Zoolander!

He's mastered his Zoolander impersonation...

Monkeying around...

Sukkah party at Rabbi Cadaner's

Here we are at Rabbi and Chana Cadaner's sukkah party.  For those unfamiliar with Sukkot, it is a Jewish holiday reminiscent of the 40 years the Jews spent in the desert wandering after the Exodus from Egypt.  A sukkah is a hut symbolic of that in which families eat, entertain, invite guests in and some even sleep in it.  

Where's Mom's spot?!

Max are you just warming up my spot or have you parked it there?!!

Julio's Spot

Whenever we have the fire on, you always know where to find Julio.  It's like he gets hypnotized by it.

My Sigg Water Bottle...

Here is my lovely Sigg water bottle that I mention in the post below.  It goes everywhere I go and has a few dents in it from being dropped a couple of times across the parking lot.  

My Current Obsessions

• Carter's fleece footed p.j.s for Asher- Natalie got Asher a bunch of these when he was a newborn but of course by the time he was a month old he was busting out the seems.  I had been searching everywhere for more of these warm p.j.s but could never find any until this Fall.  Whenever I saw any I would snatch them up in every color and print.  Now that we are getting into the cold months they are EVERYWHERE.  But I can't stop myself from hoarding them; I guess I have this fear that they are all going to disappear.  I think I have just about every color and size they come in!  (Sorry mom for all the years I made fun of you for buying multiples of your favorites!  I guess it's true when they say we become more and more like our parents as we get older.)
• My cloth coffee filter- When I was visiting my friend Brooke in New York a couple years ago she made me coffee out of a french press and ever since I have been hooked.  The only thing I don't like about the french press is that thick layer of sediment it leaves at the bottom of your cup.  So when I was in Bogota I discovered the cloth filter.  It is cone shaped that resembles a small fishnet but out of flannel.  I just boil the water, steep the coffee like i would in the french press, and then pour it through the filter into my coffee cup.  I am so excited about it!
• Larabars- Kristi, Wes and Jen told me about these.  I eat at least one everyday and most likely two.  I keep one in my purse at all times.  My favorite flavors are pistachio, peanut butter cookie, and coconut cream pie.  (For those of you unfamiliar with them, they have nothing but nuts and dried fruit in them --- no salt, no sugar.)
• My Sigg water bottle-  I drink a lot of water throughout the day and always carry it around with me.  But I felt horrible thinking about all the plastic bottles piling up in those land fills.  So I ditched the plastic water bottles and now I love my Sigg.  It's really pretty too.  Maybe I'll even post a picture of it (:
• Reusable cloth grocery bags- Again, the thought of those land fills makes me sad.  So I thought I would do my part by only using the cloth bags.  They are so much better anyway.  It took me a while to get in the habit.  But now I don't even have to think about it.  
• The Office- Moises and I were really excited when season four came out on DVD!
• Cereal- I would be content eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  My favorite is to mix All Bran with Kashi Go Lean and slice up a banana.  SOOOO GOOD!
• Canned Salmon- Sounds gross but the kind from Costco is the best.  I could eat it straight from the can. 
• Andy Warhol- I have never been too crazy over his art work but I just discovered his writing.  I was looking through Becky's collection of books in Bogota and "Andy Warhol's philosophies: from A to B and back again"  caught my eye.  I started reading it and couldn't put it down.  Now I want to read all of his books.  
• Lululemon athletic wear- It's my mom's fault.  She introduced me to their clothing line.  My favorite is the "grove pant" for working out in.  They fit me better than any other.  But I'm not as obsessed with them as my mom.  She has just about every pant, jacket and top in every color!

Squirt October 1997 to October 2008

                                                                       Squirt with my step-sister Kristi

It all began when I was a senior in highschool.  I was at the Harrod's pet shop in London when I spotted a litter of bichon frise puppies.  It was love at first sight; I knew immediately that was the kind of dog I wanted.  So when I got back to the States I checked the paper every week for them.  Finally after two or three months I found some in Tooele, Utah.  So I dragged my mom and step-dad, Jan to go check them out.  Jan wasn't too thrilled about having a white fluffy thing for a dog.  He was thinking more along the lines of a German shepherd.  

So when we got there my mom, Jan, Kristi (my step-sister), and I sat down to play with all the little bichon puppies.  It only took us a few minutes before we knew which one was ours.  Squirt was the leader of the pack.  He was the feistiest one with all the attitude.  

Squirt would go everywhere with me.  He slept with me, I took him to work with me (I worked at my dad's office at the time), I even convinced my teachers to let me bring him to school with me for a day.  

I could see that Jan was slowly starting to like him although he never would admit it.  Everyday when Squirt heard his car coming up the driveway he would race to go greet him.  As soon as he'd open his car door, Squirt would jump right in smothering him with kisses and pee all over him and car seats.  

Then I went away to college and Squirt became their first grandchild.  This is when he really stole their hearts.  Jan became his proud "bumpa" and Squirt became a bumpa's boy. 

A few years down the road in 2004 he was diagnosed with cancer.  The doctor removed as much of it as possible but he said it had already spread too far.  He gave him about two months to live without treatment.  Well, as stubborn as Squirt is, he stuck around another four healthy, happy years.  He had as much spring in his step as ever; you'd never know.  

So just a couple of months ago he came out of remission.  He was quickly fading and not the same Squirt anymore.  He would have bad days and then relatively better days.  And finally just last week my mom could really see that he was just suffering.  She was faced with the difficult decision to put him down.   

He lived such a vibrant, happy life.  He managed to steal the hearts of all the "fluffy dog haters" with all his attitude.  Personality goes a long way!  

WE LOVE YOU SQUIRT!!!

Asher's six-month well check visit

The week after we got back from Bogota Asher had his six-month check up.  He has slowed down a bit on the growing...

• Height 27 1/2 inches (80th percentile)
• Weight 17.6 pounds (50th percentile)

Compared to his four-month check up he was...

• Height 27 inches (97th percentile)
• Weight 15.15 pounds (75th percentile)

... but he just keep getting more and more charming everyday!

He still hasn't cut his top teeth.  By looking at his gums the doctor says they look like should break through any day now. 

Asher's first trip to Bogota, Colombia to visit grandparents!

Asher had so much fun on our trip to visit Moises' family in Bogota for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  There was always someone there play with and show him new things.
                                                             Aunt Becky!  I missed you!
Asher loves computers.  As soon as he sees one, he drops everything he's doing and wants to tap away.  
                                                                             Baba!

                                                                 So much to explore!

                                                                  Asher loves Nubia!

                                                                            Daddy!
We are so glad we were able to spend a couple of days with Becky before she left to Spain for school.  



                                                            So many fun toys to play with...
 


Juan Valdez is the next best thing to Starbuck's...maybe even better.



                                                                        Weeeeee!
                                                               Hanging out at Juan Valdez
Baba gave him not one, but two baths a day.  He has never been so clean in his life!

He did manage to pencil in a few naps in his busy schedule.
In Bogota he learned how to sit up all on his own!

I took Asher to the video arcade where they had a cute little tug boat ride just his size.  He loved turning the wheel round and round.  
Uncle Danny rescues Asher from his crib.  Asher convinced us all that he was on vacation from his bedtime!

 

Zeide wanted to take Asher to feed los patos!  He was very curious about them.


Here we are breaking the fast of Yom Kippur.  It was a wonderful meal that Moises' mom had for us.  Aunt Frieda, Moises' cousin Samuel and his wife Daniella with their two kids Nicole and Abie joined.




As you can see, Asher was fascinated with his cousin Abie.