Happy 1st Birthday Peyton!

We had a wonderful time

Life

Where to start? Life's been crazy! Sorry to everyone who hasn't seen or heard from me in awhile. School has had me swamped. Two more weeks of classes and then finals! I am teaching A&P lab this summer but only 2 days a week from 9am-noon. I'll start my thesis project but nothing crazy... I'm hanging out at home. I'm really excited about my thesis, teratogens and development are the reason why I'm furthering my education.
It feels like everyday we have something to do. We have fun attending all these events but it is nice to be at home. The month of May has been nothing but parties... first A's, then mothers day/A's bday, Sophies 1st bday, Pentecost (we did celebrate at a friend's house), and tomorrow Peyton's 1st bday. I didn't even go to Vegas to celebrate my nephew's 5th bday :( We've been constantly up to something... and I'm not complaining cause I wouldn't have it any other way... except be with Lee.
I am happy to say I rested today! Boomer took Gav to school with Austen and brought home starbucks... how wonderful. Waking up at 845ish is sweet. I didn't go to school and Boom, A and I hung out til 1ish.

Austen had her 1yr check up today (it is hard getting every one's schedules to mesh). My baby girl is almost 20lbs, 19.7 (thats 23 percentile)... she's an itty bitty but 30 inches long (75%)... she's such a firecracker and constantly on the go that all the food she eats burns away... wish I had her metabolism :) Austen has finally started to drink milk. We started offering milk at 10mon but she refused it and yesterday it was a go... but it is very vanilla soy milk. One day regular milk or soymilk.

Gav is doing great. Growing up too fast! A little man of the house. He asks to help me with housework, picks up on his own... sometimes but it is still hard to get used to seeing him put things away and I didn't ask! I can't wait til the summer. I'll be at school for a small amount of time and Gav is having the summer off. I have science projects, hikes, camping, him coming to lab with me and trips to the museum planned... I'm SO excited.

Boom is working hard. He is not a bad dad... he is wonderful. When things got rough and really crazy he stepped up! He is home with Austen during the day, sometimes taking and picking up Gav from school, making dinner, bringing me lunch at school, laundry (he doesn't fold though lol) and going to work at night. Things would be crumbling around here if he wasn't helping out! Thank God for knocking some sense into him... lol! And a wonderful full body back rub from him ;)

Life is rough and tough but going good!

Oh yeah... my friend Alyse is getting married in Dec in Hawaii. We are saving now to go to Maui over Christmas break... oh please let it work out (financially speaking)

Heather & Julian's blog Heather posted a couple pics from A's bday party. Take a look... I will have something up soon... I hope!

So I'm using my Blog for Advertisement...

A's Bday Invite

They will be coming to a home near you soon. I haven't had time to ship them but they were finished this weekend :) Just know that you are invited and consider this it please :)
The front


The back


How it opens


The inside

I need to ramble out loud

Started a Stem Cell Club on campus last week... the paperwork is no joke! Our first meeting is tomorrow afternoon and I'm nervous. Don't know exactly what I'm going to talk about, what the club should be doing (well I have some ideas), and who is coming. I started a facebook page and there was only a few followers at first but now there are 30 (faculty and people I don't know included)... a little freaked! I do believe this will be great for the school and will help bring more awareness.
Besides that, I still need to dissect my cat for Tue's lecture and grade quizzes. Finish getting A's bday in order so I won't stress while in Santa Barbara (just got to survive the week). Read some papers for grad class. Came up with an idea to get me and Alyse accepted to London... must start now! Thats about it besides giving the kids hugs, kisses, piggy back rides, dancing and wrestling... I think we are good! There's always the normal cleaning and laundry but I'm pass that now... I just hold out every other week ;)

Beautiful

This is the poster for Austen's first birthday. The dimensions are 36x42... good size. I can't wait for her party. ...And this was created by BOOMER in Picasa (he made me do that... hehe). I can't believe how much she has grown [sigh]... So invites not done yet but they will be soon. Once completed I will post just in case they arrive late to you... sorry in advance

MacGaver

Gavin is becoming my personal MacGyver. He is constantly trying to create something. A few days ago, I'm cleaning out the car and Gavin is playing in it. I don't know where we were going but it was time to leave. Gavin says "look mommy", I walked over to his side. He found some car charger wire and he wrapped the end that plugs into the car around the door handle and he was holding the other end in his hand. He sits in the middle seat. Then he pulled the wire to shut the door. Now he shuts the door on his own. I love watching Gav use his brain and figure things out for himself.
Side note... we now have pet snails. We created a home for them and I read up on what they like to eat. Did anyone know they like carrots and apples??? I was nice to feed them lettuce and strawberry leaves from my garden :)

Planning Austen's 1st birthday... I can't believe it... so much in 1 year. The party is the week before her actual bday. May 1st and it will be around 2pm... invites will go out this week... I hope. For her actual bday, May 9th, we are planning a trip to the beach. We were planning Monterey but we are going to Santa Barbara for 4 days the week prior. I love science... I must go to SB to play with microscopes :)
The theme is "Hello Austen" ...a play on Hello Kitty. I wasn't going to do to much but I can't help myself. I'm even thinking about a pink carpet for the VIB (very important babies) This weekend on worked on the cake pops. They came out good for the first try. I know what I need to do to perfect these cuties. Next weekend is the cake! Wish me luck
Everyone must eat a cake pop... they are delicious. Also need to figure out a vegan version for Val... any suggestions? This one fell off its lollipop stick




The Grand Canyon album is now up... finally

Backyard fun

We promised Gavin a backyard camp out and we did it. It was a long day... First we had a 9am game and the Clarissa's bday party from there. Her party was a blast and I have the bruises to prove it... bounce house with giant slide and add water consumed our day! Then at 8pm, we put up our tent and started a fire. We had cheese and wine while Gav made smores with juice (I'll camp anywhere if wine is included LOL) At bed time we watched Jumanji and woke up to a beautiful morning. We are now packing for the Grand Canyon and camping. It is supposed to snow... we are very excited to know we are going to freeze our butts off!!! We can't wait to head out very early Tue night/ Wed morning =)