Ten on Tuesday

1. Allergies are the pits!

2. Tomorrow is the first day of September!!! I know its not technically fall just yet, but its close enough for me. I start putting up my fall decor after Labor Day. Only one more week!

3. Another Brad Paisley song = another sappy, crying moment for me. Have you heard his new song yet?

4. And if you listened to the Brad Paisley song you heard the cute part about seeing his son dressed up in his football uniform. Kendry and I took a walk around our neighborhood this evening and saw a pee-wee football practice session. Seeing those skinny little legs and huge helmets is the cutest thing ever! Can you say "top heavy"? Justin and I can hardly wait to start Kendry in pee-wee.

5. I got crafty this last weekend and tackled two more scrapbook pages for Kendry's book. The first is a photo taken by Auntie Andrea (Andrea Lopez Photography) when he was just a month old. The little moon and star patch on the right says: Babies Are Heaven Sent.

The second is his official 1 year old photo.

6. For some reason I have trouble doing my scrapbook pages in chronological order. I still have yet to do my kiddo's first haircut (3 months), his first trip to AK (6 weeks), his first Christmas (7 months), and his first birthday. Wow! I need to schedule a major scrapbooking weekend.

7. Disney Movie Trivia: "Are you achin'? Yup, yup, yup. For some bacon? Yup, yup, yup. He's a big pig. Yup, yup. You can be a big pig too. Oy!"

8. Our home computer, a Dell laptop I purchased when I graduated college in 2003, is definitely on its last legs. A new computer is not really in the budget right now, but it just might have to be.

9. Confession: All my life I have never been able to hula hoop. I think I missed out on the hip-rolling gene.

10. This Week's Blessing: ignoring my horrendously messy house and enjoying an inexpensive, at-home date night with my hubby instead, courtesy of Redbox and Chex Muddy Buddies.

Oh Deer Me!

The other night we watched three young bucks strolling around our neighborhood. These photos were taken out our front window. Having never been a city girl (although I'm sure I could hack it), seeing wildlife out my front window is just another reminder of why I will always prefer country living.

Of course, a few minutes later we discovered that the deer had traveled around to our back yard and were pleasantly feasting on the contents of our small garden. At that point the serene wildlife moment came to an abrupt end as my husband went outside to chase them off.

He was a little too late to save this pumpkin.

Stupid deer!

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you..."

If you have been watching the news you know that stem cell research is a hot topic once again - not that it has ever actually ceased to be a hot topic. This week a U.S. District Court Judge issued a ruling that temporarily blocks federal funding for embryonic stem cell research:

In his decision, Lamberth concluded that the two researchers have demonstrated a strong likelihood of success in their argument that the Obama administration's government guidelines violate the intent of the law about federal funding of embryo destruction.

"As demonstrated by the plain language of the statute, the unambiguous intent of Congress is to prohibit the expenditure of federal funds on 'research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed,"' the judge wrote.

Having concluded that the law is unambiguous, "the question before the court is whether ESC research is research in which a human embryo is destroyed. The court concludes that it is," Lamberth added.

Federal law explicitly forbids use of taxpayer dollars to destroy a human embryo -- and culling stem cells from an embryo does destroy the embryo. (Fox News)

As I researched this decision I came across this VIDEO HERE on MSNBC. Mind you, I usually defer to Fox News for my information (yes, I am one of those people), but what caught my eye on this video was their footage of the embryonic stem cell research labs. Pay particular attention, if you will, to the visual aids used in this video.

Now, allow me to show you another visual aid which is very dear to my heart:

My photo here certainly resembles some of what you saw in the video, wouldn't you say? This is a photo of our two precious little embryos that were transferred on August 17, 2008.

One did not survive - it is a loss we will always remember.

And the other?

Simply put, he is the light of our lives:

We are also blessed to have one more embryo waiting for us (aka our snowflake).

I don't think I need to tell you where I stand on embryonic stem cell research, nor do I need to voice my thoughts on my tax dollars funding the same.

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you..."

Jeremiah 1:5

Ten on Tuesday

1. I don't watch many TV programs anymore so perhaps thats why I am so puzzled, but Jersey Shore? Seriously?!

2. But on that note, it is almost premiere time for the few shows I actually do watch.

3. This Week's Blessing: my little boy eating us out of house and home - and that includes eating all his veggies! I'm certain my kiddo has two hollow legs. And if its this bad now I cannot imagine what it will be like in his teenage years. But he is happy, healthy, and growing like a weed. I couldn't ask for more.

4. Okay...so maybe I could ask for the biting phase to cease sometime in the very near future.

5. What is it about having my bathrooms spotlessly clean that makes me feel as though I can conquer the world?

6. GO SEAHAWKS!!

7. Disney Movie Trivia. After last week's toughie I will go easy on you this week:

"Look at this stuff, isn't it neat? Wouldn't ya think my collection's complete? Wouldn't you think I'm the girl, the girl who has everything? Look at this trove, treasures untold. How many wonders can one cavern hold? Looking around you'd think, "Sure, she's got everything." I've got gadgets and gizmos aplenty. I have whoozits and whatzis galore. You want thingamabobs? I've got twenty. But who cares? No big deal. I want more."

8. I find it comical that before I was a parent, when someone else bragged about their kiddo(s) I thought they were probably being just a little over the top. But now that I'm a parent, you should know that when I brag about my own kiddo it is completely accurate and totally justified.

9. And now you know what I was really thinking when you bragged about your kiddo to me.

Just kidding. :)

10. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the $1 store rocks! We recently revamped our budget a little to work toward our next IVF cycle, so its time to get super frugal. And so far I am loving the challenge. Every time I go in that store I am amazed at what I can get for only $1. I do, however, draw the line at 4 rolls of toilet paper for $1 - you know nothing good can come of that so-called bargain.

Whatcha Readin?

If you follow my blog you know that I am currently reading the Twilight series as one of the goals on my Age 30 Bucket List. But what started out as a bucket list goal has quickly become my new addiction. I am officially hooked and I plan to have the fourth book read in time for the premiere of the fourth movie so I can camp outside my local theater in order to get tickets.

Okay, not really. And tickets, plural? Yeah right. Justin may have watched the first two movies with me at home, but there is no way he will pay theater prices to see the saga continue.

But I am enjoying the books. They are a fun, easy read. And I think that sums up all I have wanted to read since Kendry was born: fun, easy, lighthearted books -- with the exception of The Time Traveler's Wife, which I read a year ago. Let me assure you, there was nothing lighthearted about that one.

Parenthood has just made our lives that much busier, so when I do find some down time to read I want it to be something worthwhile.

However, I have also recently taken to Dave Ramsey podcasts -- I find they make my long training runs much more tolerable. On one of the call-ins Dave mentioned that one of his favorite interview questions for a potential employee is to ask about the last book they read. Dave commented that the answer to this question can reveal a lot about the interviewee. He then went on to essentially say, and I'm paraphrasing here, that if you aren't constantly learning in your field you are making yourself expendable. And what better way to learn than to read?

Something tells me that Dave didn't have the Twilight books in mind when he made this statement. Not that I'm bashing this series because I really do love it, but I'm pretty sure the most in-depth discussion I have had over these books is whether you are a Jacob fan or an Edward fan. Pretty deep, right?

Now, if you want to chat with me about The Time Traveler's Wife you had better set aside at least a half hour, because I have some great ponderings on that one.

My point is that we should be constantly striving to learn each and every day of our lives - and not just about the immediate details our our lives either (i.e. marriage, parenting, etc.), although that can be a great starting point. And I'm not trying to knock fiction because I love a good novel as much as the next gal, but its important to get a healthy dose of non-fiction on a regular basis. Need some suggestions? Check out Dave's recommended reading list here.

My new goal is to read at least one non-fiction book each month. I have had a few on my reading list for quite some time now, but without a plan of attack they have simply continued to collect dust on my bookshelf. Not anymore, folks! And to hold myself accountable I am installing "What I'm Reading" on the right side of our blog, so go check it out. My first non-fiction picks are on the topic of parenting. What can I say? I have a very strong-willed toddler on my hands.

Now its your turn: what was the last book you read?

Ten on Tuesday

1. Hooray for big baby boys! Kendry had his 15 month check-up today. He is measuring 34.5 in tall (99%) and weighs 27 lbs (80%).

2. The hubby was home sick today. I came home to find bread baking in the bread machine and homemade calzones about to go in the oven. I'm thinking he needs to stay home more often.

3. Disney Movie Trivia: "I'm tired, and I'm hungry. And my tail's froze. And my nose is froze. And my ears are froze. And my toes are froze."

4. Leave it to my kiddo to dirty his diaper within minutes of arriving at the park to play. Leave it to Mommy to not have an extra diaper in the car. (insert forehead slap here)

5. Last night I stood in our back yard and watched two bucks grazing just twenty yards from me. Deer aren't nearly as impressive as moose (Oh Alaska, how I miss thee!), but it was still a beautiful scene.

6. Kendry's favorite words at 15 months of age:

OUTSIDE (pronounced "aaahhtt side", like its two words)

DADDY (he says this way more than "Mommy", which I usually have to prompt him to say)

ICKY

HOT

THANK YOU (okay, so it sounds nothing like "thank you", but he says it politely every time you hand him something)

YEAH (Mom, if you are reading this, I really am trying to condition this "yeah" to a "yes".)

6. Oh, and speaking of my mom, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOMMA! NOBODY LOVES YOU LIKE WE DO!

7. I am now 26 days into my 30th year and I am fairly proud of my progress on the Age 30 Bucket List. But whose stupid idea was it to read the Twilight series while training for a half-marathon?! Those 4 mile runs at 5am sure come early when you're up past 11pm because you just can't bring yourself to put down the darn book and get some sleep!

8. This Week's Blessing: attending an afternoon BBQ with friends at Hells Gate Park on Saturday. Kendry played happily for hours while we ate and caught up with friends. ("This Week's Blessing" is a new feature to my weekly TOT post.)

9. How is it possible my son is already outgrowing his shoes again?!

10. Sorry about my mundane TOT post this week. What can I say? It was a pretty low key week for us.

(BONUS: 11. Am I the only one who hates messing with the formatting in blogger?! Grrr!)

My Kind of Freaky

One thing you should know about me: I LOVE the show "Friends". The show ended six years ago, but I still DVR the re-runs so I always have a selection of episodes to choose from when I'm in the mood for a good laugh.

Another thing you should know about me: I am a clean freak, with minor OCD tendencies. I want everything clean and in its proper place...all the time. I like to think I have loosened up a bit, especially now that I'm a parent. My hubby would probably disagree.

I'm convinced Monica Gellar and I would be dear friends.

Tomorrow morning (Saturday) I have the rare opportunity of having the house to myself for a few hours. Some women would use this time to give themselves a pedicure, soak in the bathtub, or curl up and read a good chick lit novel.

Me? I will be busting out the rubber gloves, pine-sol and vacuum. And yes, I will be practically giddy when I do so.

Sweet Home Alaska

I am proud to announce that I have finally compiled some key photos from our wonderful July trip to Alaska. (We won't call too much attention to the fact that we've actually been home from Alaska for a month now.)

Being that it was a week-long family reunion...and there were thirty of us in attendance...and each day had at least one photo-worthy activity...and Justin and I love to snap lots of photos, there is no way I can possibly post all the photos here. Instead, I have narrowed it down to one or two photos for each of the 9 days we were in Fairbanks. If, however, you are on my Shutterfly mailing list, you can expect to receive the full album from our trip shortly.

Now, let's begin...

BINDER FAMILY REUNION 2010: FAIRBANKS, ALASKA

No reunion is official without a t-shirt:

The back reads: "Some family trees bear an enormous crop of nuts. -Wayne H."

Day 1 Activities: I actually woke up early and went for a 5.6 mile run (ouch!) with my sister-in-law, Kia. What a way to start my vacation! Then it was off to run some errands with my sister-in-law Kathy for last minute preparation for the Reunion Kickoff Luau. Kathy and I were in charge of decorations: In mid-afternoon everyone arrived at the P's house for party time.

I love cuddling with my little man, especially on vacation!

My Pops and brother-in-law Mike worked on the pig while the kiddos looked on. Shortly after this photo, and the decapitation of the pig, my 4-year-old nephew Dominic (the worried-looking one in the background) inquired: "Excuse me? Did you just cut his head off?" Hmmm...I wonder if we made vegetarians out of any of the kiddos this reunion?

Then we wrapped up Day 1's festivities with my Pops sharing the story of how he met my Mom - thus creating the legacy that is our family - followed by a game of family trivia.

Day 2 Activities: HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!! We headed off to church on Sunday morning, where a tired little Kendry promptly fell asleep in my brother John's arms and slept there the entire service. Where is the camera when you need it!? Then we all ended up back at the P's house again for a traditional July 4th BBQ. It doesn't get any more American than this, folks: my red, white and blue clad kiddo chowing down on his first piece of buttery corn on the cob.If you know anything about my family you know we aren't competitive in the least.

Okay, thats a lie.

But maybe you would believe me if all the adults in this photo didn't have incredibly intense expressions on their faces during the 3-legged race. Jaimee and Greg (third from the left) were the winners.

FYI: No pregnant women were harmed in the taking of this photo. My little sis, Angel (third person from the left) is due in October, and my sis-in-law, Kathy (sixth person from the right), is due in February. This family just keeps growing...

Anyway, we did a few more games, which included one very memorable egg-on-a-spoon race incident not many of us will soon forget (ahem, Gho family!). But like I said, its not like we're competitive anyway.

In honor of the 4th, my Grandmother did her intriguing presentation on the symbols of our nation. Then it was on to some hot-tubbing and hanging out around the fire pit before calling it a day.

Day 3 Activities: The morning was kicked-off by a professional photo shoot of the entire family. My P's have a beautiful yard and porch, perfect for such a photo op. Sadly, it was raining pretty steadily when the photographer arrived, so we had to move the shoot indoors. Talk about one cozy living room. We haven't received our prints just yet, but the proofs look great!

The afternoon of Day 3 was supposed to be spent hiking Angel Rocks. However, due to the aforementioned rain, everyone made alternative plans. Some of us headed off to go bowling. And some others headed off... well, I'm not really sure where they went cuz I wasn't in their group.

The boys' bowling team:

And, yet again, it was back to the P's in the evening. By this time the rain had let up and we had beautiful weather for some volleyball in the yard.

This is my sister Jaimee (w/ her new puppy Cruise) sporting one of my Mom's many animal print get-ups.

Day 4 Activities: We awoke early and headed up to Hilltop truck stop with my Pops for our traditional breakfast. Yummers! (For you newbies, this is the truck stop where my hubby proposed to me.)

Then it was time to pack up the P's RV and head out to Chena Lakes for an overnight camping trip. After setting up camp (in all we took up 4 camp sites), we took the kiddos down to the lake.

This is Alexis, my beautiful little niece, who is 3 weeks younger than Kendry:

It does my heart good to see Kendry so at ease with my family when he only sees them about once a year.

Day 5 Activities: Breakfast time at the P's campsite!

That's my sis, Stephanie, cooking for us: After some more time at the lake we packed up and headed back home mid-afternoon. Once we were unpacked and showered, it was relaxation time.


Talk about a full tub:






Day 6 Activities: The morning activity was floating down the Chena River. Our family opted to pass on this activity and headed to the mall instead, hoping to find Justin some sunglasses to replace the beloved (and ancient) Oakleys he lost on the flight to Fairbanks. No luck. Not that we were surprised since the mall has a whopping 7 stores - and thats including kiosks. It makes Lewiston's mall not seem so pathetic.


Then we met up with everyone else at Alaskaland for lunch and fun in the sun. This park is a neat way to experience Fairbanks' history. It was renamed Pioneer Park several years ago, but the loyal Fairbanksans refuse to conform to the new name. It will always be Alaskaland to me.


Brett Favre meets a malemute (my high school mascot, BTW):

The hubby and me:


Day 7 Activities: In the morning we said goodbye to John, Kia and the kids. Then we drove out to Angel Rocks for a 3 mile hike. When it was all said and done, I'm pretty sure we did more than 3 miles since we took a wrong turn along the way. Whoops!


Kendry and Mommy taking a break for lunch at the top:

My Dad drove his Harley out to the trailhead to meet us when we finished. I rode back in to town with him, experiencing the thrill of riding a motorcyle in the rain. (I didn't get nearly as wet as I thought I would.)

In the evening we said goodbye to GG. Then several of us headed over to Jaimee and Greg's new house for a nightcap, and stayed up WAY too late.

Day 8 Activities: With activities winding down, the big mission for the day was getting Alexis' ears pierced. Mission accomplished!

She was such a trooper!

Shortly afterwards, we said goodbye to Justin, Kathy and the kids. Then Angel and I headed off for some sister time (aka Thai food lunch and shopping). Mom, Jaimee and Stephanie joined us for a girls' dinner a little later.

Then it was time for a big highlight of the trip: segwaying! (Can segway be a verb?) This is a new tourist activity in the Fairbanks area. The owners made a special exception and squeezed us in at the last minute. If you ever have a chance to ride one of these things, DO IT! It was awesome!

Move over, Mallcop - there are some new riders in town:

Alas, after this adventure I had to say goodbye to Jaimee and Stephanie, as our flight was leaving Fairbanks at 7am the following day.

Or so we thought...

Day 9 Activities: We got up at the crack of dawn, finished packing everything up, dragged our sleepy toddler out of bed, gave him some Tylenol on the way to the airport, and were checking in at the ticket counter at 5:45am. Of course, this was news to Alaska Airlines. It seems our reservations got screwy between our flight up and our return flight. They told us we were supposed to fly out the night before, and now that we hadn't, they could put us on the current flight, but we would have to sit in Seattle all day because our original Seattle to Lewiston flight was now overbooked. Hmmm...sit in SeaTac all day with a toddler? I think not!

This was Sunday. Justin and I had both taken Monday off from work to just be at home and relax before heading back into the routine, so we weren't pressured to fly back no matter what on Sunday. Long story short, we re-booked our original itinerary for Monday instead (goodbye relaxing Monday at home), and then headed back to my P's house for our bonus day. Our Tylenol-influenced toddler went right back to sleep, as did we.

As we didn't plan to still be in Fairbanks this day, we didn't feel obligated to take any pics. Sorry! But it was a wonderful day just the same. I got a pedicure and had some much-needed girl time with my Mom while the guys hung out at home. Ahhhh, just the right finish to a wonderful vacation!

We love you, Binder Family! And we miss you all so much already!

On a side note, one of the most precious memories of our trip was seeing Kendry play with his cousin Addysen, my sister Angel's little girl. They are 5.5 months apart. I cannot tell you how many photos I took of these two spunky kiddos together. This is only the beginning of a beautiful and, no doubt, mischievous friendship.

Baby joy ride in the RV, anyone?

***This family reunion brought to you by Jack & Linda's (my P's) ancient can of Amway bug spray.*** Seriously, how long have they had this stuff?

Ten on Tuesday

1. Twilight update: I have now read the first two books and watched the first two movies – and somehow got my hubby to watch the movies with me. Summation: I am and will probably always be a diehard Jacob fan. Sorry, Edward.

2. Our mornings have been in the 60's this week, giving us a small taste of the impending fall. I love summer, but I am in love with fall!

3. My love affair with fall inspires my creativity. I'm planning to make Kendry's Halloween costume again this year (a Jedi) and a personalized canvas trick-or-treating bag. I realize Halloween is still two months away, but I am determined to thwart my procrastinating tendencies and get these projects started early. So stay tuned!

4. We are even growing our own pumpkins this year! (pics to come in October)

Okay, enough about fall.

5. Disney Movie Trivia:

“He throws an angry tantrum if he cannot have his way. He calls for Mom and sucks his thumb and doesn't want to play. Too late to be known as John the First, he's sure to be known as John the Worst!”

6. On Saturday we went to our niece Ava's 1st birthday party, where we had a wonderful time!

Kisses for the beautiful birthday girl from her uncle:Kendry and Mommy matching (this was not planned):My cutie patootie having a ball; he thought rolling around on the picnic blanket was funny:Look at Ava clawing into that birthday cake:Happy 1st Birthday, Ava!

7. Kendry has his 15 month check-up next week. Being that our scale is still broken I am quite eager to see how much the kiddo is weighing these days.

8. We have an aquatic center just minutes from our house, complete with a wave pool, toddler wading area, and waterslides. It was our goal to take Kendry there at least once this summer, although we hated the thought of spending $17 to get the two of us admitted (Kendry would be free), only to leave an hour later when Kendry was worn out. But as our luck would have it, we didn't have to shell out any money - our church rented out the facility for the congregation on Sunday evening.

Kendry was a little uncertain at first:Then he took a tumble and went completely under water:
We will make a swimmer out of him yet.

9. Have I mentioned that Rick Springfield is performing in concert here in just two more weeks? Oh, to hear "Jesse's Girl" performed live...

10. You know football season is just around the corner when my hubby is compiling Excel spreadsheets for his upcoming Fantasy Football Draft 2010.

Ten on Tuesday

1. Okie dokie! I’m back to calling it Ten on Tuesday (TOT). I think this is a catchier title; plus, I’m hoping it will help me be more consistent.

2. There is nothing like a fun piece of home décor to get you inspired. This one I bought with some birthday money at Walmart last week:

I am not really a Walmart fan but I am LOVING their Better Homes & Gardens collection. I haven’t decided where I’m going to put it just yet, or what I will use it for. Holding my cooking utensils on the kitchen counter? Use it as a flower vase on my dining room table? Oh, the possibilities!

3. As mentioned in my birthday post two weeks ago, Kendry is learning how to feed himself. His first challenge was his breakfast yogurt. Can you say “messy”?

He doesn’t seem to favor a certain hand just yet; rather, he swaps the fork/spoon between both hands at least ten times while he is eating. However, his left hand appears more coordinated than his right when it comes to stabbing food with his fork. Where I tend to encourage Kendry’s right hand simply out of habit, Justin encourages the left. How else will Kendry become a left-handed major league pitcher, right?

4. Blog Confession: I have a serious crush on Tom Selleck.

It doesn't matter if he is playing Magnum, Jesse Stone, Richard on "Friends", or Peter in "3 Men and a Baby". I love the guy! And what could be better than Tom as a cowboy ("Quigley Down Under")? Tom in a cop uniform! In case you haven't heard, he is starring in a new show this fall called "Blue Bloods" on CBS. Welcome back, Tom! I'll be watching you. (wink, wink)

5. Disney Movie Trivia:
"We're rehearsing a - a scene for the upcoming company play called uh, Put That Thing Back Where It Came From Or So Help Me. It's a musical. "Put that thing back where it came from or so help me... so help me, so help me..." and cut. We're still working on it, it's a work in progress but, hey, we need ushers."

(Note: this one might be a little tougher than weeks past. Good luck!)

6. I recently got a babycenter.com update titled "7 Foods Your Toddler Should Be Eating". This list includes: yogurt, avocado, salmon, blueberries, spinach, oats, and sweet potatoes. I've hit the head on half of these, but have slacked on the others. Time to get going on my toddler's nutrition! I would love suggestions on fun ways to serve avocado and spinach to a toddler. You should know that Justin and I are non-avocado eaters so I don't plan on squeezing any avocado into a community dinner dish; but I will take any other suggestions you might have.

7. Last night I watched as Kendry figured out how to independently climb up a small ladder on a Little Tikes climber in the church nursery. About a half hour before this he was needing my help to climb that same ladder. How much of a sap am I for nearly crying when he did it all by himself? He is growing up too darn fast.

8. Last night, in anticipation for the start of football season 2010, Justin pulled out and inspected Kendry's vintage Brett Favre jersey in size 2T and Matt Hasselbeck jersey in size 3T. Folks, the kiddo is ready for kickoff!

9. Hold the phone! Did I just say "football season"?! Are we there already?!

10. And speaking of fall, the big half-marathon is just two months away! Do I dare admit that I got somewhat bored running only 5 miles the other day? What have I signed myself up for?