First Birthday

Penelope was one year old on Monday, which was an exciting event. However, neglect-ant parents we are, there was no party and no cake. Sorry to disappoint everyone. 

We had a busy day though, Penelope and I made chocolate chip pancakes for our boys and took them to the bus. (Penelope eats a whole big pancake all by herself!) Then we went to town and had birthday lunch with Jenny, who spoiled her immensely. Then we went to the family resource center for play time, which Penelope loves. There are lots of new toys and other kids. Now that she is one and walking well, the organizer suggested I go to the next age group's class. She will LOVE that, as older kids are exciting and more resilient to her sometimes not-so-gentle touches. Then we came home and got the boys from the bus, got snacks, and took them to their football practice, where Penelope enjoyed playing outside in the grass. Then daddy came home a little bit early and we had a nice dinner together.

Here is one conversation about the birthday:

Fellow Mother: "Oh, it's her birthday! Did you get her a cake?!"

Me: "Um, no, I don't really get into birthdays."

Fellow Mother: "Oh....birthdays are fun....bla bla bla..."

Fellow Mother: "So what is she going to be for Halloween?!"

Me: "Um....I get about as excited for Halloween as I do for birthdays."

Fellow Mother now thinks I'm an alien. And not only for Halloween.

 P, Daddy & Ruby on her birthday. In her birthday suit, apparently.

 P likes dressing up and coving herself with blankets. She put her bloomers on her head.

Showing off her teeth: 3 on the bottom, one on top.

September Update

This last weekend was the annual balloon festival we go to. It was a bit nostalgic, because last year we went to it, and that evening we went to the hospital and Penelope was born!

 Ever sat around wondering what would happen if a pacifier got ran over by a lawn mower? I didn't think so....but this is what is left of P's paci & ribbon holder:

 Busy playing....

 Opening her gift from Grandma C.

 I love fall in Nevada. This morning was the first snow on the tips of the Rubies and today is the first day that long sleeves are actually needed. It is supposed to be warm and mild again after today.

P continues to love her boys....hours could be spent getting whiplash as she is pulled from one end of the house to the other at high speeds:

things I do that annoy wayne

-At Bath and Body Works I ask what flavors of lotion they have. Wayne rolls his eyes in disgust.

-I skimp on butter. Wayne would like lots of butter on anything, and I would like him to live past 30, so I skimp on butter. Toast, recipes, anything that has butter I try to use less. And no, margarine doesn't cut it!

-Speaking of recipes, Wayne says I never follow them. Which is only partly true. Sometimes I follow them, but I have been know to alter a recipe if it's needed. Like using less butter.

I guess that's it! I know, I'm pretty much the perfect wife with only three flaws. Well...actually there are a few more, but I would like to flip the coin her to tell you about something BAD Wayne did. He did not get husband-of-the-day award the other day:

Wayne took P to the men's bathroom and let her PLAY ON THE FLOOR while he is doing his business. ON THE FLOOR! We were in the mall and Wayne had sweetly volunteered to take P while I shopped. Wayne acted like there was no other alternative. I asked Wayne what he thought I have been doing the last 10 months. Yes, I have used public restrooms since P was born, and NO I did not let her play on the  floor while doing so! Had I had enough hand sanitizer, I would have bathed her in it. And had I a baseball bat, I would have beat Wayne with it.

A tour of I80

We have driven the 400 miles of I80 in Nevada several times and are getting familiar with it. It is actually quite a bit like I90 through South Dakota, only with less trees, if in fact you can picture that. 

There isn't a lot between Reno and Wendover, but here are my stats:

- 400 miles

- 5 prisons 

- 7 McDonalds

- countless casinos

- 0 gas stations with working tire air (ok, we haven't checked them ALL)

-  5 mountain passes (I believe there is one more as you go from Reno into California, but we have never gone that way yet, and I'm not sure if it is in Nevada or California)

Lovelock, NV, gets the award for being the nicest town we've visited. It is small, but well kept. There are trees and a bit of green, and best of all, a nice area to stopover and stretch your legs. There are a collection of small businesses, some of them even open! The Pershing County courthouse is here, a pretty building that looks a little out of place in Northern Nevada. Around the courthouse grounds is a children's park and Lover's Lock. Lovers's Lock is a collection of locks that people have left on chains to signify their love. For instance "Jack & Jill 1983." (We are totally leaving a lock here on our next trip!) I was impressed with this nice small town, and Penelope had a blast in the park. I took a few cute videos with my phone, none of which seem to want to upload. 

Our little girl

It seems like our baby turned into a little girl over the last week or so. I've been wanting to get a video up of her walking - here it is. She is also babbling lots, and says 'Dad' and 'cat' very clearly.

Greek Food

I would never have expected we would have so many cultural experiences here in Old-West-Miningville, Nevada, but last week we had a Greek dinner with a couple from Greece. Ioanna (yo-ana) was born and raised in Greece, and Tony was raised mostly American, but comes from a Greek family. Ioanna has an aura of what must be Greek sophistication. The accent probably helps. She is the kind of girl that I never was - one who can be cool by simply running her fingers through her hair. Tony has lots of great stories, like one about nearly dying from food poisoning in Cyprus. He is the kind of person that presses the tips of his fingers together (only the tips) and might ask you your opinion on the affect of the Euro on the economy of India. We met their little dog, who Tony 'found begging for food on the streets of Cyprus'. I'm telling you, this couple has cool down. Who has a cute little dog from Cyprus that can do tricks?

For dinner we had beets, corn on the cob, and salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, feta, olives, oil and seasonings). We had stuffed cabbage - little rolls stuffed with onions, meat, and rice. According to Tony, he 'botched' them, so he said "Babe, make some of that yellow sauce," and Ioanna quickly whipped up some delicious sauce that was nothing like the typical American sauce made of salty dairy products. We also had pasta, again with another sauce that was quickly pureed up and ladled on top. The main dish was stuffed chicken, which I thought was the best. Chicken with basil and cheese inside, topped with a large onion petal. We had fruit for dessert - some organic apples and plums, and some pears they 'found walking along Fifth Street'. It was a nice evening of dinner and conversation.

Twin Falls

Over Labor Day weekend we went to Twin Falls, ID. We visited Craters of the Moon National Monument, which consists of lava/volcanic remains.

 ...Sort of an inside joke between me and Wayne, I occasionally 'pose' dramatically for pictures, because we have an acquaintance that does this a lot and it makes us laugh:)

 Picnic lunch near Shoshone Falls

 The cool bridge over the Snake River. Twin Falls is a pretty small, unexciting town, but this gorge is pretty neat. We saw base jumpers on the bridge.

 Shoshone Falls - nicknamed 'Niagra Falls of the west'. It was pretty nice, and apparently is even nicer in the springtime with more water.

 Dry landscape, but pretty water.

 On the way back we stopped at CJ Strike Reservior, where some of our camping friends had gone for the weekend. The kids were excited to see Penelope.

Thank You Debbie!

Wayne's aunt Debbie made this cute bunny for Penelope. And by made, I mean MADE - it's all sewn by hand and looks like a professional made it. Thanks Debbie!

A sad, sad day

The 'Little Caterpiller' 'Caterpillar Paci' 'Wubbanub' met it's demise recently. It has been a good eleven months together.