Happy Thanksgiving!

Little cookie turkeys, massive amounts of potatoes, corn pudding, and stuffing, Grandma and Papa, holiday music, etc. etc. etc. That was our Thanksgiving! How about yours?

The cookie turkeys were a huge hit (thank you Grandma Debbie!). It only took Lily two days to gobble hers up, feather by feather, cookie by cookie. You know me, I couldn't let her eat all that sugar in one sitting!









Our Turkey survived the grill once again, and I must say, this one could have made it in Martha Stewart's magazine! We are so grateful for all of our many blessings, especially our loving family. We loved having Debbie and Ron here with us. We miss you so much already! So 23 more days until Christmas!

Big Girl Bedtime!

It has happened. Our little one is a big girl! Two weeks ago, we moved Lily out of her crib and into a mattress on the floor. We wanted to make a gradual transition here. Last Friday night, Ryan and I stayed up to put together her new big girl bed. Lily fell asleep in our bed that night and we moved her into her new bed while she was fast asleep. The next morning, she woke up and called to me "Mommy, what's this thing?"

She has yet to figure out that she can easily get out of the bed by herself in the mornings and still calls for me or Ryan every morning, asking if she can get out. I hope she doesn't figure out that she is fully capable of getting out of the bed by her self for a very very long time!

We are prepping Lily every day for our new addition (oh yes, by the way for those of you who didn't know...we are expecting again!). She now talks about putting her old bed back together for the little baby. Ahhh, how endearing is that?

Memories of Durham Past!

So, if you are a member of my family, you may be reading my cousin Laura's blog. First of all, I wish I could write like you Laura! I can't though, but you have inspired me and this post is for you!

I was blessed to grow up with cousins who were truly my best friends. I spent endless hours at my cousin's homes, and the games we played and fun we had was truly unique and has created treasured memories for me that I will never forget. Living away from my family is really starting to catch up with me, and I miss everyone so much. I have been reading Laura's posts about "foods of Durham past" and it has made me less homesick so thank you Laura.

So, I would like to try to contribute in a small way to the amazing Durham memories I have :) Every Memorial Day weekend, the Tom Durham family would trek up to our family cabin in Midway, and I was invited several years in a row. The trip consisted of adventures around the cabin woods, trips to the water tower, stopping at the local video store to rent at least 10 movies, swimming at this crazy indoor pool that smelled like the zoo a little bit, falling asleep to Uncle Tom watching "Tora! Tora! Tora!" or "The Fortune Cookie," eating Aunt Becky's homemade trail mix, and lots of other yummy treats, mostly made by Laura. One memory I have is of a delicious mushroom soup that Laura made one night that I still crave!

The stand out memory for me however was one that included my cousin Carter. We had just arrived at the cabin and I think Carter was upstairs in the "loft" getting his bed ready. We heard a strange shriek and ran up to see Carter in the corner of the room in a little ball rocking back and forth. Someone discovered what had caused his current condition...a dead squirrel frozen in mid-run. Oh man, it was hilarious! I hope Carter has recovered.

I loved those weekends...especially because it meant summer was around the corner, which meant hours of play with cousins!

Now for the Lowell Durham, Jr. family...it was all about St. George! Ah, Green Valley and the wonderful condo with the incredibly witty directions regarding the condo care written by Uncle Lowell. Don't touch the Pepsi people, don't touch the pepsi! Trips to the Yellow Dollar Store with Uncle Lowell, my first introduction to Walmart, swimming, finding little frogs at night, playing the Atari, passing the strange house with all the cactus characters, and of course, watching VH1! I loved those trips, and loved feeling like I was going to Paradise for the weekend with my cousins!

So Laura, thanks for taking me back. Last night, Lily and I had swedish pancakes for dinner and I was thinking of you the whole time! Keep writing, I can't wait to see what food is next...I know we both share a love for cooking, and aren't we blessed to have had such great mentors (even if we did get peaches, miracle whip, and cheese every now and then)!

Our Little Firefly!

Carve the pumpkins and away we go! Lily designed her own pumpkin this year, and she did a mighty fine job I must say. After much anticipation for this night, it finally arrived and then just like that....and many pieces of star burst later, it was bedtime. Our Lily the firefly was tuckered out, but she had a terrific time trick-or-treating and charming all of our neighbors!

Leaves glorious leaves...oh and a cute little firefly too!

Ready to go...so happy to have Daddy with us!
The blinking bum!

Finally home, and time for candy!

Um, you want me to touch this pumpkin goop?

I really don't know how we are going to top this Halloween with the firefly costume....hmmmm...maybe next year I'll try to figure out how to make wings that actually make you fly! Especially since Lily kept looking up at the sky saying "Mommy, I'm supposed to be way up there, not here on the sidewalk!" Oh sweet! Happy Halloween everyone!

Bees 1 Amy 0

So no pictures, sorry. Taking photos and managing the hive alone is a little too much for me right now! Well, the bees are doing some strange things and I had to really work them today which needless to say, did not please my bees.

Agitated is putting it nicely. They were upset, and expressed that the only way little insects with stingers know how. I felt it quickly on my left middle finger. Yup, stung. I walked away, a little afraid I must admit. Luckily, my supportive Dad is in town and was watching the whole thing. His kind words of sympathy: "Well, get back in there and finish things up."

Ok Dad. Off I went into the swarm of angry bees. I quickly put things back in, "smoothly and quickly" liked I learned in all my classes. May the 10-15 bees I killed in my closing up the hive rest in peace, and may my next visit with my girls be less painful and a little less confusing for this amateur beekeeper!

Oh yeah, still no queen to be found, but larva noted. Weird, yes. To bee continued!

You Happy Mommy?

This is Lily's newest favorite question for me.....especially after she has done something that does not make Mommy happy. However, last weekend, Mommy was very happy, as was Daddy and Lily! We took an adventure for three days, just us, a tent, a camp stove, lots of yummy junk food, sleeping bags, and off we went to the Shenandoah National Park!

Thursday 3:00 pm - Off we go!
4:00 - still on the road
5:00 - still on the road
6:00 - still on the road...got the picture - it took us forever to go 2 and a half hours!
9:30 - arrive at the campsite (realize we forgot a minor necessity - our air mattress pump)
10:30 - get settled in the tent - Mommy and Daddy slept on the nice, comfy, bumpy, cold ground - but we survived!

Friday 8:30 am - wake up!
9:00 - scrambled eggs and pancakes time!
11:00 - beautiful hike to Dark Hollow Falls - Lily made it 1.4 miles!

2:30 - attempted a nap - yeah right

3:30 - watched the family of deer nibble acorns from the ground in our campsite - they had no fear of people
5:00 - dinner! Love the Mountain House!
7:00 - introduction to roasting marshmallows - Lily LOVES her smore!
7:30 - Ryan burns his fingers on his carefully crafted smore maker - picture is pre-burn
8:30 - Lily goes to bed
9:00 - Mommy and Daddy enjoy the campfire
9:30 - Mommy heads to the potty and sees the second white skunk of the trip - I'm serious, I was not seeing things!
10:30 - Goodnight!

Saturday 7:00 am - Lily up early today!
7:30 - start to break down the campsite
8:00 - Lily uses her handi wipes to "clean" the campsite - she takes this very seriously
9:00 - head to breakfast at the Wayside cafe
10:30 - go to the Apple Butter Festival!
11:00 - Mommy and Daddy are in heaven watching their little one dance her heart out to the celtic folk band!
12:00 - say good-bye to our peaceful trip
3:00 - stop for lunch at the Cracker Barrel - never again will we eat at Cracker Barrel - don't ask
4:00 - home again and soooooo tired but soooooo refreshed!

A repeat vacation for sure! We had a great time!

Rat recovery...then off to Utah!

So, one day after my rat encounter, Lily and I got on a plane and headed off to Utah for two whole weeks! I was really in need of some low key down time, and despite the fact that Lily decided to become a crazy sleeper, it was just what we needed.

We made many memories with this visit, and here are just a few :)

• Celebrating my 29th birthday 3 times with my whole family (minus my sweet husband)
• Eating french toast at Lizzy's house
• Discussing politics with my amazing friends, Kel, Stace, Steph, and Josette - dinner at the Dodo was delicious too!
• Meeting baby Owen!
  
• Going to Park City with my sisters and Mom
• Frosting cookies that Aunt Emilee made!
• Snow cones!
• Going to the Capitol Building with Grandpa
• Watching a moose drink "dirty water" as Lily called up at Snowbird
• Going to the Sweets Candy Factory
• Getting flowers from my Sweetie on my birthday
  
• Heading up to Jeremy Ranch with the Roberts
• 
• Watching SYTYCD with Monica and Mom on my birthday!
• Going to Red Butte Garden
  
• Going to dinner on my birthday with my parents, Debbie and Ron, and Grandma Durham
• Swimming with Lily
• Watching Lilly, Luke, Ellie, and Parker jump in Grandma and Grandpa's moon bounce
• Hearing Lily talk about her day at Liberty Park with Grandma
• Catching THREE fish fly fishing with my great Dad (I think this one takes the cake)

In case you were wondering, Ryan survived our absence. I do think he missed us though. I immediately greeted my bees when we got home to find a healthy hive with good honey stores for the winter. However, I could not find my queen this time....to be continued :)

Are you kidding me?????

So remember this cute little rat from the darling movie "Ratatouille?" Well...read on my friends, read on.

7:50 - Arrive at Margarita's house (Lily's babysitter)

7:51 - Walk to back door, knock at back door, wait....

7:52 - Door opens, "Ah! Buenos Dias Arturo (Margarita's husband)."

7:53 - (cue rat) Me thinking "Oooo, ouch, what was that little......"

7:53:11 - I look down...try to imagine a stream of mormon friendly expletives mixed with screams of fear and horror.

7:53:13 - Push poor Arturo out of my way into the house and run to the kitchen with Lily.

7:53:15 - Margarita starts screaming in Spanish to Arturo and I pick up, "Rat, rat, rat!"

7:54 - Look at my toe, yes it is bleeding....yes it is true.....I was BIT BY A RAT! ARE YOU KIDDING ME????????

7:58 - Arturo kills the rat.

7:59 - Margarita puts lime juice on my wound (a remedy from her Guatemalan Grandmother) then alcohol

8:00 - Lily is standing staring at Mommy

8:00:11 - Mommy is nervously laughing trying not to show her true feelings to the little one

8:01 - More frantic Spanish between Margarita and Arturo

8:02 - Lily says, "Bye-bye Mommy...kiss....hug"

So, I'll stop the time line now....it's true people. I left Margarita's, and called Ryan in hysterics. I talked to the current intern who very calmly gave me some medical advice (calm down and breathe) and he went to notify Ryan in the OR - with his surgeon buddies who now joke about Ryan's wife having rabies...nice.

I drove to the ER, met Ryan there, and was so relieved to hear that rats do not carry rabies. So there guys! I spent two hours in the ER, left with some antibiotics and a tetanus shot. Plus side, Ryan and I got to have lunch together! I saw him more today than I have in a week!

Moral of the story....rats do not make delicious soups in a charming cafe in France! They bite, so watch out!

By the way, the bees are good :)

More family and the Fourth of July!

It was a busy month, but a fun one for sure! After Papoo and Grandma left, Papa Ron came to visit, followed by Grandma Debbie, Aunt Kristy, and cousins Chandler, Lincoln, and Noah. Lily loved playing with her cousins, and when everyone left her first question was "Where the kids go?"

So the Fourth of July was great! A bike parade, with Lily on and off and on and off the bike (you can tell by her expression that she was super excited about this event!). Dinner with great friends, and the cutest little Fourth of July hats you have ever seen! The day ended at 10:30 pm for Lily...what you may ask????? Amy let her kid stay up until 10:30 pm? Yes it is true folks, and man did I pay the next day. I'll just say two cases of forced throw up in nursery due to screaming and crying for Mommy was my reward. I continue to stand by my defense of early bedtimes :)

Summer is humming along. The lovely month of July has hit in the east and we are spending lots of time outside in the "pool." I must say, watching Lily run through the sprinklers and play in the water on a hot day brings back the greatest childhood memories. Happy summer everyone!

Grandma and Papoo, busy bees, and Happy B-day Ryan!

We have been running around this week with Grandma and Papoo, from the zoo, to the berry orchards, and to the aquarium! Before I continue, I must give major props to my Dad and my cute hubby for working their buns off over the past two days. They have been digging me a garden in our back yard and it is beautiful! We planted tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, and zucchini. I think with this and the bees I might need to get chickens next!

Grandm and Lily and I went to the super cute Reston Zoo on Tuesday. It is small, kid friendly, and there are sinks everywhere so you can wash your hands as needed. This was a welcome sight for me, the germ-a-phobic mother!

Berry picking at the orchard was a true highlight. Lily knew just what to do with those berries. She picked them perfectly (despite the occasional smushings), and only snitched a few :) The scenery was so breathtaking. I felt like I was in an Anne of Green Gables novel! We took all of our strawberries and blueberries home, and Grandma made strawberry jam, and Papoo made blueberry tapioca pudding! Delicious!

The aquarium was also a treat, a fishy treat of course. We saw turtles, sting rays, sharks, dolphins, jellyfish, one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish, etc. Dr. Seuss would have been proud! We had a wonderful time and lunch at Phillip's Seafood was delish.

Lily has been such a good sport and has slipped into the two-year-old stereotype quite nicely all of the sudden! She really is such a good kid; however, there are moments (and now they are NOT few and far between) where she makes her very strong will known! We are working through little and big tantrums with Grandma and Papoo's help!

So, I also checked in on my bees this week. To say they have multiplied in number is an understatement! There were so many bees in that little hive!

I have to admit, I had my first freak out. After checking several frames and seeing all good things, lots of good comb, honey, larva, etc. I had to close up shop due to some quickly increasing anxiety on my part, and my 20,000+ friends! Enjoy the pictures, and soon I will get some more up close photos, especially the queen!!!

PS No laughing at the clown pants....I have to keep the bees out!

So in the midst of all these fun day trips, my wonderful husband and Lily's incredible daddy had a birthday today! Happy Birthday to you Sweetie! We are gearing up for residency year #2! Six more and away we go!