Seattle

With training camp and football season right around the corner, Teag and I thought we should have a little getaway before the craziness begins!

We weren't quite sure what to do without our little buddy in tow, but we managed to do a few things and enjoy just being together :)

-

Neither of us had been to Seattle before and we were thinking the temp might be a little cooler than Southern Utah these days!

We drove around and explored, saw the beautiful UW campus, went to Pike Market a couple times, walked along the waterfront, checked out the floating houses and beautiful lakes and scenery, went to an awesome farmers market with the yummiest fruit, slept in, and of course, you can't go to Seattle without hitting Nordstrom and Starbucks!

Pike Market

we never did get a pic of them throwing the fish around!

the skyline

Puget Sound - I wonder if Derek and Meredith are on that ferry?! I really wanted to go to Seattle Grace Hospital, but we didn't make it ;)

The football and baseball stadium with Mt. Ranier in the background.

We didn't realize how rare it is to see Mt. Ranier! We had great weather while we were there so we were lucky enough to see it.
The Yankees were playing the Mariners while we were there, but neither of us are the biggest baseball fans so we skipped the game.

Teag next to our sweet rental car. Too bad he barely fit in it!
We swore we will never have a small rental car again...



us
(squeezed into our rental car!)

and of course, what is Seattle without NORDSTROM!

Teag was a good sport and checked out the global headquarters with me

I guessed there would be a lot of Starbucks, but who knew?!

There was literally one on every block - sometimes even 2 or 3!
Being in the Starbucks hub, I was able to find the VENTI size in my dream cup.

This one is for you Kelley!
This was our dream place in London! The only other place I have seen one was in Whistler, Canada so I was VERY excited to come across this!

-

Of course we missed our little man (thanks gma and gpa whiting for watching him!)

but, we did have a fun just the two of us!

new fave

Our buddy is obsessed with Toy Story.

buzz, woody, and the rest of the gang!

And crocs are a staple for Dallas in the spring, summer & fall.

So, when I saw these I couldn't resist.

BACK to SCHOOL

Tomorrow night I finish my first official class of the

Master of Education Counseling Program

This is something I have wanted to do and planned to do for a while now. The program was originally going to start last fall, but kept getting postponed, so I am very happy it is finally underway.

The first class, Portfolio I, was an overview of the program. I was really excited about my first real class - Life Span & Family Development. It has been SO interesting! It was almost like a parenting class at times. I only do one class at a time, each lasting 6 weeks. It is kind of nice to be able to focus on one subject. My next class is Personality Theories and Counseling Models. I am learning alot in general and a lot about myself (it CAN be a little much at times, such as when we were studying adolescence and had to write a 5-7 page self-reflection paper?!?!). It is A LOT of reading and A LOT of writing, but I am truly loving every minute!

It has been about 8 years since I graduated from college, so obviously things have changed.

I went to the store to get my "school supplies" and wasn't even sure if I should get a notebook.

It is all laptops now - again, very different from when I was in college! Back then I was thinking I was really with it because I had a {HUGE} desktop!

This new adventure will be a lot of work, but also so fulfilling and exciting. I will be sure to post all the interesting things I am learning :)

dal

{ enjoying a red mango - his favorite!}

{playing with daddy}



{so proud of his potty chart - too bad he hasn't used the potty yet!}

{best buddies!}

{SO excited for Toy Story 3! He was all set for the big show-buzz shirt, toy story lunch box filled with toy story fruit snacks, buzz and woody}

{that's my boy!}

A few things about our little man these days...

* he tells me "mom, you fired" when he doesn't like my answer to his requests. Nothing like my 3-yr-old firing me from being his mom :)

* Teag has a football camp at SUU this week and Dallas has been telling everyone he sees that his dad had to go camping

* he is Teag's little shadow - he was so bummed when we told him he couldn't go to the workouts with daddy this week

* he is ALWAYS practicing his letters, numbers, and shapes-in the store, while we are driving, around the house. Leap Frog really works wonders!

* I was having back problems and Dallas was the best little helper carrying things for me because "mommy's back was sick". He was so excited the other morning when I got him out of his crib, he yelled "Yay mommy! Your back all better! Now you can carry me again!" So sweet.
* "why?" - this is what we hear everyday, after pretty much everything we say. I have been told I did the same thing to my parents :)

* Dallas hadn't been to school in a little while. Monday was his first day back, so when I picked him up I asked him how his day was. He told me his friend Keen-meister went to time-out. I asked Dal if he went to time-out and he told me no and changed the subject. A little later in our car ride home, out of the blue, he tells me "mommy I DID go to time-out today at school". Uh-oh. It took a while to get it out of him, but eventually he told me Keen-meister hit him, so he hit him back. He followed up with "Mommy, we don't hit or kick. We only kick balls. And we talk nice" Good point little man.

* I rarely get a simple "no" from Dal. Regardless of the situation it is "no way Jose" - even through tears. Love this boy of mine!

* he takes his job of watering the flowers very seriously and makes sure to get it done every night

* whenever Teag or I go somewhere he comes out in the front yard to wave goodbye, blow kisses, tell us he will miss us, loves us, and tell us "peace mom" or "rock on dad"

* he wipes off my kisses and thinks it is about the FUNNIEST thing ever! (But he is pretty good about giving me kisses, so I guess it is a trade off!)

* Last night I was talking to him, asking about his day at school, etc. and he finally just looked over and said, "Mommy, shhh!" Great. Now Teag will probably try to use that one too!

-

{helping himself to a popsicle-one of probably 20 per day}

{so silly wearing my goggles in the tub}

{making cookies with gma-such the little helper!}