1st Snow

So, I posed this question on facebook and figured I'd post it here too. I can't say I feel too guilty about it since I had a total blast, but is it wrong that I arranged before and after school care for Olivia so that Adam and I could so snowboarding? What if I tell you we've been on only one date since our anniversary six months ago? What if it was a perfect day: new snow, empty slopes, day off work? Well, I'm not going to feel guilty about it even though Olivia sobbed because we weren't taking her with us, even though we are taking her with us in a couple of weeks. Actually, I thought it was sweet that she wanted to be with us. Maybe it wasn't us. Maybe it was the snow. Anyway, neither Adam, nor I could remember the perfect combo of new snow and empty slopes. So, are we bad parents if we take her out of school during a weekday to try to copy the day we just had?

DISNEYLAND

Adam and I decided our Christmas would be small (except for the piano) and that we would go to Disneyland. We kept it a complete and total suprise from Olivia. We picked her up from school on a Thursday and started driving to LA. She knew we were going somewhere because her teacher had mentioned that she was sending home homework early because she wouldn't be at school the next day. Anyway, we staved off the questions and plied her with videos the whole way there. Of course, the seven hour trip ended with a sleeping child, so we had to keep the secret until the next day. Imagine her suprise when we got ready to go and said "We are going to Disneyland today!" The face:

The weekend after Thanksgiving was a great time to go. The crowds were pretty light, it wasn't hot and luckily we had no rain. Disney this time of year is decked out for Christmas. Once we got inside Olivia didn't quite know what to think. We have never really talked up Disneyland (we didn't want to encourage her) and so she was a little confused about why there were rides and where are the princesses and the castle and Mickey Mouses CLubhouse. It took about the first half of the day (and of course after we saw the princesses and Mickey and Minnie, etc.) for her to really get into it. You should have seen how excited she was to see the characters. She was speechless and she just stared at them and wanted to hug them. I think I was a little jealous.









She was pretty suspicious of the rides at first. We thought that we'd take it easy on her and do the Disney Snow White ride and a few of the others. She hated it. Scared her to death. She only wanted to go on the carosel after that. We managed though to nonchalantly guide her in the line for the little red roller coaster in Toon Town. After some convincing, she got on and that was it. Loved it and we didn't stop after that. She went on every scary ride and roller coaster in Disney and California Adventure, even the Tower of Terror and California Screamin' (goes upside down).
Tower of Terror:

Space Mountain (The dork in the front is Adam, we are behind him):

California Screamin':



She did great walking all day both days. We stayed in a hotel across the street from the entrance so we could walk over there in the afternoon to rest. We brought our own breakfast and lunch and then ate out dinner and that saved us some bucks. The parade was great and we caught the fireworks the night of our second day. Some people find it hard to believe, but this was my first time to go to Disneyland too. I don't think I really geeked out over it like some people do. It was more fun for me to see how much fun Olivia had. I do understand though why my parents didn't take us there. It's wicked expensive, and worse if you are toting a mess of kids. Plus the hassle of strollers and crying and carrying on and the feeding schedules and naps would be too much for me! While I enjoyed it immensely we have decided that if we are blessed with anymore children that we will wait to go until they can walk a whole day on their own. Of course, Olivia has other plans. She wanted to stay forever, wants to go back and live with all of the princesses and Tinkerbell!

If you can't view the slide show click on the link underneath it that says VIEW ALL IMAGES.

A quick visit

My dad came for a quick visit right before we moved. He came to take my Gramma Davis' car to West Virginia. They left it with us when they moved. The company they hired to transport it turned out to be bogus, so he came out to get it. Olivia was is PaPa heaven. She just couldn't get enough of wrestling or harassing him. I think he loves it. It was a just a quick stay but I happened to make one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten. Paella. I'm sure if I went to Spain I would get schooled but it was good none the less. And pretty!

Moving, Thanksgiving and a New Addition

It has been awhile since I've updated on our living situation. Last time we weren't sure if the house we were renting was going to be auctioned or bought. Well, it finally was determined it was going to foreclose. So we found a new place.

Old house



New house



Can you see the similarities? Basically we moved into the same house, but we exchanged carpet for tile (don't really like that) and a cement backyard for a grassy one (love that). It also happens to be five houses down from where we were. That's Adam waving down the street from the new place.



Our lucky duck fish (Shawn), who we have kept alive for a year, also moved, into a new bowl.



Thanksgiving was fun! We ate our own turkey dinner the Sunday before and got pretty turkied out. I had to work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. We drove to the bay area to Adam's sister's house Wednesday night and then did Thanksgiving at the Embassy Suites with his family. We have actually done this for several years in a row and with a large family has been great. We get our own banquet room and there is a ton of food. Much of it is really good. Anyway, I steered clear of the Thanksgiving turkey and fixings and had oysters and shrimp and cheese blintzes and fruit and eggs benedict. Olivia had scrambled eggs and peas and I don't think we had any pumpkin pie. It was great. Then I had to work the night shift that night so we headed back. Let me tell you, being nearly sick anyway, overeating and staying up all night doing a craniotomy is no good. I felt like I'd been beat with a bat.





The most exciting news in our house of late is the long awaited arrival of my NEW PIANO!!!!!!!!! Isn't it beautiful. I think this is the first think I have ever bought that I really, really wanted! I don't have any music for it yet, except for a Hymn Book, so I've been playing Christmas songs for days.

I'm NOT sleepy!

This is a picture of a girl who adamantly told me "I don't wanna go to bed. I'm not even tired. I'm going to stay up all night and watch movies with you MOM!" Yeah right!

Halloween

I challenge anyone to find a cuter and more wicked looking witch than this.




My husband challenges anyone to post a better pumpkin than his.

I wasn't feeling super creative this year so my pumpkin didn't end up with a face and Olivia's is her own design (with some minor editing by mom).

The Perfect Storm

A couple of weeks ago we got a lovely "Welcome to Fall/Winter" storm in Sacramento. It just so happened to be the only day off I had that week. Normally this just might about drive me nuts cause I love to run and play outside. However, it had been such a long time since I'd really just vegged out and took full advantage. I read like six hours of the day, watched movies with Olivia and Adam and made good food. Olivia couldn't stand staying inside so she and Adam puts on their rain coats and puddled it up out in the raging wind and rain. We ended up with a fruit tree on its side and my tomatoes nearly uprooted. They were toast anyway. My chard however is still going strong! The weather is incredible, 70's and sunny all day with cold nights. I'm sure the storm was just a hint of what will come: 4 months of straight rain. I might be doing a lot of vegging.

BLOODY NOSE!

The title is an eye catcher, I know. It wasn't that dramatic though. We went to the park between conference sessions (the weather is so great) and brought our mitts and a T-Ball to toss around with Olivia. Wouldn't you know that the first throw I send her way is a little high and whacks her in the nose. I was pretty sure she was OK because I lobbed it to her. You would have thought I hit her with the bat the way the water works started. I felt so bad. She let me hold her while she cried (that never happens anymore) and a minute or so later some runny blood tinged boogies started coming out her nose. Why does the sight of blood make it worse? I guess I'm desensitized to the sight of blood so I played it off. She didn't like that and Adam had to go get tissues from the bathroom. Great! I was hoping to start her softball career early and she could wind up with a college scholarship in thirteen years. I don't think she'll go near a ball now! Man! She's alright. No permanent damage, not even a bruise.

Happy Birthday-To ME!

I'm not one to really celebrate my birthday, but I thought "Hey! It isn't everyday I turn 30", so Adam, Olivia and I headed out of town Friday to Monterey, CA. We got a cute hotel room, played at the beach and went for a fun walk along the coast. Then we had a yummy seafood dinner: calamari, clam chowder in a bread bowl and dungeness crab. Yummy! Then on Saturday we went to the Aquarium, so fun, before driving up to Marin and staying the night with my Aunt Suzy and her boys. We went back to our old ward in Novato for church (it sure looks barren without my parents there) and then had a great lunch with Adam's mom, sister, and neice. Then we headed back home to start another week. 30 doesn't feel old, but I'm definetly not young anymore, and poor Adam can't brag that his wife is "still in her twenties" anymore. Poor guy!

Blog Color

I know it's a little early for fall, but I'm ready. I'm over the heat and the swimming pool. Bring on sweater weather. So, I thought I'd "get in the mood" on my blog.

Calling and other updates

I finally received a calling in our ward: Beehive advisor. I was definitely willing to take the job but briefly the thought "Who in their right mind would think it is a good idea for me to advise the beehives?" Then I repented and remembered that the calling is probably more for me than them. Anyway, I never thought I'd be intimidated by 12 and 13 year olds. They are smarted and cuter and funnier than I ever remember being. But, I remember that age and I think it's that age where they are still open and teachable and really responsive and active in discussions. I feel like I have a lot of work to do to catch them before they go into Mia Maids and they are on the path they have decided to take. Today was my first day to teach and I and the girls survived. I felt prepared, the timing was good and the girls were mostly participatory, all but one. I have work to do. By the way, did you know that they added a value to the Young Women's theme : Virtue. They also added "strengthen home and family" to the list of things they are preparing for. I tripped over the words thinking I had forgotten it, but no, it is a new addition.
Other news for us is that the home we have been renting since last December is now in full foreclosure (It went on the market last February but didn't sell). The home was supposed to be auctioned Sept 1, but it has been pushed back till October. We really considered buying our first home this next couple of months. We have been saving and have a few assets that we could liquidate but we have felt really impressed to avoid the market right now. No ones job is secure, no matter what they say. It would be a tragedy to put a large sum of money into a down payment and then lose my job. Likely, I would have to look out of state to find a job (CRNA market here is bear) and it would make things much more difficult if we were attached to a home. I'm only thinking hypothetically, there is no imminent layoff coming for me. Anyway, so we will try to stay in our rental as long as possible and then rent again in the same neighborhood.

Daddy, daughter date

I have memories of when I was a child my dad taking me and my sister and brothers fishing. I don't recall all the details but when I go fishing I am fond of it. This summer I had a blast when we went to Yosemite and fished, it was sort of nostalgic. Well, I had to work a miserable Saturday, in gall bladder and hip fracture surgeries, so Adam took Olivia to Donner Lake (Yes, as in the Donner party who ate each other) and they fished. Adam describes it as a perfect day. Olivia learned to be patient while fishing, climbed trees, caught crawfish and managed one rainbow trout.