Happy Birthday Nana!!

As per your request, here are some pictures from Christmas Eve.... We missed you guys!!

Scary Santa's

Owen's picture last year

A little nervous this year.  Nana had to sit with him.

This year ..... take two

I will do anything to avoid my household responsibilities.  This includes figuring out how to use my new scanner and sharing with everyone the adorable holiday tradition shared by millions of people.  The picture with Santa.  Later on in life we will look back and remember exactly where we were when these were taken.  I love seeing how much he has grown between this year and last year.  

Frosty the Snowman

Owen's new favorite holiday song.  He sings it everyday and we also have to watch the old cartoon on youtube.  He knows it's on the computer and not the tv.  He's incredibly perceptive. He's also inclined to belt out Jingle Bells every now and then as well.  One of these days I'll try to record it and post it on here.  It's pretty funny.

I can't believe it's already the tenth of December.  Last year around this time, we were preparing to spend two weeks in Fiji.  Wouldn't that be nice to look forward to right about now??  I would love to be at the villa in Pacific Harbor.

Last weekend was Mandy's first annual Gaudy Christmas party.  A fun time was had by all and although it was a small, intimate gathering, it was spent with friends and a lot of laughter was shared (at my expense, but I'm over it).  

Christmas is right around the corner, and shortly after that we will be celebrating the start of another new year.  Why do they all seem to go by so fast these days?  I've been thinking about some serious resolutions and the one I think I'm going to focus on the most is graduate school.  I've been talking about it for years, but its high time I actually make something happen.  My child is old enough to benefit from spending some time around other kids.  My husband and I have no plans to add to our brood anytime soon, therefore, why not further educate myself and spend my time a bit more productively? 

BTW, funny story.  Last week, while watching frosty on youtube with my sister, something upset Owen and he began crying hysterically.  Still, to this day, we don't know what upset him, but it was almost like he was in pain.  While he was crying so hard he also began coughing.  I was trying my best to calm him down, but he wasn't being comforted by anything I did.  And then ....... he threw up.  It wasn't small (he just had a juice box) and it was projectile.  His aim was amazing.  Directly down the front of my v-neck shirt.  I've never seen anything like it.  

Once I had him settled down and with my sister, I took my clothes off to get in the shower. There, right above my belly button, was a grape stuck to my stomach.

That's the funny part. 

Happy Holidays!!

Owen showing some school spirit

All the kids on Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving.  It started out with a surprise visit from Nana.  She was able to come down for a few days before leaving to go back to Germany.  It was nice to have her here and she helped me tremendously by getting the raw turkey ready for roasting.  And by that I mean pulling out all the stuff they put inside, yuck!! 

 

It was a really nice holiday, probably one of my favorites.  Alika got the results from his scan back and he is cancer FREE!!  We are so excited and couldn't be more thankful for this wonderful news.  The only bad part is that means he will be getting the green light to go home soon and we have really enjoyed having him here.  It wasn't always hospitals and chemotherapy.  We had some fun and games mixed in as well and we'll miss him dearly.  But, we wish him luck back in Hawaii and we can't wait to visit.

Patricia threw an adorable baby shower for Malia on Saturday.  I forgot how cute newborn clothes are.  It almost, almost, made me want to have another baby.  If Patricia has one, I'll have one.

I'm still recovering from a very busy, fun filled weekend.  We were barely home and I've been doing everything in my power to avoid vacuuming, but alas, it must be done.  Hope everyone had a great holiday!!

The wait is finally over

Last night when I went to work there was a huge line on the second floor.  It wrapped all around the entire food court and it took me a few minutes to realize what they were all waiting for..... Twilight.

I read the books -- all four of them.  I think it was a total of some 2,000 pages, at least.  I will probably go see the movie and, this is the first time I have ever said this, but I really, really hope the movie is better than the book.

I don't mean to be a hater.  I just (for lack of a better word) hated the books.  I can't help it.  I thought they were completely unrealistic and I'm not even talking about the storyline (hello?? vampires and werewolves???).   I'm talking about the relationship built between the two main characters. 

First off, and I don't mean any offense, but I'm not a huge fan of the main character, Bella.  I actually started the book and put it down because I couldn't get past her pointless thoughts in the first chapter.  Ugh....

Second, the dialogue that takes place between the two of them is totally far fetched.  Not only do teenagers not talk to each other like that, but I think it gives young women the wrong idea about young men.  

That's probably my biggest complaint.  I cringe at the thought of all the impressionable, young girls out there reading these books and just imagining that there is actually someone who will treat them like Edward Cullen treats his Bella.  It is all a fantasy and not anywhere close to a reality.

The reality is, most men think about three things: Sports, Cars, and you know what (this is a family blog) FOOD      hee hee

I have decided I hate the colors the rooms are painted in my house.  

Instead of repainting, however, I would prefer to pack up and move to a new house. 

 I painted them almost four years ago and I didn't do a very good job picking out the colors, or keeping the edges straight and it is really beginning to drive me crazy.  

Why didn't I pick more neutral colors??

I have a greater appreciation now for wireless internet than I did in the past.  As I write this, I am sitting at my dining room table staring at a pile of laundry I have yet to fold.  My thought is this: perhaps if its directly in front of me, it has a better chance of being folded if I can continue to see it out of the corner of my eye.  We'll see how that works out.

Tahnie's younger brother got married this weekend.  Its been awhile since JJ and I have been to a wedding.  It was a lovely sunset ceremony and it made me want to get married again.  I think my favorite part about weddings are the flowers.  And the cake.  I love cake.

Thanksgiving is coming up and, as usual, there are about 30 people coming over to my dad's house for dinner.  I've volunteered for the first time, ever, to make a turkey (one of three) and I'm a little nervous as to how it will turn out.  I found a good recipe in Food and Wine magazine that doesn't look too complicated..... so I'm going to give it a shot.  From what other people have told me, the turkey is the easiest part.  My plan is to make my other two dishes the day before so I can give this turkey my full, undivided attention.  I'm a little stressed about it, but the saving grace is that there's two other turkeys, and a ham, so if mine's not edible, at least we won't starve.

Owen's been really into taking bubble baths lately.  I tried to look for kid friendly bubbles at the store the other day, but they all smell like bubble gum, grape or watermelon.  So I've been using bath and body works shower gel and he always smells so good.  Even in the morning, when he wakes up, you can still smell it on his hair.  I love that.

Planet Unicorn

I will never spray my hair like that again.  My scalp was pink for days afterwards......

Give it up for White Blood Cells!!

Halloween was a huge success on all accounts.  Owen was able to grasp the concept of trick or treating rather quickly.  He and JJ went out for awhile and I stayed home to pass out candy.  They came back to call it a night and Owen decided he wasn't quite done yet, and they went around the block again.  We had a fun time for Cody's last big birthday bash.  Our costumes were so much fun and very creative as far as I was concerned.  The only bad part about the entire night was when a certain someone, who shall remain nameless, wouldn't let me play the cd's that I specifically made for Cody and his birthday.  How rude is that?  This certain person was trying to play the cd's that he made for him instead.  In my mind I was thinking, ok, I've known him since I was 13 and I think I have a pretty good handle on what kind of music he likes and what would make him laugh on his birthday.  I didn't want to cause more drama than what was already being created, so I kept my mouth shut and let him play his lame cd's.  Boo!!

When I woke up this morning, I knew it was going to be a good day.  I got out of bed early, before JJ went to work, so I could vote without having a toddler in tow.  When I drove up to our polling place, there was a line out the door and halfway through the parking lot.  So, I went home, hoping to make it back there at a time a little less crowded.  And I did.  I think my husband was secretly hoping I wouldn't be able to vote today, either because of my child, or my lack of patience, but I did it and I feel good about my contribution to this election.  Unfortunately, because I had Owen with me, I was only able to vote on the issues that I found the most important.  I sat him down, underneath the table I used to fill out my ballot, and let him play with my wallet.  This usually keeps him occupied for at least five solid minutes.  He was being so good and quiet....I should have known something was up.  I looked down and he wasn't there anymore.  He was on his way out -- halfway to the parking lot to be exact.  I grabbed my ballot and the credit cards that were scattered underneath the table and went after him.  Somebody actually called after me to tell me I needed to leave my ballot there and I couldn't take it outside.  I was a little miffed.  I mean, I want to vote, but my priority is obviously to keep my child out of harms way at all times.  

I also knew it was going to be a good day when I spoke to my dad this morning and he told me that Alika's white blood cell count went from 130 yesterday to a staggering 1100 today!!  For those of you who are not up to speed, Alika has been in the hospital for the past three weeks and after undergoing a near fatal dose of chemotherapy, he is finally on the cusp of recovery.  As long as his count stays above 500 for the next three days, he can be released on Friday.  We are ecstatic!!  I have had the opportunity to visit him a few times while in the hospital, and it was difficult, to say the least, to watch him during this transformation.  He went from being his usual jovial self,  joking about the food and watching the Broncos loose, to practically incoherent due to all the medication being pumped into his system.  It was the first time, throughout this whole experience, that I have actually seen him exhibit physical signs of his illness.  My heart goes out to you, Alika.  You are an inspiration to everyone in this family, as well as to all your friends.  I truly hope this is the end of the unfortunate relationship created between you and this disease.  Get that slugger ready.....by the end of the year we will be organizing a celebratory trip somewhere in honor of you beating this cancer and coming through a champ.  How does Vegas sound?  We just have to get you past Debbie first :)

Happy Birthday Codes!!

Today we are trick or treating early because my mom and Ruben are spending Halloween in Cabo. Yeah, I feel bad for them too. Maybe one of these days we'll make it back there again.

We spent the morning at Desert Ridge. We went there to meet up with a friend of mine and let the kids play. It was fun.....until Owen discovered the splash pad water fountain and got soaked. He was having the best time laughing and playing all by himself. It was cute, but he was wet.

Sunday was spent at Cody's Birthday Brunch. The first of several parties planned to celebrate the big 3-0. Crystal put on a really great party. It was good food, good people, and overall a lot of fun. Its always nice to meet and hang out with his "other" friends. He doesn't usually bring them around that often, but we will all be together again for his next party on Friday night. We decided to play a mean trick on him and shove his face in the cake. I don't think he thought it was that funny, but the rest of us did. Its nice to make fun of yourself every once in awhile and I think he realized that once he got over the initial shock of the whole thing.

Helen and Hal sent a nice Halloween package to Owen the other day. It included a wonderful police motorcycle that he pushes around the house and it also has a button that when pushed blares a police siren. It also says "Stop! Police!" in German. That has been his number one toy for the past two days and I'm about to hide it. I need a break from the siren. They also sent a quiet toy in the form of a soccer ball and he's been kicking that around the backyard.

Malia will be here this weekend along with her ever expanding baby bump. She found out on Monday she's having a boy and she's excited, although she really thought it was a girl. I think she thought maybe they made a mistake. We're going to get her registered this weekend and I hope she's not too overwhelmed. We'll see.....

Happy Halloween!!

My most pressing problems of the past week have been solved. I bought a flight suit for Owen at a thrift store in Pinetop last July and completely forgot about it until Brooke found it in the back of his closet. He's going to be a pilot for Halloween and he loves it. If he's happy.....I'm happy.

After continued correspondence with a very nice and polite woman who, of all things, custom makes horns and masks from her home in Oregon, she has agreed to make me three unicorn horns in a color that isn't even offered on her website. She promised to finish them this weekend and send them out priority mail on Monday, which was yesterday. So, I'm happy to say that they should be arriving any day and they did NOT cost an arm and a leg.

The only thing I have yet to accomplish is my new computer. Believe me, its driving me crazy.

I need a unicorn horn!!

I know, I know.....I've been way behind on my posts. October has just been such a busy month for us. And November is going to be even worse.
The weather is finally starting to change out here. It's been so nice and super comfortable outside. There is definitely a sense of fall in the air. Wherever we go, we are bombarded with Halloween decorations as well as pumpkins and other fall related items. It reminds me that Christmas is just around the corner and then all the wind is promptly knocked out of me. Another year gone by already.....almost anyway. I don't remember the years going by this fast when I was younger. It's probably because I was in such a hurry to grow up.

I have been going back and forth about what Owen should be for Halloween. At first, I wanted him to be a turtle, but then the costume looked a little too babyish for him. I mean, he's a big boy now, right? So, I found him the cutest little cowboy costume and he wants nothing to do with it. And I mean nothing....I tried to put it on him to make sure it fit and he was literally kicking and screaming the whole time and yelling "NO NO NO". He keeps saying he wants to be a monkey, which is what he was last year. I know he has a good memory, but I seriously doubt he remembers he was a monkey for Halloween. Who knows....stranger things have happened I guess. He is really excited to trick or treat. I think we'll just take him over to Uncle Kevin's and Gram and Tata's house and maybe the next door neighbor's. But he already knows what he's supposed to say on Halloween and he knows this holiday has something to do with scary stuff. We carved a pumpkin last night (sorry Crystal), and now this pumpkin has become his best friend. We haven't put it outside yet. Its actually sitting on the kitchen table. So he sees his pumpkin when he eats and he says hi to it periodically throughout the day. The pumpkin patch we went to is right off the 51 and Lincoln. It was really nice and they had a huge selection. Its a church that's raising money for people to go to Mexico and build houses for the needy. Anyway, we got there at about five minutes to seven and they close at seven. The woman running the place (quite clearly volunteering) was nice enough to let us take our time and pick out the perfect pumpkin, as well as take pictures, etc. When we went to pay for it, she told us that a few minutes before we got there, a man came through and bought a pumpkin and he paid for it with a counterfeit fifty dollar bill!! He bought a four dollar pumpkin and she gave him $46 dollars change. Isn't that horrible??!! Can you believe someone would do that to a church fundraiser? That man just bought himself a one way ticket straight to Hell.
Cody is celebrating his birthday on Halloween so I have to come up with a really good costume. I think I'm going to be a unicorn, but the horn I wanted is sold out. If anyone has any idea how to make a unicorn horn, I'm desperate for suggestions.

I've been reading the Twilight series and I have to say, I don't know what all the hype is about. I mean, they're good books, don't get me wrong, but I'm not sure I would recommend them to other people my age. I'm not sure I would recommend them to my teenage cousins either, for that matter. I have about two hundred pages left in the last book so I guess I should reserve my comments for my formal write up.

Today is the big day for the new macbooks. We're going to take a trip to the apple store after dinner and hopefully my next post will be from our new computer. Keep your fingers crossed!!

Paka thinks he is so funny

We had lunch at Dad's house the other day and he thought it would be a wonderful idea to give his grandson a temporary tattoo. He did this almost a week ago and it still looks brand new. I have soaped him and lathered him and even scrubbed his arm and its not going anywhere. In case you can't read what it says ( in jailhouse cursive writing) underneath the elegant bouquet of roses, it says "Freedom". At first, I thought it said "Rebel" so Owen was walking around the house saying "I'm a rebel!" and pointing to his arm. I have to admit, it was funny, for the first couple of days or at least through the weekend. Now, I'm ready for it to disappear. And, yes, that is a sword that the flowers and ribbon are wrapped around.....ugh!!

We have been very busy lately. Owen started his music class and it is soooo hippie-ish. It's a group of about ten parents and children that come together and sing songs and play some instruments. I felt a bit uncomfortable at first with all the adult participation, but its getting a little easier. There are some people in the class that are definitely having more fun than their children. I think they signed up for themselves and not their kids. We do have to sing and dance along, which I don't mind, but there is one mother in the class that is using this time to practice for her American Idol audition. She's a total Whitney Houston wannabe. Needless to say, she's one of the people having more fun with the class than her son. JJ was working from home this morning, so I made him go with me. He was totally uncomfortable the whole time. I loved it!!

We've been having a lot of fun with Alika lately. Its been nice having him here and he's slept on our couch for the past two weekends. But he did get some bad news in that he has to have another week of chemo starting on Monday. We were hoping he could get right down to the bone marrow transplant, but he'll have to wait and see after next week. Stay strong, Alika xxoo!!

Thanks to everyone who made it to our end of summer pool party on Saturday. As usual, a good time was had by all. I only have one bruise left on my arm, but its fading fast. I can't remember if I got it during the cannonball contest, or when I was practicing my dolphin kick like Michael Phelps......

auf Wiedersehen! (that's goodbye in German for those of you who don't watch Project Runway)

We had a lovely visit with Helen this past weekend. She got here Saturday night and was able to stay until Tuesday evening. She left from here and was going straight to Germany. I'm not sure when we'll see her again :( Maybe Christmas? I know she won't be able to stay away from Owen for long. She arrived just in time to babysit while I went to see Hall & Oates in concert Saturday night. Let's just say it was less than stellar. I was actually quite disappointed in their performance. I was really looking forward to it and it was a total let down. They didn't play a lot of songs I knew (while I was there -- we skipped out early), but the part of their performance I did see seemed to lack energy. It just wasn't what I was expecting. But a warm, heartfelt thanks goes out to Joanna for getting us the tickets!!
Everyone came over for dinner at our house on Sunday and Helen made curry. It was soooo good and Patricia was nice enough to point out that my curry doesn't taste anything like Helen's. I'm not taking it personally..... I've only made it once, as opposed to once a week for years and years. I definitely need some practice, though, and I'm not giving up.
I finished reading The Innocent Man by John Grisham. It's a gripping true story about a man falsely imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. I thought it was an excellent portrayal of the injustices that occur within our judicial system on a daily basis. But the whole life story of this man is tragic and its not just about his false imprisonment, but the horrible hand he was dealt in life. This is not a feel good story with a happy ending, but one I would recommend none the less.
My son has decided that he no longer likes to have his diaper changed. He's 18 months old and I thought, fine, we'll just have to start with the potty training. But, no, he is not fond of the potty I bought for him and he refuses to sit on a regular toilet. He does love to flush, but we can't spend all day flushing the toilet, can we? Suggestions, please!!?? He is kicking and screaming when I try to put him on his changing table and holding onto me for dear life. I've also tried the "time out" route (when he behaves like that), but he thinks it's funny and has since started putting himself in time-out periodically throughout the day.
Helen, we loved having you. We hope you guys are getting settled and we'll talk to you soon!!

Dad, I am so sorry! I know you have been bugging me about not updating and I feel really bad about being behind lately. Its been a pretty busy week or two and we had a very full weekend as well. Saturday was Princess Gigi's first birthday and I have never seen anything like it. Patricia has totally outdone herself, as usual, but all the decorations were adorable and all the kids had a really good time.
I just finished reading The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. That's probably why I haven't updated in so long. It was really good. Sort of like a juicy, gossip filled, soap opera set in the fifteen hundreds. I couldn't put it down and now I really want to see the movie.
The rest of our weekend was pretty uneventful. JJ played golf on Sunday and Brooke and Tahnie came over for margaritas by the pool. Monday was spent running errands and picking up the house. We did end up at Dad's house for dinner and a cut throat tournament in Wii bowling. Alika won, of course. I think he's had some extra time to practice. Mariocart was way better, but I officially came in last every single time we raced.
Owen has his first ear infection. The other day he just wasn't acting like himself.....very upset, crying, etc. Then he started pointing to his ear. We went to the doctor yesterday and, sure enough, it's infected. He's going to be on antibiotics for the next ten days, but I think he's already starting to feel better.
For some reason, I have no energy this week. I'm tired and I don't want to do anything but read (even though I just finished my book and I have yet to start another one). I think maybe it has something to do with the weather. I'm ready for it to cool off so Owen and I can start riding our bike again in the mornings.
I'm excited for this weekend. I think Helen will be paying us a visit before she makes her move over the pond. Owen can't wait to see his Nana!!

Happy Birthday to us!!

My cry for help has finally been answered. Due to some serious generosity, JJ and I are the proud owners of a new Mac laptop!! I will never own a pc again. The day after we replaced the hard drive it was already infected with viruses.
We had a pretty busy weekend. Malia was here and it was great to see her, but right now she's a little under the weather. Baby McCabe is making her feel a little down in the dumps. There wasn't a day I saw her that she wasn't feeling either tired or nauseous. It gets better .... I promise.
Dad and Debbie had a big birthday BBQ for all of us at their house Saturday night. It was nice to get everyone together and we had a lot of fun. It's on occasions such as this that I'm grateful my family gets along, and by that I mean my parents. All of them. Dad, Debbie, Mom and Ruben. Not everyone is as lucky as we are to have two separate sets of parents that are friendly and can function around each other. My dad and Ruben are playing golf together this weekend and I know my mom and Debbie have spoken on the phone recently. It's a huge relief, if you ask me. They are finally acting like adults.
I got the go ahead from JJ to go back to work. The question I'm asking myself now is, what am I going to do?? I have a feeling graduate school is in my near future instead of a job. Hopefully I can get the green light for that too.
I'm desperate for a new book to read. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know asap!!
BTW, I re-read I Know this Much is True by Wally Lamb. I loved it. Don't be afraid of the 900 page length because it goes by fast and the story is gut wrenching. He is excellent at character development as well as plot direction. The amount of research that went in to writing this book is astounding. It probably took him years.
I'm currently reading a collection of short (true) stories by the guy who wrote Fight Club and I'm not impressed. I'm actually extremely bored. Let's hope it gets better.

ugh

So .... we have purchased and installed a new hard drive. Yay! The bad news is .... I have no idea when I will be able to post pictures because my computer no longer recognizes my camera and I can't download anything. Unfortunately, you will all have to be satisfied by my quick wit instead.

JJ and I are both a year older. His birthday was the 7th and mine the 10th. I seriously cannot get any older! This absolutely has to stop. Not that I'm into my 30's yet or anything ... I still have a few more years before that big milestone. We did, however, have an excellent birthday dinner and maybe someday I will be able to post pictures.

We've been back from Seattle for almost two weeks and its been pretty non stop. Owen started his swim lessons again and, I swear, you'd think he'd never set foot in a pool before. We basically have to start all over. Hopefully, it won't take him too much longer to feel comfortable in the water again.

I've been pretty addicted to the Olympics since they started about a week ago. I used to watch them when I was a kid, but I was always more interested in the winter Olympics. Maybe my addiction has something to do with all the record breaking, historic events that are taking place in the water cube. I think I need to stop watching, though, because my obsession with swimming is beginning to make me feel completely inactive. It also makes me wish I was capable of winning a gold medal in something ..... ANYTHING!! (JJ, don't bother with the "If drinking wine were an olympic sport....." joke because I'm not laughing) Why couldn't I have become an Olympic swimmer? I am a natural athlete, but it might be a little late for me to start my Olympic career. These people are so athletic and my butt is getting bigger by the second because I can't stop watching them. I'm glad swimming is almost over because I have no interest in watching track and field, and I can finally peel myself away from the constant coverage.

Hope everyone in Seattle is doing well and we miss you guys!!

**upon further research, I have discovered that I am suffering from the "Phelps" effect and its not just me, but millions of other adults and children across the country. Attendence in aquatic centers and clubs across the country is up a staggering 23% since the Olympics started!!

I'm back

I know many of you are anxiously awaiting my next entertaining and informative blog post, but unfortunately our computer is still broken .... please keep your fingers crossed because if it stays broken maybe I can talk my wonderful, generous husband into the Mac that's been on my mind for a while now.  I have so many pictures and stories I want to share from our recent travels and, hopefully, I will know in the next few days if we can save it or not.  It wouldn't be the end of the world.  I've had that computer since college so I think I got my money's worth.  I'm at my dad's right now, visiting with Alika and Tutu now that they're back from Hawaii.  Things seem to be progressing smoothly at the Mayo clinic and they seem happy with the facility as well as the quality care he's been receiving.  More updates and pics soon!!

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. Owen and I spent a week in Detroit Lakes, MN and my grandmother is still on dial up out there. It took forever for this website to load up ..... I wasn't about to try to post anything. When we came home I discovered our computer was broken so I'm doing this quickly on JJ's work laptop. We leave on Thursday for Seattle and I can't wait. It will be nice to see JJ's parents and we love the pacific northwest. I'll try to update while I'm out there, but I'm not making any promises.
Please pray for my brother, Alika. He'll be moving out here shortly to continue his treatments at the Mayo clinic. We love him and he is always in our thoughts.

Holiday!!

We certainly had a busy holiday weekend. JJ was lucky enough to be off Thursday and Friday last week so I took advantage of that and worked all day on Thursday. I'm going to be traveling for almost a month, and my sister will be gone for three weeks so I'm really trying to work when I can.
We had a really nice, mellow 4th of July. Just a few friends came over and there was a little bit of swimming, and maybe a few margaritas as well. Andy and JJ climbed up on the roof to look for fireworks but it was too cloudy. We had to settle for listening to them instead.
The next day we woke up and decided to fulfill our adventurous spirits. We packed up the car, dogs, and the baby and high tailed it out of the heat. We drove up to Payson and went hiking!! Crazy huh? We didn't have a lot going on and we decided to be spontaneous and I'm kind of proud of us for that. It was actually a pretty good time. We got a little bit of a late start, but we weren't in a rush. But the hike that my lovely husband picked out was a small disaster. We went to Tonto Natural Bridge and if any of you have ever been there, you probably know what I mean. It was nice, don't get me wrong, but it was very busy, steep, and slippery, and we had our baby and our dogs. Oh ...... and, we weren't allowed to have our dogs on the trail. I can't tell you how many times I asked JJ if he was sure dogs were allowed. They were allowed alright ..... in the parking lot!! Not on any of the trails. We just went ahead and ignored that little bit of information and took them anyway. It would have been fine too, had we not run into Mr. Park Ranger on our way back out. He was kind enough to let us off on a warning, but had he decided to give us the full punishment, it would have included tickets, fines, and having our dogs quarantined. I think next time we decide to go hiking, I'll be picking the trails. After that, we stopped at a park with a lake and Owen fed some ducks and played for a little while before we made our decent back down to the valley.
I'm going to be busy this week getting ready for Minnesota. Me, Owen, and Sally are all going to visit Great Grandma and Grandpa Paul. We'll be there for a week and I'm understanding its considerably cooler so that's a bonus. I just hope we don't get eaten alive by mosquitos . After that we leave for Seattle so the next month will be a busy one.

story time

Story time takes place a few times a week at the borders bookstore by our house, and it is a really good indoor activity. Today we met Mandy and Marigold for some fun with books and then we all had lunch together. I think it's official: Owen and Marigold belong together. They absolutely adore one another and they were best friends. There were a few tears when Marigold ran up to him and gave him a hug and then they both went crashing to the ground, but it only lasted a few seconds and all was soon forgotten. It's true love!!

FFFRRREEEEEDDDOOOOMMMM!!!!

What a busy weekend ... it pretty much took me until today to recover. Saturday afternoon was little Charlie Duff's baby shower. He isn't out of the hospital yet, but he sure has a lot to come home to. I have never seen so many presents in my life! Something tells me he will have a lot of fun with the jungle theme his parents picked out for him. It was really good to see Shannon as well as a few other old friends. We had a really good time.
Saturday night was the going away party for my dear friend, Tony. He's moving to Orange County to finish his fellowship and I couldn't be more happy for him. I've known him since high school, but we didn't become really good friends until college. He used to have the best house parties. How our lives have changed .... Another good friend came in town for the party, so it was really good to see everybody and spend some time together (thanks JJ). It was an expensive cab ride home, though. I think Mandy picked the only town car in the parking lot.
Sunday night was GEORGE MICHAEL. I have been looking forward to this concert since I bought the tickets, the day they went on sale, and let me tell you, Georgie boy did not disappoint. He hasn't toured North America in seventeen years, and it was probably one of the best concerts I've been to. EVER. Tahnie, Cody and I all sat together, and then we had a few other friends in another section. He sang every song I wanted to hear and he put on a really good show. His voice is amazing and he really is incredibly talented. He writes and produces almost all his music -- it's no wonder he's had such a broad, successful career. I was impressed with all the details from the lighting to what he was wearing; even that fab hairdo he sports still looked good. There were no cameras allowed, but I did take a few pictures and videos with my phone. I just have to figure out how to get them on my computer and I'll be sure to post them. BTW, the person yelling "FREEDOM" in the background is Cody :) If printing doesn't work out for you ..... don't turn to singing.
It seems like this week has gone by really fast. Its already half over. Owen's last swim lesson is on Friday. He'll start again when we get back from our trips, but we're going to miss it. It's become something we both look forward to each week and he's making visible progress.
It's going to be hard to top the events of last weekend, therefore, I don't even plan on trying. The next few days are going to be nice and quiet.
p.s. I had a really good time with Tracey on Saturday night!!

I wish I had a piece of cake

I just finished the New York Times bestseller, I was told there'd be Cake, a collection of essays by Sloane Crosley. I've discovered the difference between essays and short stories is that essays are true. These are actual stories from her life growing up in a middle class family in upstate New York. The essays range from her childhood memories at summer camp to silly adventures in her blossoming adulthood. They definitely take on a lighter tone and don't delve too deeply into any serious subject matter. My favorite essay is called 'You on a Stick' and is about her experience with an old friend from high school. She has not seen this friend in over ten years, but one day she gets a phone call, out of the blue, and the old friend asks her to be a bridesmaid in her upcoming wedding. The results are funny and her narrative voice is original. I've never laughed out loud while reading a book before this one. I enjoyed it and it was a quick, light summer read. Perfect while laying by the pool.
www.sloanecrosley.com

I found a really good deal online for a used 2008 4runner with 1800 miles and I went to talk to our friend Mohamed at Camelback Toyota about it on Friday. The only problem was they had sold it three days before and hadn't been able to take it off the website yet. So, of course, I get talked into buying a brand new car. And then I talked my mom into buying a new car too!! Ruben said she's not allowed to come with me anymore when I go in to "talk" about trading my car in. I don't think that will be a problem, because JJ told me I have to drive this car for the rest of my life. I was so excited when I brought it home that I cleaned out the garage and took a bunch of stuff to goodwill so nothing will be in the way of my brand new car.
The next day I was getting ready to go grocery shopping and I left Owen in his room to play while I got dressed. I must have been gone for no more than two minutes and when I came around the corner I found that he had unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper from JJ's bathroom. He was so cute it was impossible for me to be mad at him. The other day I caught him sneaking back underneath the shelves in the laundry room playing with the backstock paper towels and toilet paper. I'm not sure what his obsession with paper products is, but I'll keep my eye on it.
We had a really nice Father's Day. Everyone went golfing in the morning and then came back to our house to BBQ and swim. We also had to watch the US Open all afternoon which I guess wasn't so bad since it was a pretty historic match up and subsequent playoff. I was rooting for the underdog. In other words, I was hoping anyone but Tiger Woods would win.
It is getting so hot outside I'm not sure what to do with myself. And having a son who enjoys playing in the backyard is becoming increasingly difficult. I think he's getting bored with me and building forts. Suggestions?

Bryn's Book Review

I just finished reading Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. I bought this book a while ago and started reading it once before but I just couldn't get into it. Not too long ago I needed a book to read so I picked it up to give it another try. This time I couldn't put it down. It tells the story of the Stephanides family and their move to America from Greece. The time frame of the story is fragmented. Parts take place in the present as well as the early 1930's and into the 70's. The story covers three generations of this Greek-American family and the narrator is the young granddaughter, Calliope. I can't go into great detail about the story without giving too much away, so I'll spare the specifics. In short, the book was worth reading and entertaining. As I said before, I couldn't put it down. But, it did begin to loose its luster towards the end. It's divided into four "books" and by the fourth book, I was beginning to feel disappointed. I thought there were some very important questions that remained unanswered, as well as some points that were hastily resolved. It was kind of long ... 530 pages, but it went by pretty fast. Overall, though, the book was incredibly imaginative and the subject matter was impressive. Also by Jeffrey Eugenides: The Virgin Suicides

JJ read an entire book in one day

We had a very busy weekend. Lunch with Paka and Auntie Brooke on Saturday and Brody Taylor's first birthday party on Sunday. Owen played with his best friend Sammy at the party and he ate more junk food than I think he's ever had in his short life. Ice cream, cake and his favorite ..... cheese puffs. I don't think we'll ever be able to have those in our house again because he'll definitely never forget them.
JJ had a really good time in Seattle. I think he enjoyed playing golf with his brother and father, and while his driving was really good, his short game was lacking considerably. So, in order to improve on his putting, he read an entire 164 page golf book in one day. For those of you who are not familiar with my husband, he has read one book since we've been together so this is quite an accomplishment and very much worth mentioning in such a public forum. Let's just hope he learned something.
Another busy week awaits us!! We have make up swim lessons and errands to run. I'm getting together with some old friends for dinner and drinks this week and I'm really looking forward to it.

High Pitch Yelling

Sometimes when I'm at work, I hear these babies in the dressing room with their mothers and they are just screaming .... they don't want to be in their strollers, and they don't want to be shopping or watching whomever try clothes on. So they scream at the top of their lungs and no amount of coaxing or shushing calms or quiets them down.
This is what my son has turned into.

Last week I had lunch with Malia, Grammie, and Sally at Brooke's restaurant and this woman was seated next to us who kept talking to herself. It was the strangest thing ... and I did double check to make sure she didn't have a bluetooth in her ear. Anyway, at one point she was having a full on argument with herself and she was looking across from her like there was someone really there!! She was yelling at her imaginary friend telling him/her that she has "been to San Francisco" and that she knows what she's talking about.
Yesterday I was pulling out of the parking lot at Safeway and I saw a guy, maybe in his early twenties, and he was talking to himself too!! This time I didn't get the details of what he was saying, but still, he was mumbling to nobody in particular.
What's with all the solo conversations?

Owen doesn't like female doctors

We found that out the hard way when he woke up this morning at about 4a.m. with a temperature of 103. We went straight to the emergency room where they looked at everything from his ears to the persistent rash that's been on his leg for a little over a week now. We were a little concerned when we walked in and saw a sign in the waiting room that said "If your child has a fever, rash, and vomiting please let us know immediately". We were thinking ... check, check, and check .... what does that mean?
To make a long story short, he had to have some blood taken and some antibiotics given intravenously. I thought watching your kid throw up was bad, but that's a cake walk compared to him being poked and prodded (right Debbie?). He was not a happy camper. But, he is doing better now that we're home. They told us to expect him to continue having fevers for the next few days so I guess we're not going to swim lessons or having our play date with Marigold. I have some pictures to post, but I'm having some trouble with my camera so I'll put those up as soon as I can.

Sickness .....

Owen has the stomach flu. It all started yesterday around dinner time. He was awfully cranky and he didn't eat much all day long which is unusual on both accounts because normally he has a really good appetite and we all know he was born with a naturally sunny disposition. In any case, he threw up several times last night. I don't know if any of you have ever seen a baby throw up, but it's a heartbreaking experience, to say the least. He made it through 13 months of his life without ever being sick a single day. Now, he's been sick twice in the past month. I'm not sure if it's from the swim lessons or the other day when we let him run wild at the play area at the mall. He had so much fun and we disinfected his hands immediately afterward, but apparently that wasn't good enough. As of right now, he's keeping his liquids down and he was able to eat a little bit of banana, as well as some cheerios, so I'd like to think we're over the hump. Let's just all take a moment and knock on wood or cross our fingers that the rest of us don't get sick. I've been washing my hands like crazy!!

First Blog Post

JJ and I have family and friends spread out all over the place. Some of our favorite people have yet to meet our son! In order to keep everyone up to date, I've decided to start this blog. With JJ's parents moving to Germany later this year, they will definitely be wondering what's going on with their number one grandson. I will try to keep the pictures and the stories current!