Happy New Year!

So this whole 365 thing- I have tried it, ended it and tried it again many times.  Last year I thought I would do a picture/journal thing on this blog and it last a few months.... but well here I am at it again.  I am doing the instagram #photoaday thing- so if nothing else I will post a picture from that everyday.  I will be backdating my posts to the day they happened, though most likely I will be posting it a day late. So really this is my place just for me.

January 1, 2013

#Photoaday- "Today"

"Today I am at Knotts Berry Farm with CAGirl (Lourie) and her family.  Eating lunch right now."

Lourie's family got tickets to Knotts for Christmas and asked if we wanted to come too- and we jumped on the offer and even bought season passes for our family.

Ryder's favorite was the little race cars.

This is the new way he smiles if I ask him to smile.

He even was brave enough to go on some of the little kiddy rides- like the airplanes and this ride

 all by himself I put him on the ride and he sat there waiting for it to go and loved the whole thing.

Alex loved the roller coasters and got to go on the Pony Express twice when Lucas decided not to last minute.

Me and my girl riding one of the  many rides

Lucas favorite was the train (or trains) of course

Though after barely making it through the line (due to anxiety) but then going on the ride last minute he love loved the Jaguar- a level 4 High thrill roller coaster that we ended up going 3 times that day.

About to enter the coal mine

Me and Lourie

It was a great day- Ryder fell asleep in his stroller on the way back to the car about 6:30 and was out for the night- without any dinner unfortunately.  It was a great day though- and I can't wait to go back just Eric and I sometime to ride all the really big rides we missed out on.

Perfect Bed Time

I sat upstairs in the hallway, waiting for the others to come back up. Ryder hid behind me, pressing his warm body against mine. "Where did Ryder go?" I pretended concern.

He slowly crept from behind my back, his eyes twinkling, the corners of his smile showing from behind his green pacifier. He went back again putting his arms around me. "Oh no..." I said again.

Lucas made it back upstairs first, bringing Ryder his milk. He placed the sippy cup on Ryder's head. "Look it's staying!" Lucas squealed as the cup quickly toppled off Ryder's head.

Ryder picked it up and moved his pacifier to his hand and began drinking his milk. "Now Carmel is staying!" Lucas said balancing his favorite stuffed dog on Ryder's head.

"All right everyone time for prayers." Eric said when everyone made it back up.

"I will sit here, come here Ryder" Lucas said sitting in his truck chair- the same chair he had had since he was younger than Ryder. The chair was now covered with a bright orange fabric with excavators and diggers, the original blue truck cover long worn out with a hole where his legs rubbed against the fabric.

I smiled at the moment, suddenly realizing that before I knew it my two boys would be much to old to sit on a chair together. I need to enjoy this, I said to myself.

We finally got everyone to settle down and said prayers. It was Alex's turn to say the prayer. She began;
"Dear Heavenly Father. Thank thee for this day and help--' are you going anywhere tonight?'" Alex whispered to Eric interpreting her own prayer. "No" Eric whispered back. 'and help that daddy will travel to work safely tomorrow...."

Yes, I do need to enjoy this.My boys relaxing on my bed- and please ignore my ugly quilt- I am trying to find something I love to replace it

Day: 48-59 Finishing February

Well now it has been two weeks... now you all know why I say I am not good about keeping a journal. But luckily I still have been taking pictures everyday, just losing the journal aspect of it by waiting so long. But it's a new month-- so my goal is at least every other day for this month (fingers crossed)

Day 48
Saturday, February 18thAnother beautiful day in February so another fun day at the park with the family.
Then Alex and I went and got haircuts- sadly no pictures
And did some shopping just the two of us. A good day.

Day 49
Sunday, February 19thThe only picture I took today- pretty sure it was for the instragram photo of the day...

Day 50
Monday, February 20thRyder loves drawing, with pencils, crayons, markers-- and even chalk. He doesn't care what he is using as long as he can draw


Day 51
Tuesday, February 21stWhat happens when you give a toddler a graham cracker with chocolate frosting

Day 52
Wednesday, February 22nd
I never claimed to have good handwriting


Day 53
Thursday, February 23rd

The oldest two off at school, just me and toddler shopping so why not a reward of a donutHe completely enjoyed it

Day 54
Friday, February 24th
Today was a good day, Lucas got two awards at school

Day 55
Saturday, February 25th

Today was for me-- shopping all day with my best friend CA Girl
We found the Holy Grail while shopping!And ate a yummy lunch too

Day 56
Sunday, February 26th

Stayed home from church today with Alex since she was sickBut the boys were still feeling good.
I asked Lucas to pose and this is what I got
Day 57
Monday, February 27th

I was cleaning out my dresser and found this noteit was what Eric wrote when we were ordering wedding invitations about 11 years ago- this is what he wanted us to put on our invitations. He didn't win


Day 58
Tuesday, February 28th
See he really does like to write

Day 59
Wednesday, February 29th

This day only happens every four years and I am thinking that is good.
We spent two hours at instant care to leave with a clean bill of health for Alex. Only to have Ryder slowly get worse and worse and end up doing a lot of thisAnd when he was feeling a little better- a soft squishy ball aimed just right knocked it right off the wall, the frame did not survive

March pictures to come tomorrow!

Day:34-42 Playing Catch Up

I got very behind on updating this. I have been taking pictures everyday- but rather then go back each day I am just going to try and hurry and catch up.

Day 34 Friday, February 3rd
It's been a while-but opps he did it again. Fell asleep while eating lunch, sweet boy

Day 35 Saturday, February 4th
Kids Craft at Home Depot makes for a fun morning

Day 35 Sunday, February 5th
Doing the picture a day, was supposed to take a picture at 10:00-- um this was taken in the evening, this clock just needs new batteries

Day 36 Monday, February 6th
It's done!! My Antique window!! I love it. You can read how I made it on my main blog here

Day 37 Tuesday, February 7th
Time for the Blue and Gold Cub Scout Banquet- the cake I made, we did an aviator theme

Day 38 Wednesday, February 8th
Take a picture of my building before my little brother destroys it

Day 39 Thursday, February 9thPhoto of the Day: Our Front Door

Day 40 Friday, February 10th
Getting all pretty for date night! Dinner and a movie so nice to get out
and a sneak peak of a project I am working on

Day 41 Saturday, February 11th
Pool Birthday party when it was raining and 65 outside- the pool was very heated

Day 42 Sunday, February 12th
Cute curly boy all ready for church

Day 21: Rain, Projects and Icecream

Woke up to cold and rain Saturday morning- which meant no running for me. I was really glad I hadn't signed up for the 5K that was that day- that would have been miserable.

Since we were home we got some things done around the house-- I finally got the mirror hung up. We used to have our family picture up, we moved that to a different wall and I redid some of the mantel decor. This mirror- only $10 at the thrift store!
In fact I realized that everything on my mantel I got at the thrift store- except the Home- that was from Ross.

And in about 5 minutes and for about $5 I completed another craftIn the afternoon and evening the sun came out and so we ventured out to the dollar store.
We drew names then bought secret gifts for each other. We stopped at the store to pick up some pizza and took it home for a night of gifts, pizza, pop, drumsticks and a movie.
It was Ryder's first ever drumstick-
he liked it.

It was a good Saturday.

Day 15: Gray Be Gone

I almost didn't think I would end up with any pictures today. Sunday mornings, even with 11:00 church seem to go quickly. And then when we made it home there is super and naps and our home teachers, but I did get some. But first I have to tell you about some things I did not get pictures of.

Since the new year, Ryder has not been doing well in nursery. He has basically ended up sleeping all of nursery. His nap time is 1:00- so with our new church schedule 11-2:00, it makes it a bit tricky. But today when I took him in there was only a few tears and as I stayed a few minutes he just sat quietly on my lap, but not bawling this time. When another kid put down the jack-in-the-box he went over and began cranking the handle, even smiling when jack popped up. I went off to class and when we picked him up he had made it.

He even managed to stay awake on the way home, eat his lunch (also without falling asleep) and then I put him down for a nap at 3:00. When he woke up Ryder and I played in his room.

He built towers, very carefully stacking each block on the next. He slowly puts the next block on as the tower is getting higher, very slowly and carefully pulling his hands away, keeping his hands opened and ready in case it starts to tip. His patience and determination amaze me and seem so much more than a 20 month old should have. Once the tower is complete he looks up his eyes twinkling. "rash" he says and then crashes the tower. Then he gathers the blocks and carefully, slowly builds the tower to it's tallest height once again. "Stack" he says as he places the next block on. We do this for about 20, then he is finally ready to move on to the next game.

I did get a few pictures though. As this has gotten way too bad
and I did something about it againabout to get started...

much much better