Thanksgiving Highlights

1. Went to Hollister to my mom and dad's house. Ate pumpkin pie, turkey and mashed potatoes (The best thanksgiving food items) besides ambrosia.
2. Came up with a genius idea to eat off of a small plate to save on calories and overeating.
3. Got lots of cute pics of D with her cousins
4. Dropped off more baby equipment at my parents house for them to store.
5. Stayed up late with mom, grandma and my aunts reminiscing and speculating about when their other childless and unwed kids would settle down. 
6. Hit up a movie the day after. My choice this time ( Breaking Dawn) and it was AWESOME! I am team Jacob all the way!
7. Avoided black Friday like the plague. Saving a few dollars on ridiculous sales is not worth battling the masses.
8. Went to Starbucks for  their seasonal coffee (pumpkin Spice, yummy)
9. D went to bed extra early and I got to watch a new show, storage Wars (not bad and kind of addicting).
10. On the drive home stopped at Babies R Us to use the restroom and finally found D a child size couch on SALE( it even converts into a bed). 
11. D tried french fries for the first time and liked them too much. 
12. Witnessed my mom putting D in one of my baby dresses then had her pose for pics on my old baby rocking chair.
13. Spent quality time with my dad.

( Clockwise, top to bottom) our family; D and her cousin Boston; Cousins Madeline & Olivia with D
                  These two girls are the CUTEST things ever and loved on D so much!

Kit and Kristen ( More of my favorite peeps)

D's cousin, who is an absolute sweetheart

Some of my favorite people ( Aunt Mary, Aunt Michal, Mom and me)

D's cool new couch that converts into bed

I am thankful for............................

I am thankful for SO many things,


First of all I am SO thankful for the best hubby/father to our daughter ever. He literally makes her  us both chuckle like no one else can.  He is the best provider, encourager and friend I could ask for. I love you sweetie!

D and her dada

Also, for my mother who listens to me babble on the phone about nonsense for up to an hour each day. Who still babies me when I am sick. Who along with my hubby knows me better than anyone. Who drives 4 hours once a month to watch her granddaughter for a couple of days.

D and grandma Diane

I am also thankful for my baby girl who makes me laugh. Who is not too difficult by baby standards and who I look forward to seeing everyday. She makes me excited about the future, Ok about getting older and an overall better person.

Doodlebug

 I am thankful for my MIL who takes care of little Doodlebug TWICE a week while I go off to work. She is loving, thoughtful, generous, and she is easy to talk to. She plays hard with D and teaches her a lot of new things.

D and my MIL

I am also very thankful for my sister-in law, Rebekah. We have a very good relationship and I love her SO much.
She is SO sweet, caring and funny and the best auntie ever! and I always look forward to spending time with her. I am also thankful for my new brother in law and Rebekah's hubby Dan. He is so smart, kind, and down to earth, he is also a blast to hang out with. I could not have handpicked a better guy for her.

Dan and Rebekah

 I am thankful for my nephew. Little Boston is SO cute and I miss him so much! I am thankful when I do get to spend time with him because I know that he is going to change so much and I want him to know me. I love my brother and his girlfriend Brianna too of course! Thanks for making such a cute, sweet baby!

I am also thankful for my dad. He always gives the best advice and insight to difficult situations that I may face. I always know if I am down and I call him, he will cheer me up. He has inspired me in SO many ways throughout my life. I love you Dad!

My dad with D

I am thankful for my father in law. He is the first one who will be at your side when you are in need. He is a great listener and a wise and godly man. I have learned and continue to learn a lot from his as well.

My father in law, David and D

I am thankful for so many other people, that I could be here all day mentioning you all. I am thankful for my grandma Maxine who I have always been very close to and miss so much. Also, my grandpa Vaughn my  grandma Orlaine's who passed away's second husband. He is very generous and kind and has treated me like his own granddaughter, even now.  Lila and Frank ( Ben's grandparents) who have taken me in as their own and poured out their love and generosity.  My bother in law Stephen, who is a talented, insightful and kind-hearted man. I also value our relationship. I am thankful for all my extended family, and for all my close friends ( Michaelle Peacock, Alyssa & Ryan Manes, Chris & Ashley Palmer, Amanda Konyn, Christina Sands, Lisa Pakla, Jennifer Pearce,  Kim & Mike Cardenas, my neighbors Tomi & Nolan, everyone at Faith Bible church in Willows, CA. My co-workers and my great job! Thanks everyone for giving me SO much to be thankful for!


Ciao, Tiff

Downtown Chico Christmas Preview

Well, this was another first for the Doodlebug. Before we went downtown we went to Barnes & Noble and picked up another Llama book for D. This one was Llama Llama Red Pajama by Ann Dewdney. So cute ( sigh). Then we  headed downtown and with some time to kill before the Christmas preview we headed over to Jon & Bon's (one of our favorite spots to frequent) to get some fro-yo that is frozen yogurt. We are serious regulars, the girl at the counter even said, "what no wagon this time?" as we are known for toting little baby around in the wagon when downtown. I was jumping up and down when I saw that the holiday flavors were out. So I got my regular peanut butter cookie frozen yogurt on one half and got pumpkin on the other. Too die for! Don't ask me what spurred us to eat such a cold treat on such a frigid day.

Yummy, half peanut butter cookie and half pumpkin frozen yogurt

                                     
                                         My pumpkin enjoys the pumpkin as well.

The  Christmas preview was better than I expected. Many of the downtown businesses had kids from local dance studios dancing in the store windows to loud, hip hop and christmas themed music.  They freestyle danced or performed ballet for an admiring freezing crowd looking inward from the outside.

One  bank displayed 2  adorable, furry, baby lions only 10 weeks old from a small local zoo/ refuge in their window. D was quite enamored by them and kept attempting to go past the caution tape. Dare Devil.

We waited in this line to see Santa. But it took WAY too long and was too cold. So we left and are still on the Santa prowl. Doodle has not met him yet.  I really want a pic of them together even if she freaks out like when she saw Elmo on Halloween.

                       
Here is Doodle and I both sporting our pea coats and of course Daddy got to carry her around most of the time because he is "the muscle" in the family and my wimpy arms tire out after 5 minutes.

Here is us leaving. Why is it that when the baby is fussy, we are always stuck in bumper to bumper traffic?

Well thats all folks!

Here is a new look for fall. Warm and cozy and lots of fun! Like most people one of my favorite colors to wear is black. In order to avoid looking Goth or emo, I make sure when I do wear it to pair it up with something bright and fun. Not that there is anything wrong with Goth or emo, some of my favorite peeps would probably fit in both of those categories. Anywhoo, even covered literally head to toe I feel sexy. Why does that word make me suddenly blush. You know what I mean though, try something like this out and tell me how it goes.

long green skirt: F21, black ribbed sweater: Target, Black Boots: Blowfish

Me and D Love Apple and Macs!

Double trouble action

Delaney is obsessed with the i-pad, i-phone and our Mac computer, Her favorite thing is to look at pics of herself. No joke she could do this all day. She thinks that a computers main function is to display pics of her.  When she sees one she yells "BABIES." which is what she calls herself. One time Ben, D and I took our regular weekend outing to T-Bar here in Chico, to get lunch and a tea. D saw a young girl on her laptop and yelled "BABIES!" To say it has gotten out of control is an understatement. I was actually worried that she was becoming vain and that maybe I should not encourage this. However when I asked D's pediatrician he laughed at me and said that it is developmentally normal for babies to  enjoy seeing pics of themselves and babies.  D even knows how to scroll through the pics on daddy's i-pad with her finger. Anyway since she loves to see pics of herself SO much I put her on the Mac and played around with the photobooth application and here are the results. Such a fun time! 


Ciao, Tif

                       

A sneak Peek at Delaney's 1 year photo shoot

I was SO excited to FINALLY do Delaney's 1 year photos. I think it is important to capture all the big milestones. Okay, I know that she is 14 months old now, but better late than never, right? God definitely blessed us that day with beautiful weather. I wanted to take the pics at my in-laws property because there are a  lot of  cool outdoor elements and I liked the idea of taking pics somewhere meaningful. The colorful trees and stunning views of the foothills just added to the already perfect picturesque day. I must admit I was a little nervous about the session, having sprung the idea on our photographer Jenn just hours before. Mainly, because it was at least a 20 minute drive there and back which gave us only 45 minutes to get the perfects shots because Jenn had another appointment right after us.

  Luckily, my mom was in town and I definitely put her to work. I sent her and Delaney out there early to get her dressed and ready. Then Ben, Jenn and I rode out together a little later.

  D ended up being a total ROCKSTAR! With  Ben and I and BOTH grandma's on deck it was a recipe for success.

  My father in law is a collector of antiques and anything rare that he can see potential with. Prior to the session I inquired about this antique horse out in their field that looked like it was from a playground. I thought it would be perfect for her pictures. Well, sure enough he had the horse shined up and mounted that day so that D could proudly sit on it. She was giddy when she got to sit on it like a big girl with mommy inches away to  grab the precious cargo if she were to slip. 

I highly recommend to you all to make sure you have an entourage with you if you want your child's pics to go really well. It was so amazing to see my mother in law bouncing out from behind the photographer's  back saying peek a boo  and my mother comforting the crying baby who stepped on something poky outside with her bare toesies. I love mom's. 

These pics were taken by my mom. Jenn's pics will be up soon. You can check out her business at:
Poise photography, Chico, CA

A Day at the in- Laws

   My in-laws lost their home 3 years ago in a wildfire that swept through the valley.  Luckily, they were able to get out of their home safely with most of their pictures and their computer. However, they lost everything else precious to them. My mother in law was very sad that she had lost a very special ring. My father in law spent hours sifting through ashes one day and was able to find it. PTL! It was very traumatizing for them. They decided to rebuild their dream house in the same location. The house is there but they still have some more projects to do before they are  completely done.It is a beautiful 2 story home. Doodlebug LOVES going out there and playing outside and watching the dogs run around. There is lots of grass, trees and land for her to explore. Inside the house they have a little table with a checkered pattern on the top just for her.

Hair feather extensions!!!!!

 Hair feathers are the latest trend right now. They come from roosters and are in many different colors. They started relatively affordable and now the prices have risen as the popularity has increased and the supply has decreased. The trend originated in Colorado where fly fishing is popular and moved to California. The feathers are really low maintenance and bonded with an extension bead and clamped into the hair. They last about 6 to 8 weeks. You can style your hair as usual with them in. 

Hair feathers in black and white and red

    I received a tip to go purchase mine at the local fly fish shop in town and they would be much more affordable than going to a hairdresser. I went into a the shop and was greeted by a very outdoorsy looking country boy who I felt kind of foolish inquiring about feathers for my hair. He was thrilled about me asking and led me to a wall of beautiful colored feathers. They were less that $1 a piece. I picked out 3 and then payed for them. Making small talk I asked him if a lot of people were coming in for them. He proceeded to say "boy you would not believe it!" One lady from a big salon in LA called and offered to buy me out but I refused stating that I wanted to keep them local. Then he leaned over the counter and whispered "plus I get to have all these cute young girls come into my shop."  Feeling  little flattered and slightly red in the face I grabbed my feathers and walked out of the store. 

* My hairdresser works at Blondies  hair salon and she is amazing her name is Christina and I have been faithfully going to her for years now because she does the best highlights!!!! I tipped her off about the fly fish shop at my next appointment and she also proceeded to tell me that she puts lace pieces in hair as well, but that you have to get the right kind of lace that can be ironed.Black lace looks really good tucked under blonde hair. 

Veteran's Day Appreciations

Today I have been thinking a lot about all the men and women who have so bravely served our country for my freedom and the magnitude of what that means I think I will never fully comprehend. These people are the most selfless people who deserve WAY more than they receive. A few years ago when I was still in school I had the honor to intern at the Veterans Affairs clinic for a whole year and I got to work with Vietnam and World War II veterans. I met a lot of wonderful vets there and got to hear their amazing stories. Many veterans who fought on the battlefield and were exposed to some intense things have had a difficult time integrating back into society. Especially those who have just came home. Some reported feeling like life was at such a slower pace and that people didn't seem as friendly in comparison to the really close bonds that they shared with their fellow soldiers.

While away they faced responsibilities of having to guard and protect one another and at times literally keeping one eye open all night and seeing their closest friends die. Well no wonder some have had a difficulties sleeping at night, getting jobs, just to name a few. These are just a few of the experiences that I faced while there and not every veteran has experienced this and others may have different experiences. The above pic is when Ben and I went to Hawaii and we had the chance to visit Pearl Harbor. One of the survivors was there and I got to hug him and get a pic with him. That was the most memorable part of the trip for me and I will never forget it. I would definitely add this to your bucket list if you have not already done so.

Today on my way to work I saw a breathtaking amount of community patriotism in honor of this special day. In the town I work in of Paradise, Ca there were hundreds of flags lining the sidewalks as I drove through the small forest like town. It gave me chills and even made me cry a little. It was almost impossible to describe. Then I got to work and apparently did not get the memo that it was closed (Ha, of course I would do that). Anyway, if you see a veteran today or any day be sure to thank them and shake their hand or give them a hug.

Chow AND God Bless our Country! Tiff

My All time FAVORITE, MUST HAVE baby products!

Well not that I am a pro by any means and I know that all babies and toddlers have their own unique personalities, but here are some baby products that were given/or highly recommended to me by other mommy' s or that I just plain loved. I will start with the baby products first. For the baby's carseat the cozy cover was the best thing because it fit right over the seat and when you took the seat out of the car you can velcro it part way up over the baby and keep the baby out of the rain and other elements. I got SO many compliments on it and people were always inquiring about where I picked it up. I knew I got it at a baby shower, but I did some research and they sell them on the Target website target.com Once your baby is old enough to hold up its neck an exersaucer is great for putting them in and letting them interact with the toys and feel independent of you. We started using ours when D was around 3 months of age. Delaney could not fully hold her head up yet, but she did have a head size in the 90th percentile, so we just would wrap a blanket around her in the seat area that would support her body and head. We STILL use it on occassion and she is nearly 15 mos. I nicknamed it the babysitter because sometimes it was the only thing that would allow me to eat/ go to the bathroom/ and get some cleaning done. It has 3 setting so it allows for your growing baby. Also, baby swings are great, but make sure you find one with the plug in option because you will go through SO many batteries. I got mine online through Target. I remember Delaney slept in hers all night once and took lots of naps in it.

Toddler products that I would recommend to anyone are the farm fridge toy by leap frog, which you can purchase on Amazon or at Toys R' US . This is a magnetic toy that goes on your fridge. There are several animal fronts and backs that you have to match up and when you do a cute jingle will come on. Even if you don't match it right and you get a "duck-frog" there is a song for that, so it is win win. D loved this toy and it gives her something to do other than go through all the tupperware and dishrags while I am busy in the kitchen. Just beware the jingle is very catchy and you may find yourself singing it at random times making for awkward moments.

Also, the Fisher Price Laugh and Learn puppy. To be honest this toy can get annoying, but the kids love it and it is very interactive and has lots of learning functions.

If you are getting a stroller you will not regret splurging on the BOB. Especially if you live in the country or you are active in general. They go on literally all terrain and make for a smooth comfortable ride. Lots of storage pockets too for snacks and toys. These are in the $500 range but sometimes at REI they have certain times of the year where they sell discounted equiptment that has been returned for a very good deal and a lot of them are the BOB.

My favorite book collection ever is the Llama Llama series by Anna Dewdney. I think there are 5 total they have beautiful art work and they are really cute and relatable. Doodlebug loved the Llama Llama mad at Mama book so much that we would literally read it 8 times in a row. I am excited to pick up her book Llama Llama Holiday Drama for a Christmas gift for Delaney. My sister in law who is in the credentialing program right now even loved it so much that she went and bought it and she doesn't have kids yet. You can purchase this at Barnes and Noble or through amazon.com.

Lastly are Robeez brand toddler shoes, they have soft soles that are easy for baby to crawl and learn to walk in. The boots are my favorite and they are so easy to get on her feet and really cute. You can go to robeez.com, zappos.com, or Macy's. My MIL got me mine at FKO here in Chico.

Some random things that can act as baby/ toddler toys that you might already have in your house are spatulas, old wallet, old cell phone( take battery out), rubber ball, tupperware, and a laundry basket full of clothes. I hope this info was helpful. Be creative and try different things out, you don't need to by big fancy toys to entertain your kids, they may just love the box that a toy comes in. Feel free to share with me your favorite baby and toddler toys.

Chow- Tiff

An Ode to my daughter

My Heart

My little baby is 14 mos old and is as tall as some 2 yr olds.

My baby has strawberry blonde hair unlike myself or my hubby

My baby girl prefers the box the toy comes in to the actual toy.

My baby’s favorite foods right now are Cheezits, hotdogs and corn.

My baby girl only says mama when she is sad and needs to be comforted.

My baby says 15 tiny words and the latest is APPLE.

My baby loves her whole family but has a crush on her uncle Dan. LOL

My little girl prefers to ride in her wagon than her stroller.

My baby girl has one pair of shoes that she will actually keep on her feet and they are in the wash right now because she stepped in poop. Uck.

My baby LOVES her doggies and even says hi and waves to them when we come home.

My baby loves playing with the zippers on my sweatshirts right now, which makes it hard to put her in her car seat.

My baby thinks its funny when we bow our heads in prayer and then say amen.

My little baby has many endearing nicknames such as Doodlebug, DD, Dewdrop, Spooks, little mama and pumpkin.

My baby’s favorite things to play with are our phones, the remote control and the turkey baster.

Her loving gestures mainly consist of open mouth kisses which we refer to as “ boochies” and leg hugs ( they are the best).

Lately when you ask my baby to say “mama” she will say “bubble” instead.

My baby can distinguish between my two dogs by name.

My baby loves to look at pictures of herself on her daddy’s i-pad, which we refer to as the baby machine.

My baby’s favorite things to get into are the desk drawer and the guest room side table where grandma Diane keeps her lotions and shower cap.

My baby fills me with overwhelming love and happiness.

I look forward to watching her grow and reminding her of her silly ways and always letting her know how dear and essential she is to My Heart

Let me share some of our shops featured designs!

Here are some of the designs that Doolittle Design currently has featured at our etsy shop. They are inspired through the birth of our first child Delaney. Oh, the joys and struggles of parenthood. How much you learn about yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, being selfless and how much you took for granted prior to having a baby. A big one for me is the admiration and respect I have for my own parents who I often reflect on with all they went through in raising me AND my brother up.

Everyone always says that Delaney is NOT an ordinary baby. From about 3 months of age she has been sleeping through the night. Even when she was teething or sick she would for the most part always stay asleep. She also never has given us any hassle with giving her medicine, baths, brushing her teeth and she LOVES most food including ( peas and carrots) uck. I mean whose kid is she anyways. I am lucky if I eat vegetables one time a day and that is not by choice. I have to force myself. She goes nuts if she sees the peas or corn and you don't get them to her ASAP. PS. the saying about never waking a sleeping baby is true. Check out the book, Happy Child Healthy Sleep Habits by Marc Weisbluth. He explains how as your baby's brain is developing they actually require more sleep and the more they get the more they will sleep overall. The other poster features a tag announcing " new arrival" and then displaying your baby's birth stats. One is of my sweet nephew, Boston and the other is for my daughter. These make a great gift and keepsake for new parents. We had so much fun coming up with these designs and wanted to share them with you all!

Chow- Tiffany : )

Project Purge!!!!!

My little family has been sick on and off for over the last month. That means that many projects that we have wanted to accomplish were put to the wayside. Over the weekend we got an extra burst of energy and decided to tackle some projects. About a month ago my hubby chopped down a small tree in our yard that had been giving us a lot of hassle. The leaves from the tree were like velcro and they would fall off and stick to my dogs fur and thus end up in our house. I would literally come home everyday and see our floors peppered in leaves. So everyday I would end up vacuuming and sweeping the ENTIRE house, needless to say it was no fun. Also, a few months ago I decided to start to be more green by recycling all bottles and cans that we utilize. It ended up being mainly Snapple tea bottles and Sierra Nevada Kellerweis. I thought to myself this is great for the environment AND I can use the small amounts of extra money to put into Doodlebugs savings account. However, it has gotten a bit out of control and I do not have reasonable storage for them so I have been using buckets and old garbage cans to store them in and now they are brimming over. So my wonderful hubby and brother in law made a trip to the dump and to the recycling center.

THEN, we went inside the house and tackled our closets. We each got rid of over HALF our clothes. It felt so good to get rid of the clutter and by doing that I noticed many clothes that were hidden in the mix that I totally forgot about. It's like having a brand new outfit again. Anyways, Delaney thought it was pretty cool to see the clothes fly into a pile which to her was the size of Mt. St. Helen's. That is until she repeatedly tripped over it and landed flat on her back. Poor thing. Anyhoo, we am ready to tackle winter head on now. I hope this inspires you to do the finish up some last minute projects!