Dahlias from our yard

Picture I took at Chris and Jen's wedding

I was kind of proud of this pic...

Soy ginger roast chicken with shitake mushrooms

A special dinner I made for Tim, ended up turning out really good! http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=600537

Mama gorilla nursing her baby

Picture I took at the San Diego Zoo

Time out mat

I plan on getting this mat for Kaia when she turns two. I think it is an awesome idea. Hopefully we won't have to use timeouts but if we do it will be there. The timer is nice because then you don't have to set a separate time and the child knows how much longer she has. Then when they are good it flips over to a happy face and it says I love you....very cute! http://www.momsonedge.com/servlet/the-2/%C2%A0THE-NAUGHTY-SPOT/Detail

Funny Kaia/John and Kathy's wedding

I just have a couple very short stories about Kaia I wanted to share before I forget them. The other day we had just put Kaia in her car seat and she pulled her foot up to her face, as she usually does to play with, she started saying Uh Oh many times over. She was looking at the bottom of her foot so I went to look thinking it would be nothing. Much to my surprise there was a huge sliver under the skin of her foot. It would have had to have been a centimeter in length and really deep. She was so calm until we actually had to pull it out. The only time I could think it could have happened was the day before when we were out on the deck barefoot. Wow she is a tough girl! We were in Target the other day and Kaia was going down each isle with Tim underfoot checking everything out. We get to the pet supplies isle and she grabs a dog bowl and puts it down on the ground and sits on it like a potty. Kaia has been getting better about communicating verbally when she has to go potty but it happens when I am out a lot and I don't know what I should do. I don't really want to carry a potty with us although they make super tiny ones....and I am unsure if we should allow her to use the public potties yet....? Any thoughts? We have been pretty busy the last week attending bridal showers, bachelorette parties and a general party that we hosted for John and Kathy. They got married on Saturday. Their wedding was so beautiful!! I was touched by how much love there was in their family. Since it was held at John's Grandpa's house (which he had built himself) on Whidbey Island you could feel the family history. I am amazed at the amount of talent that was present as well. You only have to ask to see their wood and metal invitations to see some of the talent. Musicians who had written beautiful songs for them, a craftsman that had built a beautiful and special umbrella for them to stand under. Tim sang two songs for them and their aunt had put together really lovely flower arrangements. John had also made Kathy's wedding ring design and crafted it himself. Amazing. I can not put to words the feeling the day had. It just felt so right and was topped off by an amazing full moon rise.