Time flies when you're raising a kid

Somehow time flies by when you're raising a very busy baby.  Lilly is almost 7 months (wth?) - the picture above is from Easter, when she was 6 months.  She loves to interact, at the same time quietly observing.  Her brain is an incredible little sponge; it's amazing to see her watching us & then try to mimic.  She still loves daycare & is growing into a social little lady.  At 6 months, she was only in the 12th percentile for height, grew to the 50th percentile for weight, & a whopping 95th percentile for head circumference.  Kid has a huge noggin (all that brain matter).  Put her at one side of the room & in the blink of an eye, she's rolled across to the other side.  She desperately wants to crawl & I have no doubts that will be coming along soon.  Any day now, she will cut a tooth.  We've started pureed foods & so far, she loves most things.  Except peaches.  She continues to sleep fairly well (crossing fingers, toes, & eyes) & vocalizes as much as possible.

We love her.

Happy Holidays

Don't let this picture fool you, right before we snapped it, Lilly was crying & Brewer peed on the carpet.  Somehow, we got our s**t together & snapped the picture before more hell broke loose.

Happy Holidays!

Lessons from a first-time mom

 Two months in & I think we're figuring some things out. But I won't get too comfortable. We have this saying in Montana - ok, probably every state has this saying, except Hawaii - "if you want to see the weather change, just wait 5 minutes." I'm fairly certain that also applies to kiddos. "Just when you think you have it down & you're in a groove, just wait 5 minutes." Here are some things I've learned through this roller coaster:
1. It will take time to bond with your baby. And it is ok. It doesn't mean you don't love your baby and your heart won't jump into your throat when you're checking on baby for the fifteenth time in ten minutes while he/she is sleeping and you think they've stopped breathing.  You just brought a new human into this world and you have to get to know each other. It's like bringing home a complete stranger who doesn't speak your language & can only communicate by crying. That's not easy.
2. You will be judged.   It doesn't matter if it's the name of your child or how soon you choose to go back to work, someone at some point will make a comment that stings & makes you question your ability as a parent. And you need to remain strong in your belief that you're doing the right thing for you & your family.  When comments hurt, smile & nod & say "thank you, I'll take that into consideration" (while clenching your teeth & thinking "bite me") or "thanks for your concern, if you'd like to pay two months of our mortgage payments, I'll be happy to stay home longer with baby." If you have any doubts on the health of your child or how things are going, consult with your pediatrician. You and your pediatrician are teammates & they are a wealth of knowledge for caretaking of little ones. If you don't like your pediatrician, find one you can trust. Which brings me to my next point...
3. Find a pediatrician you like and trust. Not just the pediatrician but their office staff, too. Before you have the baby, interview several pediatricians. If they work with a group of pediatricians & share duties, make sure to interview their partnering peds. When I say you become teammates, you need to know, like & trust this doc A LOT.  Not only do they help guide you in the development of this little person, they will (hopefully) be a your child's healthcare provider for a looong time. You want someone that your kiddo will like & trust too.
4. You will be amazed at your ability to find a second wind.  Just when you think you can't get up in the middle of the night  again, your baby cries for you at 2 a.m., you jump up, rub the sleep out of your eyes, & commence taking care of this little creature. You may not jump up as quickly after the first two weeks, it's more of a stumble, but you have inner strength you never knew possible.
5. Your communication with you partner is  crucial.   Whether it's discussing who will take which feeding shift, asking if there is something that person needs free time to accomplish (working out, showering, cooking), or asking for help, you must must MUST have open lines of communication. If you don't have a live-in partner, this holds true for anyone helping you in the care of your child.
6. You will resent your baby & your new life. I KNOW, this sounds incredibly harsh but before you filet me, admit it's true. There will be times you will look at your screaming child, your eyes a vacant black hole of sleep deprivation, & (guiltily) wish you were back to your carefree childless days. And it is ok. You love your family but you don't always like them. Same holds true for your new addition. Understand these emotions are normal & it will pass. The only time to be concerned is if you become a risk to you or your baby...
7. Ask for help. These are in no particular order but this would be one of the most important. You may think you are the strongest, most sane person but this baby will test your limits and it may shake you to the core.  Your patience will run very very thin. You MUST be willing to ask your support person, whoever that may be, for help. In the very least, put your baby in their crib (with no blankets, toys, or anything dangerous) or on the floor (a baby can't roll off anything if they're on the floor, away from hazards of course) & walk away. Collect yourself, take a deep breath, & don't get your baby until you know it is safe.  If you & your partner are helping each other out, you may have days where you're trading baby back & forth every 30 minutes. That's ok.  If you see your partner struggling but you're in a good place, take over child duties & give that person a break.
8. "Things" will fall by the wayside. Give yourself a break on them. Cleaning, home improvement, yard work...  Babies take a lot of work & time. By the time you feed, change, console, & get them down for a (short) nap, it's time to start it all over again. And they do these silly things like go through growth spurts or get sick & just when you think you might have some free time, they need extra snuggling. Find your priorities - sleep, working out, laundry, manicures, cleaning - whatever those "things" are that you absolutely require to feel human & make time for them. The other stuff will happen again. Someday. In eighteen years when your child moves out.
9. Time does not move fast. But only in the beginning. Everyone says, "oh time moves so quick & before you know it, they're teenagers." Bullshit. The first month feels like it goes by soooo slowly. It's tough & you're not sure if you're ever going to get the hang of this child-rearing stuff. But suddenly, it's month two & your baby that was 7 pounds & fit snugly in your arms is almost 11 pounds & she's almost too long for your arms. Time begins to move a little quicker...
10. And you realize you are figuring out this parenting thing.  Your baby, YOUR baby, starts to smile & coo & babble. He or she spends less time sleeping or fussing and  now hangs out with you in the kitchen. They start sleeping a little longer at night. You watch as they notice their hands for the first time. Your heart soars as you see these milestones. And when you realize it won't be long before your baby is more independent, you hold them a little tighter as they fall asleep in your arms.

Bonus tip: Stay off social media of any sort. When you see someone post a status of "Hehe, finally fitting into my pre-pregnancy jeans two weeks post partum & my perfect baby just spit up a little on them. So cute!" & you're still in maternity leggings six weeks post partum & your baby hasn't napped all day & pooped on your sweatpants (that you're still wearing at 4 p.m.), you will cry. Then you will try on your pre-pregnancy pants & realize they still don't fit. Then you will cry again. Then you will eat wayyyy too much ice cream. Or cheese. Or both.

Stay off social media.

Two months

The wax and wane of loss and life...  One day we mourn the loss of our beloved pup and the next day we celebrate two months of life for our beautiful daughter.

Munchkin turned two months on December 2 and the next day, had her two-month well visit with the pediatrician.  She didn't grow much in weight but she's grown in height and head circumference.  Yay big noggin!  More room for all that brain matter.  :)  The pediatrician isn't concerned about her weight, since she's growing in the other areas too.  She explained that sometimes babies will gain more height and weight has to catch up or vice versa.  Either way, other than a small cold (thanks to Mom & Dad), she's very healthy.  She then received five vaccinations - one oral & three injections (one injection combined vaccinations).  Oh my goodness, the scream.  She cried so hard.  But then she fell asleep & was, for the most part, a champ the rest of the day!  It doesn't hurt we spent a lot of the day snuggling.
Likes: Daddy (this girl lights UP when daddy is nearby), activity (she loves when we're in the kitchen moving around & she's in her bouncer observing & interacting), mama's milk, snuggling, being nekkid, smiling/giggling/cooing, her hands (this is a recent development - she's now watching her hands), warm shower/bath, sleeping (when she's in a deep sleep but it's nearing feeding time, you can see her internal struggle as she tries to decide whether it's time to eat or time to keep sleeping)
Dislikes: Hunger, boring or quiet rooms, getting out of the shower/bath, 5-9 p.m. (the witching hours!), vaccinations, gas

One month

I had plans to post this on November 2, which would be Butterbean's one month birthday.  But babies have a way of taking your plans & throwing them out the window (or spitting up on them or pooping on them or sleeping through them or crying through them).  With as busy as she's kept me, I'm perfect happy posting this two days late.  Close enough.

Our girl is growing quickly & keeping us on our toes.  We love her so very much - what an amazing addition to the family.  Despite the fact sleep deprivation is possibly causing us to act like we're drunk.  It explains a lot.  Seriously.

The dogs (mostly) love her.  Brewer takes a special interest in her.  I know they feel neglected because we're not spending nearly enough time loving on them but it's amazing to watch them check on her.  When she starts crying, however, Guinness disappears.

Her chicken neck.  Gets me, every time.  So cute!

 We get this look, a lot.  The quizzical look.

Butterbean, you enrich our lives every day.  We miss sleeping in & the spontaneity of our pre-children days but we wouldn't change anything.  We love watching you grow & learn.  As you begin to find your voice, giggling & babbling & squeaking, we grin like fools & snuggle you closer.  We love all your hilarious faces

Except this face.  Ouch.

Happy Birthday beautiful baby girl.

A birth story that went completely different than planned

I've tried to write this post a few times but struggled to find the right words.  Baby blues are legitimate.  I'm thankful the nurses and pediatrician warned me I'd be an emotional nutcase after leaving the hospital.  Raging hormones & sleep deprivation do not lend well to mental stability postpartum.  I heeded their advice but also thought, "it can't be that bad, I'm a fairly stable person."  Ha.  Ego check.  It manifested before we left the hospital but reared its ugliest head the first week post-discharge.  I would break down crying for no particular reason & my knight of a husband spent many moments hugging & reassuring me everything was okay.  Luckily, each day I faced less meltdowns & within 4-5 days of leaving the hospital, I only noticed fleeting sadness.

Coupled with the expected emotional meltdowns, everything felt compounded by the fact our labor & delivery did not go as planned.  Our pregnancy progressed extremely low-risk, healthy, & "easy."  Butterbean was head down by the end of the third trimester & I (wrongly) thought labor & delivery would proceed in a similar manner.  We planned a natural delivery with little to no pain meds, except for the possibility of an epidural.  Hindsight 20/20, I was in denial.  I wouldn't need a C-section.  I was healthy & my pregnancy had been so low-key.  I was so very very wrong.

Wednesday, October 1, I woke at 4:30 a.m., by what I thought to be my incredibly compressed bladder requiring yet another trip to the loo.  Wrong.  I laid down in bed & at 4:40, felt an odd & new cramp in my pelvis.  My sleepy brain snapped awake when I realized that cramp was not a cramp but instead a contraction.  I grabbed my phone & for the next hour, logged my contractions in an app I downloaded the prior week (yes, there's an app for everything).  By 5:30, contractions were every ten minutes & I couldn't contain my excitement.  Like a cat stalking prey, I stared at hubby, willing him to wake up.  He must have felt my eyes drilling holes into his face because he woke up & immediately asked what was going on when he saw the stupid grin on my face.  I'm not one to be that wide awake that early.

I continued logging contractions & we spent the morning distracting ourselves with breakfast, errands, neighborhood walks, anything to pass the time.  By noon, we convinced ourselves the contractions were close enough & strong enough to proceed to the hospital.  Imagine our disappointment when we were told I wasn't dilated & the contractions truly weren't close enough to indicate the start of labor.  *Sigh*  We drove home like deflated balloons.

By evening, contractions were incredibly uncomfortable.  A warm bath offered the most comfort & when we tried to watch a movie, I could barely concentrate & spent every few minutes pacing the room.  We attempted sleep but contractions wouldn't allow me to rest.  By 2 a.m., contractions were so painful & close together, we decided we needed to go to the hospital again.  This time, they found me to be 2 cm dilated & we were admitted.  Hooray!  It was time to have a baby.

For the next four hours, I writhed in pain as each contraction blasted me, stronger & stronger.  Although you're encouraged to move & walk to promote labor, the only truly comfortable spots for me were a warm bath or in bed.  By 6:30 a.m., I was dilated between 5-6 cm & given the green light to receive the epidural.  I struggled internally with the decision & in my sleep-deprived brain, convinced myself I was "giving up."  Tough people don't get epidurals & I'm tough.  But the contractions were so incredibly painful & I was receiving no relief in between (contractions are supposed to peak & subside; at this point, mine were not subsiding).  Looking back, I know the long labor taxed me, mentally & physically.  Deep exhaustion left me indecisive & unsure.  I don't know what I would have done without my better half by my side.

Before shift change - which might delay the anesthesiologist by an hour or more - I selected to receive my epidural.  The epidural went smoothly & within a few minutes, I immediately relaxed.  I continued experiencing pressure during contractions but the pain was gone.  For the first time in over 24 hours, I was able to catch a few winks of sleep.

Within an hour, I woke to commotion in the room.  Hubby explained they noticed Butterbean's heart rate was dropping precipitously low with each contraction.  Her low heart rate indicated stress & the likelihood she was deprived of oxygen during the contractions.  Our midwife was called in & she discussed the concerns - my dilation stalled out at 6 cm, Butterbean's heart rate was too low during contractions (anything below 100 bpm is a red flag; her rate was dropping to 80 bpm), & I was experiencing heavier than normal bloody discharge.  She called in the OB/GYN for consultation & he explained the possibility of C-section.  He gave us time to discuss but did mention if her heart rate dropped that low again, we would be facing an emergency C-section.

I cried.  I was so incredibly exhausted & I thought I failed us & our baby.  Everything was going so horribly wrong.  I didn't want a C-section but the thought something might be wrong with our baby was too much.  In my continuously taxed mind, I determined my decision to receive the epidural was the root cause for the sudden onset of complications.  Hubby knew I was struggling & mentioned my concern to the nurse (he could tell I was not going to say anything).  She immediately reassured me that was not the case.  Within a few minutes, the OB/GYN returned & much to my relief, explained the epidural did not cause the complications.  I'm so grateful to the nurse; I know she sensed my distress & made it a point to tell the OB/GYN so he could talk me off the ledge.

We decided waiting was not an option.  We could not put our baby in that kind of danger & knew the C-section was worth the safety of baby & mama.  Immediately, the room became a flurry of activity as we prepped for surgery.  I was wheeled into the OR & hubby waited in the family room, dressed in scrubs & waiting for a nurse to retrieve him.  My epidural was switched to a spinal block (weird, weird feeling) & once I was ready, they brought hubby into the room to sit with me.

The surgery lasted mere minutes.  I was numb from the chest down (seriously, a weird feeling) but could feel the pulling & tugging as the OB/GYN & midwife quickly excised Butterbean.  We heard her cry & she immediately went to the nurse & pediatrician for a quick evaluation.  Hubby joined them & I watched from the operating table while I was closed up.  The OB/GYN & midwife found the cause of the complications - placental abruption.  After determining she was perfectly healthy, she was brought to my chest to bond for a few minutes.  I was cleaned up, we were wheeled into recovery, & Butterbean was back on my chest to breastfeed.

We survived the C-section & recovery has been better than expected (I attribute that to staying healthy during the pregnancy).  Not to mention, we have an absolutely beautiful, healthy daughter keeping us awake at night brightening our lives every day.

Welcome to the world, Lillian Marie

At 10:46 a.m. on Thursday, October 2, we welcomed a beautiful 6 lb. 15 oz. baby girl.  Lillian Marie came into the world via C-section after an exhaustive 30+ hour labor.

Despite some rough nights, we are so incredibly smitten.  Being new parents is exhausting (so.incredibly.exhausting) but we catch ourselves staring at her in awe, still unsure we created this little being.  

I wasn't sure if I should post a birth story but if anyone takes comfort in our experience, it's worth it.  Story to follow...

Halfway!

As I write this post, we're at 22 weeks.  When we took the pictures, we were at 20 weeks - halfway!  Time crawled the first half but now that I'm showing (bigger everyday!) & we know the gender, time seems to be zipping by at a rapidly increasing rate...

Due Date: September 27, 2014
How Far Along: 20 weeks!  Halfway!
Symptoms:  Very little (knock on wood).  Some right upper rib pain wrapping around my back.  It's fairly common for pregnant women to experience rib pain, especially the more they grow, as their rib cages are stretching to make room for baby.  I think my right side is feeling it more because I'm right-hand dominant & my right side muscles are probably much stronger/tighter.  It's most noticeable when I'm sitting down on a couch or lying in bed.
Maternity Clothes:  Absolutely.  So damn comfortable.  The outfit from the picture above is not maternity but they're a few of the last strongholds that haven't been delegated to boxes.
Ring: Still fits!
Weight Gain: At our 20-week appointment, I'd gained approximately 14-15 lbs.  Not sure as of post date.
Cravings: Oranges, OJ, & chocolate milk.
Aversions: Meat.  The farther along, the lesser the aversion.
Running/Workouts:  Still feeling good on my runs & strength training sessions.  I stay very in-tune with my body anytime I'm working out & if I'm going to be longer than 45-minutes or so, I take water & food.  I ran a 12K trail race on May 11 & although my time was slow, I felt good & enjoyed the ride.  Early on, I purchased a maternity support belt for running purposes & after using it a few times, know it's going to be very handy in the near future.  I'm running (waddling?) a half-marathon in a few weeks & my training is on par.  By taking it easy & carefully, I hope to enjoy staying active as far into this pregnancy as possible.
Gender: (Drum roll...)

We're having a girl!!  We weren't set on a particular gender & would be happy either way - our biggest concern was knowing our baby is healthy.  Each person has an opinion on ultrasounds but we chose the modern healthcare route & selected the 20-week ultrasound (besides the ultrasound at 7 weeks, we won't have any other ultrasounds unless there are signs of complications).  I have to say, it was an absolute joy & thrill to watch as our tech checked the brain, heart, fingers, toes, arms, legs, spine...& all appeared to be developing very healthy.  When we first found out we were pregnant, I had a very strong feeling we were having a girl.  Call it motherly instinct or call it unbalanced hormones...

Pregnancy is not always glamorous

We're well into the second trimester & days away from the official halfway mark (gasp!).  I'm still feeling very good - knock on wood - & the baby bump seems to pop more everyday.

13 weeks

17 weeks

We're due for another picture (as of blog post date, I'm now 19.5 weeks) & I believe there is a fairly significant change, but then again, the baby bump seems to grow significantly more by the end of the day (bloat, food, you name it).

Due Date: September 27, 2014

Symptoms: Nothing significant, just a few small nuisances.  In the first trimester, I was starving all the time & had to keep food with me everywhere I went.  It was crazy.  After 15 weeks, I hit the magical "honeymoon" phase & noticed increased energy & a decrease in extreme hunger.  I still keep food with me in case of emergencies but if I'm late eating my lunch, I don't turn into a catatonic, food-crazed bundle of hormones.  

Nails are growing rapidly but I haven't noticed a significant change in my hair.

Pregnancy comes with a wide variety of experiences - heartburn, hemorrhoids, acne, weird rashes, dry skin, stretch marks - & I will neither admit nor deny any of those listed.  It's not always glamorous.  If you haven't seen the movie What to Expect When You're Expecting, I highly recommend it.  It's [mostly] hilarious, with a few heavier, more serious topics thrown in, but it sheds a funny light on the joys of pregnancy.  One of my favorite, & now most relevant, clips:

Clothes: Now into full on maternity wear.  And damn these clothes are comfy.  About 16-17 weeks, I could no longer comfortably wear my pre-pregnancy pants (jeans or dress).  I was lucky to have a bin of donated maternity clothes from a friend that I was able to pull out several tops & a few jeans to wear; a few weekends ago, we hit a few stores to pick up a few more items.  

Weight: As of today, I've gained approximately 14 lbs; approximate because I weighed at the end of the day & typically I weigh first thing in the morning. In my world, time of day can be a difference of 2-3 lbs.  I'm not stepping on the scale regularly & happy to not focus on weight; if my midwife is concerned, she can discuss it with us (& thus far, she has not expressed any concerns).  Since reaching the second trimester, I've noticed the rapid weight increase, as second & third trimester average a pound per week.

Running/Working Out: I'm still comfortably running & training for my June half-marathon.  My increased energy levels assisted an increase in motivation.  I'm trying to maintain light strength training 1-2X/wk.  I bought a maternity band, highly recommended by a few women runners as their baby bumps expanded & the need for ligament support during a run became a necessity.  No matter how empty my bladder feels, I've now reached the stage I must potty before a run.  The jostling is no bueno on the bladder already being squished by growing baby.

Cravings: Oranges, orange juice, chocolate milk, grilled cheese.  Dessert will always be a passion but I noticed I'm more particular about what I fancy when it's time for sweets.  Smoothies for breakfast are a must - I can cram plenty of protein & a day's worth of fruit into an easy drink.

Aversion: Meat.  Except fried chicken.  More specifically, chicken strips.  I'm like a 5-year-old when we go out to eat - chicken strips & french fries.  I can eat meat if it's put in front of me but if I had to choose at every meal, I'd probably avoid meat.  Hamburgers, meatballs, steaks, ham...it just doesn't sound appealing.

Rings: Still comfortably fit on my fingers.

A new town, a new job...& a baby?

"You'll spend half your life trying to get out of Montana & the other half trying to get back in." -A very wise high school science teacher.  I have never forgotten those words.  He's now principal of said high school, so I should send him an email & let him know it only took me about 12 years to figure that out.

We've neglected the blog & now we're back with a vengeance.  I think the title sums everything up - we've moved (or we're in the process of moving), we both have new jobs, & we have a baby on the way.

The end.

Just kidding.  So yes...let's start with the move/new jobs.  For some time, we've held a small flame of desire to move to Helena.  Despite my haughty 18-year-old complaints, Helena is a pretty cool place.  It has so many things we've desired of late: amazing outdoor community, strong economy (now THAT makes me sound old), four-year university (Fighting Saints!), larger population (~30,000 immediate vicinity, ~70,000 with outlying areas), centrally located (yay for an airport with more than one airlines!) & surrounded by many mountains & lakes to explore.  Not to mention, we're closer to family, which you reach a certain age & realize it is nice to be near family.

Spurring the move was my job offer of HR Director for a wonderful non-profit (read: not amazing pay).  *Sigh of relief*  What a change of pace from my previous prison position in which I was stuck with a dictator supervisor with strong Cruella resemblances.  I am very much enjoying my job & it's refreshing working for an organization with a passionate commitment to their community.  Not to mention, this is an amazing opportunity for someone my age & it builds my resume handsomely (something I was NOT getting in Sheridan).

If we didn't already believe in God, we most certainly would in this situation.  I won't drown you in details but we took a big leap of faith when I accepted the position (would Hubby be able to find work?) & before too long, we had our answer.  He was offered a part-time Assistant Brewer position with a local brewery & his engineering firm in Sheridan (which has an office in Helena), has several projects lined up with his name in the proposal.  The firm does not have an engineer onsite with his specialty & in the past, outsourced the work to another of their offices in Montana; with his move to Helena, he fills a much-needed gap.

The end.

Wait, you want me to tell you about baby Lipetzky?  In a humorous turn of events, exactly two weeks before I was to move to H-town & start my new job, we found out we're pregnant!  Ta-da!  God also has a sense of humour.  We're calling it the Lipetzky Trifecta.  We just knew it - as soon as we planted asparagus in our garden, we'd move.  As soon as we took new jobs, we'd get pregnant.  (The asparagus bit is true...we've held off planting asparagus because we were just sure we'd end up leaving, since asparagus takes about three years before it can be harvested, & sure as sh*t, we planted asparagus last summer)  Little Bean Lipetzky is due September 27, 2014.  Sorry honey, we can schedule our wedding around hunting season but Baby is already dictating our time.

With that being said, I have every intention of being more diligent with our blog updates.  Although we've moved closer to some family, we've moved farther from other family.  I'll keep up the blog so they can watch the changes to our lives.  And let's be honest - this wouldn't be a good blog if I didn't give you the honest, non-glamorous version of pregnancy, no?  Let the games begin...

A random collage

We're rapidly approaching winter.  *Sigh*  I love living near the mountains but oh dear, I go into winter kicking & screaming.

Since we're so behind on blog posts, here's a random collage of pictures:

 "Hi Mom.  Just waiting from someone to drop something on the kitchen floor for me to eat."

Sometimes you have to snuggle with your yogurt cup.  Or wear it as a top hat.

Someone stole a stick from the wood pile...

 This is a very typical picture...

Busy bees soaking up the last of the nectar from our Russian Sage.

Our potted clover showing off its floral beauty.

And the post wouldn't be complete without a few of our favorite little guy...

We will be the coolest aunt & uncle.  So we start them young learning to order craft beer.

 "This guy must not be a Ramirez because he's really tall."

 "This is my Blue Steel look"

Cheers to 2013

We've been absent...for awhile.  But we're back!  Wishing everyone a happy & healthy New Year.

Playing around with our new camera:

An (almost) empty 5 lb peanut butter container.  (Don't feel sorry for Brewer - he gets his dad's empty yogurt container almost every morning)

 Gotta work on the zoom.

  Opening their gifts.  :)

Dog in a backpack

It's time for Steve's silly Christmas pics...

His big gift from me was a new hunting backpack from Mystery Ranch, a company out of Bozeman, MT.  They make several styles of packs, including hunting, and are known for their excellent quality.  One of their hunting backpacks incorporates a standard frame and several styles of pack to fit the frame, which is much more efficient than having several different hunting backpacks for several different types of trips.  The particular pack I bought Steve can hold large amounts, including an entire antelope or deer and an elk quarter.  One silly trend is for Mystery Ranch packers to test their backpack by putting a friend/spouse/child in the pack and post a pic on their Facebook.  In our case, we tested the pack with the pups...

 Loadin' 'er (him) up...

 "Hey guys, just going for a ride.  Don't mind me."
This took A LOT of bribing.  So much so, I had to feed him a treat while he was in the backpack to make sure he knew this was fun.

 "Um, Brewer, can you help me out here man.  I don't know what I think about this backpack crap."

This pic is not great quality, but I had to post it because if you look closely at Brewer, you'll see his crazy eyes.  He gets those crazy eyes on occasion.  And it sums up his personality.  Not to mention Guinness continues to play dead dog while in the backpack...

Arizona in November

I'm going to backtrack for a bit, seeing as we're past due for posting...

In November, Steve & I joined his parents in Arizona for a cousin's wedding.  Bob & Jean have friends that made the smart move to purchase a home outside Phoenix when the economy turned & housing prices were crazy low (like, $60,000 low).  They use it as a vacation home & someday will either retire to the house or sell it when housing prices turn around.  They were kind enough to allow the four of us to stay there during the wedding weekend.  We had a great time exploring Arizona & the wedding was lots of fun...

A few pics of our day trip to Sedona:

 It wouldn't be a Steve/Christina vacation without a stop at a brewery!

 A visit to Red Rock Crossing, where we were entertained with the numerous cairns.  (This place draws a lot of hippies...many people meditating...due to its nature as supposedly one of the vortexes)

 Christina being one with the cairn...

 Steve being one with a (very tall) cairn...

Rocks on a stick!

 The gorgeous and awe-inspiring red rocks.

 An extremely large locust skin shed.  Or something like that.  All I know is it was big.

 Chapel of the Holy Cross, unique architecture & pretty cool placement in the red rocks.

 Montezuma Castle National Monument.  Fascinating.  Amazing.  I loved this!

 The beautiful sunset driving back from Sedona to Phoenix.  (I even managed to catch this in a moving vehicle!)

Back in Phoenix before the wedding...

 A visit to the Desert Botanical Gardens was in order, especially with the Chilies & Chocolate Festival taking place the same weekend we were in town!  We were able to sample some amazing salsas, chocolates, honeys, and a variety of treats.  We wrapped things up by checking out the butterfly gardens - all Monarch butterflies.

And last, but not least, we prettied ourselves up for the wedding.  It was a great weekend!