Month: January 2013

Date Day with Abby

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The girls do a wonderful job playing together and having fun with the occasional fight or two. But sometimes it becomes apparent that they need some one one one time with me or Shaun. So today Abby and I headed out for a date day! We headed to the library to read and pick out some books, including Charlotte’s Web which I am very excited to read to Abby. After the library we had lunch at Abby’s favorite place… Red Robin and then some play time at her favorite play place. 
It was so nice to have this time with Abby. To talk, giggle and bond. It amazes me how much she has grown since September, what a change. The conversations we have and the imagination she has just blows me away. I am so happy that I can have these moments with her and I cannot wait for another date day!

At the Beach

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A stop at the beach always seems to make for some great photos. Today didn’t disappoint. Its amazing how much children come to life when they step into the sand. How little grains of worn down rock and earth can bring such joy. I love watching Abby and Ellie play in the sand and run along the water. So pure. To me our girls are beautiful and so special.

Kings Season Opener

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It was so exciting to have the Kings win the Stanley Cup. Best. Moment. Ever. Then as the hockey season came to an end, the lockout began and seemed to drag on forever. Forever. But that too came to an end and  now its time for the season to begin. I was so excited just to go to the open practice at Staples to see the players. And then…. Shaun surprised me with the best gift ever. Tickets to the Kings season opener which includes the banner raising and ring ceremony!
So we arrived early to Staples and LA Live. We enjoyed the view we had of the Stanley Cup sitting in the middle of the LA Live Ice Rink, watched as it was taken into Staples before the game, and then headed inside to enjoy the game. 
The Stanley Cup. Center Ice at LA Live.
As close as we will probably get to the Stanley Cup this year. One Day though… One day.
Phil Pritchard, the Keeper of the Cup.
The Kings come out for their warm ups before the Ring and Banner Ceremony.
The captains carry the new banner, brought out by the family of one of the Newtown Connecticut victims, and bring it over for it to be raised.
Raising the Banner… Very cool.
So excited to see the Stanley Cup banner hanging from the rafters.

The Kings didn’t win the opener against Chicago, but it was still a great day. We were proud Kings fans who had the chance to see the banner being raised and enjoy it all surrounded by fans who were just as proud and excited to be there. It was a great day and one that I am sure Shaun and I will never forget. Here is to a new year and maybe another great celebration at the end. Who knows!

Hockey is Back!

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The lockout is over and hockey is back! To get into the spirit we won a few tickets to see the open practice at Staples Center and luckily the Guerrero Family was able to join us! It was a pretty casual experience but the girls had the chance to eat hot dogs, watch some hockey and hang out with Harrison. So excited hockey is back!
Back on the ice at Staples!
The Captain, Dustin Brown.
Ellie enjoying some hockey. She was really getting into it!
Cheering on all of the players. My poor Abby was having a hard time with some allergies.
So excited that the Guerrero’s could join us!

Home Again…

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Its so great to be home. Time to unpack, do some laundry and sleep in our own beds. I was so happy and then I opened the fridge. Oh yeah, I forget that when you have been gone for nearly two weeks the fridge will be empty when you get home. Dinner tonight was creative but we made do. Off to get some groceries in the morning!

Heading Home

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Our final day in Bozeman was very low key. Most of the time was spent doing laundry and packing up all of the goodies we collected from our trip and Christmas. We ran a few errands and packed up the car. That night we enjoyed dinner from Santa Fe Reds (yummy) and some last moments with the family. As always it was hard to say goodbye and our hearts were heavy when we left that night. Leaving Montana is never easy for me, but I know we will be back soon and I am pretty certain that everyone will be down to visit soon!
In the morning we left early and grabbed breakfast. There was a storm front moving in across the mountain areas of Idaho and Utah so we wanted to get ahead of it as best we could, and we did. We actually made such amazing time that we continued past our original stop in Pocatello and stayed in Salt Lake City that first night.  From there we stopped in Vegas and then home! 
While I hate to come home from any vacation, once you have started the process of doing so you almost feel like you are in a hurry to get back. We couldn’t get home soon enough! So when we finally arrived and walked through the door it felt so great to finally be home. I actually looked forward to unpacking and sleeping in my own bed sounded like heaven to me. I am sure Shaun felt the same way!
In the car, stopping for gas and heading our on our way!
This is the “dont bother me I am busy in the car” look.

Lunch with Everyone!

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After a low key day yesterday, we had one final hoorah with all of the family. Auntie Diane, Uncle Barry and Great Grandma Prueter came over from Anaconda to have lunch with all of us at Ted’s. To top the whole afternoon off, my cousin Mike and his beautiful fiance’ Sue came with them! They were up from Arizona to visit for the New Year and we were lucky enough for our trips to overlap. The only thing that would have made the day even better is if my cousin David had been there too. He couldn’t be there physically but as always he was there in thought.
Lunch was delicious as it always is at Ted’s but the best part was all of the conversation and catching up that we were able to do. Growing up Mike, David and myself were very close. As life moved us in different directions the time together became less, so when we have the chance to see each other we enjoy every second of it. I was also very excited to meet Sue and welcome her into this nutty family. Let me just say that she fits right in and I can see why Mike loves her so much. She is beautiful inside and out and has one of the sweetest and warmest personalities. Abby really took a liking to her and I think was a little sad when we had to go. It was such a wonderful lunch and as it always seems to happen, our time together moved too fast.
Before everyone parted ways, we took a moment to get pictures together. Its not often that we get the chance to take a picture with most of the family. Love having the memories like this and to see so many generations of family in one place. 
Ellie is a little unsure about the high fives from Mike.
Hanging with Great Grandma Prueter and Auntie Jillian
The Wharton Gang with Great Grandma Prueter
The Whole Gang minus Grandpa Jerry (the man behind the camera) and David!
Cousins! So wish you could have been there with us David!

After lunch and saying goodbye, we did a little shopping down Main Street. The big girls (me, Jillian and Grandma Denise) took some time looking in the cute boutique shops while Shaun and Grandpa Jerry took the girls to the toy store to play a bit. This made them happy and kept them occupied for quite some time. When all the shopping was done, we headed to the Chocolate Moose which is an old fashion candy shop and soda fountain. We indulged in a little bit of ice cream and candy, some of which were favorites that I have not seen since childhood. Such an awesome place, especially for families. Before long the temperature outside was falling fast so it was time to get back to Grandma and Grandpas house. What a great final adventure before heading back home.

Its Not Montana Without Yellowstone!

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Visiting with my parents in Montana always means being tempted with a trip to Yellowstone. Each time, Yellowstone wins. How could it not? Its such a beautiful place and even though the winter keeps all but one road through the park closed, it still holds something magical to all of us.

This trip found us taking a day trip to Yellowstone. Once again we couldn’t resist. Luckily my dad was able to rent a car large enough for all us. This meant that we didn’t have to travel separately and we could enjoy the time together. The one perk for Abby and Ellie is that the rental had DVD players and screens in the backs of the seats. They could enjoy movies when boredom struck and as much as they love Yellowstone, boredom strikes fast with them. So, with DVD’s playing and the car all packed up, we took off early in the morning for Yellowstone. Luckily for us the weather was gorgeous and perfect for a drive through the park.

On the road and almost there. As you can tell the DVD player  is keeping Ellie so happy.
Overlook from Upper Mammoth Terrace looking down at the Gardner River
Steam and frost along Mammoth Terrace. Picture courtesy of Jerry Taylor
Its amazing what the steam from the nearby geysers and hot springs can create when its so cold out.
When we arrived we headed up to Mammoth and the upper terraces. From there we had a beautiful view over Mammoth Hot Springs and out towards the Gardner River. We couldn’t go to far so we turned around and headed out the only way we could go, to Lamar Valley. We kept our eyes peeled for animals. People were stopped along the way looking with spotting scopes. The wolves were out but off in the distance and too far for us to see. We did see bison along the way, mostly the big males who were out sunning alone. We did see a lone coyote hunting mice and voles in the snow. We watched as he patiently listened but kept a sharp eye on us. Eventually he jumped into the air, pounced and pulled a tasty snack out of the snow. Once he had it, he continued on his way trying to find a place to stop and eat.
Relaxing and sunning in the snow.
Carefully watching us as he or she hunts for a snack.
Afternoon Sun on the Snow
A long day in the fresh mountain air means sleepy children.

We continued through Lamar Valley, enjoying the snowy landscape and taking in as much as possible. We stopped for a bit of a lunch break and then made our way back to Mammoth. In Mammoth we did a bit of shopping at the General Store (a few snacks and little souvenirs for the girls) and then said goodbye to Yellowstone.

That night on the way home, Grandma and Grandpa treated us to dinner at the Rib and Chop House. I was in heaven. I love the food there, especially the stuffing! We each enjoyed a yummy dinner after a gorgeous day in Yellowstone. That night we all slept well and maybe even had a few dreams about our next visit to Yellowstone, whenever that might be.

Museum Time!

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After a relaxing New Year celebration, we thought it would be nice to get out of the house and do something for Abby and Ellie. While playing in the snow would keep them happy for hours, they have also continuously  asked to go to the Museum of the Rockies. Since Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie Jillian all had the afternoon off we headed for one of their favorite spots.
On the way there we did stop for lunch at Rosie’s pizza. I just had to mention that because it was our first time eating there and boy was it yummy! It was there that Abby discovered the yummy goodness of Parmesan cheese on her Pizza.
Time at the museum was pretty simple. We headed up to the play area first so that the girls had the chance to run out some of their craziness and we wanted to make sure that we didn’t miss it. We might not hear the end of it if we did.
Doing a little bit of fishing…
I caught one! Grandpa Jerry and Grandpa Pat would be proud!
Taking a break from cooking and other fun things.
I’m an Eagle!
I am Abby the Eagle!

After the play area we headed out to see some of the new exhibits. The first was all about building and engineering. At the front of the exhibit was a low table covered in wood building pieces. Museum patrons were invited to add on to the structures already created by others or start one of their own. Abby, Ellie, Daddy and Auntie Jillian did just that and had a blast doing so. Shaun’s structure looked pretty cool by the time he was finished with it.

A Family that builds together… well… has fun together!

After construction was completed we moved on to the next exhibit. This one showcased Montana artists and their furniture and woodworking. What beautiful and amazing pieces of work. I found myself saying that if I had a big beautiful cabin in Montana somewhere, I would want everything on display. From dining room tables and clocks to drafting tables and wet bars that looked like a train caboose, I wanted them all. I also wished that I had a skill like that that I was good at, but that’s another story.

Beautiful wood carved clock. Love the wolf on it!
Beautiful carved table top with the Teton range. Love this one!
When we were done wishing we had everything in the exhibit, we moved on to Abby’s favorite place… The Dinosaurs! Abby sat with daddy and watched a video about how birds are related to dinosaurs, which had Abby completely fascinated. We saw the “living” Triceratops as well as all the fossils of triceratops at different stages in life. This time around, Ellie seemed even more excited and interested in the dinosaurs. I love the enthusiasm she shows now!
Abby and Daddy watching a video about birds and their connections to dinosaurs.
Sunset at Museum of the Rockies

After our walk through the dinosaurs it was time to go. We really didn’t want to leave, but it was getting late and the museum was closing. As always we had a blast and the girls learned a lot. All Abby could talk about the rest of the day were the building blocks and of course, the dinosaurs. You know you have had a good day when all your kiddos can talk about are the things they did!

Celebrating the New Year

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New Years Eve
New Years Eve was another quiet and relaxing day. Shaun and I slept in as best we could, although the girls pretty much keep to a schedule which means being up by 7 (even in another time zone). We did some more shopping and outings around town. In the evening we picked up our traditional Chinese food dinner and enjoyed every bite of it. After dinner we played games with the girls, had long conversations and passed the time until we rang in the New Year. Almost all of us made it to midnight, except Ellie. She was the smart one and passed out cold on cozy blankets in front of the fire.
We hope that everyone had a safe and fun New Year. We hope that 2013 brings happiness, prosperity and wonderful things for you and your family. Enjoy the year and don’t let it slip by too fast! I know we plan to try and make it last for as long as we can.
Happy New Year from dream land!
Happy New Year from Abby! Dont worry, its only Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider in her cup
Auntie Jillian enjoys a bit of the bubbly to ring in the New Year.

New Years Day

New Years Day was once again full of tradition. We slept in a bit and then headed back over to Grandpa and Grandma’s house for our traditional Eggs Benedict brunch. We were lucky the weather was beautiful too. This allowed for Aunt Diane, Uncle Barry and Grandma Prueter to come over and join us for brunch. As always, brunch was wonderful and I was amazed to watch Ellie, my picky eater, shovel down nearly two helpings of poached eggs, ham, olives and English muffin. Kudos to you Grandpa Jerry!

After brunch we sat down for another belated Christmas and opened presents from Grandpa Prueter and the gang. The girls loved their presents! They each received a tie-dyed stuffed moose and new pillow cases and a doll that keeps the monsters out from under the bed. However, in true child fashion, the hit of the day were their cards from Diane and Barry. Nothing beats a card that sings and dances! I think those will be hidden in a box on the way home.

A little snuggle time before having some yummy food.
Opening presents with Great Grandma Laura. Sorry about the game on TV Shaun.  Just pretend the score isn’t visible.
Great Grandma Laura opening up her present from the girls.
Ellie really loves her moose!
Their Christmas cards were the hit of the day… As you can tell.
Opening presents with Auntie Diane.
When all was said and done, Abby was back to her “Reader Book”

The remainder of the day was occupied with family and football. We enjoyed one anothers company and spent time catching up. Once again it was a simple day but it was nice to do simple things with family. I know we were sad to see Barry, Diane and Grandma leave but the good news is that we will be having dinner with them in just a few days! Better yet, my awesome cousin Mike and his fiance’ will be there too! So much to look forward to.