Soder's big adventure.

Catch of the day

My husband isn't the most sporty of men. He would prefer a day of video gaming to hunting. I have never known him to join any actual sporting event, such as a basketball game or softball game. I fear that he isn't very inclined to play or participate in most active things. But on Sunday, he had the option to go and enjoy a day of fishing with my brother-in-law and Dad. They had a great time, even though they only brought home one fish. (my dad was the lucky fisherman.) It looked like a great time. Definitely a lot of testosterone was on that boat.

Progress

I have read somewhere that people who use social networks when dieting are more likely to succeed. I have two very complicated stockings (a lot more complicated than I thought they were going to be) that need to be finished by December 24. I am hoping that I can use the same motivation for, not losing weight, but completing these projects. Let's get cracking!

MIA

This week my parents have been in town to visit which is why I have been slacking on posting and reading all the blogs I usually tend to. I love to listen to them explain how much he has grown and how big he is getting. I don't necessarily see it the same way they do because I am with him all the time. I love the looks my dad can get from Baby.
I don't know who is designing clothes nowadays, but they have some very creative designers. (as I have expressed with other hats in the past.) This was an outfit that my mom bought him last time she visited because she "doesn't get to see him everyday and wants him to have a cute outfit." Well, Mom, in my book you scored big, because I think the hat and sweater alone make this outfit freakin' adorable. It doesn't hurt that I have a happy baby either.

The Big Day

My birthday came and went without any real excitement. I survived. On Saturday night, my sister was nice enough to babysit my sweet baby. We went to a wonderful restaurant, JaKs in Issaquah, where we had a lovely, grown-up meal. On Sunday, my sister cooked me a lovely salmon dinner with a delicious ice cream cake. It was a perfect weekend. Thanks to my family and friends for the wonderful presents and well wishes.

This is for my own good

It is kinda wrong of me to put him in this onesie and then make him take pictures for me. But I guess I am that kinda mama!

Goodbye 20's

Tomorrow is the big day! I will leave behind my 20's and move on into my 30's. During the last decade, I have learned and experienced many things. Here are some highlights from the last 10. (in no particular order)

• Living (for 2 summers) in a tent in Glacier Nat'l Park
• Going to Weber State
• My Coffee Guys
  
• Soder
  
• Getting married
  
• Moving from Utah to Seattle
• Having Baby
• Adopting Thing One
• Adopting Thing Two
• Working at Snappy Cafe and the people I met
  
• Working at the Gap and the people I met
• Working at Weber County and the people I met
• Working at JW and the people I met

I think the thing that has made the last ten years so great has of course been the people. I love all the new people and relationships that have been created over the last decade. I can't wait for the next ten! I bet they are only going to get better.

Am I crazy?

During Christmas every year growing up, my two older sisters had beautiful, intricate fleece stockings covered with sparkly yarn and sequins. I had a sheepy looking stocking with my name in cut out letters glued onto it. I always gave my mother a hard time that she didn't love me as much because all I got was a half-assed stocking. She would kid and joke about it as well and this continued on as the running joke well into my 20's. Then one day I was informed that she had got me a stocking and was working on it for me, then I would never be able to give her a hard time ever again.It is the little things like that that make me appreciate my mother and all the little things she has done for me. After seeing how much work she went through, it is humorous to think I am going to put myself through the same thing. I realized one day a few weeks ago that Baby won't have a stocking. So I took it upon myself to make sure he has the best one my money can buy and I can make. I found this kit online to make for the baby. Then I decided, that like my sister's family who have coordinated stockings, I wanted a similar situation for mine, so I found one for Soder too. I am excited to get going on the project and hopefully I won't be deterred, but I am not going to lie to you, my heart did sink a little when I saw the back with all the little pieces and bits. (it is a good 3 inches thick!) This very well may be the reason we only have one child.

Random Post

Apparently when they count the posts on blogspot, they count the post that are drafts that you haven't posted... so I am at 297 not 301. Oh well, my 301st post still counts. (at least in my book!)

I have wanted to try a canoli since I watched Cake Boss (that was before all the drama with the stupid Brother in Law.) Anyways, we finally found an Italian restaurant that made homemade canolis. Last night, we picked some up and had them for dessert after a little chicken alfredo. Yum!

Yesterday, we braved a cooler day to take the dogs to the local dog park. Great times, but we didn't stay very long because our little Thing One was a little freaked out. (She needs to remember how it is to be social... I think she is used to hanging out at home with us! or maybe it is the fact that she doesn't like the other dog's cold nose on her bum... I guess I don't blame her.)

I have lost all creativity when it comes to editing my pictures. I have no inspiration. I have tons of cute pictures to play with, but no extra umph when it comes to having fun and editing them. I am a little sad about this, but I think the creativity part has not been there for my blog lately either. Maybe I need to go find my inspiration again. I don't know where to start looking, but maybe it just consists of me leaving the house more often.
On the brighter note, this arrived in the mail. I have the feeling that because of the blog post a while back Soder was right on the ball. A+ for him! 30 is a mere 6 days away. Good-bye 20's you have been good to me!

One last thing, dear blog readers, If you wanted to get me a present look no further than just following my blog. What better way to say good bye to my 20's than reaching 20 followers. (I would be beside myself if I could get to 30 follows, but I won't press my luck. I promise I will not be asking you to follow me again for a long, long, long time. If you don't want to follow you also could just leave a comment. I would love to hear from the silent readers from all over the world! Ok I am done begging for comments and follows, I am almost a wise and refined 30 year old... I need to act my age, right? That is what 30 years olds do, right? Right?!?

Aquarium Time

Last Sunday, we took Baby to the aquarium for the first time. I know that some may think that he is too young (at a mere 3 1/2 months) to understand what was going on, but I was surprised at how much he enjoyed it. He loved to look in the aquariums at the moving fish and all the lights. Of course, half way through he decided it was nap time, so Soder and myself got to enjoy the outdoor creatures (i.e. the otters, seals and birds) with the little guy asleep. I love the otters and seals and can't wait until Baby is old enough to appreciate them too. Soder had a great time as well because it was his first 'real' aquarium. (the only one he had ever been to is the one in SLC and that one is built in an old converted grocery store. Much different from the Seattle Aquarium) I am looking forward to many more visits there.

301st Post

Lessons of the day

Today I have learned many lessons after I went to get my new drivers license and my 'new' wild and crazy hairstyle.
1: When they ask you about your weight at the Department of Licenses, you should lie a little because they only time they are ever going to need that info is if you are on the run from the police and they need your size. And I don't know about you, but if they are going to be passing out my weight to the entire Puget Sound police force, I definitely don't want it to be the true size I am.
2: When you decide to be wild and crazy for a new hairstyle for your 30th birthday, make sure that you go to someone you know or that has been personally recommended to you. (Online opinions don't always tell the truth.)
3: When you go to the said online recommended beauty salon for your wild and crazy new look, make sure that the person you have the appointment with knows exactly what you are expecting. Pictures, you think would be helpful, apparently don't always convey what you are going for.
4: Always listen to the advice your best friend from high school told you: Always make sure that the beautician has cute hair. If she doesn't have cute hair, don't expect too much from them because they can't even do their own hair what hope does yours have?! (Truer words have never been spoken.)
5: If you realize that your beautician doesn't have the same vision as you after she has cut the back of your hair super short (and apparently didn't see the pictures the same as you), just relax and try to have a good time or conversation. It is like vomiting on yourself after the first loop of the roller coaster, you might as well just sit back and enjoy the ride because there is pretty much nothing worse that can happen and the damage is already done.
6: When you are in the chair getting your wild and crazy look, it is NOT a good sign when the beautician keeps saying how cute the cut is going to be. It might be acceptable if they say it once, but when it is over 5 times, you might want to start considering a sacrifice for the hairstyle Gods because chances are it will not be the cutest cut ever.

I will post pictures of my hairstyle after I have worked with it a bit more. You would think that after 30 years on this earth that I would know better than to be wild and crazy.... I am just not that kinda girl and apparently the signs all point to no.

Child Abuse or Cute?

Soder thinks I am going overboard when I try hats on the baby. He said that with some of the faces the baby pulls that it should be considered child abuse. I think they are so cute and funny that all the hats now have little ears and other characteristics of the animal on them. I can't get enough. My mother actually bought him the little raccoon hat (along with the adorable outfit that he will grow into), but the others were borrowed for a second from the display racks at the Gap. If this keeps up, I might have to go to baby hats anonymous.

What is the main theme of our house?

This picture is worth a thousand words, or a thousand screams.

Thing two and the chicken

Since Thing Two has been so into the squirrels lately, I decided to look on Netflix for some dog appropriate movie. I found a movie about chickens that PBS had created. I turned it on and crazy Thing Two sat there for about 45 minutes watching it. And every time the chickens or roosters made any chicken related sound he would cock his head to one side to listen. I think I was more entertained than he was, regardless it was a great time for all.

Goodbye old friend

(Not a picture of ours, but it looked like this)

Last week my father decided to sell their 1988 motor home. This had been the motor home we have taken all of our 'family' vacations in for the last 22 years. I remember all the trips we took in it:
Montana about a million times
Bear Lake about a billion times
St. George every Easter for about 5 years
California (Redwood Forest and a different time to Disneyland/Seaworld)
Oregon Coast
Washington
Idaho
South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore
And everywhere in between.
It has been a great member of the family and will be missed, but it was time to let someone else have the fun in it. Since we have all grown up, my parents only used it once every year so it was more of a money pit than a savings like before.
I always remember the gas fill ups where my mom and me would go and raid the ice cream section of the convenient store. She would always buy my dad a cup of ice and pull the Nilla wafers out of the cupboard to help him stay awake for the rest of the rides. During my mom's shift, which usually included the straightest part of the road trip, we would sing oldies and make each other laugh while my dad would take a rest. (He would nap until either we would wake him up with our laughter or the rumble strips on the side of the road would jostle him awake.) All my happy road trip memories were in that motor home. Thanks for all the good time, old friend, you will be missed.

Past Week

I am the most unexciting person this week. I worked the first half then I can't remember one single important thing I did the rest of the week. Apparently, I have done nothing substantial but take pictures of the others in the house doing thing. I am suffering from bored-itis. I HAVE to find something fun to do this weekend.
Thing One's Hiding Place... not so hidden exactly.
This look I have been getting a lot. I don't think he is very amused.
Thing 2 has been putting in at least 2 hours a day watching 'squirrel tv'. At least he is amused.
Soder holding the baby while he naps in the afternoon.

Longest week and it is only half over

This week I started a small work from home job helping out some of my sister's neighbors with their business. I think I am finished with it now, but I have been trying to work as much as I can. A little extra money never hurt anyone, right? But it kinda did, because in the process of moving the boxes of work (I bet they weighed at least 40 lbs.) I seem to have tweaked my back a bit. I will be fine, I think I was just in such a hurry to get it all done I did too much. That is always my problem. If I promise someone something, I will burn the candle at both ends to make it work. I hate to disappoint anyone so I will sacrifice myself for the cause. Way to go, Moto. I am sure the pain will go away when I have a paycheck in hand.