My Hubby's 25th Birthday!

On Friday it was my husband's 25th birthday! I decided to make him a cake which is very adventurous of me considering that I have not made a cake since the days of spandex and Ricky Lake. Well, it did not turn out to be that aesthetically pleasing but chocolate tastes good no matter how it looks. While I was frosting it I could not help but be amused. I think I will stick with baking cookies for now.

My Big Boy!!

Little Sammy, or should I say "BIG" Sammy is sitting up all by himself now. At around 6 months he was able to sit up but was a bit wobbly. Now, at 6 1/2 months he can fully sit up by himself! I just marvel at him and these milestones which are often taken for granted in life. Only 6 months ago he was just a little peanut and needed mommy and daddy to do everything for him. It really is amazing how much change a human goes through in the first year of life.

You can see Daxter in the background. It looks like he is saying, "Hey guys, let me in! I promise I'll be good."

This morning I woke up and my mind started thinking about the big mess in our house from all the painting projects. I was like, "That's it! I can't handle this mess anymore!" and I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned all day long. Actually, I should back up. My morning went more like this: I woke up around 6am (wasn't intending to), brought Sam into bed with me (Travis has been staying the night at his parent's house this week because he is taking care of his grandmother while his parents are out of town) because he's sick and I was worried about him; wanted him to go back to sleep; got up and made him a bottle hoping it would help him back to sleep; Sam kept kicking me and grabbing my hair; put him back in his crib. I tried to sleep but couldn't sleep that well because of my cold. Sam woke up a little while later and I got him up and changed him; brought him into bed with me. Fed him pureed carrots and peaches in bed (very carefully) with me. We both fell asleep and when I woke up I had my "I need to clean!!" moment. I was very motivated and I feel much better (well, except I still have a cold). : ) Now if only I could get this house organized. Problem is, we just have too much stuff.

Travis starts school this week. He is taking prerequisite courses for getting into nursing school. It feels like we've got this big mountain to climb and it will be forever until he is done with nursing school, working, making good money and then we can move outta here!! It seems weird when I think about 3-4 years from now (when he will be done with the program) and Sam will be 3 and hopefully we'll have at least one more child by then. I just can't even imagine what it will be like to have a 3 year old running around -- and be almost 30!!! Ahhhhhhhhhh!!! Hopefully I don't have a lot more gray hairs (I've found a few). What is that saying? "Life is a journey, not a destination." Good words to live by when you want something that will take 3 years to get!

Our Current Project and a Picture of Sam

Travis decided to start taking the popcorn off the ceiling last night (you know that stuff people decided to put on every ceiling back before I was born) and once he started he realized it was going to be a much messier and bigger job than he thought. So now half of our dining room ceiling is de-popcorned. I think we have ADD or something because we both will start projects and not finish them only to be distracted by another project. Currently, half of our kitchen cupboards are stained a cherry wood and I have no idea when they will be finished. They were started in September/October when it was still warm and have been put on hold. I painted the kitchen a mocha color (it's actually called "caribou") and regretted that decision later but decided it would be too much work to paint the kitchen a different color. I didn't know that when you tape up areas to protect that you should remove the tape in a timely manner. It was a big ol pain to remove the tape. In fact, I put it on hold and probably busied myself with some other task like taking care of my son. Today must have been an inspirational day because I finally faced my frustration -- that kitchen!! I tackled the tape and repainted the areas where the paint had bled through. Which leads me to one of my greatest pet peeves (next to people talking during movies)...when paint bleeds through the tape and I have to go back and paint over it!!!! If anyone knows the solution to this problem I would be so delighted to know. I was told that I just need to take the tape off within an hour or so but I did just that today and it still bled through! Argh! Anyways, so Travis and I painted a lot today. I finished touching up the spare bathroom (another project we started a month ago and then put on hold and now are returning to), we painted a couple walls in the dining area and even had time to watch some TV. We will have to wait and see how long it takes us to finish the wall in the dining area (haha! The "dining area" it's more like a table which has become a place to put stuff -- hehe). Now you guys know all my dirty little secrets! I cannot wait for the day when we have this house redone and maybe even organized (hold your breath). This house hasn't had a face lift since 1983 so it will be a big project which probably won't be done until we are ready to move out -- haha.

Pictures in Florida

Our little beach baby! I spent half my time at the beach fretting about Sammy not getting burned...but hey...he didn't get burned. None of us did, thankfully. I have said goodbye to the days of trying to tan. It just is not worth the skin cancer factor.

Uh-Oh!!! Nice face plant he did in the sand. He can sit up on his own now but is still a little bit wobbly.
He is so close to crawling. Right now he just kind of flips himself over a lot to get where he wants to go. I was very confused the other day when I left the room for a second and when I came back he was under the folded down stroller (there's enough room) and just his head was poking out. I wish I would have gotten a picture of it. I cannot figure out how he managed it. That just reminded me of when he was a newborn and we use to wrap him tightly in one of those swaddlers. We use to call him "Little Houdini" because he could always manage to get himself out, but in truth, he actually would go to sleep rather quickly when he was swaddled.
He loves looking in the mirror at himself! In the condo one of the walls was all mirror.

We're Baaaaack!!!

Okay, so I have to say first and foremost that I hate airplanes immensely. I think flight attendants and pilots are some of the bravest people I know. I was so scared I almost took a Greyhound bus home. But the one good thing I can say about flying is that it makes me 100% dependent on God. When I am up in the air I know the only one who is keeping that plane from plunging to the earth is God. Obviously I can die at any moment but it becomes very apparent when I am flying. It isn't death I am afraid of just the manner in which I die and plunging thousands of miles toward the earth is not how I hope to go.

We were in much need of a vacation so this trip was a wonderful surprise. I was hoping Sammy wouldn't be fussy like he was the last time we went away and he was a little angel this time. And my little stinker made a poopy blowout diaper during the flight to Florida and on the way back to Sacramento. He is quite talented. He even thought it was funny as I struggled to change his diaper. It was a big poopy mess. Travis heard some people commenting, "What is that smell?!!" haha, welcome to babyhood.

We basically beach hopped the whole time we were there which perfectly suited us. Half the fun of the beach is collecting shells and we brought a lot back with us. On Caladesi Island we found a lot of sand dollars and then at Venice Beach we acquired approximately fifteen shark teeth (Travis was very excited about that and stated we weren't leaving until we found some!). I stressed about Sam getting burned (he didn't) and Travis tried to find a good snorkeling spot (he didn't) and I have decided that a condo makes for the best vacation accommodations, but a condo on the beach is a little slice of heaven. Travis and I actually contemplated moving to Florida, if only we could get our families and friends to go east.

There was one really scary moment (okay, almost as scary as flying) when we were on a highway at night, in the fast lane, going 70 mph (the speed limit) and this big rig was on our tail. If Travis had braked in the least he would have totally hit us! This rig was ridiculously close to us. We would have called the cops on this guy but our cell phones just happened to be in the trunk.

I will post pictures soon...I'm tired and need to sleep...

Florida!

Well, we are heading off to Florida tomorrow for a week long vacation (I know, feel sorry for us). As an anniversary gift Trav's parents gave us a trip to Florida and we're going before his school starts in midJanuary. We're staying in a condo at Madeira Beach, near Tampa. We'll try to hit up Busch Gardens while we are there but mostly I think we will hang out at the beach. It will be rough but I'll try to have a good attitude ; ).

If you are the praying type, please pray for us to have a safe plane flight there and back. I am totally, completely and utterly frightened of flying but I don't want to miss life experiences due to my fear. I may be crying while I'm doing it, but I'm getting on that plane! So, yeah, please pray!!!

Auntie Em!!

Hey everyone...exciting news!!! My brother Steve and his girlfriend Mersina announced tonight that Samuel is going to have a cousin because they are expecting a baby in July!!!!! This is my first time as an aunt and it's about freaken time! : ) They will be exactly one year apart. I have a feeling it's going to be a girl...just a feeling though.