Valentine's Day at Play Group

Today was the Valentine's party at play group. Valentines were totally optional, but I wanted to do something, so I scoured my Family Fun magazines looking for a practical idea for a bunch of 1-year-old's. Most of the moms in this play group are "mean moms", just like me, and limit the amount of sugar they let their kids eat, so I knew that candy was a bad idea, but they all love bananas. I got my inspiration from this idea on FamilyFun.com and then made it my own.

Here are the banana Valentines that I came up with...

Green Poop?!?!?

Have you ever seen anything like this in your life??? What is wrong with my kid??

(I swear I did not adjust the colors on this picture.)

To Grandmother's House We Go...Or Not

Today I was going to drive to Shoreline to visit my grandma. She has been asking for weeks if I would come out and spend the day with her, so today was the day and it was going to be a surprise. As soon as we got on the freeway I realized that I needed gas, so we took the exit to go to Costco. Right after we got off the freeway I heard Trevor cough one of those gagging coughs and I looked in the baby mirror to see what was going on and saw him puke all over. I freaked out and tried to get in the right lane so that I could pull over when I heard him retch and throw up a second time. When I got the car pulled over my brother opened his door and puked too because of the smell. Poor Trevor was calm as can be and sitting in a car seat full of puke. Luckily, I had a change of clothes and some extra blankets that I could use as towels. It is a beautiful sunny day today which I was grateful for this morning, but it made the car ride home miserable. Again, poor Trevor, he had to ride home in his car seat that smelled like puke.

We were driving past Winco on the way home, so I decided to stop real fast and get some Pedialyte while Jamie stayed in the car with Trevor. I was practically running through the store trying to get in and out as fast as possible knowing that Trevor and Jamie were in a stinky car and that Trevor might throw up again. When I got to the checkout I swiped my debit card and it was declined because it expired 01/09. I prayed I had cash, but I had none and Winco does not take credit cards. So here I was unable to pay the $3.49 to get my son some Pedialyte. I was so embarrassed that I started to jog out of the store, when I heard "ma'am, ma'am". I turned around and the cashier was waving me to come back. The lady behind me heard what happened and offered to buy the Pedialyte for me asking if it was for my baby. I told her it was and started to cry, thanking her before running out of the store because I was so embarrassed.

So my day didn't go as planned. Instead of spending time with my Grandma I have spent the day taking care of a sick kid and trying to get rid of the nasty smell in my car. And huge thank you to the unkown lady at Winco who bought my son some grape Pedialyte...he loves it!

25 Random Things About Me

1. I am the oldest of three children and my little brother lives with us.

2. I did not have a middle name as a child, so when I got married I took my maiden name as my middle name. I think it is a great tradition and I plan on continuing it if I have a daughter.

3. I grew up in an industrial neighborhood in Ballard. There was a tavern on one end of the street and a paint store on the other end. Then there was Nelson Chevrolet was across the street and a galvanizing plant next door.

4. Growing up my sister was my best friend and together we played the craziest games. My personal favorite was “funeral” where we emptied out our toy chest and took turns laying in it like we were dead while the other sister commented on how beautiful and peaceful we looked. (I think it helped us cope with the loss of our grandparents.)

5. I marched on the Ballard Eagles Drill Team for 8 years. It taught me discipline and team work. Last year I marched in the Torchlight parade with them and would love to make it a tradition. I still bleed aqua, gold and black.

6. I performed in the Florida Citrus Bowl Half-time Show on January 1, 1994 with my drill team.

7. I didn’t learn to swim until I was 16 years old and dating a lifeguard.

8. I instigated the first date my sister had with the man she eventually married.

9. I have never ever smoked anything or tasted alcohol.

10. My husband was the first Mormon guy I ever dated and it wasn't until he dumped me that I knew we would get married.

11. I would have had a perfect 4.0 GPA in college, except that I got a 3.9 in Chem 150 and Tai Chi.

12. I have to sleep with my ears covered and unless I really, really have to go or the baby is crying, I never ever get out of bed at night because I am still afraid of the dark.

13. I am a volunteer at the Paramount Theater and I have been really fortunate to have seen a lot of well done plays and musicals.

14. I will always love sunflowers, but my new favorite color is green.

15. I don’t like my food to touch and if I could I would always eat off a sectioned plate like the kids in elementary school do.

16. I am still friends with all my ex-boyfriends and if I met them, their parents too.

17. I love to read and would prefer reading over just about anything else...except maybe playing cards with Darren, Ben and Laura.

18. I love to buy and sell stuff on craigslist.

19. My husband and I each have a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and we always argue about which one to use. Darren likes the Betty Crocker recipe best, but I like my Aunt Marsha’s recipe way better!!

20. I have an amazing group of friends both at church and in the community. They are a remarkable group of wives and mothers. I am blessed to know them.

21. I am a perfectionist and I’m pretty sure (OK, I’m positive) it drives my husband crazy.

22. I think that I have the absolute best sisters-in-law in the whole world. My other in-laws are pretty wonderful as well.

23. I used to work as a dental assistant and I am excited to go back to school someday to be a dental hygienist.

24. Even though sometimes I am a brat to him…I really do love my husband a whole lot and I know that I am a better person because of him.

25. I have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his role as my Savior and Redeemer, even though sometimes I forget my worth.

Family Pictures

We took family pictures last week and it was a fiasco, but the pictures came out great!

8 Things

8 Favorite TV Shows
1. The Office
2. The Bachelor
3. So You Think You Can Dance
4. Biggest Loser
5. Worst Week
6. Dancing with the Stars
7. Superstars of Dance
8. Bromance...haha!

8 Things I Did Yesterday
1. Sold stuff on eBay
2. Talked to Laura
3. Watched American Idol
4. Packed away my nursing garments and bras :*(
5. Washed cloth diapers
6. Made pizza for dinner
7. Folded laundry
8. Finished "The Ivy Tree" by Mary Stewart

8 Things I Look Forward To
1. My birthday
2. Darren coming home from work
3. Jamie moving out
4. Gaining a testimony of prayer
5. Watching Trevor grow up
6. Our cruise to the Caribbean in January 2010
7. Planting a garden in the spring
8. Getting pregnant again

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Red Robin
2. Galiano's Italian Restaurant (Tukwila, WA)
3. Wendy's
4. The Ram
5. Outback Steakhouse
6. The Best Pho and Thai (Renton, WA)
7. California Pizza Kitchen
8. Panera Bread Co.

8 Things on My Wish-List
1. An Ergo Baby carrier
2. A new wardrobe
3. Jamie to go on a mission
4. To be a nicer wife to Darren
5. More time to read
6. A trip to Utah in April
7. A healthy Baby Abby Newport due in 3 weeks
8. A trip to Italy

Au Natural

My Grandpa Tame used to end his day with a soak in his hot tub in the buff. Trevor seems to prefer taking a stroll in his birthday suit before bed.

So, what is it about being naked that makes kids (and men) so happy? The world my never know...