Ryker

I couldn't stand it! Ryker is just too cute! So I took him to Target for some portraits today after looking at him and deciding I could stare at this kid forever! $3.99 portrait sheets is where it is at people! There are just too many cute shots though...
Anyway, enjoy!

Oh, baby!

Ryker just happens to be the sweetest, happiest baby in the world! The little chunker now sleeps all the way through the night! (that's 8 pm to 6 am for those interested!) Here is some random pics of my little stud! Oooh! I just want to squeeze him til he pops!

Love, marriage, and then kids

It's no small secret, that I love my husband, I really adore the man... but lately I've been getting a lot more action from my kids than my spouse...

Peyton tells me multiple times throughout the day that he loves me. He has also learned to tell me I'm pretty...
Mark is usually busy at work.

Peyton holds my hand everywhere we go, and when he looks at me, it is with pure adoration -like I am the most amazing woman in the world. (He hasn't met many women yet, and I do control the TV, fix the meals, and kiss the owies away...)
Mark is usually holding Ryker while I am holding Peyton's hand everywhere we go- and when we are on a date without the kids... still no hand holding.

Peyton gives me hugs and kisses every night, and begs me to stay by him and/or sleep in his bed.
Mark is unconscious by the time I have brushed my teeth.

Mark and I sleep on polar opposites of the bed- needless to say- no cuddling.
BUT, by the time I wake up in the morning, Mark is gone and Peyton is snuggled up on one side of me, while Ryker is curled up on the other.

Ryker breastfeeds like 6 times a day...
Mark hasn't seen the twins (without Ryker attatched...) In months!

I often attack my children with outrageous amounts of hugs and kisses and see there cute little bums for diaper changes, and potty time throughout the day.
When I try to attack Mark with hugs and kisses or sneak a little butt squeeze... he jumps back and looks at me like I'm crazy!

And the phrases "who's your daddy?" and "hot mama" really aren't kinky references anymore, but simply statements like "where the *** is your daddy?" and "mom is having another hot flash..."

Aaaah... Love, marriage, and then kids...
Romance is dead.

Kimi's crafty moment...

Those who know my personality best (oddly sarcastic and pessimistic) would agree that it is odd I craft. I really enjoy crafting- not to be mistaken with scrap booking -(there are simply too many pictures and too little time...) but good old fashioned Martha Stewart: sewing, cross stitch, decoupage, ect...

Crazy right??

So here is my latest (yes Mark is gone again tonight...) project! Button flowers! Freaking cute huh? But don't go thinking I'm all fabulous yet..

I once worked for 6 whole hours of my life I will never get back-- on a hand stitched, wash cloth, yellow bath duck, made from sponges and wash cloths that Martha Stewart online (I'm too cheap to buy the magazines, I either steal them from doctors offices, or go online...) assured me was easy and cute! Oh no! No! No! Like I said, 6 hours of my life I will NEVER get back! This thing turned out entirely retarded and un-duck-like!

I have also been known to mess up quite frequently. Just last week I was trying to decoupage the letters F A M I L Y (thought this would be cute- oh dear!) and ended up making 3 trips to Robert's Crafts, and 1 unsuccessful trip to Michaels for wood letters, and supplies; spent another few hours of my life I will never get back... And then ended up throwing the whole thing in the trash because it was dreadful (and I mean really dreadful.)

So, needless, to say: I am very proud of the Birthday cake, and these little button flowers!

It's no wonder my laundry is never done, and I am always telling people "I simply don't have the time..." I really do have the time; I'm just wasting it!


P.S. Mom- I stole the buttons from your sewing drawer. They have amazingly come back into style from the 70's, and I know you wont miss them!!!! :)

Take me out to the ball game!

The Cook's invited us along for a fun night of Baseball in the Zion's Bank Box! For those of you interested, this is the ONLY way to take toddlers to a game! As they need room to run and things to destroy! (Thanks guys!)

Oh, the poor people who have to clean these places up! (I always feel bad when we are leaving a resturant and I look back at the massive destruction reeked by my son... I usually leave an extra tip for the bus boy- poor guy)

Take me out to the ball game! So much fun for the kids! What is the point of going to a baseball game? Um, hot dogs and popcorn, of course!! Throw in some M & M's and the kids are in heaven!

Please don't take our picture, they said, we just want to watch the game! What is the point of coming to a baseball game if there is not photos to document that it actually happened boys??? (from the left: Tag, Colby, and Lynn- none of them smiling...)

Who takes off their shoes when you are at a public baseball stadium?? A 3 year old of course! (especially when he has had a toxic amount of M & M's..)

Well, I guess you're not a real boy unless you find the dirtiest place/ thing... and play with it!

Goodbye terrible 2's! Peyton turns 3!

Happy Birthday Peyton!

Peyton is into all things boy, but especially dinosaurs. All he wanted was a T-Rex cake, so Ta-Da! I am super proud of myself, but it was actually pretty easy, it's just a box cake mix, with crumbled Oreo cookies, and baked sugar cookies on top!

My ever spunky niece Hayley

Peyton loves his cousin/friends so much, he was so excited to sit with them on the grass!

Mark really was happy, he just wanted to finally eat something after grilling (30 +) meals for everyone else! Delish babe!
As a side note, so many people wanted the easy grilled chicken recipie so here it is:

7-up Chicken:

2 cups 7-up
1 cup Soy sauce
1/2 cup olive or veg oil
1 minced clove garlic
salt

Marinate chicken in covered bowl of sauce overnight ( > 8 hours )
Grill

Peyton thought it was so cool that he was the center of attention, and that everyone sang to him. His special request bedtime song later that night was- you guessed it- the happy birthday song! Forget twinkle twinkle- I want more birthday!

Friend Carson was so excited to finally get to eat the dinosaur bones! Peyton and Carson didn't even want any cake, they just wanted to eat the dinosaur! (As a side note, Melissa-Freakin-Shanley, I love you so much! Thanks for all the help last night! And for taking all these amazing pictures everyone is now viewing, while I played hostess!)

Brother Rob and nephew Caleb, so happy to be at the party

Pinata time! I took Peyton to Toys-R-Us and told him he could pick any present he wanted... "A pinata!"
Well, what my baby wants, my baby gets!
I have a gazillion pictures of every kid at the party taking a whack at this soccer ball, but for sanity sake, (as this post is already ridiculously long...) I will only post the ones of Peyton!

I am rather serious about breaking this pinata, while Peyton just wants to have a good time!

Finally, with help from "Big-O-Sarous-Rex" (Dad), the pinata is cracked!

Happy Birthday you crazy kiddo! And thank you heavens! that the terrible 2's are over! This kid exhausts me! And thank you baby for FINALLY becoming potty trained! It's all blue skies and sunshine from here on out.... Right???


Tucking Peyton into bed after the party:
Me: "Peyton, mom is soooo tired, can I just lay here and sleep with you?"
Peyton: (very seriously-) "No mom, you're a big girl, and big girls sleep in there own bed."

Peyton: "Mom, I think we need to have another party tomorrow... It can be Ryker's birthday!"

Peyton: "mom, I think dad is a Big-O-Sarous-Rex! Watch out, or he'll get you!"
Me: "Oh no! Well, what kind of dinosaur is mom?"
Petyon: "You're not a dinosaur mom- you're a mom!"

Ryker sneezes.
Peyton: "Mom, I think Ryker "blessed you"!"

Life!

I have been lovingly informed that the "poop post" was gross! So it has been removed. I have left only the happy smiling faces- so everyone can think my life is sunshine and roses and not "crap..."