Snapshot #890: Sunnyvale Library

August 31, 2013.  Sunnyvale, California.  Hazel cannot visit the library without sitting next to this guy.

Snapshot #889: Making Music

August 28, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Some day it will sound like music.

Snapshot #888: Tandem Swing

August 27, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Tandem swinging...who knew?  The kids sure like it!

Snapshot #887: Big Girl Bed

August 26, 2013.  San Jose, California.  It's been a week now since Hazel transitioned into a twin-size bed from the crib.  Thus far, it's been an easier transition than I anticipated.  The first 3-4 days she went down without a second thought; like she didn't yet realize that getting up was a possibility.  By now she's figured out that she can get up and read books, etc. but she eventually goes down.  Personally, I love the twin bed.  I love that she can get herself up.  I love that I can sit at the end of her bed.  I love that we can snuggle and read books together.  I love that I can lean over and kiss her on the forehead.  And the body pillow tucked under the fitted sheet has done it's job to protect her from falls.

Snapshot #886: Dance Party

August 24, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Friday night dance parties are always a good idea.

Snapshot #885: Crooked Toe

August 23, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Is this normal?

Snapshot #884: Clean Carpets

August 22, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Today marks two years at our current place of residence in San Jose.  In commemoration, I rented a carpet-cleaner from Home Depot and scrubbed and scrubbed. 

Snapshot #883: "More! More!"

August 20, 2013.  San Jose, California.  One of my most favorite sounds in the world is hearing them laugh together.

Snapshot #882: Clay Slipper

August 20, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Creative Daddy made Hazel a shoe out of clay today.  Boy, did she LOVE it!!!

Snapshot #881: Flowering Trees

August 19, 2013.  San Jose, California.  When I was a little girl I used to imagine the possibilities of creating trees of my own design one day.  I was disappointed that the tress in my world had only differing shapes and shades of green leaves.  I promised myself that when it was my turn I was going to create a tree that all-summer-long bloomed with big beautiful flowers.  Lo, and behold, God is one-step ahead of me.    

Snapshot #880: Story Time

August 17, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Hazel made it through one book at the Library before she was up walking around and getting herself kicked out of Story Time.  They jury's still out on whether or not I think watching cartoons at the library is a good idea. 

Snapshot #879: Say "Ahhhh"

August 16, 2013.  San Jose, California.  This morning was Hazel's two-year check-up with the doctor.  She's 34-1/2 inches tall and weighs 28-1/2 pounds.  That puts her in the 75th percentile for both her height and her weight.  We're so proud of her...she did excellently for the doctor.

Snapshot #878: Crayola Model Magic

August 15, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Daddy made Hazel this cute little owl out of Crayola Model Magic.  It provided many minutes of great fun!  She even has the "Hoot! Hoot!" down.

Video Snapshot #877: Two-Foot Jumps

August 14, 2013.  San Jose, California.  A couple of those jumps had real air time.  I'm hoping to sign her up for a toddler tumbling class in the fall.  

Snapshot #876: Playground Observations

August 13, 2013.  San Jose, California.  These days Hazel spends less time climbing and sliding at the playground and more time observing other children around her.  My guess is she has physically mastered the things she's comfortable with but has gotten her breath taken away by large slides and had falls enough that she's too scared to try something new.

Snapshot #875: Design Inspiration

August 12, 2013.  San Jose, California.  This little guy has inspired the new bedding concept for Hazel's bedroom.  (This is only happening because I've decided I want to potty train her before she's 2-1/2.  My goal is to fully transition her into a big-girl bed before potty training starts so that--ideally--she'll be able to get herself up out of bed to go.)  We're going straight to a twin-sized bed from the crib and I plan to use a body pillow to hinder falls.  The bed doesn't have a box spring, just something called a platform, so it's lower to the ground.  We currently have no bedding for that size a mattress so I'm in the process of figuring out what colors to purchase, etc.  I have a neutral envelope in the nursery, so changing the bedding colors changes the entire look of the room.  Mr. Owl has convinced me to transition to yellow rather than continue the pink theme.

Snapshot #874: Daddy's Little Helper

August 10, 2013.  San Jose, California.  I love that she wants to do everything that we're doing (I have to remind myself of this sometimes when I'm cooking and her persistent interest makes everything take twice as long and end up twice as messy).

Snapshot #873: What We're Reading

August 9, 2013.  San Jose, California.  What Dave's Reading.  What I'm Reading.

Snapshot #872: Holding Hands

August 8, 2013.  Sunnyvale, California.  At what point will it no longer be cute to receive pictures of my daughter holding hands with a neighborhood boy?

Snapshot #871: Design Development Drawings

August 7, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Hazel has spent every day this week with a friend while I finish up Design Development Drawings for my current client to send out to bid.  Phew...I haven't done this kind of work in a long time.  There was a bit of a learning curve setting up my home office to be able to do this kind of large-format (24" x 36") work.  It's incredibly satisfying to see the finished set.  (Shown above, 1 sheet of 7)

Snapshot #870: Skinned Knee

August 5, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Hazel got a strider for her birthday and today experienced her first skinned knee (be SO proud Aunt Britton!)

Video Snapshot #869: Hazel Turns Two

August 3, 2013.  Los Gatos, California.  Hazel has seen lots of trains on YouTube lately.  She comes up to me saying "Choo Choo" begging to watch more trains on the computer.  For her birthday we thought she might like to experience a real train.  We took her and some friends to Oak Meadow Park nearby and had a marvelous time.  The day was perfect.  I love the look of Hazel, like a deer in headlights, as she's watching and listening to a live train.  Don't forget to click on the video to watch Hazel blow out her birthday candles. 

Snapshot #868: The Well-Trained Mind

August 2, 2013.  San Jose, California.  I've been reading up on the details of Homeschooling as I consider it as an option for our family.  This book, The Well-Trained Mind seems to be a great resource.

Snapshot #867: Hand-Stamped Cards

August 1, 2013.  San Jose, Californai.  I don't know why I insist on taking on projects of things that I have never done before, but here I go again.  I am attempting to re-create this look and make a set of hand-stamped thank you cards to teach at Craft Day this year.  After several days of research I've now ordered the needed materials online and I'm excited for my packages to arrive.

Snapshot #866: Drafting Wall Details

 July 30, 2013.  San Jose, California.  It was a tedious chore today figuring out the wall construction details for my client.

Snapshot #865: Flowers for Mom

July 29, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Hazel loves picking flowers for Mom; which is OK, unless they come from the vegetable garden :(

Video Snapshot #864: Chasing Geese

July 27, 2013.  Sunnyvale, California.  Every toddler needs a lesson from Dad in chasing geese.  Hazel kept asking for "Mas! Mas!"  (More! More!)

Snapshot #863: Afternoon Snack

July 26, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Now that we've been home several days I've been successful at getting Hazel back on an eating schedule:  Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Snack, & Dinner with nothing in between.  When we stick to this schedule (instead of snacking all day long) Hazel actively sits and eats at meal times making everything easier and healthier. 

Snapshot #862: Raspberry-Apricot Jam

July 25, 2013.  San Jose, California.  The winner of this year's jam is our Raspberry-Apricot freezer jam.  Yummm!

Snapshot #861: Splish-Splash

July 24, 2013.  San Jose, California.  Hazel is SO happy to be home.  In her bath today she discovered that her Littlest Pets are magnetic and stick to the side of the tub.  FUN!

Snapshot #860: Blanketeering

July 23, 2013.  Sunnyvale, California.  This evening I worked with my local Relief Society to make 17 fleece blankets for donation to Project Linus.  In total, we will be donating nearly 40 blankets-- including the 17 we made tonight and an additional 20 handmade blankets we collected at the door.

Snapshot #859: Something Crafty

July 22, 2013.  San Jose, California.  I'm in charge of Relief Society Craft Day again this year and today spent some time finalizing our ideas.  Overall, I think this year's crafts will get better turn out than last year's crafts.  To see what I'll be making in October, click here.  To see all the ideas that didn't make the final cut, visit this page.

Snapshot #858: 15-Hour Drive

July 21, 2013.  Caribou National Forest, Idaho to San Jose, California.  It was just 15 minutes shy of being a 15-hour drive home.  And here I thought Hazel was sitting peacefully in her chair "reading" her book.  Ha!

Snapshot #857: Lava Hot Springs

July 20, 2013.  Lava Hot Springs, Idaho.  There was entirely too many people there...but the kiddie pool was fun.

Snapshot #856: Big Springs Campground

July 19, 2013.  Big Springs Campground, Caribou National Forest, Idaho.  Things to remember from this week's camping excursion: Nature walk to the Big Springs Fountain Head and discovery of a very large beaver house; Laughing with my brothers who jumped into the FREEZING cold Big Springs Pond; Delicious S'mores;  my father's invention of the game Rock Soup (if you ever get bored at a campsite, just ask.  It will entertain competitive people for hours!); my parent's camp-kitchen and shower tent (they've turned into serious campers!); sleeping very uncomfortably on a phantom mound that looked flat before and after the tent was pitched; Baby Dax's crying fit that lasted until 3AM (due to a torn ear) and his Resilient Parents; and Nelson's story"Hey, Whatcha Doing Up There?!!"  I love you guys!  It was so fun spending a long weekend camping together, unplugged. 

Snapshot #855: Off-Roading

July 18, 2013.  Pebble Creek Area, Caribou National Forest, Idaho.  Dave's phone maintained power enough to snap some photos of his adventures off-roading with my brothers.

Snapshot #854: Unplugged

July 17, 2013.  Big Springs Campground, Caribou National Forest, Idaho.  I readily admit that I allowed myself to get completely unplugged this weekend.  On the drive Wednesday to the campground my phone (and camera) died and I didn't charge it again until Sunday during our 15-hour drive back to San Jose. 

Snapshot #853: Show Me A Story

July 16, 2013.  Wendell, Idaho.  I love, love, this book introduced to me by a friend's blog.  Most of the ideas are too advanced for 23-month-old Hazel, but I figure I can modify some of the ideas to fit and she can grow into the rest.  So, I talked Dave into going down to the river with me today (despite the 100 degrees) and we collected half a bucket of future Story Stones.  

Snapshot #852: Snake River Sturgeon

July 15, 2013.  Hagerman, Idaho.  My brother took us down to the river this evening to do some sturgeon fishing.  He even caught one, 5'8" in length.  True story!