Riley Turned 4 This Year

One year older and this year it just had to be Transformers. Grandma Jo and Papa Kevin bought Riley both the Optimus Prime and Bumblebee costumes. He didn't wear them at the party but he has worn them plenty before and after and will be wearing one or both for Halloween. He (we) is (are) blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. He had such a great time, swimming, bouncing, hitting (the pinata), eating, unwrapping, and especially playing. Thank you to everyone who came!

Happy 4th Birthday Riley!!!


Optimus Prime: AKA The Birthday Boy

Riley and Ty trying out the bounce house before the festivities begin.

Riley picked his own cake. It was perfect!

Lyn had the most dangerous jot of all...holding the pinata.

The Pinata Aftermath.

Here's to wishes coming true.

Riley and the Stamp

Riley got a hold of our self inking return address stamp. I just couldn't get mad...I shot the pix becuase it was absolutely necessary. Not a drop of black ink on his clothes, his sister, or my house. It could have been so much worse.

Quippy Quote

9ish AM this morning on our way to church.

Riley: Mommy, why is it so smokey outside?
Me: Because there are some fires in CA.
Riley: No, I sink (think) it's because Jesus burned his lunch.

ARIZONA ~ August 2009

Lyn's cousin Jeff recently got married so we decided to head to Casa Grande, AZ for the festivities. Good times were had by all. We are grateful we were able to make the trip and spend time with Lyn's Grandparents, his aunt Lexi, Uncle Rick, Dana, Matt, and of course Jeff and Melanie. Thank you for a wonderful weekend.

We bowled.





Well the boys bowled...Karlie and I took pictures.


Riley found this hat at Rick and Lexi's house. They were kind enough to let him borrow it and he wore it the entire time we were in AZ.


Karlie loved it when Riley wore the hat...

...so she wanted a turn.

The reception was so much fun. Riley loved the arch and asked me over and over to take his picture in "the cool arch." I tried to get both kids under it but this is as good as it gets.

Grandad danced with all the ladies!

Grandad and his Main Lady!

We danced too!


Lyn and his Grandma.

The kids danced all night.

Sleeping beauty!

Karlie Jo

It's amazing how much we change in the first year of our life. Karlie is no exception. I'm not quite sure where this year has gone but I have a 15 month old spit fire to prove it's happened.

I think the last photos on my blog of Karlie were when she was maybe 7 or 8 months old. Now she is one so heres a photo dump to update you.

Trapped. Karlie is probably 9 Months

I think she is probably 6 months here but I love this picture.

Karlie and Lauren, 6 months apart. Their first play date.

10 or 11 months. Her first pair of sunglasses.

Still 10 or 11 months. She is learning to take her clothes off.

Trash Treasures compliments of Karlie. We have to be extra careful, she still loves to throw things into the trash can and toilet. She recently threw her toothbrush into the toilet while at a hotel. GROSS!!!

One year old. The very first, and unsuccessful, go at curlers.

Without fail if Karlie hears the fridge open she runs over to climb in.

Folds her arms on command. I make her do it all day long because it is so cute.

Just the other day. Photo courtesy of Riley. No one can get her to smile like her big brother.

**Yes, Karlie has turned one. I can't find the photos but as soon as I do I'll get them posted.**

Swimming

A few months ago we started swim lessons. Thank you Kay! The first day Riley hopped right in the pool and was excited to learn. Today, the second to last swim lesson was a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY. I don't know why he can't just go with the flow ~ It's swimming how much more fun can you get ~ but today Mr. Riley really tried my pateince. Kay and I have no idea what set him off, and I'm so sad it happed, but he melted. Not just a little whimper here and there I mean a complete and utter kicking and screaming melt down. All he would say was he was tired so I got him out of the pool, brought him home, bathed him, and put him to bed.

The blogs I read are covered in stories of happiness, good times, excitement... :( today I just want to cry. Do you blog about that? I guess today I am. I know it's just swim lessons but I guess I am looking at a bigger picture. The picture of parents only wanting whats best for their kids, sacrificing money and time to give them something more. The kids not wanting to listen and making their own decisions and who knows maybe years later resenting the parents for not giving/doing more. If only they (we) knew...

I'm grateful Riley has had this opportunity and I will absolutely continue to work with with him and help him to see that being able to swim is a blessing and that it's also just so much fun!

Ok, ok you mom's with older swimming kids stop laughing at me. Today this was my trial so let me have it! LOL.

**Pics from the first swim lesson**

Christmas 2008

I promised to Blog so I went the posts I had already started and figured I might as well start somewhere so Christmas 2008 it is. As raw as it is here are some pics from Christmas in CA and then a trip that Riley, Sean, Karlie, my mom and I took to San Francisco.


Ghiradelli at night.







Sean, Riley and I on the trolley.

Karlie on BART.

Just a little shout out to the Gap. Thank you for being so nice to us nursing moms. They were so great to open up this special fitting room in the maternity section so I could nurse Karlie. THEY WERE SO NICE! Thank you.



Riley...on the trolley. I'm sure you never would have figured this one out.

Sean and Karlie on BART.

DARN CUTE KIDS!!! Sadly no new location...BART.

What a good uncle. Let him have it Ri.

Would you believe...still on BART.

*sigh* I have no new words but couldn't resist the faces.

Headed to Church. The good old days when Karlie would keep her bows in.

LEAVES. I love leaves. Real leaves, the kind that fall off the trees during Fall (or winter in CA) and make fun piles to jump in. Riley obviously likes them too. Thanks papa Kevin for doing all the raking.

Nothing better than cousin time. Maddie, George, and Riley hanging in the hot tub with Grandma Jo.

George. So Sweet! LOVE HIS LASHES.

Papa Kevin. Always a good sport. Thanks for walking Riley around the court on his new scooter.

Maddie. The first cousin on my side and the best friend and example a kid could ever want. Thank you Maddie for always making time spent together enjoyable.

Some Christmas pictures.

Maddie and Karlie. The oldest and youngest cousins (as of now ~ Nate and Sean's kids will change that). GIRLS RULE!

Christmas Eve in our penguin PJs.

On the plane actually going to CA.

Bad mom moment. I can't remember, I don't think it is, if this is Karlie's first flight or not. It's a good thing it's documented just in case.