It doesn't get any better than this

Perfect Weather. A Laughing Baby. Time with Friends & Family.



Can I just say that the weather has been {PERFECT} for the last week.

• It's 70 degrees.
• The sky is bright blue and the sun is shining.
• My windows at home are open all day long & I drive with the sun roof open and the windows down.
• We take lots of walks.
• We eat outside.
• We have on short sleeve shirts and flip flops.
• Nate hangs out in just a onesie so I can stare at his chunky thighs and little feet all day long.

I looooveee Las Vegas this time of year. It definitely makes the insanely hot summers worth it to be able to have weather like this the majority of the year. I realized today that I need to take advantage of it even more so I'm sure Nate and I will be at the park next week a number of times. Anyone who lives here want to join us?

Another thing that brightened my afternoon was Nate in his highchair. He seriously loves food. It's by far his most favorite thing in life. I finally got out his teething mesh bag thing and put some fruit in it today for him and he loved it. Loved it. Loved it. When the fruit was pretty much gone inside because he sucked it out of the bag, I took it away from him to give him another piece and he threw his first little mini-tantrum! He calmed down when he realized he was getting it back with more fruit. That will be our new late afternoon routine because he just laughed and laughed and laughed with his fruit.

The weather, a mesh bag with fruit, lunch at Cafe Rio with Nikki & Tessa Treese & dinner with my two favorite boys made today a great one.

5:00pm & Salsa

Not sure if you have a certain time of day that is just bound to be crazy. Mine is 5:0opm.

Tonight was no exception. I had oven timers going off telling me dinner for my sick neighbors was ready, boss calling me with one crisis, reading an email about another work crisis, Wes calling to tell me his plane is 1.5 hours delayed so he'll be home late, all while Nate tried his hardest to be patient in his highchair but lost it at about 5:30pm.

Go figure. The one night I actually make us dinner, Wes' plane is super delayed and so his dinner will be in the Ontario, California airport.

This brings me to the reason of my post. I love getting recipes from other people on their blogs so I thought I'd post one about part of my dinner...one of my favorite things in the world: salsa.

If you don't like cilantro, this one isn't for you. But since I love cilantro, this is one of my favs:

28oz. can diced tomatoes

1 can green chiles

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro

(I have a small food processor so I stick it in there. I also put a little more than a 1/2 bunch).

1 TB. garlic salt

1 TB. chile powder

Combine them all and you have a yummy, somewhat homemade, salsa. Can't wait to put Nate down so I can sit with a bowl of chips and salsa and watch some TV.

a happy boy

{ These pictures have nothing to do with this post. We took them a week or two ago and I've been meaning to post them. Since this post is all about Nate, I figured now is a good time.}

We can tell Nate is feeling better because he has been MR. HAPPY this weekend. You know those times when your baby is just extra happy? That has been Nate. This weekend was so fun with him.

On Friday, he started shaking his like he's saying no. It is so funny. He'll even do it back to you when you shake your head at him. He also was talking and laughing like crazy. He sounds like he's saying "mama" but I'm pretty sure it's just babbling. He also sticks his tongue in and out while he's making noise. He cracks himself up.

He's also a little bashful these days. If I'm holding him and Wes smiles and laughs at him, he buries his head in my chest & vise versa. Then he looks up and wants you to smile and laugh at him again. It's fun to see him develop in to his own little being.

Since he got sick last week, we've been having him shower with Wes in the morning and at night. The bathroom is super steamy & it has really helped drain his head of all the congestion. He LOVES the shower ~ he insists on facing the water so he can try to drink it. The water splashes off of Wes' shoulder on to Nate so he tries to lick the water that's splashing him. He loves it & it's so cute to watch. It was interesting trying to get a picture because my lens steamed up within seconds of being in the bathroom!

It's amazing how many phases kids go through. I love the happy phases. It helps you get through the not-so-happy phases & I've learned to truly appreciate and enjoy whatever phase he is in. I feel like his personality has really started to develop & it's so fun to watch. Wes and I found ourselves laughing with him all weekend & it was really fun & exciting.

a good day

Today was a good day. It started off with the usual. Wes played basketball at 6am. I went to WW to weigh in at 9:00 and on my way home I went grocery shopping, to the post office & to pick up dry cleaning. The rest of the day was spent together....just the way a Saturday should be!

{It was a BEAUTIFUL day today. We were outside & since I'm never in any pictures with Nate because I'm always taking them....Wes took a few of me and my little man.}

Wes, Nate & I ran a few errands in the late morning. We were near Sam's house & needed to drop off a few things to her so we hung out at her house for a bit. Nate took a great afternoon nap so Wes and I were able to relax and watch some TV together. We then met our friends, The Earls, for dinner at Red Robin. We really enjoy Sam, Anya & the boys & we don't see them nearly enough. It takes Noah and Ikey about 30 minutes to warm up to us but eventually they do and we love their cute personalities. It will be fun when Nate is a little bigger and can join in their crazy fun. Nate didn't off to a good start with Noah though because he got a hold of Noah's hair a few times! Noah was not very happy about that but quickly got over it and was back to being Nate's friend.

Here are a few pictures of the boys....

Aunt Leigh

Our sister-in-law, Leigh came to visit us over the 3 day weekend. She is Wes' brother's wife who lives in Georgia and is due to have a baby boy in April. Spencer couldn't come so Leigh decided to come on her own!

We had a great time with her. We visited, went out to eat at: Cafe Rio, Panera, Ethels, Golden Spoon, went shopping at Town Square & Galleria Mall, went to a few movies: Bucket List & 27 Dresses, played games & watched sports. She always makes us laugh! She came out to visit the weekend Nate was blessed, too so we've had two visits from Leigh in less than 6 months. Wes loves it when Leigh is here because they make a great breakfast together (I'm not a big breakfast eater) & she knows more about sports than any other girl I know.

Nate really enjoyed having Leigh around, too. He loves his aunties!

Thanks Leigh, for coming! We'll be out there this summer to meet your little man.




{We took her to Ethel's Chocolate Lounge for some fondue}


{We both love to shop}


{Leigh feeding Nate his turkey}



{Nate kept his hand on Leigh's belly for a long time. I think he was saying hi to his cousin.}

Nothing like flowers to brighten the day

Today didn't turn out so bad. My morning was crazy but I called a friend to go to lunch which was wonderful. Nate loves being in a new place so we got out a little bit today which kinda turned my day around. Getting a little break from the craziness of work and the routine of being home is nice.

One of my favorite things that we sometimes have in our house is fresh flowers and plants. My mom always had/has fresh flowers and plants in her house. When she first married my dad, she asked him to factor in a "flower budget" because she loved having fresh flowers in her home. That must be where I get it from. I rarely have four different flowers in my home but right now we do. Wes got the gerbera daisies for me for Vday....I got the hydrangea and little potted flower plant at Trader Joes....and my mom had some extra tulips she gave me. I love it. It definitely brightened my day today!

It's one of those days

I try to be positive on this blog of mine....but I'm just not feeling it today.

Yesterday, within a matter of minutes, Nate went from healthy to sick. His nose is a FOUNTAIN of snot! We had a record last night of how many times we were up....11 times! Wes put him down at 8:00pm and by 10:00pm he had already woken up twice so we knew we were in for a rough night. We did it in shifts....Wes stayed up until midnight and then I took over until 5:00am.....Wes until 6:30am. :) Every time I went in there he just looked miserable. Poor little guy.

And today....crisis after crisis has hit my desk for work. I wish I could use the saying:
"Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine!" with my clients! But....I can't. That's the joy of the advertising business. Everything seems to be a crisis.

So, that's my venting for today. Thanks for listening.

Valentine's Day

I had to take a picture of Nate and his new favorite dog. It’s his Valentines Dog that asks Nate for lots of hugs! He gets a huge smile on his face when we push the button and his ears and tail start moving. Growing up, my dad always got his girls something for Valentines Day, but now he gives to the grandkids. Nate’s dog is from his Grandpa Marz.

Valentines Day is just another day in the Griffeth household. Wes & I have never really gotten in to it. It’s a little too commercialized for me ~ like you have to do something amazing for your significant other. And, it seems like you spend way too much money on stuff that you don’t really need. We prefer spontaneity….doing something nice when they least expect it. So, we say “happy valentines day” and call it good. Although, he did come home with a bouquet of gerbera daisies. I looovee fresh flowers in our home!

We just made it a point to be home together tonight. It seems like one of us is gone almost every night with either a church function, book club, enrichment, etc. So, even though we are cleaning our house and working on our taxes tonight, we’re at least together, which is more than I can say about most nights! I think when our kids are older and understand the day....we'll do something fun with them on Valentines Day!

On a side note, Nate was pretty cranky today so after trying all of his stuff...I put him in a big chair and he liked it. He kept making funny faces so I got the camera out. Here are a few of our afternoon.

Nate at 6 months

The ol' blog is how I keep track of what Nate is up to each month....I know it's alot of information about my little man but they change so much this first year!

So....here we go.....

His absolute favorite thing is FOOD! Must be genetic. He loves green beans, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, bananas, pears, prunes, peaches & apples! He also stares at “big people food” with big eyes like he wants that, too. I’m excited to start feeding him more stuff!
He also looovves his milk. He can see a bottle of milk from a mile away and gets really happy and reaches his arms up for it. Then you put it in front of him, and he grabs the bottle and jams it in his mouth. It’s pretty funny.

Speaking of food and milk, he spits up A LOT still. I am looking forward to the day when he doesn’t puke so much! It doesn’t seem to bother him which is good, but he’s always covered in something. And now, when it’s milk, it’s dyed whatever color food he ate recently! I spend a lot of time spot cleaning clothes.

He also loves: his binky, bathtime…where he tries to drink the bathwater, going on walks, toys, “ring of joy”, sitting up, getting tickled (he’s pretty ticklish!), taking off his socks so he can eat both his sock and his foot, having his gums rubbed, and playing with his mom & dad.

We still swaddle him every time he goes to sleep. A few weeks ago, I tried not swaddling him and it didn’t go over well. I think it’s going to be a slow, gradual process but for now, he does much better wrapped up so I’ll keep doing it. However, swaddling him isn’t the easiest process anymore. Sometimes it takes me 10 minutes to get him wrapped for a nap because he thinks it’s a game. He laughs every time he gets his hands out immediately! He literally lays in his crib and laughs at us because he’s stronger than we are.

Nate has always loved being on his changing table. This month has turned in to a challenge, though! He is CRAZY on there! You lay him down and he immediately flips himself over and tries to grab everything in sight, including the blinds. I think he’s going to learn to crawl up there because he gets so excited and wants to grab all of the lotions, wipes, etc. It makes getting him dressed and changing his diaper a little interesting.

He started doing something pretty funny this month. When he’s in one of his many seats…I give him the a whisk and he flings it around like a crazy man! He loves hitting things with it ~ especially his dad if he’s nearby! Who needs toys when you have kitchen utensils!

Here are his new stats:

Height: 28" long

Weight: 17 pounds, 11 ounces

Head: HUGE

We love our little dude!

I thought it would never happen

On Sunday night, a miracle occured in the Griffeth household. I got to stay in bed ALL night long! Nate went down at 8pm and was awake and happy at 6:45am. He didn't need mom for 10 hours and 45 minutes! YEAH!

I have to say that I was beginning to think I was destined to be up at least once a night for many years. Nate is wonderful in a lot of ways but we've really struggled with his sleeping. He's just like his mama....at least that's what my mom tells me. Up until a few weeks ago, he was still up 2-3 times a night. I tried different things with him and finally got him to only be awake once a night. Now....hopefully we're down to zero!

And the best part is, he did it again last night. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this is a
permanent situation!



Nate: 2 months old

A little about me

My friend Leah had this on her blog and it was fun to read so I thought I’d do it, too! I also included lots of pictures since this is a form of scrapbooking for me! I’d love to see it on all of your blogs, too.

10 years ago: I was a Junior in high school at Green Valley. My entire life revolved around volleyball. I played at Green Valley and then played club volleyball, too. This was my favorite year of club volleyball. I got to play with the most amazing group of girls who were all seniors and were SO good at volleyball. Six of them played D1 college volleyball and were all-stars. I learned a lot that year and loved every minute of it! We traveled twice a month to California to play in tournaments…the road trips were the best!



5 things on my to-do list tomorrow:
1. Get two ads approved by our client that are due to the paper tomorrow morning.

2. Prepare for a weekly client meeting tomorrow afternoon.

3. Get dinner ready ~ yummy Café Rio style pork salads!

4. Go on a walk & play with Nate.

5. Possibly start watching Season 1 of Heroes with Wes.

5 Foods I enjoy:
1. Icecream. Icecream. Icecream. I love it.

2. I love a good salad.

3. I looovee Mexican food. Especially spicy mexican food.

4. I really enjoy eating out once or twice a week. My favorites are: Pei Wei, Pasta Shop, CPK, Panera, Macayo’s, Metro Pizza, Cheesecake Factory, Lucilles BBQ, Chipotle, Café Rio, Bajios & many more!

5. I really love drinks. Slushes, juices, slurpees, smoothies, limeades, lemonade, fountain drink of Diet Coke, etc.

What I would do if I were suddenly made a billionaire:
I’d buy a much bigger house & obviously not have a house payment. Then, I think I’d pay all of my friends and family’s homes off, too. My dad’s old boss paid off all of his siblings and kids homes & I’ve always admired him for it. I’d also re-decorate mine whenever I felt like it! Then, I’d tell Wes to pursue his dream career as a professional golfer and I’d probably start a stationery company. And of course, travel the world & work with various charities.

5 places I have lived:
1. Born in Reno, Nevada.

2. Moved to Las Vegas when I was four.

3. Provo, Utah - college days at BYU

4. London, England. (study abroad)

5. Draper, Utah after Wes & I got married.

5 jobs that I have had:
1. DRGM Advertising ~ worked there a lot from ages 10-20.

2. Monte Carlo Hotel as a lifeguard. I did this with Anya & Trisha!



3. Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino as a cabana host. The best summer job anyone could ask for….especially when you get to do it with your sister.

4. My two college jobs were: 1). Server at Los Hermanos Mexican Restaurant. Still can’t believe I did that. You have to start as a busser….and a host…..before you can be a server! My dear friend Laurel worked there with me. There were many a nights when we had to clean the entire kitchen together! 2). 2nd grade tutor. Laurel did this with me, too! It was fun working with her that year. Second graders are ADORABLE. The photo below is us with our favorite little boy, Weston.



5. R&R Partners, an advertising agency & Marz & Company, my current employer!

Favorite T.V. Shows:

1. Grey’s Anatomy

2. 90210 in highschool

3. Friends

4. Veronica Mars

5. Biggest Loser

I don't watch that much TV...just a few shows!

Most beautiful place I've ever been: This place in the middle of England called Stourhead Gardens. It’s AMAZING. Miles and miles of a walking trail surrounded by gorgeous greenery & ponds. The English countryside is beautiful.



Although, I love a beautiful beach too. The Na Pali Coast on Kauai is pretty spectacular.



Things people don't know about me:

1. I absolutely hate seafood. I can’t eat it and the smell makes me gag. I hold my breathe and run through the fish section of the grocery store. Yuck!



2. I lose my keys daily. I always put them somewhere strange!

3. I love water. Not necessarily to drink…but I love the ocean, waterfalls, rivers, streams, lakes, etc. I especially love water slides. I begged my parents for years to put a water slide in our backyard but they never gave in (luckily, our neighbors had a great water slide). I always love the hotel pools in Hawaii because they are bound to have at least one!



4. I’m picky about textures. Food textures bother me and so do clothes. I rarely wear long sleeve shirts or sweaters because of the material! Even in freezing cold Utah I would wear short sleeve shirts. Strange, I know.

5. I love bedding and dishes. I could buy new dishes & new bedspreads, sheets, etc. all of the time! I always see something new that I want. It’s a good thing we don’t have anywhere to store it.

6. Hotels gross me out. The thought of how many people have been in those rooms is just too much for me. Don’t get me wrong, I stay in them, but I’m kind of a hotel snob. If I think about it too much, even really nice hotels can make me squirm! Although, I usually get over it in a nice one. :)