The AZ Monkey

I've got to get this AZ monkey off my back. Somewhat to not really ironic that this post is of the wild animal park/zoo/aquarium and I don't have a picture of a monkey. So, like I said, I'm disappointed with the lot of pictures I came home with. Again, I like them, but they are more of stuff than Miles and my fam. For example, the first two pictures are the only two pictures I got of Miles at the zoo.

Picture one.

Picture two. Miles looks pretty excited and interested, doesn't he?

The rest are just of animals and fish. And that's that.

A jaguar. Kind of gives me chills just a bit. I'd really hate to run into one of those out in the wild.

Like I said, you could get really close to the animals. And the fencing was just some logs that didn't even go as high as my hip.

The tortoises were ginormous.

The giraffes were one of the animals you could feed. I didn't feed them for a couple reasons. 1. I'm too cheap and too big of a penny pincher to throw out a few quarters for the food. 2. The stringy slime its tongue left behind on peoples' hands just wasn't worth it to me.

These guys were all over each other like they were in love or something. I think they look in love.

This bird had an ear piercing squawk. So pretty, so loud.

Fatty.

Skinny.

Pinocchio?

I like this blue frog. If I were a frog and could choose my color, I think I'd choose this here blue, even though blue is not at all my favorite color. Or one I even like a whole lot. But I like this blue frog. I'd do blue if I were a frog.

This park/zoo/aquarium was really cool, I thought. You could get so close to all of the animals and feed a lot of them. Miles favorite part was without a doubt the train of which I have no pictures. He thought it was the greatest thing ever and was so happy and excited to go on a train. He wanted to sit on the bench/seat all by himself like he was really owning the awesome experience. He was pretty intent on seeing the giraffes more than once, but didn't seem that interested in getting too close. All in all, it was a great trip to the zoo. Thanks Mom and Dad.

Lastly, here is a pretty boring video of Miles passing up the opportunity to touch sting rays. He did touch some before I took this video but I guess he'd touched enough. Watch it or not: your call.

Sting Rays, Whiny Miles from DAM FAM on Vimeo.

One more AZ post, folks. One more.

A bit of AZ and a lot of mom talk

Hardly any of AZ, actually. I'm pretty disappointed in the lot of pictures I came home with. I mean, I like them, but they are lacking majorly. I don't have a single picture of Miles with my parents or my grandma, or of the stuff he did everyday like playing at the park and riding in the bike stroller. And you know what? Isn't that glass half empty? I think I'm waaaay more negative than I'd like or realize or admit or whatever. So, let me fill that glass right up with some pictures I did get. Just from the first day and a half, really.

When I said it was nice to see some non-flat terrain, I wasn't joking. What you see above is my definition of flat. If yours is any different, I'd be delighted to know what it is.

Miles wanted to watch "Cars" before the plane even took off on the way out, but didn't want to watch anything on the way back. He was totally perfect on both flights.

AZ welcomed us with a beautiful sunset.

The army men were one of the first toys Miles wanted to play with.

Using his neck/crane to see them way up there.

So careful.

So brave looking.

So cute looking.

Seriously, when I went through this group of pictures tonight, I just looked at my sweet little boys' adorable face and let myself melt. I've been in a crappy rut as a mom lately. I don't know what changed or what happened, but I've just found myself being ultra annoyed at Miles lately. Instead of just watching him with delight all day, noticing how cute his mouth is or how big he's getting, I've just been wanting a break from him. I feel so rotten about it all. It's just selfishness on my part. And I think this 700 sq. foot jail is getting to us. And the crap that is the weather. And the whole single parent bit since Dave is so so so busy and never home. And Miles never takes a nap these days. And I feel like I have to watch him all the time because what if he pees his pants?

But dog gone it, he's getting so big! I have to enjoy it while I have it. I'm a bit beside myself because I have been so pleased with motherhood. I'm the mom that dropped everything and gave 110% to her baby and loved everything about it. I'm sorry, was I still married back then? Poor Dave. Anyway, I feel like I went from one end to the other, and now I'm looking for the middle. Miles is such a pleasure, I have no reason to be annoyed that he takes like 2 freakin hours to eat a lunch while I remind him constantly to eat, or that he wants to play and play and play and be wild at bed time and stall by saying he has to go poop, but really he's just milking time by sitting on the toilet not pooping or needing to poop. Those things are so normal. He is such a good little boy. He's so happy and fun loving and still laughs at the drop of a hat like he always has. He would seriously be content for 24 hours straight playing on my bed. I'm so lucky to have him and be his mom.

Back

Miles and I got back on Sunday. Dave did the grocery shopping before we got back so we had some food. What a pal. We had a great time in AZ, riding the bike to the park and just going outside. Miles had so much fun being around my parents and grandma. When we got back to Minnesota and in the car Miles was looking out the window saying, "Snow, Gramma" like he thought he brought her with him in his pocket. And yesterday he wanted to get his shoes on and go outside and I told him it was too cold (teens at the warmest) and he gave me some fightin' words, "No, IT'S WARM!" We argued back and forth until I took him over to the door, opened it and let the air freeze his boogers. Also, I thought AZ was quite beautiful. I enjoyed seeing some non-flat terrain and I quite liked all the cacti. It's a pretty desert. It's a shame it gets hotter than sin.

I haven't even got the pictures off my camera. However, you're in luck because I got some videos off the flip.

To start out, here's something to make me wish the cold of this Minnesota winter was over:

When it's Warm from DAM FAM on Vimeo.

And here's Miles singing some song about horses. He started out by counting and kind of got stuck on the numbers 14 & 16... I think. And then made a song. You tell me:

14, 16 Horse from DAM FAM on Vimeo.

And last but most certainly best, here is a video of my dad. He has a love affair with BYU sports. It's amazing. It's slow at the start, but definitely worth it by the end. Enjoy:

Fan from DAM FAM on Vimeo.

Here Fishy

Miles and I are in Arizona for a bit whilst Dave slaves away with school and work in Minnesota. We are having a great time, riding the bike every morning, enjoying some nice weather, playing outside and even a little In-N-Out. It smells the same every time. Mmm mmm good.

It seemed like Dave was able to spend a bit more time with us for a few days before we left, so it was sad to say goodbye and we miss Dave. He's such a wiz of a handsome husband. That's what someone told me long ago, anyway. Dave... always stealing hearts.

Before we left we went to the Zoo and Conservatory right by our place since it was 30 or something and so warm. So, here's some pictures from that day of being together and to wishing life was void of responsibility and we could all just vacation together all the time and that Dave was here.

My views:

Dave's views:

I love all these iPod pictures of Miles. And I snapped my finger flesh in the stroller clip thing. We miss Dave. Bye.

A Lovely Valentine's Day

To start off, the state in which we live have given us some downright warm weather.

We are talking 30s! Yesterday was 40s-- it was beautiful.

Within the state in which we live, I have these guys. Miles is pretty annoying to me lately/right now AKA bed time, but Dave is always a winner.

What more could I ask for on Valentine's Day? I got "warm" weather and good company that doesn't have any homework! Maybe I could ask for a game of Boggle... P.S. This is the face Miles makes when you tell him to smile. P.P.S. These pictures were taken at the St. Paul Winter Carnival. They have ice sculptures and I honestly couldn't tell you what else. It was really cold on this day that we went, pretty crowded and we weren't really sold on "The Coolest Celebration on Earth." Maybe we missed something.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ultimate Random

Speaking of random, did you see that Dave updated the blog? I was like, "Whaaaat?!?" I felt so special. And that video of Miles is one of my all time favorites. So perfectly Miles.

I was meandering through some pictures and stumbled upon some that I'm not particularly proud of, but felt like sharing anyway. And I live here so if you don't like it, move out.

Random item of business #1:

We live in a city. A big city. Or two of them, kinda. I'm definitely a city mouse. I love the energy, the opportunities, the exploring, the learning, the walking, the looking, the people watching, the culture, the food... I love being so close to a big city.

The underside of one of my more favorite-ish Minneapolis bridges.

The Mississippi looking like she got a cold from being frozen and got a stream of snot...

Nighttime Minneapolis.

The Mississippi all frozen over and cold and a blue freeway.

P.S. These pictures are all of Minneapolis, but I think I like downtown St. Paul better. Maybe. For now, because I know it better.

Random item of business #2:

We went and saw Sesame Street LIVE.

We were a little late and got there after the show started and Miles literally did not crack a smile until he saw the number 1 toward the end of the show. I think he was feeling leery that it was dark and he didn't get to check/scope out/observe his surroundings and get settled in first. So I guess it made him feel safer to not smile.

Random item of business #3:

I've been told a number of times that I come off as a snob. I get it. I totally get it. I think there are a few main points/flaws in my personality that contribute to this.

1. Tunnel vision. If I have work to be done or a task to accomplish I get major tunnel vision. Kind of like how I don't think I told my friend Melissa how pretty her little baby was because I was there to take pictures and I was focused on accomplishing that very task. If Miles has to pee at church and someone tries to stop me in the hall to say "hi," I have to first realize that someone just said something to me and then say hi back over my shoulder as I've already passed them by. Tunnel vision.

2. Non-social. First off, I have been so much better. Since moving out here I've been much more social and friendly and outgoing. I like to be friendly and outgoing. I can be friendly and outgoing. It's not outside my comfort zone. Before Dave and I got married I was a major social butterfly and way too flirty for my own good. My problem is sometimes I just don't care to put in the time or effort. I'm pretty darn comfortable in my own skin and I'm happy in my life, so I guess there hasn't been much of a force driving my sociability in the last few years. But, again, I've been way better. So this one only half counts right now, but it's definitely a culprit from the past.

3. My face. No joke. I think I just have a grouchy look. So sad to be me! This one I don't even think about, it's just natural. I took some pictures because I wondered just how stuck up and snobbish I look when I'm just sitting there and...

Yowza! When I saw this picture I first gasped and then I said to my self, "Homegirl, please don't tell me that's how mean you look...." And I willed my face to look nicer but true.

But it never got better than this. Wah.

But it's just not realistic for me to look like this all the time. I can't fake it. I don't like it when other people fake it. Why should I? I guess I'll just have to settle. Ashley the snob (but not really-- I promise).

That concludes all random items of business. Besos.