Orion's B-day Party

Nothing else mattered but the hockey stick. He carried it around all evening!

He was a little unsure at first,

but then he just dug right in!

Bath time

Hockey fan/player in the making

Peter and I took Orion to an Aces Hockey game for his birthday. He even sported an Aces jersey for the occasion. I was sure that he would freak out over the crowd yelling, the buzzers or at least the cowbells but they didn't bother him one bit! He actually paid attention to the game, watching the players skate up and down the ice. He even clapped when the crowd clapped! It was so cute!!!

Presents from Grandma Mary

Look at that lot! Coloring books, reading books, the Madagascar Movies, a truck, 2 outfits, a Wicked Tinker shirt, swimming trunks and candy.

I think he is going to be a reader just like mommy

Plenty of room to grow. Hopefully they will still fit for our AZ trip in May!

Thanking Grandma Mary for the gifts

He was determined to get into the sucker last night, but I was not giving in!

Orion's First Year

Where has the time gone?

When did this...

turn into this?

Orion turns 1 tomorrow!

Just a few more pictures...

from over the last couple weeks I just had to share!

This is his newest toy and shame on me if I put it in the trash! He just pulls it right back out!!!

This is his "look"

Don't worry it's empty but boy did he think he was hot stuff trying to sip on it. His look is just too darn cute!

He just kept babbling to himself while we were listening to the Wicked Tinkers. Doesn't the shirt say it all?

Okay! I think we know I am not a blogger...

I have been suck a slacker when it comes to blogging! Let's get you updated on the chaos that is known as the Hunter Household.

I started my daycare business at the first of the year. I am lovin' it! I watch 5 kids all under the age of 5. Not all at the same time though! Usually 2-3 kids a days, plus Orion. I always knew that I would have a career that involved children but didn't know what until I had Orion.

Speaking of Orion, he is walking, more like running, and getting into everything! He is becoming quite the vocal little guy with words like: dada, mum, ish (fish), nack (snack), nana (banana), shosss (shoe), jshuice (juice), shisha (auntie tricia) and ba (bottle). I'm sure I probably missed a few. It's quite amazing how he will try to say a word after he has heard us say it!

Has anyone heard of Project 365? It is the "cat's meow" in scrapbooking this year. Well, I learned of it from Becky Higgins Blog but can also be found here http://kitofthemonth.blogspot.com/ I have taken on the task of participating and have found it challenging but very interesting thus far. The concept of the project is to "Preserve a piece of your life every day." I am doing this by taking a picture of anything, literally anything, throughout my day and then journal about it. By the end of the year I will have a Scrapbook!

Here some pictures that are included in my album:

Just a snap shot of Orion and I.

Orion throwing the pillow down and then himself on top of it. (Humorous to watch)

A banner I made for Valentine's Day

Heart shaped pizza for dinner the night before Valentine's Day

Climbing the stairs at the Grandparent's house

Dancing to the Wicked Tinkers

He refused to let me put his diaper on and get him ready for bed.

I will have to post a pic of my album and what some finished pages look like. I am very pleased with the results.

I Love Netflix!

To cure our movie watching need Peter and I are trying out netflix. I am LOVIN' it so far! We signed up for the 2 week free trial period which just ended yesterday. We are currently in the 3 at-a-time unlimited plan for $16.99. We are even able to watch them instantly on our TV via our Xbox 360!



So far here's what we/I have watched:

1. Night at the Museum


2. Love Comes Softly


3. Love's Enduring Promise


4. Next


5. Becoming Jane


6. Ghostbusters


7. NCIS: Season 6 (All 17 Episodes)


8. CSI Las Vegas: Season 7 (All 24 Episodes)


9. James and the Giant Peach


10. Ratatouille


11. CSI Las Vegas: Season 8 (All 17 Episodes)


12. The Other Boleyn Girl

Couting all the episodes that's a total of 67 shows/movies that we have watched. That breaks down to 25 cents each! What a steal!!! Well, techanically all but 6 of those were free! We watched 6 episodes of CSI this morning.

I love how you can put your movies in order of how you want them sent and they are constantly adding new selections. We have a netflix hub right here in Anchorage so we get our movies in a matter of just a few days.

No more theaters, PPV or renting movies for us!

{01.26.09} AT THE MOMENT

Right Now: I am sitting at my dinning room table.

I am wearing: Teal lace tank and heart printed pajama bottoms.

I am hearing: Noggin's "Maggie and the Furious Beast" on the tube and Orion babbling to his toys.

I am thinking: about making Gumbo for dinner.

I am thankful for: being able to work from home (in my pj's).

I am creating: my project 365.

I am going: to the store and bank today and hoping to get Orion's Birth Certificate (I'm such a slacker! He's almost a year old!!!)

I am hoping: that we can get out finances in order...soon!

I am reading: The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling

One of my favorite things: sleeping in. Which I was able to do all weekend!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Make a Valentine Advent Calendar, Orion's Valentine Shirt and a Valentine's Banner. Also start designing a Valentine card.

We've got a walker!

Of course! He would have to show off for his godparents! OK so these are not the best pictures but you can tell he is taking tiny little steps. (Sorry for the blurriness! I took the photos using the sports setting.)

At the moment

Right Now: Out of my window: Snow everywhere (on the ground), blue sky's and the sun is shinning. Yahoo!

I am wearing: Black Yoga pants, White lace tank, Aqua long-sleeved V neck and sock.

I am hearing: Orion babble and the roar of the heater. (It's -17 degrees outside!)

I am thinking: About the work I need to complete for WB, my scrapbook room is big mess, the kitchen needs to be cleaned and what do I make for dinner.

I am thankful for: A warm home, a wonderful family, parents and in-laws and two great jobs.

I am creating: a recipe box. I will start working on my recipe cards, a Valentine Advent Calendar and Peter's "All About You" Album.

I am going: to finish updating my blog, clean up the kitchen, decide what to make for dinner and start taking down the Christmas decorations.

I am hoping: that my car will start.

I am reading: Nothing at the time, but I want to be reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling

One of my favorite things: cuddling on the couch with my husband.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Take down the Christmas Tree and decorations (I do have to wait until Russian Christmas, I promised my husband, but I can take a few down. He won't notice right?), clean up scrapbook room, go to Party Craft to take a peek at birthday themes for Orion's "First".

My Resolutions Defined

Be ‘Greener’
With all this hype about "Being Green" these days, I thought I would make my contributions. I have come up with my own list on how I can Be ‘Greener’. (I know that once my husband reads this he is going to think that I have turned all “Tree hugger” on him. Honey, I have not! Believe it or not but by doing these few things we will be saving money and I like the sound of that!)
*Add one meatless meal a week
*Shop the Saturday Market
*Using energy smart light bulbs
*Reusable shopping bags

When I was making my list I noticed that there are things I already do to Be ‘Green’!
*Using cold water to wash laundry
*Turning lights off when not in use
*Taking advantage of the sun and opening the curtains and shades during the day
*Turning the water off when not in use
*Washing full loads of laundry
*Wearing your clothes more than once (I know this one may sound gross but I have clothes that I wear just around the house and clothes when I have to go out. When I need to leave the house I change into something nicer and when I get back home I change back into my “house clothes”. The outfit that I wore out will get hung back up.)
*Running full loads in the dishwasher
*Using newspaper and cardboard as fire starters
*Turning the thermostat down when we are not at home or at night
*Using rechargeable batteries

Live Frugally
Dictionary.com defines frugal as “prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful.” With that being said here’s my list to work on this year.
*Eat out less
*Have cook ahead days – make batches of food and put them in the freezer for future use (I love this idea!)
*Homemade gifts for birthdays and Christmas
*Make brown bag lunches for my husband

And of course I already have a list of things I do to be frugal:
*I hardly ever buy name brands
*Batch my errands to save money on fuel and time
*I usually only buy new clothes for the family when they are on sale or on the clearance rack
*I buy inexpensive cuts of meat for crock pot meals
*Most of Orion’s clothes are secondhand
*All of our furniture was secondhand
*Always go to the grocery store with a shopping list
*Try to always eat leftovers
*Buying in Bulk
*Buying books from used book stores
*Re-using my baby food containers and other containers

Have a Clean and Organized Home
Those of you who know me know that I struggle with this but now that we have Orion and I work from home I am going to have a better handle on this.

Cook From Scratch More Often
I love being in the kitchen but over the last couple of years I have gotten lazy in this department. Well I am dusting off my cookbooks and diggin' right in!

Make a Point to Scrap Every Week
I've been scraping for 7 years and the only thing I have to show for it is our Engagement Album, Orion's Monthly Album, random pages and gifts for everyone else. I am so far behind, but yet with scrapbooking there is no such things as being caught up!

Loss weight
I am going to give myself a small goal of 15 lbs. I know that once I beat that I am going to want to go for 30 lbs!

Happy New Year!

Photo Taken New Year's Eve

Fireworks Courtesy of Nick Hunter

The last couple of weeks I have been thinking about what resolutions I want to tackle for 2009 and here's what I have come up with:

• Be ‘Greener’
• Live Frugally
• Have a clean home
• Cook from scratch more often
• Make a point to scrap every week
• Loss weight

I will elaborate more on my resolutions tomorrow.

Updates

I have been so busy due to work and the Christmas Season this last month that I really had the time to post anything.

Orion is now 23 lbs, 10 oz. and 29 3/4 inches long. He is starting to take steps now, just a couple at a time. I am just dreading the day that he is able to take off!

Our Christmas Tree

He wasn't to keen on Santa but we got a few good pictures anyways

On Christmas Day. What a handsome little boy!

He sure ain't no Handy Manny

Sooo.....this afternoon I get home from work and find packing tape on several of the cabinet's in the kitchen. I asked Peter what was going on and he said that Orion keep pulling things out of the cabinets and that he was tired of picking up after him...lol Welcome to my day honey!!! I bought spring latches the other day just haven't had the chance to install them yet. Do you think that Peter could take the time to install them for me....nope! But his solution was cute.

I guess I might as well face it, my husband is not a Handy Manny! I still love you honey!!!