Lions, tigers & bears...Oh My!

What on earth would make Hayden point and stare like this?

and what is up with that look on MY face??

Why the elephant of course!! He was very into the elephants.

He was very into EVERY animal at the zoo yesterday.

Surprise!!! Auntie joined us at the zoo too :))

LK's whole preschool class & Auntie...wow...that is a fun day.

My FAVORITE part of the whole zoo ~~ the penguins.

LOVE THEM!!!

I'm so sad...this is the only pic that turned out :(

LK and her little BF!

Layla's class and her amazing teachers.

Here kitty kitty...Hayden was hissing at the cat.

My girl & I!

The zoo was so much fun!

I loved it, maybe more than the kids.

The turkeys were so pretty. The turkey to the left was being a real 'turkey' by giving us a show. He/she turned around and fluffed its feathers at us and showed it's hiney to us. It was a very silly & sassy turkey.

Layla and Auntie had a fun ride on the carousel. I'm not sure what they are looking at right here, but I thought it was a cute shot.

~~~~~

We can't wait go back to the zoo again soon.

I hope our next trip the weather is as great as it was yesterday.

For the Love of Pickles

We just got home from Layla's four year well-child visit. She was so nervous about getting shots...she got four of the stinkin' things, but she did GREAT!

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Our little girl is not so little anymore. She is 39.9 pounds and stands 38 1/2 inches tall. She was talking to Dr. S like she was 14...just chatting away about her favorite foods (ribs and mac&cheese). She is perfectly healthy except for some silly ole crusty cough that she has had for about 2 days. We got some sample meds to conquer that cough.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Layla is loving school right now. She is very excited about going on a field trip to the zoo tomorrow. She can't wait to show 'brother' all the animals. Some days she loves him and some days she wants nothing to do with him. While we were waiting for Dr. S to come into the room this morning LK was telling HC about all the zoo animals we will see, and then the conversation turned to Christmas.

She is very excited about the holiday season. She was showing Hayden the Wal-mart toy catalogue. She is trying to help him make his list...as well as hers. She wants a two seater PowerWheels jeep. So fun!!!

(already wearing a Christmas shirt)

Before I put her down for her nap a few minutes ago we were having lunch and she was eating a pickle. She said she wanted to take a pickle seed from the pickle and bury it in the backyard. She said she's gonna water it and then someday she can just walk out back, grab a pickle off the pickle tree, wash it and eat it. Wow...great idea little Missy! Mommy would love that, almost as much as the samage (massage) she was giving me the other day. She said it like she said it correctly. The constant source of my daily laughs!

{Insert inspirational title here}

I am thankful for my two amazing kids and my husband.

Today is one of those days...I have so much going on in my head, but I can't put my thoughts together into an organized post.

So~I am just going to say I am thankful.

Thankful for the jumbled thoughts I am having.

Thankful for the fall weather, my family, my pets, & our health.

Thankful for knowing God and trusting that he is in control.

An ice-cream sandwich on a November afternoon

You think I could get a napkin?



Sweet creamy goodness!

Callaway right there waiting for one of

them to drop something...and wait he did!

Not a drop dropped :)

Uuhhmmm there is a little somethin' on your lip...

The reason pita chips were invented

I bought pita chips the other day while we were shopping at Sam's. I was looking for something snacky (yep I just made up that word.) like chips, but didn't want chips. Low and behold...they were giving out samples of these 'chips.'

Do you shop at Sam's/Costco?

Layla loves when we go to Sam's. She always wants to get the yummy samples from the "ladies that look like your grandma." Her words people...her words exactly. Every time I mention Sam's she goes on hunger strike until we arrive. She gladly rides in the double basket next to her brother so they can sample everything in site that "grandma" is serving. Of course as she savors each bite she thinks it is the best thing she has ever had and we MUST purchase all the sampled products.

Wow I really got off topic...I'm sharing this recipe today because it goes fabulously with the pita chips we bought at Sam's!


Spinach and Artichoke Dip

1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Alfredo sauce


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a small casserole dish, mix the spinach, artichoke hearts, cheese,
mayonnaise, and Alfredo sauce.
Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven until lightly browned.

Gary and I love the dip and the pita chips. Once we got the chips home...Layla doesn't like them. I think pita chips and this dip are a match made in heaven...YUM!

Running through my mind

I was a runner in high school. Some days I ran as many as 8 or more miles a day. I loved it. I know C-R-A-Z-Y, but I did.

Everywhere I go lately, I see runners. I have been thinking about if for months. I hear people talk about it, posting their mileage on Facebook.

It is pretty much being thrown in my face.

Has that happened to you?

You know, when you think about something and as the days pass you keep getting hints of that thought?

Anyway, I'm gonna do it. I'm going to start running again, in fact I already have. I ran on Sunday and other days this week so far, it felt great. I found myself a training schedule and I'm gonna do it! I'm not sure what race I'm gonna commit to, but I'm thinking a half marathon (13miles). Hopefully, my friend Crystal who also also mentioned running will help me train. Ahem...

Gary and I are doing an event together in May with another couple. I will post more about it later...it is a viking like adventure.

So, right in the middle of all the good holiday feasting and baking and cooking I have put myself on Weight Watchers and started running around the neighborhood like crazy. Btw...Weight Watchers online is awesome. I may still do The Shred, like I have been doing, but hopefully I will get in better shape running.

I'm stoked! Ready to run!