Eat your heart out Cindy Crawford.

'Cause you ain't got nothin on me!

Jolly old St. Nicolas

I got them moves like Jagger...

CODE 2!! CODE 2!!!

Yep, that's right.  Anson had his first code 2 ever in the tub this morning.  For all of you who don't know what I'm talking about, that means he pooped in the tub.  Pretty sure the grunting gave me enough warning to get him out before the morsels started falling, but I decided I'd rather they fall in the water, than on the rug especially because he was all clean and I just whisked him right out before they even plopped in the water.  All I can say is praise heaven that what he did in his diaper right after didn't end up in the tub!

We're stuck like glue, whether you like it or not!

Addy only tolerates Anson, because he gives her food from his tray and sometimes she likes the love he gives to her and will give him slobbery kisses. Other than that, she's not his biggest fan--he ruined her life. As far as Anson knows, they are best friends for life!  Bonded by kisses, slobber, food, rides on Addy's back and lots and lots of snuggles!  So deal with it Addy!

Sad Panda

My Sweet Hubby works in the oil fields of North Dakota and has been gone for two week stints.  He just left yesterday for another two weeks!  Up to this point, Anson and I were going to stay here in Idaho and just visit the prairie lands of ND.  Turns out it's WAY too hard on Taylor to work his buns off all day and then come home to an empty house.  I'd say that's more than understandable and I wouldn't say it's been exactly fun for us.  Though it pains me to leave our house AGAIN, it's just not worth being away from Taylor--so to North Dakota we go!!

Yesterday morning before he left, he and Anson shared breakfast (french toast) and it was the sweetest sight! I just love my men!!  We were some sad panda's when we watched Taylor drive away, but he's securing a home in ND for us and we'll be together again soon enough!!  Can't wait!

Let me just say how grateful I am to have such a hard working Husband.  He really is pretty incredible.  To be willing to sacrifice so much to provide for our family is a quality in him that I admire A LOT!

All you need for Christmas is a penguin sweater and froggie boots!!

Thanksgiving

A few highlights from our Thanksgiving this year:  We got to spend it with the Ybarras (Auntie, Uncle and cousins) and my Grandparents!  There was delicious food and we experienced yams with caramelized pecans and marshmallows!  Holy yum!  We watched movies, laughed, ventured out to Walmart for black Friday and just enjoyed each other.  Hope everyone had an equally as happy Thanksgiving!

 

Take a bite out of crime!

I'm really grateful this Thanksgiving that Teton Valley has a very low crime rate, because if we had left our garage door open and the door into the house unlocked for two days almost anywhere else, we would have been cleaned out!!!!  Our neighbor dog ate some trash, but that was the extent of the damage!  Thank heavens!!!!  My Hubby was ready to rip my head off and then he realized that the garage didn't shut because he left the snow shovel in front of the censor--silly boy!!!

Thankful

I'm so thankful for my family--my wonderful Husband and my beautiful baby boy.

I'm thankful for each and every member of mine and Taylor's families.

I'm thankful for my wonderful friends.

I'm thankful for our home.

I'm thankful for clothes on our backs and for our health.

I'm thankful for freedom and for this breathtaking world we live in and even more grateful for the opportunity to go out and discover it.  

Karma

Anson is such a mild little boy and sometimes I brag about it (not to other Moms)-- I just get frustrated real easily when he's hard, because he is usually so easy going. Well, this week karma smacked me right in the face!  I'll show you says Karma!  We watched a lot of Yo Gabba Gabba! this week, because it couldn't be avoided.  We were out of town and therefore there was nothing else for Anson to do other than get into trouble (no child proofing), so to the front of the t.v. (portable dvd player) he went!  He turned into a devil child!  Temper tantrums like you wouldn't believe, destroying things just to make me mad, hitting and scratching me and very, very poor listening skills!  Time for a Yo Gabba Gabba fast!

He's lucky that he's cute, cause if he wasn't I'd have locked the door and thrown away the key!  Not really!  The t.v. has been off all day and he has already improved.  Crazy...

Sprechen Sie Deutsch

Our friend Spencer's family hosted a foreign exchange student from Germany a few years ago and they have remained friends since then.  We had the great oppurtunity to have Meita and her husband Bini come and stay with us for the weekend to wrap up their five week honeymoon traveling around America! Spencer, Tanner and Lindsay came too.  It was a great couple of days, jam packed with fun. Saturday we went fishing on the river, Anson was a champ and Sunday we went hiking up to the wind caves, which were so awesome and freezing!!  We got Anson to the entrance of the cave, but he wouldn't go further, because it was too cold. We ended the night with an awesome dinner and the Knotty Pine.  Also, Spencer Meita and Bini made us Eggs Benedict on Sunday morning... OH.MY.GOSH. It was that good!  We hope to have the chance to visit Meita and Bini in Germany in the near future!

 Also, Tanner and Spence thought it would be a good idea to take a shower under the waterfall naked.  Yep, that's sounds about right.

We got the greatest compliment too, they said coming to stay with us was the best part of their trip!  Come back anytime!!

Summa, Summa, Summatime!

Raspberry picking in the backyard and river floats with friends, now that's Summertime.  P.S. isn't my baby cute?!?  I just love him!

Rumor has it

That ear infections suck.  Well, now we know first hand that the rumors are true.  105.3 fever = one worried Mama,  a trip to the emergency room, antibiotics, flip flopping Advil and Tylenol, lots of sleep, cuddles and Yo Gabba Gabba!  

And apparently, I'm that crappy Mom who takes pictures of her kid when he's sick.  Gotta remember everything right?!

Oh Hey!!

Two of the cutest and greatest people I know surprised us with a visit.  They were only gonna stay for 4 days, but their truck broke down and they had to stay for two more.  I was pissed...HAH!  It was an awesome week!  Love you Daddy and Mama!

Don't you love their matching shirts? 

85% me

While Anson may look exactly like Taylor (with my skin and hair), his personality is totally me with a side of Taylor.  Observe:

He loves to dress up, but sometimes it ends up being a little painful and perhaps awkward.

He LOVES food, unlike his Dad who only eats because he has to in order to live.  Anson also loves the little extras that I adore and his Father doesn't, like: ranch, sour cream and pickles!

This kid loves sleep.  He has always been a good napper and sleeps great at night, but this one I think is a reflection of Taylor and myself.

The 15% of him that is like Taylor is his mildness.  He is so easy going and thank heaven for that, because it balances out the other 85% of him that is SPAZZY and LOUD!  I also must add that the kid has rhythm and he love, love, loves to dance (very much unlike his Dad) to anything even classical music.  It's hilarious!  I have a video of him dancing to the music that plays on his swing, but it won't upload...lame!  That's all for now! 

Peace, Love and Sara Bareilles

Saturday July 16th was a whole new experience for Anson and I.  It started with a 5k run with my best buddy Dawn and with her encouragement, we jogged the whole thing.  I may have had to fight the urge to vomit, but I finished and it felt GREAT!

Then it was on to Targheefest!  It's an annual concert that the local ski resort puts on for the entire weekend.  The headliners that we were most excited about were Sara Bareilles and Michael Franti.

Sara rocked the house!  She even sang her own version of Mumford and Sons "Little Lion Man," and it was so good! I may have dorked out and got her autograph, I thought why not?  I'll never get to be this close a star at a normal concert, especially one who has talent!  So I went for it!

 I had never heard Michael Franti's music before and I'm officially a fan! It's peace and love meets reggae and it's AMAZING! I love the messages in his songs, they were all super uplifting.  Should he make an appearance in the valley again, I will be there for sure!

 

It was a fantastic Saturday!

Loves!

Cousins Bailey, Claire and Hazel, Aunt Lauren, Natalie, Papa and Grandma Barlow came to visit for two whole weeks, it was kind of awesome!  Here's why:

We ate every carb imaginable, namely cinnamon rolls, calzones, artisan bread, whole wheat waffles, crepes and who knows what else.  Either way it was delish and we ate like kings and queens!  We played in the mud, the cousins took baths together (Anson was a little freaked at first), had picnics in the backyard, fed horses, played at Grandpa Larry and Grandma Pam's, which included a sleigh ride pulled by pony's and  a ride on Grandpa Larry's lawn mower!  We went to Cousin Melanie's wedding, went for walks, ate A LOT OF SUGAR and gave each other kisses.  Basically, a fantastic two weeks!  Thanks everyone for coming to play!

4th of July and then some

Our 4th pf July weekend was great fun, one that I'm sure none who participated will soon forget.  We got to go to a carnival which included pig and dog races, bounce houses, a hilarious hypnotist and a comedian (who wasn't funny at all). Glenn Beck was the guest of honor and he gave a speech about patriotism that made everyone (accept hippies) proud to be Americans.  His speech was concluded with a firework show that put all others that I've seen to shame.  On Independence Day, we celebrated with the annual Victor 4th of July parade, the craft fair, a smattering of delicious food and of course, more fireworks.  It was a faboo weekend.

The wall of people protecting our babies from the sun.

 Fun at the Parade!

Dinner time!!

Anson's first sparkler!
 
P.S This marked the start of a super fun two weeks with Auntie Lauren, Natalie, Grandma and Papa Barlow and cousins, Bailey, Claire and Hazel.  We haven't seen Aunt Lauren since Anson was born, so that was extra special to have her come!