Kristin's Realm

Snowshoeing

2011-01-25T14:51:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I went snowshoeing with my Pi Phi friends, Ashlee and Niki. It was my 1st time snowshoeing and I loved it! We snowshoed up to Donut Falls in Big Cottonwood Canyon. We couldn't have picked a more perfect day. It was a beautiful, sunny day and it wasn't too cold. The scenery was gorgeous. I should mention that Ashlee took all of these pictures. It was a nice little workout and I can't wait to go again. What a great outdoor winter activity.

Christmas 2010

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

This Christmas was so wonderful! My family was all together here in Utah and we had such a great time. Then, me and the kids returned to California with my parents for 5 days and flew back to Utah just in time to spend New Years Eve with Tony. These were some of my favorite pictures from this past week. Arabella has finally learned how to pose for the camera and smile. She is in such a cute stage... full of laughter and smiles.

2010-11-29T14:53:00.000-08:00

This morning we woke up to lots of new snow. So we suited up, drove to a nearby hill and went sledding! This was Arabella's first time. I want to say that she loved it. However, when asked if she likes playing in the snow, she replied "no". She takes after her mama. Gavin, on the other hand, loved it. He takes after his daddy. He kept asking if he could go down another time. We finally had to cut him off. It was a great little family outing. And I can't help feeling that "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas".

The Elf on the Shelf

2010-11-28T10:04:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of this! My sister-in-law told me about it and I ran out and got one the very next day (at B & N for $29.95). It's genius! You can buy/adopt your very own elf. He comes with a book that tells all about this special family tradition. Basically, your elf watches over the kids and flies back to Santa every night to tell him if they've been naughty or nice. The next morning he shows up in a different place. It's a lot of fun for Gavin to find him each morning when he wakes up. There are a few rules. One is that kids can not touch him or it takes away some of his magic. However, kids are encouraged to talk to him and tell him what they want for Christmas. Another cool thing you can do with your elf is give him a name. Gavin named ours Ethan (which I love). You can go online and register your elf and print up an official adoption paper. You can also print out a personalized letter from Santa to your family. This is one tradition we will be doing every year.

My Little Dancer

2010-11-28T09:50:00.000-08:00

This little girl LOVES to dance! She doesn't even need any music. She often shuffles around the house like she's tap dancing or something. I was lucky enough to capture one of her spontaneous dancing episodes on camera. Usually when I try to take a picture of her dancing it ends up blurry. I wish I used my video camera. I swear... it doesn't get much cuter than an 18 month old baby. It's possibly the cutest stage there is!

Antigravity Yoga

2010-11-18T10:15:00.002-08:00

Last night a friend and I tried an antigravity yoga class (shout out to Ashlee). It was so cool! I just had to blog about it. I've taken many yoga classes before at various places and I've always liked it, but found it to be a little boring (flash back to falling asleep during the meditation time at a prenatal yoga class while preggars with Gavin). Antigravity yoga is anything but boring. It is so much fun; like yoga with the volume turned up. What is antigravity yoga, you ask? Well, the pics above give you an idea. Basically, you are in a hammock contraption doing various yoga poses as well as swinging, hanging upside down suspended in the air, doing summersaults, etc. I will definitely be doing it again and I would recommend it to all my friends. My class was at The Imagination Place and it is the only place that offers classes in SLC.

Fire Dept. Awards Banquet

2010-11-18T10:15:00.001-08:00

We had a great time at the Salt Lake City Fire Department Awards Banquet at the downtown Marriott. Tony put on his class A uniform and I sported a nice dress and we got to chat it up with friends and have a nice dinner. It was a good time. I just really wished that I had gotten a full body shot of the two of us, especially Tony. We don't get dressed up like that too often.

The Anasazi Trail

2010-11-18T10:14:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we spent a long weekend at the Pyne house in St. George. We invited some friends and had a great time (as always). We made the most out of the warm fall weather and spent a lot of time outdoors. One of the highlights was hiking the Anasazi Trail in Santa Clara. The coolest part of the hike was discovering all of the petroglyphs (in the 1st two pictures). I'm talkin' actual Native American drawings!

Halloween

2010-11-18T10:13:00.001-08:00

Celebrating Halloween at the in-laws with the Allred cousins

Halloween Parties

2010-10-28T16:29:00.001-07:00

Skeleton Boy

My Little Bumblebee

Here are a couple of pictures of the kids all dressed up for their school Halloween parties.

Halloween Menu

2010-10-28T16:14:00.000-07:00

I'm not ashamed to admit that I love to cook and bake. I also like to get into the holiday spirit and make it as fun as possible for my kids. So I'm always on the lookout for cute recipes. Here's a couple of super simple desserts that I made this week...

1) Graveyard Pudding: I kinda just made this up. I saw a similar recipe with a cake. It consists of chocolate pudding topped with crushed chocolate cookies and/or sprinkles. Throw some gummy worms in there and place a Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie (with R.I.P. written on it with black decorating gel) in the pudding for the grave and... Voila!

2) Snack-O-Lantern Fruit Cups: I found this idea here. Simply hollow out an orange and carve it (the way you would a jack-o-lantern). Serve it with fruit salad inside.

Prop 1

2010-10-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

Apparently, we are supporting and promoting the support of proposition 1. Prop 1 is a bond measure that would provide the money necessary to finish our new Utah Museum of Natural History. This bond will cost the average Utah household $2.40 per year (for the next 15 yrs.). I guess it's worth it. We visit the old museum (located at the University of Utah) quite a bit because Gavin is fascinated by dinosaurs and learning as much as he can about them. And I'm sure we will enjoy visiting the new even more. But honestly, the real reason we posted the sign in our yard is because Gavin saw them around and wanted one and he especially wanted to color it.

Layla Grayce & InStyle Magazine!

2010-10-25T15:43:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of my big sis, Tiffany. Her company, Layla Grayce, was named one of the "Best Online Shopping" sites in InStyle magazine (November issue)! Layla Grayce has been in many magazines, but InStyle is HUGE! It IS my favorite magazine (and Tiffany's), so this is a big deal.

Favorite New Boots

2010-10-24T14:16:00.001-07:00

These Ugg boots are my latest splurge. They are all I want to wear (especially with the cool rainy weather we've been having). Every few years I buy myself a new pair of Uggs. I usually find discounted boots at one of the Ugg Outlets in Ventura or Camarillo. Ugg boot knock offs are ok, but they aren't nearly as comfortable and indulgent as the real things. I spotted these at Nordstrom and thought I might try them on so I could add them to my Christmas list or something, but from the moment I put them on I knew I had to have them NOW. Not only are they super cozy and extra comfortable, but they are very cute and fashionable too. I got 3 compliments on them at the coffee shop earlier (one was from the dude behind the counter:). Worth every penny.

Delicious Fall Recipes

2010-10-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

I found this recipe on this food blog. I made these pancakes for the family last week and we could not get enough of them. All I can say is, "YUM"! You can get a printable recipe here.

Butternut Squash Risotto

I probably blogged about this recipe last year, but it's soooo delicious it definitely deserves another mention. To me, this is the perfect fall comfort food. The roasted butternut squash is to die for. I should note that this recipe calls for a couple of interesting ingredients... pancetta and saffron. Do not leave out the pancetta (Italian ham). It adds so much flavor. The saffron, however, is not necessary. It is an expensive spice and the recipe is just as good without it. I served this side with baked ham and a yummy salad. You can view/print the recipe here.

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

In Memory of our Beloved Rocco

2010-10-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

May 15, 2004 - September 20, 2010

We miss you.

Gavin's 1st day of Kindergarten!

2010-10-15T13:19:00.001-07:00

September 1, 2010

First day of school!

Portraits

2010-08-09T18:08:00.001-07:00

Our cruise had a couple of portrait nights so we had these pictures taken of the kids.

The Last of the Cruise Photos

2010-08-09T16:30:00.000-07:00

Our cruise was made possible thanks to these two lovely people.

Thank-you so much, mom and dad!

"Movies under the stars"

Every night on the ship they played a movie under the stars. They served popcorn and ice cream. In this photo we were watching "How to train Your Dragon" with my nieces.

The whole Pyne clan posing for a pic after eating a lovely dinner on Italian night (the 2 guys in stripes on either side of the family were our waiters every night).

Mom & Dad with all their grand kids

Our cruise was a wonderful vacation that I recommend everyone experience at least once in their life. It's a great way to sample different places. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of the Bahamas, which we really liked. We were too busy playing around and teaching Gavin to snorkel to stop and take pictures. I would definitely like to return there someday. Arabella did great on the cruise, and Gavin had the time of his life, but I would recommend going on a cruise without kids or only if your kids are 3 or older so they can go to the kids club on the ship (which is free, unless they stay after 10pm). Because we had Bella we weren't really able to enjoy the nightlife or do any shore excursions (like swimming with the sting rays in the Caymans or snorkeling in the under water city in Cozumel), but that's ok because we still had a really great time.

Cozumel

2010-08-09T16:19:00.001-07:00

We had a fabulous time in Cozumel, Mexico. We did some shopping and then discovered an awesome beach (I forget the name) that had pretty much everything you could need or want. The last 2 photos are of us holding some parrots that were trained to do some interesting things like lay in your arms like a baby and hang from your finger by their beak.

Jamaica

2010-08-05T09:01:00.001-07:00

standing in front of the waterfall

helping Gavin climb the waterfall

didn't realize my mom was taking pictures of us

Tiffany & Tommy (& Arabella) in front of the waterfall. They were kind enough to help out with Bella while we ventured up the waterfall.

My mom & my brother David's 4 cute girls

Gavin & his cousins posing with a donkey
(left to right: Ashlee, Gavin, Caitlin, Christina, Kathryn)

Here we are in Ocho Rios, Jamaica! The main attraction here is to climb up the Dunns River Falls. Tony, Gavin and I climbed up most of it (the last portion of the climb was a little too hard for Gavin). We did some shopping and hit the beach for a short time. It was drizzling on and off so it wasn't a great day for hanging at the beach. I have to say, this was definitely our least favorite stop during our cruise. The main reason for that was that, as a tourist, you are constantly hounded by peddlers trying to sell you their wares. And they are extremely aggressive about it; putting things in Gavin's hands, asking him his name and immediately carving it onto whatever it is they want us to buy. It became infuriating. But we couldn't help but feel for them because they are so poor there. Needless to say, I don't think we'd go back to Jamaica.

Grand Cayman Island

2010-07-04T13:25:00.001-07:00

This photo was taken on a boat from our ship to the island. It would have been the perfect photo if you could see the whole sign Gavin is sitting in front of, which says, "Welcome to the Cayman Islands" (with sharks, just like the swim trunks he's wearing).

Can you believe that water!

Arabella snoozing on a lounge chair in the shade of an umbrella. Every beach we visited we had to make a shady spot for the baby.

These photos were taken during our visit to the Grand Cayman Island. It was our favorite island because it was beautiful and comfortable. The sand and water were gorgeous (no reef/rocks to maneuver around while in the water like in the Bahamas). It's obviously a very wealthy island (unlike Jamaica), which I have to be honest is so much more appealing. We definitely want to go back soon! Loved it!

Our Caribbean Cruise!

2010-06-30T13:04:00.001-07:00

The Emerald Princess!

Tony & Gavin playing in one of the 4 pools on the ship.

Grandpa Don, Caitlin & Ashley (my nieces) playing in the pool. Typical Dad fashion... giving the "hang loose" sign.

Tony & Arabella all dressed up for dinner on one of the dressy nights on the ship. Some people get very dressed up (tuxes & gowns). That's not our style.

Me & Tony sitting at our nightly spot in the dining room. They fed us very well. I'm now accustomed to having my own appetizer and desert with my meal every night. Now that I'm home I've gotta get back to eating healthy and light.

We had an amazing time on the Pyne family reunion 2010! The whole family set sail on board the Emerald Princess to the western Caribbean for 7 days. We visited the Bahamas, Jamaica, Grand Cayman Island and Cozumel. Pictures from each island are coming...

Dinotrax

2010-06-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

This is one more cool thing to do while in St. George. These are actual dinosaur tracks and bones that were discovered at this location. I believe the 2ND pic is a T-Rex print and the 3rd is an allosaurus scull. It was very interesting.

Animal Party

2010-05-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

Sonya the cockatoo

Big Red, the Boa Constrictor

Sting, the scorpion

Nanuk, the ferret

Bitty, the Sugar Glider

Grandma & Arabella

Gavin picked a "How to Train Your Dragon" cake.

To celebrate Gavin's 5th birthday we had an animal party at the park. We hired a local company to bring some exotic animals (Gavin got to choose which animals he wanted). They taught the kids about each animal and let them touch/handle them. It was very cool.

Gavin is 5 today!

2010-05-16T11:17:00.001-07:00

My darling Gavin is 5 today! It's a little hard to believe. We had a great birthday party for him yesterday. I'll be posting pictures of that soon.

Spring Sing

2010-05-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

Gavin's daycare/preschool has a "Spring Sing" every year in the spring (hence, the name). All the children sing really cute songs that involve lots of movements and expression and the older kids get to recite poems and stuff. This was the 3rd year he has participated. However, this year was special because he is in the 4 year old preschool, which means he had a speaking part; quite a large speaking part at that. His poem was entitled "There Was An Old Lady Who Lived In A Zoo". Warning- This video footage is extremely raw. It may make you a little queasy. Please bare in mind that I was holding a very wiggly baby on my lap while I was videotaping with my little digital camera. But it is worth it because it's darn CUTE. I know the grandmas (& grandpas) will appreciate it.

My Mom

2010-05-09T14:53:00.002-07:00

Happy Mother's day, Mom. I'm so happy that we get to celebrate this mother's day together. You have always been such an incredible mother. Because of you (& dad) my childhood was completely blissful. You were, and are, an excellent example of what a mother should be... very loving, involved and supportive. I think I'm a pretty great mom too, mostly because I learned from you. You are so beautiful, stylish and fun to be around. You give excellent advice on pretty much everything. You are a wonderful grandma too. If only we lived closer:( I love you.

Arabella's 1st Birthday!

2010-05-09T14:53:00.001-07:00

I love this picture of my little birthday girl! I just wish the picture wasn't so grainy.

Posing for a pic in front of the lilac bush in our backyard.

Arabella loves getting pushed in the swing by her big bro.

Here is Arabella with 3 of her 4 Pyne cousins.

Here she is eating her vanilla cupcake with pink buttercream frosting that I made. She loved the frosting! We were so mean because we scraped the frosting off after she had a little taste because we didn't think she needed all that sugar.

She got some really fun gifts (incl. a dollhouse that we gave her)!

HAUTELOOK

2010-05-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of members only discount internet shopping sites out there. I subscribe to a few of them... Gilt group, shopittome, btrendie, but the best by far is HAUTELOOK. This is the only one that I've made multiple purchases on and I've gotten incredible deals on designer clothes and shoes for me and both of my kids. I highly recommend it to all you stylish gals out there. You have to be invited, so click here for your official invitation from me. Happy shopping:)

The Kindle

2010-04-19T15:06:00.001-07:00

I've been wanting a Kindle since it came out a couple of years ago. I finally got one for my birthday last month (thanks mom & dad) and I love it! Basically a Kindle is a little computer where you can download books in seconds at reduced prices (usu. under $10 or FREE). You can also download newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc. It doesn't need to be plugged in and there's no need for wi-fi. You can read your books on the Kindle screen. It reads like paper without a glare (even in bright sunlight). You can highlight and look up the meaning of a word instantly, have the Kindle read your book to you and all kinds of other amazing things that I'm still figuring out. It's about as thin as a magazine and it holds up to 1500 books! I am very excited that I won't be clogging up shelf space with all the books I buy and no more carrying around a big heavy hardback. It's so ideal for traveling. I love it!

Spring Break

2010-04-19T12:19:00.001-07:00

This spring break we headed south to sunny St. George. And I was so happy to have my good friend, June, and her family join us. We tried to make the most of our vacation so we did lots of hiking and exercising. We spent a day hiking in Zion National Park. This was Arabella's 1st experience hiking with us in a back pack and she loved it. Also a 1st for her was playing in sand... We hiked up to some big sand dunes in Snow Canyon and she got to play in the sand (picture above of her and Hudson, June's youngest). When I wasn't looking she ate some sand, which she immediately threw up. Hopefully, she's learned her lesson. Tony did lots of mountain biking and Jon (June's hubby) joined him for a ride. Tony taught Gavin how to fish. June and I even got to indulge in a little spa action in the form of mani-pedis. It was a wonderful getaway.

Sephora is coming!

2010-04-19T12:18:00.003-07:00

I just found out that my all time favorite beauty supply store is finally coming to Utah! Sephora is coming to the Fashion Place Mall in June. Now I won't have to order all of my must have beauty products online anymore. If you have never been to Sephora you must go. My favorite thing about Sephora, besides the fact that it has an enormous selection of all the best beauty products, is that you can try out all the makeup yourself. There are people there to help you if you need it, but I love that I can play around with the products myself instead of having someone try stuff on me, me pretend to like it and then feel obligated to purchase something from them. I think it opens on June 4th. I can't wait!

Food Revolution

2010-03-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution? (Jamie Oliver is a chef from the UK who cooks healthy, fresh food.) He's on a mission to change the way America eats (Lord knows we need it). His new TV show shows how he tries to teach people in America's "unhealthiest city", Huntington, West Virginia how to eat fresh, healthy food. He focuses on school lunches and you won't believe the crap that they are serving their kids (i.e. pizza for breakfast). Thankfully, our schools, here in Utah aren't quite as bad, but they're still bad. As a teacher who works in a public school, I know that the quality of food is not good. It certainly isn't up to my standards (processed foods, high sodium, high fat). I've tried it a handful of times in the 10 years I've been teaching and after doing so I would rather starve for a few hours than eat school lunch. The bottom line for me is that it tastes terrible. And I certainly wouldn't allow my kids to eat it. You can bet that I'll be making their school lunches for them every day. So, I fully support Jamie Oliver's efforts to try and improve the quality of food served in our schools. To find out more and to sign the petition that he's taking to the White House, click here.

* Apparently, Gweneth Paltrow is a big fan of Jamie Oliver and his food revolution too because her latest post (on 4/1/10) on her blog "GOOP" was devoted to him as well:-)

Ciao Bella!

2010-03-13T15:03:00.001-08:00

"Hello beautiful!" It's been a while since I've posted pics of Arabella and she's growing and changing so much. She got her 1st haircut today! This post is dedicated to my mom who is really missing her grandkids. They miss you too (and so do I). By the way... I wish I knew how to put these pictures side by side. Can anybody tell me how to do that?

Peekaboo!

2010-03-13T14:52:00.000-08:00

Arabella loves to pull down her crib bumper and play peekaboo. And since she can't quite pull herself up to look over the rail of her crib this is usually what I see when I walk through the door to get her up from a nap. I find her peeking through the crib looking to see when someone is coming to get her.

1st Ski Pass

2010-03-13T14:50:00.001-08:00

Gavin is holding his first ski pass (to Snowbird).

FOOD, INC.

2010-02-02T15:38:00.000-08:00

I just saw the film Food, Inc. (heard about it on Oprah). It was very enlightening. Basically, it traces the food we buy at the grocery store (in particular, meat) back to it's origin. It's appalling to learn of how "industrial food is making us sicker, fatter and poorer". The American meat industry is basically run by 5 major companies who control about 80% of the meat consumption in our country and how they engineer meat to make the animal grow bigger faster and the conditions in which the animals are raised and butchered are filthy, grotesque and inhumane. This film's main goal is not to promote vegetarianism, but to encourage consumers to purchase meat free of antibiotics and growth hormones. Even better... only purchase chickens that are cage free and beef that is grass fed instead of corn fed. Of course, that kind of meat is more expensive but here's how I think of it... I'm saving money in the long run in medical costs. There is so much more that this movie covers. I highly recommend it to everyone. I take my job of feeding my family very seriously. What I feed my kids now will help determine what foods they choose to eat later, as adults, and ultimately whether they will develop health issues like heart disease or diabetes (I realize genetics plays a role too). To learn more about the film Food, Inc. click here.

Mommy Earns a Sticker!

2010-02-02T14:55:00.000-08:00

Today while cleaning the kitchen and hangin' with my kiddos I was listening to some music (quite loud I might add) and I was singing and dancing along. Gavin commanded that I turn it off and I simply told him "No." I explained that my beloved reggae music reminds me of the beach and it makes me happy to listen to it. I figured he'd understand because he loves the beach to. However, this answer was not satisfactory for him so our conversation continued as follows...

G: "PLEASE turn that off!"

Me: "If you don't like it you can go downstairs."

G: "I asked you very nicely to turn it off. If you don't turn it off I will."

Me thinking... This sounds awfully familiar. I'm a little perturbed that my 4 year old is talking to me this way, but I'm curious where this conversation will go.

pause

G: "If you turn the music off you can have a sticker!"

Me: Now he's really got my attention. This kid is using parenting techniques on ME. Mm, I wonder where he's heard that before. I want to see where he goes with this. "What kind of sticker?"

G: "You'll just have to turn the music off to find out."

I turn the music off

G: He brings me some stickers to choose from and I pick one. I place it on my shirt and ask him to take a picture (above).

Making the Bed

2010-02-02T14:52:00.000-08:00

The other day Gavin spontaneously decided to make his bed (I usually do it). Quite frankly, it didn't even occur to me to ask my 4 1/2 year old to start making his bed. I was so delighted that he decided to help me out all on his own. Can you tell which one Gavin made and which one I made?

Avatar

2010-01-04T11:20:00.001-08:00

Avatar was so cool! It was the best film I've seen in the last few years. The previews don't do it justice. If you haven't seen it yet... go. It should be seen on the big screen (IMAX 3D if possible). I never like to see movies in the theater more than once, but I would gladly go see this one again. Loved it!

Christmas

2010-01-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

Here's a family picture that I love (taken on Christmas eve) and my latest favorite pic of my little muffin.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T07:25:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm embarrassed to say that I never made the time to put together a Christmas card. If I had I might have used a couple of these pictures. Our family definitely has a lot to be thankful for this year (especially our newest little angel, Arabella). Merry Christmas and happy new year!

Santa's Gone Digital!

2009-12-08T18:09:00.000-08:00

Did you know that there is a website where kids can send Santa their Christmas wish list? On this website kids can tell Santa what they want and write (type) him a letter. He will even send a letter (email) in return! I did this with Gavin and I thought it was pretty cute; not nearly as cute as the wish list Gavin made, but honestly where am I supposed to send that. He wanted me to be sure and send it to Santa and I considered sending it to Grandma, but now I can assure him that Santa will know what he wants since we sent him an email. Kids can also play games and listen to a Christmas story on the website. If you have a child between the ages of 4 and 8 you should check this out.

Boots, Boots and More Boots!

2009-12-01T21:09:00.000-08:00

I am LOVING skinny jeans and boots right now. I especially can't get enough of boots since they are so warm and cozy in the these cold fall and winter months. Not to mention, they are uber fashionable. Here are a few boots that I love... The first 3 styles are Miz Mooz which can be found at Nordstrom and the rain boot is from Piperlime. I already have some dark brown riding boots and black slouchy boots, but I think I will need to add one of these lovelies to my wardrobe.

Halloween

2009-11-02T14:32:00.001-08:00

We had a great Halloween! Gavin had been anticipating it for over a month and was so excited when it finally arrived. For the past 2 years he has known exactly what he wanted to dress up as... Last year it was Buzz Lightyear and this year it was Lightning McQueen, the race car from the Disney movie Cars. Arabella was a white kitty and I was a bumblebee. First, Gavin celebrated Halloween with his preschool class on Thursday, complete with a parade and trick or treating around the school. Then, on Saturday, we went to Tony's parents house and celebrated with the Allred cousins (Hayden, Corbin & Libby). They had a treasure hunt for the kids around the yard and house. Then we trick or treated around our neighborhood and there were a ton of kids/families trick or treating which made it really fun. In the last picture Gavin is counting his candy. He counted 47 candies (yes, he can count to 47).

Halloween Meal

2009-11-02T14:08:00.000-08:00

I found these cute recipes on http://thefoodnetwork.com/. I made them for dinner a couple nights before Halloween. Gavin did a great job helping me make the chocolate spider bites and they were yummers (chocolate, peanut butter and pretzels)! The Snake shaped baked sandwich was so good. I made it with ham, turkey, provolone & cheddar cheese, Spanish olives, roasted red peppers and Dijon mustard. You just roll them up in crescent roll dough and bake it. I served the sandwich with tomato bisque soup (A.K.A Dragon's Blood) and chips. We had the spider bites for dessert. Get the snake bite sandwich recipe here and the chocolate spider bite recipe here. Give it a try next Halloween.

Arabella at 6 Months

2009-11-02T13:13:00.001-08:00

Arabella is 6 months old this week! Here are some of my favorite recent photos. She has started eating some solid foods (rice cereal & squash). She can roll over both ways. She can put her feet in her mouth. She's close to sitting up on her own, but not quite there yet. She smiles and laughs a lot, especially whenever big bro Gavin is around. And she still loves to stick her tongue out.

Jana's Wedding

2009-10-03T15:31:00.001-07:00

Tony's sister, Jana, got married in St. George last weekend (at Entrada no less). So we drove down there, stayed at my parent's place and played around for about 6 days. We went to the pool several times, Tony and I mountain biked, and we did lots of family stuff with the Allreds. Jana's wedding was beautiful. She looked gorgeous. The ceremony and reception were outside with the breathtaking red rock background. We watched the sun set while we ate dinner. And there was even some dancing. Gavin was right in the middle of it shakin' his little bum bum. The last photo of Arabella was taken at about 10 pm when she very sleepy. It was a great wedding and a great weekend.

Our Garden

2009-10-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

This is the 2nd year we've planted a vegetable garden and it has really been producing. Like last summer we've had more tomatoes than we know what to do with. However, this year we have lots of perfect butternut squash (just in time for pureeing baby food) and 3 beautiful pumpkins. This photo was taken a few weeks ago and since then our pumpkins have gotten bigger and oranger (I know that's not actually a word). Gavin is especially excited to harvest our pumpkins for Halloween.

Arabella's Blessing

2009-09-13T16:06:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had Arabella blessed. My parents were in town and we had a wonderful weekend. Here are a few pictures from her blessing day. The 1st 2 pics are of our family, of course. And might I point out pic #2 where Gavin is insisting on a silly pose (that's Tony's favorite). Pic #3 is of Arabella asleep in the arms of her Aunt Donelle and cousins Kathryn & Christina (very sweet).

Summer Swim Lessons

2009-09-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

This was the 2nd summer that we had Gavin in private swim lessons. He had a great time and learned a lot. Perhaps, next year we can just do some group lessons now that he has the basics down.

Tutu Precious

2009-08-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

For those of you who attended my baby shower I'm sure that you remember this cute little tutu that my sister gave me (it got a lot of oohs & aahs). It's the epitome of baby girl femininity, which I thought I wouldn't be that into, but that was before I saw my little angel in it. I'm really beginning to embrace the joys of everything girl.

Solana Beach

2009-07-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

We had the greatest time in Solana Beach (northern San Diego) for our Pyne family reunion. The weather was fabulous. The beach was gorgeous. Gavin and I didn't want to leave. Gavin even tried boogie boarding. This was our 2nd family reunion in Solana Beach. We vacationed there 3 years ago and loved it. It was great to return to Solana (sunshine) Beach and that beautiful little community. However, this time Tiffany owns a beach condo that we were able to use in addition to renting another one. Tiff's condo was fabulous. She's renovated and decorated it in a cool, contemporary beach style. It was very fun staying there. It was also nice to be able to see Cyndi (my best friend from Ventura), who came down from Huntington Beach with her family. During our week long stay we went to the San Diego Zoo, Knott's Berry Farm (pics below), and tried to fit in as much beach time as possible. I'm still daydreaming about it...

Camping & River Rafting

2009-07-26T13:49:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time camping on the Grey's River near Jackson Hole Wyoming and rafting on the Snake River. This was the second year that we did this rafting trip with families of the men who work at Tony's station (#6). There were 6 plus families this year so we had a nice big group. Gavin loved rafting the rapids and did not want to get off the raft. He had no problem with the cold water drenching us (wish I could say the same). Tony and I had to switch off watching Arabella who slept a lot and hardly fussed at all. She loved the fresh air and being outside a lot. She slept better in the trailer than she has ever slept at home (8-9 hrs. straight every night). The Baby Bjorn came in very handy. I walked around camp with Bella in it a lot (picture above). We decided to bring Rowdy because he's been camping with Tony many times on hunting trips and we knew he wouldn't be a bother. Rocco had to stay with grandma and grandpa Allred because we knew he WOULD be a bother. The scenery was breathtaking. It will be fun to go back next summer.

4th of July in St. George

2009-07-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from our trip to St. George for the 4th of July. We met up with my parents and my brother, David, and his family and we had a great time as always. The 1st two pictures are of my parents house and the 3rd picture is of a pretty little pond across the street. I loved all the lily pads and flowers floating around in it. Gavin and his 4 cute girl cousins had a great time finding frogs and tadpoles all over the yard and in that pond. The last two photos are of the Entrada pool. Grandpa Don has pretty much all the grandkids hanging on him while baby Arabella sleeps peacefully in the shade.

Birth Announcement Photo

2009-06-21T14:02:00.001-07:00

I ordered Arabella's birth announcements from tinyprints.com and I am thrilled with the finished product. I chose a beautiful and colorful birth announcement that cooridinated with the colors in this photo. The particular announcement that I chose was designed by Tea exclusively for Tiny Prints, ( Tea is a baby & childrens clothing line whose designs I love). Yours should be arriving in them mail any day now...

Favorite Baby Gear

2009-06-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

A must have is a baby swing or a chair that bounces or vibrates. In fact, we discovered we needed one for upstairs and one for downstairs. It really doesn't matter what kind you get as long as you have a place to set the baby that moves in some way to calm them.

I love my BOB jogging stroller. I've wanted one every since Gavin was a baby. We finally broke down and bought one (at REI). It's not only a great jogging/power walking stroller, but it's all terrain so your little baby isn't bouncing around when you are walking on something other than a smooth sidewalk. It used to be that you couldn't use it until your baby was about 6 months old and had good neck control, but now they sell an infant car seat converter so that you can use it with your newborn (which is when you really want to lose that baby weight).

I love this infant car seat cover. We are using Gavin's old car seat, which is black and gray (not very feminine). This adorable cover can be removed easily for washing and it provides a little cozy comfort for my LTB as Tony calls her (Little Tiny Baby). For an added bonus... it is reversible. One side has this cool black and white pattern and the other has a super soft lavender chenille. This particular cover is by Itzy Ritzy.

How did I ever survive without a nursing cover when I first had Gavin? This is my #1 pick for baby gear that I can't live without. When you have a new baby and she wants to eat every 2 hours you must be ready to stop and nurse her no matter where you are (unless you just want to stay home all the time for fear of nursing in public). I use this fashionable nursing cover everywhere... restaurants, the park, the pool, the mall, etc. It's totally discreet, nice and big so it covers everything, light weight, and won't slide off like a blanket. This nursing cover is also by Itzy Ritzy. The one I have matches my car seat cover (above).

This is my favorite diaper bag (and I've tried several). It's the Skip Hop Studio Diaper Tote. It's the perfect size and I like how it resembles a large purse. It has the perfect amount of pockets. I also like how it can stand on it's own and it's comfortable to carry. To me it's fashionable and functional. You can purchase it here.

When you have a baby who screams every time you wipe her bum with a cold wipe, a wipes warmer is a necessity. I had one with Gavin, but Tony threw it away in frustration after owning it for only a week or so because it made the wipes stiff and brown. Well, this Prince Lionheart Ultimate Wipes Warmer does not do that. It's awesome! No more crying baby during diaper change.

I'd love to hear what your favorite baby gear is? Tell us which items you can't live without.

Summertime

2009-06-21T13:21:00.001-07:00

Today is the 1st day of summer! I look forward to summer all year (well, all winter & spring anyway). It's always been my favorite season. Growing up it was my favorite season because school was out and now it is my favorite for the same reason (no work). Here are a few photos from last summer... socal vacay, Vegas, St. George and here. We also took our pop up trailer on several super fun camping trips... Bryce Canyon & Snake River. I wonder what this summer has in store for us? We already have a Newport Beach vacation planned, as well as the annual Snake River camping trip. We're headed to St. George for the 4th of July (please don't be 104 degrees again). And we hope to add in a few more camping excursions. Can't wait!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from the vault that I have compiled to illustrate what a great dad Tony is. I couldn't have asked for a better father for my children. He loves to teach Gavin fun new things (and I know he'll enjoy teaching Bella all these things too). In case you didn't know Tony and I share the joy of caring for our kids. When I'm working and Tony is off he stays home with Gavin (& soon little Miss A too). He's a very involved, hands-on dad. Happy father's day Tony!

I also must wish my wonderful dad a happy father's day as well. I've always thought he was the best, coolest, strongest, most handsome dad around. Growing up my dad was an accountant by day and superhero by night. He drove a Corvette. He surfed. He was a triathlete for years (winning several of the triathlons he was in). I often had friends who commented on how handsome my dad was. And now he is a wonderful grandpa and Gavin adores him. Happy father's day, Dad.

Big Brother

2009-06-09T17:23:00.000-07:00

So Sweet

2009-06-09T17:19:00.000-07:00

The Silly Wagon

2009-06-03T14:59:00.001-07:00

I've been meaning to blog about The Silly Wagon ever since I ordered some things from them a couple of months ago. I got a couple of tees for Gavin, one with his name on it and one with a 4 and trains to display his age (example above & you can scroll down to "Gavin's Birthday" to see him wearing the other green personalized shirt I got him). For Arabella I found a really cute outfit and a onsie with her initial on it (example above). The items arrived surprisingly quick and came with a coloring page, crayons and a happy face stamp (Gavin was especially excited about that). Now they are celebrating their 2nd anniversary and almost everything is 4o% off. They are also giving away one of their most popular tees to one lucky winner. Click here to go to their website and here to enter their giveaway.

GOOP

2009-05-20T16:15:00.001-07:00

I have really been diggin' Gweneth Paltrow's blog/website, GOOP. You can sign up and receive her weekly newsletter about her favorite recipes, restaurants, fashion, parenting advice, music, travel, etc. Last week's newsletter was about Party Jams and she asked several well known DJs what their favorite party music was. She also shared her favorite party songs. I got some good suggestions and downloaded them onto my ipod for my workout mix. This week's newsletter was about 3 of her favorite Italian food recipes. You can sign up for GOOP here .

Favorite Bath Foam

2009-05-20T16:14:00.000-07:00

A friend mentioned how much she liked this bath foam on her blog and I just happened to be in the market for some new bubble bath so I tried it and loved it. It's Boots Bath Foam and can be purchased at Target. It smells divine and foams up really well and doesn't fizzle out right away like other bubble baths do. And the added bonus is that the classic glass bottle looks pretty sitting on the edge of your tub.

More Arabella

2009-05-14T16:11:00.001-07:00

5 days old

5 lbs. 14 ounces (she gained 1 ounce)

Introducing... Arabella!

2009-05-10T11:38:00.001-07:00

Arabella Tiffany Allred was born at 7:15 pm on Thursday, May 7th. She came 10 days early and she came very quickly (only about 3 pushes and she was here). She weighed 5 lbs. 13 oz. and was 17 inches long. We are so excited to finally have her with us!

Gavin's Birthday

2009-05-10T11:27:00.001-07:00

We decided to celebrate Gavin's 4th birthday a little early since so many family members were in town (for my brother's 40th birthday party & my baby shower). Also, since Arabella was due 1 day after Gavin's real birthday we were worried we may not get the chance to give him a proper celebration. Gavin was ecstatic the whole day about his party. He picked out a Cars cake and wanted Cars themed toys as well (which is mostly what he got). I can't believe my little boy is 4 (on May 16th)!

Baby Shower

2009-05-10T11:14:00.001-07:00

I had so much fun at my baby shower last Saturday. We had lunch at one of my favorite little restaurants, Porcupine Grill. Having it there made for a fun and casual event. Tiffany ordered yummy cupcakes from my favorite local cupcake bakery, So Cupcake. It was so special to have family from out of town there (like my sister, mom and grandma). Thank you mom and, especially, Tiffany for putting it together for me. Thanks to all that came and all of the wonderful gifts! These are just a few photos (thanks Ashlee for passing along some of the photos you took).

Easter

2009-04-15T19:02:00.001-07:00

Here is one of the few photos we took on Easter. It was taken at Tony's parents' house during an Easter egg hunt with Gavin and his cousins. It isn't very flattering of Gavin or me, but it's the only recent pregnant photo I've taken and I thought friends and family might be interested to see me in all of my big, pregnant glory. Needless to say Gavin had a wonderful Easter. Tony took him up to the ski resort for their annual Easter egg hunt and skiing Easter bunny attraction. Then we went for a delicious ham dinner at the in-laws and a great egg hunt!

Spa Experience

2009-04-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

Breathe Day Spa

1155 E Willmington Ave.

SLC (next to Whole Foods & Bed Bath & Beyond)

801 466-4200

http://www.breathedayspa.com/

I've visited this spa on about 4 occasions (2 recently) and I've had an amazing experience each time. My visits have included facials and a pedicure. Each visit is an hour of pure bliss (and I'm not kidding). They tell you to come a little early so that you can slip into your robe and slippers (provided) and sit in their tea room and enjoy a drink, snacks, and a warm neck pillow. Throughout the whole spa they play very zen like, relaxing music coupled with ocean waves (my favorite). After my last 2 visits I was inspired to find a sound machine that played relaxing sounds, especially the ocean. Each experience has been so wonderful and relaxing. I walk out of there feeling refreshed and renewed. They do an amazing job too. Their facials leave my skin soft and glowing and my last pedicure still looks nearly perfect (no chipped polish) 2 weeks later. So, I highly recommend this spa to everyone! I will definitely be returning.

Coloring Easter Eggs

2009-04-10T19:27:00.001-07:00

We found this cool egg spinner at the grocery store and Gavin had a great time coloring Easter eggs. You stick an egg inside, add the dye and spin away. The result is cool, multicolored eggs. And the best part is that there is literally no mess!

Gavin's New Bike

2009-04-10T19:20:00.000-07:00

Check out Gavin's new bike (sort of). We just got him a bike trailer last summer and we already decided it was time to upgrade to a big boy bike. I guess baby sister will get to kick it in the trailer on our family bike rides.

Ski Break

2009-02-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

Last week Tony took Gavin skiing (at Solitude) and here's a picture of one of their ski breaks in the lodge. Gavin is drinking hot cocoa and snacking on Fruit Loops (no, I do not usually buy Fruit Loops, but they were left over from my class' 100th day party). When I returned home from work Gavin told me all about how he went "powder skiing".

Like Father, Like Son

2009-02-22T12:59:00.001-08:00

Last week Gavin insisted on putting on his firefighter costume. He also insisted on wearing his sunglasses with it. Tony is actually giving a presentation about firefighters and fire safety to Gavin's preschool class this week. Good luck, Sweetie.

25 Things About Me

2009-02-21T13:13:00.000-08:00

Facebook

Summer is my favorite season. I need lots of warm sunshine for my own personal sanity.

I have a sun tatooed on my back that represents my love and need for the sunshine and it also represents my love for my family and my upbringing near the beach. I don't think I'll ever regret getting it because it has such deep rooted personal meaning to me.

I adore my family and hate being so far from them.

There is no place I'd rather be than at the beach.

I love being tan. The tanner the better. However, I gave up sunbathing years ago because my family has a history of skin cancer.

I pretty much hate winters in Utah. They are far too long and cold for my taste and my husband spends all his free time skiing.

I used to get depressed in the winter time (after moving to Utah), but I haven't experienced depression since Gavin was born. It's nearly impossible to be sad around such a happy and sweet child.

I do like to snowboard, but it needs to be a sunny day for me to really enjoy myself.

I love playing volleyball (indoor or outdoor) and I've been playing in a women's league for the past 2 years.

I love to cook and bake.

My guilty pleasure is watching the food network. I especially like Everyday Italian and Barefoot Contessa.

I love fashion and shopping and I mostly buy brand name clothing.

I've always wanted to become fluent in at least one other language. I've studiend spanish for 3 years and Italian, but I'm not fluent in either language.

I love Italian food and culture thanks to my sorella italiana (Italian sister), Silvia. She lived with my family for a year in high school and we've continued to keep in touch over the years. I was fortunate to go to Italy and travel around with her for about a month. I look forward to going back.

I love to travel and have always wanted to try living in another country (if only for a year).

I desperately want to master playing the guitar. Tony bought me a guitar and I took lessons for a while, but didn't stick with it.

I love having a career in education, but I wish I could take a year or 2 off to be home with my kids.

I was a vegetarian for 11 years. I do eat meat now, but NEVER beef.

I love to read (mostly fiction) and my all time favorite book is Outlander.

My dream job would be to be a successful children's book author.

I bought a mountain bike last summer and I hope to be able to get up on the trails this coming year.

I love camping, hiking, and the outdoors. I really don't mind the dirt at all.

Every year I enter the HGTV Dream Home Giveaway and I always convince myself that I have a chance of winning (this year the house is in Sonoma Valley, CA). A little wishful thinking never hurt anyone.

My mantra in life is "everything in moderation" and my favorite quote is "Life is good."

I believe that every working mother deserves a cleaning lady and one of these days I'm going to get one.

What Was He Thinking?!

2009-01-25T13:56:00.000-08:00

I continuously say how 3 has been my favorite age and stage for Gavin so far. Here is yet another perfect example of how his 3 year old brain and thought process never ceases to amaze and entertain me. Here's how it went down... While getting in bed for his nap this afternoon he informed me that he had to use the bathroom. I thought this a bit strange since he had just used the potty a short time earlier. A delaying tactic perhaps? Oh well, I walked downstairs to do something while he was supposedly using the bathroom. As I walked upstairs I was greeted by my son looking like this (above) with his hair all wet and very soapy. The following was our dialogue...

Gavin: "Mommy, I HAD to wash my hair!"

Me: "What do you mean you HAD to wash your hair?"

Gavin: "I had to wash my hair because it was DIRTY!"

Me: "Why is your hair dirty? I thought you were going to the bathroom?"

Gavin: "No, I wasn't going to the bathroom! I HAD to wash my hair so that I can SLEEP better!"

By the way, everything Gavin says ends with an exclamation mark. He is very expressive and particular about which word/s he wants to emphasize.

Conclusion: You just gotta laugh and take a photo for posterity/the blog. I knew Tony and the family would get a kick out of this one. I sure did. Thank you, Gavin, for making dreary winter days, when daddy is off skiing, a whole lot more interesting.

Daydreaming of the Sea

2009-01-25T13:44:00.000-08:00

Apparently, I'm not the only one daydreaming of a warm sunny day by the ocean (on this very snowy winter day). Here are 3 pieces of artwork Gavin painted this afternoon. He informed me that they are... "a boat" (top), "a starfish under water" (middle), and "a squid" (bottom). What made him think of these things while painting on such a cold snowy day is a mystery. The mind of a 3 year old never ceases to amaze me.

Christmas Brunch

2009-01-24T18:16:00.001-08:00

This Baked Gruyere and Turkey Sausage Omelet was the main attraction of my Christmas brunch and it was a big hit with everyone. It was delicious and super easy to prepare. I will definitely make it again. And it would be great for breakfast any day (or dinner, for that matter). Several people have asked me for the recipe. Here it is...
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/baked-gruyere-and-sausage-omelet-recipe/index.html

More Favorite Beauty Products

2009-01-17T07:24:00.001-08:00

Two more beauty products that I LOVE (I wouldn't be sharing them with you if I didn't) are Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream for hair and Gee... That Was Quick! oil-free makeup remover for eyes by Benefit. Both are amazing and actually do what they say they do (imagine that). I've been wanting to try the glossing cream for a year or two, but the $20 price tag kept me away. But my philosophy on beauty products is that if they really improve the quality and appearance of your hair or skin they are worth the money. The problem is you never know if they will really do what they claim they will. So, anyhow, the glossing cream is great for fighting frizz adding shine and softness and protecting from heat styling. And you only use a pea-sized amount so the 4 ounce bottle will probably last me for a year or two (making it more than worth the money). Just a side note... I love the Frederic Fekkai color care shampoo and conditioner too. I heard about Benefit's eye makeup remover in Allure magazine and gave it a try because I have been very unhappy with all of the various drug store brands I've tried. They are usually too greasy or too drying. Turns out this one is just right. Both products can be purchased at Sephora, Macy's or Nordstrom.

Rocco's New Years Resolution

2009-01-10T12:54:00.000-08:00

We received some bad news this week. During a routine checkup with the vet we were told that our beloved Rocco is "obese". Somehow his weight has skyrocketed to an alarming 20 pounds! His ideal weight is 15 lbs. The doc explained it in human terms... it's like a man who should weigh 150 lbs. weighing 200 lbs. We were also told that if he continues at this weight it will take 2 years off his life. This was all very disturbing news. However, we couldn't help but find a little humor in the situation, especially when the doctor asked if Rocco was an "apartment dog" (translation- does he not have any room to run around and play). Actually doctor, Rocco has 1/3 of an acre to run and play in all day and his best buddy, Rowdy, is his ideal weight and perfectly healthy. Now we are not the kind of family that produces overweight children or animals. I am really quite embarrassed. What can we be doing differently... less food, more exercise? What is Rocco's excuse? Perhaps is all of the apples and pears that Rocco gorged himself on throughout the fall ? Could it be all of the snotty tissues he pulls out of the bathroom trash can and eats under our bed (how many calories are in snot anyhow)? Regardless, he is now officially on a diet. Our plan... feed him less and try to walk him more. I'll keep everyone up on his progress.

Cool Sneakers

2009-01-08T18:36:00.001-08:00

My philosophy is that everyone needs a cool pair of tennis shoes. I also believe gym shoes should stay at the gym (it's always been a pet peeve of mine when people wear their workout shoes with their everyday clothes). And since I'm not buying many clothes these days, other than essential maternity pieces, I'm looking at shoes. I've also been thinking about comfort (since I'm carrying some extra weight), but I don't want to sacrifice my style. Here are a few fun, retro styles that are all on sale right now at piperlime.com. Unfortunately, Piperlime doesn't have my size in any of them!. The last pair can be found on Nordstrom.com (not on sale).

Crib Bedding

2009-01-04T15:25:00.001-08:00

One of the best parts of having a new baby (aside from the obvious... bringing a little angel into the world and our family) is decorating the nursery. And I think the best place to start is with the crib bedding. Here are 4 looks I love. They are all from my big sis' website laylagrayce (thank goodness for the family discount). I'm not big on pink (not sure I could stomach pink walls). I'm also not very into florals, ruffles and that sort of thing. I'm really loving the last one with lavender, green and white. It has a floral pattern on the bumper, but the polka dot sheet and striped bed ruffle balance it out. Green walls would be serene and I may even enjoy lavender walls.

It's a girl!

2009-01-01T09:15:00.001-08:00

We had our ultrasound on December 22nd and discovered that we're having a girl! I was very excited. Tony acted indifferent, but I think he's getting more and more excited. And Gavin said he wanted a baby brother (which is a big improvement over not wanting a baby at all). She looks very healthy. I feel her move and kick all the time, especially at night. Now we are ready to give her a name. We have a favorite name, but are considering a few others as well. Please cast your vote on my poll to the right.

Build-A-Bear Workshop

2009-01-01T08:45:00.001-08:00

While in California this week my mom suggested we take Gavin to Build-A-Bear Workshop. It ended up being such a fun experience. First, he chose his animal. There were bears, monkeys, dogs, penguins, etc. Gavin chose a Black Labrador puppy. Next, you take your animal body over to get stuffed. You help stuff him and put a heart inside (first you rub in on your own heart and give it a kiss). Then, you take your animal over to the bath and use the shower blower to blow off any extra stuffing. Then, you can choose an outfit. Gavin chose a sweater vest. And last, you give your animal a name and print out a birth certificate on one of their computers. Gavin chose to name his dog Gordon (which was actually what he suggested we name his baby sister so I'm glad that's his dog's name now). Then they send you off with a cute little box house to put your animal in (Gavin had so much fun with that house).

Christmas

2009-01-01T08:18:00.001-08:00

What a wonderful winter break it has been! My parents and my sister Tiffany and her husband Tommy all came to Utah to spend Christmas here with us (and my brother and his family). On Christmas eve Tony took Gavin up to ski at Solitude and we met them up there for lunch at the delicious Creekside Cafe. It was a gorgeous, albeit cold, day and I was wishing I could have jumped on my snowboard. Then we went to dinner at my brother David's house in West Jordan. Christmas brunch and dinner were at my house (with a quick visit at Tony's parents' house in between). The next morning we woke up and drove to St. George and then on to sunny California. Gavin and I flew back yesterday to enjoy a wonderful New year's eve with Tony. Now I'm missing California and my family, but I'm so happy to have spent so much quality time with them. Happy new year!

Dogs are a Boy's Best Friend

2008-11-23T18:45:00.000-08:00

Dogs are the best toy you could give your child. Gavin has so much fun playing with Rowdy and Rocco. He even has two favorite stuffed animals that he sleeps with every night that resemble our dogs. Gavin got his lion at the Santa Barbara zoo when he was one. One day after Rocco returned from the groomers with a lion cut we noticed that he looked a lot like Gavin's lion. Recently, Gavin's grandma & grandpa Allred got him this cute little puppy. It looks just like Rowdy, when he was a puppy, so Gavin appropriately named him "Puppy That Looks Like Rowdy" or "Rowdy Puppy" for short.

Scrumptious Snickerdoodles

2008-11-23T18:37:00.000-08:00

I used to love making (and eating) Snickerdoodle cookies when I was a kid. I was craving some yesterday and remembered that I had a recipe from the famous Magnolia Bakery in New York City that I hadn't tried yet. I made them and they turned out delicious (better than I remembered); so good, in fact, that I wanted to share the recipe...

Snickerdoodles

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons cinnamon, for sprinkling

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla, and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

The Art of Making Forts

2008-11-23T18:28:00.001-08:00

Gavin has been obsessed with making forts out of couch pillows and blankets. Tony and I have gotten into the fort building as well, but I'm really getting tired of it. Little does Gavin know that I could build a mean fort in my day and I could create something really cool for him. However, I no longer want to encourage this activity. Here are a couple of his creations.

My Favorite Cleanser

2008-11-09T10:44:00.000-08:00

One of my new favorite things is Philosophy's Purity Made Simple facial cleanser. I LOVE it! I think it's the perfect cleanser for all skin types. My skin is combination and I just love how soft and clean it makes my face feel (yet it doesn't dry me out at all). It's been on the "best of Sephora" list for a few years now and it has a user rating of 4.6 stars out of 5. I purchased mine from sephora.com (one of my all-time favorite websites), but I think you can purchase it at Nordstrom too. Just a side note... I heard that Sephora is opening a store at Trolley Square. Purity comes in 4 different sizes and it is $20 for 8 ounces (and worth every penny).

Halloween Night

2008-11-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

For Halloween we went to my brother, Dave's, house so that Gavin could go trick or treating with his four adorable and scary vampire cousins. We had a great time. I was remembering how last year Gavin couldn't say trick or treat yet. He would say, "Boo, boo, beat". Well, this year he can say it perfectly and he also made sure to say thank you after receiving candy. He's so well mannered.

Pheasant Hunting

2008-11-01T13:24:00.001-07:00

Last Wednesday Tony (& Rowdy) went pheasant hunting with a couple of buddies. It was a very successful day (as you can see from all of the dead birds so proudly displayed on the hood of that lovely Mercedes SUV). Tony shot 6 or more and brought them all home so we could eat them (& for the crew at the station too) . They were gorgeous, colorful birds and Gavin was very interested in them. Apparently, Rowdy had one of his best hunting trips ever. He's turned into quite the bird hunter. I really wish I could see him in action.

Halloween Party

2008-11-01T13:18:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Gavin and I went to a birthday/Halloween party for Bennett who was turning 3. I thought this was a cute picture. And, no, I didn't dress up. However, I did dress up for my kindergartners on Halloween for our class party. I was an angel. Isn't that fitting.

Babystyle Promotion

2008-10-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

I just got this message and wanted to share it. I love Babystyle. I often buy Gavin cool tees, shoes, etc. from their website, when they are having a sale (which is almost all of the time). I purchased several clothing items from the store when I was preggers the last time and they were some of my favorite maternity items. Just enter the coupon code FAMILY20 during checkout. Act fast! We only have 4 days.

Looking Back

2008-10-20T15:27:00.000-07:00

Look what I found... a photo from 2005 when I was preggers with Gavin. This photo was taken at my California baby shower when I was 7+ months pregnant. Get a load of the belly. This is what I have to look forward to in the next 5 months.

Our BIG News!

2008-10-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

Our family of 3 is about to become 4. I am 10 weeks pregnant and due on May 17th (Gavin's birthday is May 16th). I went to my 1st doctor's appointment on Thursday and all looks well. My heart melted when I heard the heartbeat. So now we are ready to announce our exciting news. Shh... don't tell Gavin. He is adamant right now about NOT having a baby brother or sister. We hope to change that in the coming months. We figure we have time since I'm not showing yet.

Snowbird

2008-10-19T08:58:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we went up to Snowbird (a local ski resort) to ride the tram and hike around. Riding the tram was an awesome experience. Gavin loved it and the views were amazing. However, when we got to the top of the mountain (elevation 11,000 ft.) there was quite a bit of snow and it was 40 degrees! Needless to say, we didn't hike around too much, but Gavin and Tony did have a snowball fight. We played around at the resort a bit and ate lunch at one of their restaurants and then returned home to the valley where the temperature was a warm 75 degrees.

Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue!

2008-10-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

I was finally able to capture a photo of Gavin in his Halloween costume. We got it about a month ago and he has been wearing it and playing in it a lot, but hasn't posed for a picture until now. In case you weren't sure, he is Buzz Lightyear the space ranger from Disney's "Toy Story".

A Great Day for the Zoo!

2008-10-19T08:37:00.001-07:00

I was so excited to have Thursday and Friday off of work (for UEA). We took advantage of having a couple of week days to do as we please and did several fun activities; one of which was going to the zoo. It was the perfect day for it ,weather wise, ... clear blue skies and 70 degrees. We joined our friends Tierney and her 2 children, Robbie and Berkley (pictured above) and Kim and her son, Jack (never caught a picture of Kim). I also didn't get any pictures of the animals, but that's OK because I think the kids had more fun playing together than looking at the animals anyway. I know I enjoyed chatting with Tierney and Kim the most:)