Little Jude

This little guy was born this afternoon. Tiff (my sister) won't be able to post right away so I am putting up these pics they sent me on my cell phone! He was only 5 ob 13 oz! What a cute little guy:)

Nature vs. Nurture

I tend to lean more toward the nature side. It seems to me that boys will be boys.

Both of my children were playing with the same toy yesterday. The wagon. Rhylan wanted to sit in it and day dream! She would watch for birds or close her eyes and lay her head back. Gracin on the other hand just wanted to check out the wagon. He checked the tires, the seats, the sturdiness, the handle, see what kind of sound it makes when you smack it, what it tastes like, etc, etc, etc. He explored it for about 45 min!!!

(I am posting more pictures now days, since I never actually print them. But they do make it to our blog book. So I am saving every moment!)

Does this thing turn?

How do I get inside?

Wow check this out! I can open it all by myself.

OH! That does not taste like milk.

Check out the paint job on this beauty.

Nice rims!

LOOK I CAN STAND ALL BY MYSELF.....
Not long now before I start walking.

And I couldn't resist one of these little leg pictures!

I heart faces Week 20 - “faces & flowers” Photo Challenge

This week, I had a photo planned to use. I thought it was the perfect "flower" photo...

But yesterday on our family walk, I captured this moment. She is just learning how to blow these dandelions. I love watching her surprise, when she opens her eyes and the seeds have all blown away. I love watching her explore nature. She picked every "flower" she could see to make a bouquet, she collected dried leaves in the bottom of the stroller, she found a ladybug, bumble bee, butterflies, and a whole arm of ants... She found the ants the HARD way! Poor thing has almost 10 ant bites on her feet. She is my little nature girl.

Go see more beautiful flower pictures at

Not my best idea

(Picture taken in the black movie theater with my phone)

So... Riley is out of town for a school trip. He got to go to Florida for 3 days! So while he was gone I wanted to do something fun too. Going to the movies sounded perfect. The only one for kids was How to Train Your Dragon. The movies was great and very entertaining... for me!!! As for Rhylan it was really scary. We are talking crying and screaming scary. Half way through I thought of leaving, but then I didn't want to leave and have the last image in her brain be the HUGE DRAGON trying to eat and kill the main character. So we stayed for the whole thing, so we could see the happy ending. When the movie said PG I was thinking it may be to much for her. I was right. Man I hope she doesn't have nightmares tonight!!

--Side note she loved going to the movie and eating popcorn!

I'm going to be an Aunt!!!

My first little nephew is coming really soon (Mon or Tues)!!! --Riley's brother and his wife have two little kids, but you know there is some special connection between sisters--

My sister Tiffany is going to have a little boy! Jude Santiago Deza. I am the oldest in the family, and so of course I had kids before I ever was an Aunt. I am pretty excited. I have even check plane tickets yesterday to see if it were possible. That darn Salt Lake airport is so pricey! If only I lived a few states more to the west!!!! I could and would drive there:) I really wish there was some way I could go see him in all his royal cuteness. He is going to have a few things my family never had! Brown skin! Lots of hair! And a small-normal birth weight, he is 2 weeks early. My mom and I both gave birth to big, white, bald babies.

Go check out her blog Here, she is such a cute prego lady!

She was so sad

She wouldn't pose for me to take her picture. So I started taking pictures of Gracin instead. Then she got jealous and started crying for me to take pictures of her. Then she got mad at me for taking pictures of her crying... Is this what 3 year olds are like?

She just came in the room and saw this post and said "I don't like that picture"

"Why not?"

"I like happy face."

Some 9 month photos

While I was on vacation my mom helped me take some great pictures for his 9 month celebration:) But of course I burned them on a CD and when I got home to show Riley...the CD didn't work!!! They are all on my moms computer. I have been trying to get them burned again. So until I get those I decided to do a re-shoot. I wanted to try something new. I used a fun material background and he was diaper-less. (NO ACCIDENTS!)

Here are a couple favorites! (I think #2 is my "most favorite")

Please tell me what you think. I really am trying to improve my photography skills. I want to know what works and what is still lacking.

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5
#6

I kept trying to get him to look over his shoulder at me but NO! He is actually sucking on a bottle in this last pic:)

Laugh a little!

Rhylan loves to through her head back and laugh. Gracin started copying her. So of course their fake laughs turned into REAL laughs for all of us. They make me stop and think about all the little things that make our life WONDERFUL.

What made you laugh today?

Happy Mothers day

This is my picture for Mothers Day. I can't express how much I love being a mother. Sure there are some downs: dishes, potty training, diaper changing, laundry...I could go on and on but I'd rather not!

But there are ups too: two little people who love me no matter what, teaching, I get to play all day long, see them grow and learn, help them learn the gospel, little smiles, big hugs and kisses, I get to decide what we eat;), There are so many many more. Heavenly Father has blessed me far more that I could wish for. I have done some amazing, crazy, stupid, fun, responsible, slightly reckless, brave, hard things in my life but being a mom is my greatest accomplishment.

And I learned from the best...

Cinco de Mayo

It is Riley's spring break, so we have lots of extra time to spend as a family. (And make up for the 2 weeks I was gone) We celebrated Cinco de Mayo at the Zoo. And as usual, we had a great time. We went right when it opened and got to see lots of animals actually moving around. Even the hippos were up.

I thought this looked so weird!