Finally came.

Saige was fortunate to be born on Sept 3rd. Why is that day so fortunate you ask? Well it occasionally falls on Labor day which is nice as we get a holiday to spend her day every 7 years but that's not what makes her so fortunate. Saige missed the school deadline by 3 days!!! THREE DAYS!

At first I was sad, this little girl would miss going to school with all her best buddies, would have to wait an additional year for school- and she was so ready and born for school. But after thinking about things I have realized what a great thing this is. Saige is the oldest in her class, she gets to be "the leader"- which she LOVES!!, and she was so eager and ready for school!!!

A few days before school started we met with Mrs. Skaggs, her new teacher. She did some assessments and Saige asked her own questions to Mrs. Skaggs. After all it is very important to know if your teacher knows any of your friends- who are now in 1st grade.

The first day of school came and we were so excited. She put her clothes out- just like I use to! Making sure everything was ready and laid out almost as if a person were inside it. We ate breakfast-faster than she ever has, and we were off to the bus. I for one was quite certain that it would not be emotional. Saige told me not to follow her to school and that she didn't want me to be there she knew what to do and where to go! And first things first, we had to have a small photo shoot out front by her favorite tree.

  

But when I got to the bus stop I assumed it would be all these little kindergartners-who were way to small for their over-sized backpacks, all a little nervous for their first day of school, and their Mom's snapping endless photos of each and every move. But I forgot about the older "later gators" who had been going to school a week earlier, who looked so big next to my little girl, and who had no parents waving goodbye as the novelty of a new school year had worn off for these school pros.

She climbed on that bus, found a seat by a quick new friend Alexa (that she met two minutes before while waiting for the bus) and waved goodbye. All while the chubby 4th or 5th grader pushed his friend into the seat behind her, the other kids shuffled on like it was just another day and one other kindergartner Mom and I snapped a few photos. She was a veteran as her other child climbed on with the kindergartner, I then had the thought oh no Saige is alone. That may been where I had to walk away haha.

I blame it entirely on being pregnant but seeing Saige's eagerness and excitement for that chance to go to school made me a little emotional. Just a little. She had a huge smile and blew me a kiss. I quickly grabbed Milo's hand and walked away as the bus drove off. My eyes filled up a little but I quickly stopped myself and felt excited for this new adventure for our big grown up girl.

At home I quickly realized how much Milo and I rely on Saige. Milo told me several times that he was bored and kept asking how long till she would be home. I tried puppet shows, candyland, and riding scooters. It's just not as fun without Saige.

We, finally, left to get her from the bus stop and she proudly marched off the bus with a huge smile, shoes untied, hair a mess, and so much excitement about her first day. We got a big old thumbs up for a great day, which seems to be her sign for a good time.

The rest of the week was just as successful. It was a little interesting to watch as a few of the other kids don't make it home on the right bus, or bus stop, and to hear Saige's opinion of the other kids on the bus who don't follow the rules!

We are so excited for this first year of real school and can't wait for the adventure ahead of us!!!

So yes, I am still here....

Last post, I was super duper excited that we would have a whole new blog, and my wonderful hubby did get me just that... but it was his non-techie wife that is still having issues. I switched over from blogger to word press (a little getting use to), I went to a site rather than blog which had more elements to it, and I became TOTALLY overwhelmed with life (it's always a shame that life gets in the way sometimes!).

So this morning I felt like writing so here I am still alive, finally feeling like it can tackle this again, but Matt has some new ideas. So we pulled off the new one until we are both ready, and I will tell a few more stories over on this good ol' blog, which I have missed.

I have a great opportunity with Gygi's to meet some really amazing bloggers, and their drive and love for writing is quite contagious. I love their passion for the things they do and the projects they create. I admire their abilities to juggle work and family and still have a smile on their faces. But after an event that was held yesterday at Gygi's I really felt the need to at least still keep an update on my family. This does not have to be the most glamorous and most times I share things that I may regret later, but it is our life. And I want to remember it.

Our Saige girl started kindergarten, finally! This girl has been ready to start school since she was about 2. She begged me if she could skip "summer break" and start up in June. I think once summer began she changed her mind but still this girl loves to learn, loves to interact with other kids, and loves being the oldest in her class. She was telling me this morning about the butterflies she gets in her stomach when this cute boy held her hand (which I am so not ready for!), and how she tries to be her table leader everyday but knows that it wouldn't be fair if her teacher picked her everyday. I hope she stays this excited to learn! Thank you Mrs. Skaggs, she loves you already. 

Milo boy started his second year of preschool, this year with Miss Dawn, Saige's old teacher. We love Miss Dawn and although Milo is a total Momma's boy, he goes into class after a few hugs and a kiss or two, but then the next day will ask me not to walk him down cause he is big enough to go by himself....... He is learning a lot of the things Saige teaches him, and maybe we can get them both reading by the end of the year. He started soccer and plays with some friends from the neighborhood. This little competitive side of Milo came out after he scored his first goal and he is now hungry for more. 

We are expecting our THIRD baby. A very proud baby boy who was not bashful in letting us know just what he was. We are all very excited, maybe Saige a little bit less but she will warm right up. My "mother's intuition" was WAY off on this one, and I thought for sure this little guy was a girl. Being so confident I made a promise with Matt, if it was a girl I got to name it, and if it was a boy (which I knew it wasn't) Matt got to name it. Well to my surprise we are having a boy, and I lost all naming rights. This little guy was not afraid to show us what he was, and how proud he was too. Cross your fingers and pray with me, and lets hope we get a name we both agree on. 20 weeks this week, and we are expecting this guy around January 29th. Right by Milo's birthday. In true fashion I am sure this guy will need some convincing to come out, but we just hope for another big healthy baby.

Matt, amazing Matt, has ONE MORE WEEK left in school. We will all be shouting from the roof tops and cannot wait to have him back. He has done amazing and we are all so proud of how hard he works at home, work and school. He is on the hunt right now for some meat, a good excuse to get out on the mountains, spend time with himself and close friends and be right where he loves. His love for the outdoors is amazing and I love to see how happy he is when he gets to go and even when he comes back. His stories are fun and I love hearing his passion behind them. 

As for me, I am enjoying these last little bits of summer, feeling great with this little guy growing inside, and gearing up for the busy season at Gygi's. I took the summer off in a way, worked a lot less, spent more time with our family and tried to see if we could still find a balance between the things I have to do and the things I really want to, but finding out that this is one of those on going things. I love the special moments with the kids, laughing on the couch with Matt late at night, and also meeting some amazing people and learning from them all. So grateful for our life and the new adventure that is coming, it has been almost 5 years since Milo was born, so hopefully this whole baby thing will come right back for us..... if not look for the white flag hanging outside! 

Thanks for sticking around with us, I have some fun fall recipes on tap, and of course HALLOWEEN (one of my most favorite times of year!), so hopefully we can stay up to date. 

a little excitement.

Matt knows how much I love a text like this. Sometimes I feel like he sends them because he knows I cannot take the excitement. But last night he sent me another one, I didn't fall for his game. Okay I did. I didn't want to beg like I usually do but couldn't wait for him to come home.

He gave me some "bad" news to throw me off. Not falling for it Matt, okay I did.



But I'm so excited to share:

We are moving over to Wordpress! I have been having some (okay a lot) of issues with blogger and since I do a lot (okay almost all) the blogging from my phone, it is going to be a simpler process and much more choices.

He bought our site-

yeswehaveblog.com- yah a real website, it's hosted on Matt's server, i have a killer designer for a husband so you will see some much better looking graphics and he will even make an appearance on the site.


I'm so excited. It's like a new baby but without 9 months of being pregnant. Okay not really but right now that's what I get I guess.



So that explains the lack of posts lately. Stay tuned, it will be worth it.

Any suggestions as some features weekly posts would be great and of course your overall feedback and ideas!!

Yah. Can't wait. To share.

Tractor Time 2012

It must be Springtime! Our Dad pulls out the tractor to till the fields-which means TRACTOR RIDES!!


With two dirt fields next to the house he tries extra hard to keep them weed-free. He even gets people stopping by to ask him how he keeps weeds out!


Growing up, there was no tractor, we had to hand pick the nastiest, meanest, most stubborn weeds from those fields. So we were all glad that he loves his tractor.


But tractor time to us means rides in the bucket around and around and around the field.



Feeling the air in our faces, high up in the sky, and the waves and honks from those driving by makes us feel so special.



Seeing the smiles on their faces and the butterflies in our stomachs as the bucket quickly drops or tips are my favorite moments.



Secret talks that only Saige and I will remember.


About what she loves and cuddling under the blanket trying to keep warm.


Milo telling me his super powers and how he can drive the tractor too.



And seeing the calmness and joy on my Dad's face as he drives around makes me smile.



He really is just like a big kid with his toys.



Each time we get inside, it reminds me of our house in Hollister and the rides we had in his BIG BIG tractors.


As we jumped off my hopes for some memories for our kids of tractor rides, and good old fashioned fun were all around.


But most memorable may have been my footwear for the day- I helped mow the lawn and didn't want to ruin my shoes. So pulled out my dad's yard shoes. Hehe.


Overall it was a great day. Ending with swinging with my kiddos.


And crossing my fingers the swings don't break with me on them.



Yah for spring! Yah for tractors! And yah for memories that will last a lifetime.

Homemade Peeps

I need to clarify something before even beginning this post.

I really dislike store bought Peeps.

Okay, I said it. They have never appealed to me, never once have I purchased them, and really don't plan on it. My Mom gives us some each year, I usually sneak them into someone else's basket before we leave (sorry Mom!). But they are an Easter tradition. They are many people's favorite treat, and they really do help bring in the fun feelings of Eastertime.

So when my sister Candace asked if I would help her make some peeps for Josie's party, I became a little excited. I would love to see if we could make them taste better and actually something cute and edible. So we attempted it! We copied Martha Stewart's recipe, it was perfect. The recipe is really easy, simple ingredients, and within 20 minutes we had yummy, fluffy, delicious marshmallow.

Recipe:

1 unflavored gelatin (2 1/2 teaspoons)

1/3 cup cold water, for gelatin, plus 1/4 cup for syrup

1 cup sugar

Take your gelatin and place it in the bottom of your mixing bowl used for your mixer.

-This really is one of those recipes that you must have a mixer, this needs to whip for a while and I am afraid your arm might break off, or become rediculously strong, and who wants only one really strong arm? Just use a mixer. (I am sure you could bribe your friend/neighbor to let you borrow their mixer!)

Add 1/3 cup of COLD water and let your gelatin sit in the bottom of the bowl and soften, set aside.

In a sauce pan, add 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar, stir, over medium-high heat,making sure that the sugar dissolves. If you get sugar up on the sides make sure to use a pastry brush and water and wash down. Once all the sugar dissolves, place a candy themometer inside and patiently wait until it reaches 238 degrees.

Once your sugar mixture has reached 238 degrees, take off heat and pour into the bowl that has your gelatin and water. Using the whisk attachment, mix the mixture by hand until it cools down, just for a few minutes.

This will help to cool down without adding too much air at first. After a few minutes, place on your mixer and allow it to work its magic. This is where that mixer is valuable. On medium speed, beat for 8-10 minutes, or if it is super amazing just watch for soft peaks to form.

While your mixer is doing all the work, get your pastry bags, tips and sugars ready. We used a 18" canvas/plastic bag. I will let you in on a little trick of mine- use the big bags, when filling bags I only want to do it once, especially when it is something sticky like marshmallow. Trust me, buy a big bag. Then we used an Wilton #1A for the body and a Wilton #11 for the head. Use one bag for each task. Trying to wash out and use another tip will take too much time, and your marshmallow will harden.

 

We lined our trays with the fun colored sugars, doing separate colors in each tray. Cute colors, huh.

Once your marshmallow has reached soft peaks, this is where you must work fast. Carefully fill your pastry bags with marshmallow.

To make the body, use the larger tip, Wilton #1A, and pipe out a small oval shape, trying to get the sides of the oval as close together. We chose to keep the point on the end to make a fun little tail. If you get your finger a little wet, you can go over after you have them all piped and try and smooth it down. But our philosphy was its homemade, make it look that way-if we wanted uniform and perfectly shaped ones we could just go and buy them.

Once the bottom is piped out, using the Wilton #11, press out some marshmallow on the opposite end of the tail. Press out and then gently pull up towards you. This will form the head and the small beak.

Once you have piped all the bodies and the heads, using the colored sugars, pour shake and cover your marshmallow with the sugar. I found out if  you get your hands a little sticky then dip your fingers in the sugar, it will coat your fingers, which will make it easy for you to pick up the marshmallow and make sure everything is covered. Work with one color at a time and then wash your hands. It can get a bit sticky.

Candace wanted some fun colors to do for Josie's party. These aren't even for Easter, we are having a Chicken Party for the cute girl. (Yes a Chicken Party I said. Candace will pull off perfectly, and have the cutest things- she always will. Don't worry I will share photos.)

The last few peeps, became a little difficult as the marshmallow was hardening. It wanted to stick to the bag and tip and really wasn't as easy to work with as the first ones were. So really work as fast as you can with these. It will make them much easier.

After we covered them all in sugar, we thought we would add some eyes. Have you tried the candy writers before? They are chocolate in little tubes and you place the writer in hot water and let it melt the chocolate. You then cut off the tip and you can write, decorate and have fun with chocolate. You could do it with royal icing, but I really dislike the taste of it, so we went with chocolate. They do come in a bunch of colors too!

But after a few eyes, we decided we liked the look of them without the eyes! So we left them eyeless- remember we went homemade looking (haha).


But overall, it was a simple task. Two people make it super easy and fun. We made 40 peeps in less than an hour with the two of us (we doubled the recipe- the recipe posted will make about 20).
After making them I must say- they taste SOOOOO  much better than store bought Peeps. I actually would eat a whole one of these. Although my favorite Easter treat will continue to be the Reese's Peanut Butter Egg-how do you compare the two?
I think I will make them again. Possible in fun shapes, and maybe even flavor the marshmallow. Use a really yummy subtle flavor that will have people begging for more.......
Have fun!  

 

Just around.

We just got home from a great weekend up in Sundance. It was glorious and just what we needed. But as we have been getting back into real life I have really enjoyed the little bits of Easter and Spring around the house.


Because they made me so happy I thought I would share.















And thanks to one of the phone thieves I have a picture too.



Hope we brightened your day, and please share your favorite ways of decorating for Spring!

Happy Spring....
....now if only that dang wind would quit!