Super Baby!

Has anyone ever heard of a baby sitting up on their own when they're not even 3 months old?! Well if you haven't, now you have. I present to you, Brinley, the super baby!

Okay, before you get too excited, I have to confess, she can only hold herself up for like 3 seconds. Then she folds over and looks more like this:

Still, I think she's a pretty strong little baby for her age. At her 2 month appointment her Dr. was surprised that she could already hold her head up at a 90 degree angle while on her belly. She can also already roll over to one side and can grab my hands and pull herself up to a standing postion by supporting her weight on her legs. I don't know people, maybe I'm just an excited mom, but I think we may have a future Olympian on our hands! : )

How do you get your kid to eat an apple?

Take them to an apple farm!! At least that's what worked for us! I've always struggled to get Teya to eat fruit. She loves veggies, but fruit not so much (weird huh?) Today however, I think she ate at least 3 apples in less than an hour! And all because we took her to an apple farm. Something about seeing the apples on the trees and then picking them herself made the fruit appeal to her.

Anyway, it was an awesome place called Minnetonka Orchards, with lots of kid friendly stuff to do. Corn Maze, pony rides, pumpkin patch, haystacks to jump in, petting farm, and fresh squeezed apple cidar and apple donuts are just a few of the things that made it so fun. This is seriously one of the best Saturday activities I've done in a long time! Hope you enjoy the pics!

Who knew apples tasted so good?

The type of apple we picked was called Honey Crisp. It has the most amazing flavor! Definitely don't taste apples like that from the grocery store!

While we were picking them, Teya kept asking "We done? I eat them now?" She was thrilled when she got to chow down!

We got to take a tractor hayride down to the orchards

Teya wishes she was the one driving the tractor

It was perfect fall weather for a fun fall activity

Everything about this place was kid heaven. Plus, we made it through the whole morning without ANY whining! You know she was having a blast if we could do that!

Teya was so funny when she took her pony ride. She gets kind of shy around other adults but she had to ride it with this lady all by herself. At first I could tell she was really uncomfortable, but when she got off she said, " I talk her" and I said, "You talked to her? wow! Good job!" and she said, "Yeah, I love her." So cute!

Another highlight was the corn maze. The whole time we were going through she kept saying "We take the first path, or the second path? I know! The first path!" and she'd point out the way to go. (she learned about paths from good old Dora)

Bye Bye Apple Farm! We'll definitely be back next year! (or maybe even next week! ; )

5 things tag

I saw this tag on my friends blog and thought it looked fun so here you go:

5 years ago: Let's see, September 2003 I was living in Moorpark CA and teaching Spanish at Hart High School in Newhall CA. I was straight out of college and loving having a real job with an actual salary! When you're used to making $6 an hour working on campus, getting a real paycheck is awesome! I totally felt like I was living the life!

5 months ago: April 25th 2008 I was 6 months pregnant with Brinley and already felt like I was as big as a house! We were still living in Tennessee and we had just celebrated Taber's 30th B-day with a big BBQ bash in our backyard.

5 hours ago: 4:05 p.m. I was running around the house straightening it up so it would look like I had done something productive with my day when Taber got home ; )

5 minutes ago: I was putting Brinley down to bed so I could finally have some ME time! YES!!!

5 Things I did today: 1)Took Teya to preschool, 2) went to the bank, 3) assembled a little play kitchen I bought for Teya (it took me forever to put that thing together but it was sooo worth her reaction when it was done) 4) Went out to eat at Chipotle with the fam, 5) read scriptures with Taber.

5 Things I'll do tomorrow: 1) Work out, 2) go grocery shopping, 3) pay some bills, 4) clean my house, 5) babysit for my friend

5 Things I want to tell my husband: 1) Way to rock your presentation today babe! 2) Thanks for taking us out to eat tonight, I was not in the mood to cook! 3) You should wear those brown slacks more often, lookin' good! 4) Thanks for being so hands on with the girls, you are the best dad ever! 5) Don't forget that my birthday is coming up in a few months, I've already submitted a detailed wish list to your email. : ) Love you!

Sports Fans

Two tickets to the University of Minnesota Football game: $40

Staduim Hot Dog:$5

Popcorn from the concession stand: $4

Having 1 on 1 time with Daddy: Priceless

I'm Getting into Politics!

I'll admit it, I've never been the most politically active person. Elections have come and gone and sadly I've never really paid much attention. This year however, with such a historical election I think it's almost imossible not to get excited. I've been following this election since the primaries, something I've never done before. I've read up on the candidates and watched them speak at the Democratic and Republican conventions. I'm very impressed with both sides quite frankly, Obama is incredible and inspiring to listen to. I'm sure he would be a good president and I think he has a lot of potential. At the end of the day though, my beliefs are more in line with McCain. And of course, it's hard not to get excited about Sarah Palin when my husband if from Alaska!
So today John McCain and Sarah Palin were in Minnesota holding a rally just 30 minutes from where I live. My great friend and neighbor who also has a 2 year old thought it would be fun to pack up our kids and go check it out. We didn't think it would be crowded since it was during the day and people were at work and in school. When we got there though it was clear right away that we were wrong. Thousands of people turned out and it was a little chaotic! I don't think they planned for such a huge turn out so the parking and shuttle system was seriously lacking. We had to park a mile and 1/2 away and walk there with a baby, 2 two year olds, and no stroller. If anyone has ever tried to walk a mile and 1/2 with a two year old you know that it's no picnic. After about 30 feet she was crying and wanted to be held. So I had Brinley in the Snugli in the front, the diaper bag on my back, and Teya on my hip, walking in about 85 degree weather to go see John McCain. After struggling with my load for several yards a nice lady asked if she could carry one of the kids. I gladly unloaded Brinley and we continued the trek with our new friend.

When we got there it was so packed we could barely see or hear the speakers. Still, the place was charged with electricity and I couldn't help but get caught up in the excitement. Teya and her little buddy were such good sports. They danced around to the music and held their McCain sign and cheered with the crowd. We didn't stay long because they were getting tired, but it was an awesome experience and as hard as it was to get there, I'm so glad we went. No more sitting on the sidelines for me. I want to take advantage of having a voice in this wonderful free country.

Our view from the back

Teya and her friend already hitting the political scene

Teya wanted to see what everyone was cheering about when John McCain came in, so I put her on my shoulders. What you can't see is that I also had Brinley hanging in front in the Snugli : )

LOTS of Palin fans at the rally

Here's a video clip of when they announced John McCain and the crowd went wild

I have to Brag...

So I've never really considered myself a master of the domestic arts, espcially when it comes to cooking and decorating. My cooking ranges from bad to mediocre, my decorating has always been sparse and uncoordinated. Well last night we had two other couples over for dinner and I really tried hard to make a nice meal that didn't come from a box or a freezer bag. (see recipe here) It was quite the effort, I even cut my own vegetables! (a big deal for me) As a result I was greatly rewarded with sincere compliments to the chef, ME!

And I'm bragging because it wasnt' like the obligatory, "This taste great" comment that people make after someone has cooked for them. These people were raving about my food! They were "MMMM-ing and Wow-ing all "What About Bob" style over my dinner! It was seriously such a high! Who knew that cooking could be rewarding in more ways than just a satisfying meal!And if that wasn't enough, they also went on and on about how much they liked my decorating! One guy was like, "Wow, I love how you've decorated, I mean really, this is first class!" So right now I'm just feeling a little bit cocky and proud of myself and had to take a moment to brag. : )

My "first class" decorating : )

Two views from the front door

Brinley at 2 months old

Since babies grow so fast I'm going to try to do a monthly update on Brinley for all our family and friends who live far away (which is pretty much everyone, since we're the crazy ones who are always moving all over the country!)

Brinley had her two month well baby check today and is looking great! She is in the 56th percentile for weight and the 30th percentile for height (which is why she looks so chubby : ) She weighs a solid 11 lbs 2 oz which is pretty impressive considering she's almost

doubled her birth weight!

Brinley has a very sweet personality. She harldy ever cries (quite different from her older sister) and she loves to stare at people's faces and say "Ah goo" in the most precious little cooing voice that my ears have ever heard. I am truly smitten with her and am amazed at how much I love this tiny person who I've only known for 2 months!

Brinley is always eager to return a smile to anyone who looks at her. She has wooed many a random customer at Wal-Mart with her winning grin.

Brinley's favorite position is on her tummy. She spends most of her days on her belly on a blanket, watching her big sissy or trying to solve the mystery of the strange furry creature that is constantly licking her feet. (Yes, that's what Monty is doing in the background, he is obessed with licking her footisies, I don't know why)

She sleeps for 6-7 hour blocks at night which is pretty awesome. She also sleeps through most of the day still, though she's starting to be up more often which is a lot of fun. Teya absolutely adores her and loves to "pet" tickle, hug and kiss her. Taber and I adore her too and have decided if all our kids are as mellow as Brinley then we could definitley have 6 or 7 of them ; )

Go Twins!!!

When Taber's boss gave him 4 tickets to the Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals game, we thought it would be fun to get a babysitter and go with some friends. They weren't able to make it however, so we decided to be adventurous and bring Teya and Brinley along. I was definitely worried about how Teya would do since the game didn't even start till 7 and I knew she would be up past her bedtime. My worries were unnecessary though. Teya had a blast and was totally excited about every last detail of the experience. She clapped almost non-stop for the first 10 minutes, then she settled in and enjoyed the popcorn, the music, and the exciting atmosphere of the game. She made it to the 7th inning and was still a happy girl when we left. Taber and I had a great time too. Our seats were awesome, the kettle corn was amazing, and the hotdogs did not dissapoint. Here's a fun little clip of some Teya at the game. I love the first part when I ask her what she's watching and she says, "A movie!"

p.s. Brinley did great at the game too. Everyone cooed and awwed at ther when we took her out of her carseat. The girl sitting next to us seriously watched Brinley more than the game and was really bummed when we got up to go. : )

I'm losing it!

I guess I should more appropriately say I'm losing "things." In one day I've already lost three pretty important things. My phone, my wallet, and my dog.

My phone showed up easily enough at the bottom of the laundry basket. My wallet however was a different matter. I actually didn't even know I was missing it till a guy called me from the Wal-Mart parking lot and said he had it! I'm amazed he even tracked me down since my drivers licence is still from California and there was no contact info in there. Luckily he found the card of the painters who worked on our house in there. He called them and they had my number. He was nice enough to bring it to me at the house since I couldn't leave with Teya napping. I had a good amount of cash in there and all my credit cards but not one thing was missing. He was so nice, he just handed it to me and said, "welcome to Minnesota."

And then if that wasn't enough I also lost my dog. Our front door is very tempermental and if you don't lock it, it can pop back open with the wind. Well that's exactly what happened and Monty took advantage and left the house without me even knowing! Who knows how long he was out there, all I know is that I came downstairs and the door was open and he was gone. Once again, thank goodness for nice Minnesota people! Our neighbor saw him wandering around and brought him back. I'm glad she recognized him (we've only been here for 10 days!) because he wasn't wearing any tags so if someone else found him he would've been long gone!

So now I feel like captain flake and I'm keeping an eagle eye on my children lest by any means I should lose one of them!

Impromptu Swim in the Lake

I think I mentioned that there's a park just a mile from our house called Weaver Lake Park. It has an awesome playground and a great little beach that sits on the lake. This morning we went there to play on the playground, but once Teya saw the beach and the water she was desperate to get in. We were totally unprepared for swimming but she was insistent so we finally gave in. It started with just a dip in the water with her feet. Next thing we know she wants to take her pants off so she can get her legs wet. Then she wants to take off her shirt so she can really get wet. She even asked us to take off her diaper but we had to draw the line somewhere! She had a blast chasing a ball around in the water and splashing up and down the beach.

I knew that with her shirt off it wouldn't be long before she got all the way in.

Once she was used to the water she just crawled up and down the shore singing "Nademos, Nademos!" (Spanish for "let's swim", another line she learned from Dora and Diego) I'm glad we live so close to such a cool place and hopefully it will stay warm for a little longer so we can come again prepared to swim!

Settling in

We finally have all the important boxes unpacked and are starting to get settled in. This whole moving thing has been very hard on Teya and we've been very anxious to get her stuff unpacked so she could feel a little more comfortable in our new home. Our first big project after getting our beds set up was putting together her play room. We finished it during one of her naps. When she woke up and walked in her eyes popped out of her head, she flung her arms out with joy and looking at all her toys said, "MY FRIENDS!!" Having her toys out has really made a big difference, though she still misses our old house. The other day we were playing and having a good time and suddenly she stopped and said, "I wanna go home now" "I tried to explain that this is our home, but I think she's still hoping we'll change our minds and go back.

Teya happily relaxing in the playroom

Thrilled to see her"friends"

Brinley likes the playroom too, but she's pretty easy to please!

With our house getting more organzied everyday we've ventured out into the neighborhood to check out our surroundings. We're so lucky to have 2 parks within walking distance! One is literally a 5 minute walk, the other is a mile away but still super close. We're trying to go as much as possible since I know the winter will be here soon enough and then we'll be stuck indoors. On the swing at Weaver Lake Park

Jungle Gym by our house

climbing the monkey bars

Brinley is happy to be there for the ride

Also, sorry I haven't posted any pics of our place yet. It's nothing spectacular, just a little townhouse (we had to downsize because it's much more expensive up here coming from the south). I'll get some pics up when we get it all put together, but the townhouses behind Teya in this picture are what our house looks like, we're just around the corner.

That's the latest update though. Kids are settling in, we're all happy to have our stuff out of boxes, and we really, really love the location we're in. It's awesome being close to parks, not to mention a 5 minute drive in the other direction to Wal-Mart, Sams, Target and Home Depot! what more could I ask for? : )

Home Improvement 101

So when we went house hunting in Minneaplis we had orginally put in an offer on a different house but it didn't end up working out. We had spent a ton of time in that house and taken a million pictures thinking we were sure to get it. Well we didn't, so we had to pick one of our other choices that we hadn't spent much time in at all and could honestly barely remember! (How's that for scary?) But we prayed about it and felt good so we decided to go ahead and put in an offer and head out to our new home that we knew very little about.

When we got to our place I was happy to see that I liked the floorplan and LOVED the location, but I was a little freaked out because it definitely needed some work. Neither Taber nor I have much experience with home improvements so we were a little scared but ready to take on the challenge. On our first day here we headed out to Home Depot and bought a can of paint, some rollers and tape so we could paint our downstairs.

(Teya enjoyed the sweet carts at Home Depot)

After 10 hours, 3 more trips to Home Depot, and several hundred dollars spent on painting supplies, we had only managed to put up one coat on half of our living room. At that point it dawned on us that we are not painters. Meanwhile our cringe worhty paint job is stuck on our walls half finished and the movers are coming the next day to drop off our stuff. We frantically tried to recruit some help but with labor day weekend nobody was available. We finally decided that we'd just have to deal with it when the holiday was over.

Fast forward to today: we hired a professional painter to come and finish the job. It took him half the amount of time to do what we did and he did it a whole heck of a lot better! Moral of the story: sometimes it is worth the money to have someone else do something for you, especially if they are good at it and you are not. :)