California!

Our 2 week vacation in California was absolutely wonderful! We celebrated Kaylee's birthday with family and friends, then spent the rest of the time at beaches, pools, and playdates! Get settled in, you're about to read the longest blog post ever...

A few days before we left for our trip, a large tree branch fell on my truck and put it in the body shop. We had a rental car which worked out nicely for our ride to the airport. So we dropped the car off at RDU and took the shuttle to the airline. This is the only picture I got of Kaylee wearing her cute backpack! I filled it too heavy and she fell backwards when I tried to make her wear it. Oops!

Kaylee was a great traveler! She stayed in her carseat and was content to watch movies and play with toys. Kaylee loves the movie Madagascar so she watched in on the first flight to Chicago, then we had video screens at each seat on our flight to CA so she watched cartoons. Brilliant!

We got into SFO just around dinner time. My dad and Michele picked us up and treated us to Round Table Pizza at Michele's house before doing anything else. That was my number one place to eat, no other pizza can even rival the King Arthur's Supreme. I was so busy devouring my pizza that I didn't get any pictures!

Other food places on our list were:

• Jade Garden (the best authentic chinese food around - specifically their Honey Walnut Prawns)
• Jack in the Box (oh how I miss their Spicy Chicken sandwich)
• Manleys Donuts in Willow Glen (can you believe they don't have REAL donuts out here? tragic!)
• Eriks' Deli Cafe
• Togo's
• Carl's Jr
• Baja Fresh (John's place, not mine)
• Casa Azteca (My place, not John's)

Sigh...as I typed all of those, I'm salivating. We were able to check them all off of our list! My dad took me to Jade Garden again the night before we left so I could eat an entire plate of Honey Walnut Prawns by myself. If you live in the Bay Area, you MUST go eat there.

Okay, back to the real stuff you came for. :) We stayed at my dad's house for the 2 weeks. The morning after we arrived, John and Grandpa (R.) took Kaylee up to feed the neighbor's cows. She's never seen cows in real life and seemed to really like them!

Kaylee also got to meet a lot of animals on this trip! While I prepped for the birthday party the following day, John took Kaylee to Grandpa W's house! Kaylee met Lady there.

Then Crum came to visit with Aunt Mandy and Uncle Seth! I think Kaylee liked how small he was compared to her own "puppies".

We met Bella, the Bloodhound who could be Gauge's long lost sister (if Gauge was actually a bloodhound that is!)

And Cleo was Kaylee's favorite animal of the trip! She petted her more than I've ever seen her touch a dog, including our own! And she gave Cleo lots of kisses! Made me want to get a little dog for her!

She liked to "woof woof" at my dad's cat Squirrel, but she never wanted to pet him. (Don't blame my dad for the cat's silly name, that was my doing! haha)

We celebrated Kaylee's 2nd birthday (2 weeks late) and the party was a success! She doesn't like cake or very many sweets, so the food was really for everyone else. The full party blog post is over on my Kayteedids blog!

I made her dress in my sewing class, and of course the matching bow! She was pretty tired by the end of her party.

We went to the San Francisco Zoo with 2 of John's sisters and 7 of Kaylee's California cousins! It was a typical foggy, cold SF day but we had a great time!

We got there just in time for the bear feedings and Kaylee got nose-to-nose (with glass in between obviously!) with the bear! She thought that was pretty cool!

POOLS! Kaylee LOVES to swim and play in the water. She had a great time swimming at her cousin's birthday party.

And twice at Pool 4 where Daddy grew up going every summer!

With Grandpa at Pool 4!

BEACHES!! Apparently Kaylee loves sand too! She got beach toys for her birthday and they were put to good use on the trip!

We went to Twin Lakes beach in Santa Cruz with Grandpa R.

And later in the trip, also spent a day with a lot of John's family at Seabright beach in Santa Cruz.

We also spent 2 days in Cambria (Southern California). My Aunt Charlene and Uncle Tim live in Pennsylvania but rented a beach house in Cambria for the week. It worked out perfectly and we got to spend time with a lot of my side of the family on that trip. John and I snuck away for a walk to the tide pools. He might not be smiling but he really was happy being there with me...I think. ;)

Oh my goodness, how white are my legs?? I need a California tan, stat!
Cambria sand must look like it tastes better than the other beaches since she didn't try to eat Santa Cruz sand!

She also learned how to "play" foosball with my cousins' kids (we just say they're Kaylee's cousins...much easier).

On our way home from Cambria, we stopped at Carl's Jr. to check it off our list. Mmmmm, Double Western Bacon Burger. *drool*

I had to take a picture with this sign. You can take the girl out of California, but you can't take the Californian out of the girl I suppose!

Kaylee had a blast with all of her cousins, but especially these two! They doted on her and she LOVED their attention! I'm really excited to be closer to them once we move so they can grow up knowing each other better than being so far away!

For her birthday, a long time family friend made Kaylee a special outfit to wear at Grandpa's house. Her shirt says "Kaylee" and the shorts say "Grandpa's Girl". And Grandpa got her a name rock to complete the current family rock line.

One night we went to dinner at Michele's (1 L) house, she has the best backyard for photo ops!

This is Michelle (2 L's). She was a good friend of my mom's and a long time family friend. She has been a honorary Grandma to Kaylee and a huge support to me. She's one of my inspirations for donating my hair (see how short it is!!). Blog post to come about that too!

Let's see, what else did we do...John went to the Giants game and rooted for the Dodgers. I got to see my best friend Jessica, Kaylee had a playdate with her friend Hayden, we ate breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with friends, and hardly stayed home! whew...I'm exhausted! I need a vacation from our vacation!

Cheesepuffs make the airport so much more enjoyable. :) Kaylee was a great traveler on the way home too, except for a little bit of crying on the last flight. Poor girl was sooo tired she just couldn't get comfortable in our laps. She eventually passed out snuggled in my lap though.

So we're home now, trying to get laundry done and keep the house clean for more showings. Hopefully we sell soon and can get back to CA. I got my "tan" (still white compared to most Californians though) but it's so hot here I doubt I'll see the sun for a few weeks. Today's heat index was 111. Awesome. As I type this the weatherman is saying 6am will be the coolest time tomorrow so plan to get out early....bwahahahahahaha!!! Me? Get up early? I'll just stay inside all day.

Never say Never

Here's a quick run down of why you should never say "never":

1998 - Kate applies to University of Oregon to escape California, stating that she'll only come back to visit and plans on living in OR for the rest of her life.

2000 - Kate moves back to CA.

*Never say never*

2001 - Kate and John start dating. Dreams of getting married, starting a life together include leaving CA and only coming back to visit...or even better, getting our family to move wherever WE move so that we don't HAVE to come back.

2004 - My mom is tragically taken from us and my therapist recommends not making any life changing decisions (like moving) for at least a year. We wait 2 years.

2006 - We decide to move to North Carolina for many reason. We state to just about everyone we know that we'll NEVER move back to CA.

2009 - We have a baby. Wait a minute....priorities change! Where is our family? In California.

2011 - Our house in on the market so we can move back to CA.

*NEVER say NEVER!*

yeah, yeah....go ahead and say "We told you so". Say it to your computer screen though because if you do it to my face, I'll adamantly defend our decision to move to NC and our reasons for actually NOT wanting to move back to CA. I'm just sayin'.

With that said, please feel free to send our listing to every person you know in hopes that they, or someone THEY know, want to move to NC. And if you're in the grocery store one day and you overhear the lady in line next to you on her cell phone talking about how she just wants out of CA and would love to move to the east coast or the south, INTERRUPT HER!! Then give her my email address, phone number, blog, whatever.

Okay, I'm done hustling (for now)....I've been told to hustle our own house, not just rely on the realtor. Plus if WE find a buyer, we don't pay the buyer's agent fee! Extra motivation. ;)

Click here for The MLS listing

Click here for The Virtual Tour

Kaylee is 2!!

sob sob sob, boo hoo, sniff sniff

I was talking to one of my cousins tonight about how sad I am that Kaylee turned 2 yesterday. It has nothing to do with wanting her to stay a baby, it has everything to do with her growing up...does that even make sense? I have no desire to have another baby to fill my "nest". I am so in love with Kaylee and I have fully enjoyed every stage she has gone through so far. I know that the next stages will be just as great, but turning 2 is a bit more "grown up" than I'm ready for! Go ahead and laugh at me, I'll just wallow by myself. ;)

On the other hand, Kaylee has welcomed 2 with open arms. Little Miss Independent only wants to push the grocery cart herself and she wants her food put on the table so she can pick it up herself.

Even among the bouts of independence, she is still the sweetest little girl I've ever met, and I'm really not just saying that because she's my baby! She is a Giver...She's not possessive of her toys, she'd rather share than play with it by herself. She loves to share her food with anyone who will take a bite. And her latest thing is requiring family hugs before bedtime. Who doesn't love a good family hug before bedtime?!! And did you know that loving monster trucks and power tools are genetic traits? They must be because Kaylee will choose anything with wheels over any other toy in the room and "oom oom oom" it all around the floor. She is drawn to all of John's tools too and tries to use them correctly. She loves to "help" him construct things. :)

Anyway enough about my ramblings, you're all here for the cute pictures not my emotional blabbering. ;) We had a BBQ on Saturday with friends:

The kids had a picnic in our living room:

This was our dessert! (Check out the Kayteedids blog for this story!)

Then we had a BBQ on Sunday with our neighbors but I forgot to take pictures! For someone who wasn't wanting her baby to turn 2, I sure have celebrated quite a bit already! Then Tuesday, her actual birthday, we went to Applebee's for dinner. That's the "biggest" restaurant we have in town. We told our waitress that it was Kaylee's 2nd birthday so they came to sing to her. She didn't seem to know they were singing to her but she was certainly happy that they brought an ice cream sundae bigger than her head!

Sharing with Daddy!
And just so Monday didn't feel left out of the party, we had Starbucks Birthday Cake Pops! mmmmm

Kaylee got a kitchen for her birthday! (Thanks Ed & Michelle!!) She loves to "cook" in the big kitchen so this is perfect for her. She works in her kitchen while I make dinner.

Look at that big girl pony tail! Ahhhhhhhh, she's 2!!!!!!!!!!!! sniff sniff

Happy Belated Father's Day

In the jobs I've had over the years I've seen many different types of dads. Most of the ones I dealt with in social services with were the ones who didn't take the time to cherish the children they helped bring into this world. Those dead-beat dads are the bottom of the barrel in my opinion.

There are the dads who are there, but not really there. Luke warm, if you will. The ones who are present but have no true relationship with their children. They meet their children's physical needs - food, shelter, clothing - but there is no emotional connection.

Then there are the dads who lead by positive example, support their children through life's journey, and have a true and specific relationship with each child.

I count myself very blessed and fortunate to have THAT kind of dad and more specifically, having the dad that I do. I remember going to the electronic flea market with him on Saturday mornings and getting to eat at McDonalds afterwards. He and I rebuilt my VW Bug from junkyard pieces. He flew to Oregon to drive with me back home after my college years. Just to name a few memories! He had an equal part in raising me and if I do say so myself, I think he did a great job!

And what a great Grandpa he is too! We Skype daily with Grandpa even if it's just to say hi and bye. :)



Another thing that my dad did well was role model to me and my sister what to look for in a husband. I remember a teenage memory vividly...someone had "broken my heart" and I yelled "BOYS SUCK!" as I ran to my room. My dad calmly but loud enough for me to hear said "Not all boys suck." It was so true, not all boys suck. :)

When John and I started dating I knew that he would be a wonderful father. The way he treated (treats) me, his fun-nature and the way he was raised...all good signs that this boy "didn't suck"! :) Now watching him actually be a dad just blows my mind. Yesterday Kaylee bumped her head and she wanted Daddy. Those moments I just stand back and admire the love they have for each other. I am completely and utterly blessed to have John as my husband and as Kaylee's dad.

Eskimo Kisses

Rad Like Dad! - Father's Day dinner at Ruckus

Daddy, I definitely "pick" you!

Thanks Daddy for being my Daddy so we could go out to dinner and I could eat delicious mac n cheese with 2 forks!

And I'm lucky to have a wonderful father-in-law too! The way John was raised is an important piece to who he is today and I can't thank his dad enough for loving him and for welcoming me into their family with open arms.

Happy (belated) Father's Day to the 3 dads in my life!

Favorites

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've blogged! Blogger wouldn't let me sign in for more than a week! So to anyone who kept checking with bated breath for the latest updates and had to keep looking at squirrels and lizards, I'm sorry. :)

However, there isn't much to report! It's been 95 degrees with 80% humidty on average for 2 weeks now...where did Spring go? We went from 60 to 95 in a blink! So we try to stay inside.

Let's see...you probably want some cute pictures. :) Prepare yourself, I've gone a little crazy. I just think Kaylee is the cutest thing I've ever laid eyes on. She and her daddy are my favorites things on this planet!

Kaylee is obsessed with books and would rather read than do anything else. In fact, after reading no less than 3 books before bed she continues to read to herself and Puppy in her crib. When she wakes up in the morning, she reads to herself for who knows how long. One morning I woke up at 9am (she has been my alarm for 7:30am for a solid 18 months now) and went running to her room wondering why she wasn't awake yet and she was contently reading to Puppy. I have no clue how long she had been awake.

Story time with Daddy before bed.

More Daddy time!

Have I ever mentioned (complained) about the fact that our hose is a far distance from the house, and is located in the well "house" along with mice, bugs, spiders, and probably snakes? Not to mention the redbug infestations hiding in the pathways to the well house. So that explains why I prefer to fill up a storage bin in the house with a few buckets of water and call this a pool:

John and I were working on projects in the house and needed Kaylee to stay entertained. Give this girl a corndog, goldfish, milk and Madagascar and she'll sit for hours...well, however long the movie is.

Happy Memorial Day!

Watching the dogs

Kaylee's newest skill is brushing her teeth all by herself. I usually brush them after she does just to make sure, but she's pretty good at it.

Ha! I couldn't pass up one more nature shot. John saw this bunny sitting by Kaylee's tree. I hope he/she stays in the front yard though...Gauge has been known to catch bunnies.

Today's Nature Sighting

Science Lesson

So yesterday I wrote about the mama skink and today I watched again as "she" slithered around on the deck, so I googled "oranged headed skink". They're officially called Broadheaded Skinks. And lo and behold, SHE is a HE! That little "cute" head poking up in my picture is the actual mama Skink. The male Skink was protecting the female because he has impregnated her and he didn't want anybody messing with his woman! He has an orange head because it's "reproduction season" to put it mildly....hey, this is a family blog!

The Broadheaded Skink is one of the only skinks to actually stay with her eggs! What a good mama! The babies are due in July and will have blue tails! So Happy Mother's Day to a pregnant Skink (I really have to make sure I spell that word right! ha!) and good job to the Daddy for protecting his brood. :)

And there is your science lesson from The Woertman Outdoors Camp....don't expect too many of these, I'm pretty anti-outdoorsy! But it's amazing what you see sitting on a porch swing in the woods.

Mother's Day part 2

John amazingly squeezed in all his husband/daddy duties in this morning before he had to work tonight. He let me sleep in until 10:00am! While I slept away he and Kaylee had a fun morning playing. Then he made his famous french toast for breakfast and we went out to build my swing! We finished the swing just before he had to leave for work.

After Kaylee and I ate lunch we got ready to head into town. I honestly didn't realize that Kaylee and I even owned the same clothes until after I was dressed and was headed to dress her too. Black shirts, jeans, and (fake) black Converses! So of course we had to take some matching mother-daughter pictures! These pics were timer self-portraits which is very hard to do with a 22 month old, but aren't we just the cutest? ;)

Then we went to Home Depot to get a potted plant for the corner of the deck by the swing! I ended up with a small rose bush...we'll see how well I keep it up. An herb garden, a coffee tree, and now a rose bush...I really hope I keep them all alive!

This is how I ride at Home Depot...shh, don't tell Jimmie Johnson that we went to "that other store".

Then we went to Taco Bell for dinner. If it were up to Kaylee, we'd eat Taco Bell for every meal. Yes, that is an empty Mexican Pizza box...and yes, she ate the entire thing.

And here is the swing with the new side table, rose bush and citronella candles burning to keep the bugs away!

Don't you want to come visit and swing with me? A cup of coffee? A glass of sweet tea? A good book? Oh, the possibilities! It folds out flat...maybe I'll go sleep there tonight. ;)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Everytime all 3 of us go to Walmart we check out of the garden center and while John does all the "checking out" Kaylee and I sit on the porch swing. So this morning I was presented with our very own swing!! I love it!!! I love you John!! Thanks for knowing me so well!

Here Daddy, let me help you get all the pieces.

I'm so smart...not only can I read at 22 months old, but I can read in Spanish!

Okay Daddy, it says you need to put piece B into piece A...got that?

Momma got a swing, I got a box!

Just a swingin'

And Happy Mother's Day to the Skink who was protecting her new baby Skink from us during the swing construction! I wondered why she never moved even with us being inches from her at times, then this little "cute" face peeked up!