Glacier National Park

As soon as I have the pictures from the zoo, I will post those, but these are from our trip to Glacier on Memorial Day. We never made it out there the whole time we lived in Montana, so we went while we still had the chance.

Here we all are (I'm surprised we got Craig looking at the camera!)

This is our picnic lunch. Part of the park was still closed due to snow, so there were a lot of people around. We weren't able to get much farther than this into the park, but the part we saw was beautiful!

Craig enjoyed walking around and exploring the great outdoors.


This was the river we drove along to get to the picnic area. Very pretty.

And now I will be posting pictures of trips we take to places with a MUCH different landscape. :)

We're back online!

So, to prove we are alive and well, here's a picture of Craig and me. I took this while still in Montana, but thought it was cute (and I can't find the camera right now--give me some time, I've just unpacked and can't remember where I put everything). I do need to find it, very badly, since we are going to the zoo tomorrow and don't want to miss recording Craig's first trip to the zoo.

Our internet got set up yesterday. I scheduled it a day or so after my last post but was told that the first available date was yesterday! There's been so much to do, it's nice and much simpler to have the internet back. Looking for a job these days is virtually impossible without it. Thanks to my dad, Robert was able to get some leads off of Craig's List last week and had some really great interviews that we should be hearing back from any day now. (My dad helped by checking out the new job listings every night for us.)

We're unpacked, expect for pictures and decorations, and we have even been able to paint the living room and dining room, so that looks great. We're going to slowly move on to the rest of the place, but that was our goal for the time being. The landlord is giving us a break on the rent for doing the work. We really like our place. We really lucked out for not having seen it before signing the lease. And it's great price and we a have a great landlord. There were a few things wrong with it (minor) like it really needed some fresh paint. The most serious thing was the water faucet in the master bath. When we got here late Wed. night (the 10th) there was no knob on the faucet and some weird jerry-rigged contraption controlled the water. We turned it on, but then couldn't get it to turn off. It slowly drizzled all night (and turning the valve off under the sink didn't work either), so we set our air mattress up in the spare room. In the morning, the bathroom floor was almost entirely covered in a thin layer of water. We called John (our landlord) and we found a new faucet, not yet installed, under the sink. Robert offered to install it since John had scheduled someone to do it but he wasn't coming till the next week. He figured out how to turn the water main off to the whole townhouse (it requries a special $15 tool that we bought and are billing John for :)) and changed it out. Now it's perfect, and there doesn't seem to be any water damage (yet). Other than that, it's everything and more we that we expected. The pool is practically right out our front door, beyond the lawn, and we've taken Craig swimming twice. He loves it. We have really been loving the conveniences of living in a "city", even though it's far less traffic than when we lived in Beaverton on the outskirts of Portland, and Mesa is really more suburban than city, to me. And we're about 10 minutes from the temple. Seriously. It's awesome. (Despite the fact that I realized my recommend expired in February--that's what happens when you move to a place three hours from the temple then have a baby). But once it's renewed, off we go!

The drive down went as well as could be expected. Moving is always a pain, as is traveling 20 hours with a one year old and a freaked-out cat. We left Tuesday morning early (about 6:30, I think). Craig did well...he just required frequent snacks, a new toy to throw on the floor every 5 to 10 minutes, and a 20 minute snooze every couple of hours. The cat, however, struggled for the first few hours. After bellowing and crying from her cat carrier in the back of the Jeep then getting so anxious she pooped herself (have you ever cleaned poop off a cat's paws with baby wipes in the parking lot of a gas station?) we finally let her loose in the car. She settled into a cozy spot on the floor behind my seat and there she stayed, content, the rest of the trip. She never ate much (which means she never used her litter box much :)) and was quiet.

We stopped in Rexburg to have lunch with some friends. That was fun, and such a flashback. Things are changing so quickly there. We went to good ol' Craigos to eat. Yeah...snort...right. The dumpy little building two blocks from my old apartment with the dim lighting, worn out college-dorm-couches, and suspicious bathrooms down a dark hallway has become a striking establishment, walking distance from WalMart, with a fabulous salad bar-pizza-pasta-dessert buffet! I'm telling ya, if you get to Rexburg, and if you ever hung out at Craigos before, you need to check this out. You'll be stunned.

Okay, enough retrospective, except I do want to say how incredible the Rexburg temple is. Moving on...the rest of the trip was uneventful, aside from the occassional cranky toddler and fighting the dreaded road hypnosis. Robert and I had to drive separately since he drove the moving truck. We would just talk on the walkie talkies until they were close to running out of battery power or if Craig feel asleep. After that Robert would suck on sunflower seeds while I prefer corn nuts. We stayed in Nephi, UT in a disappointing Best Western. The next day we watched the temperature climb as we got into Arizona and then Phoenix at about 6:30pm. By the time we got to our place in East Mesa, it was closer to 7:30 or 8:00. We painted on Thursday and unloaded the truck (much thanks to our friends from Montana-turned-Arizonians, the Ludlows, for their help) and on Friday went out and bought a bed. (It's awesome--king size, soft, comfy, and for the first time in months my hips don't hurt every night.)

I think that's pretty much the story. I'll post about our zoo trip later and once I find the camera, I think there are some pictures on there I need to post, too. Until later!

We're here!

So, we made it. I have some pictures to post and our story to tell, but it might be another few days or so before we get the internet set up. I'm on a friend's computer right now. Take care and stay tuned!

Internet problems, again

We are having problems with the internet again, so unfortunately I won't be able to post much, if at all, until we get to Arizona. We will have our own internet set up there. Sorry to all of my loyal fans, however few you may be. :)

Update on the move

We found a home in Arizona! We were debating about renting a house in a more distant suburb versus renting something (an apartment) closer into the city. After looking at a lot of different factors, we found this:

I think this compromise between a house and an apartment is great (it's a townhouse). There is a community pool and all yards are maintained by the home owners association, which dues are paid by the landlord. It's also in Mesa in a really great area--only a few blocks from where Robert stayed when he was down there with the bus stop near by and shopping centers within walking distance. It looks like Robert has to stay here to finish up some work and get one last paycheck, then we're off! I'm guessing it will be the week of June 8th. I'm excited and anxious to get to our new home.

He's home!

Robert came home on Monday! I was planning a good dinner and cookies (for him) for that night, but he's been struggling with a sore throat/sinus trouble since about Wednesday of last week. On the way back, he called me and said he wanted to get checked out and see if he needed some antibiotics and to (hopefully) keep Craig from catching whatever it was. (Craig always seems to catch everything.) He also said his throat hurt so it would be hard to eat much. So, since they were driving through Hamilton and that's where the walk-in clinic is, the guy he was riding with dropped him off there and Craig and I drove down to meet him. Our reunion was in a hospital hallway in Hamilton. But that's okay. The best thing was that he was afraid Craig wouldn't remember him after a week, but as soon as Craig spotted Robert down the hall, he toddled has fast as his little legs would carry him right into Daddy's arms. It was really sweet. :)

They checked Robert out and he has some virus. It's not strep and it's not a flu (phew--coming from Arizona I was a little worried that he had caught something from the locals that's been big in the news--begins with "s" and ends in "wine"...). But it is the worst sore throat he's ever had in his life. As a result, this is what Robert looked like yesterday, trying to recuperate from the trip and rest up:
The worst thing about it all is that we went through the time being apart, he got this nasty virus, and he didn't find a job. At this point I tell myself, "There's a plan. I don't know what it is or what we do next in it, but there's gotta be a plan." And I push on. At least he's home, he's safe, and we're still planning on moving by June 1st.

A day to appreciate each other

Since Craig is still not totally recovered from his ear infection, we only went to Sacrament today to avoid all the little viral incubators in primary. But I still didn't feel like going home early, so we had a very nice Sunday drive. I went down some roads I'd never been down before and they were beautiful. I figured this might be one of my last times to enjoy this valley and this is the best time of year. Everything is green and in bloom but there's still snow in the peaks.

The rest of the day was uneventful, but upon reflection I realized it was a day for Craig and I to spend time together and bond a little more. Here are some fun little things that I want to remember from this time in our lives.

First, I want to show you something cute and kind of funny. I bought this:

a few weeks ago and Craig has loved playing with it. I tried hiding it from him because it was never where I needed it when I needed it. But then I couldn't find it for a few days. I worried that maybe I put it somewhere that he wouldn't see it and forgot. But then I saw this:

This is the back of the couch (and Craig's knee). See that little bulge at the bottom? That fabric on the back is a flap that velcros underneath the couch but there's a space between sections that serves as a very good hiding place, apparently. When I found this, I had to laugh.

Next, I took this picture to remember Craig's cute/annoying habit of throwing toys, socks, tummy butter, tupperware, sippy cups, and anything else over the gate into the bathroom. Today's collection was especially eclectic (and large).


Sometimes it makes it hard getting in and out of the bathroom. (By the way, we leave the door open and put the gate there because the cat's littler box and food and water is in the bathroom. People always ask.)


Another typical thing for us that occured today (but was something I wanted to document) was bathtime. The last time I posted a bath picture, Craig was still in his little ducky tub. But he has long since outgrown it. Here he is, loving bathtime as usual. He still loves to splash and sometimes he likes to stick his face in the water.


One last thing. I've been meaning to catch this on video for a long time. He used to go around all day doing this, but the magic has worn off so I'm glad I caught him today. He may not do it much longer. Craig knows how to whistle! Sort of. :) Check it out. What a cutie.

What we've been up to

Just to give a quick update of the last few days, I decided to post for ya'll. Sorry, there are no pictures because nothing has been that interesting. I think Craig and I have been coping well by ourselves. We seem to have been able to stay busy every day, but somehow this week still seems long. :(

Let's see, I last talked about Tuesday (my "single" day). So, Wednesday Craig and I had to go back to Missoula (which we rarely do two weeks in a row let alone two days in a row) but it was fun to have something to do. We ran some errands, had dinner, etc. Thursday I had some house work to catch up on and, it turned out, I had volunteered to make a dessert for dinner that night for a family in the ward. The grandmother (who was in our ward and I used to visit teach) passed away on Sunday and her daughter (whom I also visit teach) was hosting all the family. Someone else was providing the other portions of the meal, but since there was something like 18 people there, they asked me to do the dessert. I decided to make this. I didn't get to taste it of course, but it looked really good. I plan to ask about it when I go visiting teaching next week. Let's hope I get a sincere "It was fabulous!" and not a forced enthusiastic "What did you say it was called again?"

Friday was the funeral for the woman mentioned above. It was very nice and timed perfectly with Craig's naps. They had a lunch with ham and funeral potatoes--how appropriate. During the eulogy, her son-in-law said that when her daughter asked her what she wanted for Mother's Day this year, she said, "I just want to be with Keith [her husband] again." Sure enough, Someone was listening, and she passed away sitting peacefully in her favorite chair Sunday morning. I thought that was such a touching story. It reminded me how the Lord rewards his faithful, diligent servants, and how much their will is naturally in tune with His.

Today we went to the farmers market and picked through some garage sales. Not much. Cleaned the car and am getting things ready for Sunday and Daddy's return on Monday (afternoon, I think...I hope). Oh, and Craig has another ear infection, so we aren't sleeping well. But I think it should be getting better soon since he's on some antibiotics now.

So, only one full day left to get through and we're home free! I think I'm going to make one of Robert's favorites as a "welcome home" meal: chicken enchiladas and peanut butter cookies.

Conversation with a Cupcake...

...is the name of the new Mommy Blog I added to my list in the sidebar. I've only read one post, but it was pretty darn funny and it looks like she has some awesome recipes. I figure since I'm not super interesting or witty, I will keep you all linked into the cutest, funniest blogs out there so you have a reason to keep coming back and occasionally reading my blurbs on my life and making my efforts worthwhile. Let me know if you have any favorites that I can add. I love to have new ones.

Days one and two without Robert

It has now been two full days since Robert left. It's been a little strange not having my normal time schedule. Usually, I plan my errands around nap times (approx. 9am and 1pm) Robert's lunch hour (12-1), and Robert getting off work (5pm). With all that, I usually get out to the store, library, or for a walk everyday at about the same time. Plus I'm not as focused on making a real dinner. Not having that schedule, it makes the time go by slower and I have more time to miss him. So, I've been trying to do things to distract myself. Somethings that I know he probably wouldn't be too excited about if he were here. For example, I did this on Monday night:


Chick flick and quiche--something every guy hopes his wife gets out of her system while he's away. :) I've also been working on this:


It's a maternity dress for summer. I've been looking all over and haven't found anything that is long, light, and breezy for summertime. So, I decided to make it. Actually, I'm going to make another one, too (different fabric). This one requires quite a bit of alteration in the top, so I still have a little ways to go before it's done.

Yesterday, Day Two, was a lot of fun. I had an appointment in Missoula that I needed a babysitter for and then it turned out that I had to take the car in for its 30,000 mile service, which takes pretty much all day. So, I called on my visiting teacher. She was so thrilled to get to spend the whole day with Craig. I took all his stuff (toy box, food, stroller, pack n' play) to her house at 8:00am and took off to Missoula for the day. I was sad to leave my baby boy, but he got over it pretty quickly, so I figured I could too. (Apparently, when you're 1, a wiggling, licking dog is a happy replacement for Mommy.)

I took the car in and got a rental for the day, did some shopping at WalMart (which can be a treat when you are normally with a toddler and constantly picking stuff up off the floor that your son has taken out of the cart and thrown over the side for the 53rd time). I went to my appointment (which only lasted 30 minutes) and had the rest of the day to myself.

I went to the mall. I had a great lunch at Red Robin (I love that place), I window shopped--which was my only intention at first. But then I wanted to buy something for my visiting teacher for watching Craig. I went to Bath and Body Works, and then it started. I walked out of the mall a few hours later with fabulous handsoap, a DVD for Craig, a denim maternity skirt (that I've been hunting down for quite a while), and a pair of black flats. I just kept thinking of all the stuff I needed, and it was all on sale! Let me just say it was really nice to not have to worry about nap times, entertaining a little boy, pushing a stroller in and out of cramped dressing rooms, and feeding anyone other than myself.

Despite my enjoyment, I found myself feeling extremely excited, almost giddy, as I went to pick up Craig. He may not have thought about me for one second while I was gone, but when I walked in the door, getting to me was more important to him than eating his cheerios. And that topped off the day.

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm glad I got to spend so much time yesterday doing fun things and being with Robert because this afternoon he had to leave for Phoenix. :( He drove down with a friend and he'll be there for a week. We miss him already. This morning, though, he gave me my presents. I got this:

which I have been dying to have for a long time. He also got me very pretty pair of earrings that I forgot to take a picture of but I did wear them to church today. Along with these items, he decided to splurge and get a couple other things we've (mainly he) been wanting for a while, but are definitely fun and useful. One is an awesome, large food mill (the little plastic baby food ones just don't cut it) and a panini press. :) The food mill he got mostly with me in mind, but the panini press was mostly for him. I figure he's already taken care of Father's Day for me. :) Just kidding (but I do need to start thinking about it).

Anyway, I'm happy about the cool stuff, but it was hard watching him go. I think I even saw him shed a tear or two, which is a VERY rare thing. I just have to keep Craig and myself busy all week so the time flies by quickly.

March for Babies (final post)

Yesterday was the March for Babies. Here I am as I triumphantly finish the walk (which was only 1.6 miles :)). There was an option for a 3.7 mile course, but being 6 months pregnant and grossly out of shape, the short one was plenty long. Some friends of mine also threw me and two other girls we know who are having their second babies a triple baby shower. Yesterday turned out to be a great day to celebrate Mother's Day Eve.

No MMR or Rabies for us!

Yesterday, I took Craig to his 1 year check up and, of course, he received his immunizations again. He actually did pretty well. I felt like a sadist as I held him down while he was stuck with the needles and watched him pass through the stages of shock, disbelief, then denial that I, his mother, would allow (and help) something like this to happen. However, as soon as I was allowed to pick him up, it was all over. He stopped crying really fast. That's my brave boy. :) He didn't develop a fever or any other side effects.

Unfortunately, the kitty wasn't so lucky. We've neglected to get her vaccinated under the excuse that she's strictly an indoor cat. But, now that we're moving and she is going to be exposed to the great outdoors and who knows what else, we decided it was time we get our act together.

I took her in on Wednesday. First of all, the poor thing is terrified of everything beyond the threshhold of our front door. If you take her outside, she reverts to being a helpless, needy little kitten and clings to you like white on rice ("in a glass of milk on a paper plate in a snow storm"--name that movie quote!). It's really pitiful. Not only did she have to go outside, but she had to go in a strange box (cat carrier) and she had to ride in a car! Then, if that's not enough, she goes into this office that smells like dogs and other predators, gets handled by a stranger, and stuck with a needle--twice! Poor girl. Needless to say, she was freaked. (On the positive side of all this, Craig was highly amused when he realized who was in the cat carrier and entertained himself by squatting down, looking at her through the gate, laughing at her, and poking his fingers through the holes.)

On the way back, as I just pulled into the driveway, I caught a whiff of something that smelled more like cat ick than baby ick. Sure enough, the poor girl had pooped herself. I took her into the bathroom and found her trying to step around it and scratching at the towel I had laid out in the carrier to try and cover it up. But it was too late. There were poopey paw prints all over. And she had it on her belly (the slightly overweight one that hangs down a little too far, as the vet pointed out). There was no getting around it--she needed a bath. Now, due to a bad childhood memory of bathing a cat (once) I rejected any suggestion Robert ever made that I bathe her. Cats really don't need it like dogs do. I envisioned puncture wounds up and down my arms and a wet, soapy cat running around the house. But it had to be done this time. So, I did it, and after all she had been through, and despite how feisty and rowdy she gets when she's her normal self, during her bath she never once retaliated. She was anxious to get out, I could tell, but she didn't fight me. That night we let her sleep in bed with us, and with one more full day looking like this:


she seems to now be herself again.

Now we have to figure out how we're going to get her into a car and survive a 19 hour drive to Phoenix.

Just something funny

I love how the chick looks jealous...and the puppy is sound asleep.

The hen just looks determined.

Free KFC!

No, I'm not kidding. To promote their new Kentucky Grilled Chicken (and in cahoots with Oprah) KFC is letting people print these coupons, either off of Oprah's site or KFC's. They're for two free pieces of the grilled chicken plus two sides and one biscuit per coupon. It's good from May 9th to May 19th, but not on Mother's Day. I tried the link from KFC's site, but it didn't work, but the one from Oprah did. I've had some trouble getting links to work lately, so if it doesn't work, go to the Mommy Blogs list on the right side bar and click on Bargain Moms. She has it there and that's where I got it. I can also email you the coupon to download, if you want. Just let me know. Happy eating!

Visit from Grandma and Grandpa and Birthdays!

Well, my parents have come and gone since I posted last. They arrived on Thursday, which was also Craig's and my birthday! Here are the pictures from that night.

From Grandma and Grandpa, Craig got this tractor book, a cool toy turtle (Craig loves to push the button that plays the same song over and over and over), and some new clothes.

We got Craig this cool firetruck, a kite, and a water floaty thing.

Robert's mom sent us some money to get Craig a gift, so we decided to get a piece of wood (moulding), paint it white, and use it every year to measure him on his birthday. That way, we can take it with us where ever we move and someday he can have it when he moves out. We thought it was a great idea. :)

Here's my gift from Robert! I am so excited to finally have something to play!

This is the cake I made for Craig. It's a carrot cake and it turned out really well, I think. Here's the video of him eating it.

On Friday we took the afternoon and went to Missoula. We saw Fort Missoula, which was pretty interesting, went out to dinner (thanks Mom and Dad) and then my parents took Craig home while Robert and I went to a movie and Coldstone for a little birthday date. (This last week, I pretty gave up my no-sugar thing, but I'm back on track today. :)) On Saturday we went to the first Farmer's Market of the year and perused a few garage sales. That evening, Robert made me a wonderful dinner. Here's a picture of the entree and the menu:

Stuffed mushrooms and fried calamari
Mixed green salad with strawberries and pears
Filet mignon, lobster tale with scampi, zucchini noodles, and duchess potatoes


Dessert? A Coldstone ice cream cake (as my birthday cake)

Alas, Sunday morning came and my parents had to go home. We had a lot of fun and miss them already. But I'd have to say it really was one of the best birthday weekends I've ever had. :)

March for Babies Goal

I would like everyone to just take a moment and glance to the right side of the screen. See my March of Dimes ticker? Notice that the purple bar at the bottom is full? Notice the total says $125? That's right...I met my fund raising goal for the March For Babies! I was able to contact some local businesses and received the exact amount I had set my goal for. I was so excited when the final checks came in the mail and their total was perfect. So, I thought I'd let you all know to take a look at that, since I was pretty happy about it and didn't think anyone would notice if I didn't make a point to tell you. :) Sorry to boast a little but, as they say, if you don't toot your own horn, nobody's going to toot it for you! :)

There's no place like Phoenix, there's no place like Phoenix, there's no place like Phoenix...

This is what my morning looks like:

(Can you see the snowflakes? They're there, and even while I'm posting this, there's much more.)

Once again, I feel the overwhelming urge to just throw everything into 30 gallon trash bags and haul it off to Phoenix. I know the summer will be hot and I will be ten months pregnant right in the middle of it, but we'll have air conditioning. The only thing I think will get me down is that I've spent 6 months mostly locked inside the house, not knowing when the weather's going to prevent an outing, and now we're going to Arizona where it'll get so hot we can't go out after 7:00am and or before midnight. But, at least it will be sunny and not gloomy out, and the "indoor" season will only last the summer, not six plus months like here.

It looks like we are heading out the end of this month, so keep your fingers crossed that we find the right place. We are looking at a few different homes and one apartment complex, but I think all in all we would prefer a home. I'll keep you updated.

Pay It Forward

Lucky you! The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
- What I create will be just for you.
- It’ll be done this year. {might be a little while}
- You will have no clue what it’s going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or maybe even some creation I haven’t even invented yet. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. I may even sew something for you. Who knows? Not you, that’s for sure!
- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

(Just kidding, not that strange or cruel, I hope! I'm not that great of a seamstress anyway!)

The catch? The catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. If you don't have a blog, then leave a comment to be entered and promise to do a nice thing for 5 people you know, and include a note encouraging them to "Pay It Forward".

Robert's New Blog

I started a new blog for Robert to showcase his culinary experience and his creative concoctions. Kind of like an online resume. Feel free to check it out. A link to it is in my "My Favorite Blogs" list on the right under "Chef Rob", so check back for new food pictures. I was going to add a link in this post, but lately when I've added links, they don't always work. So you'll have to go to the blog list on the right.

Was that an airplane, or a giant mosquito?

The other day I was feeding Craig who was becoming increasingly distracted by his surroundings and ignoring his food. Robert suggested I do the "airplane thing." I told him that I've tried, but I'm not very good at airplane noises. However, I decided to attempt it again. Besides, Craig doesn't know what a real airplane sounds like anyway, right? So I did this (this is a reenactment):



To which Robert promptly replied, "Hey, whoa, you're not kidding. Stop, just stop." And, "If you can't do it in a lower tone, do something else. I can't handle that."

My contention is, it works and it gets Craig to open his mouth. What's the problem?

If you're looking for something clever, you've come to the wrong place.

The right place would be here at CJane She is usually witty and charming, so that was no surprise, but today she seemed to be in very fine form. Don't get too excited--the content is about council meetings and chickens, but her way with words and the little puns inserted so nonchalantly made me feel like I discovered a secret message encoded in her prose whenever I happened upon one. I am too tired to think of anything worth posting, so I will direct you there.

Never mind the fact that she labels her pictures of chickens as "hens" and all but one of them (I think--one is hard to get a good look at) features a rooster. We can't all be perfect, right?

If you're looking for something clever, you've come to the wrong place.

Some Big New Things on the Horizon

From this:

To this:

Well, after a year and a half of struggles, The Springs (the events and reception center that Robert works at) is closing. As of now. YIKES! It's not because of the economy or anything, this would have happened regardless. The man who owns the place is based out of Phoenix/Mesa and has something he would like Robert to possibly do down there, but it would be a year or so before the job is ready. (He's building an assisted living center and will need an Executive Chef to run their four kitchens. It's going to be a huge place.) That is all well and good, but what do we do in the meantime? Robert has been planning on going back to school ever since he saw this coming, about six months ago. He was going to start at UMT in the fall, but we think that we will take this opportunity to move down there since Robert has some connections to that state, I have wanted to move to a larger area for some time now, and there's a temple in Mesa! So, we think we're going. However, Robert needs a job first. It's hard looking for a job from a distance. We figure he can also go to school down there, if he still feels so inclined. We don't want to put all of our eggs in one basket with the assisted living center thing. We need a fall-out plan. But we just feel it's a good move for us in many ways.

My question to all of you, however, is if you happen to have connections out there or you know the area at all (hint hint Angie and Mark :)) do you know of any place that may be hiring a chef, or would be a good place to apply? He'll take anything, of course, but right now he's most interested in catering, hospitals, or other assisted living centers, mostly because the hours are better than restaraunts. The catch is, though, he can't just be going for cook jobs. He needs something that's either Exceutive Chef or Sous Chef. If any of you can help, great. I would appreciate it.

Other than that, I can't express how excited I am--they have a zoo! And museums! And Red Lobster! And so many other things that do not exist in Montana nor within a 300 mile radius.

Who knows...maybe Stephenie Meyer will be my neighbor? :)

This is the last one, I promise

My little baby has officially decided that he mostly prefers walking over crawling (without holding on). He's mastered the skill of stopping and catching his balance if he begins to waver and can go indefinitely without holding on! We were at the store last night where he had all kinds of room to roam and never even sat down! He just walked, stopped, looked, and went on his walkin' way. He's even beginning to maneuver around objects, step over them, and he'll run/hop his last few steps before he crashes into your legs.

What's next?

(Oh yeah, talking.)

One last Easter picture

I wanted to document these eggs, because I thought they were pretty cool. I used puff paints (from a kit made for dying eggs) to decorate them. I was pretty pleased with them. Right after this photo was taken, I made deviled eggs. :)


P.S. Here's a plug: YAY! FOR GARAGE SALE SEASON!

Easter

Craig had a pretty good first Easter, I think. We did forget to hide the eggs I dyed and have him look for them with us on Sunday, but he won't remember anyway. On Saturday the ward had an Easter Egg hunt and breakfast at The Springs actually, so it was nice and close. He did also get an Easter basket, of course.

The chocolate bunny came from my parents...I just included it in his basket because it looked nice. The plastic eggs are filled with chex, his favorite snack.

Church was nice and then in the afternoon we went to some friends' house for dinner. It was a good Easter. Here's a picture of the Easter Lilly I bought at Wal-Mart. This was the first bloom, but now there's two with two more to go! I love lillies.

The things kids say

I saw this online somewhere and thought it was hilarious. I just wanted to share it. I can't wait for Craig to start talking just so I can relay all the funny things he says (yeah, I know, everyone says that, then they get irritated when the kid never shuts up).

While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased.
The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: “Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes.” (I want this line used at my funeral!)

This one may be long, but it's sort of a journal entry today

I went out with the sister missionaries last night. It was a lot of fun, and a bit surreal. There was another sister in the ward who signed up too, so we actually did a split. I went with Sis. Nock and the other sister from the ward went with Sis. Reyes. It turns out that Sis. Nock is from North Carolina! Kinston, to be precise. She knows a lot of the same people as I do since I served in two wards that are in the Kinston stake, Morehead and Greenville. She's also a Temple Square sister! I feel really grateful for the chance to get to know her, since this will be her only area.


We went to visit a part member family that Robert and I actually know pretty well. It was surreal sitting there next to a sister missionary--so many memories. I almost reached over to readjust my nametag. We chatted for a while and she gave a spiritual thought, then she did something that I never would have guessed, since I have seen so few missionaries do it since I've been home, but it was something my comps and I did a lot, and it catapulted me back through time. She pulled out her little mini hymn book and asked me if I would sing a hymn with her. Then she chose Lead Kindly Light, one of the ones I used to always choose. I was there. I was sooooo there. And I was sooooo ready to keep going. As we drove home she was so excited that she felt like maybe she made a connection with the couple and maybe she could help. I wanted so badly to be able to go back to our apartment, plan for the next day, and talk about ways we could help the people in the area, plan missionary firesides, and choose streets to tract. But, alas, I have a different life now and different obligations. Missions were never meant to last forever and if they did, they may lose their magic.


I came home to Robert taking an online exam and Craig asleep in his crib. I remembered some other trivial things that I am grateful to not have to deal with as a missionary (rules, boundaries, etc.). And I have a new found excitement for the work I can do and the changes I can make as a member of this ward, here. And the best part is, I received a little bit of inspiration on how to proceed with a non-member friend of mine who seems to be searching, but doesn't know what for. I'm excited to see what happens with her, to have the sisters over for dinner, and to go out with them again. I'm glad to be where I am and to have the opportunities I have here and now. I need to be better about making the most of it.

A Day of Firsts

Yesterday was a day of many firsts for Craig: first time down a slide, first ride on a swing, and first haircut! The weather was absolutely beautiful yesterday (and today) for the first time in a long time. It was sunny, around 50 degrees, and perfect. After conference, we went to the park and Craig seemed to really enjoy himself. We also decided it was time to cut his hair, so I hope you can tell by the picture. Robert did it and he looks so cute!

Farewell, Grass Head Man

This is my final picture of Grass Head Man. I figured once he started growing mold on the side of his face, it was time to say goodbye. The last time I gave him a trim (the last time I posted about him) I decided to just let it grown and see what happened. He got quite punkish, until one day , upon careful examination, I realized that the left side of his head wasn't as long as the right. (Can you tell the difference in the picture?) As I pondered on the properties of photosynthesis and the amount of sun that the left side was exposed to as opposed the right, while deep in thought, the cat walked by. And then I realized--cat's eat grass. And Grass Head Man's left side would have only been accessible to a naughty, percosious kitty, if she jumped up onto the kitchen counter and daintily balanced herself on the sink, a feat she would have been berated for had she done it with a human around. But now Grass Head Man has gone the way of all dirt-and-grass-seed-stuffed-knee-high-nylons. Those pesky humans, they ruin all her fun.

I had to post this

I know I've posted way too much in the last 12 hours, but this is hilarious.

Just follow this link. Please. Oh, please.

HELP!!!

Again, we are having trouble with a part of Craig's sleeping habits. This new ordeal began when I weaned him from his nightly feeding. He used to wake up every morning at about 5:00am for a feeding, then go right back to sleep until 7:00 or later. When I weaned him, Robert went in for a few nights at 5:00ish and just rocked him then laid him back down. He went back to sleep until 7:00, just the same. It only took a few nights and he was pretty much sleeping right through the 5:00am wake up, but that only happened once or twice. Ever since we've had trouble getting him to stop waking up between 5:00 and 6:00. We've tried leaving him alone, and to which he reacts by laying down and trying to go to sleep, but continues to wimper and whine every 10 mintuted or so, either until it's time to get up for the day or until he falls asleep, which is usually about an hour later. He then only sleeps for another 30 or 45 minutes until he's ready to get up. The worst part of this is that he gets ready for a nap earlier than he should in the morning from his loss of sleep, and then I have to struggle to keep him up between naps so he can last until bed time, at 7:00, which may be too early, but sometimes it's hard to keep him up that late because of his early morning.

I've thought that maybe he's an early riser and I just need to start getting up with him at 6:00, or put him to bed later, but he's been waking up every morning earlier and earlier, and he's really cranky when he wakes up. That is unusual for Craig--the way I've always been able to tell when he's ready to get up from a nap, and especially in the morning, is he's happy and playing and babbling to himself, not fussy and crying. So, I know he's not ready to get up, rocking him and laying him back down (or simply patting his back with him the crib) makes him quiet while we're doing it, but he cries the minute we leave the room. Leaving him alone doesn't seem to be working, since we've done it for several nights in a row and he never seems to make any progress--he stays awake for just as long each night. So again I say, HELP!

March for Babies

You've probably noticed my button on the top right of the blog, but I am doing the March of Dimes March for Babies walk this year. The town just south of us is hosting it (so it's nice and close) and I know some people who are putting together a team, so I joined. The walk is on May 9th and I'm really excited. I haven't done anything like this before, so I'm interested to see what comes of it. Anyway, wish me luck!

Boy? Girl? Read on to find out!

IT'S A BOY!!!
(You're looking at a bum shot)


AND A GIRL!!!!!!!!!
(Waving hi--Surprise!)


AND A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Side view---Double surprise!!)





And if you're reading this on Thursday, remember, it's still Wednesday to me, therefore...........April Fools!


We DID find out, and we are pretty sure, but not definite, that it's a boy. Those pictures are real, and they're all the same baby. (Look at the first one and let me know what you think--apparently that's the "appendage" we're counting on making him a boy.)

My big, walkin' boy

Craig's been getting more and more adventurous with his walking, so we took a few videos on Sunday, and here's one. He didn't do his best, longest walking in this one, but I love how happy he is with himself for doing it. :) It's short, don't worry.

P.S. We're getting the ultrasound today! Hopefully the baby will cooperate and we'll be able to tell if it's a boy or girl.

WE'RE GETTING SISTER MISSIONARIES!

Today it was announced in church that our ward is getting sister missionaries and they are coming tomorrow!! I have waited 5 years to live in a ward where there are sister missionaries and I am so excited, I can't use enough exclamation points!!!!! I went and signed up for dinner for Tuesday night (the only other night that was taken for the week was Monday, so I figure we'll have to fix that). I also signed up for exchanges after dinner on Tuesday. I just really want them to know me and know that they can call me anytime they need a ride or anything--they share a car and I know what it's like have an area this big and bike everywhere. Plus the church is really strict on miles these days...worse than when I was a missionary. And this is really rural here, so not a lot of subdivisions or apartment buildings to tract. The upside (sort of) is that the elders we've had here in the recent past (not the most recent ones, they were really good) were major slackers so there's a lot of tracting and other work that definitely needs to be done. A lot of people they can recontact, you know? Anyway, I'm so excited, I'm just rambling. Okay, I have to go finish making dinner.

Just Strollin'!

I think I mentioned that we got Craig a little push-walker thing that converts to a sit-down ride-on thing when he's older. He took to it like Forrest Gump to a box of chocolates! He knew exactly what to do, and he even figured out how to steer it a little and get it moving again when he runs into a wall or the couch! I was so impressed. :) So, here's a little video of him doing his thing.



P.S. Ignore that trumpeting sound that happens part way through the video--that's just Robert in the bathroom, blowing his nose (or a foghorn, I'm not sure which).

Mmmmm...Cupcake Pops

Yesterday I got the urge to bake. I miss baking. A lot. But since I'm not eating sugar, it's hard to have baked goods around. So, I decided to satisfy my hunger for baking, I would make these Cupcake Pops and give them to the people I visit teach. Of course I had to try one, to make sure they were okay, you know. Don't worry, it was a mess up and was broken, so I think most of the sugar leaked out.

It was actually a lot of fun. I did a double batch, which I wouldn't recommend unless you have some help. These things are fun and easy, but time consuming. I found them here, at Pioneer Woman's blog, but she got them here, from Bakerella, who actually appeared on Martha Stewart to demonstrate them. Try it--it's a lot of little steps, but I think it's worth it. I will post the instructions and recipe below, or you can go to the other websites where I got them from.

You will need:
1 box cake mix (I used Devil's Food, like Pioneer Woman)
1 container icing (I used cream cheese, like Bakerella)
1 pack chocolate bark
1 pack white chocolate bark (I think they call it vanilla)
*Bakerella used pink melts, but I preferred the white.
Sprinkles, colored sugar, M&Ms, etc. for decorating (be creative...I wasn't really)
Lollipop sticks (I had bamboo skewers, so I used those)
Styrofoam block

To Make:
Bake cake in 9x13 pan according to directions and let cool. Crumble into a bowl and add the icing (maybe a little less than a full container). Form into balls (I did them about the size of a bouncy ball, but I think the others did them smaller) and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cool in the fridge or freezer (depending on quickly you want them to set) until firm, but not hard. For this next part (shaping), you can use a small, clover shaped cookie cutter as the others used, but I didn't have one small enough, so I just used my fingers to shape it into a cupcake shape--you know, narrow bottom and muffin-top. They actually kind of looked like mushrooms. (Which gives me an idea, but that's for another day.) Melt chocolates in double boilers or in the microwave at 30 second intervals. (If you use a pot of boiling water with a bowl on top, I would suggest not using a glass bowl but use metal instead. Also, be sure that the water isn't touching the bottom of the bowl when it boils.) Dip the bottom of the cupcakes into the milk chocolate, set upside down on foil baking sheet and put the stick through the middle, but be sure not to go more than half way through the cupcake. When dry, hold cupcakes by the stick and dip tops into white chocolate. While wet, decorate with sprinkles, M&Ms, colored sugar, whatever you want. Stick into styrofoam and let dry. And you're done!
Makes about 25, if you make them the size of bouncy balls (Martha says it makes like 50, but she must make them tiny.)

For play-by-play photos, go to the Pioneer Woman or Bakerella links above.

Warnings? Who needs 'em!

I happened to be looking at the back of the highchair the other day when I read this warning for the first time:

Have you ever read something like this then realized that you have done all of the things listed?

My contention is, though, that all baby toys say, "Never leave child unattended." Of course, I agree, but within reason. If you never left your child unattended, what would be the point of having the toy if not to distract the child while you get a few things done (i.e. shower, do dishes, feed yourself...)? But don't worry, I keep a good eye on Craig...I just also know the value of a sane Mommy.

Dinner and a Movie

Does anyone else remember the Dinner and a Movie night that TBS (I think) used to have? I loved that...I wonder why they don't do it anymore.

Anywho--Robert and I went out last night for our anniversary. We went to this restaurant called The Montana Club (it's a chain around here), and I really liked it. Robert is the ultimate critic, but I think he liked it enough to go back, but probably not for the steak. (If you don't want to be kept from going to places like Outback because "it smelled like throw up one time when I went in," don't marry a chef.)

Then we went and saw the new movie "Duplicity". It was really cute. It had funny moments and some unexpected twists. There was one twist that Robert and I guessed in the very beginning of the movie, which is always a little disappointing, but it was a good movie for the most part. Not a lot of inappropriate stuff, compared to other PG-13 movies out there these days. Well, unless you count the times you see unmarried people in bed together. But you don't see any action when they're in bed, just talk. So, that's my review. I recommend checking it out in my favorite review site, kidsinmind.com, if you want to know everything about it, from words they say (like "butt" and of course more) to every immodest piece of clothing worn (and more). In fact, I think I'll add it to My Favorite Sites list on the side bar.

All in all, it was really a fun night. I especially enjoyed coming home and finding that the babysitter had not only done all the things I'd asked her to correctly, but she had vacuumed and thoroughly cleaned the high chair! And she's only 14! Yeah, she's my favorite, I think.

Coughs, runny nose, and fever

No, that's not Craig

Poor little Craig. He's got a runny (really icky) runny nose, a fever (not too bad, though), and he coughs like a seal begging for me to throw him another fish. I wish I could do more to make him feel better. When Robert and I were out last night we stopped at Wal-Mart to buy a better thermometer (got this one--it's awesome) and we decided to pick him up a couple new toys. We're not quite as indulgent as it sounds--he has a lot of toys, but he's outgrowing them and we've been meaning to get him something with the block shapes that he can fit into the right holes--he seems to love putting things in other things. We also have been wanting to get a little push walker thing since he loves to walk around holding onto the walls and furniture, so we did it. This morning, when he woke up, it was like Christmas! I feel so sorry for my poor little guy. :( I hope that made him happier.

Mommy's Little Helper

Finally, I can assign some chores to Craig! He's developed an obsession with the vacuum cleaner. We keep it in the corner of his room, so now whenever I go in there to put him down for a nap, no matter how tired he is, he pushes, squirms, and whines until I give him some alone time with the vacuum. Ever since I took this video, I've been bringing the thing out once a day for him and the vacuum to have a little play date. :) He cracks me up.



I love how when he finally realizes I'm there, he starts to talk and point at the vacuum, like he's telling me, "Look Mom, I made a new friend! Isn't he cool! He let's me push him around!"

P.S. This is our beloved $5 thrift store vacuum...it's commercial grade, apparently, so we have buy the bags and belts online (and attachments), but it sucks like a tornado. We love it, and when we first brought it home, Robert was literally pulling it out to show anyone that came over. What is it with Leal men and a yellow vacuum cleaner?

Onions strings

By the way, I made these the other day, and you can find the recipe here. They were really good, but let me warn you, if you eat a whole batch by yourself, you might feel a little queasy the rest of the day. I think it was worth it. :)

(FYI: The recipe calls for buttermilk, but I was too impatient to wait until I went grocery shopping, so I substituted with a little cheat--you just add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice per one cup of regular milk, stir, and use like buttermilk! I also only used about an inch to an inch and a half of oil in my pan since I didn't have as much as the recipe says and they came out just fine.)

So, for our anniversary, we went to Denny's

We did go to Denny's last night, but it was because we were in Missoula for some shopping and had to eat dinner, so that's where we went, but it wasn't for our anniverdary. Robert and I are going out tomorrow night for our official anniversary date and we're going to place called the Montana Club (more on that later). As we were leaving Denny's, Craig got all excited about the stuffed animals in the claw machine case. (You know--the ones that are rigged so you can never win no matter how many quarters you put in and you end up spending more than you would just to go out and buy the stuffed animal at Wal-Mart?) I had $.50 in change so we got two quarters and put them in the machine, but just so Craig could see the claw thing move. Well, Robert moves it over this one little chickie laying right next to the drop bin, lowers it down, it grabs it, lifts it up, carries over to the drop bin, and drops it in! I was shocked! I haven't seen one of those machines works in years, and I have never seen one at Denny's work! I kept thinking at any moment it was going to not close until it raised up above the chick, or it was going shake so much it would drop out of the claw, or it was going to drop right before it got to the bin, but it didn't! I was so happy for Craig. It's actually a pretty cool little toy, I think. So, that's our most exciting news for the week, so far. :)

Four years, and counting

Well, it's our anniversary today. I was trying to think of something clever to do, or funny, or touching, but I guess my creative bug is tired or something. Craig already gave us our anniversary gift--he slept last night from 7:00 until 7:30 this morning without requiring either of us to go in to him at 5:00am! Way to go bubs! FYI: for the last 5 months I've been nursing him at 5:00am and starting last Saturday night Robert went in so I could complete the weaning process (sigh) and last night was the first night Robert didn't have to go in. It was fabulous. So, here's a picture to commemorate our wedding day, and my words of Happy Anniversary, Sweetie. I love you.

Youtube Temple Video

I posted a YouTube video at the bottom of the page about temples. It's similar to ones we've seen before, but I really liked it--it has Pres. Monson titled as the president of the church so I think it was made recently. It's just always good to remember why we build temples and why it's important to share that information with other people. I wish I lived closer to a temple. That's my goal for the next move we make. Or maybe I'll go spread the gospel to enough people in my area so they'll build one in Missoula. :)

I love Reader's Digest

Here are some little nuggets from my most recent issue of The Reader's Digest.

"So many of Lassie's fans want to ask: Is he allowed on the furniture? Of course he is--but then, he's the one who paid for it." Julia Glass

"Before the shopper could pay for her groceries with a personal check, I needed her address. 'What's your street name?' I asked. 'I don't have a street name,' she said. 'I go by Juanita.'" Phillip Horton

This one is actually from Parents magazine:
When my 3 year old daughter, Adaline, threw a plastic toy at her twin brother, Ben, he ended up with a small cut and a black eye. The next night, I was reading Ben the story of the Good Samaritan from his kids' Bible. When I explained that one of the characters had been beaten up, Ben said, 'Maybe his sister did it.'" I thought of Andrew when I read this. :)

And this is my favorite:

Where am I going, and why am I in this hand basket?

Despite the title, (which I just used because I think that line is funny) I had another thought when I looked over and saw Craig in this position right before I took this picture. Some people say Moses was more of a toddler than a baby when his mother sent him down the river in a basket. Do you think he looked like this at all when Pharaoh's daughter found him? If so, I'd keep him, too. :)

New blog list

I updated my blog list, so be sure to check out some of the new ones I put on. I was accumulating so many great blogs from other moms (people I don't know but are either funny or have some great information) that I decided to make a separate list for all my "Mommy blogs". Don't worry, you're all still listed as "Family and Friends."

There's nothing like a baby's laugh

This video is only sound. I was blowing on Craig's neck the other day and he started laughing his little belly laugh. The camera happened to be right there, so I turned it on and started recording. If I had tried to get it set up to get a picture, too, it might have distracted him too much and ruined the moment. I hope this makes you feel a little brighter today. I know I will be going back to it when I need a pick-me-up. There's nothing like a baby's laugh.