So right about now you are expecting to see pictures from Thanksgiving Day. Maybe Gavin eating some turkey or maybe a beautiful picture of the delicious holiday fixings. Sorry you are out of luck unfortunately I was too busy stuffing my face with food. We had a great day and we hope all of you did as well. Thank you friends for opening your home to us we had a great time and the food was outstanding.

Here is a family photo from Gavin's first Thanksgiving. I just realized that Gavin's second Thanksgiving will also be his second birthday how exciting next year will be.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is easy to forget what the concept of Thanksgiving is when you start thinking about all the yummy food and get caught up in packing and traveling, even if it isn't far. I am guilty of forgetting. Not until I sat down to write this blog and wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving did I really think about it. I must admit that this month has been a stressful one for our finances. Between a $400 brake repair, Gavin's birthday and our anniversary our money was stretched to the breaking point. And while I have been very successful in my weight loss efforts I am 5lbs away from where I wanted to be when we leave for Maui which is only next week. Gavin hasn't slept well the last week and is a phone call away from having tubes put in which I know is what is best and shouldn't be a big deal but still am not excited about. All of these things have put me in a funny semi-stressed out mood. I haven't felt like myself all week. Yet as I sit hear and realize that tomorrow is Gavin's birthday and the day after that is Thanksgiving I have so much to be thankful for. We have great family and friends all of whom are happy and healthy. I have been able to spend my time at home with Gavin without having to work and I realize what a blessing that is. Our cars are running and now $400 dollars later stopping too. We are going to Maui! Even if I am 5lbs heavier than planned I am 5lbs lighter than when I got pregnant. I am also thankful that I get to keep up with all my friends and family here on this blog and I am thankful for each and every person who stops by to see what we are up to. There is a lot to be thankful for and to look forward to with Christmas and a brand new year just around the corner.

Tomorrow we are traveling down to Lewiston for a Thanksgiving brunch with my family. My Mom and Aunt have to work that afternoon making a dinner difficult so we decided on a brunch. Then we are traveling back up to Moscow to have Thanksgiving dinner with our good friends. My brother has selflessly volunteered to watch our dogs since all other alternatives fell through. He wasn't all that excited about a rushed Thanksgiving brunch and didn't mind staying here with the dogs, it doesn't hurt that we paid him in food and cash. Let's face it he is way cheaper than a kennel or doggy daycare.

So eat lots of turkey, it has lots of protein and you will sleep really well, and don't forget to be thankful! Happy Thanksgiving!

A picture of Gavin stuffing his face seemed appropriate for Thanksgiving!

Happy 1st Birthday Gavin!

This year Gavin's birthday lands the day before Thanksgiving. Next year Gavin's birthday will be on Thanksgiving and I will always be thankful for Gavin no matter what day his birthday is and no matter what day we have to celebrate. This year it we celebrated on November 15th. I went back and forth over where to have the party. There are not a lot of options for winter one year old birthday parties. I happened to find that McDonald's was an excellent option. It includes set up, take down, a birthday cake and ice cream as well as happy meals and party favors for the kids. What more could you want as a mom. The kids all had a great time and all we had to do was show up. Gavin ate the majority of a very large piece of birthday cake. Everyone said "oh he will just smear it everywhere they never really eat it." Oh he ate it and then he ate some more he was generous enough to offer a handful to his friend Alyssa who is 6 and saw this half chewed piece of chocolate cake extended to her and politely declined it. He had great friends, great food and great fun! I would call it a success. He now has so many toys that I don't intend to buy him much if anything for Christmas since he won't remember or know the difference. He received a very cute toddler 4 wheeler from his Aunt, Uncle and Great-Grandpa that he has taken too quite nicely. At first he didn't know how to drive it but then one day I was just sitting in the living room and he came zipping past with a very large smile on his face. So cute! The only bummer of the party was that I, the planner, forgot of all things to charge the batteries in my camera and video camera we got a lot of footage but we missed some of the cake. If you are out there with any photos of this please send them my way.

Traveling fools

So Mike landed his company a big project in Missoula, MT with the University of Montana. He has a great job opportunity to lead the project which unfortunately means he is going to be working 5 day weeks in Montana. Which started in October and will run through January or February. The blessing is that since I don't work we can pack up Gavin and I and go with him. It is a lot of work and sometimes Gavin doesn't sleep well but at least we get to be with Mike. His company pays for the hotel, gas mileage and all Mike's meals so since Mike and I split all our meals when we eat out anyway it costs us very little. Between Montana and going to Maui in December I will be a pro at traveling with a young one. Which I guess suits me since my childhood nickname was "bye-bye girl" well I can't lie the name followed me and is still used by close family.

Tonight I am listening to the unwelcome music of my little man screaming in the other room (our hotel accommodations have two rooms a little living room and a bedroom with a kitchenette). Gavin won't fall asleep he is seriously tired but so excited to be in a new place he wants to stay up and play. Also, since he started walking or should I say running it is all he wants to do. He doesn't care where he is going, he thinks it is even more fun if he carries something heavy like a pillow or a large toy. It is so cute! Mike and I just love watching him walk all over the place. It is so surprising to come around the corner and see him wobbling towards you. I still expect to see him crawling.

Other new things he says Mama now. I waited and whined that he wouldn't say it then he finally did and I wasn't really as excited as I thought I would be. I think it was more fun hearing him say Dada for the first time being it was his first recognizable word.

Well since the crying has subsided in the other room I think I will relax with a book like I wasn't able to do with the wailing coming from the other room.

Signing off,

The Traveling Mama

If I only had good ears...


Free picture taken at the mall.

This Halloween Gavin was a Scarecrow and a cute one at that. We started the day with a follow-up visit to his doctor. After 3 double ear infections in 2 months the doctor warned that if Gavin had another in 2 weeks we would need to see the ear, nose and throat doctor. Of course that means Gavin could need tubes. Which I can't help but be concerned about. So that same day he comes down with a cold. Whenever he has gotten a cold he has gotten the ear infections so of course I have spent the last few days concerned. The upside is Gavin doesn't complain. The daycare attendant at the gym was shocked to find out about his last infection she said "he was so happy and showed no signs" and he doesn't. So at least there is that.

So as we struggle to make it through the time change with a child who has a strong internal clock that doesn't "fall back" we wake up at 5:30am. So much fun for me.

I hope you all had a safe and Happy Halloween and that those bite sized candies aren't haunting your homes too much!