Do not feed the animals.

The last part of our Seattle trip a few weeks ago took us to the Woodland Park Zoo.

We were just CERTAIN that we would be the only genius' to think of going to one of the nations best zoos, on a Saturday, on the most beautiful day of the year thus far.

No, everyone and their uncles uncle were there.

Everyone and their best friends uncles uncle.

I'm pretty sure even E.T. himself was there.

I know, cool right?

anyway...

Livie REALLY enjoyed the hands-on petting zoo portion of the zoo.

Crap. If I would have known that, I would have saved the $15 admission fee for each of us and bussed her off to the nearest farm.

Whatever, we are making memories, people. Memories.




In this picture, Liv just couldn't figure for the life of her how in the world Daddy managed to get on the other side of the glass and lay there like that. He never ceases to amaze us. I know, we are lucky, lucky girls...


Here we are discussing the finer points of Elephant poop. I think the conclusion we came to was that it stinks. Really really bad.


These two are definitely a rare breed....


But, they are pretty precious, so I suppose I'll keep them.


And now I leave you with this lesson my dear readers:
If you are pregnant, and it's 90-some degrees outside, DON'T go to the zoo and walk for what seems like miles upon miles of uneven terrain.
Your ankles WILL in fact swell to the size of, well, let's just say you start resembling the michelan man, REAL quick...

Peanuts and crackerjacks, please!

A few weeks ago we ended our vacation week with a fun 3 day trip up to Seattle.

After strapping little miss thang in the back seat and planting the DVD player in front of her face (yes, I am one of those mothers, lay off me.) we were on our way!

Wouldn't ya know it that our one bout of spontaneity, aka lets not book a hotel room ahead of time, led us hunting for a good 2 hours for a hotel with a vacancy. Who decided that there should be a major conference that weekend in Seattle?? Idiots. Thats who.
So, all in all, we ended up paying twice as much as we had originally planned and set up shop in our favorite hotel in town. It just so happens it's the same hotel we stayed at for our Honeymoon, and every trip we have taken to Seattle since then. It was fun to finally be able to share that with Liv.

What would be your guess for what Liv's first thing on the agenda was?? Swim in the pool of course! So swim we did!


Well, actually Daddy and Liv swam. Mommy-not so much. I didn't want to scare Liv. For some reason she already thinks there is sharks in the pool, so throw something slightly resembling a whale in there, and well, she would never set foot in water again...so, momma sat on the sidelines and took pictures. Lots of pictures....


After what felt like HOURS of coaxing her to get into the water, we finally convinced her to jump in after bribing her with the fact that she could actually feed the giraffes at the zoo we were going to the next day if she got in the water. No, we are not liars. We actually read that you could. Sadly we didn't make it there in time the following day, so we turned out to be horrible parents. *sigh* You never win. But at least she got in the water...



After a good nap in our beautiful hotel room, we got all dressed and headed off to the Mariner game that night!! We were so excited to also share this fun experience with Liv as it's something John and I have enjoyed doing since long before she came along!



Here we are all watching the game from our bleacher seats!


Here's Livie with her Mariner Moose


Me with my hot dog


Oh and let's not forget mommy's boyfriend *swoon*





Liv did awesome for the majority of the game. We got up once or twice to walk around, but we ended up staying at least until the 7th inning stretch, which seems to me to be unheard of for a three year old. I was very proud of her. And her cheering skills.

I'll post again a little later today about the rest of our Seattle trip (visiting the zoo, family, etc...)

Play ball!! :)

Since when did my daughter become such a wuss??

Ok, I retract that statement. It just wasn't nice.

But still.

We had the opportunity around the middle of vacation week to be treated by my Grandma and Grandpa (Livie's great-grandparents) to a ride on the indoor Carousel a few towns over.

Dream come true for a little girl, right?

Wrong.

This is how the ride started out:
(mind you, the friggin thing hadn't started moving at this point, hence the smile)


Once the little joy ride started, smiles faded and the fun was officially over. I didn't catch any pictures at this time because I was too busy laughing.
Oh I kid. It was simply moving too fast to get a good shot of her white knuckles secured tightly around Johns neck.

But have no fear, this little escapade didn't scar her for life because on the ride back home and for following few days, she talked about it like it was the most fun she had ever had in her life.

The snot has invaded my brain.

No, really. I couldn't even think of a title for this post.

Between this incredibly revolting cold and the fact that my daughter has gained back every single ounce of energy and then some since having her nasty flu earlier in the week, well, let's just say I'm not quite on my game today, folks. Such is life.

ANYHOO...

I figured it's about time to fill ya in on some of the fun things we did on vacation last week. Compared to this week, it was pure heaven. If anyone knows someone with a time travel machine, could ya get me the hook-up? I would appreciate being sent back about 8 days. If you happen to come across one, just get 'er done, no questions asked.
Thankyouverymuch.

The beginning of last week, we got to help celebrate Livie's friend Conner's 2nd Birthday at the Childrens Museum.
Have I mentioned before that I'm not a big fan of other peoples children that I don't know well? Ok, well, try being surrounded by 8.9 million children in an enclosed building, where their negligent parents feel the need to let them roam like cattle. With unbrushed hair. And no manners. Yikes.
Never the less, we had fun. Livie LOVES her Conner boy, and it was fun to watch the two of them play...or, I guess I should say eat. They love to eat.


After a while, Liv evidently decided she was a little overwhelmed with all the goings-on, and decided to seclude herself from the rest of the group where she could fully concentrate on licking all the chocolate frosting off of her cupcake.
Thats my girl.


After yummy goodies and presents we ventured out into the museum and tried a little face painting:


Even Daddy got in on the fun:


Poor, poor Daddy...


We also saw Liv's true girly girl colors come out, when she was adamant about not climbing into the digging pit for fear of getting her feet dirty:


She was again reluctant to step foot into the 'water room'. Heaven forbid she get her dress wet. Oh Lord, what have we created...

As you can see, once we forced, I mean convinced her playing with the water would be fun, she became a total spaz and enjoyed every minute of it. I'm still trying to decide how much Crack they laced that water with...This is the face of a child that is most definitely on something...I'll blame it on all the chocolate frosting for now....

What the crap is a Meme?!

My darling Vegas friend, Carey, passed on this little meme for me do. So, ya know, I just gotta do it. Here it goes:

5 Things in my bag:
Well, this one is a bit of a toughie. I'm afraid that carrying a diaper bag around for so long scarred me for life, so now that I don't need one, I only lug a wallet around...

1. Debit Card
2. License
3. coffee stand punch card
4. receipts, receipts and more receipts
5. coupons for childrens place and Old Navy
man, I'm so lame...

5 Things in my room:
1. My bed. My precious, precious bed. I heart my bed. Actually I heart any bed for that matter. I'm just lazy like that.
2. My book. I'm reading the Left Behind series. Lovin' it.
3. Tons O pictures of the man and I. I read somewhere once that your bedroom is that special place for your hubby and you. Who wants to look at pictures of your kids while having 'quality time' with each other?? C'mon, you know I'm right...



4. Tissues. This friggin cold is getting the best of me.
5. At this very moment, there is a crib mattress on our floor that Liv has been sleeping on while sick. For some reason I'm all paranoid that she'll vomit in her sleep and die, so it's better that I can hear her for the time being. I know, it's sick, but, well, I'm just not normal.

5 Things I have always wanted to do:
1. Go to beauty school. This is one thing I WILL accomplish once the kiddies are off to grade school at least. It's always been a dream of mine.
2. Adopt a child.
3. Pay someone to potty train my child.

4. Sky dive. On the flip side, I have NO desire to bunjee jump. Weird, right?
5. Go away with Johnny for at least a week, just the two of us, somewhere exotic, warm and with unlimited supply of 'big kid' drinks. With umbrellas. The drinks must have umbrellas.

5 Things I am currently into:
1. Blogging. Though my lack of posts as of late maybe prove differently.
2. Coloring with Livie. Ok, and trying to convince her that she wants to color so I don't feel like such a loser for coloring in her color books by myself. I love coloring.
3. LOST. Enough said.

4. Diet Coke. My forever love.
5. Whining that this baby isn't coming fast enough. I mean really. Couldn't God have made it so that they form in like a day??

5 People who should really really do this Meme thingy:
1. Mom. Seriously, you haven't posted anything in, oh, YEARS.
2. 'Shewwy' :)
3. Katie. Because I'm sure with your new little Hank, you have ALL kinds of time on your hands to do something like this. ;)
4. Devin. Because your computer cable finally came! Yipee!!
5. Leanne. You said you were in a bit of a blog rut, so here's something for you to throw on there! :)

Whats Up Chuck?

Oh Dear.

I have been warned, no make that threatened, by a select few of you that read my bloggity blog that my back from vacation post is highly overdue. So, at the insistence of mainly my dear momma and Carey, I'll give it a shot.

You would think I would start at the beginning of our week and work my way down the line, but that would just be predictable, now wouldn't it? And since when have I ever been predictable?? Unless you we are talking about the fact that I would choose Diet Coke over my life. The choice is obvious there, but otherwise, I like to throw a wrench into things a bit...

I haven't been up to posting anything quite yet, well, because, lets just say I've had other things keeping me slightly busy. Like cleaning up Toddler puke for the last 12 hours or so. LOTS of toddler puke.

Today was Johns first day back to work, and what do ya know?? Liv decides to punish me by inflicting her bug on our home at 11:30 last night. Of course she waits until it's wussy old mom by herself all day to do this. Doesn't she know by now that Me and puke aren't like total BFF's?? And let me tell you: this child doesn't just gag and throw up, she wretches and ejects any and all goodies that have been inhabiting her stomach for the last month. Over and Over and Over again. Bless her little heart. It kills me to see her teeny body so sick.

In other bathroom news: we were making EXCELLENT progress in the potty training area this week!! YAHOO!! After a good three month LONG I'm-never-going-in-the-potty streak, things started looking up this week and she even went pee 4 WHOLE TIMES yesterday!! *sigh* I'm wondering now if I'm able to return my stock I purchased in those Depends undergarments....it's beginning to look like we aren't going to need them afterall...? We'll see.....

I'll pick right back up with letting ya all know via some pretty darn cute pictures about how our vacation week went tomorrow. Until then, pray that the puke doesn't invade my body (or Johns for that matter). I'm pretty sure Livie wouldn't think that cleaning up mommys vomit is oh so fun. OH but you better believe I would make her do that. Because I'm a really good mom like that. It's all about creating good life experiences, people.

Daddio

I may be scarce this week for the simple fact that the big guy in the house is on vaca ALL WEEK!! YIPEE!!

I'll fill you in on all the fun things we've been doing to overly spoil ourselves and Miss Olivia at the end of the week. And who knows, by then I maybe be saying 'the big guy in the house is going back to work soon...YIPEE!!' hahah I kid. Kind of. :)

We LOVE LOVE LOVE having Daddy home with us all day!!! :)



P.s. I sincerely apologize for the ridiculous team he is lovingly supporting on his hat in this picture. Gag me with a spoon. Beavers are hideously smelly little buck-toothed creatures.
*ahem* go DUCKS. :)

Happy Mudders Day!!

Hope all of you mothers, mothers-to-be, and women who hope to be mothers someday had a truly special day today!

May you feel blessed beyond words (even in the midst of those moments when you feel like pulling out your hair) as you remember what incredibly special and important parts you women play in the lives of those around you!


Thank you Miss Olivia for making me a mommy for the very first time 3 years ago and not acting like I messed you up too bad while learning this mom thing :)




Ok, I suppose I should thank this handsome devil who impregnated me in the first place to even make this mommy thing possible! ;)


Happy Mothers Day!

Many thank-yous from the head momma:

This morning I got this email from my momma, and thought I would relay her message to all of you fine beauties that wished her a happy day!!

Here is what she said:
"Hey – Could you do me a favor? I’d love it if you could post something on your blog for me. I just wanted to thank many of your very amazing readers who took the time to wish me a happy birthday last week. That really brightened my day! Sigh…I just love bloggy-land…"

So, on behalf of my mommy dearest, Thank you for all of her many happy birthday wishes, that meant so much to her! :)

Listener of God!

Many of you guys have asked if we have any names picked out for baby girl #2, and of course we have!! You don't think I haven't been thinking of names since the very second I found out I was pregnant?? C'mon....

We decided to name our newest little squirt: Samantha Jane!

I had looked up what the meaning of her name was, (because I'm just kinda dorky like that and think thats kinda cool), and discovered her name is a variation of 'Samuel' and means 'Listener of God'.

I think thats just completely and utterly awesome.

We wish nothing more for our little ones than to love God with all that is in them and to comfortably have a wonderfully intimate relationship with him. To think that they would truly listen to and follow Gods leading in their lives? Just beautiful.

Even though we named Olivia after our favorite character on our favorite show at the time: Olivia on Law and Order SVU, I have since discovered that her name evidently means 'Peace' as it is a variation of 'Olive' or Olive branch.

Seeing as she's not the most outwardly quiet creature on the planet, and while I NEVER want her to lose that vocal spunk that I love so much about her, my prayer for her is that she develops a beautiful inner peace as her relationship with her heavenly father grows.

I'm so excited to be able to watch my two beautiful girls grow up to be just what they were created be: Gods precious precious daughters!

Bombs away!!

Who was the genius that decided to make hot dogs and baked beans for dinner last night??

Oh yeah. That idiot was me.

It was an exceptionally brilliant idea on my part considering earlier in the day we had McDonalds for lunch.

McDonalds = Gas.

Baked beans and hotdogs = Gas.

Any normal run-of-the-mill day around this house between John and Liv = Gas.

Combine those three last night and momma was sportin' a gas mask.

No joke, if you would have walked into our house at any point during the evening, I'm pretty sure a thick green smog would have been seen wafting through our living room.

'You guys stink!!' were the words most frequently hollered from this mommas mouth.

'Yeah, we do!' was all Liv would say with a smirk on her goofy little face.

I don't think John has to worry about things getting too girly around here with him being the only male in the house.

Olivia proved him wrong last night. That girl has got skills.

He was so proud.