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Cohen's freaky face

Cute girl.

ah.

Having a jam session.

After Six Flags on Saturday. Everyone was beat. Notice the boys sleeping on the couch in the background. Rylee on the other hand was ready to go. She had been pushed around in a stroller all afternoon.

Six Flags. On Herald the Helicopter in Thomas the Train town.

We took the kids to Six Flags on Saturday. It was warm and overcrowded but we had a good time. I lost my phone while we were there. Miraculously someone picked it up and turned into Lost and Found. Later that night Jody set up his projector from work and we watched Penelope in our "movie theater." Friday night Megan and I went to Mama Mia. It was hilarious. Pierce Brosnan has a horrible voice! Collin Firth should have had the main male character part. His voice was pretty good. Good times.

Grandad, Grandmom and Cousin Megan

We've been busy having a fabulous time with Jody's parents and our niece Megan. They came to visit last Tuesday and I haven't had any time to blog or even get on my computer because we've been having fun. I have lots of pictures (thanks Megan!) and so I think I'll do a few posts.

We were sad to see them leave today. It always goes by way too fast. The boys played, played and played some more with their Grandad. Megan was a huge help with the kids. Feeding Rylee. Pushing the stroller around the mall and six flags and staying downstairs with the kids so that I could actually take a shower and get ready for the day with no interruptions. So nice. Cindy and I talked and talked about crafts, food and girl stuff. We always love having Jody's family come to visit. They are great company. We laughed, played, shopped, ate and watched movies together.

On Wednesday we took them to the coast to see the ocean. Bodega Bay is about 45 minutes from us. I let Rylee down on the sand and she was in heaven. She crawled around and put everything in her mouth. The boys went up and down the sand dunes. Megan took loads of pictures and Cindy and I just sat and relaxed on the beach.

More pictures to come!

a good start

Today the kids slept in until 8:30! I actually woke up before them which was a welcome change. Rylee was still asleep and I was nervous that something was wrong because she never sleeps so late in the morning. I ended up waking her up because I couldn't stand to wait any longer. I guess she just needed the extra sleep.

Cohen has been running around naked all morning and has gone potty around thirty times in the last 3 hours. Is this normal? Each time he goes he pees a drop and poops a tiny bit. It's been a while since I've potty trained. I'm not sure what to do when we go out. Do I put underwear on him? I'm almost positive he will have an accident. If he has a diaper or pull-up on he will just go to the bathroom in them. Any help here will be very appreciated! He starts preschool in 5 weeks and he HAS to be potty trained by then. The pressure is on.

I made my favorite lunch today. I bought a basil plant at Safeway yesterday. A loaf of pugliese bread, also at Safeway, which is perfectly baked. A fresh log of mozzarella cheese, vine ripened tomatoes and some salami. Cut two slices of bread off, brush each piece with olive oil. Cut a few slices of cheese, slice a few pieces of tomato, add two pieces of salami and tear a basil leaf into pieces. Stack all of this on one piece of the bread and top with second piece. Then put in a panini, george foreman, or in a pan and smash it with a spatula. Cook until light brown on both sides. Enjoy!

We are heading to the lake tomorrow. Finally. It's almost August and we are just finally going for the first time this summer! Life with two kids has been much quieter. Mainly because there isn't any fighting. But we sure do miss Ammo and can't wait to see him tomorrow.

walking rylee

She's been trying to walk for the last few weeks but now she's really moving. Rylee is loving the park because she actually gets to play!

Good news. I noticed today that our Safeway is opening a Jamba Juice inside their store!

reunion

I have my ten year reunion next month and was asked to put a slide show together for it. I'm not very computer savvy but it's McKinleyville High and I don't think people will be expecting too much. I know I could do one on PowerPoint but does anyone have any other suggestions or programs I could use?

I can't believe it's already July 15th! Ammon starts kindergarten in one month. Today he left with my mom to spend the week with them. I always worry when I'm apart from my kids. So paranoid that something will happen to me or to them. But I know Ammon will have a wonderful time and a break from three kids will be nice. Poor Cohen really wanted to go. He kept saying, "I go poop in the potty now, I can go too." He is doing okay with the potty training. Basically he runs around naked all day. My mom actually did offer to take him but he can be a hand full and she is going to have jet lag this week.

As they were leaving Ammon said goodbye to the kids I'm babysitting. Then he told them, "I'm going to where my girlfriend lives, " with a little smirk on his face. My mom and I died laughing. He is so girl crazy. Not like other boys his age who hate girls and think they have cooties.

The last time I made rice krispy treats I measured my ingredients.

Rice Krispy Treats

1 16 oz bag mini marshmallows
1 cube of butter
8 cups rice krispies

Melt the butter. Throw in the marshmallow. When all melted pour rice krispies in. Yummy but fattening deliciousness.

This next recipe is from Becky Higgins (the scrapbooker) blog. It is to die for. PLEASE try it!

CORN & AVOCADO SALSA

1 can white corn, drained (used fresh corn off the cob)
1 can black-eyed peas, drained
1/2 bunch green onion, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
4 med. tomatoes, chopped
3 avocados, chopped
1 pkg. Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
Mix together all ingredients and chill overnight.

hair

Loving my new haircut. My neighbor has a sister who does hair. She works in a salon but likes to do hair outside of it because she can make more money. Last week she cut and colored my hair for $55! That is such a good deal. The last time I got my hair cut and colored here it cost me $155. Better yet she will come to my house anytime to trim and color it again.

catch up

These first pics are from a few weeks ago. For FHE one night we took the kids on a hike. The boys loved it. Ammon took his bug catcher to catch a lizard but unfortunately didn't see any. After each little hill Cohen would yell, "We did it guys! We made it to the top!" Although I was paranoid that a mountain lion would jump out and eat our little family it was nice to get out.

We had a great 4th of July weekend. Sadly our trip to Trinity Lake was canceled do to the fires. My dad came Thursday evening and was kicked, punched and wrestled with until Saturday night. He and I took the boys to the Windsor firework show Thursday night. Friday he and Jody went golfing for about 4 hours and then we had a BBQ and let off fireworks in our driveway. We were a little nervous at first because they are against the law here and a CHP lives right behind us but soon realized that a lot of other people in the neighborhood were doing them as well. At the end we actually braved to the street and let some fireworks off on it! Crazy I know. Cohen was hilarious at first. He was afraid of them and watched from the window. Eventually he made his way out. Ammon loved the "sprinklers" and kept yelling "the police are here, put your hands up!"

Ammon was trying to catch the fireworks.

Saturday we went to Home Depot and then swimming at Morton's Warm Spring Resort. The kids and I had a great time but I think my dad and Jody were ready to leave soon after we arrived. The pools were perfect sizes for the kids. Even Rylee was able to go in a wading pool. She LOVED the water. Sadly my camera was dead so I didn't get any cute pics of her. It was a great weekend. Thanks for coming down dad!

random kindness

With all the hate and wickedness going on in the world it is so nice to see that there is still a lot of goodness out there. We went to the Home Depot kids clinic on Saturday. I was busy helping Cohen and my dad was busy helping Ammon build a bird house. A woman came up with her husband and said we had to get a picture of the moment because it was so wonderful. Unfortunately my battery was dead. So she offered to take the pictures and then email them to me. I was caught off guard by her kindness. Today I received the pictures with a kind email.

"Hi there, Here are the photos I took yesterday of your budding physical engineers! The image of your family sitting on the floor together patiently building those little houses stayed with my husband and me all day. The older we get, the more we've learned to appreciate a loving family when we see one! :) Thanks for letting us invade your space for a few moments. :)" Linda

This was just a wonderful week for me. We did a lot of fun things with the kids, my dad came down and we of course had great weather. But what made it such a great week were moments like the one above or when a friend of Lindsey's in London sent me one of the kindest emails. Another wonderful moment happened at church today. A very young mom of a one year old daughter in our ward asked me to go to the park with her last week. I hesitated at first because it wasn't going to be convenient for me but for some reason said yes. We went to the park and then to Costco and I enjoyed spending time with her. Most of the conversation was light and easy but we did talk for a few moments about her life and struggles she was having. Then today in sacrament meeting she bore her testimony. I know this isn't something she normally does. She was giving a wonderful testimony when all of the sudden she looked at me and personally thanked me for going to the park with her that week and how it was so good to talk to me about trials in her life. I had no idea how much that had meant to her. It was a great moment.

Today I am grateful for my life. I'm grateful for my kids, husband, and home. I am grateful for parents who taught me right and wrong. Right now I am especially grateful for my testimony. Sometimes I have a hard time describing it in words. More than anything it's a feeling. And I love that feeling. I love that I know where to turn when I am having a difficult time and that sometimes I feel Christ's love in my heart so strongly that it brings me to tears and makes me want to be a better everything.

swap

I will return the email with the name of the person you will need to send your item/items to. The package will need to be sent by July 20th. The limit is $20.

kellyiorg@gmail.com or just post a comment with your address.

Happy Swapping!!!

Memory Lane...

I got this from a friend's blog. I thought it would be fun! I hope you will play along.

Here are the directions:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

this week

• took the kids to Howarth Park. on the weekends they have a train ride, pony rides, petting zoo and carousel to go along with the best park in Sonoma County.
• went bowling. don't take three kids bowling, not fun.
• as a result threw my back out this morning just as we were leaving for church.
• didn't make it to church
• tried humus at a friends house. good stuff.
• rylee tried avocado's and plums for the first time. liked them both. luckily she survived the pit from the plum that mom forgot about until she choked and gagged it back up.
• ammon and cohen held hands in the car. sweet.
• watched The Bucket List (surprisingly liked it), Becoming Jane (second time), and Where the Heart Is (hadn't seen it for a while and it was on TV).
• became readdicted to rice krispy treats, only at least the hundreth time. i have to brag. i've mastered the art of gooey, buttery rice krispy making. and lets not even talk about how many my mom and i can put down.
• almost as addicted to the bachelorette. love it. and SYTYCD?
• dieing for more pics and to hold baby boy Phillips. will have to settle for more pics. Linds?

Favorite kid quotes this week:

1. In the back of the car Ammon randomly says, "If I were a cow I certainly would like hay."
2. Cohen says, "Where did my Rooey girl go?" (she was in bed for the night)
3. Ammon tells Jody after he asks him to scoot over, "Dude, you've got plenty of room." When did he learn what plenty means?
4. Cohen tells my mom over and over, "I'm glad you're here Grandma." Giving her LOTS of attention and "snuggles." So not Cohen. He's learning well from his big bro.
5. Ammon watching the video of Izzy reading to her brother. "Izzy looks a lot bigger now. Maybe she won't scratch anymore." hilarious!

That's all folk's. Stay tuned for SWAP details......

good stuff

First off the BEST news of the day, my sister Lindsey is in labor! She is probably an hour or so away from giving birth to her little baby boy. Sadly my mom won't be there until next Monday. This was very unexpected news. But so exciting!!! She was 8 cm at 8:00 p.m.

I went to Target yesterday and got a great deal on cereal (random, I know, but my husband eats a lot of cereal). Five boxes for eleven dollars and then you get a five dollar gift card for Target! So basically it's only 6 dollars for 5 boxes of cereal. The catch is that they have to be Kellogg's. I love a good deal.

My mom and I are going on a girls only mini vacation in October. Sisters, aunts, cousins you are welcome to join! It will be a weekend trip. From Thursday to Monday and we aren't sure where we are going yet. A few ideas so far are San Diego, Palm Springs, or Las Vegas. Thanks Jody for suggesting it.

I want to do a swap. I'm thinking makeup, favorite foods, or a home decor swap. Anyone in? Let me know what you'd be more interested in.

The BIG five

I love this face. I love those twinkly eyes. This is a special boy. Loving, caring, funny, a little obsessive, imaginative, and kind-hearted. He has the best memory. At times he'll bring up memories he has of things that happened when he was two. He doesn't forget anything. He still talks about leprechauns from St. Patricks day three months ago. What a singer, not the next American Idol by any means, but he is always singing and performing. I die laughing when he starts a sentence with actually or you've got to be kidding me or when he says very seriously in his prayers, not to let Grandma and Grandpa get eaten by the wolves. I love that he will still hold my hand, snuggle with me and tell me he wants to give me smooches. I love that he told Alex when we went on our trip to Mexico that he really missed his mom and when she said she missed me too he said, "But she's MY mom and I need her." It breaks my heart that he cries when he leaves his Grandma and Grandpa's house or when they leave ours. I'm not talking a few tears. This is a full on melt down and it goes on for a day or two, on and off. He is a cool kid. He can sing the song regulator's with his dad even though he's never heard the real version of it. It's hilarious when he starts a sentence off to his dad with, dude. He is such a cool dude.

Today was a special day. We had pancakes for breakfast. Looked at pictures of Ammon as a baby and told stories of his birth and earlier years. We went to McDonald's for lunch (just he and I) and then his dad took he and Cohen to Kung Fu Panda. Per his request, we had steak for dinner and rice krispy treats for dessert. And right now he is sleepy right between Jody and I. It's his birthday and he's king for the day. So we do whatever he wants.

This was his big birthday present this year. It's perfect. Only eight feet wide and a few feet off the ground. The boys love it. Jody couldn't wait to let Ammon see it and so we let them go on it last night. We woke up this morning to two little boys giggling and running down the stairs, and out the backyard to jump.

Most of our family called to wish him a happy birthday today. Unfortunately he was a little involved in a movie he was watching and didn't give much time to talk. When Alex called he said, "Okay but can she just say one thing?" Then after a few minutes he looked at me and said, "I'm done now." Sorry guys you know how Ammon gets when he's watching something.

Cohen's hair is getting longer and his poor little nose is healing. The other day I caught him "peeling the paper off of it." Ouch!

The three cutest five year olds at the party (and best behaved) on Saturday.

Obviously Cohen ate everything because it's all still on his face.

It was a hot weekend. We had the kids eat in the garage to be out of the sun for a while.

Can you tell that he's embarrassed? I love that expression.

This is a long post. But I just want to remember these things for the future! Ammon and I made a list of his favorite things.

• Song: What time is it? Summer time. (Not actually sure what the name of it is but High School Musical
• Movie: Power Rangers
• Food: pancakes, steak, chocolate chip cookies
• Snack: Animal cookies
• Favorite Friend: Without hesitation, Alexis (White) followed by Jake and Brayden
• Color: orange
• Candy: starburst, skittles
• Toy: Ninja Turtle numb chucks (spelling?)
• Holiday: Halloween (get to dress up and get candy)
• Animal: cheetah, leopard
• Character: Power Ranger
• TV show: Bindi The Jungle Girl (watched for the first time today)
• Favorite thing to do: go to the movie with daddy
• Favorite thing to do with mommy: Go to Marine World
• Favorite thing to do with Grandpa: Hunt for gophers
• Favorite thing to do with Grandma: zoo, Trinity Lake, dollar store
• Favorite thing to do with Grandad: play with him
• Favorite thing to do with Grandmom: play the three bears and read books

At five Ammon:

• rides his bike with no training wheels (has been for a year now).
• writes his name
• knows most of his letters
• knows most of his numbers
• still takes a good afternoon nap!
• has to have a story told to him every nap time and night time
• would, if I let him, watch TV all day long
• is learning the sounds each letter in the alphabet makes
• can't wait to be bigger so he can go anywhere and do anything he wants
• loves his baby sister
• gets upset if you leave the house without giving a hug and kiss
• often wants multiple hugs and kisses at bedtime
• enjoys riding his jeep
• wants me to have more brothers and sisters for him (not anytime soon)
• loves to surprise us after he cleans his room
• LOVES going to the park with his dad and going on young men campouts

I never could have dreamed that the little baby I held in my arms five years ago would be such a wonderful person now. I am so lucky. The world is so lucky to have Ammon in it.

cleaning lady

Ammon and Max

Ammon's Hulk face.

I have been cleaning like crazy the last few days and I've got the sore body to prove it. I've been pulling weeds which is so therapeutic. I went through the garage and cleaned it out plus organized it better. Last night I rented a carpet cleaner from Safeway (the rugdoctor) and cleaned the carpets. What a difference. The house looks a million times better and I couldn't believe how dirty the water was when I was done. It feels good to get things done that I've been putting off. If only it was our own home.

Tomorrow is Ammon's party. Last week I bought a jumpy house at a garage sell for my mom. We are going to have that up plus a blow up water slide that we borrowed, a trampoline (if it gets here today), water balloons, a water table and possibly the slip 'n slide and water rocket. It's been pretty warm here lately so I'm just hoping the weather will be okay for the party.

The pictures above are from a day at the park. We took the slip 'n slide and water rocket to the park and the kids had a great time.

more birthday

cohen tripped and fell flat on his nose yesterday! poor kid. bled a lot but was fine within a few minutes. i keep wondering when we will make our first trip to the ER. knock on wood.

i think she looks SO big in this pic! she had her one year check-up today. she was 20 lbs 2 0z., 29 inches long and 50% in height/weight and 75% in head size. she is facing forward in her carseat now! i love looking back and seeing her cute little face smiling back at me.

loving her little mermaid walker. but the boys are loving it even more.

first birthday cake.

Opening her first present! I forgot to add on the last post that Rylee waves bye-bye, gives me kisses and high-five.