Rainy Labor Day

I was thrilled with our plans for this years Labor Day weekend. Jeremiah had labor day off and we were headed to the mountians, our SUV packed to the brim with sleeping bags, a tent, food, flashlights, etc. Yes, we were going camping!

I had checked the weather forecast a couple of days prior to our trip and all of the sources pointed to a rainy weekend. I didn't care. We were still going to camp! I know how fickle the weather in the mountians can be. When I was growing up, the weather guy on the radio was always wrong. When he said it would rain we would usually have clear skies.

I was counting on the forecasts to be wrong.

Unfortunately, it rained.

So we didn't brave taking our little boys camping in the pouring rain and thunderstorms. We stayed at Jeremiah's parent's house in clean, dry, comfortable beds.

We did, however, get to enjoy the scenery. We went on a drive, looking for the perfect picnic spot. Jeremiah saw a road going up the side of a hill/mountain and just couldn't say no. We drove back on a bad dirt road past a beautiful but mosquito infested pond and up to the mountain. Once we reached the road that went up to the top of the hill a big thunderstorm reached us and we decided that the top of the tallest hill with no trees isn't the best place to be when lightening is striking nearby. We turned around and headed back to the main road.

Here's our hill in a downpour just minutes after we left it. Jeremiah has vowed that next time we are in RV he will finally make it to the top! I learned on this trip that I really don't like off-roading. I think too much about "what happens if we get stuck" or "what if we lose a tire" or "we don't have cell phone reception, how will I call for help". I know, it's dumb. I am just a big party pooper. Simon didn't mind the dirt road so much but he got MAD when Jeremiah got his window muddy! :)

We also drove out to Southfork. It was BEAUTIFUL out there! We stopped for our picnic but the rain was still coming down so we headed back to town to picnic at Ramsey Park.
The boys got to play in the wet sand, building sandcastles and having sand fights. It was little boy heaven. Simon even found time to stop and smell the roses.

And, as if that wasn't enough fun for one day, we had a pull-up contest at the park. I won with a grand total of 5 pull-ups. Pretty pathetic but it was fun.
We thoughly enjoyed ourselves over this weekend. Jeremiah even got started in a new business venture (I'll post about that later).

But next time, rain or shine, we are going camping!

Happy Birthday! Cake and Ice Cream!

This has been a busy month. Ryan turned 1 and Jeremiah just celebrated his 28th birthday on 9/11. Yes, 9/11, not the happiest day to have a birthday but I was so excited for Jeremiah's b-day this year that I almost forgot about the tragedy that lies behind that date. I don't want to downplay the 9/11 event. It is still a heart-wrenching, painful subject but I am a believer in living for today and tomorrow and not dwelling on things from yesterday that we cannot change.

Anyways, Jeremiah and I got to go out to a movie to celebrate. We saw "9". It's a Tim Burton film and the only word we could find to describe it was "weird".

After the movie we picked up the boys and and met Karissa at Top Shelf for birthday dinner. Only I was getting over the stomach flu and Jeremiah was catching it. yuck. So, we basically just packed up our dinner and took it home with us to enjoy later. Jeremiah wasn't feeling well and went to bed as soon as we got home (6:30). Poor guy. There not much worse than being sick on your birthday.
Since we didn't get much of a celebration on his birthday we had Karissa and Cabrena over for dinner, cake, ice cream, and games on Sunday night. I love game nights with those two and the boys LOVE thier aunts!

So. . . I want to say. . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jabers! I love you more with each year! You are a great person and a wonderful father and husband. I hope this year will be even better than last!

Ryan turns 1!

Happy Birthday to you. . . Happy Birthday to you. . . Happy Birthday dear Ryan. . . Happy Birthday to you!

Happy birthday to Ryan! Our little sweety turned 1 on Sept 2nd. Here are a few pictures from his birthday party. We had lots of Ryan's aunts and an uncle who came over to celebrate with us. (And who doesn't want a reason to eat lots of yummy chocolate cake and ice cream!)

He's hiding back there behind the cake, wondering what is going on and why we are setting his cake on fire.

Simon was looking forward to the party all week long. When the day finally came he wanted to make sure he got to help blow out the candles. I helped him out (just a little bit) and he had a complete breakdown, tears and all (anyone who has had a dramatic 3 year old will understand). I had to re-light the candle and let him blow it out "all by himself". Next year he can show Ryan how it's done.
This is always the best part. We gave ryan his slice and he stared at it. He didn't know if it was a toy or food, or if he was even supposed to touch it. Once he figured out what to do, Ryan loved his chocolate cake!

This last year has flown by in a flash. We brought little Ryan home September 4th last year. He was the cutest little bundle and his brother Simon fell in love with him just like we did! This year has been a challenge, with Ryan being a fussy/colicky baby and because of the extra work to do now that there are 2 little angels living in our house.

Ryan has brought so many smiles and so much joy to our little family:

-His cute little hands learning how to clap and do simple signs.

-His "wounded soldier" crawling with one arm and one leg.

-How bright those blue eyes sparkle when he is happy.

-The little chubby hands that seem to latch onto everything.

-Little fingers pushing buttons on the laptop (and sometimes deleting whole emails in a single touch.)

-How fast he outgrew those sweet little infant clothes.

-Reading so many books, and tearing up (and eating) a few in the process.

-How he jumps up and down in his crib when he sees mom or dad.

-No matter how much I fed him he never gained those chubby baby pounds.

-How he loves to play cars and trains with his big brother.

-Cheerios and bananas!

-Spaghetti face, macaroni face, oreo cookie face, and the other faces that come out at meal time.

-Tummy tickles!

-Always talking, yelling, screaming, crying, talking, laughing, talking. . . so vocal.

-The way his eyes light up when his mom walks into the room.

-How much he LOVES his mommy!

We are so happy to have our little buddy in our family! Happy Birthday Ryan!

Simon Says. . .

Simon: "I'm doing my homework"

Me: No idea were he learned about homework. . . Maybe he saw it on TV?. "What's your homework for tonight?"

Simon: "I work on my house! That's my home work!"

Me: Stares for a few seconds until it sinks in. "Oh, I get it! Home, work.

I'm one of the few mom's that can say my kid loves to do his homework.

What better place to celebrate

Our little Ryan just turned one yesterday! Time flies so fast!

I wanted to do something special for Ryan because this is his very first birthday!
I know, I know, he is too little to remember anything we do. I like to think of it as the first birthday is for mom. It is a celebration that she made it through the first year with her sanity.

So to celebrate this momentus occasion, I took the boys to the Children's Museum in Phoenix. I had heard a lot of good things about this place and it definately lived up to my expectations. Both boys enjoyed themselves thouroughly.

I had to pry Simon away from the race car track with a crowbar. He was determined to live there forever.

Simon and Ryan got to paint a little house, ride tricycles, race cars, meet new friends, ride a pushcar train, sit in a race car, roll balls, build puzzles. . . etc.

I completely wore the boys out. Ryan slept the whole way home and Simon actually cried when we walked out the doors.
Don't worry Simon, we will definately be going back.

Once we were in Phoenix I remembered that my camera's batteries were dead! Grrrr!
Thank goodness for cell phones. I didn't want to go all the way out there to celebrate Ryan's birthday and not have any pictures to show for it. So these are the few pictures I got. Enjoy.

I'll have more on Ryan's birthday up soon.