When Oma comes over to stay, the parent's will play!

Celebrating our 2nd anniversary!

This was big for me. Any mother knows that the first time you leave your baby over night can be a little stressful. I had full confidence in my mom who was with him but Austin is my constant companion and now he wasn't by my side. So with a few? phone calls and my mom reassuring that all was well Paul and I started our celebration

For Mother's day Paul found this great resort in Lake Arrowhead and we thought it would be a great place for us to go back to with just the two of us.

We ate at a boat themed restaurant over looking the lake

There was also a pumpkin patch in the village
Our late night snack back at the resort where we...

sat by the fire

and played a mean game of Phase 10. I usually like to place a bet before we play. The wager was the person who lost has to empty the diaper champ for a month. Well good luck Paul because I kicked his butt!!!

Take 1 (good thing for digital cameras, now I can see instantly what the picture is going to look like)

Take 2... much better

The view at breakfast...so pretty and the nature isn't bad either

relaxing by the beach and watching water skiers

Happy Anniversary!

Here Fishy Fishy Fishy

Long Beach Aquarium

My sister got some tickets to the aquarium from her work and she thought it would be a good place to take Austin and he had a lot of fun.

He got to ride on a shark

My sister petting the sting rays with her whole hand and not the recommended 2 fingers

This one was leopard print and huge!

Feeding the birds

Austin liked looking at all the different colors and sounds that the birds made

My littlehermit crab :-)

Austin being a little fishy

Family photo

Cute sea lions

What a great family day

Thanks Jes

The BEST two years

Happy 2nd Anniversary

Sometimes I can't believe it's been 2 years and sometimes it seems so much has happened and that is seems like we have been married for longer. Whichever the case these past 2 years have been the happiest!

Thank you for all of the silliness and memories that we did and are making

(Mother's Day 2009)

(First anniversary 10/2008)

(Mammoth 2006)

(Christmas 2005)

2 years ago I married my best friend and have enjoyed the journey ever since

2 years down, and eternity to go!

I am so glad it is with you :-)

Yesterday, MONDAY, September 29

It's lunch time and at the end of the month Paul usually looks for something cheap to eat because he is running low on lunch funds. He walks into Del Taco and the conversation goes something like this:

Paul: When does your Taco Tuesday start

Cashier: Tuesday

Paul: oh ya it's Monday

San Diego or Bust!

Last weekend we went to go visit our little Afgan Moss. He moved to San Diego a couple of months ago and we thought it would be a fun little road trip for our family + Farid who came with us also.

We thought it would be fitting to visit the temple, because it would be Austin's first time there and it's within a week of our anniversary.

After we went to the temple we ate lunch and this was our view...

We met up with Moss and his girlfriend and went to Balboa Park. We are actually standing in the fountain and kids were swimming around us.

Desiree, Moss and Austin

The Boys: Moss, Farid, Austin and Paul

Moss thanks for a great Saturday. Hope to do it again ;-)

Daddy's Day Off

Paul took a well deserved day off last Monday. We had a lazy morning playing with Austin. While Austin was taking his morning nap Paul took the missionaries to play golf (it was their prep. day). He came home around 3:30 and we got ready to go to Disneyland. Well it was Monday and Disneyland closed at 6pm and there weren't lines it was great!

We went on all the Storybook rides, because during their on season they usually have the longest lines. Both of us haven't been on these rides in a LONG time. We went on Snow White's ride first and they aren't kidding when they call it "scary adventures". I was surprised, but maybe we were being over sensitive because we had the baby with us.

Austin waiting in line patiently

Getting ready to go on Dumbo.

He's pulling with all of his might!

They day had proved to be too much excitement for the little one, so sweet when he sleeps :-)

Austin's Fall Pictures (5 1/2 Months)

Laundry Day!

Move over Kali there is a new love in Austin's life

I don't know if there are words to describe this, but it was so cute and it went on for about 10 minutes of him loving himself in the mirror.

And for those of you who are wondering about our bedroom furniture...I know who had a headboard with mirrors and gold trim...This is still Paul's original furniture from when he was a teenager.

The Phrase: Sleeping like a baby (finally rings true)

So as I am sure many new mom's make the usual first parent mistakes. Ours was putting Austin to sleep in his swing. It was just easier and I was so tired from not sleeping through the night. So our little bundle of joy became accustomed to his swing and wouldn't sleep any where else. For a while this worked until he wasn't getting good naps. I was trying all different types of advice that I got from family and friends, but I think the thing that worked was that our Austin was ready for a change.

So I tried darkening the room and reading him a book to help calm him down. Then I put him in his crib and played his mobile. There were a few protests on his part but soon he was fast asleep. I was so proud of my little boy and our accomplishment.

Here is sleeping close to the baby monitor so that I could hear him snoring.

Almost 6 months and we are starting to get the hang of things :-)

Ever wonder what happens to your children when the grandparent's are babysitting?

They let the baby swim on his own (not really my parent's and I were out of the shot, I just thought it looked funny :-) But they do take him swimming and he loves it!

They like to play dress up. Good thing Austin looks so cute everything.

As you can see Austin is really excited about wearing a traditional Indonesian hat.

But what really happens when mommy and daddy are away is that Austin is given lots of love and fun grandparent's to play with.

Austin and Mommy

"Children grow up when you are not looking. They'll be years ahead for cleaning and cooking. So quiet now cobwebs. Dust go to sleep. I am rocking my baby and babies don't keep."I am literally watched Austin grow I am so blessed and thankful that I get to be a stay at home mommy. Every day is something new. He is growing and developing so fast I am just trying to soak it all in and live in the moment. Becoming a mother is such an amazing blessing that has taught me so much. I am so thankful for my Heavenly Father who has sent this sweet spirit into our home.

He is on the MOVE!!!

The Process of the ROLL

He is getting ready...looking around making sure that people will see his accomplishment.

Then he throws his leg over...striking a pose

Rolls on to his side, musters up all his strength to lift his huge head and...

He did it! He is on his tummy! and thinks to him self "mom did you see what I did"

"Look at me mom I rolled over all by my self!"

Our next goal is to roll back on to our back :-)

He's a Swinger Baby, Yeah!

For family time we often take a walk around our neighborhood. Around the corner from our house is a park and we usually sit there and watch the other children play. He loves looking side to side watching the kids swing and go down the slide. This time we decided that he might be ready to be one of those kids and we put him in the swing for the first time.