Tag: Abby

A New Road Trip…

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After a lot of time and effort spent unpacking, its time for us to head to Montana for a quick little visit. My cousin David will be in town visiting and I couldnt miss the opportunity to see him. We have not seen one another since our wedding six years ago! 
This trip, the girls and I would once again be flying solo. Its a new one for the girls and its a drive I have done only a few times in my life. It should be quite the adventure. Shaun had planned to come with us but the job search started to heat up, so we felt that staying behind in the event of an interview was the best thing to do. As always I will miss not having my partner in crime on the road with me.
The girls and I left very early this morning with the hopes that we could avoid traffic heading into Bellevue and on I-90 heading towards Snoqualmie Pass. That and the drive is about 11 hours with stops, so I wanted to have plenty of time to travel but still get in at a decent time. So we left home just as the sun was starting to rise and it was beautiful.
Good morning Snoqualmie!

The drive over Snoqualmie was beautiful. It was a cloudy and somewhat drizzly morning, with some low hanging clouds through the pass.The girls quietly watched movies and drifted in and out of sleep. The drive out through central Washington was a smoky one. Fires in the Southeastern Cascades were growing due to the heat of the summer and the wind was blowing east, right into the valleys. It was still a pretty drive and of course I had the stretch of highway, about 18 miles worth, that had all of the local crops labeled. It keeps you busy for a while.

A stop in Spokane for some lunch and gas gave me the break I needed just before heading over 4th of July and Lookout passes. Both have very steep accents and descents, so its nice to rest the brain and the eyes before tackling them. Luckily driving through Idaho’s panhandle and the two passes was a breeze. The weather was beautifully clear and traffic was minimal. My type of driving.

Pit stop just inside Montana State Lines. Even the rest stops here are beautiful!

Heading over Homestake! The last major mountain pass before our destination!

Summer thunderstorm rolling in, so pretty!

The remainder of the trip was pretty uneventful and absolutely beautiful. Its so true that my heart belongs in the mountains of Montana. Every time we visit, I love it more and more. Driving from Seattle now gives us the chance to see more of it too! The mountains, the big beautiful and meandering rivers, and the amount of uninhabited open space. There is just something magical about this place that I just cannot describe.

When we arrived late in the afternoon a summer mountain thunderstorm was rolling in. What a greeting! You could smell the rain in the air and feel the warm temperatures cool a bit. The lightening and thunder tonight have been spectacular and I have a feeling there will be more. Nothing really beats a summer thunderstorm in the mountains. So glad to be here but missing Shaun a lot.

Fairy Beds

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The girls rooms are taking shape! Everything is unpacked, clothes are put away, toys are out! The last thing that needs to go up are the remaining decorations and pictures. We kind of decided that we wanted to give the girls a bit of a theme to their room and since they love fairies and butterflies we did just that. So we found these cools leaves to put over their beds, like canopies, and we made them fairy beds. As you can tell, the girls love them. Their room is really starting to feel like their own!

A Little Prep Time Before Move In!

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Its nice to be in Seattle and no longer on the road. I don’t think I can describe how good it feels. We are not completely out of the woods yet, but a lot of the stress is done. Our last hurdle will be move in day tomorrow but once that has been completed, the truck will be dropped off and out of our hair for good.

Most of the day today was prepping some of the house for move in tomorrow. Shaun’s back spasms during our trip up a week and a half ago kept us from building the furniture that we needed finished, so his plan was to do that. The most important of those being Abby and Ellie’s new beds. Having their room set up and decorated as soon as possible is very important to us. A move isn’t easy on little kids, so we wanted to make sure they feel settled as soon as possible.

We slept in a little this morning, needing the extra rest and then headed out to get our day going. After breakfast, we headed to the house for the first time with Abby and Ellie. Abby had been with us when we looked at it back in May but she had yet to see it empty and with the changes we had made. They loved the house and when they saw their pink room, they were ecstatic. Both of them really wanted a pink room and we delivered.

New House New Rules! No Shoes!
Checking out our cool new balcony!
Enjoying a good run through the very empty living room.
Loving their new pink room!

After showing the girls around the house, we went out for a while so that Shaun could work on their beds in silence. The girls and I did some needed shopping at Target and then showed Ellie the new “pine cone park” that I know will become a fast favorite. Shaun attempted to put together their new beds while we were away but that task ended up being a bigger project than we thought it would be. One was accomplished and the other had to be left for tomorrow. Its a good thing we are still staying in a hotel tonight, otherwise only one of us would have a bed to sleep in!

She’s Growing So Fast!

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My first baby is growing so fast. She sat intently watching a program on TV today and when I looked over it felt as though she had grown right in front of me. I wish I could freeze time and enjoy each moment until I am ready to move forward. Maybe this is why I love photography so much. I can freeze a moment and look back on it any time I want.

Our Disneyland Adventure – Day Two

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The following morning we woke from a very restful slumber, ready and excited for a day of fun. OK, that was Shaun and I but the girls took some coaxing to wake up. Once they were awake though, it was game on! We dressed and packed up quickly and soon we were on our way to the Happiest Place on Earth.
Abby passed out in bed. Twenty minutes later she was bouncing around the room ready to get going. 
Ellie passed out and sleeping across the bed. Yes, that meant I had a foot in the kidney most of the night but I still slept well!

The day started over in California Adventure. We wanted to do all of the favorites over there before heading over to Disneyland for the rest of the day. Abby and Ellie had fun on The Little Mermaid, Luigi’s Flying Tires, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, Monsters Inc. and more. They also had the chance to see a few of their favorite but more obscure characters like Jake and Mr. and Mrs. Incredible!

So excited for a day with the mouse!
Waiting in line for Luigi’s Flying Tires. Abby was super excited to ride this one.
Hanging with Auntie Jillian while we wait for our turn on Luigi’s Flying Tires
Abby and Daddy flying along!
Lots of fun on Luigis Flying Tires!
Ellie and Auntie Jillian having a great time!
Grandma and Grandpa embracing their inner child. It’s Disneyland, its allowed!
A “Pit Stop” at Flo’s before moving on to the next exciting ride.
“No pictures while I am eating, please.”
Grandma at Radiator Springs Racers… They loved it!
I love Cars Land. Disney did such an amazing job recreating Radiator Springs!
All ready to spin on Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree!
Grandma and Auntie Jillian well… embracing that inner child again!
Finished up with Monsters now we are waiting on Auntie Jillian!
Enjoying the Mad Tea Party chairs… Anything Alice is worthy of Auntie Jillian’s attention!
“Welcome to Hollywood!!”
Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates loved Ellie’s glasses.
Can you tell that Ellie really loves Jake. Such a big smile!
We never get to see the Incredibles! This was so awesome to get a picture with them. More so for Abby than Ellie.

After California Adventure, we made our way over to Disneyland. On our way Ellie fell asleep and missed out on the one character that we wanted to see before leaving. Donald Duck. Every time we go to Disneyland she wants to see him and take a picture but we never find him. This time he was there in all his cranky glory with a small line and Ellie was too passed out to wake up. Oh well, another time I guess! Instead we continued on our way over to New Orleans Square for a birthday lunch at Blue Bayou, how exciting!

A special pirate chest cake just for Ellie. It was yummy!

After lunch it was time for more fun and rides. First up was Pirates of the Caribbean. Abby was not so thrilled about this but we gave her a cotton candy incentive. She hopped right on. Both girls were very brave and once we were off, wanted to go again! After Pirates it was on to Winnie the Pooh and then Jillian, Grandpa and myself used out Fast Passes for Splash Mountain. I am so glad our pass was for the afternoon. It gave us time to dry off in the warm weather and not in the cool of the evening. After our soak we headed over to Big Thunder Ranch to rest and dry off. We were even serenaded by a rather lovely singing cowboy. Too cute! After our visit to big thunder it was off to Fantasyland for some more fun!

Our brave girls in line for Pirates of the Caribbean. It took bribing Abby with cotton candy to get her to go one, but she did and had a blast!
Auntie Jillian and I just as we were taking off. Nice and dry at this moment.
This is Auntie Jillian and myself after several good soakings on big and a few not so big drops. Soaked from head to toe.
Visiting the animals at Big Thunder Ranch… This beautiful horse named Belle was quite the love bug and wanted lots of loves and scratches.
Checking out the goats with Grandpa Jerry. Abby wasn’t too keen on this one. One day she wont be so afraid anymore.
Let’s climb Rapunzel’s tower!
Lots and laughs and giggles while we wait in line to see a few of the lovely princesses.
The girls were so excited to meet Snow White for the very first time. Ellie and Abby showed her how to dance and Snow White tried very hard. It was very cute. She was a great Snow White.
Ellie always gets a bit shy when she meets her favorite Princess Ariel.
Luckily she is never to shy to stop and take a picture.
Auntie Jillian, Abby and Ellie stop for a quick dip in the tea cup!

After some time spent roaming around Fantasyland, it was off to Toon Town. That was Abby’s request. We spent some time in Minnie’s house and also had the chance to see Mickey! Ellie kept telling Mickey she was turning three. I think she is excited for her upcoming birthday! After a good tour around Toon Town we took a ride on Its A Small World and then made plans for dinner. The girls were starting to wind down, the fireworks were close to starting and everyone was hungry. Luckily we snagged a good table at the Plaza Inn and had the chance to eat dinner and watch the fireworks too.

Tea time at Minnie’s house!
It’s Mickey’s laundry room! Lets all strike a pose!
Ellie was blown away by the fact that Mickey was in the mirror! Such a cute moment!
Showing Mickey and anyone who will look that she is turning three!
So happy to see Mickey and loving every minute of the day.
Sometimes a day at Disneyland makes you sleep at the dinner table, under your blanket, during the fireworks.

I couldn’t help it but the fire works had me emotional. OK, I cried. It was surreal knowing that this was the last time we would go to Disneyland for a while. I know we will come back again but it wouldn’t at our leisure. We would see it in a new light, as a vacation not just a day trip. It made me realize that we would be moving very soon and it made me a bit sad and nostalgic. Trust me, our move to Seattle has me very excited and I cannot wait to go but we are still leaving a lot of things that are familiar to me, to us. I think what had me the most was watching the girls, their excitement and the way their eyes light up any time we walked through those gates. I guess it wont happen as often but when it does their excitement and the light in their eyes will be ten fold. 

There a lot of changes and new things coming our way, its scary and exciting at the same time but it was wonderful to make one last memory here. Now its time to take on the future and see where the next path will take us. All I know is that I couldn’t have asked for better people to take that path with. 

Our Disneyland Adventure – Day One

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Two busy days of stage rehearsals and recitals have come to an end. As I said before, its a bittersweet feeling and while it was chaotic I am going to miss it. Now it was time to relax and enjoy some time with Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie Jillian. Since this would be the last time they visit California for a while, we decided it would a blast to head to one of our favorite places in Southern California and do it up the right way! So off to the Happiest Place on Earth we went.
Our plan was to stay at the Paradise Pier Hotel, one of the three Disneyland Resort Hotels. However, when we arrived it was discovered that our reservation was incorrect and the hotel was completely booked for the night. I nearly jumped over the reservation desk and strangled the gentleman who was “helping” us. Once it was determined that we had been booked for the wrong day he basically told us it was our problem and to check other places. Luckily my dad and Shaun kept their cool and kept me under wraps. Shaun called his friend who booked the reservation for us and all was fixed. Instead of the Paradise Pier Hotel, we now had reservations at the Disneyland Hotel! I guess things really do happen for a reason.
At the Paradise Pier Hotel and ready for a great time at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Our experience at the Disneyland Hotel was far better then we expected, especially after the gentleman at the Paradise Pier. We were quickly checked in and she was very mindful of the fact that we had two rooms and wanted to be as close to one another as possible. She wasn’t able to put us on the same floor but later on while we were at dinner, she found us and moved rooms so that we were all on the same floor! She went above and beyond for us and that made us completely forget about the problems earlier.

After check in we scurried over for a surprise dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen. The girls were so excited to have dinner with their favorite Disney Characters. We were also celebrating Ellie’s birthday since Grandpa, Grandma and Auntie Jillian couldn’t stay in town for Ellie’s party. We had such a great time and Goofy, Minnie and Mickey all came around to sing Happy Birthday to Ellie too! She was smiling from ear to ear.

Dinner time at Goofy’s Kitchen!
Princess Aurora stopped by to say hello to two very excited princesses.
Here comes Goofy with his pals Minnie and Mickey to sing Happy Birthday to Ellie!
Saying hello to Minnie Mouse!
Look Mom… No Hands!
Cupcake bliss!

After dinner it was time to hit the hay and get ready for our day at Disneyland. We had never stayed at the Disneyland Hotel before, so coming up to the room was quite the treat. Having the Tinker Bell button made the night for the girls. Disney always knows how to do things right. Sure you pay for it but I think its worth every penny to see the smiles on Abby and Ellie’s faces and hear them squeal in delight. What a night it was. Its amazing how mistakes can make things better in the end.

“The Tinker Bell button makes the whole room sparkle” – Ellie
We slept the entire night with our sparkly lights on. It was a perfect night.

Abby, The Recital Veteran

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Ellie’s first recital has now come and gone and now its time for Abby’s turn! Abby can now call herself a “recital veteran” as this is her second recital. She is just as excited though and this time I don’t think she is quite as anxious about it.
So, just like Ellie we spent the morning at stage rehearsal where Abby practiced her dances and enjoyed time with her friends. She did a wonderful job too. Its amazing how much she has grown and changed over the last year. She is so confident and proud of all of the things that she accomplishes and you can see it on her face. 
A beautiful arabesque at stage rehearsal.  So serious and intense!

After rehearsal we headed home for some lunch and rest. We sat and laughed and giggled as Abby worked on getting her hair done. Both she and Ellie opened recital presents from Grandma and Grandpa Taylor as well as Auntie Fran. Pretty soon it was time to leave and head back to the theater. It was showtime!

What a gorgeous girl. All prepped and now its time to just wait for the curls to set.
“Dumb Dog, Why are you following me?”
Telling Sandy no with a little bit of attitude. That’s my girl!
Abby was having so much fun up there!
“Let’s Go Fly a Kite” Both girls sure love to jump!
What a dancer! Abby was so proud of her “big girl arabesque”.
Another perfect arabesque and a beautiful look on her face!
Having fun even sitting and clapping along for the finale. I think at this point she was looking for us in the audience.

Abby and Ellie’s classes each did the same dance, so Abby proudly danced to “Dumb Dog” from Annie and “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” from Mary Poppins. Being that this will be her last recital at Bobbie’s I thought it was very fitting that she had the chance to dance to a song from one of her favorite movies. Made my heart melt. Abby did such a wonderful job with her dances. She did such a great job of remembering them and dancing on her own. Shaun and I are so proud of her. What a very special night.

Of course after the show was over, Abby was happy to be the center of attention and receive flowers from us and her grandparents. She took pictures with her teachers, family and friends and would have stayed all night talking and running around with them if she could.

Abby and her wonderful teacher, Miss Elizabeth. We are going to miss her so much next year!
Abby with Miss Elizabeth and Miss Jess. I think she was getting a little bit shy with all of the picture taking.
Abby and Miss Jess. I guess she had enough energy to smile for one more picture!
Abby and her little friend Lilah. These two were thick as thieves all year long. Such cuties!
Abby and her very proud Auntie Jillian.
During Ellie’s class on Saturdays, Abby made friends with a few of the big girls who were waiting for their rehearsals. They loved Abby and always let her sit and talk with them while she was there. One of the girls I have known since she was only two years old. Boy how time flies fast!
Sharing a few hugs and smiles with Daddy. We are so proud of you!
Enjoying a dancer of her own on an empty stage.

Leaving the theater tonight was bittersweet. I was so proud of Abby and the beautiful dancing she had done. I couldn’t have been happier. At the same time I had a feeling of sadness. This would be the last time that we danced at Bobbie’s. It was almost like the end of an era. Between dancing there myself, watching my sister dance too, working there and then watching Abby and Ellie dance there too, there was a lot of history and fond memories. We wont be gone for good and I know that we will visit when we are in town, but it wont be the same. I only hope that we can find a dance studio in Seattle that they love just as much but there will always be a little something missing.

Despite the sadness, I was also happy to be moving toward something new and exciting. All moves away from the familiar are bittersweet and you are always leaving something behind but the unknown will also be exciting and full of new beginnings and new memories. So as we packed our beautiful little dancer into the car and watched her smile as she held her flowers I knew that she would always have these great memories as well as new ones in the future. All that mattered was that she was happy. A perfect night.

It’s a Great Day for a Zoo Day!

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With our move to Seattle coming up, it was hard not to think about the things that we will be leaving behind. The same goes for my parents and my sister. Once the Wharton’s head to the Pacific Northwest, my parents and sister wont have the same reasons to come and visit California. Its not that they wont come back to visit, but it wont be as often as it used to be. With that in mind we decided that during their visit, we would head to a few of the places we will all miss the most and today was the Santa Barbara Zoo!
It was a perfect day for the zoo too! Warm, sunny with a nice cool breeze. Couldn’t have asked for a better day! When we arrived at the zoo we headed straight for the giraffes, making sure we had the chance to see the new babies and feed Michael too. We made it with plenty of time to spare and enjoyed every moment. Its fun listening to Abby and Ellie giggle and laugh about the giraffe’s long slimy tongue.
After we fed the giraffes it was time to feed ourselves. We headed off to a quiet little spot for a picnic. We watched people and the giraffes from our perch and had a visit by several little hummingbirds. Once our bellies were full it was off to see more animals and have some fun!
Abby was so excited to feed Michael the Giraffe again! She loved every minute of it!
Elle was trying really hard to feed Michael but tough his tongue too. She was fascinated by it!
One of the two mama’s hanging out with the babies. So cute and she was being so protective!
One of the little hummingbirds that came for a visit as we had a picnic.
Walking the boardwalk to see the Condors and the Channel  Islands Fox.
Beauregard the Channel Islands Fox was adorable today! He crawled up a beam and came right up to the netting that covers his enclosure. We thought we were special but its because it was feeding time. A few minutes later a keeper came with dinner and he was off to give her some love. Still cute and Auntie Jillian was beside herself with excitement because he came so close. Great moment at the zoo!
We had to stop and visit the penguins for Abby. Gotta love these guys in their little tuxedos!
At the end of the day Abby and Ellie had the chance to choose something from the shop. Abby chose a giraffe which she named Audrey after one of the mama giraffes. Ellie chose a lion and promptly named him Ted. Not a clue where that name came from but it sure gave us the giggles.

We made our rounds through the zoo, seeing as much as we could before closing time. I didn’t get to see the otters as I had hoped. Well I did but just their bellies as they were sleeping in the grass. What is important though is that the girls had the chance to see the animals they love to see; giraffes, elephants, gorillas, penguins, lions and more.

We had a great time with all of the animals and even the drive home was gorgeous. For one last bit of nostalgia, dating back to when Jillian and I were kids, we stopped on the way home to get a little treat at Foster’s Freeze in Carpenteria. So yummy and a great way to cap off an already fun day in Santa Barbara. Its going to be a while, but until next time Santa Barbara!

Last Day of Dance

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Today was the last day of dance. My heart felt a little heavy knowing that not only was this the last day of dance for the year but the last time the girls would take class at the studio. Bittersweet really. Despite my feelings, the girls had a wonderful time and are so excited for recital. Its hard to believe that its only a few days away! The last day of dance also kicks off a whirlwind ride of recitals, trips, time with family, packing and moving. Here we go!

The First and Last Day

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The time between the first and the last day of school doesn’t seem like a lot, but the changes it brings is incredible and what is accomplished is great. Time moves quickly and in the blink of an eye our children have grown more and changed. Those changes might seem slight to most but they are big to mommy and daddy, who would give anything to slow down time.
Back in September, when Abby started school, she still had the last traces of her toddler years in her face. Her cheeks were still chubby and the way she moved was still a bit unbalanced and awkward. She was three years old but only a few weeks away from her fourth birthday. Abby started the year a bit shy but so excited to start school and make friends. She was also excited to buy a new pair of shoes and some clothes to start the year too.

Fast forward to the last day of school. While she still has her cute, chubby little cheeks her face has slimmed out a bit and so has the rest of her body. She has grown a few inches since September and with that she lost some of that chubbiness. The traces of her toddler years are now gone and she now looks like a little girl only a year away from grade school. The shoes we bought her on the first day no longer fit. We had to throw them out back in February as they were too small and too worn out to pass on. She has become even more confident, outgoing and imaginative then ever but the one thing that hasn’t changed is her love of school.

Some of the biggest changes though are the ones you cannot see just by looking at Abby.They are the changes that you have to look for on paper, in conversations and in play with friends or on her own.

At the beginning of the year Abby could barely write her own name and knew most of her letters by sight. Her drawings were mostly scribbles and shapes.

Now she can write her name in upper case letters very well and is working on using upper and lower case letters. She knows her alphabet by sight and knows a majority of her letter sounds too. She knows her numbers from one to ten and is working on counting to twenty (she keeps leaving 14 and 15 out, poor little guys). Her drawings have become more detailed and artistic. She draws beautiful trees and people as well as rainbows and animals. She can identify patterns, cut out shapes with scissors and loves to tape and paste things together. Her conversations have become even more detailed and imaginative and she asks questions about everything. She wants to know how everything works and why even when mommy and daddy dont have the right answers or answers that she will understand.

The change in Abby over the last nine months has been significant and so positive. I cant express my gratitude enough to her teachers. While the thought of her last day of school and growing up a little more makes me want to cry, I am also so proud and excited for all of her accomplishments. The future is bright and I cannot wait to see what it brings. I am sure there will be some tears along the way from me but they are not tears of sorrow but of happiness and pride. I cannot wait to see the changes that occur between the first and last days of school next year!