New Fridge

Jasper thinks that the refrigerator is for climbing...and storing food.

He loves the fact that our new fridge has a higher step up. Just the right height for a little climbing fun before he grabs a drink and a snack.

I think he needs a walk-in refrigerator.

Bicycle Built for You

Jasper is totally into bikes these days.

It's a little embarrassing when we are at someone else's house and Jasper tries to commandeer his friend's bike.

Jasper loves to ride his bike in our front yard and driveway.

At first I felt badly for him because he kept running off the cement into the rocks. Then I figured out that he was trying to run into the rocks. I guess it is his version of off-roading. Silly boy!

Surprise!

I tried to plan a surprise birthday party two weeks ago for Mike at his office.

I got busted when the receptionist patched my call through to the office manager (who's office is next to Mike's). Her phone was in speaker mode, so Mike hears the receptionist say -- I have Angela for you on line one.

Five minutes later, outside his office he hears this at his secretary's desk (who's phone is also in speaker mode) -- Angela is on line one.

Mysteriously a meeting then appears on Mike's calendar the afternoon of his birthday with a client who Mike just got off the phone with. And of course the client told Mike that he doesn't need to meet with Mike for a while.

Mike then questions his office manager -- Why did my wife call you? Oh -- she replies -- she just wanted to tell me how cute Jasper is. Mike -- huh?

Mike then drills his secretary. Why do I have a meeting with this client on the afternoon of MY BIRTHDAY?

And that was the end of the SURPRISE birthday party.

But I don't give up so easily. So I decided to plan a Valentine's Day surprise lunch with Jasper and I at our favorite Italian restuarant. Here's the email I sent to Mike's secretary:

Will you please block Mike's calendar off from 11-12:30 on Feb. 13th.
Title of meeting: Your wife and Jasper would like to SURPRISE you and take you to lunch for Valentine's Day at La Golosita.

Home Sweet Home

We are so excited to be in our new home. We love it!

Jasper is having a great time and loves to explore all 547,200 inches of the house.

A great BIG THANK YOU to everyone who helped us move and get ready to move.

And an EXTRA BIG THANK YOU to my sweetheart Mike for going above and beyond!

Today is the Day!

Ready or not, we're moving at 8AM this morning.

Wish us luck!

THANK YOU to everyone who is pitching in to help!

Living at Lowes

Lately we make AT LEAST one trip to Lowe's each day -- sometimes two or three.

Last weekend a new feature set up shop in the Lowe's parking lot. It is called the "Kool Bus". I think it should be called the "Crazy Bus". On the side it says "Bad to the Bone". It has blaring sirens and does donuts in the parking lot.

My curiosity got the best of me a few days ago and I inquired about the price to ride the "Kool Bus". It is $5, and yes, they have baby seats. No thanks bus driver. I am worried enough that the "Kool Bus" is going to ram right into my mini-van. No way am I getting on there with my precious cargo in tow.

Jasper is mesmerized by this spectacle. Today when we pulled up to Lowe's it was not even operating, and Jasper starting making all kinds of noise and getting excited.

We have our own version of the "Kool Bus". Jasper rides on the big Lowe's shopping carts with a seat.

I do donuts in the paint aisle and make siren-like noises. It's free, quite a bit safer, and we are entertaining in a non 'give you a migraine' kind of way.

Story Time Rocks!

Today we splurged and took a 30 minute break from packing to attend story time. It was our 2nd time, and we love it!

Our focus today was on birds. My favorite was the peacock puppet.

I am happy to report that Jasper actually sat in my lap for a good chunk of our time today.

This photo is of Jasper and the triplets during bubble time.

Tub Time

Jasper is always up for a good bath.

With all of the packing, we haven't had much time for fun.

I packed part of our closet and bathroom so Jasper could take and extra long bath.

He did some of his best bath time splashes ever.

His favorite bath toys are his IKEA stacking cups and a basketball set from Grandma Sharon.

Piano Man

Jasper hung out at Rachelle's house this morning so I could get some packing done. (Thank you Rachelle).

Jasper walked in her home and climbed right up to the piano bench and started plunking away.

Mike is laughing at me because I told him that I think Jasper might be a piano prodigy. :> Here's my concrete evidence:

At church, he always heads for the piano. He loves to sneak into singing time in Primary. When he was at my friend Elizabeth's house last week he was easily entertained at the piano -- playing and singing with her. And last but not least, Jasper has listened to enough Mozart while he is sleeping to make him a pure genius.

I am sure after hearing my solid evidence you completely agree with me.

I am trying to talk Mike into getting a piano, so I thought this photo might help my cause. Who wouldn't want to get a piano for this little cutie pie? :>

The Blues

If I tell you how many quarts of blue paint that I have asked for from our paint contractor in order to find the right shades of blue you will think I am CRAZY!

I started out with cups of paint with foam brushes, and then advanced to just rolling out the paint.

Our color theme for the house is tan, blue and a little dark brown. I will post the colors soon.

The painting is all done and I am SO EXCITED! The house looks incredible. They are just doing touch-ups today and tomorrow.

Window to the World

This photo is the crux of my current dilemma.

I live in blazing hot Henderson, Nevada.

When we moved here 3 years ago I thought that I had to have shutters to shut out every ray of the super hot sun and keep my house cool.

Now that we own a home, we have debated what kind of window coverings we should buy.

We have some pretty sweet views of the sky and what we call mountains down here from many of our windows.

A few weeks ago I had a pow-wow with my husband, a shutter proponent, about my dilemma. It helped that our chat was during a gorgeous sunset, viewable from all of the to-be shuttered windows. My husband agreed that we had some killer views from our new home.

So I called Mr. Sunburst shutters and said -- I don't want your shutters after all. We are going to soak up light and not see the world through 3 1/2 inch polywood slats.

We'll see if I will be singing a different tune when the summer heat is beating down on us.

Painter Pants

You know that your house is a mess when your kid has his own painter's pants, shirt and shoes.

I have tried out MANY colors of paint, and Jasper has done his share of experimenting with the paint as well. This last week the painters were in full swing and things were even messier than normal.

When we got back to the house (the one we live in now) I noticed how much paint Jasper had accumulated on his little body.

Friday Afternoon

We are obsessed with packing around here, and Jasper is getting a little fed up with all work and no play.

After BEGGING to go out back and enjoy our 70 degree weather, I finally gave in and we went outside so play.

We had such a wonderful time. There is nothing like fresh air and sunshine to lift your spirits. Not to mention Clipos and a good pirate book.

Jasper is in love with rocks, and found a few favorites while we played outside.

We love our beautiful weather, and look forward to more sunny days to come.

Self Packing

Our house is a mess of boxes and packing paper.

Tonight after dinner Mike and I were working on our ever growing list of items to buy for the new house from Lowes.

As usual, Jasper climbed up and down off his little chair. Only tonight he got a little adventurous and climbed into a box...and got stuck. Don't worry -- we let him out. Only for him to try it again!

Story Time

Yesterday was our first time at the Paseo Verde Story Time for the Only One's group.

We had THE BEST TIME and can't wait to go again next week.

We sit in the story time room and and play games, use puppets and sing songs. We always close with everyone's favorite -- bubbles!

Most of the kids just sit in their mom's lap the entire time. Not Jasper.

He is working the room and running his routes, investigating every single thing.

We have a set of triplets that are in our class. Whew! Makes me feel not too busy.

Jasper was completely taken with the computers. This boy...he loves electronics! Like father like son.

Little Ladder

The painting crew has a small ladder that Jasper loves to climb. He thinks it's his monkey bars.

Yes, that's a spoon in Jasper's hand. He is teething (again) and loves to chew on it.

All the painters are very nice to Jasper and put up with us while we were still picking bedroom colors at the last possible minute.

The taught Jasper to roll the blue tape like a toy. Of course Jasper just wanted to throw the tape, and anything else he could get his hands on down the stairs.

Birthday Fun!

We had a Birthday Party for Mike at the firm yesterday.

I got a Dairy Queen ice cream cake for the party. I always get a Costco cake because they are cheaper, then when we are cutting through the 2 inch thick balloons on the cake I always wish that I would have gotten a Dairy Queen cake. So this time I did.

It was delicious. Quite a few people even stuck around and had seconds -- because it is just delicious. So, high marks for the cake.

Of course the real hit at the party was Jasper. He had a great time, and managed to rediscover his favorite thing in the break room -- the recycled water bottles bin. He thinks it is a ball pit, only with water bottles. He loves to climb in and play. Silly boy.

Jasper also had fun climbing on some boxes in Mike's office.

Happy Birthday Mike!

Happy Birthday to Mike!

We love you!

You are a WONDERFUL sweetheart to me and a super dad to the little J-man.

I made this shirt for Jasper to wear to Mike' "surprise" birthday party this afternoon at his office. The party was supposed to be a surprise, but Mike figured me out.

We still refer to is as "Mike's surprise party" -- even though it is far from a surprise.