Oh yeah, we do other stuff

So, Peter is feeling left out because apparently all I do is talk about Matine on the blog ... can you blame me, really?  Check this face out!

But, in a effort to keep this online journal a bit more well rounded, I will update you on some other happenings in our lives (no real order):

1.  It's freaking windy here in L-town... Windy enough to drive you semi-crazy and keep you awake all night.  Generally in any given day you are looking at winds from 30-70 mph!  I am not kidding.  This means that we RUN outside when things are still, and then as soon as we get out there (which takes a good 20 minutes after chasing Matine to get shoes, jacket, and other appendages on) the wind picks up and we stand there scrubbing sand and twigs out of our eyes and hair.  It's awesome.  Yes Bozeman friends, the winds are that bad.

2.  It has been warm however, which means we haven't really been skiing for a few weeks and the mountain closes next week - I think it's time to change activities, as we do each spring.

3.  That activity, for Peter, has been FISHING again.  He is smiling and happier than I have seen him in a while.  He and an old friend, Eric Paramore have been sneaking away as often as possible for 30 minute to 5 hour fishing expeditions on the Yellowstone and Boulder Rivers.  I think Peter calls it "research" for work, but we all know what is going on here!

See his latest video here:  



4.  All our feather and fur kids are great.   3 chickens (Dora, Speckles and Black One) are still roaming the yard and pecking on the back door to come inside.  They seem well adjusted and there have been no massacres.   Oliver and Gaucho are great - Oliver still doesn't listen to ANYONE and now even Peter gets the middle finger when he tells Oliver to do something (glad it's not just me any longer).  Gaucho is still as darling as ever and can do no wrong.    The 2 cats have taken over the house (in true feline fashion).  They prowl around, constantly talking, not minding the dogs too much, and have taken to sleeping with us in bed.  Mattie can even approach (and almost hold) the cats now.  They let her pet them when they are really mellow in the evenings.  They have figured out that she likes to feed them and when she starts filling up their food bowls they RUN to her - very fast.   It's a bit like Dr. Doolittles Farm around here, but I have to admit, I love it and the chickens and cats have added a lot of life to our house (because it was lifeless before?)....

5.  I am exhausted but feeling good otherwise.   Working, Matine, 8 months pregnant, the animals, and general managing a household can take it out of any gal - but I am extremely grateful for an uneventful pregnancy and healthy babies!   3.5 weeks to go until we meet our newest member of the Howell Farm.

She asked for the hand towel to be wrapped around her like a big towel.

6.  My dad was just here for a week and mom and Jim get back on the 10th of April.   We are excited to see them again.  They have had a CRAZY time back in Oklahoma trying to get their house on the market and things sold, packed up and settled.  Apparently as soon as they arrived EVERYTHING broke or busted in their house and they spent the month in a pile of bulldozers, jackhammers and paint as they tried to reconstruct their home that has been sitting locked up for an entire year.  Alas, things are looking up and they still plan on getting it on the market this month and heading back up here to enjoy Montana, their million hobbies and part time jobs, and of course, their grand babies!   Joellyn will be here this weekend to watch Matine while Peter and I go out on the town for our friend Jacqueline's 30th Birthday!

7.  Amy and Eric are doing well in Dillon - Amy has been promoted to "merchandiser" for the Patagonia Outlet and still LOVES her job and friends.  Eric is still teaching and training horses at La Cense Ranch.  He is currently laid up with some back problems (poor guy) but Dr's say there is nothing really wrong, he probably just needs to take it easy for a bit.   They have done some traveling int eh last few months.  First a trip to Las Vegas for the National Finals Rodeo and 2 weeks ago went to Arizona for a horse buying trip with the Ranch.   During these trips, faithful Nana Jo kept the kids and of course, we love it because it means we get to see them too!   Jhett turns 2 years old this weekend (wow how time flies)!

8.  We are going to Dillon for Easter.  Should be fun to see the kids search and destroy for Easter Eggs.   Matine is on Easter Bunny Watch again this year - pretty hilarious.  She knows they are in the yard and keeps checking the bushes for them.  She likes going on walks at night to check everyone else's yards too.

9.  I have been trying to spend as much time with girlfriends as possible before I am back in the newborn haze (diapers, breastfeeding and nap schedules).  As always, my girls are always great comic relief and stress relievers!   They are planning a shower/blessing for the baby mid-April and are making me promise to not have the baby till then.  I am doing my best to suck it in!

10.  The Turnkey Property Management business is going well - rental reservations are coming in nearly every few days (and at least an inquiry a day).   Mom and I have been working hard on my rental house in Livingston to get it ready for Vacation Rental folks by May.  It will be great to see the house used "lightly" again and have a chance to generate some income on it at the same time.  I am doing my continuing ed classes on April 13 and 14 in Billings.  My OB Doc assured me that this was a guaranteed way to go into labor a week early - by scheduling to be out of town!  We will see .... Our friends, guide friends and colleagues are doing a great job sending me business. I am super hopeful that this business is the way to go - good money with flexibility, that allows me to interact with cool people and also be home most of the time with Mattie and #2; oh, and once it starts making more $$ traveling to see my friends in other exotic locations!

You too can stay here .... Just send me a message!  

Well, as usual I am being summoned (bossed) by Matine to "just rest momma, let's go rest our bodies, the teacher says no talking, rest your mouth and body!"  I guess that means its nap time and I should go.   Dr's orders!

My love.

** I wrote this one month ago and never posted it... thought I should for posterity - even though it's a bit late...

I love our daughter.   She never seizes to crack me up.  I can totally see why people get addicted to having children - they are a constant escape from being an "adult" and remind us just how fun the simple things are in life. Here goes another list of Mattie these days - no particular order, all important.

She's still on her toast kick ... hardly eating ANYTHING but toast.
I take that back, she asks for "suckers" too ... See's Chocolate suckers to be exact.
She calls the kids that live next door to Nona and Jimpa, "the boys" - and always asks what they are doing.
Ever since her cousin Sam left last week she has asked for him at least 5x/day.  She LOVED him.  She kept wanting to "hold his hand and dance."
She will randomly walk over to Logan and just squeeze him like she can't contain her love any longer - it is so genuine and sweet.
She likes to open up coolers at parties and walk around handing out beer to everyone.  "You want another beer? Ok, I'll be right back." 
Last night Jim asked Mattie to bring Peter a water and she says, "No, daddy wants a beer!"
She is VERY into her "ouches" -- she will grab a cloth or napkin and come over to you if she sees a scratch or bruise (new or old) and hold the cloth on it and look at you with the most concerned face and ask, "You have an ouwie... is that better?"  "You need a band-aid, ok, I'll be right back."
Most answers to questions we ask her or start with an, "Ok... I will feed the dogs" or "ok, I'll go get my shoes on." 
She still has NO clue about colors.  Everything is "blue."
Last night she sat naked on her drum set and strummed her guitar for a good 45 minutes - the song selection was a blend of "Tomorrow" from Annie, "ABC's," "So Long Farewell," "I am 16 going on 17," and "Itsy Bitsy Spider."  It was QUITE a show!  She even told me I needed a microphone - apparently I wasn't loud enough.
She loves to kiss and hug.  She never hesitates to give a kiss or a hug - requested or impromptu.
We LOVE our chickens and constantly ask to "hold them."   She does this very funny jumping-chase action with them.  She flaps her arm like a bird and jumps at them and then laughs hysterically.  She will follow them around talking to them ... I am still not real sure what she is saying, it usually involves trying to hand feed them something she thinks they would like.
She has really been enjoying her friends lately - particularly Camille and Audrey O'Connor.  They all play in the yard, on the swings, have pretend tea parties (where they eat hamburgers) and play dress up with princess dresses.
She has been napping on our bed, but sleeping at night in her own.  She likes for us to lay down with her for a few minutes before she will go to sleep.  She sometimes even say, "Goodnight momma, you can go now" when she is ready to actually sleep at night.
She sometimes gets overwhelmed with those she loves and will just walk up to you and squeeze your face with both hands and give you a kiss or say, "I love you!"  - she does this to Nona, Mom and Dad alot!
She plays this funny game with JimPa - using her dry humor already- she will see Jim and they start this banter back and forth, claiming ownership over someone - ex. Matine:  "This is MY Nona."  Jim:  "No, she's my Nona..."  and it goes back and forth over and over and then moves on to "My Annie," "My Momma."  ... etc.  She starts doing this game from the car as soon as she sees JimPa coming out the door to greet her. Very funny.
She likes to say, "Tulsa, Oklahoma" and when you ask where either Uncle Clark, Grandpa, Sammi or Aunt Shell live, she will say very proudly, "Tulsa Oklahoma!"
She is a whiz at her animal matching game.  There are momma animals and baby animals on separate puzzle pieces.  They are all laid on the floor (like memory but right side up) and she has to find the mommas and babies and put the pieces together.  She loves to play this and I think she is almost bored now that she has mastered it.  She has even figured out the Frog / Tadpole connection ... pretty smart kiddo.
She is the SLOWEST waker.  It takes a solid 20 minutes of fussy quietness before she is ready to get after her day.  This is after naps and each morning.  We usually deal with this by sitting quietly on the couch for a while ... toast is often requested and needed for proper wake-up.
You get really excited about dressing up.  You love your "party dress" and my fancy glittery purses.  I am not sure where you got this flair for fashion, but it's hilarious and she takes your clothes, shoes and accessories VERY seriously!
You really like playing with the dogs now and they are your buddies. I catch Oliver sneaking in your room to nap with you in the middle of the day and you will chase them around the yard and wrestle with them when they get roudy.
You also can't resist bossing them around when you get the chance - "Oliver, no, sit, no begging" or "Gaucho stay, you can't go with us today."  They seem to get your leftovers and extra treats from you too.

An Open Adoption

 My friends, Chris and Amy are looking to expand their family through open adoption.   Please, please, please check out their great website.  It tells their story, a bit about them, and what they are looking to do.  It is very inspiring and they can use your help.   After you read their story, please pass their information along to everyone you know ... you never know when someone will run into or know someone looking for an adoption plan of their own.   Let's help them find their baby!

Their websites are: http://www.chrisandamythompson.webs.com/ and : http://www.iheartadoption.org/users/chrisandamy

You can also find more info about Chris and Amy (aka The Thompsonheads) from their everyday blog, which I always have handy on my "Cyber Stalking" blog roll to the right.

First Sentence

Matine is starting to put words together to form "sentences" now.  First off, I will give back my "Mother of the Year" crown as soon as you read this story (actually, I never earned or wore the crown, but whatev). 

Yesterday, we were making cookies for the impending return of Peter and Josh tonight.  I figured they've been in the woods all week and some fresh baked goodness would be nice.  It was lunch time and Matine was having SUCH a good time, I didn't want to spoil it by forcing her into the torture-chair (high chair) for a stupid meal that she would likely reject anyways.  Instead, as she sat on our bathroom floor (newly mopped and cleaned) and played with my make-up brushes and toiletries, I just sat a plate beside her with her "lunch" (tortillas with melted cheese - at least it wasn't "toast"). 

After she finished eating her saturated fat lunch on the bathroom floor I offered her some "cookie dough" and told her how to say it (I assume she will need to know this very important food group in the future).   She puts the dough on her finger, not knowing the true goodness that awaited her, and proceeds to go play. A few seconds later, as predicted, she runs back to me with her fingers in the air, signing and saying "mo" (more).  It was so cute.  So, I give her "mo."  She quickly asked again... this time, immediately eating it and not trying to go play between bites.  For her next spoonful, I asked her to ask nicely.   Without prompting, my gal says with words and signs,

"Mo cookie dough, please!"

I am so proud!

Life by the Numbers

Back by popular demand, it's our life, simplified into numbers that (I hope) you can count to.

10 - days until the bro, the Cla, the Cotton gets here for a week long visit.

22 - dollars I spent buying us Livingston Classic PBR Rodeo tickets for while he is here!  That's right - more cute cowboys in Wranglers

10 - Foot Tall and 80 Proof will be playing at the Murray Bar after the Rodeo!  Dancing WILL be had.

62 - weeks Matine has been living, breathing and spicing up our lives!

14.2 - months Matine has been doing the same (if she's getting too old to count in weeks, let me know)

3 - dogs (of our 3) are overdue on their vaccines and I have never licensed them in the City of Livingston

150 - dollars in fines I will be paying if I don't do the above in 14 days :(

90 - degrees it is today - holy hot weather!

6 - weeks until we drop the fishing gig for 2010 and head right into HUNTING SEASON!!! Where did summer go?

10,000 - hits on our website after the Western Extreme show aired again!

3 - of MY outfits I had to change yesterday because I was either barfed on, pooped on, or mudded on.  Thank you daughter.

5 - jumping jacks I did in anticipation to going to see my first "Theater" movie since Mattie was born!

1,000,000  - times my heart pitter-pattered watching "Edward" in the above mentioned Eclipse Movie!

3 - bananas I am defrosting to make some yummy banana bread today

8 - vehicles or snowmobiles or watercrafts that are in our yard, driveway or street right now (that all belong to us).  Embarrassing.

14- days until me, Pete, Clark, his friend "Ritchey," and other L-Town pals will get to see Pat Green LIVE in concert, outside along the Yellowstone River

0 - the number of bucks we have to pay for the bad-ass concert!

2 - the number of teeth Matine still has.  She is getting quite good at gumming her food.

3- the number of actual food items she will eat these days


4:30 - pm was when Happy Hour started at our house yesterday.  It was way too fun.  Need to make that a 7-day a week event.

15 - squeals Matine gave the ducks when we went to feed them yesterday.

0 - edible vegetables that are growing in my pathetic excuse for a garden.

5 - stars is what I give my anticipated walks and hang out time with my husband these days!  I miss him.

22 - pounds is what our chubby little girl is weighing in at these days - nice and round and full of love!

7 - loads of laundry I have already done since Tuesday of last week

4 - times that Mom and JimPa have already watched Matine for an extended period and helped us out

9 - days is all they have been here!

30 - minutes I get to listen to the beautiful sound of my Kitchen Aid mixer mix the pizza dough for tonight's dinner... I LOVE everything about that Mixer.  It is true love.

5 - men that will be at Pete's all boy weekend in Walden, Co in August

15 - minutes it too me to kindly decline going and being the only girl on an all-boys fishing trip in the middle of nowhere (with a baby)!

Well, many more numbers rattling around in this 30 year old brain of mine, but that will do for now!

life these days

Concentration - everything Matine has been doing has been with great purpose and intensity. Talking, walking, playing ... whatever she is "practicing" she takes very seriously! (as you can see from the face above)

Jewelry! We love to put on necklaces and anything pretty she puts to her ears like "earrings."

Walks and being outside! We have been taking advantage of every single sunny warm moment! Yardwork, grilling outside, walks... It has been oh, so pretty!

Coming on strong to her boyfriend. Matine loves to give people hugs - especially other kids. In the stroller here she threw herself on top of Sully to hug him. When he cried and didn't like it, she just patted his back for the rest of the ride. What can I say - she's a lover, not a fighter.

Playing in the rocks and dirt. Matine loves to work in the yard with us. She has a box with a real little spay and dirt and she stays busy for hours! Our yard is starting to look good - so much more to do but it is so much fun! Yes, I think we may have ingested a rock already. Is it bad that it doesn't bother me as much as her dog-food-eating fetish?

Bows, bows, bows (not the kind that go on your head)! This seems to be all Peter talks about on the phone each morning and night with friends, and all he wants to do on his "down time." Here we went to Jacqueline and Grif's for the day of riding horses, shooting bows, and yummy dinner! Great day!

Icing! Jacqueline is taking a cake decorating class and will be making Matine's birthday cake! We were practicing some icing skills and of course, Mattie LOVED this activity. It didn't take her long to realize that sugar = good.

Reading! Boy, do we love books! She mainly flips through the pages and makes up her own stories and noises, but wow... Books are fun! (here she is ready "Dogstrology: The astro-guide to your pet's personality). Everything in her life seems to revolve around dogs .... hmmm.

Let us know if you need a reading for your favorite furr-friend.


Will you be shocked when I say - "we've been busy!" Of course not... But we sure are having fun!

Here's a preview (for full feature - come visit us)!

Great Eight

Oh Matine. 8 months old! At eight months old you have won our hearts over 8 million different ways. You are the happiest person I know. Being around you absolutely makes your dad and I better people. I could gush about all the emotions that I have because of you, but I will try to just tell you what all you are up to these blissful days (the best of my life).

Busy, busy - you are on the move and ready for more every second. You started crawling - it's an army crawl and I thought you would eventually get on all fours and do the "classic baby crawl" but we aren't so sure anymore. You seem to want to bypass any more "ground time" and get on those 2 feet! I now feel like I am trying to bend solid wood boards to get your legs bent and get you sitting back down. You want to stand up, lean on things and balance yourself. You love for us to walk you around the house or to sit / stand on your new car that Micca gave you for Christmas. This gives you your independence on 2 feet that you really want!


I think your favorite thing is to make people laugh and smile. You will do ANYTHING to get a laugh. People pleaser - yes you are. We might have to deal with this with some therapy some day if it starts to affect your ability to function, but for now, it's adorable. I guess this is how most adult issues start out - Parents encourage a cute behavior all the while the need to please and make people laugh is burned into your psyche - deciding your future personality and setting you up to be "that girl" - the one who appears to have a million friends and always wears a happy face, but goes home at night to her cats and eats 2 pints of Ben and Jerry's.

Maybe I am overthinking this? Or maybe we should just get you into therapy now? I think I need the therapy. Nah... We will just keep laughing at you and letting you entertain us with a variety of silly voices, head bobs, clapping, waves at the trees, dogs, picture frames. Anything for a laugh! Waving --- this is by far your cutest and favorite trick. Your wave doesn't have any motion to it yet - it's simply a hand up (and slightly at an angle). A bit Hitler-esque I must say. But, since we know you are people pleaser and not a infamous dictator - it's cute. You throw up that little hand to anything and everything that moves. You wake up talking in your crib. As soon as you see your dad or I come in you start looking for a dog. As soon as you see one (usually snuggled on MY pillow in bed) you giggle and hold up that hand, "waving" at the dogs. You immediately start looking for the next one. The day really can't start until you have waved at all three dogs, dad and even the ever-blowing spruce trees in the front yard. You have even started waving at the faces in the pictures on our walls. Oh, you are a social, social baby.


We still delight in being able to go anywhere and everywhere with you. You truly seem to enjoy meeting new people, seeing new faces. You "turn on" in a crowd and will start the wave, bobbing your head and making a sneezing sound (this is very funny to you - I thought it was a tick at one point), or just babbling and talking to people. You always have smiles for people -making even the most leary baby person at ease around you.

You ADORE your dad. You two have your own little language and games already. It's pretty cute because you save a few special tricks just for him. You play a tapping the table game when we sit down to eat. Dad taps the table one time. You do it back. He taps twice. you tap twice (and sometimes uncontrollably). It's cute, but it's even cuter that you don't initiate this game with anyone but him. By the way, if you want your own rocket ship, pony, trip to Europe or sports car - just ask now. Your daddy is about as whooped as I have ever seen a man. This is the conversation at night, after only about 30 minutes of putting you to bed: "I miss Matine already. I wish she was still awake. I can't wait to see her smile in the morning."


No lies Matine - your daddy misses your smile when he knows you are sleeping soundly in the next room. We both do. You are by far the coolest, most fun, most beautiful person we know.

The last few months you have met more cousins (all the Lustigs), some new babies have joined your world (Elias Drimal and Lucas Shoutis), you have seen your old friends, but mostly have been hangin' with your padres (that's parents in spanish you know). We have indulged ourselves in getting to have lazy day after lazy day with you. We know the busy summer will be here, you will be running around, interested in other things, and we will be burning calories just trying to keep up with your ever growing insatiable thirst for new things and knowledge.

A day like today, we hear you talking to your hands or pacifier in your crib, we bring you into bed with us, you nurse and as soon as you are full start to roll over, talking to your dad, the dogs, playing games and laughing. We keep you in bed as long as you can hold still. The day then begins - crawling, standing, scooting, paddy cake, books, banging tupperware, looking out windows, breakfast and a nap. Special days involve long walks in the backpack, cross country skiing or visiting friends at restaurants and coffee shops.

You LOVE visits with people - anyone new.

Mattie, you delight your mama and daddy. Everyday you fill our world with awe, wonder and such gratitude. Yet again, your long winded mom finds herself without the right words to describe what it feels like to be your mom.

Don't Leave Us Alone in a Doctor's Office

It was Doctor visit day! This time dad went along, so we had even more entertainment in that teeny tiny waiting room that we were locked in for 1 entire hour! So, we had fun with the camera - and warning to the next patients: I am pretty sure the blood pressure cuff is filled with drool and that little hammer utensil they bang on your knee - drool too. She did bang on the medical records computer a bit, so someone's charts might be a bit different than they were before . . .






It was Matine's 6-month Check-Up (yes, I am aware that she was nearly 8 months when we actually made it). I wasn't too worried. Most of the questions he asked were no-brainers and led me to believe that the vaccinations are the only reason we really needed to be there.

"Is she rolling over yet?" --- Um, yes, to say the least - she's crawling and pulling herself up to standing and it takes Peter AND myself to keep her on the changing table. I have actually learnd the fine art of diapering a baby while she's on her side, stomach and even standing (she's freakishly strong)! So yes, she is definitely able to roll over.

"Has she started eating any foods yet?" -- Again, yes, she can actually feed herself with a spoon and has loved everything we have given her- including chunky finger foods - would you like to see the video of the baby genius?

Surprisingly enough, Matine is in the 50th percentile for weight (18 lbs) and height (27 inches). She just photographs "heavy" like most women and she stores all her weight in her cheeks, giving the illusion of largeness.

Little did the happy baby in the pictures above know, she was about to get the final round of her basic immunizations. It was so very sad and luckily all we have left is the booster for her Pig Flu shot - next month. Parents sure hate these shots. She had wells of tears pooling in her little eye sockets and still crying when we got home, she did the shutter machine gun cry, nearly choking, until she fell asleep in my arms --- more painful for us? Very likely.

We sure are having fun with this little gal these days - I think this 7-8 month age might be the most fun yet!