Pwednick Family

Donuts

2012-01-14T11:25:00.001-08:00

The simple things in life...

Reading in bed

2012-01-12T20:52:00.001-08:00

Abby loves looking at books. Tonight she was so happy to get to read after the lights went out.

Dinner tonight

2012-01-03T16:56:00.001-08:00

My little helper...

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-25T13:57:00.000-08:00

Izzy is two years old!!

2011-12-23T09:55:00.001-08:00

We've got fun plans for Izzy today! Click here to see more pics of her from the past two years.

Famous dish

2011-12-08T11:14:00.001-08:00

This morning John and I got to go on a date and tried out "Toast on Market". They were highly recommended on urban spoon. I was excited to try the Lemon Souffle Pancakes with Blueberry Compote, and I can assure you they were scrumptious. We also wanted to try the hash brown casserole. Not as fancy sounding, but definitely rated well by reviewers.

Our food arrived and after a photo, we dug in. A bite of the hash brown casserole and I started to laugh. "My family used to make this every Thanksgiving and Christmas!!" Except we call it heart attack potatoes in my house since we know what's in the recipe. Who knew that my family harbored an award winning recipe. Maybe my grandma should open up a cafe!!

Halloween

2011-11-18T15:48:00.000-08:00

Abby was so excited for Halloween this year. She was Sleeping Beauty - a costume that she asks to put on almost every day. This time it was extra special, though, because she got to wear a sparkly crown, too.

I was hoping that Izzy could wear this super cute kangaroo costume. Abby wore it when she was tiny. Izzy is growing so quickly!! My fast kangaroo stretched the suit to its limits.

We did a quick switcharoo and Izzy went as princess Tiana instead. (Princess and the frog) It was funny - I got quite a few comments about my fair skinned, blue eyed curly girl being the african american southern belle.

Definition of true happiness for a 4 year old:

Disneyland Trip

2011-09-29T22:25:00.001-07:00

Last week we spent a day at Disneyland. Top on Abby's list was to go see the princesses and have them sign her autograph book. She was so glad that Belle was there since they were wearing matching dresses.

Izzy loved the day out too. She often exclaimed loudly at things she saw! The highlight for her was the baby roller coaster - aka It's a small world.

Sisters

2011-09-19T21:14:00.001-07:00

It was so fun to visit family in Washington this summer! One of the highlights was definitely spending time with these lovely ladies and their kiddos. I love my sisters!!

2011-09-03T22:56:00.001-07:00

Well, I don't know who is checking this blog anymore after such a long absence, but for the sake of faithful grandmas, great grandmas, aunties and cousins I thought I'd post. :) I think that moving houses twice, vacation, and just an all around super busy summer have superceded the priority of posting to my blog, but definitely hasn't stopped us from enjoying our girls (or taking their pictures!)

Abby is so excited to be 4! She is well aware that she gets to go to school when she is 5. Several times when I've popped into her room she's packed up a couple of bags of clothes, shoes and toys so that she's "ready to go to school". She's also been pretty motivated at learning her letters - upper and lower case, and the sounds - because she needs to know them for school.

Izzy is a bouyant baby. Energetic, laughing, and happy. She doesn't have a huge vocabulary, but in sunny southern cal she's already got down, "it's hot" and "swim suit". :)

A couple of very different photos - Abby showing off her balancing skills, and Izzy goofing off with Mommy.

The girls pics - taken this weekend

2011-05-17T21:24:00.000-07:00

Kids are so cute how they copy what you say, but get it mixed up. Today Abby and I were talking about a coloring project she was doing. I think she got tired of the conversation because she lifted her hands & shrugged and said, "forever mommy" (instead of whatever).

She is so sweet when someone else gets hurt. Many times I've seen her go up to someone whose fallen down on the playground and hold their hand, help them up, or just sat with them while they were sad. Not only friends - but kids she's never met.

Abby also wants to meet everybody. When we go on walks, she wants to stop and meet every kid & dog that we pass. She saw kids playing on a trampoline in another person's backyard and asked if we could play too. I responded, "well, we don't know them." Her quick remedy was, "well, maybe we can go meet them!"

Izzy is the most enthusiastic baby. When we go in to get her in the morning or from a nap, she screams with delight and bounces really high in her crib. She loves to be held upside down, swung around, she just shrieks with laughter. We call her our thrill-seeking baby.

She is also so so sensitive it's pretty funny. You can tell her no in the nicest way - like "Izzy sweetie, please don't open the dishwasher and take out the knives" - and the lower lip goes out and she's SO sad and starts crying because she was told no. Kind of like this, but a lot more . . .

BUT she's also super fun. She has an infectious laugh, and laughs often!! She loves playing games, chase, peek a boo, she is desperately trying to ride Abby's tricycle all by herself but her legs are still a little too short.

Easter

2011-04-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

The girls loved finding eggs outside on Easter. There were little candies hidden inside.
Izzy has also started talking a lot more - last week she said Abby, please, excuse me, okay, & up.

A bit of catch up

2011-04-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

I think I forgot about my blog since it's been over a month since the last post! So what are the girls up to? Well . . . .

Abby is 3 1/2 and loves to be a helper. She follows me around, folding the laundry, stirring food on the stove, she LOVES to make cookies - and when we roll them she says she's making them into basketballs. She lines up her toys to keep them organized, likes to go out on errands, and loves library story time. We go (almost) every week. At night she likes to have a story book - kinda long ones!! And she always asks "what did we do yesterday" meaning, "please talk through todays events with me".

She's also super affectionate. Today at church she gave two of her friends hugs and kisses when we left. She's great about giving Izzy hugs and kisses too, especially if Izzy is sad. She often mentions friends and family and asks if they'll be wherever we're going. Sometimes she mixes up names and it's kinda funny! She asked the other day if Mr. Jim and Mrs Cathie would be at Disneyland. And often when I ask her, "guess who's coming over tomorrow?" She'll say, "Charis!"

New stuff on Izzy? Hmmm . . . I think the last post still covers it. Except now she'll often point to things and have you say the word, then she repeats it after you.

Izzy Fun Facts

2011-02-13T21:51:00.000-08:00

This post is especially for all our out of town family who don't get to see the girls much! So what's Izzy up to?

Her current words are: Mom, Dad, Yeah, and she signs please and all done.
Favorite food: scrambled eggs. Oh wait, chocolate chips.
She's good at walking (and running) now.
Nicknames: twinkie (she's light!) and baby-zilla. The second one is because she can flatten a polly pocket village in seconds.
She ADORES abby. If Izzy is sad, a hug from sissy will usually cheer her up.
Izzy is really adventurous. It's not uncommon to find her hiding in a bathroom cupboard. She also has great dexterity. She completely disassembled her mobile - not by destroying it, but by unscrewing all of it. I thought it was a fluke till she did it twice.
Baby stats: She's long and thin.
She likes to dance - mainly by bouncing up and down.
She LOVES to be chased - and growled at as you do it.

Izzy's Birthday

2011-01-11T23:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of days before Christmas, Izzy turned one. She was sick on her birthday, but she still had a great day. The highlight was having cake together. She liked the cake, and loved the dum dums on it. Abby helped me make it - she loves to cook. I'm not much into box mixes, and figured as long as I was making a cake, it should be homemade yellow cake with chocolate ganache. Yum Yum!!

I'm so thankful for my baby - busy little Izzy!

Off to the tub with you!!

Christmas Activities

2011-01-05T22:01:00.001-08:00

This Christmas we had some sick kiddos at home, but we enjoyed the day together anyways. John told the girls the story of Jesus' birth and how he came to forgive us from all the times we disobey. The girls really liked it and went through it again.

The girls opened stockings to find little treats.

Abby found a safe place to enjoy her treats - safe from the clutches of baby Izzy.

We read books and played with some gifts. Oh, and the Minnie Mouse costume is just because. Abby asked if she could wear it and "why not??"

Abby asked almost everyday if it was Christmas because she REALLY wanted to make a gingerbread house.

Izzy was safely contained within sight but not within reach.

Ballet

2011-01-05T21:46:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, John bought me a ballet workout video, and Abby got a ballet skirt from Grandma Jackie. Since then we've "done ballet" together several times. I have so much fun watching her have fun.

She was transfixed by the video and liked to try to copy what they did.

After a while I turned on the Nutcracker. She wanted to be picked up like the ballerinas in the show. I guess I'm not up to being the lifter since I thought she was heavy to swing around!

Christmas with Grandpa Pleasnick

2010-12-29T21:57:00.000-08:00

This year we got to celebrate Christmas all through the month with visits from family. We had a great time with Grandpa Pleasnick. After dinner, we made chocolate chip cookies like we do every year. This year though, Abby loved being in on the action.

Abby loves playing "baseball". And now she has an official bat and ball. I love it too, since it's super soft and doesn't go very far in the house!

Missed!!

Abby also loves Polly Pockets. When we play, her dolls tend to cook dinner. Usually mac & cheese, cookies, and cake. She was so excited to get a Polly Pocket kitchen. Thanks, Grandpa!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T14:34:00.000-08:00

We hope you all have a blessed day reflecting on all that Christ has done for us! We have so much to be thankful for. Most of all that Jesus took the punishment we deserve and we get to rejoice in heaven with Him.

Funny things she says

2010-12-06T16:14:00.000-08:00

Everyone laughs at things their little kids say, but I thought I'd share a few of the things Abby's said.

Last night while we're laying in her bed taking over the day, she says, "Uh oh, my eyeballs are disappearing!!" (I have no idea what this means)

While playing today, she acts like she's riding a horse.
I ask her the obvious question, "Are you riding a horse?"
She says, "No, a horfin, like at Seaworld".
"Oh, you mean a dolphin!" I say.
"No, a horse that swims in circles. Do you think that would be okay?"

Today I took Abby and Izzy on a walk around the neighborhood. Abby's been really into Piglet's big movie, where Piglet gets lost and everyone looks for him. All through the neighborhood at the top her lungs she shouts, "Piglet, where are you?? Ppppiiiiiiiii gggggggleeeeeettttttt" I started to stop her, and then wondered, why?? She's using her outside voice outside, so I guess that's okay!!

Here's some pics of Abby with her Grandma Jackie!

First Steps

2010-11-26T21:28:00.000-08:00

Pretty exciting stuff in the Pleasnick house! Izzy's been taking little steps, walking along furniture, and LOVES pushing around the little stroller. Good thing, since her sissy likes to ride . . .

We also enjoyed our visit with Grandma Jackie and Grandpa Bernie. Happy Thanksgiving!

Trip to Spokane

2010-10-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month I took the girls up to Spokane to stay with Grandma and Grandpa. We had so much fun in the Northwest - both seeing family and enjoying the sunshine AND the rain.

One big highlight was meeting my new nephew, Taylor James.

We also LOVED going to the lake. It was beautiful out, and Grandma and Grandpa brought the kayaks. Everyone had a fantastic time paddling around - or being towed by Grandma and Grandpa.

Similar but different

2010-08-29T22:35:00.000-07:00

My cute girls. Both at 8 months old. I thought they looked SO SIMILAR until I compared the pictures. I still think they look alike, but definitely distinct!

Interview with Abby

2010-08-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

Some fun facts about Abby right now:

She loves to swim, color, play polly pockets, watercolor, read books, going to the beach, park, church and library. . .
She loves to sing - favorites are Twinkle Twinkle little star, head shoulders knees and toes, Mickey Mouse clubhouse, and anything by Veggie Tales.
Whenever we're out running errands, she requests, "More stores, please!!" Likes to be out and about!
She gets super excited when John comes home.
Incredibly ticklish. Really!
Having people come over is a highlight of her day. She loves friends.
She speaks in the third person.
Walks on tip toe everywhere.
Likes to be chased - and giggles when Izzy chases her.
Always wants to help me cook. Her specialties are unwrapping butter and dumping measuring cups full of stuff into the bowl.

New Chores

2010-08-05T23:08:00.000-07:00

Now that we're a two kid household, we thought it was time to start teaching Abby to do some chores. We love it! Every morning, Abby starts by making our coffee.

She even makes one for Izzy. What a sweet sister!

And she has a happy heart while she does it.

The best part is that we can set her alarm for 6 - and she climbs up on her own to make them.

Of course, I'm TOTALLY KIDDING about this. She wakes up at 6 all on her own. :0)

Happy Fathers Day!

2010-06-20T14:46:00.001-07:00

Little miss Smiley

2010-06-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

Izzy Hopping

2010-06-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Crawling? No. Hopping is a bit more accurate. 5 months old - we love Izzy! Oh, and don't watch this video if you get motion sick - I don't video very well! :0)

And in the background you can hear Abby talk about her swimming suit. She loves to go in the little kiddie pool we set up this year.

Izzy pics

2010-06-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of pics in the backyard. Abby was napping when we took these - we'll have to catch her next time. So, who does izzy look more like? :0)

Playtime in Spokane

2010-05-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

Playing with the Bayley Family

2010-05-07T13:33:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Izzy

Carlee and Claire

2010-05-07T13:31:00.000-07:00

Dana's Rehersal Dinner

2010-05-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

My new brother in law, James

Sharing

2010-05-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

Abby wanted to share her easter bunny with Izzy.

Too bad Mom didn't let Izzy have some. :0)

Grandma's Visit

2010-05-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

Grandma Jackie came to visit and see little Izzy.

Jackie made the red checkered elephant for John when he was little. Having some fun dancing.

Last Disney Trip

2010-05-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

We've loved having Disney passes - and I'm sure we'll get them again when Izzy's a little older! We went one more time before they expired. Abby was excited.

What I spend my time doing . . .

2010-04-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

Munchkin Land

2010-04-01T22:06:00.000-07:00

We're surviving and thriving here in Munchkin land. We love having two girls. Abby likes being a big sister and is learning to "wait her turn" for attention from mommy. Abby's favorite things to do right now are: play pretend with her little people, read books, color, and blow bubbles outside. She's talking in sentences, she can count, knows some of her colors, and loves learning her letters. I think the letters are motivated by some letter cookies I found at Winco.

Izzy is three months old. She's a pretty happy baby with dimples when she smiles. She loves riding in a front pack. She is super strong and has been rolling over for a month now. She spends most of her awake time standing up holding onto mommy's hands. She's about 22" long now and weighs around 11 pounds.

Big Sister

2010-02-09T21:41:00.000-08:00

Abby likes being a big sister!

She practices with binkies and bottles on Pooh.

She LOVES to help give Izzy a bath. It's great that Izzy likes relaxing in the tub!

Little fingers . . .

Besides, it's fun to jump in Izzy's bed. Just like Tigger and Roo . . .

Ta Da!

She's got Moves

2010-02-02T14:21:00.000-08:00

Look at Abby and look at the dancers in the show. Notice any similarities? :0)

Family Date Day

2010-01-30T11:04:00.000-08:00

Izzy made her maiden voyage to Disneyland! Our passes expire soon and it's so much fun to take Abby. It was a beautiful day and we caught a few of the shows. The highlight was High School Musical. I don't know who had more fun - Abby dancing to the show, or us watching Abby dance . . .

More Izzy Pics

2010-01-29T15:29:00.000-08:00

We're really enjoying Izzy. She is starting to smile, she's she's alert and strong, and Abby gives her kisses without being asked. She can hold her head up and push up on her tummy. She's 5 weeks now - these pics are from a few weeks ago that I didn't get posted.

Izzy

2010-01-19T15:47:00.000-08:00

We're thoroughly enjoying our little baby! She's becoming more alert and is getting into more of a routine - which makes it easier for mommy. Abby is great with her - although today I had to laugh when I saw Abby trying to cram a binky into Izzy's mouth. :0) I tried not to smile when I reminded her to be gentle. . .

I've loved taking pictures of Izzy. Here's a few favorites so far:

Christmastime!!

2010-01-09T15:14:00.000-08:00

My parents came to visit and were a great help in the kitchen. Abby LOVES to cook and was a helper. :0)

At the hospital with Izzy

2010-01-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Anne

2009-12-31T11:28:00.000-08:00

It has been a whirlwind week here! Izzy arrived on Dec 23, 7 lbs, 2 oz, and 19 1/4" long. She's sweet and snuggly, and it's such a joy to rock her to sleep and kiss her little face.

I haven't taken many photos yet - still recovering - and trying to speed my recovery by not doing too much too soon! I did take this one the day after we got home from the hospital since I wanted the hospital bracelets in the photo . . .

More will come as I continue to recover!!

John and Abby: Behind the Scenes

2009-12-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Often someone will say something like: "wow, I wish my toddler would look at the camera and smile too" which totally makes me laugh because that really isn't how it goes when I'm trying to take her picture! There's lots of coaxing, laughing, and treats to finally get eyes looking at the camera and a smile AT THE SAME TIME!!! Most of my pictures look something like this:

Yep, she's bonking her head on the fence and thinks it's funny . . . and you know what?? It is!!

Disneyland

2009-12-02T14:41:00.000-08:00

We love taking Abby to Disneyland. We've got passes for a couple more months, so we're trying to get some more trips in . . .

This time there was a big Princess and the Frog show on the steamboat. Abby loves to dance, so we stopped and watched her bust her moves. . .

Disneyland - Pooh and Tigger

2009-12-02T14:36:00.000-08:00

No trip to Disneyland is complete without visiting Pooh and Tigger . . . at least a couple times. :0) Waiting in line . . .

Yea!! Abby's turn!

Beach

2009-11-21T09:36:00.000-08:00

The last round of vacation photos with the Bayleys . . . We had a fantastic time at the beach with them - and liked it so much that we went back the next day. Here's some favorite beach pics:

I ordered a big canvas of the first one. It arrived yesterday and I love it!

Ellie . . .

Calah . . .

Charis . . .

I asked Amy to pose for me and she was a great sport . . .

John and Abby . . .

Matt . . .

And we stayed till the end of the day . . .

Halloween - a little late

2009-11-16T08:47:00.000-08:00

Better late than never! Abby and her cousins got to go trick or treating with a bunch of friends. But before we headed off for the party they all had to show me their costumes. :0)

I took pics of Abby earlier in the week. It ended up being really hot on Halloween, so she jumped into Charis' Minnie Mouse costume at the last minute. But I love these ones of Abby as Pooh.

Disneyland with the Bayleys

2009-11-10T19:53:00.000-08:00

Last week my sister Amy and her family came to visit. We enjoyed our day at Disneyland with them!

Getting ready for the Toy Story ride in CA Adventure. It was the favorite!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

Last week we took Abby to a pumpkin patch out in wine country. She had a great time! Thanks, Renee for the tip on where to go!

Abby and Grandpa had fun playing in the straw . . .

cute little twinkie

2009-10-23T20:05:00.000-07:00

getting ready for halloween

2009-10-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

I saw this costume on ebay and got it since Abby LOVES pooh. But she's been kinda nervous about the costume. I would put it out in her room for her to get used to it and she would stuff it in the closet and shut the door. :0) It finally sat at our dining table for a while with a bottle of honey in front of it. You can't really tell from the pics, but she was glad to take it off!

If you'd like pics of your kiddos in their halloween costumes, give me a call!!

Cool Mornings

2009-10-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

Tigger and Pooh

2009-10-13T15:12:00.000-07:00

Abby had a blast at disneyland! Tigger and Pooh are her absolute favorite. She sleeps with their stuffed animals, does their coloring books, and talks about them all day. She loved seeing the characters so much that we went through the line twice. :0)

bath

2009-10-09T15:48:00.000-07:00

there's just something fun about bathtub photos . . .

Big helper

2009-10-01T13:02:00.001-07:00

I don't want to discourage the "helping" but man, what a workout.

Big helper

2009-09-26T19:58:00.000-07:00

Abby likes to watch and "help" in the kitchen. When she sees me pulling out bowls or pans, she drags a chair over from the table by herself. This weekend we made muffins and she got to crack an egg for the first time. She was pretty bummed these muffins just need one egg - she wanted to put in another.

Baking in her underwear? Well, it was 100 degrees outside. And we're just doing a mini batch of muffins in the toaster oven.

Bananas

2009-09-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

abby's first craft

2009-09-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

This post is more so that I put this pic in a place where I'll remember it . . .
Abby loves to color, we color almost every day. She also loves stickers, is figuring out scissors, thinks glitter glue pens are way cool. . . it was so cute to help her do her first craft.

Hardworking Dad

2009-09-12T14:50:00.000-07:00

My parents came to visit a few weeks ago. Whenever they come, they are always so helpful and sometimes we decide to tackle a house project! This time, we tiled our bathroom floor. My dad was Tile Saw Master. Here he is in action!!

Beach day

2009-09-05T21:55:00.001-07:00

Abby loved going to the beach this summer. She's not afraid of the water at all - she just runs right in! Playing in the sand comes WAY below splashing on her scale.

This is what she does when you ask her to smile . . .

A pretty haze in the evening. The sun was trying to come through . . .

Abby's 2nd birthday

2009-09-02T00:06:00.001-07:00

Abby turned 2 a couple weeks ago. She had a GREAT time on her birthday. It started with a donut and hot chocolate, lots of time playing with Mom and Dad, eating ice cream, and ended with a bubble bath.

Skipping the training wheels

2009-08-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

Martin Luther addressing Satan . . .

2009-08-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

Because you say I am a sinner, I will be righteous and saved . . . I fly to Christ who has given himself for my sins. Therefore, Satan, you will not prevail against me when you try to terrify me by telling me how great
my sins are . . . On the contrary, when you say I am a sinner, you give me armor and a weapon against
yourself . . . for Christ died for sinners . . . You do not terrify me but comfort me immeasurably.
~ Martin Luther

11 pm

2009-08-11T20:49:00.000-07:00

What is your family doing at 11pm? Normally, we're asleep. But one night last week, John and I were up late working at our computers and went outside to enjoy the fresh air and beautiful moon. We started off in a sophisticated mood . . .

Moon flare . . . I love it!

And quickly degenerated into our usual selves. . .

2009-08-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

My friend Amy posted this the other day on your heart before God . . .

The hidden person of the heart...hmmm.

being corrected.
being wrongfully corrected and taking it.
being wrongfully corrected and taking it without explaining why I was wrongfully corrected.
being mistreated.
being mistreated and taking it with humble silence.
being mistreated and taking it and returning kindness for it.

A quiet spirit means that down in my heart where no one sees, I am o.k. with God knowing the truth about me and if no one else does...I'm still o.k, because it is about...

Making the beauty of Christ seen, felt, known, understood and adored in me.

The hidden person of the heart.

Not being right.
Not being noticed for being right.
Not knowing everything.
Not always making everyone around me think I know everything.
Not always saying everything I know just because I happen to know it.
Not making someone see that I already know what they are telling me to prove that they aren't teaching me anything new.
Not being the center of attention...but...but...
Not being heard, but listening.

Making the beauty of Christ seen, felt, known, understood and adored in me.

The way i say

morning joe

2009-08-04T13:02:00.001-07:00

pretty sister

2009-07-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

Claire

2009-07-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

Abby and I got to visit my sisters, Carlee and Dana, in Virginia. We also got to meet my new little niece, Claire. She's two months old and super cute! One evening we went to the duck pond.

Abby had fun at the duck pond, too.

Abby loved being a helper with everything Claire was doing. Carlee bought Abby a baby doll, too, and Abby loved putting her doll in all Claire's baby gear. She totally knew how to work the swing and turn on the music by the time we left!

Williamsburg

2009-07-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

Dana, Abby and I went to Williamsburg one day. It was really pretty and cute. Everyone was in costume and spoke with an accent. We had an authentic "old style" lunch in a pub lit with candles. Abby had fun hanging out with Dana.

I love this one of my sister.

Abby's other favorite things included petting all the dogs that people brought with them and a stop at the ice cream shop.

Friends & Kisses

2009-07-24T11:47:00.000-07:00

Kelsey came over to get her pictures taken last week. She and Abby were hanging out during a "break" and decided to exchange kisses. Abby was really excited.

Baby Spa

2009-07-24T11:40:00.002-07:00

I was painting my nails when Abby came up and signed "please." Can you believe she sits still for this??

Bathing Beauty

2009-07-24T11:40:00.001-07:00

Zion Narrows

2009-07-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

I forgot these! This was our favorite "hike". You actually just walk up the stream as far as you can take it. The farther you went, the darker and colder it got!! It was really fun. I only fell in once, and did NOT bring my nice camera. :0)

Abby got out of the pack a few times to swim. . .

Whew! Back safe at the lodge.

More Utah Pics

2009-07-13T14:55:00.000-07:00

I've been really slow at getting these vacation pictures sorted through and posted! I guess there are many more important things to do than blog. :0)

We stopped at a dollar store part way through the trip to get Abby some new car toys. A mini Mr. Potato head was a big hit!!

By the end of the trip, Abby could turn herself around in the pack. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since she can unbuckle herself from a shopping cart . . .

Abby's favorite thing was playing in the water. After our first hike by a stream, we started packing her swimsuit and taking an occasional swim break.

Vacation - Bryce Canyon

2009-07-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

Ready for another hike

Down we go!

What goes down must climb back up . . .

Ahhhh . . . freedom.

Vacation - Zion

2009-07-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

We got to go on vacation for a week in Utah. We went to Zion National park and Bryce Canyon and had a great time! I've never been to these kinds of places. God's handiwork is truly amazing!

We went on a few short hikes in Zion. I thought it was cool when the trail got narrow.

Abby did really well in the backpack. Yes, she was bored, she waved at everyone we passed, and ate more fruit snacks than I can count. I think this is the ONLY time the whole week she took a nap :0) Thank you thank you for the loaner, dodsons!

I love playing with the sun in my camera. These are with my point and shoot - you can do it too!

Park with Grandma

2009-06-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

John's mom took Abby to the park by our house. We go there a lot. She loves going down the slides, swings, and trying to copy what the "big kids" do. There's a few more pics on sweet girl photo.

So small . . . and so fast . . .

Blueberries with Grandma

2009-06-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

John's mom came for a visit last week. John found a great U-pick blueberry patch and we had fun picking! I was glad they let Abby eat as she picked - she is well trained in eating straight from the plant. :0) We made blueberry scones & pancakes . . .

The farm is Temecula Berry Company if you're interested!

backyard with daddy

2009-06-04T02:42:00.000-07:00

Abby loves to play with John. They were outside - playing on the step stool (a favorite "toy"), having fun with a cheap party toy, and just goofing off.

Flowers

2009-05-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

I took a bunch of pictures of Abby in the flower fields. I wanted to make sure I got some before the short bloom season ended. I love taking pictures of her! There's more on my photo blog

Table Manners?

2009-05-08T22:25:00.001-07:00

Nope. Don't got 'em.

Actually, she's pretty good at getting things on her fork. But I couldn't resist . . .
What's she drinking? A banana malt. Reminiscent of Zips - except mine actually has a banana in it.

Cute Trouble

2009-05-03T19:38:00.001-07:00

Playing with Grandma

2009-04-27T21:05:00.001-07:00

My mom came to visit last week. Abby had so much fun playing with her. She taught Abby some new games.

Abby liked it and asked for more.

This picture makes me laugh. It looks like she's giving grandma the evil eye. Tower building is VERY serious business.

Abby loves Grandma

2009-04-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

My mom is out visiting from Spokane. We took Abby to Balboa park and had a picnic. The plants there are so pretty!

Pink Boots

2009-04-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

Holly got these great boots for Abby. I've been waiting for them to fit her since before she was born!

chop chop

2009-04-17T21:43:00.001-07:00

Yea! I've been growing my hair out forever and just got it chopped for locks of love. My head feels so much lighter!

Pink Boots

2009-04-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

I put this one on my photo blog but I thought I would post it here too. It's a new favorite pic.

Easter Treats

2009-04-12T21:52:00.001-07:00

Abby got several fun Easter boxes and she loved them all!

Grandma Jackie crochet this hat for Abby. I think the yarn is so pretty. Abby has a matching blanket, too.

What's wrong with this picture?

2009-04-05T13:33:00.001-07:00

Abby in the flowers

2009-03-31T12:21:00.000-07:00

Springtime in CA is really pretty. Along the freeways there are fields of poppies, purple lupine, and lots of other flowers. I don't know what these ones are called, but the bright color is super fun! I love her wrinkle nose smiles . . . I put a couple more pics on my photo blog

Morning Activites

2009-03-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

Abby loves her doll. She likes to brush her hair . . .

And give her kisses

Abby wore this blue dress when she was first born.
And - I think this was my sister Amy's cabbage patch when we were little. :0)

Adventures in Dining

2009-03-24T21:53:00.001-07:00

John and I like to experiment in the kitchen. Sometimes it's a disaster, sometimes great, it's always fun!

Tonight we made mozzarella sticks and dipped them in marinara. Since we were playing test kitchen, we did them three different ways
1 - in a pan with a decent amount of oil
2 - in a pan with a little oil
3 - under the broiler, sprayed with cooking spray

While each method had it's merits, the winner was 2 - in a pan with a little oil.

Here's the basics if you'd like to give it a try!

Heat a little oil in a pan on medium heat.
Mix tempura with a little water in a small dish.
In another small dish, put panko, salt, pepper, and whatever else you want (I used oregano and basil)
Cut string cheese sticks in half
coat them in tempura, then coat them in Panko
Stick 'em in the pan
Watch and turn them diligently

Yummy!! Somewhat reduced fat mozzarella sticks! Dip them in your favorite marinara - I like pizza sauce from Fresh and Easy (sorry Trader Joes!!)

Devotions with Jesus Storybook Bible

2009-03-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

Abby is slow to wake up in the morning. For the past couple months, she calls for us when she wakes up, she's happy to see us, but she wants to stay in her bed. That's just fine with us! So we give her a cup of warm milk and a book and let her ease into the day. This is one of her favorite books. Honestly and truly! :0) I think she likes the bright pictures but we laugh and say she's doing her "quiet time". If you don't have one of these, get one at the FBC book rack!!

sunglasses

2009-03-17T22:05:00.001-07:00

It's too bright!

Ahhhh . . . much better

Friday Mahem

2009-03-09T22:14:00.001-07:00

Usually I post pictures. Today I have a story to tell. Friday when I got up, I noticed something about the shower pressure. It was low - "I think I'm getting wet" low. I had just gotten an EMWD statement in the mail talking about water rationing and tiered pricing so my thoughts were along the lines of, "man, they weren't kidding!!" After the shower, I tried the kitchen sink, and when it was a light flow, I began investigating.

As soon as I went around the side of the house, I knew. A solid pool of water up against the side of our house, down the entire length of the house, overflowing onto the concrete path and lapping up against Abby's playhouse. I'm really not exaggerating.

Two words came to mind: water main. I ran around the house to the main sprinkler control box. Looked at the water meter thing. No button or lever looked like it shut off all the water in our yard. Of course John is out of town. Didn't answer the phone. Neighbor? First one not home. John texts: Do you need me to leave the preaching session (at Shepherd's conference) and call you? I text: YES!!

Where is the water main? In the very back corner of the pond. I put on John's big boots and wade to where I know the green box is. John had me fish around with my foot to find the cover for the main. Then he says: Just pry off the lid and reach down about 9 inches. You'll find a lever and pull it up.

Boys might not have a problem with this, but as I looked at the brown water, with dead bugs and worms floating on the top I REALLY wished John was home! But I knew I HAD to do it. I felt like Sam Gamgee looking at the black gates of Mordor who said, "There's nothing for it, Mr. Frodo. We've got to go in there."

The deed was done, some water bailed, the rest went down a great drain that John put in, our yard is very well watered. :0)

Ladies, do you know where your water main is??

Disney birthdays

2009-03-03T15:23:00.000-08:00

We love Disneyland on birthdays! This year you get in for free on your birthday - or if you have a season pass, they give you "Disney credit" to spend moolah in their shops! We went again Monday for John's birthday. Abby had a GREAT time. She loved all the kids, and the carousel, and rides that were slow!