A little teaser

I am working on editing the pictures I took today from my first newborn photo shoot. I had a lot of fun. It was harder than I thought. Poor little guy didn't like being naked:) But I was able to catch some pretty shots..rrr handsome shots of him. I wanted Brittney to see one or two-- (I'll be out of town for the weekend and didn't want to leave you hanging.) Many more to come!!

Rhylan's 3 year pics

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So I took these back at the end of April, while I was visiting my parents. I didn't want to post them until she was three... then I wanted to edit them... then, well I just forgot. So here they are. I feel like I am getting better at photography every week, so don't really critique them because I took them so long ago. But I would like your input... I want one as an 8x10 for Rhylan's frame on my wall. Which one do you like the best? There are a few that are the same pose just cropped closer.

My fear

All my life I have had a little fear of Mayo.

I would always have dry sandwiches, just mustard. But recently I have gotten over my fear. It makes my sandwiches and hamburgers...yummy! Now, I actually have to buy Mayo every once and a while. This is the Mayo that changed my life:

Gracin's walking videos

Well Gracin can walk all the way across the living room pushing Rhylan's stroller. He can even stand still and shake the stroller (as seen in the video.) Sorry these videos are silent. My point and shoot camera is the only one with video, but no mic! If you wait until the end he makes his signature funny face for me:)



This video is taken in Rhylan's room. He loves all her toys. Whenever he gets a hold of these golf clubs, we all get a smack in the head! He does some great walking in this video as well.--That's seven steps people!!

Externship sites--WEST

Well we found out yesterday our big news!! During Riley's fourth year of Optometry School they do three externships. One has to be here at the school and the other two can be almost anywhere across the country (select sites.) There are many sites close to the school, allowing people to stay here the full year also.

It was a stressful process. We cried, prayed, fasted, went to the temple, looked at sites over and over again, weighed out options, and finally decided on our choices (you have to pick a top 8). We felt right about what we picked and trusted the Lord would sent us where he wanted us to go.

So summer 2011 we will spend here in Mississippi (beautiful green Mississippi I can't believe we only have a year left) This was the only picture in this post taken by me, I stole the others off the internet!


Fall 2011 we will spend in Mesa AZ area --(I lived here during my young childhood. And its only 3.5 hours from my family.)
Spring 2012 we will spend here: ST George UT. If we had to live in Utah this would be the only place we would like. And its only 3-4 hrs from my sister.

I copied Christina's idea of using pictures:)

Back to the west,
back to the mountains,
back to the dry,
back to the desert--home sweet home:)

Letter B

Okay we are off to a slow start learning the letters! But I have just been working on other things with her. She just isn't interested in letters yet. So we are on letter B.

It was so hot outside that we started playing in the water table. Then I had a grand idea... use the squirty toys to draw on the side walk. We had our little patio covered in the letter B. No clean up, we didn't waste any paper, or use up stickers, or worry when we messed up. While we drew another one, our old B's were evaporating, creating a never ending drawing table!! I think this was fun for Rhylan, thinking outside of the box (crayon box that is.) We may do this more often as we move through the alphabet:)

--yes she is wearing her helmet, she loves that thing. And she was riding her scooter around before all of this.

Why not squirt our toes while we are at it!

Here are the pics of Gracin during our activity:--Look at those legs! He is a pro at standing and takes several steps. I think the most by himself is 6-7 steps. Walking is coming up real quick. (He is only 10 months old--same as Rhylan when she started this walking stuff)

Gracin learning to poor. He gets attached to toys. This green empty bubble thing is his favorite water table toy! He fills is up and dumps it or shakes it. Getting us all wet in the process!

SO gross!!

This morning I could see that Gracin had put something in his mouth... as usual. I reached in and scooped out a big SPIDER!!! So gross. One of the legs was still on Gracin's cheek:( I do not know if it was dead already, but I bet it was. Our cat is a great bug killer, not a great bug eater.

What is the worst thing your child has ever put in their mouth?

2 new faces

He gets a little into the game! Here he is playing Mario on the Wii:)

Gracin is getting so big!! He has started making these faces because we laugh when he does it! If you aren't laughing/smiling after seeing this pictures I will be surprised. I hope these make your day, they make mine:)

Funny little things

We were driving by some geese and I said "Rhylan look at those geese in the grass!" She said "Ooo! there is a small geek!"

We were watching 101 Dalmatians. She kept saying "look at all those dogs barfing!" "Mom that dog is barfing too!"---(she meant barking)

"Jesus wants me for a sun BEEP!"--- every time:)

Ages 3+

For Rhylan's birthday, we got her several board games. They are all ages 3+. She loves them! She likes to play with me, or by herself. She really likes games with spinners to decided home many places to move your piece. She doesn't obey all the rules of course and sometimes she just uses the the game pieces and makes up her own game. But, she is having a great time. I love her expressions in these pictures.