Our backyard is going to be great

I can already tell this summer, the kids are going to spend a lot of time in the backyard!! It was 60* all week about 2 weeks ago and the kids played outside every min they could. If I mention outside, Gracin races to go grab his socks and shoes. He really really loves it out there.

It is nice because it is perfect weather to leave the back door open, I can clean the kitchen or do laundry right there and keep and eye on them. And they have the freedom to come in and out as they please.

Gracin wasn't old enough last year to play out there. He was still eating dirt and crawling most of the time. But this summer, is going to be so different, he doesn't crawl any more...

They really like to play together, run up and down the hill, draw with chalk, throw balls, ride bikes and scooters, play in the water table etc.

Rhylan likes to play dress up as well.
Some times I wish I was 3 years old again, look how carefree she is running around in a tutu, princess crown and "cape"--(That's a baby blanket.)We discovered a great chalk board!!! It comes right off with water and you don't have to sit on the hard cement while drawing. That handy little ledge holds the chalk, AND the canvas seems endless:)

This picture is hard to see but here is a work of art. Gracin drew about 100 little lines (up and down) all across this fence.Trying to blow bubbles in the water...

The kids wanted to play outside after it had rained all night...


Rhylan stayed pretty clean...
Gracin did not...

Gracin's 18 month pictures

It was a perfectly overcast day, just right for an 18 month photo shoot. So I took Gracin to his favorite location... our backyard!! He is so hard to catch holding still, not looking for a plane, looking for a puppy under a fence, or finding some mischief to get into.However, in the backyard, he also gives a lot of natural smiles. I tried to predict those fun faces and situations and have my camera ready. I love all the Gracin expressions I caught.--What ones do you like?
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There's a puppy under the fence

The other day I was watching Gracin out the window, he kept bending down by the fence. When I went to see what he was doing I found a little puppy head poking out under the fence. Rhylan and Gracin played with that puppy for a while. The next day the puppy came back to play. I bet the little dog is going to make it over here one day, he really wants to play with the kids.

Rhylan's scripture

Rhylan was asked to give the scripture in Primary yesterday. She studied it all week and was well prepared. She wasn't shy at all, she got right up there in front of all the "big kids" and said every word loud and clear. We were two VERY PROUD parents.

Valentines day

Sunday night we went to a group progressive dinner. I brought a dessert. I was excited to try a new recipe. This cake was as yummy as it was pretty. I think it was a big hit.

Then Rhylan had a little Valentines Tea party with 2 friends here at our house. They played dress up, made a Valentines sign, drank pink juice in tea cups, ate heart shaped sandwiches, and decorated their own heart cakes. Rhylan had a lot of fun celebrating with her friends. She really likes to have people come over and play.




After the party some beautiful flowers were delivered to my door!! I thought it was very thoughtful and made me really feel special.

Then after Riley got home from clinic at 7:30 we started our date. It was Riley's turn to plan our date, he really impressed me! He printed off 10 airline tickets that looked pretty authentic. We spent the evening traveling around the world. He had a fun activity or treat planned for each country. Example: Spain- Salsa dancing, Mexico-play Uno, Japan--CHERRY cheese cake, Sweden--Swedish massage (he printed of some instructions for specific types of Swedish massages.) I fell in love all over again. He put so much time and effort into making our date wonderful. I am so lucky to have such a perfect husband.

Wednesday morning

Gracin had an appointment with the Neurologist again. We went at the beginning of January, since then he had a CT scan and now he had the EEG done to record brain activity. This test takes about 45- 1 hr. He did great. We let him have a binky and watch Cars. We were all surprised that he barily moved. The Tech said she had never had a kid this age behave so well!!

Here he is while she attached 24 electrodes to his head with sticky paste.



Then she wrapped his head so he couldn't rip them off. He looks like he has a major head wound:)Afterward we talked to the doctor about the results of the EEg and CT scan. Everything is fine and he is perfectly healthy!!!!!!!!!!--Such a relief. These seizures he has been having are definitely febrile and are almost always harmless. He has had 3. But none since the beginning of December. So hopefully we hit the peak and they will happen less and less often. Rhylan only ever had one, so maybe we are done. (Until I have another child, it usually runs in families.) They are so so scary to go through and I am sure I will cry every time. But if the seizure ever goes too long we have medicine to give him, good doctors to call and there is always 911! It is so nice to live in an age with modern technology and medicine. We are so thankful to have a healthy boy.

More pictures

Little Max is coming every month for his pictures until his first birthday!! This month's pics are up on my blog. Click the words below if you want to see them.

Savannah Williamson Photography

When its cold outside I get crafty...

I love to make things. Making toys has been fun lately. (washing machine, Valentines games, doll clothes and blankets, musical instruments, dress up stuff.) Last week I made this animal mat for Rhylan. Boys get those cool car mats, I thought this would be perfect for her. She loves animals, and has a ton! I found this idea HERE.

We had a great time one of those snowy days playing with all her animals, and My Little Ponys. I made a zoo with an arctic corner, and a jungle. Then a farm, garden, and dog pad. In the center are rocks for her many lizards, and a lily pad pond for the frogs. A poop'n spot and a forest are also there. On the bottom is Pony Ville for all her My Little Ponys--her new favorite toys! She really loves the ones that come in Happy Meals:)

I used scissors and a hot glue gun... that's it!! Every cage/area had food and water. Then I decorated with some flowers. The large felt was so cheap!! I bought 1 yard for $4.99 and this is only half of it! I'll have to think of something for Gracin. They already have a car rug... hmmm

One Year of Etsy!!

One year ago I opened my etsy shop!! This has been an exciting experience for me. Over the weekend I made my 100th sale, one day short of my shops 1 year birthday! I feel like throwing a party:) I have made close to $1500 dollars on Etsy.

Etsy helped me buy my camera, my lens, my portable DVD player, invest a little, pay unexpected bills (new tires etc.) I really think it is a great place to make a little extra money. I just wanted to let everyone out there who likes to make things know that this is available for you to earn some extra money for fun or to help your family. I first read about it in the Ensign, after doing a little work researching Etsy I started my shop. It really was easy.

People sell anything and everything. I found a Green Lantern (super hero) wallet for my brother for Christmas on there! People sell sewing patterns that they e-mail to you, or printable crafts, charts, the list goes on and on.

A few tips I have for anyone interested in trying this out!!
1. Sell things that are cheap to ship.
2. Post 5 pictures of each item. (maximum)
3. Use all you tags--that is the only way for buyers to find your items.
4. Have good customer service, and quick shipping so you can build up your positive feedback.
5. Get on their forums and ask questions--I learned a lot from that.

If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them. And if you open a shop let me know!! I may just want to be your first sale:)

<--There is a link on the left hand side of my blog to my Etsy shop if you haven't noticed:)

Circus

Saturday we took our kids to the circus. We had a great time. The tickets were cheap and first come first serve seating! So we were right on the floor. It was just a little circus but the Rhylan would never know the difference. We saw tigers jump through fire, and balance on a ball. Dogs dance, do handstands, and jump through fire. One of my favorite acts was these hip-hop, jump rope, trick, acrobat guys. It was a group of about 6-8 boys who could jump rope 3 ropes, on their back, or do flips at the same time, or use a little trampoline to jump over 8 people in a long row! I also liked the high wire walkers. They didn't have a net, crazy I think. And of course elephants!! 3 big elephants did a few fun tricks. One could even stand on a ball, very impressive. We got cotton candy, neither of the kids would eat it. But they did love their corn dogs.





Can you see the blurry figure doing a flip in the air over 11 people?!!



I figured I could make my own cheesy souvenir photo!!

Playing with snow the easy way!!

So we got a bunch of snow on Wednesday. It was pretty exciting, I don't think I've seen snow fall like that since I moved here. Like last snow storm, the kids don't have snow clothes to keep warm and dry out there. Also, I don't really care for snow at all!!!
So we did it the easy way this time. I scooped up a bunch of snow into the water table and brought it inside. The kids put on their mittens and played in it for an hour or more. Gracin and Rhylan liked making BIG snow balls and eating the snow. I got out scoops and sand toys. We tried to make a snow castle for our penguins and polar bear toys. After they were done I didn't have a ton of wet clothes laying in the kitchen just one wet blanket that I put in the washer! Ta-dah...easy. I thought Gracin was so cute, every time his mitten would fall off, he would bring it to me to put it back on. He even kept them on for a while after we were all done with the snow.