Set your Tivo!

I know, I know. I promised details about our new family member and I'll get right to it as soon as I get the energy.
In the meantime, some girlfriends of mine and I will be headed to Leavenworth at the early hour of 3am in hopes to get on camera while Good Morning America is being taped. Tivo GMA for this Thursday!

The Masuda Family Grew by One

Details to come...

Vacation, here we come

Originally uploaded by Haute Momma.

Countdown to Friday evening has begun! Friday evening the three of us depart to Mexico. We are staying at the same fantastic place as last year. Yes, the one with childcare included!
I have so, so much to do before our trip. This evening I have two volunteer meeting with another one tomorrow evening. Yikes, I am not in freak out mode yet, that will probably happen at about 10pm Thursday night.
This is a picture of Reagan slumbering under a palapa last year.

This is me

This is me. The past 48 hours I have felt like the cat in this photo and i have nobody to blame but myself. Once again I have bit off more than I can chew and overcommitted myself to too much responsibility and volunteer work. The real secret is that I kind of get off on it.
October and November are usually my busy months then comes December and the stresses of all that comes with that month. At least I have January to look forward to and celebrating my birthday with family and good friends.
I am involved with our valleys Festival of Trees which is held the weekend before Thanksgiving. I am the co-chair for the decorated trees, the whole reason for the event! I feel that I owe so much to the Festival, not only because it supports our Performing Arts Center but because this is where I have made great and wonderful friendships. My favorite part of the Festival is the Gala and Dinner Auction. I love auctions, live ones, silent ones, it don't matta'! The day after the Festival is over I fall into a bit of a funk because it has ended. But then it's full swing again come May.
I am also a member of a valley Guild here in town. It is made up of 50 amazing women where we support needy children and families in our community. Each October we sell live wreaths and garlands to raise money for a chosen charity. We are also planning a 60th anniversary gala in March and I have volunteered for the invitation and guests committee.
Recently a friend introduced me to another friend of hers who started a toybrary in Philadelphia (website comming soon). She plans on opening one up here and is looking for a committee. Taro is going to kill me. No, really, he is very supportive. He also enjoys telling me, "I told you so" when I am working until the early morning because my deadline was yesterday and I begged for an extension and I am still late turning in my designer profiles to the printer!

Eskimo Pie

Today is my favorite older sister's birthday. She is almost 10 years older than but we have a very close and awesome relationship. Most siblings with such a huge age difference have more of a motherly type relationship but Ingrid and I are true sista's! I have the greatest childhood memories because of her. I went everywhere with her when I was a little girl and had always thought I had the coolest sister never knowing that she was really babysitting me, I just thought I was special and that she and her friends wanted to hang out with me. You can all thank Ingrid for my smooth dance moves too. I can't help but think of Ingrid and me dancing in her room every time I hear Funkytown.
The older we get the deeper and closer our relationship has become. We are now both wives and mothers and and I don't really see her as "older" than me anymore. She has a young spirit and I pray she never lets go of that. Ingrid, thank you for being such a wonderful sister and keeping me sane and in-check when I need it. I love you, happy 42!

New Video camera

Here is the first video taken from our new camera, the Flip!

Chi Chi Chi Le Le Le Viva Chile!

Today is Fiestas Patrias in Chile (independence day). I have been trying to call my parents for the past two days to see how they are celebrating. I guess they are either too drunk or hungover to pick up the phone.

Rummikub

We are now addicted to this game. Well, I am. I have always had a number phobia but this game really gets me goin'! I first played it while visiting my sister and her family and now we are hooked. I must get the travel version...for our beach trip!

Must have this!

Oh how I love these cake plates. I would bake dozens of cupcakes and top them with yummy pink, yellow, and green cream cheese frosting then arrange them on these cake plates. I am really excited about Martha's new line at Macys.

Can't keep up!

The Tacoma is gone. I had no idea I would have such a hard time letting go of a vehicle. We listed it on Craigslist and it sold within 48 hours. The first person that came to look at it I overheard him telling his friend how he wanted to make some changes to the body and bumper, NEXT! The second man that came by Taro and I both had a good feeling about him. He just matched the truck, literally. His whole color scheme that day even his hat and boots! I took the truck out for a drive before the buyer came by to pick it up and had a little cry. Ah, I miss it.

My mom came for a visit a few weeks ago. Reagan and I drove to Seattle to pick her up. We had some lunch, went to Nordstrom and got the heck out of the city and came home. Ay, I could never live in a city again. Traffic gives me anxiety! Seriously.
It was incredible having my mama here. She was such an enormous help with Reagan and preparing meals. We took advantage of it her mad cooking skills and froze some meals. mmm Charquican (made with ground beef!). Everyone knows I am a mama's girl so it was especially hard to say goodbye. We are all hoping that she can come back and stay with Reagan while Taro and I attend a wedding in Mexico this March. Oh, please, please!

Other than that our summer has been pretty quiet and uneventful. Reagan has kept us both very busy. The past few months have been so much fun and entertaining. He actually plays with his toys rather than just putting them in his mouth. He loves bouncy balls and trucks. Such a boy, this one. Garbage day is huge around here. We sit in front of the window or go outside and watch our container full of atomic diapers being dumped into the truck. He loves it.

I have been teaching him sign language and it is really exciting to have him communicate with us. So far he knows eat, drink, bye/ciao, rain (thanks to itsy bitsy spider), sleep (my favorite) and baa baa or milk (or breastmilk if you will). I would tell a funny story about baa baa's and a friend but this friend reads this blog and I would like to keep her as a friend.

I think it is important to mention Reagan's favorite things. Blankies and all things soft. In the morning when he wakes he holds his arms out for us then plops back down, grabs his blankie and demands out! He carries it all over the house and at times will suddenly cuddle with it on the floor for a bit then pop back up and chase us or the cat. He also does this with a stuffed puppy animal. oh, so cute.