Winter Wonderland

We've had a few major snowstorms this winter and I can't even begin to tell you how excited Rylan gets when he sees the snowflakes coming down. The first thing he wants to do when he gets up in the morning when there's snow on the ground is head outside for a day of sledding, snowman building, snow angle making, and hot cocoa drinking when it's time to come inside. He doesn't even care how cold it is, he just wants to be outside. We've also taken Ayla out a few times to play in the snow and she seems to love it just as much!

All bundled up and loving the snow!

We now have two little munchkins to pull in the sled.

Ry loves to catch snowflakes on his tongue. Yummy!

So happy getting to play in all this white, fluffy stuff!

Out of all the snow related activities Rylan enjoys, his favorite would have to be sledding; he would go all day if we let him. He's become quite the little dare devil, going down hills about twice as long and steep as the one in this video.

If Rylan were writing this post, I think he would end it by saying "Keep the snow coming! Bring it on!".

Giving Thanks

Every year around Thanksgiving I am reminded of how blessed I am. I have food on the table, clothes on my back, a roof over my head, and wonderful family and friends. What more could I ask for?

We spent Thanksgiving at my parents' house this year. They did an excellent job hosting, especially considering there were 17 of us there, 6 of them being young children. To say the least, it was a little crazy with all the noise and commotion, but it was a "fun" crazy. My parents are so patient with everyone and always make family gatherings so fun!

Me, Jenna, Jeff, Lisa, & Bre (my siblings)

Ayla's 1st Thanksgiving

We tried getting a picture of all six grand-kids, but this was the best we could do. There is always at least one who doesn't want to smile. It was actually quite hilarious trying to accomplish this task. All the picture-takers were yelling, "Look here, smile, say cheese!" while the kids looked at us like "Yeah right, let's just get this over with!".

Never a dull moment when all the girls get together!

Rylan just adores Uncle Jeff. They love to play together! Rylan especially loves it when Uncle Jeff flips him around in the air.

Ayla had big smiles for Auntie Lisa!

What a wonderful Thanksgiving with much to be thankful for!

Oh, what a life!

Oh, the life of a baby! No worries, no responsibility, no stress, no to-do lists. Just play time, sleepy time, and time for munchies! Ayla sure is living the good life! She is one happy baby, and she makes us pretty happy too!

She enjoys her cushy life by eating baby Mum Mums,

drinking from her sippy cup,

and taking a snooze in the high chair after a delicious meal. Wish I could do that!

She also enjoys hugs from brother Rylan.

Best buddies

Rylan loves to take pictures with Ayla. He often hugs her and says "Get the camera, Mom!".

Kisses from Daddy are a favorite too!

Hanging out in her entertainer is a super fun activity.

And, she gets to be dolled up by Mom for frequent photo shoots. Not too shabby, huh?

Our little princess

We are glad you are so happy Ayla! You make us happier than you can imagine!

Trick or Treat

Rylan is now at an age where he is really excited about holidays and all the activities and events that go along with it. Seeing him so excited makes it that much more fun for our family!

He loved helping us dig the seeds out of our pumpkins,

and helping us choose faces to carve.

This was Rylan's favorite pumpkin face. He loved the swirly eyes.

He also enjoyed dressing in Halloween gear, especially when Ayla wore her orange shirt and khaki pants too.

He was beyond stoked about trick-or-treating and was the cutest little pirate. Argh matey!

Ayla was the sweetest little bumblebee.

My two cuties!

We went to a friend's party on Halloween and it was so fun seeing all the little munchkins dressed up. Here I am with my friend Angie and little Nikolaus (Pooh Bear).

Rylan with his buddies Blake and Alexander.

Later that evening, my friend Jaime brought baby Tyler over to play. These two are only six days apart. So cute!

Happy Halloween!