My Piano Man

Rich plays the piano for the children's group at church. He isn't amazing, but he sure puts his heart and soul into it. We don't have a piano at home, so whenever we come to my parent's house he spends a lot of time playing. He really loves it, and their nice piano too! We were using the piano bench for eating dinner so he thought it was fun to dance along to his own playing.
This is just another cute picture I found of him and RyRy. This was a "pre-haircut" picture for Ryann.

Progression of a Christmas Card

2 years ago at my parents house we took our family picture with our cute little Ryann. She was sucking her thumb and she wouldn't let go of her little toy giraffe. She was close to the same age that Cara is now.

I am trying to decide if things have gotten better or worse since then...

This year when we took pictures with my family at my parents house she wasn't sucking her thumb, but she also wasn't looking at the camera. Oh, did I mention she wouldn't let go of her barbie? The barbie without any clothes on???

Either way, I guess it is better than this one that we took 2 years ago.


Oh my silly little nugget. I guess things never really change.
I love you sweet girl!

California Academy Of Sciences

We were able to spend all day at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco!

Thanks Mom and Dad.

This is hands down one of the best things to do in San Francisco when you have a preschool/ school- age child.

Ryann had an amazing time. The aquarium, the rainforest, the fish, the butterflies, and more. She loved this white Crocodile and Auntie Erin thankfully snapped a picture. I have lots of other pictures, but they are trapped on my camera until I get home.

We also went to pier 39 and walked around in the freezing cold. We watched a magic show and had a couple melt downs.

I also went on a 2 hour drive around San Francisco while Cara slept because one of those melt downs was so terrible. (THANKS RON!) I saw some amazing sights and it is so much fun to drive down Haight Ashbury and people watch.

Happy Addie

My little niece Addie girl is sooo happy. She smiles and giggles and says only a couple words. She is 10 weeks younger than Cara and oh so sweet. I guess I should mention she is much taller too.

Cara on the other hand, loud and sassy and demanding. She loves her grandpa, but since she hasn't been sleeping well (away from home!) she is a little crabby. Come on Cara Kay- start being happy again, just like Addie.

(I love this picture of my sister Erin and I with Addison.)

Missionary Christmas

One of the best parts of our Christmas this year was talking to this guy.

My little brother is serving his 2 year mission for the LDS church and he gets to call home twice a year. Christmas and Mother's Day. It was so good to hear his voice and talk to him. He was allowed 40 minutes and we were all able to talk to him. Ryann said, "Hi Uncle Zach. Don't Scare me!" Some of her favorite memories with him must be when he would chase her around the house and scream to scare her.

Ryann will be getting ready to start kindergarten when he gets home.
Cara will be 3.

Thanks Zach for all that you do and your service. We love you and pray for you daily.

Our large family also sends him at least a package a week. He is the most spoiled missionary in the mission field. Maybe that is part of the reason he has gained 30 lbs.

Oh Christmas Tree

We ran out of steam taking pictures and videos of the present opening. I think we got some, but not a lot.

Why?

Because we had 2 girls, 1 niece, 2 nephews, 5 siblings, 4 spouses, 2 grandparents, and 2 greatgrandparents all crammed together opening 9,000 presents. Okay, not quite 9,000, but A LOT!

It was wonderful and magical and so much fun to be together. We had amazing buttermilk waffles with homemade waffle gravy that was to die for! (Thanks for sending the recipe last minute Natalie!! You saved us!) We also had fruit salad, mom's special sausage/bread/egg caserole, and plenty of goodies from the stockings.
Ryann loved her "dolly pony" and her new bicycle from Santa. Cara loved everything, but especially her Paca who will play with her all day.


Look at her sweet happy face.

Hope your Christmas was great!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

from our house to yours.

We love this time of year and the peace that fills our hearts. I am so thankful for the blessings in my life, especially my wonderful husband and two sweet girls. This celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, is the real reason we celebrate today.

Not only am I thankful for his birth, but his life and death that we all may live again.

Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight

Glories stream from heaven afar

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!

Christ, the Savior is born

Christ, the Savior is born.

Silent night, holy night

Son of God, love's pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

The Christmas Story

The Christmas Story

- illustrated by my 7 year olds that I teach at church-

Luke Chapter 2

verse: 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called^aBethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5To be taxed with Mary his ^aespoused wife, being great with child.

6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7. And she brought forth her ^afirstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the ^binn.

8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the ^aglory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you^agood tidings of great ^bjoy, which shall be to all people.

11For unto you is ^aborn this day in the city of David a ^bSaviour, which is Christ the ^cLord.

Matthew Chapter 2

1Now when Jesus was ^aborn in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2Saying, ^aWhere is he that is born ^bKing of the Jews? for we have seen his ^cstar in the east, and are come to ^dworship him.

....

9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11¶And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and ^afrankincense, and myrrh.

Merry Christmas Eve.

I pray that you will be able to sit down with your family tonight and read the Christmas Story from the Bible.

This year all the grandkids will be acting it out. Hopefully I will get some good pictures and videos.

If you don't have time to dust off your bible you can read it HERE

Or you can listen to this Christmas Devotional HERE

All Aboard

Ryann has been learning about Trains this past week in preschool.

I doubt her preschool teacher taught her this, but she came home saying,

"all aboard the Poo Poo Train. Poo Poo!"

But take a look at her snazzy rainbow in the top left corner. Also the monster with one eye on the right side. Best of all is her NAME! She is getting good at writing her name and I am so proud.

Continued

Ryann is so excited for every single gift that she opened. This little girl is spoiled.

But she is pretty cute, so that balances it out, right??

no?

Cara had fun decorating gingerbread men with Auntie Vicki.

The girls also got a fridge to match their "chicken" set... aka kitchen set.

Notice the lighted flamingo in the last picture- and the one in the background- and I should have taken a picture of the flamingo tree-

thus Grandma 'Mingo gets her nickname.

1st Christmas

We call if first Christmas because it is the first one of the season for our family. We get 2 this year!

Since we will be in California for Christmas we had our Christmas with Rich's Family last night. It was so much fun. All I can say is Thank you for uncles!!

Both uncles had to work hard to get those dolls out of their packages.

More pictures to come this week.

Breakfast in Bed

Who said breakfast in bed was relaxing?? Not us.

Crazy? Yes.

You have to share your omlet? Yes.

The girls helped me make breakfast in bed for Rich on Saturday and they thought it was so much fun.

Only if they were eating his food. Good thing we made extra!

Christmas Lights

Everyone has been asking for me to show our amazing Christmas Lights.

Okay, not everyone, a lot of people.

Okay, fine.... no one has asked for a picture of our Christmas lights.

But guess what? They are so superb-ly amazing-ly ghetto that it would be wrong of me not to share.

See the part of the icicle lights are out? yup, we are totally okay with that.

Oh- the ghetto snowmen? Ryann loves them, even the one that doesn't have a stick to stand on. And the green one. And the others that don't even light up.

It is Ryann's job every night to turn on the Christmas lights. If only all of her chores were that fun.

Merry Christmas! 1 more week.

Are you ready?

Work From Home

Daddy worked from home today.

I was able to pick up some extra hours so Rich said he would stay home with the girls and work.

I bet we can find 5 things in this picture that clue you in that Dad was in charge and not mom.

Maybe not five, but the girls sure had fun with Dad.

Ryann even had a newspaper rubber band holding her hair out of her face.

Hide and Seek

Ryann has found a new hiding place. It actually took us a little while to find her.

This toy bin used to be used for shoes- then daycare stuff- and now there is usually nothing in it.

I guess we have found the purpose of keeping it.

Ho Ho Ho

Since yesterday was a long video- today is a short one.

It is meant to spread Christmas Cheer.

Have a great night!

Grumpy Nugget

Somedays I am grumpy. Somedays there is nothing I can do to be un-grumpy, except take a nap.

Cara was not having taking another nap.

But she was certainly grumpy.

The video is a little long, but is shows how rough it is sometimes. :)

She wanted me, but didn't want me. She wouldn't leave me but she was still very grumpy.

I liked that Ryann was trying to cheer her up at first, but then decided Buzz was more important than her grumpy sister.

Marshmallows

After the cookie fun we had this weekend I decided to give the girls each a marshmallow.

Ryann loved hers. She kept asking for more.

I asked her if they looked like clouds or little pillows (thanks Lucy)

She said both. She would lift it high above her head and say, "look, a cloud" then she would smash it up to her face and say, "Look, a pillow!"

Cara shoved the whole thing in her mouth and about 3 minutes later walked over to me, handed the marshmallow to me ans said, "here, yucky, hand please." She wanted me to wash her hands.

She liked posing for the picture though.

Contest Winner

Thank you to the wonderful world of bloggers! I used a cute recipe idea from HERE and won a cookie contest that we had a our friend's Christmas Party.

They tasted pretty good too. I actually got Rich to eat one which is amazing because he avoids any sweets that aren't peanut butter or chocolate or a mix of the two.

And here is the plate of the left-overs. Also delicious the day after.

Poop or get off the pot

Have you ever heard this phrase? Poop or get off the pot?

No? Well, here is an example of this:

Miss Ryann taking her sweet time... when really she is procrastinating going to bed.

But do we want to not give her the opportunity to poop if she really needs to? No, I do not like cleaning up poop out of underwear or pullups.

I do love that I finally can get some pictures of my sweet Ryann.

Even if the background is a toilet and a shower curtain!