Give a Warm Fuzzy Hug to Someone You Love

Today would have been my mom's 65th birthday. It is hard to articulate the emotions that linger. It was only a little over two months ago that she passed, but at the same time it feels so long ago. I ache horribly sometimes when I look at Landon laughing and smiling; I'm not a religious individual, but it helps to toy with the idea that she can look down and watch us play. I keep looking at Landon as if it was my mom looking at me as a baby 30 years ago and I feel so connected to the raw emotion that comes with that.


Although you always wish there was another five million chances to say "I love you", there are other random "if I had more time..." thoughts that pervade everyday life. Like breakfast potatoes: For the life of me, I can't make my breakfast potatoes taste like my mom's. I wish I could just call her up and ask what I am doing wrong with these spuds in a pan. I'm pretty sure the answer is to add more butter and that I have the pan too hot. I don't know - I guess I can figure things out on my own, I just rather hear my mom's voice deliver the answer. The irony doesn't escape me - for all the times I rolled my eyes and said "I knooow, Mom" when she was sitting in the peanut gallery, I now have a mirrored amount of "I don't know, Mom" questions.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - my mom gave THE best hugs in the world. It was a cozy, warm, pull you in and hang on kind of hug. Please dole out some extra fuzzy hugs today to help us celebrate her life.

We Have Lift Off

Erik had his first flight today in the T-45, which is the training jet down here in Kingsville. It went well! This comes after several classes and a busy week of flight simulator exercises (aka "sims"). It's a rather mini dent in the overall program and there are many many more flights to come, but it's been a pretty aggressive schedule thus far. If this is the pace, he will have his pilot wings by year's end and we will be house hunting soon enough!

Quote Log

After watching Erik assemble a "burrito" with leftover Manwich, pine nut couscous and Mexican shredded cheese blend...

Kate: "Well I guess it is a meat, a carb and dairy."
Erik: "Yep. I also wanted to add crumbled up tortilla chips but it didn't make sense because I'm eating tortilla chips later during the [Superbowl] game."
Kate: "Yeah, the chips don't make sense."

After observing me give lots and lots of Landon kisses one morning...

Erik: "We should set a limit of kisses so we don't create a Buster [re: Arrested Development character] situation. How about 50 kisses..."
Kate interrupts: "...an hour?"
Erik: "I was going to say per day, Kate. Even then, that's generous."

Coming up with a name for a Sunflower toy that Landon has been playing with...

Kate: Landon, we need a name for the sunflower. How about Steven?
Erik in the background: Why can't you just name her something like Sunny?
Kate: Too predictable. *eye roll*
Erik: Of course.

Regarding that last quote, I will admit I'm not very gifted at many things, but I do think I have a knack for naming inanimate objects (and their own special quotes). It's been my forte for a couple decades now. Landon's best buds for the moment are...

Olly the Owl ("hoot, hoot")
Henry the Hedgehog ("dig, dig, dig")
Fritz the Fox ("aah-ooo")
Richard the Raccoon ("scratch, scratch, nosh, nosh")
Fannie the Frog ("ribbity rib rib ribbit")
Elliot the Elephant ("hey Landon")
...and now Steven the Sunflower ("like, oh my gosh, hey Landon!")

There are also two sassy butterflies on his jungle mat named Princess and Orangello (pronounced oh-rahn-zha-lo) who like to call him "sugar."

Yep, being a full time mom sure does require a heightened level of intelligence.

Landon's Girlfriend Has Arrived

Save the date! I'm thinking a wedding could be in order around Spring of 2037. Little Vivian "Vivi" Armas was born on February 3rd, coming in at a whopping 6lb 14oz. She is such a cute mini nugget and I can't wait to get my arms around this little girl some day. Landon says the same thing - hey ooooh!


Proud parents are Emily and Sergio Armas, our partners in crime from Atsugi Japan. We will probably all be reunited again by this time next year in Anacortes, WA! It would be pri-tty pri-tty cool if Landon and Vivi end up being best buds. This would unite the Armas and Halvorson clans perpetually.

Congrats to Emily and Sergio - you guys rocked it out and now have a little bundle of precious baby girl in your arms. I'm sure you found plenty of ways to laugh along the way...

Splashing and Laughing

We finally caught Landon's giggles on camera! He thought splashing around was hilarious. I'm glad his dad taught him this life-changing skill.

Note: Yes, I had some trouble with focusing the camera and yes, the memory card was full so the video cuts off abruptly. Spielberg I am not.

We Can't Handle This, Ya'll

So it was 80 degrees on Monday and it's a nice chilly 30 degrees today. They are calling for snow in the next couple days - a "once every few years" kind of occurrence down in these parts. In fact, our power went out this morning when the mercury hit a nice balmy 42 degree mark outside; I guess it doesn't take much to bring down Texas power distribution. As our house interior crept into the 60s, we remembered Landon has a fleece suit we bought a couple months ago. At least he got to wear it once!


The power was restored within a couple hours. Right about the time we were abandoning ship to go roam around the Walmart to stay warm.

"Rain, shine or freezing weather: Nothing will keep me from chewing on my hand!"

3 Months!

The World's Next Genius?

I'm pretty sure Einstein started out chewing incessantly on his hands, too... right?

Wiggle Time

Landon loves to wiggle! I'm just merely holding him in this cuteness escapade - the wiggles and waves are all his.



In actuality, though, we all know that his body is really just trying to balance his huge balding noggin. But! It is the cutest, most endearing balding huge noggin I've ever seen.

And So It Begins...

Landon likes the TV. He can stare at it for quite a while which presents us with the conundrum of what shall we do about TV watching. I mean, my brother and I always watched the boob tube and we turned out just fine...


... right? [And yes: that is a sweet New Kids on the Block neon green t-shirt. Make sure you say the word "sweet" a couple octaves higher to get the full effect. And yes: James is wearing a "Black Bart" Simpsons t-shirt with some politically incorrect catch phrase.]

Anyhoodles. I figure as long as the show is something kid-based like Yo Gabba Gabba and he is happy for 10 minutes, then what is the harm. That's 10 minutes of mommy time to complete tasks such as emptying out a max capacity diaper pail (he may not appreciate it yet, but I know mommy and daddy like to avoid hitting a wall of baby stank when we step into the nursery.)

I'm not quite sure what the debate is for not allowing TV viewing, but I spend plenty o' one on one time during the day with our little cuddle buns, so for now I will view this as a positive step and one more mini chunk of time reclaimed in the day.