the maui's

before awhile ago my friend allison posted some photos of her toddler car seat that she had re-covered. she did an awesome job! and it is just like me to think "i could do that" i finally did it. fortunately a car seat is something you use all the time, so i actually had to finish this project. amazing. the car seat cover looks decent from far away, that is all i am gonna say. riley appreciated it, she referred to her car seat as a boy car seat, so almost anything would have been an improvment. after

a couple weeks ago we loaded up the car and drove 20 minutes to the af canyon. we had loads of fun, well everyone except for me... i was busy worrying about running into a cougar, bear, or anything on four legs. i spent most of the night listening for noises by the river. somehow we survived the night, and here i am to tell the tale. mid week camping is the way to go. thanks am-ex for laying off my husband, otherwise we would not be able to take these wonderful mid week excursions.... on our way home we decided to do the timp cave. we had a 90 minute wait, so we ate lunch, and used the bathrooms (running water is a treat even after 1 mear night of camping). so i did not know what to expect with the cave, all i had heard was that it was a steep hike. i did not link steep to paved... so i was pleasently suprised to see a paved trail. it was kind of tiring, especially caring a 1 year old in the baby bjorn. maui ended up carrying riley (3) about half of the way. it is only a mi...

nixy boy is now 1, and life for him is looking sweet. him at the zoo, 2 days before his b-day. that is a large stick pretzel that he is working on he is: walking, babbling, grabbing toys, practically saying "mine", laughing all the time, going up stairs - but no guarantee on getting back down, turning down cheerios in the hopes of something better, and all around a fun little kid! he loves his big sisters and is always trying to keep up with them and their many friends who constantly fill this house. luckily all the little friends and of course his sisters like him too. his favorite food is watermelon or strawberries. following behind those would be cheetos ( i know i am a really good mom). he just recently became acquainted with apple juice, and he definitely digs it. he is not way into tv, but when we put on yo gabba gabba he will tune in. he really likes the awesome music the show plays, and will naturally go into a squat like dance movement while listening to the go...

Well at first I was so excited when Roxy's training wheels came off. However something seems to happen when you get the feeling of the wind flowing through your hair, something about the open road that just calls to you. Unfortunately Roxy seems to have taken to that a little too quickly... She's moved on and left us, she's joined up with the Hell's Satans bicycle gang!! Sure these little girls look innocent enough but man I'll tell you they are trouble so watch out! If your swing set is tipped over, or you have hearts and skulls spray painted on your monkey bars it's a sure sign the Hell's Satans have paid you a visit. Roxy if you see this we just want you to know we still love you, no matter what things you have done, or how many little boys you have pushed down in the mud. We miss you and you are always welcome back home.

roxy got her bike at age 3, it was a bit big, but hey it was free. she quickly learned to ride with training wheels, but never very well. not anymore... there was a teeny weeny bike laying around at the park, with no training wheels. roxy's friend picked it up and started riding it, so when she finished, i told roxy to give it a try. i also bribed her with a dollar, she needed a little motivation. i helped her by holding the bike upright while she peddled around the b-ball court. after about a minute or two, she was off on her own. a few minutes later maui's tool kit was spread out all over the garage floor and roxy and her friends had taken off her training wheels.

when we go to the zoo we always take a few minutes in front of the cougar cage. i stare in amazement at those cats and know that they would love the chance to break out of that cage and attack us. they are powerful animals, and like all animals i do not like them. several years ago, when we first moved out here to Eagle Mtn. there were plenty rumors of cougars, and even a few spottings. i have always been quite certain i would stumble accross one while jogging through the neighborhoods or up by the golf course. i have basically been waiting for this inevitable (that is really how i feel) meeting. now, don't get ahead of me, i have not come face to face with a cougar yet. but my neighbor did. saturday afternoon one of roxy's friends house had 3 cop cars in front of it, and a little crowd of neighbors as well. roxy was begging to go over there and see what the trouble was. being the secretly nosy person that i am, i said no. but we continued to stare out the window. turns ou...