The Syndergaards

Samantha and Laylani

2012-02-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

Samantha loves Laylani. The pictures say it all. She is my Grandma's dog who often comes to visit Trenton at his house. The dog is so sweet to let Samantha lay and climb all over her.

Visiting Mimi and Pops in Laguna Beach

2012-01-24T20:58:00.000-08:00

We traveled to Ca this week to see Mimi and Pops! They treated us to Disneyland. Samantha was delighted to be at "the happiest place on earth".

Samantha was afraid of the characters like most young children. Donald Duck was a different story. She had no problem giving him a hug and a kiss.

Here she is in Minnie's house. Samantha enjoyed everything.

She even primped herself in Minnie's Mirror.

Samantha was completely mesmerized by Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother.

Happy Birthday Ty!

2012-01-09T19:48:00.000-08:00

I know this post is one day late, but we were having too much fun together. We had some friends over from our neighborhood for some cake and ice cream and tonight we are going to see Sherlock Holmes in the theater.

Happy Birthday Ty! We love you!

Samantha the Mommy

2012-01-09T12:49:00.000-08:00

Samantha loves her babies and takes good care of them.

Samantha made sure her baby got a bib during dinner,

fed the baby her (Samantha's) dinner,

and gave her some milk to drink.

Baby often joins us for dinner at the table. Samantha won't have it any other way.

Then she changed her diaper. Samantha needed 3 tubs of wipes to get the job done.

Later her baby needed a drink.

And then a nap.

Usually everyone then needs to take a nap in the bed.

Samantha realized that her kitty needed a change,

and so did everyone else, but she didn't have enough diapers to go around. So, they had to share.

Cinderella also needed a change of clothes.

She takes her babies for walks in the stroller,

and makes sure everyone can watch Curious George with her.

Samantha always remembers to brush her baby's teeth.

And sometimes (when she succeeds behind her mommy's back) gives them a bath.

Samantha LOVES her babies and is such a good mommy to them all but especially "dolly", "baby", "kitty", and "beee (blanket) "!

Dad thought it would be funny to teach her to squint when she says cheese. Thanks dad . . .

Little Moments

2011-12-31T17:04:00.000-08:00

Here are a few sweet little moments at the Syndergaard home.

Do you like my shoes? I picked them out and partially put them on all by myself!

Look at my tower. I built it!

If I need a coat to go outside, then "Kitty" needs one too!

Watching Curious George.

4 Beautiful Years

2011-12-26T09:20:00.001-08:00

Four beautiful and wonderful years married to my best friend!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T14:02:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cookies Part 2

2011-12-22T14:05:00.000-08:00

Samantha did an excellent job decorating her cookies. She had so much fun! I think her favorite part was shaking the sprinkles on her cookie and smashing the marshmallows between her fingers.

I gave Samantha a cookie to eat; she wasn't too happy when it broke in half and fell down her apron.

At this point she was done decorating.

Dad made a space series. He turned a bell into a space ship. Can you see the NASA symbol in the center. He turned a gingerbread man into an astronaut and the star was well a star. He was so proud. I have to say that was pretty clever.

I like Samantha's the best! I know Mickey Mouse and Dinosaurs are not traditional Christmas cookies, but I think they are necessary. And neither are the space cookies, but being necessary is debatable.

After decorating we watched A Charlie Brown's Christmas. I think I really like this new family tradition. Oh and yes Samantha made Dad bring down every single one of those blankets and animals. They needed to watch too.

Christmas Cookies Part 1

2011-12-22T11:55:00.000-08:00

We love starting our own Christmas traditions and carrying on a few favorites. Baking Christmas cookies is one that everyone loves including Samantha. Yesterday we baked sugar cookies. She fully enjoyed spreading the flour around and pressing the cookie cutters into the dough. We got to wear our new Christmas aprons. Grandy sent them too us just for this occasion. Thank you again Grandy for our cute matching mother and daughter aprons.

Just showing off her cute Christmas outfit and her adorable smile before making the cookies.

Thank you Grandy for our super cute aprons. We love the matching towel and hot pad too!

Yes that is a dinosaur that you see. Tyler's grandma always had dino sugar cookies for him when he was growing up, so we made some in honor of her. Ty says dino sugar cookies taste better.

She got mad because she ran out of room.

She was too busy to even look at the camera.

Samantha, her Baby, and the Animals

2011-12-18T20:21:00.000-08:00

Samantha loves her "babies" including one very special baby that Grandy gave her when she was born. Recently I showed her how to put her baby in the cradle (that was mine as a child) with the pillow and blanket.

At first, just her baby was in the bed.

But then she decided all of her "babies" needed to go into the bed . . .

Including the baby doll carrier.

When you thought the bed couldn't get any more crowded, it did;

She decided she need to be in the bed too!

But then she realized that she didn't know where the baby was and quickly threw all the animals out . . .

And found the baby.

Later that week while we were reading the scriptures we came across this verse:

Isaiah 11:6-7

6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

We had a good laugh because this verse totally reminded us of these pictures.

My Tree and the Front Door

2011-12-18T19:04:00.001-08:00

I think my tree is beautiful! I love the collection of ornaments I have gathered over the years. I am so grateful that my mom gave me one each year and we are continuing that tradition with Samantha.

This is Samantha's ornament from my Mom for 2011.

This is her ornament from me for 2011. I had no idea my mom was also going to get her a Cinderella ornament. She was Cinderella for Halloween, so I guess this was the year of Cinderella.

A few favorites from over the years.

My new ornament for this year

My other new ornament! S is for Syndergaard and Samantha.

We entered a door decorating contest in our complex. We won second place and $75 visa gift card. Of course I think we should have won first, but I am grateful we won something. The judges had originally planned on giving one 1st place prize of $100, but they said the doors were too good to pick one. So, I guess it was our lucky day.

Here is our winning door.

(Oh and the blurred rectangle was our apartment number.)

Samantha has her very own planner!

2011-12-16T16:22:00.000-08:00

Dad got a ipod touch that he now uses as his day planner. So, he gave his to Samantha and she is already planning the year.

And because this is MY blog and she is MY child, I am going to take this opportunity to brag about Samantha: I am so impressed with the way she holds her writing instruments. I have had nothing to with this. She did it all on her own. I can't decided if she is left or right handed because she switches back and forth a lot. Now for some coloring pictures.

2011-12-13T17:59:00.000-08:00

There are many things that Samantha loves; taking a bath, holding her blanket, and playing with her kitty. One night while I turned around to pick up her towel off the floor, she ended up with all of them at the same time. Her kitty and her blanket were taking a bath with her.

Well, she started out with just her kitty.

She started pointing at her blanket that was also on the floor. Since I already had to wash her kitty, I decided it wouldn't hurt to let her have her blanket too. I couldn't believe how she snuggled with them soaking wet.

And this is when she decided she was ready to go to bed.

Campbells soup cans are good for more than just soup. . .

2011-12-03T16:25:00.001-08:00

They are good for stacking!

Did you know that chili turns your face orange?

2011-12-03T16:21:00.001-08:00

Well it does.

And if you are wondering how she could get it all over her face and none on her shirt, it is because she already pulled the bib off. See. . .

Meeting Santa

2011-12-02T18:20:00.001-08:00

Samantha met Santa last year at Disneyland. Her pictures turned out so cute that Disney asked for permission to use her picture as the example for the picture package. Well, this year didn't end as well. It was at a ward Christmas party that we found out her true feelings for Santa, and I am so glad I discovered this before I stood in line at the mall. I felt really bad for Santa that night because all of the children in our ward are under the age of 3: everyone cried.

Classic isn't it! Her face says it all, not to mention the leaning forward and reaching for us. She was mad at Dad after that incident because he put her on Santa's lap.

I asked Samantha to sit in front of the tree so I could take a picture, but there was way to much going on for her to even think of sitting still for more than 2 seconds. Gracie and Ellie sat down instead and then Samantha decided to join.

This is the best I got that night. Nice profile shot.

Maybe she will like Santa next year.

Baby in Boots

2011-12-01T19:29:00.001-08:00

While getting ready for bed, Samantha found her snow boots. I like her new look.

Caramel and Chocolate Covered Marshmallows

2011-11-30T16:55:00.001-08:00

I dipped marshmallows in caramel and chocolate and gave one to Samantha for dessert. I think this post would more appropriately be called "Caramel and Chocolate Covered Marshmallows on Samantha's face". She liked it. Can you tell?

Babies in the Basket

2011-11-30T16:50:00.001-08:00

One day Samantha put all of her babies in the basket and jumped it.

Dinner

2011-11-17T16:16:00.001-08:00

Samantha has become little miss independent. She wants to do everything just like us and by herself. At dinner she refuses to eat off of her plate, but will eat off our plate. She also uses a napkin, dishes up her own food, sticks the food to her fork anyway she can, says peese (please) and tank you (thank you), and also eats the napkin at the end of the meal (notice the white stuff in her mouth in the last picture). By the way, we had enchiladas.

Leaves

2011-11-06T15:54:00.000-08:00

Columbus is beautiful in the fall. This tree in front of our place is gorgeous! Oh and lately Samantha won't stand still for anything or anyone. Hence you have the following pictures.

Purple Polka Dots

2011-11-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

Harvest Moon Macaroni

2011-11-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a new recipe that my family loves: Harvest Moon Macaroni. It is basically macaroni and cheese with butternut squash. Even Samantha loves it. Using frozen squash (found next to the boxed frozen spinach) makes this recipe really easy. You can easily substitute fat free half and half for the whole milk if you would like. Enjoy!

Harvest Moon Macaroni

Ingredients

1 pound macaroni such as cassarecci, strozzopretti or ziti with lines
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose four
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg, grated to taste
1 (10-ounce) box frozen butternut squash, defrosted
A few dashes hot sauce
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup extra-sharp yellow Cheddar
A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Directions

Bring water to a boil, season with salt and cook macaroni to al dente.

Preheat broiler and place rack in middle of the oven.
Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a sauce pot over medium heat, saute onions and garlic until soft, 6 to 7 minutes and stir in the thyme.
Scoot onions off to side of pan and melt butter, whisk flour into butter and combine whisk 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and cook until thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in butternut squash and a few dashes hot sauce. Reduce heat. When sauce comes to a bubble, stir in Parmigiano. Combine the sauce and macaroni, transfer to a casserole dish and top with shredded yellow Cheddar, chopped parsley and paprika. Brown the macaroni under broiler, 4 to 5 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Recipe from Rachel Ray at foodnetwork.com

Happy Halloween

2011-11-01T07:58:00.000-07:00

Little Moments

2011-11-01T07:40:00.000-07:00

Here some fun little moments!

I am so cute! Don't you just want to pinch my checks too!

On second thought. . . .

Samantha loves her baby.

The best place to sit is on Dad's face.

Look I can wear Dad's shoes! I put them on all by myself.

Halloween Party

2011-10-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from a recent ward Halloween Party. I was Captain Syndergaard from Star Trek Voyager, Samantha was Cinderella, and Ty was the annual pirate. I will post more pictures of just Samantha in her adorable dress after Halloween.

Trip to the Zoo with Grandma

2011-10-04T19:53:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Syndergaard had a conference this week in Columbus, so Grandma tagged along to visit us. We love having them here with us! What a special treat. While Grandpa was at meetings and Tyler was in class, we (Grandma, me and Samantha) went to the Columbus Zoo and had a little photo shoot with our darling princess.

She really loves the kangaroos!

Notice she is standing on her tip toes. So cute!

Strike a pose Samantha!

Bubble Bath

2011-09-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

Samantha and Dad blew bubbles in the bath. After a good wash, Samantha found that she could catch the bubbles with soap still on her hands. But then it all turned south when she tried to eat the bubbles. I am really surprised she didn't mind the taste of soap.

Samantha loves . . .

2011-09-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Curious what Samantha loves?

She loves . . .

Cucumbers

Grapes

BANANAS

Looking at pictures of the family

Raisin Bran

Eating apples and tomatoes whole

Playing farm, house and "birthday party" with her little people

Reading books

Eating like we do with a fork, spoon, plate, and cup at the table

Playing with her friends

Pointing and saying "see"

Saying "Ty" as she runs around the house looking for him when he is not home

Did I mention Bananas

Playing with her bath toys

Watching Barney, Blues Clues, Sesame Street and The Munsters with Mom

Saying Mama

Giving hugs and kisses

Waving and saying hi to everyone

Eating frozen peas

Her stuffed kitty and her blanket

Running around outside

Pushing her baby in her stroller

Saying "Where'd it go"

Building with Legos

Puzzles

String Cheese

Playing with her dog that sings

Mimicking everything thing that mom and dad does

Brushing her teeth

Playing with the flashlight

Trying to trade her belongings for cell phones

Pounding on the electric keyboard making music

Carrying around keys

"Talking"

Playing the guitar with Dad

Blowing Rasberries

2011-09-28T17:43:00.000-07:00

Who knew blowing raspberries would be so much fun. I know it is not the best table manners, but she sure got a kick out of it.

Tiny Tumbler

2011-09-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

The recreation department here in Columbus has some great classes for toddlers. I signed Samantha up for a tumbling class. She loves it and literally bounces off the walls and floor. I am sorry these pictures aren't the greatest; she wouldn't stand still long enough for anything. As always she was "GO, GO, GO"!

A Daughter After My Own Heart

2011-09-28T12:04:00.000-07:00

I love split pea soup. I always have, I always will. I loved it so much as a kid that I ordered it while on vacation in Hawaii. Well, Samantha had split pea soup for the first time last week and she loves it too.

P.S. She is getting really good at using a spoon.

The Pink Marshmallow

2011-09-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

Last Friday night we went to a ward barbecue. For the first time it was cold enough to break out the winter weather coats and we turned Samantha into a little pink marshallow. It is a good thing she was so padded because with all the running she did in the campground she ended up taking a few falls. But, not big deal. She got up and kept going. As Samantha says "GO, GO, GO"!

Samantha got in touch with nature and tasted a stick. Then she let dad taste the stick too!

Then Dad showed Samantha an airplane that was flying overhead. After that she walked around with her head back looking for more airplanes.

Frozen Peas

2011-08-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

Samantha has a new favorite snack: frozen peas. I think she loves how cold they are in her little mouth. I remember liking peas as a kid so maybe this is very common. Anyway, she was eating her peas out of her cup and was being so careful not to spill them. As she was sitting on her little window ledge she accidentally dumped them out. Upon realizing her mess, I was shocked at what I saw. She squat down and started picking up all the little peas and placing them back in her cup. I watched with amazement. She did not get mad, nor did she come ask for my help. She was even careful not to step on them by watching were she placed her feet. After picking most of them up she was so proud of herself. As she was walking to show me her accomplishment with a huge grin on her face, all of her peas came bouncing out again. Of course I helped her, but from then on she was very careful not to walk to fast with her cup of frozen peas.

Add caption

Columbus Zoo

2011-08-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

As part of orientation week, the college of medicine took us to the zoo. Columbus has a fantastic zoo and with our annual passes I am sure we will have many exciting experiences at the zoo. Samantha loves animals, but her only experiences so far with them have been cats, dogs and pictures in books. She loved looking at the live animals at a distance of course. We had a great day at the zoo.

This is a picture of Samantha and a giant bear. This was the first animal we looked at in the zoo and I don't think Samantha knew what to think.

The next animal we saw was a polar bear. This exhibit was amazing. I had never seen a live polar bear. I especially enjoyed watching them swim underwater.

Samantha's favorite animal at the moment is a pig. She alerted us to these statues by oinking as she walk by.

This was our favorite exhibit: the Kangaroos. It was an open exhibit; there were no cages or glass separating us from the animals. The little fences that lined the path were just perfect for Samantha. She enjoyed watching the Kangaroos and imitated them as they jumped around. She was so cute.

At the end of the day she enjoyed an ice cream sandwich. She ate the whole thing all by herself. Yum!

Till next time at the zoo. . .

White Coat Ceremony

2011-08-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

On August 8th Tyler was presented his white coat. We are very proud of him. He has worked so hard for this and after years of waiting his white coat now hangs in his closet as a symbol of his commitment to the field of medicine. Congratulations Tyler on this step in your medical career.

For the record - I did coordinate my choice of dress for the occasion.

This is Tyler's new friend, Benjamin. We are becoming good friends with him and his wife Amy.

4th of July Picnic Photos

2011-08-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

I never got around to posting these pictures. Maybe because I was moving. I thought they were too cute not to post.

We made it to Ohio!

2011-07-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

We have arrived in Columbus, Ohio. Well rather we arrived last Friday night, but I finally have the internet and the energy (sort of) to tell you about it. And for those of you who don't know, Tyler is attending The Ohio State University College of Medicine starting August 8th.

We are thrilled to be here and loved the adventure getting here. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful family members that would drive and fly across the country to help us move. Tyler's parents and 19 year old brother drove a 22ft truck and our Trooper with us from Ca to Ohio and I will forever be grateful. Later, 2 more of Tyler's brothers flew out and helped us move in. Our trip getting here will have to be another post. I just wanted to provide you all with a little update about how we are doing.

We moved into a great town home in a fantastic complex. We fit right in. There are several LDS families and most of them attended BYU. We have wonderful neighbors! After being here for only a few minutes a handful of men came out of their homes just from hearing the sound of our diesel truck to help us move in . This complex is full of kids Samantha's age. I was first greeted by the sound of several small knocking fists at my door. When I opened the door I found a small blue kiddie pool full of kids under the age of 3 surrounded by mommies. It seems like every other day there is a mother's play group literally on my door step. Samantha couldn't be happier. Her mommy is pretty happy too!

The past few days have been really hot. With the humidity it has been about 110 F. Talk about hot and sticky. The fireflies are so cool and the thunder and lightning at night is incredible.

Stay tuned for more about our adventure across the country! Give me a day or two. But for now here are a few pictures.

At the Brooks Water Walk Way in St. George Ut.

In her new room reading stories with her Daddy, the animals, and her new socks from Grandma Syndergaard. Yes, she brought all the animals. They wanted to hear the story too you know!

This is outside our front door! Samantha loves the muumuu she got for her birthday! It is perfect for this hot and sticky weather. Thanks Grandy!

Family Pictures Part 2

2011-07-02T14:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks again to my wonderful mommy who took these pictures of us. I find it amazing that out of 76 pictures with Samantha she was looking at the camera and smiling in exactly 2 pictures and about 4 pictures were decent. She was looking at the camera, but wasn't smiling.

This was the best shot of the day!

This was the last picture taken. I think Samantha's face says it all!

Hair Bows

2011-06-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

Samantha found the bow box and asked dad to put them in her hair. Each bow she took out of the box he put in her hair until there were no more bows in the box. She even "placed" some herself. Such a lovely look for her.

Happy Birthday Samantha!

2011-06-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Samantha's 1st birthday. We had a fun day of playing with toys, spending time with grandparents and great grandparents, and eating cake. Here are a few highlights of the day.

Playing with new toys from her mommy and daddy.

Birthday breakfast - Pancakes and Strawberries

At first she wasn't sure of her birthday cake, but as soon as she tasted the frosting, the hesitation was over. She loved swishing the cake and frosting between her fingers.

First lick of the strawberry frosting.

I think she likes it!

Do you want some too?

A Conversation with Samantha

2011-06-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

Grandma Schroath and Grandma Syndergaard, here is an extra video just for you!

She walks!

2011-06-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

Samantha has been learning to walk for some time now. She's getting pretty good at it (today's record was 12 steps before she got to where she was going). Here's some footage of her walking and blowing a kiss from a few days ago.

Happy Monday!

2011-06-06T21:48:00.000-07:00

Family Pictures at the Beach

2011-06-05T14:12:00.000-07:00

We decided that before we left California we needed some family pictures on the beach. Samantha loves the beach and of course she wanted nothing to do with the camera. My mom got some fun shots of our family walking down the beach. We will try for a close up another day. Enjoy!

Disneyland

2011-06-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we joined my best friend and her husband at Disneyland to celebrate her graduation from law school. We had a fantastic day!

Cedar Chest

2011-05-25T09:55:00.000-07:00

Amber has a cedar chest that she inherited from her great-grandmother. It is an Ed Roos Forest Park Line chest that was made sometime between the 1920s and the 1950s. It had been painted brown and gold, and this is what it looked like:
I thought it was ugly and smelled like moth balls. I couldn't understand why we were hanging on to it until one day when her brother carelessly dropped something on it and caused the paint to chip. After seeing the color underneath the ugly brown, we decided to refinish the chest. We stripped the paint with chemical stripper and scrapers, sanded it down, cleaned the trim, stained the chest, and applied a few coats of polyurethane. This was the end result:
A beautiful cedar chest with copper trim! It took us a couple of weekends, but the finished product looks much better than the original. Now we just have to get the mothball smell out of it. Any suggestions?

Tyler

Smart Samantha

2011-05-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

I am so amazed with what Samantha is capable of. Everyday she learns something new. So, I thought I would share with you a few of the things Samantha can do.

She loves to read books. It is almost as if she is "reading" each page in her own language. I love listening to her read.

Samantha can say dog, mama, dada Uncle Trevor, hi, hello, bath, what's this, and I love you. She also knows that a pig says oink, and a dog says woof.

She also can blow kisses and is working on walking. She can go from sitting to standing and took 1 step yesterday.

And she is already studying for the AP Physics exam!

Okay so she is not really studying for the AP Physics exam, but it still is a pretty cute picture. Samantha if you see this picture later in life, I am in no way implying that you need to take AP Physics. Just so you know.

Another Scrapbooker in the House

2011-05-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

So, Samantha sleeps in the office in her portable crib. This is not because she does not have a crib. She has a beautiful crib, but it only fits in our bedroom. When we are in the same room no one sleeps well. So that is why she sleeps in the office. She doesn't complain so I guess she is comfortable. Anyway, we put her down for her afternoon nap and when I checked on her this is what I found. Her bed is next to a table that has materials from previous scrapbook page projects: stickers, paper, pictures, ect. I just didn't realize that she was tall enough to pull the materials off the table and take a nap with it. She had actually pulled even more stuff in the portable crib with her. We took some of it out before we shot the picture. Oh and how many pacifiers can you count?

How Toy Story 3 Should Have Ended

2011-05-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

My friend posted a link to this video on Facebook a few weeks ago. I am a huge fan of Toy Story and I thought this video was hilarious. Hope you like it too.

Look at what Samantha can do!

2011-04-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

Often when we go get Samantha from her bed we find her trying to stand on her head. Today she decided to try to stand on her head in the family room. Silly girl!

And look at what Samantha can do. She can stand all by herself!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-25T19:45:00.000-07:00

Samantha had her first Easter egg hunt. She eventually figured out how to collect them in the basket and everything else around her. She wasn't too sure of the Easter bunny. I don't blame her.

Storytime with Samantha

2011-04-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

Listen to Samantha read a story about animals.

Beach Day

2011-04-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we took Samantha to the beach. The last time we went she was deathly afraid of the sand and the ocean. This time she couldn't get enough of everything. She loved crawling around in the sand, splashing in the pools of water, and smashing down Dad's sand castles.

Dessert

2011-04-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

Dinner is finished, so what is for dessert?

Why my feet of course!

So the next time you can't decide what to eat for dessert, try sucking on your toes. Samantha sure likes it.

Tongues

2011-04-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

We hope you enjoy this strange but oddly entertaining and even addicting video of Samantha and her daddy.

Tyler and Samantha

The Funny Way Samantha Sits

2011-04-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

Frequently I find Samantha sitting like the way she is in the picture below. Funny girl!

Happy Spring!

2011-04-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

Bath Time

2011-04-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

Samantha loves taking a bath!

Check out my 4 teeth!

Good Night!

Swimming!

2011-04-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

On Thursday we took Samantha swimming for the first time. At the beginning she was nervous about the 1 1/2 foot pool, but after about 30 seconds she thought the pool was the best. She loved to splash and ride on dad in the water.

Dada and Bawbaw

2011-03-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

Samantha can say dada really well and knows who dada is! And what does she call me, not mother, not mommy and of course not mama. I am bawbaw. We have tested her knowledge of my name several times and we are pretty sure I am bawbaw. While it is not mama, I love it anyway!

I just love this picture!

2011-03-30T17:32:00.001-07:00

This picture was taken when Samantha was 6 months and it continues to be one of my favorites!

Guess What . . . .

2011-03-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

Tyler was accepted to The Ohio State College of Medicine! This summer, in July, we will be packing up our things and moving to Columbus, Ohio. It will be a new adventure for us and we are excited. For those of you who don't know Tyler wants to be a Neurologist. Now we are just one step closer to Dr. and Mrs. Tyler Syndergaard!

Trip to the Park

2011-03-21T22:11:00.000-07:00

We took Samantha to the park to play last January. I know this was a while ago but I thought the pictures were too cute not to post. She loved the swings. Isn't she cute!

A few favorites from Christmas

2011-02-26T13:12:00.000-08:00

We have been having so much fun playing with our fun and lively Samantha that blogging has been low on the list of priorities, but to my sister's request here are a few favorites from Christmas.

We played Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in a Christmas Pagent on Christmas eve.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2010-12-19T16:44:00.001-08:00

First Visit with Santa

2010-11-26T22:49:00.000-08:00

Samantha would just like to remind all of you that Santa is watching so you better be good.

Guess What Everyone!

2010-11-23T11:49:00.000-08:00

Ty was accepted into Ohio State Medical School last night!!!!! We are so excited. We are still waiting to hear from a few schools, but we have until May to make our final decision. In the mean time I am trilled at the idea of going to Ohio. A new chapter in our life is about to begin and I can't wait. We are now one step closer to Dr. and Mrs. Tyler Syndergaard.

Tinkerbell Samantha

2010-11-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

We took Samantha to meet Tinkerbell in her Tinkerbell outfit! Tinkerbell was so cute with Samantha. She even sprinkled sparkly fairy dust on her. I will admit this is much more fun for me and Grandma than it is for Samantha.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

2010-11-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

My sister Lisa gave us this costume last year for Christmas before Samantha was born. We have been carrying this costume around for a long time and she finally got to wear it. YAY! Samantha makes the perfect BYU Basketball Cheerleader. Thanks Auntie Lisa!

Happy Samantha

2010-10-21T20:26:00.001-07:00

Great Grandma Marge just sent me more pictures of Samantha. I just love her expression in each photograph! Thanks GG Marge!

This one is for Lisa!

2010-10-19T11:30:00.001-07:00

So my sister Lisa tagged me last month and asked me to answer a few questions. I am sorry to those who have tagged me in the past and I never got around to answering the questions. Anyway, here goes nothin'.

1. What is your dream decoration scheme for your house?
I discovered my new favorite color while living in Provo: sage green. I absolutely love it and it looks divine when paired with cream and a little bit of light pink. If you have ever seen my green lamps you will know what I am talking about. I also love roses and anything antique or from the Victorian era.

2. What's the story behind your first child's name?
When I was young I had an American Doll named Samantha. I loved that name. In addition I really like the show Bewitched and the main character's name is Samantha. While I was pregnant I would watch that show when I was too uncomfortable to do anything else and I found that I still really enjoyed that name.

3. If money were no object (and all the important stuff were paid off), what would be the first thing you would buy just for you?
A new wardrobe. Just look at me. Enough said.

4. Favorite college memory!
The summer after I had graduated , 2002, I lived in DT at BYU. It was my first weekend away from home in my new dorm room. My roommate and I decided to watch a movie and order a pizza. Well, when that movie was over we decided to watch another movie even though it was really late just because we could. Plus there were no parents around to tell us to go to bed. When the movie was over we looked outside and noticed the sprinklers running in the field next to our building. So, we decided to run through the sprinklers in our pajamas at 1am just because we could. Too bad neither of us thought to bring our key card so we could get back into the building.

5. What TV character do you identify with the most these days?
Sandra from The Cosby Show. Tyler and I just finished watching all 8 seasons. I felt I could relate with a lot of the same things as Sandra when she had her twins.

6. If you were wide awake and able to do everything you could, what would you spend the day doing?
I think that depends what kind of mood I am in. Hmmm, when I am not taking care of Samantha I think I would cook, read a book, scrapbook for Samantha, sew for her nursery, make hair things for Samantha, play games when my family. I think my life revolves around Samantha at the moment.

7. What is your FAVORITE physical feature about yourself?
My legs, and my eyes.

8. What is the one thing a teacher taught you in high school that you will never forget?
Life is sometimes just not fair. I know that is depressing, but it is the truth. Here is a happier one. I really can do anything that I put my mind to and I am capable of great things.

So Lisa, there you have it. Samantha is calling me or I would write my own questions and tag other people so I guess you are all off the hook.

The Latest from Samantha

2010-10-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Samantha is almost 4 months old and I can hardly believe it. Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks. Alyssa, here is your baby Sam fix.

No more kisses dad.

I love my new toy!

Auntie Alyssa and her baby Sam

Reading the paper with dad

SHE LAUGHS!

2010-10-03T17:14:00.000-07:00

After waiting for 3 months we finally got a laugh out of baby Samantha!

Pictures from Great Grandma's Camera

2010-09-30T22:11:00.000-07:00

Grand Marge and Grandpa Fred came to visit us last week and Grand Marge took a few pictures of Samantha while she was here. Aren't they cute! I know that my blog has turned into a picture book of Samantha, but I really can't help it!

Minnie Samantha

2010-09-29T20:43:00.001-07:00

I hope you all don't get bored of seeing pictures of Samantha at Disneyland, but I think they are so cute! I am really happy with the way Samantha's Minnie ears turned out. Anyway, I hope you enjoy them.

Sunday ABC Picture Book

2010-09-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

So I was playing around on the computer this morning and I found a really cute blog with a lot of craft ideas. Well, on Oopsey Daisy she has a Sunday ABC picture book. There is a gospel centered word for each letter of the alphabet and a picture. For example, a is for the atonement, b is for baptism. She provides you with the pages for the book and all you have to do is print then and slide them into a 4X6 photo book. I think it is so cute and I am going to make one too. You should check it out! - Sunday ABC picture book

Five Generations

2010-09-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

Family is so important to me. I even feel a connection to my ancestors that have gone before me. My great grandmother, Shirley, has an amazing lineage and posterity. Including Samantha there are five generations and I am proud of the family line I come from.

Princess Samantha

2010-09-08T22:05:00.000-07:00

We took Samantha to Disneyland a few weeks ago so she could meet all the princess. Only 3 princess were featured on the princess walk at a time, so we had to go back 3 times to see them all. So what if her mommy still loves all the princess. Samantha didn't mind at all.

Grandy (Samantha's great grandmother) gave her this dress at my baby shower. Isn't that face great!

Samantha is all smiles - most of the time

2010-09-08T21:53:00.000-07:00

Samantha has been doing a lot of smiling. After her blessing she was a particularly smiley baby.

Happy Baby!

Baby Blesssing

2010-09-08T21:11:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we blessed Samantha. It was a beautiful blessing. Ty's parents, Cindy and Paul, flew down to see her. We are so grateful they were able to come. We had a fantastic time. Here are a few highlights.

We enjoyed dinner on the beach as a family and ate shish kabobs and s'mores. These were not your average s'mores. Try these sometime and your mouth will pleasantly thank you:

Elvis S'more
honey grahams + toasted marshmallow + banana slices + peanut butter

Cinnamon Toast S'more
cinnamon grahams + toasted marshmallow + butterscotch chips + white chocolate

Mint Chocolate Chip S'more
Chocolate grahams + toasted marshmallow + chocolate chips + peppermint patty

Caramel Apple S'more
cinnamon grahams + toasted marshmallow + apple slices + chocolate covered caramel
This was my favorite!

My mom, my brother and Samantha

Cute Samantha

Trenton the Sandman

Tyler

The family- Cindy is taking the picture

My Dad and the dinner

Our happy family after the blessing.

Samantha in her blessing dress

Here is a little history about the dress she wore. It was made in 1890 by my great great grandmother. Almost all of the girls in my family have been blessed in this dress including my great grandmother, my grandmother, my mother, me and now Samantha. This dress has been passed down through the oldest daughter of each generation and someday will be passed to Samantha.

Florida

2010-07-20T21:29:00.001-07:00

So I know a lot of you will think that I am absolutely crazy when I tell you this. Last week my parents took my little family to Walt Disney World and we had a wonderful time. My parents were so wonderful to let us decide if we wanted to go until after Samantha was born. Samantha did great! She slept on the airplane, enjoyed her stroller, and let us sleep in 3 hour intervals. We were tired at the end of the trip, but it was well worth it. Here are a few pictures my Grandmother took. More will be coming as soon as I get them.

More Samantha

2010-07-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

We love our baby girl. She is only 2 weeks old and has a very cute personality! Here are a few classic pictures of our princess.

Samantha is really good at wiggling out of her swaddled blanket.

She can get her thumb in her mouth, but isn't really sure what to do with the rest of her fingers.

If you put Samantha on her tummy she usually curls her legs up like this.

Great Grandma Schroath gave her this toy. Tyler was so excited to let her try it out. I think we need a few more weeks.

4th of July Fun!

2010-07-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

Samantha met her daddy's side of the family this weekend. I think she fits right in.

This is Samantha and her Great-Grandpa Schroath.

Great- Grandma Schroath

Great-Grandma Schroath and Grandma Syndergaard

Grandpa Syndergaard and Great-Grandpa Schroath

Cousin Kirk

Uncle Paul

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

2010-07-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

Cindy (Ty's mom) showed this video to me today and I was really touched by the message. Maybe it is because I am such a new mother. I hope you will like it too. Click on the link below to view.

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

Happy 1 Week!

2010-07-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

Samantha is 1 week old!

Samantha Syndergaard

2010-06-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

I know you all have been patiently waiting to see my little girl. Here she is! She arrived on June 24th at 11:57am Samantha was 8lbs 1oz and 21 inches long.

Congratulations Ty!

2010-04-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

On April 22nd and 23rd Ty officially graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of science degree in Neuroscience, Cum Laude. We are very proud of him! He finished his classes in December, but wanted to walk for his family. Ty's parents and his brother Ryan drove down from Pocatello, Idaho to support him. Check out some of our pictures from the event.

Cindy, Paul, Me, Ty, Ryan after commencement

It feels good to know we both have bachelor degrees!

Later that night we celebrated at the Pizza Factory, ate cake and ice cream and played one of our favorite card games - Bang!

Ty's parents got him a few crucial doctor tools including a stethoscope. I got him a bag to carry them in. I do think the card his parents got him was the best part. The front read "Congratulations, Graduate. Here's just a little something to help you get started on your own." And here is the inside. . .

I am glad we all have a sense of humor.

Graduation is exciting, but is very long. So while we waited for the convocation ceremony to begin we played our other favorite card game - Five Crowns. We even sneaked in a cutting board to play our game on.

Now on to more adventures in our life!

Princess Party

2010-04-04T19:34:00.000-07:00

My mother's wonderful friend threw me a princess themed baby shower last week. It was a last minute surprise and was wonderful! Here are a few pictures from the the shower. I think I like this picture of me pregnant much better than my last post. Sorry they are so small.

Seahorses

2010-04-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

So, I have been thinking. Being pregnant is a totally new experience and I am not complaining or anything, but did you know that the male seahorse carries the eggs until they are developed into seahorses. Some days I think it would be really nice to take a break.

Meet Pregnant Amber

2010-03-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

So, for all you who don't see me often I thought you might like to see what I look pregnant.

This really isn't the best picture but I guess I will let you see me anyway. Here I am 6 months pregnant.

Guess what everyone!

2010-02-28T16:59:00.000-08:00

My baby is as big as a papaya and her face is fully formed! Yay!

Names

2010-02-18T14:24:00.000-08:00

I told my students that I am having a girl today and asked them for name suggestions. Remember they are in Kindergarten. This is what they said. . .

So I had the normal names:

Krystal, Ariel, Rosalena, Lilly, Bella, Rosie, Elizabeth, Abby, Lilly, Kenzie, Gracie

and then I got the these names and they were being genuine about their suggestions . . .

Diamond - The funny thing about this name is that I had 1 students from each class suggest this name - odd!
Flower
Buttercup
Nickel - We are learning about money at the moment and I guess he thought it would make a good name.
Bow
Twinkles
Curlers
Clover
Cinderella
Dollar - Another money name
My Darling

and my favorite Dots.

There you have it. I will let you know what I decide.

Baby Syndergaard

2010-02-17T16:33:00.000-08:00

Here she is everyone! Yes, we are expecting and I am due sometime at the end of June or the beginning of July. Maybe she will be born on my birthday. That might be exciting.

I had 16 week and 20 week ultrasound. Funny how we got better pictures at 16 weeks. She would not take her hand off her face. I know they say that she can't detect the ultrasound, but now I am starting to wonder. Enjoy. . .

16 Weeks

20 Week

So I think she has my nose. . .

I think she is beautiful!

Recipe Treasures

2009-06-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

Since I now have someone to cook for, I have become obsessed with finding new recipes. I think cooking must be in my blood; I am so grateful to my mom, my grandmother, and my great grandmother for instilling it within me. While I am at it I should also thank my great great grandmother because I hear she was an amazing cook too. Maybe she is still cooking in heaven.
Everything about the process is a real treat for me. I love to search the Internet, go grocery shopping and cooking the food. Currently, I am savoring the time I have to lollygag around the market looking for something I have never seen before and then try to find someway to cook with it ( with children, I know that won't happen). Here are a couple of my current favorites. I hope you will try them out.

Chicken Cobb Burger

First of all this is an amazing beef less burger. Chicken, avocado, tomato, bacon, blue cheese, and lettuce tossed in a light vinaigrette , what is not to love. Forget the mayo, mustard, and ketchup. I highly recommend this burger. You can find the recipe here: Chicken Cobb Burger.

Side note about the ground chicken:
I actually made my own ground chicken and no I don't have a meat grinder. I just cut my chicken breasts up into about 1 inch chunks, put about a cup into my food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times. You don't want to over process the meat. I found that my meat needed some help sticking together so I added the typical bread crumbs and some egg. I think grinding your own meat in the food processor tastes a lot better and you can control the texture.

I received the Lion House Desserts cookbook as a bridal shower present and it has become my "go to" recipe book for desserts. Everything I have made out of that book is so decedent! Here is my latest find:

Sour Cream Cookies

This is a cake like cookie that reminds me of my mother's cranberry cookies with an orange glaze. Those are amazing too! It makes a lot of cookies so it would be a nice Christmas time cookie.

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour cream ( I used light sour cream to cut back on some of the fat and it tasted great)
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup pineapple, well drained with liquid reserved ( I would use crushed pineapple)

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, blend butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Fold in sour cream; mix on low speed. Add flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until all ingredients are combined. Drain pineapple and reserve liquid for the frosting. Stir in pineapple until just mixed. Drop cookies by rounded tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes ( I found that it worked best to roll them into a ball. The cookies looked prettier this way. Oh, and don't make them too big). Frost with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting.

Makes 5 dozen 2 1/2 - inch cookies. - (I actually like them smaller)

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup margarine
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 3 tablespoons pineapple juice

Whip cream cheese and margarine in a large mixing bowl; add powdered sugar and vanilla. Add pineapple juice and mix until smooth. Add more pineapple juice if needed to reach desired spreading consistency.

The recipe says that you could also make a lemon cookie. Just substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon extract and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest for the pineapple. In the frosting you would substitute the pineapple juice with 1 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Happy cooking and baking everyone!

Mountain Biking for Real!

2009-05-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

I think I have found my new favorite hobby! I love mountain biking and it is nice to have something I can share with Ty because he loves it too. We have gone biking almost everyday since I got my bike.

So here I am mountain biking. We are actually riding through the meadow where Ty proposed to me. Sorry the picture is grainy. Enjoy.

And this is me coming through the woods.

And this is Tyler going through the mud. He loved it so much that he wanted me to video tape it. But, he says he has biked through "cooler and deeper" mud. Funny boy.

There you have it. Mountain biking Amber (and Tyler).

I GOT A NEW BIKE!

2009-04-24T18:28:00.001-07:00

I have had a few bikes in my life. The first bike ( if you can call it a bike) being the coolest Big Wheel back when I was 6. I rode that bike until the plastic wheels split.

Then there was the purple and white unicorn bike with the banana boat seat when I was about 8 years old.

When I was 12 I asked for a bike for my birthday. I got a turquoise and yellow Diamond Back Bike. I rode that bike until I was 22. Well, it spent more time on the bike rack than with me on it.

Finally, I met Tyler. While we were dating he took me for a bike ride. I wanted a picture of me mountain biking, so Tyler got out the camera and waited for me to zoom by. Well, I have been trained to look at the camera and ended up hitting a rock and going over the handle bars. And, TA-DA I landed on my feet. I still can't believe he caught this on film. Tyler claims (in a joking way) that this is when he knew he could marry me. Here is the picture to prove it.

Now that you are up to date with my bike history, look at my new bike! No I did not pick it just because it is pink. The Gary Fisher Advance was actually the best bike for me and it just happened to be pink. And of course it rained today. That is why my bike is still sitting in my living room. Maybe I will be able to go for a ride tomorrow. Oh, and I even got matching pink bike gloves!

ROAAARRRR!

2009-04-20T16:40:00.000-07:00

You would never have guessed this, but I think Dinosaurs are really cool! So, over the spring break we went to the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving point. This museum is the world's largest exhibit of Ancient Life and it is awesome. I would recommend it to anyone. It is a great place for kids and adults with lots of hands-on exhibits. While you are there you should check out the I-MAX theater and see a movie in 3-D.

Do You Fondue?

2009-04-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

For Easter dinner we decided to break the mold. We enjoyed fondue with some friends of ours. Maybe this will become a family tradition in our house, but I did miss the ham. The fondue was amazing! Here are my recipes for anyone interested.

First, I turned to my trusted friend in the kitchen: The Joy of Cooking. No one should be without that book. It has everything and teaches you the science and the history behind the recipes. While preparing for this dish I learned that the word fondre, is the French word for "melt" and the word fondue has several meanings. Fondue basically refers to "food cooked in a central pot at the table". According to an old Swiss custom if your food falls off your fork you get to kiss the person to your left (or wherever your sweetheart may be). And of course we adopted that custom in our house. I still think Tyler made his food fall off on purpose.

Broth Fondue
4 to 6 servings

Bring to a simmer:
4 cups of beef or chicken stock (Homemade is the best!)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup wine, or rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
(1/4 cup chopped green onions or chives)

Cut any kind of meat and vegetables that you want into small chunks and bring to the table.

I made several dipping sauces that were fabulous with the meat and vegetables.

Creamy Horseradish Dressing
2/3 cup

Whisk together in a small bowl:
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

Gradually whisk in until well blended:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oin

Stir in:
1/4 heavy cream (to cut back on the fat, I used light sour cream and it still tasted great)
2 tablespoons drained prepared horseradish
salt and pepper to taste

Chipotle Mayonnaise
Generous 1 cup

Combine:
1 cup mayonnaise (I made my own. It is so easy and tasted amazing)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle peppers
1 tablespoon adobe sauce from the peppers, or to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Curry Mayonnaise
Generous 1 cup

Stir together in a small skillet over low heat for 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant:
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Let cool then whisk into:
1 cup mayonnaise

Add:
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt

And of course we could not forget about dessert. Who needs Easter chocolate when you can dip strawberries and marshmallows in dark chocolate.

During the evening there were several jokes about drinking the chocolate through a straw. So, we did just that.

Fondue has to be the perfect meal for enjoying good company and conversation. After all we were around the table for almost 2 hours. Happy Easter Everyone!

Whatever Happened to Spring?

2009-04-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

Last week I was teaching my students about spring and all the signs that come with it. Fortunately, it was raining which made for a perfect example of spring. Clearly Utah does not understand what spring is and what it looks like because the rain soon turned to snow and my students were totally confused.

So I have created a new season for Utah: Winting (half winter and half spring). And here is an example of what this season looks like. Sunday and Monday were beautiful traditional spring weather, Tuesday slushies came down from the sky, and this is what we saw from our balcony this morning: