We love to watch the kids get excited for their piggy backs with dad. Landon screams at the top of his lungs when he heres the words PIGGY BACK! Just tonight he did it again. They chase, scream, laugh, and full of excitement as each child gets a chance to ride on dad's back!!

Thought it would be fun to take a photo with everyone getting piggy back rides to remind us of this tradition we have started in 2007 and will continue hopefully till they are too big. Hopefully that will never happen!

ITS CHRISTMAS TIME

Back in again!

These are Crissa's Creation! They are baby diaper bags. They hold up to 4 diapers and a box of wipes. So cute, these purses are stylish and helpful when you need to change fast. When a spouse needs to go and change, say at a restaurant or church they can take them and go!! So wonderful. Then if that is not cool enough she found this great fabric (to the left) and has made her own nursing covers to take anywhere and nurse in any public place.
So great, I wish I could still nurse. They will also come in a variety of fabrics. Let me know if you are interested. She has great ideas and hopes to have a web site up and running soon to purchase them.

This is what we worked on today! Michaels one wall of squares
Crazy, Yes The light color is light blue.
Fun project. We will throw some sports and other fun things!
Michael did a great job.
Thanks to Crissa for her great math skills and patience.
Any other suggestions on what we could do with the rest of the decor?

So due to high winds from Santa Ana we are having some difficulty down in these parts!
They canceled school on mon. due to high winds and unhealthy for kids to go out.
Then they called and said that because of the winds, the schools have been had lots of damage and canceled school for the week! WOW
So we have been happily surprised with a week to pull together some fun. We have crafted, shopped, painted, read, cleaned, ate, go out for fun treats, and watch movies. I have enjoyed it, maybe too much! There is so much sand blown into the schools that the junior high and one elementary have 6ft. of sand in places! And the computers and things have got sand in them. so the junior high is so bad they had a mtg. last night and have to maybe conclude not to reopen for 3mo. due to so much clean up and damage!
Crazy. So the message we have been getting is to stay indoors and they will let us know when they will reopen the schools! Our school is not too bad but they are trying to figure out what to do with these others!
So we are playing, everything has shut down including some roads. No sports pract. (were not allowed) or anything its been crazy. They did not go to so much in Kansas. Com'on lets be more manly and act like tough manhattan Kansas would!

We are having "Craft Day" its Wed. oct24
Madison has made a Dr. Suess hat for her
Dress up week, wear a hat to school
Michael is working on his football hat!
Chan made a number of things: painting the letter K and working on play dough men.

This is Chandler's debut:
Tonight Chan says, "So when I have babies in my tummy and Madison does too," (meaning when I and Madison are older and have kids) "will you still be this size?" (meaning- still this age)
I said, "No I will be older and have wrinkles."
Chan says, "Coool, so then if your older then you will die after that?"
Yes much later though, I said.
"Well then, he said, when you die then the cops will come FIX you and pinch you, then you will be better again.
I will not be dead anymore?
Nope!
Wow I am so grateful for the easy death discussion and now I will never have to feel worried.
Or should I be terribly worried that my son has no clue what goes on later. At least he is able to rest at night.

Next story: He is not tired at 11:19pm because of a long late nap. So I came downstairs and thought I would try putting the fudge I made over ice cream. Yes, the fudge did not set and is more of a thick sauce for ice cream. So Chan follows me down and says, oh Good were having ice cream just DON"T TELL THE KIDS!!
Last story: He is my cuddle bunny whom would like to stay home forever!! He says, "I don't want to go to preschool tomorrow, its boring and so is soccer so I don't want to go anymore to school or soccer." "You cant stop going" I said. "Mom it just 2 things"he said.
I said" but its the only 2 things you do."
"Its ok, Ican be here at home!"
This is Our Chan sitting in between us in bed and he says, "See I told you there was room in your bed for me." He is nice and cozy and loves it there!!

A mixture of fun!

Mom's Biggest Surprise Birthday celebration!

Here we all are in downtown L.A. going to the musical
WICKED
A surprise for Mom's birthday
Love you mom!!

Bali Dance

There are so many different types of dancing. I love that there is a dancer in all of us. Bali dancing is one that I have seen my friend, Lori do with her daughter Meghan at our local dance studio. I think it is beautiful and amazing the way the teacher's choreography is portrayed. The students from America have a more difficult time with the movements and becoming comfortable with them. I find it fascinating to watch. It looks so fun and inviting. They will perform soon and they look great! Good Luck

Yes the beach days are over! On Sat. morning we sat cuddled under the playground equipment (literally) trying not to get soaked!! We had to kick some of the small children out so us grown ups could fit! Julie Flannery and I with our babies and another lady with her baby standing under the over hang (looks just like a tall tent for moms.) We had to climb up the play ground equip. Which was wet and slippery by the way and huddle to stay dry and reasonably warm while watching the other children's soccer games!! Can you believe it? Soccer is a mad sport, they only cancel if there is thunder and lightning. *CRAZY* So in Southern California you understand this dilemma, that they never ever cancel soccer!! Not even in the 7:30AM rain, freezing, wind. Of course Ryan is saying, "No problem, you take them this one weekend by yourself while I go to Montana and hunt!" The only weekend it should snow and by the way the mud and grass and wetness of it all is grand with baby Landon and Madison who runs through a huge, thick mud pile. "Yes, I said to myself of course it would be this weekend that I get to do this on my own. YEA!! Can we do it again next week? No, cause Ryan will be here and it will be sunny and hot! Do I sound a tad bitter?

Everyones swimmin now come a join with me!

Yes the fake man made of wood is taller than
the three you see here!

BAR D CHUCK WAGON

ITS DINNER TIME!! Lets all sit down for some country singing good ole fun!!

Trip to Colorado!! Fun Fun in the sun and the woods and in the water and at the river and to the old Silverton town and more!!

Too busy having fun to accomplish any real shopping sprees or catch up on sleep or even swim at the hotel pool!

first hair cut

Chandler started preschool today! He said, "Why are you combing my hair with a girl comb?"(hair brush) "And why are you doing my hair like were going to church? Are we going to church? " "Mom," sigh "why is my hair this way when it is supposed to go the other way?" Ryan must part it on the opposite side. "Mom I think you should stay and be my teacher." I need my spiderman backpack, with my shark, cell phone, and other toys to go too. I did not ask you to pack me a lunch with all these things in it. I don't like peaches, you know. I wanted to tell you what to put into it." (yeah cheetos, chips, and a healthy, banana)
On and on he went with talking and you could see him trying to be brave but he was nervous!
He had a blast! He and his friend Nathan started out with blocks and he was happy to send me off with a quick kiss. I did catch him glance back quickly at the other kids to see if a kiss was an appropriate thing to do in preschool. Harder on us then them, I think.

Our children

Their favorite quote: "Let this be a warning to all those who question the power of RICO."

Michael wants to be a soccer player when he grows up.

Madison loves scary stories and movies: favorite is Haunted Mansion movie

Chandler loves to wear his pajamas all times of the day and loves to nap on the couch.

Landon loves to say NAH! already for the word no but gives great High fives!

Landon at 4mo.

We love our baby Landon. I found this picture last week. I blew it
up big and framed it with a dark brown wood frame. I love it!
He is adorable.
Now he is 16mo. He loves to swim. We took a mommy-me class together and
He did great. I learned so many little tricks that go with nursery rhymes.
We had so much fun. I cannot believe all that the kids learned in two weeks!

picture taken by: sara westbrook

Our deadline is Friday

Our deadline is Friday!
Sometimes to get things done we just need
a due date. This is the start of a our blogging experience.
Hope this works