Trip to Cali

I won't bore everyone with all of the details, but we had a great trip to California. Dustin came out for a few days and then Taylor and I stayed another week. My mom got us tickets to Wicked so Dustin got to see it for the first time, we spent time with my dad and Cary, hung out in San Francisco, ate lots of wonderful food and we were able to visit some friends. All in all it was a great trip. We watched "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" while I was home. There is a great line (which I am totally paraphrasing and will totally butcher at the same time). Brad Pitt is talking about coming home after many years of being out to sea and says something to the effect of when you come home, it looks the same, smells the same, and even feels the same. The only thing that's changed is you.' This is so true but it made me excited for the time when Taylor is older and I can come back and show her all of the places where some of my most wonderful memories are and to see the people that I share those wonderful memories with.

Wicked - Hands down my favorite play, although I did like Glinda better the first time... before they toned down her part, but the costumes were much better the 2nd time. Dustin enjoyed it too! But maybe not quite as much as me. But before the play we had to eat at House of Sake for some sushi. My mom has been going there for so long that they give her a 15 or 20% discount every time she goes. How awesome is that!

While we were at Wicked, my dad and Cary watched Taylor and seemed to have a lot of fun! Thanks to Cary for the great pics!

Grandpa and Taylor.... love it!

My dad is one of the best cooks I know and he and Cary made us paella one night. It was excellent. Here we are hanging out at Grandpa and Cary's house!


Cary is a huge horse lover and has and awesome saddle set up in their house. Taylor is starting early... :)

Taylor's first lemon... she loves it! Her Grandma Ann will be so proud!

My dad and Cary's amazing Paella and always beautiful presentation!

Taylor loves it when daddy blows in her face. And thanks to Cary for all of the beautiful pictures she took and for allowing me to use them on the blog!

Grandma and Taylor at Tadich Grill in San Francisco

Dustin and I with our bibs, getting ready for the best cioppino. Dustin and I were so excited that we didn't even take a second to take a picture of how great it is!

Taylor riding the carousel at Pier 39

Sorry for the blurry picture... I was able to visit one of my dear friends, Heather and her new baby Roman. The picture doesn't even begin to show how cute he is.

All in all, great trip and lots of fun! Can't wait to do it again... although it was nice to come home.

A Perfect Evening

Last night was just one of those night's that was just perfect! The birthday celebration continued last night with just the two of us (Dustin and I, of course). Dustin had planned to go to a hotel in Midway, but I think since I've been out of town, I was feeling like just staying at home. Anyway, bless Mark and Sarah's hearts for taking Taylor for the night so Dustin and I could just enjoy a night to ourselves. We went up to Park City and did a little bit of shopping at the outlets and then we were off to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse since the one in Salt Lake closed. Ruth's Chris is one of my two favorite restaurants in Utah (Cucina Toscana being the other one). Anyway as always the food and service were perfect and there was also some entertainment during dinner with a guy playing a keyboard with his 16 year old son playing the bass, and his 18 year old son singing. Right after we sat down they started singing "The Way You Look Tonight" (which was our song at our wedding). This 18 year old kid's voice was like listening to Michael Buble... it was just perfect! It was almost like we had our own private concert because our table was so close to them. I forget how important those nights are to spend just with Dustin because it was exactly what we needed and it would have never happened without Sarah and Mark and the kids. Thank you so very much!!!

P.S. Once I'm not so lazy I'll post some pics and a cute little video of Taylor from Cali. She is really developing quite a personality!!!

Surprise, Surprise!

Well, Dustin pulled it off! He managed to throw a surprise party for my big 3-0 and I didn't have a clue. I've been visiting my fam in Cali for the past week and a half (hence the lack of blog posts), but I'll catch up on that later this week.

So... Taylor and I were supposed to get in around 9 last night, but Dustin called me Sunday night to tell me he had changed my flight. He said he wanted to spend some extra time with Taylor before she went to bed and since our sweet angel has her daddy totally wrapped around her finger, I totally bought the story. I definitely kept Dustin on his toes because my flight got in earlier than expected (by like 30 minutes, when does that ever happen) so he had to stall and a little and I still had no idea. It wasn't until we were pulling up our street, that I noticed a couple of familiar cars and then Dustin was rushing me in without my luggage and I opened the door to our small family room packed with some of our family and closest friends. Dustin had embarrassing pictures of me all over the place, and a beautiful collage with the #30 splattered everywhere and what is a party without food and cake. (Thanks to my friends for bringing some of my favorite goodies). Dustin has been working hard all week to fix up the yard, clean the house and totally keep me out of the loop. He didn't even call me on my birthday, I had to call him and then he kept rushing me off the phone. I think he just didn't want to blow anything at the last minute. It was honestly one of the sweetest and most thoughtful things that Dustin could have done. And not only because of the party, but I know that he was totally outside of his comfort zone planning a party, but like everything else, he put his whole heart into it (he even sent out e-vites with music from 1979). It was a very very special day!

Yesterday gave me time to reflect about my life. Except for being in California, it was like any other day, I would have never known it was my birthday. But as I was saying so long to my 20s it made me kind of glad they were over. I started off my 20s with an identity crisis. I didn't really know who I was or where my life was going and to be honest I didn't really love who I was. But after 10 years of some of the highest highs and some of my lowest lows, I couldn't ask for a better way to start my 30s. I am starting my 30s as a mom of one of the sweetest angels in the world, I am married to the love of my life whom I love and adore more and more every single day, I have a family, actually two families that I love being a part of and I have some of the very best friends that I could have ever asked for. Walking into a house with some of my favorite people in the world (minus a few of course) I can't imagine a more perfect way to end my 20s and step into another 10 years of what I'm sure will be a lot more ups and downs, but I'm starting off on more solid ground. I can hardly wait!

Da-da

It finally happened! Taylor formulated her first word this morning. I was changing her diaper and I hear dada. I thought that it was my mind playing tricks on me and just wanting her to actually formulate words, but she just kept on saying it. I immediately call Dustin and of course he puts me into voicemail. She is still saying it until the voicemail beeps and then of course she stops. I had to tell someone so I called my mom so that I had a witness. Taylor didn't disappoint and said it about 30 more times during our conversation.

I still wanted Dustin to hear it in person and when he got home, he finally did. When she was rolling around on the ground and then turned to look up at Dustin and said "DADuh" I think that his heart completely melted... (as if she doesn't already have her daddy wrapped around her finger). Then for the next 20 minutes she rolled around saying dadadadadadada. Granted, we are both fully aware that she is formulating words/sounds and doesn't know what she is saying, but next to her giggle, it's one of the sweetest things I've heard come out of her mouth. I must say, however, I am looking forward to the day when there is another male in the house. Maybe then I will finally understand what it feels like to be the most loved person in the house. Between Taylor and Quique, Dustin is definitely the favorite. But of course I'm not jealous or anything... :)

A Day I'll Never Forget

My life pretty much revolves around Taylor, Dustin and Quique and although I will never forget the traumatic events (for me) of yesterday, in some ways it was nothing new from the last 7 months. Some of you will read this post and think I'm a total whack job where as others of you will read this and you would have done the exact same thing as me if you were in the same situation.

I know sometimes my posts can get long, but I think that I do need to preface this story. Taylor will always be my firstborn, the child that we prayed for for so long, my very first baby. However in some ways, Quique was my first baby. Dustin and I had always wanted a dog but with him getting his MBA and working long hours and with my demanding job at the time, it didn't make sense. When all of that changed, it was the perfect time and as I see it, we got the perfect dog. The dog was never meant to prepare us for a baby, but I guess in some ways Quique did. I cried the first time I had to leave her and she cried at me. I slept on the floor next to her crate when she would cry at night and (at that time) Dustin didn't let her sleep on the bed. I took her to the vet 4 or 5 times in the first 3 months we had her because I would get so paranoid. I came home for lunch from work every day for about 5 months to let Quique out of her kennel outside and to check on her. Quique has comforted me during some of the biggest struggles in my life over the past couple of years, she has made me laugh and Dustin and I have enjoyed every second we've been able to spend with her.

Yesterday we went to Tanner Park (as mentioned in the post below). This time I wasn't really thinking and we went further than we usually do this time of year. At the end of one of the trails is the beginning of the run off where kids in the summer will come and "shoot the tube". There is a big pool of water and the water right now is coming out incredibly strong. I wasn't really paying attention and not really thinking of just how powerful the current is in that pool and before I knew it, Quique was on her way to swim in there because she always does and how can a Lab resist another pool of water. I tried calling to her to come back because I started to get a little nervous, but once I saw her swimming, I figured she was fine. As Taylor and I made our way to her, I noticed that she had been in the same spot for awhile. That's when I started to get really nervous and calling (more like screaming) to her to come to the side but she wouldn't... more like she couldn't. Quique doesn't swim in one place so I knew something was wrong and she must have been stuck in some sort of eddy. Before I knew it, I was taking off the Baby Bjorn and placing Taylor on my backpack on the ground in between some rocks so that she would be safe and then with my jumpsuit, shoes, cell phone (didn't realize at the time) and all, I was making my way in the water. Even though I have been swimming my whole life, I didn't realize just how strong the water was pushing until I got in. I also hate cold water and can't even begin to explain the temperature of the water because I can't even remember. I finally made my way to Quique and couldn't really swim her over to the side because of the way the water was pushing and pulling so I tried pushing Quique over to the side. But as it looked like she was getting close, the current just sucked her right back in, actually it sucked both of us right back in. After we'd get sucked in, I would try pushing her again, but it was never enough. What felt like hundreds of prayers went through my heart and my mind, I think I even said a few out loud, but I still wasn’t able to get enough leverage to get Quique to the side where she could then pull herself out. I was able to stand on the ground for a little, but right where I needed that last piece of footing, it was a drop off and there was nowhere I could stand. I was starting to swallow water and I was getting really scared. I finally gave Quique another push and it was just enough to get her to the rocks so she could pull herself out. After Quique got out, it even took a few more minutes before I could get myself out. By that time I was exhausted and I think that my body was cramping from the cold so I know without a doubt that it wasn’t me who got my dog to the side and out of the water, I was definitely being watched over.

It was a long walk back to the car and a very wet ride home, but I feel so blessed that we made it. The trauma of it all didn't really hit until the car ride home when I looked in the rear view mirror and saw my two babies... the tears just kept flowing. I was also so proud of Quique. I'm sure she didn't have a clue as to what was going on, and she probably didn't understand why in the world I kept pushing her, but she was so strong swimming and she never gave up... not even for a second. She probably could have swam longer than I could have.

The retelling of the story doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what I felt, but physically and emotionally, it put me out of commission for the rest of the day and I thought it would help so that I didn't keep replaying the whole ordeal over and over in my head. The other night I was reading a book and there was a quote from Mother Teresa that said "I know God will not give me anything I can't handle, I just wish he didn't trust me so much". I think God knew without a doubt that I couldn't just watch my dog slip before my very own eyes knowing that it was all my fault so I am very grateful to Him that He knew I wasn't strong enough for that.