The Harvest Party

So I know I'm waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind on my blogging. Here's an event that happened at the end of October. We had a Harvest Party with all my husbands family and my parents. My parents were able to come up to Seattle and we had a great time eating lots of good food and driving four-wheelers.
Luckily the weather was good so we could have lots of fun outside. We made a little Carnival for the grandkids, we dressed up and played all sorts of games.

A very busy 2 months

Ok, well we've been here almost 2 months and I feel like we are just slowing down. Life has been crazy with canning, Dr's appointments and lots in between. I've been helping to can things from pie filling to enchillada sauce. I've learned a ton and can't wait to keep learning more about it!
I'm feeling pretty good now. I'm 12 weeks and I'm starting to feel a lot less nauseous. This makes playing with Thayden so much more fun. Thayden is getting even bigger. He's trying so hard to talk, he says a few fun things. I even taught him how to say stinky; he waves his had in front of his face and goes "sssssssss." It's pretty fun to watch.
Things are going pretty well, Shane love his internship and I love being able to stay home and learn with Thayden.
Today should be a pretty busy day full of fixing cars, getting wood and working on the house. Ohh yah, thats what we've been doing too. Working on remodeling the house still! We never have a dull moment at the Lindstrom house. I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'll try to get some recent pictures up, there are a few on my facebook page. More to come soon!!

A Growing Family

I will let the picture say it all.

Leaving again

So, our bags are packed, stuff washed, everything broken down, it looks like we're moving again!! In just a few hours Shane will pack up the car and head out West! I'm super excited to be leaving and to have a husband again. This year seems to have taken a lot out of me. I feel like Shane was gone a lot more than previous APX years.
Any who, he will be on the road nice and early tomorrow and I'll be hanging here in an empty apartment. It'll be a challenge, with no kitchen stuff, only things out of my suitcase!! It'll be a great adventure.
I can't wait to get to Salt Lake on Saturday, Rexburg for a few days after that and then onto Seattle!!! wahooooo!!!
I'll keep you updated with all the new stuff!

Myrtle Beach

We went to Myrtle Beach this past weekend. My mom and I left on Friday morning, and got there around 4:30. Soon after I called Shane to describe how beautiful this place was, and 4 hours later he showed up to our door step! It was a great surprise, he took two days off work and we had a wonderful long weekend.
The condo was right on the beach, we just took an elevator down stairs and walked right onto the beach! The sand was soft and warm, the breeze cool and the water perfect! I was so amazed at how great the water felt, especially being from the West coast. Shane and Thayden had a great time playing in the sand, digging holes and "boogie boarding" together.
We ate a few great places, learned a lot about what to and not to do. This may be a place we come back to regularly, especially because the beach rivals Hawaii at over half the price!
Luckily there were no sunburns, just lots of freckles! I got to wear my new hat and I loved every minute of it. I'm so glad we all got to go on a little family vacation before we leave the East coast.

Family Photoshoot

We had a great time at the park doing a family photoshoot. Thanks Sireena for taking great pictures!

Birthday Gifts

I forgot to add some pictures of Thayden's gifts for his first birthday.
Mamaw and pop-pops got him a great car garage, Thayden has a lot of fun making the elevator go up and down. Please excuse the bare bum, its the only picture I have of him playing with it!
Grandma Lindstrom made him a really cool robe! He'll be able to wear if for a while!
We decided to get him alphabet blocks, I can't tell who likes them more: Shane loves to build and Thayden likes to knock it down!

Three 1st Birthdays!

Thayden is such a special little boy. He was able to have not just one, but THREE 1st birthdays! One with Grandma Silvia, another with Mamaw, Pop-pops, aunt Jennie and kids, and then a third with Shane, me and friends! It was really fun to have all these little parties to celebrate a wonderful child.
Thayden was on a week long sugar high, but it was really fun. I think by the 3rd time he knew what was going on and he was a lot more comfortable. It was really fun letting him have at the cake and seeing what was going to happen. Like I said, by the 3rd time he was having lots of fun!
We are so blessed to have all this family and these friend to help celebrate a child of God. I feel so blessed everyday that I have Thayden and I still can't seem to wrap my head around all that has happened in a year(+ a week). We thank everyone for the presents, and love that surrounds him! I officially have a toddler!

Jelly Beans

While in California, Thayden was introduced to a wonderful little candy called Jelly Beans. My dad always has some lying around, Thayden found a little container of them and was immediately intrigued. Of course his Pop-pops had to show him what was inside and the most curious candy around.

Summer Vacation 2009

This was the 2^nd year my family did a reunion at Greagle in northern California. Thayden and I flew into Reno, he did great but the time change was a little hard on him. We had lots of fun though playing in the dirt, on the porch, going swimming and eating lots of food. It took a while for Thayden to warm up to any one else, he would cry if he couldn’t see me which made doing almost anything very difficult. Thayden loved having other kids to play with, I think it was a new experience having kids that were bigger than him! Thayden’s cousin Tyler who is 2 months older was Thayden’s best friend. They played and did lots of mischievous things together; I think I see a great friendship forming!

After Greagle we had a long drive back home where we all stopped for IN-N-OUT burger!! I was super happy to stop and this was Thayden’s first time enjoying the fantastic burgers.

Two hours after getting home from Greagle, the missionaries were supposed to come over for dinner!! I had the most brilliant plan in the world for dinner, I have to share! After a wonderful course of American Tacos, we had pudding cups with whipped cream on top! I thought that was shear gourmet genius!

It was pretty fun having all 4 of the grandbabies under one roof, they really got to play and hang out together. Thayden and I went over to my mom’s were we went to Monterey and Santa Cruz, it was beautiful and really fun.

Thayden had his first time at the beach in Monterey, we put our feet in the water and played with the sand. I had wished Shane could have been there, but we’ll just have to go to another beach together.

The 4^th of July weekend was crazy! We went to a baseball game with almost the whole family. My brother-in-law treated his clients to a local baseball game and a buffet dinner. I was really unsure at first how it was going to play out not having very much room for Thayden to roam and knowing that we were going to be there pretty late. All in all, it worked out really well. He walked around, played, then Tyler and him fell asleep in the stroller while Jennie and I talked. I think walking around was one of my favorite times of my whole vacation. After the game there was an enormous fireworks show over the river that was next to the stadium. I still can’t believe that Thayden slept through the whole thing!

Saturday we went to a pancake breakfast and helped getting everything ready for the big 4^th of July party at my sister’s house! It was kind of crazy with all the people and kids, I’m sure Thayden was a bit over whelmed, however he handled it well.

The next few days are still a blur. I remember having Thayden’s 1^st birthday party at my moms. We had mayonnaise cake, which is one of my favorites, so I loved it and I know Thayden did also! Tuesday we went to the Monterey Aquarium with Jennie and kids, Linda and us. It was really nice having the season pass because we weren’t rushed to see everything thing. Thayden’s favorite part was the splash zone designed just for kids his age. He splashed in water with fake fish, rolled in the “ocean” (a water bed) and played with blocks. We all had a great time and the soaked clothes could prove it!

That night we had Thayden’s next birthday party in which we had an enormous ice cream filled cupcake! I’m sure Thayden didn’t know what to think of it at first, but once he got passed the shock he loved it. I’m sure my son in on a permanent sugar high from all the sweets we’ve been having for his birthday.

Wednesday was really sad; we left for the airport about noon and boarded about an hour later. I’m pretty upset with the last few days of my vacation; I had 3 days of crying. I cried when I left my mom’s on Monday, when my sister left on Tuesday and when I left my dad and Linda on Wednesday. No fair, your only allowed 1 day of crying, not THREE!

The 2 flights getting home were great. Thayden was such a wonderful little boy, we played with toys, and other kids sitting near us. I really liked sitting near the back of the plane because everyone else with kids was back there and the back area was great to stand up in. Thayden even slept for an hour on the 2^nd flight making the time go by so much faster.

I have to thank Tabatha for picking us up from the airport since Shane got a job 20 minutes before he would come to get us. When we got home, Shane went straight to Thayden’s door, it was fun seeing the huge smile on Thayden’s face when he saw his daddy. We both missed Shane a lot and were very grateful to be home.

Thayden and I were both worn out from the trip and slept most of the next day. I’m glad I went, but being a single mom for 2 weeks was difficult. That time made me so grateful for my husband and the life we have. I’m already excited for next year and hoping that Shane will be able to join us. It’ll be really fun!

I will share it all

Ok, so I'm back now from my wonderful adventures in California. However, I don't yet have the energy or time to tell you all about everything as it is Thayden's 1st birthday tomorrow!! Yahhh!! I still can't believe that this time last year life was so much different.
California was great, a challenge and a well needed change of pace. I miss my family terribly already, but I'm learning to be grown up about it and hoping our future takes us much closer.
I will tell you all about the plane rides, Greagle, 1st baseball game, 4th of July, aquarium and lots more.
till then...smile.

Off the California!

Well, my bags are packed, kitchen cleaned, food cooked, and laundry done...Off for a great adventure to CALIFORNIA!! Thayden and I are leaving this afternoon and will be in Reno, NV tonight. My family started doing a "family reunion" every year, this is our second one and SOOOO much different than the first. Last year my sister had just had a baby and I was due in 3 weeks. Needless to say this will be so much fun having all these kids. I'm really excited for Thayden to spend time with his Pop-pops, since we don't get to see hime much. I've always been really close to my dad and I really want my kids to be also. It'll be fun watching them go chase bugs and play in the fields. These next 2 weeks mean so much to me. As much as I truly love my whole family (in-laws too!) there is nothing like the bond I have with my dad. It really makes me sad that we aren't closer and able to be around my family more, but I know we are were we are supposed to be and doing what is needed.
This will be so much fun and I can't wait to share stories and pictures!

Check out this amazing cooking blog!

Ok, so I stole this from Lindsay, but I wanted to share it with all of you guys!! Its this amazing blog of a mom in Utah who cooks real food! Lots of what she makes has stuff that you normally keep around the house. SOOOOOOOOOOOOO many great recipes, I'm hungry just looking.
check it out:
www.realmomkitchen.blogspot.com

Happy cooking!

Seriously, go look at it...

Berry Picking!

Last week we went strawberry picking! It was really nice to get out and see all the green and smell the fresh air. We got there relatively early, but by the end it was hot! I think Thayden ate more dirt than berries, but it was really fun watching him try to get them off the bushes.

The farm had some other great produce and we're going back this next week to get some corn!! My favorite! I'm so excited for the day when I can have my own garden and grow tons of great food.

Pictures in the Park

Check out my facebook page to look at more pictures. Here's a taste!!

We went to the Botanical Gardens here in Greensboro, NC. It was the perfect morning, overcast and not too hot. By the end we were all melting, but it was a lot of fun. Sireena did such a great job getting great pictures of Thayden. I bet the other park people thought we were crazy with all the silly noises we had to make to get Thayden to laugh! It was a great little outing for the family and with Sireena's family!

I can't wait to do Thayden's 1 year and family pictures in about 6 weeks! Ahhh!! Crazy! Enjoy the pictures.

His first hair cut!

So, I know Thayden doesn't look like he has a lot of hair, but in the back its another story!! Yesterday he wore a collared shirt and his hair was past the collar! As its been getting longer its been getting curly! He totally has Pop-pop's hair!! Its soooo funny!! Not much on top and lots around the edges!

Anyways, this morning we gave Thayden his first hair cut. It was a little crazier than when I do Shane's but it was still fun.

A quick trip to Africa!

Tuesday morning was like any other. The weather was cool, Thayden and I had breakfast, it was a normal morning. While sitting at the computer, I had the brilliant idea to go to the ZOO!! I quickly text Sireena upstairs to see if she's in, and we make a quick plan to meet in 30 minutes! At 9:05 we roll out of the apartment complex on our way to the zoo. The little boys slept peacefully for the 30 minute drive. Thayden woke up as we parked the car!

Since the husband's had to be to a meeting at 1, this was going to be a speedy zoo trip. We were in the "Africa" part of the zoo for almost 2 hours. By the end, we were all ready to go home.

It wasn't the most impressive zoo ever, but we had fun on a new adventure. Thayden didn't seem too interested in the animals, but seeing him walk around was pretty fun.

thanks Doty's for comming with us!! We hope to do the other half soon before it becomes too hot and too crowded.