Jenna Chastain & Family...

New Blog!

2010-10-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

I'm deleting my old Email address because it just gets way too much spam, and blogger won't let me change my login ID to a different address, so I'm starting a new blogger account with a new blog. I don't mind too much because I don't have many followers and I don't keep up with this blog as much as I used to. I will be trying to post more often to my new blog.
Thanks =)

To keep up with me follow my new blog at:
http://bakerunlove.blogspot.com/

College Football Season

2010-10-01T20:22:00.001-07:00

Which means Saturdays are spent with these three on my couch all dressed alike =)

Princess Climbs.

2010-10-01T20:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Homemaker Monday

2010-09-12T20:49:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
It's supposed to be all kinds of thunderstormy this week! Not gonna lie, I'm kinda looking forward to it. Layla has some really cute fall outfits I'm dying to see her wear!

Things that make me happy:
Sunday morning cuddle-fests with Layla and Jeremy in our big, cozy bed!
Creating new things.
Reading to Layla.
Shopping, especially at a bookstore!

Book I'm reading:
Duty and Desire
by Pamela Aidan
{It's part of the Mr. Darcy, Gentleman trilogy. Excellent spin-off fseries of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice}

What I'm enjoying on TV:
Mad Men
Vampire Diairies
Jersey Shore
Thomas the Tank Engine

On the menu for dinner:
Pasta

On my To Do List:
Oh, lots of things! After a busy weekend my house is a MESS! This week I'll be getting things cleaned and organized and ready for the big move.

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
My friend is going to be Emailing me a chicken recipe this week to try!

In the craft basket:
Chistmas ornaments made out of book pages!

Looking forward to this week:
My house being cleaned and organized so I can relax and have a fun weekend with Jeremy and Layla!

Tips and Tricks:
I can't think of any this week.

My favorite blog post this week:
I haven't really been reading many blogs lately.

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
=( Haven't been reading them much

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

On my mind:
The big move to California. I just want to get there and unpack already!

MOVING!

2010-08-26T12:44:00.000-07:00

BACK TO CALIFORNIA!

Jeremy got orders to go back to Monterey, CA for an intermediate language course. Layla and I get to go with him because it is such a long course! We're going to be about 3 hours away from my family so it will be nice to be able to see them without taking a plane or a looong car ride! We're only going to be there for about 10 months, but I'm so excited to be moving back to my home state!

Happy Homemaker Monday!

2010-08-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Still in Northern California visiting with my family. It's HOT as heck here! I don't mind it too much though because it's dry heat. I'm glad to be away from the humidity.

Things that make me happy:
Hanging out with my family.
Sore muscles from an AMAZING work out yesterday!
Cuddling with my honey {I can't wait for him to come home!}
Reading to my daughter.

Book I'm reading:
Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence.
{Yeah, yeah. You don't have to tell me twice. I'm a complete Jane Austen nerd.}

What I'm enjoying on TV:
The Bachelor Pad starts tonight!
Pretty Little Liars
Ghost Hunters International

On the menu for dinner:
No idea.

On my To Do List:
Finish some laundry (I'm wearing one of my dad's shirts because mine are in the washer!)
Sew some quilts and a pillow case.

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Cheesecake bars from Bakerella.

In the craft basket:
I have 4 blankets I need to sew!

Looking forward to this week:
Well heading home will be bitter sweet. I'm looking forward to a road trip with my mom, and sleeping in my own bed, but it's going to be hard to say good bye to my family. Layla and I will miss everyone!

Tips and Tricks:
If you're not that great with a sewing machine keep someone around who knows what they're doing. Thanks mom =)

My favorite blog post this week:
I haven't been reading too many blogs lately =(

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
Nothing new.

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

On my mind:
Road trip that's coming up. I'm excited to get home and get ready for autumn. I'm so ready for the seasons to change!

MUSTACHE PILLOW!

2010-08-02T19:19:00.001-07:00

I made this awesome mustache pillow with my mom's sewing machine. It's going to sit on my couch!

The Return of Happy Homemake Monday!

2010-08-02T11:37:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Hot & Dry! It's been a nice vacation from hot & muggy.

Things that make me happy:
Antique shopping.

Book I'm reading:
Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence.

What I'm enjoying on TV:
How I met your mother.
The Bachelorette.

On the menu for dinner:
Spaghetti and garlic bread!

On my To Do List:
Get ready for Tahoe trip tomorrow.
Grocery shopping.

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
My mom's sloppy joes.

In the craft basket:

Mustache pillows and framed artwork.

Looking forward to this week:
Fabric shopping for mustache pillows and quilts!

Tips and Tricks:
When going on a road trip bring laundry baskets and use the large tupper-wear storage containers. They help save space!

My favorite blog post this week:
I haven't done any blog reading the past two weeks because I haven't had computer access.

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

On my mind:
Trip to Tahoe tomorrow. Trip to gold country next week. Heading home in two weeks. Busy, busy, busy!!

Happy Homemaker Monday

2010-07-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Rainy. It was supposed to rain ALL DAY yesterday, but we lucked out late afternoon and evening for fireworks time! Today is rainy, but warm. It's not too bad.

Things that make me happy:
FIREWORKS AND FREEDOM! And popsicles.

Book I'm reading:
Dawn of the Dreadfuls. I didn't like Pride & Prejudice & Zombies as much as I thought I would, and I had already bought the prequal so I figured I'd hurry and get through it. Terrible so far.

What I'm enjoying on TV:
Dinosaur Train
The Bachelorette
Pretty Little Liars (GUILTY pleasure! It's so suspenseful, but silly!)
re-runs of all my favorite crime dramas; Bones, The Mentalist, and Castle.

On the menu for dinner:
Something with chicken and left over potato salad!

On my To Do List:
Laundry.
Shopping.
Getting ready for my sister to visit and our road trip to Utah!

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
I really want to make some homemade popsicles with fresh fruit and yogurt.

In the craft basket:

Nothing really.

Looking forward to this week:
Jeremy is on leave, so we get this whole week to hang out and spend time with him! We're going to go to the zoo and go swimming and shopping and just have FAMILY time!!

Tips and Tricks:
Layla got really excited about potty training when we let her wear big girl panties after she went peepee in her potty. Let your toddler wear some big kid undies so they know how great it feels to not wear a diaper. Great motivation to go in the potty!!

My favorite blog post this week:
There are a couple of good ones out there this week.

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
I have a new book review blog and my Run 4 Red Ribbon charity blog both have links on the top right of this blog. Check them out!

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

On my mind:
Still planning out how I'm going to pack the van and what I need to bring for our road trip to Utah!

Happy Independence Day!

2010-07-05T00:10:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had a safe and wonderful celebration that included lots and lots of fun, family, food, and FIREWORKS!! Happy 4th of July everyone.

Happy Homemaker Monday

2010-06-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
It will be in the mid-eighties ALL WEEK! If there was no humidity it would be the perfect week!

Things that make me happy:
Going swimming with Jeremy and Layla. Layla paddles so hard around the big pool! She doesn't even need us to hold on to her anymore!

Book I'm reading:
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I've heard so many good things about it, and all my friends know that I'm an Austen fan so they've been asking if I've read it. I'm about 10 chapters in and I hate it already.

What I'm enjoying on TV:
The Bachelorette
World Cup soccer games...sorry I mean, football games =)

On the menu for dinner:
I've got pork chops cooking away in the crock pot.

On my To Do List:
Get rid of this head ache.
Finish cleaning the kitchen.
Go swimming with Layla and Jeremy when the Brazil-Chile game is over.

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
I want to make my mom's sloppy joes recipe with homemade scones. Those were some yummy scones!!!! (Mom, please E-mail me the recipe if I forget to ask you!)

In the craft basket:

Candle holders from glass jars.

Looking forward to this week:
Warm weather and ZERO thunderstorms or rain of any sort in our near future!

Tips and Tricks:
On long car trips pack a cooler with drinks and refreshments so you don't have to stop every time one person gets the munchies.

My favorite blog post this week:
RunnerDude's post on the responsibility parents have to keep their children active and healthy. He offers tips on how to make it fun for them and not a chore so it gives them an active lifestyle. Inspire, don't require!

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
Please check out my Charity Running blog. I am going to try and update more often. If you can please visit the site and donate. The money is going to an AMAZING cause!

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share)

On my mind:
Hurrying and getting my chores done so I can go SWIMMING with my family!

Fairy Princess

2010-06-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

Look at that wild hair!!

Mama's little fairy princess =)

Twirling for daddy!

Happy Homemaker Monday

2010-06-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Nice and warm. We had some bad thunderstorms last night, so today was kind of muggy, but it was nice and relaxing at the base pool.

Things that make me happy:
Taking my daughter into a big pool for the first time ever. She loves the water!!

Book I'm reading:
Northanger Abbey

What I'm enjoying on TV:
The Bachelorette. Casey is crazy, but I hope he stays a while because his songs are pretty entertaining!!

On the menu for dinner:
I was going to make fettuccine alfredo, but I didn't get to the store today. Too much swimming!!

On my To Do List:
Clean the playroom with Layla.
Grocery shopping.
Clean the towels.

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Everything in Now Eat This.

In the craft basket:

LAYLA letters for Layla's bedroom wall.
Candle holders for the backyard table.

Looking forward to this week:
More swimming and great weather. Spending time with the hubby before our crazy summer begins.

Tips and Tricks:
Drink more caffeine!!

My favorite blog post this week:
I loved all of the Father's Day tribute posts yesterday.

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
http://jennar4rproject.blogspot.com/
I'm doing a little shameless self-promotion. That's the blog for my Run 4 Red Ribbon project. I'm running 1,004 miles for Peak 4 Poverty. Raising money for AIDS orphans in Tanzania. Check out the blog, follow me over the next year as I put myself through a lot physically and emotionally to help these children.

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

On my mind:
Lots. Deployments. Tornadoes. Swimming. BBQs. Craft projects. Road trips. Spending as much time as I can out in the sun with my family.

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

PEEK-A-BOO!!

2010-06-19T18:59:00.000-07:00

During one of Layla's periods of boredom and restlessness Grandpa Jim got up with her and they played peek-a-boo for a while. She loves playing peek-a-boo!!

COLLEGE WORLD SERIES!

2010-06-19T18:50:00.000-07:00

This is the last year they will be holding the college world series at Rosenblatt stadium. They'll be building a new one in the downtown area of Omaha. Since Florida State's team made it we decided to go to the first game of the series. Layla was a little cranky from lack of sleep (she got up at like 6 that morning,) but other than that she had fun running around and playing with her grandpa Jim. I'm glad we were able to go to Rosenblatt one more time before they tear it down.

Summer Time

2010-06-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

The other day it was ridiculously hot outside and I wanted to take Layla and cool off at the base housing pool. It's right down the street from us, and Layla has never been in anything larger than an inflatable pool. So I made a trip to Target to get some floaties and some pool toys and we were off!

Layla enjoyed the kiddie pool. It's about 20ft x 15ft and is ankle deep the whole way through. She made some new friends to run around and splash with.

When we pulled up in the parking lot she saw the pool and got really excited. I set her down and had her wait for me on the sidewalk before heading over. She got too excited and started running and fell pretty hard. That's why she has that big scrape on her elbow. It didn't really phase her though, she was much to excited to play in the water!

Summer Reading

2010-06-16T22:29:00.000-07:00

I have a to-read list on goodreads.com that is way too long. I need to knock those books out quickly. So I am making a summer reading list of 50 books. I've finished 3 already and am in the middle of a 4th. The first 3 were Marsha Altman's The Darcys and the Bingleys series. They were her take on what would have happened after Pride & Prejudice. I don't think Jane Austen would have taken it in that direction, but I was entertained and loved the characters she created. Right now I am reading Northanger Abbey. It's one of the two Austen novels I haven't read. I keep getting distracted with all of the JA fan-fiction. There are SO MANY novels that are based on her works, and I'm trying to get through them all.

Happy Homemake Monday!

2010-06-07T12:27:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
It's quite warm and sunny, but the clouds are slowly rolling in for some late afternoon thunderstorms we're supposed to get.

Things that make me happy:
Beating my run times. Shaved a few minutes off of my 5k personal best.

Book I'm reading:
The Darcys and the Bingleys by Marsha Altman.

What I'm enjoying on TV:
Ghost Whisperer

On the menu for dinner:
Fettuccine Alfredo

On my To Do List:
Run 2 miles
Clean bathroom

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:

My mom's homemade scones and sloppy joes.

In the craft basket:

Finish dinner time magnets.

Looking forward to this week:
Logging some more miles towards the Run 4 Red Ribbon project.

Tips and Tricks:
I don't think I have any today.

My favorite blog post this week:
I liked Sandra's post on being too dependent on technology.
Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
I haven't discovered any new blogs this week, but I have started one of my own. I'm doing some charity work for Peak 4 Poverty. This blog chronicles my journey of helping them. Check it out, and donate if you can!
http://jennar4rproject.blogspot.com/

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days:
Well, I was feeling some pain in my shins after a lot of running this week and I just ignored it, and instead of resting I went for a long run yesterday. Big mistake. I need to learn to listen to my body. I should have taken it easier because today I'm hurting pretty bad.

On my mind:
Getting my shins better so I can keep running.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-10T06:12:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty relaxed Mother's Day. I was suffering from allergies all day, but I didn't let it get in the way of having some fun with Jer and Layla. We spent most of the day doing laundry and packing because Layla and I are headed out to the East Coast with some friends this morning. We did take a break for a late lunch and some shopping out in West Omaha. We went to Cheeseburger in Paradise and picked up some cute clothes for Layla at the Carter's outlet. The weather could have been nicer, but we still had fun!

Layla and I were being goofy waiting outside Coldstone Creamery while Jer was getting our ice cream.

Layla was chasing some birds and screaming at them. I think she was trying to get them to chase her, but it wasn't working out too well.

Little Green Monster

2010-04-30T23:02:00.003-07:00

2010-04-30T23:02:00.001-07:00

2010-04-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Homemaker Monday!

2010-04-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
It's actually quite warm! The sun is shining and there is hardly any wind! Beautiful day to spend outside with my little one.

Things that make me happy: My family's health. We took Layla to the doctor for her 2-year check up today and she is doing very well developmentally and growing like a weed!

Book I'm reading:
Bikram Yoga by Bikram Choudhury. I take the hot yoga class and it's doing wonders for my body and mind!

What I'm enjoying on TV:
Parenthood and Biggest Loser on NBC
Dancing with the Stars on ABC

On the menu for dinner:
I think I'm going to make Rocco DiSpirito's HEALTHY fettuccine alfredo. We haven't had it since the first time I tried it.

On my To Do List:
Meeting some friends for lunch.Run a few errands.
Exercise!

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
I want to try and make a marinara sauce with turkey meat for some yummy spaghetti.

In the craft basket:

Scrapbooking

Looking forward to this week:
Jeremy might get some time off at the end of the week so we can have some quality family time before deployments this summer.

Tips and Tricks:
Ice shin splints. I'm currently suffering from them and it's all I can do to make them better.

My favorite blog post this week: 'Ice Cream Man Come Here!' post on Not so idle hands blog. Too cute! I remember doing the same thing as a child!

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
RunnerDude's blog. Love it!

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days:
If you're in a little bit of pain, rest. Don't work yourself even harder because then your injuries get worse. It's kind of common sense and I can just kick myself for pushing myself too hard on my run yesterday.

On my mind:
Summer plans. We've got a lot going on starting in the middle of May all the way through August. It's going to be busy!

5 Senses Saturday

2010-04-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

Hear:

My 2 year old trying to say the alphabet =)
Large, loud planes flying over my house.
My heavy breathing when I run.
"I'm on a Boat" by the Lonely Island (one of my favorite songs on my running playlist.)
See:
Sunshine!
A messy kitchen =(Flowers blooming.
Layla coloring.

Smell:
A freshly baked cake that I need to turn into cake bites.
My new honeysuckle candle.
B.O. from my 5k run.

Touch:
Layla's LONG hair!
The keyboard.
The condensation on my Nalgene water bottle.
The pages of 'Bikram Yoga' By Bikram Choudhury.
Taste:
Carnation Instant Breakfast
Homemade Berry Energy Smoothie

Oops!

2010-04-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post the link on my last post!
Check out Sandra's blog!

Happy Homemaker Monday!

2010-04-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
It's beautiful and sunny. Just got back in from watering my beautiful flowers. It's a little too windy for my taste though.

Things that make me happy:
The funny little noises my toddler makes when she's trying to read.

Book I'm reading:
Mansfield Park.

What I'm enjoying on TV:Dancing with the Stars!
Go Ochocinco!

On the menu for dinner:
No idea.

On my To Do List:
Clean up the living room, clean my craft room, and run another 5k today.

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
I really want to get Rocco Dispirito's new cookbook "Now Eat This" and try EVERYTHING in it!

In the craft basket:

Scrapbooking. Of course.

Looking forward to this week:
Finishing my goal of running 5k everyday.

Tips and Tricks:
Always use a towel soaked in HOT water to clean up sticky beverages. If it's cold water it won't get all the stickyness up and all dirt in the room will be attracted to that ONE spot.

My favorite blog post this week:
I love the vlogs posted by Natalie at run1000miles.com
She's funny and creative, and doing and excellent job.

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days:
Time flies. My only child turned 2 on Friday, and I just can't believe how big she's gotten! She also started potty training this weekend and went both poopoo and peepee in the potty. I am just so proud of her!

On my mind:
Whether or not I'm going to have to drive to Utah alone this summer. Jer might be deployed for my birthday and won't be able to come on the family camping trip =*( It's going to be difficult to drive all the way there with just me and Layla =*(

Layla's Birthday Party!

2010-04-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

For Layla's birthday party we did a Princess and the Frog/Tinkerbell theme.
The color theme of both characters is purple and green, which I think are a beautiful combination.

I made funfetti cupcakes with white cream cheese frosting, which I spray painted with edible purple paint and topped with green pearl sprinkles (best sprinkles ever made!) They were delicious!!!

Usually I go all out with the decorations trying to cover every available surface with streamers and anything I could find, but I kept it a little low key this year.

Playing ball with William.

Layla is finally learning how to share!

Such a pro kicker!

Layla and William holding hands and running to the playroom together.

Walking down the hill into our neighbor's yard with Grandma JoAnn.

Presents time!!

Layla got a lot of new books to read! We finally have some new material at bedtime!

Layla loved the ribbons.

She LOVES the Princess and the Frog band equipment. I can hear her playing the drums in the next room while I'm typing this.

She got really shy when everyone started singing to her. She had no idea what was going on!

She had so much fun coloring on the tray that Grandma and Grandpa Chastain got for her. We sat there for a while after the party coloring and winding down.

THanks to everyone who came to the party! We had a lot of fun and Layla loves all her presents!!

Layla's Birthday!!

2010-04-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

Friday was Layla's actual birthday and we spent the day gardening some more, running errands, and playing with her toys. When Jer got home from work early we took her to Walnut Creek Park where Jer and I ran 5k around the lake and then we played for about an hour or so on the playground. Layla was having so much fun climbing and running and sliding with Jeremy while I took pictures. It was a really fun day, and I'm glad Jer got off work early to spend time with us. It was a great way to start the weekend. After we showered and got dressed we were going to take Layla to Pizza Machine for dinner (it's kind of like Chuck E. Cheese,) but we were all exhausted and fell asleep on the couch.

Happy Birthday Layla Grace!

2010-04-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

My baby girl turns two today! I can't believe how quickly time flies!! I love you Layla bug!

I can't believe you used to be this tiny.

Some Fun With Sidewalk Chalk!

2010-04-07T21:19:00.000-07:00

Layla and I spent some time outdoors in the sun. The wind was a little chilly, but it wasn't all that bad. We had some fun playing with her new bucket of sidewalk chalk. She loves coloring! You should have seen the fit she threw when it was time to come in!!

My Beautiful Girl.

2010-04-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

Easter With The In-Laws

2010-04-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

Easter Morning!!!

2010-04-07T20:55:00.000-07:00

Jeremy's basket, My basket, and Layla's basket.

I "hid" the eggs well.

How many eggs can you spot?

Someone got very excited!!

Is this for me? What's going on?!

PURE EXCITEMENT!

Her favorite.

What is an egg hunt?

I have to look for what?!

Oh, these?

Here ya go...

Oh...I put them in the bucket!

This is when I decided to video her because she was being hilarious.

Having Fun With My New Camera!

2010-04-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

Some fun in the Spring

2010-04-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

grumpy hubby

she was having so much fun!

It was nice to be out with the family and enjoy some sunshine.

Dear Kayla,

2010-04-07T11:11:00.001-07:00

you and Tyler need to make babies. You two would make very cute babies and you'd be amazing parents! Plus, look at how much babies love Tyler!
Love, your favorite cousin.

I was just looking through all of my pictures of the last Fausett reunion I went to and I'm getting really excited to see everyone since it feels like forever since the last one I attended.

Mama's Little Cowpoke

2010-04-07T09:16:00.001-07:00

Thanks mom for the cute little cowgirl jammies!

Thanks Sandra!!

2010-04-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

I got your lovely Arizona sunset postcard!
It's going up on my fridge now along with post cards that my husband has gotten for me on all of his TDYs and deployments.
Thanks so much!

Wow, you can really see up my nose in this pic. Glad there's no boogers =D

Happy Homemake Monday!

2010-04-05T08:49:00.000-07:00

Weather in my neck of the woods:
Thunderstorms the next few days!

Things that make me happy:
Mommy and Toddler pilates. Layla and I had so much fun laughing and exercising this morning. Most of the 35 minute work out didn't even feel like a work out, but I know I was working those muscles hard!

Book I'm reading:
I'm about to start reading Mansfield Park. I've been meaning to start it since I got back from California, but I haven't really felt like it. I'll get to it this week.

What I'm enjoying on TV:
Parenthood on NBC. I'm so in love with that show!

On the menu for dinner:
Something with chicken probably. Haven't really decided.

On my To Do List:
Clean bathrooms. Vacuum.

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
I found a recipe for a blackberry-banana smoothie that looks YUMMY!

In the craft basket:

scrapbooking!

Looking forward to this week:
Layla's 2nd birthday!!

Tips and Tricks:
When you make icing to flood sugar cookies always err on the side of too much icing! You don't want to run out of icing mid-decorating and then realize you didn't stock up on supplies.

My favorite blog post this week:
I haven't really read any blogs since I've been back. I need to start catching up soon.

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
I loooove Not So Idle Hands. She's so creative and gives me the best ideas for crafting! I've been following her a while, but she may be new to some of you.

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days:
Always stock up on what you'll be needing in the kitchen while cooking or for!

On my mind:
Getting some running in today. When and where am I going to do it? How long shall I run for? Set a time limit or mileage?

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T13:09:00.001-07:00

Layla as Cinderella

2010-03-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

My mom got Layla this ADORABLE Cinderella costume at the Disney store and she wore it out while I was running errands. She looked so dang cute. I tried to get more pictures, but she just wouldn't hold still or look at the camera. I'll have to try again another time!

Happy to be Home

2010-03-31T20:16:00.001-07:00

As much as I love being out in Nor Cal with my family and friends, there is nothing like being at home and sleeping in my own bed. Layla was happy to see her daddy and cuddle on the couch with one of our new quilts.

Good Bye California!

2010-03-31T20:13:00.000-07:00

When it was time to pack up and head home to Nebraska Layla did everything she could to keep me from packing. She wanted to stay and play with her Aunt Wendi and Grandma Bird!

We had a great trip out to California (Thanks Dad for buying my tickets!!) It was great surprising Wendi for her birthday and seeing my family and friends. I can't wait to go back out again!

Merry-Go-Round!

2010-03-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

In the local mall there is a big merry-go-round for the kiddos. Layla would make animal noises as we passed and she just had to go on for a ride. She was a little scared, but Wendi and I were on there with her and she ended up having a lot of fun and not wanting to get off.

Faces of Layla

2010-03-31T20:10:00.001-07:00

Back to Lagoon...

2010-03-31T20:06:00.001-07:00

Matty, Layla, and I were bored while everyone else was at work so we headed out to Pena Adobe to go for a little hike. It got a little steep, especially carrying Layla up, but we had a lot of fun!

We met a couple of horses on the way up.

I got a kiss from Layla when we made it to the top.

Getting some water from her uncle Matty. She was carried most of the time, but she did hike up some rather steep parts herself. She was a little trooper!

She was too small to carry the camelbak for us.

After all the hiking up steep hills I had to ice my shins.

Sewing!!

2010-03-31T20:00:00.001-07:00

My mom makes the best quilts in the world, and I love finding new, cute fabric to make quilts with her to take home with me. In my opinion a home can never have too many blankets

Layla was such a good little helper. She would take the pins out as my mom was sewing and put them back in the little pin-cushion. She was having so much fun helping!

Cuddling with the blanket she helped Grandma Bird sew.

Getting the yarn in the patriotic quilt I was making.

I absolutely love this fabric!

These are the two that I got for myself.

Little Princess

2010-03-31T19:58:00.001-07:00

Layla looks so cute in her Belle costume!!!

Lagoon Valley

2010-03-31T19:55:00.001-07:00

One warm, sunny day in Nor Cal we packed up a picnic lunch and a blanket and took Layla to see the ducks and geese out at Pena Adobe park. She had the time of her life chasing the birds around and finding sticks to swing around and beat the ground with.

You know Layla loves duckies!!

She was having the time of her life!

Sidewalk chalk + Bubbles!

2010-03-31T19:51:00.000-07:00

Since the weather out west was so warm and sunny we took advantage of it by getting sidewalk chalk and a bubble machine and soaked up some rays.

Arriving

2010-03-31T19:46:00.001-07:00

I flew into Sacramento Airport on my sister's birthday to surprise her. To get her to the airport my dad told her that he needed to go meet someone who was flying in some important paperwork for a case that he working on. She took the bait and was bored out of her mind waiting on this mystery person.

So while they were waiting I had to sneak passed them and get into a good position to take this picture. I then sent my sister this picture:

She got the pic while I was going down the elevator and when I turned the corner I could see that she was completely confused as to how I sent this picture to her. Layla was very excited and ran to Wendi to give her a big hug. Then grandma bird and grandpa Pete each got a big hug from Layla.

M.I.A.

2010-03-26T14:52:00.001-07:00

I didn't give up on the blog again. I'm visiting family and will be home late Tuesday night, so I'll pick up on the blogging again next week. Hugs =)

St. Patrick's Day!!

2010-03-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

My famous sugar cookies! I made the cutest Shamrocks for Barb's St. Patty's party. They were a big hit with Layla. She loves her mommy's sugar cookies.

Mama's little "sham-rocker"

Big Girl!

2010-03-20T20:28:00.001-07:00

In the fort with mommy watching Destination Truth.

Reading to herself.

My cool little bug on the one warm day we had last week.

Walking to our neighbor's house for a birthday party. She carried her diaper bag for herself.

Spring is Coming!!

2010-03-20T20:25:00.000-07:00

Despite the freezing temperatures today and SNOW yesterday, there are signs of Spring starting. My daffodils are starting to grow and soon I will be planting even more beautiful flowers in my yard! We had a nice 60 degree and sunny day last week and I'm looking forward to some more this coming week! Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are going to be nice and sunny and warm! I'm planning on doing some fun outdoor activities with Layla.

SPOILED!!

2010-03-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

Well, not spoiled...loved =)

She couldn't wait for it to get put together! The wait was just killing her!

Jer working hard to get it put together quickly =D

It's ready to go, but someone just wants to sit in it, not drive it =)

With some help from daddy she finally got driving. I had to bribe her with cookies to come into the house and out of the cold, but there were still a few tears!

Thank you Grandma Bird and Grandpa Pete!
This was Layla's Christmas present from my parents and we had to wait for all the snow to melt to put it together for Layla to play.

Sunday Afternoon

2010-03-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

We all woke up really early on Sunday morning. We all had breakfast and watched a little PBS programming from our DVR (I'm really sick of Curious George!) Then I spent around an hour in my favorite craft store just walking around and getting ideas for future projects. After I was done we drove out to Village Point in West Omaha and had lunch and walked around the stores. Layla got A LOT of cute clothes from the Carter's store. I loooove their clothes! They are by far my favorite. We got Layla some of the cutest Summer dresses I've ever seen! I'm sure I'll post pictures when it's warm enough for her to wear them!

Here's Layla walking around with Jer. She saw me whip out the phone to take pictures and took off so I couldn't get any of her. She's such a little stinker!

Happy Homemaker Monday!

2010-03-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Cloudy. Cold. Foggy. Yucky. Is it Spring YET?!

One of my simple pleasures:
My runner's high. I got a big one this weekend!

On my bedside table:
A journal, photo box, and Sense and Sensibility.

On my TV:
Chelsea Lately.

On the menu for tonight:
No idea what I'm going to make tonight.

On my To Do List:
Clean kitchen, hallway bathroom, and playroom.

New Recipe I tried last week:
The Fettuccine Alfredo from Rocco Dispirito's book that was featured in Runners World magazine. HEALTHY AND DELIC!

In the craft basket:

Scrapbooking, scrapbooking, scrapbooking!

Looking forward to:
Getting into shape. It's a long road, but I'm chugging along.

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
My teapot makeover post. I love the new flowers in there! It's in a corner of the house that is just a hallway that isn't often used and it was quite plain, now it is a beautiful little corner!

Favorite photo from last week:

Lesson learned the past few days:
Don't take anything for granted. Especially something as simple as water. Every 15 seconds a child dies from a water-borne illness. I'm lucky that my family and I have access to all the clean drinking water that we need.

Postcard Exchange and Tea Pot Makeover =)

2010-03-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

Go to Sandra's Blog if you'd like to participate in the post card exchange. She's trying to get at least one person from each state!!

My great-grandmother's tea pot wasn't holding water very well. Strange, since it's a tea pot. I guess it's just too old. So I had to remove my fresh flowers and I took a trip to my favorite craft store to pick up some fake flowers and some styrofoam to hold them up. I got daisies and tulips because they're my favorite flowers!!

Healthy and Yummy Fettuccine Alfredo

2010-03-14T07:38:00.000-07:00

In Runner's World Magazine there was a feature of Rocco Dispirito's new cook book, and with it there was a recipe that suits runners quite well. When you run, you need a lot of carbs to give you energy, but you need the HEALTHY carbs, not the bad ones! Fettuccine Alfredo is a popular dish for runners, but the heavy cream used in the sauce is not the healthiest thing in the world. We started with whole wheat fettuccine instead of the traditional kind. Then instead of heavy cream for the sauce we used greek yogurt and low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth. It was quite delicious and had fresh garlic, grated Parmesan, and ground nutmeg. The dish was so creamy and tasty, and it would have been better if I let the fettuccine cook a little longer. I think I was really excited for the sauce and drained it too quickly. We'll probably have this again next week some time! Yum!

Served with whole wheat dinner rolls

So yummy!

Jer enjoyed it.

Layla did not. She stuck to grapes and bread.

Daddy's Girl

2010-03-14T07:35:00.001-07:00

Getting in a story on daddy's lunch break.

Layla and I went shopping the other night, and while we were out picked up some chocolate bugs for Jer.

Mommy's Girl

2010-03-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

Such sweet, tiny hands.

Checking out all the lights on the cars in the parking lot.

This is my view a lot of the time, and I love it.

Dinner isn't dinner without someone's feet on the table.

Mama's little Diva

Gym Time!

2010-03-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

We like to go to the gym as a family. Since Jer has been in ALS and is tired from class all day and homework all night, Layla and I have been going without him more often. It's always more fun when it's the three of us though!

Layla likes doing sit ups with daddy on the incline.

I woke up early Saturday morning to hit the gym by myself while Layla and Jer slept in together, and I ran 8 laps around the track. I was pretty proud of myself for running all three miles without stopping to walk or get some water. I can run 3-4 miles on the treadmill because I can set my pace easier and I have more control of how fast I am going. It's harder on the track because my muscles have to work harder to propel myself and stay at a good pace. On the treadmill it sets the pace for me and I don't have to work quite as hard. I was pretty dang proud of myself!

Layla likes doing sit ups with me at the bar in the back of the gym. The other day she decided to try something different back there. It was just too cute.

Laundry Day!

2010-03-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

Layla loves Laundry day. We pile up the laundry in the living room and sort them accordingly, and Layla thinks it's her job to go through the piles and pull out different items to wear or play with or mix the piles up altogether.

She found my hat in the bedroom, decided to put on my dirty white shirt and two of her dirty socks to wear as gloves.

She whined and complained trying to get me to put her in the laundry hamper.

I complied and she decided that it just wasn't as fun as it looked.

Napt Time!

2010-03-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

...with Barney, B.J., and Baby Bop!

Kitchen Sharing Tuesday

2010-03-09T13:22:00.001-08:00

I found this recipe in the Biggest Loser Simple Swaps book. They have a lot of great ideas for healthy dishes. Last night I made spinach and cheese quinoa and some grilled chicken breasts. It was delic!!!! It wasn't the best thing I've ever made, but it's probably the best tasting HEALTHY recipe I've ever made.

Chopping up the spinach.

Checking the recipe throughout the cooking process....

Onions, mushrooms, garlic, and spinach.

Quinoa. None of our local grocers carry this (if yours does it will be in the rice/pasta aisle.) So we made a trip out to Whole Foods.

The final product =) The chicken isn't part of the recipe, but I knew that eating just quinoa wouldn't fill Jer or I up so I sprinkled on a little cumin and grilled on our handy, dandy Forman Grill.

The Many Faces Of Layla

2010-03-08T13:40:00.002-08:00

Layla loves when I put my make-up on. She likes to copy almost everything I do. It's so cute.

I took this pic during one of our walks last week. It was nice enough that we just had to wear our light coats and we went out and enjoyed the sunshine.

Layla doing pull-ups! Strong little nugget!

Layla's friend, Connor, was riding her bike around and so Layla climbed in the back to be take around the living room. They had so much fun playing together.

Mama's little cowpoke.

Trying to escape naptime.

Modeling one of the cute little dresses I got her in preparations of Spring. Told you I'm excited!

Eating a cookie and watching Curious George.

Playing dress-up again!

This is What Jer Has Been Up To:

2010-03-08T13:40:00.001-08:00

Layla's Newly Decorated Princess Room!

2010-03-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

So we turned the jungle themed nursery into Layla's Disney Princess big-girl room! It took me a few hours to put some of the furniture together, and Jeremy and Layla helped me put all the decorations on the walls up. Turned out so cute!

Layla's Princess tent, little table, and the cloth toy box that we use for blanket storage because Layla has a whole other room for her toys.

The top of her dresser. That little shelf used to be mine and hung on the wall in my bedroom when I was a little girl.

I love this mural of Cinderella's castle on her wall, and Layla loves her little storage bench that is full of Disney Princess toys.

Layla's awesome canopy bed.

I'm going to repaint the letters in her name soon so it matches the rest of the room better.

Woke up to enjoy sitting on her little bench.

This was her first night in the bed. She lasted until about 5 a.m. and woke up and had to come into bed with us. Last night she lasted the whole night in her bed and came looking for me around 9 this morning.

Dress Up

2010-03-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

During the USA vs. Canada hockey game (the one we lost) Layla and her friend, Nina were playing dress up in the playroom while the grown ups were watching the game. They came out to show us how cute they looked! Check out the little Fairy Princesses!

What I've Been Up To...

2010-03-08T12:49:00.000-08:00

Getting Ready For Spring:
In the past few weeks I've really been looking forward to Spring. It's pretty much all I talk and think about. So Every week I've been getting fresh flowers for my house. I have a lot of differently shaped glass vases that are all clear glass, but last week I decided to use this old tea pot to hold some pretty little daisies that I got. This tea pot belonged to my great-grandma Mary who brought it with her from Yugoslavia when she brought my papa here to the states.
Running:
I took up running to get back into shape. I've put on a lot of weight since Layla was born, and I'm tired of carrying around the extra pounds. So in November I laced up my old running shoes and hit the gym. I either run on the treadmill or the indoor track. I think that's another reason I'm excited for Spring. No more running in circles. It's been a slow process, but since November I've lost 8.3 lbs. I'm slowly getting there, and I run so often and for so long that I've decided to start training for a half-marathon! Here's my new Asics that I got at Sport Chalet in Vacaville.

Going to the Bookstore:
Layla and I go to our local Borders a few times a week. It's either Borders or the gym! Since the weather has been so cold and snowy we haven't been able to do a lot of our favorite outdoor stuff all Winter. So when we start to get cabin fever we head over to Borders. Layla enjoys playing in the Children's section and finding new books for us to read.

Reading:
Well, we spend so much time at the bookstore, that we might as well get something out of it, right? A little while ago I was bored stiff and was having trouble finding books I could really get into and enjoy. So I picked up my old copy of Pride and Prejudice and got an idea. I'll go through all of Jane Austen's novels! There's only six, so it won't be too difficult, right? Wrong! Austen novels aren't the problem, it's all of her admirers! I didn't realize how many books have been written about her or inspired by her characters! Austen enthusiasts have taken the characters and written novels about what they think happened after the last page of the novel. They're so interesting! So I'm reading them all. I don't know what I was thinking, because my reading list is at 34 books...so far! I'm still reading Austen novels right now though. I finished Pride and Prejudice and Emma, and now I'm on Persuasion. It's been an easy read so far, and as long as I get some quiet reading time away from the toddler that likes to climb me I should be done by the end of the week.

Happy Homemaker Monday!

2010-03-08T12:32:00.000-08:00

I got this idea from Sandra, over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. She answers these questions every Monday for her followers.

The weather in my neck of the woods:
It's been rainy, and we're supposed to get more rain tonight, which is a disappointment from last weeks sunny weather. I'm just glad the temperature hasn't gone down. It finally got up to the 40's and with all that sun last week the snow is almost all melted. There are still big patches of ice in areas that are blocked from the sun, but hopefully this week and next, the warm temperatures will keep climbing and it will all be gone soon. I'm looking forward to SPRING!

One of my simple pleasures:
Cuddling with Layla and Jer in our bed. Ever since Layla was sick over Christmas she's been sleeping with us almost every night and it's been really nice cuddling all three of us. She just got her own big girl bed this week though, and last night was her first night spending the entire night in her bed! I'm so proud of my big girl, but I miss her too!

On my bedside table:
Persuasion

On my TV:
Well, right now Curious George because Layla is eating some yogurt and watching her favorite monkey so I can sit here and blog. We're been watching Biggest Loser all season and I look forward to the new episodes on Tuesday nights.

On the menu for tonight:
Spinach and Cheese Quinoa with grilled chicken. Yummy!!

On my To Do List:
Clean out the Fridge (it smells awful!)
Start the laundry

New Recipe I tried last week:
Didn't try anything new last week, but the quinoa is a new recipe I'll be trying tonight.

In the craft basket:
Scrapbooking! I am so far behind on my scrapbooking, and I really need to start catching up.

Looking forward to:
Warm weather! I love winter and the snow, but I'm ready for warmer weather and dressing Layla up in cute little dresses!

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
Reusing glass jars on Sandra's blog. Such a fun idea!

Favorite photo from last week:

So this blog...

2010-03-08T12:24:00.000-08:00

I used to make posts about what we were up to, and then I figured the few people that do come check this blog out are only looking for pics and updates on Layla. So for the past year or so I only get on to upload pictures of her and let you all know how she is doing, and now I don't have a camera! First it was spotty and would work only if Jeremy turned it on. I guess it didn't like me. Then finally it said, enough is enough, and even Jeremy couldn't work his magic on it. That is why I haven't posted anything since early February. So I decided to get back to blogging and writing about things I want to write about. I follow this blog, Diary of a Stay at Home Mom, and I loove reading her posts! She is also an Air Force wife, and she has so many creative cooking ideas and suggestions and she truly inspires me! I was never really taught how to cook, so I'm almost frightened to try new recipes, or anything in the kitchen really, but because of Sandra, I have been much more adventurous, and now I will share my triumphs and mishaps with anyone who cares to stop by and check them out. I was thinking I would have to do this without pictures for a while until we were able to get a new camera, and then my mom reminded me that I could just take pics with my new iPhone (that Jer got me for Valentine's Day) and I have some amazing photo editing apps, the only thing is, there are a lot more steps to get them onto the computer and then onto blogger, so please be patient if there aren't any new pics up everyday.

Crazy Little Monkey

2010-02-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

Sorry for lack of posts, camera is still broken, and I haven't gotten a new one yet. Here are some pics from my phone.

My best friend Barb is about to have another baby and I was getting Layla's old bouncer out for her to borrow and Layla wouldn't get out of it.

Layla and Jeremy enjoying our new couch.

I was walking down the hallway to go to the bathroom and as I passed the playroom this is what I saw. She really thinks she's a monkey.

Best Friends

2010-01-26T11:09:00.001-08:00

Jer, Layla, and I took a nice little trip to California to visit my family and escape the snow. I wish I could have taken more pictures, but my camera isn't working well and I only took a few on my phone, which doesn't have the best quality. Here's one of Layla and her Aunt Wendi when we just arrived at the air port. It had been about 3 months since she'd seen her Aunt Wendi, but she knew her best friend!

Thank You Aunt Debby!

2010-01-26T11:07:00.000-08:00

My Aunt Debby knitted a beautiful purple scarf for Layla, which I'm so glad she did because I was having a hard time finding one small enough for her to wear in this cold weather! Thanks Deb!

Thank You!

2009-12-30T20:34:00.001-08:00

Jer's parents got us a gift card for Nebraska Furniture Mart this year for Christmas and since we never got around to using the one that they gave us last year, we had a lot to spend on things that we really needed around the house.

We got this table for the entryway. Jer just finished setting it up, and that's why it looks so nice and clean. I'm sure that it will soon be cluttered with keys and wallets and mail. We also got that awesome old-style phone that's on it at NFM.

After we picked that out, we still had a lot of money to spend so we got this painting and this apothecary chest that it's resting on. I think the artwork on it is just amazing, and it's very lightweight and beautiful. We have it against the wall in our dining room.

Layla had a lot of fun running around NFM, there is a lot to see and play on. She even found and loved the toddler bed that we'll be getting her for her 2nd birthday that's coming up in a few months.

Thanks again Jim and JoAnn!!

Christmas Party At Grandma JoAnn's Office

2009-12-18T23:53:00.001-08:00

Playing a great game of tic-tac-toe

A belly full of Christmas cookies.

She see's her reflection in the glass ball and keeps smiling at herself.

Talking to her reflection in the ornament.

Checking out the decorations on the wall.

Happy little nugget.

Coloring some festive pictures with Grandma JoAnn.

Someone loves her juice.

Really getting into detail.

Concentrating hard.

Layla did not like Santa!!

Playing Dress Up!

2009-12-12T18:39:00.000-08:00

Since we've been snowed in I decided to play dress up with Layla!

Zver was jealous and wanted to get in on the fun.

Lots of Snow!

2009-12-12T18:33:00.001-08:00

We got A LOT of snow this week. So much that we've pretty much become hermits and don't want to go anywhere. We're having fun being cozy and spending time together, especially now that Jeremy is FINALLY home! We have had the occasional trip outdoors, and since this is the first winter that Layla is able to walk around in the snow she is having so much fun playing in it! We have to bring her in kicking and screaming when she starts getting too cold because she wants to stay out and play in the snow.

Kisses From California

2009-12-02T23:31:00.000-08:00

While talking to my mom on Skype Layla climbed up on my lap and leaned across the desk to give her grandma Bird a kiss. Cutest thing ever.

Christmas Tree Lighting At Village Point in West O

2009-12-01T23:44:00.001-08:00

If I were looking at the camera and Layla didn't look scare this could be a good Christmas card photo!

Cuddling with my little sweetie.

Right when they lit the tree we had Layla looking in that direction and you can see on her face she was amazed!

Trying to get Layla to face the camera can be a difficult task sometimes.

Layla likes to twirl in walkways.

When Layla gets tired of walking she just lays down no matter where she is!

Little Monster!

2009-11-07T22:56:00.000-08:00

Layla and Mommy at the Gym

2009-11-06T16:20:00.000-08:00

Layla running around on Halloween

2009-11-05T21:59:00.001-08:00

HALLOWEEN!!!

2009-11-05T21:52:00.000-08:00

She got her bucket and took off running.

To keep her in the driveway while we passed out candy I had to get her tee ball set out so she'd play with it. Worked for about five minutes.

Chasing the little monkey with a broken toe is not fun.

Mummy snacks!

These are not lolipops. They are cake pops. Balls of cake dipped in candy coating. So delicious!!!!

Eventful Friday Night

2009-10-16T20:43:00.001-07:00

So my friend, Maria and I were planning on carving pumpkins and making a yummy dinner tonight since both of our hubbys are out of town. We took a quick drive over to Papillion to get some pumpkins from the HyVee and when we went back out to the van it wouldn't start. The breaks were locked and the ignition was locked. I couldn't even turn the key. After 45 minutes of trying we walked up to Buffalo Wild Wings to eat, and once we were done we tried again. After ten minutes I caved and called our roadside assistance and they sent a tow truck. So I trip that should have taken about a half hour took over three hours.
We're glad to finally be home in our sweats and cozy in our Halloween quilt.
Thank you Barb for picking up Maria and Layla so they didn't have to wait with me =)
We're going to carve pumpkins tomorrow instead since it's so late now.

Park Play

2009-10-07T18:44:00.003-07:00

Layla exploring the toddler playground. That place was AMAZING! Very safe for toddlers to play.

The Kapele guys playing some ball.

Grandma Bird getting Layla to try the teeter-totter.

Mrazek men.

APPLE HILL!!!!!

2009-10-07T18:34:00.000-07:00

Feeding the evil ducks. If you didn't get the crackers to them fast enough they'd chase you.

helping out Grandma Bird pick out pears.

Yay!

Eating peaches after doing a great job picking out pears.

hanging out with Aunt Wendi.

Pumpkin Patch in Placerville!

2009-10-07T18:25:00.001-07:00

My Little Cutie

2009-09-14T23:21:00.000-07:00

Layla was in her diaper and tee shirt and decided to put her shoes on, her hat on, and carry around a stuffed dinosaur and stuffed poodle. It was really cute, and really odd. She is so entertaining.

Layla found the screwdriver lying there while Jer was putting together a new shelf and she decided she was going to help.

My little biker baby. I'm going to have to get her one of those for Christmas. She loves riding Nina's bike around. She just needs to learn how to steer a little better.

Layla and I at the zoo with the monkeys. Her favorite place at the zoo is the jungle building. She loves watching the monkeys play.

Her second favorite place at the zoo is the petting zoo. She loves chasing the goats around and petting them and trying to ride them around. She's my little animal lover.

Blast From The Past

2009-09-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

Pics of me as a child that look just like Layla!

I've been bad about posting this past month....

2009-09-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

...and I'm so sorry! It takes forever to sit here and get them on to blogger, and I just haven't felt like sitting here and doing it lately. So here's a little bit of what we've been up to the past month!

Layla figuring out how to balance the ball on the tee at the Hennings' house.

She actually got really good at hitting the ball and would clap for herself everytime she hit it. It was so adorable and entertaining!

taking a hard turn in the toy car.

Daddy pushing Layla around.

"come and give me kisses momma!"

Little motor baby!!

Enjoying the crisp, cool autumn evening at Jon's.

She loves playing in the rocks. Of course, she tries to eat them.

Saying "CHEESE!" for Gabby!

Peek-a-boo!

My little runner.

Climbing up the slide like momma used to do.

Flower girl for a friends' wedding.

I don't know what her obsession is with socks, but she likes to wear mine on her feet and hers on her hands.

Looks like a lot of fun.

Daddy is a princess too?

Wearing the Disney Princess Mouse Ears that Grama Bird got at Disneyland.

I turn around for one second and I'm missing Dr. Pepper.

Shoe Queen.

Cake I made for one of Jer's co-worker's birthday.

Layla sharing with Kaila.

She's grown so much, but she's still so small next to her massive kitchen.

My little Bosnian refugee.

goofball.

Layla in a basket!

Tinkerbell

2009-08-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

Great News!!

2009-08-04T14:12:00.000-07:00

The Omaha-Council Bluffs Chapter for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation raised over $1 million dollars at the event on Saturday!!! One step closer to the cure. We are so excited and proud to have been a part of such an amazing event.