Vegas

  Oopps, I forgot to add our Las Vegas trip on here.  At the end of April, David's boss took the staff to Vegas for a few days to attend a dental conference.  Since we are good friends with the dentist and his wife, Maci and I got to tag along.  

 Maci in the airplane with the trusty binky.  She just loves flying, definite blessing!

 We were lucky enough to stay in the Bellagio Hotel (yes, the same famous water show from the movie Ocean's 11).  Can I just say the one word that describes it for me?  Elegant.  When we walk into the hotel, check in counters are to the left and to our slight right is a restaurant that has live piano music playing.  Then if you look harder, there is a pathway to the left that leads into the casino.  I couldn't believe you could hardly tell it was there.

 

 On our way to the room and just past the hotel lobby, you find this AMAZING room full of flowers.  Rows and rows of fresh, colorful, beautiful flowers.  This bee, ya, totally made from flowers.  It was Maci's favorite thing to see on the entire trip.  We couldn't pass the room and not go in to see the bees or a we would have a very sad girl. 

 This is what the room looked like lit up at night.  If I remember right, the flowers would be put in/planted and would bloom within a day or two and then taken out a couple days later.  Probably just so the look of  "freshly bloomed flowers" were always seen.  I mean, this is the Bellagio... and Vegas for that fact.  Money doesn't mean a thing.

This place was in our hotel.  Jean Philippe Patisserie is a gormet chocolate store and serves fabulous food.  This chocolate fountain is the largest in the world!  Crazy.

 The dental conference started on Thursday and we got there Tuesday afternoon so we had all day Wednesday to sight see and do whatever.  Ryan and Krystin had been to Vegas a few times and wanted to show us another hotel called the Venetian.  Can I just say WOW!  This is my favorite place in this town city.  Inside the ceiling is painted like a sky and the lighting is low so it looks to be almost like sunset.  This live statue, well, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to get a picture with him.  Maci's looking at him probably thinking "I'm suppose to smile next to this white thing?"  Then there was a 15 minute show with these singers.  They performed a few numbers, one of which was a famous Italian one but of course can't remember the name.  Maci enjoyed watching them perform and they encouraged picture taking afterward.  

 Inside the hotel you will find a river where you can enjoy a Gondola ride.  Maci was too young but Ryan and Krystin were able to ride one.  If we ever go back to Vegas, I would love to stay here. 

Some other highlights of the trip; one night David and I went out to eat with the ladies at a Smith & Wolensky's where our one plate of prime rib was $45.00.  It actually could have fed 3 of us and then we all split the side dishes.  The food was decent.  The atmosphere could have been better, but we chose to be outside to enjoy the air, that was a plus.  One night we ate at a P F Changs which is one of my all time favorite restaurants.  The Dr took the staff to the Cheesecake Factory which was inside Caesars Palace.  I LOVED walking through there.  That hotel by far was the most fun.  Loved dinner.  Fantastic food.  There was an aquarium right next to us so Maci enjoyed looking at the fish.  One day Krystin, Maci and I met David and went to M&M World.  Maci had started loving M&Ms in the past couple months and was very happy to be in a store filled with all that.  We sat down to watch a 3D movie, which she didn't like.  I think it was too loud for her.  Bought her a yellow m&m plush toy (which she refers to as "m&m guy") and a bag of M&ms (duh, of course) that had all 22 colors.  All in all, it was a great little get away, maybe more so for me than David.  We saw a lot of the strip and was grateful that we had a child with us while walking so that the people handing out the filth wouldn't bother us.  Maci of course was a trooper traveler.  She even let me rock her to sleep while we were in the Venetian and took good naps, for the most part.  Saturday, our last day there, we finally got to visit the pool area.  It was very beautiful but way too busy to actually swim.  We all look back on this Vegas trip and smile.  Thanks Ryan for letting us come!!!

My eager helper

What a cute little helper we have in this house!  Every time I clean something in the house, she is right there with me.  The Clorox Wipes are her favorite.  She goes around the entire house, wiping at random for a good 20 minutes.  She loves to dust, vacuum, and help David mow the lawn.  I love this stage, SO CUTE!

 (just a little side info... the top she is wearing, she wore it as a dress at 2 months old!)

 Of course, she loves to blow her nose...

 LOL!  And she is modeling for the "Windshield Plus"  This picture makes me laugh every time.

 In June, I felt like we needed some more cute pictures, like I never have enough!  So this is our photo shoot.  She was in a fantastic mood and got lots of good pictures.

 This adorable picture was taken while she was patiently awaiting her swing set to be assembled.

 And we have the fun holiday of the 4th of July.  Maci loves this holiday!  We started off the day with a parade down main street.  By the end she got excited that candy was being thrown.  Each piece she would pick up off the ground was held tightly in her hands.  When there was more thrown, she looked confused because she didn't have anymore space in her hands.  She even refused to put the candy in a bag so she could get more.  She wore her necklaces all day, too.  Later in the day, we had Eric and Paula over for hamburgers and hot dogs.

 

 

 

And of course the fireworks.  They were actually banned in the city limits due to the high fire danger. However, I am glad some of the neighbors ignored that because Maci and I sat on the end of the pickup and watched the fireworks.  Some were loud and she would say "scary"  I would tell her "no, not scary. Awesome!"  And then she would repeat, "Awesome."  So cute.  Tonight was also a milestone mark.  She put two words together to form a sentence.  While watching the fireworks, I had gotten up.  She then said to me "Mommy sit."  I was a proud mama.  She was very sad when they were all done.  For the next week her favorite word was "fireworks."  So glad she enjoys this holiday instead of being afraid of it!

Denver fun

 Back in May for Memorial Day weekend, we planned a trip down to Denver to visit my brother and his cute family.  What an eventful weekend we had.  Saturday we drove over to the mountains to this beautiful, simple hike. 

 

 

 It was awfully windy up there.  Here is Kevin, Julie and their two girls, Sarah and Hailey.

 Then, on our way back, we stopped at a place called Tiny Town.  Everything is built no taller than 3.5' so every child thinks it's their kind of town.  We started with a train ride which was a huge deal!  We had 3 VERY excited kids and I bet all of the adults would admit to being excited too. 

 Then off to inspect all the little buildings.  Now the kids weren't supposed to climb on the structures but sometimes you just need a good picture.  Hailey and Maci were watching the train go by.

 

 

 

 

 On Monday we went to a baseball game where the Rockies played the Houston Astros.  Neither David nor I have gone to a major league game before.  The whole experience was so much more than expected.  This was a dream for David to be at the game. Sitting down with the crowds, hotdogs, popcorn, cotton candy, 7th inning stretch, 5 runs in the first inning, singing "Take me out to the Ball Game."  It was all fantastic. 

  We sat in the front row of the third level.  It was nice because there was a "fenced railing" in front of us so the kids wouldn't lean over or fall.

 And the best part, the Rockies WON!!!  9 - 7.  Best. Game. Ever.!!!

 

 When we got on the train to take us back to our cars, Maci started eating pretzels and in the middle of chewing one up, she fell right asleep.  It was so hilarious to watch.  She was so tuckered out from the days' activities.  So sweet!

 Tuesday, our last full day in Denver, we head to the zoo.  Today was a special day because Chelsea, Maci's birth mom, was coming up to spend time with us at the zoo.  Her two sisters Bethany and Ariel came along too. 

 Oh, this was so funny!  Maci LOVED looking through the binoculars backwards.

 There was a Merry-Go-Round and a Train Ride that Maci got to go on.  Train ride was fun but it didn't compare at all to the fun she had on the Merry-Go-Round. That by far is her favorite.  She wanted to ride it multiple times.

 

 

 These next two pictures Chelsea took and edited them herself.  I absolutely love them both!

 

I am so glad we were able to actually spend time in Denver with Kevin and Julie instead of just passing through. I know there is SO much more to do around the Denver area and look forward to the next time. Thanks, Chelsea, for driving up and back for the few hours we all spent together.  I know it was worth it for everyone involved.  Love you!

Funny stories...

This weekend we have spent a lot of time with family and friends.  This is always wonderful because Maci loves to be around people and especially people her size.  Sunday was Stake Conference and was tough to stay still the second half so I took her to the nursery so she could play and I could finish watching conference in there.  A few other moms and their kids also came for a bit.  We then went over to a friends house for dinner who had also invited another family with two kids.  They had a great time playing together all afternoon; played on the swing, in the house, went on a hike.  It was a great night.  So Sunday, I head to bed sometime around 11:00 and she wakes up out of a dead sleep, crying "mine, mine!"  I quietly laughed, went in, put her pacifier back in and she fell quickly back to sleep.  Lol!!!  How cute was that?!  (Btw, I have grown to hate that word!  I am sure every parent has that same thought at one time.)


This morning, I was visiting with my mother on the phone.  Maci loves to say hello on the phone and she has her own conversation with my mother.  (it's their own special language, so cute!)  So she carries the phone around the living room while my mom and I are trying to have a conversation.  So I took the phone from her (small tantrum followed).  Then later today, David called.  As I was talking to him, she went to our room and got the other phone and proceeded to carry it around with her by her ear for the next 20 minutes.  She would talk to the phone and occasionally say "ya"as if she was having her own conversation!

Back in the beginning of May, Maci gave us a good memory.  She has a small spot of eczema behind each knee and I have been trying to clear it up with various creams.  I had decided to try some Vaseline and seemed to have been working.  I left David in charge of Maci while I went to work for a couple of hours.  When I got home, she was still sleeping.  When she woke up, I went in to get her.  I picked her out of her crib and thought she had threw up on herself.  I then looked a little closer thinking she was super hot and sweaty only to find the Vaseline bottle in her crib.  Then looked even closer and it was ALL over her clothes, the bed sheet, Coco, and plastered in her hair.  Come to find out, David had put some on her before her nap and left it where she could reach it.  I think it took me a week to get it all out of her hair! 

 

 

Maci sure makes life more fun!  Just laugh along with us!

Easter 2012

 

 

 I thought it is time to update pictures on the blog.  There have been a lot of computer problems at the Steffen home so we will all work through them.  This is Maci's Easter Dress her aunt Paula bought for her.  Maci LOVED this dress.  Loved to twirl, jump, and show it off all day long.  I just love how she was sitting in her car seat!

 

 We had Easter dinner at Brian and Jessica's house and then had an Easter Egg Hunt in our back yard.  Maci loved seeing the eggs all around the yard and would point them out and say "egg."

 

 

 

A chocolate bunny is a must for every child on Easter in the Steffen home.  It is tradition.  Maci was so excited when she finally got to eat her bunny.  It shows so much on her face.  She just sat there and enjoyed being able to eat a lot chocolate all by herself.  Of course, after she bit into the bunnys' ears and chest, she was done.  She would then ask for her bunny for the next week until it was all gone (with the help of mom and dad of course, actually I think I threw the last bit away because it really wasn't that good of chocolate). Love this last photo, chocolate is definitely finger lickin' good!