Halloween 2010

I know we are a little late posting these...but I know when it comes to photos...its never too late...especially for Grandparents that live far away! So here's to you, Jaima and Kenyon! I hope Kansas is treating you well! XOXO!

For Halloween this year we decided to dress up as a family. My 3 favorite parts of all of our costumes:
#1-Tink's Shoes-Rylee and I made these together!
#2-Wendy's bangs that curl inward (did people really do that?)
#3-Peter Pan's green tights-probably the only time I will be able to get away with putting green tights on my son!

Once Landon tasted one of his trick or treat candies, he quickly got the hang of it, as is evident by the fist fulls of Crunch and the messy face.

Rylee went to more house this year than ever before and actually accepted the candy at each house she went to...unlike one previous year when she had enough candy but still wanted knock on people's doors to say hi!

Pumpkin Celebration

Last year we started a new tradition in our home (if you don't remember its worth revisiting Landon with his 1st pumpkin). It is called our "Pumpkin Celebration". Basically it is a night were we totally get everything that is pumpkin out of our system. This year the menu was : London Broil with Pumpkin Risotto, Pumpkin and White Bean Soup, Pumpkin seeds, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins. Yes we kinda overdo it but that's part of the fun!

Of course, we carved our pumpkin as well.

Landon was a little curious about what was inside...

...and liked what he found!

Rylee took a very active role in the pumpkin carving this year...in fact she designed our pumpkin's face all by herself.

Ta-da! We thought her design was fantastic! My favorite part was its big toothy grin! (I carved the ghost pumpkin at a YW activity at church).

Rylee took it totally upon herself to make us all a game to play. She drew two pictures, pinned them up and blind folded us. Then we played pin the ghost in the mouth and the pumpkin on the spot. How creative!

We finished off the night by dancing to the Monster Mash (no pics...sorry!) and with baths to wash off pumpkin goo. It was a great night! Trick or Treating was fun this year...but in the end it was our Pumpkin Celebration that I enjoyed the most!

We're still here...

Today was the first Sunday since our ward was divided. We have some wonderful new families that have been redistricted for our ward but it is bittersweet because many of our closest friends were also redistricted for another ward. Even though no one has actually moved, I can't help but feel like I am being left behind. Tonight I was looking back at pictures from Halloweens past and I realized that Rylee is the only child left in the Chapel Hill First Ward out of all of the children in these pictures from Halloween 2007. Not all were effected by this particular split, some moved away over the years, and there are many great friends not pictured to whom this applies as well. Nonetheless it is just Rylee left. I guess during this stage of life that may be typical and I can't say I know where we will be in 19 months (who's counting?) when Ry graduates, but still, it makes me feel...sad.

What's on your mind?

Every few weeks at school it rotates around to Rylee's turn to write a sentence for morning message. I just love to see what is on her mind when she is not with me.

Here is a self portrait she did with the sentence: "Being me is fun!" I am so glad she feels this way!

Rylee is enjoying school and is starting to get the hang of reading...not like she is reading chapter books yet...but she is making progress everyday and it is fun to see light bulbs going off in her head as she begins to explore this whole new world of reading. She especially likes reading to Landon and, when he isn't too squirmy, he loves it too!

Finally...

...Rylan has someone to go fishing with. I gave it a valiant effort and went with him about 4 times the first year we were married. That was when I thought I had to enjoy everything my husband enjoys...except I never enjoyed it. It didn't take long for me to realize it was OK for us to have different interests and fishing was definitely not something that interested me. Then we moved to NC, got busy with school, Rylan didn't know anyone who fished and fishing just wasn't a priority anymore.

But now Rylan has a new fishing buddy and Rylee couldn't be more thrilled to take my place (or is that me that couldn't be happier because now the pressure is off?). Rylan bought Rylee a nice fishing pole just her size and they are enjoying spending time together exploring this hobby. Other than a few fish like the one pictured below, I can't say the fishing has been very lucrative. Most days they come back with Rylee declaring "we got skunked". But they have loved waking up in the early morning on Rylan's days off, hitting the lakes and rivers and spending some daddy-daughter time together!

They even found a fishing daddy-daughter trio in our long time friends, the Dyrengs! So hurray for rekindling old hobbies!

Happiness is...

Then and Now

First Day of Kindergarten

First Day of First Grade

It's hard to believe kindergarten is already a memory for our first born! Crazy! Here is Rylee sporting her new backpack and lunch box on the first day of first grade.

Summer Family Pictures

We had some totally last minute family photos taken while we were in Utah this summer (more to come on our trip). We always have pictures taken in the fall but then we are always in NC with sweaters or scarves on. It was nice to have these taken in the summer in a local Kaysville orchard in our bare feet. Rylan's cousins referred us to Emily, who was so kind to fit us in her busy schedule and did a great job. We had a hard time choosing our favorite, so we posted quite a few. You will notice there are no pictures of Rylee and Landon together however. We were lucky to get a few family shots....he was just done after that.

I love Landon's smile here...um, can we say a little forced?

My favorite one of Rylee:

One of my most favorites:

We will end with Miss Personality!