Lost In My Blog

Must-See Movies

2010-03-18T22:48:00.000-07:00

I. love. movies. I always have, probably because I've wanted to be an actress since I was young, and am fascinated with the art of developing characters and stories and drama. Also, because movies are an escape for me. I LOVE going to the theater where, for two hours, I am lost in a story and can forget everything else. You might find me going to a lot of movies during a rough patch in my life ;) I consider myself a pretty good judge of movies, some may not agree because I do not love all genres and disagree with critics often. So...I'm NO expert but I will post my opinions anyway. I also used to want to create theatrical trailers for a career. I still would do that :)

So here is a short list of 20 movies I would say are "essential." They are powerful, smart, intense, emotional, important, compelling, and, most important of all- the acting is exceptional. So maybe if you're looking for a movie to watch, I highly urge you to pick one from the list that you haven't seen. I PROMISE you won't be disappointed. If you are, I will demand an explanation. If you've seen them all, kudos to you! Maybe you can recommend one for me! This is not a complete list nor is it in order in any way (after #1).

1. The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (extended editions) x3 to really appreciate them

2. Gone With The Wind

3. A Few Good Men

4. The Dark Knight

5. Pride and Prejudice (2005)

6. We Are Marshall (the most authentic performance of grief I've ever seen)

7. Forrest Gump

8. It's A Wonderful Life

9. The Wizard of Oz

10. The Sound of Music

11. Spanglish

12. Braveheart

13. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

14. The Shawshank Redemption

15. Titanic

16. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

17. Singin' In The Rain

18. Breakfast At Tiffany's

19. The Green Mile

and last but certainly not least...

20. A Beautiful Mind

For The Guys: I found this while searching for movies I might have missed and laughed. Don't feel left out!

http://www.justaguything.com/100-great-movies-every-guy-should-see/

Accents

2010-03-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

So... does anyone else do voices when they read stories to kids?? I'm sure they do, but does anyone use an accent? I do accents all the time when I read to Tristan. He loves it. I just bought him Corduroy, which I loved as a kid. I read it to him with an English accent, and he giggles :). I'm not good enough to do it in front of anyone but him though. I also do a Southern accent, and I do a great Elmo. I tried doing a monster for one book tonight though, and he did not like it. He said, "Don't say that! It scary Mommy. Lots of scary." LOL guess I went a little overboard. I know Heidi does All the voices because I roll my eyes at her whenever I'm close. Maybe that's why I don't do it in front of anyone but T.

Can You Believe It??

2010-03-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry the picture above is blurry, my camera's batteries were, of course, dead so I had to use my phone ;)
Anywho... I ate SALMON tonight! As some of you know, I don't NOT eat fish. Or seafood. At all. With the exception of fish and chips and chowder. I would love to eat it, because it's so light and healthy for you. I just didn't grow up with it and never tried it enough to like it. And the smells do not agree with me. This is funny because I used to work at Anthony's, a seafood restaurant mostly, and I loved working there. A bit ago I was forced to choose a side when I was at a dinner where the host didn't know, or forgot I didn't eat seafood, and served ling cod. I didn't want to be rude so, of course I said it was perfectly fine and I would eat it. He had this magical balsamic glaze for it, which was delicious. Between that, yummy wine, and the beautiful presentation of side dishes, I did eat it without a problem.
I was telling Chris this today, and he ran off to the store to test me. He cooked a very nice dinner of salmon, battered sole, asparagus, and potatoes. I used my prized balsamic glaze and it was delicious! So, I am proud to say that...I am growing. I am trying to branch out more.

Are You Scared? :)

2010-03-14T23:07:00.000-07:00

My baby boy, the Gremlin. LOL This is what became of me trying to get him to smile for a picture. I tried to show him how to "smile" and this is what he came up with. I think it's hilarious because I sent it to my mom and she thought he was trying to scare her. Of course, as his Mommy, I always only see adorable.

Movie Review!!

2010-03-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

I just went to see this today for Heidi's Birthday (Yea!) and we laughed because it wasn't really...a birthday kinda movie.

Remember Me

This movie was really...good. The trailers were misleading enough where you didn't really know what the movie was about. Which I think was smart. I thought it would be a dramatic love story, which it is, but is much more complicated than just the two lovas (Robert Pattinson & Emilie De Ravin-from LOST!). It involves their families and has a smart cast. I particularly loved the little girl who played Robert's little sister Caroline (Ruby Jerins). She was ADORABLE and gave a great performance. The only disappointing thing was that Robert Pattinson's character was like a human Edward. I love Edward though so I didn't mind much. ;)
I would recommend anyone who likes a good love-drama to go see this in the theaters. It's worth it. And please, don't read about it because it does have a very shocking ending, which I think is best for people to discover at the right moment in the movie. I was certainly shocked. Good movie. Go see it.

Do We Look "Together" ??

2010-03-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

Apparently we might. Jess and I went out the other night for some best friend time and a drink. Well, she had diet coke and we shared some chicken strips. It was great, until some guy came up to us.

Him: Hi there! I was just wondering, are you guys together?
(Jess and I looked at each other, as if we were obviously sitting next to each other talking and laughing for some other reason than knowing one another)
Jess: Uh, yeah.
Him: No, I mean, "together, together."
Jess: Yes.
Him: Oh, okay. I could tell.

REALLY? You could tell? Maybe because I was sitting facing Jess in the barstool? (Even though the reason I was sitting that way is because my neck hurt so I couldn't turn it to talk to her lol) Maybe because we were not prowling around the bar for guys? Someone please enlighten me. How do you have the nerve to come up to some girls and let that be the first thing out of your mouth? Then proceed to say a couple more obnoxious things before finally getting the hint and walking away. I couldn't tell if he was trying to figure out if we were single, or he was really hoping we were "together"? Take a note guys. If girls say they are "together", it means they want you to GO away. My mind drifts back to when I was 16, and Nicole and I went to Portland to visit Tiffany at college. She took us to a club and when a guy tried to dance with me she stepped in and used the same line to rescue me. And I was grateful. The whole thing was hilarious and made me blush. Thank you Jess, for saving us. :)

My Best Friend The Garbage Disposal

2010-02-10T13:26:00.000-08:00

So, my best friend Jessica eats. A lot. But she's tiny! She always cracks me up with her "food list" for the day. She made me laugh so much today I had to post! So I talked to her at 12:30, when all I had was cereal and coffee, and this is what she had eaten so far:
2 bowls of cereal
leftover lasagne
a bowl of ice cream
a bag of chips
some string cheese
a bag of popcorn
plus, a bowl of Kix

SO FUNNY. Everyone who knows her knows this is perfectly normal. My hats off to you, Jess. Where the heck do you put it all?? Love ya.

Blog? What Blog?

2010-02-04T23:26:00.000-08:00

I guess I have forgotten to write. About anything. I've been obsessed with the 6th (and final! Sad!) Season Premiere of LOST. Thankfully, the time finally came and went on Tuesday night, and now I am much calmer and satisfied ;) The show was amazing, as always, and I will continue to lobby to everyone I know to watch it. Because....I love this show and if I didn't watch anything but that I would be good. It is so completely complicated, intense, intelligent, emotional, and action-packed. I know I sound ridiculous and well, obsessed, but that's what I saw when my friends tried to tell me about Lord of the Rings and The Twilight Saga. And, I finally got it. So people, if you have Netflix or Hulu, give it a shot. You will not be disappointed.

Zodiac Sign

2010-01-04T16:07:00.000-08:00

I am not "into" astrological signs, I mostly think of them like fortune cookies: Sometimes they are right on, and other times they couldn't be more opposite. But they are fun and I randomly found this and it spoke to me. I am a Virgo, born September 15th.

VIRGO

Your Element: Earth
Symbol: The Virgin
Stone: Sapphire
Life Pursuit: To do the right thing
Vibration: Compassionate and caring
Virgo's Secret Desire: To love and be loved in return

Description:

Virgos are often put down badly by astrologers and written up as being fussy and narrow-minded. But when a Virgo shines, there is no sign to match their inner light. An in-tune Virgo is a treat to meet. Virgos that are confident within themselves, they are the most successful, structured and creative of all the signs.
Many Virgos can be found in the "service to others" industries, ranging from welfare work, doctors, teachers through to practicing natural forms of healing like massage, herbal remedies etc.
One of the most magical characteristics of the Virgo is no matter how many times life or romance turn sour on them, they still are able to maintain faith in others, refusing to become cynical. They are determined to be happy, and almost always find ways within themselves to bounce back. There is an ingenuity around this sign, a kind-heartedness, which is unfortunately played on by others for their advantage. Virgos can often become victims of relationship power-games, where they are mistreated.
Creative and sensitive, Virgos are delicate people who, like rare orchids, require individual treatment in order to blossom into their true unique beauty.
Virgos are givers, and when the chips are down and you need a friend, the one available during those testing times when you need advice or companionship the most, is likely to be a Virgo. Virgos understand human frailties better than most, because they are so deep and reflective themselves. With a Virgo in your life you have someone who understands and cares, and any romance or friendship based upon these qualities is sure to be mutually rewarding.

I swear I didn't make it up :)

Return of the Movie Review...

2009-12-29T22:48:00.001-08:00

Yes, that's right. These movies were so impressive that I had to publicly praise them. They all pleasantly surprised me! I had a busy 2 days...

AVATAR

Wow. James Cameron did me proud, once again. And once again he did great with an almost 3-hour movie. Full and intense, exciting, nail-biting, and well-rounded. Great cast, especially newcomer (to me) Sam Worthington. I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy the story, thought it might be strange. No. I loved it. I won't say much else because I think everyone should go see for themselves. I don't know anyone who wouldn't love this. But this should be viewed in the theaters. It was epic.

IT'S COMPLICATED

I knew this would be cute and funny, but I was impressed. The story was not predictable, the acting and cast were fabulous. Nancy Meyers directed it, as she did with "Somethings Gotta Give" and it definitely has the feel. It's a story of a woman (Meryl Streep) who's ex husband (Alec Baldwin) somewhat comes back into the picture, and the struggles and laughter that come with it, including her 3 kids, a love interest (Steve Martin-always the best), and her ex's new wife. I especially loved John Krasinski of course, who plays one of the daughter's fiance. He is so funny and it was great to see him in a movie with a great cast. I laughed aloud many times, I would definitely recommend seeing it!

P.S. I LOVE YOU

I know this is older, but I just discovered it. I hadn't planned on seeing it, I get "vibes" about movies and don't really pay attention to reviews unless they are from friends. But I found it on Netflix, and the user rating was 4 stars so I decided to give it a shot. It was a wonderful movie, heartbreaking and funny and hopeful. Unfortunately having the experience of astounding sadness a couple times in my life, I give a lot of credit when movies or television shows get it right. The list is short. The movie is about a recent widow (Hilary Swank) grieving so realistically throughout the movie, and who's deceased husband had planned out this letter situation before he died for his wife that takes her all over the place, holds surprises and gives us a look at the love they had. I was very moved by this movie, and it gave me a new appreciation for Hilary Swank. I haven't been interested in many of her past movies, but I now understand perfectly why she has 2 Oscars. Her performance was perfect throughout, playing all the emotions just as I would have hoped. Lisa Kudrow gives a refreshingly real but comedic performance as one of her best friends. There is also plenty of man-candy, with cute accents and rugged looks. Harry Connick Jr., Gerard Butler, and the adorable Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Grey's Anatomy Denny cutie). Great movie, feel-good ending!

When You Become A Mom...

2009-12-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

* Sleep becomes expendable, as do showers and makeup.
* The words "stinky" and "disgusting" take on a whole new meaning, like when your child poops in the bathtub.
* You become more protective than a mama bear.
* The greatest gift in the world can be a box of diapers.
* You learn to eat last and fast.
* Unless you love laundry, like me, you're in trouble.
* EVERYTHING your child does is cute, even if he just mumbles something unintelligible. And that's okay.
* You pray for new things, like 30 more minutes of sleep, or that you didn't forget a second change of clothes for the baby.
* Preparedness is expected. If you forgot the change of clothes, you can't go home when your baby has had a blowout. You have to go to Old Navy or wrap him in your coat. True story.
* You can never bring enough diapers.
* You don't get embarrassed in public. At least not until he's 3. Until then, it's just funny.
* You get to relive parts of your childhood, and to me, that's one of the greatest gifts about kids.
* You always have an excuse to leave.
* There's nothing like having your child say, "Cuddle?" and climbing up to snuggle you. That happened today.
* When you get to hold him those first few hours, you just feel like, Mom. Even though you've only held him for a few hours.
* You have a whole new set of knowledge. You know everything about humidifiers, Diaper Genies, car seat regulations, developmental goals, which diaper and diaper cream is best, what foods they can and can't have at what age. You learn to count their age in weeks, and then months, and then when they're 2, you sigh with relief.
* You miss them while they sleep and can't imagine living in a world without them.
* You thank God EVERYDAY for his most wonderful blessing.

Hate.

2009-12-11T21:19:00.000-08:00

Lets just get it out there.

Things I hate.

1. When it's freezing but the sun is out. Don't ask. It's like an oxymoron to me.
2. How the news is always SO dramatic with weather that we have every year. Like, "Winter Storm 2009" and "Heat Wave 2009". It's either too cold or too hot. God must be giggling and shaking his head saying, "I can't make you happy!"
3. Medical insurance and insurance companies in general. My sister recently took her son to the ER for a gash in his lip. ALL they did was put super glue on it, no tests, nothing. They are personally being charged I think about $3,000.00. I don't get it.
4. Rudeness. I have been blessed enough not to have experienced it publicly for a while, but we all have had a time where you want to shake someone who is just plain rude to service employees or people on the street. Have some manners!
5. Christmas overkill before Thanksgiving. It's like the other fall holidays don't even matter.
6. People who aren't thankful for anything. Shallow, angry, selfish people who don't realize they have it so much better than probably 85% of people on the planet. I try to remember everything I have been blessed with, despite the hard things I have endured. It occurs to me that it's nothing compared with having no home, no food for your babies, or sickness. I am blessed.
7. I hate what happened to the many law enforcement officers and countless people, where their lives are taken without a second thought. No appreciation for the life they had built, or the family they would leave behind. It breaks my heart to hear so many stories of awful things that happen everyday, and I just wish there was more compassion in the world.

Sorry for the rant, I promise next post will be more positive. But I am thankful for all I have.

Funny Story...

2009-12-11T21:08:00.000-08:00

This will make you smile. So, Tristan got up from his nap the other day, and I gave him a piece of cheese as a snack. He asked for another, so I said, "Okay, but that's it." Of course he replies, "Okay, thank you Mommy." So polite. So I leaned down and asked him if I could have a bite. Of course he says yes and I take a bite. Then he looks at me all serious and says, "That's it, Mommy." LOL Oh really?

It has been a recent problem that T likes to "feed the dog" when he's eating by dropping his food on the floor. Now I have learned to put Sebastian in the other room. But he did it yesterday, and when I scolded him, he said, "It's okay Mommy, Bastian's hungry. I feed him." LOL It's hard to argue with, isn't it?

Sadness.

2009-12-01T19:58:00.000-08:00

So, you know when something profound and life-changing happens to you, and you don't know how you will get through the day, but somehow you do? That is what I am experiencing. Only I've realized I am much stronger than I thought and it amazes me how many great friends and family members I have. Despite the pain I have gone through lately, they have been there for me and I would just like to thank each and every one of them. I love you. You know who you are.

As for the issue, I have not been blogging (sorry!) because I really didn't know what to write. It does feel good to write something, and I really couldn't blog about anything normal right now. At least not until I wrote about the truth. The truth is, my husband Chris moved out. I don't want to discuss specifics, some of you know so I don't really need to. At least not yet. I am sad, and heartbroken, and am taking small steps to pull myself together and move forward.

That's all for now.

Jack In The Box = Yuck.

2009-11-11T22:07:00.000-08:00

I usually don't ever eat JITB anymore unless it's Chris bringing us food for late-night snacks :) But Heidi and I went to our Mom's tonight and stopped by JITB to grab some food. I had forgotten how greasy their food is and literally 99% of the time they get my order wrong, not matter how much I make sure to confirm it. Tonight was no exception, they put cheese on my burger and smothered it in mayo. Yuck. It was sloppy and nasty. I had to take it back and even the second one was not good. From now on I will resume my no-eat-JITB. I had to eat a bowl of steamed vegetables at my Mom's to get some particle of nutrition in my stomach. Heidi and I have always joked when we've eaten JITB, " Mmm...this looks like a stomach ache! Yum!" Not so funny now. Remember when you were young, and you could eat whatever the heck you wanted? Greasy, sugary, high-caloric food and never have one side effect? Now I eat one greasy burger and am so affected that I have to blog about it! Crazy.

Dinner Time!

2009-11-06T17:59:00.000-08:00

Tristan's dinner: Grilled chicken with barbecue sauce and oranges. Yum! (He's not too good with vegetables, I try but he only likes peas). So I give him V8 juice. And he loves it.

T is displaying my delicious pumpkin spice muffins that I made. I got the recipe off http://www.foodnetwork.com/ and made some changes that made it a little healthier, thanks to a lot of the reviews on the recipe. They are so tasty, and yes, those are pumpkin seeds on top. The recipe calls for them and they look very fall, but I'm not fond of eating them.

He is so trying to steal one while I take a picture. Sneaky!

My dinner. Mmm...chicken enchiladas! Only 40 more minutes till I can eat them...

And this is the mess I made to get them. I've been planning to make them for a week but alas, I have been lazy-dinner-girl. Living off my sister's leftovers and eating Chinese food (lunch). Shh!
Maybe if I get bored later I'll post the recipe.

Pumpkin and Salsa

2009-11-05T14:30:00.000-08:00

I am being Betty Schmocker today and freezing cups of the fresh pumpkin that Chris baked and pureed for me. Apparently you can freeze it up to a year and use it to make a number of things. Like shrimp! (Forrest Gump). I will attempt my first homemade pumpkin spice muffins later today so hopefully they'll turn out great! Thank you to my imaginative husband for giving me an excuse to be Julia Child, and I'm sorry I laughed at you when you brought home 3 pumpkins and said you were going to gut them and bake them.

Thank you also to http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/ for easy instructions on the best way to freeze and use fresh pumpkin!

Husband Salsa!! Chris makes REALLY GOOD spicy salsa that we both love. Unfortunately, not many on my side of the branch enjoy spicy spicy, so we have to eat it all ourselves ;) Chris came home from work last night, blended some of the good stuff and made this really yummy brownish salsa that's warm because he roasts the peppers first. Oh, it's good. My mouth is watering right now...I would tell you what he puts in it, but I don't even know. From the looks of it he put our whole produce section in there! But he definitely knows what he's doing. I came in to taste it and he said,"Put 6 twists of the freshly ground pepper in there for me. No, 8." Lol...

Yum.

Nothing Like Learning To Make Your Brain Hurt

2009-11-04T14:51:00.000-08:00

I have been re-learning how to use my Nikon camera on manual. I have gotten pretty lazy over the years and have just used the automatic button to take my pictures, and have let my photography knowledge go out the back door. I took a couple black and white photo classes at Green River when I first got my camera and did great. My sister led me to this website where the pictures were so beautiful, it made me want to go out and shoot the grass. To my pleasant surprise, she had short blogs with basic instructions on how to go manual. I have a new-found love for my precious Nikon, although I wish it were digital so I could upload pictures right away, but that'll be a new toy for next year ;). So if you are feeling brave or just want some tips on how to use the manual settings on your camera (ahem, Nicole) you can go and make your brain hurt too! Here is the link:
http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/photography
Happy learning!

Skype and Other One-Liners

2009-11-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

I have just discovered Skype! I didn't know it was free and now I have a new computer with a built-in web cam so now I can chat with anyone! It's so cool you should all join.
My best friend Jessica and I used to write each other all the time in school through a journal and we would write one-liners about what we were thinking/doing. It was really funny so I will continue the legacy...
* I love my new computer but now am afraid of slacking on other things because I am on it so much!
* My house looks like a tornado hit it, because of a certain two year-old who chooses to remain anonymous
* I started my Jillian workouts back up and am now paying the price for my "holiday". I hurt.
* T is sleeping and I now have to decide what to eat. Soup sounds good.
* My husband bravely gutted a pumpkin and pureed it so now it is up to me to make homemade pumpkin stuff. Mmm...
* Today is Voting Day!!! Get out there and make your voice heard!!
* I watch so many medical shows that I am convinced I am halfway through medical school. I could take out your appendix or start an IV no problem.
* I can't wait for Lost!! It comes back for it's final season in January. I will most certainly cry throughout most of early 2010...
* Even closer is the New Moon premiere!! Soooo excited!!
* Tristan loves to wrestle with Chris and I on our bed. He loves to head-butt me even more. I could have a concussion.

Jelly Face!!

2009-11-03T12:57:00.000-08:00

I came in to the kitchen where Chris was feeding Tristan lunch, and Chris says,"I'm glad we got that whole, one of us feeds him and the other cleans up. Turn around."

Meet The Cutest Dragon Ever

2009-11-01T22:57:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have not blogged in TOO long...but I have fabulous news-I got a new laptop! It is super -fast and I can now take it anywhere, without the pains of an ancient computer. So I promise to blog often. More pictures to come...these are obviously from Halloween ;) We went to the Seatac Mall with Missy, Ryan, Heidi, Marty, and various grandparents and children. First time trick-or-treater Tristan was very courteous with the candy-givers, but had a hard time understanding why the candy had to stay in his bag. Each time he would get a piece, he would reach in and try to get it out. We had loads of fun. I did have to bribe him with chocolate raisins or candy corn (pictured above) to get the costume on though. SOO worth it....

Rylie....

While we took a break from treating, Tristan loved this helicopter so much it was hard to get him out!

Me and my little bug! Yes, I dressed up as a princess. It was fun.

From left: Sydney the Bee, Missy, Rylie, Braden, Tristan and I

They are so cute!

This was right after T and I walked into the restaurant. T ran to Sydney and gave her a hug. I am tearing up now just looking at it!! He loves his cousins so much.

Back Pain and Getting Old...

2009-08-26T22:35:00.000-07:00

As I previously blogged, I am doing Jillian Michaels' workouts, and have been very sore the past week 1/2. After Stefanie's comment, I am now very scared of moving to level two. I thought level one was hard enough! And it's only 20 min! It sucks being out of shape but it's a good sore. Now today, my back is either very sore, or I twisted something the wrong way and now I hurt. Now I can relate to those with regular back pain, because it is nonstop and makes Allie a whiner ;)
If that wasn't enough to make me feel old, I took my niece Sydney out today for her birthday to get our nails done. She will be five on Friday, but sure knows what she wants when it comes to girly things! Right after we were done she proclaimed, "I can't wait to get home and change until I find a pretty dress that matches my nails!" So cute. So back at my sister's house, we were talking about birthdays and that mine is next. Sydney asked how old I would be and Missy told her to guess. She looked nervous and finally said, "Umm, 41?" Ouch. We laughed and I said, "No!" So she guessed 42. Ahh, through the eyes of a five year-old.

Jillian is Kicking My Butt

2009-08-17T17:47:00.000-07:00

I have finally gotten on the path to a "healthier me" and purchased 3 Jillian Michaels DVDs. It was only $30, which is not as much as I was paying for my gym membership. I'm only on one of the DVDs, called 30 Day Shred, but I'm already feeling the burn (pain). It has a fierce 20 min workout that is nonstop and I love it! The only sad part is that I've realized how out of shape I am LOL. I could hardly make it up my sister's steps tonight without groaning. No pain no gain, I guess. Ugh. More to come as I explore the agony of the 2ND level.

RECAP.

2009-07-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

So sorry to everyone that I have been lacking in the blog department!! There's so much I want to say!! Apparently I've been too busy to post, but I'll show you what we've been up to since May :) For starters, we went to Arizona to visit my Dad at the end of May, soaked up the sun, and had the best vacation. It was HOT but felt great! Tristan had more fun this year, he was able to run around, eat a lot, and get root beer from Bompa. Below are some pictures of what Tristan did on his vacation.

This one is my favorite. So cute! It was taken at my Uncle Curt's house, where we spent a day BBQ-ing and swimming. Tristan did great and had so much fun with Auntie Velora

Loungin....

We also spent time with Doug and Lisa and their little man Dylan, who is not much younger than Tristan. This is the cutest pic of them watching a show before bedtime and sharing a snack ;)
Playing before bedtime...
Swimming at Doug and Lisa's, poor kid got sunscreen in his eye AS Lisa and I were talking about Dylan getting sunscreen in his eyes "this one time...". But he was a trooper and had fun anyways!

Aah, the watermelon. My Dad cut Tristan up watermelon everyday, and this day he seriously ate 1/2 of a big watermelon I think. It was a bowlful.

"Yum! That was so good! I'm really glad I ate all that!"
"Ugh... not so glad anymore. Too much watermelon!" He sat like this for 30 min no joke. "Get outta my face!"

THE DUCK PARADE
Every year In University Place they have a Duck Parade that is really cute, it's just a smaller parade of kids and businesses and schools that go down Bridgeport Way and throw candy out. They have fun activities afterwards and it is literally on my street so we went up, like last year, to watch the parade.

We stopped by the fire station to visit, and to our surprise they were serving everyone a FREE LUNCH! Yummy BBQ and cake, it was nice and a lot of fun. Tristan got to sit in a fire engine, and you can see how much he enjoyed himself.

This picture makes me giggle. He looks like he's ready to fight if someone were to take away his sucker.

Fortunately, still not afraid of animal-people.

Saving the best for last, this is my favorite. Just pure joy.

Current Events...

2009-05-19T14:56:00.000-07:00

* We are going to Arizona next week to visit my Dad. SOOO excited to get away and into the sun!!!
* I have been trying and trying to De-clutter my home and make it pretty and cozy. I have made progress, organizing one thing at a time, but doesn't it always seem like once you throw something out, there's always something new to put in it's place? Arg!!
* Tristan is THE cutest little man ever. He is talking so much, saying most of the words you ask him to, and trying his best at the ones he cannot pronounce. He calls chicken strips "fries" and can sing parts of the alphabet. We have so much fun, even when he tests me and has to go in a timeout. He is very polite, saying "peese?" and using the sign language for thank you. This makes me immensely proud.
* Working out has been an issue. I got a membership for T to the kids place, but he has anxiety right now so he screams when I leave and spends the whole time clinging to the lady. I really need the workout, but I can't stand to put him through that each time. So I'm trying to find time when I can leave him home or go early. Still thinking about the early early a.m. thing. LOL
* I am stressed trying to rent apartments right now. It seems like the only prospectives I get are people who aren't qualified, or the ones who are "just looking". This is the only time my job gets stressful, so I like to keep it fully occupied. Anyone looking for an apartment? :)
* I watched all the season finales I love, and of course, LOST was my favorite. SO crazy! I wish anyone I knew loved it the way I do. Thankfully, I have gotten my Mom hooked so I can get excited with her, but she gets confused a lot.

Cute.

2009-04-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

You can see a lot more Rylie photos on Missy's Facebook page.

Groceries.

2009-04-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what I buy weekly at the grocery store? You're about to find out. I have nothing else to blog about right now, so I decided to pull out my receipt and give you all a real treat ;) This is a normal list of what I buy every week, week 1/2 for our family of 3:
Applesauce
instant rice
pretzels
2 cans of corn
whole grain penne pasta
pasta shells
small Dr. Pepper (treat for me!)
big bag of shredded cheddar cheese
coffee creamer
frozen broccoli
12 pack of light yogurt-Me
pint of organic vanilla yogurt-Tristan
1% organic milk
organic whole milk-Tristan
1 1/4 lb flank steak
1lb ground beef
brita filter
baby wipes
bread
bananas
grapes
head of lettuce
green and red peppers
and...pesto sauce.
This week's list was smaller, but I usually spend around $70 a week, and I've been trying hard to make as many meals as I can to send leftovers with Chris for lunch, and save some money. So far, I think it's worked.

Spring Fair Fun!

2009-04-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

Heidi, Marty, Jo and I took the boys to the Spring Fair in Puyallup today. We walked around, went in to see the animals, which I am not a huge fan of but Tristan loved it, and ate some yummy food. The weather was good until we were getting delicious scones, about to leave, when it started to pour. As we were leaving it seemed as though the parking lot was filling up. Guess people didn't mind the rain. It WAS pouring. Welcome to the Northwest. Here are some cute pictures for you to giggle at.

Tristan likes to share. And then he wants it back. Probably before you can do anything with it.

We watched Dockdogs for a while. I didn't know what it was either... Apparently it's a bunch of cute dogs that practice jumping into water, and then they have a contest to see how far they can jump. It was really cute, Tristan sat on my shoulders and giggled.

This is it.

I discovered he is not terrified of big furry people.

This one is for Jenny. That's a bunny in the cage, and it appears Tristan is trying to bust it out.

Easter Fun!

2009-04-17T19:53:00.001-07:00

On Easter we were at Heidi's for dinner and Tristan loves their lab Dasher. So they got into a 15min tug of war. As you can see, Tristan put up a good fight, but Dasher won.

Introducing...Rylie Marie Collins!

2009-04-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

Rylie arrived after a short labor at 3:41pm on Good Friday, April 10, 2009. She weighed 7lbs 11oz, 20 1/2 inches long. Beautiful, looks a lot like Sydney did when she came into the world. I was blessed to be there the whole time and witness her first moments. She is adorable, quiet and sweet. Mommy is doing great.

Excited Big Sister Sydney Anne meets her little sister with love

Tired little bundle of joy...

Brave Missy was a champ, I was so proud of her! Her first moments holding her new sweetie

Proud Auntie Allie!

New daddy Ryan with his second little princess

HAPPY EASTER!!

2009-04-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

This is Tristan's/Braden's Easter basket! Chris's parents gave it to Tristan last year and it is so cute I decided to give it another turn. Heidi and I thought it was kind of silly to get them "A basket" since they can't have all the candy and stuff you'd put in one, but then we thought we could fill some eggs with coins, crackers and a couple of matchbox cars :) . I did find a cute Easter book also, but they only had one, so the boys will share. Sadly Chris must work, so T and I are having dinner at Heidi's with my mom. We went to church this morning and I'm very happy to say I think I finally found a church I could love that's right down the street! Tristan did great in the nursery and I liked it. So Happy Easter everyone! Count your blessings this day and give extra hugs and kisses!

Don't Say COOKIE!!

2009-03-28T15:28:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's snowing outside right now. Anyways...
So, Chris made a mistake earlier today. He was in the bedroom getting ready for work. Tristan always wants in our bedroom to get Chris's phone, guitar, or some other prized possession of ours he deems worthy of investigating, and we are always trying to corral him out. So I assume he was trying to get him out when Tristan came running to me, staring at me intently. Chris yelled out laughing, "I said Mommy had a cookie for him," thinking he wouldn't understand but would go out curiously. No. No, Chris. You have failed to notice that our smart little man not only knows what a cookie is, he knows what chocolate is, as previously observed in Leavenworth. We don't give him cookies all the time or anything, but he has had one, and anyone knows, one is enough to get you hooked. You also learn as a parent, that when you promise something to your child, you'd better be prepared to deliver. So here Tristan is, staring at me desperately, and I tell Chris, shaking my head, that he'd better give him a cookie since it was promised. I tell him that Daddy will get him a cookie, and that sends him confused signals and he starts to get emotional. He just wants his cookie!! Lol...so finally Chris comes out and gives him a cookie in his chair. At this point, Tristan has tears in his eyes and is saying, "Peese? peese?" The whole thing was hilarious knowing how emotional he got fretting over the cookie dilemma. If you give a kid a cookie...he'll just want another one to go with it.

Movie Review: 4th Edition

2009-03-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

This weeks review is on Fireproof. I watched it last night with my Mom and it was fantastic. I had heard great things about it and I always loved Kirk Cameron. The movie was about Caleb (Kirk), a firefighter, who is having trouble in his marriage and is considering divorce. His father asks him to wait 40 days, and gives him something that might change the way he thinks about love. It truly is moving and intense and suspenseful at times. I do love holding my breath in suspense while my fingers clench into a fist...

The movie has so many lines that really force you to think about how to conduct yourself and what God really meant marriage (and love) to be. I was afraid before I watched it that it wasn't going to be "real" enough. That the issues that the couple faced wouldn't be severe enough to be believable. I was wrong. I was pleasantly surprised at how "real" the arguments were. Anyways, I won't say anymore because I want everyone to see this. Whether you are married, happily or not, engaged, dating, or single, this movie will teach you something. I wish they would show this to people before they marry. Then maybe a few more would take the commitment more seriously. I was also very impressed with the special features. REALLY hilarious outtakes!

Sweet babies...

2009-03-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

My sister Melissa is due in less than 2 weeks with her second little lady. Her name will be Rylie Marie (Marie after her Auntie Allie!). I found this pic on my Mom's computer and thought it was so adorable I had to put it on. It makes me want another baby right now, even though i really don't yet. But who can resist babies?! I can't wait to be an Auntie again! It is such a joy, they're like your own children but you only get the fun parts. How cool is that relationship?! Sydney was the first, born in 2004. Chris and I got engaged 4 days before she was born, and I got to be there when she came out. After they took her home, I would go over almost every day after work and take a nap with Sydney sleeping on my chest. Something about a sleeping baby...

Movie Review: 3rd Edition

2009-03-21T22:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, she can give a good review!! I saw Taken a few nights ago with my sisters, and it was fantastic! I didn't know much about it, but thought it might be very scary and possibly gory in some way. The way they make horror movies nowadays freaks me out and I even cringe at previews. Just a nightmare waiting to happen! But Heidi assured me it was only PG13 so it couldn't be bad at all ;) Not that I can't take R rated... I just can't take "scary movies" anymore. I'm talking about Saw, The Last House on the Left, and The Strangers, which I didn't even see but Jessica's synopsis and the fact that she wanted to puke was enough.

Anyways, back to Taken. I can't believe that Liam Neeson has not aged in like, 10 years! He was a bad-ass in this movie, playing an ex-CIA agent who gave it up to be with his daughter ( Maggie Grace from Lost), only to have her travel abroad and be kidnapped by human traffickers. Very suspenseful and action-packed. I will probably see it again because I know many who would love it. I also saw He's Just Not That Into You and it was also very good, great cast, funny and entertaining. Probably more chick-flick but guys would enjoy it too.

The Twilight Saga...

2009-03-21T22:13:00.000-07:00

"If I was a germaphobe, I wouldn't be in Walmart." - My sister, Heidi.

This statement set off an abundance of laughter as Heidi and I braved the tense crowd at Walmart last night to buy copies of Twilight at 12:01 am. I know. That in itself is laughable. However, if you are a fan of the Twilight books, you are nodding your head and are right there with us. We waited in a line for a short time, our neck of the woods is more discreet if you will, so it went quite fast. They had a "party", with refreshments, and a yummy-looking cake with a picture of the Twilight cast on it. I made it known that I was going to get a piece, when Heidi proceeded to tell me that it was probably spit on and touched by sick kids. My friend Nicole is nodding her head right now. So I lost my appetite and grumpily called her a germaphobe. The sentence above was her reply and it was funny. I would have taken a picture of the cake to show you, like so many teens I saw (and giggled at), but that was taking it too far. Needless to say, as we got closer and the cake tempted us, Heidi gave in and we both had a piece. And it was delicious.

Twilight is the reason for my absence from blogging and God knows what else. I got reeled in and read all 4 books in a week and a half. One in 24 hours ;) . I'm not going to go into anything else, I'm sure many of you are tired of hearing the hype and the rest are way ahead of me ;) . So, I loved them. Great story, very suspenseful and emotional. Now I am back, with promises of many cute pictures soon to follow.

Things I Complain About vs Things I Am Thankful For

2009-03-03T15:32:00.000-08:00

Just a little perspective... some things I have actually considered and it did help me to stop complaining/worrying a bit. I have always been a "glass is half-full" kinda girl. So perhaps it will give someone else a thought about why they should feel lucky.

1. I wish I had more money, but I am VERY thankful to have a roof over my head, heat, food for my family, and room for a lot of fun things.
2. I wish I was thin, but I am thankful that God gave me a body that works, and that I have the opportunity to get healthier.
3. I hate when there is drama in my family, but I am blessed to have a family where we are so close there is bound to be drama ;)
4. I hate getting up early, but I am thankful for every moment I have with Tristan, especially while he's so young.
5. I get very tired of cleaning, but I saw an Oprah where 10 families in a shelter complex had to share a vacuum and it made me very thankful.
6. I fight with Chris about many things that won't matter in a day, but I am very thankful that he is my husband and loves me ALL the time. And brings me flowers ;)
7. I wish I could afford a new wardrobe, but I am thankful to have enough clothes that I could give them away, and a husband who prefers me in sweats ;)

Movie Review 2nd Edition

2009-02-24T18:46:00.000-08:00

So... sadly again no good reviews. My mom and I sat down last night and tried to pick a movie out. No winners. So I went "On Demand" and we picked out Changeling. Once again, the acting was phenomenal, the setting (1928 LA) was beautifully re-engineered, but the ending was terrible. Sorry to all those who have not seen it, but I MUST ruin it for you, because I cannot have it on my conscience that someone might have the same experience that I did. Excuse me while I go on a rampage...
The movie, as some of you know, is about a mother (Angelina Jolie) who comes home from work to find her 9 year old son gone. She goes to the police, doesn't get very much help, and 3 months later they produce a boy who they say is her son. But even as she laughably says 200 times, "He is NOT my son!", and provides proof that he is not, the LAPD continues to try and convince her that he is, and that she just doesn't recognize him after SO much time. The LAPD knows they probably made a mistake, but don't want to look bad in the press. So as she persists, they throw her into the psych ward! Now remember, this is a true story so you can imagine me, with my son in the next room sleeping, watching this poor woman go through all this, thinking every minute that her son is out there alone somewhere or worse. So I was fully convinced that she would find her son soon.
Not so fast. Then another plot comes in, where the police discover a man who has been killing little boys out in nowhere, and her son was identified as at least being kidnapped by this guy. No one knows if he was killed. And let me say, they go almost too far in letting the viewer know just what happened to these little boys. At least too far for me ;) . So she gets out of the psych ward, sues the LAPD and wins, and the killer taunts her a few times with whether or not he killed her boy. This goes on and I'm sure the ending will be worth all the pain. Nope. She never finds her son. NEVER! In the end they say she never stopped looking for him, but obviously never found out anything. I can appreciate that it was a true story, and that of course not all kidnappings have good endings, but come on! Give a girl a happy ending! Sigh...

Flowers, bloody tongues, and a haircut

2009-02-16T12:21:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day this year was great...I hung out with my son all day, went shopping, and after Chris got off work, he came home to a few gifts and a lot of kisses ;). We drank some delicious Italian wine and watched Superbad. So romantic... and I also got this lovely display the night before. Chris is good with flowers.

Tristan's 3rd haircut! Every time now he looks more and more like a little boy, not a baby...sad. But he looks sooo cute with a fauxhawk. He recieved many an adoring "aww..." when we went out shopping. I also got a new phone, after 2 hours on the phone with my company. I was supposed to be mailed one but it got messed up and they were out of stock, so I went to the corporate store. I am embarrassed to say, it kinda "does everything". But it's only because that was the free one they offered and it's a touch screen. Fun. I love it. I probably won't do anything on it but text, call, and maybe check the news or something. I can feel myself going over to the dark technology-advanced side already....

Tristan did not have a good morning. He was running, as he always does, and biffed it, as he usually does. But this time he went face down hard on his beloved guitar and bit his tongue severely. It looked bad. Yuck, poor kid. Nevertheless, he was still a champ and had fun the whole day. We even went to McDonald's after getting my phone and he was excited. Sadly, I didn't think about how hard it might be to eat chicken mcnuggets with a gouge in your tongue...Mommy of the Year, that's me.

25 Random Facts About Me

2009-02-12T19:51:00.000-08:00

I got this idea from a cute blog I read and thought it would be fun so enjoy!

1. I only like cold beverages ICE COLD. Especially water.
2. I am obsessed with LOST. Not really a secret. I get so excited about it I jump up and down!
3. I can't stand listening to people chew. Chris gets annoyed because I'm always getting on him about it. I can't help it! I can't stand chewing with your mouth open either...
4. I don't have a favorite season. I love each one, and I'm ready for the next each time. God planned it well.
5. My favorite DS game is MarioKart. I play whenever I can.
6. My favorite easy dinner is Hamburger Helper. Love it.
7. I love the ocean. I could live at the beach and stare at it all day.
8. Hate cold days that are sunny! It's an oxymoron to me....choose one!
9. Since I was 12 I always wanted to name my son Gabriel Aidan. Guess you can tell we compromised with Tristan Gabriel.
10. I really want Invisalign. I need braces and don't want them.
11. My new favorite "treat" restaurant is Asado in Tacoma. "Treat" because it's pricy but SO worth every penny!
12. My favorite vacation growing up was going to Lincoln City, OR and staying on the beach at the Shilo Inn. Leavenworth comes in at a close second...
13. I hate being too busy. I love relaxing at home with my baby in sweats.
14. Chris and I have talked many times about moving to Greece for a year. Still considering it, although being so far away would be very hard.
15. I never really want a phone that "does everything". Give me a phone that calls people and has text messages and it's gold. I'm scared that one day that won't be an option. ;)
16. I wash my hands 10+ times a day. I hate dirty hands.
17. I'm not fearful of getting old. I am fearful of Tristan growing up too fast.
18. My favorite Tristan quirk is the sound he makes as he's falling asleep. It's a loud humming sound and he's done it ever since he was an infant. It gets louder when Chris rocks him. It's the sweetest thing...
19. I could watch Lord of the Rings EVERY night. Sometimes I have. Also not a secret.
20. I hope my son feels as though his Mommy loves him more than any mommy could love her son.
21. I wish I could get up every morning and go work out. I'm thinking about it, it's hard because I am a night owl and HATE getting up early.
22. Tom Jones' "At This Moment" can always make me cry.
23. I've never broken a bone. Knock on wood...
24. I hate cleaning my kitchen, but I could do laundry all day.
25. I love surveys. I fill them out whenever I can. Obviously.

My Boo Boo

2009-02-12T19:39:00.001-08:00

Food Time!

2009-02-12T19:24:00.000-08:00

Yummy carrots and chicken! He loves to use a fork now, sometimes he won't eat unless you let him ATTEMPT to feed himself. I would usually not let him use a "big fork".

Waffles with scrumptious jam from Leavenworth!

"World's Best Mac N Cheese" by Beecher's. It REALLY is the best in the world. Seriously. I think it's only at QFC in the freezer section. SOOOO good. Tristan agrees.

Yogurt. Loves to try to feed himself. I don't even care about the big mess. It's too cute to stop him!

Movie Review: 1st Edition

2009-01-24T17:49:00.000-08:00

I went to see Revolutionary Road with my sister Melissa last night. We have been meeting for movies for a while and savoring sister-time until the long-awaited baby day comes in April. So far, we have seen a number of movies, most of which have exceptional acting, but are not too great. The latest was Seven Pounds, which I was excited for, but turned out to be very predictable, I wish they would have had more twists. Let me say, I am pretty easy with movies. Serve me up some good dialogue, with a satisfying ending, and I'm sold. If I compare anything with The Lord of the Rings, rest assured it's good :) . I think it's especially hard if you don't know what you're in for. Both Seven Pounds and Revolutionary Road were secretive in their publicity. You didn't really know much about the meat of the movie.

So, the movie last night was good, the acting was phenomenal, but I was disappointed in the first 20 minutes. Top that with some confusing scenes, a sad, almost disturbing ending, and it's hard to see what the actors loved about the story as a whole. It was lovely to see Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio together again, and as I said, they were both Oscar-worthy. But it's sad that I was so excited about the hype that I had to go see it on opening night. That is rare for me.

See it, you might love it, don't buy it because you probably won't watch it again.

TOP TEN FAVORITE DRAMA FILMS (some may fall into other categories as well)

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (I would put this in all categories ;)

2. Pride and Prejudice (The most beautiful and intoxicating love story)

3. Gone With The Wind (Timeless classic, for the time such a production...)

4. A Few Good Men (I have loved this since I was 13)

5. Titanic (Anything you see in the theater 9 times must be on the list)

6. Spanglish (Exceptional acting, great plot)

7. Far and Away (I love period pieces and Tom Cruise...)

8. Atonement (A shocking yet captivating period piece)

9. In Her Shoes (More phenomenal acting, and the book is one of my favorites)

10. The Notebook (The kind of love story that makes your heart ache)

So there it is. Yes, I do love me some chick flick. I'm a girl. And I love to daydream. And it only took me about 5 minutes to compose this list, so that's how much I love these movies. Watch and enjoy.

Leavenworth!

2009-01-23T18:45:00.000-08:00

Chris, Tristan and I took Chris's brother Eric to Leavenworth to celebrate his 24th birthday (and as an excuse for a small vacation, of course). We had a ton of fun, walked around town, went swimming, and thoroughly enjoyed our suite at The Enzian Inn. I love this hotel, I wouldn't stay anywhere else, and I've been going to it almost every year since I was little. So I guess I am proudly carrying on the tradition. The hotel is awesome, beautiful in a Bavarian style with an indoor pool and a complimentary buffet breakfast that is so worth going there. If you want to know more go to http://www.enzianinn.com/ . So we got to Leavenworth Wednesday afternoon, checked in, and went to check out our suite. I got it because we needed a separate room for Tristan to sleep, and it was the same price as 2 rooms. And it was worth it! The 1st room was the living room, with a sink and coffeemaker (yum) and a complimentary bottle of sparkling cider (too bad it wasn't really a romantic night lol). There was a couch that pulled out into a bed for Eric, a tv and fireplace, and a deck. In the 2nd room was our huge beautiful bed and a lovely spa tub that I was so sad I didn't have time to enjoy :( . We went to dinner at a great Italian restaurant, but the food was so rich we couldn't finish it! We went back to the hotel and went swimming, which was really nice to sit in a hot tub... Tristan loved swimming as long as Daddy didn't dunk him, which he did a few times. Not very nice. After, we went back to our room where Chris put Tristan down so I could watch LOST. What a husband. Even on vacation there's no way I would miss the season premiere of LOST :) It was AWESOME, after that we played cards and snacked on some goodies we bought at the chocolate shop in town. So here are some cute pictures for you all:Tristan all excited on our bed after just getting in the room. He was really excited, running all around the rooms and jumping all over the bed!

At the chocolate shop. Guess who knows what chocolate is and how good it tastes??

Yea! Getting ready to go swimming!

Our lovely ginormous bed...

Happy Birthday Uncle Eric!!

So sad... I want to climb in it right now.

Having tons of fun swimming with Daddy

Waiting in town for Chris and Eric while they visited their 8th cheese/wine/meat shop ;) Tristan didn't mind, he got to run around a lot. (P.S.- Make sure if you bring a 1 year old in a shop with wine bottles...you keep their arms and legs "inside the Daddy" as Chris put it after Tristan knocked over and broke a bottle of wine! Chris did buy one anyway.

I would never get one but now I do understand why moms get leashes for kids.

HOT Yoga Part 2

2009-01-18T22:50:00.000-08:00

I went to Hot Yoga again on Sat morning, dragging my sister Heidi with me, and it was a more pleasant experience the second time around thank goodness. Probably because I knew what to expect. It still was CRAZY hot of course, and I still got a little headache, but I was fully prepared this time with ibruprofen! It's fun to go to with friends and it helps you stick it out. My muscles are still a bit sore but I would recommend anyone to try it. It beats sitting at home... not sweating buckets. Just hydrate and wear as little as possible :)

HOT Yoga

2009-01-16T14:23:00.000-08:00

I went to try out Hot Yoga with Nicole and Amanda in Federal Way yesterday. I was a little hesitant at first, the thought of sweating profusely in a hot room with 60 other people didn't exactly sound fun. I can't take much heat! It was. so. hot. Approximately 112 degrees! The yoga was hard but I like yoga, it was the heat that was hard to sit in for 90 minutes. We laid on our mats a lot, my head was pounding and Nicole felt nauseous, which is all normal. It was only $10 for ten 90 minute sessions, because that's how long it takes to get used to the climate and they want to get you hooked. At first it was very relaxing, the heat and yoga poses, but after the first half I felt like I could die! But we made it through, and I felt good afterwards. My clothes were Dripping wet, like I had just stepped out of a shower. Never sweat so much in my life! I had a major headache last night and felt a bit feverish, but just like with a good massage, it's normal because your body is flushing all of your toxins out so you feel like crap the first few times. All in all a good experience that was good for my health. I'm going to go hopefully tomorrow so I'll let you know if it's easier the second time around...

2009-01-16T13:48:00.000-08:00

NEW YEAR'S EVE
New Year's Eve was a lot of fun, Chris and I went to a beautiful wedding in Puyallup. It was black tie so I bought a dress and Chris looked mighty handsome in his tux. Some people did not dress up, which was kind of annoying but the decor and ceremony was so beautiful. We celebrated the New Year together and danced a bit. Here are a few pictures:

Handsome Daddy and handsome son.

Reminiscent of prom.... LOL

At the wedding having lots of fun!

As the night got a little crazier...

Happy New Year!!!!

Back from break...

2009-01-16T13:07:00.000-08:00

Sorry it has been a while... I thought I'd take a long break like all my favorite shows do LOL. But I am back with pictures galore and a couple stories to tell so here's a recap:

CHRISTMAS

Christmas was really fun this year, we got to spend time with all of our family, (despite the fact that Chris's work schedule unfortunately got in the way a lot, but that's what you get for being a manager at QFC) and still made time to relax on Christmas morning with Tristan. He recieved a lot of fun toys and gifts (thank you everyone) and still his favorite toys are his guitars, (go figure!) one that he recieved on his birthday from Josh and Amber, and one he got for Christmas from Gramma Annette and Grampa Bruce. He carries those things around EVERYDAY. It's really cute.

He has also become quite the talker. You feel like you are having a real conversation with him. He is very good with his expressions. He has a little attitude now and then, but he's just testing us and is a very sweet little boy. We have fun playing all day, he loves to be chased, and especially loves to push buttons on the tv when Daddy is watching and then squeal and run.

This was a beautiful picture of Sydney I took on Christmas Eve morning. We spent the night at Missy and Ryans' so Chris could spend time with them since he had to work Christmas Eve. The snow was beautiful.

Tristan and Sydney admiring the deck.

Many of you have seen this one but I thought it too cute not to show again. As I've said, getting a Christmas picture was a lot easier when I could just sit him somewhere.

A new book from Bompa! Chris and I got him that firetruck. He sat on it for 30 minutes while he opened his other gifts!

This is his beloved Elmo phone he got from Heidi and Marty. He talks on the phone now and says "Hi!" to anyone. When I'm on the phone with Chris, he gets on his and
cradles it between his cheek and shoulder.

Oh Christmas Tree...

2008-12-11T22:05:00.000-08:00

This is our Christmas Tree. I love Christmas... and I was very pleased to see that Tristan had no wish to demolish it. Yea!

In Trouble

2008-12-11T21:45:00.000-08:00

No, I didn't put him in a time-out. I caught him ripping the wipes out and he climbed on the chair and put his head down. So easy. It was pretty funny. Now if I can just work on the prevention part...

Crazy what kids love....

2008-12-11T21:26:00.000-08:00

So, it really is true that you can give your child a ton of gifts, but nothing makes him happier than a plain, old, box. This was proved to me yesterday as I was doing some present wrapping. I finished a roll of paper and as we all know, it's always been fun to talk and yell through the cardboard roll. I did it and Tristan just cracked up, giggling and screeching! So of course, he takes it from me and does it himself, laughing everytime it vibrates on his mouth. Then he hands it to me and makes me do it about 50 more times. I didn't mind too much. :")

Angry.

2008-12-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

So I've been watching the news, and I'm quite upset about the sign that they are allowing in the State Capitol alongside the Christmas tree. The sign is from a group that are Atheists, and basically states that there is no God, no Heaven or Hell, no angels, that Christmas and religion are myths. This has upset thousands, with the Capitol receiving two hundred calls every hour. But to no avail, our Governor Gregoire will not consider removing the sign because in her opinion it's an issue of the First Amendment. The Supreme Court has said include one, and that they must include all religious beliefs. I do not wish to offend anyone or their beliefs, but Atheism is NOT a religion in my opinion. They do not believe in anything or anyone, just our "natural world." Why do they feel the need to post a sign that diminishes all our Christmas traditions? Shame on Chris Gregoire for trying to be political instead of considering the feelings of those who are offended by this. It seems it will have caused more hurt and disappointment then if it were to be taken down. I am deeply saddened by this, it seems that the true meaning of this favorite holiday is slipping further away.

2008-12-02T01:15:00.000-08:00

"Hold on Mommy, I gotta take this."

I love that face. My little hoodlum.

"Mommy, I need a ride. Let's go, I got your keys!"

So cute.

It's All About Strategy...

2008-11-29T13:18:00.000-08:00

So, Black friday. Ah yes, scary to many, exciting for others. For me, it's exciting to go out and feel the tension as you wait in line with a ton of crazy people just like you who are excited to get a few great deals. I go with my friend Debby every year, this was our 3rd. We always have fun, laughing at the "crazies" who get nasty over stupid stuff. We NEVER go to Walmart 1st. the fact that they have police and a line circling the parking lot freaks me out. We are the first in Target, grabbing what we can, then it's off to Walmart and Kohl's. I had a great time, although if you know me, you know I am NOT a morning person. Getting up at 4am is hard, but worth the stuff I get. I got a Wii game for $11.00, toys for Tristan $5-$10 each, 60% off Christmas decor, $5 movies, and a lot of good stuff. And as I am writing this, Chris and I have just witnessed Tristan climbing up on the coffee table for the first time. Great. He was going for Chris's Dr. Pepper. Anyways...I had fun, it makes me very very upset to hear that some people take it way too seriously and are selfish enough to keep on trying to shop when people are seriously hurt and possibly dead. It makes me sick and that's why I avoid watching the news.

LOST

2008-11-25T21:51:00.000-08:00

I'm SO excited for LOST to return, and I found out it's coming back on January 21st!! I love this show so much. I saw the preview for it last week and I actually jumped up and down. The only thing I don't like about it is that they have shorter seasons, and they make me wait. And that makes me an unhappy camper. I know many who don't watch it because it is too hard to follow. Maybe that's why it's called LOST. I agree, you have to watch it from the beginning to understand and properly appreciate the wonderment that is LOST. Yes, I am a LOST geek. Chris even bought me the playstation game. But I can't play it unless there are adults present because it is SCARY. If any of you do watch the show, the game is a believable clone. Dark caves, scary noises, unexpected deaths into a hole. Not surprising since I couldn't play the Lord of the Rings game either. I'm more into Mariokart.

TYPICAL MORNING...

2008-11-25T00:41:00.001-08:00

Have a snack.

Play some tunes on my guitar.

Catch up on some reading.
And of course, my favorite, Daddy Time.

1st Birthday!!

2008-11-23T21:40:00.000-08:00

Mmm.... yummy blue icing! We celebrated Tristan's 1st Birthday on Saturday, September 27th, his actual birthday. LOTS of family and friends came to party and watch Tristan open presents, entertain, and stuff his face full of icing.

"Here Daddy, you can have some."

I love this picture. The cupcake, by the way, was the Cookie Monster, SO cute done by QFC. He ate it like someone was going to take it away any second. No hesitation.Understandably exhausted.

This is a pic from Tristan's Great Granny Norma's 70th Birthday party. He had a great time with his second cousin Bryce.

PUMPKIN PATCH!

2008-11-23T21:06:00.000-08:00

Yes, backtracking to October 26th, Chris, Tristan and I went with Heidi, Marty, and Braden to a pumpkin farm off River Rd and had a ton of fun! We went through the corn maze, picked out pumpkins, and of course, took pictures. The boys had a blast. Daddy, I can do it on my own!

This picture is particulary adorable.

Tristan brought his wagon and shared with Braden. SO cute!!

TWILIGHT

2008-11-23T20:58:00.000-08:00

So Jess and I went to see Twilight on Saturday (after a little shopping at AE because I ripped my favorite jeans and needed a new pair so she helped me out) and I was surprised to see no lines or crowds. I was also pleased to see no sea of crazy teenage girls. The showing was at 4:05 and we got there at 3:45 to get a good seat, and we did no problem. I guess everyone went to the midnight showing with Nicole :). Nevertheless it filled up, and despite not getting to read the book first, it was a really good movie. No Lord of the Rings, but the characters were intriguing and the setting was close to home, in Forks, WA. Funny enough Nicole and I had fun there on a trip with her family back in 7th or 8th grade I think. I won't spill any of the movie of course for those die hard fans, but let's just say I will go see the sequel.

2008-11-20T00:22:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be backtracking a bit so I can include some of the adorable pics I have of my little guy. As you can see, he was a duck for Halloween. He did NOT like the hat at first. We're talking lots of crying. So after I gave him a binkie, and my cellphone, as a bribe, he proceeded to sit for me while I took pictures. Then he actually kept it on while Heidi and I took the boys for a stroll around the mall! Yes, he does have a kitkat he got at the mall. I told him he could eat it if he could get it open. Mean, I know. But he had fun holding it! I can't look at these pictures without giggling...

2008-11-19T23:11:00.000-08:00

Here is my FIRST blog! Yea... I feel like I'm back in eighth grade computer science, learning how to save a file on a floppy disc. My how times have changed. I like to think that I'm computer-savvy. I was 14 when the internet first became popular. Still, I have issues with patience and uploading and editing pictures. I need a touch screen. Good thing those are becoming available! But, lucky for you, I am willing to give it my best shot so that you can see Tristan and all of the hilarious things he does everyday. I love reading other blogs, and I thought I'd either do this or Facebook. I guess the winner has been revealed.