Utah Thanksgiving trip 2011

I have been so homesick lately...I actually don't like that expression because I feel at home here, in Monterey, but when I miss my family is feels like homesickness sooo...for lack of a better word, I was homesick. We made a 15 hour trek out to Provo on the 18th adn stopped half way in Vegas and visited my beautiful cousins taking the edge off of my "homesickness". I love love love cousins. We continued on and made it to UT county just in time to meet up with my sister & fam, and the Manwill girls at Guru's for dinner. I love love love BFFs. Call me cheesy, but my soul warms up when I am belly laughing with these girls every time I visit. I miss them. Every. Single. Day. We headed to Highland to Grandma Tall's house to soothe some more homesickness symptoms and it was perfect. I love staying up late talking to Gram. Looooong, and I mean long, talks with Gramps. The most comfy beds ever. Good Food. Lots of family craziness at sunday dinners. I love love love when a home feels like a sanctuary. The next few days we spent visiting friends, shopping finding the coveted "Utah Gems" ( aka: Deseret Book, Hobby Lobby, Shade, Tie Stores, Tai Pan etc...credit:Steph) , eating at: Cafe Rio, Kneaders, Brio, Cheesecake Factory, Magleby's and their life-changing chocolate cake, and Village Baker. OH how we miss the food. Wednesday we met up with my Mom, Dal and Beau at Redrock Brewery, another gem, at Fashion Place...usher in the few remaining feelings of homesickness vanishing. We spent the day at the mall and getting things for Chelsea's Baby Norah shower. We went up to Ogden for the remainder of our trip to the Tiner grandparents. I miss them, it is hard to watch them age each time I visit. It makes me have some pretty heavy regrets about not making the 1.5 hour drive more often when I was so close. We had thanksgiving, which we did without Grandma because she had foot surgery right before we got there, good timing! It was delicious nonetheless. Mom brought the Xbox Kinect and we played sports and my personal favorite, Michael Jackson: The Experience. I LOVE IT. We went to Black friday on thursday night and almost died in Walmart aka hell. Mom, Chels and I went to black friday the next morning at 5am after my hours of coaxing and waited in line at Tai Pan--it was SOOOO worth it. Amazing store. I miss being alone just us girls, rarely happens with hubs and kids, I guess it takes standing in line in the dark freezingness of Ogden to pull it off, but it was great. Lots of laughs-my favorite part. We spent the rest of the day lounging and playing games. Playing HORSE and knock out. That night we were baking up a storm for Chelsea's Baby Norah shower. Pink Zebra cake, lemon muddy buddies, pink zebra cookies, strata etc...the next morning we headed to Highland to get ready for the shower. It was beautiful. Chels looked so cute. Great friends, great family. Loved every minute. I CAN'T WAIT FOR NORAH TO GET HERE! Anyway, Bill and I decided to go home through Reno this time, so we went to Ogden with my fam for the last night. Sad. Sad. Sad. It was such a busy-fun week. Word on the street is that my parents are moving to UT and I am so excited I don't have words. Here are pics from the trip:

Cade Lately:

Hangin at the beach...he loves to run wild and free.

First Mani-Pedi

Looking like a bonafide toddler. He turned 18 months old 2 days ago. Wow.

This is how Cade puts his hat on, he'll leave it there It slides off and then re-put it on this way. It's a new fashion trend.

Making up tricks to show daddy

Lookin big again...GO GIANTS!

I keep finding him in things...drawers...

He loves to sit in the sink...

In boxes...

He is getting so big and so smart...he has been teething I swear for the last 12 months, but we finally have 4 molars in and our nights have been a lot better. He is talking too..."shoes", "two" ( not one or three, just 2.), " no" ,"thank you"( pronounced dah doo, not to be confused with dah dah, which is " love you".) and his latest obsession...he yells, no screams, MAMA. All. Day. I secretly love it, just usually when I'm in bed at night winding down thinking of how sweet he is.

Halloween 2011

I am so behind on posting...here is our few pics of Halloween this year:

Can you guess who we were?

Sweet boy at the gym in his costume, they did a parade around the gym----cuuute.
This is who Bill was: The one and only Bob Ross, methodical painter extraordinaire. I on the other hand, was Bill.

Kimmi Ann Rea came to visit!

It was one quick night, but was way past due and much needed. Thanks Kim for the laughs, reminisces, and love. Miss you every time I cheat on my diet aand have myself a big bowl of Oh's.

Moving and Organizing

We have moved to a cute new place like a mile away from where we've been for a year in Pacific Grove. We are in Montrerey now and LOVING our new place. Cute patio/yard thing, across from a big field and park for Cader and has Washer/Dryer hook-ups. Sounds weird to those of you anywhere but here, but NOWHERE in this county comes with appliances or hook ups for them. Lots of older homes and buildings---SO, we bought our first set of W/D and I Can't WAIT for them to be delivered in a couple weeks. Also, with this new move I have made a renewed commitment to get super organized and clean more often. Of course my motivation was ignited by a couple cute crafts to make this transition into efficiency more fun and colorful:)

My to-do board I made with my handy silhouette and an IKEA board...

My chore chart:) Thank You picnik.com. LOVE that place.

lately...

Just your standard naked Giants game...

First girlfriend at Caledonia Park.

Saying goodbye to friends who are moving...so sad.

Reading with Daddy...

A 15 month old photo shoot at the park...oh, those eyes.

We went whale watching with our friends who moved, The Bybees. This was our one and only picture because I was pretty sea-sick, but Bill, OH. MY. GOSH.He was so ill, he went into shock and told me later he kept thinking, "If I throw myself overboard, they'll probably stop for me..." So, don't let the chipper photo with the exciting text bubble fool you, whale watching is not for the faint of stomach. PLUS, we saw nothing. A couple dolphins off in the distance and an albatross-yay. Here's to next time and taking 2 dramamine a full hour before.
A little update: we have been crrrrazy busy this summer. I don't even remember if I have blogged about it at all, but we've going non-stop since May. Started with hawaii and ended with multiple trips to Concord and one to Huntington Beach for Lexi Terry's wedding. Bill is in line for a great promotion and can't wait for him to be in a better position that will make him less stressed and more content. I am in YW and loving it. Meeting new friends all the time and hoping some will be permanent like me. Cade is hilarious. He never stops talking in his middle-eastern-mandarin-chinese dialect of jibberish. He loves to play with balls, he is shooting hoops with his Dad as I type this. He adores being outside and running. We are moving in 2 weeks to a better, bigger, cuter place with a little yard & garage. It is across the street from a park too which is going to be AWESOME. We are soooooo excited. Did I mention we can't wait?

Bill's dream has come true.

We officially have a waterpolo capped basketball slam dunkin' 15 month old.

Cade is basically a toddler...time flies.

This the 2nd time in 24 hours he has dug through my cupboards and brought me this lemon cake mix asking me to m open it in his best "please mom" whine.

So cute...guess I'll make it tonight:)

This is Cade this morning on our way to the gym...

Crocs, check. Big-boy Puma jacket, check. Not-so-big-boy binkie, check.

He is getting bigger everyday...I find myself asking him out loud where my newborn has gone...He is walking everywhere. He sleeps like a gem unless he's teething or in a new place. I loves to skype and watch shows. He LOVES to be outside. He still loves to be part of the action, he'll be good all day long if he's involved in whatever I'm doing. If not, it's the opposite. He calls me nah-nah but then says mama when he's complaining. The loves to pound on the keyboard of this computer. He loves books and being read to. he loves sweets. All kinds. He gives kisses, pats us on the back, laughs anytime we do, and he is still obsessed with any balls and shooting them in his hoop. He brings so much joy to our lives and anyone who meets him. Today I was at the craft store and he struck up 3 different jiberish conversations which old ladies...I love it.

Happy 4th of July!

We spent our day with our new friends, The Wetzels! They moved here from S. California to buy a dental practice which means they are PERMANENT. Yay for no military! Love my military friends, but I hate saying goodbye so often. We BBQ'd, went to Pacific Grove's little town celebration and played with sparklers...no fireworks anywhere in the county---lame. Here are some pics...oh, and on another exciting note, my sister and Vance are coming tomorrow! Wahoo! Then we're off to Utah and the cabin-FINALLY. I've been craving me some Yellowstone air, family, games, good food, fishing, boating, reading in the sun, porch sittin', and laughing till my gut hurts with some of my favorite ladies in world...

T minus 8 days...