Daily adventures of the Daveys

Day 47: cancun!!

2012-02-18T12:02:00.001-08:00

I am the luckiest girl alive! My sister Eliza won an awards trip for work to cancun and decided to bring me. Not only that, but I have the sweetest supportive husband that is packing up everything we've been living with for the last 5 months and is watching the kids with my parents help. Got in safe and sound and loving the gorgeous sunshine!!

Day 46: I am thankful for...

2012-02-15T22:38:00.001-08:00

I'm amazed daily by how much hazel grows up. Tonight for her prayers she went on and on about a million things she was thankful for. I think she was showing off for her grandmama (we're staying with my parents tonight). It was so stinking adorable. She went on and on about daddy, momma, her pillow, her pink purse, blue purse, green purse, black purse...etc. I don't think she actually owns any purses. She was thankful for her stories and prayers and cereal. I loved it. I remember hearing one of my Brinton nieces praying like that. They were thankful for sunshine and horses and candy. Little kids really have such a fresh and innocent perspective on life it reminds me how much I'd like to be more like a child. Here's my girl taking a little rest at target.

Day 45: happy valentines day!!

2012-02-15T22:33:00.001-08:00

We had a little valentines cookie decorating party today. Hazel and I got to say goodbye to a few friends and enjoy some tasty treats. We also had the missionaries over for dinner and made chicken cordon bleu, asparagus with hollandaise, Caesar salad, and strawberry shortcake for dessert. It all felt ever so fancy. It was a beautiful low key valentines and got to snuggle with my sweetheart. I couldn't be happier!

Day 44: moving and missing

2012-02-13T23:44:00.001-08:00

I have this overwhelming feeling of gratitude to Sarah and the whole Griffin family for sharing their home, toys, food, laundry detergent...etc (the list could continue for DAYS!) for the last five months. At the same time, I am excited to move, to start a new chapter, to walk around in my underwear, and to have a steady income. I long to give my kids some structure, heck I want the structure myself, BUT I love it here. I love that I can snuggle my nieces and nephews all the time, I love that I get to chat with my sister 12 times a day rather than once every two weeks, I love that Brandon has someone to work out with and make man jokes together, I love watching desi's older cousins just fall all over him they live him so much. It really has been amazing! I don't know how we made it 5 months with such a small level of drama.

I think I just got a little emotional tonight as we were packing and Blythe asked us where we were going. The picture of blythe and hazel was a random pose on a bathroom chair as they were both like "sissies!!". It's adorable! I snuck in the kitchen tonight and made the boys (sterling and harrison) fancy valentine lunches with 5 different heart shaped things and poems to go with their applesauce and carrots. How often do aunts get to do cute things like that? I cherish these little moments, because it makes the crazy moments balance out. Love you guys! Happy valentines day!!

Day 43: the way to a man's heart is through his stomach

2012-02-12T21:21:00.001-08:00

My dad always told me the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I think this has to do with the fancy from scratch carrot cake with cream cheese frosting my mom brought on her first date with my dad when she wasn't even asked to bring anything. A carrot cake to make even the anti carrot cake people huge fans. I took my mom's lead and made roasted potatoes and pecan crusted salmon (thanks Lydia for that recipe!) only 4 days after starting to date Brandon and considering he told me he loved me a mere week later, I would say my dad was right on. Almost daily and especially on holidays I attempt to win his heart all over again. Today I watched the kids and had warm molten chocolate cake (i'll post the recipe soon) ready for him when he woke up from a 2 hour nap. Happy Valentines day my handsome prince!! It's a little different than pre kids, but watching kids so a 2 hour nap is possible is now one of the most appreciated romantic gestures. I also made Indian food including homemade samosas, then for a late evening snack (molten lava cake was dinner :) i threw together tri tip quesadillas, salad, and fresh guac. I only got pics of the molten cake, but give Brandon gooey chocolate and anything with avocados and he is putty in my hands. Man I love him!!

P.s. I do realize I'm tooting my own horn a little today, but I got gushing appreciation, so I'm really just echoing his sentiments.

Day 42: feeding the duckies!

2012-02-11T21:35:00.001-08:00

Today I took Hazel, Desmond, and Ezra to go feed the ducks at this little canal around the corner from our house. The ducks were quite friendly, but didn't seem to have any fear of humans so I had the kids stay in the stroller. They made it through an entire loaf of bread, which might have more to do with Hazel and Desmond being more interested in feeding themselves than the birds. It was a nice little walk/run and I got to try out my vibram 5fingers again. I love those shoes!

There was also an attempted jog this morning, but when attempting to multitask, bringing a 3 year old to a track and getting 3 miles in just doesn't work. Instead we played a little soccer (hazel is actually quite a kicker) and I got maybe 1.5 miles in. Oh well, better than nothing I suppose.

Here are the kids with the ducks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkLv3jKWSFk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Day 41: Pre Valentines Date Night

2012-02-10T23:21:00.001-08:00

Got to go out with my love tonight. We played it low key and did dinner and a movie, but we must have been extra giddy tonight. We were silly and laughing and flirty and had so much fun! I love you my sweet Brandies! May we always be each others valentines and continue to fall deeper and deeper in love as the years go on!

Day 40: Big Sis and lil bro

2012-02-09T22:53:00.001-08:00

Recently hazel is really growing into her role as big sis'. It's adorable to watch her hold Desmond's hand or give him a big squeeze. She will also come check on him when he is sad and reassure him that it will all be ok. I love it! People all told me that this stage when they really start playing together is the best and I had no idea how great it would be.

I am also pretty sure we taught des to say "sis" the other day. He at least made a great hissing sound.

Day 39: going out hair on a hat hair day

2012-02-08T21:46:00.001-08:00

Went out tonight after having a hat on all day and this is what I came up with in the 10 minutes I had to change and get ready. What do you think? Does it work?

Day 38: Zoo Day!

2012-02-08T00:32:00.001-08:00

Today we headed to Fresno for a Craigslist find and ended up at the zoo. It was so perfect for a few reasons.

1. It was a tuesday morning and there maybe 6 total other visitors.
2. It was the perfect size to get around in about 2 hours at a 3 year olds walking pace.
3. It was a little old school so we actually got to stand pretty close to the animals instead of a massive habitat where you can never find the animal.

Hazel loved every second of it and Desi Q was happy as can be. We thought of doing a big trip before Brandon starts his new job, but who needs that? She seriously couldn't be any more thrilled about an outing.

Here are the kiddos chillin with the talkative flamingos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dRlcw_yPHY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Day 37: the love of iPhones starts young around here

2012-02-06T23:36:00.001-08:00

Both desi and hazel are obsessed with our phones. Hazel can get in and out without any problems to play a game or turn on netflix. It's insane! Desi goes for my phone in a serious dive whenever it is out. It makes taking pictures a little insane.

AND... Brandon just accepted a pretty amazing job offer with Marmot. We are thrilled and headed to Santa Rosa area in just a few weeks!! We hunted for a nice pad last week and lucked out. More pics to come as we move in! I just got all our stuff moving out of storage and is being shipped cross country as we speak. In some ways I miss my stuff, but we've done really well without it. Who knows, maybe we'll go all minimalist.

Day 36: I love the superbowl...

2012-02-05T23:50:00.001-08:00

...mostly for an excuse to make delicious food and visit with friends. Today we had a few friends over and enjoyed baked Brie, nuts about berries salad, Caesar salad, rocky road brownie bites, chocolate pretzels, heavenly guacamole, queso, tri tip, spinach dip, pizza factory style breadsticks, and more! It was fantastic! I only wish I would have taken a pic at the beginning.

Day 35: feeling old

2012-02-04T23:25:00.001-08:00

Today I held my baby girl in my arms and rocked her while I sang her "love at home". Only these days her legs wrap all the way around me and while sitting on my lap she can still put her head on my shoulder. She does ballet, dances, sings all the words to twinkle twinkle and abcs, can get dressed on her own, but she always wants me to "hold her" when we go down stairs. Not a piggy back ride or holding hands, she wants a full on hug and to be carried down. I have occasional (often) moments when I think that her 41" is a bit tall or 38 pounds is more comfortable piggy back style, but today it hit me, this isn't going to last. In no time she will not want to snuggle like that or for me to hold her. So I snuck an extra long hug and got a little choked up. My tiny little girl is seeming less tiny by the day. I love seeing the little girl she is becoming and feel intense pride as she is polite or out of the blue hugs her brother and says I love you. Those moments are amazing, but I hope and pray that she will still snuggle me and want me when she is scared for a little longer. I love you sweet bug!

Day 34: dates, drives, and dancing

2012-02-04T00:43:00.001-08:00

Check out this video of Hazel and her serious dance moves. I mean, she wasn't messing around!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe3ULcSIiyI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

We also dawdled at the auto auction again this morning. Hazel's sitting in her first beamer. We were on a hunt for furniture this time considering we may need dressers when we get our own place.

I also got to go on a triple date tonight with my love, my momma, daddy, sister Sarah and her hubby Jared. We went for sushi. It was fantastic and I enjoyed every bite! Although I would venture to say my miso soup rivaled theirs. Then we grabbed a redbox "real steel" and headed home. Totally my kind of date night. Nights like these really make me realize how fantastically lucky I am to have my sweetheart by my side for always and forever!

Day 33: I heart cheese!

2012-02-03T00:42:00.001-08:00

We had mini family day trip today to Sonoma and it was amazing! Cute little town square area with two parks and tons of great shops, cafes, and restaurants. We went to my dad's favorite place to get cheese (Vella) and got some heavenly choices! Habanero Jack, rosemary jack, and mezzo secco. I have a few more cute pics from the park and trip, but they will have to wait because they are on brandie's phone. If you are ever in the area I would highly recommend wine country even for those not as into the wine, the cheese and views make up for it!!

Day 32: beautiful winter day at the park!

2012-02-01T21:12:00.001-08:00

We got Hazel all tuckered out at this great new park we found. I could come here every day! She sleeps just like her daddy with her mouth wide open, totally cracks me up. We wanted to let hazel sleep so we hung out in the car a little longer and desi enjoyed "driving" just like sissy. Hazel asks to drive daily, not sure what she will do when she realizes she has 13 more years until that will really happen. Brandon was climbing on this cool rope jungle gym when he took this pic of me, I kind of love it.

Day 30: park party

2012-01-31T23:41:00.001-08:00

One of hazel's best friends here had his 4th birthday party yesterday and we all came along. It was a beautiful park and desi had a nice swing with his girlfriend.

Day 31: Desmond does sign language!

2012-01-31T23:36:00.001-08:00

Just a few days ago I noticed Desmond doing the sign for "food" and now he is doing the sign for "more". It's really cute and hazel loves to do the signs too. It has actually been a really good outlet for her to express herself when she feels overwhelmed or frustrated. Here he is doing the sign:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX92PhQ6aWE

Desi is also exactly 10 months today, even though I've been telling people that for a month now.

Day 29: battered baked zucchini rounds

2012-01-29T22:02:00.001-08:00

Just made this awesome treat tonight. After intensely dieting for 3 weeks it is a treat. Just slice the zucchini dip in a beaten egg, dip in bread crumbs (I added season salt, dried basil, and garlic powder to mine) and place on a cookie sheet covered with Pam. Bake at 425deg for 8-10 min each side. The result was delicious! Serve with marinara or ranch or make your own dip.

Day 28: I am so in love with my little Desi!

2012-01-28T23:19:00.001-08:00

Desi Q was cracking me up today. He is such a little ham. I think he saw the big kids playing with this toy and just had to give it a try. It looks like he got a little tired as he was pulling himself up and took a little rest. I've also noticed how often my two kids both stick their tongue out to concentrate, a bit like a certain husband of mine. I guess I can't tease him anymore, it must be genetic. I wonder which of my in laws does that, perhaps I just haven't noticed :).

I also am losing my voice. I couldn't talk for over an hour after waking up this morning. I'm glad I felt better this afternoon because Sarah was sweet to watch our kids and Brandon and I got to go out to dinner and a movie. It was a great break. The movie was silly and fun especially with the half price tickets (thank you groupon) and we ate Greek food that was heavenly! yum!

Day 27: Happy Birthday Harrison!!

2012-01-28T23:12:00.001-08:00

My nephew, Harrison, turned 8 today! He got spoiled with custom meals all day and both sets of grandparents in town. I loved getting to be here and see how sweet he was about his birthday. He shared his fancy helium balloon and let the little kids help him open his presents (they still get a little jealous and confused that it isn't their party). Here he is with his angel food cake. He also insisted on lighting his own candles which was a big deal!

Day 26: Halloween Catch Up

2012-01-26T23:23:00.000-08:00

So last year and the many years before, I have been a terrible blogger. I feel like I'd like to document Halloween and my cute kids getting all dressed up though, so i'm just going for it. Hazel was really insistent that she dress as a butterfly and we thought it was only fitting that Desmond dress as a caterpillar. After dressing up for two trunk or treat occasions, Hazel actually ended up being a ballerina to go trick or treating on the actual day. She only made it a few blocks and couldn't muster the energy to go much farther, even when bribed with candy. It was so cute seeing her all dressed up and really enjoying the whole holiday. She still talks about it all the time "I be a butterfly, you be a ladybug mommy!"

Day 25: my tiny dancer

2012-01-26T00:20:00.001-08:00

I took hazel to her second ballet class this morning and it was just as cute as the first! Here is my attempt at a video:

Most of the class the door is closed and privacy glass is covering most of the window, so we can't take pictures for long, but I snuck this one quickly at the beginning.

When we went to get Desmond this morning, he was standing. He is officially pulling up on everything! Here he is at Sterling and Harrison's pine wood derby tonight.

Day 24: lions and lizards and Blythes oh my!

2012-01-24T23:46:00.001-08:00

We like to picnic in style over here. Just another sunny day in January and a picnic shortly after a morning round of dress up. This lion costume alternates about twice a week with Hazel's many ballet leos.

Desi officially has 2 more teeth. Poor little guy has had a few rough days, but seems to be doing better now that they've broken through.

Day 23: Tea Party!

2012-01-23T20:53:00.001-08:00

This is the girls' idea of "quiet time". It was adorable, a little apple juice and a few crackers and cookies and they were good to go. Blythe got the table all set on her own and kept pouring Hazel drinks.

Day 22: plushies for kids at the hospital

2012-01-22T22:50:00.001-08:00

A couple days ago Ezra (my 2 year old nephew) split open his lip and they took him to the hospital just to make sure he didn't need stitches or anything. While there the nurse have him a little handmade teddy bear. Since then, Sarah and I have decides we should make some little plushie animals and send them to the local hospital. Ezra loves the little bear made from scrap fabric, we could tell it really made the experience less frightening. Here is a plushie owl I found in a boutique the other day that I want to try out. I would probably simplify it a bit. Cute right?!

Day 21: disco baby!

2012-01-21T22:33:00.001-08:00

You may think I am referring to a dance from the seventies, but no, I am talking to Brandon's new baby, today he got a Land Rover DISCOvery. He got it for a steal at the local auto auction right after a massive downpour and half the people left. I sent him off this morning and suggested that it might be nice to have 7 seats in our next car (for carpool purposes, don't get any ideas). I will admit I had the Acura MDX and the Volvo XC90 in mind, but considering they each went for about four times how much this one did (pre rainy downpour) I feel fantastic. I love the heated seats and double sunroof and it droves so very smooth with the V8. Don't talk to me about the gas mileage though. We figure Brandon never has a long cummute though. About 10 min at our last place. We went for a little outing to the Del Taco play area to let the kids go for a ride and get some energy out.

Brief update on my getting in pre baby shape, we're going strong on our healthy eating and can report I am down 14 lbs. About 3-5 more and I will hit my pre desi weight! Woot woot!

Day 20: miso soup and a 30 year supply of chili paste

2012-01-20T22:45:00.001-08:00

I ventured to our local Asian grocery today on a hunt for yellow miso paste and dashi granules. I wandered and felt like a foreigner trying to read the labels and find my ingredients. We have been trying to find a good use for some tofu I bought and decided to make miso soup. I eventually had to ask the guy and quickly found them, who knew miso paste is refrigerated? Now i can make miso soup with only 4 ingredients (granted ingredients that will send you into your local Asian grocery) and takes only 20 min.

Here is the link to the recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/miso-soup/

I also found another jackpot, I found out where to get my 30 year supply of chili paste.

Day 19: lemons and night terrors

2012-01-20T16:01:00.001-08:00

I had des on my lap at the end of dinner and we had fish for dinner, so naturally there were a few half used lemon wedges on the table. I finished y plate and went to sit him down so I could help with dishes only to see him slurping on a lemon wedge. Yes, he really is his mother's son! If you didn't know before now, I am obsessed with citrus; lemon pepper, sunshine carrts, key lime pie, orange juice, straight lemons and the list goes on, they are all some of my favorite things! So glad my little man will be able to share in my love of citrus!

I had heard of night terrors before, but no one told me how horrifying they are. I mean the name implies that, but I thought it would terrify child, not the parent too. It is so sad and scary. Hazel just screams at the top of her lungs but it totally asleep. I tried to cuddle her and she ran away in the pitch black to hide behind a couch...for almost 10 minutes. She screamed then whimpered especially if we ever tried to talk to her, then I just forced myself in and held her in a big hug and she calmed down. She is now on the floor of our room and we are working on getting Desmond back to sleep. I thought we were in the clear when I got her to laugh at her monsters last night and imagine them doing silly things. Apparently "the sandwich monster" standing on his head is a pretty hilarious mental image. Oh the joys of parenting....

Day 18: h-a-z-e-l

2012-01-18T21:21:00.001-08:00

I mentioned in a previous post that Hazel up and wrote her own name one day, my proof is attached. Look carefully and you can see her artistic interpretation of each letter.

On a side note, hazel had her first ballet class today, but the pictures are on a different camera that I can't get to at the moment, so you will have to wait until tomorrow. It was adorable!!

Day 17: one step at a time

2012-01-17T10:57:00.001-08:00

Last night was a version of success. Brandon and I were both blessed to be really patient all evening and night and just talk through Hazel's fear with her. When she woke up and came down she wasn't hysterical like past nights, but intead we could give her a hug and talk her through what was going on and what her options were. She ended up going back to her room on her own, closing the door and going to sleep. In contrast to attempting to sleep in our bed the last two nights and throwing a royal fit if I tried to lie her on the bed we made for her on the floor next to me, going back to her room calmly on her own was HUGE. It was wonderful and she slept until 8:45, which used to be really normal. Crossing my fingers we can help her get over her fears, loss of binkie, and hopefully get in our own place soon so she can have a little more structure. Des slept OK last night and didn't need a bottle until 7am, which is better than 5am which has been common for the last 5 months.

Here is our happy girl at the McDonald's Playplace.

They went right after breakfast and Brandon is dieting with me, so I don't even know if they got anything, but I'm hoping getting a little extra energy out will help with sleeping today too.
Hazel with her cousins, Blythe and Ezra. It's been so sweet to see their relationship improve and get more grown up to enjoy make believe. Hazel is Lady Bug Girl today, if you aren't familiar with the Lady Bug Girl books, you should be. The books are clever and encourage active playing outside and a lot of imagination. Blythe owns a few of them and they have become some of Hazel's favorite bedtime books along with anything to do with Clifford which is sentimental to me. I think sketching Clifford is one of my youngest artistic memories.

Day 16: bribery through Daddy Daughter Dates

2012-01-16T21:54:00.001-08:00

Hazel has been an amazing sleeper since she was like 3 months old. Good 12 hours at night no problem. Over the past year she has gradually given up her nap a few days a week and since moving to California she has started to have night terrors and wanders the house at like 3 am. It's terrible. This week she has refused to sleep in her room along with every other excuse you could think of (hungry, room is broken, monsters, thirsty, more stories, etc). It is exhausting. I spent an hour reading parenting boards today trying to find some tips and several mentioned helping her talk through her day, which gives her some time to vent and get attention before bed. They also talk about rewards of stickers on a chart or small things of they make it all night in their own bed or letting them help pick the plan. So far we have talked it out, she thought of a nice pink monster friend that can scare the mean ones away, and she gets an outing with Brandon to the McDonald's play place if she stays in her room all night. I'll get back to you with how it goes...

On a separate happy note, Des slep try rudely through the night for the first time I can remember, like a full 8-8. Making it from 8-5, bottle, then back til 7:30 was really normal, but I couldn't always go back to sleep. If he keeps this up I will be ecstatic! Hazel Slept at night so much better than he does, but he naps better. Oh well, I guess it changes with each kid.

This pic is from a daddy daughter ride on her birthday back in December, a place here gives an unlimited 4 hour pass on your birthday, awesome!

Day 15: most amazing diet food EVER!

2012-01-15T15:26:00.001-08:00

Just had amazing lettuce wraps. A loose interpretation of all recipes chicken PF Changs plus like 6 other veggies. They were heavenly and didn't feel like diet food at all. Yum!

Day 14: Up to Roseville

2012-01-15T00:31:00.001-08:00

We spent most of the day in Roseville today started with a delicious healthy lunch to keep with our health kick then off to the temple with my parents, Sarah, and the hubs. It is always sweet to go back to the temple where we were married especially surrounded by family. Here I am just outside the temple with a gorgeous sunset that iPhone pics can 't truly capture.

Then we went and picked up the kids to head to my dad's art exhibit. I had no idea it would be such a hit with Hazel! She loved the food, music, and art. She loved to explore all the rooms and was in such a good mood the whole time. My dad's piece was beautifully and lovingly done for my brother in laws brother who fought in the war. It is huge, life full scale life sized. I forgot to get a good pic with my dad next to it tonight, but i've included one of the finished price. There was a live band and the kids couldn't help but dance. Here's desi cuddling with my mama.

Day 13: matinee date

2012-01-13T15:54:00.001-08:00

We haven't really been out in about a month with family in town over the holidays and being sick, so this afternoon we asked Sarah if she could watch Hazel and Des and we snuck out for a matinee. We had the theater to ourselves for 15 min, then two couples came to join us. we saw Sherlock Holmes which was interesting and confusing and well done. We tried to go out to dinner then realized we didn't know where to go and stick to our diet and just enjoyed dinner at home. It was a great mini date and perfect way to end the week!

We also went to the car auction this morning and I saw an Acura MDX, Volvo XC90, and a Toyota Sequoia that all caught my eye. A 7 seater would be nice, especially if I can find one that doesn't look like a total mom car. Hazel is totally we father's daughter and had to sit in each and pretend to drive. She loved it!

Day 12: Mini Family Outings

2012-01-12T20:03:00.001-08:00

Brandon has mostly been working and working out the last few days and finally was like, "Can we get out of the house somewhere BESIDES the gym?" So we went to the mall this morning for a bit mostly to exchange two things from christmas for the right size. Hazel's new favorite game anytime we go shopping is Hide and Ghost seek. We played it a few times over the holidays and she was fantastic and quiet in the pitch black. Except this version is mostly her hiding fairly obviously among clothing, me counting to ten, and her popping out. So perhaps it would more accurately be called peek a boo, but whatever.

She really wanted to try on some sparkly shoes from H & M and that ...um...darling hat. I told her she needed to put her shoes back on and here she is insisting that she can do it herself. The little zipper in the back was giving her some issues, but she took her time and got it to work.

We also headed to the park to meet up with some friends. I have only sat Desmond in a swing a few times and pushed him really gently. He is seeming so solid these days that he loved the full swinging action, perhaps because he got to share the swing with his girlfriend Hailey. Despite Hazel being massively tall, she still wants to swing in the baby swing and has me do underdog as often as possible.

Day 11: love my family!

2012-01-11T23:04:00.001-08:00

Hazel has gotten really into dancing especially with her papa. I couldn't get over how cute it was to watch Hazel and Brandon spin while Desmond is desperately trying to keep track of them.

Day 10: the QuickStart Challenge

2012-01-11T04:10:00.001-08:00

All 4 adults in the house are doing a QuickStart challenge to drop some weight and kick start a year of eating healthy. This program is great because it's less of a diet and more a way to get rid of sugar in your daily diet. It keeps you full and you have a ton of small meals all day to keep your metabolism going. Between this and watching what I've been eating for the last few weeks I'm already down 8 pounds and my jeans fit so much better! I'm way excited. Oh, and you drink water like a camel (1 oz for every pound) and In turn use the bathroom a zillion times a day. Apparently you can drop 5 pounds just by being better hydrated, who knew?

Day 9: success!!

2012-01-09T21:57:00.001-08:00

We sent hazel's binkies off last Thursday and we had a few longer nights trying to get her to bed where we would trade off and do extra stories, but tonight, success!! She took a nice nap and went right to sleep tonight without any mention of her binkie. It was fabulous! I did take her bike riding and to the park which always helps. Except she is still figuring out her bike, hence the less than enthusiastic expression.

To update another goal, we are doing a kick start diet for the next three weeks. Lots of veggies, low carb, high protein and an insane amount of water. It's fantastic because it is a diet where you can actually feel full. I'll report back at the end of each week, but feeling really good about it right now.

Day 8: hand in the cookie jar

2012-01-08T23:34:00.001-08:00

As I was fixing Desmond his nightly bottle I sat him in the counter behind me, before I knew it he twisted around and dove for a no bake cookie. Sneaky little guy!

Hazel is a really visual thinker. It's crazy, the other day she wrote her name, I swear! The Z looked more like a lightning rod, but all the letters were in order and recognizable. I knew she could do an H and an A, and I was teaching her about what a Z looks like, but I was blown away. Today she got really into Legos and duplos and played there for a long time. Of course she had to be wearing her princess dress while at it, that's my girl!

Day 7: my sweet Desi Q

2012-01-08T01:35:00.001-08:00

I feel like I talk a lot about Hazel and want to take a minute to pay tribute to my little man. He couldn't be a happier baby! He is active and strong and my little tough guy. Seriously he is a tank! He'll climb all over you and your face just to smother you with slobbery kisses, it is so dang adorable! This is the sweetness I woke up to this morning.

Here he is just learning to crawl last week. He now doesn't army crawl at all and stands while holding onto a table unassisted.

Day 6: New Years belated after party and finally home

2012-01-06T21:24:00.001-08:00

Considering we were all getting over the stomach flu on New Years Eve and the gourmet chicken noodle soup was our first "real" meal since...well...for 3 days, we opted out of the traditional Japanese food extravaganza of tempura, sushi rolls, gyoza, etc and were in bed by 11. By this week we were feeling quite energetic and missed not really celebrating new years especially since my dad purchased some top notch hats, horns, and other fabulous things to adorn our party selves with. We decided to go to Mikuni for sushi and edamame (hazel's fav) and then marched around tooting our horns with our party hats on! It was a perfect bit of silliness!

We also finally reunited with Sarah and fam after a week of being apart. Ezra follows Desmond around and tells me what "this little guy" needs/wants/is it was so cute to finally see cousins playing again!

Day 5: Binkies and Balloons

2012-01-05T23:09:00.000-08:00

Hazel turned 3 a couple weeks ago and she has gotten more and more verbal. This has made her attachment to her binkie pretty dramatic. I got it in my head that 3 years old would be the magic number to get rid of it, but really hate the idea of tainting the actual birthday and Christmas that comes 5 days later. Two weeks ago I got really tempted and cut the tips off a few, but family came into town and we didn't have the guts to stick with it. Tonight, we went ALL in! I read some advice online and we really liked some of the ideas of packing up all the binkies and sending them to new babies or the binkie fairy takes them to the babies. One comment said she attached the binkies to helium balloons and sent them the the babies in heaven and it hit a note. I went and got balloons and here is how it went:

She was so enthusiastic as it was going on, but we were nervous for bedtime. She said she wanted her binkie, but we talked about it a lot and asked her if someone took her binkie or she gave it away and she told about how she gave it to the babies and it will make them happy. She went to sleep by 9:30, here's to hoping that she sleeps well the rest of the night and naps tomorrow! I think we'll have a lot of activity filled days so she is so exhausted she just passes out.

Day 4: the adventures continue...

2012-01-04T14:32:00.001-08:00

When we came home from the park hazel went right into her coloring and I fixed a healthy lunch for Brandon and I of quinoa, grilled chicken, and zucchini and hazel had some chicken nuggets with zucchini. Then she said "I be a pirate!" and I realizes she was remembering Eliza's party from last week where we all wore hankies on our head and played games. I played along and got two bandanas and we each put one on. I often think about doing some version of home preschool and try to think of crafts that go along with whatever she is excited about that day, so we decided to color and fold paper boats and take them out for a maiden voyage in the fountain in my parents backyard. She kept going "arg!" and "eye matey!" it was cracking me up. Look closely at her flag and see if you can find the H she drew and her version of skull and cross bones. You'll notice in the pics desi is standing on his own and crawls like a crazy man.

I got hazel some abc magnets at the grocery store to put on the fridge, but the magnets don't even work. She could care less and got so excited to find the H for her, the L for me, the B for Brandon, and then got stumped by the D for Desmond. She then on her own, grouped them like this, I swear, she surprises me daily with how smart she is!

Day 4: Just an ordinary day at the park with a toddler

2012-01-04T11:19:00.001-08:00

I took some pics early on in our trip of hazel sitting on a horse and Desmond standing, but in an effort to give an honest portrayal of my daily life, I would like to share these with you. We had a little picnic lunch with go gurts, trail mix, carrots, and as hazel took a drink out of my water bottle she spilled a few drops on her clothes. Before I know it, I turn around and see hazel stripping off her golden pants. awesome! I was briefly frustrated, then couldn't help but laugh, do a quick debate if it was too scandalous, then snapped several pics. Gotta love my sweet 3 year old!

Day 3: January 3, 2012

2012-01-04T00:08:00.001-08:00

Today we had the pleasure of going to dinner at the Nugent's house. Spencer and Jen had us over and we got to see their gorgeous almost entirely custom interior. It got my brain going about all of the options and possibilities out there. It's not very often we come across another couple that are both designers as well. We got a full tour and I wish I took pictures, but they don't do it justice. Spencer's says Jen dreams it up and he just builds it. Sounds like a great deal to me! In our house we have a rule that I will cook anything if Brandon does the dishes and it has worked well for us so far. We enjoyed what I think was filet mignon, if not, it was the most magnificent non fillet mignon I've ever tasted cooked perfectly. Before we came, spencer actually asked "do you like steak?", um YES! Then we hatted and the kids played, mostly with hazel enjoying being the big kid at the house, Oli (their adorable 10 month old) looking at her with google eyes and showing off his mad dance moves, and Desmond setting new records with his crawling speed. We got to talking about the vibrams that spencer was wearing and he not only let me try on a pair that were too small for him, but let me keep them! He tried to claim it was to avoid a return trip to the post office, but I don't mind the reason, they are fantastic and I've been curious about them for years. I think I shall go for a little run tomorrow in them and see if they help my shin splints. See! Aren't they fabulous!

Day 2: January 2, 2012

2012-01-02T15:17:00.001-08:00

Hazel had a fun filled morning going on an outing with her Granddaddy Q and got some new paints and a fancy hello kitty sucker. She was in heaven. As we were coming back downstairs from getting paper to draw on, she goes "where my boys?!" (her daddy is from Detroit you know) Brandon, desi Q, and granddaddy Q were in the other room. Here she is playing with her new paint pen/markers. While they were out, I got a 2 mile run in, played a little soccer, and Desi Q and I went on a glamorous outing to the grocery store. I keep forgetting how big he is getting as he sits on his own with a firm grip on the bar in front of him and a huge grin. Grocery shopping has never been quite so cute!

Day 1: January 1, 2012

2012-01-01T22:39:00.001-08:00

Not sure I dare do this, but I want to challenge myself to do a post a day. It may not always be clever on long, but it will be my version of journalist and keeping updated photos of my family and adventures.

Goals for 2012:
1. Write/post a pic daily on here
2. Dip below my pre baby weight before Desi turns 1 so I feel smoking hot for our 5 year anniversary trip this August
3. Push myself spiritually

This last week most of our family has been horribly sick with the stomachs flu. We thought it had gone and hazel and I had escaped it's evil grasp, until we were 10 minutes into our 2 hour drive home from my parents and it caught up with Hazel. Feel free to use or not use your imagination on that one but I will leave it there. That means our new year was rung in with loud fireworks outside and me sleeping soundly in my bed completely oblivious. Brandon told me we can go on a date this weekend and celebrate and make out at midnight. Sounds great to me. With all of our sickness and staying at my parents and extra few days we opted out of attending church today, instead we listened to a talk by Elder Uchtdorf (yes! I spelled it right on my first guess!!) and taught Hazel a lesson out of the sunbeam manual called "I am thankful for animals". It was adorable, she knew every animal, their color and sound they made when applicable. (If anyone could fill me in on what noise a giraffe makes I would greatly appreciate it.) we then each chose an animal to act out and brandon was a bunny, I was a doggy, and hazel was a lion, Desmond was napping happily. We talked about Noah and where eggs and chicken nuggets come from. Hazel is in denial and refused to believe it. Haha. She is cool with sweaters coming from lambs though. Then colored in a bunch of animal images I printed off (thank you google image search) and assembled them on this sheet in the pic. It was sweet and amazing and so nice to have some quiet family time for a few minutes.

the final countdown

2011-04-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

Here is one of the last documented pics of my pregnancy, here I am 8 months prego, right before my baby shower (thrown by some of the best visiting teachers and friends a girl could ask for!).

Same day...I had des about two weeks later.
Brandies and I at this great little hole in the wall fish and chips place in Portland, Maine.

In early March, Brandon took me to Portland, Maine for a little babymoon/birthday present. We had the most fantastic time shopping at the outlets, having fish and chips, wandering downtown, I got a pedicure, more shopping, fresh lobster dinner, checked out a great bakery, discovered When Pigs Fly bread, and had this amazing romantic quality time together before our family of 3 expanded. He spoiled me rotten and I loved every second of it! Amidst all of the shopping, I also realized it is kinda lame to shop for myself and we got Hazel this really cute outfit with a matching dress, shoes, hair bows, and undies from H & M. Our friends watched her overnight and by the time we got back, she was perfectly content moving in with the Hanns, they do have a swing in their basement after all.

Hazel B and her Princesses

2011-03-08T18:57:00.000-08:00

when did my little baby grow up?
Hazel turned 2 December 20th
and we took her to the See Science Museum
with 3 of her little girlfriends
the dress code included tu tus
and the girls ended the party all wearing tiaras and had a wand
it was about the cutest thing I've ever seen!

It was over Brandon's Christmas break, so he got to join us and so did Eliza while she was here.
I think this one is my favorite, they charged all over the place just like that!
This was their favorite spot to sit when they weren't trying to climb over the divider onto the train display.
The bubble spot was a hit as long as no other kids wanted to play there, they each needed their own stool and bubble wand.
They were so excited they charged up and down the stairs and around the whole place in a little pack.
A little toy computer that they were all very sweet to share.

Ever since this day, she has been going around blowing out candles every chance she gets. Her "cake" was these flower shaped rice krispy treats on sticks like wands.
No idea what this was, but they loved crawling underneath it!
fun mirrored area

I can't believe how big she has gotten!

Ward Halloween Party

2011-03-01T14:11:00.001-08:00

One of Hazel's best friends, Anna, was also dressed up like a fairy. So cute!

I realized I didn't get any photos of Hazel's Halloween costume posted
She was a fairy and we dressed down a bit
we weren't up for our same costumes, so I was a witch with this fantastic hat we found in Salem, MA
and Brandon was a cowboy
it was a ton of fun and Hazel got to trick or treat, although she was a little confused
and kept trying to take some from one bowl only to empty it out at the next door
it was really cute!

Family Photo Shoot

2011-03-01T13:53:00.000-08:00

This was back in November, so I was only 3 months prego, but we decided to hurry and get some shots of our little family of three. These were taken by my friend Suzanne. We showed up with both families and took a bunch of shots for each other then had lunch out at this little diner after. So much fun! A little crazy and windy, but fun!

Keen Pumpkin Festival

2011-03-01T13:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am well aware that I'm a bit behind
and that it is February and I'm writing about something from October
but with camera/computer issues and some other insanity this is what you get
and these photos and this event are too fun not to share!
I'm a little obsessed with pics with Hazel on Brandon's shoulders, I just think it's too cute! He's such a fantastic daddy!
Hazel on her leash...see explanation below...

There were supposedly tens of thousands of pumpkins here this year. They were set up all along the walkways and on this huge display like 50 feet tall. It was the perfect fall festival!
Our friends Nate and Lindsay came with us and we got to meet up with some of Lindsay's friends too. They are the most adorable couple and way too much fun!
Hazel just started to get to a phase where she refuses the stroller for stretches of time, and yes, I put her on her little poodle leash, there were way too many people there and she can fit through much smaller spaces than I can!
Hazel got to sport her Paris jacket too, it's my favorite! This is better proof of the thousands of pumpkins.
Right next to this spot were these fantastic Apple Doughnuts that were actually apple rings battered and fried. Ever soooo tasty. There was also a great pizza spot right there too! Although for a pumpkin festival, there was an extreme lack of pumpkin flavored food!

Overall, a fantastic almost free perfect fall afternoon! I'm missing gorgeous fall weather at this moment too.

Oh how I love Halloween!!!

2010-11-09T14:45:00.001-08:00

This year we went all out! I got this fabulous pink dress from my fabulous Grandmother Harriet a couple months ago and had been waiting for the perfect occasion to flaunt it. I decided to go as cotton candy and brandon was a bag of popcorn. We found the snow pants (pretty sure they were women's even thought they were in the men's section considering the red heart buttons) at Savers close to our house for like $6 and did a little embellishing with white duct tape. Then strung and hot glued about 4 giant bowls of popcorn onto his shirt. The trickiest part of my costume was getting a hold of actual cotton candy without a fair in town. After several trips and some phone calls I found it at Sams Club and even resorted to printing a one day pass (we normally are costco people) just to go in and pick up a couple buckets of cotton candy, but it was soooo worth it!

This picture is at our friends Becca and Taber's house for their awesome Halloween party. Seriously, they went all out. It was so much fun! There were even Minute to Win it games going on that we all (40+ people) got to participate in. We all voted for top costumes a...n.....d drum roooooollll....we got 3rd place! Which means we won a gift card to go out to dinner and a movie, pretty sweet I think!

I'll post more pics from our ward Halloween party soon that include cute Hazel bug as a fairy, me as a tempting witch, and Brandon as a studly cowboy. Just have to get my camera and computer to get along.

You can check out a super flattering, yet ever so ridiculous video of me attempting to win a minute to win it game on our lovely hosts' blog http://taberandbecca.blogspot.com/2010/10/minute-to-win-it-videos.html.

I like the way my fringe swings!

vivre le france

2010-09-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

We tagged on two days in Paris after our England adventures. We took it really easy and came back to the hotel and rested in the afternoons, but still seemed to get to see what we wanted. I think we also took about a million pics. So if you scroll through, you can see most of what we got to see.

Last time I came to Paris I LOVED the Arc de Triomphe. Unfortunately, we reached it right about at our limit/hazel's limit for the afternoon and decided to enjoy the street performers nearby and take a look from afar instead of climbing all the way up.

If you could hear me right now, you'd get to hear my terrible french as I attempt to order us a few Crepes avec Fromage et Jambon.
Right on the Seine river, close to this little line of booths with crepes, snacks, and antiques.
Hazel so generously shared her gelato with me that we got for her while we walked through the Jardin de Tuileries near the Louvre
Hazel kept trying to climb into the little fountain just outside of the Louvre
The famous Louvre Pyramids, we had a blast just wandering through here. We opted to see the museum another time. I got to see it last time I was here.
My handsome sweetheart, I couldn't be any happier! Love him and love that we got to spend the week of our 3 year anniversary in Paris and London!
Just outside Notre Dame, crazy gorgeous carvings and architecture!
Chillin on the Seine. There was this great summer festival going on along the other side of the river where people were lying out on lawn chairs and sunbathing.
Brandon loved all of the little artists along the edge with everything from paintings and sketches to antique pictures and books.
Hazel and I playing at the Eiffel Tower. It was actually super crowded and filthy with trash everywhere. Still so amazing and stunning to walk through, but wasn't a place with pretty gardens to hang out in like I remember.
Not even sure what this place is, but we grabbed some crepes for lunch just outside it's walls so we came in and enjoyed out lunch here. We actually had a lot of experiences like that in Paris in an attempt to see and sit where we would if we lived here instead of only going to tourist hot spots. It also brought us to a really pretty chapel later that day that felt like notre dame on a smaller scale but not nearly as crowded.
Can you tell how deliriously happy we are?
This is Le Centre Pompidou. It's inside out architecture is totally famous, but quite confusing to try to get into. Just to ride on the escalators, you have to pay the whole museum fee and go around through doors on the totally opposite side. This guy got mad at us for trying to go through the library door. I still have no idea what we were doing wrong. It was an entrance, we saw several other people go in that way...oh well.
We mostly ended up hanging out outside on the opposite side of it and letting hazel play and chase the pigeons, she was in heaven!

You almost got it Hazel! Just a little faster!

Taking a rest before she goes for him again.
Love this one!
We ended up having Pizza for dinner and eating it at one of these parks.

Brandon carried Hazel all over the city so we didn't have to worry about the stroller on stairs. I think she enjoyed cuddling with Daddy for the most part.

Our last afternoon there heading to the metro, then saw a nice little alley with the Eiffel Tower poking through, I love that!

Sorry for the cropping self portrait Hazel. We would just walk up and down these streets and enjoy all of the crazy cars. It was amazing!
Hazel at her limits.

I decided that if we ever really live in Europe, I want this car. I think it's adorable!

London!!!!

2010-09-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

London was fantastic! It's fast paced with a million things going on. With only two days there I think we saw quite a bit, but the shows were by far my favorite! Carol and Daryth were so kind as to wake up quite early, wait in line and get us front row tickets to Wicked for our anniversary! It was amazing! They were able to catch the matinee then they watched hazel for us. I couldn't ask for a better anniversary! We also saw The Merry Wives of Winsor at the Globe Theater which was fantastically hilarious! Then we wandered and did a few touristy things and got a few things at camden market.

On our anniversary with the London Eye in the background
Anniversary night just outside the theater after seeing Wicked!

If you squint you can see big ben
In front of Wicked
What we saw while we waited for the show to start
The stunning theater that the show was in
We are allowed to take kissy pics on our anniversary, right?
Hazel and I haggling at Camden Market
Wandering through Hyde Park near the Princess Di memorial
I was too chicken to climb on its back with hazel in my arms, this is like 100 yards from where we stayed
Mary was so sweet to watch Hazel while we went to see Merry Wives of Winsor
In front of Buckingham Palace, somehow I didn't picture all the tourist, kinda ruined it for me
Amazing fam, amazing show, so perfect!

Our day in Oxford, and surrounding areas

2010-09-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

We finished with the canal boats on Monday morning and Brandon's Aunt and Uncle picked us up and we headed to this beautiful wooded area where they had spread his Stepdad's ashes. It was a gorgeous day and we went for a little hike around there, had a picnic lunch, then got a mini tour of Oxford, had ice cream, then took hazel to this adorable little park. Don't mind that the pictures are mostly backwards.

I used to LOVE these when I was little. I liked to spin around and around. I still remember this park right next to my mom's hair dresser. My sisters and I would go play while my mom got her hair done. They had a great one there, I would probably still fit on that one...I think this one is made for someone closer to, well, hazel's size.
Hazel totally enjoyed it though.
We also tried out this great squeaky teeter totter.
And daddy showed Hazel what the slide was all about. I think this was one of Hazel's favorite parts of the trip. I think it was high on my list too. What a great little treasure that if we hadn't brought her, we would have totally missed it.
I think these swings are better designed than the ones in America too.
An awkward impromptu self portrait...you like?
We were so excited to see these booths all over the place, we had to take a pic!
Seriously some of the most gorgeous architecture of the trip all right up next to each other. It was amazing!
My love and me
Hazel couldn't make up her mind whether she wanted to be carried or attempt to go down the steep dirt steps on her own, so she just plopped right down in front of her Mam-ma.
Brandon hiking around with Hazel. It was soooo pretty!
There was this great little tunnel that used to have a railroad right through it.
Dir walking around with Hazel bug. She really loves older men. There must be some grandpa vibe that just gets sent off, because she bonded with him right away.

Canal boat!

2010-08-31T10:05:00.000-07:00

The next few days of our Europe trip, we spend on a canal boat roaming through the English countryside. It was gorgeous and low key.

Here we are headed out for a walk.
Just a pretty tunnel we were headed through. This is about halfway through our journey when we were about to turn around and head back.
Brandon and Hazel hanging out while we are waiting for the locks. We were in a "queue" (in england it is not ever a line, it is a queue) for a few hours to go through the locks, so we wandered a bit. The locks were a 4 person job, one person driving, another on Hazel duty, and the other two cranking the locks open and closed. It was such a cool experience.
Here you can see a few of the boats mooring on the side.
The first day it rained quite a lot, but we still explored equipped with our rain jackets.

Here you can see Hazel entertaining herself inside. At some point in the trip she found a pair of each person's shoes and tried them on for size. You can see a bit of the interior here too, she is in the kitchen/tv area. Past this area there were three other rooms, 2 toilets, and a ity bity shower.
On our third day on the boats, the sun finally graced us with it's presence and I threw on my swimsuit and read on the roof. Brandon sweetly hung out with Hazel and put her down for a nap then came and joined me. Seriously, best husband ever!

Daryth, being, well, Daryth. I'm sure she'll love this pic. She forgot a rain jacket, so this glorious neon creation is only on loan, she didn't get to keep it, what a shame.

Hazel LOVED to be outside. This feels like a very Titanic moment.

Hazel is going to be a big sis!

2010-08-25T20:29:00.000-07:00

On our third day in England we discovered that we're having another baby! Hazel is totally thrilled, and we couldn't be more excited. The next baby davey is due mid April. Luckily I didn't have too many signs of morning sickness on the trip aside from a few headaches. Since we've gotten home I only feel a little queezy here and there, but feel lucky to keep food down and have pretty normal energy.

This is Hazel in the courtyard of the Louvre in Paris, shortly before or after chasing pidgeons!

Europe Day 1-2

2010-08-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

We started out trip with a grueling flight that started right around Hazel's bed time, yet somehow she managed to make it through the next 6 hours completely awake. Just when we were getting worried it wasn't the best choice to take a toddler on a trip like this she slept for the next 4 hours. That's right, straight through our next connection flight, picking up luggage, through customs, onto the tube into London, and still totally passed out. She didn't wake up until we met up with Mary Martha in downtown London.

We dropped off our stuff at her place, changed and were on our way. We ended up going shopping at Camden Market, checked out Harrods, wandered through Hyde Park, had the most amazing crepes (mine was buffalo chicken with rocket, that's what the Brittish call Arugala, I love it), delicious Portugese food for dinner, and had gelato at their favorite place not once, but twice. Hey, it's vacation.
Hazel chillin at the crepe place, still salivating just thinking about it
us on the metro, I think I look a little spacy
coolest seats ever! This was the seating at the food court area of Camden Market

state bbq championships

2010-08-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

when we saw signs for the state bbq championship,
i think we expected something a little different

either way, we saw a few signs, followed them
and found a fun festival with like 20 bbq options
we had a little picnic and ran around in the grass
it was a great family date night!

Boston Harbor Islands, part 2

2010-08-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

so, part of the reason i wanted to check out the islands before
was so i could finish planning a trip with the young women in our ward
i'm the ward camp director and decided to have a pre camp gathering
it's totally amazing!
You take a ferry onto the islands and only share the island with a small number of people
we had a whole beach to ourselves where we did a nice campfire that night
perfect views of boston too
i would totally do it again!

sweet camping set up

2010-08-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

we've been out camping a handful of times this summer
and who wouldn't with the sweet set up we get with nemo
brandon's company makes those lovely green tents you see below
i guess i grew up with a whole other level of camping gear
when we were trapped inside for an hour during a bit of a rain storm
i was so pleasantly surprised that there was not a single leak
i think brandon's response was something to the effect of "duh" but in nicer words

these pics are from lake pawtuckaway just about 45 minutes from our house
headed out camping with our ward tomorrow right new to the Joseph Smith birthplace memorial
should be pretty awesome!

Flag Day

2010-08-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

back in June we went to the Boston Harbor Islands with some friends
we meaning Hazel and I went with my friend Amanda and her 3 cute kids
there was a free ferry in honor of Flag Day,
so we decided it would be the perfect day trip
the kids loved out mini hike, but most of all enjoyed playing in the water
we parked close to the aquarium so we popped in there for a bit to check it out too
it was such a beautiful day!
total blast, we'll have to find more excuses to go on day trips in the future!

April- I ran a half marathon

2010-07-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

When I finished my friends little 4 year old boy asked me, "so, did you win?! " I was like, "um, no, there were like 6,000 people in the race, but I did get a medal!" and he was like "ok, that's cool".

The fam afterwards.

That's right, somehow I got the crazy idea at the end of February that I should run a Half Marathon on Easter weekend. That's right, with only 5 weeks to train, it was a little intense. I had two friends that were much more seasoned runners than I am running in it, but after lots of runs and a crazy month and a half of training, I DID IT!

This is Becca, she rocks and broke 2hrs, I only managed to keep her in eye sight for about the first mile, but it was awesome!

On the last stretch.
Only about half way through...you can tell because I'm still smiling.
One of my training runs in pouring rain, it was awesome, I think it was actually one of my favs because I listened to "Singing in the Rain" on my ipod while I ran.
Hazel chillin in her stroller hanging out with daddy while I ran. Notice her cute outfit and hair that daddy did all by himself, quite impressive!
Hazel just chillin at home with daddy's high lift jacks.

March was a month of visitors, and my birthday!!!

2010-07-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

Aubrey, Phillip, and their new little girl Penelope came to visit/job hunt in Boston. We got to play at the Aquarium and wander around downtown. It was such a blast!

Hazel's favorite spot to run to when she escapes out of our patio door. She loves to show off her stairs skills.
Baby Zellie and mama
Granddaddy Q also came for a little visit and Hazel took a liking to him immediately.
Hazel's favorite spot indoors, she loves to climb up on this bench and play with the hanging keys.

February

2010-07-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

Hazel playing dress up with Anna (redhead) and Brinley in some of Hazel's many tutus.

Hazel showing off her mittens and snow suit all ready for our snow shoeing adventure.
Valentines dinner with fillet mignon and asparagus among other things.
My handsome husband planned the most amazing Valentines date to a fantastic restaurant with live Portuguese music, delicious fondue, and a super cool atmosphere, here we are on the way.
Our Valentines ride. Brandon surprised me with this sweet ride! Here we are dropping Hazel off at our friends house before our date.

January...

2010-07-09T05:42:00.000-07:00

So here is my attempt to catch up, it's been a while.

Hazel loves electronics, here she is catching up on some emails on daddy's old laptop.

Brandon attempting to entertain Hazel on the way back from our California trip.
Like I said, she loves electronics, she totally passed out playing with my phone one day, so cute!
Hazel and her pal Avannie hanging out in matching dresses.
Our little fam on the coast of Maine.

Christmas in Cali

2010-02-23T20:03:00.000-08:00

What an amazing time in California! So many little cousins for hazel to play with, Eliza's beautiful wedding, and so many memories!I don't even know what this is, I think it is food for her toy kitchen. Little Blythe was just so excited about everything.

Charlotte was so delightful and excited all morning, I'm not quite sure what this pouty look is about, but it looks adorable!
Not the best pic of Hazel and me on Christmas morning, but the only one I could find. She was LOVING it! All the people and wonderful wrapping to crinkle!
Please note amelia's footsie PJs as she sits on the mantel. This is all of the sisters, brothers-in-law, and nieces and nephews from the whole Steele family. Man, what a lucky Christmas! I'm so blessed!

gettin all crafty

2010-02-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

i like to sew cards some days
sometimes they turn out cuter than others
i'm rather proud of this one
my valentines postcards didn't come out nearly as cute
either way, it's a fun process
well, merry christmas two months ago!

hazel's pretty new dress

2010-02-11T06:05:00.000-08:00

this is one of hazel's new Christmas outfits
yes, i know it is February
but we took about 3000 pics over christmas
so i am a little behind
thank you mam-ma!

how did my little baby turn 1 ?

2010-02-11T05:20:00.000-08:00

I'm still amazed that Hazel is 1
I was informed in a babycenter email I receive shortly after her birthday
that she is now a toddler
what!? I thought that didn't come until at least 18 months
oh well, she almost walks and is into everything
and I love every minute of it!
A few updates on Hazel:
-she does a ton of sign language, things like more, eat, drink, bye-bye, attempts the i love you sign, toilet, and all done
-she goes potty in her mini toilet on a regular basis, but we are not really training yet, but she'll often go two or three times a day if we are around home
-she LOVES playing guitar with daddy
-she has gone full swing of not ever letting me hold her to the point where she'll get in moods where she really just wants a good cuddle
-she still will go to other people without much of a problem and hangs out at friends houses regularly
-her hair is long and curly, and i have no idea where that came from. Remember, long is relative, but for a one year old, she has quite a bit of hair!
-she totally adores books and i often find her in her bedroom climbed up on the big arm chair, just flipping through the books
-she has started to dance recently and will wiggle and shake to most any music
I don't think we'd ever given her ice cream before her brownie ice cream pie
she was shocked at first, then loved it!
iI love the company Boon, they make her high chair(not pictured as we were in CA) and I just love their designs
I broke down and finally got her the sippy, bowl that sticks to the counter, and fancy utensils that are supposed to help her learn to feed herself

I love her! we have so much fun!

I lovingly refer to this as a Jesus Dinner

2010-02-11T05:13:00.000-08:00

Lydia said that some of her friends have a tradition
that every Christmas Eve, that have a dinner that resembles what Jesus would have eaten
so I got to participate in some of the shopping
but Lydia is really the culinary master here
you all can do this too, don't be intimidated
buy a whole fish and broil it in the oven with lemon and a few spices
pick up some Mediterranean flat bread, goat cheese,
and honey with honeycomb in it from Trader Joes
grab some fresh fruits and nuts from any supermarket
she also made a sauce with butter, lemon, and fresh herbs
then you can sit on the floor and eat with your hand
as you might notice, we even dressed up a little

try it! it made for some great memories!

ah, California in Winter

2010-02-11T05:01:00.000-08:00

we took similar pictures in New England before we left for our month in California
let me tell you, I wouldn't be running around barefoot in Nashua!
it was so refreshing
at the same time I expected to come back to New Hampshire to find mighty storms
and heard horror stories of 5 feet of snow outside patio windows
guess what, that big storm that just hit the east...measily 2 inches
and that is being generous
now on a normal day I would be celebrating
but come on! I want to use my new snowshoes and go sledding!!
Dear Mother Nature,
Bring it on!!

highlights of the december steele family photo shoot

2010-02-05T08:37:00.000-08:00

we went to california for christmas break and brandon got a little camera happy
which is wonderful to have 3000 pictures to choose from
but how in the world do you choose?
i think i'll figure out how to set up one of those slide shows soon
it was sooo much fun to be there
to enjoy the sun and 70 degree weather for a while
so many amazing events a couple days in san francisco, eliza's wedding, christmas, new years, a trip to modesto to see sarah's family, etc.
hazel got to see all of her cousins on my side
and over thanksgiving got to see all her cousins on brandon's side
we feel so blessed that we got to see so much family over the last couple months
more updates to come...but this is all i have energy for
i have a terrible case of stomach flu...and i will spare you the details,
but time for a nap while hazel naps

traveling once more

2009-12-10T20:12:00.001-08:00

when we drove to and from dc over thanksgiving
we decided that everyone should take a turn driving
hazel took her turn during breaks
she would get out and wiggle and drive for a bit
it was so cute i had to snap a pic

note: she is only wearing pants and a sweatshirt
her other clean clothes were too buried
and she made a huge mess of the other outfit she was wearing
thank you dear
we'll work on potty training again tomorrow

winter is upon us!

2009-12-08T20:00:00.001-08:00

i'm loving the snow
i grumbled and complained
but i'm LOVING it!
you can talk to me again in the spring
when it is still snowing
i have a feeling i won't like it nearly as much
but for now i am embracing it
when we get back from california
i have plans to go sleding and snow shoeing
i think we'll go snowboarding in tahoe while we're out that way too
the mountains out here are...a bit different
so here i am, i'm embracing optimism
even if i almost ate it multiple times in heels on my way into church

Tubby Time!

2009-12-07T07:27:00.001-08:00

my mom gave hazel this little bath
and made her this towel
she gets so excited
and splashes all around
it's super cute
and it keeps her from smacking her head on the faucet
now i just have to keep her from trying to stand up
just thought i would share a few pics

Zellie is almost 1!

2009-12-06T20:42:00.001-08:00

it occurred to me today that Hazel will be turning 1 quite soon
on December 20th I will have been a mom for a full year
it seems like she's been in our life for forever
and it is hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that she isn't a little baby anymore
she will be walking soon
and more like a toddler
she amazes me daily and i love her so
she makes it all worth it!

I said it first here and I'll say it again: I LOVE YOU!

2009-12-05T06:36:00.001-08:00

3 years ago we had just started dating
he told me he loved me after 10 days
and I was crazy about him,
but it took me a bit longer to say it
when christmas break came
he said he couldn't wait another week to see me
and flew me out to see him and his family for New Years
The whole plane ride I couldn't stop thinking about how much I loved him
that night, in DC, I told him I loved him
that trip was amazing
I think it was when I started to really understand that he is my soul mate

Last week for Thanksgiving we got to go back
and relive one of the dates we had back then (thank you Keith and Jeanene for watching Hazel!!)
all of the memories came back
how full of life he is, and how alive he makes me feel
I love him more today than yesterday
and am Thankful everyday for being blessed with a better husband than I ever imagined

Back then I can remember seeing him with his nieces and nephews and
thinking he would be a great dad someday
now I get to see him with Hazel
and I see more and more what a perfect match we are
and how good he is to me
I feel so lucky and so blessed!

Maine: Vacationland

2009-12-04T10:51:00.000-08:00

We went to Maine for a weekend and played a bit on the beach. Too bad it was crazy cold. I hear the surf that weekend was fabulous though. I'm not sure there is a warm enough wet suit in the world to convince me to get in that water.

Hazel is getting so big! She thinks she can walk, but knows she can crawl with amazing amounts of speed.

Here are a few pictures of one of our weekend adventures.

HaPpy HaLloWeEn!!!

2009-11-01T17:27:00.000-08:00

hazel's first halloween!
our little hazel bug turned into a lady bug for the night
she looked adorable
and mom and i dressed as bugs to match
a bumble bee and a butterfly
brandon's work trip ended up lasting closer to halloween
so he missed the church trunk-or-treat
and on the night of halloween
we took it a bit easier

mom is in town for the week
so we have been having a great time
playing, shopping, and doing little projects
thank goodness for cheap southwest flights
a round trip, coast to coast for under $200
hooray!

brandon is now back though
thank goodness
i didn't know i could miss him that much
i'm so lucky to have him
what a great match
love, love, love him!!

has it really only been 2 years?

2009-08-24T07:15:00.001-07:00

brandon and I celebrated our two year anniversary last tuesday
it's funny how it all has become this time warp
it feels like it wasn't that long ago
but at the same time, i don't remember life without him
he makes every day so much better
just because i get to be with him
i couldn't ask for a better, more thoughtful husband
and he is such a good daddy to hazel

on tuesday i woke up to a bouquet of flowers perched sneakily on the shelf
i took him to work and met him later for lunch
he had no idea at the time, but i spent the morning trying to recreate one of the flavors of cheesecake from our wedding
i made the lemon raspberry one
then made a few things for a picnic lunch and met him at work
we found a little picnic table and had a delicious lunch full of his favorite things
guacamole, homemade salsa, and hummus with foccacia sticks and simply lemon, lemonade
it was perfect
that evening we got ready and dropped hazel off at a friends house
brandon had done some research
and found this little seafood place called Surf in downtown Nashua
everything we ate was fantastic!
we had calamari with this great dipping sauce for an appitizer
then he ordered cod, but this wasn't just any cod, it was crusted and laid on a bed of chowder with this pesto sauce around it...it's hard to describe, but it was very tasty
i got a virgin pina colada,
and what i thought would be a simple salad
with shrimp, tomatoes, proscuitto, some delicious cheese, and dressing
somehow they turned this normal sounding $10 salad into this perfect blend of flavors
brandon and i traded bites, and loved every minute of it
the restaurant has a great ambiance too
it's right on main street with these pretty round paper lanterns hanging
and wonderful service

then while we waited for dinner, brandon presented me with four options for weekend getaways
he had done a bunch of research, but wanted my input on what we should really do
the options were NYC, the coast of Maine, Cape Cod, and 6 Flags
(i've been wanting to go to an amusement park since I was prego and couldn't)
we decided that we would do a short day or two trip with camping to Cape Cod last weekend, then a trip to the coast of Maine in the next few weeks
We'll go see NYC sometime when it is all lit for the Christmas season
too bad hurricane bill threatened Cape Cod, but we ended up having such an amazing time at the beach on Thursday and Burlington and Sharon, Vermont on Saturday that our anniversary week ended better than i could have ever imagined!

sorry i forgot to take pics on the day of

downtown Burlington, VT

2009-08-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

what a fun city!!
after we went to Sharon
we came here
the whole downtown is blocked off to cars
so we just wandered and looked in shops
they had some fun little boutiques and i got the most amazing mustard yellow rain jacket!!!
brandon convinced me that i needed it
i can't wait for cool weather so i can wear it!
Burlington is right off Lake Champlain
so we walked to the waterfront too
we ate at a little pub and had their fresh made root beer and ginger ale
it was delicious
brandon said the ginger ale reminded him of what you would find in England

Sharon Vermont

2009-08-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

this is where Joseph Smith was born
it's only about 1.5 hours from us
so we went for a little drive on Saturday
it was beautiful
just pretty through provoking
to think where he started out
in a humble 20ft by 20ft little house
there was music on the grounds
and we just wandered and appreciated the beauty
i didn't realize before what a beautiful little monument and visitors center there is
i would highly recommend it to anyone in the area!

hazel has teeth!!!

2009-08-24T06:58:00.000-07:00

can you see the two little stubs coming through
i think this is the first pic where you can really see them
she seems a lot happier now that they have come through

hampton

2009-08-24T06:52:00.000-07:00

we decided that we would love to buy a house in this area
we drove through and looked at houses for sale just for kicks
we are in no place to buy a house
just had a little afternoon of daydreaming after our morning at the beach
then we found this gorgeous bridge
you'll notice hazel trying to eat me in one of these
that is how she kisses
if you give her a few kisses
she'll look at you, grab your face and come towards you with her mouth wide open, it's hilarious and oh so cute
i can't get enough
and i don't even seem to mind the pile of drule left on my face
those are the moments that make being a mom soooo worth it
it gets better and better by the day
this was a perfect little day trip!

i love beach cleanup days!

2009-08-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

we went to jenness beach for the nemo beach cleanup last thursday
and we hung around for an extra hour or so at the beach
it was beautiful!
what a perfect day
we too a walk down the beach
set up a tent for hazel to play in while we ate and I sunbathed
then we went for a little drive along the shore
i can't believe that we live only and hour from this
we had way too much fun!

pilates time!!

2009-08-24T06:36:00.000-07:00

hazel and I doing a little pilates
and the bicycle
it was great
she was kicking
and giggling and screaming
hilarious!
brandon had to get a shot
haha

sweet baby girl is getting so big

2009-08-24T06:31:00.000-07:00

this is right before church last sunday
what a doll
she really is soooo good
she just plays
and is starting to get into things
but dang she is cute
i have way too much fun!

swimming

2009-08-24T06:28:00.000-07:00

this is what we did most days while we were in layton
played in my mother in law's pool
it was perfect swimming weather
we also went to brandon's trade show
which was so cool
tons of companies
and we got to see all of their 2010 stuff
not to mention a few freebies and Nemo's awesome booth
what a great end to a trip
got to see family and have a blast

blythee sharing her bed

2009-08-24T06:25:00.000-07:00

hazel took at little nap in blythe's bed
blythe was quite willing
she came and shared and helped her with her bottle, how sweet

I won honorable mention!!

2009-08-24T06:16:00.000-07:00

so i went to vegas for my furniture competition
it was great, they paid for my hotel, flight, had a fancy awards ceremony with a 5 course dinner
it was sooo much fun!
amelia came with and we played and shopped most of the days
we found this great little place for breakfast called house of blues
i got my first pencil skirt
and we roasted in 110 degree weather
Oh, and I won a prize!!
Honorable mention in a national competition
and $250 bucks! I won't complain....

california here i come...

2009-07-08T07:22:00.001-07:00

...right back where i started from
that's all i ever learned of the song
i'm so excited to go on my trip
but a bit nervous
i don't do well without brandon
it's like i'm addicted
we'll get to play for a week of the trip
but this will be the longest stretch we are away from eachother
dang work
no...i love his work
it just hits home that we are officially grown ups
with a little girl and all

i am so thankful for him
daily i realize how lucky i am!
i am in love more today than i was two years ago
and more today than yesterday

the 4th and hazel sitting up on her own

2009-07-06T13:45:00.000-07:00

we just had an amazing weekend
with aubrey and phil in town
not only did we have perfect weater
but went on a few mini adventures as well
on friday brandon and i went to a movie
for the first time since hazel was born
then did a big house clean up before the quebes came
on saturday we went to a craft fair(turned out to be a flop) then kimball farm for lunch and ice cream
oh my it was amazing!
it's this beautiful little home town place
with great food, golfing and little animals to see
that afternoon we went to the pool at our complex
it could not have been a more perfect day!
then headed to a ward picnic where we ate
and played volleyball
that night we watched some fireworks from afar
then lit some of our own
who knew, new hamshire sells crazy cool fireworks!
sunday was pretty low key including a walk and a long nap
it was a perfect weekend!

next week this time i will be in california for jenn's wedding, how crazy!

beautiful blue skies...let's go for a walk!

2009-06-30T19:46:00.000-07:00

so for family night last night
we decided to go for a walk
it has been rather rainy
but yesterday it seemed to have cleared up
we wandered over to marshalls, sports authority, and shaws grocery to get a redbox
as we are leaving i feel a drop or two and don't think much of it
it progressively got worse, and then all of a sudden
we were consumed in this crazy downpour
we laughed and ran
hazel babbled and loved it
and we got home a little wetter but all in one piece
it was great

note to the sun: please come visit us soon

harvard...where smart people go

2009-06-30T19:39:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago
brandon had a little work in boston area
so we made a date out of it
we ate sandwiches in this awesome cafe,
dance along the river (joined a party with music),
and went on a great walk just around sunset
this was all right around harvard
it's a beautiful campus!

family photo op

2009-06-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

this weekend we were kind of home bodies

but we had so much fun

i crafted up a storm

and now have like a hundred baby hair clips in my living room

along with zebra drapes in hazel's room

well...almost finished drapes

for our date on friday we walked to the mall

yes we only live like a mile from the mall

and it was a gorgeous night

so we just walked

hazel loves her stroller and fell asleep by the ride home

these are photos from saturday

we got hazel all dressed up

and were about to take pics

then decided we should join her for a few

then snapped away until the mosquitos drove us insane

eating and brushing

2009-06-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

i don't know if babies can have wheat pasta

but she had some

just a few bites

i've started letting her have a few bits of our dinner

so she gets used to different tastes

she liked the spoon better than anything

and insisted on trying to feed herself...yeah right

another day i was brushing my teeth and she seemed to think it was some fun toy

so i grabbed and extra dry toothbrush

and she gave herself some minty fresh clean gums

funky baby

2009-06-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

i got this hat at this strawberry festival/craft fair last saturday

hazel was so fascinated with it

i let her play right after her bath

(hence the lack of clothing)

man...i can't get over how adorable she is