I love you, Grampa!

My grampa Gene Hutchins lived a long, wild, and adventurous life that sadly came to its close last night. I was lucky enough to know him after he had settled down a little, and was more interested in knowing his family than trekking off on adventures unknown.

While Grammy was always the first to greet us at the door whenever we'd drive up to Prescott from Phoenix as kids, Grampa was always in his easy chair waiting to give us peppermint candies (Melanie liked the butterscotch...yuck). We'd sit on his knees while he gave us hugs and asked us how old we were. "Seven?! I thought you were four!"

He'd let us play on his "pogo stick" (the endearing term he gave his walking stick) whenever we wanted, and would sometimes spin yarns for us about his travels. I will never forget the great yoo-hoo bird of Africa who saved him from the elephant stampede, or the ultra, razor-thin trip wire he and his fellow camper booby trapped their campsite with at night to keep to savage cannibals at bay while they slept. Of course, I thought they were all true, making Grampa my hero. He was larger than life.

Grammy and Grampa took me along with them in their motor home when I was about four on an adventure across America. We went to the Tennessee World's Fair, and even drove to Canada. I remember making a doll and lots of clothes for her on the sewing machine in the back of the motor home while Grampa drove us to our next destination. I only remember snippets here and there from our trip, but I do remember how much fun I had being the only child for a while and having my Grammy and Grampa all to my self! What a treat!

After growing up a bit, Grampa thought it was pretty cool that I had joined the Army, and he loved hearing stories about my time stationed in Kuwait. I think he liked living vicariously through me a little, and kept telling me I'd make a great FBI agent or maybe a writer for television. I think maybe he wanted to do those things, though, because I hadn't really shown any particular interest in those fields. He was also constantly asking to see my tattoo. While he "disapproved" I think he was secretly jealous!

Grampa had a sense of humor like no other. He loved a good clean joke, risque as they may be, and was notorious for ruining pictures by flipping the bird. A trait he passed on to his future generations!

I merit Grampa with passing on to me his amazing sense of humor, his love of adventure and discovery, and the knowledge that I can get whatever it is I want out of my own life. We can do anything, and we should never let anything get in the way of living life to its fullest. Also, hide money everywhere! Haha!

I am so grateful to have been a part of his life, and I know he is looking down on me and my family from his place in the Celestial Kingdom. I see him whenever I look at my daughter, and I know that he will forever be a part of me. I love you forever, Grampa!

Maya: The Drooling Calamity

Maya has had one heck of a couple days. First, she was having a little cat nap on the couch and rolled off. What a rude awakening! Then, she was sitting in her bumbo while I was putting groceries away, reached as hard as she could for her can of formula, and managed to lean out of her bumbo, thus spilling herself head first onto the edge of the countertop backsplash giving herself a v-shaped owie on her eyebrow. Theeeee-en, she was sitting on the floor for about 5 minutes playing with toys when she toppled over, bashing her mouth on the wood floors and making her wittle lip bleed.

Last night she was up at least once every single hour moaning because her bottle wasn't in her mouth. After an awful night's sleep, it has been decided that no more will Maya go to sleep with a bottle. Ever. Cold turkey. Naps so far have been loud, but occurred nonetheless. Tonight is going to suuuuuuuuuck.

Maya's ouchie.


We saw this label on the new storage bins we got and couldn't resist.



And, mandatory goofy videos.

More superpoop

Why? Because it's my stinkin' blog, and I can't post what I want!

I got the "Zooey Deschanel"

Ever since I saw the SciFi series Tinman, I've totally wanted Zooey Deschanel's hair. We both have really thick, wavy hair, so I thought I could definitely pull off her cute hairstyle. I put it off because I wasn't sure if I wanted bangs again. They get annoying sometimes. Especially when the wind blows them all wonky. Pete and I went and saw the movie 500 Days of Summer, and I was again inspired to chop my hair off. It was my friend Megan's birthday yesterday, so I decided to take her out to a swanky hair studio in Nob Hill and just go for it. Life is short! Now, so are my bangs.

The inspiration:


The result:



The guy cut my bangs a little short, but that problem will only last a couple weeks. Here are Pete and Megan, the picture ruiners. I just went with it.

Baby's First Camp Scoot!

For the last four years, Pete and I have attended Camp Scoot, a three-day weekend camping trip sprinkled with scenic scooter rides through the Jemez Mountains. The scenery and atmosphere is very much like that of the Jerome/Oak Creek Canyon area. This year, Pete took his new Honda Nighthawk, and I took the baby in the Subaru!

I was reluctant to carpool with our friends, but my fears were for naught. Maya did so great! She had no problem taking naps or sleeping at night, she loved being held all the time, and she even tolerated all the loud noises and shenanigans. After the first day, she got used to the sound of loud, 2-stroke scooter engines revving as they drive past our campsite. Everybody thought she was really cute (because of course she is!), and even the big guys made goo-goo noises at her!







The guys got ridiculous and decided to make 80's tastic ripped-up shirts. Wierdos.




Maya was trying to get the pine-needles, so I gave her a red vine to play with. It was all I had handy. Five minutes later she looked like this....







Camping bump-it!




Maya thought it would be fun to scream since everybody else was being loud.

Maya's First Official Meal

Oatmeal and sweet potatoes = SUCCESS!



One cute smile, and one dopey Nicolai face. Catchin' flies, as per usual. Her bib says "L is for Lambretta". Daddy has an orange one!