This Is Why I Love My Husband

I've read a lot of blog posts, one spouse praising the other, and it's about time Ryan got his fair share of the glory. Ryan is an amazing man and a great husband. He is the kind of guy that will and does do anything for me and our family. There are so many great things about him, but I'm not sure that I'm ready to put them all down on paper- plus I wouldn't want any of you to be jealous! There is just one little experience that I'd like to share with you that gives you insight into just one reason that I love this man.

Last night I had to go down to the church to do some canning, and would be gone for about an hour. Before I left Ryan said to me that he was kinda glad that he'd have some time alone with the kids, since he hadn't seen them much this week. So I went and did my thing and when I got home I found Ryan sitting down one one of the little kids chairs, playing with the blocks with Kate and Clark. So why is this so significant? First, to see this big man on this little chair was amusing, second that he actually had the patience to sit there for so long and build something with them, but the best part of all was that he had built this pretty good size house with the blocks! I love that he could actually build something with the blocks, because all I can do is build towers! I love that his creative mind is always at work, even when he plays with the kids. He is so good at playing with the kids because he actually plays with them! I'm not creative or patient enough to sit down long enough to come up with something. I love him because he is in construction and it shows through in everything he does, of all the things he could build with blocks, he builds a house! I'm so proud of him for how hard he works at his job and what a blessing that is to our family- that he still has a job in construction at this bad time in the economy.

So I just had to put a shout out to the best husband in the world! I love you Rye.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

The day after Christmas we decided to pack up everything but the kitchen sink and head up to the cabin. Three of my sisters and my parents decided to try to tackle the weekend with 2 two year olds! When we got up there Friday afternoon, it had just started to snow and the kids got to see their first snow storm. It was AWESOME! I love the snow- especially when it is coming down. There is just something so peaceful about falling snow. It is just such a nice change to see clouds and snow and actually have some cold weather. I miss the snow of Idaho and having a white Christmas- but having it the day after Christmas was just as good. Saturday the weather had cleared, but it was still really cold. It got to 0 degrees at night and didnt get warmer than about 25 degrees that day. But it was sunny- so it didnt feel that cold. We got the sleds out and had a great time sledding down the hill behind the cabin. Clark and Kate didnt like it so much- it scared them when other people would come down the hill and "crash" at the bottom. So they stayed up on the porch with Auntie Nancy for most of it. I had a great time and managed to get Ryan to go down a few times too. It was fun to see my Mom and Dad take their turns sledding. I guess you never get too old for some things! Sunday it warmed up quite a bit and the snow started melting, I just hope it doesnt all melt before we get up there again!

Clark on the porch Friday during the snow storm.

Kate with Nana

Daddy with Clark and Mommy with Kate

Way to go Paco!!

My nephew Wyatt

My niece Hannah- the only one brave enough to go on her stomach!

The peanut gallery(Ryan, Hannah, Nancy, Aimee and Paco)

Christmas

There's really not too much to say about Christmas- so I'll let the pictures do the talking.....

Clark opening presents with Daddy

Clarks breakfast- a chocolate Santa from his stocking

Clark playing in the new sandbox

Daddy showing Clark and Kate what to do in the sand box!

Kate in the sandbox

Kate at Grandmas with her new stroller and cell phone!

Just Like Daddy

Okland had their Christmas party last week and in addition to getting all day passes to the zoo and zoo lights that night, they gave each of the kids an offical Okland hardhat with their names on it! Kate and Clark love to wear their " hat like Daddy's" although I have not let them wear them out in public. Not because I don't think it's cute, it's because they are big and bulky and I would end up carrying them after 5 minutes. So as you can see, Kate usually has on her "pretty shoes" , a purse and her hard hat! Clark just does the usual boy thing and wears it when he's workin with his tools! I just had to share- I think it's too cute!

Life

Geeze Jel, update your blog already! I know, I know, I know. Life is just crazy, as I'm sure it is for everyone else. It doesnt help that everytime I sit down to blog I can't get my pictures off my camera and who wants to read a post without any pictures! So anyways I was going to write about my kids having to take their clothes off from the waist down everytime they go outside- but it's just not a cute without pictures of their bare butts. So maybe another day.
I have been really busy with just life in general. I feel like I have so much going on that I dont even have time to keep up with the normal day to day things. I acutally just got called to be the 'Activities Committee Chairman' at church and had to plan a Christmas party in 3 weeks for 200 people. So needless to say, I haven't had much time to myself. Plus I've been so BAH Humbug about Christmas this year- it's really been hard for me to get into the Christmas spirit. I think it was because I was so busy Thanksgiving weekend, that I didnt have time to just sit and enjoy the beginning of the holiday season. I usually get my Christmas decorations up that weekend but was too tired after baking for a boutique and running the Turkey Trot. I just barely put up some decorations on Monday and dont have the energy to put the rest up. I debated for about a week whether or not to even send out Christmas cards. But I ordered them yesterday- so if you get one- it might just be after Christmas. I dont know if it's because money is tight and things all of a sudden seem way too expensive, but I just don't even want to buy a dang thing. So we will be having a very humble Christmas this year- which really is fine with me. We're just going to build the kids a sand box in the back yard and call it good. Gosh I sound depressing! Really life isnt that bad, but sometimes all the bad stuff piles up and just comes out! Like in the book "These is My Words" when Sarah just explodes on Savannah one day- that is me today! So anyways- I think I've vented enough, and if you actually read this post without a picture- you really are a good friend!

Halloween Week

I know it's a little passed Halloween, but life has been jam-packed, and I haven't even had 10 minutes to myself all week, let alone time to sit and blog. So after canning almost 100 jars of applesauce and apple pie filling, taking 2yr pictures for the kids, Play along Pals, Clark falling out of the shopping cart in the Bashas parking lot, coloring my moms hair, jury duty and last but not least helping Ryan install a new water heater; I am FINALLY able to sit down for a few minutes!
The week of Halloween was quite eventful for the kids, they got to dress up 3 times, and I must say, were the cutest twins around. Monday night my mom had her annual 'Haynes Halloween Party'. Since this was the first time getting them all dressed, putting the makeup on was quite the task. Once we got to Nanas, they were a little shy with so many people there. But they played the games, swung at the pinata and had nothing but candy for dinner. They even got another birthday cake!

Eating Birthday cake

Swinging at the pinata

Kate and Clark love their Paco

The next dress up day was Wednesday for our ward "Trunk or Treat". Poor kids, we didn't even let them trick or treat. We figured they didn't need the candy, as we wouldn't have let them eat it anyways, and Ryan and I would end up eating it all and we don't need it! They were a little worried about going to church and seeing everyone dressed up, but once they figured out they didnt have to be quiet and could run around, they liked it alot.

Thursday was our last dress up day. Kate and Clarks friend Annie invited them to a carnival at her house. They both had a great time, once they figured out that when they played the games they got candy. Clark made best friends with Annie's grandpa. It was like Clark found the only male in the place and instantly made friends with him. It was cute.

From Annies carnival, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for carving pumpkins. Kate and Clark liked this the best because they got to be in nothing but a diaper and make a mess! So that's our Halloween!

Helping clean out the 'yuckies'

Kate and Clark love their 'Papa'

Building, Birthday Cakes and Bare Butts

What could a post with that kind of title possibly be about? A cabin trip! This past weekend we went up to my parents cabin so Ryan could help my Dad build his wood shed. Ryan had this great idea to build my Dad a wood shed this summer, and then made the mistake of telling my Dad! Ryan poured the concrete a few weeks ago and then this weekend did the wood framing and roofing. My Dad is an aerospace engineer, not a construction engineer, so Ryan had to bite his tongue a few times, and let my Dad "Roger" the project. Ryan is a perfectionist, especially when it comes to building, and my Dad is the fastest, cheapest way kind of guy. From my untrained eye- it looks just fine, but Ryan would tell you otherwise!

So they worked all day Saturday on that, while I played with the kids and worked in the kitchen. Bridgett and Rob came up that night and brought Kate and Clark a 'Fudgy the Whale' birthday cake. I had never seen one before, but apparently they are pretty popular. It's an ice cream cake, and very (as Kate would say) Delicious! Bridgett and Rob spoil my kids, but I'm definitely ok with that. Kate is finally warming up to Rob and even let him hold her on the swing.

Now's the part you've been waiting for- what's the story about the bare butt? Well Kate and Clark have been intrigued with the toilet and potty training. Kate is doing much better than Clark, but Clark wants to so badly! He now just wants to sit on the toilet after Kate does, even though he doesn't do anything. So we've had some problems with Clark taking his diaper off. He doesn't undo the velcro, he just shimmy's out of it. Well Sunday after church, we came home and put them to bed. While they were sleeping we got all packed up to go, and ended up having to wake them up to leave. So when Ryan went to get Clark, this is what he found.......