On The Farm

Here are the pictures of our time with my parents.

Rylan's new favorite thing is doing "chur-os" (chores) with Grandpa or Grandma. He loved carrying the feed to the cows.

Mmmmm

He also got to ride in the skid loader.

I didn't get a picture, but he rode with my dad in the tractor while cultivating in the field for almost 4 hours. He even took a nap in there, just like I used to. I love that he gets these experiences!

Mackenzie pushing buttons with her tongue.

Trying to get to the camera

Talking with Great-Grandma

We met up with my friend Jessie and got to meet her adorable daughter Mckinley! They couldn't interact much this way, but they both had a blast swinging!

Momma's and their daughters. Can you tell it was super windy?

Climbing up the hard way, but he made it!

Ready, set, go!

Kenzie loved this thing, she actually held on pretty good, but obviously, Grandma never let her go.

Smiling at Grandpa through the window. I have the same picture with Rylan, I'll have to find that.

While we were home, I hit up some rummage sales and got this great play kitchen and accessories for $15. Rylan loves to help me cook, so he can really get his imagination going now! Who knows, maybe he'll be a chef someday!

Setting the microwave

Checking the oven

Playing with the dishes

Reading with Grandpa

God Bless Elmo

Every night before I go to bed I check on Rylan and Mackenzie one last time, say prayers for them, and kiss their heads. This past week, we were visiting my parents and one night, I crept into Rylan's room and couldn't see much, but felt a little body lump, so I placed my hand on his back and said his prayers. As I was finishing, my eyes were adjusting to the darkness and I was wondering why Rylan was wearing his red sweatshirt with the hood on in bed. A closer look revealed this:


I had forgotten that Elmo went to bed with Rylan, but I guess Elmo deserves to be blessed just like anyone else! I re-said the prayers for my intended target, leaned over and kissed him goodnight. They both slept well!

Spring is here!!!!

It has been a long, cold winter, so this recent warm weather has found us outside every day! Rylan was so excited to play in the sandbox and swing again. Mackenzie just loves being outside, watching Rylan and Ace. We're going to be outside a lot this summer I think. I can't wait!

Birthday Fun

Well, it took me almost all day, but I did it, here are the birthday pictures! I have more from today, as it was so nice, we finally got to play in the backyard! Yay!

Rylan with all his presents

His new Tonka toys, a big dump truck (on the left) and a loader/dozer.

Trying to get the paint kit open, he loves this thing, unpacking and packing it back up again, all day long! He will love it even more when we can take it outside and start painting.

Kenzie and Great Grandma and Grandpa

I'm helping him put on some work gloves he got. He will be able to wear these when we visit the farm and when we plant and tend to our garden this summer. He had a tough time though because he's never had actual gloves on, only mittens.

We told him to show us his new gloves and this is what we got.

The best seat for watching present opening. She loved to sit in here! Rylan didn't seem to care at the time because there were other presents to open, but I'm not going to try it again, he's pretty territorial over his new toys now.

Playing with his new trains

Hanging out with Grandpa

With the official birthday hat. I got this hat for his 1st birthday and it has interchangable numbers on it, so you can switch them, so I'm planning to have him wear this for every birthday!

Kenzie playing with Grandpa's face

The monkey cake! It was actually a banana cake and SOOOO yummy!

With Daddy and his monkey cake

Sitting with Grandpa, blowing out the candles! His first try he only got one out, but with this second try, he got the remaining two.

Me, Nick, my Grandpa, Mackenzie, my Grandma, Rylan, my Mom, Spencer, my Dad

Catch-up

Before I post the birthday pictures, here are some other recent pictures.

Easter Sunday, after church.

Easter kiddos

Kenzie and our yummy smelling Easter lily.

Evidence that she is indeed sleeping in her crib!

The flash woke her up, but she just smiles, what a honey!

Reading

Oh, hi mom!

Nick always used to do this with Rylan when he was a baby too, the infamous 'crane ride' after a bath. She loves it!

Happy Birthday Rylan!

My little man is THREE! I can't even believe it! Three years ago, we were in the hospital, admiring our beautiful new baby and now he's a handsome little boy! We had his party today and while it was so much fun spending time with family and watching Rylan get so excited about everything, I'm exhausted and ready for bed. Besides taking it easy tomorrow, I'll make it my one goal to get the pictures from the party posted.

Happy Birthday Rylan! You are the most amazing little boy and I love you more than you'll ever know! Love, Mommy

Milestone photos

Last week I went (with Merrilee's help) to have the kids' pictures taken at JCPenney to mark Mackenzie being 9 month's old and Rylan being 3 years old. He doesn't actually turn 3 until Monday, but it's okay right? Anyhow, the kids were perfect while we were there and we got GREAT pictures. Here are my online versions. Obviously they make it so you can't just take the online image and have them printed for yourself, so it's kind of annoying looking at them this way, but you can still see how sweet my babies are!

I thought this one was funny, he looks like he's ready to be on The Apprentice or something!

My favorite!

My other favorite. You can just see how excited she was to be on her big brother's back. He was not as excited, but I thought this pose was going to be a disaster. He doesn't like Mackenzie pulling on him or grabbing him and I was sure she was just going to grab his hair or his shirt and he'd freak out, but he did great! The photographer was great too, she knew just how much of a pose they could handle and did it all very quickly.