6 Feet 8 Paws

2012-01-31T20:34:00.000-08:00

Finley James-1 year old!

Our little guy is getting so big!

It's hard to believe he was ever this small

Our sweet little newborn, Finley

I might be a little late in posting this, but I wanted to share his one year stats/info!

Weight: 26 lbs 7 oz. (91%) no wonder mommy's arms get tired

Length: 31" (86%)

Head: 19" (93%)

Sizes: clothes are 18-24 months. Diapers-size 4

Favorites:
Favorite drink is whole milk and water (not together, but he LOVES each). He's able to drink through a straw now which makes life so much easier! The transition to whole milk was extremely easy, which I was very thankful for!

Favorite foods include YOGURT! chicken, pretty much any fruit, green beans, and bread! He's become a bit "pickier" lately, but we are trying to work through that:)

His favorite toys include any ball, block, car or drumstick (yes, pretty sure he's "all boy").

Pretty sure his favorite person (besides mommy, and sometimes even beats out mommy) is his grandpa. Finn LOVES his grandpa (papa), and WOW, you wouldn't believe these two...the BOTH have each other wrapped around their little fingers!!!!

Sleep: Still to bed by 7:00 and up by 6:00. Lately he's been sleeping great until 12:00-1:00AM, then up every hour or two simply standing in his crib, so we have to go in there and lay him back down. Not going to lie-I'm not used to this anymore and it is not fun...we are still looking for solutions, so PLEASE leave advice in the comments!!!!

On the go: Finn is crawling around like crazy. He can go pretty darn fast, especially if he puts his head down to help with the aerodynamics! He's pulling himself up, standing, and cruising along the furniture, but still not even thinking about walking (which I'm sort of thankful for).

Words: Our baby genius (te-he) can say several words which always get a good reaction out of us. Mama (which sometimes sounds more like just plain "mom"), dada, papa, da (dog), buh-bye, yum, and Ya.

Finn continues to bring endless joy. As he grows and learns, he always knows how to make his mama smile! This past year has taught us so much about ourselves as parents, as well as ourselves as individuals. More than anything, Finley has taught us of a love so much deeper, and so much more joyous than we could have ever dreamed!!! We love him with all or our hearts and cannot wait to see what the future holds for this little guy and our family!

Finley's First Birthday Puppy "Paw"ty

2012-01-17T19:46:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday Dear Finley, Happy Birthday to you!!

To celebrate this year, we had a perfect Puppy Pawty for Finn. I had a great time preparing for it and an even better time celebrating with all of those who were able to join us. The day was absolutely perfect and TONS of fun! I was a little worried the birthday boy would be a *wee bit* cranky as he had been a bit under-the-weather the week leading up to the party, not to mention all the excitement of 60+ people all focused on him; however, it was absolutely perfect all day. ALL smiles, no tears!!! I couldn't ask for more!! It meant so much to Colin and I that everyone was there to celebrate our little boy and support us throughout our journey of parenthood!

Now, here are a ~~few~~ ton of pictures from the big day. Hang in there, grab a cup of coffee and let the scrolling begin.


Finn's outfit he wore home from the hospital. While this picture doesn't show how tiny it really is, it's so hard believe that this was actually BIG on him at the time!!!

The Birthday Boy and his Balloons in his chair made by Grandpa Steve.

We had signs for everything which were fun to decorate with.

The entry table. We had a special storybook for Finley. Everyone signed it as a "guest book." Thanks, Jen Snider, for this fun idea. I am really looking forward to doing one for him each year!!

It wouldn't be a party without the hats! I BIG thanks to Grandma Mel for helping me make all of these (by hand).

table #1

Pinwheels and Dog Chow (cocoa puffs)

I had lots of extra little squares that worked well as confetti

Favor bags. Inside was a tennis ball, a Clifford book, and a bag of dog chow (again, cocoa puffs).

"Happy 1st Birthday, Finley" Banner

Up close. I LOVED the polka dots!!

"Pupcorn"

Table #2

Pennant Banner. We might end up hanging this one in Finn's bedroom.

Decor was everywhere in the house. Here is a little hanger on the pantry door.

I took at least 1 picture of Finn with this cute little dog each week to watch him grow. Here are all the albums for the guests to look at. I am SO thankful I will always have these pictures saved for Finley someday. Hopefully he'll appreciate them.

Pinwheels on the mantel

Mini pennant banner for his high chair. It says "i am one!" I really loved the font used with the party printables. It fit the theme perfectly.

Somoa Bark, thanks to Grandma Mel and Pinterest.

You can't have a puppy party without Puppy Chow (way too addicting) or tootsies!

Lift-your-leg-lemonade

I was sad that we didn't get a picture of our "Hot Dogs," but they were a delicious addition to our spread of treats.

The dog water

Our utensils and napkins

I do love our family of 3!!!

Cousins! I can only imagine the ~~trouble~~ fun these two will have together.

A little out of order, but here's the sign for the drinks (just in case it wasn't obvious-ha!).

Puppy Puffs (aka Pirate Booty)

Every pup loves a chew stick or two.

More salty snacks

LOVED the Scooby Snacks.

The Entry

Front door welcome sign

More cute signs. This was one great "paw'ty"

One of Finley's newborn pictures with the hat and booties he wore home from the hospital.

Everybody needs a little "ruffage" to snack on

Yummy cake made by Sweet Dreams Bakery.

"pupcakes" for the littlest pups in attendance

Finley's first birthday cake!

The center of attention in his party-wear

trying out his mini Adirondack chair and his party hat

Slightly out of order, but Grandma had to make sure he was properly "groomed" for the party. And, yes, there's another sign in the bathroom.

Finn checking out the cake.

the invite

the big moment!

"Hmmm, what is this thing mom and dad put in front of me? Maybe I'll try the frosting first."

Digging in with a little help from his Uncle

Sharing means caring and Finn cares a LOT.

Happy boy!

With 3 great-grandmas, 2 great-grandpas, 2 grandpas, and 1 grandma, there is no shortage of Love or attention for Finn.

Friends, Kendall and Aiden.

Finn definitely has his eye on the little cutie, Kendall, while Aiden has the CUTEST smile!!

Goin' in for a little love!

Finn is pretty giddy about his little girlfriend, who is really more into the hat (as she should be, a girl needs her accessories much more than a boy)!


After the party. Finn's absolute favorite thing was his balloon and puppy shoes (thanks Auntie Meg)

Sorry these pictures were so out of order, but we really did have a tail-waggin' good time. If you made it to the bottom, I'm IMPRESSED!!! Things you should know: 1. I did NOT design all of the paper items. It was a printable package i found here. I WISH I had the skills to do that. But I did do the work DIY-style! 2. Yes, I am already thinking about his 2nd birthday, and, no! It will not be this "in-depth." 3. Yes, I LOVE to plan/make fun things for parties; it's definitely a ~~guilty pleasure~~ passion of mine!

Most importantly, Happy Birthday, Finley!! We love you!!!

Finley's First Haircut

2012-01-14T20:48:00.000-08:00

While we were off over the holidays, the time came for Finn's first haircut. I was getting so tired of it getting into his eyes and being a "bit" unruly, I knew it was time to go (sniff, sniff, my baby's growing up). We went to Kids Kut which, despite it's slightly "rough" interior, he got a great cut! Like the crazy mama that I am, I snapped nothing short of a zillion pictures to capture the memory. here are a *few* or my faves.

The "Before"

"Mom, I've got to get a good long look at this lady, first!"

Finn is less than reassured or her skills based her own hair;)
(I know that's not nice to say, but let's be honest, it REALLY made me nervous)!!!

Occupied by the cool cars

She really cut a lot off!

We were all feeling better about this situation by the end. Deep breath, mom!

"After"

Despite the face in the picture, he really was happy (just not about posing for a picture when there were all sorts of new toys to play with from Christmas). The kind lady who cut his hair did a great job!! His cut makes him look so much more like a "little boy." In just the few short weeks since this cut, it's amazing how quickly his hair continues to grow-looks like we'll be back for another cut before we know it!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!

2012-01-14T19:45:00.000-08:00

Wearing his Christmas shirt and vest to go visit Daddy at work.

Very excited to ride the carrousel with his cousins on Christmas Eve

Bath time fun! Finn LOVES the bath!

Ho! Ho! Ho! This is the cutest Santa I know!
Finn was able to say, "ho, ho, ho!" over the holidays. SO cute!

Investigating the bows

Finley is the BEST gift EVER!!!

Santa spoiled him!

Out of order, but ready to ride on the Carrousel. He Love, love, LOVED it!!

Checking out his new truck with his cousin, Tyler's help!

"Thank, Grandma, for the awesome truck!!"

Happy family of 3!

loving his rocking horse from Grandpa Steve!

As you can tell we had an absolutely WONDERFUL Christmas. Finn got WAY more toys than he needed, but it sure is fun to have new things to play with, with him! We are so thankful for our families being near by so that we may all celebrate together. We are especially thankful to have our first Christmas with Finley!!!! "Baby's First Christmas" was a very special time, and we truly cherished every moment!

11 Months & On the Move

2011-12-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

It seems like Finn changes so much from month to month, but this last month, it's been even more so than usual. I truly can't believe he's 11 months old today! Last week he even started crawling forward-there's no stopping him now. Over the last week he's gained so much confidence and is exploring more and more each day. Its fun to watch his excitement, but Oh My Goodness, do you ever have to watch carefully (and i know it's just beginning and will only get worse-yikes!)!!

It is absolutely unreal how much our love for him grows each day! The smiles he shares, and the pure joy he brings is like nothing else. It has been so fun watching him as the holidays approach with all the lights, sparkles, and glitter-he MUST investigate it all!!

Here are some of stats/info for this last month.

Weight: 26 lbs-ish

Teeth: 6 (2 bottom, 4 top)

Sleep: Still going to bed at 7pm and waking up around 5:30-6:00 everyday.

Sizes: diapers-4's, Clothes 18 months (and no more squeezing into any 12-18 months, except for his Christmas outfit-I don't care how long it takes-ha!)

Food: He LOVES Cheerios, yogurt melts, and Christmas cookies (see next line)!!

WORDS: That's right, WORDS! Finley has been working on Mama and dada for some time now, but this morning, clear as day, while looking at me, Little Finners said, "mom!" Thus I gave him a Christmas Cookie;)

44 Weeks

45 weeks & Finley's First Thanksgiving!

"Haha, look at me, Mom, I'm stuck under the couch!"

Scrumptious Bananas!

46 weeks

Fresh out of the bath at Grandma's and So happy!

Who needs a sleigh, when you can crawl?!?!?!

Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas!

Best Buds, Finley likes to share his Cheerios from time-to-time.

Poacher often takes the "Night Watch." When we go to bed, the typically sneaks into Finn's room to sleep beside his crib. On this night, Poacher was pouting because we didn't let him go in the bedroom, so he had to sleep outside Finley's door!

47 weeks

LOVING to read. Also, can't seem to keep his tongue in his mouth, especially when he's "focused."

Wow, look at all that hair! It's getting long on the sides, and really long in front. A haircut might be coming sooner than later.

11 Months!

I can't believe it's time to start thinking about this little guy's first birthday. Okay, okay, I've been thinking about it since the day he was born, but now...now, it's really going to be here. Save the date, the (few days early) Big-bad-birthday-bash will be January 7th!!!

10 Months

2011-11-14T20:44:00.001-08:00

Finley is 10 months old, and as always, I just can't believe it! In just two short months will be celebrating his birthday-seems UNREAL!! The joy he brings us each day is better than anyone could ever imagine. I am SO excited to continue to watch him grow and learn, and just feel so blessed to be his mama!

For my own record, here are some of his "stats"

Weight: 24 lbs-ish

Teeth: 6 (2 bottom, 4 top)

Other: Finn moves every direction except forward. He's getting so close to crawling though (or maybe army crawling).

Sleep: Still going to at 7pm and waking up around 5:30-6:00 everyday.

Sizes: diapers-4's, Clothes 18 months

Food: He often says "mmm, nummm, mmm" whenever he really loves what he's eating. He LOVES chicken and sweet potatoes, any fruit and most all veggies. He loves feeding himself finger foods, too, especially Cheerios.

So excited to be able to investigate the baskets!

SO Happy to have mom home for the day and SO proud of himself for moving around

Playing with the pups

40 weeks with his Tigger Souvenirs from Uncle "Boomer"

41 Weeks

42 weeks

43 weeks

10 Months, in his Puma outfit that daddy picked out! (11-11-11)

We can't wait to enjoy the upcoming holidays with this little guy, too! I'm sure he will be totally fascinated with the lights, sparkle, and glitter, and very excited about all the yummy food he'll get to try!

Trick-or-Treat

2011-10-31T20:37:00.001-07:00

This little pup is all treat!! Though, he's fighting a little fever now(stupid teeth), so hopefully our pup has his tail-waggin' again very soon!

Pretty sure he's looking to his grandpa to rescue him from all the craziness his mom puts him through!

Ready to drive!

Happy Halloween!

9 Months

2011-10-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

Yet another month has quickly passed and Finn is 9 months old! He continues to bring us more and more joy than ever imaginable. His personality develops more each day! The only thing that melts my heart more than his smile, is when he gives a "love." SWEETEST THING EVER!!!!!!!

Stats:

Weight: 23 lbs, 13 ounces, (90%)
Height: 28 3/4" (68%)
Head: 18 3/4" (96%)

Teeth: 5.5 (2 bottom, 3 top, and another top trying so hard to break through)

Other: Finn is rolling constantly. Once on his tummy, he moves in circles, and is now pushing backwards...It really is time to baby proof the house. He is SO PROUD of himself!!

Sleep: He goes to bed around 7pm and wakes up around 5:30-6:00 everyday. He's taking one long nap a day at daycare and two, shorter naps on the weekends at home.

Sizes: diapers-3 (almost time for 4's), Clothes 12-18 months!

Food: He LOVES chicken and sweet potatoes, any fruit and most all veggies. He loves feeding himself finger foods, too. He's also now totally on formula (God bless the inventor of this!)!!!

36 weeks and cozy in his pj's!

37 weeks

We LOVE our sleep bandit!
38 weeks

Loving Aiden!

Daddy and Finley

4 generations with Grandpa Ed, and Great-Grandpa Al

4 generations of the "Men"

Loving the new swing at Grandma's house

Happy Fall!

Finn and his cousin, Tyler

9 months! He no longer wants to sit patiently near his dog for his picture...It's much more fun to try and eat it!

8 Months

2011-09-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday(9-11-11) marked Finley's 8 month birthday. As always, time has flown. Things have been CRAZY busy since I've started back at work, but we are slowly finding our new routines and our new "normal."

Here are pictures from the last month (all out of order because I'm too tired to switch them around-ha!).Finn in his "Big Boy Car Seat." He LOVES sitting up more!

35 Weeks/8 Months

Go Cougs!

First day of school pictures are much more fun with him in them!
34 weeks

Despite the look on Finley's face in this picture, he was SO Happy to that he finally got to sit by Poacher!

Hangin' out at the lake over Labor Day

33 Weeks
trying on his life jacket, not too happy about it!

First boat ride! For the record: He HATED it (well, he hated the life jacket) and we ended up going back to the dock shortly after this picture.

Mmm, Cantaloupe on the deck!

What?!?!?! It fell and he's NOT happy that he might actually have to work to get his food! That face CRACKS me up! So Pathetic:)

Oh! Why bother holding your food, when you can just bend down to eat it?

Splashing with daddy!

Weight: based on the the good ol' weigh yourself with baby, then without, he's about 21 pounds

Length: around 29 inches, but hard to measure the wiggly little guy!

Sleep at Night: Still sleeping from 7pm to 6am (sometimes he wakes up a little earlier)

Naps:While at daycare during the week, he's down to 1 long afternoon nap-I have mixed feelings about this, but oh well!

Food: He started eating pureed meats this month!

Playtime: Still loving the jumperoo, stuffed animals, and mirrors!

Development: His new favorite sound to make is /b/ which makes this mama proud since I still can't get all of my little firsties at work to say this sound consistently-ha!

Sizes:
Diapers are 3s, but soon to be 4s
Clothes-12 months

Life has been very challenging as I'm learning to be a working mom, but Finn brings such joy it's easy to forget about all it once I'm with! I'm so excited to see what this new month will bring!!

7 Months

2011-08-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

Another month has come and gone and Finn is 7 months old! How does this happen SO fast? Our days continued to be filled with love and laughter. Finley is such a good little boy these days and generally happy (until bedtime, then that's another story). Here's some info (more for my sake than yours) about our little bug-a-boo.

Weight: based on the the good ol' weigh yourself with baby, then without, he's about 20 pounds

Length: ??

Head: Big-ha! Not sure actual size, but his hats are getting tighter!

Sleep at Night: He's going down very easily now (praise the Lord) somewhere between 7:00-8:00. He's also the most reliable alarm clock imaginable-the jabbering begins every morning at 6:00AM.

Naps:Yay! He's FINALLY taking naps in the crib again. Some are shorter than I'd like, but VICTORY for mama! He usually takes 2-3 short naps a day.

Food: He loves pretty much EVERYTHING. Introducing formula went extremely well (no issues at all, and he'll drink any brand so far). He wants to try EVERYTHING we eat, too.

Playtime: Still loving the jumperoo, stuffed animals, and mirrors!

Development: He's still rolling over from his tummy to his back and has still yet to figure out how to go the other way. I'm thinking he'll just go from the sitting position (which he's very good at) straight to all fours. We're still working on this! It's AMAZING how much more he's aware of his surroundings, grabbing things, and talking all of the time! SO FUN!!!!

Favorites:His favorite song is still Jesus Loves Me, and he loves reading the Bible. He still loves peek-a-boo, and also loves "rolling it" during patty-cake.

Smiles:A few things that make him smile are making funny noises with your mouth, saying "mamamama," kissing his tummy and toes, or simply playing with his feet. The biggest smile comes when Daddy gets home from work!!

Tickles: He is ticklish behind his arms, his chest right below his chin, hips, and thighs!

Teeth: he has 2 front bottom teeth and 2 front top teeth!

Other: Today was Finn's first day of daycare. He was just there for the afternoon, but seemed to do well. The best news is mama didn't cry today, either (hooray! but I'm also not sure it has sunk in).

Here are a few (and by "few" I really mean "quite a few") pictures from the past month. Not all are in order-oh well!

playing the piano iPad app for tummy time! he LOVES the iPad (or any other electronic device).

We've LOVED going for our morning walks with Kendall and Meghan!

30 weeks

29 weeks-even though he's not smiling, there is something about this picture that I just love!

Our little family of 3 made a trip to Montana this past weekend. Finn spent a lot of time in the stroller like this-reclined, asleep and covered (BTW: love the canopy on this stroller)!

He REALLY wanted to try mommy's favorite drink of all time-a Big Sky Milky Way!

Dinner at Burger Bob's! This is just moments before his major meltdown and screaming (other than this little episode of crying and 45 minutes in the car on the way to Bozeman, he really was a trooper and did so well on this trip-even with the TONS of time in the car).

So happy to be playing in our hotel room! If you look REALLY closely, you can sort of see his two top teeth coming in!

GO Bobcats! Finn's first time on the MSU campus!
One last shot. Maybe someday will take this picture before we leave him there for college:)

We took things slow and steady on the way home with LOTS of stops. Typically a 6 hour trip with one stop turned into something MUCH longer (I honestly didn't even keep track of time) with 3 stops. Finley was much happier this way and was also loving wearing daddy's shades in Deer Lodge, MT.

Chubby toes in the grass

Spiked hair after bath time really made me laugh!

7 Months-Right before we hit the road to MT.

31 weeks

31 weeks-doing what he loves most-putting things in his mouth!

His first day of daycare! He was just there for the afternoon, but did great. the other kids were SO excited to have Finn join them!

This next month will be interesting as Finn continues to grow and learn everyday and as I have to figure out how to go from "mom" to "working mom." Finn and I are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO lucky to have Colin who helps with EVERYTHING! Most importantly, we are loving life as a family of 3!

6 Months

2011-07-12T19:48:00.001-07:00

Well, on Monday, July 11th, turned 6 months! our little boy is growing up! As always, I CAN'T believe how fast it has gone! He officially "rounds up" to 1 year, which I know will be here before I know (gasp-that sort of takes my breath away just thinking about it)! I don't know if Colin or I could be anymore in love with Finley! He's truly the best thing that has ever happened in our lives. He brings us constant joy and happiness. Finn is a strong-willed yet content little guy. He LOVES to just take in every new situation, experience, and/or person to the fullest. It's amazing to watch him grown and learn so much with each new day.

Here's a little bit about Finn.

Weight: 18 pounds 5 ounces. (66 percentile)

Length: 27 1/2" (85 Percentile)

Head: 17 3/4" (85 Percentile)

Sleep at Night: he does great (10-11 hours straight). Getting him to sleep is another story, though with lots of frustration (this is where his strong-will comes in), but we are working on it!

Naps: What are those?? Ha! Maybe if mama's pushing him in the stroller or chauffeuring him around town. Again, we are working on this!

Food: We started solids just after he turned 4 months and he LOVES them. He loves his oatmeal, and nearly all fruits and vegetables. Carrots are still a little "iffy," but WOW-never knew prunes could be so DELICIOUS to anyone! Other favorites are apples, peaches, pears, bananas (okay, pretty much any fruit), sweet potatoes, and peas. He wants to eat EVERYTHING we eat, reaching and grunting for it! We are going to try to introduce him to formula this next month, so we'll see how that goes.

Playtime: He love, love, LOVES his jumperoo! He also loves his new stuffed Moose from cousin Tyler, his giraffe teether, or anything he can chew on, and mirrors!

Development: He's rolling over from his tummy to his back and has yet to figure out how to go the other way. I'm pretty sure he hates tummy time so much that he'll never go onto his tummy intentionally-ha! He's grabbing for things all of the time. When he stays on his tummy, he manages to rotate in circles too. He hates it when mama leaves the room and often cries ( lucky me). He's very tired of being on his back, so he's getting really good at sitting up to play. Oh, and he LOVES to play with and suck on his toes (I mean, who doesn't?).

Favorites:His favorite song is still Jesus Loves Me, and he loves the Bible...turns our he's very spiritual:) He also loves his Sesame Street books, especially pages with Big Bird. His favorite game is peek-a-boo.

Smiles:A few things that make him smile are making funny noises with your mouth, saying "mamamama," kissing his tummy and toes, or simply playing with his feet.

Tickles: He is ticklish behind his arms, his chest right below his chin, hips, and thighs!

Teeth: he has 2 front bottom teeth!

Other: This will be my last full month off with Finn (boo). I am trying to enjoy and savor every last moment (tears, spit up, poop, and all).

A few (Okay, A LOT) of pictures from our last month

Giving Daddy a Father's Day hug!

All Dressed up for his dedication at church

Baby Dedication

Cousins!

Finn and Daddy reading/eating his children's Bible That Great-Grandma Char and Great-Grandpa Tom gave him for his dedication

All ready for swim lessons
Practicing floating @ swim lessons

the car was PACKED for our first weekend at the lake!

Enjoying the lake

Hanging out with Uncle Joe over the 4th of July weekend

Finn and 3 of his favorite guys, Uncle Joe, Daddy, and Grandpa Ed

Happy 4th of July! (This was the VERY FIRST baby I bought when I found out I was preggers, so I was very excited for him to finally be able to wear it.)

Ready to play!

Putting our swim class skills to practice. Thanks, Tiffany, for having us!

25 weeks & Lovin' his blue dog!

Chillin' in his Adirondack chair

Playing while mommy folds laundry. Not sure how, but the teether kept falling on his foot!

Finn is always so happy in the mornings!

Cute little legs

So happy to be 6 months old!

5 Months

2011-06-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

June 11th marked Finn's 5 month birthday. I know I say this all the time, but I CANNOT believe how fast the time flies. We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE every moment with this little guy. He brings us endless joy and happiness!

5 Months old

Can't get enough of those smiles!

He's growing and changing everyday. He's currently wearing 9 month clothes, though, I often squeeze him into smaller sized outfits since I'm in denial about how much he's grown-ha! He's doing a great job sleeping at night (from around 8PM to 6AM). He's learned how to roll from his tummy to his back and is always so proud of himself when he does. It's funny-as soon as I turn him to put him on his tummy, I can feel is little body move in a way to get ready to roll as soon as I put him down. He's grabbing for toys, smiling, and laughing (BEST sound in the world)!! He started solids a few weeks ago: He did not like the plain rice cereal, but loves oatmeal, apples, prunes, and sweet potatoes.

Ready to eat!

All snuggled up after bath, where he recently figured out how to kick his feet to splash.

He loves to try to sit up, and play in his jumperoo (which he is getting the hang of more and more). He loves his stuffed lion (aka Lionel),Finn and his lion

But mostly just LOVES his Daddy! There is nothing cuter than these two guys together. Finn lights up when Colin gets home each day, which makes this mama's day!

Finn smiling for Daddy's Birthday!

Now that the weather is cooperating a little more we've been going for lots of walks. Finley is usually lulled to sleep by about 1/2 way through. The other day we put him in the stroller without using the car seat. He wasn't sure about it at first, but once he got comfy, did just fine.

By the time we got back home, he was O-U-T, out! We parked the stroller in the house and let him snooze, but I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures.

4 Months

2011-05-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

Our little Finley is 4 months old today. I think I've said this with every post, but I CANNOT believe how fast time has gone. These past 4 months have been fastest and the best of my life. There are no words to describe how IN LOVE with our Finn. He brings endless joy (even on the hard days).

He's doing well as we are settling into more of a routine. Our days are filled with playing, reading books, singing songs (most of which are made up), changing diapers, running an occasional errand or two, fighting naps, feeding, and more feeding. He goes to bed between 7:30-8:30, eats one last time around 10:00, then sleeps until somewhere between 6:00-7:30 in the morning...Not too shabby!

Finn LOVES watching to read books, play with his giraffe toy and new stuffed lion from grandma. He also Loves, loves, loves to suck on his hands, especially his left thumb. He would watch TV all day, too, if I'd let him-He's truly fascinated with it!! He goes for his 4 month check-up tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to the vaccinations, but I'm excited to see his weight and length:) Speaking of vaccinations, I got the Tdap vaccine yesterday (for whooping cough) and have been really sore and uncomfortable all day with a low fever...It has given me a new level of sympathy for the babies. I will be sure to give Finn extra love tomorrow afternoon (oh, gee, darn;)!!

Here are some of the more recent pictures of Finley.

Happy Easter!
16 weeks
Looking like Daddy!
4 Months
Just can't get enough of his smiles!

3 Months

2011-04-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

Wow! I CANNOT believe my little boy is 3 months old today! These have been the fastest and most joyous three months of my life! Finley is growing and changing everyday. In the passed few weeks he's really started becoming and "infant" and no more "newborn." We are starting to see more and more personality from him. He's grabbing for more of his toys, "talking" more and more, smiling a lot (except when I get the camera out) and even starting to laugh (but only for his daddy, who apparently is hysterical...I, on the other hand, must seem like a boring dud to Finn). We are working on rolling over (which he's only done twice) and sitting up.

Our days consist of eating, spitting up, playing, reading books, sitting in a bouncy chair, playing with his dangling giraffe toy (aka, "Giraffi"), changing diapers, and doing it all over again (and again, and again). He's sleeping fairly well at night usually going for at a stretch of 6-8 hours!!

We love our little boy more than any words could ever describe. He brings us constant happiness and joy. He makes us smile, he makes us laugh, he makes our lives full!

Here are some pictures of our little guy!

3 Months and getting so big!

He LOVES playing with his tongue these days! Although, I sort of think he just wanted to stick his tongue out at me for taking so many pictures of him.

His"MC" buddies, Aiden and Mia

The MC mamas lovin' their babies

11 weeks and in love with Daddy (these guys are two peas in a pod)

Sportin' his "I Hunt for Hugs" hat my brother got him for Christmas (yes, before he was born). We're so in love with this baby, he doesn't have to hunt too hard for a hug!

11 weeks-This is the cute smile that almost always disappears as soon as I get the camera out.

I really can't believe how fast the last 3 months have gone. I can't wait to see what the next 3 months will hold!!

The Future

2011-03-08T21:37:00.000-08:00

His future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades!

6 weeks

2011-02-23T20:38:00.000-08:00

Our little Finely is already 6 weeks old! I TRULY can't believe how fast the time has gone!!! He is out of all of his newborn clothes and quickly filling out the 0-3 months shirts and 3 month pants. Not really sure since I don't have anything to compare to, but it seems like this child has long legs...Any pants smaller than 3 months size turn into capris-ha! He's awake more and more throughout the day. He loves his swing and still hates the bassinet. He's cracked a few smiles but generally takes life very seriously (he seems to always have a serious look on his face, making it hard to capture a picture of his cute little grins). Its amazing to look at him from day to day and notice the changes in his face, see how his hands have grown, and enjoy the cute little sounds he makes (especially when he yawns)! He's becoming a slightly better sleeper, too. Colin and I are trying different things to help our little "Fussy Finn" too, so hopefully we'll be smooth sailing in no time (a girl can dream, right?). Oh, and by "Fussy" I really mean screaming-which only happens a few times a day, but it makes me feel so horrible and SO wish he could tell me what is wrong.

I've probably taken a 100 pictures of this baby in his swing. For one thing, it's the only place I can set him down and not fear he'll get upset; plus, he's just so darn cute sitting in there!

We had a "crafternoon" with Meghan and Kendall to make Valentines. Finn was so proud of his little sweetie pies! We had a great time and everyone loved Finn's Valentines!

5 weeks old (sorry you have turn your head sideways for this one).

Like father like son!

Even though this isn't the greatest picture, I LOVE watching him stretch as he wakes up-So cute!

Hangin' out on his playmat! As all babies do, he likes the mirror.

Another swing picture, but I just thought he was so cute with his little hoodie! It makes him look like such a little man/munchkin.

We LOVE to snuggle!

Finn and one of his serious faces!

6 weeks old, and looking at me like he thinks I'm crazy for taking yet another picture!

Our eyelids are heavy, our house is dusty, the bed isn't made, and we really think long and hard about going out . Life is different, but we love, love, love our little guy!

4 weeks

2011-02-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

Time really flies when you have a baby! I CANNOT believe little Finley is already 4 weeks old. He is growing and changing each and every day. It is so TRULY AMAZING to live each day with this little boy. He brings unparalleled joy to our lives! Most of these past weeks are a fog, but I do know they have been filled with love (and sleepless nights-ha!)!

While a little late, here are some pictures from the past weeks

We are now, officially, a "Party of 3." One of our first family photos!

Finn hanging out in my recovery room! He LOVES having his feet straight up and/or out! It really is reflective his cozy position in the womb!

After 3 days in the hospital, Finn is ready to head home! I'm glad he felt so peaceful about the transition because I was a wee-bit nervous!

I might be OBSESSED with his hair! It's so soft and perfectly long enough in the back for me to play with!

CUTEST feet in the whole world!!!

Stretching before a diaper change!

Hanging out in his swing! He's so relaxed in the swing, it's one of the only places he'll sleep (he WILL NOT sleep in the bassinet).

3 weeks old, just before a sneeze!

Who doesn't LOVE a naked baby?!?!?!!
He is the BEST snuggler and LOVES to be held on your chest!
His little fingers are getting chubbier and sort of make me want to "gobble him up!"
4 weeks! Finn is awake more and more, his eyes are beginning to change, he is starting to smile, and he makes really cute, silly faces all of the time. He also still LOVES having his hands up by his face-just like in all of my ultrasounds:)

At 4 weeks old, he is starting to outgrow his "newborn" clothes and is starting to wear his "0-3 months" clothes. Here he is in his alligator outfit (which I've been DYING for him to grow into) alongside his stuffed alligator from his super adorable cousin, Tyler! Finn is starting to stretch his legs and arms out more and more, but still LOVES rolling to his right side nearly every time we put him down.

This child has changed our lives like nothing else ever could. It is one of the hardest changes, yet totally the BEST and most rewarding change! We love him more than words could ever express and every day I thank the Lord for this little, perfect miracle!

Here He Is!

2011-02-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

I may be a little late in posting this, but...

Meet Finley James McGlocklin! He entered the world on 1-11-11 at 8:03 AM. Weighing in at 7 pounds 15 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches, he is a perfect little bundle of true joy!!

It is AMAZING how time flies! He is growing and changing with each passing day! I will try to get up more pictures and info soon, but if the choice is blog or sleep, I'll probably pick sleep!

Ready or Not...Here He Comes!

2011-01-05T20:25:00.000-08:00

From onesies, diapers, and wipes, to receiving blankets, pacifiers, a bouncy seat, and swing...I can't imagine what we may still need, but it's definitely a situation where "I don't know what I don't know." I am feeling very thankful for all of the amazing support we have from family and friends who will help us out when I realize, "Oh...I didn't know I that."

Whether we are ready or not, our bundle of joy is on his way!

Our little boy will be here one week from yesterday (well, if not sooner)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's such a strange feeling knowing the exact date in which he'll arrive. I love knowing as I am a "planner" through and through, but at the same time, it's VERY strange to think, "Hmm, I'm going to the hospital on the 11th and coming home with a baby." Excuse, WHAT?!?!?!?!?! Its hard to imagine what life will be like one week from now, but I can't wait to find out! I can't wait to meet him, hold him, see his face, love him, and introduce him to the world (not to mention, my ribcage and abdomen could use a break from all of the "overcrowding" that's currently taking place).
Here are some of the most recent Pics.

Thanks to Colin's work Christmas Party, the ONE time I've gotten "dressed up"(ish) in recent memory. (36 weeks)

Celebrating the joy and excitement of the season!

38 weeks, after my last doctor's appointment! As fast as this pregnancy has gone, I still never really thought this time would be here so soon!

Getting the carseat installed!

Stayed tuned...
Ready or Not...Here He Comes!

A Letter to My Friend

2010-12-15T20:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Pregnancy,

We’ve been friends for a while now (35 weeks to be exact). You’ve been there for me day-in-and-day-out, whether I’ve liked it or not. You’ve brought me so much joy along with just a few pains.

As I look back on our “relationship” I remember the rocky start we had. I was elated when you entered my life, despite the way you made me feel. The excitement of announcing our friendship to others in my life was something I will never forget. Nonetheless, you left me exhausted. The thought of you alone made my eyes heavy and my body feel like a 1000 pound weight was laid upon me. You left a terrible taste in my mouth, figuratively, and literally. The “yucky feeling” you gave me was a steady reminder of the miracle of our friendship created. As you were in my life more and more, this feeling passed. I no longer needed to be within minutes of a porcelain throne because of you, and could start eating food with flavor! Our relationship was really growing (in more ways than one).

As we grew together, I got to see my little baby, learn that “it” was really a “he.” I felt good, and was so truly thrilled to be on this journey together. As my waist expanded with you, I felt excited to share the experience with those around me. Dreaming, hoping, planning, and feeling became a part of our daily lives. You gave me to opportunity to feel my son grow, kick, squirm, wiggle, and develop. You gave me the chance to feel a joy that couldn’t be experienced by any other relationship. But again, you have your drawbacks. My right arm was beginning to get tired of being poked and prodded for a simple, yet successful blood draw. My nights grew shorter as I made countless trips to the loo, not to mention the crazy changes in my sleep (or lack thereof) pattern! Sleeping on my side was getting old, too. If hip pain equates to spreading…I won’t be fitting through a standard doorway by the end of our relationship!

Throughout the fall and into the winter, many would ask if I was “over” our relationship. I knew I wasn’t ready to give you up….My baby needed more time to grow and I LOVE having him with me everywhere I go. You did tend to make me awfully forgetful, and many of the “pains” you caused remained, but these were all small sacrifices in return to the gift I was receiving.

Now the snow has fallen, and my babe will soon be here. As it turns out…I think I’m over you! I still love having my son with me wherever I am, but I’m getting tired of sharing my ribs. My belly is like a container of Jiffy Pop, ready to burst any second-I’m sure of it. Pregnancy, my friend, this is all you! I know I’ll never get my old ways of sleeping back, but I’d rather wake to care for a child than simply just to pee (or to be wide awake in the middle of the night for no reason at all-something else you are famous for!). While at first, I was fine with my new wardrobe, now you make me yearn for pants with a button! I’m tired of drinking over 100 ounces of hydrating fluids each day too! Truly, the list of things you’ve made me do is endless, both good and bad, this is just the beginning.

I know we have a few weeks left together, which is fine, as I know it is what the baby needs! You have given me a child, who “like father, like son,” is a little stubborn and very wiggly. I’m ready to meet him, to see what he looks like, and to see who he’ll be! I’m sure we’ll meet again in the future, but for now, our days are numbered! Pregnancy, the Doc says the way this child is immovable, that our relationship will end on January 11^th. Overall, our relationship has been good, and something I’ve enjoyed, but I can’t say I’ll miss you too much (or that I’m sad this is a week early) especially knowing the new love I’ll have!!

Yours Truly,

Mama in Waiting

35 weeks

8 weeks and counting!

2010-11-23T21:00:00.000-08:00

The countdown is on, only 8 weeks to go. I'm NOT ready for this little boy to make his big appearance, but I AM getting very excited for it!! I can't believe I only have 8 weeks left (praying that I don't go too far overdue, that is). Time has FLOWN!! I love being able to feel him move (even when it is like tap-dancing on my bladder)! I'm feeling very thankful for a healthy pregnancy thus far!

The baby bump is growing!

Hello 3rd Trimester

2010-10-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

This week officially marked the beginning of my 3rd trimester! I can't believe how fast the time is going. I know our little guy will be here before we know it!

28 weeks!

So far, I've been feeling great, so I'm hoping it stays that way for the remaining 12 weeks! I've also scheduled all of my remaining doctor's appointments! Also, this last weekend, my sisters-in-law and good family friends joined forces to host a shower for my family! It was so much fun; but of course, I forgot my camera, so I'll have to post pictures once I get some from my mom (she never leaves without her camera...needless to say, I have a lot to learn from her)!!! However, you can see in the background of the picture a few large boxes. We were VERY, Very fortunate to receive our high chair (thanks mom and dad) and our carseat (thanks grandma Char)! I know I say this all the time, but it's really starting to be real! All of the adorable clothes and blankets made me really excited to dress up/bundle up our little boy once he arrives!

One Step Closer

2010-10-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

We are one step closer to being ready for Baby Glock (aka Dariusblue, aka Baby McG, aka Bob the Builder). I came home the other night to Colin putting the crib together!! It was seriously exciting for me and really made things feel a little more "real."

Colin being a super-trooper with assembly-I think he even read the directions for once:) He must have sensed the need for safety for once!

Just finishing up!

All ready!
Of course, the whole family had to check out the new crib!

Here are some of the most recent bump pictures.
24 weeks (I think...I may have lost track a tiny bit while the pictures were stored on my camera...Oops!).

26 weeks (forgive the tired eyes, the picture was taken after a long day).
Finally, Colin getting his "daddy practice" in as he's playing with our adorable nephew!

NAKED!!

2010-09-08T20:39:00.000-07:00

Our front yard is naked!

Okay, okay, ignore the truck and garbage bins...Our yard really feels naked!! What's missing...The "For Sale" sign! We finally took our house off the market. It's definitely a bittersweet feeling, but I was really just wanting to "settled" (I might feel the need to start a little nesting)!! It had been listed for exactly 1 year...turns out moving was just not meant to be for our little family. We also agreed that if we find a home we love, we could always re-list. In the meantime, I might not make my bed tomorrow morning (gasp)!!!

It's a boy!!

2010-09-08T20:27:00.000-07:00

Baby Glock is a Boy!!

We had our ultrasound about two weeks ago and boy,-oh-boy, there was no hiding it-our little boy is quite proud of himself!! Once I found out, it was very hard to restrain myself while shopping. these little shoes were way too cute to pass up!

Since several people have asked, here is my baby bump pic-20.5 weeks and growing!

FAQs

2010-08-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

Well, hopefully I can answer all of your burning questions while sharing a little bit more about baby McG. Here are the answers to some of the Frequently Asked Questions!

When are you due? Jan 18th
How have you been feeling? Pretty good-Not being huge during the hot summer months has been nice! I'll spare you other details;)
Do you know the gender? No
Will you find out if the baby is a he or a she? Yes
Will you tell others the gender? Yes
Do you have names? No, not yet...But, when we do...NO, We are NOT telling...Something has to be a surprise!!
How much time are you taking off from work? I really don't know yet. We haven't decided, and I'm not in a huge rush to decide, but yes...I will be returning to work at some point post baby McG.!
Will you have an epidural? YES! And I'd have 2 of them if I could. I'm a wimp...We all know that...I have nothing to prove at that point! If you've had a natural childbirth-more power to you, but this is not for me. God Bless Modern Medicine!

Now, a few other notes...

I had this really weird thought on Monday. I had a dentist appointment, and I thought, Hmm, I'll have to schedule my next appointment before I leave...THEN, I thought...Holy COW-I'll need a babysitter that day! That was a VERY weird moment in my day. Every so often, something like this occurs to me and it definitely makes everything much more "real."

16.5 weeks-Baby McG is growing! I'm currently 18 weeks.

Here is Colin diligently reading directions to put our first (and ONLY) baby item together! I'm sure we'll end up with many more pictures of him assembling items for years to come.

Once the stroller was assembled, I had to pose for a pic. Obviously this baby makes me look big (as it should, I know) but, really, Does this stroller make me look old, or what!?!?!?!?!

Baking

2010-08-07T22:08:00.001-07:00

There's a bun in the oven!!

Timer Set for January 18, 2011!

Living with a Lockbox

2010-07-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

Well, our house has been on the good ol' MLS since September...Ugh! It's been a VERY LONG (nearly) 11 months thus far. My gut feeling is that we'll be staying here for a few more years at this point, despite the fact we"ll probably leave listed for another month or two. Apparently, moving just wasn't in the cards for us, and I'm coming to grips with that. There are lots of things I do love about my house...but that's another post.

Having your house "on the market" means you have to have it clean for perfect strangers to come through at any given moment-sometimes prearranged, other times not. Even though we plan on not giving up just yet, there are MANY things I can't wait to be DONE WITH...Here are just a few.

1. Our bed has to ALWAYS be made. Now, I'm sure some of you out there reading this may be natural "bed makers" who do it everyday just for your own satisfaction...hats off to you-I'm just not one of them! Of course, it's nice to see a perfectly made bed, but there are those days where all you want to do is get out the door for the day-but wait, I CAN'T -I have the make the bed-UGH!

2. Laundry must be put away (or hidden-tehe)Colin and I have laundry down to a pretty good science, but (well, that pretty much means I do it, he says thanks) but hey, every couple has to come up with what works! Plus, I do have a couple of super secret hiding spots for any last minute unfolded laundry-don't judge, you never know when someone will call to view the home.

3. All sinks must be clean at all times. This means no toothpaste or handsoap globs in bathroom...

And no dishes or food gunk in the kitchen.

While having clean sinks is something I do appreciate at don't mind doing, I hate the feeling of being forced to do so. There are those mornings when I'm headed out the door and I have very strong urges to leave my cereal bowl in the sink...then the guilt and "what if someone calls to look" feeling sets in...Next thing I know, I'm unloading the dishwasher (or the DOW as I like to call it, but again-that's another post)...Just to load one measly bowl and spoon. Hard? No! Annoying at time? YES!!!

4. The dog toys have to be put away!Now, I'm sure those of you with children think this is nothing, and I'm sure you're right, but it's still ONE MORE THING I HAVE TO DO that otherwise wouldn't really bother me. If the dogs leave a ball, or a Kong, or a chew bone out, personally, I can live with it! However, it's probably not the best way to say, "buy my home" if someone decides to look.

5. Finally, my house has to smell good!No matter what we have for dinner, or how long it's been since the Wallflower has been changed, or the last time I Febreezed all cloth surfaces, I'm paranoid about how my house smells. With two furry friends, I really despise "dog smell" in my home. However, we all get "used to" how our own homes smell...I just pray I haven't let people look when its not smelling as fresh as a morning daisy (which btw, I think is a weird phrase, since I think daisies stink)...but you get my point. Thankfully I have several handy dandy tart warmers that I can't live without...They are the BEST at helping turn a house into a home with just a few warm Creme Brulee scented tarts!

Now that I've managed the make you all think that my house must be a total pig-sty anytime it's not For Sale. I promise, I really do try to keep my house relatively tidy and clean. My point is, I hate HAVING to do it, just because it's for sale. Now, enough complaining from me...I have to go put my breakfast dishes away!

I'm Back!

2010-07-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I've been a TOTAL slack-fest at blogging, but I'm back. In order to "sort of" catch up, here are a few things I've been up to...

Finishing my masters degree

I defended my research in January. I WOULD NOT have made it through this time without the MC. These girls are awesome! I know I've said it before, but I WOULD NOT have made it without these four ladies' support!! And a special shout out to Tiffany and Jen who calmed my nerves as I had to redo my ENTIRE presentation about 2 days before it was time to defend. After much stress, we all made it, and PASSED. Here's Tiffany and I celebrating. It was OH SO SWEET to be DONE with this part of our program!!

I was SO Glad to get this box and stack or research articles and drafts of my paper OUT Of my house!!!!!!

Finally, I May, we were all DONE! After taking 11 credits during the last semester, we were all ready to celebrate! While I didn't "walk," Angie had a cap and gown for us at our MC celebration!! Our dear Aunt Pearl even came to celebrate with us; sadly, I don't have a picture of her (not sure where it went, since I thought I had one-oh well)!
Colin even had a party for me at our home to celebrate! It was very sweet of him! I know I always talk about how I couldn't have made it without the MC, most importantly, I wouldn't have made it without Colin's unconditional support. He cooked, I studied. He cleaned, I read. He took care of the dogs, I wrote papers. He supported me in every way, even during my near meltdowns. He is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas Cards

2009-12-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

If you don't get a Christmas Card from the McG's this year...You're not alone! No one is getting one from us this year. I always think it would be fun to do cards, then I get busy, then I think, "gee, they'd sure be more fun if we had cute kids to show off..." SO, no cards this year (and don't hold your breath for next year). Nonetheless, I do want to wish everyone a VERY Merry Christmas. In lieu of cards, please enjoy this holiday greeting from our family to yours!

These are a Few of My Favorite Things!

2009-09-22T20:28:00.000-07:00

1. Fall

2. Fall Flowers and Leaves

3. Pumpkins

4. All things pumpkin-Lattes, waffles, french toast, pie...The list is endless!

5. All things Apple-Fresh, Cider, Sauce...

6. Sweaters (though I'm not quite ready for this one just yet)

7. Boots-I can't wait to wear some of my new ones!

8. New season of all my favorite shows.

9. New School Supplies (Yes, I'm a nerd, but that's no surprise). I LOVE new school supplies. Everything is fresh, clean, and just waiting to be used.

10. Sunny, cool and gorgeous days followed by cool nights!

11. FLEECE, need I say more?

Labor Day

2009-09-20T19:51:00.000-07:00

4 years ago labor day weekend, we signed and got the keys to our home. Colin and I were SO excited to have our first house together-big dreams with lots of elbow grease involved.

Labor day this year took on a slightly different twist. We put our home up for sale. Yup-four years, nearly to the day, we decided to see what would happen. So far, we haven't had a lot of action, but were are feeling good about whatever is meant to be will happen. We could have listed it earlier this summer, but why? Colin and I NEVER do anything that "makes sense." I mean, don't all teachers who move list their homes on the first day of school?

I never realized what hard work it takes to get a home ready to list it. I cleaned out closets, cleaned out the basement, touched up paint, worked in the yard, scrubbed crevices in my home I never knew existed before, took loads to my father-in-law's basement for storage, and took the dogs to live with their grandparents for a while. All of this happened while I was also setting up my classroom for a new year and Colin was working like crazy to finish our basement bedroom . Lucky for me his breaks consisted of helping me on my projects. Our home sparkles and shines, and is very quiet without our 8 paws. Everything looks great, but we're exhausted. It feels very strange, too. It feels fake-who really lives like this? Nonetheless, we are VERY excited about what may be in store for us. Time will tell!

2009-09-06T22:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know we're ridiculous, but here's a little sample of Poacher playing dead.

Old Man Winter

2009-09-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

Poacher has become quite stubborn about going outside lately. Unless if we're going to the lake to swim or going to "grandma's" to run, he would prefer to stay inside...So much so, he typically plays dead when Colin or I say the word "outside." His latest nickname while at home is Old Man Winter-he hates going out into the hot sun and would prefer to be left alone. This weekend is his 4th birthday-He's going gray and acts very old-We may have a long road ahead of "playing dead." I don't have a picture of him with his paws up, but it is pretty hysterical when he does it-I'll try to post a picture as soon as I can capture one.

Christmas in July

2009-08-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

In our house, the 4th of July ranks up there with Chrismas, perhaps even higher for Colin! We were able to have some quality time with family at the lake, which was GREAT. Colin is obsessed with fireworks and started planning months in advanced. Of course, we ended up with a great show! Here are a few pictures from the 4th.We started the weekend on Joe and Holly's Boat for a ride, some wakeskating, and a stop for lunch at Cavanaugh Bay

Jay and Lindsey

After lunch we switch boats and the guys went tubing! What a sight!The next morning we all rode up the a lookout tower for a great view of the lake and surrounding area.

Stretching the legs after a 40 minute rocky ride up.

Circling the wagons

The guys on the lookout

Priest Lake, ID-the view is worth the ride!

As the mosquitos attacked the whole weekend, I was really looking for more of this product...Pretty sure it's NOT FDA approved, but geez, 100% Deet would really help!

Colin is starts setting up for his show in the afternoon. Here are all the guys checking out the set up.

The display

Brothers and Sisters

Let the show begin!

Just a few others!

The finale was awesome. Colin has truly missed his calling to be a pyrotechnician...Maybe career number 2!

2 years in the making...

2009-08-05T11:20:00.001-07:00

Just over two years ago, I was sitting in the family room relaxing for the evening when I heard some strange noises coming from the basement. Poacher was so concerned, he couldn't stop staring at our heat vent...he was just sure it was coming from there. I stood up to do a little investigating. Colin wasn't around, so I thought I'd start by finding him. I venture downstairs, when what to my wondering eyes shall appear...Colin and a crowbar (not eight tiny reindeer, though, that would have been exciting). Anyway, I look into the room he came from as he's telling me he's decided to start working on the basement. The basement has been a lingering project from the time we moved in, nearly four years ago, until now. He's prying and pulling, and throwing boards around as nails are all over the floor.

I was excited, a new project, a fresh beginning, and a nicer basement. I should have known better though, I did marry the King of unfinished projects (okay, maybe not the King...I'll give him a little credit, but for sure a prince of unfinished projects). Two years have passed...Many discussions and debates have ensued. At about the 1 year point when I had heard, "I'll work on it this fall/winter when it's coold out and I don't have other things going on" which then morphed into, "I'll work on it this spring/summer when it's warm out and I won't have to track rain and snow into the house" I gave up hope. Last September Colin was reinspired, though. He called concrete cutters about getting our egress window in (his dad had already dug the hole, by hand, for us, but that's another story). He was all set to have the guys come out and get the room going...then I got a call...Colin crashed his 4 wheeler and was out of commission for a while. The window got put on hold with my hopes of ever finishing the room. Ugh!

Flash-forward to this spring. Colin and I kick around the idea of moving (no, we aren't moving, but we thought about it). This thought made my lovely companion realize that if we were to list our house we would be much better off if the egress window was in! Low-and-behold, my husband scheduled two days off from work, and got it in! I couldn't believe it! Thanks to buying a house built in 1917, It took a couple of weekends of follow-up work to get everything where it needed to be, but the window is now installed and fully functioning!

Of course, I knew at the time, this was monumental, so I had to take pictures along the way. Here are a few.

The ugly roomThe hole.

Getting Closer!

Yea! It's in!

The pups waiting patiently as Colin and his dad carrying the final supplies into the yard.

Carrying this gigantic piece of metal through our little gate was a bit of a challenge.

Finally, a smile for a job well done!

Of course I had told Colin all along once he finished, I'd have a party for him! He didn't believe me, but he should have! We had some friends and family over for an Egress Window Party!!!! I can't post the pictures of the party today, but someday...Up next-finishing the rest of the room!

Let Summer Begin

2009-08-04T10:25:00.001-07:00

I know, I know. This post is WAY late. Oh well. Here's what we've been up to. Memorial Day really gets us ready for summer. Here are a few pictures from our weekend at the lake.

Swimming from the dock, let the Dog Days begin!

Poacher and Kona ready for the campfire!

Poacher waiting patiently for S'mores!

The beautiful sunset!

More summer photos to come. Stay tuned!

Coming Soon...

2009-08-03T14:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks to summer school and going to the lake, I'm the world's worst blogger...Updates coming soon!

I'm one...

2009-05-22T22:36:00.001-07:00

I often find myself feeling so lucky and fortunate in life, yet fail to express it often enough (I get stuck in a rut and focus way too much on the stress in my life). Today, I'm feeling especially lucky to have Colin in my life. He's Amazing!!! Last week he surprised me at work with a deliciously refreshing afternoon coffee! This week he... took care of the dogs every morning and every night-all week (I was gone A LOT), entertained family members, worked on house projects, washed clothes, made a special trip to the store for things I needed for work, and brought me breakfast in bed one day (maybe even two days, this week's been a blur) I am SO lucky to have him in my life!!

The New Helmet

2009-05-03T19:02:00.000-07:00

No Bloomsday for us today, but we did take Colin's new helmet on its maiden voyage after his crash in September. Here are a few pictures from our morning at the ORV park! Trying out the new helmet! Yes! I did wear my matching camouflage outfit! It's all a facade (Most of you know, I'm not tough at all, but that's a whole other post I'll have to do someday). Don't worry Jen R. I still have my diamond earings on! Ready to Ride I practiced riding Colin's 4 wheeler today, too! I even managed to get to third gear!! I didn't even stall it! However, second gear still goes really fast, I really don't ever see a need to get to much past there. I honestly can't imagine what fifth gear is like. No wonder people crash on these things!

We had a great time together and can't wait to ride on trails this summer!

Mmm Diet Pepsi

2009-04-16T20:06:00.000-07:00

G-ma Linda would have been so proud! Our pooches love diet pepsi-well, the bottle at least.
If you knew Linda, you knew she was passionate about a few things in life 1. Reading 2. The lake 3. Diet Pepsi 4. See 1-3.

I Never Thought...

2009-04-03T09:58:00.001-07:00

I never thought I'd be in Pullman as a Coug! I don't know why, I just never saw myself as a cougar. Turns out I've been one for nearly a year working on my masters degree. Luckily I have 4 other amazing people supporting me through this process...I'd seriously would have quit if it weren't for Angie, Jen, Tiffany, and Megan!
Despite the fact we go through WSU Spokane, our advisor is in Pullman, so off we all went to chat with her. Things went well, but thank goodness we had Meg with us...a true Coug! She did an amazing job of giving me directions for the whole trip (since I was a lost little pup driving to and through this town I'd only ever been to once before).

We had a great lunch at Sella's and then we were off to get the INFAMOUS peanut butter frosts! Megan has been telling me about these drinks, well, pretty much since we've started our program and secretly thought we'd end up in Pullman once or twice before we had our degrees. They were just as delish as Meg made them out to be!

All in all, these girls are great! We had a great trip and can't wait to do it again in June:) Hopefully next year at this time...a post of how we are DONE followed shortly after by a post amazing graduation! We're half way!

What Kind Are You?

2009-03-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love Girl Scout Cookies? Better yet, find out what kind you would be!

You Are Peanut Butter Sandwiches / Do-si-dos

You are easy going and naturally happy. You don't need a lot to make you smile.You genuinely care about people and are a great friend. You're always doing your best to make the world a better place.Even though there isn't an immature bone in your body, you still are like a big kid sometimes.Why make life complicated when the best parts are actually quite simple? You enjoy the small joys of life.

Try it out!

Thanks, Erin, for this fun link!
Secretly: I was really hoping to be a Samoas! They really are my FAVE!

The Gauntlet

2009-02-16T15:53:00.000-08:00

Every year in our home we experience what has become known as "THE GUANTLET." We (and by we, I mean mostly Colin) have quite an onslaught of festivities to be responsible for.

1. Christmas...We've seen pictures of that already

2. My Birthday! Yes, I'm officially another year older. Colin made the most wonderful chocolate cake for me! I would post a picture of the yummy masterpiece, but I'm having some technical difficulties with my memory card (perhaps next time). Nonetheless, here are some pictures from the celebration.

Colin's Grandma gave me these cheerful flowers!

Colin actually had these gorgeous roses delivered to my classroom...Such a sweet surprise! Actually, it was more than a surprise, I was shocked. I really can't even remember the last time he gave me flowers, so this was a big stretch for him!

I knew it really was my b-day when I asked Colin to do a quick fix around the house, and it actually got done on the first request! Needless to say, that warranted a picture.

3. Our Anniversary! We have officially been married 4 years now! HOOORAY! It has flown by and I truly feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I can't wait for all the years to come! Because the big day was a very busy day for me, I failed at taking a single picture (I know, I suck). Anyway, we had a fabulous dinner at Luna's where we reminisced about all of our great memories together, and mostly how we really wished we were someplace warm!

4.Valentine's Day! We had a great time celebrating the day with Jay and Lindsey. We went to McKenzie River in CDA for pizza! So delicious, though, I've never been so full in my entire life.

We got roses with their orders, so of course Colin and I had to have a little fun with it. I had a hard time keeping a straight face.

Jay and Lindsey

Afterwards, we ended the night at our house. The guys played rock band for a while, then we finished up with AMAZING desserts from Maggie's South Hill Grill.

So we've all survived the guantlet. Now all I can think about is Spring!

Snowcation!

2009-01-10T13:36:00.000-08:00

While I had 20+ days off from work and school, I managed to take a few pictures to pass some time.

I wonder if this icicle loooks like the one that "stabbed" Christina.

Colin and I on Christmas Eve.
Poacher had to help unwrap presents...or at least try to help.

We had a great night with our family, especially watching my cousins down the Pixie Sticks. Needless to say, we were in for some wild entertainment.

We spent Christmas Day with Colin's family. We enjoyed our time with everyone, despite the "downtime" we had which is reflected in Gina's picture.

Kona-Trying to stay warm as the heat came on.

I got this AMAZING candle from Uniquely Chic. I am obsessed with this candle and the store...Thanks to Megan for the tip.

Our 53 pound lap dog! At least it's not the 80 pounds of Poacher love!

Perhaps I should have picked the apples off my tree before it looked like this.

We hit the slopes with our friend, Jeff!! Despite the fact that I'm terrible, we had a great time.

Santa got Colin some much needed new ski apparel!

One night, Colin went out for a board game and came back with Rock Band instead. We spent the rest of the night practicing.

Keeping Warm! Anytime Kona tried to get closer, Poacher would get jealous and growl at her.

Now we are back to the grind of work. My masters classes start on Monday, and as of right now I can't imagine much worse. I've really enjoyed feeling like a normal, homework-free person! At least we had a fabulous break!

Remember When...

2008-12-21T20:36:00.000-08:00

Remember when you were a kid (or perhaps just yesterday) when you'd stick out your tongue to try to catch snowflakes...turns out, Poacher is a pro at it!

Who really listens to "Stay off the Roads" Anyway?

2008-12-18T21:08:00.000-08:00

Just because the news (and everyone else) said to stay off the roads, they clearly did not mean us! Colin's truck plowed right through! We ended up spending the afternoon with family. Colin now believes he needs a snowmobile. Good grief, does it every end with this guy?????????? Lucky for me, while Colin was playing, I got to play the world's cutest nephew!

"Woulda, coulda, shoulda"

2008-12-18T07:46:00.000-08:00

Things I should do:

Laundry
swiffer/vac.
dishes
etc., etc., etc.

This I could do:

Wrap all those stashed Christmas gifts while Colin's at work
Make cookies
Do my Christmas Cards...Though since, I've had the same set for two years and still haven't gotten around to them, why start now?
Read the Masters Degree Handbook (haha).
Alphabetize old CDs, and organize ipod playlists...Something I started last year during our snow days and never finished.

This I might actually get to:

Update my blog 300 times for all the things I've thought about posting but haven't gotten around to.
Play in the snow with the dogs. It's hilarious to see Kona plow through a yard full of white fluffy stuff as deep as she is tall.
Take stupid pictures of the dogs and post them for all to see.
Curse those who are on warm vacations!
Drink hot chocolate!
Make 5,000 phone calls everytime I get bored (sorry, if you become a victim of this, but you'll just have to put up with me).

Snow Days!

2008-12-18T07:34:00.000-08:00

Poacher, trying to look like a backwards dalmation.

Wow! That is quite a pile on the yard waste bin. I'm so glad it's not garbage day in our neighborhood!

Colin's favorite winter pasttime

(okay, and maybe skiing is, but secretly, I think he likes this better).

When my phone rang at 5:00 this morning, I knew I wouldn't be heading to work later! Colin did get up and start using his FAVORITE tool. He really lives to snowblow! Here are a few pics from this morning already.

2008-11-26T21:55:00.000-08:00

It's technically Wednesday, and I know several others have already done "Thankful Thursday" but I had to take the opportunity for this Thanksgiving to share all the amazing things I have to be thankful for! Besides, I'm a HUGE fan of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I plan on spending the morning waiting to see Santa at the end of the parade, and then spending the day with family.

11. Chocolate, especially when it's hot chocolate! In the words of Racheal Ray-Yum-O!

10. Coffee, what a way to jumpstart the day (or end the day) or share with friends.

9. My job, they can be hard to come by in this town :)

8. Fleece-God's gift to a girl who is always freezing!! I think it's like wearing a little piece of heaven :)

7. Christmas music, nothing says happy holidays better than a terrific tune!

6. The Holiday Season! I LOVE the holidays! I can't wait to decorate the house (okay, I already have my wreath, but I can't wait to do the rest). I love this time of sharing with others, enjoying the lights, shopping, wrapping, celebrating...the whole nine yards-Love it all!

5. My home. I may complain about it being small and cold, but I truly feel blessed to have a home with "character" to share with those I love.

4. My dogs! You didn't think I'd get through a blog post without mentioning the crazy canines, did you? The make the house cleaning chores increase by what feels like ten-fold, but they always make me smile. I especially love their enthusiasm every morning when I wake up! They dance and prance all around me waiting for love and kisses. You know it's love, because, I'll admit, I look pretty scary when I'm fresh out of bed.

3. My friends! Those of you I've neglected because of this whole crazy school thing and I can still call on when needed, and those of you who are suffering and supporting through school with me...you all rock!

2. My family, who are all a little crazy in their own way, but I love 'em anyway!

1. My husband! He is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I can't imagine my life without him. He is truly a blessing!

Better Late Than Never

2008-11-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

Well, a very belated, Happy Halloween! Of course I had to dress up the dogs (thanks to uncle Buck and cousin Bear)!! It was one of the most ridiculous things I've ever taken part in. Kona kept trying to eat the costumes, and Poacher kept trying to escape (gee, that so fits their personalities, or should I say dog-alities?)! Anyway, here are some pics.

Kona the Cop!

Poacher the angel! It was a little snug...and floppy.
Not a Halloween picture, but fun nonetheless. It's one time Kon-dog looks cute and innocent. Don't fall for it! Or maybe she was just looking at me funny because I wouldn't stop taking pictures.

October

2008-10-18T14:53:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe we're already halfway through October. Time flies! Colin is healing quite well and things are back to "normal" (whatever that is, I guess). I've swapped my summer flowers on the front porch for pumpkins and scarecrows. A yummy pumpkin dessert is in the oven and who doesn't love a fabulous fall candle-Fall really is here!

Doing homework, keeping up at work, and balancing a home can be quite time consuming. Thank goodness we don't have kids yet...I think I'd have a nervous break down (haha). In between the assignments and correcting first-grade homework, I have managed to find a few minutes to play around with the dogs. Needless to say, they were not pleased, but it certainly made me laugh.

Little Kona May got fixed! She was so funny in her cone, but was so good about wearing it, despite her embarrassment. How she knew she looked ridiculous, I'll never know, but she did. The funniest part was that Poacher wouldn't go near her when she was wearing it. He was terrified as he growled and ran to the other side of the house/yard.

After some time to heal, I decided the dogs could wear their Halloween bandannas. Kona wouldn't stop trying to eat Poacher's bandanna, which of course, made him mad (he loves wearing it-so I think anyway). Here she is staring it down to plot her next plan of attack-Literally!

What a cute face!

Wearing their fun clothes proved to be a little to exciting for the dogs, so we had to give them something else to occupy their time with. (I don't know why this picture is kind of blurring, but you get the point). They don't normally lay this close to each other without fighting over bones, so I had to take a picture while I could.

I'm trying to convince Colin that the dogs need real costumes, but so far have been unsuccessful. If I do sway him-Well you'll see the pictures.

Roadrash Warrior

2008-09-20T21:06:00.000-07:00

Well, many say it is inevitable...Having an AT V and crashing. I'm beginning to think it's true. This last week was one of the bussiest I've had in a long time. From extra meetings at work and homework-things were pretty crazy. Anyway, I was really tired on Wendnesday night after my second "Open House" for the year, I was feeling really tired (I'd been at work for 13 hours) and was headed home to finish up a homework assingment I had due the next afternoon. As I was finally home and changing out of my "professional attire" into some comfy shorts, Colin called me. I was anxious to hear from his since I hadn't seen him all day. He had lefted a voicemail earlier to tell me he was going to hang out at his brother's for the night. Anyway, the second I answered I knew by his voice something was wrong. He proceeded to tell me how he had an accident while riding his 4 wheeler. Thank goodness he was wearing his helmet (he really thinks this saved his life)! He told me how he was riding on some trails, and hit a rough part on the gravel/dirt road. He then recalls being perpendicular to his handle bars where he vaulted off into the air. He landed on his head first, then the rest of his body, continuing to slide down the road. Since he was infront of the ATV at this point, he was also feeling very lucky that the machine veered off instead of running over him. His brother had gotten him cleaned up and over to my parents house, so I knew he was in good hand. Nonetheless, my mind runs through all the worst possible scenarios of what I'll see when I finally get to him, yet at the same time he was speaking to me, so I knew he was alive....the most important part.

There have been so many awful stories in the news of tragic ATV crashes lately, I was already feeling fortunate that I wasn't a widow (I know that's morbid, but it's true). Since Colin's driving was out of commission for the night, by dad drove in to our house to pick me up and took me back to their house, where Colin was resting.

The selfish side of me kept wondering how I was going to get my homework done and care for a wounded husband. Though, I think I was really thinking about homework instead of concentrating on how bad it "could be" right now. I finally made it to my parents to pick up Colin (and the dogs, and drive his truck back). His roadrash was like none I had ever seen. It looked awful. His eyes were dilated, but he did manage to have a "normal" conversation. We drove home, got him cleaned up, and more ice along with some more pain relievers. I debated all night if I should take him to the hospital, but decided to watch him overnight. I set my alarm every hour-and-a-half to make him talk to me....just in case.

Long story short I took him in on Thursday morning. After an exam and x-rays it turns out he was one lucky guy. No broken bones, no stitches, nothing other than an incredibly sore back, some swollen areas on his lower back, arm and hand, and major roadrash! Wow! We are so lucky. Thank goodness for helmets! We know God was watching over us!

This was one of the scariest things we've had in a long time. Now, he's still really, really sore, and his back is starting to heal so extra itchy and stinging, but we know that's a good thing. He's been so tough, it's ridiculous. He went to work on Friday (against my orders). He even did some dishes, and folded laundry while I was gone today (I think he's starting to feel a little guilty that his choices while riding led to more chores and less time for me).

He's safe! He's worth it!

He is my Roadrash Warrior!

My pictures may be a little graphic, but they aren't too bad...Fair warning!

The Roadrash!

A spot on his right arm...luckily no stitches required.

His Left Shoulder is a little scraped.

I think one of the worst things was one the pattern from his back's scrapes was left on his clean t-shirt. It even went through the gauze. Thank goodness for spray-n-wash!

One last thought. Maybe Polaris should call their model of the "Outlaw" the "WidowMaker" instead.

10 Things Better than Doing Homework

2008-09-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

After not having to do homework for the last several years, I really can't imagine anything more awful. Needless to say, I found many ways to procrasitnate over the weekend, so here's my Top 10!

10. Clean the House (I've never wanted to scrub the shower so badly in my whole life).
9. Fold Laundry (about 10 loads that had been neglected all week).
8. Organize Under the Kitchen Sink (after a trip to Home Depot)
7. Offer to help Colin unload the dishwasher (For those of you who have seen our dishwasher on wheels, you know what a small task this really is).
6. Clip the Dogs toenails...for anyone who has had to do this, know how bad it really is and hopefully you are starting to sense my desperate attempts at avoiding my work.
5. Cook...Something I love and hate all at the same time. I made dinner (well, sort of) and Banana bread. Needless to say this led to more dishes for me to do!
4. Send emails to my amazing group of classmates complaining about how awful our prof is.
3. Iron Clothes to wear to school, ironing is so boring!
2. Grade Math Assessments which reminded me of how much work was really up ahead.
1. Dust my family room ceilings...Colin knew he really had to intervene when I told him what I was going to do. Needless to say he took over, so I could start my homework.

YUCK!

As you can, tell I've managed to find a lot of things to do instead of homework...none of which are actually appealing. I did manage to have some fun over the weekend and enjoy a little sunshine. We hung out with family and took the dogs for a walk and actually got to visit about our week.

Since I really didn't think a picture of me at my computer would be very entertaining I do have some new puppy pics just for fun.

Poacher and Kona resting up...Well, Poacher is trying, Kona can't help herself, I swear she has ADHD!

The two dogs posing! It really shows how much bigger Kona's getting.

Poacher playing dead for a treat he thought he saw in Colin's hand (there wasn't one, but, hey, A for effort). Sorry for the doggy porn...If only I could train him to be more modest.

Begging for attention!

One nice part about me doing HW all the time, is that Colin has more time to occupy himself. Consquently, "we" are making progress on the house. Here's a picture of what I came home to one night; my hubby on the roof getting ready for a gable renovation. Stay tuned for more pics...I hear rumors that we might actually be getting our egress window soon!

The F*** Word

2008-09-08T17:52:00.001-07:00

Well, it's been a long time since my last post. A lot has been happening, including (in no particular order)...

1. The dogs growing-Kona, at least 50 lbs, is currently sitting on my lap-let me tell'ya she doesn't fit at all, and it couldn't be anymore awkward to type like this. Poacher, on the other hand, is just growing in attitude. He is getting really tired of Kona ALWAYS trying to play.

2.I got my classroom set up-some nice new additions from last year, including a "No Bones About It...This work's the BEST" Bulletin board, complete with dog bones, paw prints and pictures of the dogs, of course! Would you expect anything else?

3.School started-I have a great class this year of sweet kiddos

4. We are still working on the house (Colin is currently on our roof).

5. We had a great labor day at the lake, despite me having to do homework.

6. I started more classes for my masters program...homework again totally sucks.

AND FINALLY...The "F" Word...

Yes, in my house its FALL!!!

Just because the calendar doesn't say so, and I'm wearing a tank top and flip flops still, the smell of new crayons, sharp pencils, and sweatshirts in the morning all point to one thing...FALL. Crazy I know.

Here is a picture of the lake on Labor Day...This is when the dreaded f word sunk in!

I couldn't believe the fog over the lake...and it was COLD!

I typically think of fall as one of my favorite seasons. I love the cool mornings and the changing leaves-okay, okay, and the new fall drinks at Starbucks, too. I just don't know that I'm really ready for it this year. It came way too fast! I guess like it or not, here it comes!

What's your favorite part of Fall?

California

2008-08-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

Well, we'd been planning our trip to California for quite some time (before Christmas), so when it was time to go we were pretty excited. I even managed to convince Colin to let me get a new camera to capture the moments. Needless to say, I had to take TONS of pictures on the trip to teset it out! We were to ultimate in tourists! It all started way back when Uncle Aaron popped the question to my newest auntie Irene...We new we'd be in for a trip. Then we decided to do a little sight seeing while we were at it. We left on Tuesday for Sacrament, CA and drove to San Francisco. Here are some of the pictures!

We spent our time on the Wharf. We had an amazing time enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of the area! Thankfully our hotel was super close, because we were in for a lot of walking.

We had dinner the first night at Bubba Gumps. It was super yummy, despite that fact it may have clogged a few arteries in the process. Above is the view from our table.You can't go to San Francisco and not check out the cable cars! Here they are spinning it around. We even captured video of it, but let's be honest...my blogging skills are not up for posting a video right now. Besides, it's already taken my FOREVER to upload these pics (maybe I went a little overbaord, but I had a hard time narrowing it down as it was).

Here I am ready and waiting on the cable car Wednesday morning. Being the early riser that my amazing husband is, we were ready to go for all the city had to offer bright and early...Turns out, there wasn't a lot open, so we were second on the cable car. We rode down to Union Square where we dinned at a cute little coffee shop with delicious pastries!

The lovely view from our alfresca breakfast!

Lombard Street aka the "crookedest" street. We walked down, which was fun. We didn't feel the desire to fight off tourists at the top of the street while driving our fantastic Prius rental just to drive down it ourselves.

Ever since the all-time-greatest TV show, Full House, I have been in love with the homes in this town. While this isn't a picture of the street of the Tanner's TV home, I still think they are super amazing!

Ever since I've know Colin's family, his grandma has always oohed and awwed about the Chocolate Sundaes at Ghiradelli Square. We had to go there-Several times!

Grandma wasn't kidding...the sundaes are "change your life" sort of yummy-ness.

I also had to try the hot chocolate...besides I was freezing by this point of the night, and, yes, I'm wearing a fleece in August. Believe it or not, I also have a short sleeve and a long sleeve shirts underneath the fleece. With only a high in the mid 70s on a warm day and even cooler nights with breezes off the bay, I was cold!!!

Colin posing with "The Rock" in the background. We didn't get to go for our tour, but it's still cool to see at a distance.

Our last night in the Bay Area, we drove to Half Moon Bay. The drive there was really pretty, but foggy. I can't imaging how perfect it would be on a sunny day. We went to the beach long enough for pictures and look around, then headed for dinner.

Before we left San Fran., I had to see the Golden Gate Bridge, up close and personal. We ended up driving over it twice since I'm not so good with maps and directions, but it was pretty cool. I think my fascination with also stems from the Full House days.

We finally made it back to Sacramento for the Rehearsal Dinner. Here are Jay and Colin just hanging out staring at their beautiful babes across the table (ha).

Lindsey and I at dinner!

Joe (the BM-Best Man), and Holly

Not only was it the Rehearsal Dinner, but it was also Irene's 30th b-day! This picture doesn't show the cake much, but I think it was the best cake I have EVER had!!!

Before the wedding on Friday, Colin took the girls for a stroll in the park. Our hotel was just a couple of blocks from the capital. Here Holly, Lindsey, and I are admiring the spectacular rose garden near the capital building. It was so stinkin' hot, Holly said her shoes were melting (but that's another story).

The Capital! The best part of all was the AC after our wandering through the park.

I am a HUGE fan of the Governator! Of course, I had to check out his office! There was an armed guard outside the door, but who knows if he was there. I was pretty bummed I didn't get to see him. Although, we think he drove by us while we were eating breakfast on Sunday Morning! We also got to watch legislation being passed (and rejected) on the floor...it was fascinating! The Reps were quite a sight to watch.

Finally....The WEDDING!!! Here's the outside of the Vizcaya, where the joyful journey begins.

Joe and Jay as 2 of the groomsmen.

One of the Bridesmaids ( I LOVE these dresses) and one of the three flower girls. The flower girls were all the bride's cousins, and the CUTEST girls I have ever seen! They were a huge hit!

The beautiful bride and her groom (my uncle) exchanging rings.

They had the best first dance ever! Well, maybe not as cool as the one all over they internet with Sir Mixalot, but I think this one was genuine and impressive!

Again, more ymmy cake...Plus I really like the "H"

As if we hadn't traveled enough, my brothers and the girls headed out to South Lake Tahoe and Tahoe City. Both were beautiful. The best views were from the drive between the two towns which overlook the lake.

Jakes on the Lake in Tahoe City for a great lunch. I think it's starting to sound like all we did was eat; though at times it felt like it too.

Finally, Colin and I with Lake Tahoe behind us.

All in all we had a terrific time. The San Fran was super, the wedding was stunning, and the laughs were endless, but the best part of all is coming home to crawl into your own bed!

Airport Awkwardness

2008-08-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I have no pictures available, but I do have time, so I thought I'd post something just for fun. As I'm sitting here in the airport, I'm wondering is the guy across from me ever going to get off of his cell phone? Honestly, who on the other endhas that much time to talk? And, could he be any louder? Does he have a clue how hard it is for me to not listen? He is making my life a little awkward. Thank goodness my amazing husband knows how to keep me entertained by thinking ahead to bring his laptop for me...Gee maybe he should buy me one too! Wishful thinking!

We are off to our last wedding of the summer season...I think I might actually get my fill of Micheal Buble by next week...if that's possible (probably not).

The Ugly House-Up close and personal

2008-08-04T11:09:00.001-07:00

Well, here it is! It's still not the best picture, but better. I know it is a humongous house, but who cares...it should be an office building in downtown somewhere...not a lake home...Just my opinion, but I guess that why it's my blog...I can put my opinion.

A Wonderful Wedding and Seasick at Seafair

2008-08-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

A Wonderful Wedding
Well, another wonderful weekend for us. We started by heading to Seattle first thing Friday morning. The drive was great and stopping in North Bend was even better (for back to school shopping that is)! We ventured on to our hotel where we met up with the rest of Colin's family to get ready for his cousin's wedding. Here are just a few pictures from the wedding, which I must say, turned our really nice and everyone had a great time.

Colin and I pose for a shot as we take a break from the dance floor!

Gina and I couldn't resist a self-portrait!

Colin's "hangin' loose" for while before he's ready to bust a move (or muscle)-whichever way you want to look at it.

Michelle and Trevor cutting the cake! The frosting was so yummy!

Even Colin's Grandma got in on the action...For those you of who are familiar with this lady, you might have guessed this a once-in-a-lifetime thing...you're right! Seafair

After the wedding on Friday, we spent Saturday and Sunday with my family. Colin and I had a great time! On Sunday, we went on Lake Washington to watch the Blue Angels perform. It was pretty incredible, and totally worth feeling totally seasick/lakesick for our drive home; however, being on this lake for the first time was true experience, which gave me even more appreciation for Priest Lake! Here are some pictures from us on Joe's boat on Sunday.

As always, Colin and I have to get cozy for a pic!

Joe, Holly, and Colin are getting ready! I have the world's slowest camera, so this was the best picture I could get. If you look carefully for the little specs, you might notice that they are, in fact, the Blue Angels...Or you can just trust me, becuase I'm not sure if looking closely will even do the trick. The performace was amazing...for the girl who is feeling a little sick at this point in her day, I really have a new appreciation for these pilots...I wonder if they even get butterflies? Probably not-but honestly, check out that jet-stream.Yes, this is random. This is a picture of a few of the homes we saw from the water. Most were incredible...But I have voted the house in the right of the picture, the world's ugliest house! I know it's hard to tell (again, I blame my camera instead of my skills), but this house is ridiculous. I can't imagine how much it is worth, but who cares...It's hiddeous. It's so stark and modern/George Jetson-esqe. Even worse the the primary colored art-work of random geometric shapes in the lawn. I will try to zoom in later and post a better pic, but I couldn't pass it up.

Well, there you have it! Our weekend in pics! How was yours?

The New Boat!

2008-07-29T06:54:00.000-07:00

Ever since I've been a part of the McGlocklin gang, I can remember Colin and his brother, Scott, saying they needed a new boat...especially one with a tower. Well, nearly 10 years later, here it is. We all had a fabulous weekend together up at the lake. Here are just a few of the pics for you all to see. I have more, but I'll have to save them for another post, so keep watching!

Colin and Steve pulled up to the house and were both so excited they even posed for a picture-a true rarity.

The First Driving lesson! Good thing Colin and Scott read up all week getting ready for this moment.
Who's that HOTTIE in the front? Of course, Gina and I had to test out all of the seats to see which was the most comfy. Turns out, they are all really nice. I do have to say though, my fave is across from the driver where it's heated!
Big bro checkin' on Colin to see how things are going on the first drive!
Surf's Up! Yes, Colin got up on the wakesurfer. Now the challenge is figuring out how to let go of the rope...have no fear, he's already ivestigating this!
On Saturday, my parents and brother and sister-in-law boated down the McGlocklin end of the lake. We all piled in to make quite a wake for Scott's surfing.Joe got pretty close to letting go!

Holly did amazing getting up and staying up! Way to go Holl's!As you all can tell, we managed to spend nearly all weekend on the water...If only it had been hotter out (and less windy), I might have tried more out; let me tell'ya though, the heated seat is FANTASTIC!

Tag-You're It!

2008-07-23T12:34:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged. Since I really had no idea this exsisted until Megan and Charlie Cooper tagged me, I will do my best. I guess this is how it works.

Here are the rules of this tag:
1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog
3. Share 6 random things about yourself
4. Tag people at the end of your entry.

My 6 Random Things

1. I love being able to take lunch to my hubby at work (as long as it fits into my "hectic" summer schedule-haha).

2. I love Mac and Cheese and PBJ (especially on fresh white bread!).

3. I love to teach my dogs random tricks.

4. I'm obsessed with the newest Sugarland album!

5. I saw a bear last time I went on my 4 wheeler!

6. I am extremely ticklish-especially on my feet, which is no good when I get pedicures-another thing I love!

I tag...

Shauna...Bump Watch
and
Angie...A Glance at Angie's Life

Have fun!

Why Is Toilet Paper So Fun???

2008-07-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

What is it with puppies and the roll of toilet paper? Honestly...it can't taste good. It's not a fun color. It doesn't smell like much. Why does Kona rip off a piece everytime she sees it and insist on chewing it into mush before she swallows the whole thing? She has had the whole roll pulled throughout the house before, and I get how that could be fun. Something soft, you can hold in your mouth and no matter where you go it follows-I get that...but why the eating? I guess it's one of the mysteries of puppyhood.

Good thing Poacher never did this...Haha. Actually I do remember him doing this once or twice, I just don't remember if he was obsessed with eating toilet paper fresh off the roll. Isn't life fabulous with dogs? Despite the naughtiness, it is pretty comical to watch.

Homes with Hounds!

2008-07-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

I've decided that trying to maintain a home is hard enough. Then to throw in "fixing-up" a home is another challenge. The McGlocklin challenge, though, is in managing those 8 paws who like to undo everything we've done. I know many of you are probably wondering, are these dogs really worth it??? I wonder that myself on occassion; however, without a doubt, I do have to say, "yes," they really are. They have contributed a great deal of memories already, and besides, what's a little extra yard work anyway?

Do these flowers really stand a chance?

Probably not with the way Kona loves to attack anything that hangs over the edge, or anything she can try a nibble of. Oh the joys of dogs and homeownership!

A Friendly Wager

My neighbor and I have both planted Hydrangeas this past week. We decided to see whose would make it the longest. If mine lives it should look like this one below which is doing well in my "dog-free"front yard. The challenge will be not keeping mine alive, but rather keeping it from being devoured.

Just a few pictures of the flowers I've maganed to save this year!

Sprinklers are Fantastic!

Despite our sprinkler system, there are parts of our lawn that need some extra water. I'm not sure why I really bother considering the dogs doing their duties out there, lack of fertilizer, plethora of weeds, etc, I'm not sure if the water will really help or not. But, hey, at least my weeds will stay green! Anyway, Kona has a new affinity for water under any sort of water. The sprinkler goes on and she goes for it! There's nothing quite like a wet dog! Thankfully, Poacher, the Prince, doesn't feel the need to prance around his royalness in such rubish...or at least that's the attitude he exudes.

After attacking the water, she'd run a lap around the yard at top speed, then go back for more! I know, I'm amused by small things.

Despite the crazy behavior, I do think this is a cute picture. Also, take note of the "FANTASTIC" rusty door behind her. Yes, that leads to my "ultra-classy" home. Keep watching for updates, though, I have plans for this fancy door.

One More Thing!

Kona went for vaccinations today! She's 14 weeks and 29 pounds. She's growing like crazy, and my hopes of her being a smaller lab are diminishing rapidly.

At the Lake

2008-07-13T07:03:00.001-07:00

Kona clearly loves the water, esepecially when she can splash in it. She is a surprisingly good swimmer already, but she is too scared to jump in off the dock. She has fallen a few times (well, practically pushed in by Poacher), but has done very well getting back to shore. It is incredibly entertaining to watch her splash the water, then chase the splashes, therefore, creating more.

Poacher waiting for the command to fetch in the water. He is quite a "dock dog" and will sometimes jump in with nothing to go after. Or, my favorite, bring the toy back, and with all his enthusiasm for the water, forget to drop it so we can throw it again, and just jump right back in with the toy still in his mouth...What a self-sufficient dog!

Colin and Kona! Two of my faves!

Well, most of you who know us well, know that we like to spend as much time up at the lake. We didn't make it up this weekend, so I thought I'd take another look at our pictures from the 4th of July. We had a great time with family and, of course, or dogs. From boating, riding four wheelers to some amazing spots, and playing fetch, we hardly had any down time. The real excitement came when we got home...but that's another story.

It's A Dog's Life

2008-07-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

Poacher and Kona don't always look this docile, though it would be nice. These two playful pups do take a rest together occassionally. However, most days Kona is the tough "tomboy" and Poacher is the patient prince. Don't be fooled, though, that prince in the orange collar knows exactly how to get his little sis hyped up and ready to rumble. He has also managed to figure out how to walk silently across our hardwood floors when he's trying to get little Kona in trouble. Don't ask me how...he just does!

Here We Go!

2008-07-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is is folks...We (really I) finally entered the blog world. Scary. No promises on many postings, but I'm sure we'll have some entertaining stories along the way. Oh-a little about the name, if you haven't figured it out by now, it's for the two of us, Colin and I, and our two fabulous dogs-Poacher (a nearly 3 year old chocolate lab), and Kona (a 3 month old black lab). Together we live in harmony and chaos at any given moment, but I wouldn't change it for the world!