June 30, 2010

Your Daily Ration of Geek




This is what Michelle says I sound like when I come home and tell her about my day at work. I'm told the engineer in the video did this completely improvised, no cue cards or script. I only wish I had those skills!

June 29, 2010

Eggs!

Last night marked a momentous occasion. After 6 months of waiting, we got our very own, home-grown (...er...laid) EGG!

This one came from our Americana Hen - also known as an Easter Egger because they lay these pretty blue-green eggs. We're hoping she becomes a consistent layer.
Here's to fresh eggs!!

June 27, 2010

Long Beach Aquarium

Saturday we decided to brave the traffic down to LA once more to go to the Aquarium of the Pacific down at Long Beach. It was a gorgeous day and we had such a great time seeing all the fishes and boats. 

Me and Peter looking at one of the bigger tanks featuring a cartoonish looking Dorie. The entire time we were there, he'd run up to each new tank and say 'hi fishies.' or 'Hello there fishies.' Cracked us up every time.


Trav and Pete hanging out in a boat.
Petey screwing up his courage to touch the starfish in the tidepool.
Tiny baby Seahorses. They were only 4 weeks old and probably as big as my fingernail. So cute.
They also had a lorikeet exhibit - birds that will come up and drink nectar out of cup in your hand. Peter was fascinated by all the pretty birdies and so Trav of course was trying to pet one until he came over and said "It bit me."  Really?

After the Aquarium, we took Petey for a ride on the carousel - which he loved - and then wandered around the docks.
 

Mustard! ('musrd mommy!')
Lunch Petey style

Then we hiked up to see the lighthouse and got a great view of the marina.
That's what the big shadow is from behind us.

Ahoy there mateys.

Father & Sons Campout

Last weekend, Trav took Petey on the Father & Sons Campout with our ward for the first time. Petey had a blast. Trav, maybe not so much. I think Petey was just so excited with the tent, sleeping bags, campfire, and having Daddy all to himself for entire evening. It was all a little too much for one little boy which resulted in the boys only getting about 4 or 5 hours of sleep.

But Petey was beside himself with excitement.
He loves flashlights.
Especially Trav's really expensive ones.
I think Trav and Petey both had a good time, (I know I enjoyed sleeping in on a Saturday morning. When was the last time that occurred?) but I'm betting Trav'll wait until I can come too before he attempts camping with a toddler again.

June 25, 2010

Potty Training books?

So it's that time for us - we're getting ready to buckle down and begin potty training Peter. We think he's ready but I'm quite nervous about how it'll go so I was wondering if any of you know of any Potty Training books that you have found to be helpful.

You know what a geek I am and how I NEED to read a book to be able to figure anything out, so please, which ones do you recommend?

June 20, 2010

Sunday Best

Just wanted to post a picture of the turkey in his Father's Day Sunday best. Let me tell you this kid did not want to stand still for a photo. But I just love this outfit and thought he looked dang cute today.

recent Petey-isms:

[going in to wake up Trav for his Father's Day french toast breakfast]
Me: Petey go wake up Daddy and say "Happy Father's Day"
Petey: Happy Bir-Day [birthday] Daddy!

[while Trav was putting Petey to bed]
Petey: Mommy be right back
Dad: Yep
Petey: Mommy get a haircut [I just got a haircut yesterday - he noticed!]
Dad: Yep
Petey: It's cute.

[on our 14 hour drive back from Idaho last week, I taught him this one]
Me: [shaking hands] Nice to meet you Petey.
Petey: Pleasure all mine.

June 16, 2010

I-Di-Ho

This past weekend we went to Idaho for Trav's 10 year high school reunion. Mine was actually the exact same weekend (just in different states) but we decided to go to his this year mostly because his class only has like 40 people and mine has around 700 and we figured it would be a lot more fun in a smaller setting. Of course, we forgot to take any pictures at the reunion itself, but we did manage to get quite a few at Grandpa's and Uncle Jon's house, where we stayed. Jon and his fiance Shelia were so nice to put us up for a few days and we ate some awesome food and had the best time playing around the farm.

For those of you that didn't know, Trav's dad and brother are beekeepers and also have quite the assortment of animals and tractors at their house.  Petey was in heaven. Grandpa took him and his cousin Stewart for multiple rides on the forklift.

He helped feed the elk and saw the two new baby calves.

He drove the forklift (again) with Daddy.
Petey's help was needed quite often this weekend. I don't know how Jon gets anything done without him.

 Check out this look of extreme concentration on Petey's face here.

And played with his cousin Stewart (or 'Sue-ert' as Petey says). These two are only about 6 months apart and look SO much alike. I've never really seen Petey play with another kid before (he usually just does the parallel play thing) but he and Stewart would jump on the bed together, dig dirt, tickle each other, play trains, and just in general follow each other around everywhere. It was hilarious.
Petey giving Stewart a hug - or choking him. It's a toss-up. 

These two are so darn cute. Although if this past weekend is any indication, we should just be prepared for the insane amount of mischief they'll get into together in about 4 or 5 years.

June 14, 2010

Splish Splash

We are loving that summer has finally arrived! After wearing jackets and long-sleeves for most of May, June has brought sun and warm weather. Finally! Here's Petey with his friends Lauryn and Bella hanging out in the pool. My kid is such a stud. Both girls spent most of the after pouring water on Petey's head and he didn't even hardly notice. It was pretty dang cute.

Sanity saver

A while back I saw this great idea on a cooking blog for keeping kids entertained while cooking. She said her mom used to spread an old sheet out on the kitchen floor and then filled an empty gallon ice cream bucket with wheat kernels. The kids could dump out the wheat and 'cook' with the kernels without making a complete mess. She also suggested setting out some measuring spoons and cups for the kids to play with.When they are done, simply use the sheet to dump the wheat back into the bucket. Easy peasy.
We've been doing this for about a month now and Petey loves it. He will always ask to 'play wheat' and it will keep him occupied while I cook dinner. Very, very sneaky. When I ask him what he is making usually he'll say 'soup.'
I just keep the gallon bucket of wheat, the sheet and some old kitchen tools in a cupboard that he can easily get to and we are all set.
Best use I've found for all that wheat food storage yet.

June 8, 2010

False Alarm

So last night Trav & I were hanging out after Petey went to bed and all the sudden we hear glass crashing and a loud thud coming from our front/dining room. First thing that crosses through both our minds is, oh no, we're being robbed. I promise we're not pessimistic*: remember, we've recently moved to a large, southern California city and have already been in a car wreck, so a burglary wouldn't be too much of a stretch.

Panic sets in and then we both spring up and multiple things happen in about 60 seconds: Trav starts to run to the spare bedroom to get the shotgun out of the safe but decides he doesn't want to leave me alone and so quickly turns around. I start to go for Petey's room but decide to run for my phone to call 911 first.

Then we both sort of realize nothing is really happening (and with hearts beating really fast) we peek around the corner and see that no, we are not being robbed. Whew. It just so happens that a large painting and frame with make quite the loud crash on wood floors. Not to mention a big mess. So luckily we didn't get robbed, we just got scared out of our minds by a piece of fine art.

*Although in my defense, I had been in the middle of reading The Outsiders and was in the mind-set of hoodlums and JDs and rumbles. Trav has no such excuse however.

June 7, 2010

New Bed!

Please disregard the mismatching dresser/nightstand and laundry pile next to it, but this past week Trav and I bought a new bed! Yipee! A cherry wood sleigh bed actually. One we've been wanting for over 6 years now. I lurv it.