Yo Yo Yo

Turning the corner

(Go Chargers!)

Our little man has really made an amazing turn. The past 2 weeks have been colic free! It amazing how in just a month you can go from 7+ hours of crying to nothing but smiles and giggles. We found out around 4 weeks old that he has a severe protein sensitivity. I cut out all dairy and soy from my diet and we changed his formula ( that we were using for weight gain ) to a no dairy/soy based product. That made huge difference but it wasn't until the past few weeks that we really saw the BIG change. The past three months were so hard on his little belly. You could tell that he was in so much pain and there was nothing that we could do about it. During the small moments of happy awake time he was calm and snuggly, and now that he is turned this corner it's like we have a perfect little sweet pea all the time.

This week for Dinner

Taylor's favorite meal last week. Roasted Chicken, Stovetop ( ummm who doesn't like that!) and roasted butternut squash. This is a picture of her second serving.

Sunday: We had dinner at a friends house. Perfect mid west meal. Stakes, grilled potatoes and corn on the cob

Monday: Corned Beef, mashed potatoes and carrots

Tuesday: Roasted Vegetable Quiche and salad

Wednesday: Southwest Chicken Salad and bread sticks

Thursday: Shredded Beef Taco's, Spanish rice and Corn

Friday: Red Robin! Hamburgers :)

Last night at about 2 in the morning when I was up with Cooper and Taylor... being miserable in our hotbox house. YES at 2 in the morning it was still 80+ degrees and my poor babies were soooooo sad. I had just finished giving them a cool bath and tucked them into our guest room with 2 fans and the windows open when I turned this on. It was amazing. If you have HBO watch it. It was so sad to see how this industry works and how selfish our children have become. I cried myself to sleep thinking about moving my little babies to LA, into the heart of this nastiness.

I'm pooped

It's been blistering hot in San Diego. Yesterday at 10 pm it was 98 degrees in our house upstairs. Babies are sad and mom is on less than 2 hours of sleep in 2 days...which makes her sad too. More posts to come when I can regroup.

To make you smile.

We have been making videos of our sweet Cooper.... and yet, I still haven't up loaded them to you tube. Here are our favorites of Taylor. Can you believe how little she is.... and darling?

This week for Dinner

Sunday: 8 hour shepherd pie

Monday: Sausage and rigatoni bake and green salad

Tuesday: Roasted Chicken, stove top and butternut squash

Wednesday: Left Overs

Thursday: Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad

Friday: Veggie Burgers, Tater Tots and corn

I might have been born in the wrong decade

I really love "idea" of the 50's. I love the idea of keeping a clean and organized home and making my family wonderful slow cooked meals. This makes me throw up a little in my mouth as I really like to fancy myself as a strong liberal feminist. I believe that by fighting for women's rights we have given everyone the option to be ANYTHING they want. For me that is a 50's housewife for Taylor it might be fortune 500 CEO. Truth be told everything I love on the anthropologie website looked like it belonged on Leave it to Beaver.

More pictures

Family Slumber party.

We made homemade pizza. Super yummy

Cooper is so strong. Sitting up at the couch watching Lucy. Giggling like crazy.

Tummy time, his hair is wild

Taylor's new passion... icecream.

Cooper Update

We had another cardiac appointment for Cooper yesterday. Everything looks the same. Which is GREAT news. More tests were ordered with follow up appointments due to his low weight. We will keep you all posted. Doctor appointment for this weight issue is this Friday and his next EKG is a month from today.

This week in pictures

Cooper started to smile.

and giggle.... doesn't this make you melt?

Taylor had her first homework. How cute are they?

another picture of our ladies attitude before preschool

Cooper and Daddy love to "watch" football together

Taylor made a congratulations cake for Daddy

First Day

Today is Dusty's first day at his new job! We were sad to see him leave this morning but we are thrilled to start this new little adventure. I've updated my family schedule to adjust for him not being home during the week and I'm taking multi taking to the next level!! Thank heaven Cooper is sleeping so well and Taylor is such a wonderful help. Keep positive thoughts headed in our direction. GOOOO TEAM DUNAWAY!

This week for Dinner

Sunday: We had some friends over for a little BBQ. I made flank stake, potato salad and corn on the cob... with root-beer floats of course

Monday: BBQ at a friends house. I made the main course. Ribs!

Tuesday: ( a special "night before your first day of work" dinner) Prime rib, scallop potatoes, and artichokes.. with chocolate pudding

Wednesday: Roasted Chicken, Stovetop, green beans

Thursday: Left Overs

Friday: Personal Pizza's, garden salad and brownies ( for family slumber party)

I love fall

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. You don't really get the crisp air in Southern California like I did in Utah as a kid but the feeling is the same.

Here are a few of my favorite fall things.

preppy cardigans

Chicken tortilla soup.. any soup really ( this is a really great soup, you should make it)

Pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks. With all the fat, whole milk and whip cream

YES PLEASE!!

The fact that all of the tourists go home and we have our San Diego beaches back.

T-5 days and counting.

Dusty is starting his new position this Wednesday... wow that went fast. This weekend we are getting all prepped for the " single parent house" Massive deep clean and organization of the house, car detailing and a few BBQ's. In T-5 days our new adventure begins, wish us luck!

{I've always loved this 4 leaf clover frame from red envelope. It seems like just the little treasure the Dunaway's could use right now.}

First things First

I picked up this little bitty at Franklin Covey. Since Dusty will be spending most of his time in LA over the next few months I need to make sure that I' m more organized than usual... if that's possible. I did quite a bit of research in order to find the best orginization product for our move. It will be wonderful to have all of our relocation information in one place. The things like.... getting new cardiologist for Cooper, finding a new preschool for Taylor and finding a nanny/babysitter that can help me out one day a week put me in a tizzy.

Big News for Team Dunaway

Hello Friends and Family

As most of you know Dusty excepted a position to join a company in LA this week. This truly is an amazing opportunity for our family and I could not be more proud of him, we are absolutely thrilled! The change is bittersweet as Dusty has been with Paramount for 6 years, not only are they our close friends but over the years have become family. We made it through the roller coaster mortgage meltdown, and experienced some incredible highs and lows. One thing is certain, we wouldn't change a minute of our time with them and we will absolutely miss being part of the Paramount family.

This next chapter for Team Dunaway is going to be quite the adventure. Dusty will be spending the next few months commuting to the Santa Monica area, spending the week in LA and joining us in San Diego on the weekends. Taylor, Cooper, Lucy and I will make the move in November. As exciting as this time is for us my heart breaks that I will be leaving some of my dearest friends in San Diego. The only thing that makes the move easier is knowing that I am only a few hours away and on a moments notice can pack up the kids for a quick visit. ( Which I will be doing... so have those guest bedrooms ready)

Dusty and I feel incredibly blessed to have each and everyone of you as part our extended family. Thank you all for you encouragement and support during this transition. We love you all more than words can express.

{as a side note: I don't know LA very well, do you know...

a) good family friendly neighborhoods for us to live

b) have any good friends that would like to be my friend...I'm a great friend, and i need great girlfriends that are within an arms reach. :) }

Much love,

Ashley

This week for Dinner

(Picture from our last smothered pork chop night! Yummy)

Sunday: We had some friends over for rib eyes, baked potatoes and roasted asparagus. The food was as wonderful as the company.

Monday: lasagna, garlic bread and green salad

Tuesday: Chicken Rolls, long grain rice and green beans

Wednesday: Smothered Pork Chops, egg noodles and peas

Thursday: Left Overs

Friday: We will be in New Port Beach with family

Sleep over

Taylor loves to get into her sleeping bag to watch movies. Good thing Cooper fits into her doll sleeping bag so he can join too...Funny thing is that Cooper love it. It's like being swaddled.