Australia here we come!!!!!!

In a little over a week I will be boarding a 16 hour flight from LAX to Sydney. This will be a joyful event for obvious reasons....I AM GOING TO AUSTRALIA!!!!!! But it will also be so hard and tears will be shed because I am leaving Dillan for 10 days in the care of his grandparents! Dusty earned an all expense paid trip to Sydney for being a kick ass salesman at Federated Insurance and we get to go to the one place we have always wanted to go together. The fact that we are actually going hasn't quite hit me yet, but I am so excited. I know being with out my little man for that long is going to be so brutal, but it is an opportunity that we couldn't pass up. We just purchased webcams for both of our parents so that we can see him everyday while we are apart. I know he is in good hands. In fact, it is not him I am worried about....IT IS ME!!!!!!!! I will just have to stay busy doing things like hiking the blue mountains, going to Manly Beach, wine tasting, going to the spa for a massage, and attending parties and galas with Dusty's colleagues......I think I will come out alive:) T minus 10 days and this is where I will be with the love of my life!

The aerial view of Manly Beach

The building to the right of the Opera House

with the yellow writing is the hotel we are staying at!!!!

Night view of our hotel with the lights coming out...

UNREAL!!!!!!!!!

7 months old....and changing everyday

Dillan is now closer to being a one year old than being a newborn! AHHHHHH! Can you believe it? This last month was filled with milestones! Dillan is army crawling all over the house. I have had to start baby proofing a little bit. Why is it that they want to touch and play with everything they are NOT supposed to play with.....like electrical outlets:) He now sits up in the bathtub and plays with bath toys, which is so cute! He got his first tooth on January 1st! I had seen the little white bud for a couple of days and he was a little bit fussy, and it finally cut through on New Years Day. The other bottom one should be coming through any day now. I am officially done breastfeeding, so Dillan is taking a bottle and he loves to hold it on his own like a big boy. It cracks me up! He is eating all sorts of fruits and veggies...he loves peas and sweet potatoes and does not love green beans and squash. He also LOVES the new little puffs that disintegrate in his mouth:) Dilly is my little buddy.....we go everywhere together. He is becoming so interactive and he definitely knows his mama, which of course I love! He truly is smiling like 95% of the day. He loves to play peek a boo, especially when he is in the outside swing. He is going to be one active baby, he always wants to be playing and moving. As you can see, we have moved from the bed to the the chair for our monthly photo shoots. Who knows where we will be next:)

I am a big boy!!!!!

Hey....I am going to eat this sign!

Mom, I can only take so many pictures

Loungin'

Hey ladies......

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!

The New Year is always a special time....not only because it is the New Year and a chance to start new and have a clean slate and get life in order, but also because it's my birthday!!!!! It is always fun to ring in the New Year and celebrate being born at the same time. This year we had a really mellow New Years Eve up in Pasadena just hanging out with my hubby and sister in law Jordyn. I scrapbooked, we did a puzzle and watched a movie. The next day was filled with snacking, lounging, napping, and watching football. My mom spent the day slaving in the kitchen and cooked up an amazing home cooked meal of ribs, salmon, lobster, creamed peas, asparagus, AND twiced baked potatoes! The Olson's came over and we had a very special joint family birthday celebration. However, the HIGHLIGHT of my birthday was the most special, intimate, beautiful birthday party that my husband threw for me the following night with all of our amazing friends. We were in the comfort of our own home and got all dressed up and had no kids! Dusty was an amazing host and Pattie helped us create a beautiful ambiance. There was a very special time of sharing that touched my heart followed by yummy cake and a really fun game. This evening stands at the top of my life as one of my favorite parties to date! Thank you to all my amazing friends who helped create this memory and for my wonderful husband who threw me an amazing party!

The birthday girl! I got lots of

jewelry as gifts:)

Nicole, Kim, and Jordyn

Nic and I

The Hammans, Davis', and Davis'

Cordero's, Devine's, Gardiner's,

Bettino's and Cefalia's

Pretty flowers

My beautiful birthday cake....same place we

got our wedding cake:)

The guys

The gals

Kim, Car, and Mich