Meet the Gassers

okay...I THINK I am back!

2012-01-24T18:21:00.001-08:00

I am hoping to keep it up! I thought about and thought about it....and decided, okay--like an online journal and if no one reads it at least it is there for me! So, i'm back. Now, computers can be time suckers, so I am hoping not to have that happen. But I do love to write and have a way to look back on past memories. In fact, you will notice my last post--which is titled "Finally Settled" was never posted (until tonight) but I had to post it to see what I had written....that was a long rant! So I'm back....hope you enjoy. I'll try to share something cute or funny or just plain fun soon! till then....

Finally settled!

2012-01-24T18:16:00.002-08:00

Well, to start off, I apologize to those few friends of mine, (who actually read my blog and myself for that matter) for not blogging in quite awhile. It has been a hectic, stressful and busy life--busier than I have been in a LONG time. But I am happy to say we are finally settled in our new home and I couldn't be happier. I honestly think each and every day how much I love my house and I couldn't be happier. I think the best part of all of this is that I finally feel as if we have found a home we can live in and grow for a long time, so the changes we make, the paint we choose, the garden we plant, we will be able to enjoy for many years. Let me tell you, this is something I have been wanting for many years and it is good to finally be settled in a home that I love.

The last few months have been hectic, stressful, BUSY and life changing but when it all comes down to it, wonderful. It all started with a car accident--at the end of November (not so much fun). I totaled the Prius when someone pulled out in front of me while I was going 40mph on Greenbay Road. Two days later, we got the offer we needed on our house and it was time to start really looking. I swear everything has been a blur since then. The offer was quite a surprise (as he had lowballed us weeks ago and finally came up to our lowest price) . We took it--as you never know in this market--and I really consider ourselves lucky. I still cannot figure out how we fit all our stuff in our teeny house--since we have filled this house pretty well!

Christmas came and went (honestly I think Charles and I just wanted the holidays to be over so we could concentrate on moving). Nolan loved Christmas even more this year and picked out a train set he really wanted, which Santa did bring him. He loved it so much he played with it all Christmas day and ended up bruising his hands from crawling around on the floor so much. Jonah turned one December 29th and we had a small celebration. He enjoyed the cake and the attention. Moving day was January 21st. Thankfully, the previous owners let us move many things into the garage the week before, which really helped. We had A LOT of stuff! We unpacked and settled pretty quickly. Both boys have had their share of colds, ear infections, viruses etc. this winter (and are still fighting some germs), we ALL got the stomach flu over Valentine's Day (thank god we now had more than one bathroom) and we had the big event of February---Nolan turned FOUR! This was the first time we could celebrate a birthday in our house with family (as our other house was too small). Nolan also had a small celebration with a few friends. This was his first real birthday party and I think it went well--although I am glad it was only a two hour celebration!

So, this was the first weekend in which I wasn't packing, unpacking, celebrating a holiday or a birthday or taking a child to prompt care. It has been nice. Believe me, I didn't just waste my weekend. We headed to Menards this weekend to pick up some paint colors and although I love what we picked for the family room, I was not so sure about the kitchen. Too bad we only got samples for the family room and actually bought the paint for the kitchen, (which we will probably not use since I don't like it): Alright, Charles thinks I have rambled enough, so this is it. I hope to update soon. Much sooner than I did before. And of course, if you decided not to read (or you actually wanted to see what was going on is the Gasser household) enjoy the pictures below. It has been a wild ride these last few months. I am looking forward to a little calmer and quieter life.

To continue or not....that is the question!

2012-01-21T18:15:00.001-08:00

I am writing this for my own benefit, and just wondering what others are feeling.

I started my blog in 2007 when Nolan was born--to share pics and stories of our little guy, and our life. Then I discovered facebook and blogspot went on the back burner. Now I am questioning what to do. As many of you know, I am a scrapper and love to scrapbook. I do love the blogspot, but I always wanted to be able to print out my blog and put in a scrapbook of some sort (I think I have finally found a solution to that!!!). I also want to write more and capture the memories of my little guys.

I just read through my blog (or briefly skimmed) to see what was in there. I was pleasantly surprised with a few of my older posts--I had forgotten things, was happy I had them written down here for myself to see in writing and color! I am hoping to take some of those memories and make smaller "yearbooks" in my scrapbook program to be able to cherish. What do you do with your posts? What does blogspot do for you and why do you do it?

Just curious. I am thinking I might get back into it.....your thoughts? Alicia

I know....I haven't been updating!

2010-07-31T14:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, I admit, I have not been as up to date on my blog as I would like to be. It was a busy summer and I didn't get nearly as much accomplished as I would have liked! No traveling for us this summer, besides going up to see Charles' mom up north. But we did a lot with the kids and kept busy and as cool as possible. I can't believe I am back to school already and Nolan too! He started in Early School at Prairie. It is nice to have him there with him, especially when I get to see him at lunch time or run into him in the halls. I think he is wondering why every adult in the building knows his name!!! So far, he has loved it!

Other things to fill you in on in the Gasser household. Charles has been busy at work but even busier with the band. He went to LA this summer for a few shows and played with the Bryan Brothers. He then toured around Wisconsin and Michigan, playing at Kamplified with a bunch of other bands for different camps in the area and then headed to Colorado to play some more. The band has also released their CD nationally, we will see what their future may hold. It's all very exciting and busy---I just don't know what else to say as this is all unchartered territory to us...I'll keep you in the loop. (By the way, if you haven't seen their music video, My World, it is definitely worth watching(: They are having an official CD release party in September in Milwaukee! YAY! They also are currently #69 on the charts!!! Pretty awesome!

Jonah is HUGE! Seriously, I can only tote him around for five minutes before my arm hurts. He eats all the time and is a really happy baby (except when he is hungry and I do not have a bottle ready). He will be eight months this month (August 29th) and weighs....drum roll please....22 lbs! He is a FAST crawler and surprised us Friday night by pulling himself up to stand. A trick he has been trying to work on since he got the crawling thing down. I am pretty sure cruising isn't far behind. Nolan is a great big brother and sometimes gets a little jealous but we are working on patience (a quality his mother lacks at times). But we are working on it. I seriously cannot believe Jonah is already 8 months old---time really flew with the second baby! Before I know it, he's going to be a toddler!

And finally, the house, probably the one thing constantly on my mind! We had a rough go of it a about a month ago. We decided to put on a new roof and all hell broke loose. We also decided to put in an offer on another house--contingent on the sale of ours. Well--it was just one thing after another.....the roof was probably the easiest transaction of all of them. Charles' car died that week as well and was later deemed unfixable. We had to buy a new car and the house we liked--it appeared they were going to take our offer and then declined it at the last minute. The cherry on top was when a sudden storm ripped our front screen door off it's hinges and threw our patio umbrella to the backyard (about ten minutes after we left the house). Needless to say, I was a little panicked as money was just flying out of our wallets and we don't neccessarily have the means to have that happen. But it has all worked out and we are back to thinking positive thoughts about the house and life. (We love our new used Prius by the way!!!)

So, here are some pics! Enjoy and I PROMISE I will not be so delinquent this fall with pictures!

Spring has arrived

2010-05-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

This will be a quick post as I am a busy girl these days!

Jonah is now four months old and is the happiest baby ever! I just put him in his crib and he falls asleep on his own!

Amazing!!!

We will see what teething brings! My sister Clare is convinced that since Jonah is so easy I will have a third...still thinking about that one Clare but I am sure you will be the first to know (after Charles of course!)

He just started rice cereal. Took him a few days to get the hang of it, but now he's all about the stuff. Can't wait to s

ee what veggies and fruits will do to him!

We also made our first trip to DQ--about six or seven blocks from the house. I think this is the first time Nolan has had a true ice cream cone. He almost ate the entire thing! I told Charles to ask for a kiddie cone next time (much smaller!!!). We realized about

half way there that Nolan usually rides in the stroller to Dairy Queen. He was a trooper the whole way there and back. The entire trip only took us an hour and fifteen minutes!!! I couldn't believe how late it was when we got home! He also just learned to peddle his trike although he refuses to go over ant hills with it (don't ask me--last year he was sticking his fingers in all the ant holes). I guess he doesn't want to wreck their houses! Happy spring everyone!

(No I did not buy this car--it's a loaner from my friend Jeanette!)

Happy spring!

2010-03-30T16:35:00.001-07:00

Well, it is back to school for me next week. I have truly enjoyed my time off with Jonah and think I will find it hard to go back to the "real world". But honestly, I only have ten weeks and then SUMMER VACATION!!! I know, I planned my pregnancy pretty well without planning it! It will be good to get back in the routine of things for awhile. But I will miss spending time with the little ones and being a "stay at home mom". It has been fun.

Jonah is changing so much these days. Although he is a happy baby--he still gets me up about twice a night now and he has gotten in this pattern of getting up at 4 a.m. and that's pretty much it. He's ready to begin the day. His mother is not! He just learned to laugh, which makes all of us in the Gasser household laugh too. He is a lot of fun and his brother Nolan can't wait for him to be able to play! (neither can I!!!)

We also put our house up for sale. We are looking for something bigger, as we are starting to outgrow our little Cape Cod. Since I was on maternity leave, it was the perfect time to declutter and tidy up the house to try and sell it. We had an unsuccessful open house and two private showings but no bites. We have only had it on the market for about two weeks so I'm not too concerned. But it has been fun looking at other houses!!!

Oh, and the biggest news in the Gasser household these days--Nolan has tackled potty training! He decided the time was right and that was it. It took him about a good week to get a hold of it, but he's got it down pretty well and has even woke me up a couple of times at midnight to go potty! Yay! One finally gets out of diapers and...we have another kid! I'm just happy I'm not changing two anymore! Enjoy the slide show below. I may post more pics after Easter as we are getting together with the fam and having an Easter egg hunt! It should be a good time!! Happy spring and Happy Easter to you and yours--love The Gassers

The second time around the block...

2010-02-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

I must say, the second time around the block with a baby is a little easier. You know what you're doing, you've been there before and it just seems easier. Having a three year old also in the mix does change things a little bit, but for the most part, I think we have the hang of it! Both Heidi and my mom are on my case to post some new pictures of the baby. Check below at the slide show, but before you do that--take a look at the two pictures below: One is Nolan and one is Jonah--can you guess who is who(I'll post the answer at the bottom of the page)? I think they look A LOT alike--but I am sure their personalities will be quite different. It will be interesting to see how Jonah grows and changes. Can't wait. He is already a great baby. Eats ALL THE TIME and sleeps pretty well too. I can't complain. Nolan loves being a big brother and does get the twinge of jealousy once in awhile but really is a pretty good boy these days.

Besides the new baby, things have been a little hectic. To keep me from going stir crazy, Charles and I have been decluttering the house--as we are wanting to put in on the market in spring (our goal is the beginning of April). We have a few projects to do, like paint part of the basement, but we should be able to hammer them all out by then. Most of the decluttering is done and we have a ton of stuff in storage. Looking at houses, even online has become quite fun and we are hoping to find something with a bit more space!!! (and at least a bath and a half). Another adventure begins--nothing stays boring here for long--Ali always needs a project!!

We also celebrated Nolan's birthday this past weekend, a little earlier than usual. He turns three on the 22nd but Charles is heading to California this Friday and won't be home to help celebrate it. So we decided to bump up the celebration a little. Nolan had a great birthday--he helped pick out his race car cake (in my opinion it was a pretty ugly cake, but that was his choice!). He loved his presents, especially the garage from Aunt Clare and Uncle Josh. On his actual birthday Clare and I are planning to take Nolan and Quinn to Monkey Joes (an indoor fun park with inflatables). I know Nolan will LOVE that! Pictures will come soon.

And Charles leaves for California this Friday until the 28th. He has a major show at Sunset Sessions, a venue play for tv and radio producers. They also played this venue last year, but this year they are on the main stage (Jason Mraz and Melissa Ethridge will also be playing this stage on Friday). Its a pretty big deal for Bascom Hill. They have the same time slot that the Zac Brown Band had last year--and if you watched the Grammys the Zac Brown Band won for Best New Artist this year. So maybe this time slot will have some luck attached to it! They also will be working on their music video, which stars Mr. Quin Stickler, the Bradley Brothers (tennis champs) and possibly Lou Ferigno--The Incredible Hulk (and maybe a few other stars if they are lucky). He is excited and nervous about the trip. I'll let you know how it goes.

Enjoy the pictures below. I promise to be a little better about posting more frequently! Charles just got a new camera so hopefully I will be snapping more pics as our current camera works only some of the time!

Nolan is on the left! Jonah on the right!

Meet Baby Jonah

2010-01-06T08:47:00.000-08:00

We had an excellent Christmas and New Year's this year as we welcomed baby Jonah into the world. He was born on December 29th, 2009 at 7:54 a.m. via c-section. He was 7 lbs 2 oz. and 19 inches long and at his first doctor's appointment he was already 8 lbs 8 oz! The boy likes to EAT! Nolan has really been enjoying the big brother role and always checks to see if Jonah is awake. A few classic comments when we brought him home: "Please can I pet him?" "Aww, she is so cute" He is constantly calling Jonah a girl due to the fact that their are all girl babies at his daycare.

We spent an enjoyable Christmas Eve at Clare and Josh's and had a very quiet Christmas at home. Nolan played with his trains from Santa all day while Charles enjoyed playing the Wii, our new fun entertainment, a video game console. We didn't get out of our pajamas all day! It was great!!!

We also celebrated Charles' birthday the day before Jonah was born. Charles and I actually got one more night out before our little newbie entered the world spending time together at dinner and a movie (Nolan had to stay at my parents due to the fact we had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am on Tuesday). I don't remember much from the C section---not sure if I blocked it out or not, but poor Charles witnessed the whole surgery as the curtain covering me was a little low and he could see everything! His comment, "Good thing I watch a lot of medical shows!"

We got to come home from the hospital on New Year's Eve. It was good to be at home, on my own couch and sleeping in my own bed. Jonah is a fairly good sleeper and at the moment I am getting up about once in the middle of the night to feed him (with an 11:00 pm feeding and a 6:00 am feeding). The trick for me to solve is to not fall asleep in the rocking chair in the middle of the night! Below is a slide show of pictures of Christmas festivities and Jonah. Enjoy!

Christmas (and baby) Countdown!

2009-11-22T18:37:00.000-08:00

Usually I am annoyed to see Christmas trees up early in department stores, but this year was different. The sign of the first Christmas display (in Kohls right around Halloween) made me think, "Yay, this baby is almost here!" For those of you that don't know, we are scheduled for the c-section December 29th, the day after dad's birthday (he even said, pretty cool present--guess that means I don't have to get him anything this year--just kidding Charles!) We even have a countdown posted on our blog (look right!)

We have been busy getting our house in order and getting prepared. Although this time will be different because I will have a full week off of work before I actually have the baby. I am looking forward to that! I think Charles is actually in nesting mode as well as he is tackling projects all over the house (redoing the bathroom, regrouting kitchen tiles, hanging new shades). Most of the Christmas shopping is done (I am NEVER done this early but it feels great!) and I am ready to put up the decorations over Thanksgiving weekend. We are definitely in the holiday mood around here. We went to see the holiday parade downtown last weekend. Nolan was a little sad when it was all over and tonight we took a walk outside the zoo to see the Christmas decorations--Nolan's new favorite thing to look for while driving in the car. While getting our coats on and heading out the door, I explained to Nolan that we won't actually be able to go in to see the animals--as they were all sleeping already. Nolan's response, "Will we have to tip toe?" Where does he come up with these things??? I also enjoyed celebrating my 33rd birthday this weekend. Charles and I went out to a nice dinner at Olde Madrid downtown and then out to see a movie and then out for dessert. The movie freaked me out though--as he was snoring away later that night I was up thinking about alien abduction as we went to see "The Fourth Kind" (our other two choices were sold out!) ENjoy the pics below and Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T18:58:00.000-08:00

Our Halloween weekend was quite hectic! I honestly felt like I moved into a new house. We recently bought Nolan a new big boy bed (which he loves!!!) and with the deal at the furniture store--we also bought a new couch, chair and tv (no we didn't win the lottery but the deal was too good to pass up!)

So Charles and I spent the better part of the weekend cleaning house and rearranging furniture--the living room, our "new" playroom down the basement, Nolan's bedroom (making room for the baby and his bed!). It was A LOT of work but our house is clean and ready for a newborn. We love the new furniture and Nolan is very excited to take a nap or go to bed (or else he is coming down with something!). He just thinks it's neat that he can sleep in his own little bed.

We also went trick or treating this weekend near my parents' house. We walked the neighborhood with Aunt Clare, Uncle Josh, Caroline and Quinn. Tons of fun--Nolan was more excited to ring the bell and see the decorations (his new favorite word) then actually get chocolate (although mom wouldn't mind the latter!). Caroline did her best to help pick him up to try and ring the bell--since he couldn't reach. But nine times out of ten, the person would come to the door before he actually rang it! Good try, Caroline! Well, that's about all from this end--enjoy the slide show below!

Did I mention my husband rocks?

2009-10-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, my husband is a rock star, but did I mention that he rocks? We celebrated our five year anniversary this weekend. Yes, we were married in August and our anniversary celebration is a little late due to the fact that Charles was in LA during our anniversary (but he did send me flowers while in LA). So he had "something" planned--I had no idea what and just had to go with the flow.....

For those of you that know Charles he is NOT a very good secret keeper, but he did REALLY well this weekend. After dropping Nolan off at my parents for the night, we headed to Milwaukee. Being pregnant, I am hungry all the time and thought outloud--"I should have grabbed a snack for the ride." Well, he thought of everything--first of all, he had provisions for me to eat when I got hungry--which he knew would happen. Then, we ended up at a fantastic restaurant in Milwaukee--"Swig" which had many "small plate" dishes which he thought would be a great choice for me because I fill up fast. We stopped at a bar for another drink (non alcoholic for preggers here) and then we were off to the big event.....a Kelly Clarkson concert. And once again, he thought of everything. He got great seats and made sure to get an aisle seat for me-- the one plus being that no one was sitting in front of me so if I needed to sit I could (and still see the stage). It was a great night, a great concert and a wonderful anniversary! Thanks Charles for an awesome anniversary---you totally surprised me! I love you!

A Whirlwind of Events

2009-10-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

We have been very busy in the last month. With going up north to see Charles' parents to celebrating Anne and Jason's big day (which was amazing, awesome, spectacular and everything in between). It was truly a wonderful day and Charles and I were thrilled to be a part of it. I even danced quite a bit and the reception went until 2:00--we made it until the end! A very tired Ali, but so worth the great time we had!

Nolan has been growing and always a ton of fun. We went to Party on the Pavement recently (they shut down Main and Sixth Streets and although it was cold this year, we had a good time). We also celebrated dad's birthday that night after Party on the Pavement. Good times with the fam! I have been busy with school. This year seems busier than last, but my curriculum for sixth grade has changed which is why. I am loving it and will miss my students a little when I am gone on maternity leave. They have started a baby name list for me--it is now four pages long and they are voting on the best names (some of them are really out there--like Nacho??--remember they are middle schoolers). One of my students asked me recently if that was how I was really going to pick the baby's name. Remember, they are middle schoolers.

I am just ending my long fall weekend--I had off Friday and this Monday--it was great! We went out on Saturday night with my sister, and my cousins. We headed to a haunted house after dinner and I didn't realize how nervous Josh actually got at these things. It was fairly decent for a haunted house. I am looking forward to the 23rd---as Charles has a surprise planned for me for our anniversary which we didn't celebrate as he was in LA with the band. Looking forward to that and the living room furniture we ordered last week! I am sure I will post pics after it all comes in! Enjoy the pics and the video of Nolan below! Can't believe the weather is changing so quickly---guess that means winter is almost here and so is this baby! Hope the time flies! Just so you know--I will be having this one on December 29th or 30th but I am sure I will post before then!

As a side note, I apologize for not having more pics of Anne and Jason's big day--we were having way too much fun to take pictures! Below is a video of Nolan. He is a big fan of Uncle Jason---therefore the guitar I dug out from when he was a baby is now his favorite new toy. We also have been practicing raising our eyebrows---funny!

and I give this summer a thumbs up.....

2009-09-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

We spent our last weekend of real summer visiting Charles' parents up north in Adams-Friendship. Nolan had the time of his life, especially because he got to ride on grandpa's big digger!!! It was probably the highlight of the trip if not the entire summer!

Besides my allergies kicking in at the end of the trip (yuck), we had a great time enjoying the outdoors and heading to the local flea market. Nolan had to check out EVERY small and big car at EVERY booth---and I am not kidding when I say every car. He didn't want to buy much, but did have to make sure they all worked well. We did end up getting a few for him (and a really cool police car that lights up and makes noise--the heat must have made me delirious--seriously what was I thinking). He deserved it since we

forgot just about all of his cars at home--once again--what were we thinking! We actually packed them but somehow they never made it into the car.

Enjoy the pictures. I will try to post again in a few weeks. I head to camp this

week with my fifth and sixth graders. Then it is off to Madison in which Charles and I will help h

ost a bachelor and bachelorette party for Jason and Anne. Then, the following weekend it's back to Madison to participate in their big day. A lot of running around but tons of fun!

Hectic Week--but still smiling!

2009-09-04T07:48:00.000-07:00

It has been a very hectic week. I've had something before and after school every day and I find this Friday I am EXHAUSTED. But I had to share this funny tidbit with you.

On Tuesday, Nolan went with me to get blood drawn at the doctor's office (no worries I have to do this every six weeks right now for my thyroid). As we were leaving and driving out of the All Saints parking lot he saw the building we had been in for the ultrasound and also the building which holds the hospital where the baby will be born.

He remembered this and said, "Mama, let's go there and get the baby brother." I had to laugh and tell him the baby brother wasn't ready yet. It was still in my tummy, but he could pick him up after Christmas.

I also laughed out loud after we got home from the ultrasound a few weeks ago (in which he came with Charles and I) and he told me, "Mama, I'm proud of you." The kid comes up with the craziest things...I tell ya.

This weekend it is off to a little adventure up north to visit Charles' parents and then to camp with my students for the week. Let's hope I survive the wilderness! Have a great Labor Day weekend!

and we are having.....

2009-08-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

a boy! We really weren't sure if we were going to find out or not. I even posted a note on my facebook page and had close to 50 responses from friends telling me to find out or to wait. I thought about it all day and knew Charles really wanted to find out. I kept wondering if I would be disappointed in the delivery room--especially if it turned out to be a boy and I was certain it was a girl. Overall, I am totally excited. I was also totally shocked when we found out it was a boy and Charles kept saying--are you sure? We actually had a chat in the parking lot that maybe we really will have to go for number three (not for awhile--don't worry mom--I really have to forget morning sickness first).

Anyways, one huge positive is that I have tons of clothes to fit this baby--since Nolan was born in February and this one is due in January.

We also had Nolan in the ultrasound room with us. We asked him before we went in what I was having and he said a baby brother. Guess he knew something we didn't! I am totally excited that he will have a little brother to play with and for all of those that wanted me to wait....sorry, I'm a planner and not the most patient person on the planet (just ask Charles or my mother!)

Now...if we just had a boy name picked out....

Where does the time go???

2009-08-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

And here I thought I would be blogging all summer! It's August 2nd and I have nothing to show for the busy summer we've had. So I am catching you up with a very long post on what has been going on in the lives of the Gassers.

Fourth of July (yes, I can't believe I have to go back THAT far) was great! Nolan did not move from the curb for the 3 1/2 hour parade (except when the hot air balloon guy set off the fire--then he literally jumped over my head-terrified of the flame and heat!). We spent the afternoon cooking out at my sister's and then Charles and I enjoyed the neighborhood fireworks after Nolan went to bed. Nolan still isn't a big fan of fireworks either--and he eventually fell asleep with us until the fireworks died down at 1:00 a.m.

In general this summer has been busy, making trips to the Racine Zoo, North Beach, many park trips and gymnastics on Wednesday mornings as well. We see lots of cousins Caroline and Quinn which makes it easy on Clare and I--since Nolan follows Caroline and Quinn follows Nolan. It's like a giant follow the leader game constantly.

We also planned a last minute trip down to Alabama to see my sister, Sarah, brother-in-law, Cory, and nephews, Jack and Duke. Nolan had a great time visiting his cousins. He was excited to go on "cation". We sat on their beach and played in their four acre lake, we visited the Birmingham Zoo, we went to the Science Education Center and overall it was well worth the 14 hour drive (really only 11 but with a pregnant woman and a toddler we had to stop a few times!). Below is a slide show of our awesome trip. Nolan always says the funniest things--sometimes I wonder where he comes up with this stuff. We slept in the office at Sarah and Cory's house. If you know my brother-in-law at all, then you would understand that their would be many different animal heads hanging on the wall. The office is decorated with about eight of these creatures. After about the third night sleeping in the office, I was reading Nolan bedtime stories and he was looking around at the animals. He looked at me and said, "Are they sitting, mama?" What do you tell a two year old? My response, "Yup, they are sitting listening and then they are going to sleep too." I just wonder what he really thought of those animals. Sarah's kids were tons of fun to play with--Jack and Nolan had some great toddler conversations that were fun to overhear and Duke cracked us all up with his dance moves and his constant -collecting of food off everyone else's plates when they were done eating--man that kid can eat! They both are also awesome swimmers for their age and showed Nolan a thing or two--he finally got a little brave near the end and tried "swimming" himself.

Right now, as we get back in the swing of things, with very little summer to go, Charles has headed to L.A. for two weeks to work on a band deal. We don't have many details yet, but it could turn into a good deal if their trip goes well--so I will keep you posted. Luckily we do get a chance to talk at least once a day--and we will see how Nolan reacts with daddy being gone this long. I told Nolan that he was on a trip to California with "Uncle" Jason. Later when I asked him where daddy was he said, "Calibama". Thought that was pretty funny.

I head back to school VERY soon (I will probably be back in the building almost full time by August 17th!). I have a lot to do to prepare for the school year--I've been slacking this summer!! I also am feeling better, but still have a few down days here and there--like when I threw up in the car on the way home from Alabama--that was fun for Charles I am sure(: Glad he still loves me! We still don't know what we are having--60% chance finding out and 40% chance of making it a surprise--feel free to share your thoughts (I have even posted a poll so you can vote!).

This past Friday my sister, my cousin Holly and I also went to the Racine County Fair--with kids in tow of course (we would not find this entertaining without children!). I will post pictures soon---thanks to Holly and Clare for taking most of them!

I am trying to remember any other funny sayings from Nolan recently. The funniest one would probably have to be after we got home from "cation" and my parents stopped over to visit. Hearing them knock on the door, he ran over yelling "Ya Ya (who is his grandpa), gave my mom a big hug and then said, "Come on in, guys!" Where does he get this stuff???? I promise to post more frequently--I say that now, but with the school year coming up as well as Anne and Jason's wedding---we will be very busy! Don't hold it against me if I am MIA again! I'll try really hard this time!

Ahhh..summer!

2009-06-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

I find myself finally with some time to add to the blog and make our big announcement....we are expecting!

First of all, I have been MIA from the blog because of two reasons 1) the end of the school year is way too busy and 2) morning sickness officially took over sometime at the beginning of May and basically left me in a heap of blahness, not wanting to do much of anything but eat and sleep and occasionally complain (just ask Charles).

But I am feeling better and also feel that I have neglected to add to my blog, so I will fill you in on what's been going on with the family.

We have been quite busy as well. Back in May (before morning sickness fully took over) we met our friends, the Suchardas, at the Milwaukee Zoo. Liam and Nolan are three months apart and pretty similar in their interests. They had a great time together and we need to get together more often. Andrea (mom Sucharda) and I are on the same family plan apparently because she is also pregnant and due three months before me again!!!

Charles has been busy getting ready for his show at Summerfest next Wednesday, July 1st, on the Harley Davidson stage (5:30 if you're interested!). The band has been working hard and has released their new album, Inevitable, and new website just recently. It has been taking up a good portion of his time, but he still makes time for Nolan and I! I can't wait for the Summerfest gig! They also recently opened for Life House and Augustana, which were two great gigs to have and the band had a great time playing (unfortunately I wasn't there---but I was invited by the hubby. If time travel existed I would have been there in a heartbeat as one gig was in St. Louis and the other in LaCrosse!).

Here are Charles and Jason getting some work done with help from Nolan:

And finally summer is upon us. I have finally started to feel better and am hopefully starting to kick morning sickness out the door (although this could just be the upswing of my week!). We have been spending lots of time with Quinn and Caroline: going to the park, going to gymnastics class and just playing at each other's houses. I am tutoring twice a week and still seem to be doing "school work"--(does it ever end??), but am keeping up with

Nolan best I can.

Okay--so you want some pregnancy details I suppose. Some of you I have talked to and some of you are finding out on here (hope you aren't mad!), but I am officially at the three month mark and due on January 6th. I haven't decided if I will find out the sex of this one (we did with Nolan), but am contemplating keeping it a surprise. My friend Heidi said, "You'll already know the baby's birthday --I think you make it a surprise!" which really got me thinking. We won't be setting up a nursery for this one as we don't have a separate bedroom in this house for a newborn. So I may just wait.....still deciding! I'll keep you updated on that one! (I will know the baby's birthday as I will have a C-section with this one too.)

Below is a video of the kids swimming in our backyard. They had a great time playing together. Nolan and Quinn really get along well. Nolan loves to follow Caroline (he is very concerned about what she is doing all the time) and Quinn loves to follow Nolan so it works out quite well.

I have to end with a few Nolan stories:

I told Nolan we were going to gymnastics. This was a pretty new concept as we had only been to the Racine Gymnastic Center a few times before. I must have said it too quickly because in the car he kept asking, "Mama, where's Max?" I'm thinking--who's Max??? What is he talking about. When we finally pulled up to the Racine Gymnastics Center he said, "Is this Max's house?" No honey, Not gymMAXtics--gymNAStics. Goofy kid.

Nolan was eating a piece of candy which he tried and then decided he didn't like. Spitting it out into his hand, he then handed it to me. I said, "Thanks Nolan." He looked at me and said, "Put it in the face." Yes, demanding he can be.

He also tells me he is having a baby sister but when Charles asks him what's in mommy's tummy he says a baby brother.

Much love and hope this find you well,

Ali, Charles and Nolan (baby and Tabby too!)

Where have I been????

2009-05-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

I am so sorry I have been slacking on the blog lately! Where have I been you ask? Well, it's been a busy month. My cousin, John, was running for mayor for the city of Racine and my family was helping out as much as possible---we are happy to say he won last night! It was a wonderful evening and one our family will remember for years to come I am sure!

Helping out on his campaign was awesome, tiring and made me feel really good! I feel like we have hope for our city now--a city that needs a makeover and a new leader in a big way! The best part of the evening (besides John winning) was turning in my numbers for the polls. Charles and I went to collect votes from two wards in Racine. I called in the numbers after we received them but then we decided to stop by the campaign headquarters before going to Salute's (the gathering place for helpers, family and friends). I walked in the door and apparently they were waiting for me (which surprised me since I had called in the numbers). Greg, the campaign manager, grabbed the numbers out of my hand and looked at them...then he started shaking his head and saying--"Yup that confirms it---WE WON!" We all started cheering and I thought--wow--apparently it's a good thing I decided to turn in my numbers and not just call! It was an awesome night and I am so proud of my cousin. He has worked hard to get here--beating Bob Turner was tough--as this is the third time he has gone up against him in a political campaign--and he lost the first two times (for state assembly not mayor)--I guess third time is a charm! All I kept thinking was WOW! What a great night!

As for Nolan....I will post more this weekend! It has been busy but I am tired from celebrating and need to veg on the couch! love to all...

Spring Break Part II

2009-04-05T17:23:00.001-07:00

Well, the second week of spring break was about just as busy as the first, but I think this time was more time for mom than for Nolan. I got A LOT done around the house and had some great time to myself. Nolan and I had some great playdates with his cousins, and with my college roommate Shannon's little girls, Isabella and Maeve (I wished would could have stayed in Milwaukee longer!!). We also went to the Racine Zoo with Ya Ya on Saturday and ran into his cousin Caroline, who was at a birthday party (he was very excited and even held her hand all the way to see the goats).

I am up for sitting on the couch tonight--the last night before I head back out into the real world. My break has been relaxing but I guess it's time to get back into reality. Enjoy the video below. Nolan had a good time pulling out ALL of my shoes (including the high heels) and trying them on. I am sure his Uncle Cory will love making fun....

Charles of course had to make himself feel better by getting Nolan to rock it out shortly after this --you will see them playing many musical instruments. Here's to another fun day in the Gasser household!

Spring Break Part 1

2009-03-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

This week started off my spring break---I say started off because I also have next week off (you can quit saying mean and nasty things about me now).

Nolan and I have had a great week so far. We hung out at home Monday (Charles took both my set of car keys and his set--therefore I didn't really have a choice to go anywhere). But I did get a bunch of cleaning done with a little help from the little guy. Tuesday I had a fun day shopping with my friend, Lara. Lots of

great deals out there!!

Wednesday we spent the morning at my sister's playing with Quinn and Caroline. After Nolan's nap we headed up to the Milwaukee Zoo with Ya Ya (my dad). I wasn't quit

e sure what to expect. Would it be too cold? Would we see many animals? It was perfect. Not only were the animals alert but we had almost the whole zoo to our

selves. Nolan's favorite saying throughout the day was "Different one?" He'd basically see one animal and want to move right

onto the next thing. I added a few short videos below of our adventure at the zoo. Nolan's favorite part was probably the aviary----the birds fly right over your heads in one part and I think they thought Nolan was lunch. He also really enjoyed the Big Cats (see video below). One part I didn't get on video was when the tiger walked right by the glass and surprised Nolan. He took a few steps back and I could see him thinking--"WHOA". He then turned to me and said

"Do again?"

After our trip to the zoo, we headed back to Racine. I couldn't leave out Mimi in this blog. Below is a video of Mimi and Nolan looking at all the treasures in Mimi's printer's box. This is a must do every time we are there. I don't even know if Mimi realized I taped this. Tomorrow my mom and I head to Cedarburg for the day and Nolan will spend some time at daycare (which he is excited about because Karen, his babysitter, is getting a new roof--which is very cool to a two year old boy).

Other things heard around the Gasser household from Nolan:

When asking Nolan a question, he now responds nope, instead of no.

(at bedtime) Sun going down, moon waking up

Good morning, birds

Thank you, God (when he was just saying thank you to me--this is from a prayer book we read at bedtime sometimes).

My do it (he can be very stubborn about doing things his way.)

Look Mama, look-- hey Look (He also says to Charles, Jason, Ya Ya--and is very enthusiastic about whatever it is he wants you to look at)

my personal favorite: Itchy butt; Mama scratch it; need lotion (and then legs go up in the air).

tickle tickle

YAY

a doing? (as in What are you doing?)

and he also repeats EVERYTHING you say. Today I asked him what was his dealio and he said dealio? Better watch my language from here on out!

I'll try to get some of these on video because writing it out doesn't do it justice. Looking forward to next week. I'm hoping to take Nolan to Jelly Belly, Betty Brinn Children's Museum and am going to the Titanic Exhibit with my parents. Should be a fun, busy week! I will keep you posted! And feel free to become a follower of my blog --I think you have to have a yahoo, google or AOL email account---but I'd love to have you follow us!

Words I've been wating to hear.....

2009-03-04T19:50:00.001-08:00

Today, in the chaos of making chicken alfredo in our very tiny kitchen (all meals seem to be a family affair in our house), Nolan looked at me and said, "I love you, Mama" and reached right over and gave me a hug. I must say, I have been looking forward to the day he would say that since he was born. Not only was it totally unexpected, but it made my day incredibly awesome and wonderful. I'm pretty sure I'll never forget it.

Nolan turns TWO!

2009-02-22T18:08:00.000-08:00

Nolan turned TWO today. He had a great birthday! We celebrated at Mimi & Ya Ya's with pizza, cake and ice cream. Nolan also opened lots of presents! He got a few "Thomas the Train" pieces to add to his Thomas track, puzzles, a very cool hip sweatshirt with guitars on it a set of musical instruments, and a "motorcycle" as he put it....which was really a tricycle with a handle for mom and dad to push. I thought I would die laughing when he saw it and burst out---"motorcycle!"

We had a great time, very busy, very noisy and I know Mimi & Ya Ya were glad to have their nice quiet house back to themselves by the time we left. Nolan also has been talking about birthday cake all week. He was very excited to see his cake---with construction vehicles---and even blew out his own candle! I can't believe he is TWO!

Charles and I were talking tonight about how at this time (this Sunday--not this date) we were actually coming home from the hospital with him. And I think both of us were thinking--well, it's up to us now, we have our own little person to take care of and I am pretty sure neither of us got much sleep that first night. Not because Nolan was waking us up, crying, but because we both kept thinking we would hear him cry and wondering if he was okay in his little crib. That first night home from the hospital is a little nerve-racking but we made it to two--so I guess we are doing okay. (I actually remember Charles waking up one of those first weeks from a dead sleep searching the covers for the baby. I had to actually wake him and tell him Nolan was in the other room. For the record....Nolan never really shares a bed with us, especially when he was an infant---must have been some dream!

Well, here's to another wonderful year with a wonderful little boy! Keep growing, keeping changing and keep making us laugh, Nolan!

Yeah....cool dinosaurs mom!

2009-01-27T17:25:00.000-08:00

For anyone who knows Nolan....he says NO for every question you ask him....

Do you want to watch Elmo? NO

Did you have fun today? NO

Are you ready to go in the car? NO

Today, things changed. Now everything we ask him is, "yeah". Not "yes" but "yeah" like, when someone asks you if you had a hard day and you say, "yeah" with that little sigh at the end.

As you can imagine, my husband was taking full advantage of the situation and asking all sorts of goofy, off the wall questions just to hear him say, "yeah".

It was one of the moments you probably have to be there for, although we probably thought it was hilarious because of our lack of sleep last night, which leads me to my next story....

I put Nolan in new pajamas last night. They were, cute, from Kohls, with dinosaurs all over them. Little did I realize that the dinosaurs GLOWED IN THE DARK! Imagine to my surprise (and Nolan's) when I turned off the lights and my little guy's body was glowing with dinosaurs. I quickly covered him up with a blanket in hopes that he wouldn't notice, but at 3 a.m. when he woke up I think he figured it out and didn't want to go back to sleep. He was still glowing by the way. Nice. Real nice of the clothing manufacturers to put glowing stuff on kids's pjs to keep them occupied in the middle of the night. Thanks to whatever genius thought that was a great idea; they probably don't have kids. Although he is sleeping in them again tonight....I am hoping the novelty wears off! ANd I honestly do like the pjs without all the glowing!

Brr........baby it's cold outside!

2009-01-18T18:07:00.000-08:00

Well, being stuck inside is no fun, however being off of work is a treat! I had off Thursday and Friday due to the cold weather--so I bundled Nolan up and we headed over to my sister's house on Thursday to celebrate Quinn's 2nd birthday! It was a great time!

We also decided to take the kids to Betty Brinn Children's Museum in Milwaukee on Friday with my cousin Holly and her kids. It was a great start to a LONG weekend, but we had a wonderful time despite the cold weather.

Back to the daily grind tomorrow! Enjoy the pictures!

and is always the case on Sunday night--I have trouble uploading pics--so check back Monday or Tuesday for more.....blog spot is taking forever!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-30T19:14:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year has been hectic but fun! As you can see in the slideshow above (which I successfully figured out how to do on my own!!!) we had a very eventful Christmas. We had our annual Christmas party in which we received the wonderful news that two of our dearest friends, Anne and Jason, are tying the knot. The date has been set and we will be there--we wouldn't miss it for the world!

We also had a great time with the family. Sarah and Cory came to town and we had a wonderful Christmas celebration with them along with Clare, Josh and mom and dad (and of course all of the kids!) Christmas Day is usually quiet around our house, but we were delightfully surprised to learn that David (Charles' brother) and Kelly, our sister in law, as well as Tyler and Sammy, our niece and nephew, came to town from Illinois. They had planned on coming in on Christmas Eve but stayed home due to bad weather. So this year we didn't miss their trip up to Wisconsin!

I have finally had some down time after all of the celebrating. I fit in a girls night with girlfriends Heidi, Faith and Andrea and I also managed to celebrate Charles's 32nd birthday in Madison with Anne, Jason, Jer and Stacy--before I finally threw in the towel and decided my head cold was too much for me. Now after two nights of trying to catch up on the computer and organize my life....I am feeling better and can't believe that the holiday season is almost over! Enjoy the pics! I am proud I finally figured out how to post a slideshow (even though Sarah has been promising to help me--but her two boys keep her plenty busy!). Post a comment if you wish! Much love and Happy New Year! The Gassers

what a character!

2008-11-24T17:24:00.000-08:00

I thought this was blog worthy:

I had the news on Sunday morning and thier was a broadcaster on that was African American. Nolan looked at the TV, looked at me and said, "Obama!"

I had to correct him of course but I thought it was pretty funny!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Made his daddy proud!

2008-11-18T17:23:00.000-08:00

Just a little update from earlier this week. Nolan is talking a ton and repeating about everything we say! He really made his daddy proud this week when he said Dr. Pepper (for those of you that don't know---Charles is addicted to Dr. Pepper!). Don't worry, I haven't given him any yet and he won't have any for a very long time!

Halloween

2008-11-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

We had a great time trick-or treating with Nolan. It was quite the crew as we took Nolan over to his Mimi and Ya Ya's and went trick-or-treating with Quinn and Caroline. Nolan, at first, was wondering what was going on. By the third house he quickly figured it out. You could see the lightbulb go off! "Hey I go up to a door and they give me a treat---COOL!" And I tell you, the kids was not shy. He would go up to each house and make sure he picked out his OWN treat. It was pretty funny. He also wanted to eat every piece of candy he received but we quickly came up with a solution to that. We opened a small bag of M & M's and gave him one at a time--which kept him happy and not on a sugar high. Overall, it was a great night! I was exhausted by the end--and we only went for about an hour! Enjoy the pics!

Halloween is in the air

2008-10-26T19:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't have very many pics from this weekend (and I am being a little lazy) but we had a great time taking Nolan to the Milwaukee Zoo for their Halloween Spooktacular. We went up with Clare, Josh, Quinn and Caroline. It was tons of fun. The kids got to dress up in their Halloween costumes and trick or treat around the zoo. We didn't see as many animals as we would have liked but I think the kids had a great time (especially on the carousel and the choo choo train). We also have celebrated this Halloween by taking not one--but TWO trips to the pumpkin farm (two different farms of course--we had to compare!) and will go trick or treating on Friday night with the kids. I will add pictures this week.....cross my heart!

Dancing man!

2008-10-13T17:48:00.000-07:00

Nolan loves the song, Black Velvet. It plays on the radio every day around lunchtime at daycare and it has become his song. We videotaped him one evening (we uploaded it from itunes) and here he is. Don't you love how he throws in a clap every once in awhile (he gets that from his mom). It is also quite close to bedtime and he is getting sleepy (see the rub of the eyes) but he just has to dance!

Life here is going well. Below I have also posted pictures from our busy long fall weekend, we went to the pumpkin farm and we plan on going one more time before Halloween. Nolan's other new thing is wanting to sit in a regular chair at dinner (as seen below). He thinks he is quite a big boy and won't have much to do with his booster seat, although he will sit on phone books. Oh, and I love my new Mac; it makes uploading pics and video much easier! I am still getting the hang of things but I love it! Enjoy our post this week.....

and check out the Sucharda post as well---for those of you who know the Sucharda family! Talk to you soon....love ali

Party on the Pavement

2008-10-05T19:29:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed downtown Racine this weekend at the annual Party on the Pavement.

Nolan especially loved the petting farm area.....I thought he was going to crawl in the pen. And of course, the music was good too--although we missed getting him and his groovy dancing on tape! A few other pics from earlier in the week.... Nolan's newest thing is getting out the stool to sit and color (see above). He also enjoyed taking my seat at the dinner table. He thought he was quite funny sneaking into my chair and eating my dinner. His newest saying...."aw man" which he got from Shayla at daycare. He also has gotten into the habit of calling Tabitha (our dog). He says, "Come Taba".

I will upload more pics this week (of the above mentioned)....but the blogger is taking forever to upload pics and i am exhausted from a late night last night! Check back later in the week!

And summer comes to a close....

2008-09-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

We spent Labor Day weekend in Oconomowoc at our friends' house on Lower Lake Genessee. It was a great time and Nolan loved playing in the water. I can't believe summer has officially come to an end. However, we did come home early enough to enjoy a picnic at Mimi and Ya Ya's! Here are Nolan and dad spending time in the hammock--soaking up the last moments of summer sunshine. We are very sad to see summer come to a close!

Funny moments of the week....

2008-08-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

Well, although I have no pictures for this week, I do want to share a few funny moments from the week.

Nolan woke up Tuesday morning fairly early...it was pretty overcast and dreary looking outside. The first words out of his mouth for the day were..."rain? thunder? BOOM!" even though it wasn't even raining out. He made me laugh pretty hard.

He is also really into buttons these days. Anything small and round seems to be a "button". I was getting dressed in our bedroom and had yet to put anything up top when he pointed to me and said--button? He also discovered he had a "button" down below in the tub later in the week (and for those of you that are a little slower he was not referring to a belly button may I add). Charles and I were laughing pretty hard at his interesting association. I'll keep you posted on more funny sayings and doings! back to school this week for me!

Summer Adventure

2008-08-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

We have just returned home from being up north visiting Nolan's grandma and grandpa (or Ba-pa as Nolan likes to call him). What an adventure we had! Our first day there we went to the Adam-Friendship Flea Market, where there are bargains galore and the same garbage being sold this year as three summers ago. However, sometimes you do find a useful or fun little trinket and Nolan had his eye on CARS--as Matchbox cars or Tonka trunks seemed to be in every booth.

Later that day we went to the Adams-Friendship County Fair, where Grandma spoiled Nolan rotten with treats and fair rides--basically anything he wanted under the sun.

Sunday we headed to the Dells. We stayed in a hotel with a small waterpark for toddlers. Nolan wasn't quite sure what to think about the water flying all over the place and the playground in the middle of the pool. But after awhile he got the hang of it and went down the waterslide at least 30 times!

While searching for something to do with Nolan besides just the water park--we stumbled upon an aquarium---promising 80,000 gallons of water with over 1,000 fish--60 different species. It sounded like a promising adventure. We found it, paid our way too expensive admission and entered the "Shed" aquarium---it was literally a large shed with fish tanks full of cloudy water. The best part of the aquarium was the blue heron we saw outside feasting on the fish in the tanks...and might I add the blue heron was not an actual part of the exhibit--he was just eating his breakfast.

That was the obviously not the highlight of the trip. We also took Nolan to the Deer Park--in which we could actually feed the deer (really cool and Nolan loved it). And we took him on the Wisconsin Ducks--which he also found very cool (and I think his cousin Jack would love!!). Dad and I even got a little time out by ourselves--while Grandpa and Grandma babysat. We spent the last day back at Grandma and Grandpa's--playing outside and eating too much food. Overall, it was a great mini summer vacation!

Bugs and Bites Oh My!

2008-08-06T17:17:00.000-07:00

Well, today was a great day! Nolan woke up with a swollen eye that just kept getting more swollen from some insect bite he got yesterday. I am calling him my little Quasimodo. I must say I got a few looks from people while running errands today--no I don't beat my kid but the bugs sure did!

And then today--to top off his eye--he was playing at Clare's house with his cousin Quinn when they both started crying (they were playing in the Little Tikes playhouse outback). Clare and I ran over to see what happened and I picked up Nolan, while Clare made the assumption that Quinn had gotten stung by something. She was right--and it was still happening. The boys had incidentally woken up the wasps or hornets that were living underneath the playhouse. And they were not happy about it. They stung poor Quinn three times, Nolan once and they got me three times. A hornet was even buzzing around in Nolan's overalls--that was a fun, frantic screaming few minutes we had while stripping the kids down (now inside) to make sure all the buzzing insects were gone. I am still icing my arm---what a great way to end a perfectly fine afternoon (I must say the boys were a lot tougher than me--I STILL hurt!)

Oh--and one more thing...Nolan decided tonight that he likes dill pickles (and can even say pickles) but he only eats them until he runs out of room to hold onto and then he puts the rest on his plate and asks for another--funny kid!

August Already!

2008-08-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is August already! Summer goes by so fast and soon it will be back to school. I am trying to make every effort to update my blog each week (apparently my sisters both have this task accomplished each week--somehow I always end up behind!) We have had a really fun summer! The Fourth of July brought the Raths up to Wisconsin--more pictures of my nephews (and niece) coming soon if I can ever get pictures from my sisters (hint hint!). We have had countless moments at Clare and Josh's playing with the kids--gives the moms a little of a break! Nolan is doing all sorts of things these days. He is a huge fan of flags and points them out wherever we are! He says tons of words these days too---turtle, bug, cloud, flag, frog, flower, butterfly--just to name a few. He even said his name the other day (but only once)! He is tons of fun and makes Charles and I laugh every day (and often more than once!). And my favorite expressions are "Whoa" and "Wow"--I'm trying to get those on video!

Kiera comes to town!

2008-08-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

My friend Kiera came to town for a quick vist---all the way from Long Island. I know her because my mom and her mom (Julie) went to high school together and have been friends for a long time. Kiera and I are just a week apart! She is fun--we had a good time at the zoo and she even shared gold fish with me!

What's going on in our household....

2008-05-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

Well, let me tell you--there's been a lot going on here! Charles is currently working on the next Bascom Hill album in Seattle. They hope to record vocals in the next few weeks and have the album out by September! I've heard the music and it's going to be a great album! He also was offered a new position at M&I which we are very excited about. He will be starting his new job soon!!!

Nolan is walking all over, running I should say. He's also talking lots--car, doggie, kitty cat, flower, cup--just to name a few words and he loves to point at everything. When he hears planes in the sky, he stops whatever he is doing and looks around to see if he can find it. Spotting it throws him into a fit of giggles. We are busy just keeping up with him, and he makes us laugh every day!

Nothing much new on my end. I am looking forward to the end of another school year and I'm ready to say goodbye to the kids for the year. I am teaching this summer and taking one class (just for a week--so don't feel too bad for me!) I am really excited to spend time with my sister--who is moving home from New Jersey today, with her husband and kids. It will be an adventure to have them in the area again! I can't wait for Nolan to meet his cousins! Well, I am signing off for now....more later! ali

Nolan in Seattle

2008-05-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

This sping, Nolan and I headed to Seattle to visit my friend Heidi and her fiance, Brandon. We had a great time spending time with them and our friend Faith-who also was with us. Charles even came out too! He began working in a studio out there on the new Bascom Hill album and we got to see him for a bit too!

Good Night!

2008-05-04T10:04:00.000-07:00

...sometimes he actually does take a break from running around and sleeps.....

and he looked too cute, so I had to take a picture! It didn't wake him up!!!

I'm one today!

2008-02-24T18:22:00.000-08:00

I turned one on February 22! I had lots of fun on my birthday and got many presents! don't you love my chocolate cake doo...

Nolan at 10 months!

2008-01-20T19:09:00.000-08:00

Add guess who took his first steps last week--(Jan 16th to be exact). He'll be walking all over before we know it!

Rock On

2008-01-20T19:06:00.000-08:00

Nolan loves rockin' out with Jason and Daddy....and when Jason stops playing the guitar he starts crying!!!

Newest member of Bascom Hill

2008-01-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2007

2008-01-20T18:55:00.000-08:00

Our dog, Cody

2007-10-23T22:26:00.000-07:00

Our dog, Cody, passed away peacefully at home on October 23rd at 10:30 pm. She was 15 1/2 years young.

She was a wonderful dog and we will miss her. She will remain close in our hearts.

Charles and Ali

hanging around the house

2007-10-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

yes...I am finally crawling! Here's a few pics of me that mom had to take because she thought I was cute!

Pumpkin Time!

2007-10-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

My mom and dad were very excited to go to the Pumpkin Farm this year. They go every year, and this year they finally had a reason too....me! We had fun picking out pumpkins! As soon as we carve ours, I'll make sure mom puts up some pictures!

Watch me....

2007-10-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

I can almost stand!

Go Packers!!!

2007-10-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

touchdown!!!

Tabitha

2007-10-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

This is my dog Tabitha. I love her tail. She tries to kiss me too!

Meet my friend Keira!

2007-10-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

My friend Kiera came all the way from New York to say hi! We were born just a week apart! Her mom is good friends with my mom too....

She tried to kiss me a few times but I didn't want to--my girlfriend Delaney might get jealous!

Labor Day Weekend

2007-09-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

Nolan learned how to drive his first pantoon boat over Labor Day Weekend. He learned that if he honks the horn--it makes a sound. He would giggle every time he pressed the button!!!

Having fun in Minnesota

2007-09-22T13:34:00.000-07:00

Swinging away

2007-09-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

Having fun in the summer!

2007-07-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

Bath time

2007-07-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

Getting a bath in Mimi & Ya Ya's sink!

Happy Fourth of July

2007-07-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

Chillin' with Ya

Ya at the parade

We had tons of fun at the parade and cooking out with Mimi and Ya Ya. I even cooperated and went to sleep so mom and dad could go to the fireworks!

Meet my new best friends.....

2007-07-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

my feet! I love them and they always keep me company in my crib!

Messy Me!

2007-07-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

I love to EAT! And to make a mess....I take after my dad as many of his baby pictures he is covered in food! They say you are what you eat....I guess I just take it literally!

I'll just sit here and look cute....

2007-06-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

Say CHEESE

2007-06-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

Me and daddy

2007-06-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

You talking to me....?

2007-06-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

My Cousin and Me

2007-06-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

Here I am with my cousin, Jack. We are already buddies.

Like my shirt

2007-04-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite T---it was made just for me!! (can you see that it says Lil Gasser on the front!)

Like father like son

2007-04-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

Here's dad and I taking a snooze while mom cleans the house!

Meet my friend Delaney!

2007-04-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

My friend Delaney came over to play. We had fun and I even got to hold her hand!

Tummy Time

2007-04-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

Hey Auntie Clare, thanks for giving mom tips on tummy time...I had a blast today! Love, Nolan

One....

two....

three Look at ME!!!

Happy Easter

2007-04-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Easter by going to church, which I slept through the entire time thanks to dad's rocking and then to breakfast. Then we went to Mimi and Ya Ya's for dinner. Don't you like my onesie? It says "Just Hatched" on it!

Cousins

2007-03-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

These are my cousins Caroline, Quinn and Jack. They don't live very close but I can't wait to meet them!!! Check out Jack and Caroline in the swing! They're cousins but they look like brother and sister!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2007-03-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

For my first St. Patrick's Day I celebrated by having dinner at Mimi and Ya Ya's. Unfortunately, I am too young to have Guiness, but my mom did put me in this cute outfit that I got from Mark and Flora.

Hanging around the house!

2007-03-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

Here's some pictures of me hanging out with my mom and dad. Check out me getting my first bath!!

These people are terrible singers!!!

2007-03-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

My mom and dad were watching American Idol one night---I couldn't stand it!!!!

Catching some zzz's

2007-03-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I like to sleep and my dad likes to take pictures of me!!

The hospital and visitors

2007-03-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

After Nolan was born we were in the hospital for a few days--we had to stay a little longer because Alicia had a c-section. We had quite a few visitors (I forgot to take pictures of everyone who came to visit)! We were finally glad to go home on Sunday afternoon!

Just Born!

2007-03-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

Here is Nolan John Gasser born February 22, 2007 at 4:14 p.m. He weighed 7 lbs 11 oz and was 19 inches long. He had a fever when he was first born so mom couldn't hold him for awhile (until his fever broke) but dad took lots of pictures and shared them with mom so she wouldn't feel so bad!