The Four F's: Family, Football, Food, and Finals

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend was different for us this year than previous years. The actual holiday was spent with my sister, Lynnette, and her family up in Anthem (about 45 mins away from Tempe). Trine & I made the stuffing, the garlic potatoes, and the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (no one is a big fan of pumpkin pie). Lynnette provided the turkey and all the other fixings. Oh, and she made a killer homemade apple pie!

Following the meal, everyone watched the Cowboy's game (the second sporting event I have watched since we moved to AZ). We did not actually play football though. I missed the turkey bowl that my family usually has during Thanksgiving because it is the only time during the year that everyone plays a recreational activity regardless of age or athletic ability.

Asher loves going to Lynnette's house because he is able to play with her kids, their toys, an occasional piano key, their dog Sophie, and the newly discovered trampoline. The entire day he was either sneaking out the doggy door and up the ladder to the trampoline, playing with a kitchen set, or playing with the girl's doll house. Seriously, he spent many hours playing with the doll house and accessories it was so funny.

Thanksgiving evening was spent taking family pictures at the park. Lynnette was kind enough to use her photography skills to take some pictures for us. We got pictures that we will be using for Christmas cards, so you will have to wait to see those. But here is a few other pictures:

The remainder of our Thanksgiving holiday was spent at home with me working on school work...there is no rest for graduate school. I am happy, and relieved, to report that at the time of this post I have officially complete the first semester. That means I am 25% of the way done with my training! It also means I am can relax for 6 weeks before school starts again.

Milestone

I've finally blogged one hundred posts. Actually I know it's more than that, but I've had a few deleted posts every now and again. Aaron said that in honor of this milestone I should write about something spectacular. So I thought I'd write about my awesome hair today.

Hair is a huge deal for me. Growing up, I remember my dad doing my hair in braids with beads at the end. Anything I wanted done my dad could make a reality. My hair was long and thick. Then when I was around eight I got it into my head that my hair wasn't "good,"so I begged my dad to relax it. For those of you who don't know lots of African-American women chemically relax their hair. Against his better judgement my hair was relaxed and then if fell out. I had to cut it all off into a very short little afro and I remember feeling like the ugliest duckling.

It wasn't until two years ago that I finally stopped relaxing my hair decided to go natural. Aaron has been super supportive and my sisters have actually ditched their relaxers too. They have the cutest afros! What I have discovered with my natural hair is versatility, I'm not afraid of how it looks coming out of my head. I no longer think of my hair as something to be tamed or managed. In fact, this week is the first time since I was eight that I actually wore an afro. The first day I was really nervous but as the week wore on the freedom of not worrying about my hair every morning was amazing!

Here's a picture of my rockin' afro! Thanks to Aaron for his twisting assistance.

Pvt. Nelson

I've just been called to my first tour of duty in primary! For the foreseeable future I will be working in the nursery. Asher is allowed to come with me, which is nice since he'd just be in the hall anyway. Honestly, I found myself a little overwhelmed today with 12 kids. There are two other women in the nursery too, but it's still more kids than I've been responsible for at one time. Just uncharted territory. For example, I'm not sure how to navigate potty training. Do I just take the child by myself or should I get their parents? I think I'd want to do that myself with Asher, but different strokes and all of that. People get touchy about their kids and I don't want any parents upset with me. (Nicole, none of the above scenarios are about R.) Today's lesson I learned in nursery is that apples don't have skins on them at church. So funny!

Happiness is a Cheeseburger

It's been a rough week. We received some not so good news about my father. He has prostate cancer. He is very lucky that it was caught early and has already scheduled several appointments with specialists to discuss his treatment options. I know that everything will be alright. I'm going to be flying home with baby in a few weeks for a quick visit.

Asher has had strep throat which has left Aaron and I juggling schedules to stay home with him. Life is just a huge balancing act and I'm left questioning my decision to work on a regular basis. However, I don't really want to get into that with this post. I want to talk about a few things that have happened this week that let me know that I am not alone and that God is aware of me.

I have a co-worker who is prone to saying really inappropriate things to me. Really inappropriate. I take her comments in stride because I can tell she's just trying to be friendly. Well about an hour after I got off the phone with my mom saying my dad has cancer this woman plops a cheeseburger on my desk. I'm not really sure why she thought of getting me food, but I have been dying for a cheeseburger for weeks! It was delicious, a slice of heaven.

On Wednesday, I was feeling really overwhelmed with life when another woman from work stopped me in the halls and invited me to join her book club. You know how there are people you can just tell you are going to click with and if only you could spend more time with them you'd be friends? That's my situation with her. Needless to say I went to the meeting that night and had the most enjoyable time with the group. It was nice to spend an evening with great conversation and peach cobbler.

Yesterday Aaron and I got invited to go out with another couple! We usually do the inviting so this was a nice switch-a-roo. So I'll be going to church tomorrow on a mission to find a baby-sitter for the Ashman.

So, that's my good news for the week. What about you?

Workin' in a Coal Mine

Well I've survived my first week of work. I'm employed as a student service coordinator for an online college. This first week was just training but I can tell this will be a pretty fast-paced job. I haven't worked 40 hours a week since Ash was born so that is definitely an adjustment. There are still reservations about working full-time, but right now it seems like the thing to do to keep us afloat. I've given myself six months to work and then I'll re-evaluate.

Working for a "for-profit" school is also interesting. WIA was certainly not without goals or expectations, but they weren't really tied to a fiscal outcome. Education is important and I'm glad to help people find ways to accomplish their goals, but I don't want to manipulate people. My position is good because my main job is to help students get used to the computer programing and making sure they have all the things they need to start class. You can't really manipulate people doing that. If they've already paid for school I want to make sure they can at least be successful.

Asher seems to be enjoying his new sitter. He had a little trouble napping the first day but after that he's been great. Spanish is her first language and the other children seem to pick it up pretty quickly. Ash is such a funny boy. His teeth have decided to come in three at a time and his poor mouth is so swollen. I feel bad just giving him motrin and ice to suck on, but there isn't much else to be done for him.

Aaron is busy with school and his internship. He enjoys both and is looking forward to taking some Spanish classes during the summer. We are really liking Tempe and are slowly trying to make new friends. Trying to make couple friends is like dating all over again.

Fun with Photo Booth

Ash and Aaron had a good time with the computer today. I haven't posted a lot of pictures of the Ashman lately so prepared to be overwhelmed by my tiny destroyer!

I think he looks a little like the hunchback in this picture

Seriously Ash and I have a ton of fun together most days, we read books and dance to Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, and Britney Spears. He has this new dance where he looks like a communist solider marching with his legs flying all over the place. In other exciting Asher news I've won the battle of the bottle as of Thursday! We are now drinking milk from a sippy cup.

Adventures in Babysitting

Well, I think my job search may be coming to a close. Now to try and find a good situation for the Ash-man. We've been really fortunate for the past 14 months not to really have Ash outside of our home. Even when our shifts over-lapped we had Krys come and help. It makes me sad to think about him being somewhere else for so long, but I'm not sure we have any other options at the moment.

Child care is a HUGE chunk of change! Not that I'm really bothered paying for something that will be beneficial for him, it's still a little shocking to see the sticker amount. I'm still interviewing providers so keep your fingers crossed that we find a situation that will work for everyone.

Marvelous Masala

So, I've been craving Indian food like it's nobodies business. Well I found this recipe for Chicken Masala and it was heaven! Indian food has always made me nervous because of all the spices but this was not difficult at all. Since Aaron is a veggie I made the sauce separately and then added Chicken and Vegetables in before serving. I'm going to try a few more dishes from this site, but so far I'm impressed. Mine didn't look as picturesque as the picture but it was still delicious.

Memory Lane

We went and saw the Mesa temple last Sunday after church. I lived in Gilbert, AZ until I turned 13 years old and wanted to see how things had changed. The good news is the temple looks the same (from the outside). The bad news is the area around the temple has gone downhill. It use to be a really nice area but now it is pretty run down. There is now a bright pink house facing the temple. We also checked out my old neighborhood. It was like a drive down memory lane, but everything changed. I guess cities evolve over 14 years. Anyway, here are some pics of the temple grounds. Enjoy.

The fountains look cool up close.

Here's a little trivia...the Mesa Temple was the first temple to have sessions in a different language other than English.

Love the cactus garden.

Can you spot Trine & Asher? They are behind the pillar on the right, you can see Trine's arms pushing the stroller.

I really wanted that sun flare in the picture.

Honest Scrap Award

Kristen has bestowed upon me the "Honest Scrap" award. Here are the rules she sent along, should I choose to accept such an award:

1) Thank the person who gave you the award and list his/her blog (with a link).
2) Pass on the award to seven other people whose blogs you find brilliant in content or design.
3) Notify the bloggers you choose for the award and hopefully they’ll join in.
4) List 10 honest things about yourself and post a copy of the Honest Scrap Logo on your blog.

Thanks Kristen, I miss yelling at you through the wall. For those of you who don't already read her blog, I encourage you to she's pretty great and has a cute new baby! Seven others I pass the award on to: Nollie, Shannon, Rhiannon, Mandy, Wendy, Lynnette and Sandy. My notification is this post. Hopefully you will someday read this blog and know you have been chosen :)

Here are the ten things you probably don't know about me.

1) When I was eight I used to pretend to host a morning talk show with my sister before we left for school. We called it Blab...it had a theme song and everything.

2) I really love cooking blogs. Now that I'm unemployed I've stumbled on some pretty good ones that I'm going to start sampling.

3) My new neighbor is a witch. Literally, she's believes she, " Walks the path of the ancient ones."

4) Aaron and I will randomly burst out singing songs from the Chipmunk Adventure. Diamond Dolllllss!

5) I love eating brownie batter and cookie dough...One day I'm sure I'll regret it, but it's so good.

6) Last week I listened to two drunk men talk about going out and killing someone because they were bored at the library...Good times.

7) I would be happy to have Indian food every night of the week. I miss the Bombay House.

8) Sometimes, if the speaker in church gets too outrageous, I'll do something to Ash so he'll have to leave the meeting.

9) The only video game I've ever won is Buzz and Order Up.

10) I'm afraid of mold.

Recent Developments

Since we arrived in AZ, Trine and I decided that we really didn't have the money (or really the need) for cable. So, without TV everyone has actually been pretty productive. Trine has applied for multiple jobs a day (despite being rejected by Target) and read three books in three days. I have been able to finish all of the assignments (four) needed for my online class giving me an extra two weeks to study for the final I need to pass in order to attend Grad School (wish me luck). Asher probably has made the most advances out of all of us.

In the past week (yes we have been in 100 degree+ weather for that long), Asher has become a stacker, increased his climbing and gymnastic skills, and even made it through 2 out of 3 meetings at church yesterday. Asher has lost interest in the entertainment center because we unplugged the chords. Asher has finally figured out how to use his stacker rings, ball, truck, and is trying to figure out his newly acquired shape sorter thing-a-magigger. Asher seems to be pretty happy being able to run freely around the apartment (the blessing of having no stairs). Asher also has been trying climb up over the arms of the couches in order to get to the light switch. I say try because he fell off the couch and landed flat on his back...he was pretty sad about that. But became happy when I offered him a blueberry and his blanket as comfort.

Adventures in Arizona

As I said in the previous post, we've arrived safe and sound. Getting here was a little bit tricky. Our car, affectionately called the ghetto sled, was hit while parked at Mimi's Cafe. Of course the perp didn't leave a note or anything descent so we filled a police report, got a new tire, and hammered out most of the damage. I refuse to actually put any work into cosmetics for this car. I have pictures of this on my phone but can't figure out how to get it linked to my computer.

All that drama was taking place while we were loading our truck. That went really smoothly thanks to the help of our families. Everyone was great about the heat and the lack of sleeping in they were missing. Our truck was HUGE. I ordered the largest one because the guy on the phone told me that's what would be best. Turns out we could have ordered a smaller truck but gotten the larger one anyway due to a supply shortage. The most difficult part was trying to get the sled up on the car trailer. I think that took Aaron, his mom, and my dad two hours to do. (Aaron says it's because the instructions were worded poorly.)

We had a great dinner with the Wilson's that night and then stayed in Spanish Fork that night before leaving. Our drive was totally uneventful. The car trailer, however, blew a tire and stranded Aaron's parents in the middle of the Navajo Nation for several hours. Eventually they made it and we were able to unpack on Friday morning. Again, everyone was so helpful! Aaron's sister and mom watched the babies while we got everything situated at the apartment.

Now that we are here I think we are starting to fall into a routine. Aaron is doing homework and I'm job searching. ( Target totally rejected me today...bummer) Asher has finally calmed down a bit and started sleeping better. After being farmed out for over a week he's getting used to his new digs.

We've Arrived!

We made it safely to Tempe! Thanks for everyone that helped us get settled. I'll updated this with the awesome adventure later this week.

Guess Who's One!

It is official, today marks the celebration of Asher's venture down the birth canal. Happy birthday Little Man! As a tribute to his birth, I am going to state the top ten things funny things (in no particular order) he has done during his first twelve months of breathing air.

1. Asher lounges everywhere. He will stop what he is doing, lay back against something and place his hand on his stomach for a minute or two. If he is in his car seat he props one leg up on the side and just chills.
2. Asher gets really serious looking, will walk over to you, babble for a few seconds (like he is lecturing you), then goes off he goes to do his own thing again.
3. It seems like his favorite thing to try to suck on are sandals.
4. He dances everyday to the Ellen's theme song. He also will watch her entire show almost in quiet.
5. Lately, he stops walking to bend over and put his head on the ground to look through his legs. I think he likes the upside down perspective.
6. He loves his new car seat. He now gets extremely upset if anyone even leans on it when he is in it.
7. One of his favorite movies is "Dan in Real Life". He will sit through this long movie better than much shorter movies like "Fraggle Rock" or "The Chipmunk Adventure".
8. He always gets cheered up when you put one of his blankets over your head and say "Where is dad? Where did I go?"
9. He is so hard to get to smile on camera. He, without fail, will stare blankly at the camera and tilt his head to the side (Trine tilts her head in every picture).
10. Lately, Asher will bring something he wants you to open or fix, grab your hand, then place the object into your hand. If you don't get it to do what he thinks it should, he throws it down on the ground, then picks it up and tries the whole thing over again.

So much to do...

We are still alive! This past week we were house hunting in Arizona. The trip was pretty productive and I think we'll do well with the apartment we picked. It had everything we really needed except for the washer/dryer hookups. Sacrifices must be made apparently and I can live anywhere for a year. The worst part was that I locked our keys in the car and had to pay a locksmith $150 to free them. Perhaps, I could have called the police, but I panicked and called the first people in the phonebook. Our moving date is set for July 24th which will be here before we know it.

Ash did fantastic with all of the driving. He had such a good time following his cousins around their house. I can't believe his birthday is this week! Our big, little boy.

Guess Who?

Tonight we were helping my brother, Elijah, with his final project for English.  It was an autobiography and we were importing pictures and I was shocked to see how much Ash resembles his uncle. Normally that wouldn't be weird, but Ash and Lij share no DNA.  They even have the same cute ears!  

Big Ben

This, is my fourteen year-old brother, Ben. I've been meaning to write this post for awhile but just haven't been able to find a picture that I really wanted to use. Ben is almost 6' 4" so the camera angle is almost like a live shot of him towering over me. Hanging out with Ben is a joy lately. He's just such a funny guy. Last week I sat in a sweltering music store while he talked shop about saxophones for thirty minutes! This is one of my favorites from him lately. If I could figure out how to change my format to a three column I'd dedicate a section to him.

My brother is a pretty wise kid. We were talking a few weeks ago about his audition for Beauty and the Beast. I thought he would be gunning for a lead and when I asked what part he wanted Ben replied, " I just want to be in the ensemble. There need to be good people there too." Obviously, I'm not used to hearing things like that. I mean, who doesn't want to be the star?! Then I just thought how awesome it was that my brother was willing, and eager, to be in a supporting role. Although he will probably only be noticed by family and friends, he wants to do what he can to make the show a success. Good for him, I should try to model that behavior.

Update

So, our garbage pail has been returned. Apparently the lawn guys decided they needed to use it for a bit. How weird is that? I assume is was used to hold dirt since there is quite a bit covering the pail. If I knew how to embed music in my post I'd put Ghetto Gospel by Elton John and Eminem.

High Crime Area

As if I needed more proof that I lived in a seedy area. The garbage pail we keep dirty diapers in was stolen from our porch! Who would want that? I know it had diapers in it which makes even more disgusting to me.

Just Keepin' It Real

If I drank, this week would be the week I would be plastered. But since I don't drink, I have been drinking diet coke (my drug of choice) and probably will get another one today. It has been a pretty stressful week.

Trine & I are getting more stressed by the day about how to make the transition to Arizona. We are stressed/confused/frustrated about how we are going to do the job thing. Should Trine be applying for full time work or part time? Should we sacrifice a nicer apartment that has a washer & dryer hookup in a nicer area for a cheaper apartment w/coin up laundry & cheaper utilities? Should we continue to work opposite shifts? When should we even move? And what to do with Asher if we have to work? Where are we going to find the time & money to even relocate? Oh, the stress...

On top of the above mentioned stress, Asher is teething on his stubborn top teeth (they are so swollen & have been that way for a few weeks) which causes him to just whine a lot. It's understandable, and he is just too cute to stay upset at him very long because of it...if he was an ugly baby maybe not the case ;)  

The kids at my work have been such a pain this past week. Every single one of my kids have been placed in "process time" (like detention for the bad kids) by me because of the lack of caring, the crying, the whining, the fighting, the not taking responsibility for their own problems, and constant bickering. The kids have been driving me batty. I am counting down the days I have left before I switch to the weekend grave shift just so I don't have to deal with the little brats (I really don't hate them, I'm just burnt out).

So, hook me up to an I-V with diet coke flowing into my veins and let the stress pass through my system. I am off until the weekend from work, hopefully the kids decide to pull their heads out and are pleasant...

What the What?!

Why is it snowing?! I know it's Utah and that, inevitably, it will freakishly snow until June. That knowledge doesn't make it any less frustrating.

What is wrong with my son that he CAN NOT shake this ear infection? Does it make me a bad mom to hope that he'll just get two more before we move so he can get tubes put in while we have great insurance? The poor kid just cries all night which isn't a happy experience for anyone involved. Monday night I just brought him into my bed (which is such a no no!). Aaron doesn't do well with the baby at night but he tries to deal with it in his sleep. So at three a.m. Ash is crying and Aaron sits up, tells him to be quiet, and then tries to cover him with a blanket repeatedly to make him disappear! All in his sleep. He calls it turrets. Ash just looked at him like, what are you doing to me you crazy person.

Exciting Stuff

I'm excited that we can finally say that we are officially moving to Arizona!  Aaron received his acceptance letter on Tuesday night.  The time was terrific because we were headed out the next morning to be with his sister for Easter. Now we just have a lot to get done before moving at the end of July.

We have only lived in one place since we've been married and the idea of picking up and moving is a bit overwhelming. So is the idea that I'll be jobless for the first time in over five years. My goal would be to find something part-time so that we won't have to leave Ash with a sitter. Over our break we looked at a few apartments in the Tempe area and I think that would work well for us since it's centrally located.  

If anyone has done the really poor grad school family thing feel free to let me know what worked well for you!

30 Day Challenge

My coworkers and I were just talking at lunch about blogs and facebook.

While it's nice to stay in touch with people we know through these sites at times it seems very similar. Lately the facebook thing to do is to send around 'notes'. Those of you who use the site know what I'm talking about, but for those who don't they are the "50 more random things about you," or " Tell me about you Dentist," type of lists. How many times can you read those before all the answers start to look the same? I've been known to enjoy a good list, but I just feel like it doesn't really help deepen my relationships with anyone.

As for blogging, Andrea said that she wants to read more what goes on with real life. Apparently, she doesn't find photo shoot after photo shoot of the kiddos enlightening. Andrea is not anti-child she just wants to feel a little more authenticity from the blogs she reads. As did the rest of the table. I always have a blog post mulling around in my head, but I never post because I worry about what people will think of me or that maybe it's too depressing, etc. So I resort to cute Ash updates. While he's cute, but really, the fact that he did whatever new trick isn't necessarily what I want to talk about. After saying all of that my coworkers challenged me to blog for the next 30 days without a filter. Aaron already does this...Unfiltered Trine has not really been unleashed.

Why is it so difficult to write or share what you want? Not just what happened today, but things that we think about and feel deeply. I have friends who are capable of doing this and I really admire how candid they can be without sinking into complete negativity. So, while I won't be writing everyday, I am going to make an effort to write at least twice a week for the next 30 days and just be me. So the posts may be frivolous and they may be serious.

Rebirth

As many of you might know, I became a vegetarian the day Asher was born. It probably won't surprise you that I have faced my share of ridicule for this decision. I have experienced everything from being told "you are going to die, you need red meat to survive in this world" to the complete amazement of my parents who acted like my decision was worse than being a drug addict.

My sister got me thinking about my reasons of becoming a vegetarian. When people ask me why I usually say, "I ate way too much meat," which is true to an extent. I decided to post about my decision to become a vegetarian. This post is not meant to become preachy, or condescending to others lifestyles, merely just to clarify reasons for my decision.

Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly; And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine."
-D&C 89: 12-13

I grew up in a family that would eat meat all the time. BBQ's are a weekly tradition which consist of meat, meat, and more meat with one salad that nobody really touched. Every member of my family had at least one hamburger and one hot dog, and perhaps a pork chop to top it all off. I like, most people, thought this was normal, and I justified it by saying "it's not too much meat, its only once a week." However, when I would think about a week's worth of food my menu would consist of: meat with about every meal the exception being breakfast. That menu didn't include the hidden meat and animal products that are found in canned food, chips, pop tarts, or treats. So, when it boiled down to it I was eating an animal product/meat with everything I ate.

As I was coming to this realization, I watched a movie entitled, "Fast Food Nation" (the movie is not for everyone, it is extremely graphic), which displayed the evils of the meat packing industry. Sickened by what I saw, I decided I needed to cut down the amount of meat I consumed. I went to the library to check out "The Complete Idiots Guide to Becoming A Vegetarian," more out of curiosity than wanting to become a vegetarian. Upon reading I realized a lot of the book made sense to me (even thought the book is completely biased) and made me think of D&C 89 (see passage above).

I read that Idiot book cover to cover in a few hours and decided I was going to become a lacto-ovo vegetarian because it felt right to me. I did not do it "cold turkey", rather, I gradually faded out animal products; one animal a week over the next month until June twenty-seventh (the day Asher was born).

I was quiet about my decision for a while; only voicing my desire to my wife because I wanted to make sure I could make the lifestyle transition before more people knew. I decided for me, the only way I could continue living a veggie lifestyle was to become more educated on the subject. I read a book entitled "Slaughter House: The ethics of the meat packing industry" which brought to mind the fourth verse in D&C 89.

"Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which
do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I
have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by
revelation."

Slaughter House displayed the unethical treatment of workers and animals in the meat packing industry--animals being skinned alive because the machines are going too fast, horses being stolen off of private property in the middle of the night to be sold to restaurants at a cheaper price than beef, hormones being injected into cattle/chickens to produce more product at a faster rate. The book is written by an undercover investigation with eyewitness accounts, a very thought provoking read. Slaughter House and D&C confirmed my decision.

So the question is, "As a lacto-ova vegetarian what do you eat?" As a lacto-ova vegetarian, I do eat eggs (well only egg whites because I can not eat the baby chick) and some dairy products sparingly. I do not drink milk (soy milk only), but I do eat cheese, mostly because soy cheese is too expensive. I do not eat animal fat; found in most canned products like refried beans (vegetarian refried beans, however, do not contain the fat). I do not eat carmine (ground up insect used for food coloring in most candy or sugary cereals) or gelatin.

For me, becoming a veggie was more then cutting down on my meat intake, although it started out that way. My decision was based on scriptural understanding, and unethical treatment of workers and the inhumane killing of animals in the meat industry. My lifestyle change has not caused me to become fanatic or despise people that do eat meat. After all, I did the eat meat for a good twenty-something years. Do I miss meat? Sometimes. I crave Arby's every once in a while but that can be expected when you change something that has been ingrained in you from the moment you are born.

Quick Update

Just here for a quick update on our little family. Aaron and I have been keeping busy with work and Ash. We are both so excited that spring is on the way, it really opens up what things we can do to get out of the house. 

Asher is just a busy boy.  This past week he's been pretty sick with both ears infected and a super nasty cold. He had an RSV screening that came back clean. But seeing them suction out a ton of junk from his nose was not pleasant at all. Poor guy hates to be held down so to have that and tubes up his nose sent him over the edge. He seems to be doing better with his antibiotics and is back to exploring.  Ash is still coming in as a little guy on the charts the 10th percentile for weight and 7th for height. 

Dogs of The Future

I really want a dog right now...like so bad. I always had a dog or two growing up and miss the comedy, companionship, and affection that a dog provides. I think it would be nice for Asher to be around a pet, because he has yet to even see a real animal, let alone interact with one. I don't quite know how to really make a case for getting one besides the above mentioned reasons. I struggle with the fact that our landlord has put the restriction on us which does not allow us to have pets of any kinds. I wish I could say I wasn't bitter. So in my free time between knitting, watching Kung Fu Panda, and reading the latest book from the library I have been researching which type of dog we are going to purchase the first chance we get...Trine doesn't know it yet though so don't tell her ;)

I have narrowed it down to the top four breads of dog...

1) American Bulldog...very good with kids, don't need a lot of exercise, they are good guard dog, and they look tough. 

2) Pug...they are good with kids, funny looking, social, small in size, and don't need a ton of exercise.

3) Dachshund (aka Wiener dog)...I think these dogs are some of the cutest dogs, they are great with kids, good guard dogs despite their size, small in size, and curious.

4) Miniature Pincher...good gaurd dogs despite their size, good with kids, social.

A Winter Hobby

This winter, I decided I needed a new hobby, something that would help me stay sane at my job. So after multiple attempts of trying to convince Trine that we needed a new x-box 360, or a new HD TV, or an airsoft rifle, or even a new car, I decided to take up knitting beanies. I actually started off pretty badly, but after making a few I came up with my own patterns for making beanies. Here are a few of my recent creations. And yes, I do wear all of them, besides the one I made for Trine.

This one is gray & orange to match this hoodie & a coat I have. It isn't my favorite but it pretty warm.

This one is actually double sided...the inside has the opposite pattern in it. Notice no brim.

Also double sided...inside has black with a big green line in the middle then black on top.

I just thought this one would be fun. It is perfect to wear around the house because it is thin.

I like this one because it matches just about anything.

This is the one I made for Trine. Also double sided.

Boss Ross Reborn

Aaron found a leftover canvas and we decided to let Asher contribute to the beautification of our home.  At first he was pretty hesitant about the paint and we did our best to keep it from his mouth. 

Then he finally decided to get into the swing of things. Perhaps he knows we'll never let him get this messy again.  He crawled all over the paint and seemed to like seeing all of the colors. Once the painting was done he immediately went to the bath.

The finished product turned out well. It's fun to look at all his little hand-prints and scratches. Aaron added Asher's name just so we would remember who was responsible. A good time had by all.

Overdue

I know, I know, the blog is in need of an update! It's been a busy few weeks with work and recovering from the holidays. So I'll do a quick update on Ashman, who is no longer a lump. He is a mover and a shaker at seven months. He's a full-fledged crawling machine! The mobility seems to suite him well. His mouth is also home to two new teeth, that decided to pop up over the past two weeks. Teething isn't such a good time. 

I love that picture. It reminds me of one of the mice from the American Tail movies.  Anyway, I'll get back into the swing of things soon!

A Brand New Year

My brother, Elijah, was in the recent production that was done for youth in the LDS church. He worked very hard and traveled a lot for rehearsals. I just thought I'd put in a plug for him on my blog. Good job Lij you are so talented! A Brand New Year He is the one in the red shirt on the home page.