More Pics . . .

Mmmm . . Oatmeal!

Riley and Dash checking out the monkeys at the zoo

Going for a little drive

More fun in the pool

I bought the boys new reusable swim diapers.  So cute!

Riley turns 3 . . .

Our sweet Riley boy turned three this 4th of July!  

Riley got a new bike for his birthday, a shiny red Schwinn tricycle.  He still isn't into using the peddles.  He sits on the seat and pushes himself around with his feet.  One day he will figure out that he goes faster with the peddles and then I know we will be in trouble!  He asks to ride it everyday, I love when you get a present that they can't get enough of!

That morning we went to the ward pancake breakfast.  There was a kids' bike parade after breakfast and Riley and Dash had an awesome time scooting around in the parking lot.  

That evening we invited the Crane's over for rocket cake and red striped (strawberry cheesecake) ice cream

Riley blowing out his candles

People were calling him all day to wish him a Happy Birthday.  Here he is talking to Pop-pop while eating cake.

Riley, Dash, Malia, and Addison all packed into our tiny sandbox.  So fun!

I made my first "themed" birthday cake for Riley's birthday this year.  It was a rocket and I think it turned out pretty well.  Riley's favorite color is red, so we made it out of red velevet cake.  First, I cut out the rocket shape, then I frosted the rocket body.  This was by far the trickiest part because cake crumbs kept wanting to stick to the frosting.  I think next time I will refridgerate the cake before so that it isn't so soft.  Next, I colored some frosting red and added the wings and rocket boosters.  Then I piped on some stripes and the number 3.  Finally I added some M&M's (turned sideways so that they look like little 3's).  It was fun to make and he really loved it!

This was the mess created while working on the rocket

At the Fair . . .

For Riley's birthday we went to see the Monster Trucks as the fair.  

Dash with orange ear plugs (we went through about 3 pairs of these, because he kept taking them out and dropping them on the ground)

I love this video of Riley!  He is watching the mini trucks race (they did this before the monster trucks came out) and he keeps saying, "Yeah, buddy!  Let's go racin' boys!" over and over.

Here is Bounty Hunter catchin' some air.  

One of the 4H girls was sitting on her cow and invited Riley to join her

This turkey was out for an evening stroll.  He is HUGE and only 5 months old!

The fair's theme this year was "Out of This World".  They had a whole building full of spaced-themed displays.  The boys posed for this picture on the moon.

Scissors, Drawing, and more Light Box fun . . .

Last week Riley got the chance to play with scissors for the first time.  He was very excited about it and did a really good job.  I love how you can see how concentrated he was in these pictures.  He was trying to do "enormous" cuts and his mouth would open and close with each cut.  It was really fun to watch.  We are going to have to do this more often. 

Riley is really into monster trucks right now.  We have a show called "All About Monster Trucks" in our Netflix queue and he requests it all the time.  He also has a few monster trucks that he loves playing with.  Here is his first picture of a monster truck.  Notice the "enormous" tires.  (apparently he is using that word a lot right now too)

 This next picture shows the first time he tried to sign his name on a picture.  Notice the backwards "E" in the lower right-hand corner.

Here is a new game that we are playing on our light box.  I have six small glass jars that I filled with different colored water (red, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple).  We pick one jar and then Riley has to run to the toys and find something that is the same color as that jar.  He is pretty great at it and runs really fast.  I love to hear his feet stomp across the floor as he runs back and forth.

This picture you can see how pretty the glass jars are on the light box

This picture you can see his cute face and how well he matched his toys to the colors

Catch Up . . .

Here are a bunch of pics to catch you up on our goings on.

Sleeping baby.  This is one of the most beautiful sights of the day!

Dash always hooks his toes on the tray of his booster seat, so cute!

Trying out crayons for the first time

Where is Riley?

Peek-a-boo!

Brothers having fun in the sandbox

Gary and his friend Chad get ready for a bike ride

Riley and Anya playing tea-time at Gi-Gi and Pop-Pop's house

Eating a snack with Ethan

Playing with Mr. Potato Head

Dash and Cousin Seth

Stopping for lunch in Primm on one of our road trips to Salt Lake

Gi-Gi with her two newest grandsons

Thing 2 COVERED in sand.  He had some help, but he tends to do most of this himself.

Thing 1 also COVERED in sand.  Again, he did most of this himself, but Dash most certainly helped.

Most recent family pic, taken at Circus Vargus

Butterfly baby at the Wild Animal Park

Serious butterfly Riley

Having a great time playing cars and hanging out in a diaper

Superhero diaper boy!  Love it!

Hunting for Easter eggs together

Displaying all of our awesome Easter eggs