Monday, November 26, 2007
The Craziness of Christmas!
It never fails that the day after Thanksgiving I start thinking about Christmas and how I can't believe it's only a few weeks away. Actually I think about Christmas starting in about July and holding true to my past I already have gifts bought and lists made out. I'm already thinking about what to bake and what's left to buy. It's such a crazy time of year but I love it. This year is going to be extra special since we'll be celebrating with Avery. I've already bought her two Christmas dresses and Grandma Kari bought her another outfit so she's all ready for the big day. Jeff and I went and chopped down a tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Avery slept in the car the whole time, which was actually really nice since it was freezing out. Butte's been getting below zero at night and it's not much warmer during the day. I started decorating the house so I thought I'd post a couple shots to show you what's been done (obviously I haven't gotten around to doing that yet but they're coming). The plan is to get the decorating finished and the lights up this weekend. For me these few weeks before Christmas are best part of winter (probably because I'm not sick of it yet.) Enjoy the next four weeks because they're going to fly by and before you know it we'll be into the bleak months of freezing cold that never seem to end. I want to wish all my blog readers a fantastic and hopefully low stress holiday season (yeah right huh). I'll get those pictures up soon. 26 DAYS AND COUNTING.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Thanksgiving in Butte
It was Avery's first Thanksgiving and we were lucky enough to have Grandma Lori, Grandpa Dave and her cousin's the Dalton's (Chris, Tonya, Ronnie and Rhiannon) eat with us. It was such a nice day. 
Avery with Grandma Lori before dinner. (note that she's still clean) She's also shoe and sockless. The kid has figured out how to take her shoes and socks off. Since we had a fire going and it was a holiday I decided it wasn't worth the fight to try and keep them on :)
Avery shoving her face with dinner. The broccoli was a big hit.
Me with Ronnie and Rhiannon. Rhiannon had the cutest sweater on.
On Friday Jeff and Chris took the kids sledding in our backyard. Our yard has a small hill in it that works great for sledding. Ronnie had a blast and Jeff even took Avery down a couple of times. She laughed when they got to the bottom of the hill. Here's a picture of us outside. It was pretty cold so we didn't stay out long but the guys sledded for a couple of hours. Thanks again everyone for making the drive to Butte to eat with us!
Avery with Grandma Lori before dinner. (note that she's still clean) She's also shoe and sockless. The kid has figured out how to take her shoes and socks off. Since we had a fire going and it was a holiday I decided it wasn't worth the fight to try and keep them on :) 
Avery shoving her face with dinner. The broccoli was a big hit. 
Me with Ronnie and Rhiannon. Rhiannon had the cutest sweater on. 
On Friday Jeff and Chris took the kids sledding in our backyard. Our yard has a small hill in it that works great for sledding. Ronnie had a blast and Jeff even took Avery down a couple of times. She laughed when they got to the bottom of the hill. Here's a picture of us outside. It was pretty cold so we didn't stay out long but the guys sledded for a couple of hours. Thanks again everyone for making the drive to Butte to eat with us!
For Grandpa Lucero
When I had Avery last March, her Grandpa Lucero was in Las Vegas at the Nascar races. He bought her this outfit to give to her when he got back. She's just fitting into it so I thought I'd post a picture for him.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Meaning of Excitement
I’ve decided what the most exciting thing is in the world. There was a time in my life, roughly a year and a half ago, when asked this question I’d probably have said, “going on vacation, having reservations at a nice restaurant, riding a roller coaster,” but a lot has changed in the last year and my entire view of what constitutes excitement has changed as well.
Now I’m excited if my child takes more then a 30 minute nap or sleeps in until
Da da came first. The little runt woke Daddy up Sunday morning at
Then yesterday she started saying ma ma ma ma! She’s being saying Mom for awhile, but it usually only comes out when she’s fussy and pissed about something. She’d wine and then say Mum at the end. But now she truly says ma ma. It might be the cutest and it’s definitely the most exciting thing I’ve ever heard in my life. She’s a genius and I now truly and firmly believe that.
It’s crazy how much one little person can change your life. My life must have been so boring a year and a half ago. I just need to remember that the next time she’s teething or throwing up in the back of my car. Avie makes every day an exciting adventure and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
Monday, November 12, 2007
How can that much puke come out of someone so small??
Yeah that's right, a child the size of my Avery should not physically be able to throw up enough to completely saturate: herself, her carseat, the blanket we had over her legs and the 18 toys we use to keep her happy in the car.
Okay backtrack, so here's the story. On Saturday Jeff and I got a wild hare and decided that it would be a great day to cruise over to Missoula and pick up the tile from Lowes that we've been talking about getting for the past couple of months. We also thought we'd get a hold of a few friends while we were there and eat a little sushi before we headed home. Sounded like a great plan and a pretty cool day.
We took off around 1:00 since Avery slept longer then usual for her morning nap (the first missed sign that all was not well). After two hours of sleep we finally went into her room and started putting clothes away, which woke her up instantly. We then crammed her lunch down her, which she only half heartedly ate (clue number two that we missed.) After thirty minutes of preparing Avery for the less then two hour drive we were ready to go.
Jeff and I are always in a great mood when we know we're going to Missoula. Even though we've been in Butte for almost three years (yikes) we still think of Missoula as home. So there we are cruising down the highway, listening to good music and in fantastic moods because Missoula looms in our near future when I hear a little noise coming from the backseat. A little noise that I've never really heard before, however, the mother in me knows that it's not a good noise. Not a noise you want your child making in the backseat of a car. I looked back just in time to see my daughter spew forth enough throw up to fill a small truck. Okay I'm exaggerating, but it was a lot. A lot more then any mother wants to see coming out of her child while driving on the interstate in Montana.
Of course we were no where near a rest stop since we had just passed that only rest stop from Butte to Missoula, so lucky me I had to turn in my seat and attempt to clean the child up while cruising down the highway. Not as easy as it sounds :)
Luckily we had plastic diaper bags to stuff all the gunked up stuff into. Also luckily, I managed to clean up the mess without gunking up the backseat myself (I'm known to have a somewhat weak stomach, especially when I'm turned backwards in a moving vehicle).
Thankfully, the last leg of the trip went by minus any more sickness related disasters. When we finally got into town our first stop was TJ Max were I bought the kid a new outfit (which I had to change her out of about an hour later due to mud butt) and a new blanket.
The rest of the trip was a little less eventful. We got our tile at Lowes ( Jeff's winter house project will be laying tile in the kitchen and main floor bathroom along with remodeling the main floor bathroom).
Then we met a couple of friends for dinner at Nara Sushi, which was great. We caught up with Robin and Trev and then cruised home.
I had hoped to go over and see Jill and Griffin but figured that they might not appreciate me bringing the stomach flu into their home.
Avery was a trooper and slept most of the car ride home. The poor kid wasn't herself yesterday either but seemed to be doing better this morning.
We managed to battle, and I think win, our first encounter with the stomach flu.
What have I learned from this experience:
1. To bring gallon sized plastic bags with me when I travel.
2. That when your child, who usually shoves food down like she hasn't eaten in a month, wants to stop eating after only 1/2 of the usual quantity of food is down, something might be wrong.
3. To always bring at least four (yeah you heard it right four) extra outfits with you on any day long road trip no matter how many hours you plan on being gone.
4. Finally, always expect the unexpected. (You'd think after 8 months I'd have figured this one out but things just keep popping up!)
Jeff's only helpful comment regarding the whole situation, " Maybe we should start listening to her when she acts like she doesn't want to eat." Mmmm you think?
Okay backtrack, so here's the story. On Saturday Jeff and I got a wild hare and decided that it would be a great day to cruise over to Missoula and pick up the tile from Lowes that we've been talking about getting for the past couple of months. We also thought we'd get a hold of a few friends while we were there and eat a little sushi before we headed home. Sounded like a great plan and a pretty cool day.
We took off around 1:00 since Avery slept longer then usual for her morning nap (the first missed sign that all was not well). After two hours of sleep we finally went into her room and started putting clothes away, which woke her up instantly. We then crammed her lunch down her, which she only half heartedly ate (clue number two that we missed.) After thirty minutes of preparing Avery for the less then two hour drive we were ready to go.
Jeff and I are always in a great mood when we know we're going to Missoula. Even though we've been in Butte for almost three years (yikes) we still think of Missoula as home. So there we are cruising down the highway, listening to good music and in fantastic moods because Missoula looms in our near future when I hear a little noise coming from the backseat. A little noise that I've never really heard before, however, the mother in me knows that it's not a good noise. Not a noise you want your child making in the backseat of a car. I looked back just in time to see my daughter spew forth enough throw up to fill a small truck. Okay I'm exaggerating, but it was a lot. A lot more then any mother wants to see coming out of her child while driving on the interstate in Montana.
Of course we were no where near a rest stop since we had just passed that only rest stop from Butte to Missoula, so lucky me I had to turn in my seat and attempt to clean the child up while cruising down the highway. Not as easy as it sounds :)
Luckily we had plastic diaper bags to stuff all the gunked up stuff into. Also luckily, I managed to clean up the mess without gunking up the backseat myself (I'm known to have a somewhat weak stomach, especially when I'm turned backwards in a moving vehicle).
Thankfully, the last leg of the trip went by minus any more sickness related disasters. When we finally got into town our first stop was TJ Max were I bought the kid a new outfit (which I had to change her out of about an hour later due to mud butt) and a new blanket.
The rest of the trip was a little less eventful. We got our tile at Lowes ( Jeff's winter house project will be laying tile in the kitchen and main floor bathroom along with remodeling the main floor bathroom).
Then we met a couple of friends for dinner at Nara Sushi, which was great. We caught up with Robin and Trev and then cruised home.
I had hoped to go over and see Jill and Griffin but figured that they might not appreciate me bringing the stomach flu into their home.
Avery was a trooper and slept most of the car ride home. The poor kid wasn't herself yesterday either but seemed to be doing better this morning.
We managed to battle, and I think win, our first encounter with the stomach flu.
What have I learned from this experience:
1. To bring gallon sized plastic bags with me when I travel.
2. That when your child, who usually shoves food down like she hasn't eaten in a month, wants to stop eating after only 1/2 of the usual quantity of food is down, something might be wrong.
3. To always bring at least four (yeah you heard it right four) extra outfits with you on any day long road trip no matter how many hours you plan on being gone.
4. Finally, always expect the unexpected. (You'd think after 8 months I'd have figured this one out but things just keep popping up!)
Jeff's only helpful comment regarding the whole situation, " Maybe we should start listening to her when she acts like she doesn't want to eat." Mmmm you think?
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Easy Crock Pot French Dip Recipe
I know how hard it is to work 40 hours a week, take care of a small child (and a husband) and try to make yummy dinners every night that consist of more then a grilled cheese. So I thought I'd share a great and super easy recipe. I can't take credit for this one, however, as my Mom told me about it.
Things you need:
1 crockpot
2 packets au ju sauce mix
1 roast (any kind works event the cheap ones)
1 medium onion
pack of hogie buns
Put the au ju into the crock pot and make as directed. I add an additional cup or two of water. Slice up the onion and put that into the au ju. Place the roast into the juice and cook on low all day or on high for like four hours. The meat literally flakes apart and is perfect for placing on the rolls. Use the au ju for dip and whalla - easy French dips. I usually make everything up the night before and stick the crock pot into the fridge so I can just pull it out and turn it on in the morning! Goes great with tater tots, fries or a vegie side.
Things you need:
1 crockpot
2 packets au ju sauce mix
1 roast (any kind works event the cheap ones)
1 medium onion
pack of hogie buns
Put the au ju into the crock pot and make as directed. I add an additional cup or two of water. Slice up the onion and put that into the au ju. Place the roast into the juice and cook on low all day or on high for like four hours. The meat literally flakes apart and is perfect for placing on the rolls. Use the au ju for dip and whalla - easy French dips. I usually make everything up the night before and stick the crock pot into the fridge so I can just pull it out and turn it on in the morning! Goes great with tater tots, fries or a vegie side.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Avery's photo shoot
Avery got her pictures taken last weekend by Cindy Cieluch. We ran over for the day Saturday just so she could get her pictures and then blasted back to Butte. I'm so glad we made the trip. Cindy posted a few of the photos on her blog, they all won't be ready for a few weeks. Check em out and I highly recommend her if you're looking for an awesome photographer. She did the whole shoot in my parents back yard and her goal was for everyone to just be themselves. She likes to tell stories with her pictures. Just check out her blog and you'll see what I mean.
http://cindycieluch.blogspot.com/
http://cindycieluch.blogspot.com/
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