Boo at the Zoo . . .

. . . was freezing! But we went anyway. Ashlyn is going to be a bee for Halloween, but was Tigger for the zoo because it's a warm costume. I wish I had that warm costume! Rylee didn't like it as much as I thought she would. We wouldn't have gone if I knew she would be scared of the animals and sit in the stroller the whole time. The cold probably didn't help. She had a lot better time last year. So they got a little bit of candy though. Tomorrow is our ward's trunk-or-treat. And it was Halloween today at school- I was a Minnie Mouse witch. I'm usually just a witch, but I changed it up this year. So Halloween has turned into a 3-day event.

And the lion is my favorite animal at the zoo because he always poses for me!

Oma's Trunk or Treat

Oma called me last night to take Rylee to her ward's trunk or treat so Isaiah would have somebody to go with. It was supposed to be outside for a while, but it was too cold so they moved it inside. But I think they gave out candy at the first and we got there late. So Rylee hardly got any candy, but she got to play a few games to get stuff. She had fun with Isaiah.

Blanket

Here's my wonderful blanket. I know it's not that great, but I actually made it! I don't sew at all, so this is as good as it gets! This was the second time I bought fabric in my life- and even the first time my mom helped me. I don't know how I didn't get the sewing gene- I wish I did. I guess I don't need it as long as my mom's nearby. I'm actually going to make another one with the same fabric that's smaller- I love the fabric but it needs to be smaller. And I can't bear to cut it off- all my hard work! So I might give the bigger one to Rylee.

10 Months Old

Ashlyn is 10 months old today. This picture pretty much sums up what she likes to do these days- walk. When I put her down, she doesn't want to sit, she wants to walk. She walks around the coffee table when she's trying to get something she knows she shouldn't have. She hasn't been sleeping too well these days- she's up at least 3 times a night (and that's a good night!). So Matt and I are pretty exhausted. She's been sick so I know that has something to do with it. And I've let her cry it out a few nights, but she doesn't stay asleep. She'll just wake up a couple of hours later and cry again. So I can't bear to let her cry it out 2 or 3 times. So she wins- I have given in! But she's an excellent nap-taker at Oma's. Maybe that's part of it- she's sleeping too much during the day and doesn't want to sleep at night! I don't know. And she really is a good baby- just don't ask Matt right now! Rylee and I are excited for her first Halloween.

Pictures, Blankets, and Halloween

We've had a pretty uneventful week. Not very many pictures anyway! Rylee did go in last Monday to have her 3-year pictures taken at Sears. I hate getting professional pictures taken. I guess I shouldn't, but I expect when I go in that I will get some good pictures. And I did of Rylee- she's getting more cooperative. But I tried to get some of her and Ashlyn, but none of them turned out quite right. We got some that were ok, but not great. I didn't like our photographer either. And I always feel like I'm paying way too much or I don't get just what I want. We got pictures with my kids and Lindsay's kids at Penney's when they were here, and that was a nightmare!! Ashlyn cried the whole time. Rylee was just uncooperative. Lindsay's kids were better. Anyway, I hate getting pictures taken!! I want to get family pictures for Christmas though, so we'll probably go back to Sears.

Saturday was our ward's relief society "Super Saturday," so I spent the day learning how to and making a fleece blanket. They're not tied, but kind of like that. It was for Ashlyn because it was Minnie Mouse and Rylee already has a Minnie blanket, but it's so huge! I'm not very good at sizing things! But I would rather have it too big than too small. It's more of an adult blanket than a baby's. So I might make another smaller one and just use the bigger one in her crib. I took pictures, but I'm too lazy to go get my camera, so that will have to wait. But it turned out really cute. I made a tied one from a kit for Rylee that's Tinker Bell. I wish I would have waited because I like this technique better, but oh well. It really only took a few hours.

So nothing too exciting going on. We're getting ready for Halloween. Rylee is going to be Tinker Bell and Ashlyn is going to be a bee. We're going to try to go to Boo at the Zoo on Friday. Rylee liked it last year. Ashlyn will probably be Tigger for that because it's a warmer costume. So I'll be sure to take pictures!

Swimming with Uncle Stephan and Bradley

Matt, Rylee, and Ashlyn went swimming at the hotel with Stephan and Bradley. Rylee of course jumped right in. We couldn't even tell her until just before we went because she would have been asking about it all day. She was way excited when she found out. I don't think she's been swimming since her swimming lesson experience. And Ashlyn loved it too. I wasn't so sure about her, but she got right in and floated around by herself most of the time.

Palisades

We went for a drive yesterday to see the trees changing colors. Most of the trees where we went hadn't changed too much. I guess we should have gone further to Jackson. Nothing like Pennsylvania, right Angie? Those pictures were gorgeous. Matt wants to live there now!

Jim Brickman

My mom and I went to the Jim Brickman concert last weekend at BYU-Idaho. I love him- he's amazing. This was the second time I went to one of his concerts. I wish I could play like him. His music is so calming- I could listen to it all day.

California Cousins

Jacob and Ashlyn crawling after the cat
before I got in the way

Rylee and Macie-
such crazy, cute 3-year-olds

I just loved this picture of
Grandpa with Lindsay's kids

All together on the tramp

Erin and the girls just before church

The "big kids" showing off their Spiderman tattoos
Aunt Erin gave them to Rylee for her birthday-
she loves Spiderman!

Aunt Erin with the babies

Macie, Erin, and Lindsay

Erin, Lindsay, Noah, Macie, and Jacob came to surprise my dad on his birthday last week. They hadn't been here for a while. Jacob had never been to Idaho. The last time Lindsay, Noah, and Macie were here was when Cory graduated. So it was fun to have them come and play with us. Rylee loved having Erin stay with us. I don't know if Erin liked it as much as we did! And Rylee and Ashlyn had fun playing with their cousins. We even went to JCPenney for a photo shoot- what a nightmare! My kids were the worst! Ashlyn cried the whole time (we later found out she had an ear infection, so I'm blaming her behavior on that!) and Rylee was good for the first few minutes. So the pictures didn't turn out too well of my kids, but at least we tried! They stayed here for a week, so we were able to spend a lot of time together and have lots of fun. Erin even baby-sat the girls while I was at school, which was a big help because I didn't have to wake them up in the morning. We miss them and can't wait to see them again. Rylee still asks where Erin is. We are going to try to go see them during spring break. Thanks for coming, guys- we love you!

Happy Birthday, Heidi!

October is birthday season for us- there are four of my family members (Myrt, Rylee, Erin, and Dad) and one of Matt's (Heidi) within 2 weeks. It's a busy time, but it's fun to celebrate with everyone. I hope you are having a good 24th birthday, Heidi. You're so young! We love you!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Sorry this is late- we've had a full week with my sisters, Lindsay and Erin, and Lindsay's kids - Noah, Macie, and Jacob - here from California. They came to surprise my dad on his birthday last Tuesday, October 6. Matt says we fill up every minute of our days when they come to visit, and I guess blogging wasn't in the plans. Sorry, Dad, but I still hope you had a wonderful birthday with everybody. We love you and appreciate all you do. I know that Rylee and Ashlyn love to come over and play with Grandpa.

Say Cheese

We were just at my parents' house where Rylee found a little, tiny toy camera. It was probably a little bigger than Barbie size. I was sitting across the room and my dad was sitting by her on the floor. She said something to me- it sounded like she said I was two. Then she told me to go sit by Grandpa. So she was actually telling me "you too" to be in the picture with Grandpa. So I went and sat by him and she took our picture with that little camera. She said, "Click," when she took the picture. Then she let me look at it and said, "that's a good one." (She always wants to look at the pictures right after I take them on the camera.) Then she said it was Grandma's turn, so she had to be in the picture too. Then it was Cory's turn- she had us all sitting together so she could get a "picture." She got the picture-taking gene, that's for sure. And the bossy one telling everybody who was in the picture and where to sit. I pretended to be her though by saying, "That's enough!" It was funny- she does the funniest things sometimes!

Once Upon a Time . . .

Last night Rylee said, "Ashlyn, come here. I'm going to read you a story." Ashlyn didn't really care, so I asked Rylee if she wanted to read to me. So we sat by each other on the couch and she started reading, "Once upon a time." Then she told about the picture. She turned the page and started with, "Once upon a time," and told about the picture. She did this for every page. Then at the end, she said, "Amen. Let's read another one!" So she read about 6 books to me. It was so cute. I love the Amen at the end! I hope she is this excited about school and reading in about 3 years!

On the way to and from Grandma's or Oma's she points out every school bus. Some of her friends at Oma's ride the bus to school and she wants to go to school too. That must come from me- I remember having my mom make me a lunch and going outside to wait for the bus when I was about 4- I wasn't in school yet. But my older sister, Erin, was and I wanted to go too. I don't know where I got the waiting for the bus thing though, because she didn't ride the bus! So I guess, like mother, like daughter!

(By the way, the bus never came for me- I don't know how long I waited!)

Rylee's Tinker Bell Party

Happy Birthday, Erin!

I hope you have a wonderful day! We love you and miss you! We hope to see you soon.

(Sorry about the picture- I didn't take pictures of you and the kids last time so you're stuck with me.)

Birthday Girl

Rylee is 3 today! She has been very excited about her birthday- she's been talking about it for about a month. She's most excited about blowing out the candles and the balloons. She opened her presents from us this morning before I had to go to my meetings (that's why her hair is such a mess- she had just woken up). Matt and I (mostly Matt) decorated the living room with balloons, streamers, and a Tinker Bell banner. She woke up and saw it and was very excited. She asked, "It's my birthday, Mom?" So she opened a few presents, but she didn't want to let go of a little pink balloon while she did it. (It's in her hand in the picture.) It was actually one that fell off the wall as a decoration, but she found it and loved it. I said she could take a toy to Grandma's and she picked that balloon! She is having a Tinker Bell party tonight when our families can come. I will post more pictures of her party later.

Happy Birthday, Rylee!