THE TRAVELING GARDNERS

So, I was just looking at some gymnastic classes for toddlers in our area. I found a couple of options. The Little Gym and Flips Gymnastics Ben really thrives in structured settings and activities that involve other kids his age. I think this would be really great for him. The Little Gym is having an open house in August. We might just have to go check it out..........

My mantra of the day .......... " Just breathe and remember he is only a two year old " UMMMMM.............................. The morning started off with Ben dumping a whole bag of tortilla chips, bag of marsh mellows, and box of cheddar bunnies(organic fish crackers) onto the living room floor in one big pile. The day continued like this...........anything he shouldn't do or is not allowed to...........he did. I literally felt like I was walking behind him saying no to everything he did. And would suggest outside play or a toy, and he would rather put his plastic cow in the toilet. I thought getting out his energy out by playing outside and running through the water wiggles would help. no. I thought a nice afternoon nap would help. no. So by dinner time I threw my hands in the air. Ruled out an attempt to cook a homemade meal and headed to the local pizza parlor. On a great ending note - there was a brief moment in the afternoon when he and I were upstairs in his room bu...

DO A DEER A FEMALE DEER........... RE A DROP OF GOLDEN SUN................. Add it to my Travel wish list - Austria - Staying at the new Villa Trapp The Movie - The Sound Of Music, features the beautiful Van Trapp estate. That estate has now been turned into a hotel and museum! And if you or I never make it to Austria, you can also enjoy some Austrian Van Trapp ambiance in Stowe,Vermont at the Trapp family lodge!

Actually 25 weeks along if you count what the ultrasound tech said the past 2 times. But, I am going by official due date on paperwork. But secretly, I think this little one will come closer to Halloween than Turkey Day...... Baby GaGa website As of right now the scheduled c-section will be November 14th. So we have a little less then 15 weeks until we see Daddy and Zachary!!!! Week 24: Breathe baby, breathe! Fetal development in pregnancy week 24: (fetus in sixth month) This is another big week for your magical growing baby! Just take a look at the checklist for this week: 1) ears: done; 2) fingernails: done; 3) (if you have a boy) testicles: taking their 3-4 day trip from the abdominal wall to the scrotum; and 4) lungs walls: secreting “surfactant”. What’s that? Well, surfactant is sort of what it sounds like: a surface-activated fat whose main purpose is to assist the your baby's little lungs during inflation (as in, filling with air, not getting more expensive). Just in case y...

Grateful, Blessed....yes, to say the least. Through out this deployment Dan, Ben, Zach, and I have been taken care of and watched over. Sometimes when you are filled with such gratitude, thank you is just not enough. Last week I had a friend give me a vacuum. We were without a working vacuum and on the search for one. My friend just happen to have 2 vacuum's sitting around and was about to give them away! We were the lucky recipient of one of those vacuums. Today a friend called and told me she was bringing us dinner. And next Friday she is taking Ben off my hands for a few, so I can go get my toes painted and eyebrows waxed. And though these friends might not see themselves as anything special. To me they are my guardian angels. And, I am so full of gratitude, it can not be put into words. I am grateful for our every day miracles.

One of the million things that I love about our little monkey.....his imagination! Today he has been enjoying "meals" with his "friends". Earlier it was Shamu and two teddy bears. This moment that I caught on camera, he was enjoying a meal with Winnie and the Pooh and Tigger . Our own little Christopher Robbin. In this picture, he is playing his xylophone for his horsey. He sang his horsey Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and then sang the theme of Elmo's world . :) Earlier he gave Shamu and Teddy Bears their own fork and knife set. He then went around to each "friend" and gave them a drink of his sippy cup. He tried to give his rocking horse a nice big bite of strawberries and cool whip, but I stopped him. I love watching him take care of his stuffed animals just like a baby. Every night before he goes to bed, he wraps up Dash(character from The Incredible's Disney movie) in a blanket and rocks him to sleep. He will be a GREAT big brother! :)

FAVORITE #1 I first heard of Dave Ramsey from my friend Sarah. She attended one of his financial seminars. Using his suggestions, she and her family are now debt free. Dan and I have that same goal. And this book is helping us to become closer to that goal. I would suggest this fabulous book to anyone and everyone. FAVORITE #2 Lemon burst yoplait yogurt...yummmmm FAVORITE #3 It is rare that I can find this candy bar in a store. I recently found it in a pharmacy. YIPPEEEE! FAVORITE #4 Any military spouse should read this. This book is helping me sail through the deployment with realistic goals and ease. (BEN'S) FAVORITE # 5 We are working on learning the alphabet. This book is perfect for Benjamin. :) He takes after his Daddy with his love of football.

This afternoon I packed up Ben and grudgingly headed to the local insta care. I was running a 100.5 fever, having labor type of contractions, severe back pains, and other unpleasant things. A two hour wait in the waiting room! Ben was nearing his peak of patience or lack of. They had a big bowl of dum dum suckers on the counter in the waiting room. I continued to give Ben a lollipop as I was having severe pains in my tummy and feeling plain awful. Sure he was entertained by the blocks and etch a sketch's that the lobby had to offer. But a 2 year old only has a certain attention span for a 2 hour wait. So I continued to give him lollipops. And I know I was getting certain looks from on-lookers. Probably wondering why I couldn't control my son, other than by give him lollipops. And you know what? I did not care. And, when we headed home and he had microwaveable mac n cheese for dinner and watched Alvin and the Chipmunks for the millionth time this week, I didn't even blink on...

While sitting at my oil change appointment, my friend called me up and asked if I knew about the picnic on base. With Dan being deployed, I rarely hear about special activities happening on base. Usually they announce these type of activities in the units. So I was totally grateful that my friend Anna called me and told me about this picnic. As we walked up to the picnic there was a big sign that said, "Thank you to all of our military for defending our freedoms." (Sorry the pictures are not top quality. I only had my cell phone camera on me at the time.) Flags were lined up for miles and miles down the streets and leading into the picnic. When we first got to the picnic, the base firefighters had their truck set up, with the lights going and the hose spraying the kids with water. Ben of course was in awe of the big fire truck. All the kids running under the hose. (Ben is focused on the firetruck to the right of the hose.) Ben got to hold the hose and spray everyone like a...

It was a sweet remembrance of Grandma Zauss. Knowing that she is with her husband again makes it even sweeter. I didn't get any pictures of the actual funeral. Only of the get together afterwards. It was so wonderful to see all of my "second family". At one point we all lived in San Diego. Through the years, many of us have migrated to different parts of Utah. It was the greatest to see everyone together again like old times and catch up. Back in the day, I used to live on the Zauss Farm. I have such great memories. Camille - I missed you being there!! Barney and Carolyn ~ Ben trying to make a move on innocent Emily. No Ben, she would not like to hold your hand..... Handsome Ben and Pretty Emily Leah surrounded by the fabulous 4 sisters ~Melanie, Heidi, Cheryl, and Kristin ~ Nancy, Barney, and Barry ~ Proud Mama's and our little monkeys ~

For those of you that were completely convinced that the ultrasound tech got it wrong.........Zachary is definitely a boy! With the 18 week ultrasound we did not get an actual picture of the "proof". Well, the one bonus of having a high risk pregnancy is that we get lots of pictures of little one to come. Here is a 22 week ultrasound of the "proof". ;) And yes - everything looked great still! We saw all 4 heart chambers, lots of brain activity, and everything as it should be for a sweet healthy bundle to be. The only thing that was not good was that he is currently breached(upside down). But I am having a scheduled c-section anyways, so we are not too concerned about that. The tech still has him at 7 days ahead of schedule. But, they are not officially changing the due date. So the ultrasound paper says 21 wk 6 days. He was actually 22 wk 6 days according to the ultrasound tech. Yes, my sweet baby boy - your Mommy is already embarrassing you. Your manhood plastered...

We need a new couch ....................one that Ben can not pull apart ~ I go to el bano for 2 minutes! Come back to living room to have little monkey saying, "I PULL COUCH OFF!" He was so proud of himself......

I love my new haircut! It only took a third of the time that it would take me with long hair, to make it straight and pretty. Yah for my new do! I can't wait until Tuesday. I am scheduled to have my colors done at MAC make up! If I am this happy now over my hair, I will be over the moon with new make up!!!!

So through out this pregnancy, everyone has asked me what specific foods I have been craving. I'm sure I bored people as I explained, I just really wanted oranges all the time. Oranges and 10 bowls of cereal. Well, that has changed. Hello second trimester and Hello to Italian food! Pasta, ravioli, bread sticks....YUMMMY! When my Grandma visited, we went to Olive Garden twice. Both times I ordered the Ravioli dish and had them switch the sauce to Alfredo all white sauce. And the top was smothered with cheese. Then when we met up with Laura and Bill at the delicious Spaghetti Factory, I enjoyed (a little too much) the Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter plate, and also switched the sauce to Alfredo. HEAVEN! So, pasta smothered with cheese is my new heaven. That and the salad from the Olive Garden is so YUMMY! * Great Tip from the fabulous Zangs * Next time you are at Olive Garden - If you love their salad dressing as much I do, you are able to buy your own bottle to bring home! And it...

Here are the last of the pictures of our recent San Diego trip. The second night we were in San Diego, we went to the Del Mar Fair. It is now called the San Diego County Fair. But it will always be the Del Mar Fair to me. :) That night at the fair the country group "Little Big Town" was performing! The great thing about the fair is that the concert is free with admission to the the fair! Back in the day before Faith Hill was Faith Hill, I saw her at the same fair and stage! So the great thing about singing groups that are not too huge yet, is they give autographs away. I walked away with a CD signed by the whole band! We also got Dan, Little Big Town guitar picks. :) My Mom, Ben, and I had a blast. We enjoyed the concert, ate some yummy fair food, and just browsed around all the booths. Also, my Mom had the hook up with secret free parking right next to the entrance! Here are the only pictures I got ~ they were off my cell phone. Yummy Funnel Cake ~ Cheese at the concert ~ ...

We are now back from our wild ride of a trip! I flew out for my friend Carrie's wedding. And while we were there - we fit in every Summery, San Diego touristy thing we could! Our busy, but fun trip consisted of: Del Mar Fair - Caught the free concert of Little Big Town! (pictures coming from cell phone) Hair Salon Day (4 hour process!) Julian 4th of July Parade 4th Of July BB-Que at Mom's house with fireworks Carrie and Ian's wedding Mom and Tom's house - Padres game night with homemade hot subs, watermelon, and fruit sorbets! Sea World and visiting Jody Beach day at PB I am now going to un-pack and put my feet up! Whewww! It's relaxing time! Didn't have time for MAC make over or eyebrow wax in San Diego. But that will be happening here in Utah! And when that happens, I will be sure to post final make over pictures!

What a day! We had so much fun at Sea World! Enjoy the pictures from our adventurous day! First stop - the famous Budweiser Clydesdale's horses. This horse was named Drummer and loved getting pet by Ben. Ben was hesitant at first, but warmed up as time went on. Running around the stables was the Dalmatian puppy Dotty. Standing in front of the "Here's to the Heroes" lawn decoration. Ben in his cool Shamu stroller. Momma and Momma Thank you Anheuser Busch, and Sea World for having the program "Here's to the Heroes"! Ben and I got into the park for free. Yah for supporting the troops and their family! We missed you Daddy!!! Beluga Whale in the Polar Bear exhibit ~ One of the best parts was meeting up with my good friend Jody. She works at Sea World and she gave us the special treatment! I felt like a movie star getting to go backstage. :) She gave Ben a cute little polar bear and Sea World activity book that Ben will not let go of. THANK YOU JODY for ...