The Carroll's BIG Adventure!

Ice Fishing

2012-01-16T12:52:00.000-08:00

Kevin went on a guys trip ice fishing in Donnelly. Cedar and Honda did join so it wasn't a total guy fest, but those pups can handle it. It was a great time for Kevin, Vince and Eric and they caught a few perch which Eric cleaned and fillet. Kevin brought them home and we made perch fish tacos, tastey!

New Years Eve

2012-01-16T10:34:00.000-08:00

We spent New Years in Donnelly at our friends cabin. There wasn't much snow, but enough for Leo to play. We enjoyed the time away, especially Kevin. The cellphone reception at the cabin is not good, so it really allows Kevin downtime away from the hustle of work.

Each day we bundled up for a walk.

We enjoyed some delicious dinners. And once Leo found the poker chips, it was on...

look at that grin.

While in Donnelly we drove up to Tamarack resort, this was during one of Leo's nap. Another day we went into McCall and visited with Eric, Terra, Marquita and their friends Katy, Andy, Abigail and Grayson. Leo went for a swim in their hot tub. Leo wasn't very keen on the adventure until Mom joined him in the tub, then it was all fun. Definitely something we'll be doing at home!

Happy New Year. It's been a good one. Unbelievable how quickly time goes by, Leo is growing and changing everyday. Being a parent is wonderful. Kevin and I are blessed, our life is full and we are grateful. And so another year beings... cheers!

Christmas 2011

2012-01-16T10:19:00.000-08:00

Before we headed to Twin Falls for Christmas weekend, we opened our presents for each other at home. Leo seemed to enjoy the unwrapping, he helped Mom and Dad open gifts!

Christmas Eve Lisa and Chloe joined us for dinner and present opening. Leo loves cousin Chloe!

There were many dedicates, no-touchies, and one-finger touches for Leo... you can see him eye-ing the center piece. All in all he did very will and only broke one Christmas coaster - considering all of the decorations this is pretty miraculous.

Leo also really enjoyed playing with a toy that me and my brother grew up with, Jack-in-the-box. He couldn't get enough!

Christmas morning Leo opened a couple of gifts, it was fun and overwhelming. After two we let him just chill, run around, do his thing. But this action shot is very cute.

and this train is pretty obnoxious, fun but obnoxious. At least the volume has a min and max!

And after the packages were all unwrapped, I captured this shot of Pixie. Seems she might have been a little exhausted and overwhelmed too!

This was Leo's last gift, a bike. Well a training bike, watch out world!

We headed back to Boise Monday and settled into our week. Leo really loves his new chair that Grandma Ra-Ra and Papa Joe gave him for Christmas.

Holiday Lights

2012-01-16T09:51:00.000-08:00

This year we made it to the Botanical Gardens Winter Garden A Glow. It was fantastic, so many beautiful lights, reindeer, Santa, and Leo's favorite was the train. It was a cold evening so we bundled up and enjoyed the incredibly lit gardens!

Things to Remember

2011-11-29T19:21:00.001-08:00

At 16 months old Leo is...
-Certain that any box, bucket or large container is something he can fit in to
-Saying bye-bye and waving, and saying hi and waving
-Giving the BEST hugs!
-A little shy when someone new comes around but warms up after about 10 minutes
-Using words and signs to communicate: Mommy, Daddie, milk, more, please (peas, so cute), bobby (cat? strange his name is willy, bock-bock (chicken)
-Running
-Laughing, this wonderful, hysterical, contagious laugh
-Pulling himself up on the couch to sit, run (in place), or play fort
-Happiest sitting in your lap while you read a book, he may even turn the pages for you
-Of the belief that books are edible, even though Mommy says they are not
-A climber, turn your back and he'll scale something - the fireplace hearth, a dinning room chair, the dinning room table, the coffee table, the list goes on
-Certain to switch from a foul mood to happiness when taken outside
-Believes that you must say "Bock-bock" when you step out the back door... you must
-A great sleeper (12 hours uninterrupted is the norm)
-Getting a mouthful of teeth. In addition to his top 4 and bottom 4 he now has his upper-right molar, lower right molar, and both lower eye-teeth pushing through. We can see the tops - Yowza!
-Very fond of his furry and feathered friends. He loves to pet Honda, Pixie and Willy. A special of delight escapes him when we get Willy's feather cat toy out, this requires parental supervision because he nearly clobbers the poor cat while whipping it around for him to capture with his paws. He also loves to visit the chickens and "talk" to them
-Tired of sitting in his high-chair and definitely prefers the booster at the same table as Mom and Dad-A food fickle little man. The only sure pleasers are noodles, rice, broccoli, yogurt, fish crackers, and blueberries
-Happy
-So, so, so much fun

I'm sure I am missing many, many things. But the list will go on!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-29T18:53:00.001-08:00

Normally we would head to Twin Falls for Thanksgiving, but not this year. My parents were having their kitchen floors replaced and Lucy (their Boxer) has been recovering from being sick and needs a low stress environment.So, Kevin, Leo and I had our first Thanksgiving with just us. After breakfast we went for a great walk, everyone had fun and Leo got to practice his barking. One of the dogs that lives near the park was being quite vocal and Leo decided to bark back. Very cute. We also did a little leash training.

Pixie wasn't convinced this was a good idea at first, but she soon realized that she was in control and then was much more confident.

Kevin was very excited to cook a Cornish hen, I was having tilapia. We had the usual stuffing, mashed potatoes, fresh cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, broccoli - instead of green beans which Leo is not fond of.

Turns out Leo is not a fan of most traditional Thanksgiving food. I had him for a few minutes when I rolled up some mashed potatoes into balls and showed him how-to dip them in ketchup, that lasted for three "balls." Then he wailed and pitched one, smashed a second, and it was over. Lots of squished-up frowning face and "No!" No to sweet potatoes. No to hen. No to fish. NO! to stuffing. Only yes was broccoli and yogurt. And a hallelujah from Mommy and Daddy when dinner was done. Whew, until next year.

And of course what would Thanksgiving be without a pumpkin pie? So for my food allergic husband (lactose and gluten) I made a vegan and gluten free pie. These types of baking adventures do not turn out well for me so I was more than skeptical, but this pie was delicious. Seriously. I mean I don't know that it would win a side-by-side taste test, but if you didn't know you'd say "this is one tasty pie!"

Birthdays, BIRTHDAYS!

2011-11-29T18:31:00.001-08:00

I love my birthday, figure I'll enjoy them as long as I can. Hope I always have a good attitude about aging, so far so good! This year we toyed with the idea of going to Seattle to visit my brother but then ended up inviting him to come visit us. It was a great weekend. I had a facial that Friday, then went for a pedicure, came back to the house to have lunch with Drew and Leo and hang out, and then finished the day of pampering with a hair cut for both Leo and me. Saturday night Drew watched Leo so that Kevin and I could have a date - yes actual date that involved staying out past 10! WOW. It was a great 37th birthday. During his visit Drew taught Leo to combine his signs and words so that he could make multi-word requests like, more please, milk please, and please please! Which is what you see below... Please,

P-L-E-A-S-E!

Leo is also fond of giving kisses. And he does a good pucker too!

Drew also saw Leo find his shadow. Quite exciting and scary. Since this first sighting Leo has caught his shadow a couple of times. Always a mixture of fear and excitement at first, then he wants to wave and point. He thought it was great fun when Mommy made a shadow dog that barked and growled. I have to expand my talents though I've only got the dog and butterfly in my bag of tricks.I love spending time with Drew, it is great fun watching him with Leo.

Until next time Uncle Drew.It was a wonderful, fabulous, most excellent birthday!

Summer Highlights

2011-10-31T10:58:00.000-07:00

While the work was being done on the kitchen Leo and I spent a week in Twin Falls. It was great spending time with my parents, longest I've been home since I was in college! They enjoyed all the time with Leo, oh and me too...

My Mom and I took Leo to the pool while we were there. He loved it, even put his face in the water. He was enthralled with the other kids in the pool.

Here's a little video too!

Renovations

2011-10-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

In August we had some work done to our kitchen and bath. It was a big project, and as all projects tend to do it went longer than expected. But we love all the changes. Here are before pictures of the kitchen.

And these are the after! The kitchen looks and feels bigger, and it is much lighter. We love it.

And we had our bath tub replaced and the tile put in... it is fantastic!

Leo Walks!

2011-08-02T20:59:00.000-07:00

Monday, August 1 Leo walked across the kitchen floor! Pictures to follow

Donna & Ryan!!

2011-08-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

We had a great visit with Kevin's siblings, Donna and Ryan. It was so much fun spending time together and watching them play with Leo. Thursday night we loaded up and headed to Donnelly to enjoy a little bit of fresh mountain air.

Friday morning Kevin did his best to patiently wait for Donna and Ryan to wake up... Well, not really. He kept going in to their room and trying to wake them, just like a little kid on Christmas Eve - he just wanted to spend time with them. It was very sweet... at least from my awake perspective! Once the household was awake and fed we headed out on a morning walk.

Pixie took a swim it was such a beautiful morning!
We planned a picnic lunch at the lake. So when Leo woke from his morning nap we packed up headed for the water.
It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day. Leo got in the water with Kevin, no fear at all he just held on to Dad and enjoyed himself.

After his "swim" it was time for dry clothes and playing in the sand.

We headed home for Leo's afternoon nap. Which also ended up to be a Kevin and Ryan nap time too.

Friday night Donna made us an amazing, delicious, dinner. All fresh ingredients and simply delicious. This picture is blurry but it's the only one I took... oh it was so yummy!

After dinner headed into McCall and walked around the lake. It was such beautiful weather, we ended up a the McCall Brew Pub for a drink and then headed back to the cabin.

Spider Crawl

2011-08-02T20:16:00.003-07:00

The only spider I will ever love... this is the pre-cursor to walking!

Haircut!

2011-08-02T20:09:00.000-07:00

Leo had his first hair cut. He did great! The experience lasted less than 15 minutes and no tears. Courtney did a great job, and he looks like such a big boy.

Leo's First Birthday

2011-08-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

July 20 was Leo's first birthday! I cannot believe how quickly this year has gone bye, and how much our little man has grown. I'm sure I will feel this each year...

My parents drove up from Twin Falls the Sunday before Leo's birthday and we barbecued in the backyard. It was a warm sunny afternoon and we all enjoyed the time together. Kevin cooked delicious salmon, then there was potato salad, corn salad, melon and strawberries...

I made an apple bake (gluten and sugar free), this was not a birthday cake but a dessert that all - including Leo - enjoyed.

Grandma and Grandpa Sellers surprised Leo with balloons and birthday hats.

Kevin enjoyed these too! Leo did get to open a couple of presents, he enjoyed tearing off the wrapping paper. Leo received cards and gifts from everyone, he is spoiled! Grandma RaRa and Grandpa Joe, Uncle Ryan and Aunt Mel, Aunt Donna, Uncle Drew, Aunt Lisa and cousin Chloe, The Rauschs, and more!

Wednesday was Leo's actual birthday and he enjoyed celebrating his birthday with friends at daycare. I made cupcakes for the group (gluten free, dairy free, egg free - one of Leo's friends has food allergies but I wanted him to enjoy the cupcakes too!). I asked Kristen to take pictures, she said Leo loved it! While I did miss not seeing the cupcake event, I love looking at the photos.

As for our family celebration, we sang to Leo in the morning and just had a quiet dinner and reflected on the events one year ago.

Thing Leo is doing as of his first birthday:
- Spider crawl: this is hands and feet, butt in the air, close to walking
- Jibber-jabber: warming up his vocal chords for sentences
- Laughing: tickle spots are his neck and collar bone area
- Sleeps through the night
- Gives awesome hugs
- Leo loves to be outside, and he likes to smell and eat flowers... bark (so far I have removed all pieces before swallowing occurs)... and has attempted rocks
- Hugging Honda, lays on her - so cute. He has tried this with Pixie, but she doesn't really like it

At Leo's doc appointment we found out that he weighs in at 20lbs 8oz and is 29inches tall. I was told he would triple his birth weight by his first birthday, and he did! Leo also has 2 bottom teeth and three top teeth.

July 4th Weekend

2011-07-17T19:46:00.000-07:00

We headed to Twin Falls the Saturday of the fourth weekend. The weather was beautiful and we had a great time with my parents. We spent a lot of time in the backyard, my parents have an incredibly peaceful, beautiful backyard. And my Mom just got new patio furniture that is so comfy!

Leo enjoyed hanging with my parents and all the pups.

He especially loved the water fountain, which the dogs also love and use as their drinking bowl. Pretty cute watching Leo learn from Lucy how to lap-up water.

Oh, and Leo got to sit on Grandpa's Harley Davidson motorcycle, pretty cute.

Sunday we all loaded up and went to the city park for some music and frisbee. It was such a great time. Leo took a little nap outside and we relaxed on a blanket in the park.

Then it was back to Boise for a July 4th barbeque with the Brandt, Parsons, and Krouse families!

Leo was the only boy old enough to get into the pool, but he was not shy around the ladies. Landon and Cole are much too young at 3 weeks! They slept pool side in their double stroller.

It was a happening pool party! Audrey, Natalie, Emily, Emma, and Leo all rotated in and out of the pool. Miss Claire spent most of her time at the standing water play station... I didn't snap a pic of her in the pool!

We did not have a swim diaper on... and let me tell you Pampers can take on some serious water! Even Leo couldn't believe how big his diaper was.

After pool time it was dinner time. Here's a picture of either Landon or Cole, I'm not sure which. So tiny and sweet these little twin brothers... very precious.

Leo ate his first salmon and loved it. He also loved pushing a chair back-and-forth across the floor.... soon he will be walking by himself, or should I say running!

Playing Catch-UP

2011-07-17T19:15:00.001-07:00

June flew by. I was lucky enough to fulfill my civic duty and be called for Jury Duty. It was two long weeks, and a few sleepless nights. Being in court, trying to juggle work, then keeping up with home life was a full platter - more than a plate full.

So, to re-cap some of the fun this will be an all you can eat buffet of pictures and quips from our early summer fun!

First, we bought a Chariot... I feel like I've mentioned this before... if I have I will likely be the only one to remember :) Or it would seem not. Leo loves to ride inside and often naps soon after we're pedaling down the road.

Also, Ra-Ra (Grandma JoAnn) sent Leo a very stylish pare of summer sandals by Robeez. We love Robeez! Just look how cute these are.

Drew came to help out and nanny for us while our babysitter was on vacation and I was on jury duty. He and Leo had loads of fun, walk in the morning bike ride in the afternoon. Lots of play time in between, couple meals and a naps.... first day Uncle Drew thought this was a piece of cake, second day a little tired, third day he would not say he was pooped but lets just say he appreciates the energy involved in being a full time caregiver. Drew is awesome with Leo.... I love watching them together.

The Friday night that jury duty wrapped up I was pretty wound up. Hardly slept and woke up at 3:30am because my eye was itching. At first I thought it was just stress, then my eye swelled up h-u-g-e so I thought it might be allergies. Saturday I was helping host a baby-shower for Desiree and so I called Kristin to tell her of my Quasimodo eye, she suggested a saline flush and some allergy eye drops. So I sent Kevin to Walgreens to fetch my the goods while I finished making brunch items. I followed Dr. Brandt's prescription and the swelling did start to go down. Later saturday evening I realized I had a little red mark on my cheek and eyelid... yes you guessed it - bites which I hesitate to say are most likely from a spider. I have arachnophobia, so the thought is horrifying to me. Let's move on....

On my first Monday off jury duty and home with Leo it was a beautiful sunny day. We spent sometime in the backyard just relaxing, playing, and enjoying being together. I know I've said this before but I LOVE MONDAY'S HOME WITH LEO!

Pull Ups

2011-05-31T11:17:00.000-07:00

Leo started pulling himself up to standing. At first he was a little clumsy and cautious, but now he has the hang of it and does it frequently. His favorite spot is the coffee table, loves to walk around it, pull things off the surface, pat his hands on the top and jabber. He also likes to cruise over to the kitchen table and pull himself up using one of the chairs. And to round out the view Leo heads to either the front door or back door and checks out what is happening outside.

One other benefit of the screen doors that Leo enjoys is making a blow fish face!

Behind the Times

2011-05-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

So much has been going on and I have not been diligent in blogging. May has been a full month for our little family. Kevin made a trip to Denver and Taos. While in Denver he did some networking for work at a Colorado Rockies game. The image below is the view from the Executive Box they had.

Kev then traveled on to Taos, New Mexico for his annual visit, house rehab, and vacation. He and Mic worked on Pod 1, updated the tile in the bathroom and did some fixin' to the rain gutters... there was a long project list and they knocked out quite a bit. Kevin sent me the image below... love it!

Easter 2011

2011-05-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

For Leo's first Easter we enjoyed brunch and egg hunting at the Rausch house. Leo participated in the egg hunt - well sort of. Kevin found an egg for him and Leo enjoyed rattling it. We had to fend off the other little egg hunters many times, as they were hunting and would see that bright green egg in Leo's hand and want to snatch it!

It was a great way to spend the day, here are a couple of pictures.

Little Things to Laugh About

2011-04-15T11:49:00.000-07:00

Oh how serious I am... not sure about you folks but I oscillate between the playful, spirited, child inside my mind and the rule following, process oriented, serious woman. Both of which get plenty of air time in my new roles as mother. My inner child now has someone to be totally silly with! And my serious side has much to do right, read about, analyze and consider.

One resent opportunity for these two to hash-it-out presented itself this week. We are getting new cellular blinds in Leo's room that are also light blocking (thanks for the tip Kristin). I received the color samples in the mail last night and undertook the decision making process. Here's a little clip of how that went....

First, envision me trying to hold open multiple accordion-style samples next to the wall color, the window trim, and the valance. I ask Kevin, "Which one do you like?" and him saying, "I really can't tell the difference." To which I reply, "Are you kidding me, this one has more tan and this one has more gray." His final input was, "I like the white one, which one has more white?"

As I started to feel Ms. Serious Business take control of the situation.... I reminded myself, life really is too short to be overly invested in slight color differences and how invested my husband is in choosing one.

And to balance this post off I will share that my inner child had a great time with Leo splish-splashing in the bath! That kid can kick! Water all over the floor all over me, and one happy, beautiful, baby boy.

I do love my boys.

Seven (and half) Months

2011-03-08T12:24:00.000-08:00

I just read on the Brandt blog that per Team Parsons sleep improves at 8 months... yet another wonderful thing to look forward to.

Leo has what we like to call a sleep cycle. A week of wonderful sleep followed by a week of waking up every 2.5 hours. He generally goes to bed about 8:30. We have a really nice bedtime routine and he is off to dreamland pretty easily most nights. On a good week I won't hear a peep until 2:00am, then a feeding and it's sleep time until 6:30 or 7:00am.

Currently we are in the "Wake cycle." When this happens he goes down at 8:30 wakes at 10:30 or 11:00, back to sleep then wakes at 1:30, "nighty-nighty's" off to sleep and wakes at 3:00 happy and social ready to tell me about his dreams.... so after some serious "sleep time looks" and rocking from Mom he dozes off to dreamland until 6:00 or 7:00am. Whoa, you can count the sleep hours there my friends and understand that we are some tired peeps!

Leo also has a pretty stuffy nose, and does not like when I use the aspirator to give him relief. At first he didn't mind, then he thought it was a funny game (literally giggling) of keep my nose from Mommy. But now, I think he'd rather struggle through the snot :)

I'm not sure if he's getting another tooth, having a growth spurt, dealing with acid reflux (which was a popular theory because when he wakes you can distinctly tell he is uncomfortable - back arching, leg flopping, whimpering), or if it's a cold. But we are lovingly working through it! Kevin and I usually tag-team these nights so that not just one of us takes the brunt of it alone.

AND I hope that B. Parson's 8 month prediction holds true for us too!

Now fun kid-bits:

Leo has a great laugh. He laughs at Pixie, laughs at Mom, laughs at Dad, laughs at himself. He is a happy boy.

Leo loves to shove his left hand so far into his mouth that he gags - repeatedly... never gets a clue.

Leo gives g-r-e-a-t hugs. Serious lean into you hugs! And if your lucky he'll open his mouth on your cheek, chin, or jawbone to share a "kiss." If you're unlucky he'll open his mouth on your chin, cheek or jawbone and bites down with his two teeth. Ouch!

Some of Leo's favorite toys are Pixie's toys, and vice-versa. Seriously sometimes I can't tell the difference with the way they makes things.

Leo is in awe of Honda bear... if she comes and stands next to him he coo's and stares at her.

Baby Einstein music makes Leo freeze like a statue. He can be laughing, jabbering and bouncing in his seat and when Kevin turns on the music - freezes like a statue!

With the exception of zucchini, Leo does not like green vegetables (so far).

Soon our little Leo will be crawling... he has the pseudo-scoot down, and the roll-along. It's only a matter of time.

Even sleep deprived I love being Leo's Mom. When I wake in the morning, for the last time, and see his smiling face, listen to his enthusiastic jabbers and squeals, and feel one of his hugs -it is all worth it. I'm also happy to be Kevin's wife. On nights when he sleeps through his "shifts" he is always so thoughtful to help make the waking hours easier for me - making coffee, doing laundry, cleaning the house. And on the nights where we share duties, I get to sleep more :)

Cheers!

Snowshoeing

2011-02-21T14:57:00.000-08:00

Kev and I had decided that we needed to get out for some family fun and enjoy some snowshoeing before all the snow was gone. As luck would have it, Sunday there was fresh snow and it continued to fall well into the afternoon. We collected our gear, loaded ourselves up and towards Bogus we went. There is a trail before you get to Bogus that you can pull over off the road and snow shoe for free. Sometime the area to park is full and you find yourself too slow and off to the Nordic Center you go, we however were able to park and had a wonderful trek.

Here we are at the trail head, Kev has Leo strapped in for the ride. (note the piece of trash... we snag that and brought it home. Some people)

Ever the Ham.. here is Kev being goofy :)

We struggled to keep Leo's hat over his ears yet not covering his eyes. Every few stops I had to readjust to keep him warm.

Seriously adorable....
The snowflakes were amazing! You could actually see the detail in the crystal formations....

We managed a family portrait. One with shades and without!

Fun Moments

2011-02-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

As a continually sleep deprived Mom I am focusing my thoughts on the fun waking moments rather than my want for sweet slumber! Leo has been sitting up and developing his core muscles. Kevin likes to prop him up on the couch and snap cute pictures of him... here's an excellent example.

Leo also has really got the hang of this rolling back and forth as a mode of transportation. He is able to entertain himself by rolling around the living room floor and collecting various toys, shaking them, talking to them, and then discarding them for something else that catches his eye just an arms length away.

He is really working up to chasing Pixie and Honda one day. I can see this mischievous idea taking shape in his big blue eyes. But for now he'll settle for fetch with Pixie and what I call Big Love for Honda. Big Love entails rolling over to Honda, grabbing two fist fulls of fluffy fur, and pulling while squealing with delight. Our gentle Honda Bear just calmly sits there panting... occasionally she'll throw a glance over her shoulder as if to say, "Hey, loosen that grip Kidd-o."

Here's a photo of Leo's first round of fetch with Pixie. Notice the motion of Leo's right hand and the intensity of Pixie's gaze... hilarious!

Another special time I enjoy with Leo is reading books. We don't have too many so I made a trip to the bookstore this week and collected a few. Leo really liked the "How you make a Rainbow" book... could be that he's teething and loves anything that goes into his mouth too. When we read to Leo he gets so excited, he pats then pounds the books with his palms. He'll get very animated and start kicking his feet too. I love his joy! In addition to the rainbow book we read two of my favorite Dr. Seuss books - Go Dog Go!!!! (of course) and Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?

The End.

6 months!

2011-02-02T08:37:00.000-08:00

Leo had his 6 month checkup... he is a happy healthy little man who weighs in at 18lbs 10oz and 27 inches long. He is getting both of his bottom front teeth, one has cut through and the other is almost there.

Rolling is Leo's latest mode of transportation... see that ball over there, roll to it, pick it up, shake-shake-shake it! Oh, look Pixie is over there... roll, roll, roll, squeal with delight - Pixie walks away - another squeal!! Leo loves Pixie, she makes him laugh, smile, and her least favorite - the high pitch squeal.

He is also very good at pushups. Pretty impresive how he holds himself up, takes in the world around him, does a little superman actions with rapid arm and leg movements. Kevin and I think he will crawl soon, and faster than the speed of light!

Leo is sitting up on his own, he's a bit wobbly so he needs spotting. He gets very excited and makes loud vocalizations, he'll tell you a gibber-jab story if you listen, and he has the brightest big smile that I guarantee will melt your heart.

Monday... Mondays

2010-12-29T17:47:00.001-08:00

On Mondays I get to stay home with Leo! I love Mondays :) One of the things we do is visit the Brandt Girls - Kristin, Emily & Claire. It is such a treat, Leo usually gets time with Claire's on her activity mat, Emily plays with the bugs that are on Leo's car seat handle, and Kristin and I get to catch up - oh, and I get good advice from an experienced Mom! Fun for everyone. Some days we even walk down and get coffee from Locavore... Dawson Taylor coffee... yum. Oh and the egg baguette sandwich! Here are a few pics from a recent Monday.

Emily, Leo, and Claire all playing on the mat!

Leo telling Claire that he too has a parrot that looks like this one... and asking her this one's name.

Silly Em's getting some tickles from Mom.

Christmas City #2

2010-12-29T17:46:00.001-08:00

The Christmas Tale continues...

We caravaned to Twin with my Brother leading the way - well most of the drive, Kevin pulled into the lead position just about Wendell after a good effort of extra "paddling" on Drew's part (had to be there, but let's just say adults play pretend games too and it's still funny!).

My parents house was full of Christmas cheer, lots of lights for Leo to stare at and decorations to catch his attention. My Mom (Grandma Emmie, Mary, and Papa Steve) were excited to see Leo and how much he's grown just since Thanksgiving. We spent Christmas Eve with Lisa and Chloe,

Kevin, Drew, and Mom made dinner....
then we watched Chloe sing Christmas music from her school program and opening her gifts. She was very excited to hold Leo, and pulled her Mom (Lisa) aside to tell her that Leo sitting next to her on the couch did not count as holding him, he needed to be on her lap. Hilarious :) So we arranged for a photo opp. in front of the tree. (That's Pixie sneaking into the photo)

I love this photo...

Kevin invited my family to play our new found card game - "Hand & Foot" - two and a half hours later I think all would say they had a good time. I was the lowest scoring player... seriously pathetic showing on my part, even for a self admitted horrible card player. But I enjoyed the banter and conversation we all shared.

Look at this cute shirt that Uncle Drew gave Leo for Christmas..

Little family photo...
Christmas morning after Leo woke up (ok and me too, Mom sleeps in as long as Leo does... maybe because Mom wakes up during the night when Leo does. I'm just sayin') and we opened presents. Here are a couple PJ (pajama) pics..

And all the pups had a good time too... Here's Honda napping on the kitchen floor, and Jezebel just wishing she was allowed to step into the kitchen.
Lucy and Izzy in front of the Christmas tree.

Sunday we headed back to Boise. Leo and I are fighting runny noses and sinus congestion. We are settling in and enjoying this last week of 2010 together.

As I looked at photos from this time last year, and the tiny bump in my tummy as I closed out the first trimester of my pregnancy I am overcome with gratitude. I love our baby - Leo, my husband, and our beautiful, loving families. I feel incredibly fortunate and blessed.

A Tale of Two Christmas-s

2010-12-28T11:15:00.001-08:00

Our first Christmas involved a trip to Florida to spend some quality time with Kevin's family. Leo was a champ on the flights. I strapped him in the Moby carrier and we cruised through the airport. Leo took his morning nap on Mom on our way to Denver and then played and napped on the way to Tampa. Kevin's Mom (Grandma JoAnn, or RaRa, & Grandpa Jo, or Papa Jo) were waiting for us with smiles. The most difficult part of the travel for Leo was sitting in his car seat on the way to Venice Florida. But he worked through it, as we all did, and we enjoyed our first sushi dinner of the trip.

Here is a photo of Leo and RaRa in a cute Christmas outfit.
and Papa Joe... who totally had the secret bounce rythmn that would put Leo into a peaceful sleep when needed.

Leo and I took a walk one day to help him take a nap... Kevin snapped this photo on our way back to the house.
Oddly the weather in Florida was nearly as cold as Boise when we landed but warmed nicely into the low 70's. We ate sushi everyday - much to Kevin's delight - enjoyed some delicious Italian food - much to my delight - and played "Hand & Foot" with Kevin's grandma Irene, then later with Ryan and Melanie (Kevin's brother and wife). This is a card game, it involves risk, strategy, and the ability to add (which under pressure I learned requires me to peel off my socks and use my toes.... pathetic, I must invest in flash cards!)

This was the first time Ryan and Mel got to see Leo. We've been showing Leo pictures and telling him all about them... so I think he recognized them both. Smart kid :) Here's a pic of Melanie holding Leo after he's been swaddled, she wasn't so sure he liked it... thought it seemed a bit confining - I agree but Leo still seems to find it soothing.

Melanie also introduce Leo to Pooh... not sure if he is whispering to Pooh about how pretty his Aunt is, or giving him a slobbery kiss, or both! I think both.

Kevin, Ryan and Leo hanging on the couch...

Fresh fish, fresh air, and family fun. It was a great trip! Here is a pick of a delicious fish dinner JoAnn made... so good.

Kevin introduced Ryan and JoAnn to the game Angry Birds... it's a Smartphone App.... fun for some but Melanie and I are not fans...

All 3 playing the game - caught in the act... they didn't feel guilty tho!

It was a great trip. We had a few days to recoup before heading to our next Christmas destination.

4 Month CheckUp

2010-11-30T11:24:00.000-08:00

"Textbook growth," "following the curve perfectly" - two quotes from our Doc. Leo is 15lbs 11.8oz and 26inches. His head is perfect, his disposition is fantastic, eyes, ears, heart, all good! Leo handled his shots so well, he almost didn't cry at all. It was sort of a delayed reaction after they took the needles out. But he was easy to soothe and happy by the time we got him in his car seat. The Doc says despite all the drooling Leo is not teething, he said many think that is the case but usually no teeth until later (7mo.). So that riddle is solved!

New things Leo loves - making raspberry noises. AKA blowing spit bubbles. He sticks all things in his mouth, did I mention drools like mad, laughs, tracks you with his eyes (one of my favorites, ok all of these are my fav's). He also loves watching Pixie play with her throw toys. He will watch her run back and forth. When she sits close enough he reaches out and touches her ears, top of her head, and her neck. He has a pretty good grip so I always say gentle and will lightly unclench his fingers. Pixie is so good with him, she just sits there... and sneaks a lick or two on his tiny hand.

November has been another full month, time just keeps flying by. Kevin's mom, JoAnn, came and visited for a few days. She watched Leo for us on Saturday night while Kev and I went to see Harry Potter - The Deathly Hallows Part1 for my birthday! What a great movie, the special effects were fantastic I can't wait for Part2. Leo did great with Grandma JoAnn, he had lots of fun looking out the window, playing on his mat, rocking and in general enjoying his grandma's attention. We made a trip the The Children's Toy Store - great toy store. Here is a pic of the boys testing toys...

Then we headed to Twin Falls for Thanksgiving. My brother wasn't able to make the drive down from Seattle because of the crazy snow storms - we all missed him! Kev, Leo, Honda, Pixie, and I all drove down. I had made a gluten free blackberry pie for Kevin's dessert... it was so beautiful when I took it out of the oven. I told myself that I should take a picture and post it on my blog. So proud I was. Well the pie didn't look so good after being wrapped in plastic wrap and packed in the truck for the drive to Twin. The filling became quite "wet" and I referred to it as the soup pie. Disappointing. Kevin and I had another chance for date night in Twin Falls, my parents watched Leo while we went to dinner. Grandma Mary & Grandpa Steve enjoyed some serious raspberry blowing, bouncing, snuggling, and cat napping (something Leo is fantastic at - falls asleep for 5 minutes!). It was a really relaxing time. Leo did great, as did our furry girls!

As we prepare for Christmas I'm faced with the dilemma of Christmas cards.... maybe I'll snap a few cute pics of Leo and putting something together!

Monkey Matters

2010-11-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

Little Leo is enjoying his Tuesdays home with Kevin. This week they sent Mommy a few images of their play time. Leo wanted to show Dad (and Mom)that yes, he can fit the Monkey's whole hand into his mouth - not just the finger tips.

Aside from Monkey Business, the boys also raked the leaves in the backyard into a pile... and watched as the wind blew them around! Leo loves to be outside. When we go for walks, Leo will turn his head and crane his neck to look at the leaves on the trees - he loves the different colors! It is so amazing watching him discover the world around him.

Another favorite for Leo this week is looking in the mirror. He will smile and kick his feet when we stand in the bathroom looking at our reflections. Leo recognizes Mommy and Daddy, but is wondering who that cool little kid is with them...

There is a lot of singing in our house... and I am not a good singer :) But we sing about just about anything. There are a few regulars that are sung many times throughout the day (and night), the "I Love Leo" song, the "Lullaby & Goodnight" song, and last night was a new and special rendition "You've got Good Parents" sung to James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend." Leo liked it! Serenading him gets lots of smiles, coo's, and foot kicking.

Happy Halloween

2010-11-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

That's right Leo was a Bee for Halloween. A sweet little bumble bee. We celebrated with the Rausch family and other friends. Thanks to our hosts for a delicious potato bar and the fun!

Visits & Visitors

2010-11-01T06:56:00.000-07:00

October brought visitors from near and far. Kevin's sister Donna made a trip from San Francisco and Kevin and I had our first date night while Donna spent some time with Leo.
Donna brought Leo a new toy, it's a dog that barks, pants and makes several exclamations (Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!)

My parents made a Saturday visit from Twin Falls. We enjoyed an afternoon with them and then Kev had to make a trip to a Doc in the box after lunch because he had an allergic reaction to something he ate!
And I made a trip to Twin Falls. Leo finally got to meet his cousin Chloe and Aunt Lisa!

Leo enjoyed a bath at G. Emmie's and Pappa... he splashed his feet!

And he even got his usual warm towel wrap-up at the end!

Leo had some good "hanging" time... good stuff.

Leo's first camping trip

2010-11-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

Before I went back to work we took our first family camping trip. We went along the Owyhee river, Kevin got in some fishing, Honda some swimming, Pixie time treading water, Leo and Mom enjoyed the fresh air!

And when we told Leo it was time to pack up and head home....

Updates!

2010-09-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

Leo is officially 9 weeks old today! He went to the doc yesterday for his 2 month checkup. He is 23-3/4" long and weighs 12.6#, the doc's word was "textbook" growth. Leo also had is first round of immunizations and handled them like a champ!

Here is a photo montage update of the first 3 weeks in September.

First play date with Eliah Lois White
Pixie snuggled on the couch with Leo
Uncle Drew's visit (tree time)
(morning coffee)
Brunch with Kari and Hailee
Brooke reaching out and holding Leo's hand
Pre-walk snack with Brooke & Heidi Hagman
Leo napping with Dad
Lunch at Frannie's
Catherine & Carol lunching at Fran's too
candid morning shot taken by Robin because Leo was so bright-eyed... was I... hmmm

Bath Time

2010-08-31T09:42:00.001-07:00

We have it mastered!

All Clean and snuggled up... such a sweet boy!

Favorite places

2010-08-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

One of Leo's favorite places is the changing table. Of course that is after the diaper change... He will coo and smile, look up at the fish mobile hanging above him and in general just be content. It is very sweet... check out the clip!

One Month

2010-08-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

Last week Leo was officially one month old! He started smiling (not as a result of gas) coo-ing in new tones, and had a visit from both sets of Grandparents! He and I also made our first solo trip to the grocery store, it was a success.

JoAnn and Joe visited Tuesday and Wednesday before continuing their vacation in Jackson Hole & Yellowstone. Kevin and Joe made a fantastic sushi dinner - Joe is a natural roll maker! This was my first sushi dinner since pregnancy and I loved every bite!
And Mary and Steve came up for the weekend while Kevin was at his brother's bachelor party in Las Vegas. We enjoyed a trip to the Boise Downtown Saturday market with Robin and Sydney...
Also, on Saturday made a trip to BabysRUs to get Leo an activity mat, which he loves! And my Dad picked up Leo another Harley Davidson outfit from the Harley store...

My Dad and I took a nice long walk on Sunday morning while my Mom watched Leo - and cleaned the house. So helpful and very much appreciated! My parents headed back to Twin Falls Sunday afternoon and about an hour later I picked up Kevin from the airport.

Kevin's trip to Vegas was fun - gambling, poolside fun, dance clubs and cocktails - and in two weeks he'll be headed to Ohio for Ryan and Melanie's wedding!!! Sunday evening JoAnn and Joe returned from their trip. They had a great time, went rafting, took a Tram tour, and had an adventure in Yellowstone National Park. We enjoyed dinner together full of summer veggies, and they flew out Monday at noon.

3 Weeks

2010-08-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

Leo is three weeks old! Wow. I say wow a lot these days... wow, I'm tired... wow, Leo is so precious... wow, the day has flown by... wow, another diaper change?... wow, were Kevin and I always this wiped out at 6:00pm... I could go on but you get the picture.

Took Leo for a weight check at the doc this week, he is now 8 lbs 8 oz - growing! New this week we introduced tummy time, which Leo seems to be ok with. We had a visit this week from Amy and her two sons David and Jack yesterday. It was a lot of fun and Leo will have to older playmates to run around and get into serious boy trouble with when he is old enough!

(This is a pic of Leo lounging on his changing table)

And while Leo was taking a nap I took the opportunity to get some things done. When I came to check on him, he had a snuggle partner... seriously folks this was not staged!

This however was somewhat staged... Pixie was checking out what Leo was up to and I had her lay down next to him. Leo look up at her and just stared, of course I had to grab my camera and snap a pic!

You know you're a new parent when...

2010-08-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

Your coffee table looks like a shelf off the "Parenting" section of the Public Library. I have a stack of books all with great advice and references... baby whisperer, good night sleep tight by the the sleep lady, the womanly guide to nursing by LLL, the baby book, and itsy-bitsy yoga....

My god I am well read. If only I could find the technique that will help little Leo like to fall asleep :) At night of course. During the daytime and early evening sleeping is a breeze. It's that 10:00 - 11:30 window that just does not appeal. Kevin and I both say, "It's a good thing you're cute kid."

Yesterday I devoured books on bedtime routines and sleep techniques.... I just hope a gem or too works. Once our little man is a sleep he is great, a good 3-4 hour stretch is totally normal... it's just getting to sleep land that isn't appealing to him.

My Mom was with us this past week and WOW it was wonderful. Kevin and I really appreciated all her help with the house, the yard, and with Leo. Thank you just doesn't seem enough. The week went by way to quickly and we were very sad to see her leave yesterday.

My Dad drove his Harley up on Saturday to spend the day with all of us - he missed Mom too! Here are a couple of pics.

Grandpa and Leo

Grandpa gave Leo a Harley outfit too!

Pixie and Honda are adjusting. They're doing great. This was taken yesterday while they enjoyed a slight breeze outside in the shade. The dogs are great with Leo. Pixie likes to sit in the nursery with us while Leo eats, she either lays in front of the crib or near the glider.... occasionally she will lay in the entrance. Pretty cute!

We've also been blessed with some meal deliveries! We are so appreciative - thank you :)

Leo Andrew Carroll

2010-07-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

Today Leo is one week old. WOW. We feel so lucky, he is perfect. Even the pediatrician said so yesterday, just so you don't think I speaking only as a completely bias mother.

Things to share.... he is squeaker, makes little noises..... is just figuring out that 10:00pm is not the "wake-up hour" or the "witching hour" but rather a great time to sleep. He loves to be swaddled - tight! He loves to suck, thus his stellar breastfeeding straight out of the womb, but for car rides and sometimes at night we pull out the Soothie. Diaper changes are one of his least favorite things, lots of fussing and protests. Dad is a rock star a diaper changes and has even caught a few on the fly...

He is such a good baby. Here are some photos of his birthday and recent pics by his Uncle Drew.

Baby Love...

2010-07-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

Our sweet little boy is still on the inside. He is showing us who is really in charge :)

I had a doctor appointment today and we are progressing. The doc is very encouraging and believes things look great! Baby's heart rate is excellent, my size is perfect, she doesn't think he'll be big.

I am dilated 4 cm and am 90% effaced. I have another appointment this week on Thursday, although doc doesn't think I'll make it that long - from her mouth, to the babies ears, and out the chute he goes! However, if he holds up in there then I will be induced on Saturday.

That is the latest. Kevin and I are so ready to meet this boy. Feel his little feet and watch him curl up without the cover of my stomach :) Soon, very soon.....

Baby Room

2010-07-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

So, minus two boxes of baby kitchen "stuff" that we need to find a home for the Baby's room is done. Kevin did a fantastic job of converting an existing dresser into a changing table with additional cubbies and he installed a closet organizer. It is a great space and we love it!

Oh where, oh where, have my little feet gone....

2010-07-02T07:12:00.000-07:00

I would take a picture to show off my new plump feet, but I don't think I could capture them in the lens..... By yesterday afternoon I had swollen pigs! And this morning they're still here... who invited them? Must be the baby...

As we enter the July 4th weekend I am fast approaching our approximate due date of July 10th! Kevin and I are 85% ready, just a few last projects. But little man has a place to sleep, clean clothes, diapers, and lots of love... so we're covered! I hope to post pictures of his room soon :)

Happy July4th weekend!

Other New News...

2010-06-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

The last 2 days have been beautiful, sunny, warm days in Idaho. Love it. And I think as a result, I've started to swell. Don't love that as much.

Yes my friends, it's true that I have fat-sausage fingers as I type this message. And last night I almost called 911 to report that my ankles were missing! Surely I would notice if someone had stolen them.... so I looked closer and realized they were right where they're supposed to be, just lost in the puffiness.

I was a tag-a-long with the Rausch's Saturday and drove down to the Magic Valley. Wanted to visit my parents one more time before the baby comes. Grandma Emmie (my Mom) loved feeling Chicken move around, she talked to him and even gave him a back rub.... nothing rubbed on me (no back or foot rubs, unless you count the cocoon). Pappa (my Dad) enjoyed the sight of the large cocoon that is keeping Chicken safe and nurtured. He flat out told me I was big... To which I kindly reminded him that just because he is my Father does not make it ok for him to say such things.... :)

I also saw Lisa and Chloe for brunch. Chloe has a very cute new swimsuit for this summer, bright yellow with red gingham frills on the shoulder straps and around the hips, with lady-bugs printed on the yellow fabric. Love it :) She will be a great cousin to Chicken!

The garden is all planted and half of it is growing like a champ. I did succession plantings of beans and onions, so the second round has not yet got excited about life. I hope to have a thriving crop here soon. Lettuces are looking good and carrots too!

Chicken is as active as ever. I'm happy to feel him move around and explore his space. He has his "usual" position, but last night he decided he only wanted to be on the right side of the cocoon. He was all crammed in there, and wasn't budging. Which wasn't so comfortable for me :) So, when it was time for bed I slept on my left side and let gravity do its thing. This morning he was back to the middle!

I see the doc this Tuesday and so begins my weekly checkups. We are coming down the home stretch friends.... stay tuned!

Baby Shower

2010-06-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

Well it's about time I get an updated post out here :) Jeez, I'm a slacker! I wanted to share some great pics from the Baby Shower!

The amazing invitations Jenna made...

Then the delicious food... and beautiful flowers...

and a few pics... Becky, Natalie, Robin

Cornelia and Laura

Me and Kristin, look at how sassy cute Kristin's new do is! Love it!

Terra, Jenna, Robin

Mom, me, Donna, JoAnn

Kari & Hailee

Amy, Mom, Elizabeth and Desiree

It was such an amazing afternoon, we feel blessed to have so much love, support, and enthusiasm surrounding us and Baby Carroll!

Updates!

2010-05-04T12:54:00.001-07:00

Kevin and I spent the weekend in Seattle with Drew. Good times! Lots of eating, and resting. Just what we needed. Drew got to see the "Big Top Circus" - that is to say the baby moving. Baby makes quite the commotion, lots of kicking and bulging. We went to Verite and had their delicious cupcakes... I ate the "Kate," chocolate cake with strawberry frosting. YUM! I need to start a cupcake shop, seriously... we were discussing the cost v. selling price - "sweet" profit margin. Pun intended.

This week had a doc appt. Baby is head down (he's a planner like his Mom, likes to know the exit strategy, prepare himself and lineup!). His heart beat is good and strong. Doc said I am the picture of health! Who would have thought. If my shirt or pants actually had buttons they'd have popped off with pride. Cocoon (belly) is just the right size and weight is perfect. I'm still playing tennis, feels good so I'm sticking to it!

Tonight is our first child birthing class. I'm excited. I'm not sure Kev is, I asked him and his response was "sure." I think we're both in for an eye-opener!

Kevin heads off to Salt Lake City on Wednesday for some networking... build up that business!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's - - you are fabulous and you are loved!!!

I'm going to see mine this weekend - visiting the parents in Twin.

How does our Baby grow...

2010-04-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

Slowly.... at first. I remember thinking my first bump was big :)

Then I thought, check this out....

Then Pixie was like,"hmm... is there less lap space? Oh, nice chin rest! "

And now...
7 months!

Sushi Dinner

2010-04-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

We had a sushi dinner Friday night and invited our friends over. It was such a great time, and the food was amazing.

Vida, Don and Gary...

Cornelia and Kevin. Cornelia made a couple of delicious rolls, this one was named the Green Roll. It was her first time making rolls and she is a natural!

Me, setting the table... see the steam from the edamame? YUM.

More on the table....

More.....

And finally it all fits!

Kevin loves hosting sushi night, he is pretty awesome at it too! Loved sharing time with Gary, Alex, Don, Vida and Cornelia. Bob got sick so he'll have to join the next time! Thanks to Alex for taking the photos, next time I'll get a few pics of her too!

Fun, fun, fun!

Chickens...

2010-04-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Did you know we have chickens.... we do. Three. No names yet. Just the three little Chicks. Soon these little hens will be outside in their new coup, but for now they are indoors in there brooding box. The shed is still being built but once it is and the electrical is wired in, they will have a deluxe new pad to chill in.

Bye, bye for now!

Baby Gear!?!?

2010-04-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Kristin and Robin we are officially registered at BabiesRUs... a task I'm sure made a million times more efficient with their expert advice. For the last 3 days I've been pouring over Consumer Reports ratings for car seats and baby strollers.... Kevin loves the Bob Revolution stroller however it does not fit with the safest ranked, and best consumer rated, car seat. I did find that Chicco makes a terrain stroller that is similar to a Bob, and it will be available again April/May 2010. So that just might be the solution to the dilema - if I can stop coughing over the price. GEEZ!

I keep thinking how much use will I get out of this buggar? I have grand plans of daily walks so that is why I'm leaning towards a terrain system instead of stroller... who knows maybe at some piont I'll do a little walk-jog, but I could use input from experienced Mom's... your comments are welcome please!!!

San Diego Trade Show

2010-03-30T12:14:00.001-07:00

My first Assistive Technology trade show was last week in San Diego. Check out our booth! It as a great experience and I appreciated learning more about the industry and product offerings. I shared our product information with many, heard from those who had previously purchased how pleased they were, and saw some very cool stuff that helps people with all abilities!

It's a BOY!

2010-02-25T12:50:00.001-08:00

Yes indeed, we had our ultrasound appointment yesterday and found out our little chicken is a boy! He had a perfectly normal and healthy ultrasound, everthing is the right size, shape, and developing on schedule. He is 13 oz! I think he was saying "Mama" yesterday, he was moving his mouth for us and that's what it looked like - - I'm just sayin.... Oh, and he has Kevin's beautiful head :)

We are pretty over the moon at our house. It was nice to see the little pumpkin again... I love him so much already!

Friday night bowling!

2010-02-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

We went bowling at Emerald Lanes with our friends...

Becky, Baily, Debbie, Vince (Kev & Me), Bobbi, and Jeff.

It was so much fun! Debbie was the high bowler for the first game

and Jeff (picture below in the middle) smoked us all by almost breaking the 200 mark - Kevin is backseat blogging and corrected me that Jeff scored 192!

I was 2nd high bowler for game 1 - gotta share that amazing news - and the 2nd game Kev and I tied!

Vince really wanted to have pizza but they ran out - on a Friday night! He told them he was going to have one delivered in, but they said that isn't allowed... all that talk about pizza got me thinking. Yum, pizza. Guess I know what I want to eat for lunch tomorrow!

Good times :)

Pregnancy Dreams...

2010-02-05T14:28:00.000-08:00

So, I keep reading about how you have vivid dreams when you're pregnant. Well I don't know if I'd call mine vivid yet, but strange. I think this could also be affected by the fact that I've read that at this point I'm not supposed to sleep on my back. I LOVE sleeping on my back. It is my favorite. On back, arms overhead, lights out (aka sound asleep). So every night I wake up at some point and realize that I am lying on my back, groggily roll to a side, and repeat at another time later.

I'm getting off point. Dreams. dreams. Ok, so I've had dreams that because I haven't felt the baby move yet that it isn't really there but that instead I have two grown boys (like 14 & 16). You're wondering, "baby's not there..." yes in the dream belly is out looking like something is in there, but it vanished. poof!

Every night is another twisted labyrinth of nonsensical creative R-E-M-ing..... Whatever happened to lights out?

No pictures to post, can't take photos of crazy Kristy's dreams... but if I could...

Pull up a chair!

2010-01-19T17:44:00.000-08:00

Kevin and I bought a new kitchen table from Pottery Barn. It is lovely :) We have been enjoying breakfast, lunch and dinner comfortably! Although, the chairs have a much higher back and I've managed to hit each elbow (left a mark on one), ouch! We can know fit up to 8, a huge improvement over 4.

Oohhh.....

Ahhh.....Pretty!!!!

Weekend in Donnelly Idaho

2010-01-17T11:52:00.000-08:00

The photos tell the story...

Thanks John for letting us stay!!

Snowshoeing - Bogus Basin Nordic Center

2010-01-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning fun with Team Rausch! We headed up to Bogus Nordic/Snowshoe Center ready to snowshoe in the perfect weather.

Robin and Brian gearing up...
Sydney girl, waiting patiently... cute hat and do you see the pom-poms on her boots!

Sydney loved being pulled in the sled behind Brian!

Kevin and me...
One of the beautiful views...

Another view, and Kev!

Good times!

Positive Changes

2009-12-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

2011 is going to have some positive changes! First, I'm going to be starting a new role with a new company. Amazing, exciting, scary, bittersweet!!! I've been with Trus Joist/Weyerhaeuser/iLevel for 12 years. I've met some of my closest and dearest friends working there, gained a wealth of professional experience, and worked with some brilliant people. Grateful for all of it!

My new adventure will be with AD-As Design Solutions. Check them out! It is a great company,there is a lot of opportunity for me to use the experience I've gained and to stretch/grow in many areas too. I'll be doing marketing, customer relations & communications, and wearing many other hats as often happens in small companies!

The other positive change for Kevin and me is that.....

I'm pregnant! 11 weeks.... Amazing, Exciting & Terrifying! I think I'm through the nauseousness... and onto feeling good. At least this week.

Lots of changes!

Pictures as Promised

2009-12-15T19:16:00.000-08:00

Finally got around to uploading pictures from the last blog.

Here is one of little Pixie after her surgery, she hated that d@$&* cone! And it didn't even stop her from ripping off her bandage every chance she got. Determined and persistent, that is my girl!

These are a couple of pictures that Kevin took of Pixie chillin' on the couch. He just couldn't resist, he thought she looked hilarious kicked back....
So much so that he took several shots of her. I imagine her saying, "what are you looking at?"
"Seriously...."

And now, drum-roll please.... pictures of our tree! It is a fine Noble Fir that we've decked with very colorful and shimmery balls and lights.

Willy's new favorite spot in the house, under the tree. He started to come out as I took this photo. Willy, Sweet Willy...he loves it under the tree and he likes to drink the water.

I'm Back!!!!

2009-12-11T09:33:00.000-08:00

I took a little blogging vacation... the break was triggered by a small bout of depression and fear. Little Pix went in for a dental and to have a lump removed from her leg, and the biopsy came back as malignent - a Mast Cell Tumor. So, I sort of hunkered in.... but we've been seeing our regular vet and have integrated a few therapies to help make sure the cancer does not return and that Pixie is happy, healthy, and with us for as long as she wants to be! (eyes watering, time to change the subject!)

Kevin and I have been getting ready for Christmas. I don't have pictures to post today, but stay tuned for the Tree! It's our first tree as a married couple, well "real" tree. Last year we put up a very small fake tree that I've had for years....

Willy (our cat) loves the tree! He likes to sit under it... look at the lights, those sparkly balls, and dream of mischief! He'll chill there for a bit and then bolt a circle around the tree and down the hall to climb his cat tower - it's all very exciting.

This week my mother shared her lemon square recipe with me! This is my FAVORITE holiday treat that she makes, and she makes a lot - and there are a lot of delicious options but lemon squares are my favorite! I'm going to make a batch or two to share..... because it is the season of sharing and joy, and these decadent little morsels will put a smile on your face - I guarantee!

I'll post pic's later (they're my favorite part) but I needed to get a post in before Kristin took me off her blog watch list!!!

Halloween!

2009-11-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

Kevin thought it would be fun to see how his Halloween glasses looked on Pixie.... then on Honda. Good thing our girls are patient! I'm not sure they were giggling like Kev was, but they indulged him.

We dressed up Saturday night for a party at Cornelia and Bob's. I was Ellie Mae (The Clampets) and Kevin was a pilot. Cornelia and Bob have an amazing yard and it was decked out for the occasion. Three fire pits, many pumpkin lanterns, a "strawman" for burning... oh and a silent film playing on a big screen projector - something with hyenas, werewolves, and Transylvania. There was also spider cookies (you can imagine this frightened me!), eyeball cookies, brain and heart (these were jello molds), oh and sewer punch! It was SO much fun.

Th-the that's all Folks!

What do you do?

2009-10-27T06:24:00.000-07:00

When you find yourself with a full week to yourself while your husband makes a caravan south to retrieve some of his worldly possessions. Do you:

A. Do nothing, read books, veg-out
B. Schedule a pedicure
C. Schedule a massage
D. Drink wine, eat cheese & visit with friend
E. Make yourself a "To-Do" list
F. All of the above
G. D and E

My answer? G. I'm not sure that is the correct choice but none the less that's where I found myself this past week. And just how did I do on that list? Well, I got 100% completion. And added a few extra credit points too! I'm not an over achiever.... well maybe sometimes... but a more accurately I just can't sit still for too long. So, while Kevin was gone I

1. Painted the "extra" room
2. Cleaned out the "extra" room, swept, mopped, cleaned rugs
3. Cleaned out and organized the guest bedroom closet
4. Finished Fall removal of the garden
5. Fall clean up of the front flower bed (this activity and the above required me climbing into the trash bin and playing trampoline - sure I looked ridiculously funny! Sort of felt like a 5 year old, and that was a good thing)
6. Secret operation. My memory was erased upon completion so I cannot share.
7. Made applesauce from Canyon Orchard apples

My reward, besides a sense of completion/accomplishment, and a calm knowing that there will be space for some of Kevin's things once he returns, was hot bath on Sunday night and an early bedtime. I was pooped!

Kevin gets home today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I have a new To-Do list for the weekend ahead :)

My new closet!

2009-10-12T18:21:00.001-07:00

Kevin did the most wonderful thing yesterday.... he added built-in's to my closet. It is SO wonderful! We made a trip to a favorite man store (Lowe's) and picked up a few pieces and parts, next thing you know - voila! I am a happy woman :)

Juicing - Organic style

2009-10-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

Ok. So Kevin loves carrot juice, and he does this great combo with carrots, apples, and ginger. This morning he get's everything ready but needs more carrots, so he goes out to the garden and look what he brings back....

The most enormous carrot I've ever seen. That's organic baby!!! It was fresh and sweet too, not woody or tough.

Here are the rest of Kevin's supplies. And he insists the juice must be drank in the first 5 min for ultimate benefits. It is delicious!!!!

Dinner Time!!!

2009-10-08T06:15:00.000-07:00

Just a fun shot of Kevin and I taken last night while making dinner. Kevin was telling me about his day, he's very excited about the business planning he and Vince are doing :) I'm so proud of him, he's jumped into a new field in the middle of a down economy, and he's doing f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c!

So last night I drummed up something so tastey for dinner. Shrimp Pesto w/ Roasted Butternut squash, Tomatoes & Onion.

Here goes....

I peeled the shrimp and popped the tails off. Why do they leave them on? I know it's supposed to be fancy, but then you just have to deal with trying to get the buggars off when you're enjoying your meal. Silliness!

I peeled and chopped the butternut (from Canyon Orchards - gotta love local!) then took 1/4 of a red onion and rough chopped it and quartered 2 tomatoes (green ones I picked from the garden that have now ripened). Tossed them in a little olive oil, sprinkled with salt, pepper and garlic powder, then roased at 425 degrees for about 40 min.

Started the water to boil for my pasta. And when it had about 10 minutes left I kicked on the burner for the saute pan and put in 1/4cup white wine, 2 tsp coconut oil, shrimp and salt& pepper. Cooked about 8 min (until done).

As soon as the pasta was done I drained it and added 2 pesto cubes (garden basil I turned into pesto and then froze in ice-cube trays).

Voila!!! It was so tastey and really beautiful. I sprinkled mine with a little Parmesan too. That's my plate, not Kevin's... I gobbled it all up too!!! I am a foodie :)

Seattle

2009-10-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

I had to travel to Federal Way / Seattle Washington for work last Wednesday. It was a perfect opportunity for me to spend some time with my brother, Drew. He let me crash at his house and loaned me his truck for the commute! Work was busy, a whirlwind of meetings and learning what new work I'm responsible for and lining up - very quickly - a plan to train our sales team. That's all I'm saying about that.

Visiting Drew was fun! We had some great food... you know me I'm a foodie! We had delicious vegetarian fare at Cafe Flora. We met up with several of Drew's friends throughout the weekend, shared meals, wine, laughs, etc. Enjoyed some fantastic mexican food, I ate cactus and bean tacos - yes CACTUS. It was tastey! Had some Indian food.... And was treated to a wonderfully delicious home cooked meal at a friend of Drew's home.

Aside from eating... we worked on some of the wedding photos, fine tuning the printing!

I landed back in Boise mid-afternoon on Sunday - cold and rainey! Kevin built a fire, we made soup and just enjoyed relaxing together. Great to be home!

Another one bites the dust

2009-09-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

And so it goes that yet another work week is drawing to an end :) This week my Mom came to Boise for a class and stayed with us Wednesday and Thursday nights - Fun! Thursday night she even got to see me play a tennis match for the first time - she enjoyed it! And best of all she even thought we won... sadly we did not. Played an oppenent with a killer (very spinny) serve and his ground strokes had top-spin to spare. Good Times.

After the match we had dinner at the Tavern at Bown Crossing. And then headed home to make 2 chicken pot pies for friends that both had surgeries this week - Kristin, her left hand and Heidi's baby Brooke had eye/brain surgery. The recipe looks quite tastey - I didn't test it because of the chicken, but Mom said it smelled great! I found the recipe on a really great blog site (thanks for the tip Jackie!), For the Love of Cooking.

This is the first recipe of her's that I've tried but she has a great selection and I love the layout. I will definitely be trying more recipes. For the chicken pot pie, I did change up the veggies - I used broccli, zucchini, carrot, and peas. I also added to the herbs - basil, thyme, rosemary. And, I used a store prepare crust instead of making it from scratch (no time for from scratch).

I hope the Brandts and the Hagmans like it!!!!

Boise Art in the Park 2009

2009-09-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

This Sunday my parents came up from Twin and we had a delicious brunch at La Vie en Rose then walked over to Art in the Park. There were SO many vendors! We saw some really great art: photography, paintings, jewelry, woodworking, etc. The row of vendors just went on and on and on! Mom gave me a sterling silver double banded bangle with an inscription, "surround this woman with love and light." Love it :) She got a multi-band ring with gold and silver. Kevin and Dad both got lemonade...

While Mom and I were shopping at a jewelry booth we saw a shop-lifting shake down! Apparently two women saw this man "drop" 3 pieces into his small Coach bag.... yes folks, carrying Coach and shoplifting at Art in the Park. We walked away before we saw the goods unveiled but his belongings were being searched. The two witnesses were walking away while the booth owners were unsuccessfully looking for the stolen goods. I suggested to them that perhaps they should tell the owner exactly where they saw the goods deposited because it didn't look like they were going to successfully find the pieces. And now, I'm left to wonder what happened?!

It was so hot, we were all glad to make the last loop and head back to the truck. My parents headed back to Twin after we got to the house. It was a lot of fun spending the day with them!!

Lucky, lucky Girl!

2009-09-04T09:15:00.000-07:00

After a long, rough day at work yesterday I went straight to the tennis courts for a match that was fun but we lost.... and them to home by 8:40pm with no dinner in my stomach, sweaty and stinky, and short tempered....

Trying to spare my wonderful husband from my fowlness (stinky body, stinky mood) I ducked straight into the bathroom to rinse off. I came out smelling better, but still needed to work on the mood. SO, I sat quietly on the couch icing my wrist. My sweet husband let me sit quietly, and knowing I was hungry and tired, offered to make me dinner. The Grump was determined to remain and said "no thank you." But Kevin persisted, offering to cook the ahi-tuna and salmon left from our Sushi night with Robin, and make a salad with lettuce and cucumber from the garden..... Ohhh, that sounded yummy :)

I ate my delicious salad, made with patience (patience and patience) and love... And with a full tummy I started to kick The Grump out! I told my my husband how much I appreciated him and settled in for the rest of the night.

The Vintage Pearl: new dainty drop earrings... win a set!

2009-09-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

The Vintage Pearl: new dainty drop earrings... win a set!

I hope I'm not too late to win.... it's a long list of comments!! Love the earrings!!! Also, thanks for your information about ordering a flower charm!

Did I Mention Canning???

2009-08-31T12:27:00.000-07:00

Oh my, what do you get when you blanch, core, and peel 35lbs of tomatoes and mix them with garlic, red wine, olive oil, onion, and fresh herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, & thyme)?

You get 7 quarts of sauce.... that's right 7 quarts people. Good thing there is a lot of simmering - unattended so I could get housework done! I'll admit though, I was hoping for 12 jars..... another time, perhaps. I have another 20+ pounds waiting for me, what to do...

Saturday night we had a work night at the Rausch's. It involved husking, blanching and cutting from the cob 4 gunny sacs of corn! All to be frozen for eating throughout the next year. I gave up trying to remember just how many dozen ears this was.... I think 18-20 dozen...

It's all a labor of love! The reward is eating and enjoying it over the next months and knowing where it was grown, how it was grown, how it was handled... and not having to purchase it from the store!

Other exciting news, Kevin is getting a new truck!! A 2004 Nissan Titan, Smoky gray. He is very excited since the 89' Toyota (a.k.a. White Bird) has no AC in Idaho's 100+ degree summer weather.

No pictures this post - bummer, pictures are my favorite part!

Take Care.

Trip to the Ranch!

2009-08-18T20:53:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I made a trip to Kelley Orchards in Filer Idaho... 85 acres of beautiful fruit orchard and 13 acres of garden veggies and melons, all nestled along the Snake River in the Canyon.

It was a girls road trip - Robin, Sydney, and me! Too fun.

Saturday morning I helped Robin at the Eagle Farmer's Market and we sold out of peaches and corn! It was a great weekend.

Canning season begins

2009-08-18T20:44:00.000-07:00

Lovely, gorgeous, bountiful fruit from the garden has begun to ripen! We've been busy making pickles, jam and tomato sauce.

Kevin taste tested a batch of pickles we made a couple weeks ago and they passed the test - delicious! And so it begins... canning is a labor of love. I love it, and I have to remind myself of it every time I'm up too late putting up jars.

Kevin is a great help!

And the end product is so beautiful!!!

Baker Creek Camping

2009-08-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

Kevin and I made the trip to Baker Creek for a weekend of camping with my parents and Mary Lou. It rained.... then the sun came out.... then it rained... rained some more... more sunshine... you get the picture. We were able to pitch our tent during a dry spell.

And my parents took their 4-wheelers for ride up to Baker Lake Trail Head.

But the rain would not be held at bay, so no hikes for us - bummer. Pixie and I did spend some time down by the creek... lovely baby Pixie.

Nights were chilly, Sunday we awoke to ice on our cooler...brrr. We were warm in our tent tho'

It was beautiful!

And we were able to see the sheep herders moving the sheep - literally through our camp and down the road. Sheep everywhere!

And when it was time to pack up camp, Pixie loaded herself!

2009 Garden and Front Flower Bed

2009-08-10T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hi All! Just wanted to share a couple of photos of our garden and the front flower bed. Kevin has been enjoying all of the cucumbers we've picked from the garden so far... we've canned some pickles already! The tomatoes just started ripening last week. You know what that means - SALSA!!!!! Yum.

Our Yard is in full bloom and full of bees! I actually got stung in the face a couple of weeks ago, right on my cheeckbone. Fiesty little buggars. I have to say it didn't hurt much and the swelling went down.... after 4 days. In all fairness to the bee who lost her life, I was pretty close the hive. The bees are busy collecting honey, and our beekeeper (Jon) will be harvesting this coming weekend. DON'T WORRY, he leaves plenty for the bees and they have the rest of the season to collect more. He also feeds them through the winter so everyone has plenty to eat!

Movement Play Camp

2009-08-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

July 9th through the 13th I spent in California with JoAnn and Donna (Kevin's Mom & Sister). We went to a Movement Play camp in Willits, CA - which is 3ish hours north of San Fransisco. It's a "micro festival" summer camp out for grown ups who love to play! When JoAnn asked if I'd be interested I thought about it and then said, SIGN ME UP! I could use some play :)

The grounds of the camp were amazing! So many beautiful flowers,ponds, and fountains.
It is a sustainable eco-camp, so you know I was in heaven!

The schedule for camp included: ecstatic dance, acro yoga, tribal belly dancing, fire dancing, hoop dancing, did I say dancing?, shamanic cheerleading, and eating great vegetarian/vegan food.

This is a picture of Donna spotting Me while JoAnn flew me at Acro Yoga class!

And here you can see Donna and me working a kitchen shift, preparing one of many delicious meals.

OH!I almost forgot to mention (Kevin will be shocked!) there were hot tubs too! Yes, of course those of you who know me well know that I did not soak in the tub, but many did and enjoyed themselves!

After a great time at camp the 3 of us headed back to Berkeley. Little did I know that when you go camping with JoAnn and Donna you need to bring "club" clothes... I like their style I must say. And luckily literally because Donna dressed me up and we hit a hot spot in downtown San Fran where they played Blues Swing music. As always it was fun to watch JoAnn dance!

The Wedding

2009-06-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

Kevin and I are anxiously awaiting our wedding photos (courtesy of Drew...thanks big bro!) but until then we have a few photos from Kevin's Mom (JoAnn) to share. We had a beautiful wedding and love seeing everyone.

Kerry did an amazing job decorating the room and the flowers were FANTASTIC!
Robin was the perfect ceremony coordinator (and pre-ceremony bartender, loved the Mohito!). Kevin especially appreciated her help in identifiying which hand he was to place the ring on.

Terra did an invaluable job of bride and photographer assistant! She was prepared with snacks, a sense of humor, and a quick changes of clothes before the ceremony. Seriously, Super Girl has nothing on Terra!

As noted above, Drew was our photographer...I think he may have regretted that decision if not the day of certainly he might now... he has spent countless hours working on the images. And he can now locate (probably blindfolded) the flaws, scars, bags, etc. on my face from the "air brushing" he's done.... thanks for sharing that detail. Seriously though, I've seen some of the final images and they are SOOO good!

My Aunt Sharon was gracious enough to make our wedding cake - such a wonderful gift. And it was delicious, not to mention dairy free for Kevin! (at least the top part) I admit I did put a little dab of frosting on Kevin's nose when I fed him his piece of cake... I just couldn't resist.

Kevin and I did a perfect performance of our first dance (The Way I Am, by Ingrid Michealson)... only bummer is we didn't get it video taped, so it will live in our memories. It was a great night for dancing though :)

Thanks to our families and friends for making it a memorable day filled with love, laughter and good times!!!!

Planning our wedding

2009-02-24T15:20:00.000-08:00

Kevin and I are looking forward to celebrating with our family and friends. We wanted to create a space where you can find links to useful information about where the wedding will be held, which hotel we've work with on a block of rooms, and what we're up to as we get closer to the big day!

Stay tuned for photos, rants, babblings and much more :)