My BaBy DaDDy

He's so hott. He's so caring. He's so funny. He's so smart. He's so fresh.

I love you.
Happy Father's Day.

so proud of my corn

♫ cAliif0rniia giiRls, wE'rE unf0RgettAblE... ♫ ♪ ♫ I've had this s0ng stuck In my head Alll week.

d0ra

kiera's really into watching dora right now, and we aren't totally sick of it yet, so... we're good (for now). she's so fun to watch cuz she gets all into it. thought you guys would love to see this.

Kiera will probably kill me over this when she's older but... she woke up with a runny nose this morning... when i make the bed, she likes to hide under the blankets & we play for a little bit... when she came out, this is how she looked... it totally reminded me of the movie There's Something About Mary... Too funny!

SuMMA L0viN!

we are sooooo ready for summer! one of kiera's most favorite places to be is in her sandbox! she plays in it everyday! the weather has been VERY generous to us!

MaMa's DAy

Mothers day is always such a beautiful day. I mean, i'm treated like a queen every day, but on mothers day, i feel like i deserve it. I started the day by eating cinnamon rolls (from scratch made by my wonderful husband , barty crockett). They were so good!! I got tons of kisses from my beautiful little girl, that always makes my heart smile. We went to church & then to my tia's house for food & to hang out. I'm so thankful my mom is here with me. She's always so giving of herself & always makes time for kiera & i. She's a wonderful mom & she's become such an amazing grandma. She's taught me that it's ok to let kiera down in a store, & let her run around... she's taught me that it's ok when things don't happen as i want, life is meant to be lived. The world doesn't end when perfection goes out the window. I love my mom so much & she will always be one of my closest friends. Being a mom now, i've grown so much & learned so much about myself. It's helped me grow in love & strength. I love being a mom! There aren't words i could use to describe how it feels... kiera's smile, laugh, scent, etc... it just does something to my heart... it's the best feeling in the world. I'm still as crazy as i've always been, now i just have a mini-me by my side, along for the ride.

yes! yes! no...

ronald graced our McDonalds with his presence this week! we put the flyer up on the fridge & we talked about it ALL week. we were totally excited (don't know if you're all aware of my love for mcdonalds... that's a different story..entirely). the day arrived & i kept asking kiera all day long... "you wanna go see ronald?!" to which she'd reply "YES!!" as we were getting ready to go over there "ready to see ronald?" "YES!" as we were walking over there.. (we live like right across the street.) "you excited to see ronald?" "YES!" as were waiting for him to make his grand entrance, "ronald's almost here, you wanna see him?!" "YES, YES!" annd... as ronald stands in front of us, a couple feet away... greeting all his guests "there he is! should we go say hi to ronald?!?!" kiera quietly responded, as she shook her head, not for one second removing here eyes from this odd stranger, "nnoooo..." haha! i about died laughing. she did good though, he came over & she held out her hand to shake his when he made the reach. he asked her if she's a daddy's girl to which she nodded yes. then she waved & said 'bye' & 'see ya' about 50 times. lol. that was her hint she was ready to go. she said it the whole walk home.

Sugar c00kies

kiera pulled out the frosting & sprinkles today while i was making dinner & asked for cookies... how could i resist that?! i couldn't, of course! i pulled out all the ingredients & we got busy. we put the dough in the fridge to chill & then after dinner kiera & daddy made some cookies. she's at an age where she's starting to love to do things & be hands-on involved with everything! she had so much fun. after her bath we frosted & sprinkled them & she ate one before bed! she's so much fun to be with!

Bad Day

so, today sucked. i started the day by puking my guts out the second i got out of bed, i was so sick to my stomach most of the day (no, i'm not pregnant), got several bits of bad-ish news that didn't help, kiera dumped out some expensive lotion that i so sparingly had been using since i ran out of my favorite perfume (it was the matching set...)... i was feeling pretty down. then ryan came home and made it all better. he indulged some food cravings i'd been having forever... (again, i'm not pregnant). we started our tour de orange at chin's kitchen for an order of orange chicken, then we proceeded to wendy's for 2 orders of their boneless wings (bold buffalo & spicy chipotle), then we finished by stopping at pizza hut to pick up our large pizza & buffalo wings. then we went home, had a livingroom picnic, watched a movie, talked, & laughed at all craziness kiera brings to our little family. some things i've been learning this year are: to count my blessings, let others worry about themselves, & take one day at a time... oh, & laugh. that's very important! today was a good day. {you know kiera's feeling better... this is her 3rd slice of pizza}

Sesh

we've added a new member to the family. kiera got her first pet. a little calico goldfish who she's named Sesh. he's so cute & she loves feeding him, watching him, & talking to him. (and of course narrating his every move... which is something she's really in to...) it was a great little distraction to help keep her busy this past week that she's been sick.

this week

kiera's been so sick this week. teething (with all the side effects: cough, pain, runny nose, congestion, etc...) so this week has been both stressful & interesting... she dressed herself today in her tinkerbell costume & her snow boots that are a size or 2 too small... she won't let go of her dummy (pacifier) for anything & all i can get her to eat is frozen gogurts... i'll be glad when these teeth are in.

BeAch

we went to the beach this morning & there was a group of dolphin just swimming around, really close to the shore. it was so amazing to see them out in the open like that. it was such a beautiful morning. i decided to get my run in for the day... ugh, running a mile (barefoot) along the sand, so hard. my calves were burning by the time i stopped. but it hurt so good!

Sushi Mickey McDonalds Makes for a really fun wednesday.

ChaLk

Singer

my amazing & wonderful easter bunny, brought me a sewing machine! i was speechless. i don't even know where to begin! (finish something i've been working on, make something new, repair something, or just come up with something entirely different!) i have so much fabric (some with projects in mind & some totally open to my imagination), what to sew, what to sew...

EASTER!

Easter was so much fun! In the morning, for breakfast we had Aebleskiver while watching conference. It's always such a yummy experience eating these! This time around i did some experimenting with fillings. We had some filled with applesauce, bananas, chocolate chips, bacon (s000 good, trust me), & plain ones too! The plain ones are just as yummy because we have so many toppings. (powdered sugar, jam, cinnamon/sugar, nuts, syrup, etc...) Easter was so exciting for kiera (now that she's getting older). She loved digging in her basket & finding all the things the easter bunny brought for her! We had grandma, grampa, & tio over. Kiera loved the easter egg hunt, oh my gosh! I hid about a hundred eggs around the yard & she ran around yelling "eggs!", "easter!", "eggs!". It was sooo cute! Then we had a wonderful, fattening dinner. It was such an amazing day for everyone, i couldn't have asked for anything more.

BuGs

.......there's just something cute about a little dirty faced girl, fascinated by a little plump caterpillar...

Easter Traditons

We have some old traditions in our family but we also love making new ones. Every easter, me & ryan dye easter eggs, hide them around the house, & when easter is over, ryan eats them for lunch. I wanted kiera to have fun doing eggs too but she's still too small to have the patience to dye them so i got some plastic ones & let her paint them. She had SOO much fun! She sat & did it for longer than i thought she would! Then we put them up around the house. This is the "peeps" i made for our mantle. (kiera loves it, she points up & tells everyone that comes over "look , peeps!!!" I got the idea from my friend Chelsey here.

BaBe's One!!

Kiera's cousin 'papas' (that's what she calls him) just turned one! We went to his birthday party this last saturday, it was so much fun! Good food, family, & a bouncer too! Here he is hitting his pinata with his dad, he's so cute! He's got the sweetest smile that just melts your heart.

*ReVamp*

sorry everyone for locking & blocking you out of my bl0g recently, i had decided to give my bl0g a facelift & it got alot more complicated than i had planned & wanted... i got in a fight with my html codes & thought i'd almost lost everything! i then decided to give my computer a full restore cuz my picasa was trying to keep my photos ALL to itself & not let me post them up! ugh... but we're good now. lol. i'm still working on some things here & there but you're all welcomed back in. thanks for your patience!

when did this happen?!

kiera is turning 18 months old, meaning, the beginning of some real changes happening. she went to the nursery for the first time today. me & ryan went in & sat for the first half hour just watching... the whole time i was thinking "is this really happening...? it's too soon... it's like school... they do an actual lesson plan? & snack time? ...& music time...? what? really? how did this happen so soon?" i'm pretty sure ryan had the same thoughts going through his head too. kiera, on the other hand... LOVED IT! and that makes me so happy. i was told, she did well because she is secure with herself & with us as parents, she knows nothing will happen & she felt confident & knew she could enjoy herself without worrying about anything. she's always been so independent & enjoys her own time & space, so i'm sure that had something to do with it too. she's the only girl in there right now with all boys but she knows how to hold her own & set her foot down. (we were witnesses to that for a moment, haha) we left for the second half & she didn't even bat an eyelash when we left the room. as i was walking back afterwards to get her i kept thinking "i wonder if she cried... hope she liked it... did she listen... did she know what to do... was she wondering where me & ryan were..." as i was walking down the hallway to the room, i could hear her laughing, screaming, squealing... loud. i went in & she was running around the room as if she was at home. i'm so glad it was a wonderful experience for her, can't believe my baby is growing up.

KnEEs

first of many to come...

yesterday, kiera totally ate it & skinned up both her knees. you could tell it hurt cuz she was crying like crazy (she never cries) & for the next 2 hours or so, she kept reminding us "knee. hurt."

0utside

Grandpa

kiera loves spending time at grandpa's house & so do i. i love to runaway to my dads house when i'm sick, stressed, & when i just wanna relax. at home, i always have a need to be busy & constantly be doing something. when i'm at my dads, i can just rest & not do a single thing if i don't want. it's so nice. plus, it always feels like we're celebrating something & that just makes me happy. last month (feb) we had a full thanksgiving dinner & we are constantly baking cakes to celebrate unbirthdays. my favorite is when my dad makes me hot chocolate (atole) & i just relax on the couch, snuggled up in a blanket. i love watching kiera enjoy her pampa (grandpa), & her tio. i love watching tv & laughing like crazy, i love sitting & having serious deep talks with my dad about things that matter, i love that ryan feels at home there & i love that my dad loves ryan, like his own. i love that i always feel like i'm on vacation when i'm there & i love how being there makes me feel like a kid. here's kiera & ryan on the swings, out at the playhouse my dad is building for kiera. kiera LOVES her swing. she walks over to ryan & says... "outside. swing. let's go. please."

what goes with red polyester pants from 1983...?? absolutely nothing. but she still looks so super cute, doesn't she?

c0nv0s wit Kiera

Kiera got into ryan's deoderant & used it as lotion. She moisturized her arms, legs, shirt, my tv, the wood floor.... then she came over & climed up on my lap...



Me: Kiera...... you smell like a boy...

Kiera: ......stinky....? stinky boy?

RainDr0ps 0n r0ses...

Lindey, thanks for the inspiration...

here are a few of my favorite things!


i'll start with my treadmill. it's the first thing i do every morning. and if i don't do a single thing the rest of the day, that 60 mins i was on it in the morning, makes me feel accomplished.



disneyland. i love going there. doesn't matter how often, i get the same feeling every single time.



my rotary cutting mat & tools. it makes creating things sooo much easier!




my sexy boots. they make the outfit. seriously. and they're so freaking comfortable, i can wear them all day. plus, they were a gift from ryan, he picked them out on his own & they're so hott, that just makes them so much more special.


my tablecloth. it was buried in my grandmothers old trunk in the garage. my mom almost passed out when she saw it out & on the table. i love the colors & it matches the flowers outside in my garden.


my journal. i love to write & draw in here. this is my happy journal, no negative things enter here... it's all about good vibes. things i can go back & read that make me feel good.

Quest

I've been on a life long quest to find happiness. Truth is, i've spent so much time searching for something that isn't what i thought it was. I could've run right into it & had no idea. Happiness isn't always a constant, but it's very real when it's here. I guess i expected that once i found happiness, it'd be here infinitely, & i'd never again feel sad, or angry, or depressed. That's where i sabotaged myself & set my life up for lots of disappointment & heartache. We learn how to brace ourselves & substitute ways & means of coping with the terrible things that life throws our way, it builds walls & boundaries that we are afraid to let down... for people, relationships, happiness... it doesn't make us stronger, it makes us harder. How can we stop to smell the flowers if we trample them into the dirt before we give ourselves a chance. I have a wonderful life. I haven't always been ab

le to see that though. I know it to be true but my mind is obscure sometimes. I have to say, it's not always a choice. It's not a switch i can turn on & off. It's a psychological thing, & it's very real. So many people suffer & don't get help or talk about it, but it's ok to. We all go through things, we are all human, our thought & feelings are very real & we need to take care of ourselves so that we can be happy. Everyone deserves to be happy. I'm working on myself & i'm doing very well. I'm finding things that make me happy. M

y family makes me happy, & i'm so proud to be a part of it. Mine & ryans. So full of love & support. I love creating things, that makes me happy. Whether it's sewing, baking, drawing/painting, or just coloring with kiera... thare's something gratifying about looking at the finished product of something i made. I made this skirt for kiera yesterday, it took me a few hours. She wore it to church today & i couldn't help but smile everytime i looked at her. The ultimate compliment was when one of the girls (about 16 yrs old said "oh! i want her outfit.") My garden makes me happy, i planted my seeds & all but my tomatoes have sprouted. The anticipation of being able to pick fresh vegetables for my family makes me happy. That's just a few things but i assure you, there are many more. Thank you to all of you who read my little blog. Even though you don't all comment, i know you're here. I appreciate the love & friendship from everyone.

♥ QuEEn 0f HEarTS ♥

Went to see alice IN wondeRland last night! so fun! I went in costume & made MaNy people smile. And it was so cute to see little girls say "mama!" then point quietly at me. I loved the movie & the company was so awesome (ryan & frank), went to the DiRty BirD after for some food then called it a night! Such a fun friday night!

p.s. i think i'll make the evil queens costume next. (the one from snow white)

WeeKenD

This last weekend we had some visitors. Grandma Judy, aunt Kristin, & cousin Kelly. They drove down friday & stayed until sunday. It was so fun having them here! They actually came down for a funeral. Ryan's great aunt Polly passed away on valentine's day. It's sad losing her but she had a long wonderful life & she's now reunited with her husband, what better day than valentine's day. Aunt Polly was such a great example to us all. She brought so much joy to the lives of everyone she met. Her funeral was beautiful & you could just feel the love that everyone had for her! SO, on friday we went down to the beach & it was perfect! The weather could not have been better! Like, seriously! Plus, we found tons of awesome shells, huge shells, & even sand dollars!

Kiera had such a fun time!

On saturday we went to the funeral in san diego, then afterwards we went down to the mormon battalion in old towne, it was pretty cool. We had such a fun weekend with the girls!