Another tax deduction

I'm halfway along my journey with baby #2 and we couldn't be more excited. It is extra fun since we don't know what we are having. Had our u/s the other day and remained steadfast in keeping it a surprise for the delivery room. I figure, we will always know what we had so a tiny minute of not knowing is super okay.

Cal is way excited and promises that he will share the baby with his toys. I think that is supposed to be a good thing. I think the bigger shock will be sharing his parents. Luckily we have many more months to get his tiny body ready for being a big brother. Lucky for us too as I am still far enough out to not be thinking about the labor and delivery part. Cuz that part kinda blows. But hey, you take it all in stride to get another one of these silly little goats that make you laugh every day, I suppose.



This is nothing - I'm going to get big as a tractor. Woot!

Valley of Fire adventure

Curtis, Cal and I went out to Valley of Fire this past Sunday. We have been meaning to go for a bit, well, I've never been so I guess meaning to go for a long old while would apply. So we just went.

It was a beautiful day, which are pretty scarce in the scorching desert so that was a plus. We loaded up our little cooler and headed out. Of course we had to stop at the fireworks store in Moapa or wherever that is for my fireworks face husband. He was so excited to finally get out there. I had to remind him that his 4th of July might just get ganked by this new baby since Lucky is due right around there.

We did the Mouses Tank hike and Cal insisted his scrubby little legs could hike his body the whole way so he was off. He followed Curtis and my slow goat body brought up the rear (a big rear, don't worry about it) and we just mobbed along. Cal was so excited to be out and about, hiking, and with his silly parents that it made me very happy by default. We had a really great freaking time and I super love my little family. Plus it was nice to get off my can and hike around a bit in nature. I forget how much nature rocks when I am sitting on my duff at home very comfortable. All in all a great fun day.

We think we're runners

Curtis and I both participated in the Extraterrestrial Run up in Rachel, NV on Aug. 21. It was a midnite run in Area 51, so both creepy and cool. I ran the 10K and Curtis ran the half marathon, which is amazing for each of us, since we are not really runners. We didn't even come in last!

Super fun to be able to be on this running journey together and I must say I am super impressed with us. Next up is a half marathon for me in October out at Hoover Dam. If I don't die during the run, I will be celebratory as hell.

Curtis and I both plan on doing the full marathon in December as well although he will undoubtedly kick my butt at it. We are having fun with it and are enjoying the benefits of a smaller can for each of us. Woot!

Random

We went to Disneyland again at the end of February. So much fun! Cal was scared to ride all the Fantasyland rides last time so we skipped most of those this visit. His favorite rides are apparently Dumbo, the carousel, and Buzz Lightyear. He likes to talk a big talk about riding Pirates of the Carribean, but is terrified of the two drops. He loves the ride once we are down the slides though, so he rode it 3 times. Trying to scramble frantically over me all 3 times before the drops.

We were able to meet up w/my wonderful friend Katie and her son Will one nite so that rocked. Love them! It was a really great trip overall. I am so glad we have figured out the best places to stay in order to make the most of our trip. Makes a big diff. We are Disney nerds and plan on going again in May. Gotta squeeze the life out of our season passes.

Just a few pics.



Curtis is trying to start teaching Cal Czech. He is beginning with counting to ten and Cal loves it!

Sometimes

Sometimes I wish I were adventurous. Sometimes I wish I were one of those folks who enjoy going to the lake and being on the beach and all manner of things outdoorsy and water adventury and whatnot.

But truthfully, the thought of being outside in the blistering sun in dirty lake or ocean water just sounds dreadful to me. My idea of a blissful time outdoors is fully clothed, in the shade, with a big hat on and SPF 70 all over me, sitting on my can in a chair not directly in the sand, with an amazing book.

I am not a spur of the moment person and as much as I like to take trips, I hate packing and preparing for them and it almost takes the fun out.

My idea of adventure is having multiple books that I'm reading at the same time, or buying something that is not on sale (which really just isn't sensible), or putting my sunscreen on AFTER I'm outside. Sometimes I like to get crazy like that.

It's almost like I'm 90 in a younger body. I basically love it but just sometimes I wish I liked things most people like. Ah, well.

Day Tripper

I have taken two outstanding and fantastic trips in the last month. In late September, I went to New Orleans with three of my sisters, mom, and auntie. We had the best time and went to all the fun little N.O places. Had beignets (sp?) at Cafe Dumonde, went to Jackson Square, trolled around the French Quarter and walked Bourbon Street at nite. Not advisable unless you like a lot of dirty nonsense but it was fun to hang out w/my fun family anyway. Everything but Bourbon St. I would do again.

We didn't get to a plantation (sadness!) but we wouldn't have made our cruise ship if we had, so next time. Our cruise sailed to Cozumel, Mexico where we spent one horribly hot and humid day. It was plenty. We all did the zipline and it was so freaking fun!! Nothing like going to a different country and sailing through the air on a zipline. It was mine and my mother's 2nd time ziplining, the rest were doing it for the first time. Fun fun.

The entire cruise was a blast and we all had such a great time. Lots of dressing up, fancy dinners, laughing like lunatics and fun fruity drinks on the sun deck. We also spent a lot of time shooting down water slides up on the top deck - so so much fun! What fun to water slide our bodies out in the middle of the ocean. All in all a great fantastic trip! Have not uploaded pics yet becuz I am a Slackin Jackie.


For my birthday last weekend, I went to Seattle (again leaving my husband and child behind - he's such a good sport) to spend the weekend with 21 of my mommy frenz. We had an absolute blast. We rented a big huge house in Port Orchard, WA and it was basically a big crazy slumber party. I so love these girls to bits and pieces and had such an amazing time with them. One of the girls has the same bday as me, so it was fun to spend "our" birthday together.

We did a lot of jabbering nonsensically, drinking, being goofy, playing games, and more jabbering in each others faces. So much fun!! I am very lucky to have a great group of girls in my life and love each of them so very much.


Now just have to plan a family trip to make up for taking three girls trips this year. I have only ever gone on 1 girl trip before, it just so happens my board girls and I decided on this year to do two get togethers and my family decided this year to do a girls trip. Luckily, I have a wonderful husband who is a great sport and was very happy for me to have these opportunities.

Random pics of me and my girls

Disneyland

We took Cal to Disneyland for the first time the last week in July. He had such a great time on the rides and just being there and it was so fun to watch his excitement. Of course, we had a fair amount of our own excitement. It's Disneyland after all.

The longest we had to wait in line for a ride was 40 minutes and that was for Peter Pan's flight, which is always a long line. Several of the other rides, we got right on w/no more than a 10 or 15 minute wait. It was awesome.

Curtis and I got to fulfill a lifelong dream and got to eat at the Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square. It's the restaurant you pass while on Pirates of the Carribean. We have both always wanted to eat there and we finally did! Food was amazing and now we can cross that off. Yay.

We met up with my friend Katie and her family on our second day there, which was so fun. They are wonderful and we had a blast hanging out with them. Cal and Will are only a few days apart and were hilarious to watch.

Cal lost his shoe somewhere between the Winnie the Pooh ride and the Haunted Mansion which sucked cuz they were cute shoes but we still threw him on a few more rides before calling it a day. He didn't NEED shoes, he's still little.

All in all, it was a great trip and so much fun and we plan on going back soon! Okay, probably next month. Disneyland is the best.













Cal and Curtis in front of Snow White's castle