Finals

I should be doing homework and studying but I keep thinking about all the marvelous things I will do when I get out for Christmas break NEXT WEEK! I am so excited! Can't wait!!!

I plan to:

Make every quilt ever pinned on pinterest

Bake treats for everyone at work

Put up all our Christmas decorations

Read all the teen fiction books I've been putting off

Catch up with friends and family

but knowing me I will probably just catch up on my trash TV ... Kardashians!

Five more days until I'm free as a bird!

Beatles Quiet Book

Wow. It's been a long time. I'm surprised I remembered my password. 

But yes, I'm finally posting.

I just have to share the pressie I made for the cutest little boy ever, Gordie. 

See Kelsey (Gordie's mom/my BFF) and I are total Beatles freaks! And I decided Gordie must be too!

So I made this ...

a Beatles quiet book

This book was SO much fun to make! 

And it looks like Gordie is enjoying it too. He was born with Beatle Mania in his blood.

 What a little scholar.

Baby Max

A couple weeks ago I got to visit my very best friend/sister and her beautiful little family.

I got to meet Baby Max for the first time. He is such a cutie! He looks just like his momma!

The little noises he made while he was sleeping were precious. I loved holding him!

I miss my bestie!

I had been working on a rag quilt for baby but got pretty busy at home. Mom helped me finish it in the hotel room the day we were leaving. I'm so glad we got it done. And here is the rag quilt modeled by baby Max himself.



Santa Rosa Plateau

For our June datey we went hiking with doggies! We went to Santa Rosa Plateau. We had never been there and the nice forest ranger gave us a map of all the trails ... too bad we lost it! And when I say "we" I mean Nick :P It was just nice that it wasn't me for once.

Well, we parked and started on our little hike. At first the dogs were wildly towing us through, but luckily it was hot and they got tired pretty quick. Pretty soon Koda was so tired he was stopping to lay down at any and every shaded spot he found! Poor pup!

We got pretty hot ourselves and were grateful when we saw the signs for parking and visitor's center. However, when we came around the corner we realized that it was not the parking lot we had parked in. Eesh!

We found out our parking lot was 2 miles away. Nick volunteered to go get the car and pick Koda and me up. Good thing because Koda was just about to pass out from exhaustion.

Santa Rosa Plateau wasn't quite what I was expecting, it was dry and there wasn't a whole lot to look at, BUT we still had a lot of fun getting a little excercise and some vitamin D!

Treasure Hunt

A couple of weeks ago Nick went to father & son camp with our stake. 

I spent the weekend with my parents; I didn't want to be home all by myself. Scary! 

Saturday morning I went to yard sales with my parents!

&& I picked up this beauty from 1942

When I brought it home Nick was impressed, but he had a completely different idea for it than what I had in mind.

Nick:  Whoa! It looks like a pirate treasure chest! ... I have an idea! Let's put treasure in it, bury it in the backyard, and make a map leading to it!!!

Me: ummm ... no

I quickly dragged it into the garage and got to work. 

Here's what I came up with: 

Now we have a cute little "treasure chest" to put all our games in!

Washington D.C.

Early last month I visited our nation's capital, Washington D.C.

I attended the grantee meeting for the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (what a mouth full!). It was so nice to see what other organizations are doing with this grant. Thay have so many great ideas!

I also had the opportunity to attend the 18th annual conference on child abuse and neglect. I learned SO much! I loved it!

Me, Tonier Cain "Neen", and my coworker Kim

The closing speaker was Tonier Cain, what a powerful speaker! She has been through more than I can ever imagine and she is now doing so much work for others. You can hear some of her story here. Her story is so motivational! If you have a spare 10 minutes listen to it, you won't be sorry!


One workshop I attended was by Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block. Nick and I actually read his book and watched the DVD in our Infant Toddler class at BYU-Idaho. Check it out if you have a baby in your life It works wonders! Nick can now calm any fussy screaming baby! We call him the baby whisperer, lucky me!

On top of learning lots we got to play the tourist part too!

No reflecting pool :(

Kimmy!

Awkward me

Baby You Can Drive My Car

We got a new car!