gluten free

I forgot to post the most beautiful pictures of a gluten-free cake a friend of mine made for Asher's birthday a couple months ago. My friend Sumi, is from Korea, I tutor her daughter. And she is the most amazing cook, I always get some of her amazing coffee and goodies when I visit to teach her daughter. I don't know how she made it gluten free so easily, she said she just used rice flower. But maybe she picked up a pre-made baking mix, or maybe she just substituted rice flower, I don't know. I will have to get to the bottom of this, but you enjoy the pics!

6 Great years!

Tomorrow is our 6th Anniversary

(on the right, our first date: November 2001)

It's been a great six years filled with lots of adventure. I couldn't ask for a better companion to share my life with. Sometimes I hear people talk negatively of marriage. For many reasons I'm sure. (on the right, taken a few weeks ago, 2008) Some of my single friends feel they will somehow loose themselves if they get married, they will not longer be able to fulfill their dreams and have that independence. For some, the negativity comes from years of being married and many things gone wrong, I don't actually know why. But I have to defend marriage as the best thing that has ever happened to me. It was the commitment from this amazing man that allowed me to be more free, it allowed me to be myself and it allowed me to follow my dreams and to fell complete. I've searched my whole life for someone to love me just as I am. I know that is what led me to Jesus. But so many times I had prayed, "Jesus, I know you love me, but can't you just come down here in the physical form and wrap your arms around me, help me through this life in person?" Well, God knew I needed someone physically in my life to love me for exactly who I am, in the raw, and he gave that to me in Josh. Now I don't have to pretend to be someone I'm not just to get a date. Now I don't have to starve myself to achieve to look like someone else, because my hubby loves all of me, even some of the chubby parts. But that's just it, let go of the pressure to be perfect, and I soar. I strive to be better, because those constraints are not on me. Now I wanna look good for him, I want to be an amazing person because he is so amazing to me. And our dreams? Oh, how we dream together. I help him pursue his dreams and passions, he pushes me to pursue mine. In fact, I wouldn't be able to accomplish my goals and dreams if it were not for Josh. And independence? Got it too. We are not chained to the home or even to our child. We travel, we discover, we explore, we save up and buy toys, just the same as those who don't have "strings attached." This is how it was meant to be. Marriage was never intended to burden but to bless. And I've experienced nothing less! Thank you Josh for giving me all that you are for six years and to the rest ahead of us, I say bring on all the future adventures. I love you Josh!

My little guy turns 2!!!

Saturday, Asher turned two. We had a little birthday party with him and couple friends. We went to Chuck E Cheese? I really didn't think he would like it as much as he did. He didn't even care to eat my gluten free/ dairy free birthday cake I made him with confetti frosting (yum!), because he wanted to go put a coin in the big yellow school bus or ride the pony. He loved it! Mom and Dad bought him a basketball hoop, again I thought he would not enjoy this until he got older, but lo and  behold, he loved that too! I guess he's not my baby anymore, he really is my big boy!

Yesterday I went to the hospital to see my friends new born baby, this girl came out at 10lbs. I thought she would be huge but I thought she was as tiny as could be, I think it's because my "baby" is so big now! Can you believe he started out at 7.3lbs? He is becoming such a little man. It used to be that I was the one that worried about him and was always making sure he was okay. Now he's always taking care of me. If I give him a hat to go outside, he pulls out another one of his hats "and mama" he says. If I put chapstick on his lips, "and mama" he says. When we're heading out the door or walking down the street, he always turns and round and says "mama, cmon". When I'm putting on face lotion, he has to sit in my lap and have some applied to his face. Actually he wants a little more applied to his face then just my lotion, he is fascinated by all of my make-up. I have to tell him "Well, Daddy doesn't wear this stuff, so you don't need to either." 

Some of my favorite things are when we're driving in the car and I turn around to look at him, and he's got this huge grin on his face. And he won't stop either, he just keeps smiling ear to ear until I've smiled back at him a thousand times. 

So we're headed back east to see family and do some speaking at a Mission's Conference, and I'm so excited for him to have a long conversation with his uncles and aunts and grandparents. But he's probably the only one who will know exactly what he's talking about. He's been doing that lately too, just talking up a storm, but I can no longer interpret, he's talking too fast for me to figure it out.

I know I say this every month, but I love this age and I love this boy, he's simply amazing!

Yes Josh! I heart you too!

I heart Hawaii!!

I can't wait to post our Hawaii pics, but for now, here's a little something to wet your appetite! Hawaii is the most beautiful place on the planet!

Crazy weather here!

The weather lately has been crazy. Just Wednesday, it was around 60 degrees, beautiful, sunny, got me all excited for spring! 

The next day, on Valentine's day we wake up to everything covered in snow and ice! Now tomorrow it's supposed to be 65 degrees, we're gonna grill out, crazy huh? Asher loves the snow now, he loves sledding with Dad. He lies on his tummy and he says "go...go...go...go" while kicking his legs, dad pulls him as fast as he can.

            

The loves of my life!

He's kind, compassionate, soft-spoken, sexy, strong, a cuddler, dedicated, smart, maticulous, funny, loving, hard-working, handsome, sweet, selfless, faithful,trusting, merciful, creative, sentimental, protective, a softy, and the most amazing man ever! I am grateful he wanted to marry me, have my child (hopefully children) and that he puts up with my craziness and loves it!

My other love? He's alot like his father: sweet, sensitive, a cuddler, hugger, kisser, singer, giggler, playful, sentimental, adorable, caring, smart, helper, soft-spoken, creative, my little man, my litte sidekick, I'm the luckiest mom on the planet! 

disclaimer: I realized I am extremely blessed. And that I don't deserve what I've been given, I'm so grateful. Please keep in mind that I don't believe Valentine's Day is about having a significant other, it's about sharing love with people around you. While we don't need an excuse, like a special day, we should love others every day!

Please keep in mind too that there are many people who have a difficult time with Valentine's Day and I've heard that suicide rates are high the day before, because society puts so much emphasis on needing to have someone in your life. So please reach out to someone today, even if it's a smile or a compliment to the most unsuspecting person!

He's a little man!

Oh, where does the time go? I guess other mom's are right...it feels like just yesterday that he was still nursing and now we are on the verge of potty training! 

I was eating lunch with a friend of mine, whose daughter is about the same age. It was her birthday and we were venting over our common ailment, stress of mommyhood. The kiddos were both just getting over a cold that left them both cranky and clingy, and we were about to pull our hair out, as both are kids were tired, ready for naptime and about to throw tantrums. A lady stops by our table, she says "I just have to tell you, you guys look so cute over here with your babies, I was just admiring you, they are so sweet!" My friend and I looked at each other, I knew she was thinking what I was thinking, you can't mean us right, cuz we are about ready to scream!

The lady said "It seems like just yesterday, my baby was that little, now she's 11!" We smiled at her, and then out from that ladies mouth, spoke the most perfect thing, I don't think I will ever forget, it was just what we needed. She said "when I was a young mom and stressed out, another woman told me 'the days are long but the years are short'."

And that lady left us shortly after that.

The days are long, but the years are short!

awwww. Thank you for that, strange lady! I really needed that. Now I say that to myself, whenever I think I cannot go on! Hope you enjoy too!

Here's my little boy helping to unload the dishwasher:

Wrestling with his best friend Maya: 

10 days and counting...

We will be headed for Hawaii in Ten days!!! I can't wait, I thought I would post a nice picture to remind myself that bikini weather is approaching!

I am inviting you to join me in spirit, since you cannot all come with me! :)

simplify

Hey all!

I've decided to simplify the design of my blog, it was beginning to bother me. Maybe it was too cluttery, or not feng shui...whatever the deeper meaning behind it, here it is! Do you like it? I have a question though, my computer screen at home is widescreen, so I was wondering on regular full screens how this blog shows up. Does it fit your screen? Because if it doesn't, I will change it to another simple layout. Anyway, that was random, I know. I am going to be a better blogger and blog about random things, just for the sake of blogging, because I realize that people still like to read about randomness. Plus we have some exciting things coming up worth blogging about. Okay, mamas, let me know if this format fits your screen, that's all for now! Also, does the playlist on the right drive you crazy? Or do you actually like the music? Please let me know!