Eating Snow and First Starbucks

Thursday morning we woke up to a new blanket of snow. Unfortunetly, there was a bright sun and clear blue sky. To most this does not sound like a bad thing. The problem lay in that I wanted to get Samantha out into the snow to try her new snow boots and warm coat, but with the sun I knew the snow was going to have a fairly quick expiration date. So right after her milk, (around 9am) I bundled her and I up to go explore in the white stuff. She headed straight for the cooler I have sitting out in the backyard still from it's days airing out from Civil War. And for the first time, she decided that snow looked good enough for a morning snack. She just kept tasting and wrinking her nose, tasting and wrinkling her nose. It was too cute! Our trip didn't last too long however. We were out there only about 20 minutes when Samantha decided her gloves were just not doing it for her anymore. Bundled up and out in the sun or not, 29 degrees is too cold for bare fingers. Well, at least I know she will be up for snow cones this summer, ha!

Tasting some delicious snow

Got caught with her tongue out!

Friday morning Samantha and I got up and got ready to go meet my friend Laura at the Mustard Seed Cafe for a little breakfast. (They have huckleberry pancakes I had my tastebuds prepping up for, yum!) Due to a last minute call into work, she was unable to meet us for breakfast after all. All dressed up and nowhere to go, I decided we might as well use the rest of the Starbucks gift card I won at a baby shower a couple of weeks back. Usually my coffee of choice is Dutch Bros, and I'm sure you all know why, but free coffee is free coffee. Turned out to be a very nice little trip. My friend Natasha ended up being on shift that morning, and she had not seen Samantha since she was probably 3 or 4 months old. Samantha had lots of smiles for her. Then we ordered our coffees, an iced grande soy latte for Mommy, a kids hot chocolate for Samantha, and a blueberry scone to share. As we sat down to enjoy our oh so healthy breakfast, we were each a little preoccupied. Samantha was busy charming the high school girls on the other side of the room, smiling at them and acting shy. I was busy glancing at a gentleman named Mike, whom I remember very fondly from my days working at this particular store, trying to decide if he would remember me and devising a way to say hello. In the meantime, Samantha managed to pour what little bit of hot chocolate was left in the cup after the transfer into her sippy, out onto her lap. Should've known my photo op would end badly. While I was trying to get as much chocolate off her pants as possible, I heard Mike call out my name. He did remember me after all, and when I confessed this thought to him, he kindly said, "Of course I remember you!" So I introduced him to Samantha and we had a nice conversation. So, overall it was a pleasant morning, and I'm glad I decided to stop in and stay awhile!

Samantha sucking on the lid of her empty cup

She didn't really like the hot chocolate, but she did enjoy playing with the cup!

Growing up too fast...

Today I was doing a little shopping for Samantha and I. I was looking at what size she is in now and trying to determine where she might be by summertime. She is pretty much in 24 months/2T at the moment and I figure there is a good chance she will be in 3T by the time summetime rolls around. As I was looking at the 3T stuff I suddenly realized something, I was no longer in the baby section. I was across the aisle and in the toddler section. Upon noticing this, I frantically walked back across the aisle and looked for all my might to find a 3T in the baby section, to no avail. Each time I've had to pack away a size Samantha has outgrown, I always felt a little sad. Growing out of her newborn stuff had been the hardest, and it had gotten easier with each passing size. For some reason, the realization that I would no longer be shopping in the baby section for my baby girl, hit me very hard today. Tears welled up in my eyes and I decided it was time to leave the store. And when I told my Mom and Dad about this incident, I choked up and almost started crying again! I am ridiculous, I realize this. It is just so amazing how fast they grow, sometimes I wish it would slow down just a little. Before I know it I will be crying at her High School graduation. But for now, I just need to concentrate on getting through changing clothing sections in the store.

Brewery Hop

Last Saturday, February 7th, Kevin and I were childless thanks to Kevin's parents, who had agreed to watch her over the weekend. Our original plan was to have a date night. Our plans changed a little when unexpectantly my entire family, plus family friends Nikki and Jason, decided to come to Central Oregon for the weekend. I wanted to at least have lunch with Chad and Katie, but lunch plans soon turned into the idea for a spontaneous brewery hop! Originally, I thought we would just have one beer at each brewery and move on. As you will see, it did not work out that way, and we didn't make it to as many breweries as I had planned.

At 1:00pm my Brother and Katie picked Kevin and I up from our place in Redmond and headed to Sisters, OR in search of the new brewery out there. Mind you, we knew neither name nor location. After FINALLY asking for directions, we found it on Hwy 20 just past the Sisters Rodeo grounds. The name was Three Creeks Brewing Co. and the beer was pretty darn good! So were the sweet potato fries with the chipotle ranch that my brother liked so much he said he was using the fries as an excuse just to eat the ranch! Katie and I shared a beer sampler tray and then each got a larger version of our favorite. While Chad and Kevin jumped in feet first with a couple of pints of a couple of different beers.

Next on the list was where I work at Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. in Bend. I had promised the bartender Sandee that I would try and stop by for one of her Pineapple Martini's. (it was delicious) Everyone else had a couple of pints of our two lighter beers, Blonde Bombshell and Roster Tail Ale. We were suprised by a visit from Kevin's brother Corey and nephew Hudson, who were working across the street at the Pine Ridge Inn.

Next up we headed downtown to Bend Brewing Co. We were getting pretty hungry by then, but we had made plans to meet up with my parents and Nikki and Jason in Redmond for dinner. So we got one of BBC's yummy nachos and a side of fries along with our pints to keep our appetites at bay. After BBC we stopped in at Wallstreet (not a brewing co.) for one more quick beer before we headed back to Redmond for dinner.

Our final stop was one of the Redmond locations of CLBC, the 7th Street Brewhouse. Here Chad, Katie, Kevin and I were to meet up with Mom and Dad, Nikki and Jason. Before they arrived however my Bro decided we all needed Jager Bombs. Katie was done by this point, so Chad, Kevin and I bombed away. Shortly after everyone else arrived and we had a fabulous and fun dinner with lots of drinks and laughs!

After Katie (driving my Bro's truck) dropped Kevin and I off at our house, Kevin noticed it was only 10pm! So we decided to see just how close to Timbers we were when the canal was empty. So we bundled up and climbed into the canal, across it, and almost directly into the back parking lot of Timbers! We consumed some Budweiser products, talked and danced until almost 1am. So I guess Kevin I did get our date night in the end. Though it was not quite the dinner and movie we originally planned! So that is the story of our fun, brew hoppin', Saturday!

Katie and I at Three Creeks Brewing Co.

Katie, Chad, and Kevin at Three Creeks Brewing Co.

Katie and Chad at Bend Brewing Co.

The 7th Street dinner crew (minus me)

Runnin' wild in the park

It was a beautifully sunny and semi-warm day, so Kevin mentioned that maybe we should take Samantha to a park. I was all about it because I get very tired of just sitting around watching TV all weekend. So after Samantha had a nap and some lunch, we all headed down to a park that is over by Redmond High School of which I cannot recall the name. We tried the swing first, and she was not too impressed. So we just set her down and let her run wild in the huge open grassy area, and played with her ball that we brought along with us. She managed to plop down into a little muddy bicycle track ditch at one point, which resulted in a very muddy butt. Undeterred she kept running around finding anything and everything we wouldn't want her to pick up including cigarette butts and long semi sharp sticks. (there were not a lot of these things, she just kept managing to find them!) Despite all that, it was a very refreshing and fun little trip to the park!

Swinging, for some reason she decided a fish face was appropriate for this activity and kept her face in this position the entire time she was on the swing.

Playin' a little ball with Daddy

Runnin' wild!

Daddy and Samantha taking a stroll on the asphault pathway

Samantha and Mommy ready to go home!

Beautiful Baby Contest

So, I have recently become addicted to Regis and Kelly Live. The other day they were talking about their annual beautiful baby contest and I immediately decided Samantha needed to be in this contest. Not only because I of course think she is the most beautiful baby in the whole wide world, but also because the winner gets a $125,000 scholarship for their college education! And the biggest bonus of all was that it is FREE to enter! Turns out I wasn't the only one thinking on these lines because I got a call from my Mom later that day asking if she could submit a picture. I let her know I was already on it. :) So here is my entry, I thought it was pretty cute! I encourage everyone with a child between the ages of 6 and 48 months to enter because you have nothing to lose, but if you win it would be pretty darn great! But if you don't decide to enter your own child, voting is on Monday, March 9th, so maybe you could vote for miss Samantha?

Snow....again!

It has been snowing all day today, so Kevin and I decided we should take Samantha out to see how she liked it. We never took her out during the first snow storm last month because it was jut too cold. She wasn't sure about it at first, all that cold stuff falling on her face. But pretty soon she was sticking out her tongue and trying to catch snowflakes, and was brushing it off of the cooler that I still have sitting out in the backyard. She was really starting to have fun by the end of it. Unfortunetly we had to cut it short because she wasn't exactly in a snowsuit! I'm thinking I'm going to have to break down and just buy her one now that I know how much she likes the snow. Here are some pics of her quick little rendezvous!

All ready to go outside!

Catching snowflakes on her tongue

What is that stuff Daddy?

1 year ago when she was 3 months old, what a difference!

Our Silly Girl

I have been wanting to catch Samantha talking on the phone for awhile, but have not been able to until now. Earlier on today she was walking around with the phone up to her ear and using hand motions while she "talked" into the phone. I wish I could have caught that because it was hilarious! But here is a short version of it after she plays a little peek-a-boo. That is all for today!