mama travels:: San Juan Islands

These are a bit over due. I have been spectacularly busy since our return from California and haven't made time to edit and upload photos. Sorry.

We went to San Juan Island last week and had a fabulous, albeit snowy time! We drove to the ferry in snow-covered, unplowed roads and really debated staying another day. As it turns, our timing was perfect as San Juan and the rest of Western Washington continued to get snow dumps, wind, and bone-chilling temperatures. Here is a sneak peak of some of our pics.  More to come!

mama travels:: Planes, Delays, and Automobiles

Kannon and I headed to California last week for my grandfather's 80th b-day.  We have been looking forward to this vacation all year as it promised a chance to relax and show off both Kannon and the new bump.  With all the chaos going on in our life, I was hoping it would go smooth.

I couldn't be more wrong.

Our flight was delayed.  We missed our connection.  I found myself standing at the ticket counter demanding a flight to any airport in the LA area that night.  I had a sleepy, cranky, teething baby strapped on my back and had to hike all the away across the SLC airport 33 weeks pregnant.  We got our flight and luckily we made it into Long Beach that night.

Kannon enjoyed the flight.  He had more fun trying to play peek-a-boo with the seat behind us then looking out the window.  He pulled some poor guys hair trying to stand up and he thought the air vent was the funniest thing ever.  Then, he finally passed out strapped into the empty seat next to me and slept.  Finally, I could enjoy a cup of coffee and admire my peaceful boy.

The rest of our visit was great.  Kannon charmed all of our family.  He was introduced to a variety of new foods and was spoiled to death.  I will be 're-programming' him shortly as he has now decided that french fries are appropriate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and that stairs are more fun than Baby Einstein.

We missed Dale.   I realized how thankful I am to have him in our life.  Even though I had plenty of hands to help I missed the understanding that Dale and I share.  The wordless communication--knowing he is ready with a wet rag before I can even mention Kannon spit up.  I missed the partnership--laughing at the end of the day and cuddling in our bed.  Mostly, I just missed hearing Kannon's giggles that only come from 'daddy-time' with Dale.

The week flew by and before I knew it,  I found myself pacing to get on an airplane and get to Dale as fast as possible.  I had hoped that my delays on the way down meant smooth flying for the return trip.

....again, I couldn't have been further from the truth.

My flight was delayed.  We boarded the plane.  Then the generator failed.  20 minutes later they fixed it...only to announce a few minutes later that we would be de-boarding and getting on a new plane.  Easier said than done.  The stewardess was nasty and refused to help me with my bag even though my hands are full with Kannon and I am now 34 weeks pregnant.  So, I pulled the bag down, strapped Kannon on my back and headed to our new plane with a diaper bag and suitcase in tow.

We made it.  Kannon screamed the whole way because the plane was crowded and hot but nobody hated me...rather they just hated Delta for all the inconveniences.

Unfortunately, while I traveling by air was done, we still had to drive to Seattle the next day.  More about that later.  I promise I will post pics soon!

mama travels:: our new home

Dale and I packed up our car and loaded Kannon and Emma (our dog) for our 2 hour trip over the hills to Coeur d'Alene--our soon-to-be home.  Our day was packed full with house showings, visiting Dale's new accounts, and seeing a little bit of local color.  We started our day early and it got even earlier as we crossed into Pacific Standard Time.

We couldn't have been blessed with better weather, as we had clear blue skies and 65 degree weather.  It was perfect for Emma, who having smelled the lakes before we even got near Coeur d'Alene, was desperate for a good swim.  So before we started our day, we took a minute to enjoy the downtown (which is unbelievably charming) let Emma swim and caught lunch at a little cafe.

We checked out many houses.  Most of which were cute and charming and a few had us running away without even ringing the doorbell.  We were in love with one house but apparently many others were as well, so we quickly turned in our application and waited for them to make their decision.  The wait was worth it, because we got our house!  It is a little small but it is the perfect size for us.  We cant wait to move in!

The rest of day we spent visiting Dale's accounts.  He has some work to do as the person who was previous in charge left things unresolved.  Nonetheless, Dale put on his best tie and let his charm do the talking. 

We also stopped at Moontime where I had the best chicken sandwich I have ever tasted.  We are so excited about the epicurean delights present in Coeur d'Alene.  Every restaurant we walked by tempted our stomachs and tastebuds. 

At the end of a long day, we threw one last stick for Emma and headed back to Missoula greeted by an empty house, full of boxes, and ready for change.

While on our little trip, we learned many new things about the area that will surely be sending visitors our way!

1.) There are over 33 golf courses all within a 15 minute drive of CDA.
2.) Listed as one of the places to visit in Patricia Schultz's book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die
3.) CDA was listed as the 5th best place to live in the United States.
4.) Silverwood, the Pacific Northwest largest theme park is minutes from CDA.
5.) Lake Pend Oreille is over 1200 ft deep.
6.) Litehouse Dressing is based in nearby Sandpoint, ID
7.) On November 28, 2007, Good Morning America broadcast the city's Christmas Lighting Ceremony because its display is among the largest in the country.
8.) The CityLink bus system in CDA is FREE!
9.) The world's longest floating boardwalk is located in CDA as part of the Coeur d'Alene Resort.

10.) The CDA/Spokane area is considered one of safest areas places to live free of natural disasters.

Mama Confesses:: I miss Seattle

 We arrived in Seattle to be greeted by GIANT Montana posters everywhere....

Our final days in Seattle before moving to Montana were spent cursing at traffic, cigarette smoke, and pollution.  We felt cramped and were more than ready to move to Montana.  We love Montana.  It is open, beautiful, clean, and quiet.  Our first few return trips to Seattle left us happy with our decision to move but on our recent trip to Seattle I was sad to leave.  Don't get me wrong, we love Montana and will be sticking around a little bit longer but Dale and I are talking about the possibility of moving back to the Seattle area.  We have talked about the lifestyle we want and enriching life we want for our children.  I am grateful to have grown up in Montana and while it does offer so many life experiences, it sometimes lacks the culture and diversity that Dale and I love. 

We also miss our friends. We are very isolated in Montana and while we have a few friends and family close by we miss the friends that we have grown so close with over the years.  We miss the friends that we can call at the last minute just to hang out, eat ice cream and vent about life.  We miss having an excuse to make dinner just for friends coming over.  Most of all, we miss sharing our lives with the friends who have stood by us year after year watching us grow.  I never thought of all things Seattle, I would miss our friends the most. 

Our trip was fun.   It was relaxing, full of good food, friends, and laughter.  Kannon slept better than he has weeks as his days were kept full and exciting as he learned of his new surroundings.  Here is how we spent our vacation and why we are missing Seattle:

New Clothes!!

1.)  The Food---We love to cook so it should be no surprise that we set the bar high when it comes to restaurants.  Missoula has a few good places but lacks the diversity we look for in food.  While in Seattle, we enjoyed Spanish cuisine at Tango (twice), chicken masala and shish taok at Cedars, breakfast at Portage Bay, delicious fondue and poppers at Palace Kitchen, sushi at Shiku, thai food at Thaiku, pho at Pho Cyclo, and homemade pasta at Tavolata, and quick pasrties at Piroshky, Piroshky.  Our dining experience in Seattle left us satisfied and wanting more the minute we arrived in Missoula.

 Kannon and his Sophie

2.) The Shopping---Dale and I hate shopping.  We do it once a year usually around Christmas.  Since having a baby, shopping has become a little more necessary as we discover new things for Kannon.  Most of the items I needed for Kannon's arrival I had to buy online, pay shipping, and wait weeks on end for stuff to arrive, just to realize that the item was not as "pictured".  In Seattle, all of our specialty items were found easily without shipping and usually a few blocks from each other.  We got some cloth diapers, sunglasses, a hat, and Sophie, the giraffe, Kannon's new love.  The best part was that we got to try before we buy, a luxury to us.  We debated for weeks on getting Kannon a Sophie.  To us it is practically an expensive dog toy, but the minute Kannon saw it, he picked it up and put it right in his mouth.  Now this toy never leaves his side.  Thank you Seattle for having so many awesome baby stores. 

 Kannon's new sun hat

3.) The Activity---We lead a pretty quiet life in Missoula.  During the winter, we prefer to stay indoors, cook, and only go out if we absolutely have to.  During the summer that changes dramatically as we head out every weekend camping and hiking.  However, in Seattle we were always on the go.  It was so easy and CHEAP.  Dale and I used to walk downtown almost everyday, just to people watch, grab a beer, and talk.  This time, we walked all over Seattle.  We explored Ballard.  We played catch at Golden Gardens. We went to Pike Place.  We adventured at the Zoo.  By the time our trip was over, both Dale and I had to get new shoes because our Danskos were clearly the wrong choice for our journeys.  The whole time, Kannon was with us, in a stroller or on my back checking things out with curious wonder.

 Kannon at the Zoo with some friends

4.) The People---I never thought I would say I miss Seattlites but I do.  They are just so nice. Everywhere we went people asked us how old Kannon was, complimented my BabyHawk,  or just said hello.  Don't get me wrong, people in Montana are nice but it has been hard to make friends and most people look at me like I am crazy when they see the cloth diapers or our array of baby carriers.  I saw more cloth diapering, babywearing families in Seattle in a week than I have ever seen in Montana.  It is nice to not feel alone. 

5.) The Opportunity---We moved to Montana primarily because after a few months of being jobless I finally found a job in Missoula.  However, it took Dale a few months to find a job which was disappointing considering his skills, passion, and work ethic.  Now that my job is nearly finished and Dale is well on his way to becoming a sommelier we are looking ahead at our future.  Montana will be dead-end for Dale.  There are few high end restaurants that need sommeliers and even fewer distribution companies in search of wine reps.  We constantly browse craigslist and winejobs.com and are consistently amazed at the job openings in the wine market in the Seattle/WA/OR area.  It would be easy for Dale to move up the wine ladder and hopefully land his dream job someday living closer to wine country, big cities, and fancy restaurants.  Not too mention, I sold several sets of dryer balls to Seattlites and was excited to see the potential in all those crunchy stores.

All in all, our trip was great.  It left us puzzled and confused as far as what we want for our life and our children's lives.  We don't like traffic or crime.  The schools aren't great.  But the culture and diversity is hard to pass up.  Our friends are close by.  We love the possibilities.  And, being landlocked in Montana is getting a little depressing.  We have some time to think as we aren't heading anywhere soon, but this trip certainly gave us a lot to digest.

We spent the last two days of our vacation in Leavenworth, WA at the Sleeping Lady Resort.  It was the most relaxing, peaceful two days I have had in a long time.  The amenities were amazing.  The food delicious.  And the hot pool.....how I long to return to thee. 

I will say, there is nothing like returning to your own house.  Sinking in to my bed and my favorite pillows was heavenly.  Needless to say, next week I will be ready to pack my bags and head on another adventure....somewhere just anywhere but here.

The Real World

After 6 days of ignoring emails, phone calls, and the internet it is back to the real world and that means back to work.  Whew.  I checked my emails to find more dryer ball orders to fill, blogs to read, emails to send and a cranky baby who refuses to leave my side after spending 7 hours in the car. 

We are back.  It feels good.  Despite the chaos we have returned to it feels good to have our bed, our kitchen, and our bath.  6 days away from home was clearly too long.  But we did have fun.  I cant wait to post pictures and share all about our adventures. For now that will have to wait but I will leave you with some clues to our fun:  zoo, Sophie, swimming, eating, shopping, and soooo much more. 

Before I return to more pressing issues, like announcing the winner of my first giveaway.  Now, there were only 3 entries, so it wasn't completely what I was hoping for.  But for those of you who did enter, thanks!  I used random.org true random number generator and was given the number 2.....which was:


Jessica Salonga, aka Mrs. Salonga 

Yay!  Another lovely set of dryer balls find their home!

and.....We are back!

After a weeklong adventure in California, enjoying sunshine, grass, and warm air, we have finally returned to our cold Montana air. We are thrilled to be home, back in our own beds, rooms filled with playmats and bouncers, and even more excited to walk naked to the bathroom in the middle of the night without fear of being caught!



Our week in CA started off great as Kannon survived the 2-hour flight to LA. He was awake the whole time checking things out around us. He loved staring at the lumberjack sitting across the aisle and I am pretty sure would have grabbed his long beard had Dale not been in the way! We finally landed and Kannon sacked out quickly in his carseat giving us a chance to savor our traditional first stop at In-n-Out. mmmmmm.....animal style.



Kannon had his share of meet & greets as he met someone new practically everyday we were there. He loved every moment of it, smiling at every friendly new face, and practically reaching out to be held! I think he has a future as loverboy....so girls watch out this boy will break your heart!







Kannon's world was turned upside down with all sorts of new activities and sights. He saw grass, the ocean, blue skies. He felt warm air and we took him swimming for the first time! All those adventure filled days left our little dude pretty pooped because for the first time he slept through the night!!!! At least almost, he woke up most nights to eat once around 3 am and then would quickly fall asleep until 7 am or so.







We had a great time and hope to return to CA again but for now, we are resting in our own beds--taking a vacation from our vacation and dreaming about our next adventure.



I have decided my blog needs a little structure so stay tuned for some much needed changes!

Birthdays....

The b-day card Dale gave me.

Birthdays just are not exciting anymore. At least mine. I can't remember the last birthday bash I enjoyed as I usually prefer celebrating with Dale, quietly in the comfort of my home.

This is not to say that birthdays aren't memorable. Trust me, I will treasure Kannon's b-day every year until the day I die. I celebrate week birthdays, month birthdays, and 1/4 of the year birthdays. When you see a 7 pound being come into the world, it is hard to forget that moment.



But I don't remember my birthday. What used to be a call to celebrate with booze, friends, and bars is now an excuse to sleep in and demand breakfast in bed and celebrate Kannon's 1/4 of the year birthday.

Which is exactly how I celebrated my birthday.



Dale, Kannon, and I drove to Bozeman after a sleepy morning to continue our celebration. We visited with some old friends, enjoyed time antiquing (a skill my mother has generously passed down), and eating at our favorite establishments.



Yet, the trip was less about me and more about showing off Kannon and his chubby cheeks. He met new faces, saw new places, and slept in the bed with us. He was spoiled.


Visiting Lei-Anna, my former teacher

He had a few minor fusses--mostly because he was tired and ready for bed. While he may have loved sharing a bed with us, Dale and I were ready to go sleep in the car! I kept getting punched in the face by Kannon, not too mention he used me as a pacifier the whole night. He woke up any time one of use moved and demanded to be fed. I have no idea how any one co-sleeps.



All in all, we had a good weekend, watching our little man discover more of the world but now we are exhausted and happy to be home, in separate beds.

Road Trip!

Yesterday Kannon and I braved the below zero temperatures and frozen roads to head to Helena for an AmeriCorps "Close of Service" event. I am actually continuing my service with AmeriCorps but I still attended to not only show off baby but say goodbye to those I have worked with throughout the year.

Before we left Missoula, Dale made sure to pack the car with all the essentials--including a zero degree sleeping bag just in case. Kannon was diapered, dressed, and fed, ready to head out the door at 9. He did great. The first 100 miles, all I heard were a few squeaks and grunts. The last 15 miles, however, just when the roads got really icy, he started wailing. He was hungry and those roads weren't going to stop him. All I could do was turn the music up and hold my breath. It was -12 degrees on the pass and there was no place to stop.

We got to Helena. Kannon got fed. Just when I thought my baby was going to hate me forever, he smiled. His first real, big smile. The kind of smile that makes his eyes light up at the sheer recognition of 'Mommy' and he did it the rest of the day.

As expected everyone loved him. He showed off his groovy hair (he has a mullet) and blue eyes. He even demonstrated his super baby strength by holding his head steady, practicing standing-up (with assistance of course) and attempting to roll-over.

While Kannon was busy showing off, I was busy connecting with coworkers, getting advice on resume building, career opportunities, and how to use my education award. Of course, he was not the only one who got to show off. My supervisor gave me a great review.

"Sentinel High School has had the pleasure of being Kat's choice of VISTA site for the last year. She has been a valuable asset to us for the past year.


First, Kat renewed our process for student job shadows and internships which are essential elements in students' career awareness, exploration, and development. Through job shadows students have an opportunity to see inside occupations that interest them. That experience is real life as opposed to being a virtual, second-hand look at an occupation. Prior to Kat's arrival, job shadows had nearly died at Sentinel. Now, just as we see them revitalized, Kat's term of service is about to expire.


Second, Kat has worked to enrich parent involvement at Sentinel. She organized student led conferences for our freshmen teams last spring, she developed a parent volunteer database, and she facilitated a parent evening this fall for parents of freshmen students. And, she did most of this work while awaiting the birth of first child, Kannon.


Luckily, Kat has decided to extend her service and we are thrilled."

We had a great trip and Kannon cooperated the whole time. He fussed a few minutes here and there, mainly do to hiccups that refused to leave him alone. I had him in my MOBY wrap most of the time. Its funny, that I discovered more about my son throughout this little trip than I have most days at home. Kannon is so engaged with the world around him. He loves looking at things, especially shadows, mirrors, and maps. He loves being held, facing outward at the world. He is particularly fond of women with brown hair (I wonder why). He has a habit of grabbing glasses of peoples faces. He refuses to nap when there is so much to see. He is perfectly content sitting in his stroller while I am 15 feet away (dont worry, I had my eye on him!)

We headed home early, in an attempt to cover the pass before dark. Kannon reached his limit and was so tired, he couldn't sleep. After a five minute fuss in the back seat, he passed out for the entire trip home, while I braved the icy roads.

The best part of all this adventure was that his nighttime sleep schedule finally regulated. He fell asleep at 8 last night, woke up to feed at 12 & 5 am but stayed asleep until 9 am this morning. We were blessed with a whole 8 hours of sleep (albeit interrupted).

I am so proud of my son for being such a great baby. I had visions of our road trip ending with hours of crying, tears, and frustration, but it was great! Even more, I am more confident about my abilities to go "public" with baby, despite the spit-up I think I actually appear to have it together. Nursing in public was no big deal. Diaper changes on the couch, floor, and table were no problem. Juggling a baby, a stroller, and my lunch was easy. My only complaint, the dirty diaper never made it to the garbage, rather it stayed in my pocket until Dale did laundry. I guess you cant win it all.

Fall, Summer, Winter, Fall is Here

Whew, these last two weeks have been a whirlwind as Dale and I have traveled to and from Big Sky, MT, worked 8-day work weeks, and shuffled between wearing flip-flops and heavy sweaters as, in typical Montana fashion, the weather varies between wintry chills and summer heat!

First, for all those who were wondering, Dale passed his Introductory Sommelier Course and Exam in Big Sky, MT last week! We stayed at a colleague's house, where I relaxed in a hot tub with majestic views, and Dale and co-workers studied hard for two long days. I knew Dale was a whiz when it came to wine but after two days surrounded by cork dorks I realized how extensive his knowledge is! To top it all off, he nailed a few blind tastings, identifying even grape varietal, region, and VINTAGE! I am confident that Dale will be able to pass the next level which is the Certified Sommelier Exam when the next opportunity comes around.


A very proud Dale!!

It was beautiful in Big Sky. The air was crisp and cool and the skies blue. I enjoyed my time relaxing, enjoying my last opportunity to cart around my Nikon without a baby strapped to me. I spent a few hours in Bozeman and caught up with an old friend and took a little hike with Emma to get some fresh air and see some waterfalls. Usually, leaving Bozeman always saddens me as it is my home, but this time, I was excited to return to Missoula and the home I share with my husband and family. I know many Bozeman trips are in the future but for now, I have decided that I can live in Missoula (however, I still refuse to become a Griz Fan!).



We had tons to do when we returned to prepare not only for baby's arrival but for winter's arrival as well! So between more laundry duty and house cleaning, I was out in my garden planting one last batch of radishes and covering my not-quite-ripe pumpkins with hay. I am hoping this last batch of radishes will have some time to mature before the ground freezes, but no one can predict Montana weather. It was 75 one day with nighttime temps of 35 and the next it was 46 with a 30% chance of snow!

Just as no one can predict winter's exact arrival, our little one's arrival also appears to be a mystery! As of Monday, the doctor said I am already progressing and preparing for labor, so it could be any day! It is only October 1st and technically I still have 27 days till D-Day, nonetheless, many of our family members are already starting to make early predictions! If you want in on the game go to: http://www.expectnet.com/games/PittmanBabyPool to make your prediction. Winners will get bragging rights unless Dale and I can come up with a more generous prize!



Today, the weather forecast is 55 with sun so Dale and I are headed to Jerry Johnson hot springs to celebrate October's arrival and enjoy fall before it quickly becomes winter!