our life in moments

Holiday Update!

2011-12-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

It looks like things have gotten away from me again. We've just been very busy! Both the girls schools have kept us hopping with a variety of activities, and we added a social skills group one night a week. I wrote about that class as well as Ky's status over on our other blog in case you missed the update.

I forgot to post pictures of the girls in their Halloween costumes, but trust me - they were adorable! Ky was Batgirl and Savvy was the red Jungle Fury Power Ranger. They were troopers and trick or treated for almost three hours!

Thanksgiving was also great fun. We spent it with family and ate lots of awesome food. Savvy said she was most thankful for ham and Ky said snow. Go figure.

We've finally made it to Christmas and the girls are going stir crazy waiting for the big day. We've tried to fill the days with fun activities, but I'm still glad we're down to only "five sleeps." We went to the Festival of the Trees, to see my niece perform in the Little Match Girl - which was incredible, and to sit on Santa's lap. The girls did their own Christmas shopping for the first time this year and it is a lot of fun watching them get excited to give.

This year Ky is asking for a cosmetic case with make-up, a lighted mirror, and an mp3 player with speakers. Savvy wants a picnic basket, a guitar, and a stuffed beaver. Thankfully, they have been very good! However, I learned that stuffed beavers are not easy to find, and when you go into a store and ask for a beaver - people look at you funny.

Today was Kyrie's Christmas Program. She was very nervous and overwhelmed by such a large crowd. She tried to sing though and I couldn't be more proud of her. I got video, but I am having issues with uploading it. Until I figure it out, here is a picture of the star after the show.

Savvy's program is tomorrow, so there is more cuteness to come!

Homework

2011-08-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

Savvy spent hours working very hard on her show and tell project that is due Friday. This is very serious you know... it was her first official homework. She was given a plain white piece of card stock with the outline of a gingerbread person. I say person, because she insists that hers is a girl. The instructions just said to have the child cut it out and decorate it with their own "creative style." She took this assignment very seriously... spending almost an hour rummaging for supplies in the craft room. After literally three nights of cutting, gluing, drying, painting, sticking, and re-gluing she finally finished. Meet Savvy's VERY creative, VERY stylish gingerbread woman.

I can't decide what my favorite part is - the blue sequin leggings under the metallic skirt, the red sequin scarf, the pink checkered mittens?

It's all "fab-u-lous!" according to her.

Savvy's First Day of Kindergarten!

2011-08-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

Think she was just a tiny bit excited? She has been looking forward to this day for weeks!

When I went to pick her up, I found out that she'd given herself a haircut. Luckily, it was only one curl. Then she said loudly in front of her teachers "They taught me NUFFIN' today!" Oy! At least they won't forget her.

If you missed Ky's first day of 1st grade, just go to our other blog "our little corner of the world." There is a link on the right side of this blog.

It's done!

2011-08-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

We love our new roof!

The Roof

2011-08-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

We woke up to the sounds of our roof being torn off this morning. Literally.

The roof was in rough shape, and our homeowners insurance told us that we pretty much had to fix it. So we are.

The girls are super excited, since they helped choose the new color of shingles. I'm excited because our house is going to look so much nicer. Ty's not excited since he got the bill.

Green Machines

2011-07-06T21:04:00.001-07:00

The girls started soccer today. They are in a summer league that goes for the month of July. They are on the "Green Machines" team. Savvy is number 2 and Ky is number 9. They had so much fun at practice!

So much fun, that tonight they are sleeping in their shirts with their new soccer balls next to them in the beds. I think it was a huge success. They can't wait to go again! Especially because they "look adorable" in their pink shin guards and soccer cleats according to Savvy.

The first 4 weeks of SUMMER!

2011-06-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

Wow! We have been super busy already this summer! We're enrolled in lots of summer programs that have kept us on the move.

The girls took 2 weeks of swimming lessons, which they loved. Just today they passed their level 1 swimming test! I am thrilled they like it and are getting comfortable with the water. Plus, they look really cute in their swimsuits and goggles. Since the pool is right next to the park we finished each class with a picnic lunch. They are working hard at being able to do the monkey bars all by themselves.

We managed to get to Lagoon-A-Beach once so far this year, and Lagoon five or six times. Hopefully we get to go more as the year goes on, it was so fun to get into the pool with them!

The girls were able to use two of their Christmas gifts since it finally warmed up. Kyrie did a butterfly garden and got to watch five live caterpillars turn into butterflies. A very cool experience. Savvy did a ladybug land. We watched as ten ugly earwig looking bugs changed into cute ladybugs over ten days. We released them both into our backyard a few nights ago, which was a little sad, but luckily we're able to visit them. *wink*wink*

We enrolled the family in the kids bowl free summer program. It means that we can bowl two games free every day. Sadly, we only make it a couple times a week, but they love it. Ty and I do too - we have quite a wager going to see who can win the most this summer. So far he's up six games to four. The girls have perfected the their pre-bowling dance routine - which explains why it takes us almost three hours to bowl two games. The other bowlers always seem to get a kick out of watching them.

Savvy's:

Kyrie's:

The summer movie clubhouse is now in full swing! Each Wednesday we get to go see a kids' movie on the big screen. We saw Megamind (again) and next week the girls are anxiously looking forward to Despicable Me (again.)

One of the most fun things we have been doing is the Summerbridge program. It helps kids retain what they learned during the school year and get a jump on the curriculum for the upcoming year. So far we've covered nutrition and weather as well as daily worksheets on writing, reading, and math. The girls LOVE doing their "homework" each day.

We're enrolled in the Summer Library Reading Program, and went to the big kick-off party earlier this month. It was a really fun! The girls are falling in love with books and are working hard on their goal to earn a free book and kids meals by reading every day. So far they've fallen in love with Knuffle Bunny and Stellaluna. There is an activity every Monday night at the library and so far they've had an extreme petting zoo and a pajama party (the picture is them all ready to go.) This is one of the girl's favorite things since Ty gets to come with us.

So that has been our summer so far... not busy at all, right?

Next month is probably only going to get busier! Swimming is over, but they start soccer the first week of July. Plus we have the 4th of July parade, picnic, and fireworks. Ty's birthday is coming up, and we haven't been to the Zoo or a Bee's game yet... Plus, we have big plans for Cars 2 and Harry Potter 7.2!

Graduation 2011

2011-05-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

The school year has finally come to an end. Kyrie grew so much this past year. She is talking more and more. She has even started reading!! For their last day in Kindergarten they put on some plays. She was the "small goat" in the Three Billy Goats Gruff and the "Pig in a Brick House" in the 3 Little Pigs. I have to say, she did pretty darn good. She was thrilled because not only did Daddy get off work to come, but Grandma and Misha came to support her too!

Savvy graduated Preschool with flying colors, and she is ready to go to Kindergarten. She has learned a lot this year too, and can finally write her name! She couldn't wait to show her classroom to Grandma, and she sang loud enough for all to hear.

It's going to be different next year since the girls will be going to separate schools for the first time. Plus, neither will be going to the school they went to this year. It was a little sad to see them walking out of this school holding hands for the last time. I admit, I cried a little. When did they get so big?

Now it's on to summer! We have big plans ~ swimming lessons, library trips, Lagoon, Hogle Zoo, and movies galore. Add that to a whole lot of fireworks, watermelon, ice cream, picnics, and bike rides. Yup, we're going to make the most of it.

Just a little tip...

2011-04-20T13:19:00.001-07:00

if you haven't bought your egg dye kits yet for Easter, I would suggest avoiding the glitter variety. It's more than a little messy. However, the girls had a great time and that is what really matters, right?

Kyrie is worried that daddy might accidently eat the eggs, but with all that glitter I don't think she has to worry. Savvy's big concern is that the Easter Bunny is going to hide all her eggs on the roof. Lucky for her, the Easter Bunny isn't that ambitious.

It's what fun is!

2011-04-20T12:59:00.000-07:00

Last year we had Lagoon season passes, and we made good use of them going more than a dozen times. The girls love it there! So, we decided to take the plunge and get passes again this year. We went for the first time Saturday, and the new roller coaster "Bombora" was a hit - even Savvy was tall enough to ride. The girls can't wait to go again.

The big bus day.

2011-04-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

I have been driving Ky to school all year. I was going that way to drop Savvy at Preschool anyway. Ky has BEGGED all year to ride the bus with her friends, and we finally came to a compromise. She gets to ride the bus on the days Savvy doesn't have school. She has counted the sleeps all week for this day to come, and she was up bright and early this morning.

Think she was just a tiny bit excited?

Birdhouses

2011-03-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

Kyrie went to Tyler the other day with a very good idea. She had created the blueprints for a birdhouse. Or as she put it "a house for a bird to go, and to be happy, and tweet." We had not seen her so excited for quite awhile. So, Daddy signed off on the plans. He bravely took both girls to the hardware store where he got a lot of wood and both girls got a new hammer.

It took most of the afternoon on his day off, but he helped them make and paint their houses. If that wasn't proof enough of how much he loves them - he let them hang their houses on his shed so that they can see them from their window. The girls are very proud of them, and they can't wait for the new neighbors!

(Kyrie's is the purple one on the left. Savvy's is the "Christmas every day" model on the right.)

Dancin'

2011-03-19T14:53:00.001-07:00

While we were cleaning today, I uncovered a dance costume that had been handed down from cousin Raeni. It didn't fit when we first got it, and I had honestly forgotten about it. Kyrie immediately started saying how "cute" and "wonderful" it was. Now that she got it on, we may never get it off. I am quite sure she would wear it to bed and school if I let her. Savvy really wants Ky to "hurry up and grow" because she wants it. At least it will be well loved. Thanks Raeni!

daddy's little girls

2011-02-20T16:04:00.000-08:00

They are just like Tyler in so many ways.

Horse on Mountain

2011-02-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

Kyrie's latest work of art. She calls it "Horse on Mountain." Museum worthy in my opinion.

weekly doings...

2011-02-04T09:06:00.000-08:00

First off, sorry for the poor quality and size on the photos. I had to use my phone because I managed to forget my camera twice this week. Anyway, yesterday was Kyrie's half-birthday at school. Since she is a summer baby, this is her chance to have a special day. We made treat bags for her friends and she took cupcakes to share. She was so excited! I especially liked when she raised her hand during circle time and when called on she said "My mom is staying in class today. I love my mom." The picture is Ky holding her birthday card from her class while the kids sang Happy Birthday to her.

On Wednesday night we went to the Circus. I will just say I am glad the girls had fun. They watched tigers, bears, and elephants. The motorcycles in the giant ball were pretty cool too.

Our Trip to Neverland

2011-01-30T19:27:00.000-08:00

Last night we took the girls on a magical trip to Neverland. They got all dressed up in fancy dresses, hair was curled, and fingernail polish applied. First we went to out to eat at Olive Garden. The girls were so excited to put cloth napkins on their lap and order for themselves. I think the waiter was a bit surprised when Savvy ordered salad.

Then we drove down to see BYU's production of Peter Pan. This is the first stage show we have taken the girls to, but they did incredible. They sat and watched completely enchanted for the entire thing. Savvy was totally in awe of Peter's ability to fly, and Ky thought that the crocodile was the funniest thing she had ever seen.

They looked so grown up reading their programs during the show. Ty and I had so much fun, it's definitely something we will do again! On the way home we ran through the drive-thru at Krispy Kreme and got heart shaped doughnuts with sprinkles. Pretty much the perfect end to a perfect night!

Harry Potter Dinner

2011-01-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I received "The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook." We were so excited to try it out that we invited my sister and her kids over to have a Hogwarts feast!

The Menu

Pumpkin Juice

Butterbeer

Glazed Ham

Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes

Glazed Carrots

Irish Soda Bread

Chocolate Frogs

Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans

Treacle Tart

Pumpkin Pasties

Sugar Mice

Frosted Flies

I was pretty proud of how it all turned out! Although I have to give a HUGE thanks to Ty and Misha who spent the entire night before helping me get everything ready. The desserts all seemed popular, although the carrots and the soda bread got mixed reviews. My favorite were the sugar mice... they literally melted in your mouth.

The kids took a quiz that told them what their patronus would be. Both Ky and Savvy got dolphin, which they were thrilled about. Izzy got a squirrel and Dylan got a wolf.

April made us all butterbeer. It was incredible. It is really sweet, but it tastes just like you'd think it would when you read the books.

While the adults cooked and chatted, the kids watched the first movie. After dinner and all that sugar, they opted for "Just Dance" on the Wii. It was so cute to see them all getting their groove on together. Thanks again to April, Ty, and Misha for helping pull the night off, and hopefully we can do it again soon!

Bringing in 2011!

2011-01-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

We decided to bring in the New Year at home this year. The girls received a cotton candy machine from Grandma and Grandpa Nelson for Christmas and had been VERY anxious to try it out. We used tropical Lifesavers and Werther's to test it, and I have say the pineapple stuff was DELICIOUS. The girls were so excited, and mommy and daddy were happy because not only did it work, it cleaned up super easy! A big thank you for such a fun gift, it will definitely see a lot of use in 2011!

best. Christmas. ever.

2010-12-25T13:18:00.000-08:00

I could go on and on about our Holidays and the fun we have had. Ky sang in her first school concert, and we were all impressed that she actually sang! Ty gave her some flowers, and you could tell it was a very special night for her. We made a gingerbread house that fell apart and gingerbread men that looked more like a crime scene than Christmas cookies. We counted down the days each night on our calendar, drank cocoa, and ate my Mom's AMAZING danish. I was especially excited for this year since the first half of this year was so rough for us, and also because the girls are finally old enough to really BELIEVE. We left out cookies and milk for Santa, and some oats and carrots for Rudolph and friends. After a long night of furniture rearranging and tent construction after they fell asleep we were woken up at 1:30, 1:45, 3:30, and 5:30 by Kyrie alerting us that Santa had been here. We kept telling her that when the sun came up we could open presents, so at 7 am I found her on her bed starring out the window waiting for dawn. It was such a special day, with lots of surprises, hugs, and very loud screaming.

Introducing...

2010-12-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

Adalene Harriett Thomas

born 12/10/10 at 3:18 EST

6 lb 3 oz

19 inches

Congratulations Hanna and Charles! She is adorable, and the girls can't wait to meet their new "cousinbaby!"

The Traditon

2010-11-27T10:40:00.000-08:00

I love this picture. Not only because the girls are playing so cute together, but because they decorated the tree this year all by themselves. Ty and I set it up, but the ornaments and trimmings were all them. I adore that our tree looks like a patchwork quilt. Each year it is tradition in Ty's family that his Mom picks out a special ornament for each of us. I fell in love with her idea, so I also pick out a significant ornament that will remind us each of the past year. We have first Christmases, preschool creations, reminders of special things (like the year I got Stitch, since listening to that soundtrack was the only way to get Ky to stop moving long enough for me to get to sleep when I was pregnant with her.) Each one holds a story. This year Ky will be adding Iron Man, and Savvy a My Little Pony - so much like their personalities. Someday, when the girls are grown I plan to give them a special box full of memories to put on their first tree, complete with the stories that they can share with their kids.

First Snow

2010-11-21T14:34:00.000-08:00

We woke up this morning and it was freezing cold! The storm had knocked out our power and there was a foot of snow outside. It took hours for our power to come back on, and as luck would have it, it happened as soon as Ty hooked up our microwave to our generator so we could have a hot lunch. He was not amused.

It took a couple hours of pestering, but the girls finally convinced Ty to take them outside to build Savvy's first snowman. It turned out pretty good, and they were so excited for us to take a picture and put it on the computer for everyone to see. I was happy because my job is to stay in where it was warm and make hot cocoa while watching from the window.

Ri-dic-o-lous!

2010-11-21T14:01:00.001-08:00

We took the girls to the opening weekend of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. We loved it and of course everyone thought that the girls were the cutest thing ever in their outfits. Ty even took them outside and let them pick a "wand" from our apple tree. I think they turned out better than any we could have bought, and much more special. Their new favorite game is pointing their wands at each other and shouting "Ridiculous!" Ty and I are quite proud to have passed on our love of the books with them. We are still only half way through reading book 5, but as Savvy puts it "Harry is pretty much like my favorite guy."

Halloween

2010-10-28T12:52:00.000-07:00

Today was the girls Halloween parties at school. In case you couldn't tell Savvy is a ballerina and Ky is a bat. They had lots of fun, but they really wish Saturday would get here a bit faster.

Halloween Lanterns

2010-10-23T11:12:00.000-07:00

A big thanks to my mom for this awesome idea! She even sent home almost all the stuff we needed to make them. :) The girls decided to make pumpkin ones for their teachers, and the set for home started out as a ghost, a pumpkin, and a monster. However, the girls wanted the ghost to have candy corns on it and they gave the monster a mummy-like make-over. They are still very Halloween like though.

The pumpkins with "happy faces" are for Savvy's teachers, and the ones with "spooky faces" are for Ky's teachers. They look really cute with those little battery operated LED candles inside.

Spooky House

2010-10-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

The girls were anxious to show off the "Spooky" gingerbread house they made. So I told them I would put pictures on the computer for everyone to see.

Savvy is getting big too...

2010-06-21T17:59:00.000-07:00

This isn't the best picture, but Savvy wanted to let everyone know she got her ears pierced too. She decided on her own that she was ready, and that she would be brave. She picked the same earrings that Ky had, so we got lucky they were born in the same month since they were birthstones. :)

Kyrie is growing up!

2010-05-14T23:15:00.001-07:00

Can you find what is new in this picture? Kyrie decided today that she wanted her ears pierced. After begging both Tyler and I, we gave in to her request. She was one tough cookie, especially where they did them one at a time. We had a few tears, but she has been all smiles since she saw herself in the mirror. She picked out a pair of studs in her birthstone ~ doesn't she look like a princess? Savvy decided against getting hers done after watching Ky, but maybe next year.

Putt-Putt

2010-05-14T23:02:00.000-07:00

We finally found a car! We did have to go to another state to pick it up, but it was worth it. (Thanks again Hope for letting us crash at your house and both Heather and Hope for a wonderful playdate and lunch!) We ended up with a silver 2005 Honda Pilot, which Savvy has already named "Putt-Putt." So, welcome to the family Putt-Putt, and may "Jeep-Jeep" rest in peace.

The last 5 months...

2010-05-09T15:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have been a slacker. Yes, I have picked up on the subtle and not-so-subtle "update your blog" hints. Since Ty lost his job in January, we have been spending a lot of time together as a family and just enjoying the girls. I wouldn't say the job loss has been a good thing, but it has brought us closer as a family, and for that I am grateful. I know to some it may seem that we have disappeared from the radar, but I assure you we are here - healthy and happy.

So what have we been up to the last 5 months, you ask? Well, if you really want to know - read on...

First up, we went to Disneyland. We found a killer online deal and literally decided to go about two hours before we left. We made it into a road trip - stopping in Vegas each way to break up the drive. The girls LOVED the fountians at the Bellagio, and the fun rooms we stayed in (New York, New York on the way and the Luxor on the way home.) The girls were great in the car, and we had some fun rest stops along the way. However, Disneyland was definately a dream come true. The girls were awesome - we didn't even have to rent a stroller. The girls got to meet a lot of characters and they LOVED the rides. Ky especially loved Splash Mountian (which she called "log") and Savvy's favorite was the Teacups. Ty and I loved watching the girls faces and the Monte Cristo sandwiches. Since Blogger is not friendly when I try to upload a lot of pictures - you can see them by clicking HERE.

Second, Ky's test scores came in and she is going to be moved into a "diagnostic kindergarten" next year. This is good news - she knows almost all her letters, colors, and shapes! However, we still are facing some counting, vocabulary, and speech issues. So, it is kindergarten - just with a smaller class size and a speech therapist. Savvy will be moving to the four day a week preschool program next year - she is so excited since she is a little social butterfly. I am also working on another summer preschool program, so hopefully the 2010-2011 school year will be the best yet! The girls have been asking for karate, ballet, and swimming lessons... we'll have to look into that as well.

Third, Ty and I were able to get away for a night without the kids - we went with Misha (one of my best friends) to see the Runaways. I think we all agreed it was beyond brilliant. We made it into an entire weekend of fun - we took the girls to Nicklecade, went cosmic bowling, and I got a tattoo. It was something I have wanted to do for a really long time and Ty helped design it - which was extremely special to me. The design was inspired by the book Breaking Dawn and the girls. It is on my back and reads "plus que ma propre vie" with two stars under it. The quote translates from french into "more than my own life" and the stars represent the girls. If you want to see it - there is a photo HERE.

Fourth, Ty got into a car accident. Luckily, he was fine and he was the only one in the Jeep. Some idiot turned into him while he was going through a light. The girls were very sad though - they wanted the "Jeep-Jeep to go to the doctor and get a BIG band-aid." Sadly, it was totalled. Luckily, we had rental insurance - so we are riding around in a brand new 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee for a month while we find a new car. We are hoping to get a Honda Pilot, but it's proving harder than expected to find one. There are pictures of the Jeep post-accident are HERE.

Fifth, we were lucky enough to have Ty's little brother Garet and his girlfriend Ingrid come out for spring break. Ty went with them snowboarding and we did a bunch of fun stuff together. The girls especially liked going to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D and eating at the Mayan. The visit was way too short - hopefully they come out again soon!

Sixth, we went to the Nelson family reunion in Georgia. Ty's parents and siblings were all there for a fun-filled week on the lake. We went boating, tubing, fishing, and played all sorts of games. The girls both went on the tube with Daddy (Savvy went once and was "done", but Ky could have lived in the water.) They both also caught fish - although they were a bit sad that they had to put them back. Ky posed for a picture with hers, but Savvy was scared of her catfish. The girls were very good at putting on shows and entertaining everyone. We had a great time seeing everyone again and relaxing on the lake. The girls especially liked their new cousin Emmie. It was the first time they had met her and she is a cutie! The girls got so spoiled by their Grandparents and the Powells - we actually had to borrow extra luggage just to get home. All the fun was captured in pictures that you can find HERE.

I am aware that I missed adding Christmas and Easter to the list - they were both oodles of fun, but I can't seem to find our pictures of them at the moment. So anyway, we are around and enjoying life. Ty is still looking for a job, but he has several promising leads and hopefully he will be employed soon. The girls are set to graduate from preschool later this month, and I am working on catching up on the house. So lookey-there... blog updated!

Blankets

2009-12-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a long time since I blogged, but between surgery and Christmas stuff, life has gotten ahead of me. Not much new going on around here though, just work, preschool, and life. (To those that have inquired about my recovery, I am doing well. The new implant takes some getting used to, but I think we are past the worst and hope we are finally on the right track.) In other news, the girls opened all the presents under the tree... which was not cool since it took me forever to get them all wrapped in the first place. Ty drove them to Target and told them that we took all the stuff back - they were not amused. Now the tree will be presentless until Christmas Eve.

We also took the girls to see the new Disney movie "The Princess and the Frog." We all loved it, and I think we all teared up just a little bit. When we went to the store after the movie, and let the girls pick out some fabric. I have wanted to make them blankets to use for Family movie nights for a long time and the cute fleece called my name. I went with a super easy pattern, so they only took about 45 minutes each. Cute right? Oh, and I know that the frog material isn't actually from the Princess and the Frog movie, but it was the closest we could find. I also know that the purple back on the Ariel one doesn't match the purple on the front, but Savvy picked it out. I am thinking they turned out well enough that I might try my hand at matching pillows.

Updates

2009-11-20T16:55:00.000-08:00

Well, the plethora of pictures I had expected this weekend didn't happen. We did have a great weekend though! First, one of my best friends and I went to the New Moon Cast Party. We had so much fun, but they did not allow cameras into the event. We did get to meet the actors that play Laurent and Caius in the new movie. So fantastic! Some of the staff pulled us aside to get make-overs from the new Twilight make-up line. I have become quite a Twilight Saga fan over the last month, so this was a pretty incredible night.
The next day Ty and I took the girls to Disney on Ice Princess Classics. Sadly, I forgot to take the camera in. The girls were in heaven - they loved seeing Ariel in real life. It made me even more determined to get them to a Disney park soon. Savvy woke up the next morning and asked if we could "go see Ariel again?" So cute.
Tuesday was my surgery. I am offically "bionic" now, although they won't turn on the machine for a while to give my stitches time to heal. I am really sore and have had a few rough nights, but I am on the mend. I am so lucky to have such a great support system - my mom stepping in to make sure the girls were cared for, Ty caring for me at the hospital and home as well as supporting my Twilight addiction to keep a smile on my face despite the pain, and my PYP family for keeping me the center of their thoughts and prayers - especially Trish aka "Dori" for arranging delicious meals. I am so thankful you are all a part of my life.

Haircuts!

2009-11-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

We all were in desperate need of haircuts, and I wanted to get it taken care of before my surgery. Plus, Ky kept putting her hair in her mouth and it drove me nuts. So, we took the girls to Cookie Cutters. Suprisingly, Ky was an angel. She didn't even blink at the shears. Savvy, however was NOT having anything to do with it. So she ended up with barely a trim and refused my efforts for a picture. Ky relucentantly posed though. Isn't she too cute? She looks so big.

I also got mine cut, and several friends have asked for pictures. I will take some tonight. I have a few days of special events planned to help me de-stress before my surgery, so there should be a lot of fun pictures in the next couple days.

Happy Howl-o-ween!

2009-11-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

Halloween. I loved it as a kid, but since my trick-or-treat permit expired around 17 years ago it hasn't been as cool. However, the girls have made the holiday a lot more fun! It has been a blast this month doing all sorts of fun Halloween activites. We've made bats, read books, watched movies, painted pumpkins, and practiced trick-or treating.

This year the girls were finally old enough to decide on their own costumes. Kyrie decided she wanted to be the "Yellow RPM Power Ranger." I have no idea where this came from, since she has only seen the show a handful of times. She was determined though, so we searched high and low for a costume. The stores had red, black, and blue, but those wouldn't do. Yellow is the GIRL ranger. So we finally had to order it online. She was so excited when it came that she started shaking. I bet she was the cutest Yellow Ranger anywhere!

We took Savvy to Target to find her costume. She had expressed interest in several ideas including Hannah Montana, but she settled on Ariel once she saw the ruffly dress. After we bought the costume and got it home, she got very upset that it didn't have a crown. Wouldn't you know they don't sell those locally either. With a stroke of luck I tracked one down on Ebay. She truely looked like the beautiful little princess she is.

They both LOVED Trick-or-Treating. Each House went about like this:

*Knock, Knock*

"Trick or Treat!" (in unison)

"thank you" (Ky)
"tank you" (Savvy)

then, Tyler or I would tell them to say Happy Halloween and they would both say "Happy" and then proceed to howl. Yup, just like a wolf. We can thank Daddy for teaching them that one.

Between each house Savvy never failed to say "I love Trick or Treating!"

They are not ready for the holiday to be over. By the time I came out to the front room this morning they were already in their costumes. When I told Ky that Halloween was over until next year, she sat silently thinking it over and finally replied "Ho, Ho, Ho now?" I told her we still need to eat turkey first, but that soon she can ask Santa for the pony she has her eye on.

Long time, No blog

2009-10-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am aware that I haven't blogged for a month. We've just been busy, and here are a few of the things we've been up to...

#1 - Izzy's Baptism

We got together recently for Izzy's baptism. This is the only picture we managed to get, but aren't cousins Halle and Kyrie cute? I can't believe Izzy is 8 already, she is quite the little lady! The program was great - my niece Makenna played the piano, and she is beyond talented. We are lucky to have April and her family so close.

#2 - Andrew's Day

It's been six years since one of my very best friends was killed in a car accident, and we take a day each October to celebrate his memory.

The last thing Andrew and I did together was going to Arctic Circle to get Square Pumpkins (you know, the ones with the cool Halloween toys...) So, each year we do just that.

Andrew taught me a lot about life and family. His biggest lessons remind me not to take anything to seriously and to make everyday count.

After our cool kids meals, we went and picked some pumpkins at a pumpkin patch. Ky wanted every single one, and Savvy wanted any of them that was at least three times her size. We ended up painting our pumpkins this year since knives, slime, and the girls don't mix. It was a hit, and painting may become a tradition for years to come.

#3 - Gardiner Village

We went to see the witches at Gardiner Village. The girls had tons of fun walking around looking at witches and pumpkins. Then, we decided to go on the hayride that takes you out to a "witch's house." It started raining on the ride and then the stuff at the house was a tad bit over the girls' heads. Oh-well, it was good just to spend the time with the family.

Hopefully, I get better about blogging in the upcoming weeks!

The Zoo

2009-09-27T20:47:00.001-07:00

Last week, the zoo began running TV ads for their newest edition, Zuri the baby elephant. Ky was mesmerized by these commercials. Then, when taking her to Preschool on Wednesday she began to cry as we pulled into the parking lot. She told me that she "yikes school" but that she thought we were going to see the "baby ele-phant." Ty and I both dislike the zoo, but for these two girls, we'll do just about anything to see them smile. So, we found a pleasant afternoon and off we went.

They liked the monkeys a lot, and Savvy even lovingly named every single one of them "Captian Huggy Face"

Ky loved the carousel! She especially loved the mirrors in the center. Savvy liked the benches that didn't move up and down.

Then we hit the elephant exhibit, and Zuri was very cute! She ran around playing with a ball and both the girls thought it was hilarious. However, the mama elephant then decided to do her business, and that was the most hilarious thing ever. At lunch when I asked Ky if she liked the elephants, she giggled and told me "big stinky!"

We let the girls order the special kids meals so that they could get the baby elephant cups, and it was definately worth it! Savvy just kept saying how much she "loved it!"

It really was worth the trip, and the amount of smiles and giggles made it all worth it. Even after five hours Ky was sad when we had to go, we'll have to plan another fun outing soon!

"Savvy pretty!"

2009-09-23T17:01:00.000-07:00

So, we ended up bribing Ky to potty train. The only thing that seemed to be worthy of her taking the "potty plunge" was make-up. Now she carries around her "princess" lip gloss, body glitter, and "cheeky" wherever she goes. Until today, Savvy seemed pretty uninterested in the whole make-up business. She really didn't love anything on her face. Today that all changed. After some all too quiet playtime, I was greeted with this...

and the picture simply doesn't do the green glitter lip gloss justice.

Mommy-Daughter day

2009-09-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

We decided that after our first full week of Preschool we needed to celebrate, so the girls and I set out early today. Thanks to PYP, we first went to the mall with Daddy and picked up two free $10 mall gift cards. Sadly, he had to go to work, but the girls and I headed over to Build-a-Bear. Ky picked a unicorn and Savvy picked Hello Kitty. They had so much fun stuffing and bathing "Corn" and "Kitty." I also had a some additional coupons to Build-a-Bear, so each girl also got a free messenger bag to carry their new friend in. Too fun! Sadly, I forgot to take the camera in.

Next, we went to my friend Rachel's house. She has a park right near by and the girls love playing with her twins. On the walk over Savvy face planted it into a mud puddle. She was coated! She decided that mud was "yucky!" Luckily, Rachel let us clean-up at her place and off we went to the park for our picnic.

After our picnic, we played on the playground with bubbles and sand toys. Savvy even got brave and went down the twisty slide alone after I went with her the first time. They especially loved the bouncy airplane. It was so fun to watch them play together.

Tonight was also family movie night. Nothing better than the whole family together with pizza and a good movie!

Green Eggs and Ham

2009-09-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

Even though we are back in Preschool, we are still working on reinforcing concepts at home. Lately I have been on a "learning through food" kick. For movie night last week we cooked egg rolls and ham fried rice together as a family and watched Mulan. For a recent snack time we cut squares out of red jello jigglers. You get the picture.

Tonight, we read the book "Green Eggs and Ham" from Dr. Suess. The girls love to be read to, especially by Daddy.

The girls had worked very hard to make muffins to go with dinner, and they got to eat them with real green eggs and ham! It's amazing what a little food coloring can do. Ky even tried eggs! It was a lot of fun.

CONGRATULATIONS!

2009-09-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

The girls are so excited ~ they have a new cousin! It's especially fun since she is the first cousin on Tyler's side of the family. On my side they have 10 already! This new cousin is also special because she is the only one that is younger than they are. Both girls have been talking about "baby cousin" for a few weeks and even though we will not meet her in person for several months ~ they clapped and cheered when I told them that she was here. Hopefully we will get pictures soon, but first the new parents need some rest.

Poor Keely was in labor for almost two full days and went NATURAL. Someone should give her a medal! I am sure all that work will be worth it millions of times over. Congratulations to both Keely and Joel, and welcome to the crazy world of parenthood. I am sure she is gorgeous!

announcing:

emmeline alma robinson

7 lbs. 14 oz.

20 in.

5:52 pm

9/10/2009

dark brown hair

School Days

2009-09-08T17:43:00.000-07:00

We woke up this morning to a very excited little voice singing "I go to school!" Savvy has been looking forward to this day for a whole year, and Ky has been missing Preschool since she graduated last year. Today they started the new year with a "Meet the Teacher" day. Ky has a new classroom and two new teachers, and Savvy was lucky enough to be in Ky's old classroom, complete with her old teacher and a new aide. They got all dressed up, put on their "pack-packs" as Savvy calls them, and couldn't wait to get started.

Here they are outside their school, they look so grown up!

Waiting to go into class!

Here's Ky showing off a particularly lovely pair of gold glitter dress-up shoes. She did pretty good for a new environment, and only told her teacher "ummmmm, no" once.

Here's Savvy pushing her baby in the stroller. She was a little shy at first, but relaxed quite a bit as the day progressed.

Overall, Preschool was a hit and I bet it will be easy to get them excited to go back tommorrow. It's the first day I will be leaving Ky, but I think Savvy needs at least one more day to adjust. I think I am looking forward to it as much as they are!

Family Pictures

2009-09-05T07:42:00.000-07:00

Seeing as the last family pictures we had done were over 2 years ago, it was time. I am not a huge fan of the picture taking process since I am responsible for all the decisions, getting everyone ready, and keeping everyone clean. However, I always LOVE the outcome... I guess that it because I adore the people in the pictures. I have the best husband ever, and don't get me started on these two little ladies! Anyway... here is the preview to our family photos. They were taken by my friend Sherri at http://www.swjphotography.com/

Nelson family Photoshoot: http://my.slideroll.com/galleries/members/swjphotography/gallery/angels-family/?g=p3wz9bfn

Leave me a comment and let me know which ones you like!

Savannah Paige

2009-08-18T12:42:00.000-07:00

To my Paigey Pants on her 3rd birthday -

I can't believe you are already 3 years old! You are truely a miracle and we are so happy you are part of our family. Your start was definately hard and you gave all of us a good scare. I began labor over a month before you were due and doctors were unable to stop it. Luckily, all tests and scans pointed to you being a very healthy baby. After you were born I actually got to hold you, you were so beautiful! So soft and sweet right from the start. I noticed almost immediately that you were having a hard time breathing and before I knew it - they took you and Daddy to the nursery. Soon Daddy was back with the news that you were born without Pulmonary surfactant in your lungs, and they were giving you lots of oxygen. Your little lungs wouldn't open right and you were working much to hard to breathe. The doctors decided that you needed to be lifeflighted to a hospital that could better care for you. As they prepared you to go, you crashed and they had to put you on a machine that did your breathing. They brought you to see us before you left and they took a picture of the three of us together. We already loved you so much - and the thought that you might not be ok scared us a lot.

At the new hospital you stayed on the machine for 3 more days. They tryed to take you off sooner, but you decided to scare us and stop breathing again. Mommy and Daddy visted you every day and called every three hours to check on you. You were so tiny and you slept a lot! You were very quiet that the nurses loved having you - you hardly ever cried and loved to be swaddled and snuggled. You were such a star you gratuated from the NICU in only 18 days!

You fit into the family like a missing puzzle piece from the start. You never minded that you had an older sister hugging and kissing you. You are such a great sister, and you have grown into that role more every day. You are so patient and loving.

Your heart is one of the softest I have ever known. You experience all of your emotions so deeply! You can make an entire room brighten just by being in it. Your giggles and smile are so infectious. You love to sing, dance, and tumble for anyone that will watch.

You have been your Daddy's girl from the start. You two are so much alike - laid back and happy. You both have the same tastes too - you both will also eat almost anything, especially if it's spicy! You guys spent a lot of time together and Daddy loves your snuggles. There were quite a few mornings I would find you both asleep together in the recliner.

You have such a bright future ahead of you, and I admire your joy of the simple things in life. You are so honest and loving in everything you do, and I am so happy that you are my daugher! I am lucky to be your Mom.

I love you.

Mommy

a birthday party in pictures

2009-08-15T11:11:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone who helped make the girls' 3rd and 4th birthday party a success!

Grandma Nelson ~ Grandpa and Grandma Nyman

The Bucks ~ The Bergeners ~ The Larsens

Uncle Misha ~ Melanie ~ Trish ~ Michaele

American Idol 2023

2009-08-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

Seriously... how cute is that?

The potty training nightmare.

2009-08-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

I have decided that potty training is the least cool thing so far in the parenting world. Especially when you have one kid that is only interested when it suits her, and another who just doesn't seem to care at all. From the picture alone you can sense Savvy's enthusiasm. Preschool starts in less than a month and although potty training isn't a requirement, it sure would be easier! So today we launched "Princesses pee and poop in the potty party week!" Yep, that's right, using the potty is a requirement to be a princess. You should have seen Ky's face when I told her that even Sleeping Beauty uses the toliet. Complete disbelief. So together we decorated their door with progress charts and set up cool prize bins to choose from (of course bigger prizes for bigger accomplishments - if you catch my drift.) So we're going to try our best... wish us luck!

Kyrie Ruth

2009-08-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

To my Kyrie Bug on her 4th birthday -

I can remember four years ago today so clearly. I was so scared - having been admitted to the hospital four days prior. They knew something wasn't right and you weren't due for almost another 5 weeks. When they diagnosed me with HELLP syndrome, the doctor came in with a counselor. Ty and I sat there as they told us our only option was delivery and they needed to know our wishes in case you didn't make it. I couldn't imagine my sweet (and fiesty) baby not coming home with us from the hospital - we were petrified. As they prepared to lifeflight me I remember praying that I would do anything if you would just be okay. As soon as the helicopter landed at a hospital with a NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit) I was induced. It took less than thirty minutes and only one push to get you here - but they took you away so fast, I barely got a glimpse. Since they were trying to stabilize both of us, I only got to see a picture for an entire day. Waiting that 24 hours to meet you was almost unbearable. I remember being pushed into the NICU and seeing the most perfect 4 pound 11 oz baby covered in wires and tubes looking at me. I fell in love instantly. Over the next 21 days I barely left the hospital, I wanted to be with you constantly. It was so overwhelming - not only was I a new parent, but you were so tiny. I remember one particular time that you were screaming so hard your face was bright red. I looked at a nurse and asked her what I was supposed to do. I still reflect on her reply all the time - "you're her mommy, you know what to do." We got into a routine together and bonded over feedings every 3 hours. You were so spunky! All the nurses loved to be in charge of you, and they called you "Baby Houdini." By three days old you had already mastered the art of taking your feeding tube out and holding it up for the nurses to see. You were barely over five pounds when we brought you home with special preemie formula and reflux medications. You also had a special monitor in case you forgot to breathe - which you seemed to do often in the NICU to scare the nurses. You only did it once when you came home, but it was enough to scare your Daddy and I to pieces.

You grew so fast, soon you were a toddler and a big sister. You have always been such a great big sister. You covered Savvy with kisses daily and touched her so softly. You have been her protector and friend since the moment you met. Savvy is so lucky to have you looking out for her.

You have always been an artist - expressing yourself through movement and creativity. Even when your rough start in life caused developmental delays, you never stopped trying to grow and conquer the world around you. You excelled at things in your own way, and turned your trials into advantages, something some adults never figure out.

I remember when I was a teenager my parents telling me that some day they hoped I had a child like me so that I would understand what I put them through. If there was ever a mini-me, it is you. I have always loved that I followed my heart and did things my own way, and I know that your life will hold similar experiences. You feel emotions so deeply, and because of that you have so much to give. You are compassionate, mischievious, and full of a love for life.

There is never a day that you don't make me smile and laugh. Your strength and determination are an inspiration to me and I am lucky to be your mother.

I love you.

Mommy

Indoor Pool

2009-07-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

The girls ' new pool came in the mail today, and they just couldn't wait. Ty and I had things we needed to get done inside, so we decided to set it up in the front room and only put an inch or two of water in it. It is AMAZING how far 2 inches of water can spread! The girls had a ball, Ky is a little fish. We'll set the pool up again soon, but next time it will be outside!

our eaters

2009-07-27T18:39:00.000-07:00

Ky is probably one of the pickiest eaters I know. My Dad always tells me that she inherited that from me. It is funny that she likes the same stuff I did when I was little. She could live on ramen noodles, cheese, and chicken nuggets. Her latest thing is to get the cream cheese out of the fridge and eating it with a spoon. Crazy kid!

Savvy on the other hand will eat anything. She will even try things I won't touch. She prefers peas and carrots to m&m's. Last week she even cried when she ate all the green beans and she wanted more. Makes me wonder how we got two kids that couldn't be more different!

However, for as different as they are, they are incredible friends. Last night while playing outside (and they didn't think Mommy and Daddy were watching) they were taking turns pushing each other on the swing. It was one of the cutest things ever.

Cute Monsters

2009-07-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

The picture is worth a thousand words. They are cute little monsters though.

"I, err, ok!"

2009-07-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

When Mommy says "Who wants to make muffins?" and she only hears one set of feet running in response - it's not a good sign. So, I called down the stairs "Savvy, are you ok?" and more red flags went off when she replied "I, err, ok!" After gathering my camera and my courage I went downstairs to find this:

Savvy found the zipper on the beanbag and was taking one cup full of beans out at a time and putting them in her library bag. This is on top of the normal mess that occurs after a morning of playing. Just another day in paradise, right?

so sad

2009-07-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

Our poor garden looks pretty sad. The soil is less than perfect since we had to remove all those nasty bulbs. Next year we are planning on bringing topsoil and lots of fertilizer. What did grow was being eaten by slugs. Sadly, by the time we figured out the issue and fed them some "special slug food" - most of the damage was irreversible. I may get a few handfuls of things here and there, but I think this will mostly be a "learning year."

I did manage to get these two tiny handfuls of green goodness. Ty and I each got one green bean, and then Savvy finished the rest in ten seconds flat. She cried when she found ot there wasn't "MORE!" Maybe we're going to have to go a make a raid on Grandma and Grandpa's garden!

The Fourth - part 2

2009-07-05T00:09:00.000-07:00

We wrapped up our Fourth of July with Stadium of Fire. This is quickly becoming a family tradition for us. The past couple years have been exceptionally good. I mean Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers? It almost ensures "cool parent" status. Plus, I have to admit the Jonas Brothers put on quite a show.

We really enjoyed the yummy ice cream and Cotton Candy. Both of which the girls needed to fully enjoy the show.

As we discovered at the parade earlier in the day, Savvy doesn't like loud noises. We did find that she loves lights - so at least the swirly light stick and the glow jewelry were a huge hit.

I got some good video of both the girls. I need to apologize for Ky's video - someday I will learn the right way to hold the camera. It was just too cute not to include. This is how she reacted to each firework. She LOVED the loud noises and got mad when we tried to cover her ears.

This Savvy video cracked me up. I love that she starts to ham it up when she sees the camera. Too bad she didn't like the actual fireworks.

Happy Fourth of July!

The Fourth - part 1

2009-07-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

We started the Fourth with the Magna City Parade. Luckily, my friend Trish had gotten there early and got us great seats! The girls had never been to a parade, but I think that it was a hit. Anywhere that Ky can scream "CANDY!" at the top of her lungs and have her wish fulfilled is awesome in her book. Savvy liked the candy and the police motorcycles, but she wasn't a fan of the loud cars and firetrucks.

Summer Nights

2009-07-04T00:32:00.000-07:00

We had such a great afternoon playing outside, that it turned into one of those perfect summer nights. We threw poppers which the girls liked, and we lit sparklers which the girls didn't want to get close too.

We slid and watched the firework filled sky. Little did we know we moved into the hip "we drove over the state lines to Wyoming to buy our fireworks" neighborhood. Ky stood in the top level and watched them from the pirate periscope. That kid has style.

The girls favorite part of the evening was swinging. I think Savvy could stay in the swing as long as someone was there to push her.

Ky has learned to pump herself on the swings, but somehow she always ends up going sideways.

There is just something special about summer nights.

Sometimes

2009-07-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

things are just better upside down.

Nemo starts with F

2009-06-30T12:28:00.000-07:00

We've had quite a weekend. The power pole outside our house was struck by lightning, resulting in a lot of loud noise, fire, and no power. We were very lucky that Tyler was ok since he was in the driveway when it happened. Savvy was delighted with all the flashy firetruck lights, but Ky hid in her room. Now, Ky is "cared!" of everything - especially the dark. The worst part was it made us miss family movie night! Luckily, it has been rescheduled for tonight.

The rest of the weekend was just as busy. Ty hosted a late night lan party for all his friends, and I hit garage sales and double coupons. Between us we still managed to get the Preschool lessons in. I did "D", "F", and "blue." Tyler did "E", "G", and "green." It was a huge success except everytime I said "fish starts with f." Ky would reply "No! Nemo starts with f!" Oh-well, we tried right?

Happy Daddy Day!

2009-06-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

In celebration of "Daddy's Day" as Ky calls it, the girls made Ty breakfast in bed. Savvy helped toast the bagel and Ky cut up the banana. They did good work!

I do have to say that my girls are incredibly lucky. They have a wonderful Daddy! He loves to spend time with them and the girls can't wait for him to get home every night. He isn't scared to clean potty chairs, watch Hannah Montana, sit-in at a "cocoa" party, or push a swing for insane lengths of time. I can only hope that someday the girls find a guy just like their Daddy!

Garage Sales

2009-06-20T19:27:00.000-07:00

We just found out that Ty's mom is coming to visit the first week of August. The girls are so excited! That also happens to be the week of Ky's birthday, so we decided we will do a joint birthday party so that Grandma can be there. Lucky Savvy gets to celebrate 15 days early this year! Ty and I have been racking our brains for a good theme for the party since the girls are so different. Daddy had the idea for a "Care Bears Birthday" and it was perfect. The girls both love Care Bears. We decided to hit some garage sales to find a few bears to weigh down some balloons for the party, and things got slightly out of hand. They needed every one they saw! Luckily, since they were all "previously loved" 19 bears cost less than two new ones at the store.

Then I found something for myself! I got a Puff-a-Lump for Christmas when I was 7 years old and he has been my buddy ever since. My sister named him Mark and he has been a very loved bear. To this day the girls love to play with him, especially Savvy. Today, a whopping 22 years later I found one in mint condition. Mark's clothes are long gone, his hair is matted, and half his smile is unstitched. I haven't decided what to do with "new Mark" yet, but he will probably belong to Savvy very soon.

We got a few other odds and ends too, including some kids clothes and a baby doll cradle. Overall it was a very successful day out at the garage sales! I can't wait to go again!

It grew!

2009-06-18T21:29:00.000-07:00

Something in our first attempt of a garden has officially been a success! We had home grown lettuce salad with dinner tonight. Can you tell Savvy is excited? She loves veggies, especially salad. Hopefully we will have more successes in our future!

playing with food

2009-06-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

"Hey Kyrie, eat your corn dog" daddy says.

"but he happy!" Ky replies.

we really do have some of the funniest kids ever.

Bubble starts with B.

2009-06-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

The blog has been without an update since our laptop broke last week. Luckily, we are up and running again. While we were gone we learned a lot about circles, the color blue, and the letters B and C. We also went to our first summer movie. My favorite pictures came from "B" day. Bubbles start with B, and the girls LOVE bubbles.

Warning!

2009-06-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

I'm sure everyone has been told not to run with scissors. It's a very important rule, one that even my kids have heard a few times. However, I failed to mention the second most important "don't run with a vaccuum" rule. Ky found out the importance of this rule yesterday while she was "cleaning" the front room. Since everytime she remembers about her owie we use half a box of band-aids, I took this picture during naptime. Poor kid.

Red Ants

2009-06-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

Today's post was brought to you by the letter A and the color red.

The first day of preschool went pretty well considering we had other things going on the same day. Ky got "A" and "red" right more than 90% of the time. Savvy also did pretty good with occasional prompting. They liked painting the "red ants," but I have learned that I don't like art projects that have to dry. Savvy's just not patient enough to let her creations sit.

Crafty.

2009-05-30T16:45:00.001-07:00

Creative and crafty are not two words I would use to describe myself. However, I saw someone on TV wearing a "sparkly" bandana, and I fell in love with the look. This is my first attempt, and it's not quite done. I'm sad that these pictures don't show how sparkly they are. My mom helped by finding all sort of fun sequins, so I think I will make some more. Maybe some for the girls to wear to Stadium of Fire in red, white, and blue. What do you think?

ABC's

2009-05-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

We are doing a mini Preschool program at home this summer. Hopefully it will help us be ready to take the school by storm this fall. I have planned all sorts of fun activities, field trips, and projects. We are technically starting Monday, but we made our foam letter flashcards today. The girls are already enjoying them, and I think the K and the S will see a lot of use!

Smore's

2009-05-23T21:01:00.001-07:00

In addition to our standard Saturday "family pizza and movie night," we also have a special treat. Usually, it's homemade popcorn or ice cream, but tonight we made S'mores! We got these cool S'more makers from Keely and Joel for Christmas, but haven't had a chance to try them out until tonight. The girls had a ball stacking the ingredients, but they really loved eating them. I didn't realize quite how messy 2 kids, a melted chocolate bar, and gooey marshmellows could be. Sadly, there is no "after" photos - we were too busy trying to get them bathed!

Celebrate!

2009-05-19T15:41:00.000-07:00

We gave Ky the option of doing almost anything she wanted to celebrate her graduation. She could have picked the movies, bowling, the arcade, or a whole list of other kid places. She picked feeding the ducks, so off we went to the historical farm. The girls love to chase those poor birds around and around and around. After bathing in hand sanitizer, we went to the toy store to pick a treat. After walking around the store for a good hour looking at all sorts of toys, she picked mini m&m's. She definately has a mind of her own. Then, she got to choose what to do for dinner and of course she said "fries!" I think she had a very fun night!

The Graduate!

2009-05-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

Ky graduated Preschool today. I knew that it would be a fun day, but it was also emotional. It was so fun to see how much she has grown over the year. (3 1/2 inches and 2 1/2 pounds to be exact.) It was such an accomplishment for her to finish the entire year and she made such great progress.

She sang "Mr. Golden Sun" for her graduation. Luckily, by the time the video started she had her sunglasses on right side up.

Here she is with her teachers. Ms. Payne and Ms. Carter were incredible. The really knew how to handle a special little girl like Kyrie. I am thrilled that they are going to be Savvy's teachers next year.

The Car Show

2009-05-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

Today was the UVU car show at Thanksgiving Point. My parents brought their cars down and we went to visit. It is always so fun to go and look at all the neat old cars. Especially when two of those cars belong to "Grandma and Grandpa!"

Here are the girls with Grandpa's cool truck. It is a '39 Chevy. Ky had more important things to do than take pictures, but we tried. When I told Ky that the truck was Grandpa's she told me "NO! Kyrie's!"

The girls got special permission to sit on Grandma's '55 Chevy to take a picture with her. They thought they were hot stuff! They especially loved all the treats that Grandpa and Grandma had waiting for them.

Thanks for a great day Mom and Dad!

Let it grow!

2009-05-15T15:42:00.001-07:00

The garden is beginning to grow. I was thrilled when I went to water today and I saw beans, peas, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, green onions, onions, and garlic growing away. Hopefully, the rest of it starts to grow soon!

Here is my organic lettuce mix. It's getting bigger! Since it was my first attempt, it got it's own little bed.

Here is the main garden. You can't see the raspberry bushes, they are just off the bottom of the picture. Going from the bottom to the top of the picture is beans, regular cabbage, chinese cabbage, peas, sugar snap peas, carrots, onions, potatoes, tomatoes (hothouse, cherry, and pear), peppers (green bell, jalapeno, and sweet banana), summer squash, speghetti squash, watermelon, sugar pumpkin, jack-o-latern pumpkin, spinach, and iceberg lettuce. Our green onions and garlic are in a seperate bed, and our strawberries and blueberries will be going into yet another bed either tonight or tommorrow.

I can't wait for harvest time!

Saturday Movie Nights

2009-05-09T21:45:00.001-07:00

I added a new feature on the side of my blog to track the movies we watch for our "family movie night." We do this every Saturday and it's the girls' favorite night of the week. It involves pizza, treats, a movie, and the whole family together. What can be better than that?

Playdate Pictures

2009-05-08T12:07:00.000-07:00

We had ten of the cutest kids ever over today for a playdate. Well - it was Ky, Savvy, and eight of their friends. I took over 50 pictures, but here are a couple. If any of you moms want the full set just let me know. However, a couple kids (cough*HaydenandCarson*cough) ran away whenever they saw the camera, so I have a lot of some and not so many of others. Thanks to everyone who came - the girls and I had soooo much fun!

KYRIE

SAVANNAH

ZACH

PAISLEY

REGAN

TRAVELLER

JAXON

CARSON

HAYDEN

KAITLYN

Seriously, they are so cute! How about we make this a monthly event?

Mommy's little helper

2009-05-06T19:05:00.001-07:00

We are soooo lucky (insert note of sarcasm here) - our local grocery store got kid sized shopping carts. Oh, the joy. I was lucky that I only had one of my helpers at the store with me, because otherwise it may have been a level 5 disaster. Savvy wouldn't let me help push, or even guide her cart - so we got up close and personal with just about every display, aisle, cart, and customer in the store. Luckily, everyone just thought she was cute. I did have to agree with them though, she is a charmer.

girl's gardening

2009-05-04T23:50:00.000-07:00

See that? That is what the girls were doing while me and Ty were planting in the garden. Since I wasn't handing over the real seeds, they decided to grow a Cheerio tree. That's my kind of gardening.

Field Trip

2009-05-04T22:48:00.000-07:00

Today was Ky's end of the year preschool field trip, and luckily her teachers were nice enough to let the whole family tag along. We spent the morning at Hogle Zoo checking out the animals. They loved the bear (named Pudder of course), the peacock, the picnic, the train, the monkeys, the squirrels, and the giraffes.

By far, Ky's favorite part was the carousel. She got to ride a seal, and she waved as it went up and down. She couldn't stop giggling and saying "fun!, Ky, fun!" Her smile lasted the rest of the day.

Savvy's favorite part was the playground. She has gotten very brave since we put in the fort, and she loved the big kid area with the BIG slide. The best part? She kept going down head first. She thought she was so big!

Overall, a very fun family day. I can't believe that Ky only has four preschool classes this year, and next year I will be taking both my girls to school. They really do grow up too fast.

Yummy, Yummy!

2009-05-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

Today has been rainy, and it's been hard being inside all day! So, we spent a big portion of it making a fun dinner. The girls helped me make hamburger buns and potato salad. The girls favorite was helping with the fruit salad. The each got a plastic knife, and cut up the bananas all by themselves. They couldn't wait for Daddy to get home to see their yummy dinner masterpiece.

The weeds

2009-04-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

We've been busy this past week! We discovered the area that we planned for a vegetable garden was really a bed of weeds. Not just any weeds either. It is more like a grass that looks a lot like onions - with bulbs 2-3" down in the soil. They can't be killed with weed killer, we actually have to tear out the entire top layer of weeds, bulbs, and soil. We estimate that there are hundreds of thousands of these lovely things. That pile there is only a portion of what has come out of our garden. We still have 1/3 or so left to go, and we just keep saying that these vegetables better taste REALLY good! We hope to be finished this week and plan to start planting Monday. My tiny little bed on the other side of the house is already sprouting! I should have fresh spring mix lettuce pretty soon.

Slide - part 5

2009-04-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

We've got swings! Savvy just sits in hers and says "weeeeeee," but she's smiling the whole time. Ky can really get going, but if she gets too high she starts to get a little nervous. All that we have left now is to put the sand in the sandbox. I am so excited it's almost done. Our next project is the garden, and that should bring a whole new set of challenges.

Slide - part 4

2009-04-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

We spent all day yesterday working on the fort. Just don't call it a fort to Ky, or a clubhouse for that matter. She informed me it was a stage, she was "Tanna!" (aka Hannah Montana), and she spent a good chunk of the afternoon singing, dancing, and bowing to her audience. It didn't interfere with being Daddy's big helper. She retrieved dropped boards and screws.

Savvy was more into helping me weed, and resod some bare spots in the lawn. She has little pink gardening gloves and a shovel. She is definately going to be my little garden helper. She also has supersonic hearing because her eyes got really wide as soon as she heard the ice cream truck driving down the street. I grabbed both of the girls and ran off to catch it. They both picked a treat and of course got super messy eating it.

By the end of the day, we still weren't quite done with the fort. We are still missing the sand, the swings, the pirate wheel, and the binoculars. However, the girls are very happy with the fort as is. The slide was a huge hit! They couldn't get enough of the up and down. I had to drag Savvy in for dinner literally kicking and screaming. She kept saying "my slide! no! my slide!" It's raining today, but I see us spending most of our summer outside in our garden and on the fort!

Slide - part 3

2009-04-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

I have seriously begun to wonder how many "parts" this project is going to take! Last night, Misha donated his Easter to work on the project, so we have made some good progress. (Thanks lil' bro! We owe you BIG time!) We now have the base of the two-part fort, ladder, the sandbox (minus the sand), and the picnic table done. The upstairs parts even have floors. Ty is outside working, and as I type we should be getting a roof. We hope to have the slide, swings, rockwall, and some sand in the sandbox by tonight. We also need to re-lay the sod around the base. I can't wait until it is all done!

rainy days and colored eggs

2009-04-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

It has rained the last couple days, so our fort is at a standstill. We decided to spend our inside time coloring easter eggs. I am not quite sure WHY we color eggs, at our house the bunny is exclusively a plastic egg hider. I guess it's just a tradition. Last year, it took weeks to get the dye out of everything - so thinking I was smart I got the little "pop-top cotton swab" paints to avoid the splashing of dye. All of us were less than impressed. They were really messy and hard to use. I think some of our furniture will always remember Easter 2009. The girls still had fun and the eggs that survived are very pretty!

Slide - part 2

2009-04-07T19:03:00.000-07:00

After a hard morning's work we now have...

a very level hole.

Ty did watch the installation DVD that came with the with the set last night. He said that just watching it made him tired. Looks like this may take awhile...

Slide - part 1

2009-04-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

We decided that with part of this year's tax return we were going to invest in a playland for the backyard. After much comparison shopping and lots of visits to stores and showrooms, we finally took the plunge. When Ty brought it home, the girls freaked out. Ky alternated between hugging us and jumping up and down saying "thank you Daddy! thank you!" Savvy kept hugging the slide like it was her best friend. Now, they get to anxiously wait while Daddy assembles it. All 7 HUGE boxes. Yeah, I'm glad it's not me. I'll make sure and get some pictures as it progresses.

Kyrie the Artist

2009-03-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

Part of Ky's speech delay carries over to her writing/drawing skills. We have been diligently working on shapes with her, while her preschool teachers have worked really hard on teaching her all the "strokes" she needs to learn to write. While most of her classmates can draw people, houses, and trees - we celebrated the joy of accomplishing a circle. Last week, her speech therapist pulled me aside to tell me how much she had grown since Christmas break. "Incredible progress" were the words she used. I was thrilled!

If that wasn't proof enough, Ky was sitting at the table drawing on her doodlepad and she proudly said "Mama! I did it! SUN!" and she had done it too. A BEAUTIFUL sun all by herself. We still have a lot of work to do - but today we will sit, have some ice cream, and enjoy the SUN.

Wacky Wednesday

2009-03-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

Today was Wacky Wednesday at preschool. Ky went with 2 different colors of socks and hairties. She also got to use hair glitter for that extra "wacky" look. She was going to wear a tutu, but she changed her mind last minute. Either way, she looked cute!

It's all about Kyrie!

2009-03-05T16:45:00.001-08:00

Next monday at Preschool is "All about Kyrie!" Our part includes making a poster that features Ky's favorite things and pictures of her growing up. It was my first school project as a mom and I see a lot of work in my future! Ky helped pick her favorite things and which pictures to use. By the end she had even realized that she was the baby in the pictures.

"All about Kyrie"

I was born August 3rd, 2005. I weighed 4 lbs. 11 oz. I stayed in the NICU 21 days.

I was named after the video game Kingdom Hearts and my Grandma Nyman.

I like coloring, reading books, cooking, watching movies, and playing outside.

My favorite color is pink.

My favorite book is "Snuggle Puppy" and my favorite movies are "Rattatouie" and "Cars."

My family is my Daddy, Mommy, me, and my little sister.

My favorite things are my bear "Pudder" and my little sister Savannah.

Green Eggs and Ham

2009-03-04T19:04:00.000-08:00

Today at preschool we celebrated Dr. Suess's birthday. Sadly, I forgot my camera, so the pictures are a little blurry since I took them with my phone. Ky loved wearing her Dr. Suess hat and listening to the stories.

For snack time they made Green Eggs and Ham. You have to love when preschool teachers are motivated enough to tackle making eggs and ham with 18 3 year olds. She even dressed up as Dr. Suess! Then, to my complete suprise Ky ate it. We have tried to get her to eat eggs several times to no avail. I guess they taste better green.

Sundae Sunday

2009-03-02T16:15:00.001-08:00

Last night as Ty and I were upstairs, we heard some very loud "I did its!" from the downstairs playroom. Usually not a good sign! Ty went downstairs to find that the girls had cleaned it themselves and had actually done a fantastic job. After we got over our shock, we decided to celebrate with ice cream for all. Ky ate hers so fast I didn't get a picture of her, but I did catch Savvy. Too cute!

track pants

2009-02-26T20:28:00.000-08:00

Tonight Ky demanded to pick her own pajamas. None of the ones in the drawer would do, so she opted for a brown Old Navy dress shirt and Navy track pants. Yeah, my kid has STYLE! She also loves to slide down the stairs to get to the playroom. As she discovered tonight that track pants plus stairs equals going really fast. Guess what we have spent all night doing?

Family Fun

2009-02-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday my parents came down to attend the Draper Temple open house with us. We had so much fun. The temple was beautiful, and the girls really liked the cookies at the end. After the open house we went out to eat with my parents, my sister, and her cute kids. The girls love playing with their cousins!

After lunch the girls got to go on a special shopping trip with Grandma and Grandpa. They got to pick new bedding! It was a belated Christmas present since we were moving in December. They both picked different designs - not a huge suprise. They have such different personalities. Ky picked blue flowers and Savvy picked polka dots. Here are some pictures of them settling in their new beds.

Thanks mom and dad! The girls love the new bed stuff, and they really loved spending the day with you. Hopefully we can do it again really soon!

playing in the backyard

2009-02-20T17:24:00.000-08:00

It was so warm outside today, so we threw on jackets and ventured into our new backyard. The girls had such a good time just running all over the place. It amazes me sometimes how they make up ways to entertain themselves. I was able to actually get some ok pictures so I am sharing them all!

"Sister Hugs"

"Sharing"

"Cheese!"

"counting rocks"

"deep thoughts"

"RUN!"

Then, to finish off the afternoon in the fresh air we did some noisemakers. I am sure our new neighbors love us! The girls weren't able to always throw them hard enough to make them pop, but they figured out stepping on them worked just as well. They got so excited! Savvy was so proud and I caught her on video telling me that she "did it!"

"Ninja Stove"

2009-02-19T17:39:00.000-08:00

My sister requested more pictures of our new place, especially our stove. It was one of the things that attracted us to this house. We named it the "Ninja Stove" since the range is a drawer that pulls out (see that little black section with the silver handle? yeah, that is where the hotplates are.) It also has a double oven up top which I have fallen in love with. There is nothing like cooking two things at the same time. I really do think that 50's homemakers really did have it all figured out!

Daddy of the year award!

2009-02-12T17:34:00.000-08:00

When a Daddy agrees to wear a Mickey Mouse bib at the dentist to entice his daughter into letting the dentist count her teeth - he should get an award. He actually got Savvy to let them check her out! What a good Daddy! Ky didn't need any encouragement. She sat like a champ and opened really wide. She loved the bubblegum flouride and the birthstone ring she got as a prize for being cavity free. Mommy and Daddy didn't get prizes though - we both have to go back. Maybe next time Ty can avoid the cute bib.

I found the camera charger!

2009-02-10T18:26:00.000-08:00

Somehow the digital camera charger got misplaced, and our camera died a few days after we moved in. But never fear - we found it! My mom requested a new pic of the girls, so here we go!

Seriously how cute is that? You can really tell they are sisters in this picture... man, I love these girls!

(Oh, and do you see Ky's nose? She is more talented than other 3 year olds. Instead of shutting her fingers in the door, she shut her nose in it. Seriously. I'm still trying to figure out how she managed it.)

Ballet Princess

2009-01-21T22:14:00.001-08:00

Ky has finally figured out the idea behind taking pictures. She got all dressed up, twirled over to me, and said "cheese!" She was so excited to pose for the camera, she could barely contain herself. After every picture she had to run over and see it on the view screen. Everytime I got an "Awwwww! Kyrie Cute!"

She really is getting to be quite a little lady.

Playtime!

2009-01-16T23:08:00.000-08:00

It took forever, but we finally got the playroom mostly done. I still need to get the girls a bookshelf and put clean sheets on the bed, but other than that - it is done for now. Eventually this room will get a makeover and become a carpeted, non-wood paneled family/media room. Until that day comes, the girls will make good use of it. I had to take a picture because it may not look this clean again!

Think we're ready?

2009-01-13T02:05:00.000-08:00

We've been in our home now for a whopping two weeks! Time has flown, and we still aren't all the way unpacked. We did make a HUGE step today though - the food storage room is done! Ty suprised me with a shelf reliance (can rotation system) and spent hours putting it all together for me. He is incredible! So here is our food storage room, since I know all my PYP buddies will ask for pictures. Oh, and yeah - the curtains came with the place.

Isn't that can thingy cool? Ky and Savvy think it is hilarious to watch the cans roll. I just realized that all the diapers and pull-ups aren't in there. There must be another set of boxes somewhere...

Yeah, the bin with the mismatched lid is cereal. I can't fit in on the shelf. Ty has banned me from buying another box. I told him it was a deal unless it was free. Seriously, who can pass up free stuff? I know I can't.

The silver bins are all of our flour, sugar, and rice. I still need to organize the Powerade and the water under the stairs. I really thought I was done until I took pictures. I am just thrilled to have all my food back! Now if I can just get my HBA (non-edible) storage organized... anyone want to come help?

Home Sweet Home

2009-01-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

We're finally in our new house! It has been a long couple weeks. We cleared out the condo, lived at a hotel for a couple days, and finally got the keys to our new home! I owe a huge thanks to my parents and sister who came and helped me set-up my kitchen and our wonderful friends Kagan, Amanda, Melanie, and especially Misha for helping us move. Unfortenately two days after moving in we found out there was a gas leak and went without heat for 3 long days. The home warrenty company finally got it fixed and we are finally unpacking and settling in. I haven't uncovered the box with our camera in it, so I apologize for the lack of pictures. Hopefully I find it soon. We truely love our new place, and I can't wait for all our far away family to come see it. The girls have been having a blast in their new playroom -we have had fun watching their imaginations take off. Me and Ty really enjoy a family room that isn't overrun with toys. Ky said it best when I was driving her home from school and she screamed "home!" as we pulled in the driveway.