Catching up...

...as always. Big news in April 2010, MiniB hit 5 months. She started laughing hysterically and we were lucky enough to digitally immortalize the moment.

My babysitter took a much deserved vacation (she watches MiniB, plus a 3 year old, has her own 2 year old, and 1 year old, and is 4 months pregnant) so Grandpa M came for a visit to watch MiniB while I went to work. She has toys, but I am pretty sure Grandpa's glasses were the only thing she played with all day.

She even got to stay in her pajamas all day. In fact, I am a little surprised Grandpa didn't stay in his pajamas all day. It was after this trip I noticed a drawer was ajar in our guest room and found that grandpa has claimed a drawer with a stash of weekend essentials. I was wondering why he never has a bag when he comes over.


We went to Laramie for Hoss's cousin's wedding and MiniB got to spend some quality time with Grandpa B too. Wait, are Grandpa and Grandpa wearing the same shirt? Close, kind of freaky. Grandpa B really was excited, he just never learned how to smile for pictures.


On the way home we stopped for the night at my parents and MiniB took a ride in the Sky Chair, she wasn't sure what to think at first, but after a while she kind of liked it.


At home, MiniB spends a lot of time chillin' out on her baby quilt made by her AuntieM. It's gorgeous, I know, she is sooo talented. MiniB 's Baby Legs stay on for about 5 seconds, she likes to use them like a pilates band. By months end MiniB started rolling over.


This is one of our favorite Sunday afternoon past times. Once, we all fell asleep on the living room floor. We put extra plush carpet in the living room because we live there most of the day, but I found out I am too old to sleep on the floor. I can't believe I just said that.

Still to come, May 2010.

Spring Break

Ah, way way back in March, we went on a fabulous vacation for Spring Break to the city of brotherly love to visit my brother and his lovely wifey and kiddos.

There was an unfortunate series of events leading up to vacation including but not limited to super busy airport, missed flight on Saturday, waiting all day with Hoss and MiniB at the airport for a shot at 2 stand by flights with no such luck, canceled car reservation, re-booked flight for Monday night, re-booked car reservation, very early arrival in Philly, lost luggage, arriving at our destination at 2 am Tuesday, throwing my back out at 7 pm Tuesday night, muscle spasms all night long (worse than contractions, having finally been through both I can say this), laying on the couch all day Wednesday, luggage arriving Thursday afternoon, and finally Friday, 2 Priesthood blessings and a few muscle relaxers later, feeling good enough to actually be fun company for the Philly Mils, albeit very slow and shuffling did I go.

My SIL taught me how to make some very cute hair bows for MiniB, we played lots of Settlers of Catan, ate more than our fill of the to-die-for-if-it-doesn't-kill-you-first-made from-scratch-breakfast-buffet at Shady Maple Smörgåsbord in Amish country, and I am sure we did other stuff, but I can't remember, thats what happens when you take 6 weeks to blog about a vacation.

The only photos we took were at the Please Touch Museum were we were joined by our cousin and fam. Please Touch is a very cool museum in Philly just for kids where everything is just their size and built for them, or so I thought. These words literally came from Hoss's mouth while watching a little boy play in the river system on the Panama Canal, "Isn't there a time limit? When is it my turn?"

Luckily Hoss, Li'l Mil, and my brother all got their chance to play in the Canal.

Here is the actual floor piano from the movie Big, there were other kids playing it, but Hoss scared them away.

Li'l Mil went shopping and you can see how well he was raised, filling his cart with fruits and veggies.

I think someone dropped the ball with child #2, all Nano wanted was a whole chocolate cake and a banana.

MiniB mostly chilled out in the stroller.

The kids all had fun in Wonderland.

MiniB got to be the queen.

In the forest Li'l Mil got to dress up like a chipmunk in front of a blue screen and see himself on TV in the forest. Here he was puffing his cheeks for us.

Li'l Mil showed us how to shake it in the wild.


Nano was the only cousin who consistently smiled for and into the camera, MiniB, Li'l Mil and Peach Pit didn't really care that we wanted a picture. What we didn't catch on film is that when the picture was over Li'l Mil stood up and MiniB fell over.

It was a great vacation, can't wait to see the Philly Mil's in the Mile High City in a couple of weeks! Hopefully their vacation will have a few less bumps along the way!

Taxes what when?

With 8 days to spare we finally got our taxes done. I have only had all of the necessary forms and information compiled since Jan 30 just sitting in line of sight glaring at me every day to just get it done. Hoss and I have said to each other at least once a week since January, "we should do our taxes". We are obviously highly motivated people. Anyway, while perusing the web for tax info I came across this verbatim question from a tax payer. Is there some sort of pseudo Darwin Award for these people?

"Q: my tax professional said I have to work to claim EITC??? Why is this true? The Irs should pay me to sit home and not work, after all I voted in Obama."

A tax professional very kindly responded with the following:

"A:The Earned Income Credit was created to encourage people to work, so it is like a reward for working. The preparer is correct, you have to work in order to qualify."

If I were a tax guru I think I would have just provided the definition of earned.

earned, earn·ing, earns

1. To gain especially for the performance of service, labor, or work: earned money by mowing lawns.

2. To acquire or deserve as a result of effort or action: She earned a reputation as a hard worker.

3. To yield as return or profit: a savings account that earns interest on deposited funds.

I also have a Netflix movie to return that has been sitting next to the tax documents since January. The mailbox is just so far away (literally, it is not even on the way to or from our house, it is on a totally obscure street blocks away).

Tales from the Old Folks

Today an 86 year old man asked me to shave his ears...and I did.

Disturbing on so many levels

Little Miss Momma Giveaway

I love this jewelry at Little Miss Momma , a new and very cute crafty blog from the wife of a hometown friend that I figure I would kill two flies with one swat (an old Belgian expression I learned from by Belgian boss) and help her get the word out and maybe win something too!

Kind of Krafty

3 months of project-ing and all for MiniB. Rest assured, most of "my" projects came from a head other than mine so I tried to give credit where it was due. Also, I don't know why it is so hard to take the memory card out of my camera and put it in the card reader, but it is. Does anyone else have that problem? Anyway to my scores of, or few readers, these are the pictures all at once!

Here is MiniB's crib mobile. Of which the only part that was not 100% my idea is the use of a cross stitch ring wrapped in ribbon to hang the, ah, stuff?? I realize it is hung from a fan blade, I have to get a hook for the ceiling still.

My version of soft blocks, I added bells and crinkly paper to a few of them.

One-of-a-Kind burp cloths. There are so many burp cloth tutorials out there, I really felt like mine were mine, so credit goes to me, well and my super awesome SIL because I think they most closely resemble hers from a few years back, I just don't have pictures to prove it. So I guess I can have at least some of the credit.

My favorite, the patch-work curtain tie backs. I had a picture in my head of what I wanted but wasn't sure how to make them appear in real life. So I searched and searched for a tutorial of sorts and I finally found something similar and unfortunately my computer shut down and did not save my tabs and I could never find it again. I created these beauties from my memory of reading through that never to be found again tutorial only once. Thank you to someone very creative!

And of course the Lovey's. I have seen these everywhere, first from my SIL of course. MiniB's are really simple, but if you really want to see some cool Minky-Ribbon creations check out my cousin's WOW creative wife!


My other awesome SIL taught me how to modpodge letters for MiniB's room, but since it says her name, which isn't really MiniB, you will just have to imagine those. Who invented modpodge anyway? I bet the LDS 20 something moms are single handedly responsible for making that person a fortune.

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Now, no post would be complete without an update on the one who started it all.

MiniB had a visit from her cousin, Rose, and she laid one on her before MiniB knew what was going on!


They were still friends anyway. MiniB got her Daddy's proportions. Super long torso and short legs. Notice she and Rose are nearly the same length from neck to waist. Our little troll.

Hoss calls this MiniB's "Hammer of Power". She loves this thing and it incites drool like never before. We have to change her shirt once she has her way with the hammer.


MiniB recently started sucking on her lower lip. Just one of the many cute things we think she does everyday. FYI-the new high pitched scream for no reason-not cute.

I miss maternity leave. If one more geriatric wheel chair bound lady pats me on the belly and asks me if I am pregnant again, I am going to lock her breaks and push her over, then I am going to scream.

Feb-RU-ary

MiniB was pretty upset when she found out February was over.

February marked MiniB's 3 month birthday! We celebrated with pizza-by-the-pound at BeauJo's. The extra thick crust was super yummy with honey drizzled all over it.


MiniB's PsuedoAuntie BoneJunior sent her the cutest hats that she crocheted especially for her. MiniB rocks the hats and Auntie Bone made her more in graduated sizes, it's like the gift that keeps on giving! MiniB can't wait to meet you, she would say thank you, but she doesn't know what that means. The hats are all perfect-Hoss is a big fan of the camo!


MiniB started smiling, just not at the camera. As soon as she sees it she gets this look on her face.


We're not so sure about this tummy time business.


Hoss is in the midst of hell-month of D-school which continues well into March, so MiniB has been keeping him company and helping him study. She is learning a lot too.


MiniB lets Dad take breaks sometimes, and this is the sort of thing that happens.


MiniB really misses Hoss when he has to go to school, so she likes to save his place for him while he is gone.


Onward March!