Aaron and Missie and Asher

Legos!

2012-01-13T11:21:00.001-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa sent Asher his first Lego set, and he's been busy building spaceships, airplanes, firetrucks, hammers, hockey sticks, and giant towers. We're still working a little bit on the concept of structural integrity, but so far none of the legos have ended up in the toilet, which is more than we can say for the checkers in our Connect Four game.

A little more Christmas

2011-12-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

A few more presents were waiting at home for us after we got back from St. Louis, so we spent a nice evening by the fireplace reading and playing Monster Bowling.

Lights at the Zoo

2011-12-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

The weather here has been great for this time of year. We had several inches of snow a week ago, but the past few days the temperatures have been in the upper 50s, so the snow has been rapidly disappearing and the nights haven't been quite so frigid. Last night in particular was very nice, so we headed to the zoo to check out their Christmas lights.

Christmas

2011-12-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Before heading off to St. Louis for Christmas this year, we spent a little time exploring the structural properties of gingerbread and icing, and Asher spent a little time demanding that the candy go inside his mouth instead of being used to decorate our house. In the end, most of the candy ended up being used for decorations, and we have only caught Asher trying to lick the house once.

We had a great time visiting everyone in St. Louis, and Asher got plenty of quality time with Nana and Papa. Disturbingly, however, we did discover that someone had taught Asher how to "Tebow." Which also lead to the disturbing discovery that "tebowing.com" is an actual website. In an attempt to remove this knowledge from his brain, we headed to the The Magic House - St. Louis' great children's museum - and hooked Missie and Asher up to a Van de Graaff generator. The end result is that he still knows how to tebow, but he has an awesome new hair style.

This year Asher has a much better understanding of how to open presents, and was very happy to tear open packages, dump out gift bags, and then watch as several grown adults struggled to figure out how to pry open his toys in order to insert the batteries (not included).

I'm thankful that it is 80 degrees outside, and we're at the beach

2011-12-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

For Thanksgiving this year, the three of us flew down to Ft. Lauderdale to meet up with Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Jenny, and spend a few days in the warm sun. The weather was great for the first few days (and still great after that, but a bit more windy), so we spent some time at the beach. It had been more than a year since we were last by the ocean, so we reacquainted Asher with sand -- he was a little wary until he realized that you could dig big holes and make a giant mess with it -- and shells and the ocean.

The house we were staying at also had a nice pool, and Asher was happy to show off his swimming (and splashing) skills for Grandma and Grandpa.

And, of course, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, complete with delicious pumpkin pie!

Playing at the zoo and children's museum

2011-11-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

A few pictures from a couple of weeks ago, when temperatures were still in the 60s, and no snow was on the ground. One day Asher and I headed off to the zoo, and the next to the children's museum for a fun-filled day of trains, shooting off paper rockets, and a little bit of painting.

Waiting on a Jet Airplane

2011-11-07T21:28:00.000-07:00

We went to St. Louis this past weekend to celebrate the wedding of our cousin Colleen to her new husband Jon. Now that Asher is two, Mom and Dad get the brand new pleasure of paying for an extra airline ticket! (Mom and Dad, thank you for taking Angela and I on so many vacations! I never realized how painful buying an extra ticket would be.)

We are sure there are more pictures to come, but below is one family shot at the wedding. One where we are smiling and pretending to like each other while not telling our professional photographer how to do his job.

We were in St. Louis one week to the day the Cards won the World Series! Ash was very happy to tell everyone to Root for the Cardinals and read all about it as we were waiting to board. Never stand between a man and his team!

Lions 45, Broncos 10, Asher 32*

2011-10-30T20:49:00.000-06:00

* Asher's score is measured in the number of french fries eaten

Some friends of ours invited us to the Broncos game earlier today, so we were able to enjoy a beautiful day at Mile High and Asher made it to see one more major league sport in Denver (I think we're now just missing the Rapids, our MLS team).

We started off the day with a quick review of the history and cultural influence of football; once Asher was able to pass a written quiz and recite the Super Bowl winners in order, we moved on to practicing "the wave."

From there, we headed to Mile High stadium for a little pre-game tailgating, complete with grilling, beverages, and some football on the sidewalk.

Unfortunately, the pre-game sidewalk football was the best football we were going to see all day. We had a great time at the game, but the Broncos ended up losing 45-10.

Toward the end of the game, Asher stares despondently at the scoreboard (or, it could be that he hadn't taken a nap all day, and was turning into a baby-zombie), while the stadium empties out behind him.

I'm Dreaming of a White... Halloween

2011-10-26T17:00:00.000-06:00

We had our first snow of the year earlier this week, picking up around 8 inches of powder. A few days earlier the thermometer hit close to 80 degrees, so the roads and sidewalks stayed fairly clear, but everything else disappeared under the snow.

Since we had a slow afternoon that day, we bundled up Asher (and ourselves) and headed to one of the hills in our complex for a few quick runs in the saucer.

Happy Monkeys & Happy Pumpkins

2011-10-22T22:00:00.000-06:00

Aunt Jenny came over this weekend for our annual pumpkin carving extravaganza. The first event was the Costume Contest. Knowing that none of us could compete with Asher and his monkey costume, we just sat around while he ate the fake banana attached to his costume and played with the pumpkins.

After dinner, we set about carving our pumpkins. Asher wasn't quite sure about the pumpkin guts at first, but was eventually willing to give it a try.

A little while later, we were ready to celebrate some successful pumpkin carving!

A View From Mama's Phone

2011-10-16T16:31:00.001-06:00

Hello there! It's been a while since we have updated. Here are some random lo-res pix to keep you updated of general Asher movement. Whether on the go, driving (and StL Cardinal rooting!) or climbing, Ash always has a big smile.

Asher loves animals! His current companion is Monkey, who lives on his back. He also likes taking care of animals, too.

Snow or shine, Asher's your man!

The running of the stadiums

2011-09-26T20:55:00.000-06:00

If it's late September, it must mean that we're taking part in the Fans on the Field run - a poorly organized race that benefits a great charity, and gives runners the chance to run through the Pepsi Center, Coors Field, and Mile High Stadium (or, rather, the awkwardly named "Sports Authority Field at Mile High" that everyone calls "Mile High").

Unfortunately, the race organizers decided at the last minute that they weren't going to allow strollers on the course. Fortunately, one of Missie's friends had a baby hiking backpack carrier that we could borrow to take Asher around. Unfortunately, Asher had eaten his weight in tortilla chips the night before at his birthday dinner, which meant that the carrier was a bit heavier than anticipated. Fortunately, Asher did not drool excessively on our heads during the run.

We started off at Mile High, and made our way to the Pepsi Center, home of the Avs and Nuggets. Now, in past years, Asher would have been terrified by Rocky and Bernie (the mascots of the Nuggets and Avs, respectively). This year, we had been preparing him ahead of time, though, talking about how exciting it would be to get our picture taken with them, give them hugs, high fives, etc. He did much better this year.

Having recovered from Mom and Dad torturing him by getting within sight distance of the mascots, all was forgiven when we got to walk around on the baseball field (with no mascots around).

That night we returned to the Pepsi Center - we managed to avoid the mascots, but did find Aunt Jenny (who is much less scary) - and watched the Avs beat the Stars, 3-0. Aside from some loud music during the player introductions, Asher enjoyed his first hockey game, which he refers to as "golf."

Asher's Birthday Celebration, Part 1

2011-09-26T15:07:00.000-06:00

When you turn two, more than one weekend is needed for celebration! And flan. Flan is needed for any celebration.

We took Asher to a Rockies game last weekend for the pre-birthday activities. He arrived in style...

Posed with celebrity cut-outs (because Asher has a distinct dislike for mascots in person)...

Called to bat when the Rockies needed some assistance...

And finally called it a day in his seat. Spring Training is only six months away!

Soon to be appearing in the 2012 Olympic Games...

2011-09-25T15:54:00.000-06:00

Asher and I head to gym class every Saturday, so Asher can practice for the upcoming Olympic Games. He will be competing in the very tough Toddler's All Around, which includes the individual events of swinging from a bar and kicking a cone, monkey walking along the low parallel bars, and crawling through the wiggling tunnel. You can see a preview of his routine below!

Random Pix!

2011-09-25T15:19:00.000-06:00

My parents were in town last week for Asher's birthday (a weeklong celebration), and brought plenty of toys and pictures with them! We have a few from when we were in Iowa this summer... First is a pix of us with Aunt Sheila, Uncle Steve and Kimberly.

Here is Asher with cousin Casey, playing baseball.

Asher with Papa and Mama, checking out the barn.

Also included is a family pic while we were in St. Louis...

With Nana and Papa in town, Asher was in heaven. He puts on his shoes and threatens to go to his airport and fly to Iowa every time we make him clean his room!

They bought him his first tricycle. Now he can ride to his airport and fly to Iowa and not clean his room!

According to the retailers of America, it's almost Halloween. Nana and Papa invested in his first monkey suit. He wasn't so sure about this at first...

But he could still suck'n'style, so all was well.

He is learning to love more shoes. Below, he models his moccasins. Aunt Angela is so proud!

Asher and Daniel (and Foxy)

2011-09-11T12:27:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, we went to St. Louis to see the family. It was the first chance for Asher and Daniel (The Next Generation) to meet.

Daniel's Mom (my beloved cousin Liz) and I were very happy to show off our babies. Teaching us how to all look at the same camera might be saved for our next get together in November.

Asher dearly wanted to see his puppy cousin, Foxy. Where did she go?

There she is! Foxy wants her own "Cousins" outfit.

Wombat!

2011-09-07T23:12:00.002-06:00

Wombat Stew!

Crunchy Munchy for my lunchy

Wombat Stew!
-- A Dingo

And we thought dirty diapers were bad! How can you eat a cute little guy like this?

Asher agreed with me, although he continued to sing along.

We took a quick family vacation to New Mexico for Labor Day weekend. We met afore-mentioned Wombat at the Albuquerque BioPark, which also allowed us to ride a Train! to the Aquarium. He also practiced for his future plumbing and princess-saving career by riding a giant star.

Santa Fe is known for its history, art and environment. Or, if you are almost two years of age, Trains! and Planes!

Singing in the rain

2011-09-02T17:51:00.000-06:00

Well, he's not actually singing in the rain, but it was raining outside, and Asher was singing, so it's close.

Asher and his many jobs

2011-08-27T14:11:00.000-06:00

Last weekend we packed up our bags and headed to St. Louis, to meet Asher's newest cousin, Daniel. Ash was hoping that he and Thalia could ride together in one of the suitcases, but everyone involved (other than Asher) decided that might not be the best plan.

Having watched Mama and Dada go off to work every day, Asher has also decided that it was time for him to get a job. Smartly, he has decided to try out several different careers, to see what he likes best. On the flight down to St. Louis, he decided that he should try being a pilot, and got to hang out in the cockpit, turn the "fasten seatbelt" sign on, land the plane, etc.

In addition to flying planes, he is also very interested in fire engines, and thought that firefighter might be a good career option. He does look handsome in the hat and coat! The only complicating factor is that Mom and Dad won't let him touch anything that is hot, which could make his job rather difficult in the midst of an actual fire.

Fish, and otters, and tigers, oh my!

2011-08-13T14:40:00.000-06:00

The three of us headed to the aquarium last weekend to see the birds, tigers, snakes, otters, frogs, toads, ducks, turtles, spiders, and lizards. And possibly some fish, as well. Below, Asher and Mama check out the otters playing in their pools, Asher makes fish faces at the giant fish, and Asher and Dada do some climbing to get a better look at the tigers.

It wasn't all fun and tigers, however, as the aquarium works accidentally left out one of their fearsome, baby-eating sharks on one of the tables. How careless! Luckily Mama was keeping a close eye on the little one, and grabbed him in the nick of time.

Outside the aquarium was even more excitement! We just recently discovered a little play area behind the aquarium building, full of giant foam sea creatures, perfect for climbing over (and jumping off of!).

There is also a bouncy castle right outside the aquarium - Asher just recently worked up the courage to go inside, and now it is his favorite part of going to the aquarium. (And he has started trying to replicate the experience at home, on our bed.)

Asher, from Mama's mobile phone

2011-08-07T19:02:00.000-06:00

A message from Asher: na cvvccvvcvccccccccvvvvccccvcccccvcvvvbhdsnnddddd k u g≤ bnmFRC
RCCCCCCCCCC

A few things from my phone, which explains the high quality resolution of the pix. Asher loves having coffee Sunday mornings with Mama and Dada. We read the paper and enjoy the fresh air.

When asked to show his happy face....The child is ready for the paparazzi!

Here is the real happy face:

Lastly, just before a dip in the pool.

Asher at the Farm and Field of Dreams

2011-07-31T16:39:00.000-06:00

Asher was invited to my Uncle Howard and Aunt Darlene's farm in Iowa to see the Steffen side of the family. Aaron and I, as baby escorts, were also invited. He brought along his trusty baseball bat on the off chance he might need it...

But before baseball, he heard a rumor there were certain black and white dairy producers present. He and Papa went exploring...

Maybe, just maybe, there might be cows. Cows!

Asher wants you to pull him in the wagon!

Even better than a wagon is a tractor. Ash has experience driving his car, but we figured Papa could help with the stick shift.

Next stop: Field of Dreams. If you build it, Asher will come.

His Nana is an accomplished athlete. Since I catch like a seal (clap my hands together and the ball lands on my nose) she needs to teach her grandson the important things; hitting, throwing, batting and St. Louis Cardinals worship.

In Des Moines, we went to Union Park to ride on the Heritage Carousel, a carousel built in the 1930s and refurbished for todays' wooden animal enthusiasts. Asher picked the white horse, although he did eye Nana's elephant appreciatively.

An urban almost two year old, Asher needs his coffee fix. Mama and Dada have trained him well.

A morning at the Children's Museum

2011-07-31T16:09:00.000-06:00

This morning, the three of us headed to the Children's Museum for some of Asher's favorite activities: coloring and tiger-wrangling. (And Mama and Dada also got to take part in one of their favorite activities: Asher-wrangling!)

Below Asher poses with his exhausted prey, the rare Tigrus Museumus, whom Asher has wrestled into submission. Following their wrestling match, Asher gave the tiger a giant hug, and the two curled up with Mama for some story time.

In other news, the latest toddler fall fashions have been released. What's hot this year in baby headware? Giant, oversized plastic bins!

"Asher works"

2011-07-30T14:37:00.002-06:00

Asher is all ready to head to work!

Connect Six!

2011-07-22T14:00:00.001-06:00

Aunt Angela was in town a few weeks ago (more pictures with her to come), and we took a trip to the zoo one morning to walk around and check out the animals. Last time we went into the aviary section where you can feed the lorikeets, Asher wasn't quite old enough to hold the little cup of nectar to feed the birds. He was probably old enough to spill the nectar all over himself, and/or drool on the birds, but we had decided against either of those options. This time, however, he was very excited to help feed the birds, and quickly made a friend who was happy to help take the nectar off our hands.

Asher and I also spent an afternoon at the aquarium a few weeks back. Below, Asher does his best impression of one of the giant fish swimming past.

We also moved recently, and Asher has taken to his new apartment very well. His room is a bit bigger and has more windows, and a lot more dedicated room for all his books and toys. While cleaning out our old apartment and getting ready to repaint the walls, Ash decided to take a quick break to impersonate a traffic cone.

While we were unpacking in the new apartment, we took a break to play some games. Here, Asher and I play Connect Six, a popular variation on Connect Four. We are also playing a lesser known variation, in which the player with the red pieces gets to take two or three turns for every one that the player with black pieces takes.

Outside we have a nice little playground, as well as a tennis/basketball court. Asher registers his approval:

Asher in Avon, Part 2

2011-06-19T20:12:00.000-06:00

Our friend Stef ("Nini" to Ash) is a wonderful photographer. She was able to get a few shots while we were up in the mountains.

He and his buddy Jenna generally do not have a lot in common (to the dismay of Stef and I, as well as our cameras), but they both love sand!

A visit with Grandma and Grandpa!

2011-06-19T20:01:00.000-06:00

After Nana and Papa left last weekend, Asher quickly started to go through grandparent-withdrawl. The symptoms aren't pretty: he had to walk places on his own instead of being carried, he didn't have anyone trying to spoil him, and only Mom and Dad were there to read for him. Luckily, he only had to endure four hours of symptoms before Grandma and Grandpa arrived in town!

It was a beautiful day, so the first stop was down the street to the park, to do some chalk drawings on the sidewalk and play a quick game of football in the grass.

That evening, we headed to a Rockies game. They unfortunately lost, but Asher had a good time being passed up and down the row of parents, grandparents, and aunt (and stealing food from each along the way). He also stopped in the batting cages for some quick practice off the tee (mostly refining his bunting technique).

The next day we spent some more time at the park, then took a break for napping and some playing at daycare. After that, we met up again with Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Jenny downtown for some dinner. Aunt Jenny got an early birthday present - Ash was more than happy to provide some assistance with unwrapping her present and checking to see if there was anything edible in her packages.

On the way home from dinner, Asher and Grandma stopped to play a duet on one of the painted pianos lining 16th Street.

Bike riding is hard work!

2011-06-11T04:00:00.002-06:00

Saturday morning was the 2nd annual Denver Century Ride, which offers a number of different route options depending on your ability: there is the "challenging century route" (100 miles), the "exhilarating metric century" (62 miles), and the "community fun ride for those people who will be carrying a 25 lb squirmy toddler on the front of your bike" (22 miles). While we initially weren't quite sure which category we fit into, we eventually decided on the latter and set off from Mile High Stadium, down the South Platte River trail.

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride, with only a 80 mph headwind to ride into for the return trip, so a good time was had by all. Some of us were working a bit harder than others, however, and needed to take a quick nap halfway through.

Refreshed from his nap, Asher woke up for the most exciting part of the ride - hanging out afterwards with our friends Darrel and Pete, and playing with balloons. In what is sure to become a Guinness world record, the balloon lasted a good 5 minutes of playing before it popped.

Up in the mountains, and playing in the park back home

2011-06-09T16:44:00.001-06:00

Just a few more pictures of Asher from our weekend trip up to the mountains. Here he enjoys some fine dining (I think he ate mostly cheese and pickles) with his friend and co-conspirator Jenna.

Another picture from earlier in the day, as we prepared to take a paddleboat out on the lake.

And some pictures from a recent evening at the nearby park. Asher and I spent an hour running around, playing "baseball" with his football and big green ball, and trying to cover more than 90% of our clothing in grass stains. (Well, that last one was pretty much just Asher.)

Asher in Avon, Part 1

2011-06-05T22:21:00.001-06:00

Nana and Papa came to visit the mountains, and the Asher Transport System soon followed (Aaron and I). Because I know my parents love to see us...bringing Asher to them. We went to Avon, the town nearest Beaver Creek Ski Resort, to play!

Asher was unsure of the swing at first. It does say "Warning!" in big bold letters on it.

However, with Papa nearby to provide some momentum, Ash realized life was good and giggly.

There is a small little lake. It being a gorgeous day, we decided to paddleboat. Asher was quite suspicious of his life vest.

He expends a lot of energy being suspicious and cute, so it was very easy to fall asleep on his Nana.

The day ended with some quiet reflection and relaxation with Dad on the lake. Them being boys, probably reflection on how far they could throw rocks into the lake...

Asher is a Cardinals Fan!

2011-05-29T20:25:00.000-06:00

It would be silly to think anything else, really.

There's no reason to walk around with a paper bag on your head, as if you were a Cubs fan. Mesh trash cans are so much more fashionable.

It's not just always sunny in Philly. It's always sunny where the Cards play, too. Even if they are the visiting team. Plus, their payroll is significantly smaller.

Even if your father's outfit is passe, you can coax a smile onto his face when you are a Cardinals fan. Plus, it is always fashionable to lead the NL Central!

Happiness is being a Cards fan.

Asher is a Rockies Fan!

2011-05-26T20:31:00.019-06:00

"A Cardinals fan?!?" Asher is shocked that anyone would think that he is anything but a die-hard Rockies fan. Shocked, I say!

Asher has recently graduated to saying two-word sentences. One of the first combinations he learned -- and his current favorite (aside from "Fireworks. Boom!") -- was "Go Rockies!" Below he cheers for the home team, and gets ready to start the wave.

Happiness is being a Rockies fan. And having pizza for dinner.

And then falling asleep on Mom and Dad.

Coffee and skunks!

2011-05-22T12:28:00.000-06:00

Mixing Milk and Water....

2011-05-15T13:13:00.000-06:00

Asher is practicing for college already.... A drink in each hand!

Plus, lawn art is always better with a ball!

What do trains, bears, helmets and frying pans all have in common?

2011-05-08T19:42:00.000-06:00

Nice weather has finally arrived here in Denver, with temperatures this weekend in the low- to mid-80s. We've slowly been warming up, with a few cold fronts over the past couple of weeks that have brought chilly weather, rain, and a little bit of snow here and there. During one of those cold days, we headed to the Children's Museum to burn off a little baby energy while playing with trains, and wrestling with the resident bears.

Now that the weather is nice, Asher has decided that we should bike everywhere.
   Headed to the store for groceries? Let's put on helmets and bike.
   Getting ready to go out for coffee? We should take the bikes.
   Walking halfway across a room to throw away a kleenex? Why not bike instead?
Below, he models his bike helmet for Mom:

Being the musically-inclined baby that he is, he finds inspiration for his songs in the world around him. This week's object of inspiration? A frying pan!

More egg-hunting pictures

2011-05-01T03:00:00.003-06:00

Just a few more pictures of Asher on his Easter egg hunt...

A visit from Nana, Papa and the Easter Bunny

2011-04-24T15:32:00.000-06:00

Nana and Papa flew out from Des Moines for the weekend, with the goal of spending some time with Asher while escaping some of the dreary, early-spring weather in the Midwest. Asher was certainly glad to help with the first goal, and we've had almost 45 minutes of sun this weekend, so mission accomplished on the second goal as well!

A good time has been had by all, however, with lots of walking around, and some quality time at the aquarium

Inspired by all the fish swimming around, Asher spent some quality time in the swimming pool:

The Easter Bunny also hopped his way through Denver this weekend, leaving behind some Easter eggs (and nice enough weather that we were able to go outside to find them).

First Bike Ride of the Season

2011-04-17T18:43:00.000-06:00

With it being Spring, it's time to get the bikes out! Asher was not so sure about his helmet, but he soon realized he could still "suck'n'style" and everything was okay.

And he gets to ride with Dada! (And catch bugs at the same time.)

We go to the Aquarium on a regular basis, and Ash wanted to try out some scuba gear. Thankfully, he survived the shark tank.

Climbing Baby

2011-04-12T20:48:00.000-06:00

When Jeff was in town, we went out to Red Rocks, our local outdoor performing venue/exercise area. Asher was inspired to run the steps as well, and started climbing...

Not so bad, huh? Let's try a different angle.

Ash ended up climbing up 45 of 70 rows...quite impressive, considering the rows came up to mid-chest on him.

After, he considers it a job well done.

Spring Break in Phoenix - Asher encounters livestock, goes to a baseball game, and learns about fluid mechanics

2011-03-23T10:00:00.000-06:00

For our spring break, we headed down to Phoenix for a few days, to enjoy some sun and warm weather, and check out the Rockies new baseball stadium during spring training. We started our vacation with a trip to the Phoenix zoo, where we spent some time in their farm/petting zoo. Ash enjoyed seeing the cows up close, and had the chance to ride one a little later on in our visit.

We also spent a while in the goat area, where was able to successfully identify the goats, pet them, and then celebrate!

Later that day we went to our first Rockies spring training game. You can see that Asher is not quite as excited to be there as Missie or I, perhaps something is missing...

Ah, yes, something is missing... pizza!

With a full stomach, Ash was much more excited about running the bases, running away from Mom and Dad, and having a good time entertaining the crowd around us.

With such nice weather, we spent some time on the playground. Ash is now brave enough to go down slides all by himself, though he appreciates a bit of audience encouragement. He has always been brave enough to play in the dirt by himself.

In addition to another Rockies game, we also stopped by the Science Museum in downtown Phoenix. A very nice museum, with lots of exhibits that make noise, shoot blocks and balls around, and otherwise do a good job of entertaining discerning toddlers.

Up in the mountains

2011-03-18T04:00:00.000-06:00

We headed up into the mountains to spend the weekend with Grandma and Grandpa, who had rented a house near Breckenridge for their spring break vacation. The house was amazing - lots of room for Ash to run around, beautiful views of the mountains, etc. Ash's favorite part? The bathtubs!

With a few fresh inches of snow, we bundled Ash up into his big coat and snow pants (a.k.a. his "penguin suit") and headed out for some sledding down the driveway. Ash was a little unsure at first, but enjoyed taking turns sledding down the hill with his parents and grandparents, and then going down on his own. Once we got to the bottom of the hill, he also enjoyed being able to turn on the charm so Grandpa would pull him back up the hill.

What to do today...? Read the paper? Do some yoga? Why not both?!

2011-03-13T18:54:00.000-06:00

We've had a packed schedule this weekend - dinner with Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Jenny on Friday, visiting the Aquarium on Saturday, and swim lessons today. Whew! Fortunately, Asher blocked out some time on his busy social calendar to read the paper and do some yoga with Mom.

Quick! Update the blog! Before the grandparents yell at us for not posting pictures for a long time!

2011-03-06T20:52:00.000-07:00

Asher leads quite the exciting life at daycare - eating crayons, climbing on top of the furniture, being adored by older girls, eating more crayons, etc. Sometimes, though, it all gets to be too much, and he needs to get away from it all, find a quiet corner, and pass out for a few hours.

Why is he so tired you might ask? He's been busy learning how to help clean up after meals. His "plate" is a small cutting board we have - somewhat plate-shaped, and also fairly indestructible, which turns out to be an excellent quality in baby tableware.

Aunt Angela was in town for a quick vacation this weekend, and spent some time with us at dinner Friday night. As you can see, Asher was much more interested in the musicians a few tables over, and was not inclined to cooperate with the paparazzi at our table.

We had an even better time the next day at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science the next day, and checked out the dinosaur bones, a big exhibit on space, some mummies, and, of course, the children's area. Asher celebrated a successful haircut earlier in the day with some excellent maraca playing.

Fulfilling Dada's dream...

2011-02-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

Of owning a puppy. Or at least pretending to be one.

Asher cannot wait for cycling season to start again. The bike racks are made perfectly for him.

Mohawk!

2011-02-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

Tupperware party!

2011-02-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

Asher has definitely grown a few inches over the past few months, much to the distress of Thalia. She used to be safe sitting on top of our chairs, but she is now just within reach. Her last safe location in the house is in the middle of our bed, though perhaps for not much longer...

In other exciting consumer news, we recently purchased a 10 piece set of BabyFresh(TM) Tupperware containers. Asher fits perfectly, and now we don't need to worry about him drying out or getting stale. Hooray!

New clothes

2011-02-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Ash is growing up, and has outgrown a few of his old clothes. To make sure that the process of outgrowing clothes doesn't happen so fast, we've just decided to buy him adult-sized clothes to wear. It should take him a few months before he outgrows his new shoes and hat.

Finalized!

2011-01-20T03:00:00.022-07:00

After a lot of paperwork and visits from our social worker, we finally had our court date a few weeks ago to finalize the adoption. We braved the snow and cold to make it to the courthouse downtown. The courtroom was nice - Asher was especially impressed by the stapler that was sitting on our table, and also enjoyed playing with the microphone. Afterward we got a few pictures with the magistrate and with Asher's new teddy bear, a gift from our agency, and then headed to Snooze for some delicious pancakes!

Nana and Papa visit, and Asher's legs atrophy

2011-01-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

Asher loves it when grandparents visit! He gets lots and lots of attention, gets to go to cool restaurants and never has to walk anywhere, just be carried.

Nana didn't even realize she needed an assistant, until Asher displayed his amazing keyboarding skills and showed Nana new shortcuts, like how to delete her hard drive.

Papa was also happy to let Ash loose on the internet. He is impressed that Asher has a better grasp of modern technology at 15 months than he did last week!

A short film, in which the baby plays with his new toy and then attacks the camera

2010-12-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

A few pictures of Ash (and friends)

2010-12-26T19:56:00.001-07:00

We headed up into the mountains about a week ago to visit friends in Eagle, CO. They had just enough snow to turn everything white, and make it seem like Christmas-time. Luckily, they didn't have enough snow to trap us in the mountain passes, and we were able to make it back to the sunny, snow-free weather in Denver.

Christmas in Phoenix

2010-12-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

A few days ago we took Asher on his 11th plane ride, down to sunny Arizona, to meet up with Grandma & Grandpa and Aunt Jenny in Scottsdale for Christmas. Asher quickly grew accustomed to the extra attention from everyone, as well as all the fancy amenities at the condo we were staying at: a spiral staircase with holes in between the stairs for him to stick his arms, cupboards without child-safety locks for him to play in, and a variety of citrus fruits for him to throw. Everything a baby could want!

Opening presents was also very exciting, once he figured out that this was paper he was allowed to tear, unlike 99% of the paper at home. He was also very excited about all his new books, and was happy to have Grandpa read him stories.

In addition to opening presents and playing "citrus-ball," Ash also enjoyed running around outside in the nice weather, doing some shopping, and taking naps in odd places.

We flew home yesterday (only delayed by about an hour), and made it home before Thalia perished from lack of attention and/or food. She was even desperate enough for attention to come curl up by the baby - this is the closest to Asher she has voluntarily approached in, say, the last five and a half months. It's a Christmas miracle!

Shopping is Hard Work

2010-12-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

2010-12-05T20:30:00.000-07:00

The Parade of Lights is a Denver tradition. Floats, fire walkers and bands promenade downtown to the enjoyment of all. December in Denver is not notably warm, however, so there were some pre-parade preparations.

Asher is still not sure about gloves, however...

Thanksgiving in Des Moines

2010-12-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

We flew to Des Moines for Thanksgiving and pie! Asher greatly enjoyed being the center of attention with his Nana and Papa. Aaron and I enjoyed the extra sleep.

Papa took control of the entertainment situation. There were train rides and visits with Santa. Santa Claus is still a no go in Asher's book. A moose was okay.

Nana and Papa have a piano, which is Awesome! Asher promptly started playing the theme from Jaws.

Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Jenny came over for Thanksgiving dinner. More attention for Ash!

A foggy day in Denver

2010-11-20T01:00:00.005-07:00

A good day for footie pajamas, hiding behind the bookshelves, and being bundled up for a walk...

Like a little blue penguin running around...

2010-11-11T21:17:00.001-07:00

The bad news is that it has started snowing in Denver, and winter is officially here. (Well, apparently not "officially." Apparently the real start of winter is on December 21, this year.) Anyway, the good news is that Ash looks very cute running around in his winter coat.

The Best Chair Ever

2010-11-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

The Asher-Roo!

2010-11-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

Our first Halloween with Asher was spent dressing him up as an adorable Kangaroo (from here forth, The Asher-Roo) and taking hundreds of pictures. He was initially suspicious of his costume. After all, he normally does not have big floppy ears or a tail.

The adorableness of the Asher-Roo won him over, as well as the opportunity to see the camera! Plus, there was little baby Roo to play with. Okay, to gnaw on.

The Asher-Roo need to hop around and explore. We went to the Y's Halloween celebration, where he jumped amidst the exercise equipment and tried to convince people to give him candy.

The next evening, Aunt Jenny came over to carve pumpkins. The Asher-Roo though pumpkins were awesome, and kept giving them hugs, even though one of them tried to eat the Baby!

Tooth-brushing & sleep-eating

2010-11-03T10:53:00.001-06:00

You know it's been a long day when you don't have the energy to lift your head while having dinner. Luckily, sweet potatoes taste just as good if you're horizontal or vertical.

He must have been worn out from all of his tooth brushing earlier in the day.

Bears have souls?

2010-10-29T10:00:00.000-06:00

With all of our unseasonable (and awesome!) weather, we've been getting to go to the zoo more than we thought. Ash is pondering what the almighty Stephen Colbert thinks...

"I believe all God's creatures have a soul — except bears, bears are actually Satan's children." —Stephen Colbert

Our baby is a climbing baby. He is ready to join the elephants! Now we really have to keep an eye on him.

Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?

2010-10-24T04:00:00.000-06:00

Last weekend we realized Asher hadn't entertained a plane-load of people for at least a month, so we headed to the airport and wound up on a flight to San Diego. Luckily our friends Angel and Joe live in San Diego, and we had previously made hotel reservations, so we were all set when we touched down Friday night.

For the most part we had beautiful weather, and enjoyed walking around downtown San Diego and playing in the park by Petco Field.

Asher got his first taste of the beach - literally, he reached down and stuck some sand into his mouth. He was also very happy to sit down in the water, prompting Mom and Dad to remove his pants, which is always a happy occasion for the baby.

We also took a quick trip to the Zoo, and had a nice afternoon walking around there and the nearby Balboa park.

I'm unhappy, and I've got a goatee.

2010-10-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

Nuggets game

2010-10-19T14:00:00.000-06:00

Another benefit of running the Fans on the Field 10k race is that for the past few years they have given out free tickets to pre-season Nuggets or Avs games. The tickets also usually end up being closer to the court than what we usually get, another nice perk. We went to a Nuggets game with Traci and Melissa a few weeks ago, and Ash had a great time. Mostly he had a great time flirting with the women sitting in front of and behind us, but he also spent a little time cheering for the Nuggets.

People to see, places to go

2010-10-10T18:58:00.000-06:00

Asher is a baby on the move. We have been entertaining visitors and showing off mad walking skills. First, Uncle Cye came to visit from Texas...

Then Aunt Betty came to town to squeeze the sleepy baby...

Ash loves to hang out with cool older kids. Here, Tommy and Leslie push him around. Tommy loves being a good role model for his big sister and Asher. Leslie wonders why Ash is in her stroller.

Ash is our dancing baby. It is our right as parents to post pant-less pictures. (Aaron is so proud of the farmer's tan.)

The best part of being a baby is exploring! New boxes rule.

Fans on the Field 10k Race

2010-10-10T18:46:00.000-06:00

We took Ash on his first Fans on the Field race this morning, in what has been an annual tradition for us while we've lived here. It's a nice race around downtown Denver, with the highlight being a quick trip through Coors Field, Mile High Stadium and the Pepsi Center.

Above, Asher and I pose pre-race. As you can tell from our expressions, neither one of us has had our morning coffee. It was a little chilly this morning, so Asher was bundled up. I bravely volunteered to ride in the stroller to keep him warm while Missie pushed us, but she vetoed that suggestion for some reason.

The first stadium we ran through was Coors Field - Missie and Asher pose in the visitors' dugout in the top picture. In the lower picture, Asher struggles valiantly to warn us that we are rapidly approaching a giant dinosaur (Dinger, the Rockies mascot, whom Asher has a distinct dislike for).

After a brief run through the Pepsi center, we ran through Mile High Stadium. Asher is obviously enthralled, and was so excited that he had to take a brief nap to recover.

Here we are at the end of the race, with Asher still taking a recover nap. It really did take us about an hour and a half to run the 10k. Partly due to the lack of coffee, partly due to stopping to take about 60 pictures during the run, and mostly because trying to run on the bike paths with a jogging stroller is like trying to simultaneously play Frogger with 50 other people. Luckily we weren't eaten by crocodiles or run over, but it took a while to make it through parts of the course.

The Proper Way to Eat a Cupcake

2010-09-26T17:39:00.000-06:00

Ash turned 1-year old yesterday, and we had great weather to sit outside on the deck with Nana and Poppa, some good friends, and -- perhaps most important to the birthday boy -- a cupcake of his very own. While he was a little unsure why everyone was singing to him with the cupcake (and candle) just out of arm's reach, once unleashed the Cupcake Monster was very happy to demonstrate proper hands-free cupcake eating techniques.

Having completed his official induction ceremony, Ash triumphantly joined the other "big kids" to run around the deck until his sugar high wore off. He is still running around the deck.

Bath Time!

2010-09-19T20:48:00.002-06:00

In case Asher is a crabby baby, we have an appropriate towel.

I want a Helton Burger!

2010-09-19T20:42:00.000-06:00

It's September, so that means the Colorado Rockies are desperately trying to make the playoffs. We made it to another game, where Ash was able to clap his team to victory.

The Baby is popular with Great Relatives

2010-09-12T18:17:00.000-06:00

Asher is a well-traveled baby. We went up to Minnesota to see Aaron's grandparents, Aunt Chris and Uncle Donald. Grandma and Grandpa came up from Iowa, too. Four generations came together for photos and presents.

Grandpa gave Ash a great honor--driving the Boxster. This helped Mom and Dad realize their place in the order of importance. It's somewhere underneath Thalia.

Asher got a preview of the very important first birthday coming up: Presents!

The little guy was happy to show off his books and toys to the adoring public.

Crazy Hair! and other things on Asher's head

2010-09-03T17:41:00.000-06:00

Asher has some crazy hair. It's almost Don King-esque.

He is not so sure about hats, however, especially if other people are laughing and taking pictures.

New random pix

2010-08-30T20:31:00.000-06:00

Asher is now ready for his first century! He's got a helmet, water bottle and keys to unlock the bikes. Now, if he could reach the pedals...

Asher may be ready for a triathlon, actually. Here's a bird's eye view of Asher and Dad swimming in the pool.

We had a visit from our friends Stefani and Jenna, and their dog Alfie. (Disclaimer from Thalia: No one is my friend!) One of their favorite games was "Hop on Pop."

We didn't get any pictures of Asher's first flight, nor his second. He was his charming self on his third flight, and topped it off by taking a plane nap.

My father always sends out an anti-Christmas letter, complete with picture. This is our first attempt, trying to get Ash to smile on cue.

In the pool, in the mountains

2010-08-23T17:14:00.000-06:00

Asher and I took a road trip last week to Eagle, CO to visit our friends Stefani, Brandon and their daughter Jenna. Jenna is 19 months old, so she had lots of fun tricks to teach Ash, like climbing up slides.

Granted, Ash made it up about 6 inches or so. It's good to have goals.

Out and about

2010-08-20T23:14:00.003-06:00

Since Missie and I have been a bit out of commission lately, I thought I'd put up a few pictures from the last few weeks. Out to eat a few weeks back at one of our favorite mexican restaurants, Rosa Linda's. In 2006, the Wall Street Journal said that the nachos at Rosa Linda's were among the top 15 in the nation. In other news, the Wall Street Journal has conducted a nationwide search to find the best nachos. And people say that there is no more hard-hitting, investigative journalism anymore.

Stopping by the Children's Museum gives Ash a chance to crawl around, play with lots of neat toys, and share germs with all the other kids by licking 90% of the surfaces he comes into contact with. Below, he contemplates the best way to lick the baby in the mirror.

We also just got a bike seat for Asher, so we can resume our family bike rides. Of course, a bike seat also necessitates a bike helmet. Ash isn't too fond of hats in general, but seems willing to put up with his helmet (at least in short doses). Since he is fairly close to walking, and is prone to diving head-first off of most objects, we may just leave the helmet on 24-7.

Extreme baby close-up! And walking a little!

2010-08-16T22:16:00.000-06:00

Swings!

2010-08-15T12:02:00.000-06:00

Asher tried the swings out at Washington Park. Other than the uncool hat Mom makes him wear, he liked it alright. Here he is being pushed by Lia, a fellow adoptee and future crush of Ash.

Asher also is developing his coffee habit early (We refer to it as "Mom and Dad Formula"). We met up with Darrel and Judy, friends who will eventually teach him how to ride a bike. For now, he's just amusing them with long stories on how he's going to catch his kitty.

The bear went over the mountain... to see what he could see

2010-08-13T22:08:00.001-06:00

And when the bear got over the mountain, he found Asher, dressed as a little bear. With red stripes.

My Mom and Dad (now known as "Grandma" and "Grandpa") were in Colorado this past week, and we had lots of fun seeing them in Denver and then taking a trip up to Breckenridge to spend some time in the mountains. Aunt Jenny rode up with us, and helped keep Ash entertained (and not too upset) while his ears popped going up and down the mountains. Once there, we had a great time walking around town, petting horses, eating dirt - the usual activities one does while on vacation.

His first foray with an older woman...and grandparents

2010-08-09T16:33:00.000-06:00

Asher is busy setting up his social calendar. He had lunch with Hayden (13 months) today. They enjoyed yams, carrots and baby cheese together, followed by some time grabbing a stuffed animal on a blanket in the park.

Nana came to visit last weekend! Ash is helping Nana with her paperwork. He is an excellent typist and was showing her some keyboard shortcuts.

Hello!

2010-08-08T14:04:00.000-06:00

The Zoo, Part Two

2010-08-02T22:01:00.000-06:00

In order to help Asher forgive me for my comments about his dancing style, we headed back to the Zoo this weekend with Traci and her kids. Asher was a little more interested in the animals this week, especially the large kitties -- snow leopards, lions, and tigers (oh my!).

He also enjoyed climbing on top of, posing by, and drooling on some of the animal statues and figures on the carousel. (Apparently, according to the operator of the train around the zoo grounds, merry-go-rounds rotate clockwise while carousels rotate counter-clockwise.)

Below is Ash pondering the difference between carousels and merry-go-rounds, and bravely attempting not to throw up on Mom and Dad as he hangs onto the crazed ostrich for dear life. Also, he occasionally seems to enjoy it.

Asher: The Musical!

2010-07-31T20:58:00.001-06:00

Asher loves music and dancing. He greatly enjoys the Hokey Pokey and a variation on "Pattycake," known around our house as "Foot-y-cake." The two are very similar, except Footy-cake is obviously sung while playing with his feet:

Footy-cake, footy-cake

Baker's man

Bake me a foot-cake

As fast as you can...

I realize that some of our readers may not be familiar with "foot-cakes." Just as the "Foot-pound" is a measure of energy in the English system of units, the "foot-cake" is the measure of pastry in the English system. Much like the "kilo-cupcake" in the Metric system. Below Asher is playing "foot-y-cake" by himself, as well as enjoying a snack of some delicious baby toes.

We've also been able to find some good children's music so far to dance along with (we're trying to steer clear of Barney or Miley Cyrus for as long as possible). We've been enjoying Here Comes the Science by They Might Be Giants, and Ash is dancing below to "7 8 9" by the Barenaked Ladies.

Asher's go-to dance move is to sort of bop up and down, more or less in time to the music; his other favorite dance move looks kind of like a cross between having a seizure and being constipated. I'm sure by now our astute readers have already reached the following conclusion: at age 10 months, Asher is already a better dancer than his father.

Worried Asher meets a dinosaur

2010-07-28T23:36:00.000-06:00

While Asher is typically a fairly laid-back baby, as seen here:

Occasionally he is not quite as relaxed. One might even call him... worried. (Insert ominous sounding music here.)

And what might he be worried about, you ask? After all, Mom and Dad make sure he's fed, change his diaper, and keep him away from the cat. (Actually, that last one is something that the cat worries about.) Well, in this case, he is worried about dinosaurs. Below you can see us posing with Dinger, the Rockies mascot. Asher is a little unsure about Dinger, and kept a close eye on him the entire time, to make sure that Dinger did not try to eat us (or Asher's tofu chips).

Other than nearly being eaten by dinosaurs, we had a wonderful time for a few innings at the Rockies game tonight. A much better time than the Rockies themselves, who lost their eighth game in a row to the lowly Pirates. At least Asher was able to show off his very fashionable headgear before the game.

Haven't mastered "Gentle Touch" on the Kitty yet...

2010-07-25T23:21:00.000-06:00

No, we did not get another cat.

That whoosh of air? It was Aaron exhaling a sign of relief.

Aunt Jenny is out of town, so we're watching her cat Sushi. Well, more accurately, Sushi is watching Asher, and we follow with a camera.

Sushi was brave enough to let Asher pet her. (Thalia is not at that point yet.) No blood was shed, no teeth were bared.

A happy baby wanted to go back. Exhausted Mom and Dad were done chasing the quadrupeds and will try again Tuesday.

Zoo!

2010-07-24T17:44:00.001-06:00

To celebrate Asher's last day as a nine month-old, we headed to the Denver Zoo this morning to check out some wildlife. Well, Missie and I checked out some wildlife - Asher was a bit more interested in chewing on his zoo button and checking out all the other little kids running around.

We did manage to interest him in some elephants and he enjoyed feeding the lorikeets, and the metal hippos were also fun to climb on. He made a run for the real hippos, but we caught him before he tried to climb on them.

Playing with Aunt Jenny, and chasing Thalia

2010-07-22T23:07:00.001-06:00

Aunt Jenny returned from her travels and was nice enough to take time out of her schedule from being incredibly jet-lagged to stop by and say hello. Asher was a little shy at first (his usually M.O.), but soon decided that anyone who (a) brought him presents and (b) stacked up blocks for him to knock down was okay.

In addition to Aunt Jenny, Asher's other favorite person in the household is our kitty. Asher's love is unfortunately unrequited, since Thalia does not particularly like being chased, and also Asher doesn't eat anything that the kitty considers "delicious." Once Asher starts eating tuna or peanut butter, however, I'm sure they will be best friends.

Dog gone tired

2010-07-21T22:19:00.000-06:00

It's rough being a baby, but at least your sleepwear is able to describe how you're feeling.

We also did a little shopping today, and spent the afternoon running errands. It was rainy most of the afternoon so we didn't get any pool time in, but maybe tomorrow. We're hoping to take him to a Rockies game in another week or two, and we've started looking for appropriate sporting gear for the next few months.

To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before

2010-07-19T23:08:00.000-06:00

Aunt Angela is planning a mission to... (Duh duh duh) Outer Space!

Actually, Aunt Angela is planning a mission to... Lakewood for a HR conference, and wanted to see her nephew. Asher was mesmerized by the blond hair, and gave her lots of smiles and giggles. In return, she upped his fashion quotient by at least ten with several new outfits.

We also beat the heat in the swimming pool. Ash is quite the water baby. First some preliminary splashing and wading...

...Then the 100 yard Freestyle, if only Daddy had let him go.

Number 28 in your programs, but number 1 in your hearts...

2010-07-18T16:40:00.000-06:00

As most of you know, all babies who are born on the same day have a competition to see who can put the largest number of things into their mouths before they turn 1. Since Ash has had jet lag the past few days, he's been awake more than usual and has had a lot of extra time to crawl around the apartment and hang out at the park and increase his score. He's currently sitting at #48 on the leader-boards, and is hoping to break into the top 40 tonight!

Ash is a pretty good crawler (and will resort to rolling if the situation requires), and is also happy to hold onto our hands and walk along a bit. Surprisingly, along with his visa into the U.S., he was also issued a driver's license; he's still a little short for our cars, so we're starting him off in one a bit closer to his size. He just needs to remember to close the door before he takes off.

Thursdays with Asher

2010-07-14T21:42:00.001-06:00

A few more pictures of Asher while he finishes up a nap. We've had a big day so far, mostly consisting of Asher mangling a slice of cheese and seeing how many places he can hide the remains throughout the apartment. We also took a nice walk down to one of the nearby Starbucks (there are about 300 coffee shops within a one-block radius). This afternoon we're headed to check out some parks, and maybe one of the giant malls nearby.

One more movie of the little guy

2010-07-13T03:21:00.001-06:00

Our third day in Korea: In which we meet Seihwan and he enjoys some tofu chips

2010-07-11T22:37:00.002-06:00

After many months of seeing pictures, we finally got to meet Seihwan today! We met our social worker at SWS this morning, and drove a little ways out of the center of Seoul to see Seihwan and his foster mom.

He was a little shy, but warmed up to us and was happy to play games and show us which of his toys were the most delicious to gnaw on. His foster mom gave us several presents, including a beautiful hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) and lots of photos of him over the last several months!

You can see him playing with us in the movie below. I wanted to add dramatic music, and a laugh track, but Missie wouldn't let me. I'll post that version of the movie once she goes to sleep.

Now we're headed out to pick up some baby supplies and find something delicious for dinner (I'm voting for one of the food carts serving dried octopus tentacles, but Missie may have other ideas). Just a few more days and we get to take Seihwan with us!

Nuggets

2010-04-26T13:00:00.003-06:00

The Nuggets have been struggling against the Jazz in the playoffs so far, but I thought I'd share a few pictures from an earlier game in the season. Part of the fun of Nuggets games is watching the mascot - Rocky - perform backwards half-court shots, climb up and down the arena, and perform various dances with the cheerleaders.

In addition to these acts, a crowd favorite is when Rocky's mountain lion instincts take over and he climbs into the crowd to stalk and eat a fan of the opposing team. Luckily, we were seated in the right area of the stands a few weeks ago, and I was able to capture this majestic creature in action. The last picture, before my phone battery died, shows Rocky mid-pounce, taking down the oldest and weakest of the herd of Clippers fans in our area. While gruesome, it is indeed a poignant reminder of the circle of life, and of the dangers of rooting for the Clippers.

El Jefe

2010-03-01T22:19:00.002-07:00

Girls trip to San Diego! Rita, Cheryl, Stacey and I enjoyed warm weather and the beach for a weekend away...

My Attempts to Get Away from Snow, Part 1

2010-01-20T15:06:00.003-07:00

Aaron and I went to Clearwater, Florida for the week around New Year's. We basked in the warm weather alongside some big kitties. These big kitties had apparently heard about the torture we put our Thalia through (see previous post), and were not ready to to try on some reindeer antlers. This big kitty in particular was not happy about anything.

The Big Cat Rescue is an amazing place. It is a true sanctuary--no breeding. Lots of feeding and sleeping, however.

To commune with wildlife, we also went on a dolphin cruise. Lots of dolphins playing, and happy tourists taking pictures in the warm weather (we luckily went right before the cold snap Florida had).

I also ran the Arizona Rock and Roll Marathon. See how desperate I am to escape snow? I'll run 26 miles to get away. Despite a very cranky hip, I was able to run 18 miles, and walk/run the rest to finish in 4:43. Did I mention I finished?

I Hate You Two So Much!

2009-12-14T08:49:00.002-07:00

'Nuff said.

Sledding in the Snow

2009-12-06T22:14:00.002-07:00

The Scene: A very cold snowy day in Denver.

The Act: Going sledding.

The Deliciousness: Yummy Plastic Saucers and a String!

Unfortunately for her, the Thalia-Monster was caught and forced to pose with her Daddy-cat. She waves her paw in defeat.

All things Grand

2009-11-29T21:11:00.003-07:00

Just a few updates over the last month. We were able to get amazing tickets to a Nuggets game. Here, K-Mart and Birdman debate the best way to untangle the net. The players took turns hanging from the rim and trying to free it. However, they had to go with the old-fashioned way: dragging a ladder out and fixing it. The Nuggets won, too.

Our friends Austin and Bradie live up in Fort Collins, so we went to visit. One of their cats like to perch on shoulders; Aaron's specifically. The picture is a little blurry because the kitty was in motion!

We escaped the Colorado cold for Thanksgiving in Scottsdale with Aaron's family. My globe-trotting husband had never been to the Grand Canyon! So we ventured up for a day, visiting the South Rim and making plans to go back.

It was a gorgeous day. I'm counting down until I figure out a way to live in Arizona!

We stopped in Sedona on the way back. Here are some of the famous red rocks lining the city.

Pumpkin Cyclops

2009-10-20T15:41:00.002-06:00

We've been busy cheering for our Denver teams this month. We've made it to an Avalanche game (currently doing better than last season, because you can only go up from the bottom), going to a Nuggets game tonight (we'll see if they improve on last season), thankfully missed the Rockies Freeze Fest and loss, and went to a Broncos game, thanks to my friend Rita. We tailgated and hid our Texas heritage the best we could.

Especially since they beat the Cowboys. It was a great game!

We also carved pumpkins! Here's Thalia checking out Pumpkin Cyclops...

and Aaron and Jennifer doing their best Sleepy Hallow imitation.

Traci and I took a girls trip to Portland. Here is Little Traci, Big Tree.

Das HustleHoff!

2009-09-28T16:30:00.004-06:00

Ah, Oktoberfest! The joys of drinking as the weather turns. Which leads us to Das HustleHoff, where we earn our caloric right to drink!

We had two choices: 1) Dress in our Bavarian finest or 2) Dress in our Hasselhoff-ian finest. Go Baywatch!

Yep, our pace car was KITT, or Knight Industries Two Thousand. It was an operational motor vehicle--I was so surprised!

We're here to save lives! And hopefully not jiggle!

Will You Please Leave the Baseball Field Before I Call Security?

2009-09-13T15:07:00.003-06:00

It's the time of the year for racing through Denver's stadiums again! Fans on the Field provides us with the opportunity to actually be on the floor of all the stadiums we see our teams win/occasional misstep on. We went with one of my yoga students, Andrea.

Being huge baseball fans, being on Coors Field is a huge treat.

Dinger, the world's freakiest dinosaur (he likes to whip his head around Exorcist-style), greets us at home plate.

Here I am, visiting the visiting team's dugout. It will be filled with Cardinals at the end of the month!

At the end of the race, you get to see yourself on the Jumbotron at Mile High. Smile for the camera!