Decking the Halls!

This Year is the first year we have ever had a fake Christmas tree. Most years we go to the mountains and cut our own. Well, I hate, hate, HATE putting light on the Christmas tree and most years after Christmas the lights go out with the tree (how wasteful am I). So this year my loving hubby got us a pre-lit Christmas tree. And I love how easy it was to set up. Now its not the biggest fullest tree but its just right for our little family!

Ry & Kd working on the tree.

The best/worst (depends on the day) gifts under the tree :)

So Ry thought that baby Jesus (snowman version) needed a snowmobile ride! My kids are never boring, the other night Kadee was telling all the village people goodnight!

Many faces of Rylan

All of these pictures were take with my cell phone so sorry for the poor quality. Ry is such a camera ham and I thought I'd share them! Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Carving!

We got 4 pumpkins out of our garden this year and put them to good use!

Kadee did a great job on her own pumpkin and had a little to much fun! She cleaned & cut out her cat pumpkin all by herself!

With Ry's we made a Mr. Pumpkin Head!

In order, Ry's, Kadee's, Mine & Todd's (Todd's is eating a male nurse we call Todd)

Halloween 2010

I'm a little mad at myself because I didn't have my camera with me when we went tricker treating so I did the best I could with my phone camera and stealing pictures from Shanna's facebook page.
This year Rylan was a monkey and Kadee was kitty. Yes that is Jayden Pancheri in the background.
Rylan was being a turd and didn't want to get his picture taken. What can I say? I'm a mean mom!
We went to Snake River Landing's Tricker treat street this year with Jess & Jackson and my friend Shanna and her daughter Rylee. We had fun but I don't think it was worth waiting in line for 2 hours..
Rylan & Rylee. Cute monkey & cupcake! Today Kadee asked me "Is Rylan going to marry Rylee?"

Big boy bed!

The other day Rylan climbed/fell out of his crib. We decided that we should move him into a big boy bed so he wouldn't get hurt again. I just wanted to some how put a top on his crib so he couldn't climb out but Todd informed me that it would be inhumane. So now I just to fight with him at nap time. Bed time he does really well. Now that he is in a bed he has turned into quite the crazy sleeper. This is how he starts out!
Then he turns! (I made Todd move him back)
This was last night.

Whats in your dryer??

My kids are what's in mine. Turn your back on these two and you never know what you are going to find!

Hogle Zoo

Last week we took the kids to the Hogle Zoo in Utah. We had so much fun watching the kids reaction to all the different animals. One of the main reasons we went is so that the kids could see the elephants. Rylan loves elephants and has a stuffed elephant named Elliot. He was so excited to see the baby elephant.

My ape family!

The tiger was really active while we were there.

Kadee was standing like this at the glass and the little monkey came up to the glass to copy her. It was really cute.

Kadee said her favorite animal was the giraffe. The doors in the back ground are 16ft high. I always seem to forget how tall they really are until you see then in real life.

Over all we had a great time. I love how the kids are getting older and are getting to the point where we can start doing thing with them that we all enjoy as a family.

Motor bike fun!

One of our favorite thing to do as a family is ride Motor bikes.

The kids love it and its a good sedative!

"I'm ready! I'm ready! I'M READY!!!"

Kadee is still using training wheel on the little 50cc but we think she's doing mighty fine for a 4 year old.

The Power of Prayer

Yesterday I told Kadee and Rylan that we were going to go for a bike ride around the block but that they were both going to ride in the trailer. Kadee, however did want to and our conversations went a little like this.

Me - "kids, go get your shoes on so we can go on a bike ride around the block."

Kadee-"Can I ride my bike."

Me- "No, I want you to ride in the trailer with Ry so he wont get mad."

Kadee - "PLEASE!!!"

Me - "Sorry, but not this time."

Kadee - "Humph, I'm going to my room to pray!" (walks to bedroom and shuts door)

Me - "Okay you do that!"

A couple minutes later...

Kadee - "Mom! I prayed and heavenly father said I could ride my own bike!!!"

I wish I got answers like that!

I love camping...

Over Memorial day weekend we went to Malad to spend some time with my family and help my parents dig water lines for there 120+ trees. I love having a place to go where the kids and dogs can run and play and not have to worry about the neighbors. It reminds of where i grew up, out in the middle of nowhere.

Rylan & Rudy playing in the dirt.
Todd & the kids in the camper!
Me & the kids in the camper!
Rylan in his bed. He learned how to climb out of his Porta Crib this weekend and now we have to fight him to go to bed. Oh the joys of little boys...
Kadee in her bed. She loves camping!

Chores

The only real chore that Kadee has is to clean her room. The other day I told her that she needed to clean her room so that we could get ready to go camping. Well things were a little to quiet so I had to check on her and see what she was doing...

Baby who?

Baby Tucker, my nephew thats who. He was born April 26th and was a whopping 5lbs 11oz and 18 in long. This picture of him with Todd is him at almost 4 weeks old and he is still so small. So small that he is smaller then Kadee's baby doll!

Caught red handed!!

Rylan thought it would be a great idea to eat a pack of dry Crystal Light and I caught him red handed!!

New Blog

So, awhile back I started a new craft blog but I never did anything with it because it was towards the end of the year and I got busy with Christmas and lazy with blogging. The other day one of my cousin's mentioned starting a craft blog and it reminded me of the one that I had started. Well now I am happy to say that I have posted on it and I am going to "try" and start posting more. I hate to say this but I am not a crafty person, but it doesn't stop me from trying! I will be posting crafts that I am working on for Christmas gift as well as other things that I am working on throughout the year. I also Love to cook and am not so bad at it so I will be posting some recipes on it as well as crafts. So please take a look at my new craft blog (even though I haven't posted much) and let me know what you think! http://notsocraftycrafter.blogspot.com/

Little boy??

He really needs a little brother.... Or Maybe Kadee needs a little sister!

Snowman meets snowmobile

So when I wrote the last post I couldn't find this video. This is what happened after we built the snowman.

snowman in March

We went snowmobiling up to Bone last week and I thought it was going to be our last ride for the winter/spring, whatever you call Idaho weather in March but as I sit and write this post it is snowing outside as I type. Oh the joy of Idaho weather. And to think that yesterday we were playing outside in the dirt. Any who thats another post in of its shelf. But last week we had fun taking the kids up the mountain to play in the snow.
Kadee & I built a snowman and after we had taken the kids pictures with it, it go plowed over by Todd. We did make a video of it but some how it did not load on to the computer and I deleted it from my camera before I checked. Oops!
If you can't tell, Rylan ended up with a sunburn by the end of the day. I feel horrible about it and didn't even think about sunscreen. Yes mom, I have learned my lesson!
Kadee being her cute and happy self. She love the snow and the camera!
We played so hard that Rylan fell asleep on the ride back to the truck!

18 months!

Wow!! Has it been 18 months already. Time sure flies when your having fun! Rylan is now 18 months old. He is a very busy little boy and I find myself saying that is it a good thing I had Kadee first because if Rylan came first I don't know if there would have been any kids after him. He wares me out with how much energy he has. He loves to climb on anything he can get on.

He loves taking rides on the four wheeler and the snowmobile with Todd and if Todd goes out in the garage with out him he will scream by the back door till Todd comes and gets him or I throw him out. He is 100% boy. He is so much fun and we are happy to have him in our family even if he does drive me crazy from time to time.

Height: 34 inches

weight: 24lbs

February book's

If you want to know more about the books I read google them.

A Million Shades of Gray

by: Cynthia Kadohata

219 pages, YA

I liked it! Its about a elephant trainer in a village in Vietnam during the Vietnam war. Yes it has some depressing parts but they aren't that bad. I enjoy reading about different places and learning about they way people live. It is a fast easy read.

Plain Pursuit

By: Beth Wiseman

459 pages, Large print fiction

Liked it! I love the Amish country of Lancaster, PA. I have been there twice and can't wait to go back. This is a story about a Amish family that has been hurt by a shunning and how it takes help from the out side to make it all better. I love happy ending as well as large print books.. I have read quite a few Amish romance book and find them enjoyable! Another thing I like about this book was the Amish recipes!

Counterfeit Son

By: Elaine Marie Alphin

180 pages, YA

It's good. Made me hold my kids a little bit tighter. I don't know what to write about this one with out just posting what is on the book cover because I don't to ruin if someone might want to read it. More or less its about a teen finding a new family after being a prisoner in what he thinks is his fathers home. His father is a sick man who kidnaps and kills boys. It is well written and never goes into the "bad" stuff that his dad did.

Johnny Angel

By: Danielle Steel

181 pages

Good. I am starting to think that all of Danielle Steel book are a little depressing at times but I guess that's what makes them good. Well by the title you can tell that 17 year old Johnny, the perfect son, student, athlete, brother, and boyfriend dies. His family however is not perfect and his death makes it worse. But through a miracle and his mom, he is able to help his family from the beyond. I did like it, but like the last Steel book it did make me cry and maybe I am just a cry baby!

kira-kira

By: Cynthia Kadohata

244 pages YA

Kira-kira: glittering, shining. Anther good book by Cynthia Kadoata! This book is another tear jerker! A Japanese family moves from Iowa to Georgia. The book is about two very close sisters and how their lives change due to the move and illness, but also how growing up sucks and how things are always changing even when you don't want them to. This made me miss my sister Audrey a lot and I think that's why it turned on the water works! Or like I said before, I'm just a cry baby.

Captain Wentworth's Diary

By: Amanda Grange

293 pages

I love nothing more the a good historical romance!!! LOVED IT!!! I think that this book annoyed Todd because while I was reading it I would say "OH" and "AH" randomly because its just so good! I'll stop being a sap now.

Once was Lost

By: Sara Zarr

217 pages

I likes it. The story is told by 15 year old Sam who is the daughter of a pastor. Her mother has a drinking problem and ends up in rehab. Sam is having some of her own issues with her faith when a member of her youth group goes missing. This tragedy shakes her faith even more. It is a good story and a fast easy read.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

By: Carrie Ryan

308 pages

What to say.. I thought this one was going to be like "The Village" and some parts it was. It was good, not great but good. But if you are in to zombies, people dieing and broken love then this book is for you! Not me. I like happy endings. However it was really well written easy to follow and went rather fast. For not being in love with it I sure did have a hard time putting it down. I guess my issue with it was that the main girl Mary is quite selfish.

Thing's I've learned

I've learned that brushing my child's hair is one of life's great pleasures.

I've learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it.

I've learned that children and grandparents are natural allies.

I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.

I've learned that the greater a person's sense of guilt, the greater his or her need to cast blame on others.

I've learned that just because something makes you happy doesn't mean its good for you.

I've learned that if you want to do something positive for your children, work to improve your marriage.

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that everyone can use a prayer.

I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

I've learned that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I've learned that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned that my parents are the greatest example of what I want mine and Todd's marriage to be in 30 years.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

For the Love.....

Of pictures! Me and my kids!

He loves to feed himself. Messy boy trying to be funny!

Strike a pose!

I Miss the days when he didn't know how to Climb!

I love taking pictures of them when they are asleep! Maybe it's because that's when I love them the most. Okay, I love them all the time, but I really LOVE bed time!!