Arizona trip part I (parks near & far)

Maisie and I are now home from our little vacation. We survived both flights without security complications or melt downs on the plane. We flew home Monday afternoon and we were both very excited to see Daddy and his beard {wife leaves =  man grows beard}.  The past couple days Maisie and I both have been trying to catch up on missed sleep, but it's nice to be home and getting back to our  every day routine. 

Every day we were there we had a substantial daily activity, so we were very busy and out and about a lot. I took tons of photos both on our camera or on my {or Katie's} iphone, so I have been slowly, but surely sorting though pictures and grouping them so they can easily be put on the blog. I think I have completed the grouping process, so let's get to it. We visited a couple parks during our trip so lets start there.

The park by Nana & Papa's home













Anthem community park
{on a blustery day}

The Sunset State

Lives up to her nickname.

Photos of a progressing Arizona sunset taken from the backseat of a moving vehicle.

A couple nights into our stay, Arizona decided to show us exactly why she's called the sunset state. Boy, did she deliver.

Leaving on a jet plane {with a toddler}

Maisie and I are packing our bags and heading to Arizona next week to see my family. I am so excited for a little mini-vacation, but I am sad to be leaving Austin behind {he's really bummed too} but that's the way it goes sometimes. Plus, Austin is going to be a complete workaholic next week because of Netflix's launch in the UK, so I think he will appreciate the quiet time at home {and a chance to play video games, poor guy doesn't get to do that nearly as much as he'd like to.} 

My dad hasn't seen Maisie since she was 4 months old, so that will be exciting to get them together because boy, has she changed. Other things I am looking forward to:

Having extra help throughout the day. My mom and sister are very much looking forward to gobbling Maisie up and that means I can take a much needed mommy break.

Of course, seeing the family. With home cooked meals not made by me.

Sister time- working out, hot yoga and possibly a pedicure? Katie and I both {mainly myself} need a huge jump start on getting into shape and we both get motivated when we are around each other, so we are taking advantage of that this week. I mean, who doesn't like a work out buddy? Especially if it's your sister.

Babo's. Laying out by the pool. Friends. Jason's deli. Phoenix Zoo. Sweet tea. Wildflower bakery.

I am excited and ready for it to be Tuesday. Not looking forward to traveling solo with Maisie. Plus, I hate airports {and flying for that matter} last time I flew down to Arizona alone with Maisie I almost had a panic attack at the security point here's that horror story:

 "Mam, you're going to need to take out the car seat, fold up that stroller, take off your shoes, hold your baby and walk through the metal detector." Maisie was 4 months old and not sitting up yet and they {the security people} wanted me to put her on the ground {a 4 month old on THE GROUND where every one walks barefoot after taking off their nasty shoes {I hate feet}. Let alone that I feel weird just walking on that disgusting floor, so putting my tiny baby on that ground was not an option. Heck to the no.} to take apart the stroller {which was a travel system} so I had to take out the car seat send that through and then fold up the stroller. Which happened to decide that it didn't want to fold up, of course. The line behind me was getting longer and longer and I could feel every one staring. I was so close to a full blown panic attack. Anyway, Maisie was jello in my arms and so I am holding her in the crook of my arm and trying my best not to break down into tears to take everything apart without giving Maisie shaken baby, or worse dropping her. Here's the kicker... not one person offers to help. The security people just watch me like a hawk and I wanted to say to them EVEN IF THERE WAS A BOMB SOMEWHERE IN THIS MESS, I WOULDN'T HAVE THE HANDS TO SET IT OFF!! But then I thought of this part in Meet the Parents and decided against it. Moral of the story is; if I already had anxiety in an airport before, it has now become much, much worse. I am determined to go to any lengths to make it much easier this time around.

I am not bringing a car seat with me because my brother and sister in law have two sons and they recently upgraded my nephews car seats and so they will have an extra one at Maisie's disposal. Hallelujah!! Also I don't need to worry about pumping milk this time around, or worrying about a stroller because I am bringing a tiny umbrella stroller instead. My carry on will only consist of small toddler boredom busters and light snacks. I think I will be able to manage with out too much stress this time.

Maisie almost 16 months ago on her first plane ride.

AH look at that chub!! :)

While I was looking for travel tips with a toddler I came across this. The GO-GO Babyz GO-GO Kidz Travelmate. Um, how genius is this? I will be for sure getting this for any future traveling. Knocks out having a stroller while at the airport, plus a car seat on the plane and when you land. Amazing.

What about you? Do you have any travel secrets that I could benefit from? Shower me with suggestions! I am all ears!

Look out desert, here we come!

p.s Sorry for the rant. I could feel all the anxiety starting to surface and I had to just get it all out. Mamas- I hope this doesn't deter you from traveling with your little one, just a heads up it will definitely most likely be stressful, but one way or another you will get to your destination- panic attacks, melt downs, tears and all. 

Bon voyage!

2011 Recap

For last year's words belong to last year's language.

 And next year's words await another voice. 

And to make an end is to make a beginning. 

-T.S. Eliot


Goodbye 2011 
Let's recap last year's events...


We moved into a house with a backyard!



Maisie's 1st Birthday



We celebrated our 2nd anniversary



Had a fun filled summer...















Fourth of July weekend at the Coast






Surpise visit from our good friend from Germany



Had a surprise party for Austin's 24th birthday 
{an ode to his mission in Germany & Austria}






Had our first real family photos taken



Moved to California






Maisie's 2nd Halloween






Maisie's 2nd Christmas



Adventured San Fransisco on New Years Eve



I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for us.
I have a feeling it's going to be a wonderful year.


Happy New Year everyone!

New Years Eve in San Fransisco

The last adventure of 2011 was a fun one. 

Austin's parents, sister and uncle came down to California for a wedding in Sacramento on Friday. So since they were only a couple hours away, they drove down to Santa Clara early Saturday morning (New Years Eve) so we could catch the train right by our house and head to San Fransisco {which is only 40-something miles away from our house}.

We boarded the train and passed the hour and a half with intense movie trivia {note to self- purchase "pass the popcorn"}. Maisie had so much fun looking out the window, watching the buildings zip past and cupping her ear every time the train would whistle.

 We got to San Fransisco around 11:30am and bought all day public transportation passes for the buses, cable cars, trams and trolleys. I have never been on so many different forms of transportation in one day in my whole life. And once again I embarrassed Austin with my lack of balance on a tram and he forced me sit down. How in the world do people stand on those without falling or bumping into people?! I mean there are people with 6 bags of groceries and holding a child standing there with no problem and then there's me... not even holding a purse and I am bumping into every one in a five foot radius and making a scene. I need to work on that, a New years resolution maybe? Hah.

 It was sunny and warm until the sun started to set and then it got pretty chilly, but we all had so much fun (re)discovering the town together. I had been there a couple times before, but not since I was young, so it was nice to come back with a different perspective. Maisie went all day without a nap, but did great. No melt downs, blow outs or complaints. I couldn't have dreamed for her to behave as well as she did (yay). Maisie ended up passing out in Grandma's lap on the train ride home a quater to midnight and as soon as we got to our stop, we ran back to our place to watch the Ball drop in the NYE celebration in New York (Come on, it's tradition folks).

We took tons of pictures so I will let them recap the rest of the day. 

wiener mobile!!

"I'm Forrest. Forrest Gump. People call me Forrest Gump."

Complete with sneakers, suitcase and box of chocolates.

view from our table at Bubba Gump.

Oh yummy goodness.

Goodnight 2011...

AND Hello 2012!

Christmas morning

This was our first Christmas where it was just the three of us. The past couple years we celebrated with Austin's family in Salem. We were both a little sad to be flying solo this year, but it was also fun to start our own traditions. 

Christmas eve I made a Thanksgiving-esque dinner with roasted turkey and all the sides. Maisie loved the creamy candied yam casserole, turkey and of course mashed potatoes and gravy {what kid doesn't love mashed potatoes?}. We washed our dinner down with a bottle of Matinelli's and spent the rest of the night cuddling to Christmas music and getting the house ready for the morning event.

Maisie woke up at 7:45 and that was my cue to pre-heat the oven for some orange rolls. We congregated to the tree where all the goodies awaited. Maisie was loving all the new toys, but she was not liking the fact that she had to stop playing with one in order to open another. I think next year we need to number the presents I.E the super exciting ones {that make noise or move} need to be opened last because opening a book set after a rolling and laughing cow or a singing and dancing hippopotamus is just a tough act to follow, especially if you are a book {poor little book}.

Our first Christmas without a fireplace, so we made do with a fake one.

The classics. 

The rest of the day was super low-key. We ate left overs and I made the most delicious batch of homemade hot chocolate ever {It's a crock pot recipe and it is to die for. Recipe coming soon}. We watched Maisie's new Whinny the Pooh movie, played with tons of new toys and vegged out.

 It was a good day.