Still Here

I have fallen into the facebook trap and have let the blog slip a little. Getting a little bit lazy I guess and not taking enough pictures. Here is a list of things I have let slip by

Easter

Gary turned 40

In celebration we took a little trip to Colorado and followed Donna the Buffalo from Denver to Boulder

Ellie went to a “Princess Festival” with Grandma McKenney

Mother’s Day. We went camping. It was a busy weekend and we were shut out of our original Goblin Valley destination and had to camp down the road with all the motorheads. We moved on the next day and found the last spot available at the Juniper site above slick rock in Moab. It was windy the second night. Owen couldn’t stand it so he and I got to snuggle in the truck all night long.

Ellie finished her first year of preschool *sigh*

I got a new bike (Juliana)

Owen has mastered stairs and is learning to do a jig

I’m learning the guitar

this was built down the road from us.

a closer look… Oh My!

Gary is thrilled.

Ellie has gotten very good on her Skuut bike and is even starting to pedal on her own

and now I vow to do better at spending my online time blogging and less at facebook  and putting up more pictures like this

and videos like this

He’s a Hoot

Owen is officially one year old.  We celebrated this weekend in spite of his sister’s nagging ear infection. The party was postponed on Friday and then we reorganized.  We had a small celebration on Friday night just the 4 of us. Owen made us laugh as he explored his cupcake and opened some gifts.  He is such a character with the faces he pulls and jabber he makes.

He loved his cup cake. I found a great sugarless recipe for carrot cake  here

Grandma and Grandpa McKenney wrangled up the cousins, Aunt Tamara, Aunt Gay, and Grandpa Jackson. We had a little impromptu party Saturday afternoon. Owen put on a good show having conversations with Grandpa Jackson, attempting to walk, and just pulling funny faces and silly noises all day.

It was a great weekend and to top it all off Owen has begun walking.  Just a few steps at a time but he is determined. Just a little more practice and it will be a whole new world.

Soooo Tired

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMJq7NE4IUM[/youtube]

Owen had a long day last week.  He is turning 1 on Friday. Really!? One! I can’t believe it but it’s true a year ago this week he made his grand entrance into our little family and has stolen our hearts ever since. He is working really hard at trying to get the walking thing down. He is saying Adah as clear as a bell and insists that all animals are “Adah’s”  Lately his favorite thing to do is to exchange things with someone. He hands you something with a big smile, you say thank you, he smiles bigger, hand it back to him and he laughs a bit. He also loves playing with the spices sorting them putting them in other drawers, and then putting them back (sometimes). Funny how the best toys are not toys at all.

A Little Something for the Frandsen’s

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs7z7JuoWuQ[/youtube]

Bada and Papa ARE HERE!

Bada and Papa arrived on the 7th in the wee hours of the night. After a relatively smooth flight and then a harried drive over Parley’s. We had a mellow day Tuesday took a tour of Gary’s office, lunch, and ice cream. On Wednesday Bada came with me and Owen to hang out in Heber while Ellie went to preschool (Papa chose to stay home and rest). Bada, Owen, and I took care of some Valentine shopping while Ellie learned about the letter N. On Thursday we ventured down to Salt Lake. I took them to the Sundance outlet. Then we explored downtown and walked around Temple square and stopped for an awkward lunch. Yesterday Bada, Papa, Owen, and I had a successful search for Bald Eagles while Ellie went to her Valentine party at school. We had a successful thrift store hunt as well. Today we are having a Grandparent Extravaganza as my parents are coming down to visit and catch up with the “New Yorkers”. More on that later…

Bada and Papa are here until the 20th. It is sooooo nice to have them here just to have an extra hand while things all happen at once like burning the chicken for dinner, feeding Owen, and tending to Ellie’s meltdowns. That kind of scenario seems to occur often around here. What a relief it is to have four adults around to manage what comes our way. Ellie is so excited to have her Bada and Papa here. She is so whipped out by the end of the day she has been refusing to settle for naps I think for fear of missing out. Owen is thrilled as well showing them all that he can do like riding his bike, wooing the ladies, and eating all his food.

Bada can't wait to go skiing

making some wishes w/Papa