Happy Halloween

In our little community we celebrated Halloween last night.  We had 5 trick-or-treaters before we took Austin out and we left the bowl of candy on the porch with the light on.  When we got home there were actually 4 candy bars left in the bowl so I was impressed that the kids were honest and only took a piece or two.  Austin trick-or-treated at two houses of friends of ours.  Before we left I gave him a mini crunch bar at home.  After we trick-or-treated he had his bucket on the way to the party we went to and he chewed through the package of one of the candy bars and had chocolate all over his face and costume!

I love my Mom!

On my way to work today I picked up our mail that we haven't gotten since our week long vacation and I had a package. It was from my Mom who usually tells me when she is sending something, but didn't this time so it was a total surprise. I of course had to open it right away and inside was my all time favorite childhood book.

I asked her about it a long time ago because I could not remember the title, but wanted to read it to Austin. I know that when I was little I would want it read over and over and that eventually I practically had it memorized and could recite it even though I couldn't read yet. My Mom saves a lot of stuff so I knew that she would still have it, but she did not know where it was. When I pulled it out of the envelop it totally made my day!

So tonight before bed I read Austin Timmy Mouse and he sat there and listened to the whole book.  He seemed to love the pictures.  When I was done he wanted me to read it again, but I told him we could read it again tomorrow.  It's so great to share that little bit of my childhood with him!

California Adventure

We took a week long vacation last week to California.  I had a conference in San Francisco and Dustin and Austin came along.  We flew in on Tuesday.  We got to the hotel, the Parc 55 at about 6:30pm so we were tired and hungry so we ordered room service for dinner.  It was expensive, but so worth being able to stay in and kick back.  My conference started Wednesday and I went to the morning sessions.  Since the afternoon sessions were the same old stuff that they do every year I skipped and we went to the California Academy of Sciences. Austin LOVED the aquarium part.

That night we took a cab down to Pier 39 where we had dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.  We saw the sea lions and looked at Alcatraz.

Thursday I spent the whole day at my confernce.  Dustin took Austin to Moscone Park.

That night we took the cable car down to Fisherman's Warf.  We had dinner at Joe's Crab Shack and then went to Ghiradelli Square for ice cream.  It was so cute, we ordered waffle cones for us, mine was chocolate chip cookie dough and Dustin's was chocolate.  For Austin we ordered a cake cone and vanilla ice cream.  They served them on their sides in a dish so we picked ours up like a normal cone.  Austin wanted to pick his up too, but was messing around with it and nocked off the ice cream.  Luckily I saw this coming and grabbed it and put it back in the dish.  Austin licked the little bit of ice cream that was left on his cake cone.  Then he wanted to try mine and I gave him a lick.  Then he tried Dustin's.  He looked at both of our cones then grabbed Dustin's and handed him his empty cake cone.  Dustin was not amused!

Friday I went to the last sessions of my conference while the boys went back to the airport to get a rental car.  We drove up to Vina, California to see our friends from college Amber and her brother Grant.

Saturday we drove to Rohnert Park.  It was dumping rain by that point so after we rested a bit we went to Chuckie Cheese's.  It was a bit overwhelming for Austin since there were tons of people there trying to get out of the rain.

Sumday we made a big sight seeing loop.  We drove up to Guerneville to see Armstrong Redwood Park and Austin Creek State Park.  It was pooring rain the whole day so we briefly got out for quick pictures.

We continued on to the coast and drove down to Bodega Bay.  We had lunch there overlooking the bay, then drove back up to the first beach just north of there.  It was super cold and rainy so we only were out there briefly too, but Austin loved playing in the sand and did not want to leave.

Monday morning we got up early and headed back to San Francisco.  We stopped by Muir Woods National Park so we could check it out and get Austin's National Parks Passport stamped, but Austin fell asleep in the car and traffic was a little sticky so we wanted to pretty much get back on the road to make our flight.  I ran up to the visitor center to get the passport stamped and it was 8:50am, but they did not open until 9:00am.  I knew we needed to be moving so I did not wait, which is fine since Austin didn't really see any of it.

Our flight back was pretty uneventful as well as the drive home from the airport.  It was a fun trip and we are happy to be home now.

8 Little Questions and 8 Little Answers

I got this blog idea from Jen @ A Tale of Two Coins.  She was pregnant around the time that I was pregnant with Austin and I came to know her through the WebMD pregnancy support boards.  Her world came crashing down though when her husband suddenly passed away at age 32 from a heart attack.  Then about month later she also lost her sweet baby.  I read her blog at the time and checked in on her from her from time to time to follow her amazing recovery.  She is very strong and inspiring, so if you would like to read more about her incredible story head on over there. 

1. What is the best vacation you have ever taken/ favorite vacation spot?

I love to travel and have been to a lot of great places.  I really loved Maui, it is so beautiful there.  St. John in the Carribean was also very nice.  I also loved Sanibel Island, Florida and would love to go back there someday. 

2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be/why? (Money isn't an object)
This one is easy, my heart is always in Colorado.  I am crossing my fingers that fate will take me home soon!


3. What is your "go-to" outfit? or your favorite outfit?
I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl.  I love that my office is laid back and I can really wear pretty casual attire to work.  It's rare that I put on a dress or skirt!

4. What are you most thankful for in your life?
This one is hard for me because God has blessed me so much.  I am so thankful for my wonderful husband and son and especially that all three of us are healthy.  I am thankful that we have good jobs, a great home, nice vehicles and can live comfortably.  I am so thankful for my Mom, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.  Like I said, I am very blessed!


5. What is one piece of advice you would give other women?
Live everyday to the fullest and take nothing for granted!


6. What is one thing you plan to accomplish before the end of this year?
I would really like to finish Austin's quilt, there I said it, it's out there and now I have to fulfill it.  I had better get off the computer and get to it!

7. What is your favorite purchase you have made in the past month?
I'm not much of a shopper since I live in the middle of nowhere.  I did go to Phoenix for my birthday last weekend and we went shopping at the Arizona Mills mall.  I got a couple of shirts, an outfit for Austin and at Baby Depot they had a sale on kids bedding so I bought a Cars toddler bedding set.


8. Do you save money for things? What are you saving for? If not, what would you like to save you money up for?
Right now we are saving up money in case my husband gets a job in Colorado and we need moving money.  I say that, but we are also preparing to go to California and that trip is already eating up a lot of the money we have now.  On the job, he applied for a job in Grand Junction and the announcement closes today so say a prayer for us and cross your fingers that we get this job.  I would so love to be closer to family!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Tomorrow is my 32nd birthday.  We are heading to Phoenix so I won't be blogging and thought I would share some thoughts tonight.  My Mom asked me if I was excited about my birthday, but I said at this point birthdays really aren't that exciting for me.  Not that I dread them or hate them like some people, but it's kind of just another day anymore.  I am excited though that we will be seeing my brother, who I share the birthday with, and his kids and my sister is flying in from Colorado.  The one downer is I think Austin has a cold and that I am getting it too, but hopefully it doesn't get bad. 

I usually don't do a whole lot of deep thoughts on my blog, but I have been reflecting on my age and have some thoughts.  I don't intend for this to seem morbid, I really am ok with my age.  I remember when I moved down here almost 6 years ago my boss was in her mid forties and when we were chatting one day I referred to her as middle aged.  Well that totally set her back, and she reminds me that I called her that several times since.  I think she was 43 or 44, so if you double that it's 86-88, so to me that seems like a typical American life expectancy, so is it really that far off by saying that she was middle aged?  So if you double my age tomorrow you get 64 and I thought about it and I really know a lot of people who were not fortunate enough to make it to that age.  So does that possibly make me middle aged?

So I mentioned that I share my birthday with my brother, I was born on his 19th birthday.  My parents had four kids within a few years of each other.  In 1977 my two eldest brothers were in Iowa working for the summer when a lady fell asleep at the wheel and hit them head on.  It killed the oldest Kenny instantly, and severely injured my brother Doug.  A year and a half later I was born, so I like to believe that I was God's way of letting my family know that they had to move on from the grief and get on with life. 

Tomorrow Doug and I will celebrate another year.  I continue to enjoy my life and take each day as the gift from God that it is.  Maybe I am middle aged, but maybe I'm third-aged and have another 64 great years ahead of me.  All I think about that is if I live to be a hundred years I hope that I am able bodied and have a sharp mind still.  My Mom has a friend who was 77 and she went out on a Saturday night dancing with her husband, went home and went to bed.  She died in her sleep lying there next to her best friend.  That seems perfect to me, but is that bad for me to think about and wish for a simple death?  Oh well, at any rate I hope that day is a long time from now!

Our Fifth

 Our fifth wedding anniversary was last Friday.  It's hard to believe it has been 5 years, it has gone by so fast!  On Friday I had to work late, but when I got home we got Austin bathed and put to bed then went out and had a candlelight dinner on the back porch with champagne.  Saturday we had a date since I traded babysitting with some friends of ours.  We went to St. George, UT which is 80 miles away so the majority of our date was travel, but we did have dinner at Texas Roadhouse and went to Lowes to buy paint for our house.  The family that watched Austin said he did great so that was good to hear.  In two more weeks we are also going to go to California as a family which is also in honor of our anniversary.

Blessing the rings.

The wedding party from L to R- friend Amber, Nephew Jake (ring bearer), friend Jens, friend Amanda, Niece Becky (flower girl), Nephew JC (candle lighter), friend Craig, Sister Cathy, friend Mark, and Niece Heather (candle lighter).

The family

I tip my hat to the keep of the stars!

How can a Ram marry a Cowboy?

I had to share one of my #1 blog fan Brandi!