Saddle Rock Hikes

We had a fantastic Spring Break week.  I have so much to write about our Spring Break, but feel like 2 days of the break deserve their own post, so here it is.  For a couple of days of break, we went to Wenatchee to stay with my parents.  This was especially exciting for Howard because my 12-year-old nephew, Nick lives with my parents.  Nick walks on water in Howard's eyes.  They both LOVE legos and play so well together.  Anyway, my parents live very close to several hiking trails near the Saddle Ridge area.  The Saddle Ridge looks just like a horse saddle.  You'll see some pictures below.

For our first day of "hiking", we started out on a horse trail.  It's a trail that hikers with horses start out on, because it's so wide (it's an old mining road).  We took several trails off the road to make our own hike.  We hiked for 2.5 hours.  My mom, nephew, Howard, Hazel and I explored and took our time checking all the neat things out.  We forgot anything to carry Hazel in, so she got to ride in the umbrella stroller.  It was interesting, but we made it work.  She slept most of time and didn't seem to mind the bumpy ride.  Howard & Nick found so many cool things to play with - cat tails, an old wrecked car, rocks and sticks to name a few.  

For my mom & I, the coolest part of Day 1 of hiking was finding a cool little treasure box.  We were looking for a bowled-out rock to give the dog (Athena) some water during our snack break.  In digging through a small pile of rocks, we found a small container with a notebook and some other random things in it.  The notebook had the names and dates others had found the box.  We aren't sure if it was a Geo-Cache, but we were pretty proud for finding it without any gadgets.  We left all our names and the date in the notebook.  The previous entry was 2-10-10, over a year ago!

Day 2 of hiking, I took Howard, Nick and Athena on a much tougher high, up to Saddle Ridge.  It's a very steep but somewhat short hike.  It took up about an hour and 15 minutes to get to the top and about 20 minutes to get down.  All our focus and energy was put into climbing.  We saw lots of neat stuff, including someone walking 3 mini horses, lots of fun sticks and some GIRLS (or at least that was the neat part of Nick, the 12-year-old nephew).

All in all, we had an awesome 2 days of FUN and hiking.  My legs are finally feeling better, but the downhill climb from day 2 just about killed my legs.  I love creating these special memories with family!

When will it ever warm up???

Hazel has been so icky the last few days.  We know for sure she's teething, as we can see one of her top teeth through the skin, but she screams if we try to help push it through.  On top of that, I suspect she has a touch of a cold, she is just crusted over (for lack of a better description).  She's been napping great though, which has been our saving grace.  This past week my dad was in Spokane for some detective training and stayed with us for 5 days.  He brought their new puppy (5 months old), Athena.  Hazel LOVED having her around to lick her toes and fingers.  Howard wasn't too sure about such a big dog.  He kept telling us he wants a "Shima" dog, which is a very small breed of dogs that several preschool families have.  While the dog was here, Hazel started scooting around some more, she's starting to really get around.  We're really having to pay attention to choking hazards and baby-proofing.

We are beyond ready for warmer weather.  Howard has been taking advantage of the few nicer/warmer/no-rain days to play outside as much as possible!  We have some great neighbor kids who are older, but always include Howard in tag, rolling down the hill or just picking weeds.  The rain has been TERRIBLE, so much!  I heard on the news the other day that this March was the 3rd wettest on record.  We have had a couple of estimates done on having our backyard re-done and plan to have a piece of play equipment installed sometime this summer.  It will be nice to play at home in our own yard (not to mention saving on gas for trips to the park).  Howard wants a back yard like his friend Jacob, with a sandbox and a fence he can see through.  :)

Howard played a great April Fools joke on his teacher, Ms. Jean.  If you have read the April issue of Disney's Family Fun, maybe you saw the Sponge Cake idea for April Fools.  Well, we made a 3 layer sponge cake out of kitchen sponges, frosted it and decorated it with spring color sprinkles.  I suspect Ms. Jean reads the same magazine, as she played right into Howard's prank.  The look on his face when she cut into the cake was PRICELESS!  Here's a picture of he & Ms. Jean after she cut into the cake.  :)

Howard continues to ask for another baby.  He told me this week, "Mom, I just love babies, please can we have another one?"  :)  Makes my heart smile.  I feel like maybe we did something right with bringing Hazel into his life?  Who knows, but I love this soft, sensitive side of him, I hope it never leaves his soul and spirit.  He will make a great dad one day.

I have been doing good.  I started Weight Watchers several weeks ago and have lost about 8 pounds.  What I like about WW is that it's practical and they really don't forbid any foods, it's about portion control and feeling satisfied.  I've been working out 5 days a week and making time to take care of myself.

Last night I joined the old Oxyfresh group for Texas Hold 'Em poker.  Though I was the first one out of money, I had a great time reconnecting with old co-workers and friends.  Brian stayed home to take care of the kiddos but I'm hoping he can join us next time.

Brian is doing great, staying very busy with work.  We have a family vacation planned in June.  We're going to see his family in Maryland for a week and staying in Ocean City, which resembles Seaside Heights a little (for you Jersey Shore fans).  It's a fun place.  Brian and I went there several years ago when we were dating and had a blast.  Brian is looking forward to the break from work and to see some family he hasn't seen in over 15 years.

OVERWHELM!

I can't believe it's been a MONTH since I posted.  I started this blog with the intention of posting at least once a week.  We have been SO busy - soccer 3 times a week, karate 2 times a week, preschool 4 mornings a week and so on...  But, I'm back on track and recommitted to once a week!

Hazel is growing up SO fast.  She will be 8 months old in about a week.  She is sitting up really well.  She rolls, like a champ from her back to her stomach.  She hasn't quite mastered going from her stomach to her back.  She gets pretty frustrated when she can't do it so we help her out.  She is sleeping great, usually 12 - 14 hours each night.  Mama LOVES this!  Hazel and I are starting a mommy & me swim class in the middle of April.  We have taken her swimming at the pool at the YMCA a couple of times and she seems to really like the water.  She splashes like crazy and Howard enjoys giving her a tour of the pool every time we're there with her.  :)

Howard is a busy 4, almost 5 year old.  We've kept him in 2 Soccer Tots programs through the winter and spring practice for the fall/spring league he's in has started up again.  So he has 3 hours of soccer a week right now, which he thinks is great.  He's also in karate twice a week.  He earned his orange stripe last session and is progressing nicely and seems  to enjoy it.  He has a great teacher who has a girl Howard's age and a baby boy Hazel's age.  We always have lots to talk about before and after class.  Howard is in preschool 4 mornings a week.  He keeps asking when he will get to go to school all day.  He's too excited to grow up!  We are signed up for a dinosaur class at Mobius (the local kids museum) for 2 days of spring break.  And, he's SO INTO LEGO's!  He doesn't know that I'm taking him to Legoland in California in June for a couple of days!  I can't wait.  We're staying with my brother & sister-in-law who live in San Diego.  It's going to be such a fun surprise.

Brian and I can't believe how quick winter flew by!  We are excited for spring and summer and lots of fun outdoor family stuff.  We're looking into having some work done on our back yard.  It's so expensive to have this work done, but it will make our back yard much more family friendly!

Updates

SUCH a busy past week!  And, it's blizzarding outside as I type.  School is cancelled, so Howard, Hazel and I will chill at home today.  Maybe we'll venture out to the gym - we will see.

HAZEL HAS 2 TEETH!  We are so excited that they finally broke through.  She got her 2 bottom (center) teeth on 2/12, both on the same day.  We have bid farewell to the drewling, rash under her bottom lip and fussiness for a few weeks anyway.  She is doing so well eating solids.  We have started to introduce things with texture, such as biter biscuits and puff stars and she loves it.  It took her about 5 minutes of being not too sure and then she was hooked.  She is still struggling to pick things up with her little fingers, but we're helping.  :)

Hazel and I made the trek to Seattle to see my grandma last weekend.  She fell and broke both her legs and one of her shoulders.  She's 92 years old and very fragile.  I was hoping to snap some pictures of my Nana with Hazel (Hazel's great grandma) but Nana was not in any condition for photo taking.  I'm so glad I went to see her.  Hazel did enjoy her time with her Nana (my mom) and she got to visit Aunt Erin and cousin, Nick.

Howard is doing just great!  He's so into Lego's right now.  Along with playing table tennis at the gym, it's been a great reward thing for him.  He's currently working on having his chore chart all filled out by tomorrow to get a new set.  I think we should invest in Lego stock NOW!  He & Brian stayed home while Hazel and I traveled.  They have been playing soccer (in the house) and doing small things off the 'honey-do' list, like fixing the toilet.  :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know, I haven't posted in almost a week and there's so much to catch up on!

Hazel celebrated her 6 month "birthday" on February 6th!  At her 6 month doctor's appointment, she weighed in at 18 pounds, 6 ounces.  Very healthy!  She's doing great, rolling around, eating some solids and talking and laughing lots.  She loves peaches mixed with infant oatmeal cereal the best!

For Valentine's Day, Howard sported a nice red sweater with a matching red Gatorade stained upper lip (thank you, Brian, for letting him have it during his soccer game).  Hazel looked super sassy and cute in her pink dress (thank you Ms. Renee) and new black patent leather shoes. 

For our special Valentines Day dinner, Howard wants to make dad yellow corn.  So, we will be having yellow corn with steak and baked potatoes tonight.  :)

What a Journey!

WE GOT A NEW CAR!  Our first ever, brand new car might I mention!  Brian and I have been talking about updrading to something a little bigger.  As Howard gets older, we're feeling the need to have more seating for some of his friends and for our family when they are here to visit us.  With the car seats in our Jeep Patriot, we could fit 4 of us, and that was it!  Not much room for anything else.

So, we've been watching Dave Smith's website and researching cars with 3rd row seating.  Brian and I joke that when we said our wedding vows, we're pretty sure we included something about NO minivans... ever.  We knew we didn't want a big SUV (like a Suburban), just something with a 3rd, when needed.  After some research, we decided on a Dodge Journey.  Dave Smith had a used, 2009 Dodge Journey with all the trimmings (leather, back up camera, DVD player, touch-screen system, EVERYTHING) and a 3rd row.  We talked to a sales guy and pretty much told him we wanted it.  We went to test drive it and HATED it.  There was something wrong with the steering, maybe it had been in an accident?  The touch-screen system was also not working - one electrical problem = more?  I felt kind of bad because we pretty much told the sales guy on the phone we would buy it.  I knew if I left with that car, I'd have major buyer's regret.

I had spotted a Dodge Journey on the sales floor before we left for our first test drive and so glad I saw it!  It was a 2010 with 100 miles on it and was $1000 LESS than the used one with 28,000 miles on it.  It didn't have all the bells and whistles (no leather, no touch-screen, no back up camera, no DVD player), but it had the 3rd row seat!!!  After the car shuffle, they got the car out of the show room and let us test-drive what would soon become our car!!!  It's SO nice!  2010 Dodge Journey.  It's white with black (cloth) interior, chrome rims, exhaust tips and gas door.  It is so nice and I love it.  The new car smell cannot be beat.

We traded in our Jeep and got more than we expected.  Brian is content driving the old Dodge Neon to work, as it is very gas efficient and we really use it just for his commuting to and from work.  Here's a picture!  I'm in love.

(Yes, that is the Fred Sanford in the background, our awesome never-dies white Dodge pick-up)  :)

A bucket drink & hot tub, please!

Only a mom who has ever had the most difficult job in the world as a stay-at-home mom can know how badly I need a big ol' bucket drink while basking in a huge bubbly hot tub!  This has been the longest week EVER!  "Mom, mom, mom, watch this, mom, watch this".  Words I love most of the time are words that are making me silly this week!  I really do think I'm becoming a 4-year old this week.  I feel like I have the most thankless, unappreciated job in the world and I know that I will look back on this time in a few years and be so thankful I did it.  I am constantly reminding myself to cherish every moment because it won't be long before I don't have these moments any more.

I won a gift card to a yarn store in Coeur d'Alene and made the trek out there with the intention of finding some yarn that I would probably hold onto forever, in hopes of getting into knitting again one day.  Instead, I found a SUPER cute baby knitting pattern book and a couple of skein's of purple yarn.  I sent it all home with mom (a whiz with knitting needles) and got this little present in the mail yesterday.  It is very cute and we love it.

Mean while, Howard has been busy, busy, busy with Legos!  He and Brian spent about 3 hours building different rockets and space ships last night.  I love to watch his creativity and passion for building the perfect space ship.  He also discovered his long-lost train tracks.  He was very into trains for a while.  We put them away and he just found the bins of them again.  He told me we could give the train table to a little kid, but he wants to keep the tracks forever.  :)

Mean while, Howard has been busy, busy, busy with Legos!  He and Brian spent about 3 hours building different rockets and space ships last night.  I love to watch his creativity and passion for building the perfect space ship.  He also discovered his long-lost train tracks.  He was very into trains for a while.  We put them away and he just found the bins of them again.  He told me we could give the train table to a little kid, but he wants to keep the tracks forever.  :)