October 2013

Happy Halloween with our little lion.

 

 

 A pumpkin patch and petting zoo with grammie

 

 

Furlough

Furlough (noun): 16 days when Bart is forced to stay home and cannot go to work. So he works around the house and yard like a madman.

Bart built this AWESOME table! He designed the table, built it and did all the finishing.  It is beautiful and helps the kitchen look complete. Don't worry, it only took 2 times as long as it should have because we ended up re-sanding and staining the entire thing because we hated the glaze the first time. Gotta love projects.

 

 

 

This is what our office looked like when we originally bought our house. Bart has transformed it into it's own space and was able to finally make his shelves, closet doors and desk so that it can officially be called an OFFICE.

 

We have some huge trees in our yard and I was not about to have Bart climb them and do the pruning by himself...even though  he assured me that he could. So he got a tree company to come and I must say that it made a big difference and our trees look nice and healthy.

 

 

 

Bart did a ton of other things while he was home but I didn't think to take photos.  He didn't know when he would go back to work so he would hurry as fast as he could to start and finish a project in case they called him back to work the next day. Dutch and I liked having Bart home. Dutchy now looks at me numerous times throughout the day and says "da da?" I can't blame the kid for liking daddy the most, and at lease he says "ma ma" now.

Six years!

Bartus and I just celebrated our 6 year anniversary. We enjoyed a nice weekend down in St. George and saw Mary Poppins at Tuacahn. I re-read my last four anniversary blogs and have thus decided to write a different anniversary post this year. I love Bart dearly, he is an amazing husband and father.  I thank my lucky stars everyday that he married me.... and he still has his hunky high school physique-ow ow. But, I have decided to write 6 things I have learned, over my 6 years of marriage, including the good, bad and ugly.

Bart: I'd prefer to preface this with an account of the love and affection I have for Canessa.  She is very good to me and more than fills her role as wife and best friend.  Thanks Love!  That being said, I couldn't possibly remember the specifics of what I've learned each year (I can hardly remember what I did yesterday) - But I can certainly come up with six items of my own:

 

 

2007-2008: Year one, I learned that getting married and immediately having a mortgage is hard and in my opinion overrated, thus I have told multiple people to NOT buy a house before you get married or during that first year.

1. Spouses don't want to inherit your house! Buying the house together, and doing the remodel with both parties on-board is much less abrasive and much more rewarding. Plus, unless you have our current basement buddy renters (which is impossible because they are already taken), don't ever rent you basement - it's not healthy for you marriage.

Bart and I switched rolls for Halloween. He was the nurse and I was the engineer

2008-2009: Year two was a hard year. I learned that you need to fight fair and that you can't bring up all of your past problems because then you spiral down, down, down.

2. It's not just little kids that have to learn to "use your words". Com, com, com, communication! Though I prefer to grunt and point with my lips - it's hard to be interactive when I'm trying to balance a soda on my belly while watching my favorite TV lineup (don't bother me during House Hunters International!) - It comes across better to actually exchange verbal tonations (is that even a word?).

 Grass Valley

 2009-2010: Year three, I learned that having your husband commute to Provo, on I-15, in the winter, with construction will cause anxiety and it is better to move closer to where your husband works. 15 minutes away or less is perfect.

 

3. I'm the spender - She's the saver: AND it doesn't matter that she's the one asking me to do some of the projects. By virtue of me swiping the card, I become the spender (Plus - hasn't anybody ever told you, that you have to use the RIGHT TOOL for the job?).

 

 Bart grew nasty facial hair on purpose for Christmas

 2010-2011: Year four, I learned how important it is to truly be your spouses biggest, strongest, loudest cheerleader and I learned that through Bart being my best support during graduate school.  He believed in me and thought I could get the high on the tests and then enjoyed my treats I baked for my FNP class when I was the high scorer.

4. No matter how destitute we may feel, vacationing to some faraway exotic place is likely right around the corner - Thanks Renee and Cam - for letting us tag along! I thought eventually Canessa would become a fan of the weekend at home vacation (I suppose I was a little naive? Come on, who doesn't want to sleep in and mull around the house in your pajamees for vacation - maybe take a walk to the Y and overlook beautiful Provo? Nope - for Canessa it's Cancun, Europe, Hawaii, Hilton Head, St. Thomas - Kinda Crazy!)

 

 Lewis and Clark museum in Oregon

2011-2012: Year five, finally I learned that it is better to not fight over extended family functions-specifically what food assignment we get to bring and that sometimes it's not fair (I know, so whiny and rude) but family relations are worth it.

5. If Canessa can see it, Bart can make it! (Seriously,who told her that? Plus, didn't I say something about the right tool to for the job? Nope - who needs the right tool when you have Canessa's creative flare - especially apparent when it comes to saving money - I've learned what my $15 dollar garage sale sewing machine is capable of, and it's expected to produce designer decor. Also, the lack of certain power tools can be made up by pure brawn - no wonder I'm mostly broken...) 

 

 18 weeks pregnant in Hawaii

 

2012-2013: Year six: A baby changes your life and your marriage but for the most part (except from the 2-5 AM hour) it is a good, healthy, wonderful change.

6. Dutch is very thankful to Canessa for teaching Dad how to be a good dad. And since mom lays down the law, dad gets to be fun, chase him around the house, and let him bounce on the couch. Why again did we wait 5 years to bring this little bundle of joy home with us?

 

15 month

NICKNAMES: No new nicknames. Still Dutchy, Mister, Dutch-A-Rooskie and Mr. Dutch.

 

STATS:
Height: 31.25 inches...................56% percentile..............Down 10%
Weight: 20 lbs. 15 oz.....................7% percentile..............Gained 1pound 10 oz.
Head circumference: 47 cm.......46% percentile............Basically the same-went down a little

FAVORITE THINGS: Grapes: he has eaten hundreds of these little, delicious, treats.  They are the perfect size to choke on, so mom always cuts them in 1/2, fruits.
-Climbing onto the couch by himself; falling off of the couch (by himself).
-Animals, especially doggies. Dutch "barks" whenever he sees a dog-or really any animal for that matter.  He is learning how to pet dogs and get licked by them.

-Throwing balls, toys and spatula's over the baby gate and down the stairs-then he wonders why he doesn't have any toys left.?.
-Still loves sucking on his soft blue blankey.

-Mowing the lawn with dad-don't worry we cut ear plugs in half for Dutch to wear.

-Jumping on his crib mattress. He holds on with both hands on the rails and JUMPS a good 8-10 inches in the air.
-Picking tomatoes and sometimes he eats them!

 

-Throwing rocks. He will take a rock from one window well and throw it into another.
-Taking off shoes and socks multiple times a day.
-Loves to put things "in" and "out", too bad the main receptacle that he uses is the garbage. He loves to "open" and "close", on more than one occasion he has locked himself in a room after he closes the door.  He is mom's helper for opening and closing the front door too.
-Slides. Dutch likes going down the slide as well as trying to climb back up the slide too.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: We have a walker and a runner! No more crab crawling for Dutchy.  He is on the move and mommy is having fun buying shoes.
-Gives kisses-rarely but still an accomplishment in mom's book.
-Says "au oh", "no, no no" and "addy". Ya, there is no "mommy" but then again who wouldn't love their dad the most if they got to mow the lawn with him.
-Knows how to feed himself with a spoon-it doesn't all reach his mouth though :)

 

-He's a stair master.  He can go up and down the stairs.  I credit this to all the stairs he climbed during the Utah Valley, Salt Lake and Park City Parade of Homes. Yep, my mom and I went to all 3 this year and Dutchy was drug along.

PLACES HE'S BEEN: PetsMart, Hogle Zoo, St. George.

 

 

WHAT WE'VE LEARNED:
Ness: Dutch is on the move and always wants to be doing something. He either has an ON or an OFF-this little boy doesn't have a middle ground and that means that mom needs to always watch him, listen for him and know where he is....or else!  Mom is boring, Dutch likes other kids, other houses, other toys and other places.

Bart: Now that Dutch is a walking champ, I have to be extra careful where I step - Dutch can quickly, and quietly, show up behind or in front of me in a flash!  It will be be very nice when Dutch starts using his words - Most of the time I guess wrong when I am trying to figure out what he is grunting at.  Dutch most definitely has an opinion!  He LOVES to go outside - and Dutch and I love to growl at each other (his growl is much better than dads).  Dutch is definitely a sponge. I know it is cliche - everybody says kids watch and learn from their parents every move - but to see it in action with your own child is both endearing, and somewhat frightening.   All the more reason to be sure your best behavior is your everyday behavior.

 

The LIST

  I am a list maker. I come by it naturally....both my parents. But over the last 14 months, I have been learning how to not get much done on my list. Everyone "knows" how much time and energy and attention children are but I'd still like to get something crossed off my list daily. I now have modified how I make my list. My list BC (before child) would have said "get new duvet cover and pillows". Now, it is broken down into small tasks that I might be able to manage and eventually get crossed off.  Hey, I really do like to cross things off the list.

 The list now reads-
Go to Joann's
Find coupons
Find material
Buy pillows
Buy pillow forms
Unpick pillows when you realized they aren't exactly what you want
Go to another fabric store
Buy more material because you decide to make pillows reversible
Buy buttons
Buy thread
Put on new sheets
Buy mattress topper for bed
Have Bart sew all my ideas
Go back to fabric store
Buy Bart new scissors-since he is the tailor
Take old stuff to the DI
Find new pillows that I bought 2 years ago
Take pictures of bed
Blog
Tell Bart how grateful I am that he sews

 

I bought the square European shams from JCP, but then decided to unpick them and have Bart sew different material on the back, so that they could be reversible and I could have different looks to the bed.

 Moral of the story: It would have been cheaper and easier to buy a duvet and pillows, but I couldn't find anything I liked and so I am in debt to Bart for helping me make a duvet and pillows that I love!

 

THE birthday party

If a picture says a 1000 words, I don't really need to write much about Dutch's 1st birthday PARTY. We had good company, good food, and patio misters to help with the heat! 

 

 

 

To give you a few details:
I made the invitations from a free template from ontobaby.com.  I narrowed down the photo to just one but I maybe did 2 or 3 different invitations and I sent them in the post-because I like getting real mail. I doubt that I will hand make birthday invitations again because they took way too much time and cost way more than they should have :)

  

 

I wanted some sort of cute...cheap decoration for the table and the shade tent. SO once I found beach balls, that was my color and my theme.  Obviously Dutch (and Bart for that matter) didn't care about decorations. I did this for me and the few guests that noticed. Loved them!

 

 

 

 

I love the little flag banners-aka buntings, that are all over pinterest, so I bought the paper and started cutting. Hours and hours and hours later, I had buntings to my hearts content.  (I saved these, so every other birthday party I may do, for the rest of my life- I'm going to use these).

 



 

 

 

One of my favorite things that I did- I mean, that I commissioned and BART made, was the DUTCH subway art.  Bart put his stats, plus some of his favorite things and our saying over the last 12 months.  I love it and now I need to frame it for his bedroom.  I may commission Bart to do this for all our future children's 1st birthday's :)

 



 

The food was great-in my opinion and SIMPLE.  Sandwiches, chips, fruit, veggies drinks and a dessert buffet.  For the labels, I had lifesavers in baby food jars.

All homemade treats! Thanks to my mom for bringing/making stuff for fruit pizza, Kathy for her snickerdoodles and Hillary for her chocolate cupcakes with butter cream frosting.

 

 

These are the before and during photos! We are so glad that everyone would drive down to be with us and celebrate Mr. Dutch.

 

The kids loved playing in the patio misters and I think it helped cool things off a bit. The real saving grace was all the shade from the trees.

 



 

I have a confession. I've only been to one other 1 year old party beside Dutch's and it was 3 years ago.  I didn't take a gift.  I didn't think to take a gift. I didn't know I was supposed to take a gift (Sorry Holly).  So, when people showed up with gifts, I didn't really know what to think or say. Everyone was very kind. Dutch got great toys, balls, books, bath toys and clothes. We are very lucky/spoiled.

 

 

 

Well, if you have made it this far, I applaud you. Dutch loved the party, the people, the attention and the fun. Thanks.