Halloween and a chipped tooth

For Liv's first Halloween, it was only fitting for her to be a lion since that is pretty much her signature.  She has been able to do the lion noise since she was 7 months old and hasn't stopped since.  I was late on finding a lion costume so I figured I'd just make one.  Here is her mane and boots along with a tutu and a tail.  The only problem was she completely hated it.  Wouldn't even wear the mane for a picture. Maybe next year, right?

When she fell asleep I painted her face.  She smeared it a bit in the process, but I was all by myself just laughing as I did it.  Until I accidentally woke her up.  Then it wasn't funny anymore. 

This expresses her sentiments perfectly about how she felt about her costume.  So glad you liked it, Liv.  I only spent hours and hours making it.  : )

Here are two of my favorite people ever.  My neighbor Amanda and my friend Katie at our ward Halloween party.  We are all in Young Women's and we were over the party this year.

Katie again.  Liv and I went as the circus...I was the ring master and she was the lion.  Taylor had to leave out of town at like 2am so he wasn't feeling up to dress up in his 'World's Strongest Man' costume.

How darling are my beehives?  I just love them!

This is me chipping my tooth this week--literally doing nothing.  I was sitting at the computer at 11pm and it just fell out.  I must have done something earlier that weakened it--like enduring pregnancy and throwing up 2.3 million times.  It doesn't look bad in this picture, but it really was.  The entire front of my tooth is chipped off (not all the way through).  So weird, but I got it fixed asap!

 You can't even tell I had it fixed! What a dentist, that Dr. Ellis is.

Also, I would post more of this weeks events...oh like me having to go to InstaCare over an ingrown toenail (again).  Gross.  And me getting the stomach flu.  Both are photos you really don't want to see.

Liv's bday post coming soon! Taylor was out of town on Thursday for her birthday, so we are celebrating tonight.

Pretty Woman

I recently had an encounter that reminded me of this classic scene:

Here's what really happened: Taylor and I were heading to Mississippi for the weekend.  I'd read the forecast and it predicted rain. Lots of it.  Since we were going to be outside at a football game, I headed over to the closest mall in search of a rain jacket.  I went to this store (I can't remember the exact name).  It's on the corner where Nordstrom used to be, across from Banana Republic and that Black and White store.  I popped in for a quick look.  The sales associate looked me up and down and asked me if I needed help.

Me: "No, just browsing around, thanks."
Her: "Are you looking for something in particular?"
Me: "Well actually, I'm looking for a jacket..."
Her: "The only jackets we have are over $100 so I don't think you'd be interested."
Me: (shocked pause) Why thank you, I'd love to take a look at the one hundred dollar jackets (as I emphasize the words one hundred) before I left.

Seriously hilarious.  The best part is, I'm wondering what about my appearance made her feel inclined to say that?

In other news, Taylor and I had a fabulous time in the South.  And turns out, I didn't even need a rain jacket.  Here are my favorite things about our little trip to the South:

1. Most friendly place I have ever visited.  Over the top, friendly.
2. I felt super skinny next to all the fried-chicken-eatin' peeps.  I really don't think healthy food exists there.  Oh and I'm pretty sure I had more teeth than anyone we met.
3. So green and gorgeous.
4. There was a streaker at the football game...never disappointing.
5. We flew out of the Provo Airport which actually rocked... AND I slept 12 hours uninterrupted. AND I got to spend some one on one time with my man.

Konichiwa

For the past month, Taylor and I (ok mainly me) have been hosting two 20 year old Japanese students.  They are seriously the cutest things ever.  They actually just left today.  I heard about the opportunity on a Wednesday, casually asked Taylor about it.  I honestly don't know what motivated me to do this.  It just sort of happened.  I just felt like we had the space, and it never hurts to help someone out when we were easily in the position to help.  And they weren't LDS so I figured it was also a good opportunity to expose them to our church. 

He obviously didn't think I was serious and told me we'd talk about it later.  The next day, I texted him at work and told him I really wanted to do this, and they were coming over to meet me.  He says the next thing he knows is he walks in the door from work and hears me asking them if they want to see their room.  He claims we never talked about it, and to be quite honest, he was not on board.  But turns out he ended up loving them just as much as I did.  

Disclaimer: I didn't realized I would be a full-time tour guide.  I was their sole source of entertainment.  So I got to planning really quick and made up a calendar of activities.  I gave them everything America has to offer:  We took them to Temple Square and City Creek Mall, Thanksgiving Point, breakfast at Sundance's Foundry Grill, the moonlight ride at Sundance, BYU museums, pedicures, Costco, elementary schools, boating...I can't even name them all.  

Miku and Asuka

A few highlights for me were: 

1.  They thought Swedish Fish were healthy.  Granted the bag literally had the words 'fat free' on the bag.  I tried to explain that high sugar=unhealthy, but they just kept pointing to fat free.  I basically just confused them so I just went with it.  

2. Their favorite movies were Step Up, movies one, two and three.  They also loved the Kinect Dance Central game.  Too funny.  

3. I'm pretty sure I contributed to shortening their lives a few years by the food they were eating.  They loved pizza, burgers and hot dogs.  None of which we really ever eat at our house.  Taylor and I both hate hot dogs, eat burgers annually and only order pizza on rare occasions.  But they don't know that  because when they were here we wined and dined them the American way. 

4.  I made them breakfast every morning.  I'm talking the works: buttermilk pancakes, omelets, french toast, crepes, waffles, etc.  They ate so much, I thought they loved it.  At the end of the trip, they told me they were surprised at American breakfasts because it is all too sweet. I guess when you're used to eating rice and miso soup for breakfast, syrup soaked pancakes may be a little sweet. 

Teaching my mom's first grade class origami and how to use chopsticks in their presentation of Japan

   

Sundance moonlight ride: this was Miku's favorite activity 

Miku, Asuka and Dcota (he was also here staying with another family in UT and we did a lot with him) at the Dinosaur Museum. 

Asuka in her kimono holding Liv.  They were adorable with Liv.  

Tubing was my favorite thing to watch.  I laughed harder than I ever have.  

They love to throw up that double peace sign 

A few highlights for me were: 

1.  They thought Swedish Fish were healthy.  Granted the bag literally had the words 'fat free' on the bag.  I tried to explain that high sugar=unhealthy, but they just kept pointing to fat free.  I basically just confused them so I just went with it.  

2. Their favorite movies were Step Up, movies one, two and three.  They also loved the Kinect Dance Central game.  Too funny.  

3. I'm pretty sure I contributed to shortening their lives a few years by the food they were eating.  They loved pizza, burgers and hot dogs.  None of which we really ever eat at our house.  Taylor and I both hate hot dogs, eat burgers annually and only order pizza on rare occasions.  But they don't know that  because when they were here we wined and dined them the American way. 

 I made them breakfast every morning.  I'm talking the works: buttermilk pancakes, omelets, french toast, crepes, waffles, etc.  They ate so much, I thought they loved it.  At the end of the trip, they told me they were surprised at American breakfasts because it is all too sweet. I guess when you're used to eating rice and miso soup for breakfast, syrup soaked pancakes may be a little sweet. 

4.  Watching them experience things like boating for the first time was too hilarious.  My brother Jence wasn't even being very harsh on the driving and they were flying out of that tube left and right.  We tried to go horseback riding but it was too stormy.  That night we took them to Texas Roadhouse--  classic western American experience, and they ate it up. 

5.  (probably not a highlight) They made us dinner as a thank you.  Bless their hearts, they made curry.  I think my house still smells like it.  I probably still smell like it. : (  

They were so polite and sweet! I sure loved having them here, but I am planning on taking a full day off.  No laundry, no dishes...and no cooking! I have spent a month cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner nearly every single day.  Liv and I are just going to read stories all day, play outside and stay in our sweats.  

My man turned 30!

So my man turned thirty this year.  I was anticipating it to be a bit of a sensitive one...thirty is a big one and not an easy milestone for some so I was thinking big.  I wanted to catch him by complete surprise.  Something he'd totally love.  The guy works nonstop.  He needed a break.  

Knowing we couldn't really take an entire week to go scuba diving which is his favorite thing, I opted for what I thought would be the next best thing: a trip to NYC to see his favorite baseball team (Texas Rangers) play in Yankee Stadium, go see our favorite late-night guy, Jimmy Fallon, eats lots of delicious food, see his only brother who lives there...the list goes on and on.  NYC I thought sounded golden.  I wanted it to be a complete surprise all the way up until we arrived at the airport.  

So I began planning away...secretly of course.  One night, after getting all the details together, I was attempting to sneak upstairs to book the whole thing.  Taylor kept asking me why in the world I was missing the Olympics as I hid up in our room.  Finally telling him to mind his own business, that I was doing something for his birthday, I reminded him again that he needed to get his birthday and the following day off of work.   Here's how the conversation went: 

Me: remember to get the 13th and 14th off of work.  

Taylor: Oh, yeah.  I can do that...now that we aren't going to NYC with my family in September. 

(side note: we were thinking about going to NYC in Sept. with his family but plans fell through).  By the way, sooo glad we aren't going to New York.  That's the last place I want to be right now..blah blah blah (reasons for why he didn't want to go).  I'd rather go someplace relaxing.  

Me: (nervous laugh) then blank stare. 

The truth eventually came out and he felt really bad trying to tell me how fun that trip sounded I'd planned.  Get real, I knew the truth.  But I was just relieved I hadn't booked anything or there may have been some tears shed.  

So we went on a stay-cation instead.  To Park City.  And it rocked.  We stayed here (minus the snow): 

Let me just say that "Vacation Kacie" is much more fun than real life Kacie.  His words, not mine.  We spent his 30th birthday doing everything a 12 year old would probably love doing:  we rode the Alpine Slide, Zip Line and Coaster.  We even ate Dip N' Dots.  If that isn't the epitome of celebrating your youth, I don't know what is.  We laughed the whole time, went to movie, ate at his favorite restaurant in PC and ended the night with some delicious room service birthday dessert.  And the best part? We felt a million miles from home.  

Oh, and here's what I got him for his birthday: Texas vs Ole Miss football tickets (in Oxford, Mississippi),  Apple TV and a new Hugo Boss suit.  

     Excuse the dungeon picture.  Since we were going to be out of town,  I didn't make Taylor a cake.      
     DP is his favorite beverage of choice so I improvised.

Let me explain this gift.  I printed our a picture of a  grey suit and glued his head to the body.  I couldn't pick a suit out for him...it needs to be fitted.  So I did the next best thing.   He thinks I'm such a weirdo, but you should have seen his face when he opened it up.  Hilarious.

Happy 9 months, Liv

My friend, Heather Telford whom I know from my college waitressing days took these.  At 9 months Liv crawls, knows bye-bye, dances mostly by shaking her arms, and she roars when I ask her what a lion says; she has almost four teeth.  

Goodbye, summer

See you next year, summer.

That's right, folks.  I made this white chocolate, red velvet cake for my sister Callie's 30th birthday.  She flew all the way from Seattle just for her birthday and Lake Powell so naturally I dug deep and connected with my inner Martha. 

Liv and I left Taylor home to work.  First Lake Powell trip was a mild success.  We need to toughen her up a bit, but it was so fun to be with my family.  

I will miss summer raspberry deliciousness.  A million bottles of jam plus two homemade pies (three if you count the one I threw on the kitchen floor..oops)

This little fish is going to miss her hippo pool.  But it will be awesome next year because she won't even remember it exists.  

This is probably the thing I will miss the most about summer--my mom.  You see, my mom teaches first grade full-time and goes to every single one of my little sister Kenzi's volleyball tournaments.  See you next summer, Mom.  It sure was great being able to call you at 11am if I felt like it.

Watch out Phyllis Heil

You may be wondering who is Phyllis Heil?  For those of you not up to date with your current events, she is the World Whistling Champion of 2011.   Fast forward fifteen years and she's got some serious competition:  Liv Elaine Safford.  Taylor and I discovered Liv accidentally learned how to whistle.  It's the funniest thing.  She was whistling quite loudly in the grocery store the other day and this cute grandma thought she was some sort of baby genius.  I'm sure she'll grow out of it, but it does make for some interesting attention.  I've yet to catch it on video! 

As for other Liv updates, she is so close to crawling, it makes me sad.  I don't want to baby proof my house.  She just rolls and scoots everywhere she wants to go which is slow enough I can usually catch her before any major damage.  She also has two teeth on the bottom.  She can do bye-bye, but sometimes I'm not sure if she's just excited or if she really knows how to do it.  She's becoming quite the mama's girl, loves the water, and is scared of dogs (we're working on this one).  She's learned how to throw tantrums and is really good at it.  Liv's favorite food is fruit, but she also eats pretty much anything I put in front of her.  I am not super adventurous with her foods simply because I'm the one changing her diapers.  More real food = more gross diapers.  Does that make me a bad parent?  

Everyone comments on her big beautiful blue eyes.  She smiles at everyone and is constantly laughing and happy.  

She loves grass

Baby bikini: so cute yet so impractical

I was in the laundry room for 2 minutes and she's gotten into my bag from girl's camp, somehow turned on the lights and was having a ball

Her means of transportation