D-Land Part 1

We had a great time in Cali!!! We drove over with Shauns mom and sister Thursday night. We woke up Friday morning and rode the shuttle to Disneyland and Ryker was soooooo excited to go on the Buzz Lightyear ride, so of course it was our first stop.

Buzz, Ryk and Shaun

So if you haven't been on this ride, it is a shooting game, hence why my ALL BOY son loves this ride. You shoot at the different targets and try to get the highest score. They take this game very seriously!!

Mom and Millie

The fam in Minnies House

Might as well get it done in one shot!!! Sick Millers.

So I hate to admit but I really like It's a Small World. They changed it and put in many Disney characters. Amelia loved it too (so did Ryker) the only grumpy Gus on the ride was Shaun who couldn't believe he went on that ride 3 or 4 times during his trip to Disneyland. Hate to break it to ya Shaun but.... Your are a dad and that what dads do. GO on lame rides with the wee children. No...he was a good sport =)

Ok that is all for now. Their are so many pictures to go through so I will post the rest soon. =)

Friday Fun Project

I have mad love for quiet books and really really want to make one. So here is another project for the list. I was on a roll this summer but now that preschool is back in session it takes up more of my time again so my craft skills haven't been used lately. Well that is going to change this weekend!! Happy Friday Everyone!

I should be going to Sunday School again...

Miss Millie is officially in nursery!!! Seriously how can she be 18 months?? Since I'm in Young Womens and don't have a little lady to chase I should be going to Sunday School, I just don't know if my body will be able to sit still that long!!

She LOVES wearing shoes!! So she will try to put them on herself, if I haven't done it yet.

PS I don't know whether to be sad or glad but when I drop Amelia off she just waves goodbye. But I did feel good again when they brought her to me after church because she held on to me so tight and when my YW girls came up to hold her she wouldn't let go of me. I guess she did miss me afterall =)

Last week I started preschool. It went great and I have GREAT kids. I'll admit, it is a struggle with Rykster. But it is a learning process for the both of us so I hope he will get better as time goes on. I mean he does great most of the time but when it is time to clean up she gets really upset because he doesn't want the kids to go. I'm just glad he is doing the work and projects. I tried ALL summer to get him to write his name, cut etc.. but he had no interest. So we are making baby steps in that area.

I just love this picture. Millers could eat marshmallows all day if I would let her, I use them a few times a day as a treat and here was her face when I gave her one!!

Amelia is STILL not saying many words but speaks Millanese all day long. Ryker said "Mom I don't know what she is saying, I want her to talk to me" So I told him he needs to teach her real words, so they got this book out and He was giving her English lessons. What a great Big Brother.

First off...Love the comb over hu??? This is why she HAS to have a pretty bow in her hair. Second of all...she still drinks from a bottle. Let me explain, I'm strict and my kids have to sit at the table to drink. Water, milk.. any food or drinks has to be at the table. So when she turned one and we switched to whole milk I would give her 3 bottles a day breakfast, lunch and dinner with milk. Then she drinks her water from a sippy cup and does fine (I haven't opened her world up to juice yet- I hold off on that as long as I can). So I forgot that I needed to take her bottles away and finally a few months ago I gave her a sippy cup with milk. She took one swig and threw the cup on the ground. I though Weird? So I tried it again... she threw it down again. So I bought a different type of sippy cups and that didn't work. I even tried cups with straws... no interest. She went 4 days without milk and she didn't care. She was perfectly fine drinking water all day long. I know they need to drink whole milk till they are 2 so I caved in and busted out the bottles. She drinks her 3 bottles of milk a day and uses her sippy cup for water. Seriously what the biz. Oh well, so it is not like she HAS to have a bottle-- only to drink milk I guess.

ps we are headed to Cali in a few days!!!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!!! Get me out of here!!!!!!!!!

Ruffles, Roughhousing & Ritz

Here is a quick, pretty lame post but when you have had a pretty lame few days what do you expect! So I've been wanting to do some clothes alterations and some have been bombs and some ok. This shirt I got from Downeast on clearance. This is a medium but freakishly tight so I won't be wearing it-- boo hiss, but it turned out way cute. I cut off like 2 inches from the bottom. Made the fabric I cut off into a ruffle the sewed around the collar.

Cute hu?? To bad I cant fit my lumpy torso into it. I'll have to give it to my boney sistas.

My kids LOVE to wrestle. Amelia can hold her own pretty well but Ryker does start to get a little to crazy and I have to remind him she is a gentle flower. I start explaining that he has to be soft with girls and right in the middle of my sentence she runs full speed ahead and pulls a WWF move on him. So my flower is not as soft as I want her to be. I just have to sit and regulate and it usually ends with Ryker mad that she ran off laughing after she stole the toy that was sticking out of his pocket. (He ALWAYS - ALWAYS has a toy or 2 in his pocket)

Both of them laughing their heads off!!! I as well!!!

On a side note I'm truly addicted to the nummy taste of these Roasted Veggie Ritz. I smear cream cheese on top and enjoy my heavenly goodness. I can scarf down a whole packet if I don't control myself. Go ahead give them a try, you will thank me later.

Epi or No Epi... that is the question!?!

Ok so I just asked this question on facebook and got lots of great responses, so I thought I would ask in the blogging world. How does everyone feel about EPIDURALS??? First off... I'm NOT pregnant. Second, I did get an epidural when both kids were born and all was great. I got to enjoy the whole birthing process. Not that I want to be a downer I just never hear bad stories about them, which is good but I just wonder what is the big fuss then. So I'm giving you all the topic of epidurals....... discuss.

ps your lucky I posted a picture of just the tools... their were lots of other pics I could have used. =)

Another Week

Here is to another hot week in sunny Arizona!! I start preschool in like one week and since it is at my house now (boo hiss) I thought I needed to have some back to school decor for the kiddies, since I can't hang up my classroom stuff. My last installment of my seasonal blocks. I LOVE apples- probably a teacher thing, so I used that as my main "back to school decor".

I have been making these wall hangings each month and so I whipped up a cute school themed one. The flash reflected on the little chalkboard but it does say "Back to School". I did a few other thing but thought I would share these 2 =)

On Thursday we met up with my friend Nattie a went to that pool in Chandler that everyone loves. It was a neat pool but way to crowded!!! I didn't get a picture of Ryker and Brinn, Nat took them out for a swim while I watched our little snackers... Cami and Millie (they are only 2 weeks apart)

I {HEART} this picture!!! This is an outfit that is only wore at home because of its hidiousness but Millers spilled water (on purpose) all over herself so I threw this little number on. In the mean time she found this hat in her room (while she was taking all her clothes out of her drawers) and brought it to me, so I put it on and she wore it for like an hour around the house. She never wears hats and hasn't worn it since then. So Ghetto!!!

You know how kids play with the same toys for like a week then move on to the next thing? Well this week Ryker has played with his legos non-stop. His room is now called "The Fix-it Shop" and must be called that. He goes in there and builds all sorts of things then comes out and tells me what it is. He makes up these bizarre names for stuff and what it does. Oh and he likes to build guns and shoot all the snakes in our home. Yes he has an amazing imagination.

Everyday when Shaun gets home this is what our peeps want to do. So I finish up making dinner and Shaun gives them (mostly Ryker) horsey rides. Amelia holds on for like 5 seconds then purposely bails ship head first.... she is a crazy lady.

Amelia is 18 months and I don't think I have taken the classic messy face photo. Normally my kids are really clean eaters but they must have been starving or something.

Ryker sportin the pizza-stash

I was bitin' by the sewing bug and can't seem to stop myself. So I made 2 dresses for Millie. The red one is for our trip to Dland *shhh Ryker doesn't know about it* and I hope to find a black shirt for her to wear underneath. Then the blue/green dress I made real quick with and sort of made it up. I mean I saw the braided straps somewhere on a woman's shirt.

I just love the top on this one.

It turned out pretty cute but sort of looks like a big old pillowcase on her... oh well trial and error right?

Well Gilbert and Mesa schools start monday so I know everyone will be starting their new routine. I have one more week and then back to preschool preschool preschool. Life is good =)

Duane and Anice Family Reunion

Ok so I think every year my father -in-laws side of the fam has a reunion. I've never been and Shaun hasn't been in like 10 years. So this year we thought we should go (well with a little harassing of Shauns parents) and mingle with our bloodline. Last minute Shaun got a video shoot and wasn't able to go, and yes being the good wife and not really knowing anyone I said I would still go and I knew Ryker would have a blast. I'm sure the knowledge of ENDLESS snowcones, ice cream and cookies has nothing to do with me going either. Lets just say my lips were bright red most of the time. Well Shaun's parents left Thursday morning and Ryker and I drove up that afternoon.

Ryk and I in our circus tent.

So they have this totally awesome, pee your pants zip line. The only zip line I have been on was at girls camp and their was a man at the bottom to stop you. Well this one stopped itself with a spring thing at the end. I never get scared on rides, I LOVE rollercoasters and that feeling of your stomach in your throat but flying forward at a very fast speed, thinking you are going to fly and crash to your death might be the one ride I'm scared of. It is a good thing you can't see my face all the way.

Then they have this so fun swing thing. The little kids loved when I was on because I got them going pretty high.

Ryker and the endless supply of water balloons.

Missy and Nolan were able to drive up for one of the days.

Well thank you Doug and Leann for convincing us to come. Thank you for the yum yum food (they prepared and cooked all the meals for everyone). It was great to get to know the other family members better and we will be their for sure next time!!!

One Long Week

This past week was a long one because we don't have swim lessons anymore and that sort of broke up our day, so we had to find other things to do. Monday Ryker had a dentist appointment, just a check-up and he did great and has some good looking teeth. He was so excited for his Lightning McQueen toothbrush and bag of goodies.

Pretty much this whole summer every Monday for FHE we have gone swimming. It is fun to swim as a family. And who am I kidding, I can't swim with the kids by myself- Amelia is crazy busy. So Pa (Shauns dad) bought an underwater camera and boy howdy did they have fun with it. Are their any pictures of me....not no but HECK NO.

This is Ryker jumping into the water off the diving board.

Yikes... sort of creepy Millie. She doesn't enjoy being dunked under water. Shaun is sportin the goggles rather nicely,

Tuesday Shaun was doing some yard work and Ryker has to help the whole time. I was going to run to the store and asked Ryk if he wanted to go and all serious he says "Mom you can go, the boys HAVE to stay and do work. We have lots of jobs to do!" I love that he enjoys "working" and I hope he continues enjoying it =)

So it is bloody hot and what do you do with 2 extremely busy kids. Well you take them to a pet store of course. Let me back it up and second. Shaun and I dislike animals very much, but yet we have these 2 animal crazed kids. I mean I gag when I go to any animal store, the smell is nasty but I can deal with it if it entertains my kids for awhile. Ryker really wants a crab.

Millers LOVES cats. She will find a picture of a cat in a book and sit and giggle with excitement. We lucked out and they had some cats for sale at PetsMart and when we got to the window and she saw them she started freaking out with joy. I wish I could have video taped it, she was so funny. This picture doesn't even capture her true bliss.

We have to tie our chairs together so Amelia can't pull them out because she likes to climb up on them then onto the table. Naughty naughty. One day I left the room and heard sneaky laughter. I come back into the room to see what was so funny and Ryker climbed into her sit and she sat in his chair. They thought they were so clever.

Amelia is obsessed with books. I love watching her read.

Ryker has had a sports class every Friday all summer long, so on Friday after his class it was cloudy- but still blazing hot and I thought I would take them to Freestone for a bit. The minute their feet hit the the concrete they saw those ducks and were off. After I took this picture I had to book it myself to stop them from jumping into the pond/lake- whatever it is.

They loved those ducks!!!

Here is the latest little outfit I made for Millie. Not my favorite but still cute.

Her headband is always crazy and she loves walking around the house wearing any ones shoes.

Well we had a long but fun week, I can't believe summer is almost over and school is just around the corner.