Catch up :)

I realize I haven't posted in a while so here is the happenings of life up North:

1. My sister in law HATES tan lines...she actually says she has a tan line phobia (which makes me giggle-Trish I love you and your quirks) I on the other hand LOVE tan lines...they are lines of proof that you aren't as white as you once were...like you have somehow gotten better or something and have proof to show it :) Well as you all know winters in Idaho are wearing on me- so Meredith and I decided going to a tanning bed would be our best option for some UV rays. The process of us actually getting in a bed was long and quiet honestly hilarious (it involved us getting a tour of one nice tanning salon and getting excited we could tan there all to come to find out the place was actually $60 a month and we only had $20 to spend-so we left that place with our tails between our legs feeling like idiots and ventured to find somewhere else...aka somewhere not as expensive! Our second attempt was going to a place called Celestial tanning which we pulled up to find a "Business Closed" sign on the front door- I guess the tanning gods were against us or something...But determined we figured third times a charm and FINALLY today got to go. I will proudly admit I got a little burned (I know- it's weird...most people reading this are probably thinking isn't that a BAD thing? and to most yes- but to me it's like I am one step closer to not being a pastey white. So i will take my pink tint over ghost white any day! haha) ALL this to say it twas GLORIOUS to be under the lights and I felt so proud of my little (barely there) tan line :) :)

2. Easton is getting so big....he is giggling and smiling and grabbing toys and HOLDING them! Here are some of the latest pictures of him and the last one is a video.

 SEE I told you guys I am pastey white!! Bleh I need some sunshine!! Lets hope Lubbock pulls through for me when I go see Baby Evie and the girls beginning of March! I ran a game past Meredith the other day to play with my nieces that I could call "Egyptian princess" which would include one of them fanning me and the other re-filling my ice tea lemonade while I bask in the sunshine but then we figured that once I left my niece Kead would take that "game" to group and have other 2 and 3 year olds fan her and get her things and it would be an all around bad idea...although I couldn't stop laughing when I envision little Kead explaining to her momma why she is treating her sister like a bondservant because they were playing "Egyptian Princess" compliments of aunt kiji..

Patrick has started calling Easton "little bad guy" taken affectionately from my niece who has an imaginary friend Sunny her "little bad guy"...Makes me gigle every time I hear him say "Ah little bad guy do you just need a positive male role model in your life" (this is usually said when Easton is crying in his swing and wants to be held) hahaha.

 Again, proof I need a tan! Isn't East just the most handsome little boy you have ever seen?? I MAY be a bit bias....

 I love this one cause it shows Ellie snuggling us too....she is so good with him! They make quiet the pair! And please notice Easton transfixed on the television with little or no idea what is going on around him- he must have inherited the Ludwig gene here....

And here is a close up of Els just snuggling us :) What a good doggie!

3.Other BIG news is we closed on our house! HOPEFULLY we get keys tomorrow and then the real fun begins. The floors are actually in the house getting acclimated so we can put them in on Sunday, we picked up the paint tonight from home depot, ordered the tile for the countertops, got the cabinet re-finishing kit, still need to get the trim and oh yeah move all our stuff too :) We are SO excited and can't wait to have a place to call our own...Patrick and I have been watching DIY network pretty much every night and are excited to FINALLY get to work on our own projects instead of vicariously living through other peoples projects. Don't worry we will make sure to take a ton of before and after shots for you guys!!

Here is East before bed the other night just talkin and talkin to his daddy. We were watching Wheel of Easton was being such a ham we had to get it on video!

As you can see...he is loving to laugh. The other night he stayed in his crib for 25 min just blowin bubbles and laughing by himself. His personality is really developing and now I think we are getting more into the "fun" stage. Not that the newborn stage isn't fun but now he responds to peek-a-boo instead of just giving me that blank "mom are you nuts?" look :) I can't wait for when he is talking!!

PS- notice his one armed swaddle? For the most part he does ok with this but it takes twice as long to put him down cause his free hand flails about like he JUST realized he controls his arm movements and saves all his movement up for right before he naps or goes to bed :) The good news is he hasn't seemed to sleep LESS which was a huge concern. In time I am sure I will be able to do the other arm too...one step at a time though!

Ok well I think that's it...house news: check Easton update with included pictures and video: check Random/weird fact about me: check :)

Thankful

I am blown away by how much people love on us sometimes. Perfect example was this week. Patrick and I have both been sick this week so as you all know that means essentially nothing but the criticals get done. So no grocery shopping, minimal laundry (except sheets and bedding cause Im afraid we are just passing it back and forth) but I really have been slackin when it comes to the "wife" stuff this week...anyone else have weeks like this?? Anywho, today a great friend of ours sends me a text that says "We are stopping by after church you guys have room in your freezer?" So Im thinkin oh how sweet they are bringing us a dinner. Oh how I underestimated that! Precious Jodi brought us SIX meals for our freezer...and not just your classic lasanga either! We got stuff like Bourbon chicken and Rice and Thai Peanut Pork. Woot Woot! It's like having a baby all over again but instead of having to have a reason to serve us, they saw we were down for the count and stepped up to help out. As of lately, I have really been examining what true community is and what that looks like and I just smile and Praise God when I get to see it in action. What a great example (and not to mention Patrick is thrilled cause I am pretty sure he doesn't have the same stamina to live off Ramen like I do haha). Although an act that seemed to be so little I really just need to put it out there and say it is that small stuff like taking care of fellow family goes a long long way. I urge any of you reading this to look for someone in your life that is struggling and do something, small or big, to help them out. Happy serving :)

It's been awhile...

I told you guys maintaining a blog would be hard...I guess I just know myself. I get really into something and then I am kinda into it..and then next thing you knowI haven't wrote anything for almost a month!Man...ok new years resolution- I will post once a week on the blog...maybe? haha.

Life has been getting settled back into the swing of things. We went to Denver Dec 27 so we really got the best of both worlds. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas up here with Patricks family (which his sisters got to come up from Boise so it was a treat to spend time with them!) and then got to do the whole day after Christmas shopping and then head over to Denver for a whole week. I have to say my family can sometimes be....a handful :) So I am happy to say with confidence this was the most successful family vacation we have had to date! We spent time playing games, seeing cousins and aunts, playing games, going to the aquarium, playing games, testing out the best Brookstone has to offer, and yup you guessed right- played some more games! Of all those things, I loved most the laughter of the kiddos. The cousins were so sweet to each other (most of the time) and it was mayhem (what do you expect with a 3 yr old two 2 yr olds and two >6mth babies??) but glorious. Highlights of the trip include: Singing my heart out on Rock Band...If you are reading this please don't underestimate what I mean..I was ROCKING OUT guys. At one point I introduced my bandmates (callin my hubby Patrick "the hottie" Annotti on bass haha) Something about having the mic in my hands...good times good times. Another highlight was just seeing my parents love on Easton. I miss them so much and it was so great to be able to stay at their house and visit before the mayhem started..kinda like the quiet before the storm :) And of course the annual drink competition was way up there (we WILL be starting this tradition up here in Northern ID so for all you who live close- start thinking of your entries for this summer!). Patrick actually got into it this year and we WON! I went all out and bought us Grinch t-shirts and jingle bell earrings and we used dry ice for our presentation of our drink "The Grinch" (aka-Melon Mojito-yummy!) All in all it was a great holiday season! Not stressful at all. Just great times with family. I hope yours was just as great...here's to 2011..it's gonna be good...I can feel it!

Only in Athol....

As I was looking at furniture and appliances on Craigslist, I stumbled upon this beauty.

I've been using this in my shop for years, but recently someone gave me a dorm fridge. Since I really don't need all that much fridge room out in the shop I'm letting this gem go. This is one beautiful fridge as you can see from the picture it's Harvest Gold, which is awesome. Keeps beers cold on the right side, and will freeze the holy crap out of anything you put in the left side. And it's Harvest Gold. Actually one side is spraypainted whiteish. Free as in ZERO dollars to a good home. Contact via email.



Let's just point out the highlights:
"I'm letting this gem go" "it's Harvest Gold, which is awesome" "will freeze the holy crap out of anything you put in the left side" "Actually one side is spraypainted whiteish" "as in ZERO dollars"

I don't even know what to say to this except laugh out loud. Oh Idaho...I love you.

All smiles

Easton is smiling now!!! It takes a bit of persusion but it goes a little something like this....

1. We get his attention

2. We start saying his name and smiling

3. We tickle underneath his chin while smiling still

4. He gives in and gives us his cheeseball "well if you insist" smile...

MELTS MY HEART I tell you...

Is it just me??

So now that i'm a mom I realize with the good comes the bad...the culprit this week: being judgemental. Not that I was 100% judgement free pre-Easton but now I can't look at other babies and not think to myself "Eastons way cuter" or "what a cutie..BUT not as cute as my little man." I even compared him to the gerber baby commercial kids and babies!! (And yes- he is oodles cuter than them all...) It's like he sets the bar and all fall short haha. I am guessing all mom's feel like this but now saying it out loud (slash typing for all the world to see) makes me feel like a terrible person. Do any of you other moms do this?? Am I alone with my baby-judgemental spirit?? And now that he's laughing and smiling, it's like I am falling more in love with this kid! Now everyone I know will probably wonder what I really think of their kids (yes Mer I truly do think Gid is a cutie:)!) but Im just being honest here- anyone else with me on this??

Life here is good as we settle into me working. Like I mentioned, Easton LAUGHED the other day at Patrick (so far Patricks the only one who can make him giggle...not that Im bummed out about that or anything..I mean it's not like I spend all day with him or anything...nope- im not bitter...hehe) but it is just adorable. Its like a giggle that builds up to a straight up laugh! Nothing else is new though :) Hope everyone is gearing up for Christmas ok!

Talent Show

I feel like you never realize when you are a kid that there is really only a small window of time when you can do stupid/silly stuff and it be ok. Lately I have been feeling like choreographing a dance routine (random- I realize but I just bought a cd that has the best of Jock Jams and I find myself saying "5-6-7-8" to the beat of songs like Another Night by Real McCoy and dancing around my kitchen while my son looks at me like I am crazy) but this has got me thinking...why can't adults have talent shows? Why is it only ok for a high school or middle schooler to make a fool of themselves in front of their friends? When you're an adult making a fool of yourself infront of your friends it usually means getting drunk and well since my drinking days are done when do I get to show case my quirks infront of others?? Am I really going to just have to reserve my dances to holding Easton in our kitchen whilest dancing around and singing?? Where might a sober adult who has the urge to be silly showcase her abilities?? When you get married does that mean no more sleep overs with your girlfriends and dancing to Backstreet Boys?? *sigh* Sometimes being an adult is lame.