Seattle Trip & Tess's First Travel Adventure

While Daddy was away at a weekend debate tournament, Tess and I had our own little adventure in Seattle!  We spent the long weekend up there, along with my dear friend Danielle and her fiance, Cory.  Interestingly, Dani and I both have an aunt/uncle/cousins in the Seattle area -- who live less than 3 miles from each other and actually even know each other.  (We've been friends for about 7 years but just discovered this about a year ago!)  So, thanks to a fantastic deal on airfare from Alaska Airlines, we were able to take a trip together that included visiting our respective families. 

We arrived Thursday morning and spent the day adventuring around Bellevue and Mercer Island and visiting the PrideStaff office in Tukwila.  We also took a very fun and much-anticipated trip to the Glassybaby store -- this was super exciting for me, since I am a proud owner of 3 Glassybabys but had never been to any of their retail locations.  (Most of you are probably wondering, "What the heck is 'Glassybaby'?" They're beautiful, one-of-a-kind votive candle holders made ONLY in Seattle. Sales proceeds benefit various nonprofits.) On Thursday night we had dinner with our good friend David Brown, who we've known for years through PrideStaff.  Danielle's fiance, Cory, joined us on Friday morning and we spent the day doing "touristy" stuff downtown (Pike Place, Space Needle, etc.). On Friday evening Dani and I parted ways to spend time with our families.  I was so grateful that my cousin Heather drove all the way from Spokane, with her 2 1/2 year old daughter Gabby, so that she could spend the weekend at her parents' house with me and Tess. On Saturday, Heather and I did some shopping and joined up with Danielle and her Aunt Tiff for some wine tasting (in the snow!).  Tess and I spent Saturday evening enjoying a lovely dinner at Dani's aunt and uncle's house, where I got to meet Barcelona's lead singer, Brian Fennell, and his lovely fiance, Marion.  On Sunday, Danielle, Cory and I visited Crossroads Bible Church in Bellevue, where Dani's uncle is the worship and media pastor. (Also, her uncle -- Timothy James Meaney -- is also pretty big in Christian music circles, for those of you who are interested.)  We spent Sunday afternoon hanging out at the Meaney's house, watching football (that fantastic 49er's playoff game!) and watching the snow fall. Little did we know that our flight out on Sunday evening was just in time for a record-breaking snowstorm in the Seattle area!

And now a word about traveling by plane with a 5-month old baby, without her Daddy... Our little Tess did SO great! She is SO inquisitive that looking around kept her pretty preoccupied during the short flight.  Everyone on the plane fell in love with her, of course.  She was not fussy and was just talkative enough to be super cute.  Having Danielle with me was a HUGE help -- I can't imagine taking my first trip with a baby ALONE! I had been really nervous about all the logistics of traveling with a baby (from what to pack to what I should carry on the plane to how to deal with sleeping away from home) and all my worry was for nothing.  Have baby, will travel!  It turns out that people are much more kind and understanding and helpful when you've got an adorable kiddo with you than they are otherwise.  Although I have to admit, even with the fantastic help, spending 4 days as a "single parent" -- especially away from home and all of our usual baby "stuff"-- was pretty exhausting.  We had a wonderful time but were so glad to be home!

Below is a slide show of my pics from the trip.  Next up for Tess is a trip to Dallas over Spring Break, to meet her "Uncle" Randy and "Aunt" Lindsey.

Bon voyage!

Visit From The Bestie

Have I mentioned how blessed I am?  In mid-July my best friend Lindsey came from Dallas to visit me, come to my baby shower, help me in the baby's room, and be her wonderful, beautiful self in my everyday life for 4 days.  It was heavenly!  I know I gush about "The Sullivans" a lot, and I was absolutely THRILLED for so many people in my life to finally meet Linds and know why I love her so.  We had such a great time visiting with Chad's parents, my parents, my girlfriends, my extended family, and each other.  We shopped, we ate, we had tea, we watched movies, and we talked talked talked.  And sometimes we didn't talk, we just spent time together.  The best gift Lindsey gave me, in addition to all the beautiful homemade gifts she gave me for the baby, was helping me put the nursery together.  We spent almost 2 full days, it seemed, unpackaging baby stuff and trying to find places for it, sorting thru boxes of baby hand-me-downs, washing and folding/hanging baby clothes, and dreaming about final decor for the nursery.  It's because of her that I did not collapse from the overwhelming task of getting that room ready. 

And I'm sure somewhere in this blog I have mentioned how talented and crafted she is.  She's got one of those really cool sewing machines that will custom embroider stuff, and so she showered me with a boatload of personalized burp cloths, onesies, and a gorgeous blanket for the baby.  As if her visit and help wasn't enough!

It was great to see her so soon after our last visit in April for Easter....and, AND she is planning to visit AGAIN as soon as possible after the baby arrives!

At the Victoria Rose Cottage Restaurant in Old Town Clovis.

Old Town Traditions

Last night Chad and I walked over to the local Farmer's Market, held in Old Town Clovis every Friday night from May through September. What a little piece of Americana, right in our backyard! We had a wonderful time taking part in this community tradition, and I had a lot of fun snapping photos with the new Canon camera. The prices on produce were pretty good, I guess -- with our $20.00 "budget" we bought a bouquet of flowers, an onion, some peaches, some blueberries, some squash, a wedge of smoked jack cheese, and an heirloom tomato. Yum!

After shopping we stopped in at La Posada for dinner. Mexican foods has long been our "tradition" on Friday nights. This place is great -- it's within walking distance of our house and is super quaint: the restaurant is an old house. They also have really great homemade chips and salsa! Double yum!

It's So Fun....

...when you aren't the only one getting bigger! My dear friend Tiffany stopped by the office today (she used to work here) to say hello. Her due date is just 7 weeks after mine. Tess, meet Max!

Yesterday was my 28 week, appointment, which produced some positive results:

--I passed my glucose screening test with flying colors! I'm nowhere close to having gestational diabetes.

--My blood pressure continues to be excellent.

--I'm a little low on iron, so I'll be taking some extra-strength iron going forward, and "beefing up" my diet (ha).

--I've gained 22lbs so far. It looks like I'm on track to gain about 35 total, assuming I can keep things in check during the third trimester. Allegedly I will have "10 extra pounds" to lose after baby arrives. I can totally live with that, and it's been GREAT to eat what I want up to this point. Now, though, with my stomach lodged up near my sternum, I just can't hold as much food. I'm hoping this helps offset my 9pm bowl of cereal habit...

Yesterday I also went to Motherhood Maternity to splurge on a few more maternity clothes. Specifically, I needed more pants for work. WHAT A DIFFERENCE it makes to have a GOOD pair of maternity slacks that fit right and don't bind. Baby and I are soooo comfy today.

And, I've got 3 baby showers in the works, thanks to wonderful women in my life who asked to bless me by hosting them....invitations are going out soon!

And, we have officially started the nursery.

And, the baby registry (Babies R Us) is almost complete, too.

"Operation Baby" is ramping up!

Trip To Earth Arts Studio

Last week I took a quick trip to Margaret Hudson's Earth Arts Studio here in Fresno, CA. I don't know why I forget for years at a time that we have such a great local artist here in town! A trip to her shop is always such a fun experience. Her art is whimsical and entertaining, and I think it makes a great gift! Here's the bio from her website...

Margaret Hudson's love of nature and art came together as she began creating with clay the birds and other animals native to her Central California home and the nearby Sierra Nevada. By 1980, Earth Arts Studio was established. Today over 600 designs are available, including sculptures, planters, fountains and large garden pieces. Margaret's commissioned works grace Valley schools, hospitals, libraries and parks. In 1990 Margaret expanded into painting, creating giant flowers on canvas or paper, with oils, acrylics and oil pastels..She experiments with 3-Dimensional works in painting, printmaking and combinations of the two. Creating beautiful spaces is her passion. She shares her art, philosophy and enthusiasm for life with 2000 school children a year who participate in field trips to her backyard, studio and gardens. She also speaks frequently to adult groups in the San Joaquin Valley.

I snapped some pics (below) while walking around the studio. The middle pic is of her signature quail figurines -- I love them! Her backyard art (fountains, statuary, etc.) is also a treat to look at. If you're in Fresno and you've never been to Earth Arts, check it out! It's near Ashlan and 41.

One Of The Many Reasons I Love Shopping At Trader Joe's...

"Hi, I'm a bag of Trader Joe's Russet Potatoes. My best friends are butter, sour cream and cheese. I dig holidays, ketchup, and hanging out in the garden."

Visiting Friends In AZ

This past weekend we packed up and headed for a warmer climate in Arizona.... or what we thought would be warmer, but was unusually chilly & windy! (Chilly for me is below 70 degrees.) The purpose of the trip was to visit 2 sets of very dear friends -- Michael & Sara in Tucson, and Jason & Stacy in Phoenix. We had a GREAT time with all, and packed a lot of fun stuff into 4 days. It really felt like a mini vacation, which was much-needed. In Tucson we relaxed and read, had coffee, wine tasted, the girls shopped (while the guys had cigars), and went for a wonderful desert hike. In Phoenix we girls shopped & got pedicures (while the guys watched Avatar), visited Cornerstone church, enjoyed plenty of time outdoors, and spent time doting on our new "nephew" -- he arrived in February. We feel blessed to have such genuine and hospitable friends to open their homes to us. Thanks to the Eastons and the Coyles for such fun and memorable times together!

A Pretty Perfect Weekend

Speaking of yoga, this past weekend the studio hotsed a lovely retreat up in the Santa Cruz mountains. I went with my girlfriend Becky, who works with me at PrideStaff, and we got to room together. We took the day off on Friday and on the way we stopped at Sarah's Vineyard to wine taste (Chad and I are members there) and at the Gilroy outlets to shop. The weekend was full of walks in the woods, naps and quiet time, a 1-hour massage for me, delicious organic & vegetarian meals prepared by the retreat center staff, and lots of yoga! It was great to spend such concentrated time learning more about the poses and getting hands-on help from the teachers. Namaste!

Fresh & Easy Arrives In Fresno

Many of you know that I am fiercely devoted to our local Trader Joe's. But after checking out the new Fresh & Easy last night, I may have to start dividing my loyalties!

I first experienced F&E about a year ago when I was visiting my friends in Phoenix. Since then I have been eagerly awaiting the opening of our 2 locations here in Fresno. Not sure what took so long, but it's FINALLY here. What makes me MOST excited about F&E:

1) Their food truly is FRESH and EASY. Everything they sell is "all natural" -- no preservatives or additives. All products are clearly marked with "sell by" and expiration dates. I say "easy" because the store is smaller, like TJ's, and there isn't tons to choose from.

2) They give away SO many coupons! They will do whatever they can to get your bill as low as possible. Last night I saved 20% on my grocery bill. I walked in with only 1 coupon, but at checkout they gave me 2 more. Coupons also print with your receipts.

3) Unlike TJ's, they also have a decent selection of "regular" stuff to choose from along with their brand-name items. I can get my health food AND my Coffee Mate in the same store.

I was kinda surprised to see picketers out front. When I asked what it was all about, they said the store fails to pay the local prevailing wage to its employees. Maybe this is how they can afford to sell the food for such great prices, and give away so many coupons?

The wine slection was pretty decent. It's no TJ's, but at least I can grab a bottle there if I need to.

Banana gelato. BANANA GELATO! This is, like, unheard of. I am not an ice cream lover at all, but I am absolutely a BANANA ice cream lover. Even though it's January, I HAD to get some!

Also gotta love the self checkout! What's more, is that they help you bag your groceries! The whole process was quick and painless. I felt in control of my spending. ;-)

I got home afterward and realized that my driver's license was missing. I headed back to the store, and they told me someone had found it out in the parking lot and turned it in. The very nice store manager had put it in their vault for safekeeping. Whew!

iNever Say Never...

As I get older, I (Sarah) find myself saying this more and more often. Things I was sure about..... now I'm not so sure, and lately it seems like use of the word "never" has come back to haunt me. HUGE example: I got an iPhone. A year ago, I was 110% anti-iPhone, for various reasons (although none of them seem to hold water any more).

Some background: few years ago I went "paperless" with my personal organization by getting a Palm Pilot. This was a tough transition for me, because I love tangibility. I love paper, pens, planners, lists, etc. But I really grew to love and appreciate my Palm. Then my cell phone contract was up, and I decided to merge cell and Palm into one by getting the Palm Treo. It's been a great little phone, not QUITE as good as the Palm Pilot, but certainly more efficient than having 2 devices to carry around.

Then AT&T (who basically owns ALL my technology -- phone, cable TV, internet, cell phones) made this new "rule" that when you have a smartphone (any phone that's also a PDA -- personal data assistant) you HAVE to have a "data package" (i.e., internet access from your cell phone). Since my Palm Treo was on it's way out (well not really, but my contract was up for renewal and the phone started feeling "bulky"), I was faced with 2 options: 1) get a new phone and succumb to the required "data package" (plus an additional $20 per month), or 2) revert to a cell phone reserved for calls only (what?!) and a separate Palm Pilot. I learned quickly that you can't even buy a Palm Pilot at Best Buy anymore -- clearly this technology is on its way out. Then I started counting the trusted friends in my life who have the iPhone and began asking what they love about it. And then my friend Josh showed me some GREAT pictures he took with his phone and digitally enhanced. And then I was pretty much hooked.

So, on New Year's Eve I used my Christmas money to cross over. Thanks to Tony at the AT&T store for totally hooking me up -- the new white iPhone 3GS (16G), the cute plaid Speck phone cover, screen shields, and the Apple Care protection plan that gives me 2 years of FREE tech support. Within a few weeks I was sporting more "Apps" than most of my friends, and my new-ish digital camera lays untouched because I'm busy snapping away with my iPhone. See photo samples below, created using "Tiltshift Generator" and "ColorSplash."

Oh yeah, and besides the pics -- there's so much I've learned how to do with this phone, I can't even begin to bore you with all of it! I'm not totally in love with it yet, but I'm getting there....iReally am!

Why Americans Are Obese & Poor...

......GROCERY STORES!!

Quick background.....Those of you who know me well know that I absolutely LOVE my Trader Joe’s grocery store. I can't say enough about how great it is to shop there, and here are few reasons why (in no particular order):

--Food is CHEAPER! Really! My local TJ's often posts big displays showing the same products bought at save mart and the huge price difference.

--I can buy a week or two's worth of groceries for right around 50 bucks.

--I can do my shopping in 15 or 20 minutes (there aren't 200 types of cereal to choose from).

--It's cheaper than whole foods or some of the other hoity-toity health food stores. The organic stuff doesn't cost an arm and a leg!

--Most importantly to me, everything they sell is NATURAL. No hormones, no artificial flavors/preservatives. This will be even more important to me when I have a little one. (The hormones in meat & milk and what they're doing to kids these days is a separate blog!).

Okay so tonight I REALLY had this urge to go shop at Save Mart. There are only a few things we get there these days (stuff you can't get at TJ's), and I wanted to "window shop" some junk food, not to mention we were out of TP. O....M....G. Only one half cart full and almost $175 later, I was blown away (not to mention, I’d spent half of February’s food budget already!)! I cannot believe the SNACK REVOLUTION that's happening and all the JUNK you can buy, in all different kinds of shapes and sizes and packaging! Rows and rows and boxes and boxes of it!! Picking out crackers took 10 minutes and I don't even have ADD! Cereal took almost 15 minutes and my box of lucky charms was FIVE DOLLARS (cereal at TJ's is like $3 a box)! I was mesmerized in the frozen foods section. Nobody even has to cook anymore or really even have a fridge.

How much time, money, and calories do people use up just by grocery shopping? Everything is made and packaged for convenience.....is staying in and eating at home REALLY a savings? Is it REALLY a healthier option for those who aren't educated on nutrition and healthy eating? GEEZ.

I’ll insert a "kudos" to my mom here, for making me eat all that yucky health food growing up. It didn't make me popular on the playground but it's taught me how to be a health and budget conscious adult consumer, and hopefully I’ll get a few more years on this planet as a result.
So.....I bought the extra large fat free French vanilla coffee mate creamer this time, so i don't have to go back there for quite a while. After my thighs/arteries and my bank account recover from the minimal amount of junk food I’ll be consuming over the next couple of weeks, they'll thank me for being a devoted TJ's shopper.

Find YOUR grocery shopping nirvana at http://www.traderjoes.com/!