Happy 1/2 Birthday to our little cutie!

Photos by Karajo photography

Today is Millie's 6 month birthday! Like every body says, we really can not believe she's 6 months already! She's such a Happy Friendly, Fun baby. Here's a little update on what she's up to these days

What she likes:

-smiling and "talking" to anybody and everybody

-rolling

-her hair brush (it's her fav. toy)
-squash and pears

-drinking water out of our cups

-bath's

-standing on the counter and looking at herself in the mirror

What she doesn't like

-Getting dressed

-Apple sauce

-Sitting in grass

New Skills

-rolling

-sitting up

-scooting backward

-getting up on all 4's (in crawling position- but hasn't managed to go forward yet)

-eating little baby cereal puffs

we love her lots and are so glad we have her!!!

Dress

here's a better picture of her dress for those of you who wanted the better picture :)

Happy Easter!

I made Millie's easter dress this year :)

The Easter Bunny came and delivered our basket of easter candy to us personally!

California Trip

Last weekend we all went out to California to watch Josh open his season with a race at Stanford. It was such a nice trip! georgous weather, good company, good entertainment, and time away from Memphis! Ahhh!

Despite the fact that Josh has been super busy going to school, he still finds time to do some good training. He won this race... and felt really good! He ran a 8:36 which is good for a first race of the season! Way to go Josh! There was some good competition including Mike Spence (#71 in the blue), one of our friends from Ogden, who has been 6th at U.S.A.'s for the past 2 years.

Mills and Josh after his race

Josh had his birthday the day we flew out so we went into San Fran the day after he raced to do some fun stuff to celebrate his Birthday. We went to the conservatory of flowers. It had lots of really cool and exotic plants.

We drove around Town and just looked. I love San Fran. This was the 4th time I've been and I understand why, who ever it was that wrote that song, says "I left my heart in San Fransisco" I love the row houses, the coast, the "salty sea air", the seals on pier 39, the street entertainers on fishermans warf, the sour dough bread and all the crab vendors. We got out and walked around and enjoied some mini doughnuts at Terries mini doughnuts at pier 39- Yum!

We also took a mini tour of Charles Chocolate factory. (just outside S.F.)
I love chocolate, but not as much as my sister Kelly.

There was a taste test after the tour. It's funny how if I would have just bought these chocolates somewhere and eaten them on my own I would just be like. Oh, these are good, and then not think much of it. But when you are in the chocolate factory and have just had the confection making process explained to you, and when each chocolate is being described with the process it is created by and the ingredients that are used to make it, it just makes the chocolate so much more delicious, magical, and enjoyable! you revel over every bite. (like the jade factory in china for those of you who were there with me)

They also gave us this little easter chocolatae and told us how they make the chocolates with these edible designs.

This is one of their boxes of chocolates. The entire box is made of chocolate. Even that cute spring flower decor is edible chocolate (made out of a transfer sheet of cocoa butter) cost $60.

Mill and I at the "chocolate bar" where you can go sit with your purchased chocolates and look through the windows into the kitchen where all the chocolates are being prepaired.

So, thanks Josh for an amazing weekend!

That is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO disgusting!

So we went out of town to CA. this weekend and had a great time (I'll post about that later). While we were there one of the things I enjoied was that I was not on edge about what disgusting bug might be lurking around the corner. As we came home one of the problems we faced: how many bugs will be in our house?... anyways, we went to bed last night and i usually put my cell phone under my pilllow so the alarm is quieter. I lifted up my pillow and wah-lah, there is a cockroach under it!!! I freaked out, of course and Josh had to come to my rescue: Although, I don't think this incident is anything that I can be truly rescued from. The image of that cockroach running around in my bed is something that will be forever burned in my mind. It took me 50 min. to fall asleep because I just couldn't stop thinking about it.

Bugs we've found in our house this week:

9 cockroaches
2 potatoe bugs
3 spiders
3 beedles
1 black and red hornet
1 worm
1 caterpiller
1 slug

so, sorry Lowe's but your do-it-yourself bug spray just isn't cutting it at our house. We need professional help. I will pay what ever is necessary to never find a cockroach in my bed (or anywhere else) again. If any memphis people happen accross this post let me know if you have any reccomendations.

Happy birthday to the guy who does it all!

Happy Birthday to Josh!!!

He is 29 tomorrow, March 26! Don't worry Josh, you won't officially be old until next year. Just wanted to say how amazing I think you are. It takes a "He-man" to do all that you do. Go to school (more than) full time, study, run 15 miles a day, are one of the best steeple chasers in the WORLD, fulfill church callings, and still have time to spend time with us, fix up our house, kill all the bugs that come inside, do "Fire-sides"& Assemblies, and help anyone who is in need of it! And you do it all with a smile on your face, well, 99.957 percent of the time! Love ya Lots! Good luck on your season opener race this weekend!

Disclaimer: Although he will probabally be embarassed that I put up these pictures I put them up anyway b/c I like them. He did not elect to have these pictures taken. A photographer for some magazine took them.

What Millie's Been Up To

Millie's been rolling like a pro for a couple weeks now, well, to the left that is... she just learned to roll to the right this weekend. It's just to funny!

What Millie's Been Up To

Millie is 5 months today! wow, seriously? Everyone says it goes by so quickly but I guess you just don't understand till you experience it! So, we've been having tonz of fun with Millie lately. We're going to California tomorrow for Josh to race- YES! (get me out of here!!!) and we have a 3 hour layover in SLC so we're meeting up with my family and are excited for them to see Mill. Here are a few things she's been keeping herself busy with lately...

SPITTING! she learned to spit and does it ALOT! it's is really just so funny. She'll stick her toung out like this and spit.

She totally loves Josh! if he is ever in the room she will stop what ever she's doing and just watch him. If she is eating and he comes in she will not eat until he leaves the room. (this is Millie and Josh is their St. Patricks get up's. What you can't see is Josh's knee length green clover socks.)

I've been taking Mill out in the baby Jogger each morning. It's been like 50 or 60 here in the mornings so it's so nice to get out and enjoy the nice mornings! I am so so glad we got the jogger, they're worth every penny. she likes it- good thing because if she didn't she'd be in for a long several years...

We went up to Josh's home in Cleveland for his spring break a couple weeks ago. Millie got to meet this celeb.- Mr. Clean!!! ha ha, this is one of Josh's best friends from H.S. but he teaches high school and his students call him Mr. Clean

She started eating cereal a couple weeks ago. sometimes it goes well, sometimes not but I'm just excited to get her eating more other stuff, lets get nursing over with!

So, for our family and anyone else who wants to be in the know, that's what millie's been up to these days!

Memphian bargans

This may sound a little o.c.d. but I've been trying to figure out: where is the best place to do my grocery shopping? Wal-mart usually is the cheapest, but often is super crowded, has wierd-o's, long lines and is often out of stock on items. Once i went and there was NO leutice! not even bagged stuff! Kroger is pretty nice, has good produce, but it usually seems like kroger doesn't have something I want that I end up having to go to Target to get (ie: 93/7 ground beef, rhodes rolls, sun-dried tomato salad dressing etc) I know is more expensive for some things but seems way less crowded and as mentioned has several items not found at other stores... plus I know of several things that are cheaper here than kroger... rice, cake mixes, all other "Baking needs" (we bought a special kind of sugar at kroger for $4.50, and it was like $3.50 at target) Shnuks seems a bit more expensive but seems to have some good sale items- I saw boxes of Mac & Cheese for like .49 cents! good for food storage? Anyways, here is my proposal, make a list of common grocery items and compare prices at all the stores and also compare time waiting in line etc. If they prices are lower for certain items perhaps it'd be worth going to 2 grocery stores. I was wondering if anyone would be interested in helping me out. I'd email you the list of items to price check. Thanks!

Quite the Chef

Josh really is quite the chef. We totally love cooking together and trying new things. (I love that about him.) This last week he went all out. One night he cooked us this totally delicious indian recipe! It was seriously almost as good as "Bombay House," and that's saying alot. He even made homeade Nan! What a guy! Then last night he invented his own cookie recipe and they were SOOO good! Have you ever had a cookie from "Ben's Cookies" at the Gateway in SLC? they are super delicious! We've been talking forever about discovering their recipe but haven't done it. Josh buckled down, and by george, I think he got it! I think that might be his secret recipe now but ask him to make you some :) but here is the indian recipe:

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 cup plain yoguret
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. cumin
1 t. cinnamon
3/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. pepper
1 T. minced fresh ginger
salt to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces

1 T. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno
2 t. cumin
2 t. paprika
1/2 t. salt
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. chopped cilantro

1. In lg. bowl combine yogurt, lemon, 2 t. cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, pepper, ginger and salt (if desired) Stir in chicken, cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
2. preheat a grill for high heat
3. Lightly oil the grill grate, thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 min. each side (we just cooked it on a pan on the stove instead.)
4. Melt butter in large skillet over med. heat. saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 min. Season with 2 t. cumin, paprika and 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low until sauce thickens, about 20 min. Add chicken and simmer for 10 min. Garnish with cilantro.
Serve over rice (basmatti rice is the indian rice but we usuallly just use jasmine)

A funny thing I remembered while trying to fall asleep

While I was at BYU I lived in "The Blue House" which is a cute house located right next to brick oven on 800 N. While I lived there I was dating this boy named Brad. I liked him alot. One day he apparently decited he didn't like me and so he tried to pull the fade away... you know, where they just decide not to call, or return your calls etc. pretty much they just start to ignore you. Since we'd been dating for about 2 months I thought this was totally lame of him. We at the blue house decited, fine, he's lame, we'll do something lame. So- the other thing about the blue house was that it was not known for it's cleanliness. I had cleaned out the fridge and found a carton of whipping cream that was 2 months past the expiration date- it was about the sickest thing I've ever smelled. Me and 3 other roomates (2 of which Brad had never met) took the cream, put it inside a purse and headed over to Brad's house. The 2 roomates went up to his door and said "sorry, we're on a walk but I REALLY have to go to the bathroom, can I please borrow yours?" of course the boys were very excited to come to the rescue of these 2 beautiful ladies and they let them come inside. While in the bathroom the roomate opened up the carton of cream, and hid it! Man, that was so lame, but I still think it was so funny!

While I was thinking about that I pulled out an old notebook that has Blue house quotes and goals. One of our goals was: "Make out with someone while wearing a neck-brace."???

I just think so many funny things happened in college! What a great time of life eh? Even though life is great now, sometimes don't you just wish you could revisit that part of live?

Giggles

Tonight Millie was being a little fussy pants so we tried to get her to take a nap for a minute. That lasted about 60 seconds and then we realized that wasn't gonna happen. So Whit brought her out to eat dinner with us and she was in a fantastic mood. She was Miss Giggly tonight and we filmed a few of them. Here's one for y'all to enjoy...particularly for the grandparents.

I love egg cups! It started last year when I went to Germany... having egg cups is just like having salad plates, it's prettty much essential. I blogged about egg cups last year, I've been wanting to find more. Last week at target I found these babies for $1.99 and had to get a few to go with my others. So fun for easter, or just anytime!

Godiva

I Love Godiva chocolates! One of the good things about memphis is that we have one in our mall. Every time I'm in the mall I have to take a little peek inside and just enjoy the chocolate as "eye candy" because I can't always justify spending $1.30 for a chocolate (sometimes I can justify it though, and I relish those days) For our anniversary Josh got me that whole box of Godiva Chocolates! Yum, Yum, YUM! My plan is to savor them, have only 1-2 a day and then I will have them around for the next couple weeks. It will be a moment of my day that I savor and look forward to! The bottom photo is the oyster chocolate, those are my favorite! Thanks Josh, you're the best!

p.s. Some of our friends didn't want a wedding cake for their wedding, but they loved godiva. They got tons of Godiva chocolates and had the Godiva people arrange them in the shape of a wedding cake! what a deliscious idea!

Little Mrs. Manners

Sorry Mom, it's not much, but all the good videos were a bit longer and it takes FOREVER for our internet to upload those... so this is all you get. And mom, you guys will probabally won't appreciate this... listen very closely after I say "do you have something to say to us?" Everybody else who watches this, sorry, but you won't be too intrigued, it's just that grandma's who are hundreds of miles away will love to see any sort of little video :)

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to a super great husband (...that's you Josh)

I can't believe it's been 4 years already! But, I'm glad it has only been 4, because that means I have many more years to enjoy you!!! I love you lots!

Valentine Blues

They call Memphis,
“Home of the Blues”
But I think you can feel
However you choose.
Ya see today my hearts in Memphis
And my mind is too.
Cause I’m so far away
From my sweetheart true.

A king size bed
That was all all mine!
But waking alone
On this Valentine?
I’d quarter that bed
And sleep on the corner.
Just to avoid being
This Valentine mourner.

My pookum packed me a love note
I opened it today.
So I’m feeling much better
This Valentine’s Day.
As soon as I can
I’ll jump on that plane.
So my body can be
In the same place as my brain.

Memphis may be
The Home of the Blues
But right now that’s the only,
Place I would choose
Hawaii, Beijing, SLC, or France?
None of those places
Would get half the chance.

I’d even take Memphis over
Bangkok or Rio,
Just to spend this Valentine’s
As the McAdams trio.

Love you two cuties!

Josh

Get your own baby...

My little Millie is such a cutie and I Love this stage that she's at! she's always soo happy and can't resist smiling anytime we look at her. She is learning all sorts of skills like complaining and shoving both hands in her mouth at the same time, and rolling over (well, almost) So I kindof have a story about a situation I found myself in... I went to wal-mart the other day to get some gum balls. (this was a story in and of itself. I was looking every where for gum balls to use in Young Womens and no one seemed to have them, or to know what they were for that matter. My last resort was Wal-mart. I called and asked "do you carry gum balls?" they lady says "gum balls? would that be in the toy department? what are gum balls?" I'm like "um.. no probabally with the candy, they're the round colored balls of gum that you chew?" and she's like "oh yeah." anyways, they did have them.) Anyways, so I go to the Wal-Mart. I had Millie with me, and I had her in her car seat which was set on the shopping cart. While we were inside so many people were just so excited to see her! About 4 or 5 different ladies came up and started talking to her. 2 of them started grabbing her hands and 1 lady was kissing the car seat. I have had a couple random people kiss her, on the face- now, I'm glad that I Millie can make people happy but... I'm fine with people I know touching and playing with her but what do you do when it's some total random (believe me, there are alot of random's here) who smells like smoke and seems like they haven't showered in a few days? etc.

Project Bathroom

This was our bathroom as we moved it. Now, not that it looks good in the photo but it looks WAY better in the photo than it did in person. The paint was totally flat and crusty, and the cupboards were painted with gloppy white paint with rusted out, falling off hinges, and orange paint on the edges and white paint on all the handles. The floor is white tile so with the white cabnets it was just to much.

Hinges. yick.

This is our new set of cabnets. I sanded for hours and hours. I was going to spray paint so I could get a nice smooth finish. I primed and painted and then replaced handles and hinges:) We also got rid of the orange walls and used a "Hazlenut cream" (beige). Now, we just need a shower curtain... but that's the hard part. I can't find anything! We want something that looks "clean" and that ties in with the black obviously. We also have that bluish rug that we like too so we're thinking a black, blue, "hazlenut cream" bathroom. So, here's where I need your help.

I think something like this fabric would be cool but can't find anything like it. I've looked at stores and I'm not finding much. I think I might make one? I've looked online at some fabric (we've got nothing good here as far as fabric stores.) I'm still not finding much, but below you'll see the best I've come up with...

but I wonder if I'd get sick of this and it might be to "kiddy"?

Same problem as above

too much for a shower curtain?

Perhaps the print is too small? too much blue?? (all fabrics from sewmammasew.com- love this site! check it out if you need cute fabric)

I'm trying to avoid having to buy this (above) shower curtain, featured by kholes. So- please let me know what you think. I'm horrible with decorating and need advice. I'd love it if you've seen any cute curtains anywhere or if you know of any cute fabric online that I could get. Thanks!

17.3 laps to a mile

I really enjoy a good Saturday run. Today I was in a dilemma as Josh is in NYC, and there was no one to watch Millie. The weather is in the 60's so I just couldn't pass up the opportunity. Millie had fallen asleep in her car seat on our way home from a baby shower, so I took the monitor in one hand, and the GPS in the other and started off on a little run on my own personal track-- my yard. As I circled round and round, I found that there are 17.3 laps to a mile. sheesh! My neighbors (out working on 4 wheelers) found that they lived by a really strange lady! I agree with the neighbors, it was strange... I was pretty much smiling/laughing the whole time because it was just so rediculous. (You see, Josh and I had joked about this earlier, so I just had to try it) p.s. sorry if you think I'm a bad mom, but I was never further than 20 feet from Millie, and I checked on her 3 times during my 9 min. run