MLK Jr Day at home!

MLK Jr Day is a holiday that I get to be off work for. Aspen and I had such a good day at home hanging out together. We got lucky and it was actually almost 60 degrees so we got to go outside before nap AND after. She was in heaven! :)

We started the day off by watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and some other Disney Jr shows while I got some house work done. She just loves that silly little mouse! We also colored, played play-doh, played babies, blocks and hide in her tent.

We went for a walk outside and then had some lunch. This momma was exhausted! I think we had played with every toy in her toy box before lunch! Aspen laid down for her nap and I let her sleep on the couch with me. I have a hard time turning down extra snuggles on a day off!

After naps we had a snack. I got her a graham cracker and she requested that I put frosting on it. Silly girl. I gave in, and told her she could have it as long as she sat still to eat. At this time Joe called me on my cell and asked me to go look at something for him. I did, and then came back into the kitchen for and saw the mess that she had made! haha...she wasn't even eating her graham cracker, just licking the frosting off of it!



After snack we went outside since it was so nice out. We hadn't gotten to try out her new tricycle yet outside. I think she looks so big in the picture above. She's growing up WAY too fast! Her feet still aren't quite able to reach the pedals all the way around so mommy got to push. We went all the way up and down our street several times. She loved it!



After I was exhausted she was done riding her tricycle we went in and got Roxy. Aspen wanted to hold the leash so I wrapped it tight on her hand and let her walk her. She looks so grown-up!



The pic below wasn't from MLK Jr Day, but just a day at home with daddy. Aspen wasn't feeling well again at the end of last week so Joe stayed home with her in the morning while I went in and got some work done (at 6 am - ugh) and then I came back home and spent the rest of the day with her. They built this tower while I was gone and Aspen was SO proud of it. If you look close in the picture, she's holding a block on her baby's head - haha...I didn't even realize that while I was taking the picture.

Next up - Sesame Street Live this weekend! :)

Piggy Tails!

Oh how I have waited for the day....

When I could put Aspen's hair into Piggy Tails!

 This is what I got when I asked her to smile for the camera...what a cheese ball.

We were just playing one night and I was messing with her hair and almost got it in a regular ponytail so I thought MAYBE I could do it. She sat really still for me and let me put them both in - then she had to run and show daddy how pretty she was!

She woke up the next day and after getting out of the bath and getting dressed, she actually pointed to her hair and said "po-tail"....that's enough for me sweetheart- you don't have to ask me twice! So we put them in again the next day.



My sister was teasing me about loving her little overalls so much, so I put them on her that day too. Reminded me so much of what we ran around in when we were little. Mom always did my hair in a ponytail and then while it was wet would twist it so it would stay in one big spiral curl.

The next two pictures are my little Aspen (and her piggy tails) and ALL of her personality. She had brought her little chairs in from the kitchen and set them up for her babies to have theater like seating to watch the Chiefs game.

Then she had to kick me out of the glider so she could "roc, roc" and then insisted I put her babies all in the chair with her. This was taken before she had about 8 more added and overflowing the chair with her! :)

Christmas Celebrations

Christmas 2011 - I can't believe it's already 2012! It came and went SO quickly. I was able to take a full week off after Christmas to be at home - which meant a lot of play time with Aspen, daily naps, getting some projects around the house done, and a lot of days of staying in pjs and no make-up! Be jealous...you should be! We had a blast! Anyway, back to Christmas to share some pictures from our celebrations...and a few stories of things I want to remember...

This is Aspen's baby. Her baby has a hat but she refuses to leave it on her. She was coloring while I was making dinner one day. Her baby was in her other chair next to her. Next thing I know, I look up and she's scrambling to put the baby back in the chair so I knew something was up. I went over to her and saw that she had colored three different colors on top of the babies head. I asked her why she wanted to color on her baby and her response was to point to her head and say "air" (aka hair). Duh, mom the baby needed some hair!

Christmas with mom got all messed up this year due to Aspen being sick along with my sister and the kids getting the flu the night before we were getting together. So instead of a big get together with food and all of us, we just had a smaller get together and hung out to watch football for a little bit. Aspen got some play-doh (which she played with no less than everyday we were home over my time off) and a new princess blanket which she has to lay with to go to sleep now. She was one happy girl!

We did the Spellman Family Christmas on Xmas eve morning at Joe's parents house. We had a big late breakfast meal and then opened presents together and watched the Chiefs game. Aspen's big gifts were a new tricycle (the old school metal and rubber wheels kind!) and a princess table and chairs set. At this point, Joe and I were wondering why we did any shopping at all for the girl - she was completely content and so happy with her new stuff. I just know I'll be going up and down the sidewalk over and over with her on that little tricycle once it warms up (and she can reach the petals) but for now she's content to get on it, say please and give you the sweetest eyes until you come over and push her around the house on it! :)

For as long as I can remember we always went to my grandma on dads side for Xmas eve dinner and opened gifts after dinner. Now that my grandma and grandpa have both passed away my dad adopted the tradition and for about the last 5 years we've spent Christmas eve evening at my dads with my sisters. We had an awesome dinner and got in some good family time that we don't get often enough. The pic above is of Aspen and her Jackson cousins!

My sisters and I with dad...we were teasing him about his Santa Claus beard all night! :)

My and my beautiful niece. This is not a great picture of either of us, but had to include it b/c we were having fun. I can't believe how grown up she is becoming! I was there when she was born, I watched my sister turn into a great mommy with her, and I'm so proud of her! I wish I got to spend more time with all of my nieces and nephews!

Christmas morning we got up and went to church.  After church we went home and changed into our comfy clothes and did our gifts as a family. This is Aspen's reaction to her gift from Santa when she came around the corner. Santa brought her a stocking with some new books, and some dress-up bracelets. He also brought her a princess baby that came with a matching dress for her.

She was so into opening gifts. She loved it!

The rest of the day on Christmas we just played....and played....and played. Aspen was in heaven! Thank goodness we were all feeling a lot better after fighting a horrible cold the few weeks before and were able to have such a fun relaxing day at home celebrating Christmas together!