Happiness is a Journey

Thanksgiving at Disneyland

2011-12-03T15:51:00.000-08:00

We decided it was finally time to take our girls to Disneyland. I had the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off from work this year and Washington State was in a basketball tournament in the Disneyland area. It was destiny.

We drove to Anaheim on Wednesday during the day. We got settled in the hotel and hung out for the night. Thursday was Thanksgiving. We got up, had breakfast, and headed to Disneyland. We hadn't told the girls where we were going at all. They had been happy thinking we were just taking a family trip and staying in a hotel. Ryann figured it out from conversations on the shuttle bus. She just got a big grin.

Once we were there, we headed for Fantasy Land. We rode the carousel, the Dumbo ride, and It's a Small World. Scott was a real trooper. He stood in line for the girls to meet the princesses for quite a while. I took the girls to see a princess show while he waited. They got to meet Tiana and Ariel. Later, we stood in another line and met Rapunzel.

In the afternoon, we went back to the hotel to have sandwiches and naps. It may not have been a fancy Thanksgiving meal, but it worked. After recharging, we headed back to the park for the evening festivities. There was a Christmas parade with all the characters, music, and lights. It was very exciting for the girls. After that, they changed the castle lights to it's Christmas theme. They played Christmas music on Main Street and made it snow. The girls thought that was awesome. I'd have to agree. Scott and I thought it was the highlight of the trip.

Once the excitement ended, Scott headed to a basketball game and we met up with some friends. We went on the Winnie the Pooh ride and Jungle Cruise then called it a day. The girls were giggly when we first got back to the hotel, but once I got them in bed, it was silent.

The next day, we headed back to the park. We met Tinkerbell and rode the Nemo ride. We took a train ride around the park then decided to take an early lunch/nap break. We had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. We all rested up a bit before heading back for another evening round. We walked around, went on the carousel, and rode Winnie the Pooh again. Scott headed to another game while the girls and I had an ice cream then walked downtown Disney. By then, we were spent. We went back and watched a Christmas movie on TV.

We decided that 2 days was about right. I wouldn't want to do much more than that. The girls had a great time, and we saw a lot of what we wanted to for this trip. There's a lot more that we can do when they get bigger. Somehow, I ended up telling Ryann that we'd go back when she's 7. Knowing her, she'll hold us to it.

The First of Many

2011-11-22T23:16:00.000-08:00

It finally happened. Avery took a spill bad enough for an emergency room visit. I knew it was just a matter of time. She's our little maniac. She climbs like a monkey and isn't exactly graceful on her feet. She already has a tooth that's broken up at the root from one of her tumbles. This time, it was stitches.
We returned from our usual during-dinner trip to the potty. She began to climb up into Ryann's booster seat. She tipped backward and ended up under the table, bleeding from the mouth. She was crying and holding it. I picked her up, thinking it was the usual bloody lip. I took her to wipe her up and saw that there was quite a bit of blood. We wiped it up and I immediately knew it required a doctor visit. Avery calmed down and we took off to the urgent care office. When they saw it, they told me I needed to go to the ER. She needed stitches.
Of course the closest hospital didn't have a pediatric ER so I drove another 30 minutes. Avery was awesome. She was very calm and held a paper towel on her boo-boo the whole time. She even played in the ER waiting room. They were very nice and took good care of her. She was a very cooperative patient and they all commented on what a good girl she was. They wrapped her in a sheet to work on her, but she had no intention of moving. I didn't do as well as she did. They told me to sit down and gave me water. She ended up with 3 stitches and a teddy bear.
It was a late night. It was after 11:30 when we got home. She went right to sleep. It was a pretty scary thing for me. I didn't enjoy seeing my baby bleeding and getting stitched, but it could have been worse. I'm thankful that it went as well as it did. Knowing her, it's the first of many ER visits we'll make along the way. It hasn't slowed her down a bit!

It's a Girl!

2011-11-19T12:41:00.000-08:00

That's right, another Dobbins girl is on the way. I had an ultrsound on November 9. Thankfully, everything looked great. The baby is growing well and everything is developed as it should be. I had tried to prepare myself to hear it was a girl, but held out hope for a boy. I guess it's just not meant to be. The good thing is, we're all set. We have lots of clothes for girls. :0) I'm looking forward to meeting our newest daughter. Now, we just need a name. It could take some time. Luckily, we have until the end of March to decide.

Act of Bravery

2011-10-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

My brother and I took the girls to the Phoenix Zoo on Monday, Oct. 17. We rode the merry-go-round, looked at the animals, and played at the Fisher-Price Farm area as usual. The shocking twist was that Ryann wanted to ride a camel. We've tried several times before to get her to try it, but she refused. This time, she said she wanted to. We got the ticket and waited for her to freak out and change her mind. Nope. She went and liked it! She didn't whine or cry or even look scared. It was awesome. Afterward, she said, "I was very brave." I was pretty proud of her. She's not exactly adventurous. She'll only ride the giraffe on the merry-go-round because it's the only one that doesn't go up and down. This was a pleasant surprise.

Cougs Game 2011

2011-10-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

Each year, Scott and I take a trip to see his beloved WSU Cougars play football. In the past few years, it's been a fun trip, but has had poor results. The Cougs lost each time and gave up at least 40 points. This year, however, things were different! On October 1st, we went to Boulder, CO to see the Cougs play the Colorado Buffaloes. As usual, it was a very nice trip. The girls stayed home with my mother. It's a nice campus, the weather was great, and things went fairly smoothly. As always, I enjoyed learning the mascot. They have a real live buffalo! The unusual part is...the Cougs won! It was awesome! They came back in the end and won 31-27. It was the first time I'd seen them win a football game. They're much more successful this year than in years past. That makes for a happier hubby. I like that. The only down side from the trip is that I lost my phone on the way back. I had to go over a week without one. I have a new one now, so all's well. :0)

Time Flies!

2011-10-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that I haven't put a word in the blog since August. It was a crazy first quarter at school. My mentor teacher position keeps me even busier than usual. To top it off, I'm still a coordinator for our after school program. I don't have time to do anything anymore. I'm constantly trying to do what MUST be done that day. It's exhausting and I never catch up.
Luckily, I'm on Fall Break right now. I worked Monday-Thursday last week, coordinating our Fall Intersession program. Since then, I've been hanging out with my girls and catching up on stuff.

A friend of Scott's gave the girls his girls' old bikes. Ryann and Avery love them. We ride to the parks in our neighborhood. They have tons of fun.

Aside from the bike riding, we've been staying close to home. Avery is potty training. She's doing really well, but we don't want to push it too far yet. I did take her to Michael's and Target the other day. We went potty in Target and she had no accidents. I felt it was a successful outing.

Even though the pool water is getting chilly, the girls still like to splash around a bit. It's way too cold for me. My brother and Scott were swimming this week, but not me. The water was in the low 70s. Brrrrrr. I've come to appreciate 85-90 degree water. :0) Avery got in today and sat right in the water with her clothes on. I think she's insane. It's too cold for me!

Ryann is still going to preschool 2 days per week. She loves it and is doing very well. I hope it'll help her to be ready for kindergarten next year. It's coming so quickly!

In other news.... In case you haven't heard, Ryann and Avery will have a younger sibling by April 6. That's our due date, but we anticipate an end of March arrival due to the c-section. We find out November 9 if it's a boy or girl. Ryann insists that it needs to be a boy. I'm convinced it's another girl. I guess we'll see.

Preschool Has Begun!

2011-08-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

Ryann started preschool this past week. She's going to a local church preschool two days each week. She's been begging to go for months. I took her to visit in May and she hasn't stopped talking about it ever since. Monday night, we had her backpack packed, clothes picked out, and lunch bag ready. Tuesday morning, she was excited and ready to go. We dropped Avery off at daycare and headed to preschool. We were shown to her classroom, walked in the door, and the water works began. She hid her face in my legs and cried. After a few minutes of coaxing, they were able to divert her attention with some princess toys. Imagine that. I tried to take her picture but the camera battery was dead. She seemed fine after a few minutes so I left.
Scott and I both went to pick her up that afternoon. She was VERY grumpy. The teacher had already left and the aides said they thought she had a good day. She wouldn't tell us much due to a severe case of the grouchies. I had replaced the camera battery so we did get a post preschool day grumpy picture.

On Thursday, she was happy to go to her class in the morning. She wasn't thrilled when they asked her to wait in another room for a while. I waited with her a few minutes until her room opened. I left work a little early that day so I could meet the teacher. I introduced mysef and asked how it went. She said it was good except for a little "prima donna issue." I can't say that I was surprised to hear that. Apparently, Ryann and another girl are trying to establish a pecking order, especially regarding princess toys. I told the teacher that this was excatly why she was there. :0) We try to talk to her about being a good friend and sharing, etc., but I think it'll take more formal experiences to get her to understand.
We're looking forward to a smooth week 2 this week.

New Hobbies

2011-08-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

This summer, my friend, Annie, and I decided to pick up some new hobbies. We started out with knitting. That was fun, but somewhat complicated. I can make an awesome rectangle, but that's about it. Then we decided to try sewing. We were able to make some pretty cute tote bags in our first class. Friday night, we took another class and made pillowcase dresses for the girls. Avery's is a little big, but that was as small as the pattern made. Annie made one and I made one. The next morning, I made handbags with the extra material. It may not seem like much, but I'm proud of our work. :0)

Trip to NY

2011-07-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

We're back from our trip to NY. We flew back to see my family and friends. I also attended my 20-year high school reunion. Idon't know how it's possible that I've been out of school 20 years!

It was a pretty easy trip out, except for a delay in Newark. The girls were excited and did very well on the planes. We got to my dad's late Tuesday night (7/19). The girls were wound up and didn't get to sleep until well past midnight. That didn't stop them from getting up at 6am the next day, though. The girls didn't get much sleep throughout the trip. Scott and I took long drives a few times to facilitate naptime. As soon as they were strapped in car seats, it was lights out.
We were super busy the whole time. We spent time with my dad & step-mom, my brother, my mom, my cousins, and my friends. We went to some of our favorite eateries in the Binghamton area and caught a Binghamton Mets game. Scott and I even had some time without the kids. That was nice. It was great to let the girls spend time with family and play in the country a bit. They got to experience lots of animals including cats, dogs, frogs, cows, and alpacas. Unfortunately, Ryann is allergic to cats so she had a little issue. She learned to admire kitties from a distance. She also got sick and had to go to the doctor on the trip. Her ailments, combined with lack of sleep, caused quite an emotional week. By the time our return trip came, she was miserable on the plane and in the airports. We were really relieved to get home. We arrived late Wednesday night (7/27). I love visiting my family and friends, but it can be a bit stressful as well. :0)

I'm back to work now. I went back the morning after we got back. I'm ready for a new school year already. Students come August 8th. This summer flew by!

Children's Museum

2011-07-12T15:36:00.000-07:00

My friend and I took our kids to the Children's Museum of Phoenix today. It was awesome. The girls loved everything about it. There were tons of different areas to go in and play. They were able to touch everything and do all sorts of activites. They shopped for groceries, cooked, gardened, went through a pool noodle forest, put balls through cool maze things, drove things, and more. It was a lot like the Discovery Center in Binghamton, only super-sized. Ryann was especially excited about the 3-story "treehouse" thing. It's like an enormouse jungle gym/sculpture that the kids can go through. The kids loved it. Avery was a little less adventurous. I had to go up and get her once because she felt "stuck." She didn't know how to go back down the ramp she had climbed. I felt pretty good about being able to let them run around safely. It was low-stress. They even have tot-sized toilets. Ryann enjoyed that. Overall, it was a great experience. I'll definitely have to take them back again someday soon.

Zoo Day

2011-07-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

Scott took the day off on Friday, so we set out for a family safari. We headed over to the Phoenix Zoo. Since it's over 100 degrees here most days now, we went early. We got there around 7:30am. By 10:30, we were wrapping it up and heading home. It was actually a nice trip. It was warm, but not super hot yet. There weren't a ton of people there, so that made for a peaceful time. We saw most of the animals, rode the merry-go-round, and petted the stingrays. The girls wore their giraffe-print dresses in honor of the occasion. It was a fun outing and we still had plenty of the day left for playing, napping and just being together.

Avery at the Dentist

2011-07-05T15:01:00.000-07:00

Avery went to the dentist for the first time this afternoon. Ryann went for her second visit, as well. Ryann went first. She was very happy to go and was very cooperative. While Avery and I waited, I was getting nervous because she wasn't doing her usual shy act. She was running around the waiting room and kept running into the records area. I kept saying, "I'm sorry," to the ladies behind the counter. I thought it was going to be quite a visit if this kept up. Fotunately, when they took her for x-rays, she settled right down. She looks quite pathetic actually, but don't let her fool you. :0)
After the x-rays, we entered the exam area and I smelled an unpleasant smell coming from her diaper. I had to excuse us for a few minutes while I took her to the car then restroom for a change. Once we finally got the exam underway, she was very cooperative and quiet. She got to wear sunglasses and watch a movie overhead. She did very well and didn't seem to mind at all. She especially enjoyed getting a t-shirt and balloon. The dentist informed me that the x-rays showed a tooth broken at the root. Apparently one of her million falls on her face resulted in a broken tooth. The tooth will probably turn colors and fall out or need to be removed. Then, she'll have a gap until her permanent teeth come in. I can't say that I'm surprised. She's constantly falling. She's just into everything and always on the go at top speed. I just hope she gets herself under control before her permanent teeth come in. I forsee an expensive dental future.

Fourth of July

2011-07-04T22:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the annual Independence Day event at the Goodyear Ballpark. I took the girls over to partake in the chaos and spend some time with their daddy at work. They love to go to Daddy's work. We walked around a bit, enjoyed the music, and got something to eat. Ryann had to have a hot dog, probably because we saw the Nathan's hot dog eating contest from Coney Island on TV this afternoon. After that, we headed down to Scott's shop. We like to set up our own fireworks viewing area. We put a blanket on the grass and let the girls run around. It's nice to escape the crowd and enjoy the fireworks as a family. Ryann loved how "colorful and wonderful" they were. Avery clapped and cheered. Both girls had to run around a bit during the fireworks show. Their attention spans aren't quite up to the whole show. The fireworks ended just before the sprinklers came on in our zone. It was perfect. :0)
Here are some pictures of the festivities. I'm not sure why Ryann can't keep her eyes open when she smiles for pictures. Some are a bit blurry, but you get the idea.

Summer Fun

2011-07-03T09:10:00.001-07:00

WSU Shirts for Father's Day Picture

My summer vacation has finally begun. I've had trainings and/or been at work almost all of June. Now that July is here, I'm ready to realx a bit. The girls and I have had a lot more time together lately. They tire me out but I love being with them. I feel like I get to know them on a whole new level when I'm not working. Avery is into trouble every few seconds, but is a sponge for learning new things. Ryann is obsessed with being 4 and "a big girl" now. She can't wait to go to preschool in August. We do preschool time at home most days. She loves to play school. Unfortunately, she's not a fan of being told to change something she's doing. We'll see how that goes over in school. Luckily she's usually more cooperative with other adults than with her parents. Overall, she's pretty good most of the time. We just need to tame the drama queen in her. Avery is a bit of a bully to her big sis. I spend a lot of time refereeing as Avery torments her emotional sister. Ahh...the joys of motherhood.

Desert Fun

2011-05-30T17:16:00.000-07:00

Scott has renewed his passion for running. He's been doing races here and there but runs long distances regularly. He even ran to work the other day. It's 8.2 miles! Ugh!

In an effort to participate in family fun, we took the girls to the White Tank Mountains last Sunday. We went to play around while Scott ran about 8 miles through the wilderness. It was peaceful and something different to see. The girls and I took advantage of one of the playgounds. We checked out the nature center and library, but they were closed. Of course, we checked out the potty. The weather was warm and breezy. We stayed until just before sunset. I would like to be able to do some hiking as well, but the girls are too little, still. It was nice, anyway. Here are some pictures of our adventure.

Birthdays, Photos, and Doctors...Oh my!

2011-05-28T16:17:00.000-07:00

Avery's Birthday

The month of May has certainly been a busy one. As we wind down the month on this Memorial Day weekend, I thought I'd share some of our May excitement.

Princess Castle Cake 2011

Avery turned 2 on the 2nd and Ryann turned 4 on the16th so we had to have a princess party! On Sunday, May 15th, we had 13 kids and their parents. We had a bouncy castle and castle cake. Ryann loved the bouncer, but Avery waited until everyone went home. She decided it was ok to go if Daddy was in there, too. The girls were spoiled rotten with gifts from their friends. They had a blast! Ryann is still asking if she can have another birthday. She also has decided that she can do a lot more now that she's 4. She'll say, "Look, Mom, I can reach now!" It's amazing how much she grew and matured overnight. :0)

Ryann & Her BFFs

On the 13th, Scott & my anniversary, I took the girls for annual photos. At first, Avery was terrified, but she warmed up and everything went fine.

On the 17th, I took the girls to the doctor for their annual check-ups. Ryann had to have some vaccinations. She took them well and won't need more until she's 11. She is in the 60th percentile for height and 70th percentile for weight. Avery is up to the 40th percentile in both. She's gaining.

To add to the family craziness in May, I've been super busy at work. The school year is winding down so there's tons of work to be done. I'm wrapping up things for the grant I coordinate, getting ready to do reports for the state. I was hired as a mentor teacher for next year so I have meetings and trainings beginning. Overall, there's just a ton. Report cards have to be done by the last day of school, June 7. Then I can sigh a big sigh....and start trainings for next year on the 8th. This summer will be pretty busy, but we're looking forward to a trip to NY in July. Both kids trapped on an airplane across the country should be interesting. Stay tuned.

May

2011-05-08T09:36:00.000-07:00

Avery & her bunny

May is a pretty important month for our family.

On Monday, the 2nd, my little baby turned 2 years old. I can't believe she's getting to be such a big girl. She's talking a lot more and doing all kinds of things by herself. She's into all kinds of mischief, too. She's a handful but she's still my snuggly baby.

Scott and I will be celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary on Friday, the 13th. My mom will be here so we can go on a real date, without kids. :0)

Ryann turns 4 on the 16th. We'll be having a party for both girls this coming weekend. We've got a plethora of princess stuff for the occasion. Ryann has requested another princess castle cake this year so I'll be busy getting that ready as well.

Both girls get to go to the doctor on the 17th. Happy Birthday...here's your shots. :0)

A Day at the Zoo

2011-05-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Girl

In honor of Avery's birthday, my friend, Annie and I took the girls to the Phoenix Zoo. We all had fun walking around and looking at the animals. Ryann rode the merry-go-round, and actually enjoyed the first and last 15 seconds of the ride. We had a picnic with a variety of feathered friends. The girls got to play in the Little People farm area. Aside from a couple of scraped knees and my slight sunburn, things went well.

Ryann & Avery Taking a Break

Scott was out of town this weekend. He went home to Washington to make his return to the Bloomsday 12K race in Spokane. It's much colder than he's used to. He said they were hoping for the 40s today. Brrrr... He texted me that he finished the race in under an hour. He must have taken Ryann's advice. Last night on the phone she said, "Run very fast, Daddy." We're proud of him. :0)

Easter

2011-04-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

We began our Easter festivities last week with an egg hunt and Easter Bunny encounter at an event for employees in my school district. That was ok. The girls found a few eggs among the gazillion other kids seeking them. Avery found a "golden ticket" in one of hers. She won a chocolate bunny, which her daddy was happy to eat for her. Meeting the bunny didn't exactly go well. It was much like our Santa meeting. Both girls were terrified of the huge rodent. I thought he was cute.

This Saturday, we colored eggs. Well, I colored them and the girls fought with each other then went outside to play while I finished. That night, we all headed to church. After church, we quickly got the kids to bed with promises that the Easter bunny would know if they weren't sleeping. I filled baskets and eggs as Scott and I watched a movie together. We're a bit wild & and crazy because we stayed up until almost 11:00. The night before we were asleep by 9. That was awesome!

I had planned to get up around 6 and hide eggs for the morning hunt. The girls usually get up between 6:30 and 7. Ryann decided to come in around 5:45 asking to snuggle in my bed. Hmmm.... That posed a problem. After a few minutes of snuggles, I sent her back to her room so I could sneak downstairs and to the backyard. Surprisingly, she went willingly and I crept down the stairs and to the back door. I quietly opened the sliding glass door and BEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPP!!!!!! I had forgotten to turn off the alarm. I ran to enter the code and slid out the backdoor. Just as I got outside, the phone ran. It was the alarm company following up. Wow! I hid the eggs and went back to bed. I told Scott that I was super sneaky. He agreed that no one would ever notice me. I guess I wouldn't be any good as a private detective or something. Either way, the girls slept through it and were pleasantly surprised to find filled baskets and eggs in the backyard.

The girls spent most of the day today eating jelly beans and fighting over other things from their baskets. Avery even stole some candy from Daddy's basket. It was nice to have a day for the four of us to be together. We tried to go swimming this afternoon. The pool was 75 degrees. We went in but Avery and I were too wimpy to get wet all the way. It was sunny, breezy and warm, but the water felt super chilly. Maybe May will have warmer water for us. I'm sure our friends and family in NY and Washington couldn't swim today, either. :0)~

Spring Break

2011-03-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I made it to Spring Break. It was quite a hectic week leading up to it. We had visitors in town. Scott is working Spring Training every day. I had report cards and a ton of work to do. By the time break started, I was pretty tired. My mom was in town to watch the girls for us. We took her last day, Monday, to go to the Phoenix Zoo. The girls got to see Koala bears, among other things. It was fun except for Ryann's refusal to ride the merry-go-round. She asked about it all day but when we got in there, she had a fit and asked to go home. Ugh! Mom got them koala shirts to commemorate the day.

The first week of break is gone now. Scott and I both worked Tuesday through Thursday. We played hookie Friday morning to take Scott to a birthday breakfast before he went to work. Having his birthday during Spring Training puts a damper on the festivities, especially on a day with a night game. We'll have dinner on Sunday to celebrate.

Ryann had her first friend sleep over Friday night. There was no sleeping until after 11pm. Ryann is a bit of a menace at bedtime. She likes to run up and down the hallway frequently. I have to gate her in or make her sleep in her top bunk without the ladder. It may seem extreme but she stays in one place and doesn't seem to mind. Last night, she also found it fun to torment her friend by covering her friend's head or taking her stuffed animal. I banished her to the top bunk at 11 so I could sleep. It was smooth sailing from there.

Avery has reached a milestone this week. She is now in a toddler bed. Last week, she was in her crib for a time out and ended up on the floor. I decided it was time. She's done well so far. She still sits in it and calls for me in the morning. I kind of like that, but I'm sure it won't last long.

Scott and I will be working all next week. Then, school opens back up on the 28th. Our state tests are 2 weeks after that so there's lots to do. I'll be looking forward to June 7th, our last day of school for the year. :0)

Time to Swim!

2011-03-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

After more than 2 years in our house, we finally put the swimming pool in the backyard. No more looking out and seeing nothing but dirt out back. There's still plenty of dirt, but now there's a pool in the middle. Our next adventure will be landscaping the rest of the yard.

Here are a few pictures of construction.

The finished product.

Keelan was the first brave soul to test the waters. 68 degrees is way too cold for me, or "a bit brisk," as Keelan said. I'm thinking I'll get in by May. :0)

February Fun

2011-02-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy month so far. We've had soccer on Saturdays, birthday parties, work commitments, and more. Scott managed to get me the perfect Valentine's gift this year. It was an Edible Arrangement. It was beautiful and delicious! Since I'm on Weight Watcher's again, it was very thoughtful.

The girls, however, are not dieting. They each had a goody bag from a birthday party on Saturday. Sunday morning, Ryann gave Avery a crash course in lollipop eating. It was quite humorous to watch. We had to follow it up with bath time. :0)

You'll notice that Avery has pretty short hair nowadays. I had to give her a buzz because she had pulled so much out. Since the trim, though, she hasn't touched it. I'll keep my fingers crossed that she's done with that bad habit.

Cheerleading

2011-02-13T05:48:00.000-08:00

Since November I've been one of the coaches for our school's cheerleaders. We had 22 girls that really wanted to go to competition. The basketball season ended a couple of weeks ago but we kept practicing to get ready for competition. Unfortunately, we had 3 girls leave the team and pretty poor attendance from the rest in the last few weeks. That caused us to have to redo things several times. I was pretty frustrated and swore off coaching for many years. However, competition day arrived yesterday. It was stressful but exciting. Our team won 4th place out of 12 teams. It was the first middle school competition that I'd been to. Now that I know what it's like, I have the bug again! Who knows, maybe I'll try again next year. :0) Ryann loves it she always begs to go to practice with me. I think it would be awesome to coach her someday. I guess we'll see what the future holds.

Long Weekend

2011-01-16T15:04:00.000-08:00

This picture is actually from a couple of weeks ago, but now I have time to post it. I find my girls' sense of style AWESOME! Yes, Avery is wearing a tutu body suit over footie jammies.

I have 3 days off this weekend due to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It's amazing the difference a day can make. My brother was in town working the Supercross, although we didn't get to see him much. We just hung around Friday night after I got home from cheerleading practice. Saturday, I took Ryann to soccer. It was the first session of the season. I was very glad that her attention span has improved since last year. Her coach remembered her and even used her for one of the demonstrations. I was proud. :0) We went home and got Avery and walked to our neighborhood park. It was so nice out that we hit another park before walking home for nap time. I was actually the only one that wanted a nap. That evening, we went to church as usual, then had a relaxing night at home. (That means Scott watched TV and read as I worked on school stuff.) Today, Avery and I did the weekly grocery run. After that, the girls and I played outside for a while. Scott cooked us a delicious lunch while I got the girls bathed and in their rooms for naps. The only other excitement today is laundry. The best thing is that I haven't had to finish my school stuff because I still have a day left! I love days off from school.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T13:51:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy but joyful day so far. Scott and I were really excited for today. We both kept waking up, thinking it was time to get up. At 6:30, I finally went and woke up the girls.

We got all the Christmas lights on and started opening. Ryann was a champ at opening this year. She tore things open well. Avery preferred to enjoy things once they were opened for her. Both girls loved their gifts. Avery got some fun Elmo things. Ryann got lots of Princess stuff, including a castle for her dolls and a castle tent to play in. Avery's favorite things of the morning were a new baby doll and the constant flow of Skittles. She kept wanting"mo." Ryann was very busy protecting her princess stuff from the little sister. They got coloring books and crayons, so we did some coloring. The girls also got some Legos. They built some stuff with Daddy before brunch.

Around 11, we headed over to our friends' house for brunch. They put on a big spread. It was fun, but we were anxious to get home and lounge around. Avery had stinky pants and needed a nap so we were home by 1. Now, we're watching the new Tinkerbell movie and eating snacks. Ahhh....the perfect afternoon.

This has been a really exciting Christmas. I have always loved Christmas, but it takes on a whole new dimension seeing it through my girls' eyes. I had so much fun getting ready. We even left cookies for Santa last night. Ryann has never gone to sleep as fast as she did last night. We talked about Santa knowing if she was awake. I tucked her in, she closed her eyes, and she didn't even open them to give me my goodnight hugs and kisses. I didn't hear a peep after I left her room. Avery didn't really understand what was going on, but she was super wound up anyway. Today was very exciting for us all. It was so much fun seeing how happy the girls were. Each Christmas has been more and more fun since we became parents. They say that Christmas is for children, but it's pretty awesome for parents, too. :0)

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T20:43:00.000-08:00

We had a relaxed Christmas Eve. We got the girls dressed up and went to church. When we got home, we ate dinner and watched Christmas movies until bedtime. We were all very excited for Santa to come!

My Audience

2010-12-24T10:35:00.000-08:00

Avery has found the perfect spot to keep track of me while I do my kitchen work. She opens the pantry, pulls out the stool, gets her snacks set up, and enjoys watching Mommy. She also likes to look beautiful with beads on.

Time to Breathe

2010-12-23T07:17:00.000-08:00

Our happy girls

Here I am! I'm on Winter Break. I've been trying to catch up on all the things that I've neglected since the last break. I've been going to appointments, baking cookies, and doing housework. Finally, I have a few minutes to blog. I've been blogging mentally since Thanksgiving but haven't had time to sit at the computer and get it out there. I guess I'll

try to catch up on this too. :0)

To begin our Christmas season, we went to the ballpark for the holiday event. The girls got to play in snow for the first time and met Santa! We had to wait in line for our turn in the snow. When we got in there, Ryann slipped, screamed, and cried about 4 times. Avery seemed to be trying to figure it out. By the end of our few minutes in the snow, they both seemed to enjoy it.

After that, we waited in line for about 45 minutes to meet the big guy. When we finally got there, Ryann went mute and wouldn't get near him. Avery sat on his lap, took one look, and started screaming. It was loads of fun.

One of our favorite things to do at each holiday is make cookies. Ryann and I bake them together. She loves to mix dough, roll it out, and cut cookie shapes. Her favorite part, though is tasting them. Avery likes to get into anything she can reach during these projects. We often end up with finger prints in the frosting. She also takes them and runs when she gets a chance. Baking is quite an adventure in our house. I've been making Christmas cookies "alone" the past few days for productivity and quality control. :0) By alone, I mean as I step over Ryann and her princess toys and drag Avery around attached to my leg. Ahhh...quality time with the kids.

Not the prettiest, but beautiful to us

Looks like trouble

Yum! Cookies!

Scott and I are super excited for Christmas this year. We think the girls will love it. It's so much fun to see their excitement. I hope to post a video after Christmas morning.

Avery at 18 Months

2010-11-21T13:40:00.000-08:00

I took Avery to the doctor on Thursday for her 18 month appointment. She's made some pretty good progress. She went from the 50th to 75th percentile in height and from the 5th to 25th percentile in weight. She's gaining! She's still a cute little peanut. She's talking a lot more but still uses 1 word at a time for most things. Although she will say, "mo, bee." (translated: "more, please.") She's very giggly and happy at home but clams up whenever anyone else is around. People at church or at my work think she's quiet and subdued. Ha! They should see her terrorize her sister, climb furniture, and giggle and run when she's in trouble. She's really something. :0)
Ryann is getting big, too. I had to take her to buy a couple of shirts today because she's outgrown most of her 3T clothes already. She seemed to be getting chubbier for a few weeks then she shot upward. She had her belly hanging out of her shirt yesterday because it was too short. Today, she went shopping in a mini dress. It was fine a few weeks ago. Ugh! I can't keep up.

Annual Pictures

2010-11-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

Today is Veteran's Day so I have a day off! What better to do with it than get family photos done? It was just as much fun as usual. We did our annual family photo as well as Avery's 18 month picture. She was so shy during the whole thing. She looks miserable in all of the pictures. We decided not to worry about it because that's just her right now. Ryann is quite the opposite. She's a little model. She had a very cute, happy smile in most of the pictures. She did better than Scott and I.
Even though the pictures aren't perfect, they're done and I'm glad. We did Ryann's pictures every month for the first year. We smartened up and did Avery's every 3 months. Now that Avery is 18 months old, we'll start going only in May for birthday pics and November for a family pic. That sounds a little better.
You'll notice there is no picture posted. That's because JCPenney won't let me download them unless I buy the cd for $150. Grrrrrrr! I'll be looking for another portrait studio.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was filled with Halloween festivities. We were fortunate enough to have Scott's dad and my brother in town to share in the fun.
The festivities began on Saturday night when the Goodyear Ballpark hosted their annual Halloween event. Scott and his dad went to the Washington State at Arizona State football game so my brother, Chad, and I took the girls to the ballpark. Ryann had a great time picking out a pumpkin and putting a face on him. She enjoyed going through the straw maze that her daddy had designed. Avery just took it all in. She kept taking her hood off. Apparently, it's too hot in Arizona to be a furry monster. She was a big hit, though. Everybody loves Elmo. It was very crowded so we didn't stay very long.
We did run into a few friends. Take note of "Batman." He's the young man that Ryann claims she will marry. Uncle Chuckie has his eye on that one.
The next day was the real deal, Halloween. We helped Ryann carve her pumpkin, roasted pumpkin seeds, and waited for the evening fun.
We decided to do it Arizona style for the first time. It's a strange phenomenon. People like to sit in their driveways in patio furniture to give out candy. Some people go all out decorating their driveway areas for the evening. We set up home base then Chad and I took the girls down the street while Scott and his dad gave out candy. Elmo kept running ahead. She had no concern for where we were. She was free! Ryann was really excited to have candy. They both like trick-or-treating. We did the loop on our street then stopped back at home. Avi needed a diaper change and we grabbed Daddy for the next route. We took them around the corner and looped back to the park. By then, it was Avery's bedtime. We gave out a bit more candy then got the girls inside and settled down. I did let Avery taste some M&Ms. She wasn't overly impressed but did manage to make a huge mess on her hands and face. Apparently, they do melt in your hands.

Annual Fair Outing

2010-10-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

On my last day of break, we decided to take the girls on our annual Arizona State Fair outing. We got there around 10am and headed right to the caricature booth. We didn't get it done last year because the girls were hot and tired by the time we got there. We did it this year, though. Then, we looked at animals and went through the kids' barn. Ryann got to ride the carousel. Avery probably would have liked it better than Ryann but she sat this one out. Ryann was excited but then wanted off. She got used to it and said she had fun by the time it was over. At least she didn't scream when it was over this time.

After that, we ate junk food and headed home. It was a brief trip, but it was long enough to accomplish our goals without major incident. We left around 1pm. Both girls fell asleep on the way home. I was hoping we could all enjoy a nap when we got home. However, the girls were recharged and ready to rock when we got home. Ugh! So much for a restful last day of break. I'm headed back to work tomorrow.

Break Wrap Up

2010-10-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

I have only one day left of my fall break. This week has been really nice. I've done a lot of catching up on school work but more importantly, I've spend lots of time with the girls. The weather has cooled down this week. It's been in the 70s and 80s and we even had some clouds and rain. We've spent lots of time outside in the sand and on the swings. This is definitely the best time to be in AZ. Winter's pretty nice, too. I'm looking forward to even cooler temperatures. I want to wear long pants and long sleeves again. :0)

Besides playing outside, Ryann and I have been preparing for Halloween. She gets really excited about holidays. She loves to decorate the house and bake special treats. We even tried on costumes. Avery doesn't really know what's going on but she's more than willing to get in on the action. She tends to be less than helpful most of the time. Here are some pictures of Ryann and her pumpkin cookies yesterday. She helped mix, roll and cut the cookies. After that, she was mostly interested in taste-testing.

Avery Year 1

2010-10-19T21:51:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Ryann Year 1

2010-10-19T21:50:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Time to Take a Breath

2010-10-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

Fall break has finally arrived. We have the next two weeks off from school. My mom is here for a visit. She watched them a few days last week while I had long days. She'll watch them Monday, too. I'll be teaching intersession for the first four days but will have at least a week to spend with the girls. I feel a lot more relaxed this weekend, even though I still have to teach this week. I finished assessments, report cards, and parent conferences. Now, I can breathe a little as I prepare for the next quarter. Next quarter, I have a couple of formal lessons to videotape, writing to do, and I'll begin coaching cheerleading in November in addition to all of my usual responsibilities. I have lots to do so I need to get ahead during break if I can.

Most importantly, I need to spend more time with the girls during break. We get so busy during each quarter that I miss them a lot. This weekend, I've been spending lots of playtime with them. Avery has beaten me up pretty well. She's a little rough with her love. I often get head-butted from vigorous hugs or pinched or poked from playing games. I do enjoy having the little monkeys tackle me on the carpet. They are super giggly and fun right now. Avery is walking very well now and is into trouble all the time. Ryann is becoming a good helper. She has really matured in the past couple of months. Here is a video of our Avi-bug walking and a couple of pictures of our girls.

A Weekend Get-Away

2010-10-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

Scott and I had a rare opportunity last weekend. We drove to LA to see the Cougs play at UCLA. The best part is,...we went alone. One of my most wonderful friends, Annie, offered to stay at our house with the girls for the weekend so Scott and I could get away together. It was great to have some grown-up time without kids or responsibilities. We went to the Rose Bowl for the game. It was a good game, even though the Cougs ended up losing. In keeping with our Cougs game tradition, they gave up 40 points or more and lost, as they have every game we've attended together.

After the game, we stayed in Glendale, CA. We went to dinner, a movie, and ice cream. We had a great time but we were definitely tired after such a long day of fun. We got back Sunday around noon. Annie claims that the girls were very good. Hmmm...my kids? I'm glad. They had fun and so did we. It's nice for Scott and I to have time as a couple once in a while. Thanks, Annie!

Pay It Forward...or something like that

2010-09-17T21:51:00.000-07:00

We had a guest pastor a couple of weeks ago at church. He talked about showing people love in small ways. He called it guerrilla love. I took it to heart and tried to put it in practice. There was a police officer that kept parking outside our houe so I decided to make him cookies. Well, that plan backfired because it took to long to make cookies and he didn't come back. By then, I was on a mission. The UPS guy came to deliver a package to the neighbors so I ran out there and offered him a plate of cookies. He was appreciative and said he had only eaten once that day so he thanked me. I was pretty happy with that but I had more cookies left so I took them in to the office staff at school. The interesting thing is what I've noticed since then. A friend of mine got an anonymous card with a few bucks to send her on her way as she traveled out of town for the weekend. I've had people offer all kinds of help to me. I covered a duty for someone and they gave me a soda and treats. I see people helping eachother all over my school. It's been amazing to see how many nice things people have done for one another. When I thought about it, I first thought it was like a pay it forward thing. Then, I thought about all the things people have done for me long before this and how I try to help others whenever I can. I came to the conclusion that I just have a great group of friends and coworkers that really support one another. My wonderful husband has been helping to free me up for work time when I need it. My mom is coming soon to babysit. A friend is spending the night with my kids so Scott and I can go to a Cougs game in LA in a couple of weeks. My friends and family are fantastic! I truly am blessed and I'm incredibly grateful. This year is insane with my added responsibilies and projects. The amazing people in my life have already made it way easier on me. Thanks everyone!

Feels Like Monday

2010-09-07T20:34:00.001-07:00

I got back to work today after the long weekend. Actually, I continued to work. I spent a good portion of my weekend at school or working on school stuff at home. I felt much better today but quickly began feeling behind again. I guess it's a never-ending battle.
The girls were happy to be at daycare again today. Ryann plays princess with her little friends and Avery gets lots of the cuddles she loves. Avery has finally decided that she'll bother to walk. She took steps forever ago but just refuses most of the time. I guess she's decided she's ready. Everything happens on her own time schedule. It's a good thing she's so cute. :0) My mom got them matching Cinderella outfits. They wore them today. This is a picture of the same outfit on them last week. Notice Avery's haircut. I did my best but it's not perfect. She's really wiggly.

Time Flies

2010-09-03T21:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess it's been a while since I've written. We just finished week 4 of our school year. I've been scrambling to stay afloat since week 2. The trip to Washington really hit hard as far as my workload goes. The good news is, we had a great trip and things are ok at work.

We flew to Washington on a Thursday night, leaving at 8pm. As we took off, Avery kept saying, "weee!" She loved it. She was a giggly, squirmy, goofball until we landed, which was almost 11pm. Ryann enjoyed the trip as well and was pretty content. She did, of course, need to try out the airplane potty. Those are not built for 2. I kept telling her, "don't touch anything." Yuck!

It was great to spend so much time with family. Ryann did her usual shy act at first but warmed up. She actually became quite social with her aunts, uncle, cousins, grandpa and great-grandparents. It was really fun to see her with family, especially with Kayden, her cousin who is 9 months older. They were really cute.

The wedding was very nice. It was outside at an orchard. Ryann loved it. I was a bit embarrasssed to find her attached to the bride, Kirsten's hand as they were getting ready to cut the cake. I think Ryann just wanted to be a part of it too. She still talks about wanting to get married and dance in a pretty dress like Kirsten. She's decided she'll marry Dylan, my friend's son, since she can't marry Papa or Daddy. She doesn't quite get it yet. :0)

As for Avi-bug, she had a bit of a rough time in WA. On the day after we arrived, she seemed a bit fevery & whiny. By the wedding on Saturday, she was sick. She slept on Scott's Aunt Karen for a long time during the reception, music and all. We got her some medicine on the way home & she seemed to feel better. The next day, she seemed fine, eating like a horse at a brunch. That evening, all that eating backfired. While sitting in my lap after dinner, she threw up all over me...and the chair.....and the floor. Wow! That was gross. We both headed to the bath. She seemed to slowly improve after we got back to AZ. Scott took her to the doctor but it was just a bug of some kind. She's back to her mischievous self again now.

Since returning home, I've been scrambling to catch up at work and at home. Fortunately, no changes have happened at work so life is good. We have a 3-day weekend so I'll be trying to catch up a little more.

1 Down, 37 To Go

2010-08-15T17:03:00.000-07:00

I survived Week 1 of the school year. It went fairly smoothly. The kids seem nice. The only problem....there are only 21 of them. In a normal world, I'd say, "Yippee! A small class!" In the world we live in today, I say, "Oh No! Something bad's coming." Since some classes in the district have closer to 40 kids, the 4 of us are sweating bullets. Ugh! I guess I'll enjoy the small class while it lasts. Who knows what could happen?!

Another little wrench in the beginning of school is that I have to take 2 days off right at the beginning of the year. I'll be taking this Friday and the following Monday off to attend Keelan's wedding in Washington. (Scott's brother for those who don't know him.) We're really looking forward to the event and some family time but I dread making sub plans and missing 2 consecutive work days. I'll try to plan my best and try not to stress until Tuesday. :0) We haven't been to Washington in a long time so we're excited. Avery's never met some of Scott's family. She's also never been on an airplane. So Thursday night, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we fly with two little critters for 3+hours. :0)

15 Months

2010-08-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

I took Avery for her 15 month check up and immunizations on Friday. She weighed in at 20 lbs 2.5 oz. She's finally a 20 pounder! :0) That put her at the 10th percentile for weight. Her height is at the 50th percentile. It seems that she's made some progress in the last 6 weeks or so. I also talked to the doctor about her not walking yet. We decided that she's just not walking for me. The nurse tried to get her to walk to me and she took a couple of steps. Since then, she's taken a few steps at home for me. The doctor thinks we have a stubborn one on our hands. She tantrums if pushed. She's ahead in some milestones but refuses to walk. Ugh! I'm sure she's very close to running around like a maniac. I had just hoped she's do it while I was home with her. Now that I'm back to work, I have a lot less playtime. My students start school on Monday. I'm excited but nervous, as I am every year. I'm really hoping for a great school year.

Back to Routine

2010-08-04T06:45:00.000-07:00

Today is my first day of official work but I've been back at it for a week now.

This is a picture of the girls on Monday morning. They were excited and ready to head to daycare. We're getting back into the swing of things. Tomorrow night, I have Meet The Teacher Night until 7pm so it'll be a long day. Other than that, we're into our usual schedule. Busy, busy, busy.

Last Day of Freedom

2010-08-01T06:41:00.000-07:00

Today is my last day of freedom before going back to work for the school year. I started setting up my classroom so the girls spent some time at school, some time at a friend's house, and a day at daycare this past week. Apparently, they have felt as cooped up as I have because they've loved getting out and seeing other people lately. They love to play with friends. Ryann gets up in the morning and says, "where are we going today?" If I tell her we get to stay home, she says, "why?" I guess we all need to get out.

I'm excited for the new school year. I think the excitement I've always felt about starting a school year is one of the reasons I became a teacher. I get a fresh start every year! It's awesome! I'm really optimistic about this school year. I'll have a lot going on but I'm no stranger to being busy. I actually think I thrive on it. I love being with my family but summer makes me lazy. I'm glad to get back to work. I will make an attempt this year to get home earlier to play with the kids. Last year, I often got home in time to make dinner then put the girls to bed. I'm going to build in playtime each day somehow. It's my new school year resolution. :0)

So today is my last day of freedom. I need to report to a training at 8:00 am tomorrow. The kids will go back to daycare. Our life will go back to normal routine. Today, I need to prepare. I'll spend this last day of freedom getting the house in order, grocery shopping, doing laundry, and getting things ready for the week. I'm sure I'll be counting the days until Fall Break soon enough, but for now, I'm excited to get started.

Sun & Sand

2010-07-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, maybe not your typical idea of sun and sand. This past week, we've had lots of both. Last Friday, we had a delivery of 11 tons of sand to put under our play structure. Unfortunately, the truck couldn't fit through our gate so Scott and I used shovels and a wheelbarrow...ugh! It was a nice hot 100 degree day, too. The picture was taken when we were about half way done.

Luckily, it paid off. The girls are thrilled with it. Ryann wants to spend every waking moment in her sandbox. We added some pink play sand in the actual sanbox area to make it more fun. Avery likes it too. She doesn't seem to think it tastes great but keeps trying it anyway. The girls also love to swing.

Avery says "wee" repeatedly. I guess that means it's fun.

When we get super hot from playing in the sand, we go for a swim on the patio. We have all sorts of summer fun at our house. :0)

Time for School Yet?

2010-07-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

I am incredibly fortunate to have a job that allows me to spend weeks at a time home with my children. The time we spend together is priceless. That being said, I need time at work as well. I've said it before and I'm feeling it again. I couldn't be a stay-at-home-mom, especially while Ryann's 3. :0) She is such a joy in my life, but Wow! She can be a moody one. I get absolutely emotionally drained from the battles. Also, at this stage, Avery is into everything and Ryann doesn't want her touching anything. Occasionally they play well together but usually, they argue. When Scott gets home, I need a break. I am fully aware that once school starts, I'll crave more time with my kids. For now, I live for nap time and before they get up in the morning. I have only a couple of weeks left before the chaos of the school year starts. I'm trying to get prepared but working isn't easy in our house. I know that a month from now, I'll be counting the days until October break. I'll try to keep that in mind and enjoy the rest of the summer with my babies.

Weight Gain

2010-06-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

Weight is such a difficult thing to manage. It's funny how hard I work to lose weight, then how easily I gain it as soon as I fall off the wagon. Aside from my issues, my daughter has been working hard at gaining weight. Avery was in the 5th percentile at her 12 month appointment so the doctor prescribed Zantac for her acid reflux and told me to get more calories in her. Well, I guess it worked. I took her to the doctor again today and she's gained 2 pounds in the last 6 weeks. She went from 17 lbs 13oz. on May 18 to 19lbs 14oz today. It's amazing what happens when a kid keeps her food down. The doctor said she's doing great.

Home at Last

2010-06-28T06:25:00.000-07:00

Our cross-country trip has finally come to an end. We arrived home Friday afternoon. We spent the weekend recovering. Scott went back to work today.

We had an awesome vacation. We spent lots of time with my family and friends. Unfortunately, there were some people and places we didn't get to. It's hard when you only go home every 2 years. Scott and I went to CitiField to see the Mets' new home. We found our brick on the sidewalk, too. :0) We went to a Binghamton Mets game as well. That's where we both worked when we met. There are only a couple of people left that worked there when we did but it was great to visit.

I tried to give the girls a taste of Binghamton. They got to go to the Discovery Center, Ross Park Zoo, and a carousel. I thought Ryann would love the carousels but she refused to ride because she said, "it hurts my ears." Avery enjoyed the ride though.

Scott and I made sure to hit our favorite food joints while we were there. We went to our favorite pizza place, my favorite Chinese place, and, of course, a spiedie place. For those who don't know what spiedies are, they are delicious chunks of marinated meat in sandwiches. Mmmmmm!

On the 2oth, we had Avery baptized in my church. We did the same for Ryann 2 years ago. We had cake afterward with some friends and family. It was hot and sticky but a nice experience nonetheless.

We headed for home on the 21st. It was sad to leave but we certainly were happy to get back to our house on Friday. We stopped in Hershey, PA on the way. We went to Hershey's Chocolate World. Then, we went to the battlefields in Gettysburg, PA. The rest of the trip back was driving and staying in hotels. Overall, the girls were pretty good. They were surprisingly patient in the car most of the time. There were a couple of times we had to stop for sanity purposes as well as a potty break. We were pleasantly surprised that Ryann didn't ask for many potty breaks. She's a real trooper.

When we arrived home, we were reminded of the whole "dry heat" debate. We agree that NY feels way hotter than AZ at a similar temperature. It was in the upper 80s most of the time we were in NY but we were hot and sticky. 110 didn't feel that bad when we got home. Don't get me wrong, it's hot. It just doesn't make you feel greasy and sticky. I went outside and got a sunburn working in the yard this morning. I sweat but it wasn't that uncomfortable, probably why I stayed out too long.

Anyway, it was a great trip. We loved it but we're very happy to be home. The girls are too. Avery promptly climbed the stairs, which she never did before, and Ryann pedaled her tricycle for the first time this weekend. It's great to be back.

We Made It!

2010-06-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

We traveled over 2,400 miles in 4 days but we finally made it to New York. We arrived at my dad's house Wednesday evening. Being as insane as we are, we headed off on another trip on Thursday. We took the girls to their grandma and Scott and I headed to Flushing. We finally made it to see the new home of my NY Mets, Citi Field. We watched the Mets play the Padres. It was a nice day for baseball. It got a little overcast but never rained on us. We even caught a glimpse of Lady Gaga, who sat about 100 ft away in a suite. The Mets lost the game we saw but played another game that night and won. We found our brick outside the stadium. I was ready to give up when I just happened to see "AZ." There it was, "Let's Go Mets! Dobbins Family, Avondale, AZ." I was excited. We got our picture taken in front of the old home run apple, too. It was a nice trip. The only bad part was the drive home. We left the stadium at 4:30 and got home at 10:00. We listened to the whole 7:10 game as we drove. Traffic was ridiculous due to construction, etc.
Friday, we decided to stay home and do nothing. Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!
Today, we took the girls to the Discovery Center. Ryann seemed to really like it. They have all kinds of areas to play in. Her favorites were the restaurant and grocery store. After that, we had lunch at my favorite Chinese food place. This afternoon....naps for everyone. I love vacation. :0)

Cross-Country

2010-06-09T04:06:00.000-07:00

Well, we've survived 3 days and 2,073 miles in the car with the kids so far. We left Arizona on Sunday morning just before 6 am. We got 4 hours in before anyone needed the potty or a diaper change, not bad. We lost 2 hours due to time zones along the way. We drove until around 9:45 pm and stayed in Amarillo, Texas. It went really smoothly until Santa Rosa, NM. We came upon an accident that had just happened. We sat still on the freeway for over an hour. Luckily, the kids were pretty patient. After that, we were all ready to be done for the day but we pushed on to Amarillo.

The next morning, we were up and on the road by 7 am. We went all the way to Vandalia, IL. It was a pretty smooth day, as well. Ryann was really good about not needing the potty much. She must have been tired, though. She slept a good portion of the morning. We drove until about 8:30 pm.

The next day, we left at 5:40 am and headed to Ohio. We met up with a friend of Scott's just before Cleveland for lunch. We arrived in Cleveland around 4 pm. Scott's "Michigan family," Len & Julie met us there. We went to the Indians game with them. It was great to spend some time with them and the girls were thrilled to be spoiled for the evening. It turned out to be a late night. Ryann and Avery were still giggling and jumping/crawling around at midnight when we decided it was lights out. They're both pretty sleepy this morning. :0)

We're getting ready to head out now. Today is the last leg of the trip to NY. We should be at my Dad's by 4 or so, depending on stops. We've already decided that lunch will be at Friendly's. We don't have them in AZ. We used to go there together a lot when we both lived in NY. Well, off we go... Wish us luck!

One and Three Year Old Pictures

2010-05-18T16:14:00.000-07:00

These are our May 2010 photos from JC Penney. They were taken to commemorate Ryann's third birthday and Avery's first birthday. Ryann was very cooperative, and Avery...not so much.

Today, I took the girls for their check-ups at the doctor. Ryann is 32 lbs (50th percentile) and 36 1/2 inches (75th percentile). She told the doctor her full name, what color her eyes are, and how Sissy chases her. Dr. Ring said she could see Ryann's a talker and quite advanced. I was proud.

Avery is 17 lbs 13 oz. (5th percentile) and 28 3/4 inches (40th percentile). The doctor is concerned with her weight and thinks it has to do with her acid reflux. So, at 1 year, Avery is starting Zantac so we can keep food in her. She's always spit up a lot but now that it's real milk and food, it's nasty. I have to take her back in a month to see if she's gaining weight. Everything else seems to be just fine. She's not as far along as Ryann was at this age but she's healthy, happy, and content. Good enough for me.

We think both girls are perfect. They're tons of fun every day. Time goes by so fast. They're getting so grown up!

Birthday Girl

2010-05-16T21:49:00.000-07:00

It was a busy weekend in our household. Our little princess turned 3 years old today. That meant that I started preparations early last week but things got crazy this weekend. Friday night, I had to start cutting out flowers for her cake. Saturday, we took Ryann for her first haircut. Daddy needed one too, so we went as a family. She had never even had a trim before. She was really good and did everything the lady asked her to do. She thought she was a big deal because she and Daddy got haircuts together. Luckily, they didn't get the same haircut. :0)

After the haircut, I started baking. I had to bake the 4 cakes needed to make her princess castle cake. While I baked, Scott worked on her "surprise." He's been building it for a month but she referred to it as a "surprise," as if she couldn't tell what it was . After that, we all went to church. On the way home, we did some last minute party shopping at Walmart. Then it was dinner and bedtime for everyone but me. I had an hour or so of work to do on the cake, etc. Today, I spent most of the day decorating the castle cake and preparing for the party. Scott finished the "surprise" and Ryann got to test it out officially. She loves it.

The party was at the Goodyear Community Park splash pad. It was in the 90s today so it was a good day for splashing in the water. It was chaotic but fun. The party had a princess theme, of course. Ryann and I even wore princess tattoos. We had lots of friends come. Ryann was very excited to have a party with her little friends. Unfortunately, she refused to talk for the first 30 minutes or so. She eventually opened up and had fun. By the time we got home, gave the girls baths and played with the new toys, we were all wiped out. Thank goodness we have a year before we do the birthday thing again. It's fun but we're tired! Until next year...Ryann is "free yizode" and she can show you on her fingers to prove it. :0)

Just One Year

2010-05-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

About a week before Avery's birthday, I was giving the girls a bath and noticed the tag on the washcloth. The brand was "Just One Year." I got all teary and mushy thinking about my baby not being a baby anymore. It goes so fast.
Our little Avery turned 1 on Sunday. We had quite a barnyard shindig for her. There were farm animals and balloons everywhere. We had 11 kids and 13 adults. Here is a picture of the cake I made her along with the party favors.

When it came time for cake, she was all about it. As soon as she tasted that sweet frosting, she was hooked. She ate her whole cupcake and another mini one later. When Ryann turned 1, she ate the frosting off but never ate the cake. Avery actually finished hers off by smushing the plate against her face. That's my girl. :0)

The girls spent the evening playing with Avery's new "Little People." They love those. (Notice the matching t-shirts. I'm just that cheesy.)

I'm sad that her first year has already passed but she's more and more fun every day. She still doesn't walk but she has replaced her commando crawl for a real crawl and pulls herself up well. She's content for now. She used to say "Momma" but now will only say, "Daddy." She's taking it one word at a time. I'll be taking both girls to the doctor for check-ups on the 18th. I'll update you on the stats then.

Easter

2010-04-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

Easter was really nice this year. Because regular spring training ended on April 3, Scott was able to be home with us all day. It was great to be together as a whole family.

We started the morning with Easter baskets from "the Easter bunny." Then, Ryann hunted for eggs in the front yard. The rest of the day, we hung out together and ate candy...not great for the diet. :0) We also had Domino's pizza for Easter dinner. We felt it was easy and we like it just as well as a dinner. It was fun.

By the way, Ryann chose the matching outfits on Easter. I see that they were wearing the same ones at the zoo. They really do have other clothes. :0)

Back to Work

2010-03-28T21:41:00.001-07:00

Spring Break has come to an end. I go back to work in the morning. It's been very unproductive but I've had a great time with my kids. This is the first break in a long time that I haven't spent a lot of time doing school stuff. We played at the park, baked cakes, went to baseball games, went to the library, shopped, painted the kids' bathroom, went to the zoo, read books, colored, and watched Dora & Princess movies to excess. It's been quite a break. I'm sure I'll really miss my little buddies tomorrow. I just have to keep June 2 in my sights. :0) Here are some pics from the break. Most of them are from our day at the zoo but you can also see their new bathroom and a picture from Scott's ballpark.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2010-03-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

Today is Scott's birthday. Unfortunately, he's spending most of it at the ballpark again this year. I'm hoping to see him for a late dinner tonight. The girls and I spent most of the day yesterday preparing for his birthday. We shopped for cake supplies first thing in the morning. Then, Ryann and I baked the cake. We tried to make a chocolate & green checkerboard cake. It didn't come out as perfectly as I would prefer but it was cool. I tried my hand at decorating with fondant while Ryann was napping. I've been wanting to learn so I just went for it. Here's a picture of the "finished" product. I'm thinking of taking a class at Michael's to improve my technique. It's super fun but tricky. Anyway, Scott didn't want to wait until his birthday was over to have some cake so he enjoyed some last night and took more to work today. That was pretty much all the excitement for the occasion. Of course, Ryann can't stop talking about her birthday coming up. I made her calendars today so we can cross off the days. I hope that will help her get through to May 16. :0)
We spent our morning at the library. I took the girls for story time. They really liked it. Now, the girls are sleeping so I'm catching up on some things. Hopefully, we'll see Scott in a few hours.

My Cuties

2010-03-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

Here are just a couple of pictures I thought I'd share. Aren't they adorable? I think so. :0)

Avery doesn't hold still much so she's a little blurry.

Time to Breathe

2010-03-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

Finally, the third quarter has ended and I am on Spring Break. Ahhh! It has been a hectic spring so far. My mom was here last week to help us through the week without daycare. It also helped with the after school chaos of softball games, parent conferences and so on. Mom was kind enough to bring Ryann this Tinkerbell outfit.

Now, I have 2 weeks to spend with my little ones. We went to a spring training game on Saturday. It was fun to see a game at "Daddy's work." We saw the Indians and the Rangers. Scott and I went to a movie that night. It was quite an event to get out without the kids. We saw "Cop Out." Scott really liked it. I thought it was ok. It was just nice to go on a date.

Sunday, Mom and I took the girls to church and shopping. Then Mom headed back to frigid NY. Monday, the girls and I went to "Mommy's school" and made all the copies I need for the fourth quarter. That will save me a whole lot of time during the quarter. I miss the days of BOCES and sending copying out. It's a ridiculous waste of teacher time. I'll work on a few more things at home until next week when we get serious about getting back to work. Today, I took the girls to the park by our house to play and have a picnic. Other than the super chubby boy that hissed at me, it was a nice time. We might head to the library tomorrow and then do some shopping. Who knows where the wind might take us. :0)

Madness!

2010-03-06T19:41:00.001-08:00

This spring is nuts! Scott is working like crazy and my life has turned to a whirlwind lately. I have been teaching all day, tutoring after school, then coaching softball in the evening. Whenever I'm not doing those things, I'm with my girls. I've been having trouble finding a way to get groceries or do anything else. Two kids in a shopping cart just doesn't work. :0) Luckily, reinforcements are on the way. My mom is coming to get us through the next week. It's my busiest week of the spring. I have 2 softball games, report cards are due and I have Parent/Teacher Conferences on Thursday and Friday. Thursday we're required to stay until 8pm so childcare was going to be an issue anyway. Then, we found out that our daycare person's husband won a trip so they'd be out of town for the week. Panic!!!! I called my mother and she agreed to save the day. Just to make things more interesting, Ryann came down with a fever today. She was very mad at me because she told me, "make me better," and I just didn't get the job done. Maybe Grandma will do the trick. :0)

Rain, Rain, Go Away

2010-02-22T16:27:00.000-08:00

Unbelievably, we've been having a very wet winter. Actually, we consider it spring as soon as February hits. All of the spring things begin early here. The trees have buds, our neighbor has beautiful flowers out front and spring sports have started. I'm coaching middle school softball. We've had 3 practices so far but it got rained out today. It's quite nice because I was able to get the kids home at a decent hour. Scott has begun his Spring Training craziness. It's even crazier than expected because he was recently promoted to Supervisor. It's a great opportunity but requires more time and stress.

Anyway, we've been getting quite a bit of rain here lately. We've even had streams of water in our usually dry river bed. It's great for the desert but a pain for sports and school. Ryann had 2 of her 6 soccer sessions cancelled due to rain. At school, our classrooms open to sidewalks outside. That means that when it rains, we all get wet.... all day. It's really quite annoying to have wet feet all day due to trips to lunch, specials, etc. That's not to mention my dismissal duty. I stand outside and escort kids to their cars. That's a very wet, cold duty at times. Today, the rain stopped in the afternoon. The worst part about today was that we were on a"rainy day schedule," which means that we had to pick up our kids at 7:25 rather than 7:40 and couldn't have morning recess. The kids go nuts here when it rains. They yell, run, jump, etc.. It's quite a phenomenon. Rainy days are rough for keeping things orderly. As you all know, I like things orderly. :0)

I'm grateful for the rain for our thirsty desert but I'd prefer to save it for weekends.

Avery Is 9 Months Old!

2010-02-05T19:07:00.000-08:00

Our little Avi-bug is 9 months old! I can't believe it. We went for her 9 month pictures this week and she had her 9 month doctor appointment today. She's 28 1/2 inches long and weighs 16 pounds 15.5 ounces. That puts her in the 75th percentile for length and 25th percentile for weight. She's still long and lean. Her doctor says she's doing great. She's pretty drooly but perfect in our book. Isn't she just the cutest thing ever?

Soccer Part 2

2010-01-31T10:51:00.000-08:00

Our second week of soccer was delayed by a week due to rain. That's right...rain...water from the sky. It was crazy. We had several days of rain. Ryann explained to me that it was water from the clouds in the sky. It was quite a novel idea for her. At any rate, the soccer field was too wet so we waited a week. Here is a picture of Ryann and "Coach George." I added a video of her setting up a cone with her foot. It's suppose to teach them to roll the ball back with their feet. She's actually not bad at it but I couldn't get a good one on camera.

Her favorite part of soccer so far has been playing on the playground afterward. Actually, she says she likes soccer. She seems to look forward to going, but she's 2 and has the attention span of an ant. We'll call it good enough for now. I'm having fun! :0)

Soccer

2010-01-18T09:25:00.000-08:00

Ryann started soccer on Saturday morning. The whole family went. Scott watched Avery while I helped Ryann. It was really cute to see all the little kids. Her group is from 31 months -4 years. She's 32 months so I was worried that she'd be the smallest one, but there were several kids that looked to be her age. I was also afraid that she'd either cling to me the whole time or have a tantrum. There were tantrums all around but, fortunately, only a couple were hers. One little boy screamed for about 30 of the 45 minutes. Ryann did really well at first. They ran and kicked their balls, kicked cones over and set them up, kicked theirs balls in the "monkey house" (goal) and did silly dances. She listened to her coach and tried most things. However, after 20 minutes, her attention span was shot. All she could think about was going to "play ot the park." There was a playground directly adjacent to the field...too much temptation for her. We struggled through the last few activities and she got to go to the playground for a while. I asked her if she liked soccer and she said yes so I guess we'll try again next week. The only thing she could remember to talk about later was playing with her "lellow hula poop." We used a yellow hula hoop for one of the activities. I hope she doesn't tell that to too many people. :0)
I'll try to post photos next week. The battery died while we were there.

Happy Holidays

2010-01-01T11:50:00.000-08:00

We certainly had happy holidays this year. We had lots of family and fun between Christmas and New Year's. My dad and step-mom came on Christmas Eve. Then Scott's dad came on Christmas day. They all stayed for a week and had lots of time to play with the grand-daughters.

The girls had a nice Christmas. We tried not to get them too many gifts but somehow, the house is full of new stuff. Ryann especially loves Avery's new toys. It won't be long before Avery is mobile and into Ryann's stuff so I figure, it'll even out.
We took a trip up to Sedona for the day on Monday. It was cold and had some snow on the ground. It's a beautiful place, definitely worth seeing. On Tuesday, Scott and his dad went for a hike in the White Tank Mountains. I took the kids, Dad and Darlene to work in my classroom. That was exciting. :0)

Other than that, we stayed home mostly. While at home we played lots of Dominoes and ate tons of food. Ryann and Avery loved the attention they got all week. It'll be a rude awakening for them now that we're getting back to normal. My dad & Darlene left yesterday and Scott's dad left today. That leaves the four of us again, back to life as usual.

Winter Break!

2009-12-22T06:04:00.000-08:00

It's here! My two-week break has begun. What have I done with the first few days? ....work , of course. I went to school Monday and Tuesday to get caught up and ahead for third quarter. It'll be a busy third quarter for me so I need to be prepared. I'll be tutoring after school 2 days a week and coaching softball starting in February. I've been helping with cheerleading during this winter sports season but that has only been once or twice a week. I've caught the bug again, though. I've really missed coaching. I'm not thrilled to be away from my kids more but the seasons are short and it's extra money. I'll let you know how it goes. :0)

As for the rest of break, I'm enjoying my babies and getting ready for company to come for Christmas. I'm happy to have some r & r to get recharged for the second half of the school year. I love to have the time to play with my silly girls. Aren't they adorable?! I think so, but I may be a little bias. :0)

Uncle Keelan

2009-12-19T05:53:00.000-08:00

Scott's brother Keelan came to visit us last week. It was great because he finally got to meet Avery and spend some time with Ryann. He stayed with us for a while last spring so Ryann got quite attached. She was very excited for him to come visit. Once he was here, she was a bit distracted by his friend, Kirsten. Ryann was super excited to have people to play with. They were here for 8 days but part of it was spent in Tucson. Keelan ran a marathon! I think he's nuts but we're proud of him anyway. :0) It was really great to see Kee and meet Kirsten. We love to have family visit.

Field Trip Time Again

2009-12-10T17:49:00.000-08:00

Once again, we took 100 Third Graders to the Goodyear Baseball Park to learn from the experts. Our kids grow grass in cups so we wanted to let them see how it's really done.

We walked from our school across Estrella Parkway to the Ballpark. We had a police escort that kept us safe. I'm not talking a single cop. We had 2 motorcycle police and several traffic cops escort us all the way from our school basketball courts to the front gates and back. We felt pretty important. Of course, we did cause panic to several parents who wondered if there was some crisis at the school. Safety First!

We had the kids rotate through 4 stations in which Scott and his guys taught them different things about growing grass, mowing, field care and a tour of a locker room and batting cages. The kids and the parents who went thought it was awesome. The ballpark guys did a great job.

Here are a couple photos of Scott, the science teacher.

Christmas is Coming!

2009-11-28T21:59:00.000-08:00

We kept our annual tradition of putting up our Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. Scott set up the tree and hung the outside lights. Ryann and I decorated the tree and put some decorations around the house. Ryann loves Christmas, even though she doesn't remember it last year and doesn't really understand. I don't think she even realizes she's going to get presents. She knows Santa and reindeer and likes the music and decorations. I think that's the extent of her understanding so far. We'll work on that. In the meantime, I'm preparing for the holidays. I even went out on Black Friday at 4am. This is the second year that I went. I do it more to say I did it than anything else. I did get a new bedding set for our guest room. It was 50% off! :0) I have several decorating projects underway in the house and that is one of the rooms I'm working on. I have 3 weeks left of work before our 2 weeks off for the holidays. I can't wait! We don't plan to do a lot of gifts for Christmas but I'm really looking forward to the time off and spending the holiday with family. I just love Christmas time.

Giving Thanks

2009-11-26T21:44:00.000-08:00

It has been very nice having five days off of school. We've had lots of family time and I've had a chance to start some projects that I've been wanting to do. We had a very nice Thanksgiving. It was just the four of us. All four of us sat at the table together for dinner. Avery sat in the high chair and watched mostly but we were all together. I loved it.
With my time off, I've had time to sit back and appreciate what I have. I have so much to be thankful for!

I am incredibly thankful for my wonderful husband and my adorable daughters. I am absolutely gaga over my family. I love our home together and every minute we spend together, even during tantrums. :0)
I am thankful for my family and friends in NY. I don't get to talk to everyone as much as I want to. I'm terrible about the phone and I always feel so busy but I do think of them often and try to keep in touch through email.

I am thankful for my friends in AZ. They have made Arizona feel like home. I have an amazing little group of friends that I wouldn't trade for anything.

I am thankful for my job. In these economic times, it's great just to have a job. I'm very fortunate to have one that I love. It's exhausting and challenging but I love it.

I am thankful for Weight Watchers. I stuck with it for the holiday. I even took my food scale to the table with me. I had planned ahead and saved points so I had a great meal without cheating a bit. I even lost 2 lbs this week!

There are way too many great things to list them all but those are the highlights. This Thanksgiving, I give sincere thanks for it all. Life is good.

The Holidays Have Arrived

2009-11-18T14:34:00.000-08:00

The holidays have officially arrived when we drag the whole family to get a portrait taken. We tried to kill 2 birds with one stone by doing it with Avery's six month photos. I think I blew it on several counts.

First, I made Avery wear the same dress Ryann did at 6 months. I just love it and it's like brand new. Poor kid.

Second, Avery has been in desperate need of a haircut. She had long, full hair until a month or so ago when it started to thin, leaving a scraggly mess. I have some sort of sentimental resistance to cutting it. Ryann has still never had a cut. After seeing the pictures, Avery got a trim.

Third, I forgot to have the photographer take a picture of the girls together without Scott & I. I was so worried about letting Ryann go play, I settled for "good enough." She was much better this time. I should have relaxed and thought about it.

Fourth, I looked horrible in the photos so I hate them all. I was having a bad hair day and I chose a bad outfit. I feel like all my weight loss isn't apparent at all. Ugh!!!

Lastly, I managed to abandon both kids during the outing. Ryann took off in the store while we were deciding what pictures to buy. We didn't notice until someone asked if anyone had lost a little girl. I frantically went searching and Ryann kept going around in JC Penney until I caught her. While Scott and I searched for Ryann, we forgot about Avery, sitting in the stroller in the portrait studio. It wasn't our most shining parental moment. Thankfully, everyone was reunited without incident.

As a result of our outing, we have our 2009 family portrait to dislike forever. I would love a mulligan on this one but I know neither Scott nor I are ready to try it again yet. Maybe next year...... (It's natural for me to say that, being a Mets fan.)

The Streak Continues

2009-11-08T20:28:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Scott and I drove to Tucson to see WSU play U of A. My mom came to town to watch the girls while we went to support the Cougs. The score didn't end up in our favor but Scott and I enjoyed having a day on our own. We don't get to spend much time together without the kiddies anymore. It was a fun day.

This was the fifth time I've been to a Cougars football game. Scott pointed out a disappointing trend. Each time I have seen the Cougs play football in person, they have lost. Not only have they lost, but they have given up 40 or more points. Wow!!! I'm bad news for the Cougs. Scott has seen them win many times, but never with me. Here's the run down of the games I've seen.

2006 @ Auburn -Loss (14-40)

2006 @ Arizona State - Loss (17-47)

2007 @ Arizona - Loss (20-48)

2007 @ Wisconsin - Loss (21-42)

2009 @ Arizona - Loss (7-48)

If this news gets back to WSU, I may be banned from all future games. Let's keep this to ourselves. We're hoping to enjoy some wins someday.

Happy Half Birthday, Avery!

2009-11-05T20:44:00.000-08:00

Avery's half birthday was on Monday. She's officially six months old. It's amazing how fast time goes. I took her to the doctor on Thursday for immunizations and a check-up. She weighs 15 lbs 13.5 oz (45th percentile) and is 26 3/4 inches long (85th percentile). She's still long & lean, and quite adorable if you ask me. She is super cute with her 2 teeth and big grin. She's sitting up, eating baby food and trying like crazy to figure out how to crawl. She's really funny because she lays on her belly and swims with her arms and legs. If she ever gets that belly up, she'll be dangerous. She's already figured out how to roll from place to place and spin herself around. She's a very busy little girl. It won't be long before she's truly mobile. Then, Ryann will have quite a time keeping her stuff safe. :0)

Trick-or-Treat

2009-10-31T20:55:00.000-07:00

We had quite an eventful Halloween this year.
Ryann and I went out for our weekly grocery shopping trip right after breakfast. We stopped at my school to pick something up and got a little sidetracked so we were there 30 minutes or so. Then I realized that I had forgotten Scott's newspaper so I stopped at another grocery store. I was feeling lucky so I put $2 in the scratch off machine to get a Bingo card. Ryann pushed a button, giving me the wrong kind. I ended up spending $4 to get what I wanted and didn't win a thing. That'll teach me. I shouldn't waste my money anyway.
When we got home, Ryann and I made pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies. She was very good with the rolling pin and cookie cutter. She went a little overboard with the sprinkles but it was fun. She made sure her daddy tasted one right away. After her nap, we carved her pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern. We had drawn a face on it earlier in the week so we cut the same pattern we had. She scribbled on it a lot during the drawing phase but.....it's her pumpkin. She supervised the carving and gutting of the pumpkin. She didn't care for getting her hands dirty. After that, we roasted the pumpkin seeds. She was hesitant to try them but seemed to like them. Ryann's friend, Andrew, came by to trick-or-treat. He was dressed as a monkey. Ryann thought that was fun. She liked giving him candy. She went trick-or-treating on our street for the first time. She was quiet but didn't seem scared. She said "trick-or-treat" at most houses and "thank you" at all of them. She did have a funny habit of going into the houses as soon as the doors opened. I apologized but everyone seemed to welcome her in because she was so cute. A lot of people here sit in their driveways to give out candy. I think that's kind of funny but I guess it beats answering the door every five minutes all night. We met some new neighbors so that was nice. Ryann and I both enjoyed the outing. As soon as we got home, she and her daddy wanted to eat her candy but she only had a little. I didn't ask how much her daddy had. :0)
We spent the rest of the night playing and giving out candy. Ryann ran to the door with excitement every time a trick-or-treater came. She loves Halloween. We ended the night with a Little Critter Halloween book. I explained to her that we wouldn't be doing it again until next year but I have a feeling that we haven't heard the last of the "trick-or-treats."
Overall, it was a fun day. I really enjoy doing things with her now that she's big enough to understand and talk about things. Avery didn't participate this year but next year should be super fun. At least Avery got to show her Halloween spirit on Thursday at daycare. They wore their Halloween stuff on Thursday because they didn't go on Friday this week. I wouldn't have wanted them to miss out on the festive clothes. :0)

Field of Screams

2009-10-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

Tonight, we took the girls to the Goodyear Ballpark for a Halloween event. There were all sorts of community agencies and businesses there. They all had candy to pass out so we taught Ryann how to say "Trick-or-Treat" and to say "Thank You" when they give her candy. She's shy so she was talking really quietly but she said it. I think we might try a few houses on our street next week, just to be social. Of course, all the candy goes to her daddy. He graciously agreed to eat it to keep her from eating too much of the good stuff. Tonight, I did let her have a pack of Sweettarts. She was thrilled. We also had our picture taken in "the pumpkin patch." This is our little sweet pea and our kitty cat.

Our Annual Fair Outing

2009-10-16T20:27:00.000-07:00

Today we took the girls on an adventure. We took them to the AZ State Fair. It's always interesting but taking two little kids qualifies as an adventure. We busted out the new double stroller today(Scott literally assembled it just before leaving the house).
Ryann saw lots of animals. She especially enjoyed the pigs and bunnies.

Then she got to play with big rubbery Lego blocks.

Then came Mommy's favorite part...funnel cake! I know, I usually don't let my child eat garbage, but it's the fair! I had to share because I couldn't handle all those WW points alone. (Yes, I was able to indulge in 1 fair yummy without breaking my diet.)

Ryann went on her first Merry-Go-Round ride. She LOVED it. She smiled & giggled the whole time. When the ride ended, she had a temper tantrum because she wanted to "ride the horsey." I'm glad she liked it but it was rough pulling her away.

After that, Scott got some fried deliciousness, a fried Whipped Reese's bar. He liked it. By then, Avery was out for the count.

Ryann made it all day without a potty accident. That's saying something at the fair. As you can imagine, the bathrooms aren't exactly nice... or clean. Yuck!

At the end of the day, we got Ryann something to remember the day by, a blow-up Dora toy on a stick. She loves her.

Overall, it was a good day. It was hotter than expected in October but we did fine. We had planned on getting a caricature of the kids but they were too hot & tired. Maybe next year. Despite the challenges of taking two little ones, we can call it a success. We'll look forward to next October when we try it again.

Sitting Up

2009-10-15T20:35:00.000-07:00

Avery has begun to sit up on her own. She's so cute when she does it. She gets distracted really easily, though, and tends to topple over as she reaches for things. Even when I lay her back in her bouncer or swing, she pulls her head forward as if she's trying to get upright. She's way too busy to be lounging around.

A Walk in the Park

2009-10-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

We had a nice morning today before my brother, Chad, headed back east. He was able to spend some time with us before and after his weekend working a race in Vegas. We took the girls to the park for a little while and got some cute pictures. Ryann experienced her first trips down the slide with no diaper. It doesn't seem as cushy. :0) Both girls had fun with Uncle Chuckie. Ryann refers to him as "my Chuckie." We think it's cute.

Celebrating Small Victories

2009-10-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

Today was a day to celebrate small victories.

First, I stepped on the scale this morning for my weekly weigh-in and found that I had lost 2.5 pounds. That brings my total to 31 pounds since I started Weight Watchers in June. I'm pretty excited about that. What do I get as a reward? Less food each day. Each time you drop 10 pounds in WW, you lose a point from your daily budget. I'm happy about the progress but that doesn't seem like much of a reward. :0)

The second victory to celebrate is a little progress toward potty training. Ryann has gone 2 days without diapers, except when she sleeps. She has a cute little froggy potty and Ariel undies. However, I have been doing a lot of clean up and laundry. Day 1 was rough but Day 2 brought only 2 accidents. She has proven that she has control when she wants to. I have had to bribe her with TV or trips outside at times. My child is quite stubborn. Where on Earth does she get it from? I'm looking forward to an even better day tomorrow. I am determined to win this potty war whether she likes it or not! (Maybe I know where she gets the stubbornness from.)

Over Achiever

2009-10-03T20:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight, we went to church, as we have been on Saturday nights lately. We arrived, unloaded the car and realized that neither of us had brought the baby bag. We normally check her into the nursery but couldn't do it without a bottle or diapers. Rather than scrapping the whole plan, we decided to take Avery to the service and hold out as long as she could. Ryann loves to go play at church so I knew it would be a disaster if we turned around and headed home.

Fortunately, Avery sat through the entire service with us with only a few whimpers toward the end. We were able to avoid the hungry screaming and nasty diaper that we anticipated. Instead, we discovered a wonderful development. As we played with Avery during the service, Scott said, "she has teeth." I thought he was insane. How could I have not noticed one much less more than one. I looked in her mouth and there they were, two brand new teeth growing in side by side on the bottom. Wow! Not only did they sprout seemingly overnight but there are two at the same time! I remember Ryann getting one when she was 6 1/2 months then another a few weeks later. I guess since it was Avery's 5 month birthday, she just went for it. Maybe next week she'll get the rest. Who knows?! I think she's just an over achiever. :0)

Ahhhhh!

2009-10-02T20:30:00.001-07:00

That's a big sigh of relief because the quarter has ended at school. I finished my assessments, grades, report cards and parent conferences. After working until 8pm last night, getting to work at 6:15 this morning, teaching and conferencing again today, I can finally relax. I came home early this afternoon and spent the evening with my girls. I missed them a ton yesterday. Unfortunately, I haven't seen much of my husband yet. Scott had the kids at home today because it was suppose to be his day off. When I got home, he headed to work to do a few things. When he got there, he realized there were a ton of things needing his attention so he's still there (It's 8:40pm). Things are really hectic for him at work right now. The Reds are there now in addition to the Indians and they have a lot of other events as well. He's been working long hours. I'm really going to enjoy being home with the kids for 2 weeks but I wish he could have a break too.
Well, I hope to have more time to blog in the next 2 weeks so check back soon!

Weekend Visitor

2009-09-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

This last weekend, we were fortunate enough to have a visitor. My brother, Chad, came for the weekend. It was an especially nice treat because he came just to see us, well, probably more for the girls. :0) He usually comes before or after working AMA races in Phoenix, Vegas , or California. This time, we had him all to ourselves. He was able to spend lots of time holding Avery & tickling Ryann. Ryann loves "Chuckie." We took him to church, shopping, and the park. He and Scott got to watch football together as their fantasy teams battled it out. It may not seem like much excitement but that's as crazy as we get lately. We're grateful for his visit and look forward to seeing him again in a few weeks when he has a race in Vegas.

First Foods

2009-09-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

Avery had her first baby food today! I gave her some rice cereal with formula in it for breakfast. She did pretty well. She sucked the first few spoonfuls but seemed to catch on. She had a habit of pushing it back out with her tongue and putting her hands in her mouth so it was quite a messy experience. Overall, I think it was a success. She seems ready. Here are a couple of pics of the event. You'll notice that Ryann needed to eat a bowl of baby oatmeal as well. She likes to do what Sissy is doing.

In the spirit of new foods, Ryann decided Avery was ready for goldfish crackers. I was in the kitchen and heard Ryann say, "You're welcome, Sissy." I looked in and Scott was intercepting 2 goldfish crackers from Avery's mouth. Ugh! I'm so glad she didn't start choking on them. I guess Ryann thought since I fed her cereal, she was ready for other stuff as well. She's really something. :0)

4 Month Check-Up

2009-09-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

Avery went to the doctor this afternoon for her 4 month check-up. The doctor said she's doing awesome. She's 13 lbs. 10 oz. and is 26 inches long. That puts her in the 50th percentile for weight and 95th for length, "long and lean," as the doctor said. She had to have immunizations but she was a trooper. She cried when they did it but stopped as soon as I picked her up. She did great.

Over the weekend, we introduced a new passtime for her. We put her in the jumperoo for the first time. She didn't do much the first time but by yesterday morning, she was a little maniac. She might be a little unorthodox in her method but she has fun. She gets really tired when she bounces. She took two really long naps yesterday and still went to bed at 7:30 for the night. I like the jumperoo. :0)

Avery at 4 Months

2009-09-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

This morning, I woke to the sounds of cooing and giggling on the baby monitor. It's a nice way to wake up. Avery's happy sounds always make me smile. When I went in to get her, I found that she had rotated herself so her feet were in the place her head had been at bedtime. She certainly is a wiggly little thing. I don't remember exactly when it was but I think it was after 6 months when Ryann changed positions in bed. She used to be exactly where I left her, every morning. Avery is definitely different. She's always on the move. She rolls herself over, back to front, when she's in her play gym. She kicks like a maniac to splash in the bathtub. She gets herself rocking in the bouncer due to all the kicking. Ryann used to just sit in it and let it bounce or vibrate. Avery's bouncer doesn't even have batteries, ...no need. Here is a picture of our little wiggle worm playing with her butterfly, which was also Ryann's first best friend.
I also thought I'd throw in a video from this morning. I just think she's so cute. :0)

What a Month!

2009-08-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

August has come and gone in a flash! I can't believe it's over already. I am starting my 5th week of school already. Our mid-quarter progress reports go out this week. I've been so busy, I haven't taken many pictures or done much to share on my blog. I did take a few minutes today to upload pictures from the camera from earlier in the month. They are from when my mom came to babysit while we went to see the Mets. We won't discuss the Mets. Baseball is virtually dead to me right now.

Anyway, here's a picture of Ryann in the ladybug tent my mom brought her.

This is a video of Ryann running around the splash pad at the park. She might seem scared but she's actually just being a goofball.

I did manage to have a little fun amidst the chaos this month. Playing with my girls is always fun. Scott and I went to 2 baseball games and a movie. Getting out together is a big treat. I also hosted our first Bunco of the school year. A bunch of girls from work get together about once a month during the school year to play Bunco. I had 13 people over yesterday. We had a really good time but, as usual, I didn't win anything. There's always next time. :0)

A Little Progress

2009-08-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that after 10 weeks of doing Weight Watchers, I have reached my first milestone. I have lost 21 pounds as of today. :0) I have a long way to go before I hit my goal but it feels good to make progress!

Taking a breath...

2009-08-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

My first two weeks of the school year are done. Ugh! It's been crazy these last few weeks. The beginning of the school year is always busy but when you add 2 little maniacs at home, things get nuts. The girls are going to daycare 4 or 5 days per week, depending on Scott's schedule. They're both doing very well. Avery is the youngest there so she gets lots of extra love. Ryann has started participating in preschool-like activities so she comes home with all kinds of fun projects. :0)

Things at school are insane. I have 27 kids + 2 part-time kids so my room is full and they keep me hopping. I can't complain, though. Due to budget issues, we have 30+ per class in most grade levels. Our kindergarten classes have an average of 33! Yikes! That's a lot of shoe-tying and nose-wiping. Teaching kindergarten was once my dream. This year, it looks more like a nightmare. I like third grade very much, especially this year.

I'm frantically trying to catch up on work every night and over the weekends. We have Back to School Night on Thursday. I'll be doing presentations for the parents. I'm working on that tonight. So...I'll get back to my work. Hopefully, I'll find a chance to breath in the next couple of weeks. Then, I can blog some more.

Three Month Pictures

2009-08-02T16:03:00.000-07:00

We took Avery for her 3 month pictures today. We also got a couple pictures of her big sister while we were there. Avery was very cooperative. Ryann had to wait while Avery got her picture taken alone. She went over to play with some toys. I called her over to get her picture with her sister. She was quite grumpy and uncooperative but we did get a couple of decent ones. After we finished, we were looking at the pictures on the computer. Ryann walked into the studio area and said, "cheese," to the photographer so the photographer went with it. Ryann kept posing like a model. It was funny. We ended up buying one of those shots. Picture day is always an adventure.

Sniff...Sniff..

2009-07-29T20:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I've had to shed a few tears so far this week. I'm back to work and Avery started daycare yesterday. I really got upset thinking about passing her off to someone else. I teared up every time I thought about it. Yesterday actually went pretty well. I dressed the girls in "Big Sister" & "Little Sister" shirts for the occasion. I had to take their picture, of course. (It's a little fuzzy because someone wouldn't hold still.) That did slow me down a bit but it was important. :0) Ryann really likes to go to daycare and she was excited for Sissy to go with her. Once we were there, she forgot all about Avery & went off to play. I feel very comfortable with our daycare provider and we had already met about Avery last week so it wasn't too bad handing her over. Although, it was a much slower process than when I drop Ryann off. I had to peel myself away from her slowly. I teared up as I left the daycare but didn't cry after that. It was much easier than I thought. That doesn't mean that I like it by any means but I'm not falling apart like I thought I would. Now that the school year is beginning, I'll be looking forward to weekends, holidays and our 2 week breaks to spend with my babies. It makes it a little easier having a job that I love to go to. It keeps me busy and the days go quickly. I am grateful to have a pretty good situation, even though I can't be home with my kids all the time.

Hand-Me-Downs

2009-07-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I find it fun to compare pictures of the girls in the same outfits or poses at similar ages. I don't know why. It's just one of the ways I'll drive my kids crazy someday, probably.

I have discovered that it's much more difficult to get pictures of Avery than it was to get them of Ryann. My eldest child doesn't seem to like it when the younger one gets her picture taken. I'm not sure if it's the attention that Ryann isn't getting at the moment or truly the fact that Ryann is obsessed with pieces of technology. She begs to see pictures of "Ry-Ry" on the camera whenever I get it out to take Avery's picture. Avery is often confused by the commotion and her smiles are hard to catch. Oh well, maybe it'll get easier. :0)

My morning babies.... They're so happy when they wake up. Well, at least Ryann used to be. Now, it's more hit and miss with her. Avery loves to smile and "talk" when she wakes up.

I'm noticing that their pictures don't look as similar anymore. I guess they'll be more different looking than we thought. When Avery was born, it was deja vu. She's definitely becoming her own person in looks and personality. Ryann was always content and fairly independent as a baby. Avery is a snuggler and needs love all day. She sleeps well at night but demands attention all day. Hopefully, that'll pass. It's super fun when Avery is fussing for attention and Ryann is having a terrible two episode. Ahh...the good times.

Summer's Coming to a Close

2009-07-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

If I were still in NY, I'd just be settling into my summer routine, with a month off of work ahead of me. Well, I'm in AZ. That means that summer is just about over. I start work on Tuesday, July 28th. I've already spent 3 days at school and countless hours at home preparing for the new school year. I've always loved the beginning of the school year, even as a student. I guess that's one of the reasons I wanted to be a teacher. You get a fresh start every year. It's so exciting! I always have big plans for the most successful year ever. However, by the third or fourth week of school, the novelty has worn off and I'm ready for fall break. Unfortuantely, the first quarter is 9 weeks long. :0) The beautiful thing about our school calendar here is that we finish a quarter, get a 2 week break, recharge, and start a new quarter. It's sort of like the first day of school 4 times a year. Well, sort of. Nothing beats the real first day. :0)

On the flip side, there is one bad thing about the school year starting. I don't get to spend every day with my kids. I admit, I do get stir crazy and, sometimes frustrated, but I do love my time with my girls. Avery starts daycare on Tuesday. I'm very sad about it but I know she's in good hands and she's less than a mile from my school. Ryann loves it there and has always had a good experience. It's just hard to let go. If only I could take the girls to work with me. :0)

Here's a picture of something Ryann and I did almost every day this summer...the froggy pool.

Kid Pics

2009-07-13T21:08:00.001-07:00

I thought I should post some new pictures of the girls, since it's been a week. :0)

Scott and I were just commenting tonight on how much Ryann has grown this summer and how much more alert and strong Avery is. Here are some recent pics.

Another New Addition

2009-07-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

Back in December of 2001, I went car shopping. I wanted to trade in my 1999 Corolla for something new. I really liked the Highlanders but decided I couldn't afford one at the time. I ended up buying a 2002 Corolla. Well, after more than 7 years including countless road trips, I traded her in. I finally broke down and bought a Highlander. I needed the space for the kids. In the Corolla, Ryann used to kick the back of my seat while I drove and the passenger had to have knees in the dash so Avery's seat would fit behind it. It was ridiculous. We realized that it just wasn't safe. It was time for an upgrade. The good news is that we can comfortably fit up to 4 adults and 2 carseats in my vehicle now. I love that! I even got my favorite color. Here's a picture of my newest baby.

Our Big Girls

2009-07-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

Avery is becoming a big girl, just like her sister. She sat in her Bebe' Pod chair for the first time on Thursday. I thought she was so cute that I had to take her picture. Ryann kept jumping in and posing as well. She'd hate to miss out on the attention. Avery still has some difficulty holding herself up but she has improved greatly in the past few days. The picture below was taken on Sunday the 5th. Isn't she cute? :0)

More Trips To The Doctor

2009-07-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Avery's 2 month check-up. We left the house early to stop at my doctor's office to get an order for a chest x-ray. Ryann already had one ordered at the end of last week but I wanted to go only once so I waited. We have both been battling coughs for a month or better.
At my doctor's, we unloaded, got the order, loaded back up and headed to the pediatrician. I was in a hurry to be on time so I may have been exceeding the speed limit and had my picture taken by the nice camera along the road.
When we got to the doctor's office, there was a mix up with the insurance which caused me a little added stress. Then, we went in. Avery weighed 11 lbs 11 oz. That put her in the 75th percentile. For height, she's in the 90th percentile. That's different from Ryann. She was always lower in that category. Avery was hungry so she cried the whole time I talked to the doctor. She was also very upset when she received 3 shots for immunizations. She screamed, I teared up, and Ryann ran around the room. A good time was had by all.
Then, I fed Avery in the car before heading to the radiologist. I looked at the paperwork for the nearest radiologist location. It was in the same building as my doctor. Ugh! If I were a little more on top of things, I could have avoided that whole additional trip before Avery's appointment.
Once back at my doctor's building, we stopped at the bathroom to change diapers before going to the radiologist. I remembered that I only had 1 diaper for each of them. I changed Ryann and started changing Avery. She peed on the table and her onsesie. I had no back up clothes. I cleaned her up and started putting the clean diaper on. She peed again. Great! I know better than to leave the house without back ups of everything. It was just one of those days. I decided she'd be ok to be wet for a short time.
We headed to the radiology office. It was very busy once we arrived. After I filled out paperwork, Avery made a loud noise in her diaper. Awesome...no diapers left and she pooped. I just crossed my fingers that it would be quick so I could get her home & change her. We waited for an hour or so in the waiting room. Ryann made friends with some older kids and Avery fell asleep. We were finally called. Ryann did pretty well holding still. I was very relieved to get back home. We all went down for naps in the afternoon. I was hoping to forget what a rough day it was. Avery ate & fell asleep, Ryann went to bed, I crawled into my bed,.....and Avery woke up. It took an hour to get her sleeping soundly. Then, Ryann woke up. So much for a nap. I was really happy when bedtime arrived. :0)

Splash!

2009-06-28T16:51:00.000-07:00

My dad and step-mom were in town this weekend. Sunday morning, we took Ryann to the splash pad at Goodyear Community Park. She's a little timid with the water but she had a great time. She even made a little friend. After a while, she was ready to head to the play structure so I changed her and she was off. That didn't last long. Her face started getting red, as it does when she's hot, so we packed up & headed out.

Scott recently got a promotion (yippee!) so his schedule has changed. He's home on Sundays now. Avery got to stay home with her daddy while we battled the heat. It was a fun battle, though.

A Trip to the Park

2009-06-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

We are very fortunate to have a park on the other side of our backyard fence. There's a play structure, volleyball pits, a basketball court, sidewalks and lots of grass. I used to take Ryann there frequently but since Avery was born, we haven't been there. Today, I decided we needed to get out of the house so I took both girls to the park. It was in the low 90s and overcast so it wasn't too terribly hot. We only went for a half an hour so Avery didn't get overheated. Ryann had fun. Here are a few pictures.

A New Me

2009-06-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

After gaining 61 pounds with Avery, I haven't been feeling like I look my best lately. Actually, my self-esteem hasn't been very high. So... I decided to make some changes. I started Weight Watchers last weekend. It worked really well for me last year so I'm hoping it can help me lose it again this year. At the end of week 1, I had lost 4 pounds. I'm working at it but have a long way to go. Scott's being very supportive so that helps. Weight loss always makes me feel more energized. I could use some more energy for chasing Ryann!

I also decided I needed a hairstyle change. Here are the before and after pictures. I'm not sure it was a great choice but it'll grow if I hate it.

In addition to the hair change, I bought my first of many new pairs of shoes. All my old ones are nasty & beat up so I'm throwing them out and getting new ones. Once I lose weight, the clothes are next.

Hopefully, in several months, it'll be a whole new me!:0)

Twins?

2009-06-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to us how much our girls look alike. I guess it's really no mystery why but we're amazed just the same. Here are 2 pictures of our little ones sleeping. Can you tell which one's which? They're making it more challenging by hiding a bit of their faces. :0)

How about these car seat photos! Whose chubby cheeks are whose?

Smiles :0)

2009-06-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

We're very excited that Avery has begun smiling at us. We've been waiting for the little toothless grins to arrive for weeks. Ryann smiled very early but Avery seems to be in the normal range in that department. I wonder if part of it is the fact that she gets significantly less attention than Ryann did. When Ryann was her age, she was the main attraction. I spent all day fussing over her and Scott did the same when he got home at night. Unfortunately, Avery has to share her time with her big sister. Ryann is quite demanding of our attention these days. Actually, it's been this way since she was about 18 months old. We can't leave her alone for a minute without trouble. She also needs something from us every few minutes it seems. Ryann does like to be affectionate to her sister but she tends to be too rough, still. The other day, Ryann put her head on Avery and Avery moved her hand in Ryann's hair. Ryann kept telling me that Sissy pulled her hair. Oh boy. I have a feeling this is just a taste of what's yet to come. In the mean time, I'll just enjoy the good times, like first smiles.