Today I really got to thinking. My hubby asked me this morning if I would be willing to relocate for his “dream job.” For him it is a job with a company he has always admired, loves the software product development they do, and thinks their office management style is amazing. So I started thinking….what is my dream job?

I have always loved acting, I dabble in singing, and if I had ever had the chance to be on Broadway I would have done it in a heartbeat. But for none of those had I truly yearned. None of them had I prayed over and over for the “desires of my heart.” (Psalm 37:4). So it hits me today, I have my dream job. I am a wife and a mother. Now if you’ve known me any length of time, you know I used to joke about getting them in the right order. I wanted children so badly. I am so grateful I married a man who shared my dream, who works solely for our income, and never once complains at the idea of not having two incomes. Even now as we struggle to make ends meet, and he searches feverishly for a job; he has not asked me to take on any of the financial burden.

So this is my dream job.

I ask myself, am I willing to sacrifice, am I willing to give up the comforts of my little world to give my husband his “dream job.” The jury is still out on this one. However I am in prayer over it; as is he, since he realizes his “dream” may not be God’s plan.(Jeremiah 29:11-13) He also realizes that God may completely change his dream, who knows. Until then, I am very thankful both to God and my husband for giving me the chance at my dream job!!

Asher got a lot of tools for Christmas. He has 3 or more hammers, a plastic set from his Auntie Heather, and a plush set of Handy Manny tools. (quick explanation: Handy Manny is a Disney channel show that Daddy and Asher love to watch together. Okay at this stage Lance watches and Asher humors him.) Anyway we had bought a 9 cube shelf for his “playroom” in our dining room. I don’t have dining room furniture, and it made more sense to be a playroom when his toys were taking over my living room. Daddy watched Asher one morning while I went to BSF leader’s meeting. Anyway, Daddy decided that they needed a project. So he went out to the garage and got the shelving unit that needed to be assembled. I had really wanted the project to be mine (rarely do I get to do a home improvement project beyond vacuuming and dusting.), but after I heard the stories and saw these pics. Well, I really didn’t care. Lance said after he brought in his tools and the big box of disassembled shelves, Asher went to his little tool set and got his own tools. They worked together building. If Daddy hammered, so did Asher. The apparently had a great time together, and it gave Lance a fun picture of what the future might bring. His Dad had taught him wood working, and now since his passing, Lance has inherited all of his tools from a simple hammer to a large scary table saw.( I just envision fingers disappearing). I know one day Lance hopes to have the time to teach Asher the same tricks of the trade. Until then, these are the priceless moments.

Ouch, my thumb!

Is this how you use them? Peek-a-boo

And what better way to end a “manly” project then to take a picture of the final product.

I know this website is supposed to be all about Asher, but I am a proud cousin. My little baby cousin just had his first baby. He is the youngest of 9 grandchildren and the only boy. I wanted to show off his son, the newest member of our family, and the picture that brought a tear to my eye.

Look at that sweet face.

Allan family: Jimmy, Ashley, and Tobias.

Look at that proud Daddy.

Daddy gave him his first guitar for Christmas. Lance does play….a lot in his younger days. With his ear for music and his love for sound quality, Lance has high hopes that somewhere down the road Asher will play an instrument. After opening his guitar, he actually held it in perfect form. Daddy was so proud.

Right before Christmas, his little hairs along his collar were hanging well over. The front wasn’t too bad, but even his little sideburns were creeping up over his ears. So Auntie Heather(my sister) agreed to come give him trim. For the most part, he was cooperative, but he wasn’t quite sure what we were doing. Before

The first curl disappears, he’s not real thrilled with us.

Feeding him cheese to keep him still, resorting to just holding him still.

After.

I’m done apologizing. I have a very active one year old, a mischievous dog, I have gone back to two mornings a week being a children’s leader for BSF, I filled in for 2 weeks teaching 2nd grade for my cousin who had mono, and I turned 30 which makes me old and less energized. Ok you can laugh now….I’m not apologizing but I am making excuses. I have finally commandeered my hubbie’s computer and plan to upload some photos. I have a lot to catch up on. If you ever need just pics there is always the Flickr shortcut on the right. Here are a few pics from our first snow. He loved sledding.

I was just reviewing my sporadic postings and realized I never updated the walking problem. He finally mastered that he could still play with his puppy while toddling around on two legs. Right after Thanksgiving, he mastered the wobble and walk. And before Christmas, walking became his primary mode of transportation. He is getting much better and now trying a little jog. Typically that will result in a face plant, but up he goes for more. On another Asher note, he is cutting 5 teeth. Yep, all of them poking through at the moment, but he is a trooper we rarely hear a whine or complaint. I think there are others hiding also trying to get their chance to pop out, but my only time to peek in is when I’ve got him giggling pretty hard.

I feel like a lot of my friends have been apologizing for their lack of writing as of late. With the holidays it is hard to find the time to sit and write. My apologies are slightly different. I have the time to sit and write but that is not why people check this page out…..for my exceptional ability to write a stimulating article on snowflake individuality. Admit it you come to see pictures. Well here is where the apology comes in…..my sweet yet OVERLY busy husband took snow pictures of Asher in “RAW” format. If you understand camera talk (which I don’t), it means they have to be formatted in a specific program to be viewable on something such as this webpage. So since he is swamped; he has not found time to do this for me. So alas, I find I can not put up any pictures or even sadder I have not been able to print them for my frames and photo albums. Uploading the holiday pictures will also be coming, but again I apologize for computers because all pictures are stored on the computer he uses for work, so I have not been able to access them to upload. Oh whoa is me, please say you pity my plight. Please do not black list me from your blog checking…..soon I will have something to show.

Hello to anyone who may have ventured here because of our Christmas cards. I can not believe it has been so long since I have posted. Life has been very hectic. Even now as I write I am thinking of the list of things I need to be accomplishing. We leave tomorrow to head to my mother-in-law’s. I had planned to post a few times this week, but just never got to it. Please check back post-Christmas for pictures of Asher’s first time playing in the snow as well as pictures of his first haircut. I wish I had time to post them now but that would just make my list longer. So until then Have a Merry Christmas!!!!

For those of you who don’t know, we have a dog named Jax. After a year of trying to get pregnant, my hubbie and I decided it would be best for me to stop teaching and eliminate some stress. It worked I was no longer stressed or busy…in fact I was seriously bored and anxious waiting on a child. So January ’06, we adopted Jax (11 week old Jack Russell Terrier); it was just like having a baby. Middle of the night wakings for potty breaks, potty accidents, and lots of crying. End of February I was pregnant.

Now I have two boys in my house. I say that because they play together like brothers and yes, they fight like it too. However having them so close has had its disadvantages. Here are just a few:

Your son carries things around in his mouth as he crawls.

He climbs in and out of the the crate.

Splashes in the water bowl

Sits when you are actually commanding the dog to sit.

Plays more with the dog’s toys than his own

Fetches the balls thrown for the dog.

Refuses to attempt walking cuz his best friend uses four legs.

I tell you what it is the cutest thing to watch them play together. I love to hear Asher laugh as his puppy jumps all around him. It amazes me that when my infant laid on the bed the dog could jump up and miss jumping on him. It will be so sad the day Asher realizes he is not a puppy.