January 13, 2011

Kyler got his first haircut today! His hair was gettin all shaggy around the ears and that drives me crazy! He was pretty calm for most of it.

What a handsome lookin kid! I love the short hair. I think it looks so cute!

1/13/2011

So, every year I go to Anchorage for a shopping weekend with a few friends. We have an absolute blast and look forward to our little annual getaway. I guess the only drawback is that we aren't getting away to somewhere warm and tropical. But, we did have some additions to our party. Check it out...

We saw this pair several times over our weekend stay. They must hang around all winter. (Lucky for them, cows and calves aren't legal to shoot in Anchorage. )

January 6, 2011

So Kyler makes a beeline for the stairs when someone leaves the gate open at the bottom. This is one of his break-aways. (He's just over 9 months in this clip.)

He is SO proud of himself! Can you see that grin??

January 12, 2011

Rhiannon has started dance! She is taking Creative Movement right now and she LOVES it! She is so excited when we are driving there, she can hardly stand it! She is constantly striking a pose for her pictures, so that's what she's doing in the first one.

And then after class, she can show you what's she learned...

January 11, 2011

I am SO excited! We finally got a new couch! It's so comfy and fits perfectly in our living room. We have been enjoying it very much and the kids love it because it's bouncy and soft. But, possibly more than the couch, the kids loved the giant box it came in!

December 19, 2010

I taught some baby signs to all of our kids and I love it! Instead of screaming for what they want, they can show their basic needs with signs. Like, "more" (for food), "milk," "potty," etc. Here is Kyler showing his first sign, "more." That was Zach's first sign, too. I'll bet the next one is "milk." We'll see...

Recently, I have become a Master Signing Time Instructor. So, now I can teach others Baby Signing Time and sell the DVDs, books and CDs at a discount!

If you haven't heard of Signing Time, check them out at www.signingtime.com/aksigningstars

(Enter "save5" at checkout for a 5% discount!)

December 18, 2010

This year our ward Christmas party was hosted at a ranch owned by one of the members. We had a great time and we got to ride out on a hay ride and see his elk and buffalo herds. Here's Rhiannon all bundled up as we rode out singing Christmas carols and tryin to stay warm!

Rhiannon also wanted to pose with the manger and baby Jesus before we left. She's in her very appropriate angel costume.

What an angel!!

Thanksgiving 2010

This year Cameron was working Thanksgiving, so the whole family is invited to the station for a huge multi-family dinner with all of the guys on shift and their families. Actually, I really love it because we have great food and the guys to all of the clean-up. Yes! You heard right! The GUYS do the clean-up.Oh, but I've digressed. This year Cameron and I signed up for pie and ice cream. So, Cameron made several batches of homemade ice cream and I made my first completely homemade pies. Here is a picture of my apple pie (before baking). I'm pretty impressed with myself, obviously. I am also easily impressed...obviously.

October 31, 2010

We love being outside even in the winter when the weather is nice. There's always something to shovel in the winter. Zach is becoming a useful shoveler. Even Kyler likes to hang outside with us!

Halloween 2010

Halloween was a blast (as usual) this year! Zach was Batman, although he doesn't like to wear the mask. Rhiannon was Tinkerbell and I endeavored to make her costume this year. I think it turned out well and she seemed to like it. Kyler was Zach's side-kick, Robin.

You might wonder how we Trick-or-Treat in Alaska since we had snow on the ground already. Well, our favorite place to go is the Senior Center! It's great! It's warm and dry and the kids can wear their costumes with out tons of layers on top or beneath. And the residents seem to really love it, too. Although, as you can see, Rhiannon was convinced that she still needed her new hat and gloves. :)

Giggles

I love to hear this kid laugh!! He sounds just like Zach! I was just looking away and looking back fast and saying, "Boo!" He thinks I'm hysterical. I can't blame him. :)

I met the Governor!

I had a great time out with the girls at our monthly Valley Republican Women's Club meeting. This month Governor Sean Parnell and Lt. Governor candidate Mead Treadwell were in attendance. Before the meeting Gov Parnell came over and introduced himself to all of us and when we mentioned having questions he sat right down and talked to us for several minutes. (I can't believe I did't get a picture! Duh!) I was very impressed with him. He really fights for Alaska and her citizens.

This was the first time I had met Mead Treadwell in person, but he has my vote! He was articulate and didn't pull any punches. I can tell that he is a great candidate for the conservatives!

Ready to Go!

Kyler is so ready to crawl! He is rockin' back and forth and has started to dive forward ending in a face plant! He must be eager to run around with the big kids!

Zach's Kindergarten Picture

I know I'm biased but this kid is so handsome!

These school pictures actually turned out well! Zach is really proud, too, because he picked the pose and can still do it on command.

Rhiannon Does Her Own Hair

A conversation this morning...

Me: Okay, Rhiannon, let's do your hair!

Rhiannon: I already did it!

Me: Oh! It's beautiful! Let me brush it again and we'll get a headband.

Rhiannon: Okay! I got my hair wet.

(I am noticing that it is, in fact, slightly wet on the ends of the front.)

Me: How did you get it wet?

Rhiannon: The toilet.

And it's only 8:15 in the morning....

New Hair Cut

So today I cut all my hair off and went short again. It's so liberating! So easy to do!

I love it, I love it, I love it!

Gettin' Chilly

We spent some time out in the yard the other day just getting everything buttoned up before the snow comes. The kids still love the swings as you can see. Kyler's a big fan, too!

Wait for it...

I'm not sure where she picked this up, but it's so funny. When Rhiannon has the hiccups, she'll come and find me and say, "Wait for it..., wait for it...**hiccup**"

What a goofball!

Phone Call to Santa

So, Rhiannon, Kyler, and I went to Wal-Mart today to buy a game. Normally, I avoid the toy section like the plague, but since that's where the games are I was stuck. So, Rhiannon was eyeing the "pink" isle while I picked out the game. As we are pulling through, she is pointing out things she wants as I am making a mental list for the upcoming holidays. She really wanted this certain princess dress and I told her "not today, maybe you have to ask Santa for Christmas."

I smiled to myself as I watched the following:

(Rhiannon raised her hand to her ear like a phone)

Rhiannon: Hello, Santa?

Santa Voice: Hi.

Rhiannon: Can I have a pretty princess dress?

Santa Voice: Yes.

Rhiannon: Thanks.

Hilarious. Of course, it was so quiet that had I been distracted I would not have noticed the conversation, but it was so cute!

Annual Hay Ride

9/25/10

Every year one of the firefighters hosts a hay ride out at his elk ranch.

Here we are riding on the hay out through the ranch.

Zach got the opportunity to feed the horse a carrot. Having never done that before, he was a little nervous about the horse getting so close. He was brave though and had a great time!

Rhiannon was tearing into this hotdog! Between the hay rides and the trampoline, these kids were hungry and exhausted!

On the way back from one of the hay rides, a bunch of kids jumped off the trailer to go jump on the "marshmellows." Zach thought this was a great idea! The kids were playing tag while running on the rows of hay bales. What fun!

Rhiannon was disappointed when we didn't actually produce any marshmellows for her to eat. When I told her I didn't have any, she replied, "But marshmellows are good for my tummy!"

New Chairs

I have taken on a new project. I have begun, with Cameron's assistance, to reupholster our kitchen chairs. I think they are turning out very nicely if I do say so myself.

Pyrah's Pioneer Peek Farm

9/17/10
In Palmer (about 30 min drive from Wasilla) there is a really awesome U-Pick farm in the shadow of the Chugach mountains, where we can go and pick our own vegetables. Below the kids are collecting some fresh red potatoes.

Look at the size of that cabbage!!

Kyler in His Saucer

Kyler loves his saucer. It gives him a great view of the rest of us! (He's just over 5 months here.)

Glenn Beck

GLENN BECK!! WHOO HOO!

Some friends and I went to seeGlenn Beck on 9/11/10. All I can say is AWESOME! Sarah Palin opened the show and they announced...that in 2012...they will...be....voting.

I would go to the show again in a heart beat!

We had a great time!! Some one was sitting in our seats and the usher told us to just find some other ones, so we went and sat up near the front. Right On!

Boston

8/28/10

Kyler and I escorted Chloe to Boston this fall. She is attending college there and we were lucky to go with her as she got settled.

Kyler was so excited for his 1st flight! Kyler in our hotel, getting all comfy.

There is a wicked cool Bamboo Sun deck in the middle of Chloe's dorm building. Sweet, right?

Poor Chloe had to haul her brand new dorm bedding collection all the way down the street. But, she was a real trooper!

Some how, Chloe managed to get a HUGE dorm room all to herself! It's practically a studio apartment!

Kyler and I were just hanging out at the hotel, hiding from the oppressive heat.

Kyler and I spent out last day in Boston touring the North End and the Freedom Trail. Even though it had cooled a bit after the hurricane passed, it was still quite hot for our tastes. Here is the statue of Paul Revere. I love the history of this part of the city. It was really interesting.

We actually had some great flights home. Kyler is a great little traveler and charms all the flight attendants.

We actually got a whole row to ourselves on the last leg up to Anchorage. Score!

Zach's 1st Day of School

8/26/10

This is Zach's 1st day of kindergarten. He is so excited! Me, too! It's ALL-DAY Kindergarten! :)

The Torres Moose

8/21/10

Our friends, the Torres', got a moose this fall and we were able to help process it.

The men deboned the meat and us women-folk washed and separated the meat.

Thank you, Rosie and David! They were so gracious and shared the meat with us.

Moose meat is so delicious!