11 months old and a trip to Vegas!

So on Thursday we were eating lunch and Rich says I need to go down to Vegas, so I said, Lets go, but we need to leave within the hour so Isabella can nap. So we did and it was just coincidence that it was Isabellas 11 month birthday. We drove to Vegas and stayed in the Paris Hotel for one night and then we drove down to St. George to see my grandparents because they had never seen Isabella and then we drove home on Saturday. Saturdays trip home ended up being about 9 hours with a 1 1/2 hour detour to return for a forgotten item, a stop for dinner, a stop for mother nature, a stop at a park to stretch out and crawl a little(walking is just hard for me sometimes) and a stop for a wardrobe change for Isabella after she threw up all over her self and her car seat! Poor baby! So needless to say it is good to be home again! It was a quick trip but fun and worth it!

So I asked Rich to take a picture of the cute little "paris" street so it would look like we were in Paris and this is what I got! umm no cute little street...
she is loving to pull up on everything. She was watching a video on a portable DVD player and we had to put it on the couch so she wouldn't touch it. She stood there for probably 20 minutes!
Here is Great Grandma and Grandpa givin' some love
My Grandpa! I love him!
He was so cute with Isabella! She was a little shy at first but after one day she was loving him!
Playing in the grass. Did you know that you can grow thick green grass? I've never seen that in Arizona
Isabella found a friend in our hotel room. She thought this baby was so cute and always there when she needed to play with her. She would even crawl up to the edge and play peek-a-boo with that other baby. It was priceless
Fancy meeting you here!
BUBBLES!! she just can't eat enough of them. Even when she eats so much she gags, she recovers and goes back for more!


One quick picture on the timer! I was so happy to see them!
Ummm, Do I have anything on my face? (when I took it off after about 10 minutes she cried, so maybe she did know and she was saving it for later in a place that she wouldn't forget about?!)
I can't believe that she is 11 months old. It is true that it flys by so fast! Ugh I hate it! But love it at the same time!

It was a Happy Easter!

So we went home to Oregon for Easter! It was a last minute trip but we are very glad that we went! Isabella had not yet met two of Rich's sisters and their families, so that was also a bonus of going! We dyed Easter eggs, had parties and picnics, went shopping, played games, slept very little and just had fun! Thanks everyone for a great Easter!

Here is Paige who is 2. She loves shoes and she needed me to unzip her pjs so that she could put on these boots. This is the best outfit ever! I think she may have started a trend!


There is going to be WHAT?! in here on Easter? CANDY!!??(no we didn't pierce her ears, Aunt Beth put stick ons on all of the little girls!)
Here we are doing the Newell tradition of Rolling eggs. You find a hill and all roll your eggs at the same time. If yours is cracked at the end your out and so on.. It didn't work out quite that well but it was still fun!
This is Natalie who is also 2. This was so cute, she just came over and sat down by Isabella and started talking to her! All the cousins were soooo good with Isabella, she was in Heaven!
Hey guys can you see my egg?
And here is Katelyn and Isabella!! Cuties!
The camera loves Bailey!
All of the Adults of the weekend!
Mom, Dad, ..Don't!
Happy Easter! We had Easter showers!
Twinkle toes
Hannah and Carter goofin' around!
Grandma and Grandpa with Isabella! You may have noticed that Rich's dad is about 1/2 of the size that he used to be. Smokin Hot!!! Keep up the good work Dad!
Here are 9 of the Grandkids on Easter! Grandma and Grandpa are so good to their grandkids! we couldn't have asked for better!! We love you!!

The three little bears!

We went to Oregon for Easter(will post later) and for the three youngest grandchildren who's birthdays are about a month apart, Isabellas' Aunt Tricia made the three little bears. These were the cutest cakes I have ever seen. She even made the frosting look like fur!! So we had a bear picnic one day and a little birthday party the next day and Isabella got to do a run-through of her first birthday! Lucky girl! Who wouldn't want to celebrate their birthday a month early and then get to do it again!

I realized after that I only took pictures of her at the birthday party, sorry girls! But you can catch some of Paige under that arm. So here they are all set up and ready to make their wishes. She was a little confused!
Then we put it on her tray and she was wowed! She thought it was pretty amazing!
I get to do what?!!! Are you guys sure about this?!
Well if you say so...... MMMMMmmmmmmm! I love Cake, and especially the frosting!
Did I miss any on my face? Oh I did.. thats okay Ill eat it later.
That was so much fun! This is the coolest game ever!(it was so cute! She was eating large chunks of frosting and cake and making mommy and daddy a little nervous about her having a stomach ache, but I was so happy that she dove right in!)
OOooohhh! Too much frosting and I am a mess. Put me in the bath right now!
And that is the story of the three little bears! Thanks Aunt Tricia and Grandma for my birthday party!

Nap hair

I love nap hair. Now that she moves around more in her crib she pushes herself into crazy positions and created amazing hair-do's!
Miss blue eyes
and here she is introducing her cousin Addison. She came to visit and I don't think I have seen Isabella more excited! She thought it was so amazing to have a friend at her house.
They are just talkin about stuff over a little music time. Ya know just baby stuff!

Hair: 101

Bad Hair Day??

So recently I have been bugged by television interviews and magazine articles, that all claim to have the latest hottest hair info. Cause then my clients come in and think that it is fact and they absolutely have to follow it! PLEASE DON'T! Realize that 99.9% of the time, it is a paid advertisement which means that the company paid to have that person say that their product is the best. Anyways I have decided to share all of my hair knowledge with you to hopefully help clear up any confusion and answer questions!
so in no particular order..here it goes
1.99% of all bad hair days are from using the wrong product(unless you have a really bad haircut)
2.Just because you have tried one product out of a whole line and didn't like it doesn't mean that the whole line is terrible. Products are engineered so carefully for each specific hair type
Volumizing=fine hair
Smoothing=coarser hair
Everyday=fine hair
etc.. So just ask questions and look for key words. And if you don't like it, take it back! You should know after 2-3 washes and if you have only used that much, anyone will take it back. I don't mind it at all because it is really good information for me to get feedback from the client.
3. Salon products really are worth the money. Look for deals and sales and you end up paying the same as grocery store products because the better products are more concentrated, so you use less.
4.Salon products that are for sale in the grocery store should not be trusted. It is illegal to do that and most times the product is expired, watered down, or something is wrong with it. And they are usually more expensive than in a salon.
5. 80% of my clientele is allergic to Biologe. If the same day or the next day you get really itchy down by your neck in your hair line, it is because you are allergic to your product(usually your shampoo and cond.)
6. Everyone should have a bottle of Head and Shoulders in their shower! It is a great clarifyer and keeps your hair and scalp healthy. Use it every other or third shampoo, followed by your normal shampoo that you use. Don't spend money on expensive clarifyers and don't go generic with the Head and Shoulders.
7. Speaking of generics... I wish they were the same, but they just aren't! When it comes to Hair Products go for name brands.
8. The best summer chlorine/green/buildup remover:

extreme green- 1/2 cup of baking soda, then mix with water until it becomes a runny paste.
Shampoo your hair, rinse, and put the paste all over especially where it is green. Then rub
between your hands so you can actually feel the grit scrubbing the hair. Leave on for about
15 minutes and rub every so often. Rinse that out and proceed to shampoo at least for times
If you don't you will not even be able to comb your hair when you get out. After you
shampoo, put conditioner on and leave for at least 5 minutes. Rinse

Not so green but hair feels slimy when wet and tangled when it is dry-
Put a handful of baking soda in your hand and a handful of shampoo in the other. Mix
together and apply to wet hair. Scrub and leave on for about 3-5 minutes and rinse.
Shampoo 2 more times then condition. So this 1-2 times a week in the summer and about
once a month to remove product build up. Especially if you have fine hair.
9. Cutting your hair does not make it grow. It keeps it healthy so that it doesn't break of as it grows. Still get your hair trimmed if you are growing it, just stretch out your visits a lot. It will make you a much happier person as you grow it out and keep some type of shape to it. It also keeps you from getting bored and giving up. Just trim and 1/8 of and inch when you go, just that little amount can make a huge difference, I promise.
10. Grocery store color is about the worst thing for your hair. If you are going to do it at home, at least go to Sally's and buy a color and a developer . It is the same price and so much better for your hair. Buy 1-2 bottles of color and 20 volume, mix equal parts together and leave on for 30 minutes. That works for most colors. DO NOT mess with ASH when going darker, especially if you are lighter/blonde to start with.
11. Round brushing your hair dry can help any ones hair and is worth the time!!!!
12.A good hair dryer will save you about 10minutes off your drying time and give you way better results! I swear by this! My favorite is the Elchim SuperPolo 2000. Search for it on Google. It runs about $60-80. look for deals on line. IT IS WORTH EVERY PENNY. Heating elements will go out on hair dryers often. A test to see if yours is too hot and causing unnecessary damage is: put your hand about 6" away from the nozzle and turn your blow dryer on all the highest settings and if you can't leave your hand there for 6-7 seconds without it getting too hot- throw it away. It will burn your hair.
14. If you have curly, thick or coarse hair, a good flat iron is also worth every penny! You usually have to spend $80-100. There is a pretty good one at Sally's for about$50. It is by Jose Jibere and it is a black and red box with a velvet-ish covering on the outside 1".
13. Why do people spend $100 or more on their hair and then spend $3 on the product they use on it???????
14.When trying to decide what product to use I always say to match the consistency of the actual product
Mousse= light and fluffy- therefore it will add body and give you light and fluffy. You can use any strength depending on what you need. For fine hair I would go with light hold and thick curly hair go with a strong hold. Everyone else go with medium
Gel= slick, heavy, shiny, stiff- therefore that is what it will do to your hair. Its great for curly hair and men but I really don't use it on anyone else
Cream= well it is a mix of mouse and gel. Really you can't go wrong with this product for anyone. It is good to put in even if just for protection from your blow dryer!!!!!!
Pomades= sticky- for use on men, short hair, or the ENDS of longer hair as a styling finisher. It can add texture and define your layers. There are also different strengths. Go for strong hold on Men/boys and short hair and light hold for long hair. It is a great product because it is re workable all day. Perfect for little boys because after naps you can smooth the hair back down. Also a little goes a long way
Root boosters-do exactly what it says- Spray it in the crown for added volume and try to keep it in the roots because most of them will make your ends feel dirty.
15. Use flat iron sprays. They add shine and protect your hair from getting damaged by the heat.
16. Oily hair is usually from a dry scalp. When your body senses something is dry it sends out extra oil to lubricate that area. So the problem is when your hair is oily you think, Oh I need to wash it more, which actually makes it dryer and adds to the problem. Start by getting a shampoo for a dry scalp and a really good conditioner that will help moisturize. Then instead of washing your hair every 24 hours try and go 36 hours. Do that for a couple of days and then move to 48 hours. It is hard at first but your scalp will neutralize and learn to not put out so much oil. This is easier to start in the winter when you aren't sweating so much. Doing this is better for your scalp and your hair! This will work for almost anyone although there are a few out there that just have oily hair. But all you can do is try. Also using a mousse will help absorb some of the oil(and again a salon brand product)
17. Your consultation at your hair appointment is the most important part, especially if it is a new person. Your inch and my inch may be two different things, same goes for what I see as golden may be what you see as brassy or redish. The best thing to do is use pictures. Point out colors that you like and and styles so that you are both on the same page. And ask her how much an inch is then you can gage how much you want cut off by what her standards are and not yours. Also sometimes from my experience, after a client has been explaining what she wants for a while, by the end it sometimes does not make sense. So try to have her repeat what you said and summarize. When looking at pictures try and pick people with the same hair texture as you, that way your results will be more realistic and way more manageable. Almost anyone could have any hair cut, it just depends on how much time you want to spend. I have curly hair so if I pick a style that is straight I need to plan on 20-30 minutes to style it.
18. Products out there for especially for kids, is usually what is causing all of those tangles. As soon as you can do with out "No Tears" use better brands on your girls. 70% of my younger clientele have the same head of hair as I do, and I know that if I used suave or Johnson and Johnson with no conditioner, I would be screaming at the tangles as well. It is up to you, but really, it will make comb out time much better for both of you.
19. Don't be afraid to trim your own bangs. In order to keep them at the right length they need to be trimmed every 3 weeks. Just pull them down and "nibble" at them. Take your scissors at a pointed angle instead of straight across and take 1/10 of an inch of one little triangle at a time.
20. Hair will always grow back and life is too short. If there is a hair cut or color that you have always wanted but are scared just do it. It will be fun, and even if you don't love it you will have no regrets later and it will be a good learning experience for you and your hair!!!!

Well that is all for now. I know that I left out a ton but we will start with baby steps. I don't want to overwhelm you. Please send me questions or a topic you are wondering about. I would be more than happy to answer them for you. And share the knowledge, the more people we help the happier we will all be(cause we won't have to stare at bad hair anymore! jk)
p.s. Hair 202 will follow at a later date, so please stay tuned!

9 months old(and 11 days)

She is 9 months old! So fun and so sad all at the same time. She is still so happy and such an easy baby. She loves people and needs an outing daily so that she can socialize. She isn't crawling yet, which worries mommy, but she just doesn't care if her toy is across the room, she will just play with the carpet or look at her hands! But we think she is close! She has started giving kisses, but only on her terms, and loves to say Da da. Why say mama when she is around ALL the time! We love her so much and are so blessed to have her!!!

Another travel log!

So another travel log from the Newells! But believe it or not I think that we are home for awhile and I am kinda excited about that! So Ill start most recent down. On February 10th my Mom and I flew out to see this cute family below....Lindsay, Keith, Hannah, and the newest addition Brynlee. I am sure most of you stock their blog, but just in case you don't, Brynlee was born about 3 months early at 2lbs 6oz and 14in. long. And yes she is another miracle baby to their home. She was in the hospital for 11 weeks and did amazing. She took every premie record the hospital had to offer and blew it out of the water! And now she is home and is so cute and doing well. She loves her binki and sounds just like maggie from the simpsons when she sucks on it! Hannah is so sweet to her and everyone and they are just the cutest little family! And might I say that Isabella has a new obessesion...HANNAH! She is her first groupie and biggest fan! The child didn;t want to sleep there because she would wake up early in the morning remember where she was and wanted out to see where Hannah was. If she was drinking a bottle and heard Hannah she would immediately stop, push it away, and want to go see her. It was hilarious! Except the 5:30 wakeup calls!:) So here are a few pictures from that trip
So I was taking family pictures and Hannah and mom had just taken cute pictures where Hannah would kiss Lindsay and then we told keith to do the same and this is a Dads idea of, Give me a kiss!!! Dads are so fun and Hannah has a good one!
ahhh! So sweet!!
We has a pajama party on the night before Valentines, because my Dad sent us all Pajama grams for Valentines day! It was so sweet of him and fun!
Hannah did not want to smile through all of the pictures and then when we were done she noticed the dog on the other side of the fence and of course there were lots of smiles!
Isabella and Brynlee just happened to have the same outfit so we thought we would get pictures of them together, but Isabella just wanted to suck on Brynlee's head and Brynlee was hungry, so this is what we got
All the girls with Grammy watching Baby Einstien!
Isabella was sooo excited to sit next to Hannah in the shopping cart. When she gets excited she pumps her arms so fast up and down. I think Hannah was trying to show her how to play it cool!
Just chillin in their bouncers! Hannah was so sweet to Isabella! She never swatted at her once and would help wash her hair when they took baths and give her toys when she was sad! She is so cute and extremely smart! The 1 3/4 year old know her letters, numbers, colors, all the shapes and characters in all her books and so on. It is crazy!!
Before Indian Rich and I went to Miami all alone for 6 days! Rich's parents and my parents took care of her for us!!THANKYOU MOMS AND DADS! Rich won a sales contest in his company, which wasn't and easy thing to accomplish given the economy, so we got an all expenses paid trip down there! It was so fun and quite a treat. And wouldn't ya know it this is the only picture that we took. We were just too lazy to haul out the camera! So you'll just have to imagine the bright blue water and beautiful beach and hotel! Thanks honey for all of your hard work and amazing dedication and effort for our family!!! I love you!!
And then a few days before that trip we decided seriously hours before we left that we would run down to Mexico for the weekend since Rich's parents were in town. It was so fun and the funniest thing was when we cruised down the beach to the next village for some lunch we were touring through the one street and all of the rest of us were in the Hummer and Amber and Aaron took the Quad! These dogs kept running at them barking viciously and they were swerving and yelling and we just sat in our safe car and laughed and took pictures of them!! Ah, good times!!
Here we all are(minus tina who came with us) after lunch! It was a good quick trip and so fun hang out with the Newells!

Welp, and that is all for now! On a side note, please bear with the long posts and so many pictures! Once I learned that you can print this out into a book, but slide shows don't show up, I figured this would be better for that!!