Daydreaming of the Sea

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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!

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!

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:)

My New Do!

Every fall I seem to get the urge for a new hair style. This fall was no exception. My stylist cut off about 7 inches. If I had only been thinking ahead, I may have been able to donate my hair to Locks of Love. Anyhow, I'm kinda diggin' it. What do you think?

Halloween PJs

This pic is for you, Mom and Dad. Thanks for Gavin's new Halloween pjs. He loves that the ghosts glow in the dark. Stay tuned for a picture of Gavin's Buzz Lightyear costume...

Tony's Newfound Obsession

Tony has a new hobby. Ever since he invested in a good mountain bike this summer he's been biking a ton (in fact, he's on a ride right now). We're lucky to have so many great trails so close to our house. I hope to take up the sport in the near future. I got a new bike this summer too. I just need a little more motivation. This picture was taken on the Wasatch Crest Trail. I love the fall colors!

Giving Rowdy a Bath (& Gavin)

Here's what happened the other day when Tony and Gavin gave Rowdy a bath outside with the hose... Gavin got almost as wet as Rowdy.

Gavin & his Grandpa Don

Last weekend my parents came to visit. It was so nice to have them here. And it was fun to take them to dinner to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary!