Cake and Ice Cream

One thing is certain, since we've been back in Arizona there has been no shortage of celebrations, and no shortage of sweets. Pumpkin doesn't seem to mind much at all, she loves being around all the other kids, and she loves her dessert! 

G&K's birthday party in April

D&L's baptism in April

Steia's 10-year anniversary in April

A's 2nd birthday in June in Prescott
(strawberries shown, but rest assured there was cake)
 

Ice Cream sundae party for A&M in Payson in July

Ice Cream Cake aftermath at M's July splash pad party

Getting the Team back together

It's been a while since my last post. It was hard to find time to blog being on my own with the munchkin and, in the meantime (surprise!) I discovered I was pregnant. So, I've been extra exhausted. 

Over the last few months we had lots of fun seeing old friends and attending birthday parties in various parts of Arizona, we've had challenges with our rental house, we visited LA for the Fourth of July, and finally, finally, about a month ago, Chris made the move to Phoenix. It's been so great being all together again, and hopefully now with an extra set of hands, I can find time to write about all the other stuff we did.

Team Gabel at the Diamondbacks game, about
a week after Chris made the move to Phoenix. 

Picture Day

I am enjoying being back in Phoenix. I really loved living in Reno and so I'm not sure I realized how much I missed being in a big city until we got here. Tomorrow night I'm going with a friend to see Citizen Kane at Movies in the Park. Next week I'll attend an event for Genocide Awareness Week at Scottsdale Community College. My sister-in-law and I have tickets to see Mumford and Sons in June. And I have never before moved somewhere where I have already lived - I have friends already! Plans for birthday parties and favorite restaurants and coffee shops picked out before I even got here! It's great.

But can I be honest? It's really hard, too. I'm not sure Chris and I have ever been apart this long, even when we were long distance. By the time he visits in a couple weeks it will be four weeks. (Honestly, I have no idea how military families do it. I want to buy them all a cake.) It's hard on me, but especially hard on our monkey. Lots of changes in addition to being away from him makes it especially hard for her. We miss Scoop, too. My job is great, and her school is great, but drop-offs are emotional every morning. Bedtimes are emotional, too. Her school texted me pictures on her first day, and they encourage me to call as much as I want. They are great. But there's just so much that's new for her - new city, new school, living with Grandma and Grandpa while we sell the house - it's a lot at once. There have been a lot of extra cuddles.

So you're wondering what this has to do with Picture Day? Well, it was yesterday. And today. Two days, but neither day. It turned out to be just one new thing too many. She refused. Wanted nothing to do with the photographer. Wouldn't stand behind the lemonade stand they created for a prop. I did snap these ones on our way to school ...

I have high hopes for fall picture day once we're all settled in and adjusted.

A Souvenir

The first time I came across the Design Mom blog, it was from another blogger who had linked to her Central Park family photos. I thought they were such great photos and an awesome way to memorialize where they lived just as they were preparing to move. So, when we knew we were going to be moving to Phoenix, I wanted to get some family photos in Reno. 

I love that Julie snapped this pic of us goofing off before the shoot

Everything is moving pretty quickly, however, and time has been limited. So, we did a quick shoot with our friend and fabulous photographer Julie under the old arch after work on Friday. We didn't really prep, we all just threw on jackets and met under the arch. If I had more time I may have put on some makeup or planned our outfits better, and maybe done a couple more locations, but  I like the way they came out and I'm really glad we took a few minutes to get these before the big move.

It's not goodbye

Last week while traveling, a stranger said to me, "My roommate used to live in Reno. He said it's a dump. Is it a dump?" I responded, "It is what you make it."

When we moved here five and a half years ago, I had no idea how much I would enjoy living here. As we prepare to move back to Phoenix, I realize just how much I will miss it. Since moving here, I've gotten married, lost my job, earned a master's degree, bought a house, started a new career, expanded our family - first with a puppy, then with a baby. And through it all we've made some of the best friends we will ever have.

I will miss walking to Wingfield Park with a brown bag lunch on a Friday afternoon in July to listen to the Reno Municipal Band. I will miss waking up before dawn on a Saturday morning in September to watch 100 hot air balloons take flight. I will miss Awful Awful burgers at the Little Nugget Diner early on Sunday morning and afternoons with my girl at the Nevada Discovery Museum. I will miss impromptu drives to Lake Tahoe for a picnic on the beach. I will miss running into someone I know when I go to a restaurant, to the grocery store, to the ballpark. I will miss the people. I will miss our friends.

I don't know if we will ever live here again, but I know we will be back, and will always hold warm memories in our hearts.

Live from Nevada, it's Saturday Night

Lately, Mr. Gabel and I don't get out as much as we once did and we don't have people over as much, either. So we decided we should have a New Year's Eve party. But not on New Year's Eve, because I had to work that day and also people probably had other plans. So we decided to throw a New Year's Eve Eve Eve party the Saturday prior. And then we decided it should have a theme, because we like an excuse to dress up. So after some brainstorming we settled on an SNL party. And of course, dessert bars are standard for a party in our house, so let's start there ...

Champagne cupcakes, because, New Year's.

Mountain Dew Doritos Cupcakes, which had previously been requested by our friend Ray for his birthday and actually weren't bad (I ate mine sans Doritos).

Mini Rice Krispie Treat "cupcakes" for the Gluten Intolerant

Once the desserts were decided, it was time to work on our costumes, which actually turned out to be quite simple. We didn't win the contest, but that's ok since we were the hosts. 

Chris was inspired by this famous Digital Short.

Kristin Wiig-inspired Baby Hands

Pumpkin as Wayne (she refused to pose for a photo)

 We had a great time with our friends and look forward to planning our next fiesta!

Holidays

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Merry Christmas! 

Happy New Year!

Big Girl

I'm not sure when it happened, but my baby is all of a sudden quite grown up. For being not-quite 18 months, she is becoming very independent and she is just so smart. She has her own opinions of what she wants to eat and when, what toys she wants to play with. This morning we gave her cereal, but halfway through she decided she wanted a muffin. I didn't even know she knew the word muffin. At the same time, she is mimicking us so much ... we really have to watch we say and do now. If I blow my nose, she wants to blow her nose. If I brush my teeth, she wants to brush her teeth. If I'm cooking dinner, she wants me to pick her up so she can see what I'm doing.

Lately, when we go to school, I ask her to remove her hat and gloves when we get to her classroom. Generally, she takes them off and hands them to me, and I put them in her cubby. This morning, she walked to her cubby, and placed the items in the bin, one at a time, without being asked.

I know these are things that all kids learn and do, but I am one proud mama.