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Hope you have a Happy Halloween! Be safe, and don't eat your candy all in one sitting...

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Next we'll take him to the beach...

Wyatt and I met up with Bridge at the park today to have lunch and let the kids play. I thought it would be fun to go to this park and let Wy practice walking.

Turns out he didn't need the practice.

(and hey! check out our clean park! we ain't broke! thanks, ah-nold...)

Graham Crackerz, Man

"Graham Cracker eh?"

"I'll be the judge of that..."

"Let me just see how that tickles my posterior tastebuds..."

 

"And a little milk...."

(That's right people, he's drinkin' just a wee bit of milk. Thought I'd try it out today, see how he took to it. He's not lovin' it, but it'll do. In case you're wondering...See?)

"Oh yeah. That's good."

 

Now I just bang this a few times...

 

And then I just drop this on the floor...

 

Peace. I'm snacked out.

Baby Extravaganza: Have Baby, Will Travel Pt. 1

You thought I'd forgotten about little 'ole Baby Extravaganza! But I didn't! I just got...you know. Busy.

This edition is going to include all things traveling with a baby. Specifically, 0 - 6mths, or, until they no longer sit nicely on your lap.

Cause baby, that's a whole 'nother world. And post.

First things first, right?

*Packing (suitcase)

First off, you're going to need to look into your airline's baggage policy. Southwest is one of the only companies that still allows your first AND SECOND bag to fly free. For that, I highly recommend them. You can choose which works best for you, packing a separate bag for baby, or one large one between the two of you. I find separate to be easier for organization, but only if you aren't flying solo. Another bag is just another bag at that point.

What to pack will depend on your destination. Can you wash clothes? Is there access to a store? If so, you might not need tons of clothes, and all the supplies. When I travel home I always buy diapers, wipes, and any food items when I arrive. I also know I won't need a pack 'n play, high chair, etc. because I can either borrow one, or use old ones my parents have. When I visited Abby in Oregon we borrowed a pack 'n play from her neighbor, and it saved us. Hotels always have pack 'n plays you can use for free, and they also include sheets and blankets. You might want to bring your own, but that's entirely up to you. Always be thinking ahead! That said, plan for all types of weather. Pack a few warmer items just in case, a swimsuit for an impromptu dip.

Always pack Infant Tylenol, Mylicon, thermometer, bulb syringe, clippers...any necessary medical items. These are the items you don't want to need, but don't want to be without if you do.

Don't forget to pack items your baby associates with sleep - certain blankets, stuffed animals, music, etc. Try and keep as much the same routine as you can, especially at first to get them comfortable in their new surroundings. I have a small plug in fan for white noise and have brought it everywhere with me. A true lifesaver!

*Packing (diaper bag / carry on)

You need to be the master of your diaper bag. Master of Tetris, that is. You know what needs to go in it, just pack extra. Extra diapers, extra change of clothes. Maybe even two, because let me tell you, they will choose that day to have the biggest blowout in the History of Blowouts. Through their clothes, through your sling to your shirt. Trust me, pack an extra changes of clothes. If you have room, maybe even an extra shirt for you. 

Make sure you check the requirements of your airline regarding documents for your baby. Some airlines require a copy of the birth certificate or vaccination sheet to verify age. Wy's health insurance card works as well, so make sure you know and have what you need. Much less headache this way!

If you're nursing, make sure you wear a shirt conducive to doing so in public, and don't forget that nursing cover, especially if you're flying solo. Nothing like being stuck between two men with a hungry baby. If you're bottle-feeding pack extra formula in case, heaven forbid, your flight is delayed. Toys at this age aren't essential, but bring a few items they like to hold and suck on. Otherwise, just about everything is new and interesting and fun to look at. Excellent for you!

*Security (dun dun duuuuun!)

You can do this! I promise. Wear flip flops or other easy-to-get-on-and-off shoes. No belt, don't put your sweater on until after. Have your boarding pass (and Drivers License for the final check off) anywhere it's easily accessible with one hand. Make sure your liquids are on top in your diaper bag / carry on so you can grab it quickly.

You have to put your stroller and car seat onto the conveyor belt and through the machine, so be prepared to take everything down. This is where your significant other comes in handy. Put them to work with those items, and you are in charge of getting the liquids out and ready and getting the two of you through security. If you're flying solo, this is where a sling or other carrier is a lifesaver. (Also, look for a line specifically for families, and then batt your eyes at a nice stranger for help, unless you've mastered taking down the stroller one handed, which you will, at some point...) Depending on your sling / carrier, you can even go through security with your baby still in it. Bonus! Unload all liquids into the bin next to your diaper bag for easy access and inspection. Remove shoes and any clanky jewelry you are wearing.

(Randomly, one time the officer tried to tell me I had to remove Wyatt's shoes. Honestly. It only happened the one time though, so I'm thinking it was a fluke. Some dude tryin' to get all hoity toity with me. I'm on to you, dude!)

If you have a sippy cup or bottle with water (for the baby...sorry), it doesn't need to be under 3 oz., but know they will check it for any foreign substance. Don't worry! It'll happen every time. No strip searches though,  it involves them waving a wand over the bottle, and then they'll give it back. They won't even open it.

That's it! You're through! Everything else is downhill, right?

*The Flight

If you can, try to book the flight during the best stretch of the day your baby has. Is he / she a good sleeper? Maybe plan it during nap time. Not so good? Try and plan in between so he / she gets at least one good nap in. Either way, one day isn't going to screw them up completely, I promise.

Depending on your airline, you may or may not be able to board early. In my opinion, it doesn't really matter either way. You're still waiting, right? You'll leave the stroller and car seat at the top of the gateway (stroller will need to be broken down), make sure they give you a tag for each item you check. Believe it or not, they can get lost. Southwest once let us take the car seat on the plane, but that will totally depend on your flight and airline. (and baby...)

Once you're on, it will again depend on your baby. Mostly though, babies this age are easy. They'll eat, they'll sleep, they'll poop. Same as usual. Take off and the white noise of flying are great sleep aides. Try to feed your baby during takeoff, or at least offer a binki to help with ear pressure.

If worse comes to worse, take advantage of that big long isle - great for walking!

 

Wyatt's first flight!  As evidenced by my huge dark circles, bags, and dazed look...

As always, please feel free to add your comments, suggestions and tips! I'm sure I've forgotten a few things!

Down for the count

Today can be described like this: 4 day old, dead fish.

That's how I feel. Like a bloated up fish, dead for days. It's just regular old Woman Issues, nothing catching (unless you're a woman of course, and then, well, it's catching...imagine my household growing up. 5 girls! my poor dad!...speaking of which, sorry dad. not what you wanted to read about, is it?), but that doesn't make it any less painful.

No, today I did next to nothing. I fumbled through a shower. (but yeah! showered!) I went to Target to grab a few essentials, forgot my list, forgot the essentials.

Like Tampons.

(there, i said it. online!)

I put Wy down for a second nap (he took the first...phew!) and then collapsed on the couch, moaning, groaning, and wishing for death. Just as I was about to drift off into happy pain-free dreamland, I hear the unmistakable sound of a binki being dropped onto a wood floor.

That, dear readers, signifies nap time is over.

I set Wy in his high chair with a snack, his new favorite, a graham cracker. Flopped around a bit more.

Changed into pajamas (why hadn't i done that in the first place?) and then went to get THE ESSENTIALS. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYIN'.

You know where this is going. Caleb made dinner tonight. I flopped on the couch a bit more. Whined. Moaned. Wished for bedtime.

But guess what?

I did it. I deserve it, right?

I got another bag. My last! I swear! I'm savoring!

FHE

I have a system in the morning. A routine. A ritual. And this morning was no different, after feeding Wy, vacuuming the house, and then playing for a bit, I read him a story and plopped him in his crib at 9:30 for his morning nap.

Then I high-tailed it to the living room for a rousing Wii workout. (I didn't use it Saturday or Sunday, and this morning it gave me a guilt trip! What the?! Talk about a motivator...)

This morning, however, Wy decided routine was for suckers. He played around for a bit, as is his routine, and then....just kept playing. And playing. And playing. And by 11 am, when nap time would normally be over, he was voicing his displeasure at still being in his crib. So I got him out.

He had one long nap today, people. One. I believe this to be a fluke, because by dinner time it was clear that just as I suspected, he's much too young for only one nap.

Needless to say, our plan of carving a pumpkin for him for FHE was a bit rushed. To appease him while Caleb cut, he enjoyed the lid as a post-dinner snack.

 

Nice cold teething toy. 

(forgive the slight blurriness..i'm still learning)

 

Look at Cabe, such a professional. Always a smile!

And here's a quick video, one that might shed a little light on our relationship. Me full on ignoring his attempts at a joke, Caleb cracking himself up regardless. So classic!

Please ignore my poor camera skills in the middle there.

Happy Halloween week, everyone!

Now the real question: I'm fresh out of candy corn...do I deal with it, or grab one last bag? Oh, the choices!

Let the festivities begin!

We started off our Halloween celebrations this weekend by attending a Halloween Dog Parade in a cute little town near by.

We didn't take Bear, because he's hyper and annoying, and we're smart.

We had a great time, and I can't decide what was more interesting - watching the dogs, or the people. (And I will leave it at that, for fear of putting my foot in my mouth)

Here are some of our favorites:

all photos by Caleb, because i was in charge of Stroller Operations

 

 

Very candid, but we loved the look on O's face.  SUCH a big dog!

 

This was, as you can imagine, not the only "princess" dog we saw...

Wyatt was supposed to be eating his dinner, but of course spent most of the time doing this:

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Wy also received a card from my family, his first Halloween card. Naturally, we had to take a shot for them.

It was glittery. He liked it. Thanks, family!

 

His favorite part is trying to scrape the glitter off.

I am so grateful for my Swiffer. 

Now I'm off to begin work on Operation Halloween Costumes. More to follow.

Takin' care of business

We've been busy over here these last few days.

*Wyatt discovered his tongue.

And then promptly forgot how to do it, after a nap. Still hasn't figured it out.

*I had my first ever Ladies Night last night! Woo! A monthly "project" night, where everyone brings their current project and works on it while chatting and eating. Not quite the wild night you expected, I know, photo organizing and crocheting aren't the most glamorous things in the world. But it was fun. And! I didn't get home until MIDNIGHT! On a SCHOOL NIGHT! That screams success, doesn't it?

*Wy has just been busy all around. His new favorite thing to do is pull things out of, and put stuff into, various places. This morning it was his drawer.

Yesterday he was putting everything he could find into the tub. The kid's got work to do, I'll tell ya what!

*We both had shots on Wednesday, regular flu for me and H1N1 for Wyatt. I'll breathe much easier when he's had his second dose (yes! yeah for first time vaccinations! we love two shots!)

*Caleb spent the evening mowing the lawn, and Wyatt was busy watching his every move.

Phew! Good thing it's the weekend! Enjoy yours!

If it doesn't get all over the place...

So, you want to make a pizza? Good! Cause that's what we had for dinner tonight.

Convenient, I know!

So first, you need to gather your ingredients. Like so.

You need pizza dough. You can make some, sure, or you can buy some. That's what I did, because I have yet to work with yeast, though it is a goal of mine. To perfect a roll / bread recipe.

One day.

Anyway. I bought some whole wheat dough. For this pizza, my toppings also include baby spinach, feta cheese, shaved parmesan, and sun dried tomatoes. You can, of course, put whatever you want on yours. But you've got to try this combination.

Get your sauce. You could buy some pizza sauce, but this is actually really easy to make yourself. I cheated, using regular store bought tomato sauce, an Alfredo Tomato I believe, and added a 6 oz. can of tomato paste to thicken it up, then tossed in a bit of garlic salt. REALLY good, people. Seriously good.

Get your dough ready, floured, rolled, tossed, etc.

Mine is rectangular, cause I might have thrown away my old pizza stone. Oops.

Throw all your ingredients on, being careful to space everything correctly...

 

Just kidding...but seriously. I sort of did, cause I'm like that.

Bake, according to your dough directions. Mine says 10ish minutes in a 450 degree oven.

Then enjoy! It's amazing. Also?

 

It's Wy Man approved. Pretty much seals the deal, doesn't it?

Granny, in all sense of the word!

So (sew!) my project isn't turning out EXACTLY as I'd imagined, but it is coming along quite nicely.

You see, I learned there's like, different size yarns and different size needles....different TYPES of yarn, different prices for yarn...

So. (sew!)

It's going to look slightly different. Slightly larger. Thicker. Until I save up enough to spend over $100 on the FAHN-CY yarn. If I ever decide that is necessary. It might not be...

Behold! The start of my Giant Granny Square!

 

And my basket 'o yarn. Soon to be the rest of my blanket!

I still have quite a way to go, but I'm enjoying myself. It's calming. It's repetitive. I like that. I sort of thrive on routine and such, so this pattern is right up my alley.

Also, I have a skill! How novel!

Special thanks, or really, all thanks, go to Abs. Couldn't have done it without ya. Honestly.

Pumpkins! Not just for bread!

How awesome is Fall? I mean seriously. Not counting summer, because who doesn't love summer, fall is my favorite season. The colors, the sounds, the smells, the food, the air....it's just magical. It's over before I know it and always leaves me wanting more. (leaves me wanting more! ha!) Like a good slice of Tiramisu. A hot cup of cocoa. A pedicure. 

(man, i could use a pedicure...)

That said, fall in California is slightly different than say, fall in Northern Utah. Or fall in Oregon. It's warmer, and in many areas the leaves just turn brown and fall off the tree. Not quite the firework display I'm used to, so I try to produce as much "fall" as I can - lots of soups, stews, pumpkin bread, and decorations. 

Last Friday we went to visit a pumpkin patch in the area, and though it was 87 degrees, I still got that Fall feeling. 

 

We sat down to eat a picnic lunch, and discovered an Abby in the rafters!

Though really, our Abby is a bit cuter. 

Honestly, is that not the cutest pregnant girl ever? That's what I thought. 

After filling our bellies we headed to the pumpkin patch for a few photos.  (It's never a few, you know that, right?)

 

We propped him up in between some of the pumpkins and just let him go. He quite enjoyed himself.

Then we threw in the other boys. Quite adorable, I can only imagine the craziness that will follow us in the next few years!

Look at them! So sweet! Such good little boys. 

In between takes, Wy discovered hay. Picked it up. Played with it. Chewed it, touched it. 

And then promptly got all red-faced with watery eyes and nose. Perhaps a combination of heat, sunscreen, and hay. Not my finest parenting moment, but a few wet wipes and an eventual nap in the car did the trick. Thankfully. 

So then we moved on to the next photo op, and while Abby and Bridge worked on getting Bridge's two boys ready, I quickly tried to snap a shot of Wyatt by myself. And after taking several photos Bridge looked over and informed me that I had put Wy in the wrong chair. 

Silly me! I thought they were being so clever in having two chairs to help with the flow of weekend traffic. Caleb is so glad I had her there to help me - sorry Wy. It had to be posted. 

But look! All better!

 

So itchy...so scratchy...so much fun. 

And then, naturally, we went on a carousel ride. Wy's first. There should always be carousel rides...

And then, get this, a train ride through the pumpkin patch. (The hay rides, cow train, and petting zoo were all closed due to the recent downpour we'd received....so naturally we'll have to go back!)

It was quite an excellent way to spend the day, even if we did get lost on the way there (dang google maps!) and were then accosted by some crazy bus driver who chastised me OVER AND OVER for not having a hat for Wyatt. While I was applying sunscreen to both of us. Copious amounts of sunscreen. "That stuff is only good for...so long!"

Yeah, duh dude. That's why this crazy thing called RE-APPLYING was invented! 

These things only happen when Abby and I are together. Something about us that makes everyone and everything go crazy. 

Anyway, where was I? Oh right! Yes! A fun time was had by all. 

And we will be back!

Wyatt: 11 months

11 months! Do you know that is nearly a year?! How in the world is this possible? It boggles the mind. Last year at this time I was large with child, LAAAAAAARGE with child, perusing the web for "pregnant halloween costumes" and ridiculously excited to be going on maternity leave soon. 

RIDICULOUSLY EXCITED.

This year I am searching the web for "baby costumes" and getting ridiculously excited about planning his one year birthday party. 

RIDICULOUSLY EXCITED.

I am not the first nor will be the last to say this, but they seriously grow so fast. He's waving to every single thing that moves, whether they're looking or not, giving his own version of "high fives", is becoming The Fastest Crawler Ever (able to reach the toilet paper in a single bound!), and is getting quite the little toddle down on most occasions. I have to tell you, it's ridiculously cute. Arms straight in the air, squealing like crazy, swaying from one direction to the next. 

His naps have been much longer these past few weeks, his morning nap being the longest at over two hours. Several times this week I had to eventually wake him up so that we could be on time to our various activities. I'm assuming he's just going through a growth spurt, as evidenced by, you know, all the growing he's doing. Not out, but up. The kid is still a stick, no meat on his bones whatsoever. He eats great, hardly refusing anything we put on his plate. He loves fruit, any kind, loves string cheese. Peas. Carrots. Zucchini. Toast and jam. Anything that you're eating, thankyouverymuch. He gets this intent look on his face, like he thinks he could move that object to his mouth if he stares hard enough. 

 

He's started doing this noise, a tongue rolling sound. It's pure boy, car noise sounds. Airplane noises. Is this how it really is? Is it really ingrained? It's amazing. Really cute. Is he honestly going to be playing with cars soon? This is all so new. I know Barbies. "House" games. Ponies. Dolls. I don't know cars and trucks and trains and bugs (please don't let it be bugs...). I'm hoping it comes half as easy to me as it will be for him. 

He's beginning to understand words. It's amazing! The growth! You can literally see it! All of a sudden one morning I ask him casually during breakfast, "Where's Bear?" and he turns, looks outside the sliding glass door and points. 

Like, hey, woman! Duh! Right there! 

Where's Daddy? Where's Mommy? Turn, point. Just like that. Does it ever end? The constant amazement at each little thing? Does it lessen with each child? The newness of it all? I hope not. It's such fun. 

He is so happy. He is so busy. He's such a sweet little boy, and at this rate, honestly, it's going to be hard to stop at a decent number of children. Though please remind me of this when I'm stressed and have my hands full, okay? Remind me that I love this. That it's the best thing ever. That it's the best thing we've ever done. 

Everything is better on a stick

I got many lovely birthday gifts this year. Thoughtful, wonderful gifts.

Abby and Brian however, gave me an excellently wacky gift.

 

A giant gummy bear! On a stick! I love gummy bears!

88 times larger than a regular sized gummy bear. Yet still smaller than the most ridiculous gummy bear ever. (please do check out the videos...) And in pineapple, my favorite flavor!

Can you see Wy staring intently at it?

We did let him have a little lick. Which he enjoyed muchly. Almost too much...

It's good. Chewy. Really big.

So we tried to get a little bit of perspective on the whole thing.

Isn't that a cute belly? Abby's, not the bear's...

Nice work, guys. Most excellent!

**********

Addendum: The giant gummy bear on a stick was purchased from Vat19.

Pigs are flyin'

You guys. Abby? My friend who came down from Oregon to play? My very wonderful friend Abby?

She taught me how to crochet. And I'm makin' THIS. I chose the cool color scheme (and might make another with the intent of having one in our guest bedroom to match those colors...if all goes well of course...) and I'm like, crocheting. With hooks and yarn and stuff. And I had this moment tonight when Abby and I were both sitting on the couch, crocheting our little hearts out, our husbands sitting next to us with Oprah in the background (only because we had to see this episode...good heavens Oprah can't interview to save her life), and I thought, YES.

This is what we'll be doing in 60 years. Crocheting on the couch in our pajamas, bad talk shows in the background. Maybe Wheel of Fortune.

It's not a bad way to go.

(Pictures of my progress soon! Cause I'm like, crocheting and stuff!)

**********

In other news, I put a blanket in Wyatt's crib tonight. First time ever. I think it's probably a wasted notion, since the kid crawls all over the place in his sleep.

**********

Thanks for all the book ideas! I'm writing them all down on my must-read list. It's getting quite long...

**********

Also yes, hi, it's mid-October and I haven't switched the masthead. My To Do list is even longer!

Needin' your ad-vice

So, I need your advice! I got a lovely gift card to Barnes & Noble for my birthday, and even though reading doesn't happen often for me around here (I feel like my attention span these days is nil....like I can barely make it through a magazine article...am hoping this goes away...) I'm' hoping that some fresh books will spark my fire, if you will.

So I need your book suggestions. First on my list, because I've never read it which is kind of embarrassing cause seriously, who makes it through high school (honors, even) without reading How To Kill A Mockingbird?!

Honestly! So. That's number one.

Number two is this book, because everything I've made thus far has been amazing.

And that's it! Help! What's your favorite book? Or if someone offered to buy you any book RIGHT NOW, what would it be? 

Watch and Learn

Wyatt's new Thing is to crawl around (because yes, it's still the preferred method) with an object in each hand, so that with each forward motion you hear "clank! clank! clank! clank!". It can be anything really, blocks, his binki, balls, measuring cups. The other night it was both remotes.

 

He spent several minutes watching Caleb intently as he mowed and trimmed the grass. 

It's so strange to think that soon he'll be out there toddling along with Caleb. At a very safe distance, of course. But still. Toddling. I can't wait.

And at the same time, I TOTALLY CAN.

This little boy is uh, probably my favorite.

"I'm a big kid now!"

Wyatt decided to grow up today.

We were getting ready to get together with our lovely friends, the Six Amigos, if you will, and thought we'd try to see if Wy would walk. He's been getting ridiculously close lately, and we knew it was only a matter of time.

And it was.

And then he did it again, and again! And every time he did we'd all yell and clap and it would freak him out. He'd look around, eyes wide, hands shakey. It was a little sad. Sorta cute, like even though he was growing up right before our very eyes, he was still my little baby.

Which I will remind him of until the bitter end.

Missourah

So, wow. WOW. What a whirlwind these last two weeks have been! We had an excellent time in Missouri, despite what you might be thinking. It was actually beautiful! So green! With picturesque rolling hills! And cows and stuff!

It was fun to see Caleb's parents as well, and to see what they do. Where they hang their hat and such. We went to a car show (you know the kind. the men walk around with their hands in their pockets, their heads bent, saying "mmmm....it's decent.") went shopping for coats in Kansas City, and went four wheeling (sorta...) to get to the best Subway in Cameron.

For reals. It was kinda freaky.

Here, a smattering of pictures. (You knew it was coming...)

Caleb's mom let him play in her dishwasher, meaning all of his wildest dreams came true.

I don't even know what this is. Is it cool? Do I care? Eh.

 

Am I right, or am I right? Heads bent, hands in their pockets....

This was Caleb's favorite car, so he made us stand in front of it. Never mind that you can't see the car...

Here's Wy, hamming it up eating crackers in the hotel.

And us, driving in the car to visit my cousins.

Hello! Beautiful! Wish you were here!

Cousins!

And Wy, getting some energy out before we board yet another plane.

And then they were like, "We need pre-boarders", which was us, and we'd been specifically told to board then because we were on the first row and needed the extra space for our bags, and Caleb was in the bathroom and uh, wasn't coming out, so I hauled Wyatt, the stroller, my duffel bag, my huge diaper bag, Caleb's briefcase, our camera bag, the car seat, and it's base onto the freakin' airplane myself.

I'm not kidding. It was quite the juggling act.

After this leg Caleb and I split up in Denver, he taking our original flight home, and me swapping over to Southwest for the flight to Salt Lake. Let me just say that I hate the Denver airport. I was in Concourse C, and needed to be in Concourse A, requiring two train stops. Wyatt was extremely overdue for dinner, had only had two half hour naps that day, and was not happy about once again being on another airplane. 

**********

The next day was the funeral, and while it's not your typical way to spend a birthday, I really enjoyed being able to attend and be there for my friend. It was a beautiful tribute to a wonderful woman. I went to support and show my love, and left feeling like they'd done more for me than I ever did for them. After wards, a few of us went up to my parents house and they sang Happy Birthday over a Marie Callendars chocolate silk pie. A few hours later I was boarding yet another plane home, where Caleb and I shared take out Thai food, because our fridge was empty and our baby was sleeping.

To make it special, Caleb lit candles and we had water "on the rocks". Ice. Ice in our house, is a  special occasion. 

**********

I returned home, filled the fridge, mopped the floors, in preparation for a visit from Abby and Brian. We're going to have a great week. (Now with regular posting! Wee!) Just so long as Wyatt's molars decide to cooperate...

God be with you, till we meet again

If you can believe it, and trust me, I almost can't, I just booked another flight for myself. (Okay, Caleb booked it for me, and he'd have you know that it was no small task) A little trip inside this trip. Or rather, at the end of this trip.

While I could go on and on and on about how ridiculous it is that I am yet again flying somewhere else, I won't. This trip isn't for fun.

To top off our crazy day flying out to Missouri, we also got word that one of our best friend's mother passed away, very suddenly and unexpectedly. We're just heartsick for him and his family. Losing someone is always hard, but when it happens quickly and without warning, it's even harder.

It's during these trials in life that remind me of how grateful I am of the knowledge that I have that she is not gone, that she is alive and with other loved ones who have passed on. I know that she will see and be with her family again one day. 

She is such a wonderful woman, a kind and happy woman, and I know that she is at peace and enjoying a wonderful reunion with her Father in Heaven.

We love you, Diane.

**********

On October 2, 2009, Diane Nelson Barrus’ life on this earth came to a close. In what was certainly a joyous reunion, she returned home to her Heavenly Father, her beloved mother Norma and her dear sister Janet who preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband, Wm. Lee; her children, Brett (Stephanie), Jesse, Kyller, Megan (Stephen), and Ben; her father, LaVance Nelson and his wife, Norma Prece Nelson; and her brother and sisters, Paul, Carolynn, and Sue. Diane is the fourth child of LaVance and Norma Arbuckle Nelson. She was born and raised in Bountiful, Utah and resided there nearly all of her life. She had a wonderful and unique sense for style and design. Collecting beautiful things was one of the joys of her life and her home was a gallery of sorts with constantly rotating furnishings. She was married to William Lee Barrus for time and all eternity on November 21, 1981 in the Salt Lake Temple. They were blessed with a large family. She was a fabulous mother and wife. Quoting the scriptures, Diane often remarked that she “had no greater joy than to see her children grow up in righteousness.” Diane served faithfully in many callings and loved serving in the Primary most of all. She enjoyed the songs, and the lessons but more than anything else she loved the children and they loved her. Diane was a peacemaker. A counselor and a source of wisdom and support not only to those in her own home, but also to her friends, relatives, neighbors and even strangers. She was a great pillar of strength in her family; her faith and fortitude will remain an anchor to her husband and children in the years to come. Without her enthusiasm for life and sure testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ, the trials of their lives would have been nearly insurmountable. She will be sorely missed. They look forward to the day when they can be in her loving presence again. A viewing will be held Monday night from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and a viewing will also be held at 9:30 AM before the funeral service. The funeral will be at 11:00 AM on Tuesday.

Flesh and blood

I don't even know where to begin.

The day starts out like this - no wait. It starts out like THIS - I get a terrible night's sleep, terrible, couldn't fall asleep, kept waking up, some DOG (not even mine this time!) started howling at 2 am. Howling. Like something DIED howling. I was not amused.

Anyway. So really, the day starts out with the alarm going off at 5:30 and me hitting the snooze button.

Don't worry though, I actually got up.

So we get all ready and head to drop off the mutt (my favorite part!) before heading up to drop off the car and then take the shuttle to the airport.

We arrive at the kennel to find it doesn't open until 8 instead of 7. Our flight leaves at 9. I try to convince Caleb to just tie Bear to the door or something so we can freakin' get out of there, but alas, he wouldn't. Then we hit traffic. Early morning Bay Area traffic PLUS an accident.

You can see where this is going.

We missed our flight. My first ever, and I was in HIGH ANXIETY mode. I asked Caleb if he was going to take the 880 or the 87 from the 85, and he says the 87 and I say but what if it's packed?  and so he takes the 880, but I'm like HEY, I THINK THE 87 IS FASTER, and he's like YOU'RE NOT HELPING.

Insert some craziness, we get bumped to a later flight, thereby missing our connecting flight in Denver. We're on standby for the flight from Denver to Kansas City, but that flight is 3 people overbooked. We're on standby for the NEXT flight, which has seats, but doesn't put us in until 7 pm.

Blah blah blah, we land in Denver after a RIDICULOUSLY bumpy descent, like, the worst I've ever had, like, I'm getting queasy and I don't get queasy bad. (Abby, you would have DIED) We run off to the next gate to get in line and hopefully on the flight. I send Caleb ahead and grab some food and we meet at the gate. I plop myself on the airport floor, greasy food in hand, and take a big sip of my Diet Coke.

Oh baby, did I need that.

So Wyatt, who has been just excellent all day despite only having a half hour nap, spies my fries. (spies my fries!) And people, I am not normally a sucker. But this time? I was. I gave him some of my fry. He was restless, tired, hungry, and was pretty cute reaching for it. It's the first time I've ever given in, and I wasn't feeling too bad about it. Until of course, Caleb comes over and announces we've made it on the flight and oh, that lady over there? She was aghast and pointing and whispering mean whisperings about how she couldn't believe I was giving Wyatt a fry. 

And I was mad and indignant, but decided to let it go. No biggie. She doesn't know our situation.

THEN we get on the flight and I start trying to nurse Wy so he'll take a second nap for the day.

And people, I done got bit. Not once, not twice, not even three times.

And there was blood.

BLOOD.

It was my own dang fault really, too much was going on, we hadn't left the ground yet, and he was too distracted. He wasn't doing it on purpose (cause when he does that's the end!) but dude.

DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE. I have never felt such piercing pain. Ever. And when he finally settled down and started nursing and we'd taken off and things had settled down, Caleb reached over and held the Diet Coke while I had a sip. And then I started crying. That bite had been the last straw.

In the end, things worked out. Maybe even better, since our layover in Denver was only 30 minutes as opposed to 5 hours. We got in at 6 pm, enough time to grab some dinner with Caleb's parents and see their apartment before getting Wy down for the evening. Sigh.

Is it possible for us to travel without a hitch?

Oh, get this though. After all of our craziness, the standby flights, quick transfers - our luggage, all three items, made it to Missouri. I almost didn't believe it. I wanted to kiss every single Frontier employee I could find. They may charge you for crackers and peanuts, but they are baggage geniuses.