Ryan: Four

Happy 4th Birthday Ryan! (One day late!) You are such a big boy now and it makes me both sad and happy to see you growing up so quickly. This past year of your life included some important milestones for you, including potty-training, learning how to write your name, starting preschool one day a week, getting your first bike with training wheels, and going to Awana.

I have noticed a huge change in your maturity level lately. These past few months in particular you really seemed to grow up in lots of little ways. For example, you ask me some really big, serious questions. You have become more cautious and less impulsive with your age.

You still love playing with cars and most of the day you have some sort of car in your hand. But your interests have also expanded to things like airplanes, motorcycles, drawing, writing letters and numbers, and playing games.

You are a pretty awesome big brother. Lucas makes it hard sometimes, but you are constantly trying to help him and share with him and watch out for him. I love watching you try to hold his hand. (He rarely lets you) I see you getting frustrated with his terrible-two-ness, and I am often can't blame you. But you still try to show Lucas affection by hugging him and telling him "it's okay Yutas".

You are still incredibly shy and mostly serious. In public you often appear tired or sad, but I think it's really just how you show your shyness. When you are uncomfortable in a situation you will completely shut down and become mute. (Like at the hospital with your fracture). But at home I get to see your funny goofy side. You talk nonstop at home and every once in a while I hear a true belly laugh from you and it warms my heart. For example, Adam was recently reading you one of your favorite stories, The 3 Little Pigs. Except he replaced pigs with "the three fat men". I don't think I have ever heard you laugh so much in your life!

Your picky eating habits unfortunately did not change much this year. You have a few foods that you love and will almost always eat, including peanut butter, nachos, meat, and cheerios. Beyond that, you are pretty resistant to trying anything new. If I even switch the brand of peanut butter I serve you, you will refuse to eat it. It makes feeding you pretty frustrating but I am holding out hope that things will improve as you get older.

You are a very affectionate little boy. You love to cuddle and hug me and you constantly ask me to lay down and snuggle with you. I think physical touch is very important to you and one of the ways that you feel love from other people. I am trying to be better at this with you.

Your sleeping habits didn't really change this year. We still have to lay with you in your bed until you fall asleep. And then you climb into our bed sometime before midnight. I am really hoping that sometime this year we can put you in a room with your brother and let the two of you keep each other company at night.

I love watching you experience all your firsts, as I experience them right along with you. You were the first boy to make me a Mommy and you will always hold a very special place in my heart.

I love you more than you will ever know and I thank God for you. Happy Birthday to my big boy Ryan!

Las Vegas Trip

Adam and I recently got the opportunity of a lifetime. A free trip to Las Vegas without our children. It was a contest through Adam's work and he was able to work really hard and hit his goals, which meant a free trip for both of us! Yea, I was a little bit excited.

My sweet sister brought 3 of her kids and stayed at our house to watch Ryan and Lucas for the weekend. I don't think Ryan even realized we were gone that weekend because he was having so much fun with his cousins. Lucas definitely missed me but overall he did better than I was expecting.

We left on a Friday morning and checked in to our hotel, the Golden Nugget, before taking a taxi over to the Las Vegas Strip. We were starving and when I heard Bobby Flay's restaurant was located at Caesars Palace, we headed straight there.

Mesa Grill was really good. I had incredibly high expectations, so I was a tiny bit disappointed that it wasn't the best food I had ever eaten. But still really good. I had a pork tenderloin sandwich and Adam had a burger. (I was obviously so hungry I had to take a couple bites before snapping my photo). We both agreed the southwestern fries were the best part.

After our late lunch we toured a few of the hotels on the strip. First up was the Bellagio, one of my favorites. My shirt even matched the ceiling inside the hotel!

They had a butterfly exhibit inside the garden area of the hotel. Pretty, but I have a secret fear of butterflies. I'm glad that glass was separating us.

We walked around and snapped a picture of Woody and some random guy floating in the air.

Did I mention that it was Adam's birthday? That made our trip even more special. I let him choose what we would do that evening, and he chose Cirque du Soleil! After finding out that O wasn't playing that week, we decided to see Zarcana at the Aria Resort. We were still kind of full from lunch so we just grabbed a quick slice of pizza before seeing the show. When we purchased our tickets we chose the cheapest ones available. But for some reason the woman offered us upgraded seats worth double the price, for no additional charge! We enjoyed the show from the 5th row. We both loved it....lots of acrobatics and many parts where I wanted to cover my eyes because I was so afraid someone was going to get hurt.

It was only 8:30 when the show ended so we decided to stay out and explore the new LINQ shopping area. We were both pretty exhausted at this point but wanted to experience Las Vegas at night. We saw the new huge ferris wheel and Adam got a Ghiradelli milkshake. I think you can tell by this picture just how tired we were.

Saturday morning started with a quick breakfast at Starbucks before heading back to the strip to see more hotels. We walked and walked and walked. In fact, our legs were sore from all the walking we had done the previous day! I guess we're out of shape. We saw Paris and the Grand Canal Shops.





 I love the Venetian hotel. They offer Gondola rides inside the hotel near the shops. I tried to talk Adam into going for a ride with me but the best I could get him to agree to was another picture.

We walked so much that I had to buy a new pair of shoes. I am notorious for wearing really flimsy sandals on trips that make my feet hurt. Lesson learned. Again.

We ate lunch at a Mexican restaurant inside New York New York.

The salad portion of my steak salad was nothing special. However, the steak was amazing. Possibly some of the best I have ever eaten.

We toured more hotels and did a little bit of gambling. A dollar here, a dollar there. We're high rollers. The weather was hot and partly cloudy. At times we both noticed our fingers and hands swelling from the heat. We are used to cool Bay Area weather!

We headed back to our hotel late in the afternoon to get dressed for dinner. We had a company dinner to attend at the Golden Nugget.

The food was decent, although we both agreed we do not like Crème Brulee. After mingling with his co-workers and talking about our Las Vegas experiences so far, we headed outside to Fremont Street to enjoy the music. Bon Jovi was playing on the ceiling and there were a few live bands playing as we walked along.

Sunday morning was our last day of the trip. We decided it didn't make sense to pay for another taxi ride to the strip when we only had a few hours until our flight home. So we stayed at our hotel's restaurant for breakfast.

Afterwards we walked around the outside portion of our hotel. It had a water slide that went through a giant shark tank. Eeek!

 We had time to waste so we gambled a little more on the penny slots.

We headed out to Fremont Street for one last treat before heading to the airport. Deep fried oreos! Adam wanted to try them and I was convinced they would be absolutely disgusting. But I tried one and they actually weren't bad! Obviously not healthy, but we were in Vegas. Deep fried oreos belong in Vegas.

One last picture before we flew home. We were so grateful to go on this trip together and just relax and have fun. But by Sunday we were both ready to be at home with our boys.

Childhood Comfort Food

Adam and I were recently talking about foods we ate during our childhood that were really comforting. And delicious. We realized that we both always assumed these foods were normal things everyone ate, when in reality, they were kind of specific to our families.

For example, I grew up loving tortilla chips spread with cream cheese as a snack. Adam thinks this is disgusting. But I think his childhood snack of potato chips dipped in cottage cheese sounds a little strange.

Another food I remember eating for breakfast a lot was mashed, boiled eggs.

Now I realize the above picture totally looks like scrambled eggs, but it is not. (Excuse the pink spots, this was made from dyed easter eggs!) These are boiled eggs that have been mashed up with a little butter, salt and pepper. They may look like scrambled eggs but they definitely taste a little different. Again, Adam thinks is a bizarre way to eat eggs. But I love it.

 

One of my most beloved meals growing up (aside from spaghetti) was egg noodles mixed with leftover meat or chicken, topped with Worcestershire sauce. My Mom probably thinks I am crazy for liking this so much because it is so incredibly simple. She used to make this for us whenever she had leftover chicken or meat on hand. She would literally just cook egg noodles, mix in the meat, and then we would top it with Worcestershire sauce. 3 ingredients. And one of my favorite meals in the entire world.

 

What comfort foods do you remember from your childhood that might seem strange to other people?

Days Till Ryan Can Jump and Climb

Ryan only has a couple weeks left in his recovery from his skull fracture! We made a little calendar so that he can cross off the "Days Till Ryan Can Jump and Climb".

His head feels so much better. No more soft squishy spots. And the actual dent where the fracture occurred feels much smaller. Still noticeable to the touch but better than the first day when it happened.

Ryan has even started praying about his head. At night he sometimes prays and asks God to make his head better so that he can run and climb again. He knows that God is healing his head and I love hearing his sweet little prayers about it.

Ryan has been a really good little boy during his recovery. We went to a park the other day and after explaining to him that he needed to stay on the little side of the park, he completely obeyed me. Not once did he try to go near the high area. I have been so proud of him these last few weeks!

Stitch Fix Review #8

Time for my 8th Stitch Fix review! For this fix I asked for a dress and summer tops in floral and chevron prints. I had the same stylist I have had the last few fixes and I really like the variety of colors and prints she always sends me. This box was bursting with color! Unfortunately I had a bad headache when my pictures were taken, and I think you can definitely tell. Oh well, please just look at the clothes and not at me!

Honey Belle Kirsten Chevron Stripe Dolman Sleeve Top

I immediately thought of a circus tent when I saw this chevron top. The colors grew on me as I wore it, but I ultimately felt the combinations of the two colors was a little loud for me. The top was described as a "dolman" style, however I didn't like the somewhat boxy shape it gave me. Back it went.

Pomelo Paloma Dot Print Back Cutout Knit Top

I really liked this polka dot top when I first pulled it out of the box. The details on the back are really cute and the cut is very flattering. Ultimately I just didn't love it enough for the price, and I felt like it made me look a little young.

Ezra Ellyse Floral Print Flutter Sleeve Dress

This dress is just all wrong on me! I am very short-waisted and somewhat curvy and I think this dress is meant for a stick thin woman. The style of this dress drives me crazy because I have no idea where the cinched waist is supposed to fall on me. I also wasn't crazy about the floral print. I really love all the floral blouses I have been seeing this Spring, but I didn't love this specific print. It made me look even paler than I already am.

Loveappella Lila Chevron Panel Knit Tank

I love this shirt! It has the chevron print that I requested, but it isn't a crazy all over print that is loud and obnoxious. The style and cut of it is so unique. What you can't really see in this picture is that it hangs a little lower on the sides. As a result it drapes really nicely on me. And of course the back is amazing! Definitely keeping this shirt.

Under Skies Mico Tribal Trim Knit Tank

The green color of this shirt is beautiful. I don't own anything in this color but now I want to find something in this shade of green. I could only afford to keep one item this month, so this top had to be returned. But I really liked the tribal print detail on the bottom and the back of it.

If you decide to try Stitch Fix, please use my referral link when you sign up! I have mentioned it before, but every time someone signs up using my link, I get a $25 clothing credit. This is a great referral program and one of the main reasons I have been able to keep receiving Stitch Fix boxes. Once you sign up you get your very own referral link to share with your friends so that you can start receiving free clothes for yourself! Doesn't that sound fun?