She's standing!

So Claire is now over her adversion to putting her feet down to walk - my dad cured her of it on our trip to CA - she used to just pull her feet up into the air when we tried to get her to walk, while holding our hands.

Then we discovered this magical tutu from Aunt Megan - this was Lily's but we borrowed it for a second. Claire was so fascinated by it that she forgot I let go of her hands. She stood there for a good 10-15 seconds before she realized and promptly sat down in a whoosh of tulle. So now I am trying to make one, thinking it will help her want to stand up more and walk - we'll see if I can make one as cute.

Trip to CA

Some highlights from our Labor Day trip to CA to visit the Johnsons - my parents just dropped off my youngest brother Matt at the MTC last week, and then we stopped in for a visit just two days later to keep those empty nesters company. We enjoyed our time with them and Claire was definitely spoiled - but that's what a trip to grandma and grandpas is supposed to be about, right? It was a very musical trip - piano, harmonica, keyboard, and bagpipes - yes bagpipes - were played for Claire. We all loved her little head bopping to the music so music was the theme of the trip, for sure.


We also made a trip down to Old Sacramento for 49er Days - a celebration of the gold rush in Northern CA - people are dressed in period costume, they brought in dirt to cover the streets so it really did look like an old west town. The sidewalks are wood, and parts of the streets are still cobble stone. Claire got to ride in a wagon with her cute cousin Lily, pulled by Uncle Erick. She loved it!

I also had to stop by some favorite restaurants - what does that say about me that my favorite stops when I go home are eateries? I love this places called Sunflower Drive-Up - it's an all natural, healthy, organic place that serves a ton of stuff I would never order - carob milk, only all natural sodas, and many, many tofu items. But we are hooked on the nut burgers - so good! Matt even ate one and said it wasn't so bad. We will hopefully be back for one soon! And to see the parents, of course ;)

Playing the piano with Grandpa


A bagpipe serenade



Old Sacramento for 49er days (we are big into our gold history in CA)




A visit to see Uncle Erick at the fire station



The keyboard that was not allowed to come home with us

What out Meryl Streep

Yes, that is Abba in the background. This girl loves to "dance, dance!"

No news is good news?

Probably not in this case. Yes, we have more going on in our lives than this truck thing, but I can't get my recent pics off my camera from our trip to CA to see my parents... something wrong with our adapter cable thingy. I will write about that in ab it.

So, two weeks and one day later, no word on the whereabouts of the Ford. 20 days to a vehicle payout - here we come!

Truck Update

We haven’t heard anything from the police, so no sign of the truck for going on 5 days now. I almost don’t want it back, but we found out that our insurance only covers up to $200 worth of personal property in the vehicle, and that doesn’t even start to cover even one piece of equipment for the mobile detailing business that Matt had… so frustrating!

I have no idea how they got into the truck, especially since I think they stole it around 8:30 pm, a totally normal time with people out and about still. We went to play basketball at 8:45 ish but didn’t drive past the truck, so we might have even been home when they stole it. I think someone had been watching it, knew all the equipment was in there, plus it’s a nice truck with brand new tires (just bought them in late July). We get 60 days of a rental car, but we have to wait 20 days to hear if the truck shows back up again.. then they start the process of replacing it for what it’s worth… what could that be? Blue book? High, low? No idea. Grrr.

Attention Car Thieves!

Dear car thieves that stole our four-door Ford F-350 diesel truck, with a lift kit and brand new tires, plus a huge water tank in the bed, along with other car detailing equipment like a generator and power washer,

Do you think you could have taken a more conspicuous vehicle? I hope the police find you, and I hope you get arrested for not only stealing our truck out of our own parking spot, but for using the stolen credit cards that were also in the truck.

What did you possibly buy for $1,300 at WalMart last night? Or $100 at TMobile? Or $150 at Sunflower Market. I know you bought at least $300 in fuel and if you keep that truck much longer I'm sure you'll spend far more in diesel.

Off to file an official police report.

Hungry Girl - this is so me!

My favorite new site is Hungry Girl - they have recipes, ideas for watching calories, and it's sort of based on WW points so it makes sense to me. All for us girls who like to eat but dont want to feel bad about it in the morning. :)

Check it out!