Life with Jack

2009-07-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

We've moved! I'm trying out a new site. I might come back to Blogger because it has a lot of wonderful features too, but the picture loading and arranging takes FOREVER!! Until further notice, here's our new blog home:

Kasey, Alistair, & Jack

2009-05-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

Jack's First Trip!

This past weekend we went to San Francisco for our friend's wedding. It was Jack's first trip and he did great! The plane ride there and back was uneventful and he was really a good sport about being dragged all around San Francisco in his stroller. He was asleep most of the time and seemed to enjoy being outside even when it got really loud. Here are pictures in no particular order (because i'm too lazy to move them around!!)

Daddy at the lovely outdoor cafe.

Mommy at the lovely outdoor cafe.

Jack at the lovely outdoor cafe!

Mommy's sweet boy.

Ready to take in some sights!

I don't really know why I bothered to dress him in an adorable outfit. He sure was comfy though!

Jack was having a moment at the rehearsal dinner and so I handed him off to Alistair and the next thing I know the waitress was holding my son and trying to make him stop yelling! It was so funny. I guess she thought Alistair wasn't up for the job. She really liked Jack!

Jack seems to like her a lot too!

Our handsome little man ready for the wedding in his fancy suit.

I can't get enough of that sweet face!

The homemade ear plugs didn't work... The party continued without Jack and I!

I've had enough, Mom!!

The beautiful couple! Regina looks like a Korean princess with her ceremonial dress and tiara!

It's hard to believe that less than a year ago it was this happy couple exchanging vows!! It's been a very busy year...

Jerry and Regina opened the reception with a fabulous, fun dance. They were great and the party definitely got off on the right foot!

2009-05-04T12:03:00.001-07:00

Weekend Fun!

Chillin' on the couch...

Wow! This couch is really slippery!

Oh that's better.

No it's not!! Pick me up!!

Dad to the rescue!!

On Sunday, we went on our first hike with Jack! Let me just say I knew I was out of shape but good grief! I thought I was going to die halfway up the canyon. It was really hot and Jack was making things even hotter. We didn't make it to the top, but we will soon. I figure that it took 9 months to get gigantic and out of shape so it might take more than 7 weeks to get back into shape! But, the good news is that I'm all healed up and ready to start the long road back!

Jack's not a huge fan of his carrier, but he did end up falling asleep so that was nice. He looked pretty comfy by the end of our adventure.

I need to practice putting the baby B on... It took like 10 minutes just to get started!!

We got this adorable sleeper for Alistair's mom - she loves baseball. He looked hilarious in it because it has the long skinny arms and legs and his arms and legs are really long and skinny!! He was just hanging out on the bed while I cracked up and took about a million pictures. He's such a good sport about the camera - he'll let me snap away for a long time before he's done.

We can't stop lauging at this picture!! Why is he so stiff?!?! I could put a million different captions under this one... Our little serious Jack.

That's about it for us. Yesterday was my Grandma's birthday. Alistair and I were talking about her and the fact that it was also my cousin's first wedding anniversary. i think it's neat that Rylan was born on Grandpa's birthday and we will always have that wonderful memory and Dustin and Brandi's life together began on Grandma's birthday - another wonderful beginning. I was also remembering the trip we took to San Francisco for Christi's 30th Birthday and how much fun Grandma had. We took this hilarious fire truck tour over the Golden Gate Bridge and Grandma had so much fun that when we stopped she looked at me and said, "This is the most fun I've ever had in my life!!" And she meant it! We were all laughing and just enjoying a beautiful day and a great trip. I'm so happy to have that memory of her! I miss her very, very much but it brings a smile to my face every time i think about that. Happy birthday, Grandma.

2009-04-29T12:31:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday, Rylan!!

Our goofy little niece is 6 years old today!! We miss you very much and can't wait to see you in May! Hope that your day is wonderful and you make lots of fun, new birthday memories!

Today is also my grandpa's birthday and now that he's gone, it's a day for me to reflect on the many years we had to joke about me being his "Birthday Girl" since my birthday is the day before. He finally got a real Birthday Girl when Rylan was born 6 years ago! He was so proud of all his grandkids and I miss him very, very much. This year was the first that I didn't get a birthday wake-up call from Grandma and Grandpa and, I have to say, I really did not feel like it was my birthday even though I got many other calls and messages. Their call was special and as predictable as the sunrise! No matter where they were or where I was, I got the call! It's been a rough year without them. Jack is the first great grandchild they did not get to meet and it has been tough for me. We'll tell him the stories of course, but he'll never get to know how wonderful his Great-Grandma and Grandpa were or how much they love him or how proud they were of their family. I know that they are in a happy place now, looking after all of us, but their presence on earth is missed every day. So, happy birthday, Grandpa, from the original Birthday Girl.

2009-04-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

Look what Jack gave Mommy for my birthday!!

A big smile for the camera!! Ahhhh... I can't get over how sweet he is. Tomorrow is 7 weeks!! That's crazy! My little guy is not so little anymore!

One flash too many, Mom. Game's over!

2009-04-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

Saturday night fun in the Lewis house...

Look at that round head!!

Alistair is held captive by our little sleepy guy every night. He's totally passed out!

Jack and Lulu - A picture's worth a thousand words...

2009-04-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

I'm 6 weeks old!!

I can't believe my baby is already 6 weeks old!! He's growing so fast! He's a lot more alert these days and is really holding his head up all the time and beginning to smile more often - on purpose. I can't seem to capture one on film though! He will smile and as soon as i run for the camera, he's back to serious Jack. He's also getting more and more attached to me. I've discovered that he will sleep in his own bed, but not if I'm not in my bed next to him! I thought I had him sound asleep last night, put him in bed, tucked him in and went in the living room to catch up on a few things. As soon as I left the room he started yelling. He would immediately stop when I got near his bed. I tried to leave the room about 5 times. Finally, I just gave up and got in bed myself! As soon as I was settled, he went sound asleep and slept for 5 hours! Little stinker. I have to admit - I love that my little guy knows when his mommy is by his side!

I'm sort of low on new pictures this week - sorry! It's been a boring week, really. No cute outfits or interesting outings. I'll do better next week.

We caved and bought a swing. What a lifesaver!!! Oh my goodness - he LOVES his swing. You can't really tell in this picture, but you can see it in the next one! We can put him in it awake but sleepy and he'll drift off to sleep for hours. It's amazing how much more I can get done now!

Sneaky little hands - he can get them out of his swaddle every time! I'm ok with that though because he's finding his fingers which means I don't have to find a paci when he wants to suck on something! It's great when he's in the car seat...

Our second dog related casualty. I came home and noticed a tiny piece of white sticking out of Cowgirl's mouth so I asked her what she had and she proceeded to spit out an entire pacifier!! It was really funny but can you imagine if she'd tried to swallow it?! The Lewis family would be one less, that's for sure. Thankfully, the only loss was the paci - we have plenty more! I'm not looking forward to the toy days because Cow is the worst toy stealer ever. It's going to be a constant battle. I suspect Jack's first word will be "NO!" to one or all of the dogs.

Happy Friday!!

2009-04-17T22:58:00.000-07:00

Just some cute pictures from the last couple of days...

My newborn onesies are muscle shirts these days!! But they're still super cute!

I think I might sneeze... You better watch out.

Seriously, get out of my face. I'm gonna sneeze.

Here it comes!

I tried to tell you...

Sorry... Move next time.

So cute!

Mommy loves this onesie...

Sitting up like a big boy!

2009-04-15T21:45:00.000-07:00

5 Weeks of Cuteness!

Jack went to the doctor Thursday and he is a whopping 9 pounds, 8 ounces already!! Our little guy is growing like crazy! He's grown 2 inches longer too - he's almost 2 feet tall now. We have a very healthy little boy, thank God for that!

Some pictures from the last week:

Dinner time with Daddy.

Stop making fun of me and feed me!!!

This is only funny to you...

I'm not Dr. Evil! Now feed me!!

You made me have crazy eyes!!

Happy Easter from the Lewis Family!

2009-04-14T16:54:00.000-07:00

Poor Lulu...

(And Cowgirl... And Belle...)

Life before Jack was so lovely...

Things changed.

2009-04-10T21:28:00.000-07:00

4 weeks have already flown by!!

I can't believe it! Our sweet boy is a month old! It's also hard to believe that this is the first week I've ever been alone with him all day! I've either had a grandmother or Alistair with me since he was born, so this week was quite an experience for us. It's gone really well for the most part but I'm at a loss as to how anyone gets anything done with a newborn in the house!! I have never showered so infrequently as I have this week!! It's crazy. I feel like the day's a success if my teeth are brushed, my contacts are in and I've eaten at least 2 meals. Nevermind the dogs, the house or anything else that doesn't directly relate to Jack! Hopefully, i'll get the hang of this soon...

New for Jack this last week:

Jack discovered that he can control his own tongue! It's funny and cute except when he uses it to spit out the paci or at feeding time. He also just looks at me and sticks it out for fun. It makes me laugh, I guess that's why he keeps doing it. Perhaps not the ideal behavior to reinforce, but it's his first real demonstration of voluntary body part movements. I can't help it.

He also finally started to take interest in toys and colors, etc. in his near vicinity. He will lay on his play mat for quite a while now and study the animals hanging down and the mirror. Which is really nice because if I'm super fast, I can run around and pick up our room or go to the bathroom or - if I'm REALLY lucky - dry my hair! He doesn't reach for anything yet, but I bet he will start doing that this week.

He got his first bottle this past week and he liked it. Whoo-hoo!! Now I can make a bottle for him to let Alistair feed him or store an extra one in the fridge for an emergency fit. It's pretty nice. Someday, we'll even get to leave him with a sitter and have a date night! That's many months away, I think, but good to know it'll happen eventually.

That's about it for the week. I know it's not very exciting stuff for other people, but I am loving watching my baby grow and develop. It's happening so fast! Now for the good stuff...

Belle, the ever-present watch dog. She doesn't touch him, look at him or act interested, but if he's in the living room, she's right by his chair. She is a good protector. He was really fussy this night, she has her paw on his chair! So sweet...

I just like this face. So much expression!

Jack chillin' in his chair and Belle holding her own paci - her food bowl - and watching her little guy.

Grandma has the touch! Is that total relaxation or what?! He was OUT!

Just sitting up in bed. Love this onesie... It's almost too small!!

Jack and Alistair have their own special routine each night. He only likes to sit like this with Alistair - if I try it he screams!! I think it's because Daddy's legs are bigger and super warm! He goes to sleep immediately or just hangs out and looks around. He was super snuggly this time. So comfy...

First bottle!! He held it by himself for a long time!!

Bath time goes better with his froggy cover up to keep him warm.

Play time!! Thank you, Fichera family for this wonderful play mat!! He's starting to like it more and more!!

And we're out...

2009-04-02T18:19:00.001-07:00

Jack is 3 weeks old today!!

Time flies when you're having fun! He's doing really great. Yesterday he took his afternoon nap in his own bed for 3 hours!! I was so happy. I thought it would work out that way at night too, but not so much. He did stay in his own bed (next to ours) for the first 3 hours but after that all bets were off. Jack wanted mommy to hold him like she's done every other night of his life! Finally, I was so exhausted at 4:00 that I gave in and did just that. He stayed snuggled up to me and slept like the baby that he is. Of course, that meant that I didn't get much more sleep, but it was better than none. We'll try again tonight!

I think of our life in 3 hour segments now. Last night, we succeeded for the first segment, so maybe tonight we can add another segment and then we'll only have one more to go before he stays in his own bed all night.

Today Anne and I went down to Santa Monica to walk along the beach with Jack (it's not really on the beach, it's really above the beach, but you get the ocean view and none of the sand so that's good!). It was really a nice walk and Jack slept most of the time, so I guess he enjoyed it too. It's nice to be able to walk around without hurting all over. I'm not fully recovered from Jack's arrival, but I'm really getting closer.

Enough of the boring stuff! Here are some new pictures from the last week. He's so stinkin' cute!! Love this little fella.

Step One: Ugly cry face.

Step Two: Cry.

Step Three: Get Daddy to bounce and coo at me until I forget to keep crying.

If I make the saddest, sweetest face on the planet will you pick me up?

I'm worn out from being cute.

Hmmm... What time should I wake Mom up tonight? 2 am? 3 am? Both??

Excuse me, Dad, would you please stop taking my picture so I can finish eating?

Grandma Anne's first meeting... Love at first sight, of course!!

2009-03-26T21:39:00.000-07:00

Jack Thomas Lewis

March 12, 2009

2:10 a.m.

6 lbs., 15 ozs.

19 1/2" long

It's been a long time since we discovered that it's a boy!! Our little Jack Thomas is here, perfect, and growing like a weed already!

I went into labor on March 11, around 4 a.m. and he finally arrived by C-section March 12th at 2:10 a.m. He is one cute kid! Alistair and I are ecstatic that Jack is finally here and we are really enjoying parenthood. He's a great baby, sleeps well, eats well, and well, he's quite the diaper-filling champion too...

Mom was here for the first week and a half and Alistair's mom just arrived today to get some cuddling time in! Alistair has to go back to work on Monday... :( I'm really sad about that as he is a huge help here and I just enjoy having him home all day. But, we knew this day would come. I expect some tears from both Jack and me. We'll adjust eventually.

Jack was 2 weeks old on Thursday (already!!) so we went to the pediatrician to check in. He has gained a pound already - he's now 7. 15!! Again, he's a good eater! He is in perfect health and we'll go for another check up in 2 more weeks.

We've noticed that he's staying awake more and sleeping longer this week (yay!!!) and he's really getting good at eye contact and watching things move. He enjoys watching Lulu watch him, but that's about it with the dogs. He is getting stronger by the day too. He can hold his head and chest up really well now and is quite the head-butter when he's on his tummy!

It was hard to narrow it down, but here are some of my favorite pictures of the last two weeks:

Jack's Album

Will update as often as I can! I need to get in the swing of blogging regularly - he's changing so fast!

2008-10-22T22:55:00.000-07:00

IT'S A BOY!!!

Baby Boy Lewis is beautiful!! He has all 10 fingers and toes, no problems with any of this little organs and enjoyed showing off his moves for mom, dad, and the sonographer. Alistair is going to edit the video so I can post it, but I'm not sure when he'll be able to do that. He's been working, working, working.

Baby has been kicking, kicking, kicking. Alistair got to feel him for the first time last night!! He can really pack a punch when he gets into it. I can't imagine what it'll feel like when he weighs a whole pound (or 8)!! Yikes!!

We bought our nursery furniture last week - very exciting!! i'm not sure when we'll get it because we have to put down new flooring. I can't wait to decorate the nursery!! No thoughts yet on decor... I'm still waiting for that to come to me.

All is well here in Cali. Pregnancy is starting to get more fun - I actually enjoy food again and have some energy. Alistair's been working hard and we're really, really looking forward to a weekend in the mountains next weekend! I guess it'll be our "Babymoon" since we'll also be traveling to Texas in December for Christmas. Sadly, a last minute trip back to Italy is not in the cards... The dogs are going with us up to the mountains. Belle's finally been allowed to exercise again so she should have the time of her life up there. I'm glad she gets to play again. As far as we know, the heartworms are gone and she's fine now. She still needs to lose more weight, but we're working on that! She's the only dog I know who has been on a diet for 10 years and continues to gain weight. Poor Belley.

I'll post some more pictures soon. I need to get some good belly shots of me - my belly has taken over my body. I'm horrified and fascinated at the same time.

2008-07-23T17:24:00.001-07:00

I'm baaaack!!! I know, I know, it's been almost a year since my last post. And, I was also in a different country. Now, I am back in the USA but I live in a different state! And i'm married! And pregnant!! Goodness, what a year! So, here's a little catch-up (just the major events!) on the last 12 months.

After we got back from Italy, I moved to Los Angeles! I moved last October, but I traveled back and forth to Texas a LOT! Now, I am finally here for real. Like every weekend. Life in LA is not the same as life in Texas. It's very busy here, the weather is fabulous (but my Texas blood does make me cold most of the time in this 70 something degree weather we have most days!), the people are definitely not Texans, and the traffic!! Yikes! But I'm adjusting. I have Alistair and that's really all that matters to me. We have a lovely condo in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles. I love our neighborhood because I can walk wherever I want to go pretty much and I can go for weeks at a time without taking my car out of the garage! Yay!! That's a real bonus for me.

About 2 weeks after we got here, I lost my sweet dog Blue. He died of a brain tumor that I think was exasperated by the long drive out. I didn't know he was that sick when we planned to move or I would have stayed in Texas a few more weeks to let him die in peace. He did, however, get to have a few really good outings in the canyons out here before he was no longer able to go out. He loved it. I still miss him sometimes, but after downsizing to half the square footage we had in Texas and losing the backyard, i see that there was a plan in place for his passing. He was such a great dog and someday, when I have a huge backyard, I'll get another beautiful Weim to love.

After the turmoil of the move and Blues death, wedding planning soon took over. We set the date for May 25, 2008 the day after we were engaged (we weren't joking around - we really wanted to get married!) and I had 8 glorious months to plan, plan, plan! It was, for the most part, really fun and enjoyable. I pretty much knew what I wanted and Alistair was fine with whatever I chose, so I didn't hit very many snags in the process. It got old by the very end though. By about May 10th I just wanted to get it done!

In March, I went to the totally fabulous city of SAN FRANCISCO for my cousin Christi's 30th birthday girl's trip. It was wonderful!! I heart Frisco now. I can't wait to go back. We were there for a long weekend, but I think I could stay there forever. The only down side: The locals there are horrible!!! They're the meanest locals ever! That would get old. I wonder if I would turn mean if I lived there? I can't imagine what's got them so irritated. Their city is amazing, they get a gazillion tourist dollars every year, they have the Golden Gate bridge, and they're less than 2 hours away from all the delicious wine they can get their hands on! Come on grumpy San Franciscans! Other than that, I loved the city.

Birthday girl, Christi, on the most hilarious fire truck tour ever. You must go on the Shiny Red Fire Truck Engine across the Golden Gate Bridge if you go to San Francisco! It's hilarious! And fun!

Finally!! The wedding!!! Yay!! After much preparation, mostly last minute as it turned out, our wedding day finally arrived! And I loved it. I think Alistair did too! It was not too terribly stressful and I remember the ceremony really, really well but the reception is a blur. There are so many people I know were there that I didn't get to talk to at all! It was tragic! I will try to get some pictures uploaded. They don't seem to like blogger!!

Our Honeymoon! What a wonderful week on the beautiful island of Maui! Maui's a cool place because it really does have something for everyone. You can just plop down on the beach or by the pool the whole time or go do watersports or hiking or shopping or whatever. We did a little bit of everything. The road to Hana was our favorite and my favorite was power hang-gliding! Yes, we did that! Kelli and Lane went with us to celebrate their 9 years of marital bliss (I can not believe they've been married that long!!) and it was really nice having another couple to hang out with. All in all, it was a perfect honeymoon!

About to take off for a gorgeous and peaceful flight over the Pacific Ocean and Hana, the east side of Maui - just beautiful!!

The week after we got back from Hawaii, I lost both of my grandparents in a terrible car accident. I can't really describe the loss to our family and this world, but suffice it to say that I've never experienced grief like that and I hope not to again for a very, very long time. I miss them everyday and am heartbroken that they will never get to meet our baby. I know how happy they would be to add another great-grandchild to the family. God's plan is baffling at times, but I know that there is one and I know that we will meet again.

In July, Alistair and I found out that we are expecting our first child! It was quite a shocker, but we're incredibly excited and can't wait for baby to make his (or her) debut next March! Life will never be the same...

Our little squirt at 9 weeks. Just a tiny, tiny heartbeat!

I'll keep everyone posted on Baby Lewis' progress!

Hope this finds everyone well!

2007-09-12T04:11:00.000-07:00

Today we are in Siena at another internet cafe with computers that are a little bit faster. But not much!

On Monday, we went to Florence and let me tell you - it was a challenge. The drive was beautiful, but what we thought would be a quick 30 - 45 minute ride thru the Tuscan hills turned into a 3 hour journey. It was pretty tough. We finally got to Florence in time to check the internet, find a camera supply store, eat some gelato (of course) and head back. Well, the drive home proved to be equally trying but with some rain mixed in. I believe driving in a foreign country in the rain, thru the mountains is a pretty good test of a relationship. We're good!

Yesterday, after the Florence fiasco, we just stayed home and walked down to the town of Monti in Chianti, which is the village our villa is a part of. It was lovely.

Today, we got up to head out to Siena - a much closer 14 kilometers away - and still spent over an hour finding parking! Having a car is nice, b/c we have the option to go somewhere, but then you have to figure out what to do with it once you're there. That's been the challenge.

So, we'll stay here for a while and then go back to the villa for dinner and more relaxing - the overall theme of the trip!

I'm going to try to give ya'll a couple of pics...

Tuscona, from our roof top...

Alistair, showing off our view...

I needed to cook last night, but we couldn't make the gas burners turn on, so Alistair built a fire in the BBQ pit. It was a very yummy meal.

On the road to Monti in Chianti...

Miss you all!!

Love,

Kasey and Alistair

2007-09-10T04:48:00.000-07:00

Toscana...

Wow!!! That's all I can say about Tuscany. Our villa has a 360 degree view of the Chianti region - from our roof top you can see all the way to Siena, about 15 miles or so, and far beyond. The castle/fortress was built in the 10th century and is still owned and operated by the same family! Quite amazing! It was the border of Florence and Siena, who were bitter enemies and so it was actually a watch tower and first line of defense when the Sienese were invading. So very interesting. It's beyond anything that I can describe, actually. Unfortunately, I can't post pictures because we're at an internet cafe in Florence and the speed of the computer is crazy slow. It would take hours to post pics, so I'll have to do it at a later from a different place. I'm sorry! I wish I could show everyone what I'm seeing every day!!

Ahhh! Time is running out on my card - speed posting!!

Ciao!

2007-09-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

Ancient Roma...

Today was all about ancient Rome. We visited the Colosseum, The Forum, and the Palentine Hill - which was the official residence of the Emporer. It was very beautiful, but very crowded. I guess a lot of Europeans come to Rome on Friday for a long weekend, because the crowds were double today than any other day we've been here. However, we'll be leaving in the morning to go to Tuscany so maybe no blogging for a day or two. I don't know what the internet situation will be there. I brought my laptop, but I don't have the correct adapter so I can't plug it in. I knew something like that would happen. Technology...

A funny story from today, we went to get gelato from this little gelato caffe near the Spanish Steps and we walk in, order a ridiculous amount of ice cream for 2 people and get up to pay and we didn't have enough money!! We were over there in the first place to change dollars for euros, but the American Express office was closed. So we thought, oh well, we have over 20 euros - it's fine. No, it wasn't! Our gelato cost 28 euros!! That's almost a $20 ice cream cone each!! Holy cow, ok, Alistair takes off running to the Spanish Steps to change over a traveler's cheque while I stand there with gelato dripping all over me trying so hard to keep up and just totally failing. It was quite a sticky adventure. I couldn't believe how fast Alistair got there and back and when he got back he said, "I had to hurry - I couldn't let a $20 ice cream cone melt!" It was really funny. Our one and only (so far) tourist trap. But a very yummy one...

Pics from today:

The Colosseum from the outside - it was MASSIVE. You really just have to see it. It's really, really big. And really, really cool. I highly recommend the guided tour though because it makes it much more interesting.

Alistair in the Colosseum

Inside the Colosseum, from the second level. It was a really neat tour because the tour guide filled us in on how the colosseum was used. The rows were actually the "backstage" of the shows. From here, they would lift gladiators or animals or props - whatever they needed for their story - onto the floor. You can see the original blocks used for the pulley system. The Roman architects were ingenious. However, it becomes apparent at the ancient sites and throughout the city that the true masters were the craftsman and laborers who built these structures. 2000+ years later, we are still amazed.

A big toe. Actually, a really big little toe. Thought it was funny. It was in the Emperor's Palace area. I guess it's the big little toe of an emperor.

Me, sitting on an ancient tree in the Palace Gardens. It was really pretty there. Very peaceful - I can imagine how beautiful it must have been in it's prime.

A view from the forum area.

A forum. We thought it was THE Roman Forum, but now we're not sure. There were no signs and it's actually not all that easy to tell the different ruins apart (unless it's the colosseum or somthing huge, obviously). By the end of our journey through Ancient Rome, we were too tired and hungry to double check so to us, this is the Forum.

We are officially worn out from today and the excitement of yesterday. Tuscany will be a wonderful and welcome change of pace. Thank you for all the well wishes over our engagement. We're still floating around being goofy. Much happiness in the beautiful city of Roma...

Love,

Kasey & Alistair

2007-09-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

The future Mr. & Mrs. Alistair Lewis...

(and Happy Birthday Dad!!)

The highlight of the day:

Yep, we're officially engaged! It's the perfect story.

The day started out pretty normal. Actually, I was extremely grumpy because I had a terrible headache so Alistair went out on the streets of Rome alone while I took the chance to get some extra zzz's - which was a really good thing because today was not the day to be tired! So, we left and walked up to the northern part of the City known as the Via del Corso area. It has the most concentrated shopping area in all of Rome as well as home to the The Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and Via Borghese which is a huge park much like Central Park in NYC.

First, we went to the Trevi Fountain which is just beautiful but also very crowded. It is said to have the best water in all of Rome. And it was some really good water. The fountain was absolutely beautiful. It is actually part of the building behind it - literally the building becomes the fountain.

Quite amazing, actually. On a side note. Rome is very wonderful for the water. Really, for a water conniseur such as myself, it's the perfect city. There are public fountains everywhere and you can just fill up your water bottle at any one of them and have perfectly clear, cold water. It's really good.

So, we hung out there for awhile and then headed over to the Spanish Steps, which is also a very famous area in Rome. I'm not sure why other than they are just part of a large monument. They are very pretty. It was designed to look like a half-sunken Spanish boat, hence the name Spanish steps. The true reason to go there though is the view. When you climb to the top, you have a beautiful view of all of Rome. It's quite lovely.

Just about the time we got to the top and took some pictures, it started to rain so we ducked into a little caffe for a glass of wine to wait out the rain and it was a nice rest too. The city was really beautiful after the shower - hard to believe it could look any better, but it did. We strolled up to the Villa Borghese and just started walking around.

Here's the really great part. We were wondering around the park, which is stunning. It's HUGE. I don't know how big, exactly, but really, really big with lots of different areas. And Alistair didn't really know anything about it other than it was supposed to be very beautiful and very romantic (both true). We were just wandering around and Alistair is starting to act sort of nervous and jumpy and wants to go look at views and stuff but I happened to spot a little lake with swans and a Greek (looking) monument/gazeebo thing (not exactly an architectural term, I know).

So, we walked over there and I kept commenting on how beautiful it was and look at the swans, blah, blah, blah and Alistair had the camera so I said, "Hey honey, take a picture of that swan!" and he said, "Oh you do it."

So, I took the camera and I did take a picture of that swan and then he said, "Now take a picture of this!" And it was my ring!! So smooth.

I almost dropped my camera in the lake - literally, so by then I'm a blumbering idiot and couldn't even think of anything to say except, "Oh my goodness!! Really??" Then, he officially asked me and I was crying and I am not kidding - there was classical music playing in the background because the lake is right by an amphitheater! Can you believe?! Rome, a lake, swans, ancient monuments, and classical music! It couldn't have been better planned. And it is my DREAM ring - perfect in every way. I can't wait to show everyone. I have to say, Alistair did a superb job from beginning to end - I could not imagine anything more perfect. It was pretty spontaneous in that he didn't plan it exactly, but he did have today picked out for "The Day". And it was perfect.

I'm REALLY happy in this picture!

Top of the hill, just below Villa Borghese, at sunset.

The only picture anyone has taken of us and you can't see us! But, you get the point. Happy, beautiful sunset, engaged.

As ya'll can see, Rome is everything we thought it would be and more - wish you were here! Sorry I'm not there to sing happy birthday to you, Dad, but we did think about ya all day! Hope you've had a very happy birthday!

Ciao!

2007-09-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

The Pope, Saint Peter, and Pizza...

Today we spent the whole day at Vatican City - it was incredible. We got to see all the famous spots - The Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica (I finally found the apostrophe, by the way). I have to say, the Vatican museums were fabulous, but St. Peter's Basilica was unbelievable. The craftsmanship and attention to detail was just amazing. No matter where your eye landed, something beautiful was there. It was completely awe inspiring. We took about 200 pictures, here are a few.

St. Peter's Square - did I mention that we were blessed by the Pope himself?! It's true; he blesses the masses on Wednesdays and we were there.

Then, off to the Vatican museums to see many treasures. This is a great shot that Alistair got at the museum, it was one of the Raphael rooms, I think. The thing with the Vatican Museum is that it is so unbelievable and so amazing that you literally can not take it all in. Every surface is covered - walls, ceiling, floors, doorways. you name it. Everything is painted or mosaic or tapestry. No matter how hard you try, you simply can not see it all. We spent a relatively short amount of time there - 3 hours - and that didn't even put a dent in it!!

Ok, so picture is not rotated correctly - we have to use the hotel's computer to blog, so we can't save and edit like on our own computer. The painted images were on the ceiling and it was an incredible view as we walked into the area because all you noticed was the ceiling. In fact, I don't rememeber what was on the walls at all. It was a beautiful room though. We have about a million pics of the museum, but I'll post more on my web album when I can use my own computer.

The Sistine Chapel was quite lovely, but becuase it is a chapel and it is so old and the paintings are so delicate, you can't speak or take any pictures. So, unfortunately, I can't share that but basically, any photos you've seen, are accurate. It really does look like what's in the textbooks. It was much smaller than I thought it would be, but all the paintings were beautiful.

St. Peter's Basilica was by far the star of the day. It was absolutely incredible! We went to the every top and looked over the Basilica (on the inside) and over Rome (from the outside). The statues were unbelievable - they had a flow and softness to them that you would never believe was capabable from marble or stone of any kind. The ceilings were so far overhead that you couldn't even see the details in the paintings. It was absolutely beautiful. I can certainly see why pilgrams flock there every year - I too felt inspired. Here is the rotunda just above St. Peter's tomb.

All of the popes are buried in St. Peter's and the basilica is built over St. Peter himself - his tomb is in the middle.

There are too many pictures to include on the blog, but again, I'll post a web album when we're on our own time.

We finally had pizza and gelato for dinner tonight - neither was a disappointment! We're full, happy and extermely tired so ciao for tonight. More later.

Love,

Kasey and Alistair

2007-09-04T07:53:00.000-07:00

We made it!

We are finally here - safe and sound. I am blogging on the hotel computer and everything is in Italian - total emersion language lessons already! And this keyboard does not have an apostrophe, so I can not use any contractions in my typing. That is harder than one might think...

We are off to our first Roman dinner; not sure yet what that may be. Oh, and we went to the pantheon today and took a bunch of pictures, but I will have to post them later - I do not know how from this computer.

Ciao!

2007-09-03T13:24:00.001-07:00

Getting There...

Well, we are waiting at the Chicaco O'Hare International Airport at the moment, waiting to board our plane to Roma, Italia... Other than a brief delay here, the trip has been uneventful (that's very good considering all we've done so far is fly to Chicago), but I am checking in on blogspot to make sure I still remember how to blog (it's been awhile). We did purchase a little audio thing that has Italian lessons already on it, so I expect Alistair to be fluent in the next 10 hours.

That's all for now; we're just waiting, waiting, waiting.

More to come (and some pictures)...

Ciao!

2007-01-17T16:35:00.000-08:00

SNOW DAY...

It snowed today!! It didn't stick though (we're in Texas, you know). Some new pictures:

Lulu the Beauty

Blue got a sweater and he did not love it as much as I thought he would...

Neither did Belle. It gave her a wedge. She's a full figured woman.

Me and my guy on New Year's Eve. We were in Los Angeles. That was a challenge!! I was supposed to fly out at 8 on Friday night, December 29 and my flight was cancelled because of bad weather - tornadoes and lightning, not this bizarre snow and ice business! I was beyond upset so Alistair, my love, found me a new flight and I got there Saturday night. New Year's was saved!! Yay!! We had a great time and a very nice weekend. It was my most favorite New Year so far...

Alistair's baby, Cowgirl. She's a French bulldog. She's also a diva. I imagine her having a very dry sense of humor...

Rylan making a funny face for the camera. She looks like a chipmunk!! I love this picture. Her pig tails are askew...

Reese hiding under the desk, eating crackers. She's so adorable. And I'm pretty sure she knows that...

And that's all I've got for now....

Stay warm!

2006-12-20T09:14:00.000-08:00

Thursday Thirteen

Well, I've never done the Thursday Thirteen, but I do enjoy reading other blogs with it, so here I go!!

THIRTEEN THINGS (in no particular order) I LOVE ABOUT MY LIFE....

1. Alistair - he's so fabulous!!

2. Lulu (you had to see that one coming - she's been the topic of my entire blog thus far!!) - she's so fabulous and she was a gift from #1!! And, she has fabulous clothes that she gets to wear now that it's colder again (this week, anyway)! Loving the canine fashion!!

3. My big, bad watch dogs - I'm sorry you have to stay outside, babies! Mommy still loves you!

4. My new Christmas tree - it's really pretty and makes me smile everytime I walk in the room. Thanks to Grandpa, I now have a "safe" tree (fake)! I love it!!

5. Not having to travel thousands of miles to share Christmas with my wonderful family! Traveling is fun, but as I have learned from dating a man in California - it takes a long time to get where you're going. My impatient nature comes out!

6. Getting to start over! Hmmm, what will I do next? I don't know - we'll just have to wait and see! Any suggestions?

7. Flylady - I'm not a very good student, but my house is definitely cleaner most of the time because of her! www.flylady.net - check it out if you're as messy as I am! Haha

8. My faith - life has sort of knocked me around a bit, but God keeps picking me back up. I'm ever so grateful that I believe He will continue to do so!!

9. The job I have. Ok, so going and picking up screws and delivering chemicals to Garland isn't exactly glamorous, but it's a great job! If I can't research the effects of food additives on human metabolism, or make stunning wedding cakes for the rich and famous, the only other thing I want to do is deliver steel parts!!

10. My upcoming travel plans! Woohoo!! I get to go to fun places. And, even better, I get to go with Alistair! So far we're booking New York City, Seattle, and Europe for 2007 - not to mention all the California-Texas trips that will no doubt happen. And, let's not forget the very important and exciting All Girl's 30th Birthday Celebration, Chicago Style!! (I think I'm going to exclude 'about to turn 30' as part of 13 things I love about my life. Can't I be 26 again?!)

11. Having a professional poop scooping company come in every Friday and poop scoop my back yard. This has greatly improved our world. Such a simple thing...

12. My new DSL at home. It's so reliable... No more holding my head just right to catch the signal from my unknown neighbor! I can surf, surf, surf the internet anywhere in my house now!!!

13. Ambien and tart cherry supplements. Night, night KK!! I love to sleep now!!

2006-11-28T13:53:00.000-08:00

Lulu's First Bath at Home

Lulu finally got a bath! She was one dirty puppy. Thanksgiving was quite an exciting event for my little baby and her hair was showing it!! She did not like her bath very much, but she did really well and didn't cry at all. She did shake so bad that I thought she was going to lose one of her three pounds, but she didn't! She did look a bit like a drowned rat until her hair dried and re-fluffed! Rylan even commented on her rat like appearance! Of course my faithful helper, Rylan, was by my side helping scrub little Lulu - better known in the Ladewig house as "The Baby". Rylan wants a puppy so bad for Christmas! She's being very dramatic about it, of course, and at times falls to the ground with her head on her arm crying, "All I want is a little dog of my own!!" Yes, she's 3. I see a broadway star in the making... We need to start working on her dance moves. So, after the drowned rat look, she got died, fluffed, and a beautiful red bow in her hair (which she actually kept in for a while!). Needless to say, she slept very well that night!

2006-11-11T07:04:00.000-08:00

Lulu is Home!!

Rylan and I drove to Cross Plains, Texas yesterday to pick Lulu up from her breeder family. Oh my goodness!! Needless to say, it was love at first sight for everyone! Lulu was a little bit sick at first from being in the car for the first time (other than trips to the vet with her litter mates). She handled it like a champion though. I didn't even know she could make a sound until long after we got home when she growled at my feet moving under the covers. She's got quite a growl for such a tiny body - I'm scared to hear what her bark sounds like!! Rylan, of course, really wanted to hold my baby (that's what she always said, "KK, can I hold your baby? Lulu?") so Lulu actually rode in Rylan's lap about half of the way home and slept so hard that when I asked Rylan if she was ok and still breathing, Rylan's reply was, "Ummm. No, I think she's just dead." I both cracked up and panicked and didn't relax until Lulu's eyes opened to look at me. I'm a paranoid mother.

When we got back to Kelli's house, Reese squeeled with delight when we walked in and wanted to know all about the little thing in my arms, but she soon lost interest and wanted to eat her crayons instead. Rylan, however, did not lose interest and within minutes the babystroller came out and Lulu the puppy was a human infant.

I thought that Rylan would really freak out when it was time for Lulu and I to go home, but she didn't at all! She was super happy and she very sweetly offered us her baby doll pack 'n play to take home for Lulu to sleep in! Rylan IS a sweet, loving child but she's also human. She said I could take her pack 'n play home for Lulu - it was too old for her and she was going to get a new one for christmas. Ah, honesty!! Regardless, I appreciate the gift and Lulu did too. She slept in her bed next to my bed all night and never made a peep. No whining, no growling, no barking! In fact, I woke up at 5:30 and made her get up because I was worried that she was so calm on her first night!!

So, this is the story of Lulu's first day and night with me. She is a wonderful little baby - she already runs to me to crawl in my lap and likes to stand between my feet facing the opposite direction as if to say, "I got your back, Mom. No worries!" How can I not love that?!

2006-11-08T13:58:00.000-08:00

Lulu

My new baby! Lulu is a Yorkie-Pomeranian mix (she's a porkie! hahaha!). She isn't home just yet, I'll get her in a couple of days from Abilene. I'm so excited. She is an early Christmas gift from Alistair and will live like a princess at Casa Kasey. I am a little bit worried about Belle and Blue's reaction to having a small dog who gets to live inside, but they have always been fine when Walter or Gus are over for a visit. We'll have to have some extra Lulu-free play time to help with the adjustment.

I don't really know why I chose the name Lulu for her. I originally saw another yorkipom who looked EXACTLY like Gizmo from the movie Gremlins. I fell in love with her little picture but she was gone. I had already decided that her name was going to be Lulu "Gizmo" Farrow (because I think all dogs should have 3 names for when they are in trouble) even though she would always be called Gizmo. Well, after the saddness of discovering she wasn't available anymore, Alistair found my Lulu online and I just fell in love. As soon as I saw her little face and her markings, I knew Lulu was the right name. She looks like she's wearing eyeliner! Talking with the breeder, Jeaninne, from Terry's Terriers, I knew that this was the dog for me. Jeaninne and I share a love for tiny dogs who like to be pampered and petted and dressed up in adorable clothes! Alistair talked to Toby, Jeaninne's husband and liked him as well, so I know that Lulu was born into a loving home and has had a lot of love in her first 12 weeks of life. I am so excited to continue to pamper her!! I haven't picked out her middle name yet because I need to see her in person first.

I can not wait to introduce her to Rylan!! Rylan will LOVE her. Rylan is a natural animal lover and will think that Lulu is about as great as they come. So sorry, Kelli and Lane! You might have to talk to the breeder for a Christmas surprise for Rylan and Reese...

More pictures to come...

2006-11-06T20:37:00.000-08:00

Trying to set up my Blog Spot!