Milestones

I love watching my children reach milestones. When they were babies we eagerly waited for them roll over, situp, crawl, and then walk. Now as they are growing older the milestones are farther apart and not as noticeable. In someways much more important. This year Rylee hit a big one by learning how to read. She amazes me daily with her reading skills. I get chills everytime I catch her reading a book on her own. Everyone knows how important reading is, but to see someone learn this skill. It is truly amazing. This is a great milestone in our lives.

Reganne is really growing up. I have noticed this more the last couple of months. Gone is my little girl. Instead I have this young lady that wants to play with friends, socialize with everyone, and has her favorite Jonas Brother. She asked me the other day who my favorite was? I was speechless. I know who they are but beyond that I haven't a clue. She also loves to sing and quickly picks up songs off the radio or cd. She then will sing them at the top of her lungs. She can't wait to have her birthday so she can have a party and invite all of her friends.



Reganne hit an important milestone this week. She can write her name by herself. The most important part is that you can read it. When I found this picture in her cubie at school. I could have cried. Her name isn't the easiest to write or say. I love her name and it totally fits her. I get really frustrated with people when they mispronounce it. It's not that difficult. I really worried when I watched her about 6 months ago trying to write "R". She really struggled and quickly lost interest. Guess my surprise when I see that she can do it on her own. When I congratulated her and told her what a big girl she was. She said thanks and looked at me like I was crazy. It's just my name mom!

What milestones await us around the corner ???? Potty Training, Riding Bikes....

Summer Family Fun

The weather has finally turned HOT !!! The kids want so badly to be outside playing or riding their bikes. Under 30 minutes they are back inside with flushed faces and thirsty. Monday morning Ryder discovered that is was cooler outside and asked to ride his bike. He of course had to have a helmet and grabbed the closest one Rylee's. He wasn't about to miss out by looking for his. Reganne heard him and quickly joined in the fun with her scooter.

Our boy has great fashion sense. Every morning on our way out the door he stops to put on his hat and sunglasses. This is the only pair that he hasn't snapped in two pieces. He has to wear these to school. I have tried making him leave them in the car and he screams. He knows what he wants and there is no changing his mind.

It was Friday night and time for Movie @ The Square. This week the movie was Casper. I finally remembered and let them wear the swimsuits to play in the water before the movie. It was still hot enough that it felt great to them to play. Then we did a quick change into jammies just in time to eat our carmel popcorn and watch the movie.

Rylee, Reganne, Ryder, and new friends

You can't tell by this picture but he was dancing to Michael Jackson. Every time I would try and snap a picture he would stop and give me this look. He loves to dance.

Carmel popcorn our favorite !!!!! More Please!!!!

The movie finally starts!

It was a great week full of fun, sun, and family. That is what makes summer to great.

Tree of Light & Life

The first Sunday of the month. The Foundation for Dixie Regional Medical Center lights their Tree of Light & Life in memory of lost loved ones. Sunday, July 5th Dave's Mom NayDean Waters was honored. Dave & the girls went to the hospital to was the small ceremony and takes pictures. There are actually two trees. One on each hospital campus.

Rylee & Reganne, River Road Campus

River Road Campus

4th South Campus, This is the hospital Ryder was in.

4th South Campus

Happy 4th of July

We are having a long 4th of July weekend this year. It has been full of activities, friends, and food. Friday kicked off our weekend with work and daycare being closed. So off we went to the library and splash river downtown. We joined about 100 of our closet friends there. Everyone running around screaming and splashing about. Why do kids have to try and drink the water? Why do parents refuse to put swim diapers on their little ones? These are the questions I was asking myself as I watched my kids.

St George Town Square Splash River.

Saturday morning came the annual neighborhood parade and breakfast. We were excited to have Dad home with us. He was off for the holiday. Rylee was excited to ride her bike and had helped her dad decorate it. For once everyone was all smiles and looking at the camera. Breakfast soon followed and everyone devoured the food within about 10 minutes. It was starting to get really warm. We headed back home to the air conditioning and to rest.

Ryder

Rylee

Reganne

We enjoyed a barbeque with our neighbors the DeMacedos. Then it was off to the fireworks downtown. Our usual spot this year was taped off with reserved signs. We had to locate a new spot and fast. Lucky for us we found on by the St George Temple. The kids loved their poppers. Ryder even tried them out this year. He would take him about three tries before he could hit them just right. He loved it and mimicked the girls and soon was having as much fun as they were.

We waited and waited and waited finally the fireworks were getting ready to start. Then all of a sudden the sprinklers kicked on. So much for sitting to enjoy the show. We all stood and watched a pretty good show.

Rylee: It is too loud.....Are they over yet?

Reganne: They hurt my ears......My feet hurt?

Ryder: Done???

It was a good show this year and the kids were all asleep within minutes of leaving the parking lot.

Rylee, Sammy DeMacedo, Reganne, Ryder

We had a fun day. Filled with Fun, Food, and Friends. What more could you ask for?

What a couple of weeks !!

It has been a crazy couple of weeks. The death of Dave's Mom two weeks ago started the week long decision making process. The family decided to have the funeral the following Saturday. Dave drove to Salt Lake on Wednesday and I stayed home with the kids until Friday. I promised the kids that we would go to the zoo. This was a bribe to be good on the airplane ride from St George to Salt Lake. Amazing what bribes can do. They were great. Randy, Janelle, Brinton, and Holland met us at Hogle Zoo. The kids had so much fun watching the animals. I am not sure what the difference was but they were all awake and active (the animals not the kids). The kids were so eager to watch them. Ryder got so excited at seeing the elephants it made us all laugh. We had just watch Madagascar 2 last week. The new exhibit was about Madagascar. The kids thought this was so cool and started looking the the animals by name.

Dave & Ryder watching the elephants.

Rylee & Brinton watching the elephants. The elephant was trying to rip apart a tree post.

Rylee, Reganne, Brinton, and Ryder

Conservation Carousel...Janelle and Reganne

Rylee & Reganne at the elephant habitat. They wanted to bad to sit on his trunk. There were too many people waiting in line. I told Reganne if the elephant sneezed on her she could get the elephant flu and turn into an elephant. She thought that would be cool.

On Saturday they had the funeral for Grandma Waters. There was a lot of family there. I was so worried that my kids would knock over the flowers or the urn. I was a nervous wreck before it was over.

Uncle Mike with his kids Jennifer & Christopher. They came from Ohio for the funeral. It was great to see them. It has almost been a year since they were last out to visit.

We had the kids all sing I Am A Child Of God. I was trying to lead and play the top hand. Reganne stepped in to lead for me. They did a great job without much practice.

Here are all the grandkids together. I couldn't miss the opportunity to snap a picture. They are all growing up so quickly.

Afterwards they had a nice family dinner at the church. Then it was off to Brandon's house to let the kids play and run off steam. Ryder had been watching the older boys play video games. When they weren't looking he quickly sat down and started to play. It must be a boy thing.

Dressing Ourselves

I have been working with the girls on getting dressed by themselves. Rylee of course can and does get dressed by herself. Reganne still wants mom to help her or if she moves slow enough mom will dress her. Ryder decided that it takes mom to long to get him ready. He wanted to try to dress himself for church. This is the child that cries if you take his clothes off. So he just wanted to add another layer. He is very good at putting his shoes on and most of the time they are on the right feet.

That is my sweater.

I think this is how you start

Houston, we have a problem. I can't this over my head.

Reganne decided this week that she needed to wear sunglasses to school. Then everyone needed glasses. Ryder broke one nice pair so out came the cheap party glasses. Ryder of course had to match Rylee with her pink ones. Reganne had to get her pose just right for the picture. We were then off to daycare / summer camp. The glasses didn't survive. Ryder arrived with both lenses missing. Reganne was missing one. Rylee took them off because they hurt her eyes.
So much for fashion or eye safety.

Friday afternoon Dave's mom was rushed the hospital after suffering a major heartattack. They quickly did surgery and found two blockages. She was then placed on life support. The doctors then told the family the next 12 hours would determine if should would survive or not. Saturday there was very little improvement. They decided as a family to turn off the life support. She passed away within 4 minutes. Dave flew to Salt Lake City to be with his dad, brothers, and sister. We are expecting the funeral to be later this week.

Nay Dean Stewart Waters

October 29, 1933 - June 13, 2009

We Love You Grandma

Backyard Campout

This week has been full of activity. Dave planned a backyard campout with the kids for their day off with dad. They were so excited to sleep outside in the tent. They could hardly wait for it to get dark. We decided to try and make smores with them. It wouldn't be camping unless you have a treat.

What campout wouldn't complete without an air mattress to sleep on.

Let's try a sword fight with these cool swords or roasting sticks.

Here they all are roasting their marshmallows. My job was to have the cracker and chocolate ready for them.

YUM, YUM, YUM....Marshmellow goo all over our faces.

Ryder loved to separate them and then eat. Reganne shoved it all in her mouth and then slowly savored it. Rylee ate it really dainty trying to keep clean. They only ate one each and were ready to play again.

Thursday, we were invited to a summer barbeque party with Families Supportin Adoption. This was a group we belonged too during our adoption adventures. Each year they invite everyone back for fun, food, and conversation. This year it was held at a new park Sienna Hills Park in Washington. Our kids love the water and couldn't wait to get wet. There weren't as many people this year, but the kids made up for it. They had alot of fun and made new friends.

Saturday, our social butterfly Reganne had another birthday party. This week it was a slip and slide part with makeovers thrown in. Rylee, Ryder, and I were off to the library and the rec center to play. Rylee loves to go to the library and look at the books. Ryder loves to run around and make as much noise as possible. We only stayed long enough to get new books and then it was off to play in the water. The splash pad was down for repairs. So the shallow side of the pool is where they ended up. We were able to meet Filipe & Sione participants from this last season of Biggest Losser. They are doing a Boot Camp for Life at the rec center this coming week. It was great to seem them and knowing how much they have accomplished. It was nice to see that they are really working towards their goal of helping their community.

Time to get geared up for another fun filled week. The weather has been extremely nice in the high 80's to low 90's. Who could ask for better!