Traveling

We did it.

For the first time in 4.5 years we DROVE back to Utah.

It took us 24(ish) hours and we drove straight through the night.  The fact that our kids both sleep 12ish straight hours and in their carseats was rather inticing. (12 hours of backseat silence and not having to pump)

We powered through the night switching drivers every couple hours.  We got out for a quick breakfast and then for lunch we found a park to let Miss Rylee run around - it worked out well.

We took the route through Carlsbad and Roswell NM.  Roswell is a funny little town that has exploited a few apparent ufo sightings - they have aliens everywhere. ie, nearly all street lamps (sorry the photo is turned, I don't feel like turning and re-loading it)

We stopped long enough for Michael to get a picture with a UFO in a hotel parking lot. I wistled the x-files theme song through the whole town.

Next up: Colorado.  Unfortunately the later half of our trip was rather smoky from several wild fires.  We even saw some flames.

I may have let out a little squeal when the Utah state line was visible.

We even made up a cheer.

The drive home was a bit tougher.  We had to pull over a few times (we had too many late nights in a row) the kids were a bit more restless, and Texas is huge.

More on the actual trip to come. 

videos

I've been meaning to share these videos for a while - since they were taken 2 months ago.

Rylee got a book for Easter that plays music and I sing along to it.  The words are "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so"  She LOVES it and asks for it often, she then started to sing it to herself.  She requests many of the nursery songs and will sing words in church now too.  The song she knows best is Twinkle, twinkle little star. Its very sweet.

Then the first video of Kelsey rolling over. She's a rolling both ways now, close to sitting up and it looks like she may do the army crawl first like her sister.  Time will tell.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

We have a 2 year old in the house.  This means no one is allowed to open their own presents.  We went to the craft store on Saturday and they were offering free make and take frames for fathers day - Rylee decorated a foam frame with stickers and we put a picture of the girls in it to give to Michael. She was so excited to open the present and see her face.  (she loves looking at the pictures on our phones and camera and enjoys naming the faces she sees - or mostly asking "who dat?".) She was just as excited to see said picture and frame proudly dispayed in Daddy's office.

Here's some of the pictures we had taken:

Father's Day Pics

You've had a Birthday, Shout Hooray!!

Michael's birthday was this week.

It likely didn't make the list of "best birthday ever" but he knows he's loved.

This is his 'busy time' at work and we don't get to see him much, but he came home early Thursday and we had dinner together and he opened presents.

The next day Rylee didn't stop talking about "Daddy's Special Day"!! (its really been fun to hear her talking more and more . . . . .even if she lies about what we do every day)

 He got his requested Strawberry Pie {Sorry, no candles}

Happy Birthday Sweetheart.  We're so glad you were born and so happy to have you in our lives.

dog-sitting and growing

So a couple weeks ago we (I) reluctantly agreed to dog-sit a friends dog while they were out of town.  See, I don't claim to be a dog person mostly because I never had a dog but you-know.  However, I did tell Michael that I do think we could get a dog "someday".  So we decided a week would be a good 'trial-run'.

Well, I do think we took this dog in under false pretenses.  That being he is house trained. If that were the case I don't think I should be getting up in the night with a dog (when my baby has no problem sleeping 10 solid hours).  And dog crap REALLY stinks.

The bottom line is I'm not sure if this experience brought be closer or further from getting our own dog.  I will say Rylee was pretty funny.  She was quite skeptical when the dog first came in.  Michael sat on the ground with her reassuring her it was ok.  Kelsey was in the bumbo and he sniffed around and then got a little bit in Kelsey's face to smell her as well at this point Rylee screamed "KELSEY!!!" As if saying "Daddy, save her!!"  very sweet to protect her sister, but from a distance.

She loved being able to call him "cody. come 'ere, where's cody? come 'ere, Cody"  Then when he actually obeyed her call she'd freak. saying "scared".  There were a couple times she wouldn't leave or pass by a room that she knew he was in but all in all it worked out.  He's a little older of a dog and was pretty mellow.  Our neighbors dogs didn't particularly like the fact that we had a furry one on our side of the fence - but all is back to normal now.

 Not much makes me happier than seeing my girls play together.  Nobody can get Kelsey laughing like Rylee can, and Rylee gets the biggest kick out of her power as well.  If Kelsey is sad Rylee loves to run up in her face and dance around her then run away to see if Kelsey will cry again (which she does) so Rylee can run back in to be the hero.

Kelsey is really growing.  It kindof makes me a bit sad.  A girl in the ward the other day saw me with her and said "Is that YOUR baby?" (she had a baby herself only a couple weeks after Rylee was born). She is particularly tall.

rolling forward and backward all over the living room.

giggling and grasping for toys.

 She has been loving to play with her toes lately too (something Rylee never did). I think its adorable.

We'll probably start her on solids once we get back from our trip.  That and potty training.  I'm not particularly looking forward to either.

Mother's Day

Here's this year's Mother's day pics:

 We were too pre-occupied with getting Rylee to look in the general direction of the camera to notice Kelsey is sporting the rambo look with her headband.

I had a lovely day filled with extra "Thank you's", hugs, kisses and FOUR (the sunday school made a big deal about that) pieces of chocolate.

I feel very blessed to be the Momma to these little ladies, and grateful for all the wonderful women who inspire me.

a little update

I'm having troubles uploading *current* pictures (I think its a virus :( ) so I thought now would be as good a time as any to share some older pictures (babies change a lot in two months, you know) and give an update on the girls.

We had a lovely wet winter and the wild flowers were fantastic this spring!

 Kelsey was working very very hard to hold her head up.  It was a lot to ask of a 8 week old

Rylee and her bff Lily

 One of my favorite pics of Kelsey 10-ish weeks

 Bubbles!

 Its hard to resist matching outfits :)

I think one of the reasons I haven't blogged much about Kelsey is that I am doing everything I can to keep her from growing.  I contemplate not feeding her every now and then. ;)  I have a really hard time boxing up the clothes that are too small and Kelsey is such a chunker its happening faster than expected. It probably past time for the infant part of the car seat to come out but I can't bring myself to do it.

Rylee still doesn't care much to hold her.  I can't say that I blame her either as Rylee is barely pushing 27 lbs and Kelsey is a solid 15 (97% height and weight).  Rylee is usually the first to hear her get up from a nap and they both get so excited to see one another again. Rylee always wants to know where she is and loves to give her hugs and kisses.  Rylee loves laying by her (especially when she's on her tummy) and ask to have their picture taken.

I'm able to see more differences in their personalities lately.  Kelsey has always loved her bed, and been very good at putting herself to sleep.  It took her a bit longer to smile and even now I still have to work for them - but when it happens its a very soft, sincere smile. (you would looked at rylee and she'd beam, just a bit different).  They are pretty much on the same sleep schedule, Kelsey just gets a few extra naps- which is fantastic.  Right now Kelsey is a no-mad sleeping in a different room for each nap, but we're wanting to have them share a room soon . . .  . maybe this week (I've been saying that for a month now)

Kels has no problem with tummy time - she rather enjoys it.  She's getting to rotate around in a circle and can roll onto her back . . . . .getting closer to rolling onto her tummy, but not quite.

Rylee has been really loving to sing right now.  She requests songs from nursery and she's starting to sing on her own too and its adorable.  She's getting pretty good at saying her own prayers too.  The second (and all thereafter) prayers for lunch/bed she has to say on her own.  And she recently requested a prayer before nap.  She requests to go for a walk (or stroller ride) everyday  - and getting the mail is a minimum walk around the block.  She recognizes most letters and a fair amount of colors too.  I give games on the kindle credit for that.

These two munchkins keep me on my toes and I love them to pieces.