A LITTLE Hike?

Our house is in the perfect spot. We live right on the edge of a canyon, it's just beautiful! Well, we've always wondered what was down in the canyon, so today we ventured out, tennis shoes and all, to explore our surroundings.

I just thought of this as I started to write, but we went out our front door when we left......? Why? Who knows...Anyway so we had to climb over the wire fence to start out, that was a little difficult, but we made it. The hike started out being very mellow. A little hill here and there.

Stopping for a pic

Grey loved being outside.

Then we ran into a little problem, or should I say Grey did. Notice the small stick bush thing. Instead of walking around it Grey chose to go over it and got stuck on it. Silly girl. Making situations harder than need be.

So after this picture the hike got much harder. We (Ryan) decided to take the path less followed. Lets just say there wasn't really much of a path. We had to make our own. We went through tree branches, tall grass that felt like branches, mud, loads of mud. We all fell at least once. I got wacked in the face with a branch. Grey slipped on the only piece of ice out there.

But we had a blast! It was so fun being able to get outside and feel the fresh air.

See what I mean?

Mommy? Do I have too?

Poor Grey got a stick stuck in her hat.

We finally made it to the bottom and it was really cool. I guess there's a river that runs through there, but obviously, it was empty.

Yay! We made it!

Cheese

Wow! You're up so high!

I saw some great views on our little hike.

But I like this one the best!

After we played around in dirt for a while, we decided to start our trek back home. We found a much nicer path to take on our way back. Grey started cheering when she could see our house. She was ready to be home.

Yay! Our house. We are going the right way!

Isn't this the coolest picture! This was on our way back home. I just thought it looked so cool.

I hope you enjoyed hearing about our hike today. If you ever come visit us, we'll take you out there too! Come on...I know you wanna!

Projects

Just wait 'til I'm done working my magic on these chairs. They're gonna look great!

Antiqued this old window and put together this vine for the center. I love it!

It's February?

Wow. Time flies!

It feels like Christmas was just last week. Crazy! Well, we are still in New Mexico! Woohoo. Maybe we'll set a new record for living in the same place for more than 6 months. (we still have a ways to go for that one.) Anyway, we like it so far. We are beginning to make friends and explore our surroundings. New Mexico is a beautiful state. Best sunsets I've ever seen!

I recently took a babysitting job. I watch a 10 month old girl, Chloe. I love it. She's such an easy baby and Grey loves to play with her. She just doesn't understand why Chloe can't move as fast as she can. I have to admit, I love having a little one in the house again. It's so fun. Ok, ok, it's nice to have a little extra cash too.

I started potty training Grey last week. It's goin ok. She's finally understanding when she needs to go, we just can't seem to make it there fast enough. But, we'll get it soon enough. She's growing up so fast. She likes to pick out her own clothes in the morning. She thinks she has to wear a "dess" (dress) everyday. She loves to play with her dolls. It's the cutest thing. She rocks them, shooshes them, lays them in their bed, bathes them. She will be a great big sister someday. She also loves to dance around and sing songs. I can't wait to put her in a little dance class. She loves cereal for breakfast, lunch and she'd probably eat it for dinner to if I'd let her. She's very choosy! I don't mind though. I like that she has her own opinion.....sometimes.

Ryan works 4 days a week. He enjoys what he does. He also likes to work on his bike and he can't wait to ride it as soon as it warms up around here. He's taken it out a few times and then regretted it once he got back home. Way too cold for that sort of thing! Ryan loves playin with Grey. They are so funny together. He's trying to get her interested in toy cars and trucks. He sets up all the race tracks and they just have so much fun racing their cars and jumping them and whatever else it is they do.

All in all, we are doin great. We are so thankful to be where we are in our lives right now and to have such great friends and family.

I hope you all are having a great year so far!

Merry Christmas!

Wow! A lot has happened since my last post. 

We are settled into our home in New Mexico. It's definitely a great upgrade from the apartments we've lived in. It's nice to have more space! We are still getting used to the cold weather here. We don't have any snow at our house, but it's very cold. (we miss the warm sun in South Carolina) We will be heading to Idaho for Christmas on the 23rd. I am so excited!!! It will be nice to see everyone and Grey is excited to see her cousins. 

Grey turned 2 on November 27th. We had cupcakes with some friends and she got lots and lots of presents! She wore her birthday dress that I made for her. It was so cute. She got a play kitchen, table and chairs set, barbies, doll with a puppy (or as Grey says it...pups) clothes, puzzles, books, movies and I can't remember what else. She had a great time. This year she decided to eat her cake with a fork, which was complete opposite of last year. She's so funny! Now, everyday, she has to tell me that she is 2. She is growing up so fast. She talks A LOT, but its great. I can't wait for my family to see her again and see how much she has changed. 

We also went on a cruise before we moved. We had a blast! I did get a little sea sick, but not enough for it to ruin our trip. We swam a lot, ate a lot (I had chocolate lava cake every night), lounged a lot; it was pretty much just 4 days of not having to worry about a thing. It was so relaxing. We already want to go again. 

Well, I know there is more that has happened but all I can think about right now is how excited we are to go home! My family and Ryan's family are so important to me. I've missed everyone so much. I haven't really felt homesick until we moved here to New Mexico. I was blessed to have met some great friends in South Carolina, whom we miss dearly. I don't know if we will ever see them again, but they will always be a part of our lives. 

Love you all!!! and to my family....See you soon!!!

"The best part of life is when your family becomes your friends, and your friends become your family." 

---Danica Whitfiel

The view from our house is beautiful!

Kitchen

Family Room

Grey on her birthday!

Decorating the tree

Family Pictures

Hey everyone. Just wanted to share our recent family pictures. I love the way they turned out. Hope you like them too. (there will be more later.)

Also, if you haven't heard yet, we are moving again. Ryan's work is transferring him to the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Our lives are a bit crazy at the moment and we are beginning to wonder if we will ever get to settle anywhere! But, we are making the most of it and we are glad that Ryan has such a great job! Thanks Ryan for all the hard work you do for us! Love you! I'll keep you all updated on the move, right now we are planning on moving the weekend of Thanksgiving. Love you all! Happy November!!!!!!

We love Fall!

This weekend was so much FUN! It actually felt like FaLL here in Aiken. 58*....brrrrr! We went to the fair and I'd love to tell you how Awesome it was and that we had BlaSt and make you all jealous, but the truth is, it wasn't that fun. It was very cold and I didn't bring a coat for Grey or I. I thought our sweaters and vests would be warm enough, but we were cold. They only had cows in the livestock area, (we could have seen those for free at home). And we had walked all the way through the fair in 20 minutes. But, we made the most of it. We bought a few tickets for one of the rides that Grey could go on with us. She didn't really like it, but atleast we can say we did something at the fair. After that we came home and made a warm dinner and watched movies. Sunday night we had friends over and we carved pumpkins and ate pumpkin cake. That was fun! Grey got right in to the action. She started eating the inside of the pumpkin....everytime I'd look over at her she'd be chewin on something. Gross! Ryan was getting worried watching me carve my pumpkin. I'm not to great with knives! 

We loved being able to feel the fall weather and we soon realized how lucky we are that it doesn't get much colder than 58*. (atleast not until December) I hope you are all enjoying your Fall and the beautiful scenery that comes along with it! 

The end result. Mine is the big happy face, Ryan's is the mean one.

Grey's Christmas Stocking

This past week I decided I'd better start on Grey's stocking because it usually takes me quite a while to finish my projects, but, I had so much fun with this stocking I finished it in two afternoons. (and Grey was awake for both those afternoons, so I'm pretty proud of myself) I decided to go with the pink Christmas fabric line I found at a local store. It seemed appropriate for a little girl. I really love how it turned out.

I went with the gingerbread man on this one. (if you couldn't tell)

I can't wait to hang them up this year. These stockings have been so fun to make and they will definitely be used for all the Christmas's to come. I want to make another one because I had so much fun with Grey's, but I'll just have to wait for our next baby.

 I hope you enjoyed looking at my project. If you want the pattern, just let me know and I can send you one!

Last Minute Trip

            

Last weekend we decided to take a quick trip to Myrtle Beach. Everyone talks about how fun it is there, so we thought we'd check it out for ourselves. Since we are "out of season" for going to the beaches, we were able to get a hotel right on the beach with a room facing the ocean. It was Awesome! (and since we are from Idaho, it's still beach weather for us...bunch a woosies.) The hotel had tons of swimming pools and a lazy river and a pirate ship! Ya.....it was so cool! We didn't have any plans set for the weekend, so we basically just took it easy and did whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted.

Grey loved it! She adjusts well to hotels and new surroundings, so she just goes with the flow. It's nice that way! 

We realized our first night as we were getting ready for bed that we had forgotten the toothpaste. I thought Ryan packed it, he thought I packed it....(you know how it goes). So we just skipped brushing our teeth that night. I know what you're thinking...."grossss!" But you know what, it's memories for us. And please....don't act like you've ever went without brushing for a day. It happens to the best of us! 

As for the rest of the trip it was all fun. We woke up early and watched the sunrise from our bed. Ryan stood by the window to take pictures and he saw dolphins jumping near the shore. I jumped out of bed to watch. 

It was beautiful! 

One of those moments you may not ever experience again!

We had a great time! 

Hotel views day and night! I loved seeing the moons reflection on the ocean!

Grey takin it easy

Playin foosball at the pizza place across the street. Grey wondering what keeps poking her belly.

Feedin the fish. There were so many. Kinda gross.

Swimmin

The Cookie Curse

I love COOKIES! But, this is not the curse I speak of in my title..... I canNOT make cookies! I have tried many times to make yummy cookies but I fail every time! I follow the recipe to the T....still, not a good cookie.

So today I pulled out my trusty frozen-store-bought cookie dough. How hard can it be to scoop the dough onto the pan and bake it....? 

Well, I did just that. Along with all the other things I was doing at the moment. 

I was doing laundry, changing a diaper, listening to Grey scream about the bugs outside (yes, the bugs were outside and she is still afraid of them.) Anyways, I was scatter brained when the cookies were put into the oven. So, what a perfect time to go visit my neighbor....?

 I had something to talk to her about so I walked up to her apartment and we talked on her doorstep for a moment and then she had some crafts to show me (we all know how I can't resist looking at the crafts) and I was just havin a good ole time. Completely forgot about the cookies in my oven!!!! 

Who knows how long they were in there? 

I don't. 

Lets just say when Grey and I walked through the door I could smell well-done-cookies. That's when it hit me.......aawwww crap.....the cookies!! I run over to the oven (I think I knocked Grey over on my way there) I open it up and the cookies were black......I could not believe that I managed to ruin the frozen-store-bought cookie dough cookies. 

All I could do was laugh....and then Grey laughed at me laughing. 

So if any of you feel sorry for me and my cookie curse, feel free to send some cookies my way or a lesson or two on cookie making.

Beach Pics

We went to Siesta Key in Florida over labor day weekend. We had a blast. This is by far our favorite beach. We went there a couple times last year when we lived in Florida and we just had to go back. It's beautiful. Enjoy the pics!!