Rylan's Birthday

Rylan turned 1 today! I can hardly believe it! This last year has been so amazing...one of the best of my life! I LOVE being a mom and feel so lucky to have 4 wonderful kids. Rylan has added so much to our family. He has been a dream baby. He is so mellow and happy. It worries me a little because Kaysen was a really good baby too, and now he is a terrorizer! haha. It keeps life fun though, so I guess I won't mind too much if he decides to have some rebel stages. Happy Birthday little Ry Ry! We love you soo much!


Rylan and his first birthday cake!


Getting ready for all the excitement of the birthday cake!


Mmmm! He loved it! He didn't really like getting messy and he kept looking at me with this look that was saying "Mom, get this sticky gooey stuff off my hands- I don't like it!", but once I started feeding him with a fork, he decided he LOVED it. He downed it! Being that this was his first experience with sugar, I think he was on a sugar high for quite some time after that!


Chowing Down!


Opening presents!


Playing with the goods.


We were trying to keep Rylan's birthday fairly low-key since we've had sooo many festivities lately...plus it's his first birthday and one of the only ones we will ever get to do 'low-key' for him. Jaylee and Bretten didn't understand this though. They almost didn't believe it was his birthday because we weren't doing anything too exciting. I didn't even wrap the presents or bake the cake until the day of his birthday (which isn't a big deal, but usually I decorate, wrap, bake, etc. the night before so when they come down on the morning of their birthday, it's all decorated and surprising for them...oh how the simple things make a difference I guess!). Anyways- I guess Jaylee and Bretten didn't understand why I hadn't done that for Rylan. After Grandma Jeri called to wish Rylan a happy birthday, they finally believed that it really was! haha. They wanted to know why we weren't going to dinner for Rylan, so at the last minute, we decided to go to Wingers since we had some good coupons there. They had a good time! We love birthdays and love celebrating them...it's just hard when you have all 4 kids' birthdays within 1 1/2 months of Christmas and Thanksgiving. I think I want to start celebrating their birthdays on the half-year mark instead of the actual day....would that work? haha :)


While we were out to eat, Rylan kept putting the celery in his mouth and then moved his hands away and moved his head back and forth while biting down on the celery stick. It was quite funny and he knew it. He was being quite the class clown!

Here are some pictures of Rylan's first year! What a cutie!

Christmas 2009

We had a GREAT Christmas this year. I love this time of year and we had a lot of fun giving and planning fun little things to do for others. Okay, I have to go on a little rant for a minute...so bear with... I think with the economy and the world the way it is, there seemed to be so many gloomy (scrooges) people and I can't even count how many times I heard people saying things like "I just can't get into Christmas this year", or "I'm just not feeling the Christmas spirit this year" and things to this effect. Come on!!! This became quite annoying to me. I think everybody is struggling a little bit, including us, with Jason's overtime hours being cut back in August, among other things that have gone wrong, things have been harder. We are still very blessed and fortunate to have a job and to have the things we do though, so I can't even complain.
I just can't help but feel Great at Christmas time, so it makes me sad to see so many people unhappy and feeling miserable and hopeless. I can't judge them, I know life is really hard for some right now, but sometimes serving others is what we need to do to feel better. I actually was telling one of my friends that I was a little concerned about how many unhappy people I've seen/heard/read complaining about not feeling the spirit of Christmas, and before I could even go on to say "Have people forgotten what Christmas is about and what the true spirit of Christmas is?", she cut me off and said "Well, that's because you don't have to worry about money"...hmmm. It took a lot to hold my tongue. A little judgemental for one, and for another, we are struggling a little too! That is besides the point though. I know we don't know what it's like to walk in somebody else's shoes, but I just wish people wouldn't get caught up in all the crap (that money can/can't buy) and focus more on what Christmas is really about. You don't have to have money to feel the Christmas spirit!!! Christmas is about celebrating the Christ Child, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and about doing good things for others....serving others and making others feel special and loved! I know there are times that I'm not always happy, but when I feel like that, it's usually because I need to get out and spend more quality time with my kids, or serve others, and things like that. Okay, end of rant!

Anyways, we did have a wonderful Christmas! My parents ended up coming to our house and spending Christmas with us. They were thinking they might come, but then Kaysen and Rylan got sick, so they didn't think they were going to come. Well, on Christmas Eve, right after the kids opened their pajamas and changed, we were getting ready to decorate our gingerbread house and we heard somebody ringing bells at the front door. I was yelling for the kids to hurry to the door because we had carolers (that's what I thought). We hurried to open the front door and I looked up and saw my Dad! What a surprise! We were so excited for the great surprise! My Mom had gone around to our back door, so she heard us and ran to greet us too. They made it right in time to help the kids decorate their gingerbread house and help them put out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. Right before bed, they got to open their presents from Grandma and Grandpa. After the kids finally went to bed, my parents stayed up and opened their presents to each other and then watched us open some of our presents. My Mom helped me get all of my kids' stuff put out and fill stockings. It was a late night, but we had so much fun visiting and playing Sanat Claus.
Christmas Day was very relaxing. The kids woke up around 8:00 AM (I'm enjoying that time while I can because I'm not looking forward to the times when they'll start waking up at 6 AM). We went to bed so late though, that we were still pretty tired. We watched the kids open their presents and then Jason cooked us up a great Christmas Breakfast and I cooked a few waffles on my new waffle maker that I got from Jason. We spent the day playing with the kids, visiting, napping, playing games, eating and watching movies. It was a wonderful day and one that I hope to remember forever! My parents had to leave the next morning and the kids sure were sad to see them go, but we are so glad we got to spend Christmas with them and it was so much fun to have them at our house! Well, there you have it...our 2009 Christmas Story!


The kids getting ready to open their Christmas Eve present....pajamas!


After opening their cozy pajamas and changing into them. So cute!!!


It seems like we had so much going on in December that we didn't even get to decorate our gingerbread house until Christmas Eve. It was actually a fun Christmas Eve activity for the kids, so I'm glad it turned out that way.


Kaysen opening his present from Grandma and Grandpa Crosby...Magformers! My kids love these things!


Bretten opening his much anticipated Snuggi!!! He loved it and was so excited!


Jaylee opening all of her presents on Christmas morning.


Jason still trying to wake up...and Kaysen opening presents!


Rylan...our own little Santa!


The kids with Grandma and Grandpa before they had to leave. They love having them come visit!

Jaylee's Birthday

I can't believe my little girl is 7!!! Jaylee wanted a birthday party badly this year (since I was ready to give birth at any time, she didn't get a party last year), so I promised I'd give her one this year. She chose a BEAR theme! We have a tradition to decorate the house, so when Jaylee woke up and saw all the decorations, she got really excited. She got to wear a cute little 'Birthday Girl' pin and she was loving that...it was like it made it official that she was the star for the day! For Jaylee's party, we bought some kits to make our own mini build-a-bears. They were a lot of work, but a lot of fun. They all got to stuff them, put a heart in them, sew the bottoms up, decorate the clothes and crowns, fill out birth certificates and name them, etc. It was a blast! We ate pizza, did pin the tail on the donkey, did a bear hunt (tresure hunt), played a fun jenga/flour type game that I remember playing at my parties when I was a kid (I'm lucky my Mom threw me such great parties, because I remember a lot of the fun stuff we did, so there are always tons of ideas). We also did a pinata! All the kids wanted to go, and I assured them they would all get a turn, but to my surprise, the pinata was busted open on the third person...I'm glad they all forgot what I promised as soon as candy and toys were all over the floor! lol! We then opened presents and ate cupcakes! Jaylee got to have a few friends stay and play and she loved that! I think it's safe to say she loved her party. She is such a sweet little girl! She kept telling us thank you all day and I think she felt very loved and special. That's just the way we like it to be on birthdays! We love you so much Jaybird!!!


Jaylee with her cute bear cake she picked out for her party!


Jaylee blowing out her candles later that night on her 'family' cake!


Grandma and Grandpa Crosby's present. She was soo excited, as you can see!


Jaylee opening her presents from family!


All ready for the party!!!


Jaylee was the first one to have a turn at the pinata. I'm glad she got her turn before it broke...on the third persons turn! haha!


Scrambling for the goodies!


Jaylee opening her presents with her very excited guests.


More present opening...


Parker and Jaylee I made everyone get a picture with Jaylee before they got their goody bags to take home. Some of them didn't turn out too great though...so here are a few of them.


Lily and Jaylee


Kortlyn and Jaylee

Overload of Randoms...

I have a ton of random pictures, but I don't want to forget about them, so I will post some of them...enjoy!


My little turkeys!


Jaylee and Rylan


Me with my sweet little boys!


We had a fun after-Halloween play group. The weather was nice so we sat outside and snacked on pumpkin bread, cookies, etc. and let the kids play. We then had pumpkin smashing time where we let the kids smash and throw all the old pumpkins from Halloween. It was quite funny! Even the adults got in on the action....it's actually quite therapeutic!!!


The whole Gang! One of Kaysen's hats was sitting around so I put it on Kaysen's head. He went upstairs and a few minutes later he came down with a hat for Jaylee, Bretten and Rylan. He then went in my room and got me a hat too. I guess he decided he wanted everyone to wear hats. It was really funny and Kaysen was getting mad at us if we tried to take them off...of course we had to snap some pictures!


Another one of the whole crew!


Jaylee and Rylan


Bretten and Rylan


Craft Time!!! It seems like in November and December we do crafts daily! My kids love it though.


Hard at work!


Finger Painting Fun!


Jaylee doing what she does best...helping and looking out for Kaysen. She saw that he had taken his gloves off and she was so concerned for him.


Bretten drinking his hot chocolate after playing out in the snow.


Little cookie dough snatcher!


Hear No, See No, Speak No!!!


I had just given Rylan a bath and got him dressed and while he was getting dressed, he kept reaching to play with the door stopper, so I laid him down and let him wiggle it back and forth. I went to help Kaysen get out of the bath and when I came back down the hall to check on Rylan, this is what I found. haha!


Another view...I thought it was so funny. The tile was kind of cold though, so I felt bad. I scooped him up and snuggled him back to a more comfortable sleep as soon as I got the pictures.


Bretten playing with some of his favorite toys...his pirate ship.


Jaylee practicing her piano!


Rylan snuggling with Dad and being funny and playful!


Kaysen, Bretten and Jaylee throwing their coins in and making wishes!


Kaysen, Jaylee and Bretten playing on the cool horse statue after eating a yummy dinner at P.F. Changs. I never liked Chinese food much as a kid, but I think that it is my kids' favorite. Every time we have a special occasion and get to eat out, they always want Chinese!


Th..th..th..That's all folks!