Coolest Birthday Gift Ever

Now, I know that it seems like I go on pretty often about what an amazing husband I have on this blog, but it is just simply true! For my 28th birthday, my most wonderful husband surprised me with a tour of the house that I grew up in in Tehachapi. Priceless.

For the past few months, I have been saying that I wanted to take a trip to visit Tehachapi, a small town 45 minutes east of Bakersfield, where my family lived for 12 years. I know this sounds crazy, but when I dream of "home" it is always in this house, even today. I think it is because I lived in it longer than any other home. I have so many sweet memories in this house and on the property! Now those of you who are reading this who remember or have been here, I do have more photos that I can share, but for those of you who haven't, I promise it's not too long :) The current owners have done a ton of work to a 20 year old house, and have made it more beautiful than my family could have dreamed. They put in a fabulous custom kitchen, and took down the wall between the living room and kitchen (where the piano used to be). How many Christmas's did we wait at the top of the stairs for Mom & Dad to wake up so we could open presents?

The deck and backyard(s). They had to take down the playhouse because the wood was rotting, but the tetherball was still there...lol.

Here's the view from the front yard... a little different than how it was growing up. The house in the background wasn't there, and you could literally see to the other side of the valley.

My little family in front of the house...still the same front doors! How many hours did I sit on the front porch reading in the sun? I can tell you it was a ton!

Matt & Katie 89' .... the year my sister, Annie was born!

We could see the fireworks across the valley on the Fourth of July from the roof. We climbed out the bedroom windows (mine on the right, Matt's on the left) and lay a blanket on the roof, and ate homemade butterfinger ice cream. Don't worry... Dad is a fireman, and he supervised us kids on the roof.
My Grandma & Grandpa's house they build in Golden Hills... We had a wonderful lunch at the Apple Shed before we drove home. Isn't that just the coolest gift ever?!!?

Busy Girl

Giddy-up Lady Bug!

Whoo Hoo! Check me out, Mama!

Hmmmmm.... Like Father, Like Daughter. Can you see the resemblence? LOL.

This is her "I'm- up- to- something- naughty" look....

Pushing my baby in the stroller! Lindsay has been pushing her baby all over the place... she hasn't quite mastered stopping, and will ram it into furniture.

New Year's Hike

On January 1st, our little family took a hike to the Hollywood sign, a very non-local thing to do, but it is on our Los Angeles bucket list... so we crossed it off! I don't know if you can really call it a 'hike' if you can take the jogging stroller...LOL. Lindsay had a great time, and we saw some horses, dogs and kids all of which she loved watching.

View of downtown LA... it feels like a lifetime ago we lived in our loft on 6th and Main. Gorgeous views!!

This is as far as we made it. It is a lot further than it looks from here...LOL. Happy New Year!!

10 Months

Lindsay has had another busy month and it could be described in one word: TEETHING! She is modeling her Christmas dress before we went to visit Santa...

Pulling up on everything...

Boy, when this girl grows, she really GROWS! After crawling last month, Lindsay kicked it up into high gear... Here are some new things she has been doing:

** Toofers! Lindsay has cut not one, not two, but 3 1/2 teeth, the fourth one breaking through this week! Bottom two were first, then then the top two! Needless to say, we've had some sleepless nights :) Despite being in pain, she is still her sweet, happy social self. And oh boy, is she proud of her tiny, white teeth!

** Waving to everything/everyone. She reaches her arm out and makes a grabbing motion with her hand...too cute.

** Blowing kisses... mainly to herself, but occasionally to a person :) She learned this from Daddy, who blows her a kiss every night as he closes the door to her bedroom.

** Pulling up... She has been pulling up on people and furniture!

** Baby Techie? I watched her the other day use her finger to flip through photos on Daddy's Iphone... Nuts!

** Lindsay still loves to read her books... she has been really into this cute little tea set by Fisher Price we got her a while back. Here she is reading a book and having a cup of tea :)

My little buddy and me... what a special, sweet, funny girl :) I love having tea parties with her; it's been such a joy and privilege to get to be home with her the past 10 months. It's gone by way too fast...sniffle.

Merry 1st Christmas

We had a fun Christmas, spent with the Cross/Smith/Shipman/Reid families! I am kicking myself for not taking very many photos, but instead I took a TON of video. We captured Lindsay opening her presents at home on the 23rd, hanging out at Grammie Kellie's, reading stories with Grandpa Rich and playing with her cousin Kat. We also celebrated Kat's 1st birthday on Dec. 23rd too!

I got 3 new books for Lindsay and our other future children to read at Christmas time... starting a new tradition!

Although she is only 10 months, boy did this little gal get spoiled... here is what Santa brought her at home... I think we are going to have to set a limit for the grandparents next year :) Thank you everyone for all the sweet gifts.

We looked at Christmas lights in Woodland Hills on the 22nd... Jarrett wanted me to take a picture of the Charlie Brown lights...LOL.

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas spent with the ones you love. Happy Birthday Jesus!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

This morning I was listening to the Frank Sinatra Rat Pack Christmas CD (one of my all-time favorites) and wanted to post a little bit of what we've been up to this holiday season (so far)... Making messes in the kitchen Tupperware while Mama bakes....

Decorating the house and listening to Christmas music...

Put the tree on top of the side table to prevent it toppling over from Lindsay pulling up...

Eating cheese and turkey finger foods...

Pulling up in her crib... we moved it down to the last setting :( Baby is growing up... Love this pic, it looks like she could say, "WHAZZZ UP Mama?"

Today I'm taking Lindsay to see Santa at the The Oaks Mall, and then tonight we are going to look at Christmas lights in Woodland Hills....Let the Christmas Spirit abound!

We Did It!!

Lindsay and I completed our 1st 5K on Saturday... 32 minutes 26 seconds!

She is looking at me here like, "Are you sure you want to do this Mama?"There were a TON of people running...over 4,000! I just wanted to finish the race, and to not walk and jog the entire time. I didn't walk, and I surprised myself when I ran 10.5 minute miles, which I had never done before :) Guess it was the adrinaline.

Our sweet friends, Lucas & Jena Rucks ran with me and Lindsay (well actually ran ahead of us!) We all came in within a minute of each other. It is funny because none of us would classify ourselves as "runners" but we had a ball! It was so much fun getting to share our stories after the race, they are amazing friends. We all shared a yummy lunch at World Cafe in Santa Monica afterwards.

Here we are crossing the finish line. Behind the guy with the jogger...LOL. Thank you to the best husband in the world for cheering us on!

Jena, Me & Lindsay... Next year our goal is to shave 10 minutes off our time :)

Lindsay did so great during the race, she didn't fall asleep like she usually does, but there was a ton of people/dogs/other kids to look at. She is my little buddy, and has been training with me for months. I loved getting to share the moment of crossing the finish line with her.