The Family Monkey Doodles

Turning Three!

2011-09-05T13:40:00.000-07:00

Riley's birthday....
As per the Birthday Boy's request...mommy made this car cake. Not bad for a novice (if I do say so myself). Kinda looks like it ran into a wall, but hey, he liked it, and that's all that really matters.Ready, set...BLOW!Having fun at John's Incredible Pizza!Hard to believe he's 3 years old already! How time flies. Seems like yesterday he looked like this....Where'd the time go?

Zoo Trip

2011-02-21T15:49:00.000-08:00

We took the kids to the Zoo...Lia rode in the stroller for a bit and got a nap...Riding the carousel was definitely a highlight...Fun times for the family!

New 'Do

2011-02-21T15:45:00.000-08:00

Momma got a new haircut! (And color...again) Seems like I'm forever changing my hair. The cut isn't that different and really, neither is the color. I do feel better though, it was getting a little raggedy. So anyway...Ta-Da!

Family Picture...

2011-02-15T13:18:00.001-08:00

It's almost impossible to get 7 kids (and a baby) to look in one direction! But, here is the best picture I have with all the kiddles on my side of the family...
It's not often my brother, sister and I are all together in one place at the same time. It was a little crazy being outnumbered by the kids, but a lot of fun. The kids loved it, that's for sure!

Gotta love 'em!

2010-12-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

Time for more pictures as promised! Lily got her hair cut this week. Short is better for her since she has such a tender head. This way I don't have to hear "Oww, oww, OWWW Mom!" every time I comb her hair (or even when she combs it herself ☺). Besides, Riley was starting to copy her...He is now in love with having his picture taken and hams it up whenever I give him a chance...
And then there's Lia. She's settling in nicely to the routine and I'm adjusting to the amount of sleep that comes with getting up several times a night to feed her.
I gotta say, I think I've got some pretty cute kids ☺

The newest addition

2010-11-27T12:46:00.000-08:00

Lia Nicole joined the family on November 15 at 9:39 a.m. She is a wonderful addition to the clan and the kids love having her around. I can hardly believe she is almost 2 weeks old now. Having daddy home has been great for Lily & Riley (and me too!). Here are a couple of my favorite pictures. Hours old... Just home from the hospital... In the blissful state just after eating...9 days old, looking a little yellow from the jaundice, thankfully that's passing. I'll take new pictures on Monday when she's officially 2 weeks old....stay tuned :)
Oh, and I can't forget one of my favorite shots.... Lia and one of her Great Grandmas (how lucky is she to have 3 of them??)

Halloween

2010-11-27T12:41:00.000-08:00

Even though this picture is a month old, I thought I'd post it anyway... here's the kids, all dressed in their costumes. Lily was a Star Wars character named Ahsoka. Riley was obviously a monkey.

For your enjoyment...

2010-09-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

Pictures of the babies' room, all decorated...

Now we're just waiting for Lia....62 days to go. (Not like we're counting or anything.) Oh wait, we are ☺ We have a chart and everything LOL

The PROJECT

2010-08-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share pictures of the backyard project that is in progress right now. As some of you know this has been a long time coming. I'm really pushing to get this done in the next month or so, so stay tuned for the finished product....We've come a long way from the 6 ft weeds... Now to get the dirt leveled off in front of the slider and lay down the cinder block patio, in this pattern ↓↓↓↓

This long portion where the grass is supposed to go...after I finish digging the rest of the weed roots out. Also on the to-do list, sprinklers. Hopefully that won't take too long to figure out. The plan is to create a 30" wide flower bed next to the house. We dug out a section by the faucet and are going to bury some of the gravel we have to help with drainage since there isn't a gutter over that area. And that's where things stand for now. I'm so ready for it to be done! All the sweat will be worth it in the end though. Can't wait to post the "after" pictures....

The Quilt...

2010-08-25T11:57:00.000-07:00

I just had to share a picture of the quilt Dylan's grandma made for the new baby! I think it turned out BEAUTIFUL! It took me about 2 minutes after she left to go and hang it up on the wall, I was that excited ☺ Anyway, the nursery is coming together. I'm searching for the right rug and I'm going to attempt to make the crib skirt with leftovers from the quilt (you know, tie it all together). I'm not much of a sewer but I think I can handle it. We'll see how it works out...

First Grade

2010-08-12T09:41:00.001-07:00

Lily was very excited to be starting school again. Here she is all dressed and ready to go. Daddy even got to go since the first day of school was on a Wednesday...both of them were very happy about that!And here she is lined up with her class waiting to go in. I think she may be one of the smallest in class...She came home with lots of stories and very tired. The most amazing thing, in her own words was, "Mom, we have so MUCH recess!". I'm sure it seems that way after the 20 minutes they got at the end of the day in kindergarten for snack and play.
Now mommy and Riley just have to adjust to a new schedule....

Miracle Grow or Love???

2010-07-01T17:58:00.000-07:00

We decided to plant a little garden in the front flower bed. It started off as a couple tomato plants and expanded to some cilantro, 2 pepper plants, some strawberries and a cantaloupe plant.As you can see, the tomato plants are doing very well. I like to think it's love that's making them grow, but I have a feeling it's the nice shot of Miracle Grow that Dylan gave them. Or maybe it's the special watering that Riley gives them with the squirt gun?The cherry tomato plant is taller than the kids...My biggest romas...I'm looking forward to them ripening.
And then the cherries...awfully big for cherry tomatoes don'tcha think??? These are just the biggest, but the bush is loaded! I'm going to have cherry tomatoes coming out my ears soon...

VIPS 5K

2010-07-01T17:49:00.000-07:00

June 19th I ran a local 5k. I ended up placing 1st in my age group. A few days ago I got my medal in the mail...which is pretty rare. Normally if you leave without picking up your medal, you are out of luck. The organizers of this race were nice enough to look up my registration info and mail me my medal along with a nice note. As you can see in the picture, the medals are quite nice. This will definitely be a race that I continue running in the years to come. Great cause (visually impaired persons) and a great race!

School Picture #2

2010-04-29T20:32:00.000-07:00

This is Lily's newest school picture. Getting copies made and sent out is on my list of things to do. Until then, here's the preview....

My little ballplayer...

2010-04-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

We signed Lily up for T-ball this year so she can experience a new sport. While she doesn't seem particularly adept at baseball, she is having fun. Her first game was today. I think she looks adorable in her uniform!
Here she is attempting to hit the ball. We still need to work on getting her to swing hard!!
And finally, she was hold her helmet, waiting to run home...

Momma Goes Running

2010-03-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

I ran my second half marathon this weekend and had a blast! I placed 3rd in my age group and 32 overall in the womens division. Woo-hoo! I gotta say, I ♥ running...

Look What Daddy Brought Home...

2010-03-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

Don't they look happy? How can you NOT love it when their eyes light up? While I wasn't super excited that Dylan brought this home, it was free, and the kids love it. Period.

Family Fun!

2010-03-15T22:06:00.000-07:00

We truly enjoy playing as a family. Here are a few pictures of us trying out Lily's new Play-doh kitchen. While I'm not usually hip on alot of gadgets and silly toys with lots of parts, this is actually pretty fun....

Smash!

2010-02-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

Riley got to experience his very first visit to Urgent Care on Thursday. I took this picture several hours after his hand got slammed in the door by Lily. All in all he's handling it well. Getting x-rays was a nightmare as you can imagine with a 17 month old. Hopefully we won't have to make any more trips to Urgent Care for a long time!

The newest...

2010-01-22T20:08:00.000-08:00

It was haircut time in our house (for the kids anyway)....Lily loves her new 'do! We hadn't cut it since Nov '08 and it was definitely time. It makes life so much simpler when getting ready for school...I don't have to hear "Ow, Ow, OWWWW" over and over again. Momma is happy, Lily is happy...
Riley actually did well with his haircut too (much to my surprise). It was just getting so shaggy, but not anymore. He's losing the "baby" and becoming more "toddler" every day. He's getting such a personality. What a crack up.

Lily is loving school...shocker! Riley is talking more and more every day. His favorite phrase is "whass 'at?" {to the un-mommy peeps, "what's that?" is what he's asking}. He's very curious, like Lily. He's doing great learning to follow directions...something that Lily seems to be forgetting how to do now. Haha! They are both learning and growing so fast these days. Lily is reading, and she's getting better and better every day. We've entered the stage where she reads to me at bedtime first, then I read to her. It's fantastic, I love it.
Oh, and Riley FINALLY started walking unassisted! Yay. Now he's a regular walkin' machine. He's also really interested in animals and loves to woof-woof at dogs (and the occasional cat). I also started introducing the potty to get him used to the concept. Now he pulls at his diaper and wants to sit on the potty after he does his dirty work...we're trying to get it before, but it hasn't quite clicked. No big rush though (he's only 16 months!).
So that's the newest....till next time.

Books & More...

2010-01-20T19:16:00.000-08:00

I finally got my tush in gear and put together Riley's new book shelf. I think it's a great addition to his room. He loves his books and now there's a place to put them, instead of thrown in the toy box...
He also loves the drawer at the bottom {of course} since it's the perfect little "hiding spot" for his favorite toys.

OCEAN!!

2010-01-04T14:21:00.000-08:00

We took a whirlwind trip to San Luis Obispo. Thankfully my grandma agreed to come along so Dylan and I were able to get out on our own for a few hours. Before coming home we visited the beach....which was so beautiful. Here are a few pictures.

Lily sitting on the pier looking out at the surfers....

Daddy and Riley. Riley was obsessed with the birds....and the dogs.

Searching for shells...

And yep, a swing set on the beach. Lily loves swinging so this was perfect!

I love this picture! Many years from now we'll have this picture to remember our trip with grandma and the kids. We had such a great time and we're looking forward to more short jaunts in the future. One of the problems with Dylan's job is that he very rarely gets 2 days off in a row so weekend trips don't happen. Now I know that we can do it fairly easily and I'm going to push for more :)

Itchy, Itchy

2010-01-04T14:14:00.000-08:00

It's hard to tell in this picture, but Riley was having an allergic reaction to something. If you look closely around his mouth you can see some of the redness and bumps. Thankfully Benedryl kept the reaction from getting too bad. He was still in good spirits though even though he was itchy. Happy, happy boy!

Gingerbread house

2009-12-31T13:08:00.000-08:00

Last year I went all out on the gingerbread house. This year, not so much. I do enjoy doing them though, so I bought a cheapy kit at the store on impulse. I think it turned out okay considering what I had to work with. Next year I want to go more elaborate again but this worked too. Just thought I'd share. And since I'm so proud of the one we did last year, here's a picture of that one too.

I'll do it when I'm ready!

2009-12-31T10:17:00.000-08:00

Riley is pretty laid back and snuggly. At 16 months old he is still not walking around unassisted. He's close though. I got him to take about 4 steps yesterday on his own so I know we're THIS close. He got a few things at Xmas to walk around with and that's helping his stability, but here is what he normally does....

Yummy....Paint!

2009-12-31T09:54:00.001-08:00

I thought I'd try letting Riley finger paint. As you can see, he wanted to eat the paint and smear it all over himself. He does pretty good with crayons though. I need to get him some of the big fat ones to make it a little easier, but he likes to sit at the table and color like sissy. I think I'll wait a bit longer before I try the paints again.
Of course Lily had fun with the finger painting too. She normally paints with a brush, but because Riley was using his fingers, she thought she should too....
And for your enjoyment.....Miss Lily-poo back in the day. I think she was about 2 years old in this picture. And one more, just because it's so stinkin' cute! My how they grow...

December is here...

2009-12-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

I am getting pretty good at bundling the kids up for the walk to school. Obviously Riley isn't thrilled, but he keeps everything on cause it's cold. Mommy just needs to get some gloves and a scarf and we'll be set.A random shot here, to be sure, but look at how big Riley is getting. He kept wanting to do everything that Lily was doing so I handed him a crayon. It's going to take a little more work, but he is interested in scribbling. He is starting into a very fun stage. He still isn't quite walking. But I haven't been working very hard with him on it either. He pushes a chair around the house and walks behind it, he just hasn't ventured into the unassisted stage yet. So much fun stuff is coming. I'm so lucky to get to be around to see it all!

And finally, a shot of the tree. Pictures don't do it justice. We bought a new prelit tree this year and it is so nice. I can handle 35 bucks too.....seriously, you gotta love Walmart sometimes! Here's to a great December!

Faces of Lily...

2009-12-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd share a few random shots of monkey #1. Enjoy :)
Lily and her cousin Grace were chefs creating their masterpiece personal pizzas at Graces' birthday party. She still wears the hat around cause hey, it's cool!
She also got to be an Indian at school for their Thanksgiving party. Here she is acting stoic.
And just for fun, here's a flashback to 3 years ago. Wow, how time flies!

Bonk...

2009-12-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

Riley is a climber. He likes to explore and climb. I don't get it, but still think it's pretty cute. Unfortunately with height comes the ability to fall. He fell and gave himself a nice bruise which developed into a black eye two days later. After the initial "OWWW" reaction, he was bouncin' around like before. BOYS!

Time for the Warm P.J.'s...Yeah!!

2009-11-12T13:56:00.000-08:00

One of the things I love about fall is putting the kids in their warm jammies. They're just so stinkin' cute!

Riley was really enjoying those pumpkin seeds we roasted!

Lily in her monkey p.j.'s

The two of them love to play together. Not always nicely, but that's what having a sibling is all about :) Riley is very snuggly and loves to give hugs. Of course right after I took this picture he tried to kiss sis and ended up biting her instead. (Guess we'll have to work on that one). Don't they just look cozy in their footie pajamas?

I Know... I've been Slackin'

2009-11-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

I haven't been making the time to blog...sorry people! I am going to try and get back into the swing of things and start blogging more frequently again.... So, here we go.

"Hi my name is Riley and I'm addicted to Chex...or, since my mommy is cheap, Corn Squares".

For everyone who is convinced that I have the perfect, well mannered baby...here is proof that he throws fits when he doesn't get what he wants.

He was very upset that his favorite cup was in the dishwasher.

As you can see, he really, REALLY wanted that cup!!!

And we can't forget about Lily. Here she is in her costume...playing with Daddy's lightsaber. I think she made an adorable Minnie Mouse.

And to cap it all off, a slightly creepy, but pretty cool shot of the kids enthralled with the lightsaber...

Snip Snip....

2009-10-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

So, I've been wanting to update my hair. It's was driving me crazy. It's long, that's about all I can say about it. So I decided to chop it off and donate the length to Locks of Love. So, here are the before and after pictures....

Before.....

After....

When all is said and done, I am donating an 11 inch ponytail. I love the new 'do! I even threw in a pink streak, just for fun...

Just a little randomness...

2009-10-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

I had to share a few new pictures. They aren't of anything really cool. Just us, being us...Now, first of all, you are all sworn to secrecy that I posted this picture. It's not the best picture of Dylan, but what could I do, it's hilarious. Riley was attempting to climb over Daddy to get the Cheerios he was eating. It was an epic battle over the breakfast cereal. I'm a little embaressed that Riley doesn't have pants on either, but I was lazy after a diaper change, and he has an easier time crawling with his knees bare so I left the pants off.

Lily decided she wanted to pick a lemon from the tree that hangs over the fence....

Thinking very hard how to get it off...

Ta-da! A green lemon! I have no idea why she wanted it. Most likely reason...she's five :)

After proudly showing off her picking skills she handed it to Riley who promptly took a bite, rind and all. The expression on his face was priceless as was the whole body shiver. His nickname was lemon breath the rest of the evening.
Hope you enjoyed the few new random shots...till next time.

Citizen of the Month...

2009-10-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a video of Lily receiving her first award at school. Her teacher picked her for the Citizen of the Month in her class and the principal presented the award. They broadcast the "ceremony" into all the classrooms, instead of doing an assembly. It was pretty cool! She also got a nice book out of it. Makes me proud :)

Give me FOOD!!!

2009-09-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

Riley LOVES to eat. His favorite right now is oatmeal. So, I thought I'd see if he would feed himself instead of me sitting there and spooning it in. He had no interest in the spoon at all which made the meal a bit messier than normal. Oh well, that's what bibs are for...

Jog-a-thon

2009-09-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

Lily participated in her first Jog-a-thon at school. Here she is lined up with her class right before the start. She ran the equivilant of 2 miles in a 45 min period (on top of the 3/4 mi run to school and the walk home). She was a tired girl that evening....

Running, running, running...just like her momma :)And finally....Lily and her buddy Faith. They have become fast friends since the first day of school.

The Boys...

2009-09-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

My sis got this shot of my dad holding Riley and her son Andrew. Wouldn't you know it, we couldn't get a picture with all of them looking at the camera at the same time. This one is the best... I think it's cute that they all kinda match.

One Big Party...

2009-09-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

The kids' birthdays are so close together that I decided one big party was in order. Since they only get a party every 5 years, it worked out perfectly that Riley was turning 1 and Lily turning 5. I didn't plan it that way, but it worked out :) Anyway, thanks to everyone who came and here are some shots of the event...
Lily was bothered by the strap on the hat, so I couldn't get a nice smile.The cake and the "cake pops"....I'm so glad I didn't scrap the cake pops. I was somewhat frustrated by them the morning of the party, but they were a good addition.
And here is Papa, explaining the intricacy of plastic horse shoes.
And then the post pinata scramble. We let the kids each take a whack at it and then Uncle Donny busted it open with a few mighty swings.
This is how we ended the day...with two very tired monkeys. I don't bathe them together very often anymore, cause this is what happens...

Hope everyone that came had an awesome time. If you couldn't make it, now at least you have a glimpse of the fun you missed :)

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

2009-09-02T08:17:00.001-07:00

Oh how fast a year goes! I love, love, LOVE watching you grow!

Kindergarten!!

2009-08-24T19:58:00.000-07:00

Though it still seems a bit surreal, Lily started school today. My baby is a big girl now! She even decided this morning that she didn't need her blankies anymore...she thought Riley should have them since he's a baby and she's not.
How cute is that!

She sat right down and started playing with the other kids. And, she's excited to go back tomorrow.
Here she is with her teacher Mrs. Ott, saying goodbye. I was really impressed by the pictures she brought home today and I can't wait to start a collection.

Now, I just have to get used to having one child for a 3 hour stretch during the day. How exciting :)

Tiffany vs. the Shed...

2009-08-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

This was our shed before I went at it yesterday with a sledge hammer and crowbar. We've been wanting to remove the shed since we moved in 2 years ago, but haven't gotten around to it...along with lots of other things. So, since we need it gone to get to the trees that are behind it, I decided to take matters into my own hands and rip into it. There is video of me wielding the tools of destruction, but I'm too embarrassed to post it :)And here we are halfway done.
Ta-da! All done. Now I just have to figure out what to do with the pile of debris, but that's for another day... It does make me happy though that we have a nice large double gate to make the removal process easier. Next thing is tackling the volunteer trees that were growing behind the shed, and pushing on the fence. And of course the weeds, and maybe the 7 pallets of cinder blocks in the backyard. Yikes, we're gonna be busy!
In case you're wondering, I didn't do all of the manual labor by myself. Dylan did help a little :) But, I ain't afraid to get dirty or wield a sledge hammer...

Here comes trouble...

2009-08-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

I think I'm going to start calling Riley "Trouble". He loves to play with the cupboard doors. There's just something about the banging he can accomplish :0) I turned around from doing the dishes and saw him pulling stuff out of the cupboard...He was so proud of himself. It wasn't a big deal until he found a package of noodles that was opened. Thankfully Mommy swooped them up before he could dump them out.
Unfortunately I didn't think of the Cheerios. And, when I walked out to do something for a second, this happened. I guess he was really hungry...

My little Artist...

2009-08-20T15:41:00.001-07:00

Lily LOVES to paint! This is her latest creation. We went to the Art & Wine Festival last weekend and they had lots of creative things for the kids. The aftermath from this was a little messy, but she had a blast flinging paint.

Who did that?

2009-08-11T21:53:00.000-07:00

Seriously, which of my children put bath toys in the toilet? When grilling Lily I just got a, "Not me Mommy". I have a feeling it was Riley, but no concrete proof. Maybe it was the gnomes? I really try to stay on top of things around here, but I guess I better step it up a notch... Darn gnomes!!

Camping...

2009-08-06T19:12:00.001-07:00

So, we had our first camping experience as a family. And while it didn't go quite as well as I hoped, we still had a nice time.

One of the best things about camping, I think, is the campfire. Here we are hanging out the second morning. Drinking our coffee or hot cocoa, enjoying waking up in the fresh air.

The kids had a good time spending time with each other, playing and experiencing new things. Lily and Dylan roasted marshmallows for breakfast. Okay, Dylan ate them and Lily helped hold the stick...We all know that Lily won't hardly touch sweets :)
Dylan in his shorts and coat...what a goof. Riley got a kick out of wearing socks too. It was quite humorous seeing him examine his feet trying to figure out what was on them.
Digging in the dirt was a favorite past time. Boy oh boy did these girls get DIRTY! Oh well, we were camping :)

We went and visited the fish hatchery also. That was very cool. They had an albino Rainbow Trout which was interesting. Fun times to be had. I'm looking forward to the next time camping when Riley is bigger and not in the clingy stage...

Oh so BIG!!

2009-07-27T15:55:00.001-07:00

Riley is pulling himself up on everything. Doesn't he just look so proud? Guess it's time to drop the mattress down...

"Mom! He's Bothering Me!"

2009-07-27T15:41:00.000-07:00

This is the new chorus around our house. It's not that Lily doesn't love her brother, it's just that the newness has worn off a bit. As you can see he is pulling himself up on things and wants to see what's going on with sissy....all the time. And, he's not always gentle. Having had her hair pulled a few times has taken the bloom off the rose slightly. They do still love hanging out most of the time though. Thankfully.

Party Time!

2009-07-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

Dylan is turning 30 this year so I wanted to do something special to commemorate the occasion. A surprise party seemed like just the thing. Unfortunately he figured out that the party was for him. Oh well, I tried...here are a few pictures.Birthday Boy in his special hat....Lily picked it out :)

Papa and the kids playing with the water balloons. I think the water balloons were the best part...

The aftermath of the big water balloon fight. When the temp is pushing 104*, you do anything to cool down...

The best birthday gift of all...compliments of Donny and Melissa. Dylan and Melissa have an ongoing war to see who can come up with the worst picture of the other person and then exploit it. I can't remember how it started, but this is the best example to date. Just a warning Melissa, Dylan is planning payback :)
And finally, what kind of party would it be if someone didn't end up on the ground? :) Brotherly rough housing ended with Justin in the dirt atop a busted chair....whoops!

Even though it didn't end up the surprise I wanted it to be, and it was hotter than blazes, we still had fun. Thanks to everyone that helped out, I couldn't have done it without you!

Ummm, now what?

2009-07-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Riley...I got myself up here and now don't know what to do. I was crying but then Mom busted out the camera so I put on the "curiously innocent" face for the picture.
I find it's amazing how quickly he can get down when there's something he wants (like the camera). He went from "Now what?" to "Puh-shaw, no big thing, I can get down no prob!". Cracked me up...

Then we had a moment of "MOM, GET ME!" crying...
Oh wait, never mind, I'll come get you Mommy.....I forgot you had the camera. Happy face, smile! On to the next thing....

Front yard project...

2009-07-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

We've been working on getting the front yard whipped into shape. I am very excited because as soon as it's done I can start on the back yard. This a picture of the way it looked before with the boxwood hedge, rose bushes and camilla "tree".

This is how it looks now with everything gone but the tree. The cover is something Dylan bought last week. I'm not sure if I like it or not. It's not staying there, we just set it up to see what it looked like. Please ignore my pile of clippings....I ran out of room in the green can and didn't feel like making the trip into the alley. Anyway, it's coming along. The next step is removing the walkway, but I'm not ripping that out till we have a solid plan for replacing it =) What do you think?

Mom, it's bird food....

2009-07-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not surprised that Lily thought the sunflower seeds were bird food. She loves to help my mom fill the bird feeders at her house. I thought I try saving the seeds and toasting them for a yummy little treat. I love pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds too (though this was my first time toasting the sunflower seeds myself).

Unfortunately, I burned them slightly so they aren't very good. So, now we have bird food =) Whoops! Oh well, live and learn for next time. It was fun anyway.

The 4th of July...

2009-07-05T14:32:00.001-07:00

A few pictures from our Independence Day celebration.Dessert anyone? My famous American flag "Husband Tamer" (that is really what it's called). It's kind of a cheesecake...kind of. And oh so YUMMY!! I think it turned out very nice...

This picture is probably my favorite of the day. Dylan hates to have his picture taken, but I got a smile out of both my guys.

And then the girls...
Lily and her cousin Kelly get along famously. Can you tell?

Riley and his cousin Nathan were a little wary of each other. Nathan is one month older than Riley so I have a feeling we are going to have our hands full when these two monkeys get a little older :)

Kelly and Riley had fun chillin'...

And so did Lily and Nathan...
Fun times!!

Busy Boy...

2009-07-05T14:22:00.001-07:00

Riley it seems is always on the move these days. Once again, he's coming to get me. The expression on his face cracks me up!!
This is one of his newer things to do...crawl under the Exersaucer instead of playing in it. He gets stuck on occasion and it's fun to watch him try and figure a way out. The simplest things are often the most amusing (this is true for both of us).

Betty Crocker I ain't !!

2009-07-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

While I usually do a decent job cooking and baking, this time not so much. Dylan requested chocolate cupcakes so I said "Sure honey, I can do that". Well, lessons were learned this time around. ALWAYS, ALWAYS make sure your cupcakes are cooled completely before frosting them and sticking them under the cake dome, especially if it's summer and hot. Otherwise you'll end up with frosting that just melts. Thankfully that made them less appealing to me so I wasn't tempted to eat anymore than the one I had right after baking them :P There's always an upside! Dylan could care less. He puts his cakes and cupcakes in a bowl anyway and pours milk on them (weird I know). He just scraped the frosting off the bottom and ate them anyway. All for the love of chocolate....
Just to prove that I do have some skills with baking, here is a picture of Lily's birthday cake that I did last year. Not too bad huh?

For your enjoyment...

2009-07-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

I know that I've been falling down on the blogging job lately! We were a little busy with Lily's dance recital. I somehow manged not to get a picture that night of Lily in her costume, so I'll have to put her back in the outfit and snap a few... Until then, here are a few pics to tide ya over.

Hi mom, hi mom, hi mom... I just imagine that's what's going through his head right now. Riley loves the camera. Every time I bust it out he smiles. And then comes chasing after it. Like most males, he is slightly obsessed with anything electronic. Cameras, remotes (especially remotes), phones etc. etc. His new "trick" is opening and closing doors on command. It is hilarious watching him crawl back and forth chasing the door so he can swing it the other way.

I caught this picture just moments too late. The kids were laying on the floor snuggling. The fact that they love each other so much just warms my heart. I know it'll probably change as they get older, but for now I'll just enjoy.

Summer Fun...

2009-06-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

The slide into the pool is always a big hit! Lily had a blast with her cousins swimming and playing.

And here's my little cutie pie nephew (but don't call him that to his face). He's very quick to tell you that he's NOT CUTE, he's HANDSOME!

Summer days are so much fun, especially when you add family to the mix.

Bath time...

2009-06-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

Well, we got a new little video "camera" that we were playing with last night. I'm not real impressed with the quality. I think it's going back to the store! Our old digital camera takes better quality videos. Anyhow, Riley decided to explore the tub last night, so I had Dylan get a little clip of it. He normally just sits and splashes but he is no longer content to just sit anywhere! Who can resist the naked butt? It's just so stinkin' cute :P

Umm, EXCUSE ME!!

2009-06-13T10:02:00.001-07:00

CAN YOU LET ME OUTTA HERE NOW DAD?

I like to move it, move it...

2009-06-05T21:53:00.000-07:00

Riley is movin' and groovin' now, so I took a little video so everyone could see. Enjoy!

The "Readiness" Package

2009-06-05T21:43:00.000-07:00

Today we walked over to the school and picked up the "readiness" package that they prepare for the incoming kindergartners. There were lots of goodies inside for Lily to practice with over the summer. Flash cards(alphabet & numbers), a book, crayons, scissors etc. etc. I'm so pleased that she was able to do her numbers up to 30 already...my little smarty pants :) Anyway, the more we prepare for school, the more comfortable I'm getting with the idea. My little girl is growing up!

MHR...

2009-06-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

I missed last weeks addition to the "My Husband Rocks" portion of the blog...oops! But, here it is again. I have a difficult time pin pointing things to write about Dylan. That sounds bad, I know, but there are so many things that he does to enrich our life.
One thing he did was take out the garbage cans on trash day, so I didn't have to do it. This may not sound like a big deal, but it was so nice not to have to worry about it (I always wait till I hear the garbage truck coming then bolt out to haul 'em into the alley).
Another thing I want to give him credit for, he's really making an effort to reign in his spending. Or at least talk to me before he goes and drops a chunk of money on something. He is trying! I get that it's difficult for him to "ask" before buying something, so I appreciate the effort he is putting into it.
And, I have to say it again...My husband ROCKS for working so hard so I get to stay home with the kids and raise them!

First Word...

2009-06-03T20:43:00.000-07:00

Riley said "Mama" today! And then he tried to say "Uh-Oh" when he dropped something off the high-chair, I knew what he meant even if it was slightly garbled =) We are definitely moving out of the "baby" stage. He's also very mobile now which I'm having a hard time adjusting to. He went from content to sit there with toys, to exploring the entire house. Guess the baby-proofing needs to be kicked into high gear, and I gotta go pull the baby gate in from the shed and clean it up. When Lily was a baby we just trapped her in the living room =) This house doesn't work like that. Thankfully I have Lily who yells for me when Riley starts heading for something he shouldn't. But, Riley said "Mama" today and I couldn't be happier, the other stuff is just details...

Break out the pool...

2009-05-25T20:18:00.001-07:00

Lily was checking out the new pool. She loves to be in the water. Of course now that we got it set up, the weather cooled down. Not that I'm complaining. It's still warm enough to go in if you really want to, like she did...

I love the new swim suit she picked out this year...she looks like such a surfer girl =) Anyhow, not much else to say on the topic, the pictures pretty much speak for themselves.

Silly Monkeys

2009-05-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

I was in the bedroom when I heard laughter coming from the living room. I could hear Lily say something and then this explosion of laughter from Riley. Of course by the time I got the camera it had calmed down some, but they were still having a pretty good time. It made me smile, so I thought I'd share. Enjoy!

Oh, the HORROR!

2009-05-22T07:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday when I went to get Lily up from her nap, I felt like I had stepped into a horror flick. You're probably saying "HUH?", but here's why... She was COVERED in dried blood. Her whole face was caked and she had blood up to her elbows on both arms. I almost took a picture, but it was really gross, and I didn't think anyone would actually want to see. The bloody nose monster had visited during nap time, and instead of getting up so I could help her stop it and clean up, she just kept wiping...all over herself. Amazingly, she didn't get any on her clothes or her bed. We had a nice discussion about getting Mommy next time she has a problem like that. We'll see if it sticks! Yikes, that was interesting. I wonder if Riley's going to get the bloody noses too...only time will tell. Lily didn't start till about 14 or 15 months. Well, at least I know that she's about to grow again, as the bloody noses generally precede a growth spurt.

MHR

2009-05-22T07:08:00.000-07:00

So it's Friday, that means it's time for another installment of "My Husband Rocks". Here we go...

~ He stayed up late and watched a movie with me just so we could hang out- even though he had to be up at 3 a.m. the next morning to go to work
~ He put the beer in the fridge so I would have a cold one by the time the kids were in bed
~ He watched the kids so I could go work out- after he'd just worked a 12 hour day
~ He put up with my raunchy attitude on Wednesday without making it a huge deal- just offered me a hug
Even though my hubby rarely reads the blog, I think it's important for me to write these posts. It serves as a reminder to me how many little things, and big things, my hubby does. Thanks honey!

And it starts....

2009-05-18T12:54:00.001-07:00

Riley has a love of water bottles....don't ask me why. He'll sit and play with one for extended periods of time. Well, now I know better than to put his Exersaucer in arms reach of the water supply. He was so determined to get a bottle out of the case. Of course they are too heavy for him, but it was fun watching him go for it.

Then I got the "Huh?" look from him when he took a break from his mission.

And then, he was back at it. At least he has perseverance. He is starting to get into things now that I didn't have to worry about before. So, "Eagle Eyes" is about to come out of hibernation. Not like I haven't been watching him closely, just now it is more important to be ever vigilant.

My Husband Rocks Friday....

2009-05-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

I saw this idea on one of the blogs I visit, and thought it was great! Basically once a week I will have a post about why my husband ROCKS! He is going to hate me for posting this picture, but I couldn't resist =) So, anyway, here is my list for this week...

~ He works very hard so I can stay home and raise our kids
~ He ate the cinnamon rolls so I wasn't tempted to
~ He bought a very thoughtful Mother's Day gift for me
~ He changes the cat box without me having to ask

Now, take a second and think about ways your husband rocks. How often do you tell him? If you are like me, probably not often enough. There are so many more things, but I am saving them for future weeks. Stay tuned...

New Look...

2009-05-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, I gave my blogs a face lift =) I love the new look. In addition to that, I've added a few new blogs to my blog list. The Un-Gourmet, Pink Sugar Desserts & Eat at Home all made the cut and I will be visiting them on a regular basis. I'm dying to try out a crock pot recipe that I found on Eat at Home. Pink Sugar is a friend of a friend and her site is awesome for all your baking recipes. Anyhow, I encourage you to check them out. Just scroll down to my blog list and click on the links. Let me know what you think, I love feedback...

The Adventures of Lily, Jakers & Riley

2009-05-07T17:15:00.000-07:00

SNACK TIME! Everybody wanted snacks at the same time. Did I plan that well or what? Just kidding, it just happened that way. Of course I couldn't get a great picture of all of them, so this will have to do. I had alot of fun watching Jake, my nephew, for a few hours. It totally gave me an idea what to expect from my boy in a year or so. Right now, Jake is in the "sticking-things-in-the-nose" phase. Thanks for warning me Melissa! I definitely kept a close eye out for that one because the one time Lily stuck something in her nose, it was TRAUMATIC! (For me)

This one cracked me up! When I heard him coming down the hall in Lily's high heeled dress up shoes, I assumed it was her. Boy was I wrong! He must have a older sister or something...(Grace is Lily's age).

Anyway, we had fun, and that's what counts!

8 months old...

2009-05-07T16:52:00.001-07:00

I finally got Riley to stay up on all fours and rock a little! He has not wanted to stay up long enough for me to get a picture, until today. Yeah Riley!

He's starting to wave, which is fun. He also made up his own sign to let me know when he wants to nurse. This becomes quite insistant at times =) He does the sign for all done but it's hit and miss. My baby boy is definitely growing up. He is now very stable sitting on his own and I don't have to worry overmuch about him bonking his noggin, thankfully. Daddy taught him the big grin with the nose crinkle. It cracks me up!

He's really not to sure what to think of the all fours bit. He would rather roll wherever he wants to go. He loves to eat (like you can't tell). We are basically on table food fully now. I tried him with some chicken the other night and he LOVED it. He of course makes a mess when he feeds himself, but more is getting to his mouth than ever.

Before long he'll be one, and that blows my mind. He'll be walking and talking....ahhh, where'd the time go?

We gots teeth!

2009-05-03T19:35:00.001-07:00

As you can tell from the drool on his shirt, Riley has been teething. He just turned 8 months old, and until a week ago, he was completely toothless. Well, not anymore! He got both bottom teeth within a week. The first came in while I was at my brothers' house last Monday (the 27th) and the second broke through this afternoon (the 3rd). He's such a happy boy even with the discomfort of cutting teeth...I am a lucky momma!

Visiting Family...

2009-04-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately I don't have pictures from my adventure North. Basically I didn't bring batteries for the camera. There's a little more to it than that, but that's what it boils down to. I did have an enjoyable trip though, so I thought I'd share some of the highlights. The kids did great in the car, I'm so thankful! Round-trip, we drove almost 1,700 miles.
Lily, of course, had a wonderful time exploring with her great-grandpa and learning about lady bugs, John Deere tractors, and birds nests. She loved hanging out in the trailer, which was where my mom was sleeping. I think it was like a secret hideout vibe or something. She enjoyed meeting my aunts, uncles and cousins. The cutest thing she did was try and comfort Riley. He had a difficult time adjusting to not sleeping in his own bed. As the two were sharing a room, this made things more interesting. I walked in to get him after listening to him cry, and cry....and cry, only to find that Lily had decided that he needed her blankies, his books and her stuffed animal. How sweet of her to try and help.
Riley got his first tooth on the way home. I'm sure that had something to do with his unwillingness to settle. He loved my cousin Heather. He thought she was the coolest. I think the feeling was mutual. His eczema flared up on his face and he gouged his cheek when trying to itch, while we were on the road. Poor little guy! And then, I gave him some cheese.....which by-the-way he HAS had, and broke out in a rash all over his face. I don't know if it was the type of cheese or what. Thankfully that went away quickly!
We came home a little earlier than planned. I surprised Dylan by showing up a day and a half early. It was kinda fun. Riley laughed and smiled at his daddy, which made daddy's night! We were tired and ready to sleep in our own beds! It was really great to see family that I haven't seen in about 4 years, but it is great to be home and settling into our normal routine.

Best Bath Toy EVER!

2009-04-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

Our newest addition to the tub...the bulb syringe. Seriously, the sucky ball that they give you in your "bringing baby home" kit, is now the coolest new bath toy. Somehow I ended up with about 3 of these things. So now, we have two for the kidlets to play with in the tub. It started as a way to distract Riley as I was changing his diaper as he has decided that the changing table is the place to roll around. I can't keep the little monkey still. So I handed him the sucky ball to give him something to play with- this technique worked well for Lily so I thought, why not? Anywho, I let him take into the bath tonight and Lily thought it was the greatest thing EVER! So, I gave her one to play with too. Much fun ensued =) It's the simple things that bring the most joy...

Girls are SILLY!

2009-04-17T20:59:00.000-07:00

My friend came over today with her daughter, who is 7 months younger than Lily. It was hilarious watching their shenanigans! We went to the park and then when we came back to the house the girls decided it was time to play dress-up. Then, it was time to run in the yard and play with the sidewalk chalk.
Riley of course was too busy drooling to pay attention to the crazy girls....and no, he doesn't have any teeth yet.But the fun didn't stop with the dresses. As you can see, the hats were next...
Lily often walks around with the Hello Kitty bucket on her head (it's her Storm Trooper helmet). For those of you who may be STAR WARS illiterate, that's a movie reference =)

Anyhow, we had a fun day. I got some time with a good friend, and the girls had a blast. Who could ask for anything more?

Nap time!

2009-04-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

This was the scene I came home to yesterday. The house was so quiet for a few minutes as Riley was taking a nap too. Aren't they cute? I don't remember the last time Lily actually slept at nap time, so this was quite a surprise. Then, when she woke up, she was so confused. She looked at me with this bleary-eyed huh? look and asked me, "Where's Mommy?". I said, "What?" and she repeated herself. I pointed at myself and she goes, "Oh, you're home from the bank". It was pretty humorous. I just left her alone for a few minutes till she woke up completely =) I tend to say weird things when I'm half-awake too, so it made me smile.

Hangin' at the Park

2009-04-16T07:56:00.000-07:00

We spent some family time at the park as an Easter get together with Dylan's side of the fam. Here we have Riley and his Grammy having some cuddle time... He just loved her hat!

Here's Nathan. He is a month older than Riley. What a happy boy! I think Riley is finally starting to catch up in size....maybe.

And then we have Kelly and Lily having some fun. They were both looking in a little mirror. So Cute!

Finally, the guys. Doing the norm...standing around shooting the breeze. I think they were actually solving all the worlds' problems.

Thanks for the input...

2009-04-06T21:03:00.001-07:00

After much thought and consideration I think we are going to wait on purchasing a new sofa. One of the main reasons...these two pussy cats. I really don't want Mochie (the black one) to use the new couch as a scratching post like she uses the current one. I don't want cat hair all over a brand new piece of furniture either. Since the scratching is the biggest issue and the cat is about 13 years old, I'm holding off for now. Also, I have the money saving drive right now with the way things are. I just really want to have an 8 month emergency fund in case...just in case (any one else a Suze Orman fan?). Anyway, that's the update. Thanks to all you who voted on my poll. I appreciate the input.

Yummm....BBQ!

2009-04-03T20:03:00.000-07:00

It's that time again. Time to fire up the grill and get your BBQ on! I love spring and summer grilled meals. One of my favorite meals, besides the traditional steak, is kabobs. So, we had our first installment this week and they were soooo good.
Don't they look yummy? Yeeessss, I AM trying to make you jealous =)

Riley 7 months

2009-03-28T15:09:00.001-07:00

I realized that I haven't sent out pictures to everyone since Riley was about 2 months old. Boy am I fallin' down on the job. I took this today but I'm not sure I like it well enough to send it out as his "official" picture. It is rather cute though, so I thought I'd share.

The search begins...

2009-03-22T16:45:00.001-07:00

We are in desperate need of new furniture. Not just living room furniture, but all through our house. Pretty much everything we own is a hand-me-down. Now, there is nothing wrong with that because goodness knows we NEEDED it at the time or we wouldn't have had anything, but I think it's time to start replacing things. Today I started my search for a couch. I had no idea it would be this difficult. There are so many choices! I went to 2 stores and then I was DONE! And, you have no idea if you will like it until you sit down. There was one I thought was so nice, and then I sat on it and thought, "NO WAY!". Anywhoo....here are a few that are in the running right now. Thoughts? My other thought was to skip the furniture and go for carpets in the the bedrooms and sunroom. I don't know which I want more...decisions, decisions :P

Growing like weeds...

2009-03-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

Riley had his 6 month check -up today(even though he's 6.5 months old). He gained 4 lbs and grew 3 inches since his last checkup 2 months ago. He now weighs 17lbs. 2oz. and is 26 inches long. The doctor is very pleased with his progress. She cracked me up by commenting on how "clean" he was...really, she said that. He is one healthy boy, just like I knew.
My other little monkey grew a bunch too. I need to mark her measurement and see exactly how much she grew. I think it's somewhere in the realm of 1/4" in the last month. She keeps impressing me lately with little things she can do. What a lucky mommy I am!

Lily's outfit...

2009-03-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to taking a picture of Lily in her new outfit from her grandparents. She insisted that she wanted the hat, which I think is funny (Not a bratty insisted, just a can I get a hat, can I get a hat type of thing). Anyway, she looks very cute in her new dress, so thank you grandma & grandpa.

My Name is Riley...I like to bounce

2009-03-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

Riley loves his jumper now that he has figured out how to bounce. It makes me smile to watch him go so I thought I'd share.

Picnic at the park...

2009-03-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

Today we had a little informal picnic at the park with Dylan's side of the family. It was such a nice day! As you can see, the men were having a nice time tossing things around...a baseball, frisbee and football all made it into the mix at some point.

Papa got the kite stuck in the tree. I actually called it...30 seconds before it happened.

Riley conked out on my shoulder so I laid him down and he took a nice nap. Nothin' better than sleeping outside.

Lily had a great time playing on all stuff, but what 4 year old doesn't?

We just had a nice afternoon picnic. I definitely think we'll have to do it again! Getting out of the house and enjoying the day is something we don't do often enough. Life's too short, not to get out and enjoy it...

New outfit

2009-03-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

Thank you grandma and grandpa! I think I look soo handsome in my new outfit. Since I have such short legs the bottoms are more like capris than shorts, but I should grow more by summer time. I'm such a lucky boy to have so many people who love me! Can't wait till we see you again. Thanks for babysitting sissy and I during your visit. Next time you see me I'll probably be crawling...

A chilly trip to the park...

2009-03-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

Riley got his first trip in the stroller like a big boy. I have been putting him in the snuggli and Lily in the stroller, but she's getting old enough to walk, and he's getting heavy at 6 months old!
Not like I've taken them out a whole bunch, but that's what I've done a few times. Anyhow, I thought that the day would be nice enough to venture out to the park. Get some fresh air, enjoy the sunshine, unfortunately it was a little breezier than I anticipated. Riley was a little bothered by the wind, and I was downright chilled(I'm not a big coat person). I thought the weather was going to be as nice as the previous day, so I was just wearing a T-shirt...whoops! So, we had a short trip. I think we spent 10 or 15 minutes total at the park. Lily didn't complain when I said it was time to go home. That should tell you something.

At least Riley's head stayed warm! This hat was actually Lily's, but I don't think she ever wore it. Thanks Gma. Robin for buying it though. I think Riley looks adorable in it. But then, both my kids look adorable in most things =)

Simple Pleasures

2009-03-04T20:55:00.001-08:00

Life's simple pleasures
Are meant to be enjoyed

The first bloom of springtime or
A bubble floating by

The cool side of your pillow or
A gentle lover's smile

The look inside your child's eyes
That shines so full and bright

Sometimes it's the simple things
That bring such joy in life

The other night as I lay in bed I realized how much I take the simple things for granted. So, I started writing this to remind myself to embrace and enjoy everything I have. What are your simple pleasures? Think about it...

Kissy, Kissy...

2009-02-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

Riley's newest thing, is to give me kisses. He will grab a handful of hair and pull my face in so he can slime me up. It is very cute. Thankfully I don't wear makeup most of the time or he'd be licking that off =)

Today, he decided that he was so handsome he needed to give his reflection kisses too! His nose is all red from pushing against the mirror. By the time I got the camera, all he wanted to do was smile at me.

"Hello me, want a kiss?"

We are entering into a new phase. He is awake more and definitely more interested in what is going on around him. Soon, he'll be crawling. I can hardly believe he's almost 6 months old. The "baby, baby" phase is so fleeting. I am wringing every ounce out of it because before long come the attitudes. =)

My little fashionista...

2009-02-20T10:24:00.000-08:00

Or NOT! Lily reminded me this morning why I pick out her clothes every day. The girl has absolutely no fashion sense at all! I did a double take when she walked into the living room. What a silly girl!
And then to make matters worse, she pulled up her socks! It's not like I'm super stylish, but this, this is BAD! Hehehe, she's gonna love me when she gets older huh?

Retail Therapy...

2009-02-17T12:20:00.000-08:00

It hit me this weekend that I have a problem. I have a difficult time spending money... Now some of you are probably thinking, "That's a problem?". For me, it is. I have a house that could desperately use some sprucing! So my mission, is to spruce it up. I had such a hard time when I went to the store, but I was so sick of looking at some of our stuff, I knew I had to get a few things. So here they are...

First of all, I bought myself a new purse. My old one, I bought in the $1 bin at Target. I was tired of switching from diaper bag to purse, so I got something that can function as both. I really like it!

Next, I bought a hamper for the bathroom. The bathroom is actually my next "big" project...more on that in a bit.

And finally, a new rug for the kitchen.

Nothing was very expensive, but I felt so good about what I bought. It will help my home, and me, feel a little nicer.

Then, I went searching for paint samples for the bathroom. I'm very excited about the plans I have for it's face lift. Paint, a few knobs, a new faucet and towel bar...nothing crazy, but I'm looking forward to the finished project....stay tuned!

First Bloom...

2009-02-17T12:13:00.000-08:00

My camilla tree popped it's first bloom. It looks so lonely all by itself, but pretty just the same. In no time, the tree will be covered. So, here's to beauty and simplicity...

Eatin' Peas...

2009-02-11T19:46:00.001-08:00

You are probably getting tired of seeing the post meal pictures, but I had to take a couple more. Last night after Riley finished eating his peas, I left the bowl on his tray while I finished my dinner. I turned to look at him, and there he was, licking the bowl. It was so funny!He is such a messy eater- it cracks me up. Tonight he tried green beans, and gobbled those up too. I am now wondering if I will have another piglet who likes salty things instead of sweet. Only time will tell...

Date Night....

2009-02-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

Comments & Myspace Layouts

I love my hubby so much and had such a nice time last night. We actually made it out for a date night with his brother and wife. What a treat for us. I definitely think we need to do it more often. I think the above graphic says it well. Hehehe!

I Like It!

2009-02-01T20:11:00.001-08:00

My messy boy loved his sweet potatoes! After the first two bites when he was getting used to the flavor and texture, he mowed through the bowl. This is his favorite thing to eat to date. The rice cereal is okay, carrots were okay if they were mixed with rice cereal, sweet potatoes- a hit! Next I am thinking of squash or peas- both are easy for me to make. I actually found out that I liked the taste of sweet potato too! I have never had them plain before, that I can remember. I'm thinking mashed sweet potato will be a new side dish I add into my repertoire.

This week...

2009-01-30T20:53:00.000-08:00

This week was a busy one. I am making an effort to stay on top of household chores as they come along so I don't get overwhelmed by a massive amount of things to do. I also started fitting exercise into my daily routine. I feel really good about how things went, all in all.

Lily is still a little frustrated by the fact that the TV goes off at 9a.m., but she is getting better. She has been practicing her writing and is getting very good at writing all our names...the one that is hardest for her is Riley. She is also a jabber mouth...wonder where that came from? (I'm told I was quite the talkative child myself) Since the weather has been nice, I've been sending her out to blow bubbles in the backyard and she's being enjoying lunch out there too. She has also gotten 2 bloody noses, 2 nights in a row. Such fun! Really, another growth spurt? Yikes!

Riley is growing quickly as well. His newest thing is grabbing your face so he can talk right to you- it's very cute. He became obsessed with water bottles a few days ago. They are extremely fascinating to him. I can no longer take a drink if I'm nursing because he just wants to play with the water bottle if he sees it =) He is very close to sitting up by himself. Hopefully that will be soon. I tried him on carrots this week, he's not sure about that taste yet. Next time I go grocery shopping I'm going to pick up a sweet potato to see what he thinks of that.

I am going to be busy, busy for the next 2 weeks. I'm having a family get together on the 14th- my gma is turning 75 and there are 4 other Feb. b-days as well. I'm looking forward to it, but there is a lot to be done...

Family Pictures...

2009-01-25T20:21:00.000-08:00

Just a warning, these pictures I am posting are pretty poor quality! I don't have a scanner so they are pictures of pictures. For those of you that get a hard copy, they will be much nicer.
Anyhow, we took family pictures today. We haven't done one in 3 years, so it was time. Dylan hates taking pictures. I am also a procrastinator who doesn't like to call and make appointments. But, we made it. We got pictures. Albeit not great pictures, but decent ones. Dylan, of course, thinks he looks terrible in all of them... What can I do? I tried telling him to smile...this ones not bad.

I think he likes me=)

The kids look cute though!

The boys together! Aren't they handsome?

And us girls. Lily and I have got the cheesiest smiles! Maybe we overcompensated?

Blog stuff...

2009-01-20T14:03:00.000-08:00

I figured out how to change the settings on the blog so that anyone can leave a comment. You don't have to have a blogger id or account. So, if you feel like commenting on something, now you can. Just click on "comments" at the end of the post. I love to get comments, the more the merrier =)
One other thing, I did start another blog-Skinny Jeans. It will be dealing with more personal stuff for me (weight, exercise, emotional yada yada). Feel free to take a look if you like. I included it in my "Blog list" in the right hand column or you can go to www.tiffskinnyjeans.blogspot.com. I am still working on setting it up and will be adding things as I go. You may also pass it along to anyone else you think might want to read it. And yes, I am ready to admit, I am a blogger geek. What did I do before I had this outlet?

Lily and the Snuggie...

2009-01-19T20:38:00.000-08:00

It has become very apparent to me that I allow my eldest child to watch wayyyyy, way, way, too much T.V. We are making an effort to change this. It is a battle for me as well. I keep the t.v. on for Lily and as background noise all day long and sit down and watch through out the day. Not very productive for me. Anyhow, Lily is now beginning to comment on commercials and wanting everything from Snuggies to Aquaglobes. She also points out everything she sees that we own or use, be it toothpaste or toiletpaper. It can be quite entertaining at times but a little disturbing as well.
She lately has become attached to the Snuggie commercial. For those of you wondering, what the heck am I talking about, it is basically a blanket with sleeves (or a robe you wear backwards without a belt).And what did Daddy buy her today? A Snuggie! Couldn't believe it. He just thought it would be the funniest thing. It was pretty cute watching her pull it out of the bag, but really Dylan?
As you can see from the picture, she's excited.So now we have a Snuggie...woo-hoo? The t.v. was off most of the day and I got so much more done than normal, even with a grumpy baby today. I turned on my radio and listened to talk radio while I worked. Nice background noise. I love Clark Howard and Dr. Laura. Clark does financial stuff so that's informative and fun to listen to. I just have to create a different routine. But, I did good today, yay! Tomorrow, more of the same. Lily did well once she realized the t.v. wasn't coming on, no matter how many times she asked. It's better for us this way...

Mom, you have a green face!

2009-01-17T19:48:00.000-08:00

The look on Lily's face this evening when she noticed I had applied a green facial mask was priceless! I must confess, I wanted a reaction from her. She didn't disappoint. She was just so confused as to why mommy had a green face. Well, here's why...
Mommy, decided to finish out her girly, pampered day with a facial mask. I took a much needed break today and left both children with their grandmother for a couple hours. I then joined my sister-in-law and one of her friends at the mall and had my makeup done at the Benefits counter. That was fun! It has been a while since I've done much more than slap the basics on my face. Only thing I regret was not telling the girl to go for a more natural look. I've done the heavy eye(in years past) and have morphed to a softer look for the most part. I ended up taking off half the eye shadow when I got home because I kept jolting everytime I looked in the mirror.
After makeup, I splurged more and bought myself a shirt. I know, I know, CRAZY, huh? Anyhow, I decided while Lily was getting into her pj's that a mask would probably be a nice cap to my day. It was. I am feeling good. I needed the down time and the pampering. I feel a little guilty, but I know that this day was good for my spirits and I can be a better mommy because I took the time to relax!
Something else I learned today, I can still take Dylan to work on occasion and it isn't a huge hassle. I haven't attempted the 3 a.m. trek since Riley was born, he did fabulous! I took him out of his car seat when we got home, plopped him in bed and he went right back to sleep. What a relief. Lily went right back to sleep too. It went so smoothly. I really didn't think that it would. Nice to know for the future...