Our Life, Our Journey...

Wishful Wednesday...

2010-02-24T11:09:00.000-08:00

So alot of people in the blog world are doing these 'Wishful Wednesday' posts....so I thought I would join the band wagon and add 'Wishful Wednesdays' along with my 'Thankful Thursdays' to my blog....

Wishful Wednesdays are supposed to be something to get us through those lovely hump days. It may be a wish, a hope, a dream, or an aspiration. Some topics may be fun and playful and others more insightful. Either way, it will be something that I can share with all of you. And hopefully you all can share your wish with me as well.

Today, I wish...

that cancer did not exist. that the people in my life and people that I know were not affected by this disease. my father-in-law had prostate cancer, and he beat it. my grandmother had breast cancer, and she beat it. but, sadly not everyone beats cancer. and because of that, today I wish that people I know and love did not feel hurt, and pain, and such overwhelming sadness when they lose someone they love.

yesterday, a great woman passed. she battled cancer, with such grace. this woman was dan's boss's (big dave) mom. but she wasn't just big dave's mom, she was a part of the Greenly family. Dan has been a part of the Greenly family for so long, and we truely consider them a part of our family. while we didn't know Meme as well as others and weren't around her as much as them, we were still touched by her and by her courage and strength. what a strong woman to battle such a nasty thing as cancer is. I can only hope to have that type of strength and grace in my lifetime. it was an honor to know Meme. we are truely blessed to be a part of her family, to know them and to have them all in our lives. in this time of sadness and grief, we can only hope to be there for you and to support and love you all. In memory of Meme

Thankful Thursday

2010-02-19T11:45:00.000-08:00

I know today is Friday, but I was super busy yesterday and forgot to post this....so here it is :-)

Today, I am thankful...

for my daughters unconditional and constant love. she always loves me, no matter what. and that feels soooo good.

for someone to listen to you when you need to just vent and work things out. knowing that you can say whatever to that person and they won't judge you and just listen to you is a weight off your shoulders in and of its self. Thank you to that person, you know who you are.

that it's Friday! which means a relaxing night with my two loves and then the weekend ahead.

that spring is fast approaching..to be honest I'm kinda over this cold weather and so ready to see the sun more often and get going with planting my garden

and finally...

I am thankful for this life. It may be a crazy one...but it's my life. And I love it. :-)

Randoms...

2010-02-17T12:52:00.000-08:00

A few random pics of my silly baby girl!! Isn't she just the cutest!?!? I sure think so. :-)

Here are a few pics of the cupcakes I made for Addi's Valentine's Day party at daycare. I also got these cute little boxes to put them in so that Daddy wouldn't have cupcake sprinkles all over his car for a week, tee heehee. They were quite adoreable and functional. Don't these look yummy?? YES, they most certainly were. I know because I made extras and had "a few" ;-)

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2010-02-12T16:31:00.000-08:00

TGIF!! It's FRIDAY, FRIDAY!! Yahhhooo! I love fridays. I think because it's the end of the 40 hr-work week and even though I work weekends and don't truly get weekends off...I love being able to do whatever I want on Friday nights. Stay up late or go to bed early. Go out on the town or just sit at home and vege. We tend to usually do dinner and to just hang at home...tonight we're heading to dinner with my Dad. Haven't seen him in almost 2 weeks!!! We love hanging with him, always a relaxing time with good conversation. So tonight we'll do dinner and probaly come back to the house and watch movies. Sounds lame for a Friday night right? Well i'm exhausted so it's sounds pretty fabulous to me. Work this week has been soooooo busy so I've been working FULL 8 hours days plus a little. Good for business, but wears me out. So a nice relaxing dinner and hang time with my two loves is just what I need.

As for the weekend, well, I have to work Saturday night AND Sunday during the day...which is totally lame. Part of working in the restaurant business right!?!? Boo. Anywho, Sunday night we'll be celebrating Valentine's Day with our little, tiny family. Most likely PF Changs or Cheesecake Factory. *Those are our going out, getting dressed up, restaurants we don't normally go to but LOVE* And I say most likely cause we didn't really plan anything so we have no reservations. Which is actually ok. We're just gonna kinda wing it and see what happens.
. . . . . .
Soooo I just realized that I totally rambled on and on about nothing that I was really going to talk about in my post today. LOL The purpose of this post was really just to say Happy Valentine's Day to everyone and wish everyone a fabulous weekend.

Now to the point of my post today, I would like to wish my Husband a very special Happy Valentine's Day and to say this...

Babe:

I know you never read this blog, BUT, I am going to write this to you anyways....

Valentine's Day comes around every year and each year stores are filled with roses, Hallmark cards, and people stressing out trying to use materials "things" to show the people that they love, just how much they love them. We have never been ones to buy each other extravagant gifts or to stress on this holiday, as if it was more special than any other holiday or day that we might celebrate together. Not to say that it isn't a special holiday, because in it's own right it is, just by nature. it's a day where love is in the air and our hearts feel a little extra full. But what I want you to know, not just on this holiday of love, but EVERY day of the year is this....

I love you. I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone. I love you with all of my being and so much sometimes that it hurts. You came into my life almost 9 years ago at a time where I wasn't looking for love. I didn't need it or want it. Not that I was closed off to it, but I just wasnt't looking for it. But, then to my surprise, one day...sitting in class at Sac City, there you were. You were dressed to a "T" in your Abercrombie clothes, with your bleach blonde tips and with a smile that I will never forget. You have a warmth about you that attracts people to you and instantly makes people like you.

I remember that day like it was yesterday. I knew at that moment, as strange as it may sound, but I knew at that moment that you were the one. I didn't know then how our life would be in 5, 10, or even 20 years. And I still don't know. But what I do know is that that day changed my life forever.

You came into my life and have given me so much joy. So much love that I never thought I could feel. You put a ring on my finger and promised to love me no matter what. And you have kept that promise. You gave me a gift that I can never repay you for or even say thank you enough for, our daughter. She is my everything. And in her, I see so much of you. All the good that makes you so wonderful. She has your kind and loving heart, your fun and quirky personality, and of course your stunning good looks ;-) But what I love most about her is that she is ours. She is a part of both of us and always will be.

So, this year, another year, on Valentine's Day...while we may not have expensive jewelry, a fancy 5 star restaurant, or a romantic trip planned...we WILL have each other and our love bug. And to me, that's worth more than any piece of shiny jewelry or a fancy meal that costs to much or even a trip to somewhere exotic. Where I want to be, and what I want, is to simply just be with you. And to know that we have a one-of-a-kind love that will last a lifetime. Knowing that our love is pure and honest and knowing that you love me with all your heart is worth it's weight in gold to me.

Thank you babe for loving me, not just on this Valentine's Day, but every Valentine's Day and everyday of the year. It means more to me than you'll ever know. Happy Valentine's Day babe, I love you!!

XOXOXOXO

Thankful Thursday

2010-02-11T15:24:00.000-08:00

Thankful Thursday is a new thing I'm starting....actually, I got the idea from a few fellow bloggers, but it's new to me....and it's a day where it's been a long week but the weeks not just over, a day where even though the weeks not over yet it is almost the weekend, and a day where we can remember what we are truely thankful for in our lives. Sometimes, in the midst of all that is going on around us, we feel overwhelmed and stressed or happy and excited, but we sometimes we forget to be TRUELY GRATEFUL for the things in our lives. I do it, we all do it. Soooo....starting today, I am going to start reminding myself and take the time to say what I am truely thankful for....

I am thankful for my husband. who loves and supports me in any and everything that I do, no matter what.

I am thankful for my little love bug who brings me new joy every single day.

I am thankful for a roof over my head, even though its a small one, I am still VERY lucky.

I am thankful for my Dad and Cheryl. Because they love my little family so whole heartedly, 100% of the time.

I am thankful that I have such an amazing relationship and close bond with my sister-in-law, Beth, and brother-in-law, Todd. I absolutely love spending time my with them.

I am thankful for my new little nephew that isn't even here yet. I already love him soooo much.

I am thankful for my mother and father-in law, Bob and Michelle. Words really cannot express how much I truely love them...

I am thankful that I have a job, 2 jobs at that! While at times I might not love them, I AM thankful that I have them.

I am thankful for my other in-laws, Bruce and Lori. they treat us like gold. they love us and truely enjoy our company and are always thinking of us.

and finally, I am truely thankful for the life that I have been given. it might not be a perfect life. and I may want to improve a few parts of my life from time to time, because that's just how I am, but I am truely blessed and thankful that I have this life. I have a happy, healthly, beautiful family and really, what more can a girl ask for...

Updated Pics

2010-02-09T12:52:00.000-08:00

A few pics from the last couple of weeks...

Where does the time go!?!?!

2010-02-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

Wow! Where has the time gone!! Well here it is another month later and I'm just now getting to my blog. I must admit that i've been having some computer issues which is why I haven't been on here in quite some time. Excuses, excuses. Actually I've had a lot to blog about lately...just haven't found the time. So here I am sitting at my computer, and where do I begin???...

Well, first off, let's just ponder this...Addi girl is 16 months old!!! Holy cow!! Saturday she turned 16 months old and I honestly cannot believe how fast the time is flying by. This is really a fun time for me with her because she is such a Mama's girl and so fun to be around. She is such a ham and just so full of life that it makes you want to spend every second with her. And with working two jobs, STILL, i've been trying to find new things to do with her so that we can really enjoy some quality time together. So, we tried LittleGym for the first time last weekend...LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!! She loved it, I loved it...and it was actually really fun. I had heard about it through friends and family but never actually tried it for whatever reasons. So we just decided one day to do it....i guess it's part of my new year, new changes philosophy :-) It was really fun because it was just total silly time where her and I could just be silly and do whatever...run around, play with balls, dance. Her class is called the Little Birds, cute right?? They focus on listening, following directions, learning new skills, ect. It was funny because at first she stayed completely glued to me and kept looking at the other kids, then back at me, then at them like, what the heck is going on here?!?!? AND she even wanted me to carry her from time to time. But once she got used to it all, she just took off!! Running and bouncing from play mat to play mat and throwing the balls around the room. It was pretty funny to watch. Its a great experience as a mom too because you learn new ways to try things with the little ones. For instance, we learned how to start the kids with learning how to do a sumersault. Seems easy right? Well I had no clue how to go about it in a safe way but so that she would learn how to do it. It was alittle tricky at first, probaly because her and I both were looking at each other like, um ok...let's give it a try. But once we got it down, oh my!! Addi wouldn't let me stop!! When we got home and showed Daddy what we had learned I think I literally helped her to do 50 sumersaults!!! Too funny! (Video to follow) So all in all it was def a success.

Another new thing we're trying is joining a mommy group. We joined a group of Mommies that live in Roseville and are in the same age range as me, in their 20's. I thought it would be a good way to meet some new mommies that have the same interests as me and like to hang with their kids. Give us a new thing to try. We just joined so we haven't met anyone yet but we're def looking forward to it. Seems weird to try and meet new friends when you've had the same group of friends for so long, but I figure it can't hurt to meet some people that like to do what I do. You can never have too many friends right!?!? :-) So anyways, we're meeting up at Folsom Zoo the first of March and hopefully something before that so we'll see how it goes!!

As for new things with Addi girl, here are a few things she's be saying, doing, ect ect....

* Addi has 8 teeth now!!

* Addi can say Diaper, Bella, Mya, Thank You, Olive (sort of-sounds more like lala lala), Yellow, Blue...just to name a few new ones

* Addi is in early stages of potty training!! She tells us (most imes) when she goes potty.

* We're down to only 2 naps a day

* She loves walks, drawing, and cheese ;-)

* She'll be getting her 18 month shots soon so we'll have an update on all her stats then

As for other news....well there isn't really much. The holidays, superbowl, and most our birthdays have passed and now that my sister-in-law's baby shower has come and gone, well there's really not much going on in our house. Not that i'm complaining...it's just weird to not have something to do everyday and every weekend. Although, I do think that this will be the calm before the storm. If you've read my last couple of posts you'll remember that we have quite the summer coming up! Lots of events and weddings and things to go to, in addition to just the normal busy summer activities that we'll have. Plus Baby Tyler's arrival in a short few weeks!! Can't wait!! It's def going to be one busy year! But for now, we're just working away and enjoying our down time with each other.

And coming up:

Addi's Valentine's Day party on Friday....which I am making treats for and very excited to break out my mixer!! Crab feed with Dad and Lori on Saturday night (assumming i'm not called into work)...which is always a fun time!! And Valentine's Day on Sunday...which I will be working during the day, but will be spending the rest of the evening with my 2 LOVES!! Dinner/Date night is just what I need!!

So until next time.....xoxo The Smith Family

2010-01-07T15:05:00.000-08:00

Ok so here are some pics (a small collection since there were a bazillion pics) from Dec. They are from the many Xmas's we had with family and friends, Beth's family baby shower, and other misc ones taken. They are in no particular order. Enjoy! :-)

Our family, Chrismas Day 2009

Whoa!! Cool present from Santa!!

Such a cutie pie!

Yeah!! I love presents!!

Opening gifts with Gma and Gpa Smith...a new shopping cart!!

Kisses and snuggles with Gma Bailey!

Girls Bake Day 2009...Addi actually got to help out this year!!

Ohhh Snow!!

We actually got a pretty good amount of snow...

Our little drummer girl!

Addi riding her new Choo-Choo train she got from Santa

Our house for Xmas...just call us the Griswalds!!

Dan and I walked into her room and yelled, "Merry Christmas!!!" I don't think she was quite awake yet. HEHE

In her pretty Xmas dress for Xmas at Grammy's

Uncle Todd and Addi girl playing on Xmas...

Such a silly girl!!

Our new little nephew, Baby Tyler...ETA: March 5th

Happy 2010!!

2010-01-05T11:42:00.000-08:00

Well, it's finally 2010! A new year is upon us. Out with the old, in with the new. Gone is the bad, and here is hopefully a new year full of all good. Well that's the plan anyways. :-)

I really love this time of year. It's a time where I feel cleansed or at least the need to cleanse my life. Not sure exactly why now, as opposed to any other time of the year, except that every year around this time I feel the need to completely go through our closet and get rid of old stuff, organize and clean each room to a "T", start new projects and finish old ones, and of course start...or should I say...get back on a mini-diet and start working out again. Some of these are of course more fun than others LOL. But either way, they all kind of come about around this time of year. I guess most people think that way. We think of a new year as a new start in a way. Like we erased the chalkboard and get to start all over, fresh. Not really, but we all have that mind set. I know I do. Our family had a lot happen last year, both good and not so good. So starting a new year, with as crazy as a year as we have coming up, is kinda refreshing. Looking forward to new things and new changes and trying to not look back on some things that weren't so great is part of what makes the new year...just that, a new year.

Part One of my new year, new changes attitude is to, blog more. I never really liked writing papers or writing in general but as I've gotten older I've actually surprised myself and enjoy it. I know alot of people only check out my blog from time to time and of course it's mostly family, but even if no one read it, I think just being able to "talk" about my life happenings is some sort of release for me. So Part One is def off to a great start, more blogging. :-)

Part Two of my new year, new changes attitude is to get my house in order. I've been working two jobs for the last 6 months or so and it's really taken a toll on me physically and mentally...which makes sense because the more time I spend working, the less time I have for everything else. Which def would include my house. For instance. I have wanted to paint our bedroom since we moved into our house, which was about a year and a half ago, but just haven't because of time, money, or just will. Whatever it was, it just hadn't gotten done. But then last week in the midst of all the holiday madness, between work and family and everything else...I was sitting in our room staring at my completely plain tan walls and thought to myself, shoot I'm just gonna do it! So, I told Dan...Babe, were painting our room this weekend. No excuses, it's getting done. I've been wanting to do it and now that it's a new year it's time for a new room. He said alright, let's do it. So, Sunday while Addi was down for a nap, we did it. And let me tell you...it's looks awesome!! What a difference. What a difference such a small adjustment can make. And that's part of why I have this new attitude this year. I have let things slide and it makes a difference in how you feel and the overall flow of your life. So, a few more tweaks to our room and that part is done. Next is organizing the hall closet and cupboards, like organizing my scrap booking stuff for one, and then organizing the garage and getting all the "Crap" in there in order, and then finally the backyard. Which is quite a task because we need money to do what we want back there...but I think the few ideas we have for now will make a big difference for now until we're able to make major changes. So even though part two is an ongoing project for the whole year, it def feels good to have a goal to work towards and get my house back to normal.

Part three of my new year, new changes attitude is to (which I'm sure this won't surprise you...) start eating healthier and working out. I say this every year of course and usually I do pretty good, but eventually, after boat season winds down I slack off and get way out of shape. So this year, my goal is to lose the extra flab and to keep it off, for good. Also to have a healthier lifestyle. Eating better foods, like fruits and veggies, and cutting out the fast food and....the hardest part for me...the candy. I know, I'm like a 5 year old when it comes to candy. I love it and can never get enough of it. Sad, but so true. Dan makes fun of me all the time cause I can never just have one piece...I'll eat the whole bag. And because we have so many weddings this year and events that I would like to look slim and trim for, I figure now is as good a time as any to get with the program. Not that it'll be easy by any means, cause I will be the first to admit that I really don't like working out...but Dan and I are both on the same page and are willing to sweat it out, literally, to get in shape and get healthy. So with that, I'm hitting the treadmill tomorrow!! One last day to vege out and eat my fave, pizza. :-)

And the final part of my new year, new change attitude is just that...a new attitude. I'm the kinda person that stresses when there's not enough money, or my outfit isn't just right, or things don't go according to plan. I've def gotten better over the years, because we all know that with a baby you kinda just have to. But I've realized looking back on 2009 that I stressed ALOT about stuff that honestly, didn't really matter. Looking back I have realized that things have a way of working out somehow and in the end all will be OK.

So I guess my new year's resolution this year (if you want to call it that...) is to take things as I go and try to stress less, not just with money, but with everything in my life. This year...and from now on...I'm going to try to stress less, try to go with the flow, and try to not sweat the small stuff. And to go for what I want, without hesitation. My first order of business, start school! This year is going to be a year full of changes and new things, school being one of them. I know I'm def looking forward to starting a new career and starting this new year with a new attitude!! I'm hoping in the end it'll all pay off!

So with that, Happy 2010 everyone! And good luck with all of your "new years resolutions", whatever they may be....

PS...LOTS of pics to follow. My camera battery was dead, and then I couldn't find the battery charger. But now I've found it so I'll be posting pics from the end of 2009 shortly. :-) Thanks!

We're Back!!

2009-12-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

OK, so I know I have been completely MIA for the last...well...SEVERAL months. I know it's been forever! Well, I have been very very busy to say the least. Working 2 jobs and trying to maintain a household, let alone be a good mother and wife has not been an easy task for me. It was def something that I thought would come more natural to me or at least flow alittle bit better than it has. Well, in any case, I had some inspiration from an old friend from college The Pinckney Family Blog and decided to jump back into it. Since it has been quite some time...there are tons of photos and updates so instead of just boring you with all the details...I will upload some recent photos of what's been happening in our lives and then from there simply start fresh. For family...if you would like all of our recent photos..I have them uploaded to snapfish and I can email you them all if you would like. Just let me know. OK well that's it for today. I'll be working on getting pics up in the next day or so so until then...ttyl.

Oh by the way...I must mention...in case you didn't know already...it SNOWED in Sacramento yesterday. Yep, I know it sounds too good to be true but it totally did!! It was awesome!! :-)

New pics

2009-07-17T10:14:00.001-07:00

So it's been quite awhile since my last blog...I know, I know....but I must admit that things have been sooo crazy around our household!!! I guess just the fact that it is summer is reason enough because with summer comes tons of fun stuff....like going boating, swimming, BBQ'ing. All the fun stuff that fills up our nights and weekends :-) And, since so much has gone on, I think it would take forever to write about...So I think I will just share some recent photos that I've taken over the last couple of weeks. And since I am at least acknowledging the fact that I am slacking on this blog...I am hoping you will cut me some slack ;-) I will def try to keep on it as there is alot of stuff coming up these next couple of months including the big 1ST BIRTHDAY for my Addi girl!! As well as other birthdays, parties, and events. So....I hope everyone is having an amazing summer and we'll talk soon.... xoxo

Gpa Kruse & Gma Cheryl took Addi to her very first
River Cats game and make it extra special!! Check
out the scoreboard!! So cool huh!!?!?!

On June 19th our 2 best friends, Dave and Katie,
had their engagement party...they will be getting
married June 19th, 2010. Dan, Addi, and I are all
in the wedding and we are so honored that they choose
us to share in their special day...this day has been
a long time coming and we are sooo excited and
happy for them!!

Kate and I

The Bride and her Bridesmaids

Such a cool idea for a cake!!

Dan and Big Dave

The girls...

Friends xoxo

Meggy and I

Part of the "quadpod"..missing Meggy

Soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Greenly!!! YAY!!

Some new pics of Addi girl...which btw...now has 2
bottom teeth!!! It is soo freakin' cute when she
smiles and you can see her little teeth! Adoreable!!

My Baby girl!!

Her 2 bottom teeth!!

Raspberries!!!

Silly girl!!

Sooo beautiful!!

Her and that tupae!! Haha too funny!

And I had to throw this one in there...this is what happens
when Momma says "No"...total meltdown! ;-)

sad, sad, sad...

2009-06-26T13:16:00.001-07:00

So I'm sure most of you have heard all of the news but I just wanted to say how sad it is that 2 great entertainments icons have passed on. The beautiful Farah Fawcett and pop icon Michael Jackson have died...AND on the same day. Crazy! I have been listening to the radio for the past few days and it's interesting to say the least at the response of the public to both of these deaths. We first heard about Farrah dying, which we all knew was a matter of time really, such a sad story. Cancer must be such a slow and painful death, one I hope that I never have to endure. I watched her story on 20/20 and it was inspiring...her courage, faith, and hope, and the shrill will to continue living. It was absolutely amazing and really an inspiration. I think that sometimes, not always, but a lot of the time, we take for granted the simple pleasures of life...like our health and well-being and being able to do the simple things. Farrah has such a struggle these last 3 years and while its sad that she is gone, I almost feel a sense of relief for her and her family, that she is no longer trapped in her own body and now free of pain and suffering. If that makes sense...

Then in the same day, as a shock to all, pop icon Michael Jackson died from cardiac arrest!!! The news was crazy to say the least. Every media outlet from radio to web had update after update about his status, and unfortunately he ending up passing away. I think what's more sad than his actual death is that people are calling the radio stations saying that they are glad he is dead and one less child molester out there and so on. So sad. Whether or not he did the things he did or was crazy or whatever...which we all know he def had a screw loose up there...he was still a pop icon that changed the way we listened to pop music and changed the way we felt inside when we listened to his music. Now I will admit that I was not a fan when he started getting alittle cooky, starting I guess in the 90's or so, but I always loved his music. The 80's were the best by far with Thriller, Billy Jean, Man in the Mirror, and Beat it. It's funny cause we were just at the River Cats game last night with family and of course they were playing all of his old school songs and we were all rocking out :-) At that moment none of us were thinking about all the allegations or weird stunts he pulled, we were thinking of what an amazing artist he was and remembered how much we loved his music and how it made us feel when we listened to it. You all know what I am talking about...cause every time you hear Thriller you know you wanna bust a move too!! haha!

I guess my whole point to this post is that I feel bad that Farrah's death is being over shadowed by Michael Jackson's death and I feel sad that people are so quick to judge someone that they never even knew. That people are willing to remember someone for the negatives that happened in their life instead of the positives and the great things that they have given to us. Now, I am certainly not saying that Michael Jackson didn't do anything wrong...who knows really...but I do know that regardless of his personal actions, he was a POP ICON and he gave us GREAT music that I'm sure my children and even their children will continue to listen to in the years and decades to come. I hope that when I die people will remember me for the person I was inside and for the positive aspects of my life, instead of the things I did wrong and the negative things. I am hope that people do not speak ill of me after my death.

So, I guess I just wanted to say a few positive things in light of all the negative and remember these two icons for the positive things that they brought to our lifetime.

Thank you Farrah for making millions of young boys fantasies come to life and for giving us the feathered hair do...it will always live on!! ;-)

And MJ...thank you for all your amazing music. We will continue to listen to it for years to come!! You are a pop icon that will always be remembered for your amazing talents and of course for your famous "moonwalk".

And in memory of these two icons....
The BEAUTIFUL Farrah Fawcett

My favorite MJ song of all time....ENJOY!!

Photo of Farrah Fawcett can be found at Photobucket
Man in the Mirror music video can be found on You Tube

Santa Cruz Vacation

2009-06-22T12:42:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!! So like always it's been awhile since my last post. Life just kinda gets away from me sometimes and I forget to update my blog. I always say i'll do it later today, which turns into tomorrow, which then turns into days or weeks later. Lame I know :-) Anyways...

So as you all know we went to fabulous Santa Cruz for about 5 days with the Smith's, Morena's, and Grahams. And we had a BLAST!!! It was the best time. The house that Gma & Gpa Morena picked out for us was amazing....it was 3 stories, had a balcony on the top floor, the top floor was all windows looking out to the ocean, and was literally across the street from the beach. The beach was the front yard!! Plus we had the bottom floor to ourselves, our own private little suite!! It was just perfect! And speaking of perfect...the weather was so perfect we couldn't believe how perfect it was...sunny the whole week, well except the night we did our family pictures (haha!) but overall it was so nice. We also had some amazing dinners!! Oh man...I am a HUGE fish fan so eating at these fabulous resturants next to the ocean was heaven for me! It was so nice to just relax and have fun with family. Addi was able to roam around and just play to her little hearts content, we had Dad's famous margaritas...which if you read one of my previous posts you know that I am now a big fan of margaritas :-), put together puzzles, and walked along the beach. It was a blast! Enough said. So, here are some pics from our vacation...Enjoy!

There's lots of pics so keep scrolling!!

The beach house...(It's the one in the middle)

Getting ready for a morning walk in her new stroller

Addi and Mommy

Playing on the beach...

Feeling the cold ocean water...not too sure about it....

Def did not like the freezing cold ocean on her feet :-)

Daddy and his baby girl

OUR FAMILIY! Santa Cruz 2009

Having fun!!

Feeling sand for the first time...

Favorite pic!! Looking out at the ocean...

Reading by the ocean :-)

Getting all cleaned up for dinner at Roy's!!

Mommy and Daddy

My little family...with a gorgeous view!!

My handsome hubby and his mini-me ;-)

My little love bug

GG's and Addi girl on their 50th Anniversary!!

Playing with rice at dinner at Roy's

ooohhhh...weird...rice....

HAHA!! She got 2 pieces of rice stuck to her lip and it
looked like she had buck teeth...soooo funny!!

Some more random photos...

Pics from Addi's first trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium
with Mommy, Daddy, and Gpa Smith
Monterey Bay is behind us

STARFISH!!

Daddy and Addi at the Kelp forest

Touch pool

Mommy and Addi girl checkin stuff out...

Seahorses...such amazing creatures!

She LOVED them!!

A fake sea otter...but she loved it anyways :-)

Daddy and Addi by the Orca...such a fun time!!

Info on the aquarium can be found here

Info on the fabulous food we had at Roy's

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-06-02T13:27:00.000-07:00

Hello Hello!! So I know it's been a couple of weeks since my last post...sorry about that. I've been slacking lately I know. We just have been sooo busy these last couple of weeks. No excuses I know. Anyways...so for Memorial Day weekend we had a Bailey Family Reunion in Fresno at our Aunt Midge and Uncle Fred's house. Almost all of the Bailey's were there...we were missing a few members but it was still a great time. My sister-in-law Jodi planned some fun games for all of us...grass volleyabll, pass the bean, and some others. And it was beautiful outside too! 90 degrees!!

Since we were busy with games and eating all the YUMMY food that everyone brought...I got very few pics, but I did get a few of miss Addi girl and her cousin and great Grammy so here they are...

Great Grammy, Emmory, and Addi

The girls!

Everything in sight goes in the mouth :-)

My beautiful baby girl!!

About 1/2 way through the picnic Dan and I had to leave. We had planned a trip to Dillon's Beach with our good friends Dave, Katie, Dustin, and Katie. They had gone down Friday night and since we didn't want to miss the family festivities we decided to just meet them down there Saturday afternoon. And let me tell you it was not easy leaving the picnic and my baby girl!!! We had tried a trial run with Gma and Gpa Bailey the weekend prior to get me used to not having my baby for a night, and that was not easy, but the thought of leaving her for more than one night was almost too much for me. Silly I know but I cannot stand to be away from my baby, especially at night. It feels like you're missing an important accessory, like your wedding ring or something, and you feel naked without it. That's how I felt, naked and weird. Anywho...so for Addi it was off to Auntie Beth and Uncle Todd's for the rest of the weekend and off to Dillon's Beach for Dan and I. I would show you pics of Addi from the weekend that Beth took...but she STILL hasn't posted them yet so...;-) JK I'll post them later when I get them...

So like I said, Dan and I were off to Dillon's Beach!! It was...and I cringe just saying it...a 4 hour drive! Mind you it took a good 3 hours to get to Fresno to begin with, then the drive from Fresno to Dillon's Beach...ughhh 7 hours!! That part was not fun. Although, the weather was beautiful and driving through San Fran was quite lovely. Now, when I say the weather was beautiful, I am ONLY referring to the drive, not Dillon's Beach. As we pulled into Dillon's Beach, soooo excited to FINALLY get there and stretch our legs out and smell the salty ocean breeze...we were hit with the freezing cold 30 mph winds. And no i'm not exaggerating! It was so freakin' cold and windy I could not believe it. We went from dry 90 degree heat, to REALLY cold wind in a matter of 2 hours. It was crazy. Not to mention the fact that the always reliable weather man, wink wink, told us it was going to be 80's at Dillon's Beach and all we packed were shorts, tank tops, and a "light" sweater...in case my woosy self got a little chilly by the fire at night. HA!! Thank God i'm always cold and decided last minute to bring a blanket and pair of jeans...just in case. Let me just tell you that it was miserable!! To make a long story short it was really miserable, the weather that is. Plus there were no showers and only portapotties...which if you know me, you know that I have only had 1 portapotty experience in my entire life and only because it was absolutely neccessary. Other than that...I will do what I need to outside or just hold it. Plain and simple. I can tell you that with drinking alcohol and not having a "normal, clean" bathroom...I have now used a portapotty more times than I ever thought I would in my entire life. I think I saw and smelt things I didn't even knew existed! Ewww gross!

Anyways....moving on. So while that part of the trip was def not enjoyable and I learned that I am more of a RV type person or resort/hotel type vacationer...we def had an amazing time. We have the best friends and when we all get together, we always manage to have a great time, no matter the circumstances. We acted like we were 21 again with high school drinking games, wore pots on our heads and thought it was the funniest thing ever, all sat in the back of our SUV and played trivia games in the freezing cold, AND of course made some of the best memories ever. Even with the freezing cold and crazy wind...I don't think we will ever forget our trip to Dillon's Beach :-) Let's just hope our next memories are in Hawaii or somewhere nice and warm and tropical...So here are some pics from our fun filled trip to Dillon's Beach :-)

Are we there yet!?!?!? Uggghhh get me out of this car!!

Sorry babe...we're almost there...

Lawsons Landing...WE'RE HERE!!

Ahhh finally the ocean...beautiful!

Our campsite...we tried to block the wind :-)

Ahhh sand between my toes!! LOVE LOVE LOVE that feeling!

My honey and I

Dan trying to catch sand crabs!! Def not fast enough hehe

The girls! Love these ladies!!

My baby and I walking along the beach

My bestie!! LOVE her to death!!!

US

View from the dunes

See, it was WINDY!

So that's kinda of a wrap up of what's being going on with us. Next on the agenda is our family trip to Santa Cruz with Gma and Gpa Smith, GG Morena's, and the Graham's. It's our grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary and we are all celebrating at a beach house in Santa Cruz. Ahhh we CANNOT wait!! I have been looking forward to this for months! Dan and I used to go to Santa Cruz all the time...and haven't been in awhile and are craving it badly!! They have many activities planned for all of us and we are very grateful that they decided on this trip for all of us. It is much needed to say the least! The ocean is one of my absolulte favorite things...I love the smell of the salty ocean, the feel of the wet sand in between your toes, the cool breeze that blows across your face, walking up and down the boardwalk and having the feeling like it's the first time every time, and watching the sunset with your loved ones. NOTHING BETTER!!! So that's where we will be this weekend and part of next week....and i'm literally counting down the days!!

Beautiful photo of Santa Cruz, CA found here

Margaritas!!

2009-05-18T15:13:00.000-07:00

Recently Dan and I went with our good friends Dustin and Katie to the new tequila lounge in The Fountains in Roseville called Tres Agaves. Food was ok, chips and salsa were good, margaritas were amazing! I must admit that I am typically not really a tequila kind of girl. While I do like margaritas, I would much rather have say a Strawberry Daiquiri or Mai Tai. Tequila just has this burning sensation when you drink it that just isn't that appealing to me. BUT, after going to this new tequila lounge the other night, I have a whole new appreciation for margaritas and tequila.

We ordered the basic house margarita, $24 a pitcher, which gave us each 1 margarita. At first I was kinda disappointed because they only had margaritas on the rocks and no flavors, I guess that's true to Mexico (or so our server told us) and then when it came the glass wasn't that big and it was barely full to the rim. I was alittle skeptical to say the least. But after one sip of that margarita....I became a fan! It was the best margarita I have ever had! Really strong, but in a good way. And it was so smooth. Needless to say I am now officially a fan of margaritas!!

So the point of this blog is...now that I've gotten into blogging, I've been checking out several blogs on the web about wedding stuff (one of my BF's is getting married next June), baby stuff, crafts, food, beverages, and more. And I was putt-putting around on this blog called Hostess with the mostess....and found these amazingly delicious looking margaritas and just had to share their yumminess with you all...and also my new love of MARGARITAS!!!

PS look for more of my favorite things and fun blog finds soon...

Margarita receipes can be found here

Pool time!!

2009-05-18T12:16:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone!!

So as you all know we had extreme heat this weekend...and I must admit that I really enjoyed it, not the heat specifically, but being able to go out on the boat and go for a dip in the pool...very refreshing! Anyways, Gpa Kruse and Gma Cheryl got Addi this really cool crab float thingy for the pool and we were over at Gma & Gpa Smith's house yesterday so we figured we would try it out and take a much needed dip in the pool. So, here are some photos from Addi's very 1st time swimming in the pool!! :-)

Playing in her crab pool toy in the house ;-)

Daddy and Addi girl swimming for the 1st time!!

Mommy and my love bug playing in the pool

Watching Daddy do handstands in the water..."Where'd Daddy go????"

Our little family

She was alittle unsure about the crab at first...

Too cute!

Beautiful baby girl!!

Mommy and Addi girl taking a dip!

Also, Addi is pretty much almost crawling!! She sometimes does it, sometimes not. And it's kinda a half crawl, not a perfect crawl, but basically a crawl. She's up on the knee's now and is kinda swinging and can move across the floor. Although sometimes I think she gets frustrated and lazy and just scoots like a worm! She's too funny to watch!! So here are a few pics I tried to snap of her crawling plus a few more random ones.....I'm still trying to get her crawling on video...:-)

Finally up on her knees!!

Checking out the swiggly wigglys...

YUM Ducky!!

YUM Shark!! Everything goes in the mouth!!

Smiley girl!!

Such a beautiful blanket!! Her Great Grammy made it for her!!

Getting to be such a big girl!! She's standing by herself, playing on her piano...

7 Month Old Photo Shoot!!

2009-05-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

So last weekend on Saturday Gma & Gpa Bailey took Addi to get her 7 month old photos taken at JC Penney's....they turned out sooo stinkin' cute as always!! The camera def loves my Addi girl!!

A BIG thank you to Gma & Gpa Bailey for taking us and helping us out with the pics...you guys are the best!!

Ok enjoy!!

Photos courtesy of JCPenney's Portrait Studio

My First Mother's Day!!!

2009-05-13T16:13:00.001-07:00

So Sunday was my first Mothers Day and I have to say that it was the best. I don't know how the years to come will top it. All day I had this amazing sense of joy and honor, because I have been given the best gift, my daughter. I love her more than words can even express and I am so grateful that she has come into my life. I feel things that I never thought I could feel...and on Mother's day, I had this moment where I realized how truely blessed I am. I know that I complain about things sometimes like money or stress or work or whatever else is going on in my life...but when it comes down to it...I am just truely blessed. Enough said.

So for Mother's Day, Dan and I woke up after a nice night of Addi sleeping through the night!! Usually I get up and get Addi going, change her diaper and feed her a bottle then go in and get Daddy up. But Dan insisted on getting her up though...which I thought was weird, that is until he brought Addi in holding a little black box!!! "Happy Mother's Day Mommy!!" (Daddy's saying this of course...) And I open the little black box and it's a necklace. A tear dropped shaped Opal on a beautiful, 12k white-gold chain. It was absolutely beautiful!! Opal is Addi's birthstone so it was only fitting that they had picked that out for Mother's Day. I love it!!!

So then it was off to brunch at Sudwerks in Folsom with Beth and Gma....and let me tell you...the view was so beautiful and the weather was perfect!! We had a spot right out on the patio overlooking the water. And then there was the food....ahhh the food was sooo good. All you can eat buffet...so of course it had to be good right?? There was eggs, bacon, french toast, muffins, fresh fruit, chocalate covered strawberries, and soo much more. I wish I could have eaten more but my stomach was soo full already from the 2 plates of food I had eaten ;-)

Next we headed off to Folsom Zoo...which after going to the "zoo" I use the term "zoo" loosely. It was perfect for Addi because she was tired and wasn't too interested in any of the animals...but I def think that our next trip to the "zoo" when Addi is a bit older will be to the San Fran Zoo. The Folsom Zoo was really small and the main animals we saw were birds and foxes, not too exciting. We did get to see a bear and a tiger sleeping but that was about it. It was kinda lame actually. I guess cause i'm used to the big zoo's and i've never been to this one so I guess I'm just spoiled. But it technically is a sanctuary so...overall it was not what I had expected but completely perfect for our day. We capped off the day by taking a ride on the choo-choo train...which I think was more fun for the adults than for Addi. Plus we got a photo lesson from the conductor which was an added bonus!! Addi had just fallen asleep right before we got on the train so waking her up probaly wasn't her idea of a good time...but once we got on the train she was happy. That is until we started going, which is when her eyes got really heavy and she started to fall asleep on Gma!! Poor girl was so tired from the day...as soon as I put her into her car seat she was out! And I mean out!!

So all in all we had a great day! I know for me, my Mother's Day was better than I had ever imagined it would be and I am really looking forward to the one's to come!

Here's some pics from our day...

Mothers's Day Brunch at Sudwerk's in Folsom

Our little family

Me, Dan, Addi, Beth, and Gma

Gma and Addi girl

Us

The beautiful view!!

Mommy and Addi

Addi helping give Gma her card

Kisses!!

Mommy and my baby girl

Silly faces!!

Off to the ZOO!!

Addi's cool hat!

Getting ready to go on the choo-choo train

Riding the train...yahoo!!

Getting sleepy!

Sooo tired after a long day...

2009-05-13T15:56:00.001-07:00

Well hello hello all!!

So it's been awhile since my last post and I've kinda been sucking at keeping this blog afloat the last couple of weeks...well, with good reason though...as most of you know, we had a little "situation" that occur ed on Easter and it has been so crazy ever since....

So, we all know that our baby girl was in the hospital for a week....yep, a WHOLE week...and it was def not fun for her or for us. We were there the whole time and never left her side, I mean how could I right?, and it was def a day by day thing. One minute she was sick with a virus, the next she might have viral meningitis, then we were back to a virus, and finally it was an abscess in her throat that needed immediate surgery!!! Who would have thought?? CRAZY is the only word I can think of to describe that whole week. It was a very surreal situation to be going through at the time and I look back now and wonder how we made it through all of it!?!? I guess when you become a parent, you just do what you have to do to protect and love your children. Your body and mind just kicks into "parent mode" and gets things done - physically, mentally, and emotionally. I know that the people who came to visit can relate because they all just did what they had to do to think positive thoughts and pray for us and come and see Addi girl and be strong, for her and for us. With that, I want to say THANK YOU soooo soooo much to all our friends and family who came to the hospital to visit, who wrote emails and texts and called, and who were just praying and thinking of us during that time. Your thoughts and prayers meant the world to us and was really what got us through that horrible experience. So thank you!!So, now that that horrible nightmare is behind us...on to more positive and exciting things!! For an update on Miss Addi girl...Addi is doing great!! She has finally gotten back to her self, the real Addi that we all know and love!

She is...can you believe it....7 MONTHS OLD!! I know I cannot believe that my baby is 7 months old already! Seems like the time is just flying by! I have to say that i have really enjoyed the last 7 months sooo much and I'm REALLY loving this time now. She has such a little personality and is so funny!! She makes this laugh that is so freaking hilarious! it's like..."hugh hugh hugh hugh..."...if that makes sense....And if you do the laugh at her, she will do it right back at you 3 times more and louder each time!! She's such a ham! And she is also such a little love bug, which is my new nick name for her, she gets so excited to see someone when she hasn't seen them for awhile....like when I get home from work, she gets sooo excited to see me and gives me a big hug!! It is so stinkin' cute and just makes my day! It's amazing to see how much her personality has changed in the last couple of months and see how she is developing, it makes me feel things that I never thought I could feel. like the infinite love I have for her, the sense of awe that I feel when I see her do new things, and the indescribable joy that I have being her mother!! It's amazing!!So for some other updates....Addi girl is not quite crawling yet but she is soooo close. That is not to say that she cannot make it from point A to point B, because she can. She can shimmy, scoot, and roll her way anywhere when she puts her mind to it! ;-) She is pushing up on her hands but can't quite figure out where her legs and feet fit into the mix. She can stand on her own holding onto something like our ottoman or her piano, with my help of me of course but basically she can hold herself up. She can also now pull herself up from sitting to standing!! She has such strong legs it's crazy!! She's talking alot....no Mama or Dada just yet but I swear sometimes I think she's saying Mama....just alot of different types of sounds. One new and totally awesome thing is that she can sign milk!!! I've been trying to get it on video but of course every time I break out the camera she won't do it and is only focused on the camera. But as soon as I do get it I'll be sure to post it. It's sooo crazy that she understands what that means even though she can't say the words!! So awesome!! She can also wave bye-bye, sometimes. She just did it for the first time this morning!! My baby is growing up!!!

Let's see, what else....a few odds and ends....Dan is FINALLY done with baseball!! Coaching that is, he still has his baseball team and softball though. I'm def glad to be getting our lives back on track and back into the swing of things. I'm still working and still planning on starting school in June...as long as all goes according to plan. And I cannot wait to start!! I'm def ready to get going and get done and get my career on track! We are going tomorrow to get Addi's pics done for 7 months and I am sooo excited!! I have some good ideas and hopefully with a good nap and some grub she'll be up to performing for me ;-) So look for those pics soon...As a side note....I just have to say that I am soooo excited for Sunday!!! Sunday is my very first Mothers Day and I cannot wait!! Dan and my Sissy Beth have planned a lovely day for me, Addi, and Grandma Bailey and I am really looking forward to just relaxing and enjoying the company of my family! This mother's day is so special because I have my Addi girl and I am so grateful, beyond words, to have this amazing little girl in my life and am so lucky to be her MOM! So, I want to wish all of you a very happy mother's day and I hope you enjoy your day as much as I know i will enjoy mine!!

Ok so since I haven't posted in awhile here are some photos from the last couple of weeks....theres a lot, ENJOY!!!!

A few pics from Easter 2009

Sac City Volleyball Reunion with the girls...and kiddos!

Random photos of my little love bug...

Pics from our fabulous stay at Kaiser Roseville!! ;-)

Happy Easter 2009!!

2009-04-10T14:25:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday to ya'll!!

So, this week has just flown by for some reason!! I think this year so far has flown by at warp speed...I mean it's already EASTER!! Crazy!! I'm guessing this week has flown by for us because our week has been alittle crazy....

On Wednesday, Miss Mya decided she just did not want to be in her side yard and figured she would jump the fence into our neighbors yard to get out...twice! Well, that proved to be a big mistake because she ended up cutting her legs and feet up soooo bad...plus she punctured a spot around her ankle, tore off part of her toenail exposing the nerve, and tweaked her other leg!! So with Dan being in San Fran to watch our friend Manny Para (Woot-Woot! Go Brewers!!!) pitch against the Giants...we had no idea that she had jumped the fence and got hurt. But, since she decided to jump into our next door neighbors yard (which I guess is better than out onto the street)...they called HOA's and got our phone numbers to let us know what had happend. So I rushed home from work (mind you I had Addi with me...) and got her from the neighbors yard and cleaned her up a bit. She was pretty cut up...and there was blood all on the concrete in front of their yard...sooo gross!! Her leg was completely swollen and she was shaking...poor girl!! Anywho....to make a long story short...I took her to the vet at 7am the next morning. They cleaned her up really good, checked her all out, and gave her some antibiotics. And basically now, $170 later....she's fine. ;-)

On a different note...my boss is out of town this week for family vacation and it's just me and one other person in my office so I decided to bring Addi into work with me for the week. And let me tell you....it was AMAZING!! I normally get Tuesday's off to be home with her but this week I got to have her on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday!!! It was so much fun spending the day with her and not missing her all day long. I wish I could bring her in everyday...although I don't think I would get much work done because I would be playing with her the whole time!! She did great...I brought her playpin in and a whole bunch of toys. She was such a good girl!! Made my week to be able to have her with me!! Here are a few pics that I took on my phone...

Addi and Mommy hanging at work...(check out those chubby cheeks!!)

Addi playing in her playpin at Mommy's work...

And....finally...Addi had her Easter party at Gma & Gpa Bailey's with all the other kiddos and Gma got a few pics of Addi in her Easter party outfit that Gpa Kruse & Gma Cheryl got her (among many other awesome treats!!) ! *Thanks Dad and Cheryl...we LOVE all her clothes and goodies!! Sooo cute!! She looks like a little bunny.....toooo cute!! I will def have more pics after this weekend and the Easter festivities....tomorrow Dan and I are taking her to get her picture taken with the Easter Bunny and Sunday is family day.

Ok well, that's the update from this week....We hope you all have a wonderful Easter!!!

Until next time... xoxo Aly

Happy Birthday!!!

2009-04-06T12:24:00.000-07:00

Happy 1/2 year old birthday to my baby girl!!! I cannot believe that my Addi girl is 6 months old today!!! It seems as though the last 6 months have just flown by....and today, I have mixed emotions. I am happy and excited on one end because she is starting to be soo much fun, smiling and laughing and "chit chatting" and I am looking forward to the months to come like crawling and saying "mama".....but on the other hand I am kinda sad because she is getting sooo big and isn't really a baby-baby anymore, you know. She's getting to be so independent, she wants to hold her own bottle now and is into everything and doesn't need me for certain things anymore. It's amazing though to look at her an see her daddy in her and see this little person that she is becoming. She's def not a"blob" anymore :-) She is such a good baby and so sweet and so loving....I could not have asked for a better little girl.

Today, 6 months after she came into this world, I think about how much our lives have changed...soooo much for the better. She has brought so much joy into our lives and so much happiness. She makes me smile everyday. She makes me realize what life is all about and makes me want to be a better person and a better mother. I am so thankful that she has come into our lives and could not imagine my life without her. So, today I say...

"Happy 1/2 year old Birthday to you, Happy 1/2 year old Birthday to you, Happy 1/2 year old Birthday dear Addison Rylee....Happy 1/2 year old Birthday to you!!!"

I LOVE you baby girl!! Love, Mama

Oh Spring....

2009-04-02T15:05:00.001-07:00

Oh how I love spring....the smell of the blossoming flowers and fresh trees, the warm sun, long walks at night, .....and Addi's spring/summer wardrobe!! Sounds silly but...besides all the normal stuff I love about spring, this year I am particularly looking forward to spring because I get to dress Addi girl in all of her adorable dresses, floppy hats, and summer sandals. She has such a cute little wardrobe...I mean, the girl has a walk-in closet!! I don't even have a walk-in closet. I probably have 1/2 the amount of clothes my 5 1/2 month old daughter has...what is wrong with that picture!?!?!

Anywho, as most of you know, last weekend was beautiful....def spring like weather. We had Jordan's baseball game on Saturday out at a park in Natomas so of course I had to put Addi in an adorable little dress, sun hat, and sandals. Of course! She looked soooo cute!! It was pretty funny cause she is sooo white ( I mean white), as most babies are.....so I made sure to go to the store before hand and get SPF 50 sunscreen so she wouldn't burn. Mind you we're only in spring, not summer, so it was only like maybe 75 degrees outside...nothing to get too worried about ;-) haha

So I took some photos of her from the game and here they are....

Mommy and Addi girl

My little munchkin!

Hanging with Daddy watching Jordan play...

Daddy blowing a HUGE bubble!!

Auntie Katie and Addi

Soooooo cute!!!

Crashed after a long day at the field...

We also got to hang with family over the weekend, which is always nice....on Saturday night we hung out with Gpa Kruse, Gma Cheryl, and Uncle Kyle. We had so much fun!! We went to Olive Garden...and I must admit that I never really liked that place but it is def starting to grow on me now. I think the unlimited bread sticks and salad kinda hooked me on this last trip ;-) hehe Sunday after Dan's baseball game we headed over to Gma & Gpa Bailey's house for a BBQ. Yummy ribs!! I went the Martha Stewart route...my attempt to be domestic ;-) ....and made a homemade macaroni salad...and let me tell you...not to toot my own horn or anything but...yuuuummy!! So good! I think i've been eating macaroni salad for lunch for days now!!

Anyways....since I try and get updated pics of Addi with all her family as much as I can I got some really great family photos....Enjoy!!

Gpa Kruse and Addi

Me, Addi, and my "little" brother

Dan, Me, Addi, and Uncle Kyle

Addi hanging with Uncle Todd

Addi girl!!

I had to throw this one in there....this is what
Addi looks like when she wakes up from a nap,
CRAZY HAIR!!

Here's some video of Addi "making out", as we

call it, with papa. (Kinda dark, sorry) Too funny!

My life...

2009-03-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

So....I was just thinking today about my life. About all the craziness that is my life right now. Things are going a million miles a minute and in all directions right now (which some of you know what i am talking about)...but as I was thinking about all this craziness today...I was also thinking what a great life I have. Even with all of it, I am so thankful for my life. I am thankful for my wonderful, loving and very handsome husband. who supports me and loves me through it all. through all the times when I talk just plain non-sense, when I'm crying hysterically over a scene in a Grey's Anatomy episode (particularly last nights episode), when I snap at him for no reason at all except that I'm just overwhelmed and stressed, when I can't decide for the life of me where to eat or what to eat and it takes me a good 1/2 hour to finally decide, when I'm neurotic about cleaning the house or the times when I haven't cleaned the house for 2 weeks, when I keep changing my mind about my career path and where my life is going, when I fall asleep on the couch after only watching our shows for 20 minutes at 9:15pm (I know I'm getting old), and finally when I'm just being me. even with all my quirks...I guess you would call them that....good or bad, he loves me unconditionally and still tells me that he loves me a thousand times a day....and I LOVE IT and LOVE HIM for it. He is my best friend, my confidante, my one true love, the one I turn to.....HE IS MY ROCK.

I am also beyond words grateful for this gift that I have been blessed with, my 5 1/2 month old perfectly-perfect little girl, Addison Rylee. She is the most beautiful baby that I have ever laid my eyes on. And she is the spitting image of her daddy. She has his patience and good heart and it shows through already. Not too mention that she has his dashing good looks too ;-) She has my eyes, which I love. Those big baby blues just light up a room. Sometimes I look at her and just tear up (in a joyful way)...thanking her for coming into our lives. I wonder how I/we got so lucky to have her? No matter the answer...I am one lucky mommy. She is such a good baby....as most of you who have been around her know...She rarely cries, always is smiling and laughing, and does whatever I ask of her with no questions asked (probably cause she can't talk yet but you get the point...he he). I love her more and more everyday. I love her more than I thought I could ever love something in this world. I hope that she loves me as much as I love her, and I hope that I can give her the world. I will do everything in my power to do just that and to show her everyday how much she means to me. She is...(dare i say it)....the perfect baby. I could not have asked for a more precious gift to be given to me....she is what makes my world go round.

So I guess what I'm trying to say in all of this....is that....no matter the bad or sad or drama or whatever that goes on in your life, be grateful for what you have. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful, healthy baby girl, a roof over my head, a job (!), and a family that loves me for me and that is MORE than enough to be grateful for. All the bad, negative stuff, and drama can simply take a backseat to MY life!

As you can probably tell, I've been alittle emotional lately ;-)....so thanks for listening and letting me express whats on my mind...xoxo Aly

Lots of Photos!!

2009-03-25T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!! So it's been alittle while since my last post...sorry about that...things have been kinda crazy around our house these last couple of weeks.

So let's see...what's new??? Well, Addi is starting to sleep through the night...not every night...but some nights. Which is sooo nice when it does happen. Although, i must admit that even when she does sleep through the night I'm constantly looking at her video monitor making sure she's still sleeping or breathing or something...first time mommy syndrome i guess :-)

And she's def teething now....NOT FUN! My always happy girl is still a very happy girl but alittle grumpy when her toofers are bugging her...breaks my heart to see her upset and in pain. I have been giving her those teething tablets everyone talks about and those seem to work well so until this "phase" is over, we'll just keep her comfortable and keep on the teething tablets and teething rings....

Other than that, she's just growing like a weed (as you'll see in the pics below). Eating more and more solid foods....we've got bananas, pears, applesauce, squash, and sweet potatoes down. Still working on the peas, peaches, and carrots. Peaches are alittle sweet for her and she's not a huge fan of the peas yet...and I don't think i am either ;-) haha...so that's going good. And now that the weather is alittle better she's finally starting to get into her summer clothes...which i am STOKED about...cause her summer wardrobe is fantastic!! Such cute stuff...Thanks Grandma's & Grandpa's!

Anyways...I guess that's about all...just trucking along with work, baseball, and enjoying this beautiful weather we are having and hoping that it continues. :-) Ok so below are some pics (ok alot of pictures...sorry ;-)) i have taken of Addi over the last 2 weeks or so and some HILARIOUS video of Addi's "tupae" as we like to call it. Soooo funny...kinda mean...but funny! It will be great when she's dating!! haha!! Ok well hope everyone is doing great! Until next time...Aly xoxo

Naked baby pics from 3/24/09, she just looked
so cute i had to take some pics!

Soo sweet!

Playing on her playmat after bath time....
FREEDOM!

Playing with her drum set...you'll have to
excuse the messy hair, it was after nap time :-)

Beautiful baby girl!

Hanging with Daddy

Ahhh...so cute! Getting sleepy....

Fun time at Gma & Gpa Bailey's house!!
She LOVES the school bus!

Look at that smile!! Sooo happy!

Looks just like her daddy!

Haha! This is hilarious...this is what we like to
call a "BLOWOUT"!! Sooo gross!

Random pics...so precious!

Addi and Mommy at Daddy's baseball game...
soooo windy!!

Addi and her "Tupae" Part I (you'll have to
excuse me, I was being silly....)

Addi and her "Tupae" Part II...

SOOOO HILARIOUS!!!

And finally...Gpa Kruse & Gma Cheryl came over

for the day to hang out and Addi just couldn't get

her eyes off the tag on her bobby and just couldn't

get that darn tag to stay down!!! Too funny!

Random update...

2009-03-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!! So we started solid foods (Gerber's 1st Foods) with Miss Addi girl the other night and I thought I would post a few pics to show you all how it went....

mmmmm bananas!?!?!?

Def not too sure about the bananas....

Daddy "trying" to get Addi to eat the bananas...

Now Mommy's turn to try....

There we go...see banana's aren't too bad...haha!

She finally ate the banana's and then tried the
peaches...that didn't work out as well ;-) Alittle ambitious I think for our first try at it!

And since i've been alittle camera crazy lately, I have some super adoreable pics I took of Addi last night and just had to share them with you all!! Enjoy!! Until next time...xoxo Aly