100% Boy

I always thought I would have a little quiet girl who sat and read books all day. So when I had James and he started to grow into such a little wild man, it was a big shock.

Lets just say that 90% of my day is spent sword fighting. Who would have thought? 

Anything that slightly resembles a sword, becomes a sword to James. Straws, sticks, anything. They are all fair game at becoming a weapon. 

This kid just cracks me up. He is 100% boy. He is such a little bruiser and so into the stereotypical boy things. 

While I wouldn't mind having a daughter one day, I would be thrilled if I got all boys. Raising a boy is so much fun. Dressing a boy is THE BEST. And my boy, he is the greatest. 

 

We are enjoying being home and resting. Let's just say all we did yesterday was rest. We watched so much TV, we built blocks, we played swords, we swam. It was glorious. Today we have a bit of an adventure planned that requires four hours of driving, I will fill you in tomorrow.

 

Outfit Details-

Tee- Indie Nook It says- "For goodness SNAKE" How clever is that? James loves snakes so I had to buy it. 

Leggings- Thief And Bandit

Sandals- Salt Waters

Bonus: Some of my recent posts on Baby Gizmo...
 

The Importance Of Going Big On Your Child's Birthday

Mommy Fashion I've started doing a ton more fashion posts on Baby Gizmo and I LOVE it. It's definitely my niche.

10 Easy Summer Dessert Ideas

10 Cold Treats To Make This Summer

Fun Places To Take The Kids In Los Angeles I'm an expert on LA so take my advice here :)

June Lake

Today I wanted to share some photos of our time at June Lake this past weekend. 

There really isn't a WHOLE lot going on there. They have a tiny (and I mean TINY) town that consisted of one coffee shop, one candy store, and two restaurants. 

The lodge that they put my husband up in was the PITTS. Have you ever seen the Seinfeld about the water pressure?! I felt like I was in that episode. First, the water was trickling... Then they fixed it and I swear to you the water was so intense it blasted me. It NO JOKE took all my nail polish off and ripped a piece of my hair off (like a tiny piece that you can't notice) BUT STILL. 

Three of us plus our dog shared a double bed. Ummm, it was a tight fit. We're used to a King. 

Also, no wi fi. So blogging and reading blogs was pretty hard. It was actually nice to be away from my phone though. 

The whole place just really needed to be redone and since the shower sucked I was just a grimey mess the whole rest of the time. 

We just wanted to go to see my husband since he had been gone so long so seeing him made up for everything else. He's pretty amazing, that guy of mine. And I would stay in a thousand crummy motels if it meant being near him. 

We got back home yesterday and I'm happy the twelve hour drive is behind us now. I'm not trying to drive that long with James again anytime soon. He really did do amazing though. Both ways. I am so proud of him. He's hands down the best traveler in the entire world. 

I'm just happy to be home in my nice bed with a nice shower feeling clean again! 

As soon as we got back we unpacked and went to Target because TARGET. We needed some necessities. 

Anyway!! 

Here's our four days in June Lake in pictures-

^^ This cookie was bigger than his head. 

^^ My man is a serious stud. 

^^ Worthy of a postcard right?!

^^ Coffee with a view. 

^^ THEE best coffee cake in the entire world can be found at Trout's Coffee Shop in June Lake. Ohmahgosh

^^ This is what I look like with unwashed hair. Ha ha. 

^^ Hanging out at the coffee shop. This was practically the only place that had wi fi so we spent our mornings here eating breakfast and watching Netflix. God bless you, wi fi. Not having it made me realize how much I rely on it. 

We rented a boat for the day on Sunday and had a blast. I thought James couldn't get any cuter... And then we put a life vest on him...

My husbands phone takes horrible photos. He needs an iPhone. He doesn't think he does but these photos are proof. 

We had lunch out on the boat and did some rock jumping. 

How stinkin cute are my boys?!

Well, that's a wrap. Thanks for letting me share! 

Hello Monday, Hello James

It's Monday again!

Every Monday I do a "hello" post where I basically wrap up the previous week for you with pictures and such to show you what we did.

Between last Monday and today we've driven a total of 14 hours. Yikes. Plus we have another six to do this week. It was a really fantastic week though. 

We drove two hours to see my fam last Monday and spent Monday- part of Thursday with them. Then Thursday we drove six hours from my family's house up to June Lake to see my husband (insert happy dance). It had been way too long since we saw that guy so we toughed the drive. It wasn't easy just me and my two year old but James did FANTASTIC. I was so proud of him. We've been up here since then and today we're making the six hour drive back home to Bakersfield. I hope James does just as well today. We will stay here just a few days and then we're headed BACK to my family's house on Saturday for birthday parties, hair appointments, and seeing friends. 

I live a really complicated life. Not really but I'm always back and forth between EVERYWHERE. 

ANYWAY...

Here's what we've been saying hello to... 

Hello to ordering my very first kimono. I've been dying for this and it finally came back in stock at The Oxford Trunk. I think they literally only put ONE back in stock because I purchased it instantly and then it was sold out. SCORE. 

Hello to take out breakfast from Mimi's Cafe. Mimi's are everywhere, right? I sure hope so because it's my favorite and everyone deserves to have one in their town. I always get the low fat fitness omelete. 200 calories, delicious, and packed full of protein. Yum. 

Hello to the new Petunia Pickle Bottom Fall 2013 line being released this Thursday. They are my VERY favorite and I'm slightly to very obsessed with them. The above bag will be coming home with me on Thursday as well as a few other of their goodies. Definitely check out the new line!! 

Hello to helping grandma in the kitchen and discovering you really have a thing for peppers. 

Hello to making cupcakes to bring to your husband and all his co workers. They love me. 

Hello to the sweetest words in the sweetest book I read James. I had to share this with you guys. 

Hello to the BEST little traveler. Hello to wearing grandpa's sponge bob slippers in the car while traveling and being oh so fashionable. 

Hello to gorgeous views of Red Rock Canyon on our drive. 

Hello to being reunited. #anditfeelssogood

That was basically our week in a nutshell. What are you saying hello to this week?

All About James

I thought it would be fun to share some things James is all about lately. James is growing so fast and I swear he learns something new and does something different each day. 

He's still really into pirates. We have the Netflix app on my phone and its a constant rotation between Jake, A Veggie Tales Movie called The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, and the most stupid movie ever called The Boy And The Pirates that was made in 1960. What a gem that movie is. Seriously, check it. I get best mom EVER for watching that movie daily. 

We're starting to do a lot more arts and crafts. Sticker books, cutting, coloring books, etc. 

Swimming is still the best. 

James has discovered a show on Nick Jr called Bubble Guppies and that's a winner. 

Currently he is always saying- No Way (insert name here) No way daddy! No way mommy! No way dude! 

James knows all his colors, most of his shapes, and some of his numbers and letters. 

When I ask him if he wants a brother or sister he says- no way! Hit baby! So ya, that's a no. Poor baby would probably get so many smacks. I should note- James doesn't hit. That just goes to show you that he really doesn't want a brother or sister :)

We're also really into jump houses, blowing bubbles, the beach, squirt guns, twizzlers, and fruit snacks ONLY if they are shaped like Nemo. 

James is so so picky with food and will only eat- fruit, Cheerios, those whipped yogurts, and chicken nuggets (on a good day). 

He gives the BEST kisses and hugs that seriously turn me into a puddle of mush every time. 

2 years and 3 months and the best kid in the whole wide world. That's what we're into now.. Everything could change tomorrow. 

Outfit Details-

Tank- Old Navy

Jean short suspenders- H&M

Sandals- Salt Waters

Hat- H&M 

Recipe: Monster Cookies

YOU GUYS! You have to make these, plain and simple. These cookies are a peanut butter and oatmeal base and they are loaded with chocolate chips and M&M's. Everything you could ever want in a cookie. 

Ingredients- 

1/2 Cup Butter, softened

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup White Sugar

3 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Corn Syrup

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 – 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 – 1/2 Cups Creamy Peanut Butter

2 – 1/4 Cups Quick Oatmeal

1 big bag of Mini M&Ms 

1 bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks

Directions- 

Start by mixing your butter and sugars. 

Add everything except last four ingredients. 

Mix in the oats and peanut butter. 

Stir in the mini M&M's and chocolate chips. Look, it's a party in a bowl!

Roll the dough into fairly big size balls. For reference I got six on a baking sheet.

Flatten them just a bit. 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 9-11 minutes. 

I made some normal sized ones and some big fatty size ones. 

These are AMAZING. 

When We Love Something, We Really Love It

First off, we made it to June Lake to see my husband! Yay. (Just in case you were wondering... Which you probably weren't) 

Anyway...

So that's basically how my brain works. I either love something or I hate it. I'm very black or white, no grey areas, no middle ground. If I love a TV show. I want to watch it over and over again. If I love Disneyland, I want to go every single day. If I love Petunia Pickle Bottom, I have to have over 20 diaper bags. All of that is factual. So it comes as no surprise that James inherited this trait from me. He's the same. He watches the same movie over and over and wants to go to the same favorite places all the time. I can't blame him because I know he gets it from me. My husband is the opposite and never gets it. ANYWAY.. I'm sharing that little back story so you will know why you're seeing pictures that look very similar to ones I just recently posted.

Look familiar? Yup, we came back to the pirate playground! We loved it so much that I had my friend and her kids come and meet us there and they loved it too.

So please excuse the fact that you may be seeing some repeat backgrounds in this post. 

^^ check this kid out. That face! 

Outfit Details- 

Tee- Currently at Target and perfect for any little pirate obsessed boy at a pirate playground. 

Leggings- Candy Kirby

Sandals- Salt Waters