New Blue Pants

I have a thing for Gabriel wearing blue. He has very blue eyes and I like to play them up. Maybe it's from my mom... she always bought us clothes in the same color. I was always in blue because of the blonde hair/blue eyes thing and Emma was always in pink because of her red hair/rosy freckles. Or maybe it was the reverse... I can't remember now. Mom pretty much only wears blue. And doesn't wear any variation on pink/coral/salmon. Doesn't look great. I read a book in high school called How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents where the mother of the four Garcia girls assigns each a color. I don't remember the colors, I think they were blue, pink, yellow, and green, but mother buys four identical outfits all the time in each of the colors. So the girls are always matching but in their respective colors. I have always thought "what a streamline concept for laundry..." Anyway, back to Gabriel and blue. That was a really lengthy opener for a very simple event: I made him some new pants.

They are just simple pants made of blue linen I found in the remnant bin at JoAnn's- R.I.P

But of course I had to snazz them up a bit...

Embroidered patch on the rear

Leg hems

Thank you for you patience. :)

Cross 'Em.

Your fingers. It's a long story for a later time but Nate has just applied for 7, SEVEN!, Service Manager jobs in Tucson, two in Seattle area and four in UT. Brigham City, two SLC and one Smithfield. We are really hoping for the Tucson or any of the UT ones. Seattle is kind of wishful thinking for now. So cross 'em people! :)

I love this kid

Oh the shame...

Today in Sunday school, Gabe was on the floor playing and pulling stuff out of the bag. I was just listening to the lesson until a lady next to us tapped me to bring my attention to the fact that Gabe had found my "For Emergencies" tampon and was waving it around in class. I yanked it away while she, her husband and Nate all laughed and Gabe hollered because I took his toy away. Humiliating. Now I'm sharing it with all of you so that we can all laugh together and it won't be as horrendously embarrassing as it was earlier.

Thank you.

He's a Boy's Boy

As noted in the previous post, my baby loves the "decorative" gravel pits in front of our patio. It was a lovely day yesterday and I was baking scones (more to come on that), so I had the door open to let in the nice air. Of course the open door to Gabe is an invitation to go outside and as long as I could see him I didn't mind. He climbed out there along with his new tractor and sat in the dirt and rocks for about an hour and a half.

Now for the scones. Vanilla Bean with Vanilla Bean glaze. I saw these beauties over at Pioneer Woman aka My Idol/Hero. I had to make them! And they. are. DIVINE.

For your Enjoyment

Yeah, I know that he's in his p.j. top and shoes, no pants and no socks... what of it?

Easter

Easter was very laid back for us. And it was VERY windy. We could only do a little Easter egg hunting on the lawn before they started blowing away! We found this Pat the Bunny at a drug store in Mesa. How perfect! Gabe has been loving this idea of squeezing plastic eggs until they pop and candy pours out. I can't get the candy away from him fast enough.

Visiting Grandma Rene's House

Nate's parents just moved two hours closer to us which is great because we can visit more often. We were there last week for a few days.

Daddy left to run errands.

Gabe having fun playing with Zipper.

We're Too Excited to Sleep!

We just got back from a week in Southern California. It was spring break here and we decided to meet up with our good friends, Amanda and Tyler, and go to the beach and Disneyland. One of my favorite commercials is a Disney commercial. SO cute. Anywho, we had a very packed and very fun week. WARNING lots and lots of pictures. Just for you Susan. :)

We left early(5am) Sunday morning.

In our jammies

We gave him a Red Vine to entertain him. Wow. He was COVERED in red sticky.

We arrived at my aunt's house to spend the day and night. Made friends with their horses.

Have I mentioned Gabe hates the feeling of grass?

Keeping a close eye on the horses.

Just enjoying the sun and the grass.

Jumping on the trampoline.

My aunt and uncle were hosting two Japanese girls that week and Monday, Yuna, Moe, Gabe, Nate and I went out to see the sights of La Canada Flintridge.

The Descanso Botanical Gardens. Lovely! Would do it again!

Yuna, Gabe and Moe by the pond.

They had a miniature train that ran around the garden. Wasn't running that day :(

Let me take a minute and talk about Moe and Yuna. They were THE sweetest girls I have ever met. We became instant friends. They didn't speak a whole lot of English but we managed just fine all day. And they LOVED Gabe. They fed him, carried him, took him out of his car seat, buckled him up, took about a million pictures of/with him, etc. We were sad to say goodbye to them.

A big treat for Nate was getting a private tour of JPL- Jet Propulsion Laboratories. Sum it up, they work with NASA. I didn't understand much and I speak English. I couldn't imagine what the girls were thinking! But they were so polite and just smiled about everything. Nate had so much fun. My aunt and uncle were friends with a woman who worked there so we got security clearance to take a tour! I felt cool getting to have a security clearance card and a background check.

This is the clean room they are building the new generation of Mars rovers in. Under that foil tent, a rover.

Tuesday, we met up with Amanda and Tyler in Brea and we went to the beach.

Gabe and their daughter Nora.

"She wants me for my body...."

Little private beach we went to. Jealous?

Poor guy got sunscreen in his eye. He couldn't stop crying for hours and it was bright red and tearing up for a day or two.

Wednesday: Disneyland!

Loving my baby on the Jungle Cruise

"You talkin' to ME?!"

Nora, Lillian and Gabe in the teacup. No, we didn't take our babies on the real tea cups. Just the Kodak moment stationary one.

We bought this spiffy backpack for the trip and Gabe loved it.

We love Disneyland!

His first carousel ride at California Adventure.

Have I mentioned we love this backpack?

The rest of the week we just relaxed. Friday morning we left and drove to Tucson for our friend Derek's surprise birthday party. His birthday and his baby girl Haley's birthday are on the same day so his party was Friday and hers was Saturday. We got to go to both! Haley and Gabe are 2 weeks apart and have been good friends since they were born. Before the party Saturday, we went to the Titan Missile Silo. It was built during the Cold War and it is the only one still existing. Non-functional of course!

At the Missile Silo!

Hard hats are required

Gabe and I next to a tiny part of the actual missile.

Then on to the party.

The happy birthday girl!

The party girl and guests.

Gabe lovin' him some pumpkin-apple cupcakes!

And stealing the guests as well!

Opening presents!

Then we drove up to Mesa and spent the night with Nate's family before rushing up to Flagstaff Sunday morning so I could play the piano at church! Whew! What a week. Nate and I don't want to go to bed because that means a new week will be starting. Thanks to everyone who hosted us and put up with us this week!