House Lewis Family

Story Time with Daddy

2012-02-16T14:53:00.000-08:00

Most evenings Adam takes care of getting Grayson ready for bed. Bath, jammies, brushing teeth, reading oodles of books, saying prayers and singing songs. I love coming around the corner and seeing this sight. Love my boys.

Hair Accessories

2012-02-16T01:26:00.000-08:00

Working Hard for the Money

2012-02-15T14:57:00.005-08:00

Grayson and I went to Seattle to take Auntie Kellie out for lunch a couple weeks ago. We had an amazing meal at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the entire city, Malena's, went for a walk and then visited her office at SPU. Grayson immediately pulled Kellie out of her chair so he could sit at the desk. Then he worked for awhile...

Kellie's co-worker called the phone a couple of times to Grayson's great delight. He typed away at the computer while also talking on the phone. He's a natural multi-tasker. His future employer will be proud.

By the time we got back to the car, Grayson was very tired. This was the sight I saw about 5 minutes into our drive home.

How Elmo Helped Grayson Give Up His Paci

2012-02-15T13:48:00.000-08:00

At Grayson's two year check up his doctor told me that we needed to start working on getting Grayson to give up using his pacifers. This was no small feat. Grayson typically sleeps with a paci in his mouth...and another in his right hand, another in his left, and sometimes a fourth floating somewhere in the crib. We knew that we needed to get creative, so we turned to Elmo.

We watched this video several times and talked to Grayson about giving his pacis as a gift to baby Christian. He loved this idea. He is just smitten with Christian, so he loves the idea of giving him any gift, hug, kiss or snuggle.

We decided that we would decorate a special box for the paci gift, so I pulled out the sticker stash and let him go to town. He still is talking about the special box and the stickers.

Here is the masterpiece Grayson created.

We gathered all of the pacis and put them in the box. On Super Bowl Sunday we had a special moment where Grayson gave the box and pacis to Christian. He was so excited about it!

He had a rough first night. Lots of tears and calling for his pacis, but since then he has been doing much better. He still has a little trouble falling asleep at the beginning of his naps, but soon falls asleep. Sometimes he asks about his pacis, but I'll ask him where they are and he proudly responds, "Christian!". He also loves singing the Elmo paci song.

Overall this was such a success! I'm so proud of my sweet boy. While I'm proud of Grayson, this has also been a really hard experience for me. It was such a big step towards growing up and I'm realizing just how quickly the days go by. I had a mini panic attack as a realized that I won't be able to relive these years again. I try to capture moments on tape, photo and writing here on the blog, but I still worry that I'll forget. Every day he says more, does something new, makes me laugh, lets his personality shine and continues growing into such a sweet and amazing little man. No moment, big or small, is taken for granted.

Super Bowl

2012-02-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

This year for Super Bowl Sunday we invited ourselves over to my parent's house along with my sister, Kerry and Christian. We devoured the usual Super Bowl food, laughed at the commercials and spent time hanging out together.

I think the highlight of everyone's day was getting cuddles from sweet baby Christian. He was passed around the entire afternoon from one loving pair of arms to another.

Grayson didn't want to miss out on cuddles from his Mama. Grayson loves cuddling with Christian too and doesn't miss an opportunity to hold hands with him. It's adorable.

Fireside Snack

2012-02-04T09:16:00.000-08:00

My sweet boy said he wanted to have his snack while sitting in front of the fire. Candles going, fire burning, yummy snack in hand...he is definitely my son.

Indoor Snow

2012-02-03T09:19:00.000-08:00

The night we came home from Mexcio, we were welcomed by snow...and LOTS of it! Even if the roads had been cleared off, I don't have a car with 4 wheel drive so we were housebound. I could take Grayson outside, but without proper snow gear he was soaked within minutes. He kept asking to play in the snow, so I improvised.

I brought it snow inside.

No I didn't bring in real snow, but rather I poured the contents of the bag of cotton balls into the hamper and called it snow.

This game has entertained Grayson for hours! He likes to use scoops, cups, tongs and spoons. I have to be prepared for a mess because he'll often like to just throw them up into the air and giggle as they fall down. I have decided that this just becomes an opportunity to teach clean up time.

Most of his time is spent pretending he's cooking. He likes to pick up a few cotton balls and tell me what kind of food they are as he adds them to his pretend bowl of soup. He gets pretty creative with what he adds to the soup. From pineapple to tofu to tomatoes...it's in there. Haha!

If he can't think of a type of food, he'll just mumble something. Ha!

Now I just keep everything is a tupperware bin so it is easy to pull out whenever he's ready to play with the cotton balls. I love seeing his imagination come to life with this new "game".

My Own Personal Super Heros

2012-02-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

Grayson loves to pretend he's flying. He shoots his arms out behind him and runs at top speed around the house. When I found this tutorial for making a cape out of a man's t-shirt I knew I had to make one for him.

It just so happened that I had two old t-shirts of Adam's on hand, so I made two thinking that the other would be used when friends came over for play dates. Grayson had other plans...

He asked his Daddy to fly with him.

These two spent time running all over the house wearing the capes! I wish I'd captured it on video! Not every girl is lucky enough to have her own personal super hero...and I have two!

They Call Him Papa

2012-02-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

Grayson's Birthday Par-tay

2012-02-01T20:31:00.000-08:00

These photos have been sitting in my camera for far too long! Back in the first weekend of January we had a family birthday party for Grayson. In honor of his love for all things construction, it was a Bob the Builder theme. He LOVED it!

As guests arrived Grayson directed them to place the gifts next to the fireplace (there was no coaching from me. That was just where he decided he'd like to open the gifts I guess.). We shared a meal together and then let him rip into his gifts.

The new Mommy, Daddy and Christian. This was his first big outing other than a trip to Target (funny...that was Grayson's first outing as well).

Grayson was so excited to open his gifts. He loved them all too, and was so thankful. That was a happy sight for this mom to see.

Mr. Potato Head

Rip!

After gifts we played our game. They worked together in pairs to build the biggest tower out of blocks. We have some good builders in the fmaily. They must have been watching a lot of Bob the Builder as preparation for the party. Ha! Grayson was always standing nearby to offer his services of knocking down the towers after completion.

I made construction signs to put all over the house. The "Dig In" sign was next to the food for dinner. There are some days when I think I should just put that warning sign on our front door! Haha!

The birthday cake was a mud pie cake. It's topped with crushed oreos to make it look like the digger is scooping up dirt.

I love my mom is this picture. She's laughing so hard because Grayson was singing along with us as we sang Happy Birthday to him. Between my dad, Adam, Christian, Jesus and himself, Grayson has been practicing that song quite a bit over the last few months!

Blowing out his candles.

We took our mud pie downstairs to watch a little Bob the Builder. I had to laugh when I realized Grayson had left the room and my entire family was still sitting watching the movie. Haha!

Happy birthday sweet Grayson!

A Requested Photo Shoot

2012-02-01T13:51:00.000-08:00

The other day Grayson asked me to take his picture. Never one to miss an opportunity for a photo shoot...I obliged.

The First Walk with Cousin Christian

2012-01-31T13:56:00.000-08:00

The snow finally melted enough for us to walk safely on the sidewalks, so we met up with Katelyn and Christian for walk on a sunny morning last week. The air was crisp, so both boys were bundled up. It was refreshing to get out after being inside for so many days.

As we passed a park Grayson asked to stop and play. He LOVED the digger! This one had shorter handles so he could almost move it on his own.

Christian just dozed in the sunshine. He has grown so much over these last few weeks. What a darling and content little boy he is!

I think Christian and Grayson actually have several similarities. These two pictures crack me up! Christian is 5 weeks old in the top photo, and Grayson is 2 weeks old in the bottom picture. Both bundled up in their teddy bear coats. Love!

Buses

2012-01-30T14:08:00.000-08:00

Grayson loves buses. All forms of transportation for that matter. While we were out running errands we drove by a school bus yard. We took a walk over to check out the buses, marvel at the number of buses all in one place and talk about driving them. Grayson asked more than once to go touch one, but we couldn't go past the gate.

It's the little things that mean the most some days.

The Bouncer Chair

2012-01-23T07:47:00.000-08:00

I made this video a couple weeks ago, but I never got around to posting it. I just saw Christian last night and he has changed SO much since I took this video. His due date was on Friday the 20th, and you can see that he's filled out in these past weeks. His paci also doesn't look quite as enormous on his face. :)

I love this sweet babe!

Cuddles with Riley

2012-01-22T19:55:00.000-08:00

Los Cabos Mexico

2012-01-22T19:35:00.000-08:00

Adam and I just got back from a trip to Los Cabos, Mexico. At work he has a client who lives there for about six months out of the year, and they conveniently scheduled their annual meeting during that time. I was able to tag along and soak up some sun.

The home was incredible, the weather toasty, the food delicious...we couldn't help but continue commenting on how blessed we were to be on this trip. We had such a great time!

Grayson had a fun time too since he went to stay with Nana and Papa for the week. It was my first time being away from him for more than a night, so I was apprehensive but all of my worries were for nothing. We got reports about what a good boy he was and what fun they were all having. Every time we talked to him on the phone, he wanted to sing us a song and then he went back to playing. In fact in the days after we came home, Grayson has been asking to go see Nana and Papa a lot. He's also been making up songs about Papa to play for us on his guitar. Haha!

Here's a video and pictures from the trip...

A Boy and His Daddy

2012-01-09T14:21:00.000-08:00

I'm going through old pictures are I prepare to make a photo book from last year, and I came across this one that I love. I just love their relationship. Grayson just adores his Daddy. Ever since Adam's birthday (mid-December), Grayson has been wishing Adam a happy birthday. Most days Grayson will not wait more than 5 minutes of Adam walking into the room before saying, "Happy birthday Daddy!". We should start taking bets on how long this will go on!

Best Buds

2012-01-09T13:50:00.001-08:00

Grayson has some sweet little friends in his life who we are able to get together with pretty regularly. We like to take them somewhere that they can work off a little energy, but this time of year that often means finding a place indoors. At this play date, we took them to Barnes and Noble to play on the train table. They decided to check out the reading area as well. We tried as best we could to get a posed picture, but the photo above was the best I got!

The rest of the photos looked more like this one. Haha! They are always on the go!

This little boy was in heaven with all of the piles of books ready to be read, a train table full of trains, a sweet treat from the cafe and his friends Tommy and Poppy.

Birthday Boy

2012-01-06T20:20:00.000-08:00

I now have a two year old. How did that happen? It seems like just yesterday I was swaddling him tightly in a blanket and watching him coo and smile. Now I'm watching him run and jump and having conversations with him! Oh my!

On the morning of his birthday I took him to Barnes and Noble for a cookie. He was in heaven. The cookie was enormous. No, I didn't let him eat the whole thing.

We played for a little while, and then at our next stop he had a blow out.

All. Over. My. Sweater.

I blame the cookie.

Needless to say, that was the end of our birthday outings for the day.

That evening I let Grayson choose the meal. Not surprisingly he chose pop eyes (basically an egg cooked inside of a piece of bread with a whole cut in the middle). He loved it.

A little about my sweet two year old...

-He loves all things construction, and car rides are an adventure as we are on the lookout for different trucks and such.

-He loves music. He likes to play the guitar, drums, piano and harmonica. He can listen to music and point out those instruments as well as trumpet and violin.

-He loves people, especially his family. He talks about family all the time, and will ask to call them (which he can now talk on the phone pretty easily). He loves to say hi to strangers. We'll walk through the store and he can hardly pass one person without saying, "Hi!" (or "I'm sorry"...I'm not sure where that one came from). He also loves his friends. He randomly talks about Tommy, Poppy, Daniel and Payton.

-He loves going to church. He always talks about playing with the trucks, going for buggy rides, eating fishy crackers and being told "No more". Ha!

-He's wearing size 4 diapers and size 2T clothes although some of the sleeves are already getting a little short.

-He loves food! He always asks for pop eyes, fishies, tofu, fruit and Lara bars.

-He continues to love to read. It's part of our nightly routine, although he asks to read throughout the day as well.

-He loves to sleep. He'll let me know when he tired by grabbing his paci and blanket from his room. Sometimes he'll ask for a snuggle. We start getting him ready for bed around 7pm, and he's been sleeping until about 7:30am. He takes a good 2.5-3hour nap after lunch.

-He is such a sweet and happy boy. He gives me hugs and kisses all day long, and I love every one of them!

-He is very appreciative. Yesterday he said (without any prompting), "Thank you breakfast Mommy". Ok. Melt my heart on the spot!

-He does have a whiny side, and will thrown himself to the ground like a limp noodle if he's being asked to do something he really doesn't want to do. Lovely.

-Since he was a baby he has always been alert to the things going on around him, and he continues to do this. He'll notice when someone has left the room and ask about it, or he hears what we're talking about and repeats the last couple of the words.

-Ok, I could go on and on about what an awesome guy Grayson is. He is just a joy and I adore being his Mommy.

Choo! Choo!

2012-01-06T14:38:00.001-08:00

Grayson and I went to Country Village the other day. After playing at the Village Bean we met up with my mom to go shopping in a favorite store that was closing. Grayson waited so patiently for us, so my mom treated him to his first train ride.

She said at first he was a little nervous, but then he got really excited and started pointing out everything that was going on around him. He's still talking about it days later.

He kept talking about the "guy" or the "ductor" aka the conductor. He's pretty fascinated with him.

When it was all over, G asked to go again one more time.

Here's a video of clips I captured during their ride...

Hugs!

2012-01-05T15:30:00.000-08:00

Cousins

2012-01-04T22:16:00.000-08:00

Grayson wasn't able to meet Christian until he came home due to tight regulations at the NICU. So up until yesterday, Grayson had only seen pictures. That was enough to get him talking about his new cousin.

He declared his love for "Bebe Christian" several times and asked that he be able to read his current favorite book "Go, Dog, Go!" to him. So when we took him over to meet Christian, that's exactly what he did.

I was a little (ok, a lot) nervous about how he would act around Christian. G has had trouble with being gentle with babies, and I thought he might act similarly this time around. Luckily, that wasn't the case. We instructed him to use one finger to touch Christian's hands. Grayson gently reached out with one finger to stroke that soft buttery baby skin. He then delighted when Christian held onto his finger while also holding onto mine. I read "Go,

Dog, Go!" and Grayson lit up at the bike and boat pages he'd specifically said he wanted to show Christian.

It was such a cute moment. I can't help but dream about what lays ahead for these two boys. All the things Grayson is already excited to teach Christian. The playing and adventures they will discover together. The bruises and battle wounds they will show off to one another. The songs they will sing and books they will read. The block towers they will build and the messy meals they will eat. So many more special moments ahead for these two.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

The three of us went over to Molbak's a couple days before Christmas to pick out an ornament for the year. The store is so beautifully decorated for the holidays, and the rows upon rows of poinsettas are a sight to see. We meandered through the store and settled on a bright sparkly star for our ornament.

The next morning, Christmas Eve, Alex and Kellie came over for brunch. We had a feast of food, and opened gifts from each other.

They made Grayson is very own Corn Hole board! It is amazing and he couldn't be more thrilled with the gift.

Since I was a little girl, my mom and dad have been creating a collection of Christmas books for us. Every year we pull them out and place them in a basket to read during the holiday season. Christmas Angels was one of Grayson's favorite books this year. It's all about the angels in the story of Jesus' birth, and a reminder that there are angels around us today.

Wrapping himself up as a present.

Christmas morning under the tree. We actually all slept in a little that morning, and I ended up waking up Adam first. We crept into Grayson's room and woke him up. He had no idea what fun lay ahead for him!

Santa's gift to him was Mater from Cars. He calls it "ittle Mater" and adores it. Our big gift to him was a basketball hoop. We had it all put together and brought it out once all of the other gifts were opened. He did his happy dance and immediately started looking for his basketball.

Next stop on Christmas morning was to Nana and Papa's house. We had brunch with them while we watched a storm outside. We decided it was time to move into the other room and start opening gifts when we saw a tree snap and fall in the property next door. Yikes!

At this point G was tired. Luckily one of his gifts was a sleeping bag bear so it was perfect timing to try it out.

I couldn't fit my mom's gift under the tree, so I wrote a riddle on a long piece of paper and rolled it into a tiny box. She then had to solve a clue to find where her gift was hidden. It was hilarious!

New clothes for hubby.

Grayson got a kid's table and chairs which he loves.

The next day I went to the cabin with my parents and G (Adam had to stay behind for work). We soak it sights like the one above, and celebrated one day with a party at my Grandma's house and the next with my mom's side of the family.

I love these pictures of my mom and Grayson all bundled up in the snow. Grayson has been wearing Adam's hats, and I think they are so adorable on him!

I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!

A Baby Is Born!

2012-01-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

December 16th will forever hold a special place in my heart. It was the day I became an aunt.

My sister ended up needing an emergency c-section due to some complications at the end of her pregnancy. She called with the news on the 15th. While she tried to keep her blood pressure down by resting, my mom and I went out to purchase all of the last items needed for bringing baby home. By the end of the evening I think we were all wiped out.

The next day, the 16th, Grayson and I went to the hospital where we met up with the mommy and daddy-to-be and several other family members. I was blown away by the calmness that seemed to exude from Katelyn.

Eating through the stash of snacks I'd brought along, and running around with Nana.

Grayson took the opportunity to hug her belly and sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to the baby.

Within no time at all, it was time for Katelyn to be whisked away for surgery.

We went to wait in her room. Don't worry we found ways to entertain ourselves...

We talked to my mom first. She had gone into the operating room and filled us in on how everything went.

Katelyn returned to her recovery room, and Christian was taken to the NICU. I was devestated to learn that Adam and I wouldn't be able to go in since we were just getting over a cold, and Grayson couldn't because he's not old enough. Bummer.

I spent some time with Katelyn over the next few days, and I was thrilled when I was able to finally join them in the NICU to meet Christian for the first time.

What a miracle this little guy is. Over the next two weeks he spent time learning to breathe on his own, eat on his own, and spent a little time working on his tan.

There was a great play area outside of the NICU where Grayson played while I spent time inside. Kerry came out one day to watch a few videos with G.

Several days later we were able to hold him for the first time. He felt so tiny and precious in my arms. God is so good. What a miracle life is. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139: 13-14

After two weeks of sleeping at the hospital or commuting from home in the wee hours, I know Katelyn and Kerry couldn't wait to bring their sweet babe home. Christian passed all of the tests with flying colors, and finally it was time to go home!

My Christmas Helper

2011-12-23T20:56:00.000-08:00

My little gift wrapper help got into the tape! He thought that was pretty funny!

Love this boy's sense of humor.

Family Traditions

2011-12-22T15:30:00.005-08:00

I have a childhood steeped in traditions. Every holiday has its own. I love that, and I have carried on most of them into my own family.

One of those traditions is going to a holiday show together as a family. This year we went to see Mannheim Steamroller. The music was great. Listening to their music I am swept into the Christmas Spirit.

The show was a lot of fun. Katelyn and Kerry were supposed to go with us, but they were obviously unable to go since they were in the hospital. We called Alex and Kellie to fill in, and we loved having them come along. The music was just what I thought it would be, but the videos they played during the show were in one word...AWFUL. They were from the 80s, had nothing to do with the songs and were just, well, awful. We couldn't help but laugh about them the entire time. Oh well.

After dinner we went to the Ikon Grill for Adam's last birthday dinner. We had the mac and cheese bites and the Ikon sundaes. Two of my favorite foods in one night. It was a good night.

Family Day In Seattle

2011-12-20T15:30:00.000-08:00

Adam played hooky from work and our family of three went into downtown Seattle for the afternoon. There are so many fun things to experience there during the holidays. The hustle and bustle of shoppers, the lights and especially the Macy's star, the Salvation Army bells, the warm coffee and sweet treats and Santa sightings. We soaked it all in.

Our first stop was to the Teddy Bear Suite at the Fairmont Hotel. The hotel was decorated in all glitz and glamour, and we followed the signs to the suite. We waited excitedly in line in the hallway (I'm guessing the don't book the rooms near the suite during the holidays since it wouldn't be very relaxing to hear dozens of kids making a ruckus outside your door). We were escorted into a room decorated to the nines and filled to the brim with all sizes of teddy bears. Grayson wasn't quite sure what to do, but eventually settled on hugging every bear he possibly could. He then had his first candy cane on the way out. I'd say it was a good start to our day.

We stopped in at the Sheraton to view the gingerbread house competition. The "houses" were monsterous creations bigger than four Graysons put together. Wow. Worth the wait in line.

By that time, all of us were ready for food so we stopped in at MOD Pizza. Delicious.

Little greybean had had enough at that point, so we headed on home...but first we let him wave hi to Santa.

"Hi Santa!"

I love my little family!

Hubby Turns the Big 3-0!

2011-12-15T15:29:00.000-08:00

Adam turned the big 3-0 this year, and the celebrations are not soon to be forgotten. It was basically a two week long extravaganza. Between work parties, family dinners, his mom coming into town, a big shindig at the house and a dinner on the town...I think he was well celebrated!

We had several of our closest friends and family over to our house for a party. I'll update this post later with more pictures, but I think most of them are on my mom's camera. The house was decked out from top to bottom and we had an enormous Mexican feast with margarita's.

With the help of Alex and Kellie, I put together an amazing playlist of all of the top hits from Adam's lifetime. In the end it ended up being over 10 hours of music...there has been a lot of memorable music created since Adam was born!

We had everyone go downstairs for a game, which was a Scattegories game based on information about Adam. It was a riot!

Next came the cake...

It was a delicious cake I made, but when I lit all 30 candles...the smoke detector went off! Adam wouldn't blow out the candles though until everyone had finished singing happy birthday!

Such a fun evening!

Then on Adam's actual birthday day, I surprised him with reservations at the Dhalia Lounge in Seattle. It is one of my favorite restaurants and he had never been. We both agreed that it was one of the best meals we'd ever had.

I love you Adam and I so thankful to have you in my life!

Snowflake Lane 2011

2011-12-14T15:29:00.000-08:00

Joan was in town, so we thought it would be a great time to visit Snowflake lane in Bellevue. She had never been, and it has become one of our yearly traditions to go. We grabbed dinner, and then raced outside as the drummer started filling the sidewalks.

Grayson loves music more than any kid I know, so you can imagine the look of awe that came over his face when he heard all of those drums! His mouth was wide open for most of the event!

Alex and Kellie came with us. I think we all enjoyed it that much more because of watching it through Grayson's eyes. The holidays have a special magic to them when celebrated with a child.

Getting up close to a drummer with Daddy.

Dancing with Grandma.

Couldn't be stopped from taking in all the sights for a photo.

The big kids of the night. :)

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-09T15:28:00.000-08:00

We took Grayson to the Mill Creek Town Center's Christmas festival. It is an amazing production, and this is what Grayson looked like as soon as we walked by City Hall.

The drum band was playing as they prepared to light the big Christmas tree. He couldn't take his eyes off of the drummers.

We walked down the sidewalks. Store owners passed out candy canes and hot chocolate. We listened to the high school band play and talked about all of the instruments. We watched the people dressed in costume, and we talked to the reindeer.

We saw Tommy and "Tommy Mommy" on our way out and stopped to play for a bit in the "forest" the boys discovered in the midst of the flower bed. Such a fun and festive night to kick off the holiday.

A Little Man Themed Baby Shower

2011-12-09T15:26:00.000-08:00

My sweet sister is expecting her first baby...a baby boy named Christian James. My mom and I threw a shower for her and baby Christian at my parent's house. It was a little man theme, full of mustaches, manly food and bow ties. As guests arrived, they were invited to "wet your whiskers" with a drink.

Every time they took a sip, the mustache was raised to their nose.

The first photo of the little man.

My sis and Christian. We hung the welcome sign made on a chalkboard at the front door.

Love her! (Note: I have on really tall heels and she has on flats.)

Ties were cut from scrapbook paper for a welcome sign.

Grayson allowed us to use his blocks for the decor. We had a few "little man" sayings around the house.

My gift to Katelyn was a slew of burp cloths I made with the softest fabric ever imaginable. I tied them in the middle with ribbon to make them look like bow ties, but it didn't quite give the look I wanted so I added paper bow ties on the front. We used them as a garland hung from the fireplace mantle.

The dessert table was one to write home about. There were several cake stands filled with amazingly delicious cupcakes, then we added various "manly" decor using items handed down from the men in our family. From books, to my grandpa's pocket watch, my great-grandpa's cuff links, to silly ties that belong to my dad. It added a fun and personal touch to the table. We also had mobiles hanging from the light fixture.

I made bow ties and glued them onto toothpicks for the cupcake toppers. So simple to make, and they looked great.

Once everyone had arrived, we asked the guests to have a seat for our first game. We had them get into pairs and handed them a plate with mini marshmallows, toothpicks and a fun size Baby Ruth candy bar. They had 3 minutes to "Build a Bed for Baby Ruth". The only rule was that the candy bar had to be elevated, and then Katelyn chose the winner based on creativity. It was a riot to see what the teams came up with and how they tried to sell their creations to Katelyn.

The second game was also a hit. I had wrapped a gift in many layers, and on each layer was a question. Whoever could answer the question got to take off the next layer. For example one layer said, "Christian will be Katelyn and Kerry's first baby. Who here has the most kids?". Whoever had the most kids was passed the gift to remove another layer. Whoever happened to take off the last layer got to keep the prize. This is a fun game for any event because you cane simply tailor the questions to fit the theme.

Ruffled crepe paper streamers hung in the kitchen over the food table.

The smorgasbord. The food was delicious! I think everyone went back for seconds (and maybe thirds!) We had Manly Mac and Cheese, Beefy Sliders, Bow Tie Pasta Salad and Fruit Kabobs. I later thought we should have named the fruit kabobs "Fruit Swords" to make them more manly.

There are those fabric bow ties again.

A neck tie adorned the flower vase.

While guests ate their food, Katelyn opened all of her gifts. She certainly was showered with love that day! Then we asked a dear family friend to say a prayer for Katelyn and Christian. She was also the one who prayed for Grayson and I at my own baby shower. It was a very special moment.

As the guests left we asked them to take a tie. Each tie was for a different prayer request that covered Katelyn, Kerry and Christian in prayer.

What a special day of blessing for Katelyn and Christian.

My Tuesday Morning Routine

2011-12-08T09:59:00.000-08:00

Every Tuesday morning Grayson and I race into my bedroom at slightest sound of the garbage truck. It comes by twice. One truck comes comes down the street next to us and only comes near our house to turn around. This short sighting almost always leads to cries from Grayson for "More! More babage truck!".

The second sighting of the day is much more exciting. This visit is from the truck who picks up our garbage. Grayson watches in wonder as the garbage man picks up our trash can and tosses it into the truck.

Who knew that garbage could be so thrilling?!

Ahhh...life through the eyes of an almost two year old.

A Flash Into The Future

2011-12-06T20:59:00.001-08:00

I have a feeling that 14 years from now when Grayson asks if he can borrow the car, this is the image that will flash across my eyes. I will think, "There is no way my baby is old enough to drive! His feet can't even touch the pedals!"

Every Toy In The Garage

2011-12-06T20:44:00.000-08:00

When we go outside to play, that usually is the signal to Grayson to get out every single toy from the garage. One by one he pulls out the football, the big ball, the baseball and mitt, a golf club, a bucket, badminton racket, and any other toy he can find in the garage. By the end of our play time the front yard is usually covered in toys.

I'm behind on posts, so this was actually from the Sunday before Thanksgiving. We like to keep Sundays as family days as much as possible, and this Sunday was no exception. We were able to enjoy the crisp fall air together at home. Sundays have become such special days for our family. A time to reconnect, rest and be intentional in our time spent together.

Grayson watched in amazement as Adam threw the football high into the air. Adam is Grayson's hero. Grayson will often run through the house either declaring that he's fast like Daddy or flying like Superman.

If you look closely at this picture you can see Grayson's extra tooth. It's been there for quite some time now. A family friend who is a dentist checked it out for us and said it should just fall out with his other baby teeth without any problems.

Grayson had been helping me in the yard right before this picture. He grabbed his bucket and loaded it with leaves...and then seconds later dumped them back out.

In awe of Daddy throwing the ball up high.

He didn't want to stop playing to pause for a picture.

Oh Tannenbaum

2011-12-05T22:01:00.000-08:00

On Sunday after church we got our Christmas tree. There are no pictures of the actual event because Grayson was starting to get sick, and I'll admit it that I wasn't in the best of moods that afternoon. I know. Who can be in a bad mood when getting a Christmas tree. Just keeping it real here...and explaining the lack of photos.

We got home and G immediately went down for a nap. Little Christmas elves scurried in while he slept and set up the tree. When Grayson awoke we told him there was a surprise in the family room. he walked around the corner and his face lit up!

A tree in our house? He thought it was pretty great. Of course he gave it kisses and hugs. He was very excited about the ornaments as well. He wanted to look at all of them, and he helped hang a few, but mostly enjoyed passing ornament hooks to Adam and I.

Now our home feels complete. Christmas music plays, our stocking are hung on the mantle, all the decorations are up and now the wonderful smell of evergreen fills our home. I love this time of year.

Turkey Day 2011

2011-12-01T21:01:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving weekend actually began on Wednesday afternoon with a trek over the mountains to the cabin. We don't have a car that can handle the snow, so Adam, Grayson, Duke, myself and all of our bags piled into my parent's car...along with them, their two dogs and their things. Luckily, my parents had done a trip over the previous weekend and had left the majority of their things but we were still packed to the gills!

The cabin was just beautiful. Snow covered the ground, it was incredibly silent and the lake was like glass. You immediately feel yourself relaxing and letting go of every thought and worry you may have had at home.

A gal in my bible study had given us a baby sled, so we took G out for a spin.

The roads were clear so we ditched the sled and took off on foot. We got about 5 feet before Grayson was distracted by the snow. You'll notice the pink mittens he's wearing throughout the weekend. We realized we'd left his mittens at home, so we borrow some from my parent's house. These were actually the mittens I wore when I was little.

Amazed by the white stuff all over the ground.

I love this picture. I wonder how many more I'll just that are identical to this one over the years. Daddy and son throwing snow balls together.

Love.

Family photo op.

The cabin.

Driving trucks on Papa's chest...and pausing for a hug in between tickles!

I love this picture because you can see Grayson beaming while getting what I'm sure was a horse bite. Grayson was running up to all of us giving horse bites during the weekend.

On Thanksgiving day we had several family members come over to the cabin to enjoy the feast together. Sadly I didn't take a single picture that entire evening!

We went out for a (nearly mandatory) drive to Plain Hardware on Friday. Grayson made a bee line for the toy aisle and became enthralled with the cars and trucks he found there. Nana and Papa couldn't resist, and they bought a VW Bug for the cabin.

It is a Thanksgiving tradition to have an enormous bonfire at the cabin. We work during the end of the fall gathering the beach debris into a large pile that the boys then take great delight in burning.

What a beautiful sight. I can't help but thank God for his creativity when I am surround by such beauty.

Adam and I were able to take a walk every day together. I so enjoyed having that time together.

Lounging on Nana and Papa's bed.

Hard to imagine that some day his feet will fill those boots!

Playing cars with Nana. He would "crash" the car and then call for Mater the tow truck (his current favorite car) to come help.

Other highlights of the weekend: quiet mornings cuddling with G watching cartoons, building forts, reading, watching movies, eating and eating and eating, a new cozy bed, time together as a family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wordless Wednesday - Morning Frost

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

Bike Ride With Papa

2011-11-21T20:37:00.000-08:00

The other day my dad stopped by for a short visit. Grayson had been playing in the garage, and quickly asked Papa to take him on a bike ride to see if the "Big Dog" (the Great Dane who lives around the corner from us) was out. Of course Papa obliged.

Coming to get Mommy!

He has been insisting on wearing my helmet whenever he rides his bike. It looks so cute on him!

"Big Dog" wasn't out that day and it was cold, so the bike ride was short but he sure had fun!

A List of Thanks

2011-11-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

I have been talking with Grayson a lot this week about what Thanksgiving is. I think he remembers that it's about things we love and turkey. Haha!

I asked him the other day to tell me all of the things he is thankful for. Here was his list:

Daddy, Mommy, Nana, Papa, Katelyn, Kerry, Bauer, Bobo, Harley, Uncle Alex, Kellie, Grandma, Grandpa, Duke, trucks, school buses, diggers, dump trucks and tractors. I love the things an almost 2 year old is thankful for.

The photo above has nothing to do with this post, but it was a fun picture from an afternoon spent at home. Instead of just coloring on paper, I let G spend a little time coloring in the tub with his tub crayons. He thought it was great!

Our Personal Photographer

2011-11-18T09:14:00.004-08:00

A friend and co-worker of Adam's was at Jackson's birthday party. He just also happens to be a fantastic photographer, and he captured some great shots of G at the party.

The highlight of the party for Grayson...the train table.

Charles the clown getting into costume.

Grayson watching from afar.

Very nervous about sitting so close to the clown, but very excited about the balloon animal!

Grayson's First Prayer

2011-11-18T09:14:00.001-08:00

Each night we pray with Grayson before we put him to bed. Adam and I take turns thanking God for all He has given us, the fun adventures we had that day and the people we love in our life. Often we'll ask G is he wants to pray too. Usually he says, "No" or "Mommy turn" or "Daddy turn", but last week he said he would pray!

I started by saying, "Dear Jesus", and Grayson (in his own way) said "Thank you for this day" since that is what he has heard us say so many times. He went on to thank Jesus for Tommy, Papa, Nana, Grandpa, Grandma, Bobo and Harley, Duke and Daddy.

My heart melted. I'm even tearing up while I write this. Why? Because there is such a huge responsibility placed on the shoulders of Christian parents to teach your kids about how amazing God is and to be an example for them of what a Christian life should look like. To start to see Grayson responding to what we're teaching him is incredibly encouraging and such a blessing.

A Three Year Old's Birthday Party

2011-11-16T14:25:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning we attended the third birthday of one of Adam's co-worker's sons. We walked into the playroom of their home and were greeted by a dozen running/yelling/laughing kids. Grayson jumped right into the fun and was particularly fascinated by the train table. I think he would have played right there the entire afternoon if we let him!

They had a clown visit the party, and I thought Grayson might be a little apprehensive. The clown, Charles, did a a great job though and made part of his routine involve getting into his clown costume. Both of my boys were enjoying the show.

At the end, the clown made balloon animals for all of the kids. Grayson really wanted one, but didn't want to sit too close to Charles the clown.

Happy with his balloon dog. We ate our fill of pizza and cake, and overall had a really fun time!

A Fall Run

2011-11-15T14:40:00.001-08:00

I did something new this morning. I went running with someone else. I used to run in college, but I took some time off due to bad knees. I have since started running again, and I've found that if I keep a slowish, steady pace my knees can hold up.

My slow pace has made me feel nervous to try and run with someone else, but I decided to give it a try. I met up with a friend on the Kirkland waterfront. With Bobs in tow, we took off along the leaf covered streets in the crisp morning air.

It turns out that we were in conversation for so long that we really didn't run much, but it was a good start to running with someone else. At the end of our run/walk we let the kids play at the park. These darling kids loved going down the slide, running through the leaves and climbing on the stairs. It was a perfect fall day.

Hudson. He really is a flirt already with those adorable dimples.

Playing on the train. Choo! Choo!

I love leaves. LOVE.

This picture makes me smile.

Celebrating Baby Day

2011-11-15T14:08:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, a friend of Katelyn's hosted her first baby shower. It was such a surreal moment to realize that I was there for the baby that my baby sister would be having!

Here is the host, Heather, and Katelyn. They are due within a week of each other!

The monkey outfit was a perfect fit for my sister whose nickname is Monkeyhead (My name was Princess...fitting...I know. Ha!).

Katelyn's sister-in-law and mother-in-law. Grayson has been talking about Jennifer (on the left) when he talks about Baby Day. He remembers the cupcake he ate at the reveal party, and it was Jennifer who gave it to him. He has a special place in his heart now for Jennifer. :)

Katelyn and Lisa, a good friend of hers for many years.

Silliness.

I love my Mom and sis!

The youngest of only two boys at the party.

What a special day for my sister. I'm so happy that I was able to help her celebrate!

Wordless Wednesday - Tub Time at Nana and Papa's

2011-11-15T09:09:00.000-08:00

The Big 5-5

2011-11-14T22:58:00.001-08:00

Last night we helped my dad celebrate his birthday (a day early). We all met at a local restaurant called Tablas for dinner. There was a kids play corner for Grayson. He had a lot of fun, but it was also distracting from us trying to get him to focus on eating dinner. He loved the toys though, and a few tears were shed when we told him we were leaving. Oh the tragic life of a 22 month old!

My sister, G and I. We had just celebrated her little baby the day before (pictures of that coming soon!).

The three Days.

Not the greatest pic, but it's the only one I had of my hubby from the dinner!

Dad_ _ and Mom _ _. :)

Grayson was very excited to sing happy birthday to his Papa. In fact, he'd been practicing all day! He was equally excited to help blow out the candle. I wish I had taken a picture of the card we gave to my dad. Grayson made it. It was a card covered in stickers and crayon drawings. On the inside I asked him what he wanted to say to Papa. He said, "Love Papa! Hi Papa! Bye Papa! Papa! Papa!". Haha...I think this kid loves his Papa!

I love you too Daddy and I hope you had a wonderful birthday!

Singin' In The Rain

2011-11-12T22:47:00.000-08:00

We have had some very rainy and stormy days lately here in the Pacific Northwest. On those days my favorite thing to do is curl up with a cup of coffee and a good book, or hunker down in front of the fire playing trucks with Grayson.

However, when we do go out in the dreary rain, Grayson now has something to bring a smile to the face of anyone who happens to be around...a bright yellow duck umbrella!

We went out for lunch on Friday with my dear friend, and Grayson loved every moment of the trek inside. The only thing missing was his rain boots so he could jump in the puddles!

Wordless Wednesday - Words To Live By

2011-11-09T14:59:00.000-08:00

Blessings Leaf Garland

2011-11-09T14:12:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I have been reflecting on all that I have to be thankful for. There are the big things like God loving little 'ol me with such an all encompassing, unfathomable love. The fact that He saw fit to put me in the family I have, in the country I am in, and at the time I live in. The beautiful home that we've been blessed with that is warm, cozy and comfortable. The food that I'm able to put on the table each night as my family gathers together for dinner.

Then there are the little things that are not to be forgotten. The changing leaves, and the crisp air that greets Grayson and I on our morning walks. The arrival of red Starbucks cups that signal the beginning of the holiday season (See, not everything I'm thankful for is deeply profound). The way my son giggles when I kiss his neck and tickle his toes.

God has given us much to be thankful for, and in this season I don't want to forget all of the big and little gifts.

Ever since I was a little girl my family has kept a Thanksgiving container which is really an old Pringles jar covered in pretty paper. Each year we write on slips of paper things we're thankful for, then we sit around the Thanksgiving dinner table and read all of the slips of paper. It is a tradition that I look forward to every year.

This year I decided that I didn't want to save that moment for that one day, but I want to remember my blessings throughout the month. So I made a leaf garland that I've hung in our family room. We will write our blessings (big and small) on the leaves, and each year we'll add to it until the leaves are covered in thankfulness.

I cut out the leaves from fall colored paper using this template among others. I added paint chips, ribbons, book page and hymnal leaves, and simply sewed them together in one long garland.

I love how it turned out, and I love the reminder it will serve for years to come of all we have to be thankful for.

A Car Ride With An Almost 2 Year Old

2011-11-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

Before I was a Mommy there was so much that I missed during a simple car ride to the store. Garbage trucks were off my radar. Who knew that trucks packed with refuse could be such an exciting sight?

Construction sights were a place to be avoided, but now getting stuck in traffic next to road construction truly makes for an exciting outing. Diggers, bulldozers, dump trucks, steam rollers, cement trucks, hard hats, dirt...endless joy!

School buses, city buses, BIG trucks, boats, tow trucks are talked about endlessly in our car these days. He also calls every maroon colored car "Mommy's car" and every silver car "Daddy's car".

As if there wasn't enough excitement outside, Grayson is thrilled to be listening to the classical music station on the radio. He gets giddy when he can hear the piano, guitar, violin, cello, trumpet and drums.

I usually keep a few toys or books in the car, but they are rarely (if ever) used! An entirely new world has been opened up to me through the eyes of my almost 2 year old.

Family Outing

2011-11-07T13:38:00.000-08:00

Saturday was a sunny, crisp fall day and we ventured out in search of adventure as a family. We started out with a first ever trip to Five Guys Burgers. We had heard a lot about it, and wanted to try it out. Although I'm not a big of fast food, I am a BIG fan of sharing a meal with either or both of these two guys...

Adam and G both loved the food (Grayson's first time eating at a fast food restaurant!), and I thought it was ok (remember that I'm not a fast food fan).

After lunch we went to a nearby park to get in a little exercise.

Grayson says, "Hi Mommy! Hi Daddy!" the entire time to make sure we're watching him and he can show off.

"Smush your nose Grayson!"

Grayson likes to go limp on the swing, and he's also been lifting his hands in the air like he's on a roller coaster. He thinks it hysterical! And truth be told...we do to!

A Day In The Life

2011-11-05T14:12:00.001-07:00

I had such a wonderful morning with Grayson yesterday. We started our day with a trip to the library where we loaded up on new books about all kinds of construction equipment.

Our next stop was the Bothell Landing park where we walked to the bridge to check out the ducks.

Next on the agenda was a visit to Hillcrest Bakery for a muffin. The booths were full, so we sat on a bench out front in the sun to enjoy our treat. Grayson shared a little of it with me.

Our last stop was a first time visit to Mills Music where Grayson explored all of the amazing instruments. We mostly listen to classical music in the car, and G loves to point out when he hears the piano, guitar, drums, violin and sometimes cello. Imagine his amazement at seeing all of those instruments right in front of him.

I love this boy, and I love how he helps me see again all of the small treasures of our days.

My Little Bumblebee

2011-11-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

The original plan was for Grayson to be a corn hole game board for Halloween. He loves the game, and we thought it would be a creative costume. I made the costume, beanbags and all, but when it came time to try it on...Grayson would have nothing to do with it! I made one final attempt at getting the little man to try on his costume by cutting out arm holes. Well, he put it on but now he looked like a corn hole robot since he wouldn't lower his arms.

On to Plan B...we raided my parent's dress up box. I dug out a

bumblebee costume that is very special. It was the costume I wore when I was little, and it was handmade by my mom. Even the original antennas were found. I re-dipped the antennas in gold glitter and stuffed the costume full of every plastic bag I could find in our house, and we had ourselves the most darling little bumblebee I have ever laid eyes on!

We went down to the Mill Creek Town Center for a little trick-or-treating. We had gone last year, but this was the first time that Grayson would be able to participate in the gathering of candy.

Checking out his reflection in the parking lot before his big debut at the town center.

We went into Starbucks while we waited for family to arrive...and we quickly left. This little bee was acting as though he'd eaten his way through a bag of candy (even though he hadn't had even one lick!).

Much more room to roam (and buzz and fly and jump and run) outside.

The side view. Check out that stinger!

The happiest little bee. He had no idea what was going on, but he was thrilled to be given gifts (aka candy) at every store front.

Roaming the sidewalk with Nana.

My parents and Katelyn and Kerry all met up with us for the event.

CANDY! The one thing we forgot was a bag for all his candy. We improvised and used Nana's purse. He'd get the candy, turn and slam dunk the candy into her purse.

"Flying" with Daddy and Papa. He was getting into full character.

Family photo.

Pointing out the moon at the end of the night. Grayson's love of the moon has continued. Once he sees it I think he'd be content watching it all night. He has also started counting stars!

After getting a good candy stash, we went back home and shared chili with my parents (a Halloween tradition in my family). And, I'll admit it, Adam and I ate Grayson's candy. Maybe next year we'll let him eat his stash...we'll see. :)

I Love Pumpkins

2011-10-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I love all things pumpkin. Pumpkin desserts, pumpkin bread, pumpkin in my oatmeal, pumpkin scented candles, decorating with pumpkins...you name it, I love it. So every year I get excited about carving our yearly pumpkin. This was the first year that Grayson was able to participate in this tradition, and we all loved every moment of it.

At first he was a little hesitant about shoving his hands into the gooey mess, but he soon was up to his elbows in it. He diligently pulled out handfuls of goo and seeds and placed them in a bowl. Then (with Adam's help) he drew a face onto the pumpkin which Adam then carved out.

I loved how excited Grayson was about the project, and how focused he was!

A second after this picture was taken he tried tasting the pumpkin goo...he was not happy with the results. :)

The final masterpiece!

A New Piece of Furniture

2011-10-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I purchased this slide for Grayson. I found it on Craigslist for $10. The hours of entertainment it will bring is priceless!

G loves it, and I love that he can climb on it all on his own. This has been especially handy when I'm making dinner.

He loves trying new things on it. He'll slide down with his hands in the air, on his blanket, cash into a pile of pillows, on his stomach or he'll race cars down it.

I love seeing such pure joy on this little boy's face!

Wordless Wednesday - Visit to Nana's Classroom

2011-10-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

Move Over Starbucks, There's a New Scone In Town

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

We had a first! Grayson and I baked together for the first time, and the results were outstanding! We made pumpkin spice scones. I love getting Starbuck's pumpkin scones, and these are even better. A very similar taste, but they are much more...moist (ugh, I hate the word moist but there really isn't another word to describe these).
Testing the dough.
All of the cooking wore G out, but he had a lot of fun. I pulled a chair over to the counter for him to stand on. I would fill the measuring cups, and he would dump them into the bowl. He whisked the eggs and kneaded the dough.

The scones were devoured quickly, and my second batch just came out of the oven.
Pumpkin Spice Scones

by Sugar Crafter

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 stick butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp maple syrup

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1-2 tsp milk

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices.

Cut the butter into tablespoon-sized pieces, and using a pastry blender, incorporate it into dry ingredients.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, milk and maple syrup.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Separate the dough into halves. Shape each half of dough into a circle, and then cut each half into four wedges.

Place the scones in the freezer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg.

When the scones are ready to be baked, put them right in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool before drizzling with the glaze.

Force yourself to put some aside because you will be temped to eat them all in one sitting!

To Grandmother's House We Go

2011-10-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend my mom, Grayson and I went to my Grandma Lily's house. We went with the intention of helping to get her house cleaned up a bit, and boy did we clean! Although the majority of the weekend was spent scrubbing and scouring, I also spent a lot of time laughing with my mom and reminiscing while looking at old family items.

It was a beautiful weekend, and Grayson and I spent some time racing in the backyard, throwing leaves in the air and playing soccer.

Grayson showed Grandma Lily his favorite games on the IPad. They were both pretty tickled about it. :)

My musical boy asked Nana to bring his guitar and "monica" for him. We had many jam sessions over the weekend. When Grandma Dorothy came for a visit she even did a jig while G played the guitar!

We spent Saturday night and Sunday at the cabin. It was beautiful there, and so relaxing. Much needed after a couple days of hard work.

My Fall Wreath

2011-10-25T13:47:00.001-07:00

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the sounds, the smells, the crisp air and cozy fires, and the colors. I felt that my front porch needed a burst of color for the fall season. Believe it or not, this wreath was made from coffee filters!

I followed this tutorial. I soaked both brown and white coffee filters in acrylic paint mixed with water. I used pink, orange, yellow, red and rusty brown. Allow the filters to dry on paper towels (My counter was covered with drying filters for a few days).

Follow the tutorial above to create flowers of all sizes. It takes some time, but I did it over a couple of days while watching movies.

Use hot glue to glue flowers onto a grapevine wreath. I added pine cones and leaves that I already had at home for more of a fall look.

I tied the wreath in the back with a golden cord and hung it on my front door. I love the way my front porch looks with this beautiful wreath!

First Movie Date

2011-10-24T21:47:00.001-07:00

We had a cozy afternoon at home last week. Grayson and I got cuddled up under the blanket, with a bowl of fishies and apple dee-dee (aka apple juice), and watched his first movie. He's seen Elmo and other cartoons, but this was his first feature film.

(Side note: Please excuse the random sock that joined us on the couch. Duke likes to "hide" Adam's running socks in between the couch cushions. Strange dog.)

The movie was How to Train Your Dragon, and it was very cute. We watched it in pieces and finally finished it this afternoon. Of course Grayson's attention didn't last much longer once the fishy crackers were gone, but he was still talking about the "Dragon Show" this evening when he told Adam about our day.

Wordless Wednesday - When Did My Baby Get So Big?

2011-10-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

Hidden Meadows Open House

2011-10-18T21:52:00.000-07:00

My full time job is being a stay-at-home mom for Grayson. I love it, and I consider myself a very blessed woman. However, in my former life I was very involved in events of all kinds. From private parties to weddings to large VIP corporate events. A few months before Grayson was born I decided would be the perfect time to start my own company. Crazy, I know! Bluebird Signature Events was created with the intention that I would have the ability to be a stay-at-home mom but also keep a toe in the events industry. Since then I have been blessed to work with some amazing families. I have worked with brides who I now consider friends. I have helped to create amazing and unforgettable events that were a combination of vision and planning from the bride and sweat and hard work on our end. I feel like I have the best of both worlds.

I was honored to be asked to participate in Hidden Meadow's annual open house again this year. It is a fabulous event intended for bride's to meet face to face with a variety of vendors all under one roof. It ends up being somewhat like a mini wedding expo.

I love being a part of this event. Each time I try to create a table that will capture attendee's attention, as well as give them a small glimpse into who I am. This year I decided to go with a fall/nature theme. Most items I used were just from around my house. Unfortunately, I was having so much fun at the event that I completely forgot to take a picture of my table! I set up what I had left at home on my kitchen table so I could get a couple shots.

Photos places in glass containers with pieces of twigs, bark and moss.

My company name created with cutout letters on a variety of fall colored paper. I strung the letters on twin and hung them on a chalkboard I had at home.

Fall wreaths hung from the front of my table. I will be posting more about the center wreath in an upcoming post.

The Past Couple of Days

2011-10-18T21:31:00.000-07:00

I have several things to that I want to write down here on the blog that I unfortunately don't have pictures of. Note to self...make sure you put the camera back in your purse after charging it!

Here are a couple of random pictures because well, what is a post without pictures?!

This was snack time a couple days ago. He say he loves eating fishy crackers would be an understatement. Whenever we ask Grayson about what he did at church in the nursery he says something along the lines of, "Trucks, buggy, fishy crackers, no more!, water, no more!". I have a feeling that after 3+ rounds of the crackers they are having to cut him off every time. He may never stop if they didn't do that! Ha!

This was after snack time. He was getting a little tired, but don't be fooled...he's not asleep. He jumped up not even a second later to start running around the room!

Greenlake: Grayson loves babies. He points them out to me where ever we are, and will constantly say "baby!" until I acknowledge them as well. Yesterday we went on a walk around Greenlake with a friend and her new little girl. Grayson was on cloud nine with anticipation of seeing baby Mackenzie. The entire morning when asked what he would say to the baby, he responded, "Hi. Bebe. Kenzie.". Love that sweet boy!

Construction: Grayson has as of late, been very interested in construction equipment. Yesterday I took him over to a construction site near our house that he always talks about as we drive by. He points out the diggers while we're waiting at the light, and then says "Bye bye digga!" as we drive away. At the construction site we were able to walk right up to all of the action (aka a giant digger filling in a hole and a tractor pushing pebbles into a pile). Grayson LOVED it! I have not seen him this excited about something...maybe ever. He was pointing, smiling, telling me over and over that there was a tractor! The construction workers were very nice about it and got a kick out of seeing how excited he was. They even stopped the tractor to say goodbye and so Grayson could say thank you. Having a boy is so much fun!

Babies: We went over to another friend's house this morning to meet her brand new baby girl, Grace. Grayson talked about meeting baby Grace all morning, but I was very embarrassed to see that he was not at all interested when we got there and actually was a little rough with her. Working with such a strong willed child has been difficult (this week especially). God is teaching both Grayson and I how to conform to His will through this new phase of discipline. Being a parent is hard work, and it is a task that I can only take on with God's help. This is a lesson that I have been learning (several times a day) lately.

Funny: I'll end on a lighter note. Grayson started saying something last week that is hilarious. I was saying/doing something that he thought was funny, so G looked at me and said "Funny Mama". He's saying that now whenever he thinks someone is funny. He'll also say that they are silly.

The Nanas and the Papas

2011-10-17T21:46:00.000-07:00

On Friday Grayson had a sleepover at my parent's house. Meanwhile, Adam and I went out for dinner at the Purple Cafe, ate far too much food, and then went to a Who Wants to be a Millionaire party to watch a friend's appearance on the show. (FYI: He walked away with $1000 which I think isn't awful considering how hard the new format/questions are!)

When we picked Grayson up in the morning my dad informed me that they had done it all. Played with all of the toys, read books, gave him a bath, played with the dogs, ran through the halls...and formed a band called the Nanas and the Papas. Ha!

I come from a musical family, so it only makes sense that they would have a box full of musical instruments for G to play with at their house. My mom had given Grayson a child size guitar which I'm told he was inseparable from until they "put it to bed" for the night in the guitar case. My dad said that their band consisted of my mom playing the fish rattle, my dad playing the rake and Grayson playing lead guitar. Ha!

Before we went home that morning, Grayson hopped up to the piano where he began composing his first symphony.

Outside Playtime!

2011-10-13T13:37:00.000-07:00

The sunshine made an appearance this afternoon, so we took full advantage of it by playing in our front yard. Grayson loves pulling out every single ball we have in the garage. First it's the basketball, then the baseball/bat/mitt, the golf ball/club, football, and bouncy ball.

The gardeners were working in the neighborhood, and Grayson wanted to copy them by trying to mow our lawn.

Watching the gardeners use the blower on the sidewalks. It was amazing how cool he thought that was. :)

Think fast mom!

Pretending to shoot hoops!

Love the sunshine!

New Bed for the Cabin

2011-10-13T13:28:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week we helped my mom test out new beds for the cabin. Grayson loved assisting by jumping on the beds and cuddling with Nana!

Coffee

2011-10-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

Recently Grayson has said a few things involving coffee that I need to record just so I don't forget them! For a long time he has been interested in coffee. When he says it, it sounds more like "cogne". We not sure how the "gn" made it into this word. :) I pull out a mug in the morning, and I hear, "Cogne Mama! Hot cogne.". This happened until last week when Grayson suddenly started saying "coffee". I'm proud of him for learning a new word, but also a little sad that I will never hear "cogne" again.

The other coffee related story involves Starbucks. Grayson has visited Starbucks only a handful of times, but it was one of his early words. Grayson likes to talk about where everyone is during the day. He'll say, "Dadda. Work. Office." or "Gama. Home". He also talks about his friends Tommy and Daniel a lot. Yesterday he said, "Tommy. Home.", and then he told me, "Daniel. Workin.". Ha! I said, "Daniel is at work? Where does he work?". Grayson responded with a smile, "Starbucks. Daniel work Starbucks.". I had no idea Starbucks hired such young employees!

Words from the FOB

2011-10-12T14:44:00.000-07:00

At my last wedding of the season, the Father of the Bride gave a heartfelt toast. I wanted to remember these words...

"My prayer for you is that you look back 30 years from now and realize that you loved each other the least today."

What a difference from what our culture tells us marriage should be for us. Rather than falling out of love as the years go by, what a blessing to be even more in love with each passing year.

Mall Fun For All Ages

2011-10-10T14:12:00.000-07:00

Last week Stan, Joan, Grayson and I went over to the mall. They treated Grayson to some new clothes and shoes. Once we all needed a break from shopping, we went over to check out the kids play area. Grayson loves dancing all over the interactive screen pad out front...

and climbing all over the toys!

We topped off our day with a yummy lunch at Panera!

5 Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Gate...

2011-10-09T21:56:00.000-07:00

While Adam's family was visiting, we all gathered together to visit the Swans Hill Farm in Snohomish to pick out pumpkins. They have an amazing set up there, complete with a petting zoo, duck races, a great kids play area, oodles of pumpkins and delicious food.

Walking in with Uncle Al.

Checking out the animals with Papa. He loved the pigs and the donkey!

He was a little apprehensive about petting the kitten. G gave a quick touch with his finger and then jumped away with a huge smile on his face.

Driving the tractor. He kept making "vrooming" noises and pretending to honk the horn.

My little pumpkin.

The Lewis Family.

The Day, Lewis, Johnson Family.

We left with cars full of pumpkins (Grayson wanted to pick out one for Mama, Dadda, Grayson and Duke), tummies full of pumpkin chicken chili, boots covered in mud and smiles on our faces. A perfect afternoon.

Playing Dress Up

2011-10-09T14:38:00.000-07:00

Grayson loves to dress up, and he was thrilled when he got his hands on Grandpa Stan's glasses and phone.

This is the face he made when he first put them on. Haha!

He continued to put on quite the show for us as he posed in the glasses and pretended to call everyone from Tommy (his good friend) to Papa to Duke!

Last Lunch Date

2011-10-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

My dear sweet sister-in-law has taken on a new job and will be ending her time at Hidden Meadows. For this reason we wanted to make sure to squeeze in one last lunch date in Snohomish. It was perfect timing since Stan and Joan had flown in last night. We packed up and met Kellie at her work.

Grayson loved all of the pumpkins the Stockers have all over the property.

Grayson loves the fountain.

Doing a dance for us on the gazebo.

Look at that sweet smile! After the impromptu photo shoot, we went into town for some grub at Grillia Bites and a mini cupcake from Simply Sweet.

Wordless Wednesday - Chalkboard Quote: My Home

2011-10-05T09:24:00.000-07:00

My Very Own Gallery Wall

2011-09-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been working on several crafty projects around my house, and one that I am most proud of at the moment is the gallery wall featured in our master bedroom. I love thrifting, and I usually end up digging through the frames whenever I go. All of the frames on my gallery wall were under $5.00 from thrift stores. Not only that, but most of the artwork was free! Let me walk you through the details...

The eye chart quote is from a website aptly named Eye Chart Maker. Type in any quote or saying your heart desires, and presto! you have a custom made eye chart. I printed the striped paper from Jones Design Company.

Once again I printed the gingham paper from Jones Design Company. Then I used Microsoft Word to make the personalized monograms.

I have been searching to try and find where this subway art came from without any luck. It was something I found online though...free.

This picture is so special to me, and I love that it's in our room where we see it every day. There are so many memories and emotions wrapped up in this one photo. This was taken two days after Grayson was born. We were still in the hospital, and were just packing up our bags to head home for the first time as a family of three. Grayson is wrapped in a blanket I knit for him, praying for my sweet babe as I created it. Such a special moment.

The brooch in the next frame over is the one I wore on our wedding day. It's gorgeous.

These brooches are my great-grandma's. She had amazing style, and I love having these beautiful pieces on display. One thing that is important to me is to decorate with pieces that have meaning and a history. Rather than packing away family heirlooms and treasures, I like to use them to bring meaning to my home's decor. I've attached them to the frame on ribbon that I wove together and hot glued onto the frame.

So there you go...my first gallery wall!

First Electric Horse Ride

2011-09-29T21:56:00.001-07:00

This morning Grayson and I drove to Issaquah to buy a slide from a mom on Craigslist. He loves the slide! It is going to give hours of entertainment! In fact quite a few tears were shed when I told him we needed to say good night to the slide.

Side story...on the way there I was handing him pieces of his snack. He would say "Snack...peese", I would hand him a piece and he'd say "Ich qu" (aka thank you). He then switched it up when I handed him another piece, and he responded "Gracias!". Haha! I guess Kellie's Spanish lesson the other night stuck with him! I now have a bi-lingual child. Ha!

We ran a few errands to pick up clothes for this growing boy, and got groceries. Grayson asked to see the horse on the way out, so I let him go for his first "horse" ride. He loved it! He didn't want it to end and kept asking for more!

Bats!

2011-09-29T21:11:00.001-07:00

We have had an invasion of bats in our family room! The colony (yes, that is what a group of bats is called) swooped in last night and they are here to stay to help make our house festive for Halloween. I love how they turned out!

I originally found the idea here, which was created from this template from Country Living. It is such a simple project. Simply use the template to create dozens of bats on black construction paper, then use double stick tape to attach them to your wall.

Grayson joined the decorating frenzy by putting up these window clings. He keeps talking about the bats and "punkins" on the window. Every now and then he'll peel one off and move it to another spot on the door.

Our house certainly feels festive now!

What I Want

2011-09-28T21:35:00.000-07:00

"I want a life that sizzles and pops and makes me laugh out loud. And I don't want to get to the end, or to tomorrow even, and realize that my like is a collection of meetings and pop cans and errands and receipts and dirty dishes. I want to eat cold tangerines and sing loud in the car with the windows open and wear pink shoes and stay up all night laughing and paint my walls the exact color of the sky right now [sunset]. I want to sleep hard on clean white sheets and throw parties and eat ripe tomatoes and read books so good they make me jump up and down and I want my everyday to make God belly laugh, glad that he gave life to someone who loves the gift, who will use it up and wring it out and drag it around like a favorite sweater."

-Shauna Niequist, Cold Tangerines

A and K Visit

2011-09-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

Alex and Kellie came over for dinner on Sunday.

They showered Grayson with loves,

he showed them all this toys and showed off tricks like headstands and dancing,

we went for a walk/bike ride and played at the neighborhood park,

we ate lots of pizza,

and we all had fun!

Love family!

Wordless Wednesday - Chalkboard Quote: Summer

2011-09-28T05:21:00.000-07:00

A Creative Boy

2011-09-25T21:27:00.000-07:00

They say that the best gift for kids is a box. That may be true! This week Grayson turned an empty diaper box into a slide all on his own! I love the creativity I see in him! He entertained himself for a long time. He'd climb up, slide down, jump up saying "Fun!", and do it again. Over and over and over!

Family Time

2011-09-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Adam, Grayson and I snuck away to the cabin for some family time with just the three of us. Before we started our trek over the mountains, we stopped by a friend's Husky tailgate themed birthday party. Between the corn hole, ladder golf, two sweet dogs, delicious tailgate food, football playing on a tv outside and lots of attention from the party goers...Grayson was in heaven. We stayed until he was near melting down, and then we were on our way.

This was greeting us when we got there. The weather the next morning wasn't as great, but it was cozy.

We went for a walk in the misty rain, watched movies, ate yummy food, and spent time together. Of course LOTS of rocks were thrown into the lake as well!

Grayson thought he was pretty cool sitting up high on the big log that washed ashore this year. My little boy with no fear tried pushing Dad's hands away and standing up on his own. Um...no thank you Grayson!

Love this picture.

We got up early Monday and headed back home (Adam was in a golf tournament that afternoon, so he was playing hooky from work that day.). Grayson cuddled with Elmo for most of the ride home. He was cheek to cheek with Elmo right before I snapped this pic. Also, notice the big kid who's now facing forward in his car seat! We have been holding out (for too long), and finally flipped him around. He loves it! I love looking back at him and getting sweet smiles in return.

What Will It Bee?

2011-09-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

On Monday I was honored to be able to go to Katelyn's 20 week ultrasound...that's the big one. The one where you get to find out if the baby is the boy or a girl! It was so much fun seeing the sweet profile of Baby Day, looking at it's kicking toes and arms curled up to it's face. There was a catch though...Katelyn and Kerry weren't going to find out what the baby was...yet.

The tech turned off the monitor when she knew we'd be able to see something revealing. Once we had left the room, the tech wrote down the sex on a paper and sealed it in an envelope. The mama and daddy-to-be took the envelope into the baker who made cupcakes filled with either pink or blue frosting.

There are the cupcakes!

Cute decorations made by my creative sister.

A photographer in the making!

We wore the color (either pink or blue) that we thought matched the baby! The ipad is my Dad who was at the party via facetime, and he was guessing it would be a girl.

Everyone else was guessing it would be a boy!

Katelyn and Kerry bit into the cupcakes first...and Kerry's mouth full of frosting gave it away!

They are having a...

BOY!!!

Grayson even got to bite into a cupcake with Kerry's sister, Jennifer.

I see blue!

They asked us to write down name suggestions for Baby Boy Day. Grayson suggested "Elmo Song".

Grayson was coming off of a sugar high from the cupcakes (and it was two hours) past his bedtime, so he was getting a little fussy. Uncle Kerry saved the day with Sesame Street.

It was such a fun night, and such a creative idea!

Another boy in the family...us girls are officially outnumbered!

A One-Sided Water Fight

2011-09-15T20:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning we went to the first annual NAMES 5k which was set up by the family of a good friend of ours, Nic Madrazo, who was killed in Afghanistan nearly three years ago. The money from the run goes towards purchasing calling cards for soldiers to use to call home while overseas. The run was a lot of fun. G and I just watched, but we saw so old friends who were there to support Nic's family. Adam ran the race and won! 3.3 miles in under 22 minutes! Wow!

After the run we had a quick play date with some friends and then I spent the afternoon at my parent's house. The weather was amazing, so Grayson began asking for the hose and "wa-wa" since it was fresh in his mind from playing the day before. My dad was more than happy to oblige.

Grayson tried to simultaneously catch the water in his mouth and with his hands nearly the entire time. Quite a sight to see!

Trying to fist bump the water? He did just learn how to do a fist bump and asks just about everyone to do one.

A quick hug for Papa before jumping into the water again!

Learning how to use the hose.

Love the simple pleasures in life!

Last Water Table Play of the Season

2011-09-15T20:25:00.001-07:00

Friday was hot, so we broke out the water table for what I think will be the last time of the season. For the special occasion I put the tub on the ground and let G have at it! He splashed to his little heart's content. He also started putting head into the water...he thought that was a hilarious trick.

I'll miss these summer days...but Fall is my favorite time of year.

Alaska Part 3

2011-09-14T10:15:00.000-07:00

I met Adam in college about 10 years ago. For almost that entire time he has been talking about the Crow Creek hike in Alaska. I'm not sure why, but I've never gone on it until this trip to AK. All of the stories I had heard about this hike didn't do the sheer beauty of the mountain justice. It was incredible and beyond words.

We left Grayson at home with Joan, and Stan, Adam and I made the trek out to Crow Creek in Girdwood. This is the view from about 2/3 up the climb.

Little known fact about me is that I have a fear of heights. That being said, this hike was a challenge for me. It was a steep climb that often times left us scrambling over small rocks. By the time I reached the top I had a brief moment of accomplishment over conquering my fear...but then I quickly realized I'd have to turn right around and conquer that fear again on the way down. Yikes! Even though it was at times out of my comfort zone, I am still very happy that I went on this hike.

This was a side trail we took over to a gorgeous waterfall. Obviously I didn't go all the way over to the falls...I stayed clutching the rock wall behind me, content to use my zoom lens to capture photos of the falls!

This was at the top of the hike. The temperature dropped as we climbed, and at the top we all felt chilly.

At the top, a small cabin sits steps away from a glacier fed lake.

On the way back down.

The colors on the mountain were incredible. Bright read, yellows and green covered the mountainside.

After the hike, we were treated to a delicious meal at Adam's favorite restaurant which just happens to be down the road from the trail head. Double Musky. Jalapeno Cheese Bread. Enough said.

We played lots of corn hole.

Shooting hoops. The neighbor boys came over. G loved playing with them and watching the big kids on their bikes.

Love this sweet photo!

Watching Grandpa clean the gutters. :)

Exploring the woods behind the house. His first attempt at climbing a tree. At home he has been literally trying to climb the walls. He'll start trying to step up onto the wall, and say, "Climb wall!". Ummm....not sure where he learned that one!

He saw Joan washing the dishes and wanted to help.

Starting keeping track of how tall Grayson is in the garage.

Flying home. We were all tired from a fun trip, and G was much more mellow on the way home.

He colored a lot...

and watched Sesame Street dvds we'd checked out from the library before we left.

We had such a great time in Alaska! Thank you Stan and Joan for a fun trip!

Alaska Part 2

2011-09-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

For several weeks before our trip to AK, Grayson has been talking about wanting to see a moose. We'd ask, "Who are you going to see in Alaska?". The response was usually along the lines of , "Goo Goo, Monga, Moose.". So we were determined to find one for him. We went for a walk in a very "moosey" area, and unfortunately didn't find one. We did have a great time playing catch with the football!

I don't hope that Grayson will play football when he grows up, but if he does...this is the photo I will send to the press. :)

Walking with Grandpa.

Good catch! G has gotten really good at catching balls thrown to him.

Mid-catch.

Looking for a moose with Grandma.

Higher! Higher!

I love looking at this sweet face!

Walking with Grandma.

This may be one of my favorite pictures of all time of Grayson. I think it just captures his personality so well! He had been walking along the path with us, and suddenly said "sit!" and plopped down on the ground. I seized the moment for an impromptu photo shoot.

Kisses! What you don't see is that G has a very snotty nose while giving this kiss...and the kiss lasted for about 2 full minutes. Someone loves his Grandpa!

Flying!

Love this photo, and I love these boys!

On the way back to the car Grayson suddenly sat down again. This time we kept walking...

...eventually he ran to catch up. :)

This is Grayson's cheesy face.

This is Adam's cheesy face.

Hugs!

Stan and Joan had a basketball hoop set up for Grayson, and he loved it! We spent a lot of time shooting baskets with him. Adam and I determined that we have to get a hoop for our house now!

Grandparents putting G to bed.

Alaska Part 1

2011-09-12T12:58:00.001-07:00

I have finally sorted through the oodles of photos I have from our recent trip to Alaska, and I've posted my favorites...in three posts. Ha! Well these posts are sure to make the grandparents happy!

Eating raspberries with Grandma.

We were all pretty tired on our first day in AK after a late night flight the night before. Lots of relaxing and lounging was in order. Here's a rare "lounging" moment of G...it ended approximately .5 seconds after this photo was taken. :)

This little guy was very excited when Grandpa came home from work!

Getting Grandpa up to speed on what's current with Elmo.

On Thursday we went to the Alaska State Fair. It was Grayson's first time at a fair, and he loved it! Our first stop was the Australian animals exhibit.

Next stop was an acrobatic performance. We were all impressed. Grayson's favorite was of course the guy on the bike. He kept asking to see it even once the show was over.

Next stop was the animals...Grayson's favorite part of the day. He was fairly giddy over the cows and pigs.

Just his size.

...or his size!

Grayson loved the petting zoo area. He was a little nervous about the animals walking all around him at first, but he warmed up to them pretty fast. He was able to pet a pig, goat and cow, talk to a donkey and hop with a bunny. Not to shabby!

Ready for a snooze!

We put G down for bed once we got home, and then Adam took me out for a date night to Flat Top. It was a beautiful sunset, and the crisp breeze brought fall in the air. We topped off the night with a trip to DQ for a blizzard. Love date nights with my love.

To be continued...

Alaska - Labor Day Weekend Video

2011-09-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day Weekend we flew up to Alaska to spend some time with Adam's parents. We all had such a good time! Fall was certainly in the air up north, so we spent a lot of time relaxing at home. However, we did soak up every ounce of sunshine we could while doing things like going for an amazingly beautiful hike and taking G to his first fair.

I feel blessed to have parents on both sides of my family who love us so much, and who we love so much! The long weekend was a treat for us. I have oodles and oodles of pictures that I hope to post tomorrow! So stay tuned!

Alaska Sneak Peek!

2011-09-07T14:52:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday - Grandma's House

2011-09-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday - A New Project

2011-08-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

What's For Dinner? - Pineapple Jerk Chicken

2011-08-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

I made this meal a little while ago for my family, and it was quickly declared that it needed to be put on regular rotation in the meal plan. Pineapple Jerk Chicken is just about as fresh and summery as it gets! Next time I'm going to try cooking the chicken on the grill for even more summer perfection.

Pineapple Jerk Chicken

(Adapted from Everyday Food by Martha Stewart)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

-2/3 of a whole pineapple, peeled

-1 bunch scallions, sliced crosswise into 1-inch pieces (I used less!)

-1/2 small jalapeno chile, stemmed and seeded

-2 tsp. dried thyme

-4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

-1 - 1/2 tsp.ground allspice

-4 pieces of skinless, boneless chicken breasts

-salt and pepper

-2 Tb. olive oil

1. Cut four 1/2-inch-thick rounds from pineapple; set aside. Cut remaining pineapple into large chunks, discarding core. In a food processor, combine pineapple chunks, scallions, chile, thyme, garlic, and allspice and pulse until coarsely chopped. Reserve 3/4 cup pineapple marinade and refrigerate.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish along with pineapple rounds. Top pork and pineapple with remaining pineapple marinade and turn chicken and pineapple to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 4 hours).

3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tb. oil over medium-high. Working in two batches, brush pineapple mixtures off chicken and cook chicken until browned and cooked through, 10 minutes per batch, flipping once. (Reduce heat if chicken begins to overbrown.) Add 1 Tb. oil to skillet. Brush pineapple marinade off pineapple and cook rounds until golden brown in spots, 5 to 7 minutes, flipping once. Serve with chicken and reserved pineapple marinade.

Summer Sunday

2011-08-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun day yesterday. We woke early in the morning and enjoyed a cup of coffee while playing with Grayson before church. Once at church, we dropped Grayson off at Sunday school. Gone are the days of stranger anxiety of that little guy. Now he runs right in the door and begins playing with the kids. He jumps up and down as his friends come in to play, and talks about the music and the Bible song all morning before we get there. It makes me so happy to see him already love church so much!

After church we had lunch at home, and Adam and I tackled a home improvement project while G napped. That was the most trying part of the the day. What should have been an easy project ended up taking a LONG time, but we finished together and are now proud of our handy work (For those who are curious...it was a peg board wall we made in the garage.).

After nap time, we went over to Lynnwood High School and let G go wild running around on the football field. He ran and ran and ran! He's now able to catch a ball, and he also loves throwing and kicking. I think he would have been content to play on the field all day if we let him!

Practicing his tackles with Daddy!

Now he's off to tackle me!

Believe it or not, Grayson took this picture! He asked to "hold" the camera, so Adam helped him take the shot.

Taking a short break.

We decided that we needed a Jamba Juice to cool off. Yum! Grayson goes nuts over those smoothies. He loves watching them mix the fruit in the blender, and drinking from the straw. Ahhh...the simple pleasures of life. :)

Smoothie mustache.

We played at home and enjoyed a barbecue dinner. We ended our family day with a walk around the neighborhood. I tell you what...I love summer days!

Here's a video of our little future football/soccer star!

Wordless Wednesday - Bubbles

2011-08-24T20:44:00.001-07:00

Seagulls, Sand and Seaweed

2011-08-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

On Sunday afternoon, we went with my parents to visit the Edmonds waterfront. This was the first time Grayson had been to the ocean beach since he's been able to walk in the water on his own. He loved throwing the piles of sticks my dad brought over for him, sipping on cold drinks, and chasing the water as it went out and then squealing as the cold water touched his toes on the way in.

He would throw a stick, and then run down to try and grab it as the water brought it back in. You can't tell from these pictures, but most of the time one of us had a hand on him. I think he would have walked straight into the water if we didn't stop him!

We tried to get a family photo, but G wasn't in the mood. I thought letting him hold my cup would help...

It didn't. :)

Same thing with Nana and Papa. Notice my darling husband in the background...oh dear.

Notice the scuba diver in the back ground of this photo? Well it turns out that the beach is also home to an underwater playground that is obviously frequented by a lot of divers. It was the first time G had seen a scuba diver. I wonder what he was thinking as he watched men walk out from the water!

Here's the map for the underwater trails.

I'm pretty sure that Grayson drank most of the smoothies my parents were drinking. Let offered him a taste and then he didn't want to give it back.

Sharing? Nope, Grayson is still the only one tasting that drink!

Washing the sand off of our toes so we can go shopping.

On our way to the car a train went past. Grayson loves to watch trains! He shouts, "Choo! Choo!".