Family Pictures

It has been FOREVER since we have really taken good family pictures. I guess Ryann was starting to notice so she was so kind to draw this amazing family portrait for us.

(She also saved me like $150-$300!)

As you can see she included some nice scenery to make the picture more pleasant.

(A tree and the sun)

But obviously the sun was too bright for Rich's eyes so he had to wear cyclops sunglasses.

Uncle Lee, while bald in this picture, does actually have hair. I think he would be upset if I didn't let everyone know. However, as you know, Rich's portrait is accurate in the hair category.

Thank you Ryann.

Wipe His Bum

Cara accidentally put the Shrek doll in her plate of bananas. No big deal. But it was funny because she sat him in it. So he had banana on his bum. Ryann was very upset by this and she took him to get him cleaned up.

This is what I found later that morning.

"he had to wipe his bum, mom."

-Duh-

Lazy Days

I love lazy days.

Recently we have started trying to encourage Ryann to stop sucking her thumb. We have a deal that she isn't supposed to suck her thumb during the day. Last night she came up to me and asked to cuddle. She then asked me if she could suck her thumb. Since it was dark out I gave her the "okay"

Then just this morning she was sucking her thumb and I said, "Ryann, don't suck your thumb when the sun is out." And she quickly replied, "DON'T LOOK AT ME!"

Mullet Style

I have been looking at this cute girl lately and I realize she has a pretty nice mullet going on.

Where is auntie Devyn when we need her? Oh, right... she is in Napa this weekend.

Creepy Babies

Crawling into bed last night I found this:

So what did I do? I took a picture, climbed into the other side of the bed and turned off the light. I thought Rich should get a nice surprise like I did.

Did I Mention...

That daycare is at my house? Just last week. And this week. And maybe next week. It is awesome and amazing and my house is the cleanest it has ever been.

(LONG STORY about why it is here. Just trust me it is a good thing.)

And it is pretty fun to not have the pool table up. In fact. I am loving not having a pool table. We didn't use it. I just need to convince Rich to not put it back up once daycare is back to normal.

Booster Seat

I think we need a booster seat at Grandma Mingo's house.

It is very important to be able to see what you are coloring of course.

I know I have an extra one somewhere. I just need to find it.

Dinosaur in Action

Here is a dinosaur shot in action. She pretends to be Sarah from the Land Before Time. She made me put a piggy-tail on her forehead so she could look like a "three horn" and she head-butts us all day long.

Thank for letting us borrow the movie Grandma-mingo.

Sucker

Oh the joys of having a 3 1/2 year old who was pretending to be a dinosaur while eating a sucker.

I still don't understand how that excuse works. But when Ryann looks at me and says, "cause I was a dinosaur mommy," nothing else matters.

Happy 32 Years

I was saving this picture for Thursday- but somehow it didn't post on my Mom and Dad's 32nd wedding anniversary.

So... Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! I love you and I am so thankful for all that you have done for me, my little family, and all of my brothers and sisters! You are such wonderful examples to me of what a marriage should be. Service, love, patience, a little silliness, working on goals together, and much much more.

Why this picture?? Because my carpets were professionally cleaned for the first time in 5 years and I thought it would really make my mom smile.

All of you who know my mom will agree that this is a fitting picture.

Laundry

It is time to do some laundry... Cara is always willing to help.

Maybe a little too eager?

I am a little bit afraid that one day Ryann will walk by and push her all the way in... I think I gotta start closing this.

TV times TWO

So it has finally hit Cara that TV is for watching. She loves sitting on the couch and watching movies with Ryann. She has never asked for one... well, at least that I could understand... but she enjoys sitting there with her blanket and "guy guy" and cup of milk.

What more could you need to watch a movie? (No one tell her popcorn!)

Countdown

The countdown begins... I can't wait for this book to come out! I am actually thinking of buying the entire series because I think after reading them once I could read them again and again and again.

It would be a relief to add something more to my Twilight and Harry Potter collections. Not just for me, but for Rich. He always looks at me funny when I pick up my same old books.

Straight Jacket

She thought this was fun at first...

Not so much after 30 seconds....

I am contemplating bringing out the swaddling blankets to see if that helps tame my little one. I doubt it.

Dance Shot in Action

Not often do we catch a dance shot... But look at this sweet move from RyRy

Wishing, Praying, and...

...hoping that these girls will give me at least a 3 hour nap today!

I read on a blog somewhere that the mom wanted everyone to know that their kids "don't poop rainbows"

Even though I blog a lot about how cute and fun my girls are... I hope you know that they aren't always peaches and I hope you all know that I would never claim to be the world's best mom. Not even close. But I try. And then I pray. And then I try some more. And some days I give up and make Rich take over.

Flashback Friday

The past 5 years have been incredible. The time has gone by so fast. I think it gets faster every day.

August 2009- My 2 sweet girls!

August 2008- Cute Ryann helping make cookies- she still likes to do that today!

August 2007- Ryann never was the one for pictures. And she was sure bald (like father like daughter??)

August (?) 2006 - Pregnant with Ryann on a boat trip to Lake Havasu

August 2005- the first pictures of our soon to be new house!

And August 2004 was appendix bursting/ hospital stay on our honeymoon. No pictures today.

Rollerblades

These aren't the exact rollerblades I inherited... but I am LOVING my new rollerblades! I hate to write it out... but I haven't fallen down yet! I do wear my wrist guards but I leave the elbow pads and knee pads at home. I did go 3 miles on these babies the other day and that was fun.

Goodnight and summersaults

We have so much fun at our house with dance parties. My dance party music is from Pandora- I usually get Disney music. Rich however, uses fast, loud, popular music. Ryann is picking up on that music.

I hope it doesn't make you sick- Ryann was running a little crazy and it might make you dizzy.

Off to Work

Little Miss Cara is off to work?

I guess she watches me throw my purse over my shoulder, say bye, and walk out the door a lot. Most of the time she is going with me- so I don't know why she didn't want to take her mom with her.

Ignore the mess- this is when we were in the process of organizing Ryann's room. Which, by the way, has worked out awesome. I am loving it being clean in my house and in her room!

Work Out

Besides dance parties and rollerblading (my new favorite!) I like to do some strength training with my girls!

I try to do at least 20 reps a day.

Or like 3.

Or until one of the them falls off.

Whatever comes first.

That is so AWESOME

This is the most awesomest picture I have ever seen. Ryann insisted on wearing this ensemble to Walgreens last night.

She flip-flopped it up and down the aisles and I just laughed and laughed.

Independent child? Normal child.

Either way it was just plain AWESOME.

Organizing

My wonderful friend Andrea encouraged me to label my toy bins to help Ryann want to clean up and to keep things neat. Since we all know I don't do very much cleaning, this is an amazing start!

I have put the rest of the labels up and Ryann has been such a big help putting things away. I hope the magic doesn't wear off too quickly.

15 Months

Cara had her 15 month well child visit. She is still below the 3%, but she is staying on her curve of being small. Not jumping up but not going down either. So we are doing good.

She is 18lbs 11oz. She also is 30inches tall (25%).

She got her shots and because she was crying she got a cute ducky. She hasn't put it down all day. "Du Du Du" she says as she shows it off to everyone.

Drinker

We have had to limit the amount of fluids that this girl intakes in a day. She would drink juice or milk or water all day long if we would let her.

For some reason she wore her sunglasses all during our dinner of sloppy joes.

Brushing

Cara wants to be a big girl... but I am just thinking that can't happen yet!

She has her 15 month appointment on Friday. Hopefully she will hit the 20lb mark!!

She climbed on the stool all by herself.

Sky Dancers

Ryann recently received some "sky dancer" toys from a friend. She was really scared of them at first (probably because one hit her in the head), but now that daddy plays with them she loves them. Cara loves them even more than Ryann and Cara will play with it for over an hour if someone will sit with her.

Here is a silly little clip of Rich, Ryann, and Cara playing with the sky dancer. We are learning how to take turns.

Guac anyone?

Cara loves her guacamole. I guess I can't blame her, it is delicious.

Baby Cycle

Yes, I haven't taken any pictures for awhile- but I noticed this fabulous little button on our washing machine! A baby cycle? Do you wash your baby? or just your baby items?

When Rich saw me taking the picture he laughed at me and told me it is just the childlock. So when it is lit up that means you can't unlock it. Boo. Not fun anymore.