Spring flowers

I just love plants - especially flowers. Unfortunately they haven't loved me! I haven't had much luck with plants in the past. Sometimes they would last for several good weeks and then either suddenly die for no apparent reason or else slowly start ailing...leaves starting to droop then drop until the poor thing is a lanky bunch of naked stems. Other times they stay nice and green and healthy but don't grow an inch all season! It has been so frustrating and not a little sad! Well, all that has changed this year and I am thrilled!! (I'm not counting my sad little vegetable garden that is hanging on to life by a thread right now) Anyway, my flowers are thriving and I couldn't be more proud of myself! :) I had SO much fun going to the nursery and picking them out - I couldn't narrow down all the choices so I bought at least one of all my favorites. Fellow shoppers were laughing with me about how, even in the checkout line, I kept grabbing more! There are just so many pretty flowers! I love all the different shapes, colors and textures...hence the craziness of my flower pots! I love it that way, though. Planting day was a blast as well. I remember telling Eric how happy it made me feel! Sounds silly but it's just exactly the feeling I had all day as I was digging around moving dirt and mixing together all those pretty plants I had brought home. My parents both have bright green thumbs and just seem to have a knack for mixing all different kinds of shrubs, flowers, trees, and ground cover to create the prettiest gardens. Now I believe there is hope for me to someday be like them when I grow up!! So here are some pictures of my flowers...all you big time gardeners, don't laugh! I'm aware that they aren't that special but for me they are perfect! :)

This last picture was a few weeks ago when the snapdragons were blooming. I wanted to wait for the red flowers to bloom before taking pictures but I just couldn't wait! (I hate to jinx myself but I never know how long they are going to look like this!) So of course now the petunias and tiny red flowers (my favorites) are blooming but no snapdragons. Oh well, I figured this way you could see both!

Congrats Caitlynn!

Eric's little sister Caitlynn graduated from high school last week - yeah! (I know, I'm so behind with blogging. So many fun things have been going on-I've been taking lots of cute pictures with no time to post!) Unfortunately Gabe and I weren't able to attend the actual ceremony, hence no cool pic of her in her robe, but here are some cute pictures from our celebration lunch
afterward.


Caitlynn is heading to ITALY in one week for one awesome graduation vacation!! (Crystal is going along as well...lucky girls!) That's a grad trip that is certain not to disappoint. :) Have a blast, we love you Caitlynn!!

Ready or not, here I come!

Gabe has finally figured out what legs are for...he doesn't crawl but he does scoot around on his bum! At first it was mostly using arm strength and looked SO awkward but now he uses his legs to pull...still awkward, though much more effective! I must say that it is so fun for me to watch him get around on his own now. He has always been pretty content to stay in the same place and play with whatever toys were within reach! (My goodness, he has gotten pretty darn flexible - an invaluable skill for those that stay put!) Now he is scooting around like crazy, all business - it is so cute! It's slow going and not too smooth but he sure looks determined when he's going to investigate some new and fascinating object... like the doorstop for instance! It's ironic because I never crawled as a baby either and actually did the exact same bottom-scoot. My parents still talk about how funny it was that I did this funny crab crawl - Mom said I had a big callous along my calf from using it to pull myself along. Well, Gabe has only been scooting for a week and he already has a little rash/callous forming...poor kid! Like mother, like son, I guess. Since it is hard to describe how cute Gabe looks cruising around, I just had to put on this video clip so you could see it for yourself...

Birthday Bash

It was Mel and Connor's birthday party this past weekend...what a blast! My parents hosted the festivities and we celebrated with a Caribbean Islands theme garden party. It was so fun and the food was delicious! It felt great to be outside hanging out together. Our family is getting so big and FUN! All the boys were having a grand old time playing ball while the women talked and played with the babies. It was so relaxing and invigorating to me. I just love times like that. Here are some cute pictures I took. The little kids LOVED Gabe's b-day car...someone was driving it around constantly all evening!

This book is amazing!! I read it for book club in about 4 days...I could NOT put it down. I had heard from my sister, Melanie, that it was good but I had no idea how good! I was surprised at how much I loved it since it is so different from most of my favorite books. It is written as a journal which at first I didn't think I would like. However, Sarah (the main character) has a way of writing that brings her experiences to life and has a way of making you feel what she went through. I was crying by page 15! It's amazing how easily you get wrapped up in her life...her hopes, fears, dreams, and triumphs. It also made me realize how incredibly blessed I am and how much I take for granted. As I read I was feeling guilty about the small things in my life that make it so easy... like disposable diapers, indoor plumbing, and electricity. But the big things were what really stopped me in my tracks and humbled me when I realized how blessed I was. Things like knowing the purpose of life and that I will see loved ones again, having the gift of medical knowledge and expertise available now, and having the incredible opportunity to receive an education! Things I know I absolutely take for granted on a daily basis. This book was definitely an eye opener for me - it had the same effect as looking into a mirror that reflected my own life for me to see and helped me understand that regardless of what we have been given in this life, what really matters is what we do with it. I want to have the same indomitable spirit that she exhibited in her life... the same sense of humor and resiliency, strength and compassion. I know that her life was fictional but I also know that she represents so many women throughout history with similiar stories. I am so inspired! :) Bottom line...read the book!!

Thanksgiving Point

I love Thanksgiving Point!! The entire place is so neat but the gardens are my favorite... they are incredible! We had a pass to the gardens last year but I didn't end up using it much after Gabe was born. I picked up again in the fall and Gabe and I would visit three to four times a week. I would strap him on my tummy in one of those carriers and off we would go! I really learned to love and appreciate the time spent walking among all those gorgeous plants and trees with the beautiful streams and waterfalls. It is just so soothing and uplifting. Needless to say, we got another garden pass this year. The flowers have been awesome this spring! The tulips bloomed a bit later than usual but when they did... WOW, they were pretty! My favorite place is the secret garden - at least if you can time it right to be in there alone. (It's just not the same if there is a big group of people already there making a racket!) If you are alone, it is so peaceful. Actually the whole place is! Is this great free advertising for them or what? :) Last year we actually saw a FOX! It was so cool! I followed it around watching him pounce on grasshoppers and taking lots of pictures. Unfortunately I didn't have my real camera with me and so all those great pictures are on my phone - what a waste! This year I haven't seen him back yet but I did get a picture of a little, yellow bird (don't ask me what it is exactly)! There were a bunch of them flying around - it was so pretty to watch.

There is a great little restaurant called Trellis Cafe that overlooks the gardens too. Eric met Gabe and I at the gardens last week and we decided to try it out... it was so good! It's simple but elegant and the food is delicious as well as a good price. So....if anyone wants to take a walk with me and my little man or meet us for lunch, give me a call!

A Year with Gabe

The past 12 months have been an adventure of a lifetime. All you parents can understand! Eric and I feel so blessed to have such a happy, healthy boy in our little Gabe. There is no way to prepare for the coming of a baby into your life...it's so much more than anyone tells you or what you can imagine. More joy, more smiles and laughter, more tears, more kisses and hugs, more love, more everything...well, except for sleep!! :) It's been magical. We love you, Gabe, higher than the sky!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABE!!!

My little bear is a year old! I can hardly believe it has been that long since he came home with us on Mother's day a year ago...time sure flies. Since his b-day landed on Mother's Day this year, we decided to have his big family party on Saturday. We had a bbq at a park near our house and luckily the weather was beautiful. It was so fun with all the cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Gabe loved all that attention...almost as much as he enjoyed playing with the balloons and gleefully stuffing his face with chocolate cake! :) What a great day! Here are some of my favorite pictures...including Gabe covered in chocolate frosting (what 1st b-day would be without a messy cake-face?!) Check out the picture of Gabe's cousin Cannon with Amy...he's really hamming it up for the camera! And also there is Gabe in his new "ride" and a cute pic of him and his cousins with Grandma and Grandpa Sterzer.

I know I posted a million pictures but there were so many others that I didn't! :) The first picture is with the sign my Dad made for Gabe for his b-day. Traditionally in my family my Dad will make his signature birthday banner and then everyone writes little messages of love on it, kind of like a card. I still have some of mine from growing up - it's a tradition I have always loved and wanted Gabe to be a part of. The other pictures are just a few of the many wonderful family members that joined us to celebrate Gabe...thanks everyone!

Lunch time!

...for everyone, including the dog apparently! Gabe is such a sharing boy, he even shares his lunch with his dog. Denali, opportunist that she is, has learned to lurk beneath the highchair at lunch time with her eyes on the floor...waiting. He thinks it is so funny to toss tidbits over the side and watch Nali rush in like a preying shark to feed on the crumbs! He laughs and laughs - so do I! Gabe is really cementing in the dogs mind that He Is Her Pal! She still plops herself down next to him while he plays and despite the beating she takes from toys, often right on her tender nose, she remains. Yes, he has won her loyalty...and I can see why! :)

Gabe's YA-YA face

Yes, Gabe has learned to communicate. No, he isn't talking yet. Not even a single Mama, Dada or Hi. What he does say is "YA-YA-YA-YA-YA" as loud as he can, usually just when he is hungry or tired and wants me to hold him! I'm thinking "oh, great", I've got a yeller on my hands. The sad thing is, it works and he knows it! I try really hard to at least get him to stop yelling long enough for me verbalize what I assume he wants before I then quickly do it before he starts yelling again! :) (It's really cute when he realizes I understand- he gets this big smile and acts all excited.) I'm sure he'll grow out of it as soon as he can get his tongue around some real words. Here is a picture of mid- YAYAYA yell! I was taking pictures of him one morning before he realized how hungry he was for his breakfast...poor starving child!!Gabe is such a funny little guy - I hate to make it sound like he is high-maintenance or annoying - NEVER!! He is usually so laid back and sweet with a big, toothy smile for just about everyone! Every where I go, people adore him. We went and got his passport this week and the people from Costco, the postoffice, and Public Health building all said what a friendly, cute baby he was!