Henline Zoo

2010-08-13T23:46:00.000-07:00

Hello? Is anyone there? I'm not sure if you've given up on me- seriously, I haven't taken time to update you since December. I'm sorry.

Seems life has taken over for us lately and it just dawned on me.

Today I'm tired and yet so fired up.

I'm in Vernal, it's after midnight. I do my very best, most productive work after midnight. Between the coffee pot and the night time bath I'm not sure exactly what I do with my day and I can tell you this, I rarely find time to shave my legs.

We made it here, safe and slightly-sound. June sometime, can't tell you exactly when. There was a toilet on the front lawn when we got here and a strange, empty odor lingering in the air. For the most part, I feel confident that we've settled in. I've licked almost all of the door handles and Cash has managed to spread his fur in most of the corners. Ryan has been able to settle into his job, for the most part I'm sure he likes it. The stability is relieving.

I miss my friends and neighbors.

I miss my quiet, private time.

I almost feel like I'm in an atrium- from every angle they can see me, and they're watching intently. I'm not sure if they're looking for a circus act, which I can provide, or if they're just waiting to see if I'll screw up.

My piss-poor planning skills and lack of time management abilities have left me irritated and bitter. Ella has had entirely too much TV time over the last few months and I can't show anything for all of the "Work" I've been doing. Real Estate has picked up, I've joined up with another Brokerage that is here locally and based out of Salt Lake. I wanted to join the local Real Estate Board here in the Basin, however I choose to stay with the Salt Lake Board of Realtors. I feel they have much more to offer.

Not sure what it is about life. Why is it that when you finally feel like you're on top of it all you realize you're standing in quick sand? I mean, seriously. Don't stop moving forward. That's the ticket.

My cat, the crouching tiger, has determined this country life is certainly for him. What have I been doing to him all these years? House cat? I think not. Conveniently he brings me half eaten mice as a side dish for my coffee each morning. Other days he just lets the little bastard go in the house. Ella and I then spend the rest of the morning screeching like idiots trying to catch "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and let him go back to his mommy. Interesting to say the least.

The Holidays are upon us!

2009-12-20T21:13:00.001-08:00

Well hello... Yes, we are still here. It's been a crazy couple of months, to say the least. This season we have been extremely blessed, as I'm sure you have been. My hope is that you find the things in your life to be grateful for.

This year I am grateful for my family. I have a wonderful family. So blessed, so very, very blessed. I am also grateful for my health and for the health of my loved ones and that we are all here and safe, and weather we are together or apart, we are still connected.

We have been SO fortunate to take a job for a great company this month. After a long and courageous battle with the mortgage and real estate industry we have chosen to seek life elsewhere- well at least Ryan has. I will be taking over the business and continuing to hold my position as CEO and domestic goddess. Just this past week I put in my first offer on a short sale home in Eagle Mountain!

It is most likely the case that we will also be relocating to... (brace yourself) Vernal. Yes, it's true. The upside (which is where I am aiming to focus) is that I will be near family (this could also be... interesting) and I will most likely have the chance to build a new home in a carefully selected area (gated, private lane with no trespass posted). Alright, I'm kidding, about the gate.

In the meantime I have been VERY productive as I am playing the part of single mom while Ryan is getting situated and going through training. He is really excited and so am I. In the Oil Field, you are pretty limited to the position you might get. It's all pretty grueling work and in extreme conditions. Fortunately (there is that word again), Ryan landed a pretty prestigious position! The benefits are out-of-this-world and the pay should be great too.

We will be staying with my Mom. She has gracefully invited us to stay with her for as long as we need to. Amanda and the boys are there as well so I am really excited to get to spend some quality time with them and for all of the kids to be able to play together.

And for our precious baby girl, Ella, I don't think she really cares as long as she has her shoes, minki, and her baby.

She is such a chatty girl these days! I was trying to recall all of the things she can say and it's impossible! Jammies, candy, cookie, shoes, puppies, kitty cat, Jake, Cash, Gracie, meow meow, baby, mimi, outside, downstairs, poop, ca ca, beans, milk, juice, water, lights, Thad (Farrah's little boy), hat, purse, the list goes on and on. She also knows a few signs- please and thank you (which she also can say and exercises regularly- especially if we are talking about candy or cookies), milk, all done, more and of course cookie.

She clearly understands what I am asking her because she also says "no" and "ges" (Yes).

...Ryan always says "Happy Wife, Happy Life" I have to agree.

I hope this Blog entry finds you well and we wish you all a magical holiday season!

Love, Hugs and kisses,

Tiffany, Ryan and Ella Michelle XoXo

2009-10-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

Hello October! Whoo hoo!

I love this season- My very most favorite!!!

We have had such a busy season- thankfully! By the grace of God, we are under contract on 3 different deals. It's been an extremely slow season, as far as work goes, so this is an absolute blessing. Truth be told, I think we were just in a bad frame of mind for the past 9 months and therefore attracting the bad energy.

The lesson I've learned is that when you put your problems aside, and focus on how you can help someone else, good things will come your way. Note to self: Don't forget it!

So during all of the hustle I managed to get my Real Estate schooling completed. I have invested nearly 180 hours when only 90 are required and PASSED THE BLASTED STATE EXAM! Hallelujah! So I am officially a Real Estate Agent. (patting myself on the back.)

I've had a bunch of boutiques lately and really had a lot of support from my friends and neighbors. I really appreciate it too. I vow to support my friends and any small businesses I can before shopping at the retail places this year. I am making the little kids some fun items and incorporating them with books I am buying from my friend, Farrah Foo. I'm on a budget and I don't understand why, as adults, we insist on trading money for money. Just keep your money and I'll keep my money and we'll all be happy! Plan? Sweet, Plan!

Ella is going to be a bumble bee this year. She is so excited about her purple jack-o-lantern candy bucket that she can hardly handle it. Trick-or-treating should be fun this year!

My mother is dating this FANTASTIC guy, Dave. He is also Utah Highway Patrol. Ella loves him, so we approve!

I manage to get out just one posting per season so I hope to post again around Christmas time. I hope this over-due letter finds you well!

Hugs and Kisses,

Tiffany, Ryan and Miss. Ella Michella.

Don't get your panties in a wad.

2009-05-03T21:17:00.000-07:00

...Chocolate chunk fudge brownie ice cream. I'm in heaven. I am just sitting down at my under-used computer enjoying my rationed portion of... (drum roll please...) one scoop. I'm thinking about my running shoes...covered in dust. If I could just take the slow, savored time it took me to eat this tantalizing, mouth-watering scoop of ice cream and I ran instead... I'd be skinny!

(yet unsatisfied)

OK, here I am. Wow life has been busy! Today I am 29 years and 1 day old. Last night we had a small group of GREAT friends over. I made bacon wrapped steak kabobs with zucchini (Aunt Carol would be proud!). My super-savvy, Sunset Magazine-reading sister whipped up some chili lime corn-on-the-cob! It was delish! Ella learned that if she bats her eyes at Uncle John he will place her ON TOP of the pool table and she can bang all the balls she wants.

My sly husband proceeded to celebrate my birthday in style with our friend (and neighbor) Leonard- until 1:00, which he paid dearly for all day today.

No sympathy here folks.

...Also seen here sitting on my niece, Lexi's lap. That's great Ryan. ...moving on.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Henline Construction installed a 12x24" Behemoth size dog door.

Ella nose dived out it the first day and has been feeding her toys and babies to it ever since.

We purchased a family season pass to the Hogle Zoo this year. We had our first official trip to see Gerry the GI-raffe. I was probably more excited for her to see them then she was. Go figure.

It was cute to see her notice all of the different animals. She would point and even squealed a few times! While we were there we ran into Ryan's sister, Marcy and her family. Small world!

Happy Birthday Ella!

My precious baby girl is officially 1. My mother purchased a party dress for her birthday, which she proudly sported the entire day- pigtails and all.

A most candid moment where my sweet girl is keeping the other toddlers in line.

I somehow came up with this "great" idea to make a sugar-free cake. She enjoyed the frosting but at some point arrived at,

what seemed like under-cooked substance below and immediately decided she was ready for her balloon again. Mom gets an F (at least my mother-in-law thinks so...)

She excitedly opened every gift and made each gift-giver feel appreciated (yae, good girl!).

Her favorite item was her little doll. Ryan and I purchased her a fish tank. So far Mom has abandoned 2, murdered 3, and sucked 1 fish up in the filter (it lived). She likes it though, if you ask her about them she will run as fast as she can, shouting gibberish, and body slam the tank.

Ella has made some real achievements over the past month. I've been trying extremely hard to get her to kick the bottle and drink her milk from a cup with a straw. She 100% refuses the sippy cup.

So finally after reading on the Internet and scanning every blasted book I have, she just decides she's done.
Just like that.

We bought her a pink potty- I figure if I set her on it once or twice a day, read her a book and she happens to go- well then, I'll make a big deal out of it. Maybe, just maybe, she'll figure it out sooner then later and voila- no more diapers. Simple, right? Well this is my plan anyway.

So... She pooped on the potty this morning (and the crowd goes wild!) Woo hoo! It's true. I'm not lying. Guaranteed I'm more excited then she is. I start screaming and jumping around and clapping and all the hoop and holler- the whole time shes looking at me like...

"It's freaking poop. Don't get your panties in a wad."

Californ ie ae ~We're back!

2009-03-12T16:37:00.000-07:00

... We're back! In more ways then one. Something about that cool ocean breeze just clears your thoughts and brings you back to a simple state of mind. Thank Goodness.

I tell you it couldn't have come at a better time- my dear, dear Gramps finally passed away on February 17- sad to say, it was a blessing. The poor old guy- seriously. In all of this I've learned that dealing with some family members and witnessing a persons life deteriorate, can make you physically ill. I am grateful to finally move on to the next chapter of life.

On a good note, Ella is walking! I'm a bit late telling you this- she started walking back on like the 12th of Feb- but it's still exciting! She started giving kisses & blowing them too!

We left for So Cal last Wednesday and stayed until Sunday. I managed to get us a $7 hotel room- both there and on the way home. Primm Nevada folks, that's where its at!

Our time spent in Newport Beach with my Aunt Carol and Uncle Jon (Mom too) was fantastic! Carol is a phenomenal cook and I managed to snag a couple of her recipes! She gracefully took us on breathtaking, daily walks around the harbor, through the bay area and some of the residential areas. TO DIE FOR! Seriously, I could live there.

The whole reason for our trip was that my Gramps (Mom's dad) is getting old and recently very sick- he had a bout with MRSA- which I found out, is a highly contagious, anti-biotic resistant infection. Luckily he was removed from the isolation area of the hospital just after we left, the MRSA was finally gone. He still has his wits about him and my Aunt Carol is on her game as far as keeping him mentally active- he's 78 and playing solitaire on her computer- how awesome is that!?

Farrah, my VERY good friend and neighbor, took care of our shoopies while we were away. Lucky for us, she lives across the street and loves dogs. They weren't nearly as happy to see us as they normally are when we leave and come back- we think she fed them steak and cookies... but they're not telling.

Walking and Waving!

2009-02-11T07:50:00.000-08:00

Well here we are- our newborn baby is almost 11 months old. She waved bye-bye to her daddy last night on her way to bed and she took 4 steps between us today.
I always hear my friends talk about how sad it is and how they wish these babies would stay newborn forever- I have to say I disagree. I find sheer enjoyment in watching her little brain grow and to see that look of "I get it!" in her eyes.
She sings this "da dah, da dah, da dah" song, and she knows exactly how it goes because I'll sing it to her and she'll say it back! Early forms of communication- incredibly exciting!
Ella and I are going to learn to swim. I signed us up for swim classes- we'll be attending every Saturday for the next 4 weeks. Ryan will be standing in for me while I'm at the Modbe Fashion launch next week. It took some serious negotiations to get a commitment from him. Can't blame him... he'll be the only dad at the water park with his baby girl!

I'm gonna be a runner!

2009-01-30T14:03:00.000-08:00

Ok so this morning I did it! I went running!

Yesterday we went by The Salt Lake Running Company and got me a new pair of fancy running shoes! I've decided that I'm going to put them on my night stand in a fancy pose

something like this...

then when I wake up I'll ask myself... Am I worthy of THE running shoes?

I hope (with inspiration from my friends Farrah and Robin) to be competeing in all of the 5k's I can this year! Oh and I'd like to burn that 20 something extra pounds I have OFF!!! Wish me luck!

Around our house...

2009-01-18T21:22:00.000-08:00

So we've been enjoying the daily routines we get to share with our little sweet sugar pie. She keeps us laughing and on our toes. She's been crawling for a couple of months and is teetering on the edge of her independence- WALKING! She uses her shopping cart, her play table, her high chair, dad, mom- anything to get from A to B.

We finally have a routine here at our house. Not that it really mattered- I try not to be too rigid- but Ella demands structure (As do most kids) and she is so happy and balanced with this routine- which SHE put us on!

She loves the bath too!

Yummy!

2009-01-18T21:02:00.000-08:00

On this one particular morning, everything seemed normal. Coffee, bottle, magazine then play time. But it was going to be a VERY different morning after all. Ella was having a yogurt/Oatmeal/ berry mix and I was feeding it to her. Or was I?

First she flung then she swung then she did it again, and again... Then I just freaking handed it to her!

Nine months and ALMOST walking!

2009-01-10T23:04:00.000-08:00

Ella is 9-1/2 months and nearly walking. She has mastered the entire length of the couch and is a professional when it comes to the stairs- both up and down! She is so funny- coming down of course is where I panic. She turns around right at the top and flattens her body and pushes until she falls over the edge. We are always behind her, of course, when she is coming down. She almost catapults over the edge and hops up and down until she looses her footing, to which she squeals with delight because she has just descended, yet another stair! Whoo Hoo! If she could talk she'd say something like "Dad! Dad! Look at me- I'm coming down!!!"

This parenting thing is such an amazing experience. I just spent 15 minutes telling you about a stair or two...

New- New Years Resolution

2009-01-10T22:12:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm not getting a Gym Membership. Sue me.

I'm sweatin' to the oldies in my living room instead. I've been dedicated to working out at LEAST twice per week- I figure it's achievable. Once I get it down I'll step it up... Stay tuned.

Other then that...I was looking online today and found this Eco-Survival Seminar down in RockyRidge (not exactly sure if it's the polygamists or not... Hope so!) They teach you how to have chickens, Conserve Water, save seeds, grow a great garden and make soap, just to name a few. I want to be more economical and live more earth friendly. I'll post more when I find out the juicy details!

Broccoli!

2009-01-02T23:58:00.000-08:00

Oh yes, she likes it. She likes it in her hair, in her eyes, and in the folds of her chubby little arms. I think she actually ate some but I would bet Cash was able to feast on most of it.
This is the first time she's eaten it and I'm pretty sure she liked it- the problem is that it makes the coolest squishing sound when you smash it in your hands!

2008 Holiday Season

2009-01-02T23:24:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are- 2009. What a relief! I tell you what, I am ready for a breath of fresh air! I went by the garden center today and I purchased my first set of seeds and I am already planning my garden! I'd like to find some sort of compost bin. Maybe I could convince Ryan that it will save us money and he'll build me one!
Our Holidays were wonderful- We spent Christmas Eve with my Aunt Kathy and her family. We sang Christmas carols with her neighbors then spent the rest of the evening spending time laughing and chatting.
We woke up Christmas morning to the same presents we put under the tree the night before! Yep its true, Santa only comes to your house if you know who the hell he is. Hopefully he makes it to our house next year! I did manage to score a sweet IPOD- Ryan got it personalized for me so that made it extra special! We spent the afternoon with Ryan's family at his sisters house.
Our WONDERFUL neighbors invited us over, pj's and all, to eat a super-tasty prime rib dinner.
I'm looking forward to getting my Christmas stuff organized and put away, painting some rooms, and getting some quilting done. We are also hoping to plan a couple trips to California.
Oh, and I'm getting a GYM MEMBERSHIP! All I have is time- Right?
We hope you have set some achievable goals this year!
Happy New Years!

Thanksgiving- at my house

2008-12-10T23:03:00.000-08:00

So I cooked this year. Yes, it's true- and everyone survived. It was something of a gathering of odds and ends. My sister, Stacey, and I gathered up our remaining family members and had a very memorable Thanksgiving, to say the least. I hope it's a new family tradition. I really enjoyed having everyone together in one place- if only for a short time. I've always sort-of passed by thanksgiving, as if it were just a pause in the time between Halloween and the much anticipated Christmas. This year I stopped to give thanks for the people and the blessings in my life.

Oh the Holidays!

2008-12-10T22:19:00.000-08:00

Well here we are. It's the end of 2008 and the Christmas season is upon us.
I'm not sure what's wrong with me (something SURELY is!) but I'm not one bit interested in shopping this year! Is it the current economy or just the sheer fact that shopping is overrated and I need something more challenging? Who knows. I plan all year for this season by shopping early and slaving over the stove making homemade goodies for family and friends. I wonder if I've just stockpiled enough that I can't justify spending? Either way, I feel great! (and you thought I was going to start complaining!)
Our friends, Mike and Aimee, had their baby Lucy today. 8 months ago I would have thought 'that's cool, good for them' but today I know it's the single most incredible thing that happens to us in our lives. I'm excited for them! I'm so grateful that I can appreciate that. I LOVE being a mom! Who would have thought...

Playing with Easton

2008-11-14T07:10:00.000-08:00

Recently we had our friends, Crystal and Easton, over for dinner. Crystals husband Derrick was out of town hunting and we found it most convenient to plan a long visit over dinner! Crystal is one of my good friends and we used to see each other daily at work. So this has been a much needed visit! Easton is getting so big and just over night started spitting out words like crazy! He played so well with Ella- she especially loved his new polar bear slippers. What a fun relaxing evening.

Our little Glow Worm

2008-10-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Ella is growing so fast its just incomprehensible. She is sitting up and has been for a month or so now. She has a bucket of kitchen utensils that she plays with while I cook dinner. She especially enjoys the big plastic whisk that my mother brought back from Washington for me. I breathe now for the moments in the day where she smiles at me, as to say "Oh Mommy! There you are!"
I love to see her first thing in the morning... She is SO happy. We say good morning to the day- everyday. Her eyes just beam when I ask her if she's ready and I reach for the wand on the blinds. She hops like a little frog when her daddy walks into a room- she really has a thing for him too. Aren't we just the luckiest parents ever? We think so.

2008-09-20T22:40:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for fall this year! I am really looking forward to having pictures of Ella taken with the vibrant fall colors that compliment her so well. I've been shopping tirelessly for the perfect outfit to no avail. There are so many fun options but just nothing that leaves me speachless.
I met a photographer today- she's incredibly talented. I love that she really captures simple beauty. It's everywhere- and mostly where you'd least expect.
I'm going to add her link to her blog- check it out.
Crystal also has me interested in another photographer that has a Halloween special shoot- I'm planning on taking Ella. She's going to be a Glow Worm- SO CUTE!!!
...Until then.