So, we're down in Arizona! yay! And it's raining! Even more YAY!

For some reason, my baby chose this week to start crying. For real cries. Tears and everything. He's never done this before, so i don't really know what to do other than hold him close. There must be a reason because before this week the only time he cried was when he was born and the doctor made him. meanie doctor.

Today is pie-making day. I will make the famous caramel apple pie, a pumpkin pie (to please the husband), and two pecan pies. Maybe some cherry cheesecake pies, but i may just leave those to my mother.

I am so excited for my friend Alice - they just got a new apartment (cheaper!) and got their baby stuff set up. So cute. It makes me want another one? Well, in a way.

Brian and I get our hair cut (finally) on Friday. I know, kinda pointless to get it done after Thanksgiving, but it's getting done! This will make it exactly a year since my last haircut. I hope to do this more often this year, seeing as once my hair hits a certain point it goes into a permanent pulled-back state. Except for church, out of respect of course. I've waited this long because I'm very particular with who cuts my hair and this girl who lives 500 miles away from me is one of those 4 people that I trust to make me look fantastic. :)

Sorry there are no pictures - Blogger doesn't upload with my parents' internet. lame-o.

I made Pie.

That's right. I am now a baker. I will probably be the one asked to bring pie to Thanksgiving from now on. (i'll let you know next year) But that might be assuming that I am as good as I think i am. I guess we'll see.

This is a caramel apple pie. And i did some superb lattice work (haha).
It tasted really good.

Here is the pumpkin pie.
I don't like pumpkin pie, I made it because everyone else likes it.
Too much ginger, but otherwise ok.

I would only change two things about this experience:
1. That i knew how to make good pie crust (and I always roll stuff out wrong) and didn't have to use store-bought.
2. That i had worn my apron. Not because i'm messy, but because it would have given me a more womanly feeling. And i might have begun singing and felt more like Snow White... (the baking part, not the she-is-a-pansy part)

FYI - to all of you out there, if you bring me apples and pie crust, I will make you a delicious pie, as long as I get a piece. Or not. I really do just like filling it up and topping it.

What Sean has been up to

As is the case with most parents, we just love our baby. He's SO FUN TO PLAY WITH. Except that if you play with him a lot one day and not so much the next, that second day he is Really Bored and annoyed. I haven't been feeling like myself for a while, so Brian's a lot more fun than I am most of the time. Anyway, he's been getting the hang of scooting and rolling places (scooting meaning using his legs only and shoving his head across the ground, the rolling is normal). Here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks.

Here is Sean under his laundry pile. His favorite part is that he gets to pull on the clothes and chew on them. This helps entertain him while I fold.
He really does love it, I promise.

He discovered a love for magazines. He will roll from anywhere in the room to get at them and eat them and feel them and listen to the noise they make when he crinkles them.
And I let him.
At least until the page gets soggy and rips apart.

Lover of his, my, everybody's toes. Really. LOVE.

We had him wrapped in the TN blanket like a toga, not that you can tell. He loved it, especially because he only had a diaper on underneath. Great fun.

That's right people - he voted! Such a little patriot :)

Which toy, which toy... (He ended up picking the keys to his right front. FYI)

He's already practicing looking HOTT for the ladies.

The Candy Stash.
He likes things dumped on him.
At least that's what Brian thinks.

Well, I better get back to the little guy we seem to idolize. He doesn't like it when i blog when he's awake.

Honest Inquiry

In all honesty, who of the people that read this blog think that McCain lost the election kinda on purpose? I mean really, think about it. Think about his decisions, think about the economy, think about everything that has happened from the time he won the nomination to run and the time of the general election. Let me list some highlights.

1. Decides on Sarah Palin as a running mate after meeting her once. Nothing against her, but it really was a hasty choice.

2. Housing crisis

3. Banking crisis

4. Job crisis.

5. Economy tanks, along with the dollar.

6. Palin conveniently spends a lot of money on clothes a couple of weeks before the general election and McCain's campaign (conveniently?) runs out of money days before the election. Not necessarily a coincidence in timeline, but you never know.

7. Hardly any foreign countries were supporting his candidacy.

Have I made a good case? Am I just being silly? THAT is for you to decide. Please give your opinion in notes - i would love to read what you all think about my conspiracy. (Conspiracy? Opinion? Tall tale? hmm.)

AZ pics

Picture with the grandparents...
Sean is either trying to pick my momma's nose or just grab her face in general.
He does that.

Sean likes to eat chins.

A Big Boy, sitting on the couch!

Reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel. Only everybody is dressed.

Dear Jensohn,
when you make weird faces to my camera,
I am going to post them on the internet.
love tay

This is how Jordo plays catcher in church softball. Most of my pictures are of her standing like this:

Sean doesn't pull off his socks because he doesn't like them. It's because
he wants to EAT them.
And here is grandpa letting him:

We had a blast. I am already looking forward to Thanksgiving, which will be just as busy! (Thanksgiving, Day-After-Thanksgiving-Day Shopping, Wedding, a Play, Family Things, etc etc etc!!!)

Arizona

So, we did a lot when Sean and I travelled to AZ. it was so busy and so fun, the only bummer is that we didn't have Brian with us.

The garage sale experience was fun. I found two handmade leather softballs from way long ago (a.k.a. vintage) and a baseball glove - all to put in Sean's room. and a food dehydrator. and my mom found a baby carrier for hiking - suh-weet! It's pretty fun. There were lots of other things, but those are just highlights. The experience wore me out.

My mom's birthday was the 26th and we had a good time that day, too. She had found a beautiful purse the day before for a sweet, sweet deal and that was her main birthday present. Besides me coming with Sean for a visit, of course. I made chicken adobo for her (i'm still regretting the red potatoes) and we went to my grandma's for homemade soup and dessert. I love that layered dessert. **side note - every time my grandma makes the layered dessert for somebody, she always swears that she'll never make it again. I think she's just trying to get compliments and attention, because she always makes it again. :) **

Between family and a few friends, running errands and Jordynn's crazy sporty life, my time was well-filled. And Sean only pooped out of his PJ's. Lucky! It was so fun to go back. We were so spoiled with attention (sean) and food (me) and good company. I'm glad that I got to see the family members I saw - some of whom it had been way too long (angie! those little girls are too cute to not see for so long! you better have another one so I can see him/her as a baby. no other reason). By the way, Jordynn - I emptied the dishwasher because I wanted to make your life harder and mom's life easier. It seems as though I did not succeed? Or did I? Both? And you do way too much. I would go crazy. That's all.

The airport in Phoenix and the ride home were a lot different than the way there. I got to chill with my parents before going through security, I got to the gate 5 minutes (or less) before boarding (perfect), and Sean cried on the plane. I tried to make him take a nap, so it's my fault, really. And he has the sniffles, so he wasn't feeling his best. Oh well. Apparently nobody heard him except for the people across the aisle.

and neither trip resulted in setting off the alarm with the carrier.
Tay:2 Airport:0

Airport, we will meet again. And i plan to remain victorious.

Additional bonus of the Phoenix trip: it got Sean on a new schedule just in time for the DST switch that occurred this past weekend. Yay! (well, mostly on the new schedule)

Halloween 2008

It was Sean's first Halloween and even though he would have no idea what was going on, we couldn't resist dressing him up.  The day before Halloween we saw this pumpkin costume at Walmart and since Tay says that Sean looks like a happy pumpkin, we had to buy it.

He loved this costume.  We tried it on him and he almost cried when we took it off.  He looked pretty good as a pumpkin.

Here I am dressed up for work.  Our team was supposed to dress goth and I took a punk goth approach.  Don't know if you can see the purple hair or all the safety pins in this pic.  Gotta love the exaggerated wallet chain though.

Here is Sean with all of his delicious booty from Trick or Treating.  He was pretty tired after that and apparently a little apprehensive at the prospect of having to eat so much sugar.

Here he is enjoying the fruits of his effort.  Though there is the look of consternation on his face.  I think he's realizing that he ain't going to taste a Starburst for a very long time and that these will likely be enjoyed by mom and dad.  If we have to put up with the diaper changing and midnight feedings and crying and whatnot, we should be able to enjoy the benefits of parenthood as well, right?

Before we saw the pumpkin costume, we had planned on dressing him up as a football player.  We would have added some eye black to complement the above outfit.  It seems Sean took the gangsta football player approach.

Recent Pics of Sean

Here is what Sean has been up to lately.

He loves to explore the world from all perspectives.  Here he is looking at the presidential election from another viewpoint to make sure he has selected the correct candidate before voting.  He thinks you just have to be 18 weeks old to vote.

He loves his bouncer.  Here he's having a tough time convincing mom she should give him the truffles on his left rather than the toys on his right.

So he overheard mom and dad talking about the big trip to Arizona.  He heard mom stressing a bit about having to pack and decided to help out.  Baby?  Check.  Diapers? Check.  All done.

He especially loves his bouncer when there are toys to grab.

Tag #2 & 3

8 Things I am passionate about
1. Religion (namely mine)
2. Family
3. Politics, just not right now
4. reading
5. Being a good friend
6. Playing with Sean
7. Food, meaning that It's gotta be Good.
8. Dessert

8 words or phrases I use all the time
1. I love you
2. Whatever Dude
3. Huh?
4. um...
5. Whatcha doin?
6. Lame-o
7. MOVE stupid car!
8. work with me here

8 things I want to do before I die
1. Travel to or live on the East Coast (not for a long time, maybe a year or two)
2. See the Rothko Chapel
3. See Britain, but mainly where my favorite writers lived and were inspired.
4. Better understand why I procrastinate
5. Learn how to watercolor
6. Meet my goals
7. Read and understand Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy
8. Banish my experiences with reading Hardy. Oh man. Don't do it.

8 things I want or need
1. Need and Want Sleep
2. Want Shoes, but i think you all know that by now.
3. Need more charity (the love kind from me to others)
4. Want a new microwave
5. Need more time with Brian
6. Want to eat less meat
7. Need more year-supply items
8. Want Sean to stay little forever.

8 places I would like to visit
1. England
2. France
3. Germany
4. Hawaii
5. Ireland
6. New Zealand
7. Tennessee
8. Italy

8 restaurants I love
1. El Charro
2. Joe Vera's
3. In 'n' Out
4. Jamba Juice
5. Red Robin
6. Rigatony's
7. Pei Wei
8. Cafe Rio

8 shows I like to watch
1. The Colbert Report
2. Jon & Kate Plus 8
3. 30 Rock
4. Chuck
5. Iron Chef America
6. Throw Down with Bobby Flay - actually, anything with Bobby Flay.
7. Football (sometimes) with Brian
8. Biggest Loser

8 people I tag
Basically, nobody. A lot of you have already done this and i can't remember who. I would hate to make you feel obligated twice.




2nd tag: post your 4th picture from your 4th file. say a little about it. then tag 4 other people.


This is from when Brian and I had our last couple getaway before Sean came. I believe it was last... February? January? Well, it was fun. This is me at the Utah State Capital in the rotunda. It's beautiful and the building had just been reopened after reconstruction.

I will tag for this one because even if you've done something else like this before, it's still fun - at least I think so...
1. Christi
2. THE SASSY LIME!! :)
3. Jaimie
4. Debs