November...where have you gone?

Reading my animal book like a champ!

Maybe decided I needed to be packed away too!

I could play for hours in here...

I'm an escape artist.

When one blankie just isn't enough.

First photo in the new house and I dressed like Da.

Making way for my shoes at Grammie's

I get my style sense from Ma.

Play time with Grammie is the best!

10 months

I can't keep up with this kid anymore...that and I can't keep up with this blog.  Between laziness and chasing Aspen around constantly, I've lost track of the last two months.  In the last month, he is really turning it on.  He has started repeating his favorite book "Peeka Who".  He'll grab the book and start making "mmmmmmmmmmmm" sounds.  Or, when I say the book outloud, he'll repeat after me.  It's way too adorable.  Not only that, but he's turned on the "brave" status.  On October 30th, he took his first unassisted steps and isn't looking back.  He's itching to walk on his own, and has the motion down, but when walking to you he isn't figured out to put one foot in front of the other.  Instead, it's a fall flat on your face type walk.  But, if you just give him your fingertips or place them under his arms, he can walk with the best of them.  He has also fallen in love with his "walker", as I refer to it.  And could do laps if we had enough space.  I'm guessing by next month he will be on his way.

And last but not least, we can wave and clap on command.  That almost sounds like a dog trick, but no, it's not:-)

Halloween fun

Ma wanted to put a costume on me but I wasn't so excited.

We went to the pumpkin patch with Grammie and Auntie and Uncle and the cuz's. I loved every minute of it!

I'm a cute man!

I loved bouncing on the giant trampoline with Ma and Da.  Pretty sure they had a blast.

Me and Auntie Meg.

I went trick-or-treating at the mall on Halloween.  Lots of candy for Ma and Da to eat.

Family selfie.

Fall Photo Shoot

I had wanted to capture some photos of Aspen outside during Fall.   It just so happened there was a perfect day and I dressed Aspen in hopes we would have some time to take a few shots once Da got off of work.  And when he did, up we went to the Industrial Park Lakes right by our house.  We couldn't be happier with how great these turned out.  I'm sure it has something to do with having a cute kid on our hands.  At least that's what we believe anyways....

If you can't tell, Aspen was initially not happy with picture taking.  So much, we had to give him Ted's badge to play with.

Finally warming up to the camera.

Can't help but love the beauty of this photo.

Leave eating like a champ.

We'll cherish these forever.

You would think his eyes are blue, but really they are a mix of green, blue, and brown....hazel it is!

Minnesota vacation

Ted, Aspen, Maverick, and Ted's Mom and I took a vacation up north to Minnesota for six days.  The goal: to relax, fish, eat, watch the leaves change, and enjoy each others company.  Well, we did most of everything on our list, but the only downside was the weather.  While our trip happened to be in late September, prime time for leaves changing and cool mornings and nice afternoons, we had freezing mornings with freezing afternoons.  The sun only made it out a total of two hours, snowflakes made an appearance not once, but twice, and poor Aspen was cooped up inside all but one day.  Even though the weather was crummy, it didn't stop us from having a great time together.  We caught about 20 fish between the three of us, watched numerous times a bald eagle in flight, listened to the loons, played the game of "Life" (Britt won both times), read a book, visited with a college roommate on three different evenings, and ate great thanks to my mother-in-law.  We have already talked about booking the cabin again next year, but a few weeks earlier.  Gorgeous scenery and area and a vacation we will talk about for years to come!

First morning on the lake, prior to putting Aspen in his life jacket.

Da...."I can't move my arms!"

Not likin this....

Ted's first northern.

Barb's first fish.

Out fishing with Mom and it's snowing.

Do you see what I see?  SNOW!

That's a nice bass

Ted's professional photography skills.

Last morning before we head out.

Don't we all look alike?

Britt all bundled up and hooked her first fish.

Grammie and Aspen had a blast together!  Until next time...

9 months

9 months and counting. Our new adventures include: crawling is now speed crawling, we like to dance to music, we mimic the word "ut-oh", and we've started eating all kinds of new foods.

Cheerin on my Clones.  But, of course, they lost.

Lookin a lot like Dada.

Hi Ma!  Wavin right back at ya.

9 years!

Today, we celebrate 9 years of marriage. It's hard to believe that time has passed so quickly. We've had so many great memories together and some bumps in the road that has helped us understand each other and strengthened our marriage.  It has been an amazing ride and I am looking forward to the future as our family grows.  I am so thankful to be on this journey with my best friend. I love you with all my heart Britt!  Thank you for everything you do for me and our family.  You are an amazing person!  

Daddy's favorite co-pilot

Twas the night before Cyclone football, when all through the Winnie, not a creature was stirring, well except maybe 'lil Aspen........

Our September 11th Story

September 11th typically serves as a moment of reflection for those who lost their lives on that tragic day back in 2001.  But, sometimes, out of sorrow, joy can be found.  Ours, just happened to be on September 11th, 2014.  The news: a plus sign on a pregnancy test.  While there hadn't been any official plan nor really discussion of when Aspen would become a big brother, apparently someone had a plan for us.  Excited may have been the understatement, as we quickly determined we wanted to tell our family two weeks later when Britt planned for everyone to get together in Ames to celebrate her Dad's Birthday.  So, we had Aspen pose so we could make a Birthday card for her Dad to open and the rest would have been history.

If the week couldn't get any crazier, we first came across an acreage earlier in the week that sounded as if it fit our perfect criteria in our "dream home".  Only three miles from our current location, an acreage nestled on three acres still in town, with a stocked pond, corn crib, and even greater than our expectations list, a log cabin!  We quickly contacted the owner, who by chance, lived on our street prior to moving to the cabin.  We instantly fell in love and knew it was exactly where we could see our future.  We made an offer by the end of the weekend, and found out later that night, it was accepted!  

So, in one short week, we went from a family of three to four, and plans to move to a new home in a matter of months.  Then, the shock of having to get our current home ready to sell all set in.  Where we crazy afterall?

The following week ended on a downer.  By Friday, Britt began having problems with her pregnancy and knew things weren't quite right.  By Saturday morning she called her doctor for advice and was given the option of either waiting until their office opened Monday morning or visiting the ER.  She chose option 1.  The weekend was spent laying low and informing our families of the soon to be confirmed unfortunate news.  By Monday, we knew, that our recent news was now one not meant to be.  Hard to fathom when the pregnancy with Aspen went so smooth.  We had to remind ourselves that someone had bigger plans.  

With that being said, a sad, humbling, and exciting few weeks for our family.  

8 months old and not slowing down

Another month down, another month closer to the big "1".  Ma wrote a little poem for me this month.  I'm hoping my English skills are a little more refined than hers some day, but I'll give her credit for at least attempting.

Eight months old and counting....and my attempt at a poem. 

Mirror mirror on the wall, oh how did my baby grow so tall?

He's grown by leaps and bounds you see, and I'm talking more than just growing up as tall as a tree.

He's learned to wave, to eat, to stand, to crawl,
All I want to know is...can we make him stall?

Eight months has come and gone way too fast,
Before I know it, he'll be gone from his Mom and Dad's at last.

All I want is to cuddle his sweet little frame, but to some that may sound oh so lame.

I love our sweet little Aspen with all my heart, and pray one day he will be oh so smart.

But until that day comes, likely in a flash, we will continue to play and play and play until we crash.

Thank you for all of the memories our family has created, your Mom and Dad could never be more elated.

And as I close I have one last wish for my little man, that when you grow old, you become Iowa State's biggest fan!

Here a few pics of my little Hawaiian.