Sun, Moon, and Stars

Happy New Year

2012-01-02T18:21:00.004-07:00

Welcome to 2012!

Yesterday, Asher wanted to ring in the New Year by camping. So, after church, we set up a blanket fort in the the family room and roasted hot dogs on the barbecue. It's nice having church in the morning. I feel like it leaves more time in the day for fun family activities like this.

This holiday season was really great. We loved spending time with our family and friends. Our trip to see the lights at the Temple didn't go as planned. Asher was standing on a ledge with his cousins and fell into one of the fountains. He's now afraid of the temple and says he never wants to go there again!

Aaron and I are looking forward to the next year and the possibilities that await our family. I try not to set unrealistic resolutions for myself so I don't feel disappointed by February. One thing I do want to do is create more balance in my life. So I'll be spending the next few weeks really thinking about where my time goes and what is truly most important to me.

Do you have any resolutions you'll be working on this year?

Updated Video

2011-12-15T18:21:00.003-07:00

Aaron has been working on this video for weeks. He was looking for "just the right song." Apparently, he wanted something fun and not like our other videos we have on our adoption blog. I think it looks fantastic! Great job husband!

Our Humble Abode

2011-12-04T22:57:00.009-07:00

Last weekend I finally got around to taking a few pictures of our house. I didn't take a photo of every room, but it'll help you get a general idea of the house. Asher was following me around during our photo shoot so I feel like this will also double as a Where's Waldo.

Living Room

Kitchen ( This is my favorite room in the house)

Asher's Room

The sitting room attached to the master bedroom (I'm using it as a craft/storage area)

Let's hear it for a girl!

2011-10-23T19:52:00.005-07:00

Anyone who I've been close with over the years knows that I'm not much of an animal person. Owning a pet hasn't been high on my list of things to do. Aaron, on the other hand, has been campaigning for a dog for six years. Last week we had the opportunity to dog sit for some friends while they were on vacation. It was such a good experience that yesterday we made a family trip to the Arizona Humane Society and came home with a new family member. I'm pleased to introduce you to Toff.

She's seven months old and a very mellow puppy. Toff loves to chase balls with Asher and he's happy to have a, "new sister". I've never owned a pet so training her is a whole new world. She's pretty timid and prefers to stay inside so trying to condition her to go to the bathroom outside might prove challenging. Any surefire training advice?

Moving Update

2011-10-04T07:36:00.002-07:00

Sharing walls is officially a thing of the past! Our move went very smoothly thanks to wonderful friends and family. The only rooms we have left to tackle are the master bedroom and the spare/baby room. The latter, I'm going to pretend doesn't exist for a few more weeks. Our yard is a more pressing issue. We are excited to get to know our neighbors and our new ward.

Asher has really struggled with the move. He's only known our apartment and is very concerned about when he can go back to his home. Yesterday he told me that, "That big truck is going to come and get my bed to my home." How do you explain permanency to a three year old? He likes the new house, especially since his Aunt Norma is staying with us, but is very anxious about the situation. I'm sure he'll be fine as time passes but, for now he's extremely clingy and worried that we are going to move again and leave him.

October is a busy month for us, so I'm going to set a challenge for myself to blog about some of the cool things we are doing. This weekend is Oktoberfest! I also need to start getting things together for our Halloween costumes. Asher picked our theme this year. Last year, Asher was a crayon and Aaron and I were pieces of paper he'd colored.

We're Alive

2011-09-21T19:44:00.005-07:00

It's been a disturbingly long time since our last blog post. We've spent the last part of the summer house hunting and are excited to announce that we closed today on our new home! I'll have more pictures later as we get settled.

I'm beyond thrilled that we won't be sharing walls anymore! Asher can make as much noise as he wants and play in a backyard. My sister, Norma, is relocating to the area and we're excited to have her stay with us as she gets to know the area.

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-10T10:32:00.004-07:00

Our friends, Marc and Jill, invited us to go camping over the holiday weekend. This was our first experience camping since Trine and I have been married. We spent weeks preparing; mentally and temporally (we had to buy all the equipment). Finally, the day came and off we went to Pine, AZ. I think Asher had the best time.

Asher spent the days going in and out of our tent with all the kids in camp. I don't know what it was about our tent but the kids loved it; and by the end of the trip there was an inch of dirt lining the bottom of the tent and the air mattress. Asher, being the adventurous one in the bunch, had to walk over every rock he saw, often resulting in him falling into the dirt. He looked like a miner by the end of the trip.

Asher also got to experience his first donut. He didn't care for anything other than the chocolate frosting. After eating the chocolate frosting he reverted back to his regular breakfast food; cereal bar, milk, and fruit. I, on the other hand, got to drink fresh mint tea (thanks Marc for finding that plant and brewing the tea). All in all, a good experience. We probably will do it again when we have another long weekend.

Happy Birthday!

2011-07-04T19:44:00.004-07:00

Guess who is three? Now guess who had two birthday parties in one day? I will give you a hint, he goes to daycare and he has friends at home. So, this lucky boy got double the prizes, double the wishes, and double the sugar intake. Honestly, he was so well behaved on his birthday, it was as if he was giving us a birthday present. Love you Ashman!

Comicon 2011

2011-06-21T19:56:00.013-07:00

My name is Trine, and I am a huge nerd. I'm coming out of the closet to profess my love for sci-fi and fantasy movies and television. It probably all started with Geordi LaForge on Star Trek: The Next Generation. I would run around the neighborhood as a child with my headband around my eyes to emulate my favorite television character. Buffy, Firefly, Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog. There isn't a Joss Whedon venture that I'm willing to not try.

One of my deepest secrets is how much I LOVED the reboot of Battlestar Galactica. So when my good friend Jenny asked if I wanted to attend Comicon with her for 2 days in nerd paradise, I couldn't say no.

We had so much fun! I couldn't believe how many people were crammed into the Phoenix Convention Center. I went to some really great panels dealing with sci-fi on network television , Fantasy Young Adult Literature, and saw some of my favorite TV personalities in the flesh! Adam Baldwin , Wil Wheaton, and I breathed the same air! Alas, I couldn't take a picture with them unless I coughed up $60 bucks. However my favorite panel was with Aaron Douglas (The Chief) from Battlestar Galactica. He was hilarious!

The other thing that was great about Comicon was looking at all of the fabulous costumes. Here are a few of our favorites:

What would comicon be without a stormtrooper?

Meet my new boyfriend Darth Maul

He's no Hugh Jackman!

Summer Days...

2011-06-07T21:04:00.004-07:00

May and June are turning out to be pretty exciting. Trine and I have been supporting the local sport teams; while Asher has been supporting the local splash parks in Tempe.

While in Utah on vacation, Trine's dad purchased rugby tickets for him, Michael (Trine's brother), Ben (Trine's brother), Michael's friend (name unknown), and myself. BYU's mens rugby team was in the national championship against Cal State. We had field level seats and we had a blast...even though the Cougs lost. The SLC soccer stadium is beautiful (in case you are wondering).

Fast Forward a few weeks. Trine's work bought seats for their employees and their significant others to an Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals game. The seats were in the all-you-can-eat section. We could have all the hot dogs, soda, peanuts, and popcorn you could eat within seven innings. I cannot speak to the hot dogs, but the peanuts and the diet Pepsi were wonderful. Sadly, Asher had to stay home; but as a "prize" for doing so good with his babysitter, we bought him a Diamondbacks hat (from Walmart of course because it was half the price of the stadium).

Asher and I have been frequenting the local splash parks in order to beat the heat. It took some convincing, but I finally got him to go through the spraying circles. He made sure he "scared" each circle by yelling "Rarr!" Asher also loves the water guns, so much so that he took aim at an innocent 2yr old walking by. The boys dad told his son to return the favor by spraying Asher (the boy never did).

For the next post, Trine will be talking about her experience at Comicon with her friend. The pictures alone are worth the read.

Craziness!

2011-05-27T21:35:00.015-07:00

After reading some of the comments on Trine's last post, I thought I would take a minute to fill in how (and where) I accepted employment. To begin, let me just say it has been and insane process but in the end we have seen the Lord's hand it. Alright, Let's start at the beginning...

My last month of school was a stressful time, there was a lot of papers, projects, and presentations that needed to be completed. On top of all of the requirements to graduate, there was this gloomy cloud of employment upon graduation. I mentally could not begin applying for employment during the hustle and bustle of school; this is is where Trine stepped in and put her skills to work. Trine began applying for every job opening in social work the during the month of April while I completed school.

The week after I finished course work, I was given a job interview 45 minutes away from our apartment. This job was a case manager position for a local behavioral health agency (for the purpose of clarification purposes we will call this Job #1).The interview went well but I was unsure if I wanted the commute and I felt I was way over qualified for the position. I did not hear back from this agency until much later.

On Monday during the week of graduation (May 8-14), Trine sent my resume to two different agencies. Both of those agencies sent me an email within the hour asking me to complete additional pre-screening paper work. I completed both agencies' paper work and emailed them to their respected agency by late Monday afternoon. Within the an hour of sending in the paper work, both agencies called to set up interviews for Thursday (05/12).

I interviewed at a local behavioral health agency for a therapist position on Thursday morning (This will be referred to as Job #2). The interview lasted over an hour and I came away feeling confident I would get a call back. Within two hours after the interview, I received a call from Job #2 for a second interview for the following Monday (05/16).

Thursday evening (05/12) I had a group interview at a community based behavioral health agency for a family preservation specialist position (this will be referred to as Job #3). The interview lasted about 45 minutes was peculiar; there were three applicants and two interviewers present in the interview. Half way through the interview I decided I probably did not want the job, and actually stopped trying to sound like I was interested. Within two hours following the interview, my parents came into town and I had to pick them up from the airport.

Friday (05/12) was graduation day. Trine and I decided it would be nice to take my parents out to a nice outdoor mall 20 minutes away from our home. We loaded everyone up into the car and drove to the mall. As we were exiting the freeway, our tire blew out. I put the donut tire on and drove to the local tire shop for a repair. Needless to say, $500 later we have four good looking tires. While our car was getting worked on, everyone went to the Chickfila for lunch because it had a big playground for Asher to play on. During lunch, I get a call from Job #3.

Job #3 offers me a job at a mediocre salary and wanted me to accept the position right away. I told them I had a second interview scheduled at another agency the following week and wanted some time to think about it. Straight way, Job #3 offered me over a 10% increase in pay to commit to them. I continued to insist on having the weekend to make a decision because of graduation and Job #2. Job #3 allowed me to have until Monday (05/16) to make a decision.

Friday afternoon, Job #2 called me and told me they needed to reschedule my second interview with them to Thursday (05/19) because of some scheduling conflicts. Friday evening I graduated, as Trine mentioned before.

Over the next few days I called everyone to discuss my dilemma; should I accept Job #3 or decline it because I felt confident Job #2 really liked me. After prayer and consultation with others, I decided I would accept Job #3 but continue to interview with Job #2 so see how it goes. On Monday morning (05/16), I called Job #3 and left two messages with them but did not hear back from them until the following day. On Wednesday (05/18), I completed new hire paper work and told them my start date could be 05/25 (because we were going to UT to see Elijah before he left on his mission).

On Thursday (05/19), I had my second interview at Job #2. The interview was less than 15 minutes, and I walked away feeling confused if I impressed the interviewer. Job #2 stated they would make a decision the beginning of the following week (05/22-05/28). While in Utah (05/20-05/24), I received an email from Job #1 offering me a position at a very low rate of pay. I declined the offer because Job #3 was better pay and closer to home. On Wednesday (05/25), I began training at Job #3. Oh, I forgot to mention, Job #3 ended up being the team lead position even though I did not apply for that position.

On Friday (05/27), I received a voicemail from Job #2 informing me they wanted to offer me a position. While on a 10 minute break from the new hire training at Job #3, I called Job #2. Job #2 offered me a therapist position for more money, better benefits, and better hours than Job #3. I asked Job #2 for some time to think about it, they agreed. On my lunch break, I called Trine to tell her the news, she was excited and told me to take it. I then called my old boss, to get her advise on how to navigate quitting an agency within a week timeframe.

After lunch, I decided I was going to take Job #2 and tell my supervisor at Job #3 the situation. I also thought it would be best to tell her at the end of the day's training to lessen the awkwardness (there was four of us in training together). So, at the conclusion of Job #3 training for the day, I pulled my supervisor aside and told her the situation. I told her it would be a better fit for myself and my family at this time; she wished me luck. She asked me what the other position was out of curiosity. I told her it was a therapist position, she told me she always envisioned me as a therapist and that it would probably be a better fit.

So, there you have the story. I am officially a therapist for at-risk youth on a local reservation. I start new hire orientation next week.

The End of an Era

2011-05-25T17:32:00.006-07:00

I'm pleased to introduce you all to my husband, Aaron Nelson, M.S.W

The past two weeks have been insanely busy in our part of the world. Aaron graduated on the 13th and we were very happy that his parents were able to celebrate his accomplishment with us. I had forgotten how long commencement can last. This one started at 5:00 and Aaron didn't walk across the stage until 7:30. Asher was such a trooper. It probably didn't hurt that we loaded up Monster's Inc. on the ipod for him to watch.

Later that week we traveled to Utah to say farewell to my brother, who is leaving to serve a mission for our church. He will spend the next two years in the Eugene, Oregon area. He just went into the Missionary Training Center today with his best friend. We were able to have Elijah drive up with us after he spent time with his birth mother. It was a fun little road trip and I enjoyed the time to talk with my brother. He's going to be a fantastic missionary.

We were unable to see him leave because Aaron needed to start his new job today! It's a huge blessing that Aaron was able to find work so quickly. The organization seems like a great place for Aaron to grow as a clinician.

Certification

2011-05-03T17:47:00.003-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are finally certified to adopt a child in the state of Arizona. Hip hip hooray! The whole process has been very extensive. Everyone who has helped us proofread profile and letter drafts has been terrific. Also, we are so grateful to those who provided our reference letters. We love you all. Our profile is finally up and running on our agency website! Check out our profile and adoption blog. Feel free to add our button to your blog to help spread the word.

Diet Coke, Birthdays, and Graduation

2011-04-23T00:14:00.004-07:00

It has been quite hectic around this household. I had my last day at the Arizona State Hospital as a social work intern. On the last day of my internship, one of my patients was discharged (something I have been advocating for since I began). Also, in honor of my departure, the social work department threw a luau party. The social works even catered the event with my favorite foods: bean dip, Jo-Jo's, Diet Coke, and a veggie tray. I am excited to move on from this internship but not too excited to begin a real job search.

In other news, Trine officially turned 31 this week. This birthday was special because Trine actually gave me a wish list for gift ideas. Since we have been together, I have begged Trine to provide me a list (or an idea) for every holiday. Trine has never given me anything! So, in light of her actually giving me an idea she got almost everything on the list (it pays to give people ideas).

Finally, I am quickly approaching the end of my college career. My last day of class is May 2nd and I graduate on May 13th (that's a Friday). I am being inducted in to the Phi Alpha Honor's Society on April 26th...supposedly that is going to help me get a job (here's hoping).

And then there were two

2011-03-30T21:56:00.004-07:00

Ethan and Elijah

We can cross one thing off our list from the last post. Elijah opened his mission call tonight and he will be serving in the Eugene Oregon mission. He reports to the Missionary Training Center on May 25. What's really fun about his is his best friend, Ethan, reports the same day and will be serving in a neighboring mission in Kennewick Washington. What an exciting time!

Waiting

2011-03-28T21:12:00.002-07:00

Things we are waiting on:

1. My brother, Elijah, is supposed to be receiving his mission call this week. Asher thinks he'll go to Tennessee...I don't know who's been talking about that particular state around him but that's what he told me all day Sunday.

2. Aaron has 35 more days until he is finished with his degree! Today was his clinical demonstration and he received very positive feedback from the panel.

3. Our adoption certification to be approved by the state. In theory that should be processed in the next few weeks.

Happy Pi Day

2011-03-14T20:27:00.003-07:00

Happy Pi day everyone! In honor of this very special day we made this for family night.

Today is also my sister, Norma's, birthday! Happy happy birthday to my dear sister. Norma is a wonderful woman who is one of my favorite people. She's one of the most passionate, giving women that I know.

Happy New Year

2011-01-11T20:54:00.002-07:00

So it's the beginning of a new year. Usually I set some really lofty goals and then by March I'm no longer on track with them. This year I'm trying to keep things a little more manageable (i.e. realistic) and only working on two goals.

Aaron and I have decided after a lot of thought and prayer that we are ready to begin the adoption process with LDS Family Services. We have submitted the first part of our application and will slowly begin working on the rest over the next few months (This is goal #1). Normally, I'm not the person to solicit for prayers online, but they'd be really great to have at this time in our lives. Stay tuned for more updates in the future (Goal #2)!

Oktoberfest and The Side Eye

2010-10-25T21:20:00.007-07:00

We have been complete blog slackers this year. The fact that 2010 only has six posts should let people know that things have been a bit crazy for us. I'm vowing to do better and keep our loved ones more informed of our adventures. I have now internalized the fact that we can schedule posts so hopefully this will help us post more often.

This past month we've done a few fun things with the Ashman. First we went to Oktoberfest which was held downtown. Our friends had told us that, in addition to international beer garden, there would be rides for little kids. Armed with this information we decided to attend. Asher rode on a bus for the first time and really enjoyed himself. Honestly, we probably could have just stayed on the bus all day. Once we hit the venue we ate lunch and went to check out the children's section. They had a few free art projects set up for people to paint, ball tosses, etc. Ash was unable to go on any rides because he's about six inches too short. We were lucky that the splash pad was open because only AZ is it still over 100 degrees in October.

Ash putting the "fruit" in the trees.

Painting the roses red...

Asher being named after Asher Lev...coincidental?

The following weekend we went to a pumpkin farm and corn-maze. Ash and his friend Micah had a great time together. My favorite part was the bride and groom in formal attire taking bridal pictures. I don't feel that badly giggling at the situation, especially since the groom was mocking Aaron pretty loudly for not being able to ring the bell on the strong man game. It was funny but the least he could have done was waited to go home and post something snarky about it on his blog. What is the world coming to?

That's one big ear...

The lead investigators of the FSI (Farm Scene Investigation)

Not as full as the corn mazes in Utah, but it will do.

Ash insists to wear his hat like a Hoodlum over his eyes.

"I want this one, OKAY, MOM?!"

And you thought we were taking pictures of the cow with flies on him...

Warning: this could be the X-mas card for this year...

Asher finally introduced to a teat...

You would be right if Asher insisted on the "car in front of the train."

We Have News...

2010-08-16T14:06:00.000-07:00

After many months of keeping it a secret we can finally announce a new additions to our family. It is still in the development stage (as are most babies its own age), but it is learning quickly what is expected of it. Asher is thrilled to have two new members of the family.

We have tried to keep Asher in the loop as to what is going on. Asher is at the questioning phrase of "why?", "what's that?", and his favorite question "Chicken? Okay." So, we felt it was only right to include him on the naming process. He seems to think the new baby should be called "Elmo", "Who has the frog", "ABCDs", or "Shrek." Sometimes he even wants to call it the familiar "Games." He seems to be a good sport about it when we tell him that those names are probably not appropriate for siblings.

Without further adieu here are the early pictures of our new babies.

We call this addition Desktop Baby. She is a healthy 21.5" and 20.5 lbs. Desktop Baby loves music, photography, watching movies in HD, and of course playing games. We are happy she is here.

We call this addition Mine. We are able to measure his brain by gigabytes (he has 32 of them). Mine is 4.3" long and weighs 4.05 oz. Mine is constantly busy and gets tired very quickly.

Choo-Choo

2010-05-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

As a celebration of Summer, we decided to take an adventure. So, we ventured to the distant and posh land of Scottsdale. Trine found this pretty sweet park that is all about trains. Since Asher has not ever been on a train we decided it could be fun thing to do.

It was a beautiful 75 degrees with a slight breeze. Asher was so excited to go on the Merry-Go-Round. He kept pointing to it saying "Ride That!" When he really wants something he puts both his hands on your face, brings it closer to his face, and says something...that was him all day. He was thrilled to be on the horse making his "horse sound" which is really just him making a raspberry sound. Once the Merry-Go-Round began going, he held on for dear life and wanted to get off...but wanted to get back on once it stopped.

After the Carrousel, we rode a train (which we rode twice) around the park. A lot of kids wanted to ride in the cattle car, here is Asher's reaction then we made him sit with us and not the slave cart.

Asher even got to spend some time on the local jungle gym equipment.

I think we found perfect combination of things to make Asher happy; Merry-Go-Rounds, Choo-Choo Trains, Playgrounds, time with Mom & Dad, and grapes (lots and lots of grapes).

Our Big Little Boy

2010-04-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

We've got big news. Asher went potty in the toilet! He's been asking to go to the potty lately so we've been playing along and sitting him on the pot as long as he's interested. Apparently, some of his friends at day care are working on potty training and Ash wants to join in the fun. We don't know what we are doing, but his sitter says just keep responding to his requests until we are ready to get serious with potty training. He's also been working on sleeping in a bed like the big kids and that's a struggle, but tonight he just went to sleep without the usually game of cat and mouse! Can I get a hallelujah!?

I Better Get An 'A'!

2010-03-14T22:39:00.001-07:00

Many may know, I have been designing a group manual for my MSW program. The idea was to develop a life skills group for adolescent fathers that runs for 8 weeks. I developed eight sessions that covered the following topics: 1) GED and educational advancement, 2) employment and job skills, 3) applying for government assistance, 4) creating and living by a budget, 5) safe sex education, 6) basic infant care.

I finished the manual, took it to CopyMax to print it off (wanted to save some money/ink cartridges), and bound it. The manual is about 500 pages. Yep, that is not a typo. I did not know when I compiled it that the thing was so large.

Anyway, I took it to CopyMax to print it out (78 pg black/white; 378 pg color). There were no prices posted at CopyMax or their website on price per sheet. So, I figured I would be out about $50 or so when I went in the store. However, when the guy told be the price and I let a swear word slip. Grand total= $219.00

Just so everyone knows, a black/white copy is $.09; a color copy is $.49. Yep, $.40 difference. If I would had known that, I would have made everything black/white and spent the rest of the money on a new TV or something.

The group manual looks fantastic, and I had better get an A. I am still in shock over the price though...

Operation

2010-02-13T09:28:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I found out I have endometriosis in addition to polycystic ovarian syndrome. My wonderful doctor did a laperoscopy yesterday and found that I had some adhesions from the endo that had glued one of my ovaries to my pelvic wall. I am so glad to have found the source of my pain! I'm grateful to live in a time where we have the tools to take care of these issues and allow people to continue to have children.

Recovering from surgery wasn't the way I planned on spending my long weekend, but that's life. My dad is in town right now and he and Aaron were able to give me a blessing on thursday night. I love those two men very much and can't express how they have enriched my life and made me a better person. The two of them are doing a great job keeping Ash away from my stomach. According to instructions, I'm not supposed to lift anything over 10 pounds for two weeks....which is going to prove a little tricky.

IDEAS NEEDED

2010-01-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

It is official--the second semester is underway. I am in need of some help from the vast community of blogging land for an assignment that I have. I am in need of some ideas for the project. So, let me explain the project and you can post your suggestions (humorous or serious).

I have been given the assignment to create a group therapy manual from scratch. The group needs to be 8 sessions (8 weeks long) complete with agendas & activities. I have decided I want to create a life skills group for expecting adolescent fathers. As a side note, the current research is claiming that adolescents range from 12-23. So the question I propose to you is what kind of life skills do you think would be nice to address in a group like this?

Here is the list I have thought about thus far...

Job training (i.e., applying for work, interview skills, resume building)
Applying for government assistance (i.e., health care, food stamps, WIC)
Basic Automobile maintenance
Budgeting
GED resources

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

2009-12-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

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

2009-11-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

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

2009-11-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-29T23:57:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-10T16:30:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-03T21:19:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-07-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-06-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

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.

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.
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.
It seems like his favorite thing to try to suck on are sandals.
He dances everyday to the Ellen's theme song. He also will watch her entire show almost in quiet.
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.
He loves his new car seat. He now gets extremely upset if anyone even leans on it when he is in it.
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".
He always gets cheered up when you put one of his blankets over your head and say "Where is dad? Where did I go?"
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).
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...

2009-06-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-05-25T19:13:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-11T15:56:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

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?!

2009-04-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-07T12:57:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-14T10:32:00.001-07:00

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

2009-02-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

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

2009-02-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-02-10T18:35:00.000-07:00

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

2009-01-28T13:36:00.001-07:00

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

2009-01-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

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.

Targeting the Problem

2008-12-29T14:14:00.000-07:00

Lately, since I graduated, every time I go to Target to shop I get stopped by these Primerica insurance people who want me to quit my job and sell insurance to low income families...basically get involved in their pyramid scheme so they get more money. I know it is a pyramid scheme because so many people I know have tried to get involved in selling them...they've even tried to sell Trine & me insurance.

The first time I was stopped I tried to be polite and say "I might be interested" but the guy didn't tell me who he worked for. But after the second, third, and twentieth time I am short with them and walk away as fast as I can...kinda like people did when I was a missionary in GA. Trine even witnessed it today.

These people always start off with the same questions, "Hi, cute baby I have one myself." "Are you going to work today?" "Where do you work?" "I think I know someone who works there (then they drop a common name like Matthew)." "Do you know Matthew?" "So, you have a counseling degree?" "That's cool." I get so tired of it. I am to the point where I don't want to shop at the Target anymore because I know I am going to run into some freak who wants to use me for their own gain. (Apologies if anyone reading this blog sells Primerica).

So the questions that I have are: What about my appearance screams "I am a sucker who will fall for a get rich fast scheme?" For real, why me? Do I quit shopping at my favorite store? Or do I tell the store managers that there are solicitors in their store that need to be kick out? What you you guys do?

A Good Read

2008-12-23T11:12:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about trials and why life is never what we expect it to be. Basically, I've been having a pity party for Christmas. This morning I stumbled upon this post on a blog I frequent. What a helpful reminder that no matter how much our hearts hurt that we really aren't alone. There are always people who need to be loved and shown kindness. It's so easy for me to just shut down and want to hide when things become difficult. Aaron says I'm constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. How do you find ways to pick yourself up, move forward, and not dwell on things that are out of your control?

A Lifetime of Decembers

2008-12-16T10:04:00.000-07:00

The month of December has always been an interesting month for me. The first thing that happened is obviously my birth which happens to be on Sunday. Because my birthday is so close to Christmas, I have always gotten the short end of the stick when it came to celebrating the moment I entered this blueberry of a planet...I didn't get parties growing up because everyone was with their families, and many years all I would receive was a jazz CD from the used rack at the local music store. Some years, I remember sneaking in to see the mother load of Christmas gifts that my parents hid poorly and ended up getting one of the presents on my b-day.

I was baptized in December when I was 8 yrs old. I don't really remember the day, I just remember wearing a baby blue pinstriped suit with a pink tie. I was even styling back then in 1990. If I remember right, the girl next door to me called a radio station and dedicated a Boys II Men song to me on my birthday one year. I never heard it, but she told me about it. Yeah, I was quite the ladies man.

I received my mission call to the Georgia Macon mission in December in 2001. I remember thinking that I was going to a hole in the earth that still used cans on a string as telephones. I even have a journal entry somewhere about my feelings. It turns out I wasn't that far off...more then half of the people we talked to did not own a phone.

I was accepted into BYU in December 2003 and was confused whether I needed to stay on my mission or come home early for school. After much prayer, talking with the mission president, and a companion telling me I was going to hell if I went home early several times a day (oh, and I was bringing damnation on myself and all those people I could have talked to during those last six weeks) I decided going home was the best decision. My plane touched down in SLC on 12/19/2003. So if I had a mission plaque it would seem like I only served a year (Feb 2002-Dec 2003) despite it being one transfer early.

In December 2005, Trine and I got married in the Mount Timpanogos Temple. I was glad we actually made it to the day we had planned for despite almost eloping several times prior to the date because of the family stress. For those who might be thinking that December weddings are glorious, think again. Well, the actual day was good but the stress of the holiday is not. Anniversaries are hard to plan and actually follow through with in December...for us something always goes wrong on that day. This year we are just hitting up a dinner and a movie, something we haven't done in two years.

I graduated BYU on December 20, 2007 with a B.S. in Psychology. I was proud that I graduated a semester early (3.5 years) thinking I was going to change the world one soul at a time. It sucked being jobless during the following two months after graduation. I finally landed a job at Provo Canyon School and quickly realized that I probably wouldn't change any kid's life in the time that they are living there.

This year I will be the big 2-6 and is looking back at all the surprises that December has given in my life. Despite having some pretty crappy Decembers I have had in my life there were some pretty good December months. I think the best one happened in December 2005 when I married my best friend. Happy holidays everybody.

Joy to the World

2008-12-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

December is seriously the busiest month of the year in the Nelson household. Not only do we have the usual holidays that keep everyone busy, but we also have several family birthdays and our anniversary. This year, much to Aaron's dismay, I didn't really want anything for Christmas. I eventually gave in and we decided to get a family gift we could enjoy together. We don't need more stuff. Does anyone else ever feel that way? I'd much rather give to a Sub-for-Santa or an Angel tree.

I'm not writing this to be a Grinch. I am very grateful for the blessings we have been given. The other night by 14 year-old brother asked what I would wish for if I had one wish. His was that he would own one of every instrument in the world and be able to play them professionally. Band geeks unite! My wish would have been for everyone I love to be able to be happy and kept from harm. Oh to be fourteen again. Back then I would have wished for world power or millions of dollars. Now I know that you can never really ask for more than to have the ones you love to be protected and happy.

The Greatest Christmas Movies

2008-12-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

Aaron and I have now rearranged our netflix queue so that we will be able to watch all of our holiday movies in December. Most holiday movies that I love are ones from when I was a kid. So I thought I'd do a post dedicated to the movies I love.

Our first Christmas together we watched Babes in Toyland as we built a gingerbread house. I remember that we search all over town to find this show and finally found it at the library. I had called about 15 minutes before closing and then made Aaron speed over there so I could get my fix. I hope that this comes in the mail soon it's listed as a long wait.

The Muppet Christmas Carol has to be my absolute favorite. I love all the Muppet movies. The songs are so catchy. Aaron read A Christmas Carol last week and had a difficult time because he kept imagining the songs from the Muppet's. We have the original version of this show. The anniversary edition is missing a love song that always makes me laugh. Perhaps they took it out because instead of being a poignant moment it leave you with the giggles. Not because of the lyrics but because the woman singing has the best facial expressions. Seriously though, how poignant are the Muppet's supposed to be?

Finally, what movie post would be complete without a mention of Elf? According to Netflix, this is the most rented holiday movie. For me, this is the best Will Ferrel movie. The soundtrack is great and the humor isn't crass. This movie also reminds me of the trip I took to New York with Sandy four years ago for her birthday. (HAPPY 29 SAND!!) All the tourist attractions were decorated and it was just a really great time. We also saw Wicked, but that's another post.

What holiday movies do you love? I'm always looking for new things to put on the queue.

Tagged

2008-11-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

7 Things...

7 Things I Plan To Do Before I Die:

Hike Timp (it's sad really).
Visit The Louvre.
Move out of the ghetto neighborhood that we live in...I just don't like the wannabe gang living next door.
Finish the Avatar: The Last Air Bender series...I know it sounds nerdy but it is so good.
Sky Dive
Have an actual career.
Pay off our car, then pay cash for every car purchased after that one dies.

7 Things I Can Do:

Completely tune out kids throwing temper tantrums (they don't even phase me now).
Play just about every sport decently.
Cook a mean grilled-cheese sandwich.
Decipher the cries of Asher...It might sound dumb, but it cuts down on the crying.
Speak ASL...actually last night I dreamed in ASL, weird.
Still rattle off the old missionary discussions.
Buy cheap books & video games on half.com; most are $.75.

7 Things I cannot Do:

Buy books full price.
Go skiing or anything else outside in the winter...I freeze, what do you expect I grew up in AZ?!
Read quickly
Watch TV for longer then an hour...unless it is a sporting event.
Be around clowns...they scare me pretty bad.
Watch Pride & Prejudice...or pretty much any Jane Austin movie.
Stand entitled people.

7 Things That Attract Me To Trine:

Her personality
Her eyes
Her smile
Her intelligence
The fact that she questions everything and wants to establish her own opinion.
Her mothering skills
Her kindness to others

7 Things I Say Most Often:

"What's up little man?" (Asher)
"Man you stink" when Ash has a dirty diaper
"Ash Man"
"Okay CUBYE"
"Take a chair" used at work to calm kids down
"Class II" used as a punishment at work
"We're the girls on the run, we're the girls with the diamond dolls..." from Chipmunk Adventure.

7 Celebrity Admirations:

Brad Pitt & Angelina Jollie
Bono
Jerry Lewis
Jesus Christ...although he is not technically a celeb, he is known by everyone.
Pretty much anyone who donates money to people who need it (Numbers 5-7).

7 Favorite Foods:

Chocolate
Veggie Burritos
Indian Food
Blizzards at DQ
Bean Tacos
Salad
Fruit

7 People Who Should Do This:

Anyone who would like to...I just like lists (Numbers 1-7).

Future Cheftestant

2008-11-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy cooking. Asher and I cook together on occasion. That's us making a lasagna. My ideal home is one with a large, fully stocked kitchen. William's Sanoma is one of my happy places. Mandy, one of my best friends, is probably the best cook I know. One day I will have her skills! Seriously, the woman doesn't measure. She just pours and it turns out beautiful. Lately, I've been making an effort to add two new vegetarian meals to my rotation of meals each week. I haven't gotten brave enough to cook with tofu yet, but I'm become more skilled with beans. This weekend I made Thai Peanut Noodles from the Best Bite blog and added more veggies.

Aaron and I usually look forward to Hell's Kitchen in the summer, the contestants don't have any amazing skill, but Gordon Ramsey is semi-amusing. However, during one of my six hour bouts of false labor I discovered the greatest show...Top Chef. It's a show for people who can actually cook! Aside from the reality show aspect, it was exciting to watch the cheftestants complete all of the challenges. My favorite was how two teams had to cater a whole wedding a 24 hours. Since we don't have cable I'm happy to discover that Bravo now has episodes online. Yippee!

Happy Holidays

2008-11-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

As the holidays are steadily approaching, I have become overcome with Christmas spirit. Now when I say this, you have to understand that normally I HATE the holiday seasons. I dislike Christmas music because every artist has to release a "new version" of the same holiday classic, and the artists put out new Christmas albums periodically with a "new Christmas classic". I dislike shopping during the holidays because of the commercialism and the rude people around me. I dislike decorating Christmas trees because it takes so long, and my hands always come away with more scratches then the whole year proceeding the decorating.

However, for some reason this holiday has been different. My attitude has some what changed this year. I still hate the commercialism that our culture has chosen to sponsor. When it comes down to it, I have done more things "Christmasy" this year than in previous years. I have secretly been listening to Christmas music in the car to and from work --not everyday but at least twice a week. I watched "White Christmas" last night by myself while Trine was at girls night. And I secretly have been counting down the number of days until I can put up the tree--secretly hoping that I won't get cut up this year.

So, today I was thinking of past Christmases that have been memorable, Christmases where Trine & I did something good. These examples have kind of helped change my attitude about Christmas.

Trine & I spent Christmas eve working at the "Family Support & Treatment Center" two years ago. During that holiday season, we housed two difficult children who where driving their parents crazy. Trine & I had them help us on the Gingerbread House that we were completing for a contest with my family. My family decided to do "cereal houses" because you could mold it better than Graham crackers. We did not win that year because the only other entry was my nieces & nephew's. Trine & I made "The Black Pearl" from Pirates of The Caribbean. Yes, everything was edible; seaweed for sails, coco krispies for the boat, slim Jim's for poles, blue jello for water, and fruit roll-ups for cabin windows.
Last year Trine & I decided instead of spending money on ourselves we were going to provide Christmas for Trine's fourteen and sixteen year old brothers. Sure he wanted a new video game system, all the Star Wars memorabilia he could get, a new IPod, and the complete series of "The Series of Unfortunate Events." But if we were providing we were going to do something that would strengthen his mind. We decided to buy him the complete book series in hardback. However, to make it special I made him a wood shelving case for his books. It was nice, but come Christmas morning he still complained that he didn't get a new Xbox 360. Oh well, we tried.

Baby Tas

2008-11-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

So thanks for the input on Aaron's Christmas survey. I think we are going to go with the wii.

As he mentioned in his post the flu hit our home last weekend. I was already trying to get rid of a cold with Asher so in order to keep him from getting the flu too we sent him, overnight, to my parents house. While there he learned a new little trick. When he's hungry he has a cough/cry thing he does. Well, my family thought that was so cute that they would do it back to him and now my son has learned that it's funny so he does it ALL THE TIME! My hope is that now that he'll get bored with the sound in a few days. It really sounds like a puppy pant/fake cough.

Needless to say, this new development made church a little difficult. We have an afternoon, meeting schedule which rolls right through nap time. Ash is a very active baby and who will really only sleep in a quiet room. Trying to get him to sleep with a congregation full of people is just not going to happen for us. I'm resigned to this, but yesterday it was if my happy baby was replaced by a Tasmanian devil. He was so squirmy and empowered by his new noise. Our Sunday school teacher even asked at the end of the block of meetings when we were going to get our baby trained. I'm not sure if he was joking, but it hurt my feelings. We try really hard to keep him entertained and to not disrupt but there's only so much I can do especially on the weeks I'm by myself. I look at all the other mom's who have babies who play quietly in their laps or drift off to sleep and I get jealous. I love my baby and am happy he's active, but I don't know how to handle that with church. Any suggestions? He's only 4.5 months so I'm not sure he's old enough for anything.

Sick & Not So Tired

2008-11-14T00:28:00.000-07:00

So, here it is 12:30am Friday morning and I am still not asleep. On top of that, both Trine & I are sick...we both threw up about three hours ago. I don't know about her, but my stomach is doing something fierce. I cannot sleep because of these reasons; 1) every inch of my body aches and I feel I need to see a chiropractor in order to feel human again, 2) I feel super thirsty but I don't want to drink a ton because then I will experience that slushy feeling on top of a bad stomach ache, 4) I am not tired, 5) I have a fever of 100.5 and cannot find a comfortable temperature to fall asleep in (except on the bathroom floor, which is where I am now).

This sickness induced insomniac post is not without reason. In fact, one of the things I was planning on doing to past time was some Christmas shopping. Trine & I decided instead of buying each other things we were just going to buy one present as a "family gift." Trine & I decided it is down to two things. One, a Wii complete with a few 'mover & shaker' games. Or two, an elliptical for downstairs.

So I pose the question to those who know us pretty well. Should we go for the Wii or an elliptical? Both come out to similar prices and both allow for some exercise. Your opinions will be greatly appreciated.

Rice, Rice Baby

2008-11-10T10:19:00.001-07:00

Asher has been such a busy boy recently. Here are a few updates on our big little boy.Ash and his Auntie K celebrated halloween by watching Charlie Brown and coloring a pumpkin just his size.

Ash sitting on Santa's lap. Santa is his best buddy Reed. They also had their first sleepover together that weekend.

Our first attempt with cereal. My hope is that by eating solids he'll gain a little more weight. He weighs 12.6 pounds and is 24.5 inches. He loves to be where all the action is and getting better at sitting up all by himself.

8 Things...(in no particular order)

2008-11-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

I found this one on a friend's blog...I am a sucker for stuff like this.

8 Shows I Like to Watch...

1) The Daily Show

2) The Colbert Report

3) The Office...although not my favorite season thus far.

4) Pushing Daisies...it's just a different kind of show.

5) College Football

6) How I Met Your Mother...I love Barney (aka. Doogie Howser M.D.)

7) The Wire...I can only recommend this if you don't mind profanity, for me I hear worse at work daily (usually directed to me).

8) Arrested Development...doesn't matter how many time I watch this I always feel better after it.

8 Things That Happened Yesterday...

1) I saved two stray kittens from work...they were 3 weeks old; I took them to the Animal Shelter for adoption.

2) I got my conference Ensign...I had to work that weekend.

3) I finished my college vita

4) I was a part of American History...OBAMA 08!

5) Trine & I bought Obama hoodies...for memorabilia of course.

6) I tried mixing songs using GarageBand on my mac...I couldn't figure it out though.

7) I was called a *&^$ at work.....have fun figuring that out.

8) Wiped poop off of Asher's foot...he stuck it in it when I was in the middle of wiping him down.

8 Things I am Looking Forward To...

1) My five day holiday from work.

2) The "Bang" Party Trine & I are throwing with friends on Friday.

3) Pushing Daisies tonight.

4) The "changes coming to America"

5) Asher waking up from his nap...he is one of my favorite people in the world...just so dang cute right now.

6) College football this weekend.

7) Thanksgiving...just to see how much meat people eat, I am amused easily. And seeing if people will try my vegetarian dishes.

8) To go to the gym with Trine tonight.

8 Favorite Places To Eat...

1) Bajio...they have fantastic vegetarian salads & burritos.

2) The Bombay House...an extensive veggie menu

3) Betos...cheap veggie burritos; great if they get your order right, they always struggle with mine.

4) My house

5) Costco...not just their cheese pizza, but sample day also rocks my socks off!

6) Shoots...Trine likes China Lilly better though.

7) Arctic Circle...not really for food, just cheap ice cream.

8) Chili's is good...they have a good black bean burger, but over priced.

Workin' in a Coal Mine

2008-10-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

I have been back at work for a over a month and things are going well. My co-workers are good women and I enjoy their company. Remembering policy and the basics of the job have been more difficult then I thought they would be. It's shocking to think that this spring I'll have been employed here for five years.

Keeping things running at home are tricky, but I think we are starting to get into a routine. Aaron is working hard on his applications for grad school so Lump* is spending some more time with his Nana to give Dad uninterrupted time before work. My mommy guilt really doesn't leave a ton of opening for babysitters. I'd love to go to the gym, but I'm horrid at getting up early and so I'll have to make do with Billy Blanks and Jillian Michaels.

Aaron and I voted yesterday in record time. We waited in line for two hours during the primaries and decided to take advantage of early voting. So those of you in Utah who are registered have until Friday before you are doomed to waiting in long lines!!

* We've had people ask why we refer to our son as Lump. When he was born Ash developed a HUGE lump on his head from delivery that hung around until he was eight weeks. So I just started calling him Lump and babies are just kind of like lumps.

Asher Takes Control of Laptop

2008-10-21T08:20:00.001-07:00

This is too cute to pass up. Yesterday while I was typing up a letter of intent for graduate school Asher started getting fussy...he is getting over a cold. So, I picked him up and he imediately noticed my laptop and stared leaning towards it. I decided it would be a fun experiment if Asher could feel the texture of the key board, and take some pictures while he is doing it. It was a fun 30 mins...He had some how figured out how to print my list of songs on Itunes, quit a bunch of programs, and rename some files I had on my desktop. He had a great time. So without further ado, the pictures of his experiment.

Aaron's Turn to be Tagged

2008-10-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

So I found this one on a friend's blog. Trine did the last one so it's my turn now.

I am-- extremely tired. Lump has been awake since about 3:00am this morning.
I think-- applying to grad school is way too complicated.
I know-- diet mountain dew is bad for me, but oh so good.
I want--to take a shower.
I have--a new hoodie on this morning.
I wish--for three more wishes...isn't that what I am suppose to say?
I hate--waking up in the middle of the night.
I miss--chicken...it smells so good to me.
I fear--dying by choking on my own bodily fluids.
I feel--cold...well my feet are cold.
I hear--Jason Mraz's "Live Acoustic Album" it's amazing.
I smell--the crisp fall air outside my window.
I search--for the next book to read.
I wonder--what I am going to be for Halloween. Lump is a wizard, I can't top that.
I regret--renting "The Boy Who Could Fly" I haven't watched it yet, and it's due today.
I love--when the kids at work are not yelling at each other...lately they are all jealous of each other because they all "love" the same girl. Oh, and the girl is totally playing all of them.
I care--about our next president even though I know where our electoral votes are going.
I always--have a new book to read.
I am not--as outgoing as I was in High School.
I believe--college sports are superior to professional sports.
I sing--when I listen to my ipod.
I don't always--read my scriptures like I should.
I write--in a journal everyday...eight days straight!
I win--at Guitar Hero.
I lose--my hair...even my sister-in-law noticed it...sad.
I can usually be found--at Provo Canyon School-Sommerset Campus.
I'm scared--that what I get Trine for x-mas will not be what she wants...she is very difficult to shop for.
I read--lately, lots of psychology books...right now I am reading about Body Dismorphic Disorder (BDD).
I am happy about--my dollar raise at work, and another $.50 raise coming in January.

My Day Book

2008-09-23T14:59:00.001-07:00

I saw this on another blog and thought it would make a fun and easy post.

I am wearing black pants and a turquiose shirt. All my clothes fit post baby, but my body is strangely different.

I am reading too much political news. My name is Trine and I am an addict.

I am hearing noise from the office and cars passing on the street. One of my favorite sounds is actually typing.

Learning all the time about how to manage the family schedule to make sure that everything that needs to be taken care of is. Also how to remember that Aaron and I actually spend time together that isn't waking up and going to bed.

I am thankful for a spouse and family that are so helpful.

I am hoping that one day I'll be a homeowner. I love looking at model homes and at real estate postings. The Parade of Homes is my favorite date night with Aaron.

From the kitchen tomorrow comes a new corn and bean salsa. Fingers crossed that it'll be as delicious as it looks. Check out the Best Bite for the recipie.

Bringing beauty to my home by breaking out all of my fall decorations this weekend. I love the pumpkin spice wallflower from bath and body works. Not only does our apartment look cute, it smells like I actually make good food too!

Around the house is baby gear. Seriously, we are being taken over by a kid who doesn't speak or eat solid food.

Outside my window it's a lovely fall day. I'm excited to go home for a bit and take Lump for a walk.

I am thinking about Aaron applying to graduate school for next fall and the exciting news that my good friend is coming to visit next month. I'm also thinking about dreading my morning jog tomorrow.

One of my favorite things is eating cookie dough and talking to my good friends. The cookie dough will kill me...it sad that I ate a bunch while watching The Biggest Loser. Self defeating.

A few plans for the rest of the week...Tomorrow is a GNO for some women in my ward. I've never done anything with this particular group, but I'd like to become a little more friendly with my neighbors. Also date night this week is take-out and the presidential debate. We are such a wild and crazy couple!

If I like puzzles does that make me a puzzler?

2008-09-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

Aaron and I have gotten back to doing puzzles again. I know this sounds like an activity we should save to enjoy in our twilight years but we've got shuffleboard scheduled for then. Lump has even gotten in on the fun. Puzzles are great because not only do they keep my mind sharp, Aaron and I can still talk while we relax with one.

In other news, we've just been enjoying our baby. He's such a good boy...even with the insane amount of spit-up he produces. Currently he weighs 11 pounds and is 24 inches long. He's pretty much sleeping through the night now, which makes everyone very happy. The night before I went back to work he decided to remind of the old days and was up almost every hour starting at 2 am. Good times. Good thing he's so cute.

Ten Days

2008-09-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

My summer at home is coming to an end. I've really enjoyed being home with Lump, he is such a good baby. A lot of people ask how I feel about going back to work, I usually respond by saying, "Fine, he'll mainly be with one of us so that makes it alright." This is true, but what I really want to say is, "It doesn't matter how I feel about going to work, it's just what's going to happen." Since, most people who ask are just trying to be nice that response accompanied by tears might be a tad alarming.

I know I'm not the first person who has to work while they have kids and I won't be the last. The fact that Lump will be with Aaron most of my time at work is very comforting. My, unfounded, fear is that my baby won't really love me. This is silly since I'll only be gone 32 out of 168 hrs in a week. Hopefully we'll be able to develop a good routine with our schedules so we'll be able to make the most of our time together, especially when Aaron and I have time off together.

Withdrawl

2008-08-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

Our cable and internet went down on Friday and I'm finally back online. What a sad thing that 72 hrs without them were so difficult. Just me and Lump hanging at home. We did go visit Mandy and her cute family, so it wasn't all awful. I should find a hobby or read more. Baby Lump and I had a photo shoot the other day. He would only smile once I moved the camera away from his face. I did manage to get a few good pictures.

Lump at two months old!

Go for the Gold

2008-08-16T15:31:00.000-07:00

The olympics have kept me occupied at night for the past week. I have always enjoyed watching the games and learning about the athletes. (My new favorite is Cullen Jones. Not only is he a cutie, he also started a great program for inner-city kids. He's the second from the left. ) Swimming is my favorite to watch. Michael Phelps is an amazing athlete. Having said that, I wish the reporters at NBC would realize that there is a whole team that have worked just as hard as Mr. Phelps and they also have proud parents! I hope he gets his eighth medal tonight, mainly because I don't want to hear about what a "failure" he is for just getting seven gold medals and one silver.

The men's gymnastic team (that picture is hilarious to me.) did a terrific job too, especially for not being considered medal contenders after the Hamm twins were injured. The joy they had at placing third was wonderful. Especially in comparison to what happened the following night with the women's team, which was also plagued with injuries. A silver medal is nothing to be ashamed of! I wanted to hurt the reporter interviewing the team after the competition. I applaud Alicia for not breaking down in tears with those questions. Those girls have worked hard and sacrificed quite a bit (their bodies and social lives) to compete at this level.

Trampoline is a sport....who knew?

Track and field started and I've now found where all the Black people were hiding. I've decided to grow my hair out naturally so this is a good time to study hair and scout out a new do! I'll write more about my hair in another post. Here's a preview from the latest experiment.

Huff and Puff and Stuff

2008-08-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

So, I was sitting in church yesterday and our congregation never ceases to amaze me. I decided to w take notes on things that I observed during the last twenty minutes of sacrament meeting. Baby Lump and Trine were pacing the halls.

One speaker stated that if we teach our children to serve than they will become more "inwardly focused"...Interesting, I thought the goal of service was to help others, not to become selfish. It must have been a mistake, but I was amused.
A teenager in the front row licked his whole arm; from his shoulder to his fingertips in one motion...I wonder how that tasted considering he was picking stuff off the floor just prior to this long taste test.
The hymns are meant to be sung loudly, even if you don't know the words. Apparently, if you don't know the words the word "something" can be used for every word you forgot.
The crying baby chorus starts up at about 15 minutes to the hour, and continues until the meeting lets out (15 minutes late).
Long, boring talks consists of lots of reading, no looking up, and no dialog to relate to anyone.
How come the Bishopric always looks bored? Just a question.
I had an epiphany about a little girl in the ward, she always kind of gave me the creeps. I figured out why...She looks like Mr. Jingles from Stephen King's It.
The second speaker said, "If we keep the commandments we will become a power house of energy." Power house huh?...Someone must really be into the Olympic Spirit. I am too, we are trying to decide what to push Baby Lump into so we can bask in his olympic glory. Bob Costa has taught us that this glory is only achieved through gold medals...silver is just not that good.
You know in the hymn book, each song says how to sing it (i.e., with power, cheerfully, or energetically). Well, in our ward to sing cheerfully means to sound like a funeral march.
Why is it that baby girls have to have HUGE bows/flowers on their heads? They look like extra appendages. They look like girls if they have on a dress...Unless, of course, the parents are starting cross-dressing at a very young age, and if that's the case I have never seen a drag queen with a Huge flower headband.
If you need a hymn book, it is easier to reach across the pew ahead of you and take it. Don't mind the people sitting in the pew...No joke this really happened to my pew. I did not quite know how to react to the lady taking my hymn book.
During the closing prayer, all the babies in the audience start "cooing" about the same time. This cooing sounds a lot like speaking in tongues.

Blessings, Buddies, and a Book Review

2008-08-03T14:52:00.000-07:00

This post is going to be pretty disjointed, so bare with me.

Today we blessed Asher. It was a pretty low-key event, which is what we wanted. The best part, other than the blessing, was that Ash didn't cry and saved spitting up until we got his bib back in place! His buddy Reed was also blessed today. Last week we tried to have a photos shoot of the two boys and here was the best I could do.

I would also like say thanks for everyone who left a comment about baby gas. All of your ideas were sooo helpful! I think we've got a system now that keeps it pretty under control and gives us a happier baby. Here's the latest picture of our little clan.

Yesterday I read the last installment of the Twilight series. I know that a lot of people really like this series. For me, I just needed to have closure. Kind of like how I've read the dragon books, (Eragon and Eldest) I really dislike them, but I'll read the third one just to see how it finishes. Breaking Dawn was a fine book, if a little predictable. Perhaps I've just need to enjoy reading or watching movies as they go along instead of trying to work out the endings way before they happen. The Young Women in my ward love this series because of the romance. I found the romance in this edition a little mature for the YA crowd. Anyone who reads this is free to disagree with me.

I'm not really uptight about sexuality or anything, I was just a little caught off guard with where the story went in that direction. There was nothing explicit but I was left feeling uneasy. The girls I work with at church and at work already have unrealistic expectations about relationships and I found myself feeling this would just fuel those expectations even further. However, figuring out that life isn't what you've always seen portrayed in the media is a rite of passage.

Below is a picture of the release party we drove by. Aaron thought I was insane, he offered to let me go in and really participate in the madness, but I declined. There are limits.

The Exciting Times of Aaron

2008-07-26T08:03:00.001-07:00

So, I thought it might be nice to give an update on myself, Aaron, because I never post on this blog. Exciting things are happening for me right now. First, last Saturday night at work a kid tried to stab me...I restrained him and took him down pretty hard. Nobody was hurt, and now the 250 lb fourteen year-old respects me a little more.

Second, being a new dad is good; I enjoy it quite a bit. Baby A is getting more smiley, I understand that most of them are not controlled but it's cute anyway.

Third, Trine lets me sleep though the night until 6:30ish because apparently I have turrets syndrome in the middle of the night if I am woken up...I don't know where that comes from...I can't help it.

Other things happening in life right now...I have been doing a lot of research on becoming Vegetarian, a personal decision that kind of came out of nowhere. I have a coworker that has done vegetarianism for two months and says that he has lost a lot of weight and feels great...so I started doing research. I haven't eaten meat in about three weeks. Don't worry, I am not going to get preachy about this.

I have started looking into graduate schools again. It's funny, our schools of choice have changed more often then Dennis Rodman's hair. Right now we are looking in Wisconsin, Ohio, Flagstaff, Iowa, Virginia, and Nebraska; a lot of these places we would of never considered before. I am starting to study for the dreadful GRE again, I need to raise that score by about 100...I hate that test more than anything in the world.

That is about it...here are some recent pictures of our happy little boy. Peace out Yo!

Special Request

2008-07-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking of making our blog private, but thought I'd start by asking anyone who has linked to our blog please list us as Trine and Aaron, instead of using our last names. Thanks so much!

Memory Lane

2008-07-25T12:20:00.001-07:00

The instructions are as follows:1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Coming Attractions

2008-07-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

I put this video up yesterday in hopes that it will tide you over until I have the presence of mind to post about politics. Enjoy. In the mean time does anybody have any wonderful solutions to help a REALLY gassy baby?

Funny Stuff

2008-07-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

My sister showed me this video today. I just love how the little baby is so smiley about inflicting pain on his brother.

Things here are going well. Asher continues to be a great addition to the family. So far getting up at night isn't awful. I actually like the time to chat with him while he's eating. We don't talk about anything in particular. One good thing that Ash has done is lessened my obsession with the upcoming election. I actually turned NPR on in the car today and realized I have no idea what's going on in the world right now. I just know that gas is expensive still and the olympics are soon. Oh and apparently a bunch of celebrities had babies that probably aren't as cute as mine. So I'll take this opportunity to thank my baby for breaking my addiction...at least until the conventions.

One Week

2008-07-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

I thought that the lack of sleep was supposed to be due to the baby wanting to eat all the time? It seems this week that I am the only one in the house who isn't sleeping for one reason or another. Bothersome hormones.

Adventures in Grilling and Bathtime

2008-06-30T16:03:00.001-07:00

Last thursday, thanks to inspiration from Kevin and Rhiannon, we decided to make kabobs for dinner. They were delicious. The best part was when Aaron, Master of the Grill, set the lawn on fire! Awesome.

In other exciting news for Aaron: During Asher's first bath at home he decided spit up each time Aaron washed each side of his body. Then, in a final act of dominance, Asher pooped all down Aaron's front after Aaron surrendered with the bath idea. We tried again later and were more successful, but the faces of both my boys was so funny! Here's the little devil wide awake.

Asher Thomas

2008-06-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

Everyone please give a warm welcome to Baby Asher!

I woke up at 2:00 am on the 27th with contractions. When we arrived at the hospital at 4:00 I was dilated to a four. The only thing that really helped me make it through until I got my epidural at 7:00 was having the score of The Little Mermaid running through my mind. I don't really enjoy that cartoon, so I was mildly amused that the music would be running through my head at that particular moment. We pushed for two hours and Ash decided to make his debut at 11:01 am. He weighs 7 pounds 9 ounces and is 20.5 inches long.

Maternity Leave

2008-06-21T15:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my last day at work until September. I'm really nervous about leaving and not having a baby to stay home with yet. When I went in yesterday I was having contractions that were about five minutes apart, I made it about three hours in and decided I was lame for leaving my apartment. So I spoke with my supervisor and decided that I would just call it good and go home to wait for baby. I hobbled to my car and went home. The contractions continued until about seven that night and got to be about every 2-3 minutes....THEN THEY STOPPED!!!!!! This also happened two times last weekend. WHY?!?! Today is a little better, they come and they go, but nothing to regular.

So now I'm left to wonder not only when my little boy will decided to grace us with his presence, but was it dumb not to try to tough it out and work for another week? What do you think?

Bye Bye Countdown

2008-06-17T09:49:00.001-07:00

I had to remove the baby countdown. It was taunting me.

What happens at the Summerfest...

2008-06-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

After having some pretty intense contractions for two days, Aaron and I decided we would walk to the Summerfest. Desperate times my friends. Since, it's been such a mild spring in Utah I haven't really dealt with the whole overheated pregnant woman phenomenon. Saturday was my introduction to that club. Not only was I overheated but my little trek just kept the contractions coming.

It was a great to spend time with Aaron we ate a Navjo taco and had an Original Texas Twister. One thing I forgot about carnivals is that the food is pretty expensive. Our drink was six dollars, BUT we could get refills for three dollars for the rest of the day! Lucky us.

Then, in what can only be described as an act of love, Aaron won me a dollar squirt gun for the walk home. I've always wanted someone to win a prize for me at a carnival.

After all of that, still no baby, but at least there seems to be progress. I'll keep this updated.

Disappointing

2008-06-12T08:32:00.001-07:00

I was looking at my baby ticker and realised that it was off by two days. Sad. Things are going well right with the pregnancy. I told a friend on Saturday that this is probably the best I've felt the whole 38 weeks.

Aaron and I are trying to keep busy getting little odds and ends ready. I plan on starting my maternity leave when I have the baby or July 1st. I've gone into nesting overdrive trying to get things squared away at work and at home. I'd hate to leave suddenly and leave people holding the bag on unfinished projects.

This weekend is the Summerfest. I love going to local city celebrations and eating the unhealthy food and looking at the booths. We also have Father's Day. Aaron's family is making homemade ice cream which is his favorite.

Secret Shame

2008-05-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

I guess this won't be so secret after I post it for the world. We don't frequent buffets because Aaron thinks they are pretty disgusting. However, I have been DYING for a potato bar my entire pregnancy. I just didn't want to go to all the effort of creating one at home. So last month I was finally indulged...twice! The first time I went with my friends Rhiannon and Annie during the Priesthood session. The next time was a few weeks later for my birthday. It was delicious.

While I was there with Aaron, the family at the table next to us got into a big fight. The climax was the grandma telling her grandson, "I wish I wasn't your grandma." Good times that just reinforced Aaron's poor opinion of the GC. It's just part of it's charm! The problem is, I'd love to go back again, but Aaron says the only way he'll go is if I'm overdue. Evil.

Craving Chronicles: Strawberry Pie

2008-05-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is a picture of the delicious strawberry pie I made a few weeks ago. I've made one more since then, but I wasn't too pleased with the recipie...and I ruined the crust. Since, this is a long weekend I believe I'll try this again and see if I can get it to be a little less jello-like.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons package strawberry flavored gelatin mix
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 quarts strawberries, hulled
1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, combine water, sugar and cornstarch. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the strawberry gelatin. Allow to cool slightly.

Arrange strawberries in the pie crusts with the tips pointing up. Pour gelatin mixture over, covering the berries.

* In this pie I actually did a cream cheese and powder sugar mix to put at the bottom of the crust so it wouldn't get soggy. It turned out alright, I'm still playing around with what could have made it better.

** You also can't eat this pie without whipped cream! Unless you have dairy allergies...or just don't like it. :)

Update

2008-05-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

It's about time I updated this bad boy. Usually, I have posts mulling around in my head, but then I forget to actually post them. By the time I remember to post they feel like old news.

Things are going well right now. Baby F is still very content having me as his host. It's good to know that he's doing well. My fingers are crossed that he'll make a timely debut and not be fashionably late. We feel pretty prepared for his arrival...essentials have been purchased and we just finished our prenatal class. Here's me at 34 weeks.

Aaron has been really busy with work lately, which leaves me with a lot of time by myself. I'd like to say that I'm being really productive with that time, but I'm not. Right now I'm listening to "Showtune Saturday Night". Don't worry, I know that makes me a geek. I'm not allowed to exercise right now, so sometimes I get around that by going to "float" in the pool at the gym. Most of the time, however, I watch movies.

Last night I watched Lars and the Real Girl. It was very different than what I expected. The premise was what would happen if we treated episode of mental illness with compassion instead of shying away from those who suffer. Has anyone else seen this movie? What did you think? I'm still trying to form my thoughts on the subject.

20 Things I Love Right Now

2008-05-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

1. That human pregnancy only lasts for ten months. Poor elephants have to suffer for twenty-two!
2. Chicken Curry...I admit that I've had some every day since last Thursday.
3. My Mando for coming down to have a Girl's Day!
4. Tulips are officially blooming everywhere. Hooray for spring.
5. Strawberries being abundant so I can continue to perfect my pie-making abilities...post coming soon!
6. The fact that I bought a Cinco De Mayo shirt from Old Navy and will be wearing it with pride on Monday...even if it doesn't fit correctly.
7. The idea of not having to do my hair for the next few weeks. Braided extensions are the best.
8. The fact that Aaron is excited about Baby F and is the one who pushes me to prepare for his arrival. He does most of the work...I sit in the rocking chair and oversee.
9. Reconnecting with old friends.
10. NPR
11. That I will not be at work for 3 months after the baby is born.
12. My one-hour prenatal massage tomorrow!!!!
13. Fruit slushes and frozen lemonade. I should just say Happy Hour at Sonic.
14. Aaron...He's a pretty good guy.
15. My heating pad
16. The Office and How I Met Your Mother.
17. Weekends
18. Reading blogs
19. The fact that I have finished most of the Thank You notes from my shower.
20. I only have ninety minutes left at work.

Favorite Things Around My House...for Wendy.

2008-04-17T11:01:00.001-07:00

My favorite thing in the kitchen is... My mini food prep processor. That thing is amazing! Especially now that my nesting has translated into cooking.

My favorite thing in the bathroom is the toilet...We've become very good friends over the past seven months. I won't be sad to say good-bye once this baby is born.

My favorite thing in the bedroom is the heating pad. I would normally say my bed, but I've started to wish I had a king size mattress instead of a queen.

My favorite thing in the bedroom closet is my yoga pants. I would wear them everyday of the week if I could. Maybe I should talk to my supervisor about changing our dress code.

My favorite thing in the living room is the couch. I consider our couch set my first adult purchase...other than my car.

My favorite thing in the pantry is nothing. I really need to go grocery shopping, but usually food doesn't sound too appealing to me. I do like the fact that I've cleaned out some space to store non-food items.

My favorite thing in the "office" is that it's my bedroom. We have converted the office to the baby room. I sure do love our computer though...probably more than I should.

My favorite thing in the baby's room is the pictures that Aaron painted for the wall.

I'm tagging Janae, Alexis, and Helen.

Ode to Incompetent Ultrasound Techs

2008-04-10T19:06:00.000-07:00

How we love planning our day around seeing the growing babe inside.

We love taking time off from work to wait in the waiting room for thirty minutes before being ushered in.

And who doesn't love cold KY Jelly all over the tum-tum?

And the tact of the technician to say, "I can't find its brain, I will be back" as the door is slamming behind her.

Oh, how we love incompetent ultrasound techs.

Who can forget the classic gender percentages for the naughty bits?

65-70% sure it's a boy at 16 weeks.

85-95% sure it's a girl..."look a textbook shot" at 25 weeks.

And at 30 weeks..."They told you it was a girl (pause) oh yeah I see it, but the clitoris is enlarged and the vagina swollen."

Enter in, the second opinion (at week 30; and the lady who needed to find the brain)...

"How could you tell them it's a girl (pause) that's a penis, no questions asked."

So which incompetent ultrasound tech is right?

Or are they all wrong together?

You be the judge, because the one who told it about "the clitoris being enlarged and the vagina swollen" tried to lie to us "to not ruin our weekend"

I don't know about anyone else here, but I would rather have a hectic weekend while the baby is still in the oven rather than out months later.

But that's my opinion incompetent ultrasound technician.

No that is not its cranium.

But That is...welcome to earth (well almost) Finnley Patrick, or maybe he's an Abrham Joseph...only time can tell.

A Blast from the Past

2008-04-07T13:15:00.000-07:00

Confession: The first concert that I went to was New Kids on the Block. I was in the fifth grade and desperately in love with Joey MacIntire. My parents scrounged up a ticket for me to go to the sold out event, only to have me hate them inexplicably two weeks later. I'm not sure what happened, but everyone else hated them so I went with the crowd. There's no amount of groveling that can make up for the betrayal of my Joey.

Over the years I've kept track of the whereabouts of the New Kids. I admit to skipping a class in college to watch Joey and Jordan's TRL music video debut. One of the top reasons I watched and loved Band of Brothers is because of Donnie and his, now receding, hairline. Jonathan and Danny basically faded into boy-band obscurity. I even braved Dancing with the Stars while Joey was a contestant. My friend Sandy and I were ESTATIC to find out that when we saw Wicked in New York Joey was male lead. After the show the cast held a charity auction. Several audience members pooled their money together and for 5,000 Joey did a NKOTB dance. It's probably bad manners, but I cheered like an eleven year-old girl back at the Marriott Center.

Needless to say I'm excited about their reunion. Aaron thinks it's silly, but I told him that if they tour anywhere in this region I am going to be in attendance. Here's a look at the boys then and now.

Craving Chronicles: Pasta Salad

2008-04-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the recipe for the delicious pasta salad I've been eating for days now. The cravings started last week and I finally gave in on Friday. The beast within is satisfied....for now. Enjoy!

Dressing:
1 Large garlic clove, minced

1/3 C. Mayonaise

1/3 C Sour Cream

1/3 C Buttermilk

3 T Rice Wine Vineage (you can use 2)

Pasta Salad:

2 T salt

12 oz Bowtie or any kind of pasta you like.

8 oz trimmed asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths

2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved and lightly salted.

14 oz can artichokes, cut into sixths.

3 green onions, thinly sliced.

1/2 C pine nuts, toasted until golden.

1/4 C pesto (homemade or refrigerated prepared)

Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl; keep chilled until ready to toss with salad. Store in jar or bowl with lid.

Cook pasta and add asparagus the last 1 minute, until just tender. Drain and let chill while preparing remaining salad ingredients.

Place all salad ingredients (except buttermilk dressing) in a large bowl or transfer to a gallon-size zipper bag. When ready to serve, add dressing; toss to coat and serve.

Introducing the beast within at 27 wks.

AZ 2008

2008-04-02T15:47:00.000-07:00

The days of fun in the sun are done. Meaning, our vacation to Anthem, AZ over Easter is officially done. Too bad, because it was nice to get away from the Arctic temperatures of late in Utah. Here are a few pictures from our trip for all of those who are looking for an enjoyable, warm, quick get away. Enjoy!

On Saturday, Aaron & the guys hiked Gavelin Peak which overlooks the suburb. The hike wasn't the Lord of The Rings Trek but a fun hike none-of-the-less.

This is New River, AZ...apparently the ghetto...funny it looks nice to me. This is a view from the top of Gavelin Peak.

"The Guys", Aaron's brother-in-law Greg and his two boys Andrew and Jordan (striking the Backstreet Boys Pose).

This is Aaron's version of art with the element of perception. This is Aaron's favorite picture that he took; they kinda look like little Hobbits don't they? The theme song to LOTR's plays in my mind when I see this one.

100 Days!!

2008-03-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

In honor of reaching the 100 day milestone of my pregnancy here is fun picture I found to show how big Baby F is currently. Hooray for bigger produce! Next week she'll be about the size of a head of cauliflower.

This past weekend we went bowling with my family and I really need to upload the pictures from that adventure. I achieved my highest score ever of 134. I'll never be professional, but I have to credit my tummy for giving me a better center.

We are also leaving town for a few days. Sunny Arizona here we come! I'm so excited not to be working and enjoying warm weather. It will also be nice to spend time with A's sister and her family for Easter. Their good peeps.

Just for You

2008-03-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

What is your husbands name? Aaron Patrick

How long have you been together? How long did you date? We’ve been together for almost three years. I would tell my kids we didn’t date long enough…but I’ll confess that we dated 4 months.

Who said I love you first? Aaron did and then I kicked him out of my apartment. Seriously.

Who is smarter? It’s probably a draw, so I’ll say Baby F…just to be safe.

Who does the housework? We both do. He’s done a lot more since being pregnant occasionally knocks me off my feet.

Who sleeps on the right? I do.

Who pays the bills? I do.

Who cooks dinner? Aaron does. That is largely because I eat a limited assortment of food currently. He says it’s because, “He’s the man.”

Who drives when you are together? Aaron usually

Who is more stubborn? It’s a tie.

Who kissed who first? Aaron was quite the Casanova and kissed me on our second date. Again, not something to tell the kiddos.

Who asked out who first? Aaron asked me to see a play with him while we were setting up for an FHE.

Who proposed? Aaron did. My ring was in a fortune cookie. We LOVE Chinese food.

Who has more siblings? I have six siblings and Aaron has five.

Who wears the pants? Literally Aaron wears them more often than I do. However, in the terms the question really means we have a pretty Egalitarian relationship.

I tag...Janae