An inspiring message

Watch "Hope ya know, We had a hard time" on www.LDS.org
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz41YxNiHEg



I think I needed a reminder this week.

Rylee's Special Day!

Rylee has been attending Orange Preschool for 2 years and her last day is next Wednesday! While she is very excited to start kindergarten, we are sad to be leaving preschool too. Rylee is in the Butterfly class and one of the traditions of the butterfly class is to have a special day for each child. Here is Rylee before school on her special day holding her favorite book: Amelia Bedelia, which they read during class.

I helped Rylee tape on the photos for her poster and left her with some stickers to decorate it. When I came back a few minutes later I found that Rylee had definitely given it her special touch!

On the poster we listed some of Rylee's favorite things:
"Rylee's Favorite
Season-Spring
Color-pink and purple
Holiday- Christmas
Food-Lasagna
Dessert-nanaimo bars (from Canada)
Day of the week-Thursday (because of lunch bunch)
Place- cousins in Georgia and the beach
Rylee wants to be a "hair doer with Sarah" when she grows up!"

Her teachers traced Rylee and then the class colored her in. A striking resemblance, don't you think? Rylee and her good friend Sarah, aka the Sarah mentioned above, with whom Rylee wants to be a "hair doer". She and Sarah are not going to the same elementary school which is sad because they have been good buds this year!

I thought this indoor garden center was neat!

Here is Rylee with her two teachers, Ms. Kathy and Ms. Emma. They have been so wonderful and we will really miss them next year. This picture was taken on a different day because Rylee thought it was cool that she and Miss Kathy had on the same kind of shirt!
We think Rylee is special everyday but it was sure fun to spend a day with her and her friends in her classroom!

Landon had fun too, can't you tell?

Beach Bliss

We went to Emerald Isle for a whole week of relaxation and fun! Ry finished finals the week before we left. This was probably the most stress free week either of us have had in years! There was only one exception...which I will explain later.

We went to Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium, one of 3 NC aquariums. Last year we went to Fort Fisher aquarium, but I preferred PKS.

Rylee's favorite part was watching the sea otter feeding and live-dive with the sharks.

Looking at this picture now, I realize how tasty Landon would probably look to a real alligator...he is so plump! After touching the sting rays, Rylee exclaimed "The sting rays are even squishier than you, Landon!" He is definitely our plump, squishy, and lovable little guy.

I love this picture! We also caught one of Landon smiling but I think this one is much funnier! He looks so cranky and crabby! Poor little guy woke up one morning with his eyes crusted shut. I called the pediatrician they said since he is only 3 1/2 months (and could have a fever or ear infection) we needed to bring him in. Since we were on vacation...that meant a trip to the urgent care! So we sat in the ER for a couple of hours only to find out it would "probably" go away on its own but we should follow up with our pediatrician "just in case"! I was not a fan of the Morehead City ER. I left feeling like I had done more harm than good by taking a 3 month old to an ER filled with people coughing, sneezing, and throwing up. I must have looked like a hand sanitizer junkie. Anyways, today Rylan took Landon to the pediatrician and sure enough he has an ear infection and conjunctivitis. Poor little guy!Our beach house had this huge jetted bath tub. It was big enough for our whole family to comfortably get in at the same time. The funny thing was that the shower in the master bath was tiny and yet there was this ginormous bath tub. Everyday after going to the beach we filled it up and relaxed. Rylee thought this was a fantastic idea and decided she wants one just like it in her house when she grows up!

The beach was fantastic. I found the water to be pretty cold, but of course that didn't stop Rylan or Rylee! Ry really enjoyed sea kayaking. Next year we want to rent another one and go out together on the sound.

Rylee enjoyed playing in the water and kicking the waves, some of which she called "sneaky waves" because they would sneak up behind her and knock her over.

Rylee and Rylan buried each other in the sand which Rylee thought was hilarious. She said to Rylan "Daddy, you are so funny! Tell me, how did you get that way?" And then I over heard her telling a friend she made on the beach, "See that guy over there? (pointing to Rylan) That is my Daddy. He is soooo funny!" I am so happy Rylee and Rylan had so much fun together this week. I know how stretched thin Rylan sometimes feels because of school and I think both they really enjoyed having so much daddy-daughter time to play around and be goofy.

Its Mother's Day and yet I feel like I can't say enough how grateful I am for Rylan. He is such a great husband and father. I love that he makes me laugh everyday. I love how playful and funny he is with Rylee and will be with Landon. He works so hard and so it was great to see him play hard and relax too.
It was our little piece of heaven for a week. No wonder I didn't want to come home.