all things ewan

follow me to a new blog!

2010-03-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

We have relocated!

To a new home, and a new blog home.

Come be the first follower, at

Sweet Home California

www.calikatrina.blogspot.com

moving

2010-02-22T15:54:00.000-08:00

I'm quietly making these felt fish during Ewan's nap

when I really should be packing!

We're moving! Again. :)

This ups our moving total now to:

6 rentals,

in 6 years,

in 5 different socal cities!

So, while we're moving out and settling in and transferring utility services...

I'll be going dark on here and FB for a while.

Now, time for me to get back to packing up the gypsy wagon to hit the road on Friday.

See you all soon!

pupcake

2010-02-21T15:47:00.000-08:00

Our first baby is 5 today...

Happy Birthday Divot!

Brandon and Felicia's new baby, Jeter, came over for some party hats and pupcake. :)

......

Peanut Butter Pupcakes
1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tsp baking soda , 1/4 cup peanut butter , 1/4 cup vegetable oil,

1 cup shredded carrots , 1 tsp vanilla , 1/3 cup honey , 1 egg
.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix together flour and baking soda. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into cupcake liners, bake for 20 minutes. Frost cakes with low fat cottage cheese and decorate with carrot pieces, dog bones, etc. Store in refrigerator.

snow day sunday

2010-02-18T15:42:00.000-08:00

We had such a great time at the snow a couple weeks ago,

that we decided to go again for Valentine's Day.

This time with more people, more sleds,

and a big snowball fight. :)

You had to think light while walking,

the snow was up to our knees if you fell through.

Slurping snow for lunch with a wooden spoon and a black eye. That's how we roll. :)

Matching knit caps made by Jeff's grandma.

Lots of sledding.

Jeff got to the "no more sledding" point.
Me, I could go all day. :)

As for Jeff's mom, she won't be making the Olympic sledding team anytime soon.
She did make it down a run eventually, just not this one. :)

And Brandon is just a crazy mountain man.
.

Second snow day,
another super success. :)

black and blue

2010-02-17T11:28:00.000-08:00

Ewan got his first shiner.

Point on the board for the coffee table.

It's been quite the art form this week

changing from black to blue to purple to red.
.

Thankfully it's not the size of a golf ball anymore.

And no stitches were needed over his eyebrow.

In fact, now that I look at these pictures,
it really doesn't look like much anymore.
Oh, little adventurous boy,
I want many more of you. :)
.....
.
On a side note,
another day, another birthday.
Between our two huge families, the celebrations are never ending!
Happy Birthday to Jeff's Mom today!

papa g

2010-02-16T17:08:00.000-08:00

{nabbed this pic from my mom}

Happy Birthday, to the person I am most like.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love you Dad.

first snow

2010-02-16T13:31:00.001-08:00

Ewan's first experience with snow on superbowl sunday...

A super success of a day,
with our honey snow bunny. :)

together forever

2010-02-15T08:56:00.000-08:00

What can I say,

my husband loves me.

And I love him more.

...

What a surprise that video was!

I make 'em for others all the time,

but this was the first time someone did one for me.

And how'd he know I'd find it on here? :)

Did anyone else notice he posted at 4am?!

...

We had a great Valentine's playing in the snow

for the second weekend in a row....

I love you Jeff.

Us, together forever.

Happy Valentines Day...mama

2010-02-14T04:21:00.000-08:00

So...um...this is Jeff. I understand that this is not my site, but Ewan wanted to do something for his mom for Valentines Day. So we came up with a video to show how much his mom means to him. And since this website is all about Ewan, I thought he should probably share it with all of you. Hope you enjoy it.

Happy Valentines Day Sweetie!

Ewan's Dad

polaroid valentines

2010-02-12T21:25:00.000-08:00

Sewed felt ones, that is.

Each one unique and special in it's own way.

Translation: no pattern = lots of flaws and variation.

And made with lots of love.

Translation: made with lots and lots and lots of love!

.......

Happy Valentine's Day!

xoxo

baby sign

2010-02-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

I mentioned that Ewan knows baby sign.
Thought I'd Flip it and show you some...

And here's another open mouth kiss goody
from our snow day in Wrightwood yesterday.

Love him.

18 months

2010-02-07T13:55:00.000-08:00

We have an 18 month old on our hands now.

Umm... they're crazy at this age.

Constant needed attention, super social, energy for hours crazy!

Ewan at 18 months...

-loves to color. Crayons, markers, paint, you name it.

-still sleeps with his boppy, bunny, and paci.

-flys around the house like an airplane. Complete with engine noises.

-is really good at animal noises. Lions and elephants are his specialty.

-loves bell peppers, cheese, and french fries. Takes after his mama. :)
.

-loves playing hide and seek. Can you see him hiding?
I know, he's really good.

.
-is learning how to ride a bike.
-loves to run. Far. Fast.
-thinks it's funny to take off his shirt by himself in public.
-can say "mama" and "dada". That's it. Baby sign has come in handy.
-is a confident dog walker.
-is eye teeth teething. 'Nough said. :)
-loves to grab your hand and lead you to what he wants.
-loves to laugh. Even if he has to fake laugh.
.
The best... his open mouth kisses.
I've tried to teach him to pucker.
But why mess with a good thing. :)

sunshine daddy time

2010-02-01T13:52:00.002-08:00

. ..

It was a good weekend. :).

see and flip

2010-01-31T15:24:00.000-08:00

Jeff got new seeing spectacles. Kinda resembles a young Martin Scorsese in them. :)

And here's my new pet, Flip. He goes with me everywhere.

Cause I would hate to miss any dance breaks like this...

American Idol reference, in case you've been living under a rock. :)

And lovely video vocals provided by my Mom, Tarisa, and Audra.

my desktop

2010-01-28T15:10:00.000-08:00

Currently, my computer desktop setup includes

this old-school flip-clock screensaver

that I discovered a few weeks ago HERE.

And I've loved my wallpaper this month that I found HERE.

And he just put up the new one for February. Yipee!

Just wanted to share a couple good finds with friends. :)

happy dance

2010-01-27T15:33:00.000-08:00

Happy, happy. Joy, joy.

Wearin' my TOMS today.

Go see, HERE!

not disneyland

2010-01-26T17:27:00.000-08:00

I won't say we went to Disneyland again, cause I won't hear the end of it.

But I will say we went to California Adventures.

It's a different park. It counts. :)

We were swarmed by the characters! But this is as close as we got. They're still kinda scary.

And we got our dance on at the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,

with the characters far away on stage.

And then... we braved the bears...

The reaction. Not bad.

But Jeff needs help.

What better way to end a successful bear encounter than to jump on rope bridges.

We love California Adventures!

........

I will not post about Disneyland anymore.

passes in use

2010-01-22T16:18:00.000-08:00

Well, we had plans to go to Disneyland today to see my brother sing with the school choir. But with the rain and recently being sick, we figured it was best to stay home. We did get use of our passes a couple weeks ago with Liana, on the last January date with the holiday decorations. :)

We have a thing for goofy's piano. Well, pianos in general, really. :)

First Peter Pan Flight! After we survived the loooong line.

Reliving my marching band days. Just needed my flute. :)

double your fun

2010-01-21T21:34:00.000-08:00

Happy 27th and 31st to us!

Two sickies on their birthdays. A good time. :)
...

At least we danced it up in Vegas a couple weeks ago...

Hehe. Becca and I tired hard to pump up the excitement. :)

playful boy

2010-01-21T12:16:00.000-08:00

Can we have a day without Ewan's tongue obsession?

Nope.

The simplicity of a 17 month old is great.

I still can't believe he hasn't gotten sick! :)

recovering

2010-01-18T21:34:00.000-08:00

{bunny found here}

Have you ever been so sick you hallucinate? Jeff informed me that inbetween sleep, I demanded that he to take me to the hospital because I wanted an IV and Xray, and if he didn't, I would just walk.
...
I am finally up and about, outta bed today. Happy to have Ewan home for the first day since Wednesday, when I left him with my mom to head to the doctor. I'm thinkin' after all this, I need a tshirt that says "H1N1 Survivor"... not to mention the bronchitis I battled as well. :) Jeff caught the bug for a couple days, but HALLELUJAH Ewan has not gotten sick. Sanitizing round the clock hoping to keep it that way.
...
In the spirit of the new year, we have taken on Ali's word challenge once again, as we did last year. I'd like to share that Jeff and I have declared our word for the year to be healthy! Cheers to a healthy (rest of) 2010!

saturday night

2010-01-11T13:18:00.000-08:00

What to do while the baby spends the night at his grandparents...

well, make an 8 hour roundtrip drive to vegas of course. :)

The crazy shenanigans included a 6 hour stay at the Luxor...

good times with this crazy couple...

a drive through the strip, food, dancing, more food, more dancing, and $100 slot win!

Then it was time to high-tail it back home before the sun set.

All the while, this little man sidewalk-chalked-it-up!

Thanks mom and dad (and Audra!) for letting us squeeze in a last minute, early birthday celebration!
And thanks Corey and Becca for being the "best we've ever had in vegas!" :)

souvenir shirts

2010-01-08T10:42:00.000-08:00

From my traveling aunts.

Felicia in NY and Becca in SD. Thanks guys!

...........................................................

In regards to the last post... thanks!
I'm immediately feeling back to my old blogging self thanks to your sweet words. I had held that post in the draft queue for a while wondering if it was worth even mentioning. So glad I did. SO happy to meet new peeps! And last night as I was bouncing around catching up on blogs I found a slew of people feeling the same blah-blog-bug. Guess it was just the end of a long 2009. But I'll totally have to speak my mind more often, the affirmation is addicting! Your comments are like a sweet bread crumb trail, luring me into sharing more. And who doesn't like bread crumbs? :)

hello!

2010-01-07T14:21:00.000-08:00

So the holidays have come and gone, and the new year is here!! What to do now? Where to start? I've been putting off posting, and was really slow about it through the holidays, not because there is a lack of pictures or fun things to cover, but a lack of excitement in sharing. That sounds depressing, but I assure you that's not the direction of this post. :) I'm just at this point where I feel like I don't know who I'm sharing with. You? Are you reading this? Not you mom, I know you read. :)

I started this blog back in 2007 (happy 2 year blogoversary to me!) to keep my family informed of the first grandchild/great-grandchild/nephew on the way. We did not live near any family at the time, and was so excited to share all the details with everyone in a special way. I wrote each post as if I were directing it specifically to my mom or grandma and that made it easy and informal... and true. I literally had 2 people reading about our happenings. Now, 2 years later, I have followers (I love all 24 of you!), friends I've reconnected with, new blog friends across the country, and new blog friends even in my own town! And now my family has even joined in and each have their own corners of the internet along side me. All very exciting, and fuels the blogger in me to keep posting and keep connecting with others.

But I ask myself often, is anybody reading this? After I put Ewan to bed and enjoy the company of my husband before he falls asleep on the couch, I spend the rest of the late night posting pictures of our day, assuming people are interested in reading about it. And then I read about your kids, in-laws, holidays and latest recipes on your blogs! And even crazier still, I do all this and try to remain anonymous. Anonymous?! Crazy I tell you. Just the other night I was chatting with my bf, debating if we should go private or not. Cause then you know exactly who's reading and who you're addressing when describing your latest and greatest. But instead of such a drastic move, I'm going to just try this...

My new goal on here... is to connect with you. We all want to be part of a community on here and connect with others who care about what we post, and understand why we post it. :) Unlike scrapbooking where we perfectly put together a page of smiling, loving family photos of a big event- blogging is more about the imperfections of daily life that other's are able to connect with. I look for those connections with other moms on here. If you're reading this... more likely than not, I read your blog too. And even more likely, I've never stopped to say hi. That's it. I will no longer be an anonymous stalker... er, reader. :) And I hope you will stop to say hello too, and let me know I'm not talking to an empty internet. I also plan on actually writing more instead of just posting pictures, as a way of connecting on a more personal level. But don't hold me to that, I'm not the writer of the family. :)

I'm looking forward to a very exciting new year! First up, Jeff and I both have birthday's to celebrate this month. We are exactly 4 years and 4 days apart in age. Cute, huh? :) Then come February, we're moving! Again. Always exciting, but always such a pain to pack and unpack everything. We then have a roadtrip up the California coast planned for June. And looking ahead towards summer, Ewan will be turning 2 and plans for baby#2 are a go!

Here's looking at a beautiful 2010! And, hello. It's nice to meetcha. :)

happy new year!

2010-01-01T22:37:00.000-08:00

It's 2010?!
.

Lots of love for a wonderful new year. Muuuuuah!

goodbye 09

2010-01-01T22:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2009 header is outta here.

very merry happy

2009-12-29T21:58:00.000-08:00

I was told, by those who stopped by this month, that my gifts matched my house.

Agreed. But unintentional. Guess I just have a thing for green and brown. :)

A very merry happy, cozy Christmas morning, 2009.

And best timer shot of the year, I might add. :)

christmas pjs

2009-12-29T21:51:00.000-08:00

Loved Ewan in his red flannels with Christmas morning bedhead...

.

What a great age he was this year for Christmas! We thoroughly enjoyed his overwhelming excitement throughout the day while bouncing around visiting family and discovering new toys... cause this year it was all about the toys! :)

green and pink stitches

2009-12-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

I embroidered a stocking and hat this Christmas...

...for these two cute cousins. :)

merry christmas!

2009-12-23T22:08:00.000-08:00

God rest ye merry gentlemen

let nothing you dismay

Remember Christ our Savior

was born on Christmas day!

O, tidings of comfort and joy

comfort and joy!

O, tidings of comfort and joy.

xoxo

for you

2009-12-23T18:53:00.000-08:00

Grandpa, Grandma & Grandpa, Uncle Kevin and family, Aunt Cindy and family, cousins in Oregon, Conneticut, and Argentina...

This is for you.

Totally, if I had the skill or time, I woulda made it. But this works too, right? :)
Try your skills... here are the directions to make your house!
Wish we could be together for Christmas... love you!

santa

2009-12-22T21:59:00.000-08:00

Same Santa. Same Ewan expression.

Santa is lookin' much more jolly this year, I must say. Good 'ol Santa.

more family time

2009-12-22T21:56:00.000-08:00

There is always lots of family time around the holidays.

This weekend was chalk-full.

We celebrated my sister's birthday early with a night on the town in LA.

First, Disney on Ice in LA. See pictures here and here.

Then Brian Setzer Orchestra concert that same night.

Grandma and Papa G.

Mom taking pictures for her blog. :)

See them here.

I love my family. A lot. :)

apron and cookies

2009-12-20T21:56:00.000-08:00

I won! Can this really be true?

I have won my second giveaway thanks to the lovely, talented, and ever so sweet Diane.

See her amazing creations on her blog, here!

Because we are located in the same area, she hand delivered the winning apron, and a tin full of Christmas cookies as a surprise!

And I'm talking a real deal surprise... where you've just hopped out of the shower, half blow dryed your hair, breakfast still lingering on the coffee table, noisy dishwasher running, pine needles and toys all over the carpet, and have a wild 1 year old running amuck.

Such a welcomed surprise though, Diane. I could have chatted on the couch with you all day!

You are just as sweet as your cookies are, which are almost too beautiful to eat. Almost. :)

Thank you for such a cheerful way to start a weekday!

disneyland

2009-12-20T21:33:00.000-08:00

Our big group for the day...

Jeff's entire family was able to make it!

And Aimee joined the group after she danced in the parade.
Rode some rides...

Ewan was not a big fan of the rides on this particular day.
Sure makes for some cute pictures though. :)

.
Cousins! With their matching Dumbos.
This was Violet's first trip to Disneyland!
She rode her first ride, and got her first pair of ears.
I'm a big fan of firsts, and was happy to be a part of my niece's big day. :)
.

We caught both parades at both parks...
with Auntie Aimee as Dory!

And had fun watching the Small World Light Show.
.

We tried to capture the beautiful snowy castle at every angle of the park.

The best part of the day...
Annual Passes!
Thank you to Jef'f's parents for the Christmas present that will keep on giving all year long.
Can't WAIT to go again! And again... and again... :)

magical

2009-12-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

Ewan experienced Disneyland decked for Christmas yesterday.

So crowded, but so fun.

rudy the reindeer

2009-12-17T12:51:00.001-08:00

Rudy came!

And Ewan loves him.
Thanks again Izzy and Heather!

christmas cards

2009-12-13T17:32:00.000-08:00

The front of our Christmas card this year.

With a couple more of the ones below printed inside...

These are just a few of the fun ones that were captured that day.
Thanks to my sis, Liana, we have over 200 gorgeous pictures!

Would you believe Ewan already grew out of these jeans from last month!

He just had his 16 month appointment this morning, and he's grown 2 inches taller since August.

Can't wait for Christmas... 12 more days! But who's counting. :)

vote!

2009-12-11T13:52:00.000-08:00

Vote for my "sleepy santa" HERE!

One vote, per email, per day.

Aaaaaand, off with the hat. To reveal messy, pre-haircut hair. :)

Ewan's got some tough competition. I just love ALL the squishy, smiley santa babies!

But Ewan got a "10" from his mommy. :)

Update: 12.21.09

The 2009 Santa Baby winner is Andrew!

Who is super duper cute, I might add. :)

Thanks for all your votes for Ewan. We'll try this fun contest again in 2010!

we wish you a merry christmas

2009-12-10T09:03:00.000-08:00

Don't let this serious face fool you.

We had some serious fun yesterday...

Ewan is an ornament poker.

Mommy had to teach a valuable lesson of not yanking the ornaments off the tree.

He is, however, allowed to poke them with one finger. :)

This ritual also involves some serious dancing.

I love my son.

santa

2009-12-09T22:05:00.000-08:00

I like orange.

And I like this.

Hehe. :)

the kitchen

2009-12-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

Growing up, my dad was our hairdresser.

All of us got haircuts at home, in the kitchen.

Even our friends would come by for a trim. Emily! Darla!

I didn't visit my first hair salon until college.

But even now, I will still head to the kitchen for a new cut.

Or just cut my hair myself. It's not that hard. I've seen how dad does it. :)
So, as soon as my parents returned from San Francisco yesterday,

literally, as soon as they walked in the door with their suitcases...

Dad got one look at Ewan and agreed something needed to be done.

We set up shop in the kitchen to fix Ewan's hair.

As mentioned in the previous post, he got the worst haricut the day before!

Relief. It's so much better now. And I've learned my lesson...

Ewan is much better off heading to "the kitchen" when the shag needs a cut.

Thanks Papa G.

love december

2009-12-07T10:05:00.000-08:00

I love the happy busyness this time of year,

and we are definitely not at a lack of doing things lately

just a lack of pictures of all the busyness.

I do, however, make use of my cell phone camera while out and about...

You know it's time for another baby when your "baby" pushes his own stroller now.

And as Becca pointed out recently...

BOY would it have been funny to plan out another Christmas Eve announcement!

Definitely not in the works, just to be clear. :)

Divot is always such a good sport...

Ewan got the worst haircut known to man yesterday.
But good news... no tears this time.

And better news... he happens to have a nice hat collection to utilize. :)
.
Had hot chocolate and movie nights with the sibs this weekend

while mom and dad are in San Francisco celebrating their 29th wedding anniversary.
.
Got stuff to make sausage and kale soup during these rainy days...

And while Ewan is tucked in at night,
I have been cozied up on the couch finishing my book club book,
A Severe Mercy. Great read.

And my baby is officially 16 months old today.

Can't wait for Christmas... 18 more days! :)

our tree

2009-12-02T10:48:00.000-08:00

Christmas tree shopping is a breeze.

One stop. First tree. Grab a stand.

Ready to haul it home.

Done.

Now, getting the lights to cooperate... that's another story.

Warning: Lights not to be mentioned in Jeff's presence. :)

thanksgiving

2009-11-30T13:51:00.000-08:00

The whirlwind of a weekend felt like a mini vacation.

Spent lots of much needed together time with Jeff while he was off work.

I made breakfast 3 days in a row!

That's impressive considering I'm not a breakfast maker or eater.

But I'll do anything for Jeff and for the sake of the holidays. :)

Up first, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

In our jammies. Eating breakfast. :)

Then dinner at my parent's house,

when we also take my mom's family Christmas card picture every year.

Then on to Jeff's parent's house for dessert and games.
.
Hung out with this Missourian, yay!
Jeff's brother, Ewan's scary Uncle.
He'll warm up to you by Christmas, Alex. :)
.
We took the Lohman family picture too, while he was in town.
But everybody's family pics will be revealed in their cards.
.
After Thanksgiving dessert,
lost miserably to the boys at Guesstures.
But dominated in a round of Spoons!
.
Saturday, got to see Stephanie Edwards (returning to the Rose parade this year)
speak at my mother-in-laws church's Christmas luncheon.
.

Lunched with the Lohman ladies.

Sunday... church with Sammy and Abby. Ahem, princess Abby. :)

Got the Christmas boxes out.

Saw the snowfall at the mall.
The lovely, grainy framed pics are all cell phone shots.

And came home with a Christmas tree.

Aaaaaand...
to round out a perfect Thanksgiving weekend,
I won a giveaway!!.

From this lovable mom of a circus,
who is sending me Rudy the Reindeer from the adorable Izzy's Friends.
Thanks Izzy and Heather!
.
Hope everyone had a very very, happy happy Thanksgiving.
We sure did. :)

it's over?

2009-11-30T09:28:00.000-08:00

Had the BEST holiday weekend.

Have to do a serious recap of the family festivites. :)

Till then, happy December eve. :)

fall header

2009-11-30T09:20:00.000-08:00

The green was still festive, but I was feelin' the need for red for Christmas... :)

christmas cards

2009-11-24T14:21:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas Cards are all ready to go!

I've NEVER been ready this early before. Last year, we sent them out 3 days before Christmas.

Guess I'm making up for last year. :)

Sneak peek... Christmas picture came from this day. :)

introducing...

2009-11-21T15:37:00.000-08:00

...your new favorite blog to stalk. :)

the argentine gene.blogspot.com

Some of you may have already discovered it,

we're just now getting things rolling over there.

Hop over, leave a little hello, and check back soon!

You're gonna love it. I promise.

nothin'

2009-11-19T12:37:00.000-08:00

Nothing much going on this week.

We stayed in our jammies all day Monday and Tuesday.

Yesterday, we had a pizza combo lunch at Costco,

then purchased our millionth jug of apple juice and milk.

I'm seriously thinking of getting an apple tree and cow for our porch!

And last night, was laundry night. Which is not a bad thing around here. I loooove doing laundry.

And thanks to Bry, I have a serious obsession with the Downey Ball.

Gotta love my constant company... Divot, Ewan and bunny. They're the total package. :)

members

2009-11-16T14:40:00.000-08:00

...which makes us important wildlife conservationists. As we were told and thanked for during our tram ride.

Way to make a group of peeps feel good. :)

Live in the area? San Diego Wild Animal Park.

highly recommended independent activity

2009-11-15T17:40:00.000-08:00

time to flip

2009-11-12T14:31:00.000-08:00

A whole new world was discovered when we flipped Ewan's car seat around for the first time.

This big boy, 15 month old, now gets to face forward in the car.

Lots of pointing and lots of "You should see this, mama!"

...in the form of "eh, eh!" Crazy kid.

And just so there's no question of Ewan's safety...

No, I was not driving and videoing at the same time. :)

boon lovers

2009-11-10T14:13:00.000-08:00

Speaking of Flo... we now have a good size Boon collection....

Love that everything comes in my favorite color, orange. And yes, I have multiples of the Catch Bowl. But I'm thinkin of trying the Saucer next (if I could find it anywhere!), also a preventer of bowl dumping. :)

And as our Boon wishlist continues to be never ending...

They're coming out with this little beauty in December...

Grass!

Now who wouldn't want this little ray of sunshine sitting on their counter? :)

fun with Flo

2009-11-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

We got a Flo. And we love it.

Saaaaaaaaaaay cheeeeeeeeeese!

Saaaaaaaaaaay silly faaaaace!

Show mama your Flo!
.
Show mama how you wash your hair!

Show mama how much you loooooooove it! :)
.
I love bath pictures...
Ewan's happiest time of day (sometimes twice a day, he loves it that much!).

Easy to get a picture (he can't run away!).

Gives me something fun to do (I'm sittin' there anyways!).

The only negative... bad lighting. (But who cares!)

trick or treat!

2009-11-03T20:45:00.000-08:00

As you can imagine, we went around the block on Halloween with a BIG group of family. :)

Nemo, Bruce, and Auntie Mermaid had a wonderful time collecting candy.

And I have had a wonderful time eating it all week. :)

And after Nemo was done being a candy hog,

(luckily people thought it was cute coming from a 15 month old)

Mommy and Daddy attended the 14th annual Murray Monster Bash!

We last attended in 2007 and won Best Group (with great friends!) for Alice in Wonderland.

This year we barely lost out on Most Original to Sharon and Ozzy Osborne. Boo. I demand a recount! :)

"Windy" Jeff and Kat 2009

Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza!

2009-10-30T14:18:00.000-07:00

Well, carving pumpkins went WAY better than picking them. :)

Carving with a big family is always the best!

Every year, my family gets together at Jeff's family's house for a giant carving party!

We tried to get a cousin picture...

They were thrilled. :)

We tried.

The hostess and her table of homemade treats!

A little Angels and Yankees never hurt anybody.

Complete with my bro's Angels pumpkin.

Tah dah!

how tall this fall...

2009-10-28T10:55:00.000-07:00

This tall! A yearly tradition started last year at Ewan's first pumpkin trip.

busted trip

2009-10-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

And scene...
Take 1: Excited! On our way to the pumpkin patch!
Take 2: Rushing. Late to meet my family and pick up Jeff's mom.
Take 3: Very late. Running out the door. Ewan trips, cheek first into the wall.

Black and blue lump forms. Bitten bloody lip. Sitting by door with screaming baby and ice pack on swelling cheek.
Take 4: Finally get in car. Mommy and daddy argue. Gets heated.

Mommy pours water bottle on daddy (to cool off of course). Daddy pours remaining water bottle on mommy.
Take 5: Get out of car at pumpkin patch, soaking wet. Get baby out, with busted face.
Take 6: Proceed to take smiley loving family photos at beautiful pumpkin patch.
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Ewan found mommy's pumpkin...

Then found his very own just-my-size pumpkin.

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Family time.
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Horsey time.

Daddy time.

Corn maze time. Things are lookin up for us.

Then... Ewan runs fast... around the corner... screams are heard...

Whad'ya know. He fell on his bruised cheek. Again. Now scraped and bleeding. Fun.

Time to go home.

Ewan in all his busted up boy glory. :)

What's with all the bummer pumpkin patch trips this year Molly and Sarah? :)

pumpkin patch

2009-10-26T13:58:00.001-07:00

We finally frolicked in the pumpkin patch this weekend...

Got lots of great photos of Ewan's bruised cheek and busted lip. More to come on that... :)

picnic at the park

2009-10-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

Picnicked on the grass, fed the ducks, ran up and down the grassy (muddy!) hills.

Perfect blissful afternoon, done. Love my BFF and her babies!

Checked my camera when I got home and enjoyed endless amounts of

photography by Sammy and Abby... :)

Ewan's got the right idea taking a nap right now... I think I'll join him... :)

confession

2009-10-21T12:32:00.002-07:00

Hi, my name is Katrina, and I wear used clothes.

Not exclusively, mind you. But I never shy away from a good hand-me-down, fun clothes swap, or a great thrift store.

I have read about, and drooled, over other peoples posts about their scores at the thrift stores.

Well, I scored at the "designer" thrift store yesterday, and am still giddy about it today!

Citizens of Humanity jeans + Hudson jeans + Vans for Ewan = $26

Perfect size, perfect condition, perfect timing... just waiting for us to find them.

I'm a happy girl. :)

Can't get enough...

2009-10-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

...of these cute tiny prints!

I had Ewan's hands and feet printed for his 1 year birthday, and I still (2 months later!) can't stop peeking at them and smiling.

I first saw displays of tiny hands and feet and Ewan's pediatrician's office. I called (the nicest lady ever!) Debbie right a way to schedule an appointment. I couldn't be more thrilled about the results! So... I am delighted to share her blog, Clayful Impressions, for those of you who have young children (who's adorable tiny hands and feet are just asking to be printed!) and live in the area.

Tell her Katrina sent you!.... I told her I'd send friends. :)

And in case you want what you see here, ask for "cutout" hand and foot stained in "blue bonnet".

Caught!

2009-10-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

Do not leave children unattended with markers... messy mistake.

Next time, I bet the marker will make it's way to the walls. Is it that age already?! :)

Sent from Katrina's
Sprint Palm mobile phone

cinnamon and sugar

2009-10-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

Keeping with the sugar theme...

We had the BEST dessert last night.

In fact, I'm eating it for breakfast right now. :)

Piecrust Cookies!

This recipe came from my favorite (now discontinued... stupid economy) magazine, WonderTime.

Perfect for those times (usually after the 31st) when you're on sugar overload.

This pile of leaves are light, flaky, and softly sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Perfection.

Ewan LOVED them! I couldn't get him to stop signing "more". He had some for breakfast too. :)

cake, please

2009-10-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

I want more wedding cake! I can't get enough! We re-order the top of our cake from Jodee's Bakery every year. And we totally already had our almond cake with raspberry creme filling and silky buttercream frosting. But I'm thinkin' maybe we should order a 5 year, 1 month cake topper. :)

More reminiscing of cake and kisses here.

Aunties

2009-10-12T08:48:00.000-07:00

Ewan has the BEST Aunties!

And I have the best sisters. :)
Sister Sweater Swap 2009

rough play

2009-10-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

Ewan's getting older.

Daddy's getting rougher.

And nighttime playtime is getting more fun!

Luckily, my phone survived. This time anyway. :)

warm and fuzzy

2009-10-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

My favorite season is here!

And the house (well... 700 sq ft, 1 bedroom, attached garage, apartment) is getting cozy. :)

The candles are lit...

The sparkly pillows and cozy afghan (knitted by Jeff's Grandma!) are placed... Vince Guaraldi is playing round the clock...

Collected magazines from holidays past are pulled out (Martha Stewart circa 2003!)...

Pumpkins are popping up...

Cinnamon on everything, especially coffee... in our fall color Starbucks mug collection...

Pumpkin pie bites warm our tummies (from the inspirational bakerella.com)...

And warm socks and jammies keep us cozy all day.

Happy Fall! Autumn! October! November! December! :)

Fall... in love

2009-10-03T11:20:00.001-07:00

I feel like I'm fallin' for fall

No, I'm not prevaricating or am I exaggerating

Fall has got me in it's grasp, it must be said

Autumn's such a pleasin' season

You must see all the trees in blazin' colors

Orange, gold and red

Should I write fall a love letter, tell 'em how I feel

Better every time the season comes around each year

But maybe I'll just go on 'bout how nature puts a show on

As a prelude to all kinds of holiday cheer

I feel like I'm fallin' for fall

There are feelings of elation mixed with some anticipation

When I think of all the fun there is in store

And my heart just gets to thumpin'

Thinkin' bout piles of leaves I'll jump in

It's no wonder that it's Autumn I adore!

- Nick Jr. "Fall Into Autumn"

(Ewan is Moose and Zee's #1 fan!)

Pictures from Fall 2006

new season...

2009-10-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

...equals new header. Heeeeelllllloooooo falllllll!

Aloha Hawaii

2009-10-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

Last few hours in Maui were spent together. Just the two of us.

(Thanks to Jeff's family for watching Ewan!)

Enjoying our sunset dinner and watches we gave eachother!

Dessert... chocolate coconut shell creme brulee. Yum!

After dinner, wine, sunset, dessert...
was beach, hammock, kisses and cuddles.
Happy anniversary to us!
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The next morning we headed home.
Aloha Hawaii. We'll see you again in another 5 years!

Everyday Maui

2009-10-02T12:08:00.000-07:00

Everyday consisted of breakfast, beach, pool, breakfast, beach, pool...

...and chasing Ewan everywhere!

Almost finished...

2009-09-30T10:44:00.000-07:00

Ok... I'm gonna rush through these last few posts about our trip.

Cause it's fall already.

Cause everyday it makes me want to be back in Hawaii.

Cause frankly... I'm getting bored. As I'm sure you are too. :)

The first day we arrived in Maui, we made plans to go to the Luau at our hotel with Jeff's parents and his Aunt and Uncle from Oregon.

The four of them happened to be on vacation the same week as us... on the same island... on the same side of the island in fact...

That's a whole other story. No time to explain. Must continue.

The Luau was awesome! (Again, same just as it was 5 years ago.)

Ewan got the best souvenir. Hand-carved in front of our eyes!

And he passed out at the end after being drunk on pork and Hawaiian punch.

We saw our family the next day again for dinner at Leilani's...

Our FAVORITE restaurant on the island! Had to make sure we ate there.

(Jeff and I ate lunch there again the following day too.)

(And just this past Sunday, we even recreated Leilani's fish tacos at home. However we renamed our dinner, "Lei-Lohman's". :)

And the last time we saw our fam again in Maui was on Saturday.

They babysat Ewan for us so we could enjoy a relaxing anniversary.

Just the two of us.

Eat, Drink, and be Maui

2009-09-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

45 minutes later, we were in Maui!

Checking in. Checking out our view. Ewan checking out his crib.

Checking on the penguins in the lobby. Checking out Umalu's poolside for lunch... yum!

Then checking out the pool... where we stayed for the rest of our first day there.

It was all the same. Perfect, immediate relaxation.

Just as it was when we stayed here for our honeymoon 5 years ago.

Day 5

2009-09-29T11:34:00.001-07:00

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!

Thanks for welcoming us to stay in your beautiful home.

Thanks for borrowing a crib for Ewan to use.

Thanks for cinnamon coffee every morning and homemade dinner every night.

Thanks for showing us the best secret beaches to visit that weren't on the tourist map. :)

Thanks for the wonderful memories made and the special time spent together.

It was perfect. We love love love you.

4 days in Oahu... and then...

...we were off to Maui!

Sunset and Monkey Kids

2009-09-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

Ahhh...

2009-09-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

And there you have it... the prettiest sunset spot on Oahu.

We walked outside right behind my Aunt and Uncle's house. Pretty cool backyard, huh?

This is Puka Shell Beach... where all the necklaces made in Hawaii get their shells from. The "sand" is made up of broken coral and puka shells. And contrary to what you might think, it was pillowy soft to walk on and unbelievably comfortable to sit in to sift through the coral and collect shells.

My Aunt Adriana and cousin Kaile playing in the sparkly sand.

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See the coral and all the teeny tiny puka shells?

She calls me "cousin" and Jeff is "cousin's husband". Ewan is also just "cousin". :)

Ewan and I layed down to watch daddy "in" the sunset.

Can I please be there again right now? :)

Day 4... North Shore

2009-09-22T21:28:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought Oahu couldn't get better...

we met up with my Uncle, Aunt, and cousin Kaile at their beautiful home on the North Shore... to do what else, but surf!

Beautiful beach... but rough waters! Nothing my cousin couldn't handle though... she's one tough 6 year old surfer chick. Jeff braved the rough conditions while I sat with my Aunt and Ewan safely on the sand. Or so we thought...
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Ewan and I were sitting on the shore, waiting for the waves to hit our toes, when we both got pummeled by a huge wave! Poor Ewan came up crying, spitting up salty water and sand.
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Needless to say, we moved to safer grounds. And spent the rest of the night digging sand out of our ears. :)

Watch the video to see Kaile stand up on her board as my Uncle guides her through the wave...

Then watch the kid in front of us get clobbered by the waves right on the shore... the same waves the took out Ewan and me! :)

After Jeff came in, Ewan wanted to give it a try...

Kaile sharing some of her best suring tips.

Then the sun started to set...
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And we grabbed our stuff and RAN! We were told we had to hit the the best beach on the North Shore for the sunset...

Day 3... Perfection

2009-09-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

By far, my favorite day of our trip!

We spent hours... laying in the sun, feeling the breeze blow through our umbrella, wading in the calm turquoise water, sand castle building (and smashing!) with Ewan's rusty shovel, chasing birds, burying the boys.

Then... lunch across the street at Buzz's Steak House.

Sightseeing stops on the way back around the island.

It was perfection. The kind of day you fantasize about when you think of a Hawaiian vacation. I'd do it over again 100 million times. :)

One liked being buried. One didn't. :)

Testing the waters.

All 3 of us enjoyed a good long swim... but Jeff couldn't get me to come out of the water. I was in heaven.

My beach baby.

Making stops on our way back around the island.

Umm... where'd my boobs go?? I need to either ditch this obviously very unflattering t-shirt, or not wear a bathing suit top around for the day (no support!), or come to the acceptance that this is what happens after breastfeeding a baby for 8 months. At least my curly hair wasn't too unruly that day.... a plus in my book. :)

Back to Grandma and Grandpa's house (somewhere down there!) in Honolulu.

More Turtles

2009-09-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot to show you the turtles LIVE! Get excited... :)

They're actually kinda scary to me now, after snorkeling with them in Maui.

Day 2 - Turtle Beach

2009-09-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

There were turtles everywhere! They would ride the current in, then flop back into the water.

You can see the crowds in the background standing patiently with their cameras.

Found a stray, rusty turquoise shovel that Ewan carried along with us for the entire of the trip. In fact it even made it home with us.

Played in the pools of water along the rocky shore.

Did some shell collecting... I have them in a glass jar on the shelf in my living room now. Free souvenirs. :)

Day 2 - Pineapples

2009-09-16T11:22:00.001-07:00

Day 2... We were super excited to go to the Dole Pineapple Plantation! We rode the Pineapple Express, wandered through the Guinness World Record Pineapple Maze (it's huge!), and ate the FRESHEST, MOST YUMMY pineapple frozen yogurt EVER!

Pink Pineapples!

Lovin lunch...

Crazy koi fishies...

All aboard the Pineapple Express!

The passing crowd was laughing at Ewan's sheer joy in taking this picture.

His attitude makes it one of my fav pics of the trip. :)

Day 1

2009-09-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna break up our week in Hawaii by day... easier. Here we go!

Day 1 was big... Ewan's first plane flight! I was nervous, but shouldn't have been. He did great! We tested Benedryl on him the day before. It was a no go. Wouldn't you guess that my child would be in the minority of kids that have the opposite reaction to the medicine... hyperactivity. Of course. So we just brought books, a magna doodle (big hit!), bunny, and a borrowed DVD player (also a lifesaver!). He watched Blue's Clues, napped, played with the lady in the seat next to us... it was perfect. I was worried for nothing. :)

However, I did have a minor meltdown that day...

I forgot my wedding rings. FORGOT THEM! I noticed my empty ring finger in the car on the way to LAX. There was no turning back at that point. I couldn't believe I forgot my rings the week of our anniversary. Good news... I got a new one in Hawaii. Just a little wood ring. It was perfect. I was happy. :)

We arrived at my grandparents house that evening around 8ish. They had dinner waiting for us. So sweet. Then off to bed to battle the jet lag and rest up for the busy busy week ahead.

Thanks for the headphones Bry! Ewan loved them, and I even used them while he slept. :)

Thumbs up!

We're baaaaack!

2009-09-15T11:35:00.001-07:00

And recovering.

I'm having fun sorting through our souvenirs and pictures... all 623 of them. :) I'll catch you up as soon as I have the energy.

If we're FB "friends", I've uploaded a handful of pictures there. Then I got tired.

Time to dump the sand from the suitcases and do laundry... :)

So Long Summer

2009-09-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Hawaii marked the end of summer for us. So long summer header. :)

We're off!

2009-09-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Yay for vacation! I'm signing off for a week+.

Lots of packing tomorrow and then on Sunday...

we're headed to Hawaii!

I'm sure you've heard. :)

And you... you should go to the beach too!

These pictures were from Carlsbad last weekend.

It was beautiful. So go enjoy it!

5 years

2009-09-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

I made this video for Jeff last year. Ewan was just a month old.

I thought about making a another one this year, but I was on video overload after making this one a few weeks ago.

This one will still bring back memories just the same.

Happy 5 year anniversary to us!

Weekends

2009-09-03T10:27:00.000-07:00

Weekends are the best... we get to spend time with daddy!

He's very busy during the week (as I mentioned here). So when the weekends come, we squeeze in every minute we can with him!

This weekend it was a day in Carlsbad...

Ice cream cone sharing...

The barber shop adventure...
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Cooking dinner for mommy...
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And Ewan's favorite... lots of bathtime.

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We are SO EXCITED for Sunday to get here... we leave for Hawaii!

We get to spend a WHOLE WEEK with daddy. Yay for vacations!

Too good to pass up...

2009-09-01T15:36:00.000-07:00

One more music card video. It's been a constant lately. These things run outta battery eventually, right? :)

New 'do

2009-08-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

We cut Ewan's hair! Well, J's Barber Shop did.

And they did a stellar job!
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Yay for kid friendly!

Checking himself out in the mirror. Not too thrilled about the experience so far...

Holding back the emotions... wait for it...
here come the tears. :)

Ready?...

Here's the shaggy BEFORE...

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And... AFTER!

He survived! And as J's Barber Shop would put it...

Ewan has graduated from babyhood!

A year of love

2009-08-28T21:25:00.000-07:00

Here's the video that was played at Ewan's birthday party a few weeks ago. Lots of hours went into watching, collecting, organizing, and piecing together all of our favorite video clips of the past year. Jeff and are have always been big on using our video camera. We love the tangible memories and have piles of tapes! I have watched this video collage of Ewan so many times I have lost count. I love reminiscing. So... enjoy! Oh, and just so there's no confusion... the "coffee bean" part from the opening slide is referring to this video from way back when. Now enjoy. :)

Upside down

2009-08-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

Ewan has always had a thing for upside down pacis...

and his bunny. :)

Cousins

2009-08-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

matching stollers + sleeping cousins + sis-in-laws + old navy

= fun stuff! :)

Water Baby

2009-08-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

Yay it came! The water table was delivered to our door this morning just in time for the 104 degree heat! Ewan loved nothing more than to dump water over his head, wash his car, and make Nemo and his friends swim all afternoon.

Yay for my happy water obsessed baby!

Move it! Move it!

2009-08-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

I like to move it move it... I like to move it move it...

We've had quite the repetition going on at home recently...

For the record... we will NOT be bringing any musical cards on the the plane with us. That would just be wrong. :)

Advice Please, Pretty Please

2009-08-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

I'm desperate. And I'm reaching out to anyone who's passing through, bouncing by, or reads Ewan's blog everyday. Tell me what to expect with a 1 year old on a plane! We are less than 2 weeks away from our vacation, which includes a 6 hour plane flight there, and back of course. This will be Ewan's first flight. I've been frantically reading all the articles I can on Parents.com, but I need to hear real experiences. Any tips? Tricks? Things to ask? Bring? Am I being too paranoid? Or am I on the right track of being scared about a toddler who wants nothing to do with sitting still... especially for 6 hours! Shoot me some advice. I'm all ears. And it'll make me feel better. :)

Fonts

2009-08-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

I had a font obsession a while back with this website.... here!

And I just discovered these posted on How About Orange... here!

Let the downloading begin! :)

Familiar Face

2009-08-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

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Go to Ohdeedoh to see a familiar face. :)
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1 year portraits

2009-08-19T11:32:00.001-07:00

I can't wait to get my hands on these! This is a sneak peek picture from my Sears Portraits account. Love this sweet baby face!

And no... we didn't cut his hair. As most people agreed with me in the poll. I like it just the way it is. :)