Lost Canyon mania

One of the biggest highlights of every year for me is the month that we get to serve at a YoungLife camp- I seriously love it. I really feel like camp is the way that life was intended- living in community, everyone with a piece of the puzzle that all works together for one purpose- allowing kids to experience the Lord and life to the full. This summer we kinda got jipped because our Assignment was only three weeks- but it proved to be action-packed enough to make it feel like four.That's the insane dining hall and the lake. No surprises for me in there this year... thank God.
This was the standard sunset. It was so sweet- random rainstorms would pop up out of nowhere and then be done in like ten minutes.



We were in charge of the Work Crew, 41 high schoolers that came to work for free to give campers the best week of their lives. These kids were awesome. Many of them were dealing with some pretty intense stuff in life and it was a total priviledge to see them transformed as they experienced God in and through them. And by "we" I mean Mark- he worked his tail off and I mostly just took Hazel to the pool and coached her in her grunting... at least for the first week until I had a melt down and needed a little bit more in my life. I ended up having the opportunity to wade through some heavy issues with few high school girls and got to see the Lord at work up-close and personal. I love that.



This is just hanging one morning (since Sweet Haze got up at 6:30am every day). You know Lil Rounds gives one of the best titty-twisters in town.


Our first week was over 200 kids with disabilities- talk about melting your heart. These kids live on a different planet than us- they're so joyful and free and don't give a rip about status/style/money/image/all-that-junk. Total reality check. This is Mark with the two governators- they called themselves Arnold and Arnold Jr. and talked in accents like the Kindergarten Cop.



Hazy was in full effect on the floor. Sweet stuff is worming her way through life these days. I keep telling her to drop the knees, but she's not one to take unsolicited advice.




Lil' cowgirl had to sport the Tupac bandana so she didn't get confused for a cowboy.


This is Hazel's camp bestie- Olivia Amaro. She's 11 months old and man, has she got some tricks. My favorite is when her mom takes something away from her, she always says, "Nana"- calling for her grandma. Together they pretty much just practiced not sharing and grabbing each other's facial features.
Christmas in July.How many costumes can one mom put her kid in in just three weeks?
Oh you know Roxanne (the Raffle Princess) had to make an appearance or two. At one point I tried to raffle off that darn holey CSI cut-off shirt of Mark's but the stinkin' kid gave it back. Boo.



Thrash Hippies.



The last night a bunch of the A-Team put on a show to mock and roast all of the funny things that had happened. So of course that hairy beast strapped to Mark in the Baby Bjorn is our friend Jamie, playing Hazel Thrash- who had a starring role in the show with her random and uncontrollable grunts/shouts and floppy headbands. I have to say, he was pretty accurate.



Dare I even attempt to explain?... My husband, the American Woman. So proud of those legs.


And this, my dear friends and family, is not necessarily something to be proud of... but definitely a moment in life that will not soon be forgotten. Complete with black socks.

April showers bring.... more wrinkles

April was a killer month- I hit the big 3-0, we spent a week in Mammoth, & finally made it out to Stagecoach with our good buds Brian & Lyndsey. We've been talking about it for two years so it felt good to make it happen.



What a Husby! For my big bday we went out to breakfast at the creperie by the pier... Grandma picked up the little one and kept her for the night, while Mark spoiled me at the mall, took me out to lunch, then to Blue Lantern Inn for massages & jacuzzi tub in our oceanview room... next to Bungalow for probably the best fish I've ever had... then a great night's SLEEP- a total Thrash fave.
Hazy got dropped off at our hotel in the morning and there were only more surprises around the bend. That night I thought we were going to dinner at my friend Jess' house in Newport. Mark had set up about ten of my girlfriends with appetizers, drinks and dinner to cruise Newport Harbor in a duffy boat the the evening. SOOOOOOOO unbelievable.

La Leche League just posted a statement that toes are supposed to be the most nutritious thing next to breastmilk. Ya, my kid is super-organic.



If you know Mark well, you know that he has three kryptonites: sun, overhead lighting at night, and ankle injuries. Oooh, he's had it bad with number 3. This was a few days in- he's currently still battling it and it has been 10 weeks now. Not too fun.


Buddy Hergesell came over for a visit right before we left for Mammoth. Hazel could take him.



There's nothing quite like a bath in the kitchen sink... in sepia.

So we decided to break out the ol' solids while we were in Mammoth just to spice things up. Hazel was almost six months and definitely had an opinion on the deal.




Country music for two straight days in the desert- does it get any better than that? 2nd best part of the whole deal- Mark finally got rid of that nasty mustache when it was over. Get yo praise hand up for that.



Sweet Haze was a total champ- slept right through Martina & Brad but at least she got to hear Hootie try to make his comeback.

Easter with her Pop. The only hats that stand a chance these days are the ones with a chin-strap.


Balla Status. Papa Jim must be so proud.


And Uncle Corey has been working with the little lady on her posture. No hunchbacks in this house.

Sit-up and Roll

So we have been working on a few new skills for this little chunky monkey... she has not quite mastered the whole sitting up thing, but the girl has got the roll down... to the left. Right is next week. (Click on pics to play videos)

5 Months is Pretty Darn Fun

Apple Bottom Jeans... Boots with the Furs. Girl's got the whole outfit and the cute little booty to go with it. And yes, she's still working on the rest of her hair. But the back-bottom is definitely winning.



Curtis the Caterpillar has become quite the challenger at Hazel's wrestling extravangzas. He's also trying to compete with her for the chubby cheek title.


This fur coat is too much! I felt like I was snuggling up to a little brown bear. She was like a breathing, grunting, squirming stuffed teddy bear.



We went on a YoungLife leader retreat to Oakbridge in early March down in San Diego. Jr. Leaders Tayren and Krosby got the babe all decked out for the 'Outta this World' space dance party. She rocked the night away- what a sport!



Nate, LeeAnne and Azania (like lasagna without the 'L') Allman made a trip from AZ earlier in the month for some Thrash-Allman time. They're our good friends that we met working at Woodleaf a couple summers ago. Little Mousey was born 12 days after Hazel so it is so much fun to swap stories and now to see the girls meet each other. Hazel went straight for the face.Priceless smiles.
After a strict rotation through Uncle Nate's Morning Gymboree, the ladies landed together under the Einstein star. Luckily this was before Hazel knew how to roll or sweet Aza woulda been hurtin'.



Oh spring brings out so many awesome opportunities to show off the rolls.




First rose from a boy... Dad. Let's keep it that way.
"Hmmmm.... I wonder what this tastes like...."
You know that old movie, "Look Who's Talking?" where the guy does the voice for the baby the whole time? That's one of my favorite things to do- try to do voiceover for whatever's going on in Hazel's little brain. I probably say, "Hmmm... I wonder what this tastes like" like 50 times a day because the kid puts EVERYTHING in her mouth. I need a new line.




Hangin' with the Goodfellar girls... two of her favs. Riley is 7 and she draws out Hazel's hyper-hypo side, while Tyler (4 months) and Haze just like to chill.



Poor fair-skinned young Thrash doesn't stand chance against the sun.

4 Months and Getting Chubbier by the Minute

Ya know, what kind of life would it be if our 4 month old didn't have her own robe? I mean really, is a kid expected to go straight from towel to PJ's? That would just be a tragedy. This lil ducky robe has been hanging in our bathroom for months in anticipation of Hazel's arrival... a total infant staple.




This DVD is insane... it sucks her in every time. PraiseBaby. Note the other 10 activities that we have already tried in the background.



Miss Attitude. Girl's got a personality already.




I have bruises on my thighs because Hazel just can't get enough of standing up on my lap. She refuses to sit these days. Her little legs are so strong (not yet as strong as her will, but close). I couldn't wait to get her one of those massive jungle gym toys that they stand in and you clip toys all around it. So when she hit the 4 month mark this week, guess what showed up... woohoo! This is our new Thrash family favorite. The idea was that it would buy us a lot more free time because she could entertain herself, but instead we find ourselves just hanging out watching her play in it because it's so darn cute. Oh that frog.



Wednesday mornings we take off from YoungLife work and YoungLife discussion (nearly impossible, but it's a healthy aim) and just hang out as a family. Last Wednesday was family work day and there was no way we were gonna let the kid off the hook... girl has got to learn some responsibility! So here she is, harnessed on her daddy and getting after that carwash.



Haze and me enjoying some backyard time. Yes, it's true, my nose is crooked.

The Girl is Yappin'

Big Week in the Thrash household. Haze found her hands and her voice! It has been pretty hilarious to hear what she has to say.


Oh the bow... I can't get enough of it... huge fan. Mark dressed her in this outfit and I must say, that dad's got quite the style. Lil' hippie flare right there.
Hazel recently made friends with bulldog Phyllis. The real Phyllis is still about 5 years out in the Thrash family plan.

The wrinkly buns, leg rolls, and the mini-mullet... so much to be proud of.

And here she is- such a big girl, sitting up for the first time in her new Bumbo that Grandma got her today. She loved it... for about 4 minutes.


Always an adventure around here. Mark and I find ourselves cracking up with each new development. We can watch her for hours. We're loving these awesome moments with our lil' babe.