Hamra Time: 3/1/16

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Why I love what I do: Part 3

Getting the opportunity to travel with work is one of the things I love most about my position at O'Reilly. Any opportunity I get to get out in the field and meet some of the hard working team members, I take it. My boss Julie and I were in the Scottsdale area last week for a convention and were able to do some store visits (we missed you Tracie!!). We decided we would visit stores in an area off the beaten path, that doesn't get a lot of Corporate visitors. They all seemed happy and honestly surprised to see us come in.

We mapped our route through Sedona, Cottonwood, Jerome, and Prescott....and the scenic views were the icing on the cake.

I have really never seen anything as beautiful as the Red Rocks/Sedona area. I knew it was pretty but was blown away when I saw the landscapes, mountains, and skylines in person.

Thankfully I had the camera on me so I snapped some pics. I can't wait to plan a trip back with the family so we can spend more time there.

Here are some of the scenic shots I took during our trip. To see them all, visit my share site here: https://karitravels.shutterfly.com/4668

Some more pictures from our trip...but these are from my iPhone :)

The conference was held at the Westin Kierland Scottsdale...but we stayed elsewhere :)

Finally trying Shake Shack, so good!

Visiting the Chapel of the Holy Cross built into the buttes of Sedona

selfie to send my boys

Red Rocks State Park red dirt

Jerome, AZ is CRAZY driving, look it up and you will see why.

lunch stop up in the mountains

The haunted Jerome Grand Hotel

After the work is done, enjoyed some Royals vs. Dodgers Spring Training in Surprise, AZ

Monday, March 28, 2016

Scout // 9 Months

Once again, I am four days late on my post but this time I was actually able to get stats from Scout's doctor's appointment. Scout is 39 weeks which means he has been in the outside world now longer than he was inside (he surprised us at 38 weeks). The second child seems to go so much faster. I am sad to admit, I failed to get his picture taken with the Easter bunny for his first Easter. I do feel really bad about it but hopefully he will forgive me.

Scout is all over the place now, trying to walk and keep up with Sawyer. It is crazy how quickly they become mobile! He is still super happy with such a joyful disposition, this boy is always smiling!

Here is Sawyer at 9 months: http://www.hamratime.com/2012/11/sawyer-9-months.html

Sawyer's 9 month check-up: http://www.hamratime.com/2012/12/sawyers-9-month-ish-checkup.html

Sawyer was quite a bit smaller and this age, we were trying to figure out why he wasn't getting enough milk. Once we figured that out, he starting to bulk up. Sawyer was talking and moving a little bit more, but still very close.

Scout 9 Month stats

weight: 19 lbs 9 oz. (48.5 percentile) - at 8 months he was 18 lbs 6 oz.

height: 28.5 inches (56.7 percentile) - at 8 months he was 27.5

clothing: 9-12 months, 12 month. Wears size 2-3 shoes

diapers: Size 3 - same as last month

eating: Still nursing and eating everything that is allowed. Able to try more table food options as well. He just tried cottage cheese, shredded cheese, beans and yogurt. He still isn't a huge fan of the meats but when we mix it with other veggies, he likes it. Grandpa even let him try a little ice-cream!

sleeping: Still sleeping great and sleeping from about 7:30 - 6 a.m. We have noticed about 2-3 nights out of each month he gets a little fussy and will walk up but it seems to be linked to teething and/or new milestones (crawling, standing, etc.)

teething: 2 little bottom teeth popped up about 4 days after his 8-month birthday.

other updates: He really wants to walk! He has been standing and letting go without even realizing it. He loves his jumper and walker, especially when we go outside. One thing his Parents as Teacher rep was impressed with was his ability to hold on and then lean down to pick items up as well as his pincher grasp (using the index finger and thumb to pick up small objects). He does great picking up small food items, like puffs or cereal, and even small blocks. He is still only saying "dada" and "hi" but no "mama" yet. I swear he says "hi doggie" too while looking out the window at Bowie.

Here are a few more photos from the month:

watching brother play soccer

doesn't even hold on anymore

fun at the doctor, no shots!

you can see his two little teeth

helping Sawyer with Easter eggs, fascinated with his hands!

holding his own bottle

playing in Sawyer's fort

Easter Sunday

with Aunt Rachel

time to play with the sign

all the boys getting their monthly picture taken

likes to stand up everywhere!

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Saying goodbye to my sweet Faith

Faith Engel // June 30, 2000 - March 7, 2016

It is with the most heaviest of hearts, I write this blog. Faith, my sweet pug, passed away peacefully sometime yesterday. Faith has been a part of my life for nearly 16 years (June 30). My parents surprised me with her on my 18th birthday. I remember so clearly opening up a birthday gift of dog toys and being so confused until I walked outside to see her tiny, sweet face hiding in a dog kennel. From that day on, she was my best friend and part of every big moment in my life. I honestly can't imagine coming home and not seeing her face. She was spunky, sassy, loved peanut butter, and surprising me with random items she would bring in from outside..a few times it was a snake. She was a little bit of a klepto (stealing anything she could get her hands on), obsessed with sunbathing, a snorter, a hoarder, and loved to swim. She has terrified me twice...once when she ate my entire Christmas stocking of kisses and my sister (a vet tech) had to walk me through how to pump her stomach over the phone (hydrogen peroxide does the trick). And second time was when she escaped through the fence in my backyard. It was the worst 24 hours of my life searching for her. I stayed up all night making signs and scanning the neighborhood. Luckily a kind woman found her and brought her home.

My wonderful husband had to break the news to me, but has been so kind. He has been extremely helpful taking care of the final details, because I can't handle even talking about it. We told Sawyer and he was also very comforting, kids sure know how to make things better. He wiped my tears and said, "God has lots of dog toys for her in heaven." Bowie was shaking and crying when John found her, he is taking it pretty rough too. I know he will miss his buddy, they lived together for six years.

I honestly knew this was coming sooner than later at her age, but I never imagined I would be this heartbroken. It was equally as hard to tell my parents, as they have raised her almost as long as I have. They cared for her while I was in college or when I was gone traveling. Faith loved my dad so much, would sense him as soon as he would walk in the door. He came over last night and helped me say good bye and was even kind enough to help us get her to Friends of the Family, where she will be cremated and returned to us in a cedar box.

My mom sent me the sweetest note that really touched me:
"I find it is sort of poetic justice that Dad was the one to driver her there this morning. He was the one who found her at the breeder in Billings. He took Rachel and I to meet her for the first time and then we went to pick her up when she was old enough so that we could surprise you with her for your birthday"

Just this past Christmas, I had decided to surprise John with custom watercolors of both Faith and Bowie for our home. Now this painting means even more to me than I could have imagined. As a way to remember her, I went through and found some of my favorite photos of her that I have included below.

Faith, I love you so much and already miss you! Thank you for being my sidekick for more than 15 years, my grandpa Jim and Grandma Marilyn will love having you around heaven keeping them entertained!