Music Man

Most of you know that Emron and I have been attending MusikGarten music classes since Emron was only a few months old, but you may not know what we do in class.  We always sit in a circle, sing songs, learn rhythm and tonal patterns, pat the beat on our laps and dance with scarfs, among other things.  We've really enjoyed MusikGarten, especially as of late.  Emron has started to pat the beat on his lap as well as clap his little hands.  He loves "singing," too.  He's too cute.

Anyway, on Tuesday I put Emron down for his morning nap.  He fussed at first, which isn't uncommon then I heard him "singing."  I peeked into his room and discovered he was conducting his own MusikGarten class.  He had arranged his animals into a half circle facing him and was patting the beat whiling singing a song.  When he was finished singing he started clapping only to start singing again.  It was absolutely adorable.  It's nice to see music class paying off!  Seeing him was a great Mommy Moment.

Today, my little goose decided he actually likes to wear his sunglasses!  He's been wearing baseball caps more frequently, too.  

I'm SOOOO Cool!

Look At Me, Mom!

We can't believe it's already Thursday!  We've been having a great week and hope you have been, too.

XOXO,

Aspen

Memorial Day Weekend

We've had a great Memorial Day Weekend.  On Saturday Murry, Emron and I went to Legoland.  We were able to check out their new aquarium as well as the rest of the park.  We started our trip at the aquarium.  Emron loved the brightly colored fish.  He couldn't get close enough and he would mash his face into the glass to get a better look.  It was a lot of fun watching him as Murry showed him different creatures in the aquatic version of a petting zoo.  After the aquarium we wondered around the rest of Legoland.  While Emron was too little ride most of the rides, he seemed to enjoy walking around looking at people and plants.  He wasn't very interested in the actual Legos but he found a fern that was so fascinating we had to stop for at least five minutes to study it.  We think Emron has the makings of a botanist.  He is quite adorable.  Murry and I really liked Miniland at Legoland.  Miniland was made of millions of legos in the shapes of various city skylines around the US.  We were able to see San Francisco, New Orleans and New York.  The day was quite enjoyable for all of us, even though we did get a little sun!

Yeh! Fish!

Dad, Look at the Bright Colors

What's That!

Family Photo

On Saturday night Murry and I went to the...  drum-roll please...  MOVIES!  It was the first time I've been to the movies in 18 months and only the second movie Murry has seen since Emron was born.  For this monumental occasion we decided to see the new Star Trek movie.  It was a wonderful and well done show.  I couldn't, however, get over how loud it was!  Murr kept telling me that the movies are always loud but it seemed a lot louder than I remembered.  Anyway, we both enjoyed the show and the opportunity we had to spend some time together out of the house and without the baby.  Oh, and I especially enjoyed the Junior Mints!

Sunday was filled with the usual; church and hanging out at home.  I taught Sunday School and assigned my class to draw a picture of how they would keep the commandments throughout the week.  One of my girls decided she didn't want to follow the assignment so she wrote on the top of her paper: "I don't want to draw that.  I will draw a cute kitty instead."  And that's just what she did.  Kids are so funny.  When I spend time with my class I start to get a little anxious about my little Emron growing up.  It's such a remarkable journey this life.

Today we made our way to the zoo.  We had one goal, and one goal only.  We wanted to check out the new elephant exhibit.  Well, apparently, so did everyone else.  We have never seen the zoo so busy.  Even before 11 it was almost impossible to find parking.  Anyway, we were able to see the elephants, but due to the mass amount of people that's all we really looked at.  Thank goodness for zoo passes!  After the zoo we went to In-n-Out for Memorial Day burgers.  It was a nice way to end our adventure. 

Giant Mammoth

Murry and Emron Taking in the View from the Gondola 

We spent some time outside this afternoon.  Murry and I played catch while Emron ate dirt; they'd just aerated the grass so there were clods every where!  I had a conference call at 4:30 and the boys went to the school to play on the playground.  Murry told me that Emron met a girl.  I guess she was an older woman of two, but Emron had eyes for her and the sand box!  My boys are so cute!

My Cute Guys Sharing a Cookie

So, about the conference call.  Your favorite stay at home mom landed a stay at home job this weekend.  The pay is modest and it's very part time.  The work is editing and posting blogs, ha!  I'm excited to do it though.  I've already posted four blogs and I think it will help break up my days a little.  Getting this job is just icing on the cake for our wonderful weekend!

I hope you had a great weekend and that you enjoy reading about and seeing photos of ours.

XOXO,

Aspen

Mommy and Daddy Moments

A few months ago I wrote a post titled "Mommy Moments."  Mommy Moments are times in which your child does something sweet or cute or just plain silly.  They are moments that might not get much attention in the scrapbook or as memorable firsts but they usually stick with you for some time because these moments make your child an individual.  Mommy Moments are never ending and always enduring.  Today I wanted to write about a couple of these moments that Murry has been able to witness, they are Mommy and Daddy Moments.

First, Emron the bike repair man:  I was in the kitchen, aware of but not really watching Emron as he played on the balcony.  He was quiet and seemed to be content as he played so I continued making dinner at my leisure.  We were both continuing with our tasks, dinner and playing, when Murry came home.  I asked him to check on Emron since I hadn't peeked in in awhile.  What Murry found was surprising, cute and kind of funny.  Emron had wedged himself between the balcony wall and one of the bikes.  I assume he took this position so he could "work" on the front and rear derailleurs which were on the wall side.  He moved the pedals systematically before and after touching the chain or the derailleur.  It was adorable, but perhaps the cutest aspect of this story is that while Emron "worked" he sat with his favorite blanket and stuffed giraffe both which he hauled out to the balcony by himself.  Quite the cutie!

Second, Emron the goose:  Recently Emron found our neoprene laptop case.  We never use it though it sits near the computer at the ready for any planned or unplanned travel.  If you have a one year old you know that, first, travel is never unplanned, and second,  you will not need your computer for entertainment nor will you be able to use it for more productive matters since your hands will be full taking care of your child.  So basically the case sits and gathers dust, that is, until Emron found it.  The first time he laid his hands on it he didn't quite know what to do so I put it on his head and a long round of peek-a-boo ensued.  The next few times he found the case we did the same.  Then one day while Murry and I were eating dinner Emron grabbed the case and crawled into a spot in between us.  He lifted the case onto his head, spun half a circle on his bum, lifted the case off, smiled, then started from the beginning.  Murry and I both laughed egging Emron on.  He "danced" for us for some time before we all were laughing together.  My little Emron it seems is quite the ham.

Mommy and Daddy Moments are fun and as I said before always enduring.  I hope you've enjoyed reading about our Mommy and Daddy Moments!

XOXO,

Aspen

Friday

Well, it's Friday.  I am ready for the weekend but feeling a little sluggish today.  I have been unable to motivate and probably too wrapped up in the search for our perfect home.  We've put in five offers this week.  Five.  We probably won't hear anything for a month or more as all the homes we are looking at are short sales.  The beauty of a short sale is that nine times out of ten you get a really good deal, the downside is that you end up waiting for long periods of time to hear from the bank.  So we're waiting.  In the meantime I continue my search.  Sometimes I feel a little bit torn up about buying a house.  For one, we are buying in California and I am not sure our family is ready to settle here.  The prices are still high (even when you get a good deal) and we don't have seasons.  In order to get into a house we are looking in an area that will add 40 minutes onto Murry's commute.  Somedays none of these things seem like issues but other days they do.  Both Murry and I fip-flop a lot about this decision.  Also, I don't like the feeling that we are capitalizing on another's misfortune.  Homes are selling for cheap because the seller or bank wants to get out of them.  I don't know, perhaps there are a myriad of reasons we can get a deal and feel good about stimulating the economy but at times I feel sad for those who have lost their homes, jobs, livelihood.

On that note, I am so grateful for Murry's ability to get out of bed every morning and go to work.  He gets up at 5 so he can make it to the gym then work and not have exercise time take away from our time together.  He rarely complains.  He is even willing to sacrifice more of his time so that we can have our own place, which is really important to me.  I am still in love with him after three years of marriage.  (We celebrated our third anniversary on Tuesday.) 

Look at us!

Additionally, I am grateful for the consistent and steady nature of Murry's job.  Though his hours may vary and increase at times we are lucky to know that it is more likely for Murry to leave his job than for his job to leave us.  We have a lot more than a lot of people.

So Adorable.

I know the mood of this post is sort of somber but, if I start writing about Emron it's sure to change.  So.  My little boy is so dang cute.  He makes me laugh everyday.  This week I was stretching with my head to my knee and Emron crawls over and messes up my hair then starts laughing.  He took the dental floss out onto the balcony.  He piles blocks on his Leap Frog table the pushes them off with reckless abandon.  He tries to make me laugh and hams it up during feedings.  Oh, he is so sweet and of course, another thing I am so grateful for.

My Little Family.

Life is good.  I have two amazing guys in my life.  Good friends, supportive family.  Adventures ahead.  Nothing to complain about.  And when I start to complain I think of those who have it much worse than I.  We are lucky, even with our obstacles, we are lucky.  These are my thoughts for the week.  I hope everyone is well.

XOXO,

Aspen