Friday, October 29, 2010

Something big and exciting coming on Monday!


Remember all those day where you read my blog for no good reason, well your loyalty has paid off. Early next week, I will be doing a giveaway. (and this is a good one with a prize from a website that has everything from bar furniture to baby stuff.) So check back to not only see what Baby will be for Halloween, but also to join in on the fun! Until then have a great Halloween weekend and eat an extra bite size candy bar for me!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

It's a Utah Thing


On Saturday, my fellow Utahn-native and I decided to hit the only craft/holiday gift show in the Puget Sound area. We trekked all the way to Tacoma for this event. It was crazy to see all the eager women lining up to get a glimpse of what filled the Tacoma Dome. After parking and walking over to the dome, we excitedly waited for the doors to open.
Some of you may not know that Utah is not only a Mecca for Mormons, but also for everything crafty. I don't think there is a house along the Wasatch front that doesn't have something tole-painted adorning some wall. And while tole painting isn't our thing anymore, we both enjoy cute little decorations to put on our mantles. After paying a whopping $11.50 (which in the 'Tah, I have never paid over $5 to get into a craft show.), we were let loose to look around at the hundreds and hundreds of booths. I was quite disappointed when most of the booths were full of chinsy things. I think we only found a handful of booths that really had Utah quality crafts. Puget Sound has a lot of winning aspects but the craft field ain't one of them. Oh well, I better stock up on holiday decorations when I head back to the homeland in a few weeks.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Everything must go!


This weekend we dove into the world of online auctions. We listed a washer and dryer set that we lugged all the way up here from the 'tah. It had been sitting in my sister's garage for the past year, and recently she wanted to actually start parking her vehicles in there (go figure.) So she asked us what we were going to do with it (a.k.a. it didn't have to go home, but it couldn't stay here.) Craigslist seemed like it was the way to go since it was local. It was super easy to list them on the website, which made me wonder all weekend what else I could sell. The group of people that responded were a little odd. Most of them were short, sweet, and to the point, but a few were actually pushy. (It was an odd thing to get an anonymous email from a pushy buyer. Don't they know I could just delete their email. I didn't, but I could have.) My personal favorite was a person that wanted us to deliver it and give them a 25% discount without even discussing it. I wanted to email them them and tell them that I didn't think they would fit on my malibu, but we might have more luck moving them with our alero. (I think my snarkiness would have been lost on them) By the end of the ordeal, I was almost wanting to use our Baby for evil, by saying that they were taking food out of our baby's mouth. I refrained and left the baby inside with my sister, while Soder helped load them into the nice guys truck. Online sales are a bunch of mind games. (I have the feeling that is how it is with all furniture sales online.) I love to find a good deal, but I don't think I have the stomach to sell many more things.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Pumpkin Time

Once upon a time, there was a young couple with a 5 month old baby. The young couple has been learning to do all the fun parenting things so that their baby will experience it all. They decided one frosty morning that they would go to a pumpkin patch that you had to ride a hay ride to the field to pick your pumpkin. The only thing that the young couple didn't plan on was it being so cold. So instead of going to on the quaint little hay ride, they decided that it was too frosty and the baby wouldn't care where they got the pumpkin from this year. So they left and went on a trek to find another pumpkin patch. So with the baby safe in his car seat in the warm car they set off on their journey. After a few wrong turns they discovered this beautiful little tucked away neighborhood that had big fall trees full of fall leaves and it was along a very out of place red bricked road. It was a nice break to drive along the red bricked road and enjoy the scenery, but there were no smaller pumpkin patches. After about a thirty minute detour/scenic drive, the young parents did discover the perfect place for their baby to find his first pumpkin.
And so they romped through the small fields until they discovered the perfect pumpkin for their perfect little pumpkin. When it was found, they all were happy that they had discovered what they were looking for. (The 5 month old was actually still deciding if this was the perfect pumpkin or if he should still be asleep in the warm cozy car and also wondering why his mother put him in such a ridiculous hat.)
After paying for their find, they piled back into the car and headed home to relax and enjoy the rest of the lazy weekend. Next year, the young parents thought, it will be different because we will all be dressed warmly and on a hay ride we will all enjoy to find the perfect pumpkin.The End.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Welcome Visitors

Travis' cousin and her family came to visit us this weekend. We only had one day so we had to make it count. Of course, we had to go and see Pikes Market. And all the weirdos, including the guy that played guitar while hula hooping and balancing a guitar on his chin, while the Japanese tourists wearing their Mickey Mouse ears watched. There is no way I could make up something like that so I had my sluth of a husband snap a picture.


After the craziness of Pikes, we headed to our standby of Gasworks Park, where we enjoyed a blustery fall day. The sun was shining and it was an actual blue sky day, unfortunately, there was a bit of a cool breeze that was blowing around. Still it was great to let their little boy run around and he LOVED the big refinery stuff they have you can climb all over. He ran around there for a good half hour. Thanks guys for coming and seeing us! It was so wonderful to have visitors.


Monday, October 11, 2010

Second verse same as the first.


Why is it that this week my two furry children have acted in a repeated fashion.
First this:

Which looks a lot like this from a few months back:
Then we have had the 'butter bandit' act again, which is the exact situation that happened way back here. This time I was making cinnamon rolls and had taken out butter (FOUR cubes to be exact) to soften (they came directly from the freezer). I proceeded to leave it on the counter and went to get Baby from his bed. After a while Thing 2 came into the room licking his chops (I honestly thought he was in the room laying on the floor) I knew at that point that he had been up to no good. I asked Soder to go and assess the damage. He said it wasn't that bad, there was only one bite taken out. Relieved, I went to the kitchen to finish up with the dough. That is when I noticed that it was a little more disturbing than what Soder has realized at first. I don't know about you, but I don't count 4 cubes of butter in that pan, do you?What a stinker!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

The reason my husband had children

So that he could get a shot like this, that makes his baby look like he is using the force! No, but seriously, this is probably why he wanted to have children, this and the fact that at Halloween him and his children (except this year) can dress like super heroes and roam the streets.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Random thoughs, yet again!

Another post full of random, fractured thoughts...

Last week I received these cute little origami Yoda's from my nephew in Utah. I miss those boys so much and this is a perfect example of why. They are so funny and creative and I can just hear him laughing while he created them and drew the faces on the them. :) How is it that for someone who can't even crawl somehow manage to go from two socks to one with the remaining sock half way off. I am still amazed at all the things that baby can't do and what he can do!

Another question for our baby, how the heck have you made all your bibs look like a superhero cape. I am sure people don't care that you have a drool mark on your clothes now, but what happens when you get older and don't know how to wear a bib, then what are you going to do? I love good deals. I love to find things that I need. Recently, I found the best of both of those statements. I found this fun little tray for less than $4. Rock on! Yeah for me!

I love to read cookbooks. It inspires me to be a better chef and housewife. It also inspires me to buy a whole bunch of ingredients from the store that I might only use once, but that is another story. Right now I started to read this one I got from my parents for my birthday. The Pioneer woman is amazing. (I also have to come clean and say on a side note, that I used to believe that she shouldn't use her kids and her husband in her blog so much (Or in her book), but I have since seen the error of my ways and the birth of my baby. I realize that her blog and mine would be nothing without the side notes and stories of the ones closest to us. So moving on...) She is so funny and makes delicious food that I would eat everyday She is my hero (thanks to Jan for introducing me to her. That is what you call a good friend!)

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Elite club

Yesterday, as I was shopping at my favorite bullseye store, I came across an elite group of women. It was funny because none of them know they are in this group, but they clearly are. After about 9 a.m., this group congregates in most stores. The main requirement to be in this group are that you are a women with small children in tow. While wandering aimlessly around the store, they waste time browsing and shopping for a great deal. Their children are in the golden time of day, right after breakfast, but before nap time. They make small talk, either with the baby or with any passerby, as they peruse each aisle. I myself found that I do belong to this group now. I was also more than happy to chat with complete strangers and wander aimlessly looking for a great deal. I also realized that I, like most of the women, will talk to the only set of ears that is with them, their children. I find myself discussing with Baby about any and all matters of topic, from what kind of plates should I buy or if I could really find a better deal someplace else. My outing with Baby is great because I find that he is probably more entertained by me than most of the other people in my life, including Soder. It is a good thing that we have been on a strict budget, otherwise I have the feeling that I would be down there every day, enjoying the 'meeting' with my new club and overspending while I am at it. Heck, after a few more children, I might even become chapter president!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Goal accomplished

Soder's 'evil' number
Baby even participated
At the starting line
After the race... we survived.

On Sunday, Soder and I did our first 5k. While it wasn't the one I was hoping to do when I posted about this, we decided to do this one instead at the local city street festival, Salmon Days. It was a great time and we really enjoyed it because my sister and her family were participating in it as well. I was worried that the race started off as a bad omen when we saw Soder's number, which was 1666. I think he might use that as a reason not to do any others, that and he apparently has a weak right ankle that bothered him for the last mile of the race. I beat Soder because I am a faster walker. Baby was a great participant that slept the whole time and added a better workout to my walk because I was pushing 16 pounds plus the weight of the stroller. I was just proud that we all finished. I had a great time and can't wait to do another one.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Ramblings in my head

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about my past jobs. I have always wanted to leave a job in better standings then when I got there. It used to be my goal I strove toward. I have been thinking what if I didn't leave any better than when I found them. And what if I made it worse. I don't know why I care now. I think that being at home with baby I have started thinking about it more. My biggest problem is that I rehash the past. I will relive my thoughts and situations that have gotten me this far. In my mind, I always wonder if the people in my past think about me and where I am. The best thing about all the technology nowadays is that I have been able to reconnect with some people and tell them that they made a difference in my life. Some I just leave in the reenactments of my life. Either way, I wish that the past would just simmer down so I can happily live in the present.