Falling Apart

Why do I feel like I'm falling apart. I'm just shy of 30 and I wake up with a stiff neck I can't move, an aching shin (Easton elbowed me in the shin last night right where I had a stress fracture and shin splints in college) and a knee that is being operated on next week. I guess that is was 9 year of gymnastics, 4 years of volleyball, and 6 years of track will do to someone. When it all seems a bit rough I watch the video below and it makes it all go away.

Hall of Flame

After driving by the Hall of Flame Fire Museum a few dozen times en route to the Phoenix Zoo we decided to take a family trip to see what it was all about. I mean, Easton does like firetrucks just a little! An hour and a half of pure joy and a year membership later we trapsed back out to the 110 degree heat. Easton was in heaven. Rows of old, red, shiney firetrucks, helmets, gear and so much more to look at. We will be back very soon!

Father's Day in Flagstaff

As many of you know we spend Father's Day weekend in Flagstaff. Larry was supposed to do a bike race but due to the Eagle Rock fire outside of Flag it was postponed till Fall. We still had a great family weekend. We drove up Friday and stayed in a house just outside of town. It had a great front porch and thanks to the owners, who have two small kids, was totally kid friendly! Easton just loved playing on the front patio in the cool weather. Friday night we went and walked around downtown Flagstaff and ate dinner at an the amazing Big Foot BBQ. After an awful night sleep by all of us......just think.......me snoring with no earplugs for Larry, EAston in bed with me which I'm not used to, Larry moving to the couch and waking up at 4:45. Let's just say a well needed nap occurred on Saturday afternoon after visiting Walnut Canyon. We took a little hike down the canyon and looked at the Indian ruins on the sides of the canyon walls. Really amazing. Saturday evening we headed back into town for dinner only to have it look like the entire town of Flagstaff was burning. Another fire had started just outside of town evacuating 4 communities. We had a nice dinner outside at Altitudes and Easton was so excited about the trains that came through right by the restaurant. We then headed up to Lowell Observatory which was a waste of money because duhhhh.......nothing really happens at an observatory before dark. OH well, lesson learned at least Easton got his energy out by running around all over the place. We got up Sunday morning, after a much better night sleep, packed up and headed to town for Biff's Bagels and a jont around the Farmer's Market. It was a pleasant ride home with lots of book reading and singing to try to keep Easton awake. Sleep won.

Boost of Photography Confidence

I follow a great blog/facebook page for MCP Actions. It is a lot of actions used in Photoshop which I don't use for my photography but I pick up a lot of inspiration from the photos I see and articles posted. The creator of the blog was doing a Memorial Day tribute post and asked facebook followers to send in patriotic photographs. I wishfully thinking sent in a photograph of a newborn (Keegan Scott) that I took a few weeks back. Personally this is my favorite photo I've ever taken so sent it her way. Out of hundreds of photos entered mine was one of 19 chosen and posted. It gives me a little boost of confidence knowing that my photo is up there with seasoned photographers all over the country.

Here is the link

Play House, Pool, Pancakes Oh My!

I totally scored on this playhouse yesterday at a yard sale! $20 for hours of enjoyment. We were playing peek-a-boo out the windows.

Next we dumped the remainder of the sand out of the turtle and made it into a kiddy pool. Way more fun! Much warmer than the big pool right now too. As you can see by the look on his face he was having a ton of fun!

Thank you Aunt Trina for the amazing oatmeal whole wheat pancake mix! I have not seen Easton eat this much....well, ever! He ate a whole pancake and an egg at breakfast. About 20 minutes later I walked into the dining room and below is what I found. He had helped himself to the remaining pancake that was left on a plate on the table. He finished that one off too!

Sigh........Daddy working Fridays makes for a much shorter weekend. Back to the grind tomorrow.

Three Little Words

My Favorite Men

Update

Apologies to the very few that actually follow my blog. I have been busy busy the past few weeks trying to get ready for a 5k on Saturday, chasing Easton around, taking photos and trying to be a good housewife that I have totally ignored the blog.

I signed up to do my first 5k this Saturday at the Phx Zoo. I know I've done a half marathon before so a 5k shouldn't be too bad but the zoo is one of the only hilly places in the valley so I'm a bit nervous. Plus Easton in his stroller is at least another 30lbs to push up the hills. I'll survive! It's for a good cause too, Breast Cancer research.

The chasing of Easton continues.......he is a ball of energy that only stops when he is asleep! We are slowly working on potty training. He will go in the regular potty which is a step in the right direction. Now it's getting him to tell us before he goes...not after. We have moved him to a matress on the floor, just two days ago. He loves his "big boy bed". He has been getting up a little earlier than usual but hopefully he'll get used to it. We took a nice family trip to the zoo last weekend while the weather is still nice.

I've been doing some photos lately and it is starting to pick up. Still learning a lot from every session I do and reading a ton to improve my pictures and editing skills. Here are a few I took on Saturday. We had a lot of fun. Little C was a wiggle worm so I ended up taking a lot more shots than usual.

We had a lovely Mother's Day last Sunday. Went to breakfast at Mimi's, banana chocolate chip muffins are to die for! Larry bit his tongue and came to Ikea with me. It was his idea to try the mattress on the floor for Easton. He doesn't care to shop with me but we always seem to end up spending more $ when he comes. Last trip to Target we went for a baseball tee ($15) and allergy medication. Ended up with a ramp for jumping Matchbox cars and a gigantic Tonka dump truck....plus the tee. He went for a ride after Ikea and brought me home some lovely tulips and a card. I must say I am one lucky mama.