9. Getting to spend 5 weeks in California for John's work
8. John getting to launch a missile
7. Caleb turning three and moving out of the toddler phase. He got over his fear of water (for the most part), climbed his first mountain, threw more tantrums than I want to count, started negotiating, became increasingly interested in the Gospel and scripture stories, and just grew up! He is not a little baby anymore!
6. Caleb's broken arm-not a great highlight but one that will be remembered.
5. Caleb developing not only a little attitude but a wonderful sense of humor and great reasoning ability!
4. Family vacations to Utah (in particular Zion National Park! My sissy's wedding and John's bro's graduation), Oregon, the Hot Springs, Disneyland, San Diego, San Francisco, Monterey, Whitefish, Missoula, Bozeman and camping.
3. John completing his Master's Degree from Norwich University-with honors I might add!
2. Celebrating our 5 year anniversary with an AMAZING!!!! me and John only trip to HAWAII!
1. Getting to hear this little guy's heartbeat for the first time! (due July 28th!)
Caleb has turned from baby hater to baby lover overnight! He couldn't be more excited for his "favorite friend to come out"
We love Whitefish, Montana. All our trips there have just been so much fun, so many great memories. We just had to go back this year. We planned this trip back in October, maybe even September. As the winter started to develop snowlessly John kept saying "I just hope a huge storm hits once we get to Whitefish and then I can ski on fresh powder." Apparently John has connections with Mother Nature because that is exactly what happened-the whole northwest got pounded Wednesday afternoon.
Caleb was so excited to go skiing! (yes that is his toilet seat in the background a a picture that I took down for him to look at while on the potty and now I can't get it to hang again). He is not potty trained, but he is trying so hard we decided to let him ski all the same.
The drive wasn't great but wasn't horrible. They just don't plow in this state, and the big news this week is that the snowplowers might strike. Honestly I didn't know there were snowplowers in this state. It was freezing though -22 when we stopped for the bathroom. You know you have lived in Montana too long when you get out in that weather and don't think it is that cold.
The wonderful view from our room
To say that Caleb was excited to ski is an understatement. He woke up at 2 AM wanting breakfast and to go skiing. Multiple times through the night he ran into the hallway wanting to go skiing. Yes he never fell back to sleep after 2 AM. It was a very long night.
We rented a condo, which was great hillside, had a pool and a kitchen, just wonderful. But ALL our bedding was denim, even the bed skirt. Totally awful decor.
One of the things Caleb wanted at 2 AM was Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, since we don't have cable that is the highlight of hotels. He is too young to understand that at 2 AM you have no choice but infomercials. When Mickey Mouse came on he couldn't stop jumping up and down (I was in the middle of changing him, it took several minutes to finish).
I did yoga during Mickey Mouse, wonderful views to help me find zen
We were going to meet John at 1. When we started to get ready to ski I just knew Caleb was too tired.
He is awake but not moving
I pushed him to the lodge (not fun pushing a stroller in thick snow uphill) he was out within 2 minutes. He slept in the lodge for almost 2 hours.
We tried to wake him, he was still out of it.
First time on skis!
What the ski instructors say is to have the kid hold the pole and kind of drag them along, Caleb wouldn't even hold the pole.
We know that leashes are frowned upon in the skiing community, but we had already gotten one and we had a feeling that was the only way to get him moving even a little. (I was slightly annoyed the insert said it is only for skiing not to be used in the lodge, hotel, car and other places-if I want my kid on a ski leash I am going to keep him on a ski leash!)
That 59 seconds is about all the skiing we got out of him. He kept telling me "skiing just isn't for me, I have teeny tiny legs" So we gave up. John was discouraged because he had had great dreams of his son speeding down the hill at 3, or at least riding the Magic Carpet. Caleb was discouraged because he felt like a failure since he fell (he really kept saying that, I told him at least he didn't break a bone!). So we went back to the lodge and the song "Bad Day" came on and I just felt like it fit the moment so well (actually it was John's best skiing day in Montana. He met a guy on the ski lift and they did crazy double black diamonds through the trees together. So it ended up great!)
We shall try skiing again. I honestly think we should rent skis and just work on balance in the backyard (if there is ever snow there). I think next month we will try again after a good nights rest. It was still a super fun trip.
This almost could be a separate post, but I am too lazy. We decided to take the long scenic way home. We know we have a year left up here, but we are kind of booked up already for the whole year. As we left Whitefish we knew we might never come back (next year we are determined to ski Banff). It is very bittersweet for us. So I have always wanted to see Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake this side of the Mississippi. It is about an hour or so south of Whitefish, so we started to drive.
A view as we sped past.
Then we realized we are in Montana, no one is on the road, we can just stop in the middle and take a picture.
The end of the lake
The picture two up is the Mission Mountains. Apparently that mountain range has more grizzly bears then anywhere else in the world (ok maybe not but a lot). So they don't let hikers up in there, except a really short window before the bears get too wild and want to eat all the hikers. I immediately wanted to go into that mountain range. The last picture is just pretty Montana.
We headed on to Missoula (really long route home) because I wanted to see something at REI and then we could see John's grandma really quick. John said it was hard driving into the valley realizing again it could be one of our last times (we will pass through in May on the way to Spokane, but besides that who knows). Even though John's grandma lives there once me move it is very unlikely we will come back and it was hard for John since he has so many memories there not only over the last couple of years, but as a young lad. I guess leaving this place will be a little hard (though we are both really sick of the "keep Missoula weird" signs and attitude-you aren't Portland!)
It has been about a year so we decided to cut Caleb's hair.
The before
He was really good for the whole thing, but there were times when he just looked a little unsure
I LOVE! the look on his face in this one.
*This picture reminds me of a random story. A couple of months ago we went to the Temple in Billings. One of my friends who I have known since probably 5th grade lives 7 minutes from the Temple (really what are the chances of a girl from my home stake living that close) anyway she so sweetly offered to baby-sit whenever we go now. About 5 or 10 minutes before we went back to get him he went over to the corner and said "I think we need to clean up so mommy can come get me" she tried to reassure him I would be back soon and he said "I am brave I am not crying" as he fought back tears. He said the same thing when we picked him up, similar face.
The after with his friend Jace (who's mother cut the hair). The sucker at the end was a big motivation for staying still
Caleb got my love for exercising. Over the holidays I had to take him to the gym a lot with me (they have a parent/child area) because it wouldn't open earlier enough for me to go before John worked. He would always make sure he got to do exercises while we were there. The other day I saw him doing these weird squats and he kept saying "look mommy I'm doing my exercises like you"
We are a whole wheat family, besides yummy tortillas we eat sometimes and Lion House Rolls, we eat whole wheat. If you do it right whole wheat has a much better taste than white (John's words not mine). My sister asked for my pizza dough recipe and I figured I would just post it here since I am typing it up anyway. Then she will always know where to find it.
Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
adapted from http://www.savoryreviews.com/2011/04/04/honey-whole-wheat-pizza-dough/
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/3 cup warm water (105-115 degrees) – body temp is 98 degrees, so place your finger under the tap and when it starts to feel warm you are at the right temperature.
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 – 2 cups white whole wheat flour (you can find that easily up here in wheat country, outside of Montana check a health food store) or unbleached white flour (if you are going to use it at least get unbleached please :)
2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbs honey
1/2-1 tsp EACH basil, oregano and garlic powder
Parmesan cheese
Place yeast, water and honey in bowl of a mixer with bread hook. Allow to sit 5-10 minutes until nice and bubbly (ever since we moved here yeast takes longer to bubble for me, maybe the elevation or something, just watch it)
Add the salt and olive oil, then slowly add the 2 cups of wheat flour garlic powder, basil, oregano and parmesan cheese (I usually put around 1/2 cup or so, just eyeball it). Then slowly add the white flour to the mixture 1/2 cup at a time. Mix by hand or on low speed in your mixer for a minute or until the flour is incorporated. The amount of bread flour required to make a dough ball that is not too sticky will vary with temperature and humidity. Mine took a little more than 1.5 cups of bread flour. Once you have a good dough ball, place it on a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. If you have a mixer with a dough hook place it on medium speed for 10 minutes.
Place on a flour surfaced, covered with a towel for about an hour, or until double in size. Use your hands to shape into a pizza. Brush with olive oil and poke with fork Preheat your pizza stone in the oven at 450. Cook dough for 7-10 minutes or until mostly cooked through. Pull out crust, add toppings and cook another 3-5 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
This is suppose to make two crusts, I like me some thick crust so it only made one, very very large pizza. It is amazing. Caleb has asked for pizza everyday since we ate this. Use a pizza stone and make sure you don't overdo it on the toppings, common mistake, especially the cheese. Use homemade pizza sauce too. Oh so yummy!
The other recipe I have been asked by a couple people for is my chimichanga recipe, super yummy and easy to make. I kind of made this one up, so follow along if you can :)
1 diced pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 sweet onion
Several handfuls of spinach
1 can beans either pinto or black
about 3/4 c. frozen corn, eyeball it to match the beans more or less.
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
a couple drops of cholula or hot sauce of choice-should you like it spicy
1 can diced tomatoes-fire roasted is very yummy but not necessary
1/2 cup cooked rice (I use either Bajio's sweet rice though I add lime juice to this recipe or my dad's spanish rice recipe)
Uncooked tortillas. I can get them at Wal-mart and if my wal-mart carries them I bet yours does too. Sam's and Costo have them in Utah, so check there, much cheaper and so good! Or use whole wheat.
Monterey and cheddar cheese-enough for your liking
Preheat oven to 425. Heat a couple guzzles of Habanero Olive Oil (as a general rule not a fan of flavored olive oil, this is the exception to the rule, man it has a kick that is so great and wonderful, and it is made not far from where Caleb came into this earth!). Should you not want to buy it use EVOO and add some jalapenos for a kick. Once heated add a diced pepper (I have used red, green, and yellow and a combo-this is my man we have a lot of produce that is about to rot recipe), garlic and onion. Saute for a couple of minutes then add spinach, beans, corn and spices. Allow spinach to wilt and then add tomatoes and rice.
Cook tortillas on a hot skillet.
Divide cheese and filling among the tortillas. Fold in long sides of the tortilla then short sides. Flip over. Cook for 15-20 minutes until brown and crispy. Serve hot with dipping sauce of choice.
Makes 8-10
*The filling freezes great.
*This is a wonderful recipe because if you have something throw it in, if you don't oh well it is still amazing. I have left almost every ingredient out at one point or another. Once I added yams instead of rice, amazing. Really I love this recipe!
*Yes this is vegetarian, you can add meat, we do sometimes, but why not just try a vegetarian meal tonight? Eating vegetarian just once a week saves the average family about $500 a year. And there are all kinds of crazy health benefits and if your husband has the cancer genes my husband has, you will be looking for that too (I guess my child has them too-yikes!)
Dipping sauces I love:
Avocado Dressing (I will use half yogurt half sour cream sometimes, not always a fan of too much greek yogurt taste)
Cilantro Dip
1 10 oz can Rotel Tomatoes with Lime and Cilantro
4 oz cream cheese
1 c. loosely packed cilantro
1/2 c sour cream
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Blend together until smooth and refrigerate at least an hour before.
That one is super yummy!
Ok that is all. Try them they are both so yummy! Let me know what you think!
I always say that I am really glad this assignment was our first assignment because we only have one kid and he is young, too young to really realize Dad is gone all the time. I am sure most young moms feel that way since lots of my friends have hubby's in med school, or who have to work a million hours a week at their new career, or intense church callings (or as one special friend, all three). Caleb is now starting to figure out John is gone a lot and asks me "is today a day I see dad?" Once he figures out the answer to that he can then respond to any request from "time to dinner" to "clean up time" to "potty time" with "I'll do it when dad gets home." (he got John's hair and my sass!)
Here are some pictures of the fun when dad is home!
The night we were waiting for my family I got the instagram app for my phone, they were really slow driving, I had to keep Caleb entertained somehow.
Caleb is very obsessed with needing a safety harness when he is doing things, John made him a great harness out of robe and then carried him around the house.
We have been telling Caleb for months he can't go skiing with Dad unless he wears underwear. Now that the cast is off we have started on that again, so the other day he said he wanted to wear underwear. He was pretty good for a couple of days so we took him to try on skis.
Trying on skis was enough for him, he now has lost interest in the potty.
These pictures are so out of order, who cares though right. Again waiting for my family, Caleb needed safety goggles this time to fight fires.
The other day I told Caleb we were going to Sam's Club and asked if he wanted lunch before or after. He said he just wanted Sam's Club lunch. I thought he meant the samples but as soon as we got in the store he dragged John to the food court for some pizza!
We went and got sushi the other day and the hostess was in love with Caleb and wanted to know if he wanted to see the fish, so John and him went to the fish tank in the other room. Not sure if they picked the one for our sushi or not.
Golfing!
And handsome daddy.
In March we will reach our 3 year mark up here, which means only 1 more year of alerts, give or take a couple of months. I know that is still 12-18 months, but it is so nice to have an end in sight. Especially now that Caleb has the slightest concept of time and misses his daddy so much!
John and I meet the summer of 05 working at Aspen Grove Family Camp. We got married August 10th 2006. We have one son, Caleb who is 3. John is a 1st Lt. in the Air Force and we are currently stationed in Great Falls, Montana. I am a stay at home mom who sometimes teaches cycling on base
