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Too Many Bows?

I've become tired of always searching for Lyndsey's hair bows. Seems like I can never find the one that goes with a specific outfit or the matching pair is missing. Today I decided to make a hair bow holder and hung it in her room tonight. I still have more bows to add as I find them but hopefully this will simplify things. I really didn't realized that she had so many. I may have to change it up a bit so it can hold more. We will see.

Bought a New Car

We bought ourselves a new car! It isn't new new but it's new to us. We finally decided that having a vehicle with 4 wheel drive was a priority with all the snow that is expected here. Having no experience with snow driving, I thought that I would feel a lot safer driving Lyndsey and myself around town. Also, I work the evening shift at the hospital and I'll be driving home late at night. Better safe than sorry.

We got an awesome deal, traded in our old Focus, and now are the proud owners of an 05 GMC Envoy Denali. It is completely loaded and the drop down DVD player is awesome for Lyndsey. The gas mileage isn't the greatest but considering our town is so small and we work 2 miles from home, that isn't an issue for us. I love my new car. I think I need to name it. Any suggestions?

Halloween Cupcakes

I decided to bake some cupcakes to take to Del and my coworkers. What can I say, I have been very homemaker-like for the past few days. Yeah I probably shouldn't eat any of them but I did half one with Lyndsey tonight. Boy was it yummy! Shame on me. hehe

I think they turned out pretty cute!

Orange

Orange is Lyndsey's favorite color. If she has the choice, she will always choose anything of that particular color. She has orange and pink plates and doesn't like the pink ones as well. Del and I drink two different types of milk and the different types have different lid colors. If I pick my milk carton which has a green lid, she requests "orange milk." I didn't know if it was because of the color of the lid or if she just liked Daddy's whole milk instead. After she went to bed, I decided to do an experiment and switched the lids so my milk was now orange and Daddy's milk was now green. Sure enough she still chose the milk with the orange lid. Silly girl!

Trip to California

We left for California last Sunday night right after I got off work at 11:30 at night. We drove all night long and made it to Bakersfield around 6:00pm. Del and I took turns driving and we set the clock for 90 minutes and would switch. The drive was brutal! We stayed at Drew and Christa's house and it was great for Lyndsey and Peyton to play together. We also got to meet their new addition, Baby Warren. He is just the cutest thing ever. Most of our trip was packed to the brim with visiting friends and family and shopping at all the stores we hadn't been to in months. We were so excited to walk the mall of all places. We went to story time at the bookstore and played by the fountain afterwards.

We eventually made it to Disneyland and met up with Grandma and Grandpa Kingsley. It was so nice to have their company and help with watching Lyndsey so Del and I could go on the bigger rides together. Lyndsey was absolutely in awe of the characters that she was able to meet. She even kissed Mickey Mouse on the nose. It was just so much fun to be able to see Disneyland through the eyes of a child and so magical. I remember being younger and going with friends to Disneyland. We would conquer the entire park in a day. With a two year old in tow, we didn't get through nearly as much as we would have liked. We learned that 1) Stay for two days next time 2)Have a hotel ready for the afternoon nap 3) A 45 min wait for the Peter Pan ride is NOT worth it.
I can't wait to go back again. We even got Lyndsey her very own set of Minnie Mouse ears.

Here are a few more Disney Pictures:

We couldn't leave without putting Lyndsey and Peyton in their Halloween costumes. Lyndsey is a peacock and Peyton is part of the SWAT team. Peyton's costume came complete with a baton and handcuffs. Aren't they cute! I also needed a few with my favorite little boys, Peyton and Warren. Lyndsey absolutely adored Baby Warren.
Although it was a tiresome trip, we had a blast and are looking forward to our next California adventure. I had to be at work on Saturday afternoon and had to leave for work at 2 p.m. We walked in the door at 1:51 p.m. and I had approximately 9 minutes to take a shower and get ready for work. Talk about cutting it a little too close for comfort.

New Haircut

After years and years of hating my hair, I think I finally found my problem. I've always been the type to go to Supercuts, spend 15 bucks and leave with something I didn't have in mind. After Lyndsey was born, my hair got even worse. I started losing it like crazy and it just never filled back in like before. When in Vegas a few months back, I thought I would spend a few extra bucks for a good haircut since I had an upcoming interview. I spent 40 bucks and left unhappy. I didn't see the difference between my 40 dollar haircut and my 15 dollar haircut.
I asked my friend Stacia who here in Steamboat she could recommend. Stacia has nice hair so I figured I could trust who she sent me to.

I headed over to Brio Salon and met up with Angela the owner. I told her my problem with the "triangle" shaped hair and she totally knew what I was talking about. Let me just say I have met my lifetime stylist. I LOVE my new hair!

She knew how to magically make it look like I'm not thin on top and gave me that little boost in my self image that I needed. Today...I feel HOT!

Lyndsey's Bedroom

I was bored with Lyndsey's room when we moved in so I've spent many many hours painting it. I still have a little bit of trim work to do on the baseboards but it isn't mega important right now. Also I have new mini blinds that are waiting for me to put them up. Today I thought was a perfect time to get a picture of her clean room. I spent the morning going through her toybox and thinning out the dang thing. I now have 3 bags of toys to donate and I haven't made it to the basement toy stash yet. Sure does feel good though and it will be alot easier to keep picked up. Grandpa and Grandma brought the headboard with them for Lyndsey's bed last week when they where here. Her bed looks so much more complete now. Thanks Dad and Pat!!! I have been so tired of having stuffed animals all over the place so after talking to Caitlin the night before last, she gave me the idea of making the holder out of material. Turned out great!

Before:

After:

No Soup for You!

Pat and I went and took a cooking class together a few nights ago at The Homesteader. They offer several different types of cooking classes a month. The one we took was called Savory Soups 1. We followed along as 4 different soups where made: Southwestern Corn Chowder, Blue Corn Tortilla Soup, Cream of Yellow Squash and Morel Mushroom Soup, and last but not least Classic French Onion Soup. This class totally got me pumped up to take more classes and explore new dishes.

After returning home I couldn't stop thinking about the Cream of Yellow Squash and Morel Mushroom Soup. I automatically thought about the Robison family last year at their old house and their mass quantities of squash. So envious!


I headed to the store while Grandpa was here so Lyndsey could sleep and I gathered all of the ingredients I was going to need. I had to stop by The Homesteader to pick up some Morel mushrooms because that's the only place in town that carries them. Do you know how expensive those things are. Look it up online, I dare you! The final product tasted just like the chef had made the night before. I'm in heaven!

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 ounce morel mushrooms, dried

1/2 stick unsalted butter

4 yellow squash, crookneck, coarsely chopped

1/2 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons garlic, chopped

6 chicken bouillon cubes

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons red bell pepper, small dice for garnish

Preparation:

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add the dried mushrooms. Cover and remove from heat. Allow mushrooms to soak for 20 minutes. Drain the softened mushrooms and reserve the liquid. Cute the mushrooms into 1/4 inch slices and rinse them under cool running water to remove dirt particles.

Combine butter, squash, onion, garlic, bouillon cubes, spices, and 2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes.

Pour cooked squash mixture into a blender and puree (carefully if hot). The mixture will be thick. Put back into pot. Temper the cream and add it to mixture along with 1/2 cup of the reserved mushroom liquid. Stir.

Add the sliced morels and the red bell peppers. Enjoy!

Rubber Ducky Races 2008

Every year here in Steamboat we have the rubber ducky races. This year 2500 rubber ducks were dumped into the river off the 5th street bridge. They then raced to the finish line at 13th street.

Everyone follows the ducks down the river via the bike path and the boy scouts assisted with any ducks that became stuck along the banks. Businesses all around town donate goods for this wonderful cause.

This year I bought two ducks in hopes of being one of the 175 winners. This is the hospitals biggest fundraising event and the money goes to make improvements at our non profit hospital.

My friend Stacia met us at the river to hang out with us and see if either one of us one the big prize which was a season ski pass. Unfortunately I didn't win the ski pass but I did win 4 pairs of Smartwool socks which I was thrilled about. I had never heard about them before but EVERYONE here tells me how great they are. And they came in neat colors and patterns. Let the snow come, we are ready for the snow with our socks. LOL

Of course I couldn't resist not making a t-shirt for Lyndsey for this special race day. We needed to show our ducks that were were there for moral support. Lyndsey got lots of complements. Did I mention I was up WAY too late the night before because this was a last minute project.

We are very excited about the races next year. There is always something fun to do in Steamboat.

Ninja Kitty

I can't sleep, saw this video this morning and was laughing out loud.

Ninja Cat @ Yahoo! Video

Hot Air Balloon Rodeo 2008

This year we went to the Hot Air Balloon Rodeo here in Steamboat. We had to wake up early and catch a shuttle to the launching grounds. The balloons were beautiful and we watched as 50 balloons were launched. The balloons earned points by doing certain obstacles. In one event, the balloons had to skim the basket along the lake. The longer the skim, the more points earned.

This year, Del had to work so it was Lyndsey, my father in law and myself that went. The weather was nice but it was a little windy for the balloons. On our way home, we passed several balloons that had landed along the side of the road instead of their "target".

I have noticed that hot air ballooning is pretty popular in Steamboat. It isn't uncommon to see them in the sky throughout the summer. Lyndsey is always the first to point them out too.

I finally did it!

I officially graduated from Bakersfield College on May 16th, 2008. It's been a really long road with school and all and I know I still have more to do but this was a major accomplishment for me. I decided to go back to school when Lyndsey was just two months old. I also changed my career goals at that time and I'm sure most of you know that when you change majors, you get to take even more classes. I am so happy to have my Associates of Science in Human Biology. Yeah it's only an associates degree, but it's a start.

Our little family

Lyndsey's makes some weird faces

My friend Becca came to cheer me on! Love ya girl!


I wasn't planning on walking in the ceremony, but I thought I needed to just so I could have a picture in my cap and gown.

Lyndsey Turns TWO!

My little baby is growing up too fast. We had a party for her before we left California so we could spend some time with our close friends and family. This years theme was "ladybugs." Lyndsey kept telling everyone that she was "ladybug two".
It was a pretty low key event, two days before the movers came. We bbq'ed hamburgers and steaks, had potato salad, chips, drinks, and other snacks. After dinner, we opened gifts and ate cake. Yummy! It was fun and nice to hang out with everyone.

Here's a quick slide show

Mystery Solved

Remember that my car keys have been missing since last Saturday, well today I lost my cell phone. I looked all over this morning for it with no luck. I figured I'd wait till Del came home from lunch and have him call it to see where it is. I finally got tired of waiting for him so I got on my online messenger in hopes that my Mom would be on and I could have her call it for me.
First Call- I was able to determine what floor it was on, Second floor.
Second Call- I was able to figure out what bedroom it was in, Lyndsey's room.
Third Call-Low and behold I found my cell phone under the cushion of Lyndsey's big pink chair. You will never guess what I found in the exact same place....MY KEYS!

My little rugrat has a new hiding place for Mommies stuff.

Can't I just get my bear-proof can???

I didn't think it would take almost 3 weeks to get our bear proof trash can delivered. The company I called said that delivery days in my area are on Mondays and Thursdays. Considering I ordered it on June 2nd, there have been plenty of days to have it delivered in my opinion. I have called several times and finally it showed up on my driveway yesterday soon after my millionth phone call. Last weeks they told me to put my two weeks of garbage out by the street in the morning and the garbage collector would pick it up. All morning long I had birds pecking at the garbage bags. Lyndsey got proficient at yelling, "No Garbage Birdie, Go Away!" Of course I witnessed the garbage man drive right by my bags and bags of trash. Later in the day, I noticed the trash disappeared. Either some neighbor felt sorry for me and took it to the landfill for me, or I had some crazy person pick it up that wanted to go through it.

Also, I put on a pair of gloves yesterday and went through the 4 bags of trash that were sitting in our garage in search of my car keys. No such luck. They are still MIA.

The Vanished Keys

I've been in search for my car keys for 3 days now. I have absolutely NO idea where they could possibly be. I know that I used them on Saturday to drive us home after we went on a hike, but after that they just all of a sudden vanished. I have a suspicion that Lyndsey may have them somewhere. When we were in Portland, I bought these key cover things that make the top of the key look like a monkey. Lyndsey truly enjoys that part and always points out that I have two monkeys on my keys.
In a past situation it has been the mysterious lost cell phone. Lyndsey was probably 13 months in this particular instance. I asked her if she knew where Mommies cell phone was. Sure enough she walked right over to her toy box, dug through a few things, and handed over my phone. Unfortunately, Lyndsey now answers all questions with "I don't know".
So, if anyone has any clue on where I should look next, let me know. I think I'll dig through the toy box tomorrow.

We've MOVED!

Del got a job promotion and it has brought us to the beautiful state of Colorado. I wake up every morning and can't believe I actually live here. We've been here for two weeks now and are busy getting settled. Our placed needed a little tlc when we moved in so I've been busy painting the walls downstairs and hanging curtains. We had a little bit of a wait to move our stuff into the living room because we were waiting on new carpet. The only downside to our location is that we don't have a Target, Lowes, or Costco so we made the two hour trek yesterday to stock up our vehicles, get those decorating pieces I needed, and fill our basement freezer with everything we ever wanted. It was an all day adventure but we had fun. We are expecting lots of company this year! *wink, wink*

Busy Week!

This week has FLOWN by! I honestly don't know where it went. Monday I had my pre-op bloodwork and paperwork galore to fill out. It all went well. Tuesday I had my very first mammogram. I was kinda nervous about it just because I haden't had it done before. Honestly it wasn't any big deal at all and was done and over with in no time. Hopefully I won't need another one for another 10 plus years.

On Wednesday I spent the day dropping Lyndsey off in Phoenix. I drove to Burbank, flew to Phoenix, dropped of Lyndsey with Grandma Kingsley, flew back to Burbank, drove back to Bakersfield and all with enough time to make it to my six o'clock class. Very impressive if you ask me.

Lyndsey's transition with Grandma and Grandpa is going well. They probably think I'm crazy for calling so many times but with it being the first time she had spent the night away from me, I was curious how it was going. They have nothing but great things to say about her and she slept all night long! Yay! I talked to her tonight and of course she didn't really say much back but she did say "Lala you" which means I love you in Lyndsey. She then kissed the phone and it melted my heart. Boy do I love that little girl. I'm glad she's having fun!



My surgery is just hours away now. I pampered myself today after class and had a massage and a pedicure. We also went out for a nice dinner and are going to a late movie. I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 am! Wish me luck!

Going Under The Knife

I'm sure most of you have heard, but for those that don't know, I'm going to be having breast reduction surgery in less than two weeks. It is scheduled for March 14th and I haven't been nervous until March 1st hit and now know that its only a few weeks away.
I keep thinking about how excited I am but am also scared of recovery and the thought of being sliced open and having several open wounds. I find that I'm having a hard time sleeping when I think about it. Pre-Op is next Wednesday and Del will be going with me so we know what to expect. Four ears are better than two.
Lyndsey will be spending about a week and a half with Grandpa and Grandma Kingsley in Phoenix. I'll be doing a one day round trip flight to Phoenix to drop her off and they will bring her back right before Easter. I've never spent a night away from her before so I think that first night might be hard for me. I've scheduled a pedicure, chiropractor adjustment, massage, dinner, and movie the night before surgery. It's my only "free" day so I thought instead of thinking of Lyndsey all day I can do things for myself.
I also have beeen busy "nesting". I thought this only happened right before a baby is due but I am finding myself constanting cleaning and getting things ready. I'm in the process of getting the office ready for Grandma Carpenter to come and help after Lyndsey comes home. I've gotta get our twin bed set up in there. It feels so good to be clutter free and organized.
I'll be sure to keep this updated in the next few weeks and I'm very excited to see how this is going to totally change my life.

Crazy Mervyn's Sale!

I got a phone call today from my friend Christa that she was at Mervyn's and would be unable to come to storytime at Russos. I was bummed that she and Peyton couldn't make it so we went to storytime alone then rushed over to Mervyn's to see what all the fuss was about. They are having this crazy buy one get two free on clearance stuff. WOW! You know what a great deal it is. Let me put it this way. I got Lyndsey 3 pairs of shoes. Each of them were 6 dollars but because they were clearance I only had to pay for one pair. THREE pairs of shoes for 6 dollars.

I then went back to the clothing section. I found 3 dresses for 6 dollars a piece and 3 shirts for 2 dollars a piece. Normally I would just pay for it all in one lum sum but today I mad everyone mad and did separate transactions to save some money. I paid 8 dollars for three dresses and three shirts for Lyndsey. What a bargain!

Final total was 14 dollars for 9 items. Everything was for next fall so I bought big.

A trip to the store can never be easy with a toddler in tow. During our shopping adventure I keep hearing Lyndsey say, "potty, potty, potty, poopy, poopy, poopy" and of course I continue to quickly search through all the piles of clothes in hopes of getting what I want before some other crazy shopper gets to it first. I then here, "MOMMY, EWWWWWWWW!!!" I look down much to my suprise, Lyndsey has a huge mound of poop that she is holding in her hand. I start freaking out as she has poop everywhere in the middle of the store to find ONE wipie left in my purse. My first though, "Dear Lord how am I going to do this?" We rush off the the bathroom and I frantically am trying to use toilet paper to clean her bum. Poop particles are flying everywhere. On me, on the floor, on the stroller, on her pants, on her socks! YUCK! Of course I didnt bring a change of clothes so we get cleaned up and finish our shopping with Lyndsey in a diaper and a shirt and me carrying poopy pants and socks. The lady at the counter told me that she was unable to give me a bag but to ask the office. I go to the office and the man continues to tell me that he can't give me a bag for the poopy clothes I have in my hand. By this time I'm frustrated, sweating, and tired. Lyndsey is crying, and I have a stack full of clothes that I still need to wait in line for. Finally the lady hands me a bag for the poopy clothes.

The trip would have been much better if we could have avoided the poopy explosion but I'm still glad we went!

Our trip to Morro Bay LAST JUNE!

Our friends Jason, Caitlin, and their daughter Kinsey came to visit from Utah last summer. We took a day trip to Morro Bay to play in the sand, eat yummy food, attempt to fly kites, and go out for ice cream. It's about a 2 1/2 hour trip but with walkie talkies in hand it made for a very enjoyable drive. We had fun telling jokes back and forth between the cars. There isn't much more to tell about our little adventure seeing as how it was so long ago so I'm going to go a little picture crazy now. Enjoy!

Here's Kinsey and Lyndsey before we left

I can't believe how little Lyndsey looked here!

Me, Lyndsey, Caitlin, and Kinsey

This Mei Tai carrier is the BEST!

Jason is putting the kite together for us

What great friends!

Just thought this one was neat

Here we are!