One thing I've learned....& a new blog to check out

In the last few months I have gradually been spending more & more time on the computer. It can take a lot of time to 'surf' thru all the blogs that I want to keep up with. A good friend of mine (Dana thank you so much) has introduced me to Google Reader. You can have it track the blogs that you look at & it will tell you when someone has updated their blog! Amazing right, well at least that is how I feel.

Interested?!?!?! First off to set one up I think that you will have to have gmail or at least a google login (I can help you with that if you want to set up a gmail). At the top where it lists Calendar, Documents, Photos, etc... go to More & at the bottom you will see Reader. Once in it you will see a green bar on the left side that says Add Subscription, click on it & copy & paste the URL. You can go down to Manage Subscriptions & change the name of it to whatever you want.

This has saved me, I don't even want to admit how much time I spent looking thru all the blogs that I follow.

Cool New Blog Alert!!!! Also my sister-in-law has set up a new blog for sharing recipes (easy recipes) that I'm pretty excited about, especially because I am not the most motivated cook. Go by & see it. If you are interested in contributing to it she will add you as a user. Share it with your friends too.

http://bloggingitswhatsfordinner.blogspot.com/

1483

I don't even need to pay attention....

I turned around from the computer & saw that Payton found the tissues. I walked in front of her to get the camera (she didn't even see me). Then I took these pictures. After this picture was taken she noticed that I saw her making a mess & got down & left the room. Anytime she can get to the tissues or her diaper wipes I find them all over the floor, although the diapers are a lot harder for her to pull out so I never walk in on as big a mess as the tissues.
1416

Recently I got a new camera & I was reading the thru the booklet that came with it when I noticed that a butterfly was out on my balcony. They turned out so well that I had to share.

Beautiful Pasadena

One thing that I love about where we live is that we have got some amazing buildings within walking distance. That dragonfly in the front is a fountain.
It was such a pretty day! I love how surreal the sky looks.
Over the summer construction/restoration on City Hall finished. I love the look of this building!
Donald was home & amazing we weren't doing anything Saturday morning (2 Saturdays or so ago). So we walked around & I was able to take pics.
So cute! Her hair is so cute.
We originally went to the Paseo to play in the fountains that I've blogged about before but they weren't on. :( So we went to the ones that are at the Westin Hotel. What I like about these pics is that I was able to stand further away from her to take them because Donald was there.

I love that her legs are up & keeping her balance.
She splashed herself but didn't mind.
Donald helping her do things that she can't do by herself. I guess it's a good thing just as long as she doesn't try it herself.
You can tell she feels like such a big girl when her dad lets her do things like this.

These are just good pictures. I love the last one. SOO CUTE!!!
1394

LA County Fair

On Wednesday we went to the LA County Fair. We had high hopes to get Payton up early so that she would take an early nap but we didn't even get up until 8/8:15 so that was shot. So she ended up not taking a nap & it went well.

We started out by eating In & Out before we left. She loves her Cheeseburger Ketchup Only! We had that because I knew that she would eat a lot of it & she did. I can handle a tired kid just not a hungry tired kid!She was already getting a little goofy.
They had a winter wonderland building. There were a bunch of christmas shops & in the back they had an ice skating rink & this platform with "snow" (ice) & we put Payton up there.
She was so funny about touching it.
Even after she knew that it was cold she would hold it again & again, each time being silly about the fact that it was cold.
Next door the forest rangers had a Wilderness area. They had the mountain mules. They were so calm!
Payton was so curious & they seemed to be equally curious about her too.
She didn't want to leave them but she didn't cry which I was fully expecting.
We went over to see the horses but she didn't want to get down.
It wasn't hot but Donald still enjoyed pushing Payton thru the mist.
So we did a lot of other things but didn't pull out the camera. We did see the Budweiser Clydesdale horses & she got a kick out of that. We also saw a Dalmatian getting his bling put on.

The day went really well. She did really well considering that she didn't nap. We were hoping that she would fall asleep but no such luck. When we got back to the car we were unpacking the stroller & Payton saw the socks that we packed for her just in case it got cold. So we put them on her hands & the silliness came back!
She was so funny. She kept them on for 20 minutes.
Here is a video that Donald took in the back seat. (1309)

Mommy's little helper...

Over the weekend we decided that our apartment needed a little attention. Usually Payton could care less, especially because cartoons were on but not this time. She was such a big help. I didn't let her up to help until a good majority of the dishes were in the dishwasher but she didn't mind. She enjoyed helping me clean the dish I made fudge in. BTW I have a great fudge recipe I will have to share soon.
Of coarse the best part about doing the dishes is WATER!!
But she really did try to scrub with the brush.
Then we vacuumed. She has a little play vacuum & loves it. It does take batteries but we haven't put them in yet.
When she gets tired of it we will add batteries & it will be like a new toy.
It was on to the mirrors. This took a little bit of convincing. She wanted to put her fingers in the windex & not wipe it with a paper towel, but she eventually resisted the temptation & used the paper towel.

The bathroom I was planning on doing myself but she insisted on helping.
She then decided her teeth needed to be clean as well. This happens about 4 times every day. She loves to brush her teeth.
1289

Paseo Fountains...

Last week we went to the Paseo fountains with Dana & Lucy to the Paseo Mall fountains. They had a great time.Lucy is usually fearless but I think she had more fun running from the fountains when they came on with Payton.

Payton was so cute playing with Lucy. We don't do many play dates, managing doesn't leave me much time, so it's always fun for me to see her play with kids. Guilt is setting in. This is something I should probably try harder to do with Payton.
We got some really cute pictures of Payton this last week & this is one of them...
So I didn't bring a towel or any because she always runs away from the fountains. But what changed is that I took off Payton's shoes so that Lucy could try them on. Payton then went to the fountain (while it was off) & stuck her toe in the hole. It didn't go off while her toe was in there but it barely missed her. She was standing too close to one when it went off & it got her. She was a little distressed but she got over it.
With in 10 minutes another fountain nailed her... & I got the shot!!
Soaking wet she came running back.
Just in case you thought she did the 2nd one on purpose, check out her face in this next picture. Oh my sweetie!!
This time it took a little more cuddle time to get over it. Luckily Dana brought a towel, she was sure Lucy would be the one to get wet. But as it ended up Lucy was dry & Payton well, she got nailed twice.
I love this picture. Payton is totally keeping an eye on the fountain that got her!