Its a bugs world

MOSI had a bug exhibition and since Ali is really into ''buggies" we thought we'd take her. It was super cute and fun. She got to hold a millipede and watch a cockroach race. Rob had a much fuller experience, they had a gourmet bug chef who created some interesting, or as Rob would say delicious, recipes with bugs. They had chocolate covered meal worms, hippity hoppity herb dip (made with crickets), a cricket salsa, a meal worm crunch which was cooked in apples. Rob ate them all and loved it. Ali wasn't interested and I also took a backseat. I did however succumb to my competitive spirit when Rob got a mere 12 feet in the cricket spitting competition and I knew I could do better. I did! I spit my cricket 16 feet! Yay me!...? Part of the exhibit was also to show the beauty of bugs. An artist named Jennifer Angus uses bugs to make amazing art work. She takes bugs and makes wallpaper designs from it, from afar you would never know it was bugs but as you go closer it is glaringly obvious. I remeber as a kid my mom had to collect bugs for a class and I would catch them for her, I had so much fun. It was a real bonding expreince for us, we did it together, I wish we kept our board but if I rember correctly after she turned in the project to her class I used it for my class and we both made A's!

Family picture

Rob and I went on a date night. Mom came over to watch Ali  and we headed out to an amazing dinner at Texas de Brazil. The food was amazing with unlimited succulent meats, I had filet mignon the melted in my mouth. The cheeses were so beautiful on the bread which I dipped in fig balsamic vinegar. Rob says it was the best meal he has ever had. For dessert there was carrot cake...sounds unimpressive, it wasn't. By far the best carrot cake I have ever had; fresh and moist with real pieces of carrots and pineapple. Unexplainable. We paid for this meal though, it was defenitly not in our price range for a dinner out but they had a special going on 2 for $79 which included dinner, wine, desert and a soft drink. Otherwise their normal price is $43/pp for dinner, desert is $8/pp, drink is $3/pp and I'm not sure of the wine price but lets say $15 for the bottle making the total $123; so we felt like we got a good deal. Rob says its worth full price but I think it'll be a while beofre we go back again! Sorry hon! P.S. - thanks for the Email special, fui!

Froggie say cheese

Rob rescued a frog from our pool and Ali was so intrigued, she pet the frog and was really into it until the frog jumped and spooked her. She stayed back after that but when I brought out the camera she told the froggie to say cheese and pointed to the camera.

Busch Gardens splash area

It was hot and a perfect day to take Ali to Busch gardens to splash around in the water area. We were not expecting the massive amounts of people that were there. You couldn't move, 100's of kids overtook the area but Ali still managed to have a great time.

Aliya School Pictures

They are not my favorite but still so cute. I have no clue what happened to her hair, I sent her to school with her hair very cute and somehow between then and pictures she went through a tornado!

Grumpy

How great is this picture? My cute little grumpy girl in her car seat. I love it.

Yaya

Yaya, as Aliya affectionately calls herself. I don’t know why she won’t actually say Aliya since I know she is capable. She say alligator easily enough but I am not complaining, I think ‘Yaya’ is pretty cute. I have been feeling a little guilty the last couple of nights because we bought a monitor for the first time. Up until now I was just using my own sense of hearing to wake up when she cried without an issue. Her room is close to ours I have no trouble hearing her but in a few months after the baby is born, poor little Yaya will be moving out of her safe little room in the middle of the house, right next to mom and dads room to a room across the house and her baby brother will get her room. We knew we wouldn’t be able to hear her but more importantly feel comfortable with her so far away. So I purchased a video monitor system. Its great and can connect up to 4 cameras. We have one in her room right now and one in the main hallway of the house but when she moves its ideal for one in each kids room. Back to why I have been feeling guilty. For the first time since she was born I can watch her fall asleep when she is all alone. I feel as if I am invading her privacy in a way, watching her when she doesn’t know it but it is so cute to watch. She turns and plays with her crib. She rearranges her blanket. Its addicting, well for Rob and I at least, its better than cable. Its fun to watch her wake up as well, she sits up then stands in her crib and calls out for us. I can't help but smile when I hear "Mommy!"


The other morning she woke up and we had our ritual of cuddling in bed before we get up for the day where she drinks her milk, but as she has been getting older she is more into playing than actually cuddling even though we still call it ‘cuddling’. Well our little girl had a rough night of sleep, she has some bites and they kept her up with the incessant itchiness and scratching so when she came into my bed for cuddling she wasn’t in a very good mood and she was whiny and kicking and hitting, being very naughty. I was patient with her and started to rub her back and legs and arms, it was just what she needed. She melted her soft warm body into mine, snuggled her face into the crease of my neck, threw her arm around my shoulder and let me rub her tired itchy skin. I really missed our cuddling and it was just the dose of love I needed.

Navroz Mubarak

On 21 March, Ismaili Muslims worldwide observe Navroz (Nowruz), a festival celebrated in many Muslim communities and cultures, particularly those belonging to the Shia. For many communities, it marks the beginning of a new year and the first day of spring. More generally, it signifies a time of spiritual renewal and physical rejuvenation, as well as the spirit of gratitude for blessings and an outlook of hope and optimism towards the future.

The festival of Navroz commemorates a centuries-old, agrarian custom that over time was integrated into various cultures and faith traditions. Today, Navroz is celebrated in many parts of the Middle East and Central and South Asia, particularly among peoples influenced by Persian and Turkic civilisations. In countries such as Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, Navroz is observed as a public holiday.

In Surah Ya-Sin of the Holy Qur’an, Allah says:
Let the once dead earth be a sign to them. We gave it life, and from it produced grain for their sustenance. We planted it with palm and the vine and watered it with gushing springs, so that men might feed on its fruit. It was not their hands that made all this. Should they not give thanks?
— Surah 36, Verses 33–35

Ismailis across the globe celebrate Navroz with the recital of devotional poetry in the form of ginans, qasidas, and manqabas. Dried fruits, nuts and grains are distributed among Jamati members, symbolising blessings of abundance and sustenance. Navroz is also a time of family gatherings and celebratory meals, thus strengthening family bonds and fraternal ties.

Navroz Mubarak!


By the way- did we skip spring and just enter summer? It was miserably hot today!

Picnic at the park

Alastair's 2nd Birthday!

Happy 2nd Birthday, what a great choo choo party you had!

nostalgia

2007- Winter Gala DSM

Valentines Day 2007

At home 2006

Winter Gala 2006

2005

First Anniversary Cruise

Costa Rica

Chicago

Mammoth Cave

Honeymoon- Italy

Lake Eola- Pre Married Life

Our First Valentines Day 2000

St. Patricks Day Pictures

Ali got all dressed up in green for St. Patty's Day and she looked majestic as she played in the grass outside. I had to grab the camera and get some pictures of this beautiful little girl.
I took her to B&N for story time, she had a great time once we were inside, we did however have a meltdown in the parking lot before we made it in. She wanted to sit in her stroller but I just wanted to take her in without it since we were parked right in front of the store and we were late. Ali has been having more melt downs lately and I can see the twos approaching quickly. She has a fire in her and knows exactly what she wants. I hope turning two and having a new baby in the house all at the same time won't be too much for her to handle.