Merry Christmas!

Hopefully this blog will magically update itself while I'm enjoying the Christmas Holidays.

While I wait for that to happen, here are a few 'out-takes' that did NOT make the Christmas card this year.

9 Months (2 months ago)

Let's play a little game of catch-up. Sam turned 9 months old, almost 2 months ago. To keep things in order here, I thought I'd post it first.

Sam is such a joy to have in our home. He has so much personality and just loves to laugh with me at anything.

I feel so lucky that I get to spend all day, every day with him. (hopefully he feels the same about me!)

I'm in love and I don't even care who knows it!

Introducing the Rubbermaid Reveal. Yes, its so awesome I had to blog about it! I hate those yucky sponge mops that just collect gross germs. I don't like to get down on all fours and clean my floor on a daily basis and I really don't like the amount of waste that the Swiffer creates and the money that continually has to be put into it to buy new solution and wipes and batteries, so I never bought one. When I saw the commercial for this new baby, I was pretty sure this little guy would contribute to a long lasting relationship! So far he has not let me down!

The best things about this are a) You wash the little pad (buy it at Sams Club and you'll get two of them with your mop purchase) b) You put your own soap solution in the little bottle. Yes, this mop is a practical money saver people! It has solved my problem of having a dirty little boy because I can't keep my floor clean enough, I just whip this out a couple times a day and now my floor AND baby stay clean!! 
Speaking of baby boy. I'm going to go love on him some right now. - I really have lots of fun pictures and things to tell you about. Maybe this afternoon.

We labored for labor day

We went hiking with some friends on Labor day. We hiked for SEVEN hours...with a baby...in the hot sun. It was fun. No really, it was.Sam was a champ. He slept for a good portion of the trek.Here we are, some of us, up at the plane crash site eating lunch...bottom left hand corner is a piece of some of the wreckageBasically Sam liked to eat whatever we are eating and he's smart. He knows when we try to sneak and just feed him some pears instead of what we're eating. In this case, he wanted the whole apple.Making sure Sam stays hydrated. It was hot!Another picture of Sam because, didn't you know this is Sam's blog now? I'm so entirely in love with this child.After we finished our hike, we were dirty, tired, hot, sweaty, etc. and so we decided to go swimming! Sam loves swimming and so do it, when the water isn't FREEZING cold! I had just gone swimming a few days earlier at this very same pool and it was perfectly warm but they seriously must have refilled it with ice water since then. So, I just soaked my sore feet while Sam and Gary swam.Sam is such a climber. He is constantly climbing up on me to hang over the back of the couch or whatever he can climb on. So these chair/beds were PERFECT for his climbing practice.We also hit up a UNM Lobo Men's soccer game with some other friends. Fun stuff! I think I'd like to attend another game.And here he is, ready for the BYU game We even ate blue waffles out on the back deck while dressed in blue to celebrate. But even THAT couldn't get them a win.

And this because it's cute. Check out his little feet (that I adore). That bar on his stroller is to hold his car seat, but he's big enough to not sit in the car seat now, so I need to put the little snack tray thingy. But he loves to just prop his feet up on that bar and 'chilax'

I wish ALL of you could experience this

We're just finishing up Green Chile season. Oh, it's my FAVORITE time of year (I have lots of favorites). My friend Lindsey and I bought a 30 pound bag of Green Chiles, yes, you read that right 30 pounds indeed. Below is a picture of the roasting. They put the green chiles in that big black round thingy and then light the torches and it roatates for about 10-15 minutes cooking those bad guys andmaking the best smell ever! It smells SO SO SO yummy. I LOVE just driving around during this time of year becuase the whole city smells like green chiles roasting (on an open fire). Every grocery store is out roasting green chiles. After they've been roasted you let them sit in the sealed plastic bag for a couple hours to let them cool off and make peeling them easier.

Here we are, going to town. Watching a SAD SAD BYU Football game while we did it.I decided to attempt a few different ways of freezing them as a bit of an experiment. I cut some up before I froze them and then froze them in 4 oz. portions (just like the canned ones, but WAY WAY tastier). It's SO handy to just pull one out and toss it in whatever I'm making.And here is the precious loot. Seriously, you might want to come visit next September just to get your hands on some of that delicious green chile. Once you try this fresh stuff, you'll NEVER go back the canned goods.

OK, look at this picture of this huge pile of crusher fine we bought and had delivered a little while ago. Take another close look. Ok, read on.

This past week, we had a major rain fall. Nothing too unusual for these parts. I had gone visiting teaching right as it was slowing down, or so I thought. Just as we were finishing up, it decided to just D.U.M.P again. Awesome. The worst part about it up until this point was that I had actually done my hair that day. I hate it when that happens. Not that I do any special style or anything, but come on...what a waste of time. It looked like I had just got out of the shower by the time I got back to my car, yes, my clothes were that wet too. Awesome. So, there was no way I was going to get out of my car in this rain all over again to go inside my house when I got home so I just decided to drive around and check out all the water all over the place. Something that STILL amazes me and I've lived here for two years now. So, I'm driving, driving, taking pictures, driving, and finally head toward my house. I'm on this main street leading up to the street I live on and I notice (don't ask me why) that the water is the same color as the crusher fine we had just had delivered a couple days before. That's random. So, I keep driving toward my house and turn on my street and the water coming down MY street is still this same color. Even more random.Nope, not so random. There is all is, MONEY washing away, down the street, and then down another street, and gone forever! This picture isn't so great, but that stuff was INCHES thick on the road and it was all down the street. Awesome. Gary tried to get as much as he could back and we had over 7 totally full wheel barrels full! Lovely.Here he is sweeping down the street on Saturday trying to get as much of that precious stuff as possible.

And here is Sammy. I take him to work with me and he is so good for 99% of the time. He just lays around and naps and plays and I feed him treats to keep him good and sometimes he even sits on my lap and helps me answer the phone or type on the computer. I'm pretty lucky that he gets to come with me. And I'm pretty lucky he lets me work! :) These little toeseys melt my heart.

Lately our morning runs have included a short stop at whatever park we run by for a quick swing and Sam just loves it.

And I love him...even more than he loves his little blanky.

Bear Lake...a long time ago

Back in July, Sam and I made a trip to Utah (by plane) for a Salmon Family Reunion. It was really fun and there were so many of my cousins there that I haven't seen or talked to in a super duper long time so it was really fun to see them and their cute kiddos. Bear Lake was beautiful and wonderful but let's be honest, I'm a Lake Powell girl and always will be...this water was C.O.L.D!Chan and Sam chilling in front of a movie. He loves his Auntie Channy. Sam and Carol...another Aunt he loves.

We played a few rounds of "Minute to Win It" - super funny!

These are my grandparents (Dad's parents) and some of their great grand kids. Haley and Sam

These are all of my parent's grand kids. One was already in bed and one more has been born since then.

More beach time. Sam is in love with water...sink, tub, pool, even toilet - ugh. He loves it all. Grandpa and Sammy chillin in the shade while Momma got some sun.

Of course, you can't go to Bear Lake without getting a Raspberry Shake and while you're at it, you might as well get the burger and fries too!

Ryan and his kids playing with a hole in the table. Cuteness.

I kid you not, this is how he was sleeping! But he does lots of cute weird things like that all the time. I'm collecting pictures to show you all of them some day.While we were in Bear Lake, cousin, Sara had her little baby. Sara was a trooper...she was on bed rest for like half her pregnancy. Right Sara? Look at her cute little boy. He was SO tiny compared to little Sammy and even Mckinley. Little five pounds something.