Loving Christmas

So my girls and I are loving Christmas time! Kevin is not a scrooge or anything, but I kind of get a little too into the holiday, with only listening to Christmas music and watching all of the cheesy Christmas movies and all. And it seems that the girls have joined forces with me. They have learned numerous songs, love to go looking at Christmas lights, insist that the tree lights be on at all times, and they don't complain too much about all the baking, hot chocolate and candy canes either. I am pretty sure we have every Christmas themed movie/cartoon saved on DVR, and that is all the Kacia watches. The season is moving fast, but here a few photos of us enjoying our town's Christmas parade, Kacia's church Christmas concert and a cookie decorating playgroup we had. Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and enjoy it to the fullest!

My Baby Turned 2!

Well Rylin turned two on Thanksgiving this year. We had ice cream cake instead of pie that evening, and all of our family members called to wish her a Happy Birthday, but we decided to really celebrate it on Friday. Since so many family members were in town it made for a great party! Rylin had been talking for months about an Elmo party, so she got to wear her halloween costume twice! She was a lot of fun to watch and truly enjoyed her birthday!

I love age 2! Yes, along with it come the occasional fits and what not, but she is so much fun! She is talking up a storm, has quite the sense of humor, and really enjoys life! There is so much to be learned from a 2 year old! She loves to follow Kacia around, and constantly narrarates life for us. If Kacia coughs, she says, "mom, Kacia agh, agh" (cough noise). If Kevin blows his nose, "mom, Daddy _____ " (I don't know how to even attempt writing that sound). Kacia is very into spelling out everything right now, so we sound out words together, and Rylin is somewhat picking up on that. She just thinks everything starts with the letter B. She will say, "mom, b-b-b-b-car! b-b-b-house! b-b-b-b-grandma!" And the more I laugh, the more "words" she comes up. She also enjoys playing baby dolls, "watching" Baby Einstein, playing dress up, singing, books and just being silly! She thinks that she is quite independent. She insists on putting on her own pants (today they are backwards!), she wants to buckle everything (car seat, grocery carts, etc) by her self. One of her favorite words right now, aside from Hungry! is Self! She constantly yells "Self! Self" when she wants to open up the yogurt or string cheese, or zip up her jacket, etc. Many of these she can't really do by herself yet, so then the occassional "Help!" comes out, but I say hey, if she wants to learn to do these things by herself it is only going to make my life easier in the long run!

I can't believe my baby is 2, I guess it's good she won't be "the baby" for much longer, she is quite excited about the new baby coming in June!

Fall Festival

I have been a lazy blogger lately, but I wanted to pass on some of our recent pics. We had a great time at our church's fall festival. I failed to get any good pictures, but Kacia was princess Jasmine and Rylin was, of course, Elmo. The girls had a lot of fun, and so did we!

Just the 2 of Us

About 2 weeks ago, Kevin surprised me by planning a 2 night getaway to Yosemite. We had a great time, beautiful weather and fall colors, surrounded by our Awesome Creator's Breathtaking Handiwork! I had never been to the park and had somewhat complained a few times that this was one part of California I still had not seen after living here for 10 years. We stayed at a really cute hotel that had a ton of really adorable cabins. I felt like we were at family camp! It amazed me how busy it was there, so many different languages, I felt like we were at Disneyland, just the difference was it didn't feel crowded because there is so much space! Thanks for planning it Kev and a big thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for holding down the fort!!

Scoopin' Goop!

A few weekends ago, I took my girls and Breanna's kids for an afternoon. We went to the pumpkin patch and then later decided to try to roast seeds. Kacia hadn't scooped out pumpkin seeds before because she always picks the tiny little pumpkins she can hold, which- what's the point of cutting those open? So we all put on some of Kev's old t-shirts, put Rylin down for a nap and got a little messy!

Family Vacation

At the end of September we went on a much needed family vacation! We drove over to the coast and stayed in Brookings Oregon for a few days. We had awesome weather and played at the beach. Then we drove to Lincoln City, were we were meeting up with Kevin's parents and sister and family to celebrate Debby's birthday. (Unfortunately I don't have pictures on my camera of the cousins playing, but we all had a great time.) We spent a lot of time in the car, so we stopped and went through the Redwood Forest and a zoo that allowed you to pet some of the baby animals. We got to play with a baby tiger, pet a bear cub, and hold various little animals. It was great fun, and a good way to break up all the driving. Our girls are finally at an age where vacationing was more fun then work! And they slept great, which is always a gamble!

Kacia's 4th Birthday!

For those of you who remember, Kacia had a Cinderella party last year. And this year, she wanted a Jasmine party. So we had a family party on her birthday with a "Jasmine Cake", and then a Luau Party at the pool we go to that weekend with all her friends and their families (our friends & family!). They were such fun days! She really enjoyed her birthday to the fullest! And as a parent, it is so great to watch your child be so happy. Her big present was her bike, which she rides almost everyday.

Our Summer!

Our summer can be summed up in one word...pool! Kevin had to work alot this summer, which was good, but also meant for some very long days! So what did we do, we lived in the water! Not only was it a great way to break up our day, but also a good way for us to see Kevin. We would meet him in town for a picnic dinner poolside, he would swim with the girls and then go back to the office for more appointments. Kacia became quite the little fish, brave, fearless and determined fish! Rylin and her skinny self would get cold quite easily. How do you get cold when it is 100+ outside, not sure, but it is possible to be covered in tiny, little, goosebumps. Oh, the sacrifices of a second child!

It's About Time!

So here are some very past due pictures. These are my girls doing what they do best, being silly! They love to play dress up, which often includes not just "dress up" clothes, but also creating their own outfits from their regular wardrobes.

Exciting News!!!

So Kevin told me yesterday, that DSL has finally become available in our neck of the woods!!! I realize that my blogging lately has been pretty much non-existent... I think that when Grandma and Grandpa came back from Florida, the need I felt to post pictures of my girls faded, and now I am so far behind, the question is Where do I start? But for those of you looking for pictures of Kacia's b-day, or our vacation, first day of school, and so on, have no fear, on Monday, I will be able to post them without it taking up my entire day!!!

Kitchen Pics Available

So I just realized I never gave Kevin his deserving award. The countertops are done, the bamboo floors are done, and now the house is ready to sell! Since I don't have 2 hours to download the pics of the kitchen, (okay, more like 40 mins) for those who are curious, the easiest way to see them would be to go to Kev's works website. So, go to www.ccproperties.com, click on "our agents and offices" then "agents" type in Jeremy Gibbs (Kev's friend who listed our house) then "my properties" ours is the one on Treat Ave. (Sidenote, our family room is not puke green. I think the pictures are too dark, rather it is a soft, modern yellow/tan mix, or something like that!) So sorry for the slacking!

Yet Another Princess!

It has been no mystery that Kacia is a "girly" girl. She hates bugs and dirt, loves make-up, anything and everything pink and has cycled through the Disney Princesses. I am pretty sure that our birthday themes are set for years to come! Her favorite currently has been Jasmine, but she is now in battle with Mulan, since it was on TV last week. (Quick side note, the Reflection song from Mulan is on our car CD, and the line where she says, "Who is that girl I see, staring straight back at me?" Kacia thinks is her! She gets so excited, "That's me, huh mom!" that I decided I can either explain that the song is about Mulan looking in a hypothetical mirror and seeing herself, or I can let my daugther be a kid, and be excited that a princess is singing about her, I chose the latter.) Anyhow, my second daughter is just as much a "girly" girl. She thinks that all the princesses names are Ariel, insists on wearing Kacia's glass slippers, despite the fact that they are huge on her, and have a slight heel, making walking quite difficult. The other day I was getting them out of the bath, had grabbed the Hello Kitty towel, and princess towel, asked Kacia which one she wanted (the princess), so I went to wrap the Hello Kitty towel around Rylin, when she said "NO, Ariel, Ariel, Ariel..." I didn't know that an 18 month could care what towel they used, but apparently, it matters to Rylin! Looks like its time for Kacia to learn the art of compromise!

Bike-A-Thon Pics

Kacia's preschool had their annual Bikeathon fundraiser last week. She was definitely the turtle on the course, not because she doesn't like to ride fast, or is incapable, but rather because she was doing her typical "Kacia Response" to a new experience= staring with her mouth open wide, looking all around, taking it all in, watching what everyone else was doing, and trying to process it all. Most of my pictures are of the back of her helmet since she was so busy watching her other classmates on their bikes! But when it was done, she claims to have enjoyed it, and I think next year will be more fun since she will know what to anticipate.

Clean, Why Bother?

So, I have decided to give myself an award. Patience, although a virtue I long to have, is not one of my strongest character traits (just ask Kacia!) but I have decided that over the last month I have earned The Patient Wife Award, or perhaps better fitting, The Patient Housekeeper Award. My husband Kevin, an incredible man, is a very hardworker, quite handy, and a perfectionist in his work, all traits I love! He has done many things to improve the homes we have lived in, installing tile floors, wood floors, etc. The projects always turn out awesome and well worth the mess and wait. And I know that his current project will really be worth it, if I survive to see the end, that is. Some of you know that we have concrete counter tops. They were one of Kevin's favorite things about the house when we bought it. But over time, they have not worn as well as they should have. So as we look at selling the house, a good friend of ours told Kevin about how we could grind, sand, and polish the concrete, the end result, showing many colors of the rocks, and a smooth glassy surface, similar to granite. Kevin was sold on the idea! So our friend came over, has graciously spent time with Kevin, teaching him the process and allowing Kevin to keep his tools here so he can work on it whenever. Well, I don't think either of us anticipated the mess it would create! For about a month now we have lived with layers of dust everywhere, the majority of our cabinets inaccessible as they are taped off, and now for over a week, no stove and our refrigerator in the middle of the kitchen! Now I love my husband, I greatly appreciate all of the hours and hard work he has put into this, and I know that if it were up to him, he'd be done, but because it creates such a mess, it is not worth working on an hour here and an hour there, and since Kevin works 7 days a week, finding large sums of hours when he can work on it are rare. So, although I am giving myself an award, it is more for the fact that I have not at all nagged or complained, and have done fairly well living in a constant mess. And as for Kevin, I will come up with an award name for him when the process is eventually done. I know that it will be well worth it, as we all know "kitchens sell houses!" But in the meantime, why clean? I tried that on Monday. In my frustration with the chaos, Monday was movie day for Kacia and I cleaned every other room in our house, but by Wednesday the "Why bother?" hit me again. If 60% is clean, it still doesn't feel clean, so I guess I will just continue to take a break from housecleaning until I can clean 100% of our house!

Things I Learn From My Kids

Kacia just hanging out
Rylin enjoying Easter candy way too much!

Kacia with her Uncle Tim & Aunt Sabrina

Rylin trying to be like Kacia

Being a mom seems to be an ever-learning experience. Yes, there are things you know about motherhood before you actually experience it, but then there are those daily lessons that you just learn as you go. Here are just a few of the things my girls have taught me...
1. The "Sweet Tooth" must be one of the first teeth we ever get. Rylin has been slow in acquiring teeth. Just this last week she cut her first 2 molars, bringing the count of her pearly whites to 10. But one of her favorite things to do is bring me to the pantry and say, "cookie, more, more" (repeat, repeat, repeat....)
2. Bathroom activities are a family event. This I have known since Kacia came along. I am never alone when I am in the bathroom. Even when I was experiencing "morning sickness" with my pregnancy with Rylin, Kacia was leaning over my shoulder to see just what was happening. But now, what goes around comes around! This week Kacia started reprimanding Rylin, saying, "No, Rylin, you can't see my poop! Mom, don't let her see it!" (For those of you who personally experienced Kacia's curiousity when she was potty training, will enjoy this more than others.)
3. More is always better. Rylin hoards whatever she can get her little fingers on. One of the pictures posted is her sitting on the patio stuffing M&M's that had fallen out of the found Easter eggs as quickly as she could. When ever I offer her something from my palm, she instantly tries to grab all of it, not trusting me that I will continue to replenish what she eats, as she eats it. Must have all of it now, and must stuff all of it in as quickly as possible!
4. What I say will always be repeated. I have learned the hard way that what I "discuss" with Kacia in the heat of discipline, will always come back to bite me! The tongue is so evil! Comments such as, "No, I am the boss!" "You're driving me nuts!" and "You are not making any sense" came first from my lips, and later to my ears. What a lesson!
5. Sisters are an incredible blessing! Even now at their young ages, my girls love each other. When Kacia is gone, Rylin will constantly visit all of the rooms in our house numerous times shouting, "Kay-sa, Kay-sa!" And the first thing Kacia asks when I pick her up from school everytime is "Did Rylin miss me?" They are starting to play so well together, Kacia reads to Rylin, they wrestle on the floor, and Rylin will come and sit on Kacia's lap to watch TV. Even now, it is so easy to see that having a sister is truly something special! (And no, of course they never fight! Ha, ha.)
6. We are born sinners. This is something that is easy to see very early on. Being selfish, stubborn, defiant, disobedient, these are things that do not need to be taught, they are natural. But there is something about the way a child trusts, loves, shows acceptance & affection that are refreshing and even convicting! Thank goodness its not all bad! :)
7. Time flies! There are days when I honestly feel like I look at the clock constantly, counting the hours to bedtime, and those are the days I remind myself that all too soon my girls will grow up. Rylin is so much fun right now, learning words daily, and so busy exploring her independence, but when I have read the same animal book, and made the same animal sounds for the gazillionth time, sometimes I need to remember that soon enough, she won't need me to read, and elephants, cows and horses won't be so exciting. I want so much to cherish this time when I am so needed, and my time with them is so special! All I have to do is look at Kacia to get a quick kick in the pants as to how fast it all goes! She is such a little lady now. She has a huge vocabulary, crazy imagination, and melts my hard with her precious words of endearment and perceptiveness to my needs. She always knows when I have a headache, and always says in a very sympathetic tone, "Oh mommy, I'm so sorry your head hurts. You should make some coffee!"
Being a mom is challenging, but an incredible gift from God. I pray for His strength and patience to fill me and for His wisdom to help guide me in shaping their hearts. May I always remember that I am His steward, and that these adorable little girls are first of all- His!

My Baby Keeps Growing!

So lately it has hit me that Rylin is no longer a baby, but rather a very active and busy toddler! Her vocabulary keeps growing daily and the extent to which she can communicate to us is truly incredible! Her favorite thing right now is to come and grab my finger, bring me to the fridge and bang on it, "num, num...peas" (yum, yums please). Hungry? No, this girl could just eat all day! With her strong head nods and shakes, it is quite easy to understand quickly what she is wanting. Despite the fact that she still does not sleep through the night (that's right folks, she is 16 months old and still wakes up atleast twice), her big blue eyes just melt me everytime! She loves Kacia, and tries her best to keep up with her. She is much more a "Daddy's Girl" then Kacia was at this age. She gives great hugs, and never stops going! Her favorite song is Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. A few months back she began clapping in the car everytime we would play the song, but now it is full on dancing, arms flying, legs kicking, head banging, face grinning! It has actually been a great instrument for us, everytime she starts to nod off when we are just minutes from home, I turn the song on and 9 times out of 10, she perks right up. She loves dogs, although more from a distance. Anyone's house we go to often that has a dog, as soon as we pull into their driveway, she starts "Dog, dog, ruff, ruff!" She is also enjoying all of the Easter decor in the stores since she learned that ducks say "Quack, quack!" It is so much fun to watch her personality developing so rapidly! Whoever said second kids were quiet, surely didn't know mine! From day one, she has been adament to hold her own and get equal "talk time." She loudly and firmly tells Kacia "NO!" It appears that God has blessed me with 2 very stubborn girls (possibly pay back, not sure!). They have strong opinions and voice them loudly. But at the same time, have very gentle and kind spirits. Their smiles tug at me everytime, and they are growing way too fast!

Highlights from Florida

Well, we had a wonderful time in the "Sunshine State." Although the weather in Redding was warmer when we left than it was in Florida, the sun wasn't the reason we were going. We had a great time with Kevin's parents, the girls absolutely love spending time with their grandparents (and I do too!). Of course Disney World wasn't half bad either. Although we do not plan on going on any airplane rides with the girls in the near future, the two travel days were more than worth it for the rest of the week there. Thanks Ray and Debby for everything! We love you two, and miss you already! We're counting down the days until June!

Kacia's 1st Haircut

Well, I've been talking about it for awhile now, knowing it was time to finally cut Kacia's hair. It had gotten so long that she was scared it was falling in the toilet when she would go to the bathroom! I would find fruit snacks, gum, and unidentified food objects in it on a regular basis, and brushing it after bathtime had become a very difficult and time consuming task. So I bit the bullet, propped her up on a stool and grabbed the scissors! Although we would get comments on her hair all of the time (that is when I would fix it), I think it actually looks better now. It is much more manageable and looks healthier and thicker. It just doesn't seem that long ago that I was hoping our beautiful, bald little baby girl would grow some hair! Where does the time go???

Our "Poopy" Couple of Weeks

Most of you know that Rylin has been quite the sick little girl the last few weeks. We think she is finally on the mend, and is starting to be herself again, laughing, playing, etc, instead of the lethargic, sickly baby she had been. This makes us very happy!!! We are still running some tests to determine why she is having such a hard time keeping food in her system, but in the meantime at least we have our playful, busy daughter back! Our nights are still disasterous, getting up a minimum of 5 times a night, at which point one of us decides it is just easier to stay on the couch with her, but we broke her of that once not too long ago, and once we can getting the messy diapers to stop waking her up, we will go back to letting her "cry it out". Needless to say Kevin and I are looking forward to our vacation to Florida next week more than ever!! ( And we're praying hard that all the ear infections are gone!) Thanks to all of you who have showed your concern, offered to help and kept us in your prayers! I had to show this pic of her with her IV in. She wasn't screaming from her arm, but rather because I actually put her down for a second to snap the picture. Horrible, I know!

Christmas Fun!

This Christmas was so much fun! Kacia thoroughly enjoyed the entire season, the lights, the music, the shopping, but Christmas day was definitely the highlight. After opening gifts at home, then going over to Kevin's parents, we decided instead of doing a big dinner we wanted to take the girls up to the snow, along with Breanna's family and Kaitlin and her friends. Kacia had been watching so many different Frosty movies, we wanted her to be able to experience the snow for herself. It was alot of fun, a stray from tradition, and quite cold, but a good time for all of us. I love Christmas, it always reminds me of my mom since she loved this time of year too, and now I love watching my daughter enjoy it all as well!