New Year's Resolutions.....

but....everyone needs some self improvement, so here we go....

1) Start riding my BIKE again...Finally! It's been too long. I'm currently a flabby weakling. That needs to change.
2) Complete a century ride with my dad in May, and do our local Tour of the Unknown Coast ride, also in May....though whether this will be 63 or 100 miles I am not going to say. That 100 miles is TOUGH. And frankly time spent training for that one is time away from my family. So...we'll just aim for the above for now.
3) No internet/blog/facebook time during my work days. There's just not enough time in my life for these things during the week. Especially if I need to get on my bike more. I really should give it up all together, but I do enjoy these things and with us choosing not to watch TV, it is my little entertainment outlet, so, during the week, bye bye.
4) Be the best mom, wife, and friend I know how to be.

That's it. I think all the above will make me happier overall and give me more time for family, for health...mental and physical, and therfore be better mama :-) Becuase that is what it truly is all about right now....

The 9 month cycle

9 Months....the time it takes to grow a baby, give or take a few weeks. And, this very important increment of time is how long I believe it took for Forrest to grow from a baby to a little boy. Sure, he's still very baby like in many ways, loves to cuddle, still breast feeding. But, he's more like a little boy. He explores like a little boy, plays with his toy cars and seems infatuated with how the wheels turn like a little kid, and interacts like a little boy.
This length of time has also tied us closer with friends of ours. The week they gave birth to their first son Rio, Alex and I conceived Forrest. And when Forrest was born 9 months later, they conceived their second little child, a girl. And this little baby girl was born just 2 weeks ago, around Forrest's 9 month birthday. So we have this cycle, three children born, who will very likely remain friends their entire young lives, all 9 months apart, yet Tina and I did not spend one day being pregnant together.
Now they say it's my turn again, my time to conceive my second to keep the cycle going.
And....
I say....
we're gonna wait on that. Let the cycle lengthen a bit...or a lot....Hopefully mother nature doesn't intervene...
:-)

A Glimpse of summer....

The other day, in the middle of rain storms, we took a hike down to the river and I let Forrest tromp around a bit, his first tromp on our beach since he became Mr. Mobile baby and started crawling and walking.
He had a ball...and gave me an inkling of what it will be like to have a mobile baby on the beach this coming summer.
Lots of sand playing, water splashing.....and.....lots and lots of life jacket wearing, parental attentiveness, and hopefully NO babies floating down the river...unattended!
In the depths of winter, the 100 degree heat of summer with river floats, a sandy beach, and toddler getting into all sorts of fun sounds pretty sweet!

The decade of changes

When I think of this past decade, and all that has happened in my life, it makes me exhausted...and proud...and again exhausted....
Many people have called this decade a bad one, one they are glad to see close. I guess it shows it takes all kinds of people to make this world go 'round because this decade...the decade of my 20's....was completely amazing.
Yes, it was filled with sadness, passing of close family members, and times I would rather forget. The decade started with the 20th year of my life, a back surgery that was huge, and even huger for a 20 year old who felt she was invincible. It then progressed with graduating from college, choosing a career path, attending PA school, and then starting my career. It included meeting the love of my life, marrying him, building a fantastic home on a beautiful ranch, and then, amazingly, having the most perfect little boy imaginable.
And this is just the big stuff.
It's really the small stuff that counts though.
The FAMILY that has been with me, loved me, supported me, every step of the way, through tests, financial struggle, sickness, and happiness. The FRIENDS who have amazingly taught me so much. Those friends at UCSB, who I rowed with, laughed with, felt sleep deprived with, and WON RACES with! And those friends I studied with, learned from, stressed with, and enjoyed life with. Those individuals are have made this decade a great one. I have moved around a ton these past 10 years. I have spent my 20's getting to know California in a great way, and have thankfully, made some lifelong friends along the way as well. Without all my friends and family, this last decade, the decade of my 20's, the decade where I can decidedly say I grew up, attacked life, at times got beaten down by life, and really found my happiness, would not have been one FRACTION of the greatness it is.
Not even close.
What an awsome year, and a terrific set of 10 years.
Thank you to all of you, my family, friends, colleagues, and everyone in between....
And to my 30's....to begin THIS year....
I welcome you! I am hopefull you will be a bit more stable....full of adventures....and a bit less stressful....and full of love, life lessons, and fun!
Happy New Year!

"All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...."

....oh....and to crawl, and to walk.....and to really start reminding my parents I'm becoming less like a baby and more like a little boy EVERY DAY! And I want all this to happen within 4 days all near my first Christmas.
Baby success.
A first tooth has, (finally) come through. The first steps have come and gone, and crawling is now a favorite activity instead of a exasperating event....all at 9months.
Let the good times roll......

"The distance is nothing; It is only the first step that is difficult." Marquise du Deffand

Forrest's first Christmas.....

consisted of.....
cookies


apple bread


a mobile baby and presents


a helicopter for dad



leftover pizza, (okay, so it's not all egg noggy and cinnamon buns in this house, and the pizza hit the spot for Alex before our.....)



.....Hike up to the secret meadow



cranberry treats for the animals



mandarins and chocolate


and........
the most delish melt in your mouth crab EVER.....

:-)

Happy Holidays!

Wishing all of you a very wonderful Solstice, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! This has been an amazing year for us and you all are a big part of it, believe me! Thanks for taking the time to peek into our lives in this crazy world we live in, where we happen to live hundreds of miles from most of you, and 50 miles from the nearest town, but yet can magically, it seems, send out glimpses of our lives in seconds flat through the blogging world!
Come visit the real thing someday! I promise it's much better in person.....
Lots of love,
Katie, Alex, and Forrest......

"Christmas Eve Gift!"

Natalie won it this time! Or perhaps it was my dear mama who evidently made a sign bluntly spelling out the words and posted it at 11:59pm to take the cake. Regardless, our household was poorly unprepared for the traditional "Christmas Eve Gift" tradition and I just plain spaced it when the phone rang at 12:04 am on Christmas eve with my sister's number on the caller ID. My first thoughts were, "what does she want at this hour?" and "She must be out drinking...." (Sorry Nat).
So, you win, dear mom and sister Nat. I hope the gift was a good one!

Over the river and through the woods to granmothers house we go...

This last weekend has been the big Christmas shindig for my side of the family down in So. Cal. After an 11 hour all night drive down the state of Cali we made it to the house of never ending Christmas suprises at my mom and dad's. Forrest has been thoroughly pampered by over 50 family members and friends, and made out good, (as well as his parents....!) with some awesome gifts...!!! I'd have to say the BOB off road stroller takes the cake. We can't wait to get it back up to our place and give it a spin on our trails...!
Forrest loved it and everyone loved Forrest....
Here is a glimpse of our happy Christmas elf....