Nana "D" turns the BIG 50!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love surprises, but rarely can keep it a surprise. So I was doubly excited to help in the preparations & "creating" of Nana's party & gift. Mind you that it was NOT an easy task, but fun none the less. Danielle, my sister-in-law, decided to take upon herself the challenge of scrapbooking & organizing the "tub" of pictures in her mothers basement. Mind you that this "tub" is BIG & yellow and chuck FULL of misc. pictures all mixed together. Talk about MOTIVATION!! We had a lot of LATE night-she more than I. Remember I just arrived and she's been working on this for a while now. We share some good laughs at the pictures we found too! :) The best was Nana's reaction! She knew the pictures were missing & I made up stories to get stories about the pictures, but in the end MISSION COMPLETED. Tears were shed & memories were shared. I am now even MORE motivated to finish my own book & start Savanna's. The food tonight was delicious & a plenty. Savanna was all the rave in her little festive RED number. I loved watching her play with her cousins, aunts, uncles & grandpa's too! (She seriously has a thing for boys--must be fixed soon!) By the end of the night she was practically nude-diaper only, but happy, tired & easy to put to sleep. After all, that's what Nana's house is for--wear em' out & give em' back! It was a GREAT night to celebrate a GREAT mother-in-law! Love you Nana D!!

Funny, I could have sworn that there was a picture of Nana in there somewhere?? (check back)

The Festivities Have Begun...

This past Saturday was a "family" Christmas party. Mind you that I knew NO ONE other than my in-laws & their immediate families. I was surprised that I actually enjoyed myself ALMOST as much as my daughter did. We arrived at the church and wandered into the gym & think that was likely the last I saw of my child. She was in her element-room to run & a plethera of balls & people to play with. We ate pizza (Savanna ate Uncle Trents) and made Christmas cards for the "old folks home." I was happy to realize that when all was said and done that I had a fairly cute picture of my daughter AND my "new" do!

This Santa hat is NOT hers, but finders, keepers--not really, but she sported it for a picture!

I think Uncle Trent is her FAVORITE--sorry guys!

Where did I get my template, you ask?? Only at the BEST place ever!! It's called "Cutest Blog on the Block" & I've been S-L-O-W at getting the info to all of you who have asked...sorry!

Home SWEET Home

So by chance & a lucky break in Delta's ticketing department, Savanna & I arrived HOME in UTAH last Tuesday. There are always a lot of pros & cons with coming back to my roots. This time is no different.

The Pros:

• FREE haircuts all around. Savanna's was much needed as she was beginning to look like a homeless child, but I just needed a change. (pics to come)
• Toys, Cousins, Aunts & Uncles TOO! There's never a dull moment & I find myself tending to bathroom duties without my usual entourage :)
• SNOW!! We got 10 inches the other day, but didn't get a chance to play in it--teeth are gracing us with their presence & it's NOT pretty.
• Shopping trips without a toddler--I didn't know there was such a thing, or I just no longer remember.
• Christmas Parties! I just love being with family & friends this time of year.
• West Coast style Christmas lights & home decor...there's nothing that compares back East...sorry!
• Free food, supplies, and almost anything else a grumpy toddler could need--thanks MOM!
• In-Laws--I don't know why, but so many people think it's weird that I truly LOVE my in-laws.

The Cons:

• How are we ever going to get everything home???
• Cramped quarters--this isn't an issue yet, but I'm sure it will be by the end of the month & all our loot we'll acquire :)
• Shuffling of schedules. As convenient as it is to have both our families from the same area this tends to become a problem every once-in-awhile.
• Changing climates--coming from the East my skin now consumes numerous tubs of creams & lotions to keep from cracking & itching. YUCK!
• Projects--I find myself thinking about all the things I could be doing back home with all the free time I have while Savanna is entertained. I am seriously considering sending her to "visit" the family next summer while Chris & I tackle the outside of our little house...time will tell.

Nothing beats coming HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!

Itsy, Bitsy Spider

This ONE of Savanna's favorite songs & you know she wants to sing it when she follows you around with "her spider" ready to crawl. If you watch closely, you can catch a quick two-handed wave goodbye, but towards herself :)

How do you keep your Sabbath day holy?

A few weeks ago we took advantage of the "extra" weekend day and transformed TWO closets into ONE BIG closet. Was it worth breaking the commandment--totally :) I can now share my bedroom with my clothes & it's a lovely thing.

Since then Sunday's were spent how they were meant to be with sleeping, tv watching & family bonding....BUT today was different. I woke up with Savanna & upon coming down stairs was greeted with an unwelcome foul smell. I informed Chris that our house has once again taken upon a rotting rodent within it's walls--last time it was behind the fridge. This morning our noses led us to the bathroom. You may wonder how this process works....

1st- you smell ALL surfaces, cracks, closets, etc. in order to find the source

2nd- you clear all valuables (in our case, just the newly purchased rugs :))

3rd- you disassemble "the source", in our case-the sink

4th- you investigate to find the little varmint, when all this fails your return to step ONE!

Turns out the smell wasn't coming from inside the sink, but the drain! We don't know how, nor do we care, how the unwelcomed guest managed to get inside our plumbing, but we are hoping & praying that after a bottle of bleach, A LOT of water, & time our visitor will flush away. What a way to start our day :)

*I must say thank you to my sweetie for NOT leaving on business without putting the bathroom back together. Even if it did mean you missed church. Thank you!

Game of the Day

Scary FACE....errrrr!

Gratitude

What am I thankful for??

• Good friends who let you crash their Thanksgiving dinner & challenge you to a game of Settlers of Catan. Thanks Marbles--we had a BLAST!
• A family who still included me in their annual Black Friday shopping mania. Which also makes me grateful for T-Mobiles FREE mobile-2-mobile minutes :)
• My hubby! He makes me laugh, works hard, loves me despite my flaws.
• A daughter who continually suprises us with her wit & determination...she's noticed the pile of un-wrapped Christmas presents & tries to open the ones she likes or asks you to do it for her :) If she wants you to look at something she'll turn your head that way & she'll bring you the remote then sit in her "throne" if she wants T.V. She's a hoot!
• Nap time! Enough said!
• Drive-thru service--I think grocery stores should offer this for those days when you ONLY need milk!
• A FREE company vehicle w/ FREE gas. Love it! But sadly, it's not always available--he does have to work right?!?
• ELMO's World--I NEVER thought I'd say that, but without my furry, red friend I would rarely shower, brush my teeth or get anything done.
• BOOKS! I love to read & I have been lucky to have friends that do too...it's the Best!

Happy Thanksgiving

The GOOD, the BAD, & the UGLY!

The GOOD:
I woke up this morning to a happy girl, a happy husband, & that made me a HAPPY mommy! I opened the curtains & it was snowing. I'm not sure what it is, but waking up to freshly, falling snow makes me all WARM inside. Mmmmm!

The BAD:
Daddy left for work & happy girl turned into evil girl. She screamed/cried all the way to Wal*Mart, all through Wal*Mart, & all the way home.

The UGLY:
Nap time! I tried to lay with her, rock her, & finally I drove her to sleep. This was after she cried so hard she threw-up all over her bed, her silky, & herself.

Now I need A NAP!

Silly Girl

Lately Savanna has been FULL OF IT!! I have to bite my tongue from laughing at nap time & every time in between. If she's not running around the house with her hands above her head yelling "weee," then she's putting things (pots & pans, buckets, bowls, etc.) on her head. It's not just the fact that she's wearing "hats" but while doing so she's waving her hand or singing "Hiiiiii." Today I had to laugh because while I was laying with her to REST--Do Not say Nap! She would being laying still, eyes starting to droop, & all of the sudden...up she sat and the stories she'd tell. She would then proceed to do the actions to all the songs she knew trying to get me to sing & buy her some time. She just makes me laugh at all her little games she comes up with. Her favorite right now: Catch Me! She'll be standing right next to you in the store, outside, or headed to the bathroom (she thinks it's fun to play in the shower) & she'll S-L-O-W-L-Y take baby steps away, while watching YOU out of the corner of HER eye then, WHAM!, she's off & just a giggling :) I hope to catch this on video, but due to the unpredictability of "the game" I probably won't. Still it's quite comical--unless, you're trying to run errands, have a cart full of groceries, & she weaves through the aisles quicker than a mouse. Then it's not so comical, except to bystanders.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving...

Your Native American Name Is...

Hantaywee Amitola Your name means: Faithful Rainbow

What's Your Native American Name?

Sunday Best

In her NEW Sunday dress. Thanks Nana D!! She would NOT hold still for a little photo session--that balloon was just to distracting. Also, she did wear her red tights to church, but they barely made until the drive home. I LOVE this dress! I think it's adorable & it's toddler proof (no buttons, zippers, etc.)

It's ALL about ME :)

I've been tagged--AGAIN! But this time I get to brag about myself instead of just answering questions. The are so many fun things about myself that I'd like to share, but I'm limited to just a few...okay, six fun facts:

#1- I'm a first-time business owner. Okay, so Chris & I are still tying up the loose ends, but soon you will see a little link to our website featuring: ta-dah: vinyl lettering signs, tiles, decor, etc. Yeah! We are sooo excited! We already have all the supplies, but a company name is still escaping us...any ideas??

#2- I am a former model. Ha, ha, ha! I still laugh thinking that I can use that phrase. It was way back in middle school, but I did a little catwalk fashion show for Nordstroms & am quite proud.

#3- I'm a pill-popper. I take many a pill daily to help control my happiness level (i.e. OCD, anxiety, depression, etc.) Lately I've missed a day here or there & Chris has definitely noticed. I am annoyed by the fact that I still have to meet with a doctor every 3-6 months & answer the same questions over & over...I'm not crazy--if I was I'd ask for different meds :)

#4- I love the Fall/Winter season. I don't know if it's the fact that the holidays are just around the corner, or that I can finally bust out the fun sweaters, slippers, pj's, & winter gear.

#5- I have ONE uncompleted goal from my past. I want to attend hair school & hopefully run a salon out of my home. I'm not sure if I got this from my mom or my time working in a salon during college. I LOVE styling girls hair for dances & the idea of helping others make a simple change in their appearance that will make a drastic change in their self-image.

#6- I am a talented sleeper, or use to be before motherhood. I love to nap! I wish I could everyday. But my napping has rules: it can't be for just a quick moment, but hours (3-4 to be exact); without proper bedding, coverings, & attire, the whole moment could be a wasted effort.

That's all you get...for now. I am sure I will find time to divulge a little more about myself from time to time. Enjoy!

$ cha-ching $

Awe the sounds of the holidays is here...cash registers taking all that hard earned cash, or in our case-credit card. I am anxious to get started & at the same time realizing that we should wait since we're headed home for Christmas this year. Although, Santa's wanting to come early to our house in order to make a special delivery for a special little girl. Being Santa's helper I've been out & about looking to get the best bang for my buck, but wanting a certain item that I really, really, LOVE! It's perfect, but I've only seen it at Costco & they don't take Visa--seriously, they should, but then I would be in more trouble because I would buy more junk. I am on a mission to find this "gift" at a reasonable price, within a reasonable time limit, & at a site/store that takes my VISA card! What's this mysterious item that is haunting my every waking thought:

The CUTEst little PINK kitchen

Rise-n-Shine

What's worse than being sick plus being a mom...being sick and having a child that wakes up bright-eyed & bushy-tailed at 4:30am!!! This is after waking up crying 3x between 10pm and 2am. Seriously--I don't even have any Diet Coke to help block out the sound of "Elmo's World". To think I was complaining that she's been waking up at 6am lately. Good thing I LOVE HER!

Sick Day

I think that moms should get a sick day. That's all. I could use one...and a bubble bath too!

Carving Pumpkins

I was surprised to see Savanna "diggin' in" with the official pumpkin scoop to get the "guts" out...(seeing as how the cookie decorating didn't go as planned)
I didn't expect much & was surprised that it captured her attention for as long as it did. Chris didn't like the face I picked out for him to carve--a vampire :) So, He carved out the "traditional" face & left me to master my craft while he entertained Savanna in the other room *gasp! I took advantage & am quite thrilled with the result. I think next year we'll have to try the drill method like I viewed on Martha Stewart--looks like fun...who wouldn't want a polk-dotted pumpkin?

Silent Observer

Lately Savanna has been very aware of ALL of my daily actions and habits. I just had to laugh when I was going about my "business" and I witnessed a little girl copying her mommy... so, of course, I had to catch a reinactment on video :)

A "NEW" Addiction

Those who know me are not shocked to see me with my drink of choice...Diet Coke. My husband recently nudged me in Sacrament meeting as they were speaking about the "Addiction Recovery Program...RUDE! :) Although lately my choices have shifted...I'm currently obsessed with a VAMPIRE named Edward Cullen. My days & nights have been consumed by these books. If you've read them, you understand. If you have not, YOU MUST!

When I first got wave of all the hoopla about this series I was skeptical. Vampires & werewolves are not my favorite characters in book or film & I only associate with such when my husband forces me too! But I was surprised & hooked within the first few pages--WOW!

*Amber, if you're still undecided I'm getting you them for Christmas...you HAVE to read them!!!!

Trunk-or-Treat

Pure Halloween Excitement!

Saturday was our Wards annual Trunk-or-Treat party. I was excited to see how Savanna would react & she was definitely in element...people, music, candy, etc. I was surprised that she actually let me put her costume on & kept it on! There was a wide variety of costumes, games, and goodies. Savanna even got into the decorating spirit & painter her own pumpkin-Look Out!

She liked making rounds, or rather running in circles around the table...

She LOVED her balloon...maybe this runs in the family???

the ZOO

What girl doesn't like the ZOO? Especially when that ZOO is located in the heart of NYC?? I couldn't pass up the invitation for a wild outdoor adventure in the BIG Apple again could I? In good ol' "spur-of-the-moment" fashion my friend Kim & I along with our pose of children & took to the roads & streets of Manhattan. I must mention that the Tisch Children's Zoo was EXCELLENTLY designed & stocked with critters of ALL kinds...a bit smaller than I expected, but not disappointing. Savanna LOVED the fact that she was able to run loose & was just as entertained by the wild pigeons as with the ZOO animals. She liked to monkeys, polar bear "rawr", & cow the best, but I think another trip to the ZOO is in her future. It was the best she's been in public yet :)

wuzat?

Savanna has learned a new "word" or at least that's what we translate it as. Wuzat=What's that?? Used ALL the time while pointing at EVERYTHING!!

C is for Cookie

I woke up yesterday & decided to be an adventurous mom. What's more adventurous than decorating Halloween cookies with TWO toddlers??? Kim and her pose' came over for some fun in our outdoor playground/amusement park of toys on our deck and, of course, COOKIES :) Savanna found it more entertaining to poke, smash, & taste the cookies rather than frost them...I didn't expect much, but seriously--take a look at Jackson...he dug right in! In the end I had a tired little girl & a plethora of "spooky" cookies to share...well, I did :)

Caution...slippery when wet

Who Knew??

You know the saying "you learn a new thing everyday"? Well, Savanna's been teaching us some new tricks...did you know that a sippy cup ring could fit in the VCR & be removed without it being ruined??? Neither did we!

NYC in a day??

Okay, NOT the whole NYC just what counts...Toys R' Us, Central Park & Celebrities!!! :)

It's sooo close I do NOT know why I don't tackle the Big Apple more often. Savanna LOVES all the excitement & she even took a nap in her stroller (those of you who know Savanna know what a feat this is). Next time I would prefer to with friends & do a LOT more shopping :) I am proud to note that our 1st celebrity sighting was by accident & someone worth mentioning, but first I must set the mood...

It was dark, we were hungry & we were lost! We came out of Central Park by way of Tavern on the Green but didn't feel that was the atmosphere we were looking for (nor did we think they'd let in the stroller of crap!) We checked our subway map & consulted NY'ers & started walking...it was FURTHER that we anticipated, but luckily I had my "manny" with us :) He did a G-R-E-A-T job of entertaining Savanna...or was she entertaining him??? We arrived at the intended entry of the "metro" but didn't see it. BUT we did see a mall & mall=food court :) So we headed that way. Crossing Columbus Circle was an adventure in itself, but we were determined! Just as we approached I noticed "lighting flashes" (paparazzi cameras) & a red carpet set-up. I KNEW that something was going on, but what & who?? We had to cross anyway, so I didn't feel like a little kid in a candy store, but just a curious passerby with camera in hand. Right as we approached security stopped traffic-pedestrian too! A black SUV pulls up & guess who emerged...Nicole Kidman! WOW! She's tall & beautiful! Unfortunately, my pictures didn't turn out, but Margo got quite the footage on video! Turns out that we walked right through the NY Film Festival! But we were still hungry, so we continued into the mall...turns out NO food court, but we did find the subway & made our way back to the car. I must say that this was the most interesting trip to the city yet...we literally got Lost in Yonkers on the way home too!

(In "awe" over the Toys R' Us carousel)

(the infamous Bethesda fountain in Central Park)

(the "manny" who worked miracles)

S.E.R.I.O.U.S.L.Y!

What is with our family & the bug bites??? This past week, as you know, I was attack & almost eaten alive by some very unexpected guests. Before that Chris had a mysterious bite that became rather serious after a "wait & see" period & just this weekend I was in the ER with Savanna & a similar bite on her arm. Hello! You'd think I would have stock invested in Off! or something by now, but I'm not that quick to realise that our family is under attack...both by bugs & multiple ER co-pays (a family doctor has since been located & records are in transit).

Luckily for me, Savanna was intrigued by the ER & I was prepared to stay awhile with food, toys, book, & most importantly the DVD player presenting "Elmo's World". She was a trooper and didn't mutter a sound when the FOUR, yes 4, doctors kept poking & pinching her arm.

She just gave them the look, but I don't think they noticed-I was trying to keep a straight face. She was discharged without a diagnosis, but the bite has since disappeared & I have a medicine cabinet stocked with Lyme disease home tests & creams :) I'm sure there will be more days like this in the future with yard work coming upon us next year & continuous renovations being completed.

Clarification!

I need to clarify that the famous bed bugs DID NOT come from my house, but rather the "nice on the outside" but obviously not so nice on the inside hotel that my Dad stayed in while here on business. I think I should make a call to the manager & see if they'll help swing my medical expenses or else.... :)

Ewe gross! EWE!

Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!

Well, mine DID!!

I have been living this last week thinking I had encountered a New England nemisis...poison ivy, when all along I've had little critters biting me. You cannot imagine how completely disgusted I am! I'm the mom who everyday has to take a DEEP breath and calm her obsessive-compulsive desires in order to not have a nervous breakdown due to dirt, dust, and ickiness EVERYWHERE! I am seriously contemplating buying a "new" mattress, sheets, pillows. Everything has been stripped & is currently being decontaminated in the basement (i.e. laundry room). EWE! What a way to start the day.

Fresh Autumn Sights

It's HERE!!!

I am soooo excited that Fall has arrived! I love the Autumn time back here with the beautiful colors & fresh cool air....awe! Now the raking of the leaves is a first for us & quite the monumental task. Chris has decided that it's better to wait until ALL the leaves have fallen & then rake them up. I know Savanna doesn't mind. I personally think she finds it amusing to run through all of them and enjoys the crunching sound they make. She's not to keen on being thrown into the BIG pile, but will get close enough to just rustle the edges with her hands. I on the other hand just enjoy the beauty of it all. I pull over to collect the leaves, slow down to get "just the perfect shot", and make many a U-turn all to the annoyance of my fellow drivers. I just tell myself that it's expected when I'm still driving a car with Mass. plates :)
Today we are (or rather I am) slowly getting out all the "fall/harvest" decorations. I know this time of year is a favorite around our house and I hope to one day have enough loot to clearly show our enthusiasm. I'm not so sure that Chris has the same gameplan, but we have a whole attic calling my name and I cannot disappoint. This being said I should probably get back to work while I still have my freedom...Savanna's sleeping & Chris is in Boston today :) A girl's home is her castle with the little ones away!!
The bottom picture is of our little town center...it's small, yes, but enjoyable none the less.
Happy Harvesting!!

She just cracks me up!!

This is a frequent occurrence around our house. Anytime Savanna sees the fridge open, she'll get "in" it & "hide". She will then call out until we act as though we can't find her & she'll emerge from her ingenious spot. I was happy that in this particular video I was able to capture this & her one-man dance party with Farmer Tad.

Wowzer!

I CANNOT believe the amount of time that has gone by since my last post, but even more unfathomable is what we've been doing. (well, Savanna & I, Chris was left behind because of work)

Let's see it all started last week...I was lucky enough to escape for the night on Friday for a little IKEA shopping trip & Girls Night with my favorite B-town babes! It was a BLAST! (and very much needed) We ate, or rather dipped, a plethora of chocolate fondue (I like to call it FUN-du). I can't believe that I forgot to get out the camera until after the p-a-r-t-y was winding down & we (okay, everyone but Liz) were about to clean-up. Luckily I was able to capture a quick pic of the food & ourselves:

pictured: Liz, myself, Jenni, & Jamie (the hostess)

not pictured: Sara, Meredith, Cherisa, Hilary, Kristen

We all claimed to have been laughing during the photo-op, but I just think we were drunk with happiness. I am hoping this event will become a regular occurrence--ummmm, we've said that before & the last time it happened was May when we bit farewell to Amber (soooo, sad!!) Since then I can only blame the kids & husbands. After the eventful night with the girls I went to meet my "Pa" & crash at his hotel, but I lost points because I didn't take mini-me. I must say that I enjoyed my little road trip. The only thing that would have made it better is having a friend along for the ride to sing duets with & share the snacks, okay, NOT the snacks but maybe some good "girl kind" of conversation.
Saturday: I got home, changed clothes & left for Relief Society. We had a little auction of sorts...you got points for your duties of service & obedience. Needless to say, I was outbid on almost EVERYTHING, but did manage to hang on to a home cooked meal & some cookies...YUM! Sunday: I showcased my chorister skills for the first time EVER & I must admit that I didn't do to bad...my singing could use some help, but so could the kids :) I have a bit of work ahead to get us all ready for the program, but I have faith that it'll all work out & if not, it's all in the way you look at it. I personally LOVE the primary program. It always makes me laugh & I usually get choked up too! Monday: what a glorious Autumn day! It was absolutely beautiful! For FHE we took Savanna to a park down the road & we all had a G-R-E-A-T time. She LoVeD the swings & people watching.

Tuesday: yet, another day to take advantage of. I went to the primary presidency meeting & after took a leisurely walk with Melanie & the boys. The kids rotated bikes, stroller time & tantrums, but equally found the ducks (quack, quack) fascinating! Gotta love the great outdoors.

Wednesday: Savanna & I took a little road trip to see "Pa" in Lowell, MA. We arrived a little before he got off from work, so we strolled the mall...police car style. I tell ya' if they sold those strollers I'd snatch one up no matter the price-she stays IN it! Which for her is HUGE! When grandpa did arrive she was in all her glory milking grandpa for all he was worth. They played with toys, read books, & played peek-a-boo in the blankets. Thursday: we toured some museums & ate lunch with "Pa" before heading back to the room for a much needed nap. Savanna & I headed home to CT soon after in order to beat the rush-hour traffic & succeeded. Fortunately while we were away Chris was able to track down & eliminate the stench that has been festering in our house the past week...since then we have decided against using poison & instead are resorting to traps to catch mice. I guess the same strategy we use to put Savanna to bed will be used in rodent disposal & clean-up: paper, rock, scissors. :)