Little Mess

I'm pretty sure that blocks do NOT belong in the ball popper. Thanks Maggie...

And, check out what she does when left to her own devices for, I swear, one minute!! I chose to snap a ton of pictures rather than take the roll of toilet paper away.

Once she decided THAT was boring she moved onto my canvas Trader Joe's grocery bag and somehow got it over her shoulder....so it's out of the way while she empties my file drawer.

Weekend Review: Rhythm on the River

We were supposed to do a 5k race in Longmont on Saturday morning but due to my tail-dragging we missed the deadline to sign up. At least we got to sleep in instead...

We still hit the Rhythm on the River festival for food, music, and play. It was a pretty good time! They had a lot of fun activities for older kids so by next year Maggie will be in heaven. She still enjoyed her sand play and Play Doh (although I'm pretty sure I enjoyed that more than she did).

Saturday night Patrick took Maggie while I headed out with our neighbor to a scrapbooking party-thingy. It was an.....interesting crowd. (Although the snack table was good.) It made me realize how way far behind I am. Time to renew my scrapbooking mojo as Ashby would say.

Sunday morning Maggie was slightly cranky so we spent almost 45 minutes turning our coasters like tops on our coffee table. That entertained her until morning nap.

She was a wild thing at church. Luckily there are like six million babies in our ward so mine is never alone in her mischief. After church Patrick tried the Pioneer Woman recipe for chicken sandwiches. They were super good! I love that my husband cooks (he balances out my laziness in the kitchen).

Here's a video of Maggie walking around.

Tings

Since my favorite snack, Veggie Bootie, has been recalled I've decided to try the other options out there and found my new love: Tings.

Tings are addictive and come in a bag that is completely possible to eat in one sitting but yet, not meant to be. Yes, I've eaten an entire bag in one sitting--several times. Don't judge me.

Oh, and the Pirate's Booty with caramel isn't half bad either. There may have been a few bags of this that bit the dust this past weekend.

Mango Magic

Mango was Maggie's treat of choice while learning to walk. She took her first few steps to get to a piece. Of course, it took a desire to play with cousins to really take off but the fruit was her first reward. She loves this stuff (and hey, so do I).

Shopping with the Ladies

Yesterday I met with some mommies I met through the Itty Bitty's and Mommy & Me. We had some serious shopping to do!

This is Luke (aka: the only thing on the planet that currently compels me to have another child). He's waiting for his mom to try on bras.

Alex and Maggie crashed at about that same time. If I could have crawled in there with them and grabbed a quick nap I would have. We shopped ourselves silly.

I bought these adorable Robeez. They're the perfect shoe for her to wear while learning to walk without getting her feet filthy.

You can't see the shoes in this picture but it's still cute so I'll include it.

DVD Player

Ok, so Maggie DID sleep both coming and going from Utah but the DVD player purchase was not a total loss. She sat quietly in the SLC airport and watched Baby Einstein videos until it was time to board the plane.

Weekend/Vacation Review: CRAZY!

Wow, what a crazy busy few days!

Thursday Patrick's friend, Greg, flew in from Ohio. He got to meet Maggie for the first time. She stared hard before deciding he was cool then wouldn't leave the poor guy alone.

Friday morning Maggie and I flew to Utah. She was a perfect angel and slept from the second we took off until we touched down. So much for carefully planning with a DVD player. We arrived to a huge birthday party for my dad with a house packed with family...quite overwhelming but a good time nonetheless. There were so many kids running around Maggie couldn't stand being left out so she just stood up and starting walking around! She went from taking just a few steps at a time to a full fledged walker. I was so astonished and proud.

Here's Max and Maggie watching Baby Einstein.

Saturday we drove into Provo to divide up some of my brother's childhood pictures. The four sisters are each going to help create/assemble his life scrapbook. Very exciting. We went out to eat as a family (which is always an adventure with MY family). No trip to Provo is complete without swinging by the Super Target. My mom had all six kids and a few grandkids traipsing through the isles. Maggie got her first doll. She still has no interest in it yet.

Ellen, Courtney, and Maggie.

We took Maggie up to the "rabbit room" and she LOVED it. She played for a long time and pointed at the rabbits, birds, lady bugs, etc painted on the wall. Notice the adorable swing in there as well.

We stayed up very late talking and I regretted it Sunday morning when we had to get up early for church. After church most of the family came up to SLC for a "relaxing" potluck.

Monday was another trip down to Provo where we met at Charlotte's for sandwiches and chatting. Char's girls put Maggie on a blanket with all of their stuffed animals and then dragged the blanket around the kitchen. Then Char read to her. She loved it.

Maggie was, again, an angel and slept the entire flight home. She showed off her perfected walking skills to her dad and then fell right back into a routine with him.

Still In Utah

Although there are lots of photos and tons to say, I'm still in Utah and have no time to say it all (plus there's more stories to collect before I head home--good stuff). I can't get anything off my camera but here are some pictures my sister took.

I'll be doing a Weekend Review/Vacation Review when I get home.

Shopping Addiction

I have some sort of addiction to shopping. Lately its gotten a little out of control. I saw this necklace and it was ALL I could do not to buy it. I wanted it SO badly but felt like I really didn't need it and it's expensive (at least for me it is). That was a few days ago and I can't get it out of my head. I think I need therapy.

Good Day

Although I was very sad to be missing the amazing celebrations in Provo, we managed to have ourselves a pretty darn good day.

We woke up early to hit the ward breakfast at our local park. Maggie laughs WAY more when her dad is pushing her in the swing. I just can't catch a break...

We took most of the afternoon off to relax at home. Here's how Maggie and Patrick relax. This is the typical arrangement at our place--Maggie lounging on dad.

We also were invited to a BBQ at our neighbors place (we love our neighbors). The Crapos joined us. Lots of fun.

Happy July 4th!

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. ~Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address, 1863

How often we fail to realize our good fortune in living in a country where happiness is more than a lack of tragedy. ~Paul Sweeney

This, then, is the state of the union: free and restless, growing and full of hope. So it was in the beginning. So it shall always be, while God is willing, and we are strong enough to keep the faith. ~Lyndon B. Johnson

My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy! ~Thomas Jefferson

We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. ~Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address, 1863

Lazy Summer Days....Indoors

It's insanely hot out there so unless we hit the park with water jets or go swimming we camp out in the house.

New Favorite Salads

I don't know if its the heat or if I'm in some kind of a slump but the thought of fixing lunch these days is just too much for me. I've been eating out regularly--fast food (hence the need for a VERY modest swimsuit).

My new favorite salads are from Panera. Fuji Apple Chicken, the Strawberry Poppyseed, and the Tomato and Mozzerella. So yummy. Too bad they don't have a drive thru or I'd be there every day.

Weekend Review: City of Lyons

Friday night I finally got around to making one of the three recipes I'd been wanting to try: the hazelnut blondies. I blogged about that here. Yum.

Saturday we took the advice of our trusty Sunset Magazine and spent the day in neighboring town Lyons. We hit The Barking Dog for coffee and bottled water, went antiquing, ate at the Oskar Blues Bar & Grill, and did the Sculpture Trail. Patrick loved the cajun catfish at Oskars and I devoured my Gyro Platter. Actually, whole menu was packed with temptations. I thought the Sculpture Trail was fun (we only hit about 1/3 of all the art pieces) but Patrick said, "It's not art if I can do it". I found some fantastic pillows at the Rabbit Mountain Cottage Furnishings that I want badly.

Here's Maggie and Patrick taking a break in the shade.

This piece (can you see that it's bear heads?) happened to have the artist hanging around who took several pictures of Maggie admiring her work.

Maggie eating her peas at Oskars

After our little adventure in Lyons I took Maggie to pick out a portable DVD player for our trip to Utah. I have to keep her happy on the plane now that all she wants to do is explore, not sit on mom's lap.

Maggie spent Sunday practicing her walking--she's really getting it!

She also developed a temper when she handed us her DVD cases and expect us to "read" them to her (she didn't listen when we tried to explain they were not books). Finally Patrick gave in and "read" the cover, opened it up and "read", then turned it to the back and said, "the end". That seemed to do the trick.