Wanted

Adorable family of three seeking food, fun, and field trip-loving family and friends to come visit them. Meals and lodging will be provided.

Here's the deal peeps--We're taking one for the team by actually living in CA. You should take advantage of the fact that you have relatives who are big enough suckers to pay for living here, and come stay with us! We promise not to disappoint.

Picture yourself:

Hiking through Muir Woods

Touring San Francisco on a double decker (with lovely wind swept hair)

Strolling along the beach

Capitola Beach

Waddell Creek Beach

Santa Cruz Boardwalk

Marveling at historic architecture

Patterson House

Winchester Mystery House

Stuffing your cute lil faces at amazing restaurants (Just ask Zar!)

Gyu-Kaku

Biking over the Golden Gate Bridge and through hilly San Francisco

*Disclaimer: You'll be doing this by yourself. Home girl, home boy, and home baby think that once was more than enough!

Seeing and/or attending the Oakland Temple

We can also go to Yosemite, Monterrey, the Hearst Castle, bajillions of sites in San Fran (Ghiradelli Square, Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, China Town, Lombard Street, Alcatraz, Angel Island, etc), or drive down Highway 1 through Big Sur.

Even if you just want to kick it in our over-priced apartment, Mara will provide amazing entertainment. So book your stay today!

Pinky Winky Houdini Nead

Being that I'm about to have another baby, I thought I'd take a few moments to write an overdue post about my first born.

The Good:

Pinky is the best dog in the world. No joke. (Even Dad thinks so.)

Her favorite place to be is snuggled under a blanket between my legs. 

She knows lots of tricks: sit, stay, jump, wait to get the treat, shake, high five, roll over, roll onto her back when you shoot her with your finger, come, fetch.

I get a queen's welcome every time I walk through the front door... even if I've only been gone 5min. 

She's faster than any greyhound.

She doesn't eat her poop (anymore).

While naturally a wild and energetic dog, she's pretty gentle with children. 

She once scared off an intruder in our house.

She wants to be with me constantly.

The Bad: 

She wants to be with me constantly.

She has stashes of socks and wrappers under every bed and couch.

I've become a crazy dog person. (Ex: bringing home food from restaurants for her, paying for surgeries, carrying her around in a baby bjorn after surgery, worrying about her when I'm not home, giving her kisses, always looking for new toys, bathing with her so she's not as scared, feeling guilty on a nice hike or outing she would have enjoyed)

Dog hair.

The Ugly:

She's a little... hyper-vigilant when it comes to her guard dog duties. Neighbors, dogs, squirrels, and even leaves incur her full wrath if they are within earshot or she sees them from her perch on top of our couch in the living room. 

Stats at 18mo:

10" tall, 11lb

Pinky Age 2mo

Pinky in her favorite spot

Pinky and her Mom today

Merlosavic at 10.5 Months

It's been a while since I have written about little Mara. When she was first born I often asked Cat random and specific questions about the boys when they were babies. "Carolyn, that was almost a decade ago." I was surprised that she couldn't remember. I mean come on, how do you not remember your baby's 2 month head measurement? ;) Now Mel asks me similar questions, and most of the time I cannot remember. "Mel, that was over two weeks ago." So I figure it is time to document a few things.

• Her current nicknames: Marla, Merla, Merlas, Merlosavic, Gidg (most frequent), Skidg, Gidgy, Skidgy, Bubbas 
• She is finally crawling like a semi-normal human being after first rolling everywhere and then doing the weirdest scooch I have ever seen.
• Mara is a pro at imitating sounds and is constantly making psychotic noises. She rolls her " r's " nonstop, makes kissy noises, and screeches like a banshee. 
• Her first word was "mama" close to 9 months old. (I really can't remember.) She also says "dada." Her favorite word by far right now is "hi" with a wave. It. kills. me.
• She pulls herself up onto and walks along furniture. 
• As soon as Mara sees Nana on Skype, she starts to play peek a boo with her by ducking below the couch.
• If someone had told me when she was a newborn that Mara would still be an awful sleeper at 10.5 months, I would have been very depressed. Oi. I feel like I regularly lower my expectations for her sleep, then two weeks later she regresses further. It's a major bummer. A lot of the problems could be solved if we didn't live in an apartment complex with paper thin shared walls.  
• She loves small children and old people. 
• Her 3-6 month clothes are getting a little small for her, but the 6-9 month clothes are still too big. She's still in the 1st percentile for weight and height. Her discerning palette (read: insane pickyness) isn't helping the matter. 
• She is very happy and super fun until it is time to change her diaper, get dressed, go to church, or eat solids (basically any time she is not allowed to roam free).

Mike and I have decided to keep her. 

2013 with the Zavalas

What a year!!! As you will see, we had lots of big changes. This was easily our best and happiest year yet. Thanks for suggesting this Frenly Fren, it was fun to look back. 


January: We rang in the new year of 2013 in India and spent the rest of the month back in Oxford recovering from our crizazy vacation.

 

February: Pobrecito Zar broke his hand playing Football for the first time in 2 years. We celebrated valentines day by splurging on an amazing hot pot dinner! We became legit Europeans by attending our first rugby game....it was cold and not that cool. 

 

 

March: Zar was going to a conference in Israel and we made a last minute decision for both of us to go a bit early and explore. We saw Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Galilee, Masada, and Nazareth. It was a jam packed (and exhausting) three days. One week later we went to Prague with some of our friends. Overall Prague was a fun trip, but the only memorable part for me was going to a Pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test in order to rule out the possiblity of me being pregnant....except I waaaas pregnant! What an exciting shock! 

Floatin' in the Dead Sea

The Czech pharmacy that changed it all!

April: Zar's mom came to visit, and we went to Istanbul. I was pretty miserable the whole time because of terrible nausea. We also did a fun "we're pregnant" photo shoot with Tracy and Gabri to announce to everyone that I was pregnant. 

 

 

 

May: We continued to love our fast paced life in Oxford. We hosted our second annual Cinco de Mayo party where I helped cook enough food for about 60 people. Que divertido! We went to our last Rhodes Ball. It wasnt nearly as fun pregnant because I was tired and ready to go by 10:30 but we had paid the big bucks so we stayed till 2 am. haha. At the end of the month we went on our last trip together to Greece. Zar worked on med school app essays while sitting by the pool/beach and I read books/relaxed. It was FANTASTIC! 

 

June: I began my work-free life and LOVED it! Even though it was June, we continued to wear sweaters outside...annoying. I went from blonde to brunette in order to save 150 pounds a month. It had been a looong time! Kathleen came to visit so we ditched Zar and went to Ireland. The highlight of the month was finding out that I was pregnant with a baby girl :).  

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

July: My good best friend Lindsey and her husband came to visit us in Oxford so we got to play tour guide. It was fun to see the sights one last time. I spent lots and lots of time packing, eating, and saying goodbye to good friends. On July 22 I left Oxford for good. Zar joined me in El Paso a week later. l;ksjdf;a

Me and Lindsey in Oxford

Adios Oxford!

August: We spent a week in El Paso and saw lots of family and friends. Zar's family threw us a really nice baby shower. Then we drove up to Utah with Mom and Dad for the reunion and stopped in Monticello to see Grandpa on the way. The reunion was a blasty blast! We did not want to leave Utah to begin real life in D.C. At the end of the month I hit the 30 week mark! 

September: This month was spent mostly just adjusting to life in our new place in D.C. I was very pregnant and it was hot and humid. Me no likey. Zar started working hard (he always works hard, but there is a difference between Oxford hard and D.C. hard) and I started watching Lost (YES!). Cat and Jason came to visit after loooots of begging. It was so fun to be a tourist with them in this awesome city!

October: The thing I remember most about October is feeling really pregnant and really uncomfortable. I started having blood pressure issues pretty early in the month but the doctors weren't too concerned about it. The baby went from breech to correct position by the end of the month. Zar went out of town three times for med school interviews. The best part was seeing SYTYCD on tour. Fun stuff.

November:  The first week of November was my last week pregnant. After a long day/night/day (you all know the story), our perfect little Annabelle was born on the 8th. We spent the first week of her life in the hospital just trying to get my bp under control. It was torture. Mom came to help and boooy was she a huge help. Belle was a perfect newborn. She ate so well, slept like crazy, and rarely cried. We really appreciated it. :) Mom left us on the 19th (it was tragic!!!), Zar went for another interview, then Zar's mom came to visit for Thanksgiving. It was a crazzyyyy month. We found that our minds were always occupied by thoughts of our favorite little cutie and we loved our first month of parenthood.

December: The thing I quickly learned that month was that nothing is consistent with babies. I do still realize that Belle is a good and well behaved baby buuuut, she is not always perfect like she had been in the first 2-3 weeks. We continued to learn and adjust. I loved watching my Zar love her so much. Even though he is strict about her schedule and habits, he sure is obsessed with her. :) We went home for Christmas. We looooved spending time with Mom and Dad. It was also very stressful managing our time and maintaining a good schedule for Belle. I got to stay a week extra and chill a bit more. Overall, it was a successful and fun visit. 

Our favorite Christmas gift!

 

I guess I'll blog too...

So this has been the year when Instagram has pushed my blogging aside. Not sure if I am going to keep my personal blog going. Instagram is so much easier and instant.
Anyway...
I had to pull my Project Life scrapbook out to be able to recount our year.  I'm just too old to remember.

January- Was a fun month starting with our annual trip to DC on New Years Day to go to the museums (because everyone else is still recovering from the night before and the city and trains are so quiet in the morning). Betty and Steve went ice skating and we had our first snow day before the month was over.

February- Betty and I made Valentines for her class. I read some really good books. And Oscar broke his leg.

March- Oscar picked out a lime green cast (his dinosaur leg). We had a really good snow day where we had enough snow to make a snowman! (But poor Oscar could only just sit in his snowpants and make snowballs.) We went to Orlando for Spring Break and spend 2 days at Disney World with my parents! Spent time with my friend, Michelle, from England and her family. Oscar turned 3.

April- Oscar got his cast off! It was on for 5 weeks and he had 9 x-rays taken of his leg. We started to prep our garden. Betty picked a hangnail on her big toe and it got infected and really nasty. Steve spent a week in FL for work, and while he was gone I bought a lot of things at Ikea.

May- Iris turned 2 and the crazy switch was flipped. I did a 5k Color Run with some friends from church in Baltimore. Betty had a Kindergarten concert. The Office aired it final episode (and I cried). Things started growing in our garden.

June- Kindergarten ended. We started going to the park a lot. We created our Summer of Fun list and started by going to play tennis a couple times a week.  I got strep for the first time ever! (AND IT SUCKED BIG TIME AND IS THE NASTIEST THING EVER!) My mom arrived in preparation for The Great American Road Trip.

July- I, my mom and the kids left for The Great American Road Trip! I fell in love with Iowa and the corn fields and farms. On day 5, the van had a heart (engine)  attack and we had to be towed 190 miles from WY to UT. We bought a new engine and that sucked. We spent the months playings and swimming and playing and swimming with cousins in Utah and had a great time. I did another 5k, this time with my sister Megan.  Bettty had 12 inches of her hair cut off to donate to Locks of Love. Iris burned her hand. Steve turned 33, but was all alone on his birthday.

August- Steve arrived in UT and we got to play and swim and play with all of you guys! We really had a great time and loved playing Game of Things with all of you. I, Steve, and the kids drove across the country again, and our new engine survived. Betty turned 6 and we celebrated by eating inside Chick-Fil-A, not just gettting drive through. Betty mastered riding her bike without training wheels in 3 days.

September- School started and Betty is in 1st grade and Oscar is in his first  year of preschool. Iris doesn't miss them. We sent our babysitter off on a mission and upgraded her little sister to first place on our call list. Betty started reading chapter books.

October- Oscar had his first fieldtrip to a pumpkin farm. We all went to church together in the same car. (This rarely happens.)  The government shut down (and that put a freeze on all my "fun" shopping). I baked 3 cakes for a wedding reception of a girl in our ward. Iris moved into a big girl bed since she had mastered climbing in and out of her crib. Steve got a flat tire at church, which lead to the longest Sunday of our lives. Steve and I created an amazing yak costume for Oscar for Halloween.

November- Fall in VA is gorgeous!!! Mary Lee came to visit (well, not us, but we got to see her!) We had family pictures taken in the most freezing wind ever. We got to FaceTime with my grandfather in Wales on his 91st birthday. Betty started rocking at swim lessons and got moved up to level 2. We stuffed ourselves silly on Thanksgiving.

December- The best month every year! Buddy the Elf helped me decorate for Christmas. Our house made me smile every time I walked in the door. Celebration Week started with Steve and I celebrating our 11th anniversary by spending the most we have ever spent on one meal (and it was so worth it) and ended with my 34th birthday and some really great sushi. Dates two weekends in a row is a super special luxury for us.

Herro Der Folksies!

Carolyn, you are a true inspiration!  I'll do a quick 2013 recap!

January--We discovered that winters in Spokane were only a little bit better than the ones in Minnesota.  I was a wee bit disappointed by this discovery.  Jason began studying for "THE BOARDS."

February--We celebrated our 12th wedding anneversary.  Wow.  We are old.  Jason continued to study for the boards.

March--Took a little trip down to sunny Portland to visit Carrie and Mikey.  They were delightful hosts and took the boys to the Lego store.  Aaron was thrilled. Jason continued to study for the boards.

April-- We began the demolition of the upstairs and moved into our basement apartment.  Jason continued to study for the boards.

May--Brady celebrated his 9th birthday with an ice-cream cake and a new WiiU.  Jason continued to study for the boards.  The renovation continued.

June--Jason checked into a hotel in Louisville, KY to more vigorously study for boards for a week prior to the actual test.  The boys and I went to El Paso to wait for Jason to take his boards in Louisville.  While I was there, I made a quick trip to AZ to see Becca and Ryan's darling little house and their darling little dog Pinky.  Jason joined us in EP after his test and we spent a truly miserable, gut-wrenching few days waiting to hear the results.  During those few days we gorged ourselves on Mexican food to dull the anxiety.   We got word on Jason's 34th birthday that HE PASSED!  We gorged ourselves on Mexican food to celebrate.  The renovation continued.

July--Jason was made a partner in Cancer Care Northwest.  We took a trip to Seattle for Fourth of July.  Carolyn and Mike met us there.  Ryan came down and lived with us while he scouted out Spokane and had interviews.  Jason tried to recover from the boards while continuing to have nightmares about them.  The renovation continued.

August--Yay for the reunion!  It really was one of the highlights of the year!  We are so blessed to be part of the Familia Johns.  Aaron celebrated his 7th birthday with all manner of Lego Hero Factory presents.  The renovation continued and officially went over budget.

September--Jason took me on a trip to Washington, DC to see a darling pregnant Mel and our family scholar Zar.  It has always been my dream to visit DC and it did not disappoint. We enjoyed lots of eating and lots of walking.  The weather was perfect.  Mel and Zar were great tour guides! I celebrated my 32nd birthday on the day we flew back to Spokane.  Becca and Ryan watched the boys for us while we were gone.  Becca officially moved to Spokane.  I hadn't ever dared to dream that I would live in the same city as one of my siblings.  It has been such a fun, wonderful surprise!  The renovation continued, the upstairs was completed and we started sleeping in our new bedrooms.

October--Both kids had WILD ideas about what they wanted to be for Halloween.   Instead, I paid them 10 dollars each to be the same things that they were last year.  I'm seriously a genius.  I'm proud of them for selling out.  Carolyn and Mike came for a little visit, and we enjoyed them per usual.  The renovation continued.  The budget was officially too blown to to even talk about.

November--The renovation finished (for now) the week before Thanksgiving.  I can honestly say I am happy with the way things turned out.  I hosted Mom, Dad, Becca, Ryan, Ryan's parents, Ryan's brother and family, Carolyn, Mike, and Mara for Thanksgiving.  It was such a wonderful time.  We missed Steve and Emma and Mel and Zar.  The food was delicious, but after 20 minutes of eating, Mom and I looked at each other with shaking heads.  We pondered about how anticlimactic it was that 3 DAYS of cooking could culminate in a 20 minute meal.  A good meal, no doubt.  But, seriously??

December--Christmas prep was relatively painless.  Amazon really came through for us this year.  We spent a quiet holiday with just our little family.  Becca and Ryan were a little rude and went to Seattle.  We ate at Shari's diner for Christmas dinner.  They had FREE PIE! We came home, put the kids to bed and watched the final Lord of the Rings movie.  We had watched the first two movies the previous nights.  Nothing says Christmas like a Lord of the Rings marathon.

Well, that about sums it up.  The two words for 2013 were BOARDS and RENOVATION.  Those two things took up 90 percent of our time and energy.  I sure do love you all.  You are blessings in my life!  I encourage you all to please follow my amazing example and share your 2013 round up.

2013 for the McCulloughs

January- Enjoyed our last kid-less anniversary and got my first smart phone (hello 2008, nice to  meet you!).
February- Celebrated Valentine's Day with a Papa Murphy's pizza. We're romantic like that.
March- The Calls came to visit us!
April- Mara was born.
May-Mara and I cried lots and lots and slept very little.
June-Mike's family came to visit for Gidg's blessing.
July- Spent the Fourth of July weekend in Seattle and had all sorts of funsy.
August- Came home from the family reunions and found out that Mike was getting laid off.
September- Fought off unemployment-induced depression by coming up with fun things to do around town.
October- Prayed that our car would make it and set off on an impromptu trip to WA and ID.
November- Chose between two job offers and moved to San Jose.
December- Celebrated our first Christmas alone and surprisingly enjoyed it!

One word that sums up our year: tiring (but good :) )

So we didn't do posts for Christmas and Thanksgiving, so I think it will be fun to see everyone's Reader's Digest version of 2013! (perhaps accompanied with your favorite pictures of the year...Am I getting too greedy here?) Ready...Set...Go!