wanted Daddy. So we ran by the house to pick up pjs and blankies and headed back to Grandpa's for the evening. Once Hayden got some more sleep in the car and we got some medicine for Addie's earache, the two ended up really enjoying themselves. Loren and Ryan yelled at the poor playing 49ers and I just sat back and worked on some knitting. :)

Happy Holidays friends. It's only just begun...

A Typical Sand Outing

2011-11-27T14:37:00.001-08:00

Hit up the zoo today. Yes, it's freezing outside. But that was Addie's choice. I tried to talk her into Festival of Trees, but no go (oh well, saved us money). So off to the zoo we went. Surprise, surprise, it was totally dead. But a lot of the animals were out.

They stayed bundled up in the stroller most of the time. Here we are checking out the meerkats.

And froggies (Addie's favorite!).

My wild-haired little bird.

And super stud muffin.

The standard tiger pic. :)

Finally got my camera back out after being stuck in the van with dead batteries for months. My phone has been substituting, but I just don't think the pics are as good. So now I'm attempting to unload the camera and finally update this blog a bit! :P

Pics and Thanks and...

2011-11-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

... I've been way too neglectful! But I am starting anew. I'm really going to try harder to keep up on this thing! And in usual tradition, I will begin with a pic post. :) I just got our pictures back from Erin Henderson at Sweet Smile Creations, who always does a phenomenal job! I'm guessing those of you with kids can relate -- getting ready for a photo session is stressful. Trying to get out with the kids ready and avoiding a major issue before leaving (about 1 minute before heading out the door we found Hayden eating a fuschia non-washable marker), and then just crossing your fingers that they cooperate enough for at least one decent pic of each. But Erin is a mother herself and very patient and understanding. The only part I hate is having to pick which ones I want printed and then finding space on my walls to display them (because I don't want to take down the ones from last year).

These were taken at the Boise Train Depot. We were originally going to hit Kathryn Albertson's, but apparently everybody else had that idea because I swear all of Boise was there!

Such a boy pic. Love it!

Loren found Addie a grasshopper while we were there.

This is just so Addie.

I didn't want to do family pics this year and Loren refused to be in any, but I did dress the part just in case. Addie refused to let me go at first, so Erin took a few of us to warm up, but then I got off the hook. ;)

Isn't he just such a stud?

I am completely in love with this pic. I currently have a Monet on the wall behind my computer at work, but I'm thinking it needs to be replaced with a canvas print of this. It just melts my heart.

I think this should go on a card.

Addie had gotten school pics taken at daycare -- that didn't turn out overly well. I was going to order some anyway simply to capture the moment, but these are just SO much better!

My little ham. I wasn't actually going to get them new clothes (because they have WAY too many) for this, but I saw this sweater at the mall and just HAD to have it. Then of course Addie needed an outfit to match.

Love this. So creative. And the pink petals match her perfectly. :)

Seriously, what a stud. This pic reminds me of a senior picture, or maybe something in a modeling portfolio. It's totally a "What's up, ladies?" kind of pic.

We kept trying to get the two of them together, but Hayden would always run away. Erin was fast on the trigger to capture this one. I just love Hayden's face. Can you tell how he feels about being hugged by sissy?

This is such a Hayden face.

Alas, we got it! Patience paid off. If I remember right, I'm pretty sure this was the last picture taken. I set Hayden down and ran -- and we finally got a pic of both of them sitting AND looking at the camera! Victory!

I am also attempting to do my month of thanks again. I really love the idea and did it last year on Facebook, but I think I'll do it in blog form this year. I feel as though people are getting sick of my posts on Facebook, so I'm trying to ease off a little. But I will continue to post every pic of my stinkin' cute kids, cuz, well, they're stinkin' cute and I want to show them off. :P I attempted to save all of my posts from last year, but I know I missed some. Here were the ones I saved:

I'm thankful to be a woman with the superpower of not only growing and birthing two beautiful children, but also providing all the nourishment they need for their first 6m+ of life.
Today I am thankful for my highly spirited toddler that constantly keeps my on my toes and drives me crazy, makes me laugh, and melts my heart all in a minute's time. And thankful she is currently sleeping. :)
I'm thankful for my 6am alarm to get ready to go to a job I love, for my wonderfully hot shower, and the fact that I have to choose what I wear and what I eat for breakfast.
I'm thankful for my ultra-fab mom for raising me to be the woman I am today, that she's only 20min away, and that she's such a wonderful grandma. :)
I'm thankful for photos, capturing moments in time, sweet memories and my constantly changing babies (and especially thankful for digital cameras so I can ensure I get at least one decent pic!).
I'm thankful for my wonderful hubby, my best friend that keeps me sane (although I'll admit he may occasionally drive me insane), puts up with me no matter what, and is the best father to our children -- so happy to spend our lives together.
I'm thankful for my health; my physical and mental wellbeing (I'm only a little crazy!), my freedom from chronic illness and ailments, and the health of my family. :)
I'm thankful for getting a year older today because it means I got to spend one more year with my wonderful family and friends. :)
Thankful for my sweet little Bubby who steals my heart every time I look at him.
I'm thankful for my puppers (although they may bark obnoxiously and are entirely too overzealous at the door) - my welcome home crew, my motivation to get at least a little exercise, my super snugglers, and my examples of true loyalty, forgiveness, and unconditional love.
I'm thankful for my car payment, gas bill, and mortgage because it means I have safe and reliable transportation for my family and a nice warm place to come home to.
I'm thankful for my big brother; we're not as close as we were as kids, but every time I do get to hang out with him I wonder why we don't do it more often. Also thankful for my sis-in-law for whisking him away on adventures and keeping him happy.
I'm thankful for every peaceful moment I have to knit and to Tami for teaching me this wonderful skill. :)
I'm thankful for having the opportunity to go shopping for our Christmas family tonight. And thankful I rarely have to go to the mall. :)
I'm thankful for good music, the kind that brings back good memories, that makes you want to sing at the top of your lungs and bust a move no matter how ridiculous you look, be it in the car, in the grocery store, or at home (often prompting a dance-off with the toddler).
I'm thankful for my super cozy bed and all my super snugglers I get to share it with. That's where I'm headed now!
I'm thankful for my sense of humor and everyone and everything in this world that makes me laugh. Can't wait for date night with my hubby (I think it's the first since Hayden was born) and Daniel Tosh ♥ tonight!!!
I'm thankful that I have a box and garbage bag of toys to donate (just skimming the surface - thankful for the declutter, but really that we have enough to give to someone else) and that Addie helped me decide what should go (she was in a very agreeable state today -- even let me throw out all her candy). :)
I'm thankful for my confidence; that my parents raised me to believe that I could do anything I set my mind to, that my teachers and coworkers always saw my potential (beyond what I saw), and that Loren makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.
I'm thankful for fitting *snugly* into *some* pre-pregnancy jeans! Chicka-chicka-yea! A little way to go, but thankful for my good genes, that I'm healthy enough to stay active, and that I can breastfeed (shedding pounds is an added bonus!).
After spending the last hour pretending to be Addie's "baby", I am thankful for being self-sufficient!
I'm thankful for all the time I get to spend with my babies because I know they grow up too fast.
I'm thankful for a lazy day spent with my hubby and littles.
I'm thankful for memories and that the good far outnumber the bad.
I'm thankful for multiple invitations for the holiday today and am sending lots of love to family and friends that I'm not spending it with. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Looking forward to my guilt-free gorging today...
Although the system may drive me crazy at times and I by no means think it's perfect, I'm thankful for our health care, that we had a super nice doctor to see for Bubby, and that we have insurance.
I'm thankful I've had the opportunity to continue my education. Again and again. :) And will be especially thankful when this final proposal is submitted tomorrow... (I'm also thankful I did the rest of education pre-babies because they sure are making it hard to sit down and do this!)

So, my intention is to not repeat anything I said last year. But darn it, I said a lot of good stuff! I had 2 in mind for today and yesterday, and both were taken already. So I will think on it and return... (hopefully sooner than 3 months from now!)

Ramblings

2011-07-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

So this isn’t going to be the picture-laden blog I usually do. Partially because I don’t have pics loaded on the laptop to use, partially because I can’t actually load this blog right now because I’m on a plane, and really because it’s not my usual kid-focused blog. :P Just rambling about stuff going on with me. So I’m on a plane back to Boise from San Antonio (well technically this plane only goes to Salt Lake and then I get to enjoy a 3.5 hour layover). Linda and I came down to go to AHIMA’s Assembly on Education (AoE), which is their conference focused on HIM education (yes, there really are other HIM teachers out there – it’s that popular!). ;) It was actually quite great. We of course skipped some sessions (yes, maybe more than we should), but we got some wonderful ideas, had some great conversations, and did some of the ever-so-important networking (seriously, it can’t be underestimated – invaluable!). We got in on Sunday, in the evening. After checking in we explored the Riverwalk. Very neat, but hot as hell (it was around 104 most of the time we were there, and humid! A lot for this little Idaho girl) and busy. We ate at Iron Cactus, a Mexican restaurant and tequila bar (I know my girl Leisa will be incredibly disappointed in me, but no, I didn’t even have a margarita) that was rather delicious. Monday was the first day of sessions and I went to a focus group at lunch. That evening we had a little reception for the convention and had snacks and some drinks (hey, we got 2 free ones, couldn’t pass it up). Tuesday was more sessions, but we decided to skip out just for a bit. We hit the Riverwalk again (it was really the only thing around the hotel to do), took it over to The Alamo, and then checked out La Villita. It was super cute and we ate at a great little café. Wish we’d had a bit more time to spend there, but we had already ditched out for a few hours (and it was getting pretty darn hot), so we headed back. But then I ditched some more to hit the pool. Finished out the day with a session and back to the Riverwalk we went. We ate at County Line, a BBQ restaurant that was also delicious. I decided to forego the alcoholic beverage (although it sounded delicious) for a dessert (more on that later). Had a few more sessions this morning and now here we are. Linda is sleeping next to me and I’m typing away on the laptop. It was nice to get away and I think we got lots of great ideas, but boy am I ready to see my babies!

So, more about this whole dessert thing. Another eventful thing I had this weekend was the Katy Perry concert (yep, I’ll address that in a few…). Well after getting back from vacation, I told Leisa it was time to kick into gear for this concert (yes, it’s a necessity to look hot for a Katy Perry concert). So I said I was going into workout mode for the next 2 weeks and that I would give up sweets, other than a small piece of dark chocolate now and then. Well it turned into a challenge between Leisa, Amy, and I – and included at least 30min every day of exercise and no sweets (and if you know me, you know I’m a sweets gal). I went so far as to say no sugar, but in reality I found that to be nearly impossible (particularly when we had just done a very large grocery shopping trip and I was finding that I couldn’t eat anything in my cupboards). So I just decided no sweets and as little sugar as possible, without having to restock my kitchen. The exercise part wasn’t too bad, although I often found myself realizing I hadn’t done it by 8:30pm and having to take the kids for a walk. Loren helped by encouraging us to go for bike rides. But this sugar thing killed me! I was miserable. I felt sick to my stomach, was super tired, and was just a plain ol’ grouch. I was about to give it up (this was about a week in) until I read online about sugar “withdrawal” – and those were symptoms! I was beginning to think my body really needed that sugar – well it thought it did, but I think I finally passed that point. By the end of the second week I was actually feeling pretty good. Anywho, we all made it through and yes, we did look smoking hot for the concert. And I’m actually not craving sweets anymore. So since Monday the 11th, I hadn’t had any dessert (and I’m a girl who has dessert at least 1-2 times a day). But I think I’m over the cravings now. So my dessert of choice during this trip (since my 2-week challenge was over) was cheesecake – it was rather delicious, but I actually only ate half (granted it was a ginormous piece). So I’m trying out some new eating habits. We’ll see how long it lasts…

Okay, I think my last order of business is Katy Perry. I know, I said no pics, but I forgot about the concert!

Now, I seem to have a thing for wigs. I just find them so fun! And quite a while ago I had found this fabulous shop on Etsy, Miss Violet Lace, with the absolute most gorgeous wigs! I literally want every single one of them. So when I got tickets for Katy Perry, I knew I needed one of these fabulous wigs. But how to choose? Oh man, it took me HOURS and months to pick out what I wanted. And then it was only because I had taken so damn long, I had to pick one that could ship quick. So here is my wig.

I absolutely love it and can’t wait to find more excuses to wear it (although I’ll really only find excuses to buy more). We met up at Ulta in Nampa first and got our make-up done (thank you Stacy Ritter!).

Then headed in to Boise so I could drop my car off. Had intentions of going to dinner, but we are girls after all and of course everything took longer than planned – so we grabbed Jack in the Box (so much for that fabulous diet) and set out for BSU. Parking was quick and easy and they even had a shuttle to the door.

Thank goodness too because not only did I have heels on (and I never wear heels), but I discovered that my fabulous dress had a hiking problem (as in hiking up). Since I had wild hair I wanted a wild outfit, and wanted to step out of my comfort zone a bit (my usual “party” attire is jeans and a tank top) – so why not a skintight teal animal print one-shouldered number?
Made it in before Katy started – grabbed a cotton candy martini (delicious, but I’m not sure there was any alcohol in there), hit the bathroom, and found our seats. She was fantastic!
Actually sounds even better in person, just as gorgeous as she is on TV, super funny, and totally into her fans. And great “presentation”. Totally loved it. My favorite number was the “I Want to See Your Peacock” performance (love the song and the costumes were phenomenal).
Ariel was SO into it. It was so fun to see all the little girls having a blast. My only issue was the girl next to me who I’m not sure moved all night. Really? You get floor seats at Katy Perry and you stand still and blankly stare? Lame! ;) I’m pretty sure I danced enough for both of us (and she got to enjoy an elbow now and then). After the show we dropped Ariel off and went out downtown, but it was kinda boring and well, we’re moms and were kinda exhausted. ;)

The only other thing I was gonna talk about was my bucket list, but I can’t actually access it right now. I can think of at least 7 things I’ve done and can think of a few that definitely aren’t going to happen, but I’m also thinking of some substitution options. More on that later.

Day 3: Saturday Market

2011-07-11T22:28:00.000-07:00

Still not fully recovered from our hike and long day at the zoo (and me still not feeling well), we weren’t going to let that keep us down. The boys headed out early for golf (Ryan of course chose a course 20+ miles outside of Portland because there are only over a dozen courses actually in Portland) and we loaded up the kids and hit the MAX to downtown for the Saturday Market. And what a market it was! I had been before, but it was in early spring and I assume when the weather isn’t as good, the market isn’t as big – because I didn’t remember all of this! It just went on and on. There was no way we were getting through all of it. Addie was still a bit whiny (she probably still wasn’t feeling very good, and was still recovering like we all were) and ended up talking Ba into buying her a frog, a frog purse, and some frog soap (hmm, theme?). Cassie and I drooled over several things, but of course had to scope out options before committing. We both ended up with a skirt and dress, and some jewelry. We found a fun fountain for the kids to play in (although silly mom forgot to pack appropriate clothing, so I had a toddler in her underwear in the middle of downtown Portland – oh and should I mention she was later a naked toddler in the park after she peed her pants?) and enjoyed a variety of foods.

It took her a bit to warm up to the idea. Cassie and I both had to go play with her before she got into it. And once she was into it, the clothes came off!

She was actually re-dressed after the fountain, but ended up disrobing again in the park.

They had fun playing while Ba took a rest and Cassie and I ventured off for food.

Have I mentioned yet that Hayden is walking?

It was quite a hot day for Portland (I believe the high was 85) so we wore down fairly quickly. We headed out around noon, catching the MAX back to the van parked next to the hotel (we checked out before we left and just parked at the Park n Ride lot next to it). After loading up we ventured out to hit Trader Joe’s – a must-stop for me and Cassie. We loaded up on groceries and caught up with the boys there. Just had a couple more stops on our way out of town. Loren had to hit Belmont Station, which is known for an insane amount of different beers (he was like a kid in a candy store) and then I wanted to stop at Hayden Island (only the best named island ever).
That wasn’t the best decision, we found, when we hit horrible traffic. But we eventually made it, got our picture, and headed out to Tokeland. It’s only about a 3-hour drive, but after several long days, that trip felt even longer than the drive to Portland. We made a pitstop in Raymond for dinner and finally made it to the house around 9pm. We picked our sleeping arrangements and crashed. The 4 of us slept on what I believe was a full -- a bit scrunched but at least low to the ground. :) Ryan and Cassie took the "Love Shack" -- the small cabin in back (complete with a dead bird for company). It felt good to be somewhere we could settle in for a few days...

Day 2: Portland Zoo

2011-07-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

After our hiking and puking adventures, we were all rather exhausted Friday. But we were determined to make the most of our time in Portland, so we headed to the zoo – that, and Addie had been talking about the Portland Zoo for months (asking, anytime we saw an animal in a book or on tv, “Do they have that at the Portland Zoo?”). We decided to drive because we weren't sure how convenient the MAX would be with the kids, stroller, and all our stuff (very convenient, it turns out), so I turned on my navigation and away we went (sidenote – I’m not quite sure what we did without smartphones before. We used it constantly on this trip. What a great travel companion! I lovelovelove my Droid!). After a few wrong turns (nice to know I’m not the only female Loren doesn’t listen to), we finally made it. And it wasn’t even open yet. Got a great parking spot (shaded when we left) and unloaded. Perfect when we arrived – great temp (although a bit chillier than we originally anticipated – and we hadn’t packed jackets with us) and not many people. That changed as the day wore on, but we still had a good time. Addie was rather whiny, which was a bummer because she had been so excited – but I think she was just tired after our hike and was probably still not feeling well.

She insisted on wearing slippers. And yes, she wore them the entire time.

I got Hayden this adorable hat at the $.25 sale at Other Mothers hoping I could sidetrack him long enough he would wear it. It lasted about 10 seconds. :(

Hayden even got to ride a dinosaur!

Tyrannosaurus Rex, nonetheless! Bet you didn't know they had dinos at the zoo! They had an extra exhibit -- my mom, Hayden, and I didn't go (it cost extra, and frankly, we didn't really care), but Addie insisted she had to go so Daddy took her. Apparently she was terrified the entire time. But later commented how much she liked the dinos. ??

We awed at the beautiful exhibits and lands of the park (quite amazing in comparison to our little Boise Zoo) and got to see a very neat show of birds flying right over our heads.

And of course the petting zoo is always a hit.

We were, however, rather disappointed in the Africa exhibit (I’m not sure we even saw a single animal) and couldn’t seem to find the rhinoceros or hippopotamus (yes, two very large creatures to miss!). Eventually they both crashed out. Addie ended up sleeping through the crocodile (which she was waiting for) and the sea lions.

But Bubby woke up just in time to see the sea lions -- last stop and one of our faves! He was enthralled and they were so cute. One of them kept playing with the kids at the window and they would squeal in delight! Adorable!

He likes to show his belly off.

I did awake her for the gift shop, as I had promised her one toy – which she actually chose rather quickly (I was surprised because we often spend half our time at the Boise Zoo wandering through the tiny shop). It was a bag of turtles – surprise (she is all about turtles and frogs these days)! We then ventured back to the hotel to meet up with Ryan and Cassie, who had driven up that day. After a bit of downtime we all headed out to catch the MAX downtown (with my handy phone app Portland Transit Lite) so the boys could do a Brewery Crawl. Never heard of it? Me neither. They actually map out walks to different breweries – depending on how much you drink at each, I suppose you may be crawling by the end! Although it took us a bit to figure out the tickets (we had ridden it before, but always in the fare free zone, so never worried about tickets before), we boarded and headed in. What a great system. I envy them every time I visit. No, it’s not fancy, but so fast and easy! No problem getting the stroller on – just parked it in the handicap spots – and no carseats to deal with or problems with finding parking. We got off near Pioneer Place and headed out on foot. First stop = Deschutes. By this time we were rather hungry and figured we’d just grab a bite at the first brewery – except it was a 45min wait. So we mosied on and ended up stopping at Rogue – not on our list, but a brand the boys like. We grabbed a bite and Loren, Ryan, and Cassie got 4 tasters each. The day of travel and hiking and an entire day at the zoo had wiped us out, so us girls (and Hayden) decided to head back. I left my phone with the boys so they could have a map to figure out their next destination and off we went. Luckily I remembered how to get back to the MAX and we figured out which one to board (almost got on the blue line when we needed the red). We got back and settled in for the night. I awoke around 11:30pm and noticed the boys still weren’t back. I called and heard of the issue – apparently the red line only runs until 10:30pm. No more public transit to our hotel after that. Oops! So the boys boarded the blue, and then ended up walking about 3 miles back home. Oh the adventures of the big city! :) So much for my public transit planning (I just assumed the MAX ran 24/7 – guess now I know!).

Day 1: Multnomah Falls

2011-07-09T22:23:00.000-07:00

Well our adventure began Thursday, June 30th – I believe we left within 30 minutes of my desired start time of 8:30am. I woke up feeling like I needed a morning in the bathroom praying to the porcelain god, so I was really looking forward to a day in the car (especially when I seem to have had a motion sickness problem ever since being pregnant). :P Dogs had been dropped off the night before (we always owe a big thanks to Rick - Loren's dad - when we travel) so after we picked my mom up in Star we hit the road. Made it to Durkee before we needed gas (hadn’t filled up) and then stopped in La Grande for lunch and played at the rest area. Made another pitstop in The Dalles for a playground and ice cream break. We were fortunate to catch a period of long naps for the kids, so we actually made pretty good time (I am still amazed at how well they did! Daytime driving is def the way to go for us.). After that was Multnomah Falls, a standard stop for us on the way to Portland. I was still feeling crummy, but hiking to the top was on my 30 Before 30 list – and Loren pushed me to check it off.

"You want to do what? I'm taking a nap."

My cheeseball.

That's where we were headed. Yes, I was sick to my stomach, had hardly eaten, and was carrying an extra 30 lbs on my back...

An absolutely adorable 30 lbs!

We decided we’d give it a shot and at least go as far as we could. I was packing Hayden when we got to the bridge, and we decided to move on. As long as I kept some momentum I did pretty good. However, once we made it to the ½ mile mark (which, btw, I thought was the halfway mark -- no, it's actually a 1.25 mile hike, not 1 -- false advertising!), I decided I just couldn’t do it while carrying him, so I passed him off to Loren (which was actually the first time Loren has ever packed either kid in a backpack). Addie walked with Ba ("Ba" has somehow become my mom’s name for the kids – I think Addie just couldn’t say Grandma, so she started saying Ba and it has stuck) behind us, catching some breaks while Ba packed her every so often (poor Ba!). We kept pushing forward and each time we thought of turning back, we’d see a sign to signal we were that much closer and forged on. I think Addie’s favorite part was the snail we found on our way up (that we of course had to find again on our way back down – to show Dad). I actually hadn’t felt like throwing up since that morning – until we got to about the ¾ mile mark. After many breaks and pleas to the toddler to walk, we finally made it up. We admired the view, took some pics, and then headed back down – which felt about as long as the hike up!

It's not very impressive here, but take a look at how tiny those cars are.

My little hiker.

Heading back down...

Petting her snail.

But by the time we got to the bottom it actually felt pretty darn good. I was so proud of Addie who actually walked almost the entire way down – and still had energy to play at the bottom! We got some popcorn to snack on and let Hayden out to cause some trouble before we loaded up and headed in to Portland.

Usually when we go to Portland we stay downtown, but I had procrastinated on getting a room long enough that many weren’t available, and it was less expensive to stay out towards the airport. It wasn’t the nicest area, but we got continental breakfast (had a pool too, but I never did make it there to enjoy it) and were just a few minutes away (walking) from the MAX lightrail. We were all exhausted from our day of travel and hiking, so we just grabbed some Chinese food and settled in for the night... until about 11:30pm when we were awoken to Addie puking. On the bed, the heater, the floor, herself, Loren – yay vacation! :) After cleaning up she laid down with Ba, but we were all so on edge, we all jumped at every move she made – in hopes of either catching the puke in the garbage can or saving her from falling off the bed. Sleeping in hotels can be a bit of a challenge with the kids. At home we all crash in our nice big king bed, that is on the ground and up against the wall – a decent amount of room (although we still get squished) and few places to fall off (and if they do, it’s a short fall). The hotel, on the other hand, was a queen bed with high edges and furniture to hit on the way down. Addie actually ended up sleeping through the rest of the night and I think I finally got some sleep around 3am. Not the best way to rest up for our day at the zoo…

Easter

2011-05-08T20:14:00.000-07:00

Well Easter came and went and as usual, we crammed in way too many festivities. :) On the weekend before my mom and I took the kids to Eggstravaganza at the Boise Zoo. It, of course, was a madhouse and Addie was much too overwhelmed to participate in the egg hunt. But we had fun checking out the animals and (of course) the gift shop.

Surprise, surprise, Addie picked out a frog. Afterwards we grabbed some good ol' McDonald's and hit the park.

The next weekend (actual Easter weekend) my mom, Uncle Chris, the kids, and I headed out to Homedale for the annual Romriell get together. Every year my extended family on my maternal grandmother's side has a pretty sweet Easter bash. There is egg dying...

(and stickers)

(surprise, Bubby just wanted to eat the eggs)

(and spoon)

...lots of good food and things to play on...

...and in...

...and an awesome egg hunt.

And this one she got into (Hayden slept through it). Here is her haul. Also note the outfit. I took her to pick out an Easter dress and she of course passed up all the frilly pastel-y Easter-y dresses for this hot pink and black lace number. Silly girl.

After the eggs are collected, we empty them all out. Most have candy, but some have papers with points (and each egg counts for points) and then the kids get to go down to the "store" (basement) and pick out prizes with their points. Very cool! Addie picked out a frog (what!?!) and a little duck game.

Then we couldn't get her off the trampoline!

Leisa came to visit too, with Ben, Kyndell and Miss Sophia.

Kyndell had just woken up from a nap and was happy to just sit for a bit. She got some good playing in later though. :)

We pretty much spent the entire day out there and were all very exhausted!

On Easter Sunday it was time to head out to the farm. We started off with some pizza at Grandma Lola's with Pappy, Uncle Sean and Aunt Erin, and Erin's brother and friend. Then it was off for a stroll down to the barn for Addie to see cows and chickens.

She picked BSU attire for the day. ???

Somebody loves her Pappy.

Hayden was obviously excited.

Addie of course had to check out Uncle Gene's princess castle. We also attempted to check out the treehouse -- until we got up there and saw wasps swarming the window (eek!).

After our walk we headed back to Grandma's for what I thought would be an Easter egg hunt for 4-6 kids. Instead it was just Addie, so we had lots of eggs! I forgot what a great yard my grandma has for hiding eggs (that's where we always did our hunts as kids).

Bubby got in on the action a little bit.

Then it was off to check out the goods. I have to say, I thought it was a pretty cool hunt. I had some pretty sweet prizes (not only GOOD candy, but cool toys too).

Hayden's favorites were the jelly beans.

That ended our Easter adventures. So Addie got 3 egg hunts and WAY too much candy. :) Is there any other kind of Easter?

30 Before 30

2011-04-30T21:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, here it is. I turn 30 in November and decided to make a bucket list. Not that I think life ends at 30 (as Cassie thought my list meant). I just thought it would be fun to set some goals. So I'm attempting to accomplish all of these in the next 6 months. And I hope to not be doing them alone, so if you'd like to join in or help, come along! :) (FYI - these are in no particular order and are purposefully not numbered -- I actually wanted to put them in a cool graphic, but haven't quite figure out how to do that...)

Take a dance class. I’ve obviously done this before since I was on drill team in high school, but I’ve wanted to take one as an “adult” (no, I still haven’t fully embraced that term) and haven’t had the guts to do it. I was originally thinking a hip hop class or maybe ballet (since I’m signing Addie up), but I’m being told pole dancing. Now that would be something new!
Go skydiving, bungee jumping, or ride in a hot air balloon. I will do all three someday, but I don’t think I’ll get to them all in six months, so I’ll settle for one. :)
Drive a motorcycle. I’ve been on one, but never driven one. Problem is, I don’t have one. Hmm… Or maybe a jetski. I think either will work. But again, no jetski…
Go on a zipline.
Write an article and submit it to Perspectives in HIM. I’ve had articles published already, but never as first author and not to an HIM journal. My goal here is to actually have one published, but I don’t think my timeline will allow it. So hopefully I can get one submitted – then accepted and published by 31.
Run a 5k. Training now and picked the race – the Chocolate and Champagne race with my girl Cassie. And outfitted in sweet 80s workout attire.
Girl’s trip! I’m thinking Vegas baby! I’ve gone on trips with Leisa, but only one time was it just us (LA). Def not enough. And I’m hoping I have some more girls game to join. ;)
Go backpacking. I was fine with a day trip, but Cassie said it doesn’t count if I don’t stay overnight. :P
Visit a new (to me) Idaho destination. I’m thinking Bruneau Sand Dunes, Crystal Ice Caves, or Shoshone Falls.
Spend an entire day at Lucky Peak (and rock a bikini bod). Hmm, better find me someone with a boat…
Visit a new zoo with the kids. We’re planning a trip to the Portland zoo in July – I’ve been, but not with the kids.
Take Bubby to see the ocean. Same trip up to Washington – Addie has seen the ocean in California.
Hike to the top of Multnomah Falls. Or maybe any Falls.
Create a kickass new Bachelor’s curriculum that is bound for RHIA accreditation (yes, I used kickass and curriculum in the same sentence – I am a TRUE nerd).
Have a super fun adult Halloween (I’ll still have Halloween with the kiddos too, but have never been out) in a super sexy costume (as Cassie said, skank it up).
See a drag show. (I actually already did this, but it’s been on my wishlist for a long time, and it was within the last month or so, so I’m counting it)
Go to a roller derby bout. (Same as above – already did it, but just a couple weeks ago)
Put together and give an ICD-10 training session that rocks (yes, rocks).
Do something new (to us) with my girl Leisa.
Decrap. This is a technical term given by my buddy Ron. I am being consumed by STUFF!
Take a class with Loren. Maybe cooking?
Go clamming. Ryan thinks this is ridiculous, but I’ve never gone and I love clams. Why not?
Go on a boat in the ocean. I’ve actually only been on, I think, one boat (a totally hot pontoon boat) at the McCall Lake.
Get a tattoo. Or at least get it scheduled. I know what I want to get, but I want the absolute best person to do it, so I’m guessing I might find them booked up for a bit.
Go unplugged for a week. No TV, no computer, no phone (except for necessary phone calls). Problem is, I have to get Loren in on this one too. And it can't be while I'm in school or teaching. Looks like August.
Start a compost. This has been on my list for a long time!
Set aside some money for something on my next bucket list (I have lots of travel plans in the future). I’ll obviously have to get a bit more specific with this (once I update my recently neglected budget).
Write thank you letters to at least three influential people in my life.
Secret.
Secret. Sorry, I have to keep some to myself! ;)

Quick Littles Update

2011-04-14T17:12:00.000-07:00

It appears that once you have a second baby you just fall off the face of the earth. Or maybe I'm the only one that can't seem to cope. Obviously I haven't been very good about keeping this blog updated. And talk about a lack of pics. I seem to never have my camera, or if I do, the batteries are dead. I now understand why the second child never has as many pics. But there is definitely no lack of love. :) Anywho, I'm crazy busy and should be doing schoolwork, but just felt that I had to at least do a quick kiddo update.

Addie is definitely a little girl now. She is doing great at daycare and has really picked up her vocabulary. She talks quite a bit and asks questions now (not to the point of being annoying - yet). Her best friend in daycare is Mia, but she also plays with Stilson and Kimi (according to her). She picks out her own clothes, and yes, some days are pretty interesting. She is kind of potty training. We're being pretty casual about it. She has days where she wants to either be naked or wear panties, so she knows she has to go in the potty. But so far she'll only pee in the potty. She wants a diaper when she has to poop. ??? We'll get there soon I'm sure. I'm really hoping it will be before her 3rd birthday. Two kiddos in diapers is definitely starting to wear on me. The way we finally got her to even try? Promised her a big party. Great, this is apparently what motivates my little girl. What are we in for? We have had one successfully dry night, and today had our first successfully dry outing at the park. She has also become very good with her colors. Still working on the alphabet and counting. Can't believe how much she's grown up in the last few months. She loves to play games on my phone, which I'm beginning to regret a bit. Oh well, soon enough I'm sure it will be a Nintendo DS or something. She is already bugging me to use this laptop as I type this. Really - I have a 3 year old (almost) who uses my phone, the laptop, picks out her own clothes, loves lip gloss, talks back, and picks on her brother. Oh dear.

Bubby is just being as cute as can be. He has just in the last couple days began crawling. I use that loosely as he has only done it twice and not for much distance. But it shows that he's right there. He's 10 months - Addie was 8 when she crawled - so he's a little behind her, but I'm not sad about that. He loves to get into whatever you don't want him to, so the longer I can keep him immobile the better. We are going to have to do some serious baby proofing soon (really didn't have to worry about it with Addie). He is a tank - 22 pounds (Addie is about 24) and eats literally everything. If you have food, he better have some too or you're in trouble! He absolutely LOVES ice cream! He only has 6 teeth, but seems to be able to power down just about anything. He's still a total love -- loves to cuddle up close. We've been a little sick off and on for the past couple months (winter), so we've had some upset times, but overall he's pretty easy going and happy most of the time. He is a little more leery of strangers now, but still goes to just about anyone.

Speaking of upset times, I currently have a crying infant and demanding toddler (she "wants to type!"). And a mom that's kinda losing it (no, not because of the kiddos -- although I think anyone with small children is on the verge of losing it at any moment). Off to see if I can find my sanity...

My Sassafras

2011-03-09T20:33:00.001-08:00

I know, I've been terrible about updating my blog. And I have SO many pics to go through! I haven't even posted anything about Christmas! But I have to start somewhere, so I decided to post these pics from Bald Eagle Days (late January) out at the Shakespeare Festival theater. I took Addie just for something to do. We didn't actually get to see the bald eagle (couldn't find the show, and by the time we did it was full), but we did see some owls and falcons, and Addie just had a good time running around. With winter weather we hadn't been outside much.

She did get to color an owl mask.

I was having fun watching her run around, wondering where this "child" (not "baby") came from.

Could she be any cuter??

She was trying to hide from me and thought she was rather clever.

Once it was almost time to go I finally convinced her to get her face painted. She chose an owl, and was the very last kid painted. She promptly destroyed it when she insisted on "feeling" it. Oh well.

Then we grabbed a hot chocolate on the way out.

Look at that sassy little thing. I was just asking Loren where we got a 2-year-old that insists on putting on make-up with mom, wants body spray, is already picky about what she wears, and demands Lady Gaga in the car?

I think the nickname Sassafras is quite appropriate.

What Have I Been Up To?

2011-03-07T17:32:00.000-08:00

Most of what I write about on here pertains to what I've been up to at home, with the kids -- our outings and events. But I'm putting together some information for my annual evaluation and find myself overwhelmed at having to recant my accomplishments in the past year. I've put together what I can think of and must say I'm damn proud of myself. Especially when you add that I had a baby in the middle of this! Just as a little boasting, these are some highlights:

Taught 9 classes, including one during the first winter intersession (medical terminology, which I had only taught online before that)
Took the lead as clinical coordinator, and found some new sites -- and coordinated the processing of background checks
Accepted into a PhD program and took 3 classes
Published a book, a book chapter, and 3 journal articles (with a number of co-authors)
Gave 4 professional presentations and 2 poster presentations
Served on the IRB and 2 college committees
Supervised an independent study and 3 internships
Served on the IdHIMA board
Peer reviewed a textbook and journal article

This is in addition to helping with orientation sessions, doing tons of advising, and attending random department and college meetings. Hmm, no wonder I'm always exhausted! Damn, if I can do this pregnant and with a newborn, how am I going to step it up this year? I mean, I only have a toddler and infant now... ;)

Typical Pic Post

2011-01-06T22:09:00.000-08:00

I decided to take the pics off my phone, mainly because I was trying to update some knitting project pics (I use my phone when I'm about to give something away and haven't remembered to take a "real" pic!). Holy wow, I had a lot of pics! Kind of fun going through them all, since many are from this summer. A lot of these made it to Facebook, but since not everyone is on there (can you believe it?), I thought I'd post here too.

One of our many zoo trips.

The first pic I managed to get of all three of us (albeit blurry!).

Love the cheesy grins.

This was the balloon festival.

I had a perfect straight-on shot of this, but Addie deleted it. :(

She hid behind the stroller to poop.

Speaking of poop... Doesn't he look like, "I just crapped my pants. Whatchu gonna do 'bout it?"

One of Addie's fab outfits. Love Bailey's tongue.

I can't believe how much he's changed already!

Addie loves her Dodo.

She decided to try on Tucker's old Halloween costume at Becky's. And added the floaty.

Love all the littles sitting down to eat. Too cute!

Another fab outfit.

I'm pretty sure this has been the most popular pic I've ever posted on Facebook.

Ready for some stompin'!

Real men wear pink.

Free scary face pancakes at IHOP for Halloween.

This was on Halloween actually. She insisted on wearing her pumpkin costume (which was not her actual Halloween costume this year).

She just looks like a sad orphan here.

Ice cream anyone?

He fell asleep in his highchair.

I had never seen Loren in a tie (no, not even our wedding) until this interview. I had to have a pic! Can you tell he was thrilled?

Trying out avocado.

This was so cute. Hayden and I were up that morning while Addie was still asleep. I was getting dressed to I set Hayden in the chair. Addie woke up and immediately grabbed her blanket and wanted to come snuggle with Hayden to watch cartoons.

Picking out Toys for Tots. She really put thought into it.

Loves mommy's make-up.

Me attempting to get a picture of my goodies for my Christmas family.

I can't ever seem to get all three of us to look decent at once.

Lovin' her bear from Aunt Linda.

Bubby too.

This is his 49ers hat that not only came out way too big, but doesn't look like 49ers. I think it looks like the Trojans.

She was rubbing her butt on the coffee table and I started laughing, so she thought she was hilarious and kept doing it.

My handsome boy in a highchair for the first time (at a restaurant).

Modeling the awesome shoes David hooked me up with.

Modeling his clothes from Uncle Sean and Aunt Erin.

Modeling my apron from Sean and Erin.

We went bowling for New Year's.

Addie has recently figured out how to take pics. Here's a fab shot of me (ha!).

Okay, I'm being summoned to help with crying kiddos. Until I upload more photos...

Ramblings

2011-01-04T08:16:00.000-08:00

**Finally posted 3/7 -- kept it as a draft all this time**

You know I originally set up this blog just to boast about my baby (at that time there was only one) and show off all the wonderful pictures. I also like it as just a record for myself, to remember what the heck I've been doing during these years that just seem to be flying by now. And of course I've had to throw in some rants here and there. But I really haven't used it for an emotional release like I used to use journaling for. That may be because I simply don't journal anymore, I haven't felt like sharing anything publicly, or I haven't felt the need to. One of the reasons I've never consistently journaled is that when I did it as a kid, I'd go back and read what I had written (maybe just months later), think I sounded like an idiot, and destroy the evidence. I'm pretty sure I've destroyed any journal I've ever written. Probably very sad to some of you who really enjoy journaling. I actually got a book about the benefits of journaling for Christmas and did require my students to do a reflective learning journal this semester. Maybe there is something to this. :) I definitely do find it therapeutic to write things out sometimes, which is how I came here today. Will this actually make it to publication on my page, I'm not sure. We'll see where it leads... I can remember the week before Christmas thinking to myself, "I'm right where I need to be." Everything was just perfect for me. I couldn't believe my wonderful life, especially when so many are struggling through numerous problems. The next week I remember thinking about how I could get used to this stay at home mom thing because I felt so much less stressed out (not to say that staying home isn't stressful, but at the time it was a different stress that working and going to school). I took a class once about depression and remember a lecture about stress and depression. The teacher drew a bell curve and showed that depression often occurs at the bottom and at the top. Too much stress can lead to exhaustion and feeling overwhelmed -- made total sense to me because that's usually much closer to where I rest. But the bottom of the curve intrigued me -- too little stress can lead to feelings of worthlessness and seclusion. It had never even occurred to me because I couldn't even fathom being that low on the curve. I'm not sure this is even applicable to where I'm going, but it popped in my head. Fast-forward another week home with the kids and I'm losing my mind. A week of countless poopy diapers, constant cleaning with no progress, PBS, a bored infant, freezing cold weather, little adult interaction, hearing "Mama, hold me?" and "Mama, read book"? a thousand times a day, scouring the cupboards trying to find something the toddler would eat while listening to "Num-num?" repeatedly, reading the same 5 books over and over, getting no work done, repeated failed attempts at putting kids down for a nap, constantly looking for specific toys while being consumed by all the rest, walking around the songs from Tinkle Tinkle Little Tot stuck in my head, constant nursing, stuffy babies that couldn't sleep, a teething infant, an incessantly whining toddler, and looking forward to the same thing the next day and the day after... And feeling like a terrible person and terrible mom for wanting to escape. I went from feeling 100% to wondering what the heck was I thinking. I yearned for my previous life where I could sleep peacefully, I could spend as much time as I wanted getting ready, I didn't have to choose my clothes based on how easily I could nurse a baby, I fit into all of my clothes, I could come and go without spending an hour dressing and packing kids and all their stuff, I could have peace and quiet whenever I chose, I didn't have toys and books strewn all over my house, I didn't have to schedule outings around feeding the baby or rush home before another precious bag of milk was "wasted", when I didn't doubt myself constantly... But alas, it is a new week, my last full week home with my babies, and I'm determined to make it better (this is as I'm typing with a tantrumming toddler). I really love my kids and absolutely don't regret having them, but I do find myself constantly amazed at just how overwhelming this mom business is and the constant self-doubt. I enjoy my work and am good at it because it's what I know. I'm comfortable there. The challenges it does bring I find exciting and approachable. The challenges of motherhood (which are far too many) send me into a panic and endless cycle of uncertainty. I must also note that I had a week of baby giggles, random toddler conversations, snuggles, watching the baby explore new things, being amazed at what Addie has learned, sibling chatter and giggles, and a spicy toddler attitude.

Getting Sidetracked...

2010-12-29T20:56:00.000-08:00

By hilarious old pics! And reminiscing a bit. I'm working on a calendar that lets you put pictures on dates for special occasions (like birthdays), so I was "digging" (on the computer) through old pics because some people I just don't have recent pics of. Well I got sidetracked looking at my crazy pics from the late nights -- not my current crying baby late nights, but those pre-baby nights...

(These are in chronological order -- by no means covering all occasions, but just some faves)

Kadie and I dressed up for Halloween. But we went out the night before (I believe Halloween was on a Sunday, so we went out Saturday) -- and were about the only ones dressed up. :)

Bachelorette party! This was just the beginning of the evening...

Okay, no one will get this but Leisa. But it's too funny not to include. We were attempting to take one of our usual self-portraits and when we turned the camera around we saw this. And died laughing. Kept saying "dog butt!" all night. Maybe you had to be there... :)

Trying out a wig...

One of a few 80s parties...

We always took pics before we actually left the house. I remember this night and it did not end very well... Note: I still have these jeans and they are my goal -- I want to be in them by summer!

This cracked me up. What, are we at the prom?

Oh, and check out the crimped hair + the Vote for Pedro sticker.

At a party at Kadie's that was followed by some Kuna clubbin'.

I've always loved this picture of Leisa. I'm right behind her.

Yea, we got our groove on. And I'm a total loon when it comes to dancing. This was actually about the most decent pic I could find...

Our nightly (well, on weekends that is) ritual: Usually shopping, coming home and spending way too long getting ready (below -- here shown with yes, glittering the hair) and deciding where we were going and with who(m?), and finally heading out. Note: not only am I glittering the 'do, but what's with the outfit? I must admit, I wouldn't mind fitting into that skirt again... (long gone, btw -- but I have those leggings around here somewhere).

Yep, loon.

Yea, and we tried to be gangsta with our stunnas.

I never realized how often we took pics in the bathroom, until I started looking at these...
Bathroom Pic #1 (Balcony)

I've always loved this pic. Wish I could get that tan going again. This was a crazy fun night, but also one that didn't end so well. ;)

Chillin' with the bartender. Still Balcony.

Bathroom Pic #2 (Portland)
We even managed to drag Loren out on very rare occasions.

Showin' off our bling (given to us for free by some promoter -- they blinked!).
I can't believe I'm actually posting this pic. I originally vowed no one could see it. But it is rather hilarious. I had worn leggings with a skirt and when we got back to the hotel, I took the skirt off. Leisa and Loren were cracking up because they said I looked like Catwoman. Rawr!
Another of our pre-leaving pics. Holy blush!

And this totally cracked me up! Check out the dogs getting in the way.

My last pre-baby New Year's. I wore the wig just for fun -- they were on sale that week. :) Maybe one of these years I'll actually stay up until midnight again...

Bathroom Pic #3 (Neurolux) -- in the mirror, no less

Found our wonderful Schmem there.

You've probably noticed we had some pretty standard poses. Kissy face was definitely one.

Groovin' at the Balcony again. It was a fave because they usually had good music and we had less of a chance of creepy guys bugging us. Oh, and there were always good dancers there to watch. What (or who) is Leisa pointing at?

Notice that no one is near us. That's how every dance pic I have is. Either we were frightening, smelly, or got our groove on so good, people were afraid to get hit with a flailing limb (or didn't want to compete -ha!).

Bathroom Pic #4 (?) -- this bathroom cracked me up because they had a stool right in front of the toilet

China Blue was another regular spot. And yes, we're total dorks -- that's why I love us. :)

Check out the phone! Sa-weet!

Do you see that sweat? I tell you, we got our g.r.o.o.v.e o.n! :)

We hit up the hookah bar a few times and were always trying to get a "sexy" shot with the smoke. Yea, this is my sexiest -- where you can't see my face!

We often had to take a pic in the car before we left too. Particularly if we forgot to take one inside. Are we conceited? I think we just like pics...

Tried out the faux hawk in San Fran. It didn't stay up very well...

Bathroom Pic #5 (San Fran) -- this was the only bathroom at this dumpy club and we locked the door and hung out in there forever because we thought it was such a cool place for pics (as a background). Can you tell we were having a good time?

We did all sorts of silly stuff. Here I am, trying to look tough. Ha! Oh, and this would be bathroom pic #6 -- the last one on the post, but there were many more!

Things have definitely changed, but maybe not TOO drastically. I was pregnant with Addie here (my birthday dinner):

And this was just a few months after she was born. Charlie's Angels!

Um, yea, we're a friendly bunch. :)

Aw, good times. Love my girls. Love my babies too. :) One of these days when they don't want to cuddle me anymore, maybe I'll hit up the night life again. Ugh, then I'll be that old creepy lady thinking she's cool... ;)

Tis the Season

2010-12-20T22:00:00.000-08:00

Ugh, I've been terrible about blogging. I think about it all the time, but actually sitting down to do it seems beyond my capabilities. Where is time going? Days/weeks/months just seem to be disappearing on me. Because I can't remember anything, I'm doing a camera unload to see what memories are jogged. These are all from December, which brings me to highlight some seasonal activities we've enjoyed.

We got crazy snow the first week of December and even had a "snow day" for school. I'm not big on snow. I don't enjoy any winter activities and I hate driving in it. And I don't like cold. But I thought I better at least let Addie have a shot at it.

Here she is venturing into the backyard. Yes, that is a potty behind her. Don't ask me how any of the random items get into our backyard (I regularly ask that question of multiple household items -- such is life with a toddler). Anywho, that may help you notice how deep the snow is.

Lukie and Bailey had to come play too. They were lovin' it!

Then Addie and I ventured into the front yard and I decided we needed a snowman. My intentions were to make Addie's first snowman, but I pretty much did it myself...other than the hair. Addie did that part. :)

The following weekend was full of holiday activities. On Saturday we (me and the kids -- Loren was finishing his portfolio for English) went to the Hip Holiday Market in Nampa with my mom and hit a few other bazaars while we were out. Although there was lots of great stuff, we didn't find too much of what we were looking for.

Sunday started with breakfast. We intended to go to Sunrise (on State), one of our faves, but apparently they are closed and have moved over to the Egg Factory (also on State). We were pleasantly surprised as the Egg Factory is even more of a fave -- until we found their new location smaller with a tiny waiting area and poorer service. We'll stick to the Egg Factory on Fairview.

We then headed over to Big Lots to let Addie pick out some Toys for Tots. She did great. Put a lot of thought into what she wanted to get. She also picked out a toy for Hayden, and of course one for herself. :)

A friend of a friend was doing a fundraiser by selling Christmas trees, so we decided to get the real thing this year (which I was just cursing today as I was vacuuming up pine needles and trying to squeeze under the darn thing to water it).

We let Addie pick and she knew right away, no hesitation.

We asked her to make sure this was the one, and she was certain.

Duh mom, how hard is it to pick a Christmas tree? I've come to let her make a few decisions for me to save the time it would take me to ponder every option...

Admiring her pick.

And here it is decorated. She originally helped by hanging every ornament on one branch. I fixed that and moved her on to the tiny ornaments (meant for a mini tree) which she decorated the bottom branches with. She had just spilled water on her shirt so was insistent in being without. She is often insistent of being without clothes these days...

Here's how Bubby helped decorate the tree. This was promptly followed by an explosive poo that covered his pants and shirt, the exersaucer, a blanket, and my hand... (now that I look at the pic, doesn't he just look like he's planning some trouble?)

The rest of that day and the beginning of the next week were spent finishing up my Christmas family from the WCA. It's a tradition I started a few years ago, and one of my favorite things about the holidays. I actually thought about not doing it this year because Christmas is always so crazy busy (Christmas + end of semester for me), but my mom convinced me I should do it and I'm glad I did. I hope they liked their stuff!

The following weekend was pretty quiet (if I remember correctly). Checked out some Christmas lights, had Ryan and Cassie over for dinner, and went to lunch with Leisa and Kadie.

Last week was finals week, which was a little crazy only because I was only in the office for 2 days. Hayden had his 6-month check-up -- 19lb 3oz and 96th percentile for length! Loren started his new job on Thursday and I am stay-at-home mom full-time for 2 weeks. I'm trying to use the time to get the house cleaned up and finalize everything for Christmas. It's nice getting into a bit more of a routine at home. I did take the kids to the indoor park at Boise Friends Church on Thursday, but this week is really focused on getting ready for Christmas. Loren seems to be liking his new job. He's still training, of course, which means a lot of learning and reading, but I think he's settling in. It sounds like a cool company. Still waiting to hear his new schedule (anxiously waiting on my part -- I hate not knowing what our schedules will be and not knowing if we'll need childcare).

I decided to take Addie on a little mommy/daughter date Saturday. We started at Ceramica, where she painted a few gifts. I just love her concentration. She did pretty good, but was done after just painting these spots. I told her we needed to cover the entire thing, but she didn't seem interested -- so I had to help. We'll see how they come out -- we pick them up Friday.

After that we went to the Idaho Indie Works show downtown, mainly to say hi to friends and see Santa. Addie wanted nothing to do with Santa. :) Oh, and then we hit the Youth Ranch.

Later that day we packed the family down to Grandpa Rick's for an early Christmas dinner. Addie had a blast running around like a loon and playing with Uncle Ryan and Cassie. Food was delish.

This week brings cleaning, a little bit of shopping, gift wrapping, cooking, dinner at Sean and Erin's, probably Christmas Eve at my mom's, and then the big day!

What Happened to November?

2010-12-06T21:05:00.001-08:00

I was finally beginning to acknowledge that it was indeed November... last week. And it's December. Where did November go? I've been crummy about posting, so let's see what I can remember. There were some meetings, teaching, advising, football (including some tears), my birthday, Pierce's birthday (sorry, no pics -- it just gets too hard with 2 little ones), Daniel Tosh, super cold weather, snow and more snow, some parking lot turkey slinging, my mom's birthday, lots of delicious food and fun times with family, and a final project for class. Nothing too exciting, but sure kept us busy! Now the camera unload...

At the park in Eagle. Guess what -- binky is GONE! She lost this one (still haven't found it), so we told her it was gone and she was just done. No problems.

My first shawl, and one of the few things I have made for myself. Love it! The yarn is delicious -- dyed by Chelsea at Plum Street Fiber Art (you can find her on Etsy). It looks even better after blocking it.

I can't get over how cute Addie and Hayden are together! They just so love each other. I hope it lasts...

Bubby is not quite sitting up on his own yet, but is getting more into the exersaucer. Still has no desire to stand. At all.

He did start eating solids. He loves applesauce and doesn't mind some yams/sweet potatoes. He's also tried egg yolk, mashed potatoes, and avocado. And maybe a nibble or two of whipped cream. :) Way more than Addie ever ate at this age. I started running out of stored milk, so I may have started him a little sooner than normal. But he's handling it well and seems to like it. Although I think his favorite part is the spoon. He likes to bang it on the tray. Addie particularly loves to feed him, and does quite a good job.

She even wipes his face. So cute!

Ryan and Cassie were over to watch the Nevada game (boo-hoo) and Addie seems to have a thing for Cassie's shoes. Here she is modeling her Grandma's cowboy boots.

Look at those two angels!

I didn't get a single pic from any of the birthdays or Thanksgiving. With two kids there just never seems to be a free hand to hold the camera. :)

That's my very abbreviated catch-up post. More to come soon on holiday preparation adventures. :)

Reflection Journal Week ? ;)

2010-11-13T21:25:00.001-08:00

Relatively quick post tonight as I'm ready to snuggle in with my littles. Thought I'd reflect on the class I'm taking a little. It's a qualitative research class that's taught online. Basically we have a book that guided our discussion boards (run 2 weeks each) for the first half of the semester and we have a 20pg+ research proposal due here in a couple weeks. There are a few other activities as well, including an ethics training program (which I had already done as an IRB member) and a survey development and analysis assignment. It's going good so far, but I must admit it's easy to not be overly engaged. I started out really strong, being sure to get on the boards early and regularly. I must say I'm surprised at the level of "slacking" in a graduate class -- there are a number of us that regularly procrastinate (we don't seem to have learned from our undergraduate careers). I've gotten a little slower at getting on, and not as regular, but I'm at least still trying to make significant contributions. A few of our forums are to read each others' work and provide feedback -- so much of it is "good job" (how helpful is that?). Of course the teacher in me comes out and I can't help but offer my opinions on suggestions and possible areas of expansion. I think I find it easier to critique something than to compliment something. I try not to critique in a rude way, but personally I find the critiques more helpful than the compliments. I often wonder about this as a teacher and hope that I'm balancing critiques (which I'm hoping are helpful for future learning) with encouragement (which ties a bit into my last reflection post about attitudes towards education). As a classmate offering critiques I figure I'm probably seen as a "know-it-all" and I'm okay with that. In an online environment I almost feel anonymous at times, but I know I'm not. I'm kind of at a point in life that if someone wants to think or say negative things about me, they can go right ahead because that's simply their opinion and they have their right to it. It doesn't mean it's true or right. And even if it is, it may not necessarily be something offensive to me. I'm secure in who I am and don't need ill-informed external opinions to define me (this rant seems as though I've had recent experience with this, but I haven't -- just a thought). Hmm, off on a bit of a tangent there -- I'm tired. :) Let's wrap this up until next time...

Year 29

2010-11-12T22:03:00.000-08:00

(meant to have this up on Monday but never got around to it)

*Sun Valley trip (hmm, this may have actually been in year 28...)*Chuck E. Cheese*Zumba*classes*intro to TVM (Treasure Valley Midwives) and many following trips*2 ultrasounds (discovered our boy!)*IRB*winter intersession*GRE*PhD application and acceptance (yay!)*Addie weaning*playdates at Rafiki's and Boise Friends Church*Addie's wallet thieving experience*Grandpa Sand*holidays with my family*park playing*lots of knitting projects*California trips (2)*convention presentations*Reno*baby goodies*short hair*Addie's 2nd birthday*5th anniversary*rotten coffee cup*new van (bye Red Rocket)*yardsales*Bubby*breastfeeding again*lunches with daddy at the park*juggling 2 littles*Boise Zoo*consignment sales*tie dying*Canyon County Fair*swim lessons*Western Idaho Fair*Balloon Festival*lots of giggles*BSU football*Hyde Park Street Fair*McCall*beer brewing*pumpkin painting*trespassing adventure with Grandma Judy*Halloween with a fairy princess and golfer*baby laughs*Farmstead*lots of love in celebrating at Texas Roadhouse, Brick Oven Bistro, Yoi Tomo, and soon Flying Pie or Souper Salad and ... drumroll ... Daniel Tosh!

Reflection Journal #3

2010-11-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

Quick summary: Students rocked their test! :) Secured a guest presentation from a privacy officer that sounds great. Finished pregnancy in coding class and moved test back a day. Finally caught up on most of my emails and made some more clinical calls. 9.5 sites confirmed, with hopefully 8.5 more from messages left. Recruiting Linda to help me next week. :) Met with my advisor about my PhD. 27 credits of classes left, then prelim exams (that I had no idea about), and the final 20 credits of dissertation. I'm looking at a 5-year plan...

Reflection discussion: I was contemplating my topic of the week on Wednesday and thinking of something to do with how I love learning. But I decided to switch it a (little) bit today. I wanted to look at the flipside. Most of you know that Loren (my hubby) is currently in school as well and he, well, hates it. He's always disliked school. Not as much when he was in the technical program, doing more hands-on stuff (autobody and computer technology), but he's so not into the academic classes. Right now it's English 102 that's bugging him. And I have a hard time sympathizing because I love school so much, so I don't understand how he feels. It made me realize that I'm sure some of my students feel the way he does (and not the way I do). Although, I'm not sure it's not a love for learning. I think everyone likes to learn, I think it's human nature. But I think the structure of the academic setting does not fit everyone. I've always loved school -- both of my parents were valedictorians, so I'm sure they instilled that in me. And I've always been good at it. School is actually a comfort zone for me. Hence why I love my job. :) And because I've always been good at it, I've always been reinforced -- I've never been told I'm stupid or that I can't do something. I actually often feel people have more faith in me than I deserve! ;) But I can see that if you don't fit the mold of school, if you haven't been encouraged in school, if you're not surrounded by people who support you ... why you might dislike it. I keep hoping my nerdy-ness will rub off on Loren, but it doesn't seem to be working. I hope that in some way my passion for teaching rubs off on my students at least a little. :) I had an incredibly inspirational conversation with a student last year about how two teachers made all the difference in her education. I'd like to think I can be that person for someone, someday...

Sidenote: Because I simply don't have enough things to do these days, I've decided to add a new task. I would like to become an advocacy source for breastfeeding on campus. Although I know I'm not in a "public figure" role, I do interact with a large number of students and feel that the BSU campus life has a big impact on a lot of people. I'm hoping to work with either University Health Services or the Women's Center to promote breastfeeding awareness and acceptance. I'd like to see marketing of either an on-campus support group or coordination with a community group (maybe through the hospitals) and I'd also like to have a place on campus for nursing mothers to either nurse or pump. I've become really passionate about this topic and feel that I can use my role on campus in a positive way. Now it's just a matter of squeezing it in with family, teaching, research, my PhD, ICD-10 training... :)

Halloween Weekend

2010-11-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

And what a weekend it was! Lots of adventures, and thus LOTS of pics! But first, how about an adorable little Bubby?

We started our adventure on Saturday at Boo at the Zoo with my mom. Addie decided she wanted to wear her dog costume from last year. This time she actually agreed to wear the ears, but of course we couldn't find them.

Here's one of the zoo helpers chatting with Addie. Doesn't Addie look enthused?

Bubby went as a golfer.

In my nest with my chicks. I think Bubby is confusing his club with a guitar.

Notice the frog in her hand? We had to spend about 20min in the giftshop looking for just the right frog.

She didn't like the last bite of her hotdog. She insisted on helping with her make-up, which is why it's all over the place.

If you saw my previous outlaw post about the corn maze you know that we never actually made it to the maze itself. And I had already bought 2 tickets. My dad was supposed to take them but that fizzled, so I was stuck with 2 tickets on the last day. With no takers and a sick hubby (Loren didn't feel good that day) I decided it was time for a girl's outing. So Addie and I ventured to the corn maze, just the two of us. We finished Phase 1 in 10 minutes (with a map -- I wasn't risking getting lost with a toddler in tow) and Phase 2 in 20 minutes.

I was attempting a pic on top of the bridge.

Mid-Phase 2.

All done! She actually did like the maze and wanted to go again (I was too tired!), although you can't quite tell here.

We ran into Kiev, Alex, Liam (Addie's future husband), and Madi at the cow train.

We also hit the corn box...

...jumping pillow (no pics because she insisted I jump with her -- that was hard to stay upright!)...

...color maze...

...goats...

...pony rides...

...the big chair...

... and the slide/play structure.

She looks so reflective here. She would just sit there and stare out, it was so cute.

I was more than exhausted by the end of the day, so I was not a happy camper when she decided to wake up at 11pm and not fall asleep until after 3am. I was dragging a bit Sunday...

She decided to wear her pumpkin costume to the grocery store.

And then it was off to Tony and Katrina's for the evening. We brought pizza and made sure the kids at least ate a little before we went out for treats.

Somebody was pretty excited about candy.

This isn't Hayden's costume -- he was modeling Christian's Optimus Prime mask.

Christian ready to go.

The gang. Ironman, fairy princess, and Optimus Prime.

First house!

She walked for the first set of houses. They were all really into it at the beginning.

Bubby came too, but no candy action for him. Just mommy snuggies. :)

It was so fun watching them run up to the doors. Pierce and Christian were really good about saying "trick or treat!" and "thank you" -- Addie just took the candy and ran.

Once she started getting tired she needed daddy.

Katrina and I were cracking up at Christian's tight pants. :)

The boys rode in our stroller -- at least someone uses it! (my kids aren't big fans -- well Hayden doesn't mind, but I don't usually pull it out if Addie won't ride in it)

After hitting a bit of the neighborhood we went to a trunk-or-treat at a local church. I thought this dog was so cute to greet us.

The kids played games for treats.

And we enjoyed some hot chocolate, hotdogs, and popcorn, and attempted the bouncy house, but the kids were getting rather cold and tired so we headed back. Then the candy eating began...

And the sugar high...

We actually made it home around 8:30pm -- plenty of time for me to finish my homework. :)

Here I must share my regular adorable sleeping pic of Hayden. Precious!

I just love this little guy.

And finally, Addie had to dig back into her pumpkin paints tonight. It didn't take long to divert from the paper...

I asked her to smile and this is what I got.

Then her sad face.

Her mean face.

And her happy face. :)

I'm a bit sad to check one of my few Halloweens with the kids off (I'm thinking I maybe have 10 left with Addie), but we had a good time and I'm glad I wore myself out trying to do a little bit of everything. Happy October all -- here is to November! (I still can't believe it's November already!!)

Late Entry for Reflection Journal

2010-11-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, procrastination. I'm not sure anyone has this art perfected quite as much as a student. Notice my late entry for this blog? Oh yes, I'm absolutely included. Why must I procrastinate so much? I'm a total nerd and love school and yet I still leave things until the last minute. I decided to write on this topic (procrastination) last week as I was realizing the panic of what I needed to get done. I left work Wednesday with the following to-do list: (...brief break while I tend to an important matter before it gets put into the procrastination pile!...) a 6-8 page literature review (due Sunday that I've known about since August), a final grant report (due Monday that I've known about all month), and a test to write (that I gave today and scheduled back in August) -- along with all of my normal other "stuff". And all on Halloween weekend. Now, I know Halloween comes every year and that stuff can wait, but I figure I probably only have 12 Halloweens before Addie wants nothing to do with me, so I have to take full advantage.

I ended up finishing the literature review last night, 2 hours before it was due (at least I don't wait until literally the last minute/second) -- after trick-or-treating (and after about 4 hours of sleep the previous night). Thankfully I already had a good start. See, I don't usually put off the entire thing until the very last second. I often start strong with intentions of finishing things early and then fizzle and don't finish until I'm completely stressed and afraid I'm going to miss a deadline. Why do we do this to ourselves? Why must I let it get to the point of a breakdown before I actually do it? I think this should be a New Year's resolution -- to start early and continue at a steady pace instead of cramming. And it's not that I hate doing it -- I don't mind writing actually and I am researching an interesting topic. But I like to have a nice, uninterrupted chunk of time to focus, and that rarely happens these days with work and family. I've heard multiple times that you should set aside short amounts of time each day, like an hour or less, to write -- to help eliminate this procrastination game of waiting for the "right moment" -- but I have yet to heed this advice. I actually have it scheduled on my calendar, but I always ended up focusing on some other teaching task for the day. I decided on my way in today that I wanted to finish all of my class prep for the semester this week so I can focus on research efforts, but I tend to always do that and then don't get to the research. :) I suppose we'll see how far I get on Wednesday...

I do know why I was waiting on this final grant report. I wasn't happy with my performance and didn't want to "own up" to my slacking. I was urged to apply for this grant at the last minute and frantically threw together a proposal -- which got approved! I struggled through identifying exactly what I was researching and trying to integrate my collaborating faculty, and what I did put out there didn't give me very good data -- and I got pregnant in the middle of this and had a baby, which took a bit of time away. So I was reporting back some failures that I didn't want to admit to and although I'm still not happy with my outcomes, I do think I'll have at least one publication and a poster presentation from my efforts. And it's off my plate so I don't have to worry about it anymore! :) (well other than the publications...)

Thankfully I have a number of years of previous exams, so I was able to put the test together this morning. I hate when I write tests at the last minute, but there may be some benefit to my students. I'm often too pressed for time to add additional questions, and probably end up writing less in-depth questions because they're easier to write. :) That, or maybe I just write really confusing questions! I suppose we'll see once I get these graded...

So yes, it was a month of putting off what I knew was to come, and a weekend of family time over work and school. But I made it and it's a new month and new week with a new, very long list of to-do's...

Baby Laughs

2010-10-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

Make the world go 'round.

Harvest Festival

2010-10-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

Rather than crashing the corn maze again we decided to hit up the harvest festival today that North End Organic Nursery (old Hillside Nursery) was having. Addie has been a bit under the weather so I didn't want a major outing, but wanted to at least get her out of the house and she was dying to go. Corn maze seemed like a lot of work and I didn't feel like packing her AND Bubby through the whole thing. The boys (that's Loren and Ryan) went golfing this morning, but were done by the time we got ready to go, so they came too (not by their choice). Although she was adamant to go, I think our timing was off because Addie really needed a nap. Thus we didn't stay long and she didn't play much.

She did sport her costume. Have you ever seen a sadder butterfly/garden fairy?

We of course had to get photos with the giant chair. Here are Ryan and Cassie.

And me, Bubby, and Cassie. Would Addie get on the chair? Absolutely not.

She was stuck to Daddy the whole time (hence the reason I made him come).

Bubby did do a bit of swinging. And gagging himself (the norm).

I really thought cotton candy would make it all better. She did like it (this was her first experience), but really was a bit of a crab the entire day. Mommy and Daddy's patience was about lost there for a bit (I'm feeling rejuvenated now that she's sleeping).

So that was our Saturday. A cranky toddler, Scentsy sniffing, some swinging (they had a bounce house, mind you) and cotton candy, some pizza and beer, a bit of gabbing, some knitting (finished Hayden's hat -- will take pics tomorrow), and some football and baseball watching. Hoping to do some cleaning tomorrow along with Chicago Connection (yes, pizza two days in a row -- oh darn) and really should do some homework (ugh).

I just had to post this because I love how he just crashes out. Precious.

Reflective Learning: Numero Uno

2010-10-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

I think you may be able to classify this as a new buzzword -- basically a way of saying taking some time to think about (reflect) on a learning experience. I've decided to try some of this with my students this year. One of the things I find with students is that they get so focused on the day-to-day tasks that they rarely (if ever) take time to stop and reflect on their learning experience. Supposedly this has a positive effect and I can guess why -- so I'm requiring they write once a week in a reflective learning journal. What I was really hoping the students would do is 1) make connections between classes, 2) get out some frustrations and reflect on struggles, and 3) take some time to acknowledge their hard work. Every class our students take is required for a specific reason, and outside of core, that reason is to train them for the workforce and to take the RHIT exam. So, you can imagine, many of the classes overlap in places. However, when students are "in the trenches" I think sometimes they overlook this and put dividers up between classes. I'm hoping that by requiring them to reflect on everything they may make some connections. Most of my students are going to school full-time while working and many have families -- that's a lot of stress and they need to blow off some steam. I'm hoping a journal will help them do this in a healthier manner than saying something outloud in the heat of the moment that they might regret later. This semester is a hard time and the students work really hard. I know for myself, sometimes putting accomplishments in writing can encourage me to give myself the pat on the back that I deserve. So, to my point (for those of you reading this wondering why the heck I'm blogging about it) -- I've decided if I'm going to require it of my students, I should do it too. So this is my first reflective learning blog entry and I will try to do them weekly, just as I require of my students.

Since this is my first, I want to be a bit general and just reflect on my role as a teacher (which is a constant learning experience) and as a student currently (as opposed to the student I used to be). First, my teaching reflection. I love my job. And I'm not just saying this because a student might read it (I'm going to be sure to share this with them, as they are sharing theirs with me). Someone just the other day questioned if anyone looks forward to going to work and I said that do. I love education and am incredibly passionate about it. I really do enjoy the HIM field and liked my first job (in the field) as a coder, but I remember feeling like I needed something with more meaning. I wanted to feel as though I made a difference. And although my students may hate me right now (as I bombard them with homework and exams), I know that I'm making a difference in their future. Maybe not personally (meaning that I don't take full credit and am by no means the only or main catalyst), but I am helping them achieve a goal that will hopefully help them fulfill themselves. It's so great getting that email stating "I got a job!" or "I passed the RHIT!" or "I'm coming back to school." I love running into graduates and hearing what they're doing. Now there are definitely times when I'm a little down on work (like right now, only because I'm behind) and there are certain aspects I don't like (like boring meetings or seeing a student struggle), but overall I really love it. And it's not just a "job" to me. I don't go for a paycheck. I don't clock in and clock out. I live my job constantly. I'm always thinking about what I need to be doing, about new ideas for the classroom, about things I promised students that I forgot to do (like post a study guide). It used to consume me almost entirely, but I've done much better since having the kids of separating work and home. I feel like I have a perfect balance right now (although I'll admit work does suffer a bit more than it used to - but I've found that, for the most part, if I'm flexible with my students, they are flexible with me).

That perfect balance, however, does not seem to be carrying to my life as a student. I used to be SUCH a good student. Most would probably call me a brown-noser. I always went to class, I paid attention (never slept), I studied, I did all my homework, I was often the first one done, I got great grades...not quite so anymore. The nerd in me won't let me entirely slack off, but I'm so much different than I used to be. I put everything until the last minute. I haven't even logged on to my class for a week (and we have continuous discussion boards). I have a literature review due at the end of the month that I've only barely started on. But the craziest part is -- I'm still ahead of most of the students in the class. I think we're all in that crazy boat of working full-time, most with families, while trying to go to school. I have a new appreciation for my students now that I have children too. I had the luxury of being a traditional undergraduate -- no kids, only worked a couple days a week, lived either on or very near campus. It is so much work to balance everything and it often means at least one has to suffer.

I suppose my main reflection points this week are 1) I love teaching and am incredibly thankful for the path that has been placed in front of me (this is not at all the destiny I chose for myself -- I was simply given opportunities and was thankfully smart enough to take them) and 2) being a student is a lot of work and those of you who are students should give yourselves a pat on the back and those of you who know a student should really be proud and show/tell them that.

Til next time...

Drowning

2010-10-20T20:16:00.000-07:00

I was doing so good...then a couple days of being sick and now I can't seem to get caught up. I came home and asked Loren if he felt like he was drowning like I am and he said yes (but he thinks it takes less for him to feel this way). Ugh. The house is a disaster. Stuff everywhere, loads of laundry, dishes that can't seem to all make it into the dishwasher, a floor covered in whatever the dogs track in. I'm not getting my exercise. I never have the motivation to make an appropriate dinner (thank goodness Loren makes sure we're fed). I haven't done any of my own schoolwork for a week. My days at work are entirely taken up by emails, advising, and class prep -- nevermind the test I need to write, the 3 research projects I have going, the clinical phone calls I need to make, my disaster of an office...When do all these talented mamas I know have to time to knit/sew/dye/cook all these wonderful creations?? It's midterm time and it seems I am suffering the mid-semester stress that seems to always ail faculty and students. I'll get there, I always do. :) One day at a time...

Goofin' Around

2010-10-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

Just some fun pics to share.

Me and my girl.

She would pose and I would copy her.

Me and Bubby.

He got pretty excited about these pics.

Talkin' to the camera.

Did you notice my sweet Transformers shirt? $0.50 score at ReStyle.

My munchkins.

Pinching cheeks.

Crashed out.

It's pajama time!

Note: I usually avoid putting up pics of Addie with her binky - I never intended for her to have one past the age of 2. But I was pregnant with no energy so I didn't want to put up the fight. Then Bubby came and I didn't want to add to the already major transition. So I think the time is fastly approaching. Yes, I'm avoiding it...

This was too cute not to post. These were Addie's old pjs.

Just a couple shots from Cassie's pumpkin party.

Can you tell Loren's a bit smitten?

Looks at those sweet lips.

Feel free to be jealous of the cuteness I am constantly surrounded by... ;)

New (to me). Local. Delicious.

2010-10-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

I have to market two new local favorites I tried this week. One is Tree City, a small smoothie place by BSU (off Capitol). I actually tried them a few weeks ago, but forgot to make my recommendations. This little place is locally owned, uses local products, uses whole fruits in their smoothies, makes a lot of their own stuff (including their tortillas, almond milk, and potato chips), has a great healthy menu, and is delicious! The options for smoothies are a bit overwhelming -- I almost wish they had a "grab bag" where they just surprise you because they all look great. My only complaint is that the entree menu is rather limited (but tasty). I really hope they last. They're in a location that hasn't had much luck in the past. Go check them out!

The other place we tried was Golden Wheel. Yes, that old drive-in off Fairview -- I know, it's been there forever, but we had never been! We decided to try it Friday after spending 2 hours in the park taking pictures (thank you Erin! can't wait to see them!). I had a hamburger, sweet potato fries, and a shake. Hamburger was deliciously non-greasy. Sweet potato fries were tasty with sweet marshmallow dip. And the shake -- oh the shake -- a cowpie shake (chocolate ice cream with oreos, caramel, and whip cream) -- sinful! Everything was so good I wanted to go back the new day. I did, in fact, stop by today just to inhale another heavenly shake. Definitely a new regular for us. :)

The next local place on my list (of new-to-me ones yet to try) is Boobies. Any other locally-owned recommendations?

Breakin' the Law, Breakin' the Law

2010-10-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

Last year Cassie and I took Addie to the corn maze (actually Hayden too, I just didn't know it at the time), so we decided to go again this year. She has class and work on Saturdays, so we decided Sunday was the best day. We planned on today, but she had a funeral, so I called in Grandma (my mom) as back-up. I had already purchased tickets for Farmstead so my mom met me in Meridian and we headed out. To Kuna. Where it was last year. I am friends with them on Facebook and had recently looked at their website, so I didn't think twice about it. We get to Kuna to find a sign that says they've moved to Eagle and Overland. So we turn around and head that direction. We find it and drive in to see only a few cars. Yay, we picked a great day! We park, unload, and head in. Hmm, no concessions are open. Maybe they don't run them on Sunday. Wait, no one is at the gate to take our ticket. I guess they're closed. But people were still walking around, so we headed in. I called Loren to check and see if they open at all on Sunday (no) and if Linder (the other corn maze) was open (no). Why wouldn't they be open on Sunday? Seems to me like they're losing out on some good business. But everyone was walking around enjoying what was available -- the corn pit, the jumping pillow, and the animals.

We probably spent at least an hour there, commenting on how nice it was for them to leave some attractions open even when no one was there.

We were coming out of the mini maze when we saw police officers. Apparently they didn't mean to leave ANY attractions open -- it appears they forgot to close the gate and we were trespassing. Oops! Nothing like breaking the law with Grandma and two kids in tow. ;) Rebels! At least we weren't the only ones who 1) didn't bother to check that they were open Sunday and 2) decided to stay and enjoy the day anyway. There were still people driving in as we left.

So Farmstead, I apologize for trespassing, but I must say that the time we enjoyed there eased my irritation of driving to the old location (would it be too much to ask to put a nice big "We've Moved" sign on your website?) and not being open on Sunday (you're only open for a month, why not take full advantage?). I still have 2 pre-paid passes, so we may be back on Saturday (as I did not yet get to enjoy the actual corn maze). And if I do indeed come back, I am sure I will spend enough money at concessions to make up for the few items taken advantage of today. Although Addie is really the only one that enjoyed anything today and she's free!

Add Author to the Resume

2010-10-15T08:13:00.001-07:00

Check this out: https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=15005

One of my roles as faculty is to conduct research and get articles published. I don't have a research background and am not in a field that is very research intense, so it's an area in my career that I've struggled with a bit. Luckily I have great colleagues that have helped me along. A coworker, Tedd, was kind enough to let me help him with this particular publication. It actually started as a chapter for a larger book concerning PTSD (and still is part of that larger book), but the publisher asked if they could also publish it as a book by itself. I'm not sure it's anything that will ever sell (I know, I know, you're surprised it's not flying off the shelves), but it's pretty darn cool to be an author (although I must really give most of the credit to Tedd). I continue to be amazed at the opportunities I'm given each day, especially when I originally had no aspirations higher than obtaining my Bachelor's (not to undermine that achievement -- I think that's a great goal by itself). I never aspired to be a teacher or be in education, but I now wonder why I hadn't considered it -- hello, I'm a total nerd that loves school; what better setting for me?? :)

Zoo Travels, 16lb-er, Pumpkins, Fiber Love, and Baby Smiles

2010-10-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

Just an update on October so far...

I had the brilliant idea of going to the zoo on the day of See Spot Walk. We hit the walk on our way down and got diverted, drove around the entire park looking for parking (to no avail), then had to stop for gas and food (apparently dad can't eat before we leave), parked over at BSU, loaded up all our stuff and trekked across the river to discover that See Spot Walk was getting over and there were lots of parking spots open. :) Oh well, it was a nice walk.

Here is Bubby enjoying the zoo.

And Addie digging for dinosaur bones. Okay, she was just piling the dirt on the edge and making a mess of herself.

Dad having SO much fun. :)

Addie munching on her bag of Bugles she picked out when dad stopped for food.

And the ever elusive pic of the mother with the children (and a kimodo dragon!).

We missed probably half of the zoo (we go a lot and have a membership, so no biggie), dealt with some toddler fits, and couldn't leave without hitting the giftshop, but overall I nice outing with the family. :)

Hayden had his 4-month appointment last week. 16lb 11oz -- 82nd percentile for weight and 96th for height. We were taking bets on his weight and actually all guessed too high -- lugging that boy around gets tiring! :) My dad was closest with 16lb 12oz. He's doing great, although he does have a flat spot on the side of his head, so we're making an effort to lay him on his other side. He's not quite rolling over yet (every time he tries I think it's the one) and isn't supporting himself on his legs yet (really doesn't seem interested), but I'm in no hurry. He's still a sweet laid back ham that loves any attention, adores his sister, and melts my heart.

We got to visit my friend, Becky, who just had her 3rd baby, Mr. Brody. Adorable! I can't believe Hayden was ever that small (they were the exact same weight at birth - and that was only 4 months ago!). We hit up McDonald's so the mobile ones could get some energy out and then played at Becky's. Hayden slept the majority of the time, but Addie had a blast with Cameron and Tucker. Mostly uneventful other than Addie pouring ice water into Brody's carseat (yes, before we left McDonald's) and having a fit when it was time to leave because she couldn't escape with multiple stolen items. Ah, the joys of toddlers.

Saturday I hit the SmartyPants consignment half-off sale and bought way more clothes than I needed to. I can't resist. They're so cute! FYI - I bought Hayden 24m pjs and they fit! Such a chunk. :) We also went to Liam's 3rd birthday party. Addie had a blast in the bounce house and I enjoyed good company and tasty food while Loren caught the attention of some other moms at how good of a dad he is and Hayden hung out with the other babies.

Sunday we had a pumpkin carving/painting party, but it really just ended up being us and Amy, so I'm not sure you can qualify it as a "party". But we had fun! My dad brought over home-grown pumpkins, some paper pumpkins for coloring, and some paint and carving tools. My mom also brought over some carving tools. Amy brought the kids for a day of play and mess (and some delicious cake too).

Addie is working on her pumpkin, accompanied by her dinosaur, of course (who paints without their dinosaur??).

Why stop at painting a pumpkin when you can paint your hand, your tricycle... (yes, the dinosaur got painted too)

We of course had to get out a Halloween costume. This isn't actually her costume this year, but it fits. Liam wore it too, but his pic is on my phone, which I haven't uploaded yet.

Madi was her usual doll self, playing mommy with Hayden here.

Our masterpieces. From left to right: Alex's, Addie's, Hayden's (carved by myself and my dad), Liam's, and Madi's.

Alex's pumpkin.

Addie's.

Liam's.

Madi's.

This is Addie's again. I just thought this pic was neat.

I started feeling crummy yesterday, so the kids and I had a lazy day. I did finish Ryan's hat (his birthday isn't until the 20th, but I let him have it yesterday). The pic doesn't do it justice -- the yarn is beautiful. More yarn dyed by my friend Chelsea (check out Plum Street Fiber Art on Etsy). I'm hoping this time I have enough to make a hat for Hayden. Ryan loved it.

I'm feeling a little better today, but still not up to teaching for 3 hours, so I decided to stay home. Being sick has forced me to slow down and enjoy some cuddle time with my little man. He's a pretty sweet little guy...

This is what I cast on yesterday. More yarn from Chelsea. This time it's for me. :) A shawl. First time doing lacework, so we'll see how it goes. I really should be working on some gifts, but I'm so excited to see this knit up. :)