The Trueman Show

Sweet Baby

2011-06-07T15:35:00.000-07:00

I had my first ultrasound on April 11th, during my 19th week. My due date has changed numerous times and the latest is September 1st. Looks like he/she has my nose!

Spain Day 5--Granada

2011-06-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

The Alhambra (Red Castle/Fortress) is a Moorish network of lavishly decorated palaces and irrigated gardens completed during the 1300's.The Nasrid Palaces are the most impressive. M. C. Escher visited in 1922 and the Moorish use of symmetry in the Alhambra tiles inspired some of his work. This is in the Mexuar, which was later converted into a chapel. Patio del Cuarto DoradoPatio de Comares--so peaceful Salón de ComaresPatio de los Leones (under construction)--we were able to see the 12 marble lions in another area where they had just been restoredSala de AbencerrajesView of GranadaI love wisteria!My poor sister fadingFascinating irrigation systemPalacio de Carlos V begun in 1527AlcazabaView of the Sierra Nevada mountainsGeneralife, a soothing arrangement of pathways, patios, pools, fountains, topiary gardens, tall trees, and flowers. After walking through here, Jeff had a lot of ideas for our future backyard. It was so peaceful and serene through this area; I could have spent another day here.Escalera del Agua--water flows along the shaded staircase We ended the day in Granada at a churreria. It took us the entire week to figure out that "churros y hot chocolate" are served at 5pm, no earlier and no later. This is the time when the city and plazas wake up after siesta. The chocolate is thick like fondue and not sweet--perfect for dipping churros! Yum!If you are still reading this, you made it to the end of our trip! Did you feel like you were there? Sorry, I don't want to forget the things I learned and the feelings I had in Spain. It was a wonderful trip with Jeff and my sister and her husband. We were excited to come home to the kids and our new kitchen. Pics to come...

Spain Day 4--Córdoba

2011-05-31T15:29:00.000-07:00

The city of Córdoba was the capital of the Islamic community of al-Andalus for three centuries, so the Great Mosque or Mezquita was of great importance and of Moorish architecture. The building was begun around the year 600 as a Christian church, but after the Islamic conquest, it was refashioned as a mosque beginning in 784. Over the next two centuries, the mosque was expanded and underwent numerous changes due to the rapid growth of the community. Here is the Mezquita from across the Roman bridge.
Material from Roman and Visigothic ruins was incorporated into the structure.An original doorwayThe inside is breathtaking...the columns, the arches.The mihrab or prayer niche (indicates the direction Muslims should face when praying, towards Mecca).In the 16th century, the King of Spain gave permission for the center of the Mezquita to be ripped out to allow construction of a Renaissance cathedral, which he later regretted. Amazing this is in the same building!Throughout the Mezquita are both Islamic and Christian religious symbols.
The minaret (tower) from the courtyard of oranges.Outside the Mezquita we found a bar that serves the best tortilla de patata (potato omelette) in town. Yummy!Flower Alley in the Judería (Jewish District), a charming labyrinth of narrow streets with flowers dripping from window boxes. The Mezquita minaret is framed between the alley walls.
Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, a castle built in the 13th century on Roman and Arab ruins.This artifact dates back to the 2nd century.The fortress gardens are full of fish ponds, fountains, orange trees, and flowers. Beautiful!We finished the day with dinner and a flamenco show.We stayed at the Marriott in Estepona on the coast of the Mediterranean.

Spain Day 3--Gibraltar, Ronda, Puerto Banús

2011-05-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

Gibraltar, a British territory, is a fascinating place, located at the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region. On a clear day, Morocco is visible across the Strait of Gibraltar, but not on the day we visited. We drove to the Rock and took a tour of the sites on the rock. Before the tour, we walked through the Botanic Gardens.The people of Gibraltar speak English, Spanish, and a mix of the two, slipping back and forth from one to the other, often in mid-sentence. A few times I had difficulty understanding our guide and I offended him when I thought he pointed to the Spanish Naval Base. He quickly corrected me and said it was a British Naval Base. Duh! I could definitely sense his British/Gibraltarian pride throughout the tour.

We stopped at the Apes' Den, which is filled with Europe's only wild primates, the Barbary apes. Legend says the apes came over from Africa through tunnels in the Rock. Here's a mama ape picking at something in the fur of her little one. St. Michael's Cave, a network of limestone caves created by rainwater seeping through the limestone gradually dissolving the rock. In the past, people thought the cave was a possible subterranean link with Africa.During WWII, the cave was set up as an emergency military hospital, but it was never used as one. This auditorium seats 100 and is used for concerts, plays, and beauty pageants.Upper Rock with views of the eastern side and coast
We also toured the Great Siege Tunnels, a complex defense system hewn out of the Rock by the British during the siege of 1779-83 to provide gun emplacements.After our tour, we walked down Main Street in Gibraltar and browsed the shops and ate delicious fish and chips. Yum!

Later that day we went to Ronda, a pueblo blanco (white village) in the countryside.The bridge connecting Old Ronda to newer Ronda We visited the bullring in Ronda, built in 1785.On our way home from Ronda, we stopped at Puerto Banús for ice cream and to check out the boutique shops and luxurious marina. It was built in 1970 for the super rich and their expensive yachts. It has berths for 915 boats, including those of the King of Saudi Arabia and several of the world's wealthiest individuals. Amy bought a Louis Vuitton here, knock-off of course!

Spain Day 2--Sevilla

2011-05-30T10:35:00.000-07:00

Sevilla, the heart of Andalucia. I loved everything about Sevilla. It's a big city (over 700,000 people), but has the historical charm of an old European city. I loved walking through the narrow, twisting streets and small squares.

Our first stop was the Cathedral, the world's largest Gothic cathedral and the third largest church in the world, standing on the sight of a 12th-century mosque.The organ pipesChristopher Columbus' TombA thorn from Christ's crown of thornsThe main chapel of the cathedral. The altarpiece is the largest in the world with over 1000 carved biblical figures.The Giralda (bell tower), part of the original mosque. We climbed to the top and had views of Sevilla and the bullring.Courtyard of the Oranges, originally the courtyard of the mosque, from the top of the Giralda.Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza (Death in the Afternoon) is the oldest bullring in Spain The Plaza de España in Maria Luisa Park was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition. The park was so pretty with paths snaking under trees, lush gardens and no car traffic.The architecture and tiling are beautiful.Jeff took us on a romantic boat ride on the canal around the plaza.

Spain

2011-04-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

Jeff and I returned from an incredible trip to Southern Spain last week. We went with my sister, Amy, and her husband, John. Amy served her mission in Málaga, Spain 15 years ago and had no problem speaking and understanding the Spanish people. We had a wonderful time touring and learning the history of Andalucía. The kids went on "vacation" to Jeff's parents' house and kept busy visiting the zoo, train museum, and neighborhood playground.

We arrived Saturday evening, rented a car, and stocked up on groceries for the week at the supermercado. Jamón: cured ham (hoof included). I had to try it, but it was thinly sliced like prosciutto and not as fresh as this :)We quickly learned how to navigate the highways and to cambio de sentido--literally, change our "feelings" by getting off the freeway and going the opposite direction in order to get to our destination.

Day 1--Cádiz, one of the oldest European cities, founded in the 8th century BC. This was the most important stop for Amy because she served six months of her mission here. Here she taught and baptized a young woman, Zulima, and later Zulima's parents and brothers joined the church and they were all sealed in the Swiss temple. We visited Zulima and her parents.It was really neat to meet people from Amy's mission.

We explored the old city and walked to La Caleta, an old fort which sits on the Atlantic Ocean.We walked along the Playa de la Caleta to the yellow-domed Cádiz Cathedral.The cathedral sits on a plaza lined with palm trees and is beautiful. Enjoying gelato outside the cathedral. Why does ice cream taste better in Europe?? We toured the inside of the cathedral and the crypt downstairs. Then we walked to the top of the Torre de Poniente (tower) and enjoyed spectacular views of the city.We walked around the narrow cobblestone streets of Cádiz and stopped for tapas--pescado frito and paella were a must.

Family hike

2011-03-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went on a beautiful hike in Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness. The hills were so green and the weather perfect for a nature stroll. The kids did great and loved running around and taking turns riding in the backpack. We hiked up Flag Hill, had a picnic at the top and enjoyed views of Mt. Diablo and the regional park below. I am looking forward to sunshine and spring weather for more days like this. Yes, that is a baby bump--I'm 4 months prego.

Skiing at Beaver Mountain

2011-03-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

We visited my parents in Providence, Utah a few weeks ago and took the kids skiing for the first time. We didn't plan on putting skis on Dylan, but since we were all there together, we gave it a shot. He shocked us! Sienna had an instructor and got comfortable being on skis. It was such a fun outing and we can't wait until we are all up on the mountain together.

Sienna's Preschool Performance

2011-01-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

Jeff's 1st Marathon

2010-11-10T16:41:00.000-08:00

After months of looking for a marathon to run, Jeff finally decided on the Lake Chabot Trail Marathon--a grueling course with 2600 feet in elevation change. It was the day after his brother's wedding. With a blood soaked shirt, Jeff crossed the finish line. He earned a 2nd place medal for his age group and placed eighth overall, even with a 2 mile detour.Miniature JeffJeff's fan club

Ben and Rebecca's Wedding

2010-11-10T16:14:00.000-08:00

Jeff's brother got married last weekend in the Santa Cruz mountains. It was a beautiful day and a gorgeous wedding. Everything was perfect and we had a wonderful time with family and friends.
Trueman boys at the ceremony rehearsal (Dylan fits right in wearing his Vans)My mom made Sienna's dress and Dylan's bow tie. So cute!Sienna and Dylan actually made it down the aisle together!The happy coupleTrueman family Let's celebrate!

Halloween

2010-11-10T15:35:00.000-08:00

Jeff took Dylan to a Halloween Festival and had his face painted like a vampireCarving pumpkins I made Sienna's Belle costume, which was stressful. I'm glad it's over.Sienna's preschool had a costume parade.Our friends had a neighborhood Halloween Fair and I took Sienna. She made crafts, played with friends and in the bounce house, and got lots of candy.Our neighborhood familyOur ward had a Halloween Carnival/Trunk or Treat and the kids had a great time

Preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch

2010-11-10T14:59:00.000-08:00

Sienna was able to visit the pumpkin patch with her preschool.The kids learned about growing seeds and each planted a soy bean.Tractor ride around the pumpkin patchHay mazeTrain rideBounce house
Friends
This little guy had fun at the pumpkin patch, too.

Sienna's 4th Birthday

2010-10-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

Sienna turned four last week. She is growing up too fast. She opened a few presents in the morning, including a bike, which she loves.

She went to preschool and her teachers made a crown for her to wear.

Later, we had a party with friends, family and a jump house. What a hit! The kids had so much fun jumping together.

Sienna requested a Belle cake and with some improvising, I'm happy to say it didn't fall over.

It was so fun to celebrate Sienna!

Sienna's 1st Day of Preschool

2010-08-28T15:45:00.002-07:00

Sienna had her first day of preschool on Wednesday, August 25th, while Jeff and I were still in Maui. I felt bad missing her first day, but it was probably better to have Grandma and Aunt Jamie take her. She didn't cry (and I wasn't there for her to see me cry), walked right in and immediately started playing with toys and play dough. I can't believe she is going to preschool. This is the beginning of the next 18+ years of education... Here she is at home in her first-day-of- school outfit. She looks so happy.I can see the fear in her eyes in this picture in front of her preschool. It will be an adjustment for us all to have her gone. Dylan and I ran errands after dropping her off on her second day and he kept climbing into her carseat. I think he missed her, as did I!

Maui

2010-08-28T15:45:00.001-07:00

Jeff and I had a wonderful getaway in Maui this past week. Jeff's mom and sister watched the kids for us and they had a blast swimming, going to Super Franks, and visiting the Oakland Zoo!

Maui was incredible! We spent one day driving the road to Hana and loved the lush greenness and beautiful waterfalls. We had an "adventure" trying to find the Four Falls using our guidebook. We hiked through a bamboo forest and cow pasture, hiked miles up a creek, and literally swung from vines over pools of water. We got off track for a few hours (and I was sore the rest of the trip), but we finally found the falls and the dip in the waterfalls made the journey worth it.The only way to get from falls three to four is to swim across the pool and climb up and over the waterfall.The payoff! Stunning and very refreshing!
Back on the road... Most people drive right past this waterfall without even knowing it's there. A car on the road is barely visible above the 200 foot falls.Another pit stop...Ching's Pond. We saw locals jumping off the cement platform. Jeff thought about it; I talked him out of it. In his younger days...Three Bears Falls.Venus Pool had a beautiful view of the ocean and we could hear the waves crashing on the beach.Here is a view of Venus Pool looking out to the ocean.
The winding road to Hana. Gorgeous!Our final destination was the Seven Sacred Pools. We arrived at 6:30pm (12 hours after we left our hotel) and were treated to this view of cascading falls and pools. The water was cool and refreshing. Jeff scaled up and over this waterfall to the pool above.This was such a fun day together. We still had a three hour drive back to the hotel, but we enjoyed every minute of the day with each other. I feel so lucky to be married to my best friend and to have so much fun together.

We did a few dives while we were in Maui. We had been scuba diving in Kauai and were not that impressed, so we didn't have high hopes in Maui. We were very surprised in Maui! The dives we did were incredible! We did a shore dive with another couple who sent us their photos and videos. Jeff and I had not been diving for four years and technically we were supposed to do a refresher course, but we decided to wing it. I was a little nervous on the first dive and I had a difficult time figuring out my buoyancy, but the next two dives were great.

We saw some amazing things on our dives. We did a boat dive at Molokini Crater and saw an eel garden, octopus, frog fish, moray eel, snowflake eel, dragon wrasse, lots of green sea turtles, and beautiful coral. The visibility was 100+ feet and we went down 80 feet. The diving in Maui was incredible!
We rented a longboard one day and surfed some fun and easy waves.We went to a magic show, called Warren and Annabelle's. We were skeptical about going to a magic show in Maui, but we were glad we went. It was more of a comedy show, but his magic was incredible, too. We had front row seats, which basically meant we were used as part of his jokes. Very entertaining!Jeff and I both agree that Maui is heaven on earth!

Building with Dad

2010-07-18T15:52:00.000-07:00

Sienna used every lego piece she could find to build a masterpiece sculpture on wheels. She was very proud of her creation.And, Dylan was proud of himself for not knocking it over right away.

Another haircut...

2010-07-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

This little guy's hair grows so fast, I've lost track of what number haircut this was for him. The woman cutting his hair gave Dylan a lollipop to keep him in his chair, but I don't think he needed a bribe. Dylan has a serious side to him that comes out when given a lot of attention.
Before:
After:

Sienna's Swim Lessons

2010-07-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

Sienna has had swim lessons in the past, but this was the first year I didn't have to be in the water with her. (And, it was the first year her lessons were in an outdoor swimming pool!) I was worried she wouldn't want to get in the water at all. She surprised me by not only jumping in the pool each time, but really enjoying it as well! I never know what I'm going to get with this girl. Her teacher was great with her and Sienna really liked her. She learned how to "do big arms,"swim with the kickboard,
make big splashes by kicking her legs,
and, just have a good time in the water.
Good job, Sienna!

7 years

2010-07-11T23:09:00.000-07:00

Cara and I have been married for 7 years today. Without getting all mushy, it has been fabulous! I think we were both itching to do something fun, so last minute we planned a fun weekend in the city, without the kids. We drove into San Francisco Friday evening and grabbed a quick bite to eat at Out the Door, before going to the play Peter Pan. It was a fantastic show, unlike anything we had seen before. It was in a big tent with a wrap around audience. One of our favorite parts was the slow motion sword fight between Captain Hook and Peter Pan. It also reminded us to let our kids be kids and to not be in a rush for them to grow up.
After Peter Pan we went to Ghiradelli Square and Cara got a delicious ice cream sundae.
Afterward, we made our way to the Fairmont where we slept like royalty, completely uninterrupted. The next day we went to the Birth of Impressionism exhibit at the De Young Museum. It is a unique and rare exhibit hosting a number of pieces from the Musee D'Orsay, which was one of our favorite museums we visited in Paris. It was so much fun just to be together.

Marin French Cheese Factory

2010-07-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we toured the Marin French Cheese Factory in Petaluma with some friends. The tour lasted about two minutes, but we enjoyed the grounds and all the yummy samples of cheese. They specialize in soft cheeses, like brie.After lunch, we drove to Point Reyes Visitor Center and did a self-guided Junior Ranger program on the Coast Miwok Indians. I think at this point we should have called it a day and started the trek home. We were with several families with older kids who don't nap and who can easily participate in the self-guided part. Let's just say it was an adventure! Sienna took this photo. Nice shot!Here's Brooke wishing she had her own tepee like this to cook in at home. Can you see poor, little Dylan's face?Haley LOVES little ones!Apparently Sienna thought she was a Miwok and decorated her face with warpaint.It was a fun day with friends!

4th of July

2010-07-05T22:03:00.003-07:00

We were able to watch the fireworks from my sister's in-law's house near the Alameda County Fairgrounds. It was the perfect setting as we were directly below where the fireworks were and were even sprinkled with some ash. It was a bit too loud for this little guy...
...but, he felt safer with Dad.Sienna enjoying the view from the Barbie-mobile.Sienna taking Haley for a wild ride!

Preschool Camp

2010-07-05T22:03:00.001-07:00

Sienna had a week of preschool camp through our town's rec. The theme was "How does your garden grow." Our little social bee had a difficult time when we left her there each day, granted she didn't know anyone at the camp (I think I got a good idea of how preschool is going to be for her in the fall). But, by the time I picked her up she was having so much fun. She brought home lots of art projects and seeds to plant her own garden. She even met a few little friends and loved her teachers, Twig, Farmer Joe, and Sunflower.

Robin visits!

2010-07-01T02:19:00.000-07:00

My sister, Robin, came to visit us recently and we had a wonderful time with her and her two kids. Her daughter, Taylor, and Sienna are only four days apart and they were so cute together. Taylor makes me laugh; she is so gullible. She called Jeff "the daddy." When Jeff told her his name was Spiderman, she believed him and called him that the rest of their visit. And, it was so nice to have JD here! He is such a great big brother and was so helpful with my kids. He wanted to push the stroller around and chase after Dylan. I could get used to having a big kid around! We went to San Francisco one day and visited John and walked around downtown. And, Robin had to go to See's Candy at least once a day! No See's in Kansas, so Robin had to get her fix here. When we were in the See's store in SF, Joe Montana got in line right behind her! We were all a little starstruck.

The next day we went to Super Franks and let the kids go wild! I love this place. The kids had so much fun. Robin and I enjoyed hanging out and literally bouncing off the walls in the jump house. Oh, to be a kid again! The kids were having so much fun, that one of them forgot she needed to use the bathroom and had an accident on the edge of the foam pit. It stayed contained in her pants, but she screamed so loud everyone turned to look and stare. She didn't cry, just let out one loud screech. Too busy having fun to stop and use the bathroom.

How come I don't have any pictures of you, Robin? We were sad to say goodbye to you guys. Come back to see us soon!

Alameda County Fair

2010-06-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when the county fair is in town! I know it's not the cleanest, most classy place to visit and take kids, but I love it. The fried zucchini, funnel cakes, ice cream, BBQ are perfectly fine a few times a year, right? The gray hot dogs? Not fine ever! We took Heddy and Oliver with us last night. Admission was free with four non-perishable items per person (kids under 6 are always free). Rides, on the other hand, are not free and non-negotiable. Each ride attendant seems to make up his or her own ticket "price" on the spot. Most rides we had to ride with the kids and pay whatever ticket price the attendant was asking, which could be what the kids have to pay or whatever the attendant decides. The kids had a great time though, so the $11 carousel ride was definitely worth every penny!Wake up, Oliver! The train is about to leave!Dylan didn't know what to think about the bleating sheep surrounding him.The kids loved the model train.It was so fun to watch the kids run around and have a great time. Jeff attempted to be hypnotized by Master Hypnotist Tina Marie, but was one of the first people to leave the stage because of his lack of hypnotization. There's always next year!

Sienna's First Primary Talk

2010-06-27T13:52:00.001-07:00

Sienna gave her first talk in Primary today. She gave a prayer a few weeks ago in Primary, but she whispered into the microphone what I whispered into her ear, so I don't think anyone was able to hear it. I helped her practice her talk all week. She did a great job today when she gave her talk on the Holy Ghost. She spoke quietly into the microphone, but at least it was audible. I am so proud of her!

World Cup Mania

2010-06-27T13:41:00.001-07:00

Pool Play

2010-06-23T15:49:00.001-07:00

Today we went to toddler time at a nearby pool with Grandma. It's so fun (and helpful!) to have Jeff's sister and parents visit. Sienna had a great time playing in the water and with Grandma. At first, Dylan refused to get in the water, but by the end, he was walking through the water without holding our hands. It's amazing how different he was after a little time. He wanted me to walk with him to the top of the play structure, where kids were going down a small water slide. We stood at the top and watched other kids go down as he inched closer. I asked him if he wanted to go down and he said, "yeah." He went down the slide several times all by himself! Such a big boy!

Welcome Summer!

2010-06-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

I love the playgrounds in our area. Many of them have water fountain features, which are great for hot, summer days. The fountains have been on since April, but it hasn't felt like summer until this week. Sienna really enjoyed being able to cool down running through the water today. Summer is finally here!I don't think Dylan even got close to the water, but he wanted to climb up this ladder just like his big sister.

Disneyland

2010-05-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we took the kids to Disneyland. My sister's kids were performing there, so we decided to go at the same time as them. Our friends, Heddy and Oliver, were able to come with us and we showed them how to do Disneyland "Germany" style.
Sienna loved It's A Small World (more than the Matterhorn) and we went on it a few times. The line was short and no scary snowmen to be found. Sienna and Dylan loved seeing their cousins. It was so fun to walk around with them. Since they were there all week, they didn't mind hanging out with us on the little kid rides. We managed to fit in some big kid rides as well. My sister convinced Sienna to ride the Matterhorn with her, but at the last minute, Sienna wanted to ride with me. I thought, "now Sienna's going to hate me for taking her on this ride!" She was quiet the entire ride (probably scared speechless) and then burst into tears as soon as it stopped. I don't think she was too traumatized though because she can't wait to go back to Disneyland again. Such a fun place!

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-04-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

While Jeff ran a half marathon in Marin, I took the kids to an Easter Egg hunt in Ross. I cannot get enough of this little man!
Sienna checking out the eggs!
Dylan was not quick to the draw and only got one egg. The hunt was over in less than 20 seconds!
Once Sienna spotted this purple chair from a distance, she dropped everything and camped out here for awhile.
She found time to get off the purple chair to give Dylan a hug, but not without protecting her throne.
After we picked up Jeff, we had lunch with John in the city.

My Parents' Birthday Surprise!

2010-04-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

This year is a big year for my parents as they both turn 60! There are not many surprises in life, so my siblings and I jumped at the opportunity to plan a surprise party for them--without causing any heart attacks.
After months of planning, we were able to pull it off. What a fun weekend! We all (minus some grandkids and in-laws) met in Utah at one of their favorite restaurants and they were speechless when they saw us. My dad could not stop laughing and my mom turned to him and finally asked, "what's going on?" She thought he was behind it. We hung out together over the weekend and my mom would stop and say, "I can't believe you are all here!" They were in shock all weekend.

I love these girls!

2010-03-25T15:31:00.001-07:00

The first of many....

2010-02-23T20:18:00.000-08:00

Last month, Cara and I teamed up to compete in an adventure race. It was Cara's first time participating in one and we had a great time. For those of you who may not be familiar with adventure racing, I'll give you a brief description. It is similar to a triathlon, but instead of the 3 traditional sports (cycling, running, and swimming), it is mountain biking, trail running/orienteering, and kayaking. In each section there are checkpoints. You and your teammate get to map out your own course to try to get as many checkpoints as you can within the allotted time.

The race started and ended in Sausalito. It was such a beautiful day and surprisingly the water was pretty smooth despite all the bad weather leading up to the race. I was really proud of Cara, she did really well and I think this is only the first of many adventure races to come. All proceeds from the race went to help victims in Haiti. Here are a few shots from the race:

Aquarium of the Bay

2010-02-10T15:35:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, the Aquarium of the Bay had several free days for SF residents. Since I had never been there and my driver's license still says I live in SF we decided to go. I have always wanted to check out this aquarium on Pier 39, but they never offer free days, it's expensive, and it doesn't have the best reputation, so I never went. We really enjoyed it! It focuses on the San Francisco Bay's aquatic animals and plant life and has a long, clear tunnel where we saw sharks and bat rays. We also caught a glimpse of an octopus in hiding. The octopus never leaves her cave while protecting her eggs and literally starves herself to death, sometimes before the eggs even hatch. So fascinating! The aquarium is not as big as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, so we didn't feel like we had to rush and see everything before the kids were ready to leave.

Holidays

2010-01-27T20:58:00.000-08:00

I have a lot to catch up on from the holidays... Better late than never, right?

We started Thanksgiving off with a 10K Turkey Trot in Walnut Creek with a Biggest Loser, Bernie from season 5 (he only ran the 5K). It was really fun and beautiful through the city park and along the Iron Horse Trail. Our goal was to finish in less than one hour and we crossed the finish line at one hour, ten seconds!We spent Thanksgiving locally with Jeff's mom's family. It was nice to not have to drive very far to enjoy family and food. Dylan wants whatever Great Grandpa is having!
Sienna was in heaven with the "older girls" (Jeff's cousins). She followed them around the entire time. They were so sweet to her.The next night we went to the lighting at Temple Hill. The program was fun and Sienna loved the dance performance and the singing of carols. It's kind of a joke to take the kids anywhere if we have to sit longer than one minute (Jeff and I are usually laughing, but I can't say the same for the people around us), but we had a great time and let them lose outside on the grounds (where Sienna tried to jump into the stream). Beautiful!Some friends and I took our kids to the Golden Gate Express Garden Railway exhibit at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. The exhibit features mini versions of San Francisco landmarks, all crafted from recycled materials. Very cool! We had to hurry and see it because the kids tried to climb onto the exhibit to grab the train and cable car--no strollers allowed.My picture of this didn't turn out very well, but Sienna was so funny at our ward Christmas party. All the primary kids were on stage singing and acting out the Nativity and Sienna begged to go up there. We put her on the stage and she was in heaven. She didn't know any of the songs, but she pretended to sing along and loved every minute of her stardom!Dylan learned a new trick, of which he is very proud.And, Sienna taught Dylan a new trick.One of my favorite childhood Christmas traditions was going to San Francisco to see the lights and eat Chinese food. We did this every year and I always loved it. This year I was reminded of that as we spent Christmas Eve in the city with my parents and a few of my siblings. Having just moved away from the city, it was fun to be back to enjoy the Christmas festivities. We had lunch with John and the kids got their monogrammed gifts--he goes nuts over catalog stuff!We went to the observation tower of the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and saw beautiful views of the city. It was a very clear and gorgeous day in San Francisco. We went to the Hyatt near Embarcadero where we saw an expansive Christmas village exhibit. We ate delicious Chinese food at House of Nanking. And, of course, walked around Union Square where we watched ice skaters and saw the lights and giant Christmas tree.
The kids were exhausted by the time we got home and even slept in until 7:30 Christmas morning (which was still way too early for my parents)! Sienna loves her new scooter! It was fun to see Sienna so excited for Christmas. Jeff and I went on a run in the afternoon and as we were running I realized I forgot to give Jeff his main Christmas present! I was so concerned about the kids, that it completely slipped my mind.
This was the first year we hosted Christmas dinner, which included the Sister missionaries, my parents, my brothers, and my sister and her family.

Dylan's 1st Birthday

2009-11-26T21:29:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Dylan turned one this week! That year flew by! We had a fun celebration with family and friends. Rebecca impressed us with an incredible and delicious cake.Such a happy little balloon boy! He warms my heart. People often ask me if he is always this happy and I can honestly say he is.
Dylan literally devoured the cupcake!

Happy Birthday, Little Man!

Sienna's 3rd Birthday

2009-11-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

We took Sienna to see Toy Story in 3D for her birthday. I was surprised when she sat through the entire movie. Dylan would not sit through the movie though. During intermission, we decided we couldn't stay for the second feature, Toy Story 2, but we can't wait for next summer when Toy Story 3 comes out!Abby came, too! Sienna received a BYU cheerleader outfit from her Aunt Jamie and she refuses to take it off!Since we moved out of San Francisco right before Sienna's birthday, we decided to come back to have a party in the city with her friends. We had it at the boat playground, a few blocks from our old apartment. It was a beautiful day and so fun to watch Sienna enjoy being with her friends. Here is my attempt to make a princess cottage:Blowing out the candles
Several of the girls helping Sienna open presentsA cute picture of Dylan and Rebecca. Rebecca made yummy vanilla cupcakes for the party.Friends and family spoiled this birthday girl
What a fun birthday!

Happy Halloween from my Little Butterfly and Sweet Lamb!

2009-11-01T22:12:00.000-08:00

Who says 5:30 is too early to start trick or treating! We walked around our neighborhood for awhile waiting for it to get dark; it was a good way to meet our new neighbors. This girl was on a mission: to get candy. After each house, she wanted to stop and have a "picnic" so she could eat the candy.
Later, we met up with some friends and went trick or treating in a more "established" neighborhood.
Dylan, as usual, was just along for the ride and let us drag him around for a few hours.
Fortunately, Sienna's new friend enjoys holding hands as much as Sienna does. Too cute!

New Fireplace and Mantle

2009-10-27T13:53:00.001-07:00

Jeff and his dad finished the fireplace over the weekend. They did the tile and built the mantle. Beautiful!

We moved...

2009-10-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

...to the East Bay. I thought, just maybe, we would be one of those families who could make it in the City, but suburbia seems to be a better fit for us. With the housing market as it is, we started looking to buy a home, outside San Francisco. I really dragged my feet leaving the City; it has been our home for the past 8 years and we have so many wonderful friends there, many conveniences, our jobs, etc. After looking in several towns/cities, we found this townhouse in Danville. When we first looked at it, my initial reaction was, "not for us; too much work to do." But, my husband, a visionary man, saw it differently and convinced me otherwise. Fortunately, his dad is very handy and has done some amazing work on it already! After we closed, we had about 2 1/2 weeks before we moved in, so Jeff and his dad (and anyone else we could recruit) went to work. Here are some before photos:
Here are several after-a-lot-of-work photos:
They tore out all the tile and carpet downstairs and put in hardwood flooring, removed the fireplace and are in the process of building a new mantle, removed the popcorn ceiling from the entire place and textured and painted it, painted all the walls. Bill also removed the huge and heavy hutch in the living room for an office nook. They have done so much work and it looks great! We still have a lot to do, but it's a work in progress. The location is awesome! We can walk to the library and to downtown. The Iron Horse Trail is right next to our complex. Our back patio opens to a common grassy area, which the kids love. Everyone we have met is so friendly and welcoming. We are really happy to be here!

Chris Trueman Art

2009-09-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

Jeff's brother, Chris, had an art show in Oakland over Labor Day weekend. Since the Bay Bridge was closed the entire weekend, we decided to take a "journey" to opening night of the show. Sienna was so excited to take BART and talked about it for several days beforehand.It was Friday night and she was in the dancing mood! Next door to Chris' show was another show with live music. We could not keep her away from here:Some of the Truemen:It seemed like a successful show as Chris was talking with people all night--we barely spent a minute with him! We are happy that so many people turned out to support Chris and his art!

Soccer

2009-09-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

Jeff and I have been playing in a co-ed soccer league and having a blast! We consider soccer night our date night. Once this season is over, I get to choose date night :) We have yet to make it to the play-offs in the three seasons we have played, but we have fun playing together. We were short a few players one night, so my brother and sister came to play with us. It was a fun game!

Birthday

2009-08-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful birthday with family and friends! Heddy offered her swim club for the venue and we barbecued, went swimming, and ate ice cream cake. Yum!My mom and dad came to visit for my birthday and we did some shopping and then dinner at The Cheesecake Factory!Thanks, everyone, for making my birthday so special and making it last a week!

Summer

2009-08-03T20:46:00.000-07:00

Wow! I know it has been a busy summer when my last blog post was over a month ago. Here is what's been happening...

We spent the 4th of July in Ross with good friends. We went to the Ross downtown parade and enjoyed a picnic in the park. Then, we headed over to the Priory (a neighborhood tennis/swim club) for swimming and relaxing.
We have been spending a lot of time at Great America, an amusement park. As a kid, I would go here every summer with my friends and family. Since then, a water park has been added. I got a season pass with some friends and we have been going once a week. It has been great to get out of the fog-covered city and enjoy the summer! Jeff even came one day!Last month, my papa, Max Daniel Bell, passed away. My grandma passed away in January and I think he was literally heartbroken. It made me sad to think of him alone without my grandma and not in his home. I am so happy they are together again. He was a dedicated man, not only to his family and faith, but to his country, community, work. He was a member of the Baptist Church in Covina for almost 50 years and sang in the choir for 40 of those years. His pastor knew him for 35 years and said my papa was the last suit-wearing member of his congregation. He recorded math books for the blind for 20 years. Here is a picture of him as a pilot during WWII. Some of the things I will remember about him are:

Peas, Porridge, Hot
Interviewing him for a school project about WWII--he flew B-25 bomber airplanes
Listening to him play the ukulele and sing with my grandma
He took a morning walk every day to his coffee shop.
He was very intelligent and was sharp even to the end (must have been the countless crossword and sudoku puzzles).
He read the Bible everyday--he had a strong conviction of Jesus Christ and His Gospel.
Such a loving & kind man! I knew he loved my grandmother by the way he treated her.
He awarded each grandchild the Bell Scholarship at high school graduation.

The funeral was a beautiful tribute to my papa and his life. On his and my grandmother's tombstone was engraved: "Our life together is our happily ever after." So sweet!This little man is getting so big and in desperate need of a haircut!He loves his blanky!
Sienna's first haircut, finally!
Dylan started swim lessons with Sienna. He loves the water, but not going under the water :)

Bend it Like Trueman Soccer Camp

2009-06-20T23:07:00.001-07:00

Jeff started a soccer tot program called Bend it Like Trueman and after excruciating try-outs, 15 kids made the cut. He and his brother, Mike, are the coaches and they have practice every Saturday for 40 minutes in Golden Gate Park. Sienna was very excited for the first day!
Meeting Coach Jeff and getting a soccer ball:Stretching:Conditioning:Warming up with the ball:
Drills:
Shooting:
Dribbling:
And, of course, orange slices and juice at the end of practice!
Dylan cannot wait to join Sienna on the field. I was born to be a soccer mom!

International Surfing Day

2009-06-20T23:06:00.001-07:00

We tried to find good surf on International Surf Day, but it was really windy and poor conditions. We met up with some friends in Linda Mar and some battled the surf, while others hung out on the beach.

Southern California

2009-06-15T16:50:00.000-07:00

We went to Southern California last week with Jeff's parents and brother and sister. We had a lot of fun hanging out on the beach, going to Disneyland, and seeing family and friends. We went to San Onofre twice and everyone surfed or tried surfing. We also went to Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. I think the highlight of our trip was Disneyland. Sienna was so excited and loved it!
My sister and her daughter met up with us at Disneyland in the morning. Sienna and Abby had so much fun together, especially at the Mickey Mouse Playhouse show.
Riding the carousel with Grandma
She really liked the Dumbo ride!
My favorite part of the day was watching her dance at the Street Party Parade. She was really into it and got out there with the dancers!
One of my friends from high school, Marisa, lives in Laguna and met up with us at Disneyland for a few hours. She showed us a different side of Disneyland I had never seen before: Princess Fantasy Faire!
Sienna was intrigued and acted like she was meeting a celebrity.And, this little man loved the hot tub...
...and bananas!
Sienna loved playing in the sand with Uncle Bryce and Aunt Jamie!
Glenn also met up with us for a day of surfing at San Onofre.
We had so much fun and the week just flew by! Thanks to the Trueman's for helping out so much and letting me and Jeff sneak away to a movie! Can't wait to go back!

Elizabeth's 30th Surprise Birthday Party in Chicago

2009-06-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a fun weekend in Chicago with my sisters and Mom. We met there to surprise and celebrate my sister, Elizabeth's, 30th birthday. This video shows how it all began... I think Elizabeth was literally breathless!We walked and shopped the Magnificent Mile, visited the Institute of Art, took an architectural tour on the Chicago River, enjoyed incredible views from the top of the John Hancock building, attended a Cubs/Dodgers game at Wrigley Field, explored Navy Pier, and talked, ate, and laughed a lot. Dylan was the only boy allowed on the trip. Elizabeth also had her baby, Shaylee, who is 6 days younger than Dylan.Robin was able to arrange a limo ride to the baseball game and seats directly behind the Cubs dugout. We were all decked out in Dodger shirts, courtesy of my mom. Go Dodgers!
Look how close our seats were!
Another highlight of the trip was attending Oliver's baptism in Rockford, IL. It was a very special day and I was so happy to be there!

Dylan laughing

2009-05-24T18:05:00.000-07:00

Dylan finds Sienna fascinating and loves watching her. If he hears her in the room, he starts scanning for her. She can really make him laugh (sometimes at other people's expenses)!

Chris & Lindsey's Wedding

2009-05-18T21:45:00.000-07:00

Jeff's brother, Chris, was married over the weekend to Lindsey in Chico. They had a beautiful wedding and we are so happy for them! Jeff was one of the groomsmen, which kept him busy and me occupied with the kids--or else I would have more pictures, especially of the many details of the wedding.It was a gorgeous setting and also very hot, 100 degrees! Poor Sienna broke out in a heat rash--that city girl is not used to such high temperatures. Still the cutest one at the wedding (besides the bride, of course!).I was shocked to watch Sienna on the dance floor! She was the first one out there and we literally had to drag her away around 9pm. I think she would have danced all night--she's quite the social butterfly (I wonder who she gets that from).We were able to spend time with lots of family. And, they were a big help with the kids.
The Trueman brothers with their dad at the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding.
The beautiful bride and handsome groom!

Ragnar Relay

2009-04-28T13:39:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we participated in the Los Angeles Ragnar Relay. What an adventure! It's a 12-man, 24-hour relay from Santa Barbara to Dana Point (about 190 miles). I had such a fun time and can't wait to do it again. Our team was Solid Gold and my nickname was White Gold for several reasons.Team Captain Jeff was Golden Calf. Need I say more?Our number one Solid Gold groupie:I was really nervous about the race because of the kids, especially Dylan. But, they did so well and were in great hands with Grandma and Aunt Jamie, who actually followed us for most of the first day so I could nurse Dylan.Some Solid Goldies around sunset (one of the decorated vans is on the left--we had fun honking and cheering on the runners):
Here are some Solid Goldies getting ready for their night run. The course was all along the coast and beautiful. We each ran 3 legs. My first one was 4.8 miles through Ventura at 3pm. My second leg was 4.2 miles right by LAX at 1am. I was lucky to be able to run with Brooke and Heddy, so it wasn't too scary. My final run was at 8am along Huntington Beach and was 6.5 miles. I was so nervous for this last leg because it was long and I hadn't slept at all. Here's my final hand-off to Goldritis.Jeff was the anchor on the team, which I think would be a difficult position. He ran his first leg at 7pm, which meant he had to wait all day long before running. Here is Golden Ticket (Dave) cheering on Jeff. Jeff's next leg was at 4am and he got lost in a residential area and neither van could find him to cheer him on. His final leg was around 2pm after no sleep, but he did get to bring us across the finish line. I was so impressed with all of the runners on our team. It was a fun group and everyone did really well. It felt great to cross the finish line with our whole team! Can't wait to do it again!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

Dylan's First Haircut

2009-04-12T20:49:00.000-07:00

I have been reluctant to cut Dylan's hair, especially since Sienna's hair has never been cut. But, it was time for him to stop looking like an 80's rocker. My friend, Jen, cuts hair and agreed to give Dylan his first haircut, so it won't look like this anymore:Before:
During:After:He doesn't look as happy as the before picture, but he will thank me later. I think he is sad because we took the drape away. He tried sucking on the drape the entire time. Even when I put his pacifier in, he would spit it out to suck on the drape. While Jen cut Dylan's hair, he just sat there the whole time and never fussed or freaked out. So grown up and so handsome!

Life in the country

2009-04-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, while Cara slept after she worked the night shift, I loaded the two kids into the double jogger to go for a LONG run. It was a beautiful day! We had enough food, drink and changes of clothes to last us a few days. Just as we entered Golden Gate Park we passed a corral with a few horses in it. It is usually empty so we decided to stop to see what was going on. It was a non-profit program designed to give kids with disabilities the chance to be around, care for, and ride horses. They were very kind to let Sienna participate in all of their activities. We ended up staying there until we had to head home. While we had a wonderful time my long run turned out to be only two blocks.

Sienna loved being around the horses. She especially liked brushing the horses, feeding them carrots, trying on all the helmets, and of course riding them!

Marin Farmer's Market

2009-03-30T15:31:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago we went to the Farmer's Market in Marin. It was a beautiful, hot day! Sienna and Oliver had so much fun together. They are such sweet, little friends. We danced to music by a live band, read some books at the mobile library, went on a pony ride, ate yummy fresh food, including kettle corn, and enjoyed the nice weather.

Happy Birthday Jeff and Bill!

2009-03-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

Another incredible custom cake by Angie, courtesy of Heddy, Daniel, and Oliver. Jeff did not want to cut into it, but we were delighted he did: vanilla cake with fresh strawberries and almond buttercream. So yummy!

Recent Random Photos

2009-03-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

My parents were here last week for a quick visit and to see Wicked. My mom was able to watch me play soccer, just like back in the day (only back then, I didn't run in slow motion and I could handle the ball better). And, my dad took Jeff to Colombo Club for dinner--an exclusive Italian brotherhood (my dad must be an honorary member by now).
We finally got Sienna a long wetsuit (the shorty slowed her down and was not warm enough). She and Jeff went to Ocean Beach the other day to try it out; she still came back cold, but I guess that's what happens at the beach in San Francisco. She didn't seem to mind though.
Sienna only looks at the camera if I don't ask her to look at the camera. Dylan hasn't learned to do that yet.

Playing in the puddles

2009-02-27T17:24:00.000-08:00

About a year ago I bought Sienna rain boots and I thought they'd fit her by now, but they are still huge. Maybe by the time she's five they will fit her. After it rained one night, we went around our neighborhood looking for all of the puddles. Sienna insisted on wearing the fashionable ear warmer.

Can't get enough of this little guy!

2009-02-14T16:15:00.001-08:00

Can you guess what is all over her face?

2009-02-14T16:04:00.001-08:00

Answer: wax from a candle

(She thought it was chapstick and used her finger to spread it all over her face. Apparently, the wax was super soft. When Dylan was a newborn she got away with a lot while I was nursing. We are both much better now :))

Grandma's Funeral

2009-02-14T15:50:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we traveled to Southern California to attend my grandmother's funeral. It was such a beautiful tribute to her. I learned a lot about her life at the funeral. All of the grandchildren were there, except for two who are serving missions. I know my grandmother would be proud to see everyone there. Here are some of the great-grandchildren:Dylan and his cousin, Shaylee. They are only six days apart!

In Loving Memory of My Grandma

2009-01-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

My Grandma, Helen Bell, passed away last Saturday. I will miss her, but I am thankful for the many memories I have. Here are a few:

Her purse was always stocked with bubble gum, except grape flavor

As she left our house she always reminded me to help my mom (probably because I was one of the older kids of seven)

She always let me take her old Readers' Digests on our car trips home

She told me she and Papa celebrated Valentine's everyday and it was evident even after 60+ years of marriage
She told me multiple times in order to "catch" a guy I have to learn to bat my eyelashes

Her amazingly strong testimony and faith

Going to church with her

Her sweet and witty letters in the mail
Her duets with Papa as he accompanied on his ukulele

Her sense of humor and sassiness, which is evident in this video

Holiday Season 2008

2009-01-06T14:59:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas with our little family this year. One of the highlights was watching Sienna play with her new, red kitchen. She loves baking cupcakes, making soup, and of course, talking on the phone. One of my favorite things about the holidays is the yummy food. We spent Christmas Eve with our friends, the Miner's, and enjoyed a delicious ham, potatoes with gruyere cheese, homemade rolls, white chocolate cheesecake, and a chocolate hazelnut tort (wish I took pictures, so I could drool over the food right now). I was in heaven! Their girls put on a cute puppet show of the nativity. On Christmas morning, Jeff made omelettes just like my dad always does and for dinner we made roasted salmon with Granny Smith apple butter sauce and herbed potato cakes. So good!Sienna is practicing her surf moves on a virtual surfboard, which Jeff got for Christmas from Robin.Here is another highlight of Christmas:
We are enjoying little Dylan so much! He is such a good baby and brings a special feeling to our home. A few days after Christmas our families came and we blessed Dylan at church. It was a beautiful day and experience for us. My mom made this darling outfit for Dylan. She knitted the blanket and little booties, too.My sweet friend (practically my sister), Heddy, opened her home to us for brunch and visiting after the blessing.On New Year's Eve, we drove to Southern California to visit my grandma who is sick. Even though it was difficult to see her like this, I'm glad she and my papa got to meet Dylan and see Sienna. Dylan also got to meet my sister Amy:
And, finally, I had to include these pictures of the sweetest little ones. I love them so much!

Christmas in SF

2008-12-15T13:59:00.001-08:00

Friday night we rode the muni N train downtown to see the Christmas tree and lights in Union Square. It's so nice living within a block of the train. Sienna loves riding it for about 5 minutes, then she starts saying "off." Both kids did very well. My brother, Glenn, met us down there and we all had a great time. It was fun seeing the hustle and bustle, but just enjoying the festive night.

Thanksgiving and Family

2008-12-08T16:37:00.001-08:00

My mom went all out and made a delicious Thanksgiving dinner (she said she was going to keep it simple, but I don't think she knows how to do that) and my dad and brothers were here for the feast. Laura and Mike came over later for dessert; the raisin pie was my highlight :) Sienna always tries to feed Dylan whatever she's eating. She's such a good big sister.
Then, Jeff's family came over the next day and we hung out and walked to the park. Jamie meeting Dylan for the first time.Chris and Lindsey also meeting Dylan.Brooke came into the city to meet the little man.Jeff's mom was here last week to help out. Both she and my mom cooked and played with Sienna and gave me so much help. I'm missing them already! We were able to take Sienna to pick out a Christmas tree and then we decorated it. This is the first year we have had a Christmas tree because our other apartment was too small for one. It smells so good and looks great. Now it feels like the Christmas season.

It's a BOY!

2008-11-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

Dylan Jeffrey Trueman finally decided to arrive on Monday, November 24th at 12:20am. He weighed 8lbs 3 oz (one ounce less than Sienna) and measured 20 1/2 inches. He is handsome and has so much hair!Sienna absolutely loves her new baby brother and is so gentle and soft with him. She smothers him with kisses.We feel so blessed this Thanksgiving holiday for a beautiful, healthy family. Hope you all have a happy thanksgiving!

No baby yet...

2008-11-22T16:22:00.000-08:00

...so I'm trying to keep busy. My mom is here now and I was able to get a manicure and pedicure with Brooke. Then, we all walked down to the beach yesterday and saw a beautiful sunset. And last night, Jeff and I went to the movie theater and saw Quantum of Solace.Jeff had another adventure race this morning. A friend in our ward created a course in Golden Gate Park including biking and running. Jeff and his teammate came in first place, but did not qualify for the medal because they are considered "professional" adventure racers. Jeff is going to quit his job and become a professional adventure athlete. He had a lot of fun and I look forward to participating in the future. If only this baby would come! Anyone have ideas for inducing labor??

Black Eye

2008-11-11T07:41:00.000-08:00

We went to breakfast with some friends over the weekend and Sienna came home with a black eye. She ran at full speed into a corner of a table and fell flat on her back. I felt so bad. I was right behind her, but these days I'm not quick enough to keep up.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T21:52:00.000-07:00

Bob's Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

On Monday evening, we went to Bob's Pumpkin Patch near Half Moon Bay with a few other families. It was really cold, but we had a lot of fun. Sienna loved running up and down the rows of pumpkins and trying to pick them up. She had a great time with her friends Bella and Annie. I love this time of year as the season changes.

Croptoberfest at Camp Hammer

2008-10-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

I was so lucky to be able to join Brooke at Camp Hammer for a weekend of scrapbooking. She was invited for free to come and do her imprinting and allowed to bring a friend. I'm so glad she chose me! It was so much fun and I got a lot done. I finally finished Sienna's baby album (just in time to start another baby album) and worked on pre-Sienna pictures. Camp Hammer is in the Santa Cruz mountains and pseudo-camping. We slept in cabins with bunk beds and all the food was made for us, which was really good. All we did was crop, crop, crop. I was a little worried being so far along in pregnancy, but the camp director's wife is a doula and one of our fellow croppers is a labor/delivery nurse. I was in good hands, but far from a hospital. It was the perfect weekend to go! When I got back, Jeff and his family had moved us into our new apartment :) Now, I just have to unpack everything...

Sienna's 2nd Birthday

2008-10-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Sienna turned two on Monday! She's growing up so fast. We had some friends and family over for a small birthday celebration. Here are some interesting facts about Sienna:
-She was voted most dramatic in nursery
-She is still very verbal, but we only understand less than half of what she is saying
-Some of her favorite words: huge, beach, shuttle, mommy and daddy, John, Shawn (her gymnastics teacher), water
-She loves leading the music at church
-She says the prayer before dinner every night
-She can recognize and say all of her letters
-She is quite the artist and is very detailed as she colors
-She loves books and will ask to be read the same book fifty times
-She is not a picky eater (even loves raw fish on sushi)

Baby Shower for Trueman Two

2008-10-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

Heddy threw me a beautiful baby shower last weekend. My mom, mother-in-law, and friends were all there. We had a delicious brunch and chatted. It was a very nice and relaxing day.

Angie made an incredible cake! Everything on the cake was edible and the cake was so good! Isn't that cake amazing? See more of her talent here.

Brooke made these darling cupcakes. She covered them with pink or blue frosting and people chose according to what they think I'm having. Mostly pink were left in the pot :)

We'll find out soon enough!

Big Sur Half Marathon Trail Run

2008-10-13T15:48:00.000-07:00

Jeff was involved in another adventure. He ran a half marathon in Big Sur a few weekends ago. It was basically uphill for six miles and then back down. The terrain was so steep that on the downhill he had to hold himself back so he wouldn't fall. He was really sore for the next few days. Sounds like fun, right? Sienna and I had a good time hanging out and cheering on those crossing the finish line. It's really beautiful there!

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival

2008-10-07T16:16:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, we walked to Golden Gate Park for the 8th Annual Bluegrass Festival. Jeff really wanted to see Robert Plant (of Led Zeppelin). I think I saw tears in his eyes as he listened to him perform. Then, Alison Krauss joined him on the stage. We were impressed with the whole thing, especially because it was free!

If you look close enough you can see Robert Plant (center stage, big hair).

Groovin' with Dad

"Put me down, Mom, so I can dance!"

Sienna rocking out!

Big Blue Adventure Race

2008-10-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we went to Lake Tahoe with some friends so Jeff and the guys could participate in an adventure race. The race consisted of kayaking on Lake Tahoe, mountain biking, and orienteering (basically running through the woods looking for checkpoints). It took him and his teammate 9 1/2 hours to complete! The weekend was a lot of fun. We stayed in a huge and beautiful cabin and took the kids swimming and enjoyed just hanging out together.

The girls enjoying the hot tub.
Sienna loves to ride on her dad's back.
Yummy popsicles!

Jeff and his teammate, Ben.
The Hypothermiacs

Pier 39

2008-09-14T15:32:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took Sienna to see the sea lions at Pier 39. My brother, Glenn, was in the city visiting from Santa Clara where he's attending law school. It was a warm day and the sea lions were basking in the sun.

We thought Sienna would like the sea lions, but I think she was more scared. They were barking loudly, butting each other off the docks, and smelled horribly.

So, we headed to the carousel. She and Jeff took a ride while Glenn and I ate some salt water taffy from the Candy Baron. This pregnancy I have been craving sugar, especially salt water taffy. My favorite flavor: cinnamon.

It's fun having Glenn close by and look forward to seeing him more often.

Emergency Preparedness Fair

2008-09-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, our stake sponsored an emergency preparedness fair and Jeff volunteered to be in charge of the food and water storage booth. He took Sienna since I had to work the night before and they had a great time checking out the fire engine and helicopter.

Rio Del Mar

2008-08-24T18:55:00.001-07:00

Sienna and I went down to Santa Cruz last week with my friend, Brooke, and some of her friends from San Jose. Leaving the city was so foggy and cold, I really didn't think it would be nice down the coast, but it was a perfect beach day. We spent the day at Rio Del Mar and had a wonderful time. Sienna had fun playing in the sand and with all of the kids, especially Brooke's boys who are so cute and patient with her. We're going to miss Brooke and her family when they move to Sacramento :(

Birthday Weekend

2008-08-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

Jeff's mom and sister came to visit us last weekend from Chico. I'd like to think they came for my birthday, but I know they wanted to see Sienna, especially Jamie, who leaves soon to start her freshman year at BYU. Sienna loved all of the attention from her grandma and aunt and had a difficult time saying goodbye. On Saturday, while I recovered from my Friday night shift, Jeff and Jamie participated in the Tri for Fun at Shadow Cliffs in Pleasanton. They finished together and I was surprised they didn't drown or have to be rescued during the swim.

Then, we went to a birthday party for Sienna's friend, Oliver, who turned one year. It was in Tiburon at his grandparents' gorgeous home right on the beach (I pretended the party was for my birthday too--this would be my place of choice!). Sienna could not resist playing in the sand, getting in the water, playing with all of Oliver's new toys, and trying on everyone's shoes. It was fun to hang out and enjoy the beautiful weather.

That night, Jennifer and Jamie babysat Sienna so Jeff and I could go out to dinner together. We were really tired by this time of day, but we made ourselves go and I'm glad we did because it was fun to spend time with just each other. We went to one of my favorite chains: P.F. Chang's! (I know, there are so many unique, non-chain restaurants in the city that I could have chosen, but I really have been craving their lettuce wraps and mu shu.)

On my actual birthday, we went to our friends' house for a delicious dinner and cake. Their daughter's birthday is the day after mine so we had a combined party. We're really not that far apart in age. It was such a fun birthday, spending time with family and friends!

Discovery Museum

2008-08-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I took my sister, Laura, and her little girl, Abby, to the Discovery Museum in Sausalito. Sienna's favorite spot is the little running river, no matter how cold it is outside. We had to leave after she tried to climb into the river to swim with the fish, but then we headed to her other favorite spot: the dump trucks! She loves letting go of the truck at the top of the GG bridge ramp; it wouldn't be so bad, except there are usually kids at the bottom who almost get taken out by the oncoming high-speed truck. Laura and Abby moved back to Southern California last week and we miss them already.

3rd Annual Morgan Stanley Ice Cream Social

2008-08-20T21:45:00.001-07:00

The SF branch sponsors an ice cream social for the families of Morgan Stanley employees. They had a clown/magician, face painting, and a truckload of SF's Mitchell's Ice Cream, including my favorite: Ube (purple yam). Sienna enjoyed the social more than this picture shows; I don't think she liked being so close to the clown.

Marin Century

2008-08-03T20:53:00.000-07:00

A few months ago a memo went out to all of the Morgan Stanley employees in the Bay Area regarding the Marin Century, a well known bike ride just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. MS was the lead sponsor and they were getting a group together to ride in it. I thought it sounded like fun so I signed up. I ride to work everyday and I have gone on a few distance rides (20 miles or so), so I didn't think 100 miles was completely out of the question. As it grew closer to race day, I got a little nervous as I began to realize that it was 5 x's further than I have ever ridden before. Well yesterday was game day. I realized I bit off more than I can chew when I arrived and everyone appeared to be professional cyclists with $3000 bikes. A few looked at my bike and said I'm at a huge disadvantage because of my commuter bike. That was encouraging. I kept up with the MS pro team for the first 30 miles and then they left me in the dust as we climbed a monstrous hill. The ride started in San Rafael and looped through the headlands towards the coast. I started at 8am and finished at 4:50pm. The ride was brutal, a lot of hills and strong headwinds the first 50 miles. Probably a great ride for someone who trains a little better. All in all it was a well organized ride and a lot of fun. Hope to see you all out there next year.

Chihuly Exhibit and Linda Mar

2008-07-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

Sienna and I finally made it to the Chihuly exhibit at the De Young Museum. We tried to go two other times, but it was sold out both times. We went with some friends who took these pictures. The artist creates beautiful pieces from blown glass. The colors are vibrant and really contrast with the black background and low lighting. And the shapes of some of the pieces are incredible as they twist and curl. The only problem was no strollers were allowed! I think I would have felt safer had Sienna been strapped down in her stroller. Instead, I tried to hold her, but she just wanted to walk on her own (I feel we're entering a new stage with her...). Those glass pieces are so tempting to touch! Look familiar? Chihuly created the Persian ceiling in Las Vegas' Bellagio. This is similar, but on a much smaller scale.On Saturday we headed to Linda Mar with some friends to enjoy the beach and sun. It was a beautiful day! Sienna had a wonderful time digging and playing in the sand. Can you tell how much she loves it?

Newport

2008-07-23T20:47:00.001-07:00

Last week we were in Newport with my entire family (minus two brother-in-laws). We had such a fun time hanging out with everyone on the beach, at the pool, and at Disneyland. Sienna is already quite the beach bum and loved digging in the sand and chasing waves. She also loved playing with her cousins and Uncle David. the "triplets"
It was so hot at Disneyland and Sienna is not used to the heat. I think she may have even suffered from heat exhaustion, but she cooled off here. I think we could have spent the entire day at this spot.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for accommodating all of us, and comfortably too :) It was so fun to see everyone and be together!

It's a...BABY!

2008-07-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

Alameda County Fair

2008-06-30T10:04:00.001-07:00

It's fair time in Pleasanton! The fair brings back memories of working in the fried zucchini stand during my high school summers. My friends and I all worked at different food stands and we would swap food with each other and then make ourselves sick by riding all the rides. We went last week with my sister and her family. Sienna loved the animals and riding the carousel. She did not, however, love the Morbid Manor ride. Who would take their child on that ride anyway??

Potty time?

2008-06-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

While we were in Hawaii, my mom said Sienna would point to her diaper as if indicating she was going to dirty it and sure enough, a few minutes later, she would have a dirty diaper. After we got home I thought if she pointed to her diaper I'd put her on her potty to see what she'd do. One afternoon last week she pointed to her diaper, I rushed to take it off and sat her on her potty, and when she stood up, she had pooped in the potty! I couldn't believe it! I was in shock and still am! It was probably a fluke because a few days later she pointed to her diaper and after I pulled it off, she sat on the potty and kept standing up, looking to see if anything happened, which nothing ever did. Until yesterday. She pointed to her diaper and when she sat on her potty, she peed! I didn't think she'd be ready for this so soon. This girl is serious, but I have no idea what to do. And, I don't want to blow it. I'd love any tips or advice on what's worked for others...

Kauai

2008-06-20T20:44:00.000-07:00

This last week Cara and I went on a 5 year anniversary trip to Kauai, without Sienna. We had a very difficult time leaving our baby at home, but once we arrived we had a wonderful time. And if it wasn't for Sienna being at home, I am not sure we would have returned. Here are a few things we did to keep ourselves busy:

Swimming and snorkeling at Tunnels Beach on the north shore. The reef there is so big, it can be seen from space! We saw some beautiful fish and saw a giant turtle up close.
Kayaking up the Wailua River early one morning while the water was calm and smooth.
Hiking to and swimming at Secret Falls
The rest of the time I surfed at Poipu while Cara worked on her tan and drank virgin Lava Flows. There was an amazing south swell that came in a few days before we arrived creating consistent shoulder-high surf throughout our stay. Check newsstands for next-month's edition of Surfer Magazine to see pics.
We also ate, ate, and ate. Here are some of our favorites:
Tip Top
Roy's
Dukes
Keoki's Paradise
Puka Dog
Monico's

Sienna had a great time stomping around the city with Grandma, visiting the zoo and performing her routine at gymnastics. Thanks, Sue, for taking such wonderful care of our little girl!

Little Gymnast

2008-06-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

Sienna loves her gymnastics class and so do I! She gets to run around, climb, and jump on anything without me worrying too much about her getting hurt. She has her own pink leotard and I must say she is quite good at tumbling :) Last week our friends came and followed her around with cameras, like her own papparazzi. Loved the commentary, Heddy!

This is Sienna getting ready for class:

Guess What...

2008-05-19T19:53:00.001-07:00

2008-05-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

I got to go to Women's Conference at BYU this past weekend with my good friend, Brooke, and had a wonderful time. We stayed in the dorms and indulged ourselves at all our favorite eateries: Los Hermanoes, BYU Museum Cafe, Gandolfo's, Tepanyaki, Sonic, Costa Vida, BYU Creamery, and Smart Cookie. I wonder how we managed to eat so much in such a short amount of time. We felt uplifted and inspired from the classes on women, moms, and wives. It was so fun to be on campus again after graduating six years ago. We also spent a lot of time with my brother, Glenn (thanks for letting us take your car!). Then, my parents picked us up on Saturday and we spent the rest of the weekend with them in Providence. We might have to make this a tradition :)This picture was taken at Dear Lizzie's, a very hip vintage European boutique opened by a family friend from Pleasanton. She actually did the flowers and decorating at my wedding and has incredible talent. We are drinking Dizzie Lizzies, which are named after her mother, my former seminary teacher, and which are delicious.

It was difficult to say goodbye to Sienna and Jeff, but as you can see, they didn't even miss me. They kept busy by attending Jeff's brother's art show and spending time with Grandma and Grandpa at the beach and at the Annie Leibovitz exhibit at the Palace of Legion of Honor.

Sea Bowl

2008-04-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

Jeff's brothers came over from Berkeley on Saturday. The plan was to go to the new frisbee-golf course in Golden Gate Park, but it was so windy and cold that we decided to go bowling instead. Ben beat us all both times. I didn't even break 100! I'm a pretty pathetic bowler. Sienna was sort of in shock the whole time with all the people and noise, but she was a great cheerleader!

Recent Sightings

2008-04-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

Sienna and I met Jeff downtown for lunch last week to try to catch a glimpse of the Olympic Torch. Instead we saw lots of people, lots of Chinese flags, and lots of Tibetan flags and signs. Of course we did not see the torch, but we tried and were happy the torch bearers were safe and able to run with the torch. My favorite part was being in the Justin Herman Plaza (where the relay was supposed to end) and hearing a rock band perform with a group of people performing tai chi right in front of them. Such a contrast between east and west!This is a picture of our view from our front room in our apartment. I love this time of year when our neighbor's wisteria blooms. It only lasts a few weeks, but I know it is spring when I start seeing purple blossoms pop out. I also love being able to see the Golden Gate Bridge from our place. We are so lucky to live in a beautiful city and have a great view!And, finally, another reason I love living here: those few, rare days out of the year of warm weather. San Francisco transforms into a beach town when temperatures hit the 70's. We spent the weekend at the beach enjoying the sunshine and warmth where the temps hit 78 degrees! That's unusual for here, but we soaked it up!

San Francisco-Vancouver Cruise

2008-04-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a cruise with John. It was seven days and stopped in Astoria, Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria. It was a lot of fun! The weather was clear and sunny, but really cold.Sienna and Jeff spent a lot of time in the indoor pool, which was warmed to about 85 degrees!In Astoria, OR (where Goonies and Kindergarten Cop were filmed), we rented a car and drove down the coast to Tillamook and indulged ourselves in lots of cheese and ice cream. YUM!Beautiful drive!In Seattle, we went to famous Pike Place Market. Everything looked so fresh and delicious!Then, we rode the monorail to the Space Needle and went to the top. Gorgeous views!There are still rides and lots of activities for kids around the Space Needle. Sienna loved the blow-up jungle gym.Next stop: Vancouver, British Colombia. We walked to Stanley Park and visited the Aquarium, where we saw a dolphin show and stared at the beluga whales for awhile (very intriguing creature; it looks like a giant marshmallow man with a smile on his face just slowly gliding through the water).We met some great friends at dinner; they're expecting in August, so they were very tolerant of Sienna throwing food and silverware and making a disaster. Our waiters were also very patient with Sienna and everynight I'd apologize for the mess and Sergio (the one on the right) would say in his Honduras accent "it is my greatest pleasure to serve Sienna." The service on the ship was excellent!

Happy Birthday, Jeff! and Happy Easter!

2008-03-24T15:57:00.000-07:00

For Jeff's birthday, we rented a house in Occidental (about an hour north of SF in Sonoma County) with some friends. The guys went bike riding and the girls took the kids to meet the Easter Bunny, who really frightened Sienna. Later, we met up and went to the beach. It was a beautiful weekend and so much fun!
Sienna's newest trick: showing how old she is.The girls getting ready for an Easter egg hunt we had at the house. Sienna's dress was made by Grandma Sue! The weather was too nice for the cardigan, Mom, but I'm sure we'll use it in the city :)
So many eggs, not enough hands!
"I cannot get enough jelly beans into my mouth!"

First Hand Economic Outlook

2008-03-19T22:27:00.000-07:00

During these turbulent times in the economy who better to have lunch with than the Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist for Morgan Stanley, David Darst! Quite a lunch, and the conversation was good too. From left to right, yours truly, David Darst, John Gannon (co-worker). You may recognize David from frequent interviews with CNBC, Bloomberg TV, and Fox News. Economic Outlook......you'll have to call me at work.

Cara picked me up from work and we decided last minute to swing by our favorite Thai restaurant, Osha Thai. We quickly called them to place a to go order so we could just grab it on the way home, they are the fastest restaurant in the world. We then decided to dine in, so I called them back and told them we would be dining in, there seemed to be some confusion on the phone and the waitress hung up so I figured we would just order when we got there. When we arrived (less than 5 minutes later) our places were set and the food was on the table. It was like coming home after a long day at work and the dinner is on the table, and you know you don't have to do the dishes. It was amazing. I also need to add that when we arrived, we parked at a meter that had 18 minutes remaining, and we did not have any change. We planned on just making a run back to the car once we could get some change from the restaurant. So, to make a short story not too long, we were able to eat, pay, and get back to the car before the meter expired. Not bad....

We're not in Kansas anymore...

2008-03-14T15:58:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Reasons You Know You're Not In Kansas:
10: You're not being attacked by ostriches, zebras, camels, goats, kangaroos, pot-belly pigs, or any other non-human species at the Hedrick Exotic Animal Farm.9: You're not "poofed" (pooped) at the end of the day or otherwise being entertained by JD.8: There's no sign of horse and carriage in the Amish community of Yoder.
7: You're no longer driving around in mini-van luxury.6: You're not enjoying one of Robin's fix it and forget it dishes.
5: You're not witnessing Taylor freaking out because she is on the grass, sitting in the sand or on pebbles, or getting dirty.4: No Church History sites, no Hog Wild Pit BBQ, no Hutchinson Zoo train (which travels anywhere but the zoo), no Exploration Place.3: You're not on a private tour of the Cosmosphere and Space Center touching liquid oxygen.2: You're not 650 feet below the earth's surface in the Underground Salt Museum enjoying salt-water taffy shipped from Florida.1: You are missing hanging out with this fun family!