Beating the Winter Blues

My goal this week was to get everyone moving instead of watching tv and fighting with each other. Our weather has not been cooperating with outside play. The weathermen keep telling us better weather is around the corner. I am not sure what corner they are talking about, but I haven't seen much improvement. I guess I am wrong at least there hasn't been anymore snow.
Sunday was Wii Fit Night. We needed something to wear everyone out so they would go to sleep. They love to play the games and then run. Rylee loves to out run the trainer, Reganne loves to outrun Rylee, and Ryder isn't sure how to run in place so he runs around the room.

Monday was swimming at the Rec Center. Dave is teaching the girls how to float on their backs and to swim. They are quickly losing their fear of the water and love to go under and hold their breath. Ryder is even not clinging as much and will splash and move his arms in the water.

Thursday we were off to the Rec Center again. This time for the Rock Wall. It is the largest rock climbing wall in Southern Utah. We lucked out and they were teaching a class and so it was closed. Dave promised the girls we would go again on Saturday.

Saturday finally came and the girls could hardly wait to go. Finally, we made it and there was a line with about a 1/2 hour wait. Reganne changed her mind and decided not to try. Rylee the longer we waited the less she was sure she wanted to try. Ryder just wanted to run around.

Finally, it was Rylee's turn. They harnessed her up and got her to the wall. She tried really hard and started up the wall. She decided it was to hard and to come down.

Surprise... Reganne saw Rylee do it and now she needed a turn. The line had disappeared to only 1 or 2 kids. Reganne forced Dave to give her a chance.

This child has no fear and up the wall she went.

Not to be outdone by her sister. Rylee had to have another turn. She again started to climb. She did really well. However, both girls don't have much strength to pull them selves up yet. So they could only go as far as Dave could reach.

Down, Down, Rylee goes!!

They had so much fun and want to try again next week. Ryder couldn't be out done and started climbing the fence.

Ryder has become our resident monkey this week. He had discovered that he can climb and reach all sorts of things. He climbs up the dinning room chairs and onto the table to reach the tv remote, food, or the girls projects. He has only fell once and landed spread eagle on the floor. He wasn't hurt just scared. It hasn't slowed him down any and he is always open to try to climb something new. If I didn't already have gray hair. I am sure it would be turning white now.

The weather is supposed to be better this week. Maybe we have reached that elusive corner. Reganne wants to swing, Rylee wants to swim, and Ryder wants to run. I want to sit and watch. Yeah right!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day when did it become such a big holiday. The kids have been talking about it and planning for the past 2 weeks. They had to make enough valentine's for each of the their classes plus make them for Ryder's. Then every day this week they have asked is it time yet? There was almost as much anticipation as there was at Christmas. Finally, Friday came and each one had their bags and off they went to school. This is what they came home with. Each had a bag full of cards and candy. Are we sure this isn't Halloween??

Look at these grins.

Ryder came in carrying this valentine flower in a vase. The top kept falling off and he would scream. We would try to put it back together. He was all smiles until it fell again. Finally, he was distracted by Rylee's balloon and moved on.

Happy Birthday Grandpa Bob. We are starting a new family tradition. So many of our grandparents are no longer with us. The kids get really confused when we talk about them. So this year I decided to have mini birthday parties for each grandparent on their birthday. I gather some facts about the day they were born and pictures of them. We then sang Happy Birthday and had a treat. The story and pictures are going in Our Family Book so they can look at them whenever they want. The girls then wanted the stories about when they were born.

Pile on Daddy Time. The weather has been cold this week. Everyone was cold so they piled on daddy to get warm. Then the fun began.

The weather is still pretty miserable so we have gone swimming instead of playing outside. Rylee & Reganne are really overcoming their fear of the water. Ryder wants so much to play with them but can't figure out why the water is over his head. The girls favorite part is showering afterwards in the hot showers. They thought it was so cool to shower somewhere else other than home.

Finally February

Finally February is here and it is starting to warm up. Or so we thought the cold, windy, drizzly weather from December reappeared this week. One of our fun places to visit is the Washington Rec Center. We decided to join this year and hopefully have a year full of family fun. The kids were so excited with the possibility of going swimming. They brought the swim goggles to me. I set them down and the next thing I turn around there is Ryder behind me struggling to put them on. I put them on him and was rewarded with this awesome smile.


Getting ready for bed. Reganne couldn't get her jammies on they were stuck. She got her ponytail stuck in the armhole and couldn't figure out what the problem was. When we tried to show her how to fix it she cried. I think somebody needs to get some sleep.

Ring A Around The Rosies is the new game to play. Who lasts the longest?? Reganne. She then gets upset with the others when they won't play.

Wii & Wii Fit are the games to play. They were trying to play the Disney Princess Game by themselves. They did pretty well. When they would have problems they would yell Mom!!! I would then yell Dad!!! I am so helpless when it comes to playing games. I can do Wii Fit and love the work out it gives me. I do this early in the morning before anyone wakes up and wants to play.

As I turned around from taking the girls picture. There was Ryder behind me. I told him to say Cheese and he wrinkled up his nose and gave me this big grin. To cute to miss. For the next five minutes he followed me around laughing and smiling when I would say Cheese.

His new words this week are Nose, Eye, Dog, Down.

He took his bottle (nothing in it) out of his crib on Friday and we couldn't find it for bedtime. Of course he cried for about 5 minutes until he fell asleep. I was frantically searching the house knowing we were in for a long night without it. I had told him earlier that he needed to throw it away since it was out of his bed or put it back. So I tried the garbage can. Surprise it was sitting right there. He minds really well right now and follows simple instructions pretty good. I am going to enjoy this since I know it won't last.

January Blahs !!!

We are totally suffering from the January blahs!!! I can't wait for the warm weather and sunshine to appear so we can go outside to play in the evenings. Instead right now we are watching movies and tormenting each other.

I found that if I turn on some music the kids will get up and start dancing. The girls will spin and jump. Ryder is right behind them trying to get them to spin around with him. They discovered Ring Around The Rosie's and they all were laughing so hard. Rylee got tired of bending over dancing with Ryder. She picked him up and started twirling with him. He loved it. She was tired way before him.


Reganne wanted to get into the action as well. She couldn't wait to dance for me, but I took to long taking the other pictures. I turned around and she was right there saying cheese. This was to cute too pass up.

I sure hope that February brings better weather and fun things to do.

New Vehicles, New Beds, Goodbye Baby

This has been a long week. Ryder came down with the flu on Monday and it lingered until Thursday. We are lucky so far he is the only one that has had it. Funny thing he had his flu shot 3 weeks ago at his 15 month checkup.

Yesterday everyone was feeling better so it was picture time with the new vehicle or the Monster Truck. I believe we have future car models after watching these two pose.





Ryder can almost walk underneath the front of it without bumping his head. The tires are taller than he is.

When Ryder was home sick he figured out he could get out of his crib. I caught him trying to climb over and quickly stopped him. The next morning he and Reganne greeted me in the hallway. I asked Reganne how he got out of bed and she said she did it. He wanted to get up. Friday night Ryder decided he was hungry at midnight. Oh the joys of feeling better. When we didn't respond fast enought to his request we heard a loud thump. We went running and found him sitting on the floor beside his crib. The rest of the night was spent on the floor.

Saturday Dave took apart the crib and made the toddler bed. Ryder thought it was pretty cool. Until bed time. Then he refused to anywhere near it. It was a long night. But I kept saying: "Better safe than hurt."

Watching him play in his bed and walk around the house today. It became clear that he is no longer a little baby, but an active toddler. He is 16 months today. My babies are all growing up.

The Dancers & Dare Devil

I can tell that it sure is January. There aren't many things going on. It should be nice an peaceful. This week was one of those quiet peaceful weeks. Not much was going on besides getting back into our routines after Christmas.

We were have a quiet night at home watching tv. Dave turned on CMT and the girls began to dance. They both love music it was such fun to watch them dance and sing along.

Ryder was not to be outdone or miss the fun. He decided to show us how to balance. I missed the picture but he was standing on this firetruck bouncing up and down. Next thing we knew he was standing up with no hands. He of course was laughing. He started to lose his balance and quickly sat down. This was his face afterwards. I am not sure I am ready for the dare devil stage.

Dave decide now is a good time for him to have his midlife crisis. If he is going to have one then he wanted to do it right. So this week after shopping online he found his dream vehicle for sale. Without any support or help from me. He bought a white 2004 H2. We flew to Salt Lake yesterday to go and check it out and make sure it was in as good as shape as the dealer claimed. Also, to make sure I could drive it. The dealership picked up as at the airport in a white stretch limo. The girls eyes were so big and they quickly asked Dave if this was their new car. They loved climbing in for the ride. They noticed right away all the interior lights changed colors. When we ride was over they weren't sure if they wanted to change cars or not.

The test ride was great. Both girls were so excited to be sitting up so high and seeing out. Ryder promptly fell asleep. Reganne told her Dave that she couldn't wait to tell her class that she rode in a Monster Truck. Rylee wanted to tell her class that she rode in a limo.

We were soon on our way home with the new vehicle. They really loved riding in it. Until about 1/2 home and Ryder began to scream. He was tired of being in his car seat. We pulled into Beaver for a quick dinner. Again, they were good until 10 miles out of Cedar City and he began to scream again. Needless to say Ryder screamed the rest of the way home.

No more road trips for this family. Dave will have to be content to drive it around town.

No More Gates

Ryder has finally succeeded in going up and down the stairs. After much practicing at Grandma's over the weekend he was ready to try here at home. Yesterday we left the gate open as we were taking the Christmas decorations downstairs he followed us. Before we knew it he was sliding down on his belly like a pro. Dave removed the gate shortly afterwards to keep the fighting down and before the girls figured out they could lock him upstairs. He was so happy to follow them around and play with them or rather tease them.

He had his 15 month checkup this week as well. He weighs in at 17 pounds 13 ounces and is 29 inches long. He is on the charts with his height, but not his weight. He never slows down and it is too much bother to eat. The doctor says he is healthy and that is all that matters.