America the Beautiful

July 18, 2014July 17, 20141 Comment

All American 4th of July 2014

Small town parade….

Rodeo…where the only limit on the number of beers you can purchase is how many you can carry

I’ve got some work to do on high speed low light pictures….

Fireworks, pig roast, family and friends

‘Merica

(Did you notice Baylor’s missing tooth?! More on that later when I can stop crying…)

Loving Cousin Z time

There was much controversy brewing over the ring in my back pocket. Anywhere else? No one would notice. In MT? Everyone things I’ve taking up dipping…I assured everyone it was my lens cap, not a can of tobacco!

We did discover that Auggs is not a big fan of fireworks. But he was a trooper and agreed to watch them from inside so there’s hope he’ll be with Peter on the fire duty in the future!

Ride ’em Cowgirl

July 15, 2014July 15, 20141 Comment

The first week we arrived in MT, Baylor was scheduled for riding lessons with a friend’s wife. She is a teacher and she and her family have an arena and a pony perfect for lessons. I skipped the first lesson and I was totally shocked at the second lesson how amazing she did! Our friend, Carolyn, also noted that she seemed like a natural. She has a calm yet excited respect for the horse, Duke. She listened to everything Carolyn told her and she did each action, even the scary ones, happily. I’m excited to find her a stable at home and keep up her skills. Can’t wait until we can go out for rides together.

Leading Duke to the arena

Each lesson starts with her turning herself around in her saddle while Duke is lead by Carolyn. It is to teach balance and this kid must have been a cat in another life because she does this like she’s done it every day of her life!

You gotta love having a school teacher teaching riding. Carolyn put the letters of her name on signs around the arena and B had to ride Duke to each letter in order.

In just three lessons she had Duke in a trot and was neck reining all around the arena! I’m guessing by the end of the month she’ll be jumping him over obstacles…

Big Sky July

July 3, 2014Leave a comment

In a moment of stressing about packing lists, I realized how far we’ve come and how much we’ve done in a short time to make a dream of ours come true.

Let me back up to last summer. After a long flight and drive to the ranch, Peter and were sitting in rocking chairs on the deck waiting for Auggie to doze off. It was after 10pm and the sun was almost down. It was cool and quiet and…perfect. We started seriously thinking about how we could make a transition that would allow us to spend more time in Montana. After a lot of conversations, we came up with a plan.

In just under a year, Peter has passed the Montana bar, been admitted and we have booked a rental house for all of July. We can both work from here and he’s working on a Montana client list – ensuring lots of summers in Big Sky country to come – and I’m sure a few “client meetings” during hunting season too…

The logistics of getting here were a little daunting. We settled on having Peter drive the 18ish hours with Mac and all our ~~crap~~ stuff while I flew with the kids. I’ll save you the details…but there was a barf bag involved in my part of the trip. But we made it all in one piece! The house we rented sight unseen has turned out to be great (with a few additional baby proofing measures post Auggie’s minor tumble down the stairs. Hearing Baylor scream “Auggie fell down the stairs!!” was as close as I’d like to come to knowing what a heart attack feels like).

We’re unpacked, settling in and awaiting the arrival of our friends/house guests! And this morning, we’re waking up to this:

Happy Anniversary

June 24, 20141 Comment

Today PW and I are celebrating 9 years of marriage (15 years together!).

There’s been a few for worse times. A life time of for better times. Some sickness, lots of health. Thankfully more richer than poorer.

Four road trips from DC to Phoenix and back. One house full house remodel. A job change. Two kids and countless other memories that have made us who we are today.

We are so lucky. So blessed. We are the lucky ones that meet when we were 17 and are still very much in love 15 years later. It’s a different love. When you’re newly weds, your love is based on hopes and dreams for the future. After 9 years, our love is rooted in the experiences we’ve had. In surviving the bad times. In enjoying the good times. In learning how to be supportive and to allow yourself to be supported.

When we got married, my mom gave us a budget. Whatever we didn’t spend, we got to keep. It was up to us how we spent it- we could elope and keep it all, we could use it as a down payment on a big wedding. Peter was a first year law student racking up loans and I was working retail. So we decided to split the middle. We had lots of appetizers, good booze and a great DJ and then bought a couch with the remainder. One of our friends worked for a wine company and had several cases of champagne “fell off” the truck and into the bar of our reception. It was cheap stuff but the fact that it was free made it taste like Crystal.

I love you to the moon and back PW. Here’s to 99 more years together and to always remembering how good the cheap stuff tastes!

This Guy

June 19, 2014Leave a comment

As everyone within ear shot knew, I was not too thrilled about this guy becoming our newest pet. It was nothing personal, I just didn’t need another being to look after, care for and clean up after. Oh and the hair. The hair! I did not need the hair.

But….as we close in on Mac’s first birthday, I have to admit, he’s pretty great. I got the pick of the litter and I chose him because I could hang him upside down over my head and he laid loosely in my hands and stared at me. I thought if he can handle that calmly, then he might make it at our house. And thankfully, his nature is as mellow today as it was then.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There has been some serious work that went into this guy – but to have your 5 year old be able to walk the 60lbs nine month old lab around the block? Totally worth all the effort. And we have the amazing DaCoda to thank for it! Call her at Paws and Effect Training 480-577-6043. She’s worth her weight in gold! Or dog treats. Either way she’s awesome.

He totally walks better for her than anyone else

I can’t believe how little they both were! Best buddies in the making

Then…and now

and then there’s this…

Labra-bunny. Oddly, I think he really liked these. Everyone knows labs make the best pillows

We’ve still got work to do on his need to stealing the kids toys and sneaking them outside to eat. And to stop eating my tomato plant. And not eat anything he finds on a walk….but his positives outweigh his negatives so I guess he stays. And I might even like him…but just a little .

Party Time. Excellent.

June 17, 2014June 17, 2014Leave a comment

I don’t remember the last big blow out birthday party I had…24? 27? Don’t get me wrong. There have been parties and really nice parties. But I think I was over due for a need-to-look-at-my-camera-because-I-can’t-remember-how-we-got-to-the-Rusty-Spur kind of shin dig.

And PW? He did not disappoint. My lovely hubby sent out an evite and within two hours of it going out, 90% had responded “yes”. I was feeling the love. The festivities were held at Old Town Whisky bar at the Saguaro Hotel. Being summer and all, we had the whole place to ourselves. There was a delicious taco bar (hello pulled pork and mahi mahi fish tacos!!) and the margaritas were boozy and cold.

Our friends came in droves. Old friends, new friends, family and a few friends we met that night! It was the perfect way to ring in 32. And of course, the lovely Stephanie was Freeze Frame for the evening. So a big thank you to her for documenting the night’s shenanigans!

I love all the colors.

Someone had on their tall shoes….

All our lovely guests!

These three? Are trouble. Actually, that’s too tame of a word…

This feels like a bad idea

Oh! Is it time for solo pictures amongst groups of people?? Fantastic!

Everyone enjoyed the delicious tacos

The night progressed to the ever fun, ever crowded, ever dangerous (for lots of reasons) Rusty Spur Saloon. Home to the one and only time I was kicked out of a bar (for pinning a dollar bill to a caribu’s nose…long story. I was let back in) and many, many other stories never to be written down. The pictures…well there were a lot. And all of them were incriminating which means they won’t be posted here. However there is a taste of the last hour of the evening…

Thank you to all our friends who came to celebrate! It meant the world to me and I can’t think of a better way to jump into the next year than with great people like you to call my friends!

They Say It’s Your Birthday

June 11, 2014Leave a comment

And they’d be right. Well, if you’re talking to me anyway.

Thank you all for the birthday love! 60 some posts on Facebook. Calls. Emails. Texts. Cards. Every one of them makes my birthday a very happy one!

This is how I prefer to look at all my birthdays – laughing, a little (or a lot) drunk and enjoying life.

Cheers to 32!

Viva La Fiesta!

June 11, 2014June 11, 2014Leave a comment

This year we decided to combine B’s typical two parties into one and scale back the guest list. It was nice to enjoy the party and not be soooo partied out by the end of the week…which is really quite convienint since this year I’M having a party (more to come).

And as usual, when you have a June birthday in Arizona, your party needs to either be indoors or involve water. Baylor has had about the same party every year, but with a different theme. And this year was no exception! The Fifth Fiesta kicked off with two ladies making tacos on demand (best. idea. ever.), there was a kid car wash somewhere in the middle and a pinata and make-your-own sundaes to finish off the evening. It was a rave with the five year olds and the adults all walked out the door with to-go plates so I’m thinking it was a win in their books too.

Festive decor – even at 108 degrees

There’s no way we were getting away without SOMETHING Frozen

Our “west side” water slide is always a hit (sorry Ali)

Of course the Kid Car Wash was out. And looking better than ever.

Cousins gotta splash

Happy birthday girl

~~Patiently~~ waiting for the pinata

Family picture time!

(no sunglasses, please)

And thank you to the lovely Stephanie for being guest photographer! I love that I hand her my camera and I don’t have to say a thing. She takes. She snaps. She hands back.

WHOOOO’S READY FOR ICE CREAM??!!

Happy birthday to youuuuuu

Happy customers

The evening ended with – you guessed it – Frozen!

(also, there had to have been margaritas involved for me to let these crazys eat ice cream on the couch….)

Thanks to all of our lovely friends and family who braved the tipple digits to celebrate! Happy birthday Ms. B!!

Welcome to the Doll House

June 6, 2014June 5, 2014Leave a comment

We had such a good time celebrating B’s birthday. But it seems that some of the birthday presents aren’t quite getting along….

Ya mind getting off of my freaking arm??

Who am I? WHO AM I?? I’m your worst nightmare, hon.

Oh her? Yeah she looks all cute and innocent. But take it from me, that b*tch will cut you.

As for me – I’ve been to the doll doctor. Yeah. And I’m not afraid of going back. So if you want to make it out of here with all your stuffing, you better respect the order. Know your place at the tea party. And stay out of my crib.

You scared? You should be. Welcome to the doll house.

Last Day

May 23, 2014May 22, 2014Leave a comment

This year’s last day of school kind of snuck up on me. Really, we’ve been running hard the last few weeks with school activities…this year feels a little more like crossing the finish line of a marathon – it’s relief rather than saddness!

It’s been a tough year. It was our first experience with “life’s tough, get a helmet” type teachers. It was not the greatest experience – but – it was a great lesson in how to get along and make the best of a less than perfect situation. And really, I’d rather do that now in 3 day a week preschool than when it really matters.

In looking back over teh year, I realized how much B has learned. At the beginning of the year, she could spell her name, but not identify it. Now she can read it, write it and write any word you spell for her. I was in awe as I dictated a thank you note to her and she not only wanted to write it, but could write it! Her hand writting has become legible, her drawings more precise and her vocabulary is a crack up. I’m a little worried about her use of the word lure…as in “I’m going to lure Auggie in here with some crackers”.

Watching her imagination, comprehension and verbal skills grow is amazing and so fun to watch. Although the days of not being able to spell the words I don’t want her to hear is rapidly approaching. I think PW and I should probably look into developing our own language.

Wow. It’s not until you look at August v May that I can see how much she’s grown!

(Also, it’s pajama day at school. The Uggs were a fight I could not win. Yes it is going to be 95 degrees today.)