Back to Blogging

Now that football season is over (after tomorrow), the holidays are over, I am done reading the Twilight series, and our very busy January is over, it is time to get back to blogging. We've had a very busy, but fun past few months. We had lots of fun watching our Packers this season. We even had fun watching Favre silence his critics. I had a blast reading the Twilight series. Scott continued and continues to enjoy golfing.....frequently. Oh, the perks of living in the Valley of the Sun. We had fun watching the Australian Open. And we even went on a getaway with friends. And now on to Amaya.

Amaya has had a blast on many fun playdates. She continues to love the park, the bounce house, and she even got to go to her first movie with her little buddy Brooklyn. See Mae's blog for photos. Mae is a much better blogger than I. :-) Amaya also got to go to the Wildlife World Zoo with Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Jerry and she's been enjoying lots of quality time with Grandma Kim and Grandpa John while they're in AZ escaping the cold for 2 months. Lately Amaya also enjoys cruising around in her first "car." See pics below. She also loves playing musician with the instruments she got for Christmas. She sings various songs while playing various instruments. Perhaps we have a budding musician in our midst. Another interest of hers is puzzles. Puzzles, puzzles, puzzles. She has gotten quite good at them. She is still a lover of snowmen and still asks to go see the snow. Our snow day with the Luedy's didn't cure her of that (see previous blog entries). But, she shall have to wait until next year to see the snow again. We are booked on the Polar Express next December (or as Amaya calls it...Choo Choo Express). That should be fun!

So...here are some pics from some of our events of the past few weeks. Excuse the quality. I've dropped my camera 12 too many times and am currently shopping for a new one. :-) If anyone has any camera recommendations, I'd love them!

CHRISTMAS

Having fun at church on Chirstmas Eve with the Luedy's.
Music and kids mixes so well.

This is Amaya after church. She found a soccer ball in the greenbelt and away she went. She ran all over kicking it along, controlling the ball the whole way. I saw her do this on the monitor at the gym one time, so it was fun having Scott see for himself. He believed me, but still, 'til you see it with your own eyes. No one ever taught her this. She's a natural at soccer I guess. Go figure. It's a sport neither of us enjoys. But even so, I signed her up for soccer this spring. Hopefully she'll love tennis and golf, too. :-)

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree (on Christmas Eve shortly before Santa arrived)

Amaya opening Santa gifts on Christmas morning.

So thrilled with her new Minnie and Mickey.

Now that's a happy face. Santa done good.

Stocking time.

Checking out her stocking stuffers.

She opened candyland, some new slippers, etc., etc. She was happy with each item. She said thank you after opening each gift. But it wasn't until she opened her new Abby that we saw the expression of pure elation again, similar to the one she exhibited with Mickey and Minnie. As always, she is most passionate about her animals and dolls.

A Frosty Ornament for our little Frosty Fan

Thrilled again. It's another doll. A beautiful Dora doll. She opened it and immediately hugged the box. Love at first sight was the look on her face.

She was desperate to get to Dora. She kept saying excitedly, "Open it! Open it! Open it!"

Dressing up in her princess dress and shoes.

After opening gifts we showered up. Next Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Jerry arrived and we had Christmas brunch. Then mom and dad had one more present for miss Amaya.

In this picture, she looks confused and/or unsure about what this big, bulky present could be.

But when she realized what it was, she was ready to go for a spin.

She loves, loves, loves cruising in her jeep.

PACKER TIME

4 Packer Fanatics about to watch their beloved Packers (myself, Scott, and Scott's parents)

NUEVO VALLARTA/PUERTO VALLARTA

Scott and I enjoyed a wonderful vacation with our dear friends the Melquists (Jeramiah and Sarah) and the Fullers (Mike and Krista). We enjoyed lots of pool time, lazy river time, a little waterpark and ocean time, lots of golf for the boys and spa time for the girls, and an all around great time. We pretended we were in our 20's again part of the time and had lots of fun doing so. We enjoyed many a happy hours poolside, and sometimes at the pool bar. We even had a fabulous poolside waiter one day, Javier, that "kept our glasses full" while we enjoyed the lazy river. We got to see Tim Mahoney and GB Leighton perform. We enjoyed many a fabulous meals. Saw some beautiful sunsets (although we missed as many as we saw, oops). We even risked life and limb one night on the craziest cab ride ever, after which we bought shirts that read we survived a cab ride with Julio. He was crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wasn't too good about lugging the camera around, but for our last 36 hours there I decided it was time to bring the camera along and get some pics. Here are a few.

We missed Amaya, but also enjoyed the R and R.

A lovely evening out with friends.

The start of a very fun night! Margarita's at Pipi's. We heard over and over from EVERYONE that we had to go to Pipi's for their "killer margaritas." They were fab...

and large!

The boys at stop #2...

...and the girls.

We didn't end up staying at stop #3. We used the facilities and moved on! Here are some pics from stop #4.

And here is a picture from stop #5. No.....we didn't end up in a Mexican jail. We were simply "on stage and in the cage" at a nightclub.

Amaya's First Snowman

Thanks to Erin, here are some pics of Amaya's first snowman. (See previous blog entry). Yeah! Here is the whole gang posing with Frosty the Packer Backer and Amaya giving him a kiss. He wasn't the cutest snowman in the world. The snow was quite hard from meltage on warm days and refreezing on cold nights making the snow very difficult to work with. But we love him just the same. :-) Hopefully next year we catch a day that's actually snowing so that is soft and fluffy! Then we can even do snow angels.

I will try to post a few Christmas pics soon. Been busy. What can I say. :-)

A Song, A Story, And A Picture Or Sixteen

Happy Holidays

Dearest family and friends up north... We shall miss seeing you all this holiday season. But here is a little song to explain why we choose to make our annual visit up north in the summertime instead of during the holidays. It's to the tune of "Let It Snow. Let It Snow. Let It Snow."

Let's Not Go. Let's Not Go. Let's Not Go.

The weather up north is frightful,

But down south it's so delightful,

So since we don't miss the snow,

Let's not go, let's not go, let's not go.

We'll go instead in summer,

When we won't have to bring a sweater,

The temps won't be quite so low,

Then we'll go, then we'll go, then we'll go.

Scott'll golf a round or two,

And have more than just one brew,

He may win some money, too,

That sounds fun, now that is true.

If you're north this Christmas we'll miss you,

But feel free to visit us, too,

You may like it just so darn much,

When you leave you'll cry a bunch, cry a bunch.

When you return home you'll think of Phoenix,

And how much you hated to leave it,

It's so warm you may just move here,

Then we'll celebrate with a beer, with a beer.

So, that is why we have come to stay put during the holidays. :-) It's so much more fun heading north in June. We do love it here in AZ. The only thing that is missing is all of our family and friends. Though we have wonderful friends here in AZ, and we're lucky to have family here, too, it would be perfect if everyone was here. Miss you all!

Our 1st Annual Day of Fun in the Snow

With this winter wonderland only a few hours away, this is why we don't miss the snow. O.K. It's only part of why we don't miss the snow. The romanticized part. The real part is understood by all who have lived through a midwestern winter. Especially those who know the northern ND and northern MN winters. :-)

Amaya's first sled and sled ride.
Now that's the way to travel to the sled hills!

The snow was still deep, even though much had melted due to warm temps the past few days. Daddy and mommy got a work-out taking turns carrying miss Amaya back up the hill.

Next year we're buying her boots so she can climb back up on her own two little feet! :-)

Look at that sled. Designed for speed just like daddy wanted.

Daddy and Daughter bonding at it's finest.

Mommy's turn to zoom down the hill with my little snow princess. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Amaya squeeled with joy on the way down, but then would cry when we tried to leave her on the sled to pull her back up rather than carry her. Guess going slow alone on the sled is scary, but going lightning fast with mom and dad is fun, fun, fun.

Snowman time!

( Really he's thinking I am so glad I am done carrying 25# and a sled up a hill through a couple of feet of snow). :-)

Amaya and her bff Jaxon waiting patiently for snowman building to begin.

Jaxon being all boy decided they would pass the time with a snowball fight first. And this is where my camera batteries died. :-( Thank goodness Jaxon's mommy Erin got some snowman pics. We have to have pics of Amaya and her first snowman. Especially with how much she loves, loves, loves snowmen.

More Packer Pics

Amaya and Packer Bear ready and waiting patiently for kick off.

Thanks daddy for my Rodgers jersey!

Consoling Packer Bear After a Bad Play

Amaya and the Big Man in Red

This was after pictures. Guess she was all smiled out by this time. :-)

Christmas Photos Of Our Princess

It's Chilly Outside

Brrrrr.....

To kick off this blog entry, I thought I'd start with this picture that I snapped of our tv screen during the news the other night. I thought you midwesterners would get a kick out of it. Notice the adjective used to describe Sunday. :-)

New Outfit

That brings me to these next 2 pictures. Amaya was sooooo excited it was finally cool enough to wear her new "Pooh" outfit. She had been asking to wear this outfit every day for like 2 weeks.

Happy Dance! "I get to wear my new outfit! I get to wear my new outfit!"
"Look at me!"

Talented Toddler

Check out these 2 pictures. Too funny. I didn't know that I had caught this "talent" on film until I looked at the pics after uploading them. Lucky timing!!!

Bear is about to fall, but....

Amaya's quick feet save the day! :-)

Maternal by Nature

It has long been apparent that Amaya is naturally maternal. She's so loving, caring, gentle and sweet. For instance, on Sunday, Nov. 15th, Scott, Amaya, Grandma Cindy, Grandpa Jerry, and I were hanging out in our family room watching the Vikings game (the Packers played the late game that day) and I got sleepy and dozed off as half-time neared. When I woke up I was told about what great care Amaya took of me. She covered me up with one of her blankets, then turned to the others, put her index finger to her lips, and whispered Shhhhh. After that she proceeded to gently stroke the blanket over my leg. Soooo sweet. Here are a couple pictures demonstrating her maternal instincts.

She takes great care of all her baby dolls and animals...except when she's distracted while taking them for a walk and they are half hanging out of the stroller that is. :-)

But here she is being ever so gentle and loving. What a lucky bear. :-)

Shopping Time

Amaya loves to shop. This cute, little grocery cart and the groceries have proven to be a great investment! She goes grocery shopping every day. Now, if only she could drive and go to the real grocery store. :-)

Brrrrr again......

It was only 71 degrees in the house on this morning. Amaya complained that is was cold. These are the moments when I am reminded that she is an Arizona native. Soooo funny! We better not take her to Minot in January!

Trying to warm up before breakfast.

While Daddy's Away, His Girls Will Play (and mommy will actually blog)

Hi Daddy! Great Win Today!!!

Scott has been out of town this weekend, so Amaya and I have been having a fun-filled mommy/daughter weekend. Although, at first Amaya wasn't so sure about this fun-filled weekend I promised her. It started out waiting in line Saturday morning in the cold for an injection. But, thanks to Jaxon's awesome daddy (thanks John!!!), we only waited in line for 20-25 minutes. He graciously got in line to wait at 7am so the kiddos could sleep longer and so they didn't have to be in the cold very long (and so they didn't get restless, I might add...they are 2 after all). But, after Amaya got her second H1N1 vaccination (yeah), the weekend quickly looked up.

We next headed to the Midwest Market in Mesa to get midwestern/norwegian provisions for Turkey Day. Amaya loves shopping, so she had a ball. She tried to convince me to buy pickled pig's feet. O.K. Um....I'm going to have to say no to that one Amaya. Sorry baby girl.

After that, Amaya proclaimed, "Mommy, you need to wash your car." O.K. It was pretty bad, I must admit. Someone needed to call me out on it. Thanks for putting me in line Amaya. Next stop, the car wash. There was one conveniently right next door. O.K. So it is now only 915...pretty productive day so far. Where to now?

Story time at Barnes and Noble it is. Turkey stories and turkey art projects...the perfect kick off to Thanksgiving week. :-) After that...I heard a rumor Basha's still had Honey Crisp apples. Sorry friends, we cleaned 'em out. Just kidding...there's a few more left. You better hurry. Next up, a quick lunch....then off to the park, where Amaya was enthralled with watching a couple of 8 or 9-year-olds hopping on pogo sticks. Now what do you think she wants for Christmas?

Next up....nap time/ie mommy time (I got to curl up with a book, some Chai tea, and some classical music...not a bad afternoon). Amaya slept for over 3 hours when I finally woke her and she continued to want to sleep in my arms. Made me a little nervous about her morning injection ....she's not one to need sooooo much sleep. She's like her mommy that way. But...she perked up eventually once it was time for our next fun activity.

Long story short, we've been trying to see "The Cat in the Hat" in it's entirety for about 6-months, and it was on tv at 630. Perfect way to spend an evening with the daughter. Snuggled up watching one of her favorite movies.

That was Saturday. Of course today's activities centered around the Packers. Amaya and I spent 3 1/2 lovely hours at our Sunday hang-out (B-Dubbs). We had soooo much fun and our Packers won!!! Yeah!!!! Amaya has been doing so good when we take her to watch the game with us, but I've never taken her by myself to sit at a bar and grill for over 3 hours watching football. I was optimistic it would go well...but one never can be sure with a toddler. Well, she was soooo good and soooo sweet. She had people stopping by from several other tables to say hi, or tell her how cute she was, or how much they loved her outfit, or how good she was, or how they just want to take her home with them, etc. People are sooo nice. One time during the game she suddenly stood up on her chair, put her arms up and yelled "Go Pack Go!", so no wonder so many people noticed her. :-) But...she fit right in with the crowd cheering on their teams. That's why we love b-dubbs.....it's such a fun atmosphere.

So, since Scotti is celebrating the win in Green Bay with a couple of 49-er fans (and a purple people eater), and neither of the games on tv is interesting....I found myself with time to blog. Wow! Happy Sunday everyone! :-)