JaNuArY 2012

Not much to report on for January other than we had a great month.  We spent a lot of time recovering from the Holidays and sickness.  We spent a few weeks in our pj's watching cartoons and cuddling.  Ryker got Croupe really bad and then shared the germs with the rest of us.  It was NO FUN!

This is Ryker's fake "I am sad/mad" face.  Who wouldn't give into that sweet little face?!?!

When I need a moment to get things done and don't want Ryker following me and getting into everything, I put him into the bouncer.  Well my days of having him contained are OVER.  This little bugger grabs to the side of the bouncer and pulls himself out.

I love watching my babies grow, learn, and develop.  Each new stage and milestone of their life is so exciting and fun.  Ryker has changed so much in the last few months and is becoming so active.  He climbs on the couch, Tayson's bed, the stool, and he loves climbing into the bath tub.  

Climbing up and down Grandma and Grandpa's stairs.

Happy January

December

December at a glance...

We were super busy for the holidays, but we managed to squeeze in lots and lots of fun.  I am always amazed and sad at how fast the holidays go by, but at the same time I am excited to get it all over with.

At the beginning of the month we went Christmas Caroling with our ward.  We rode in a wagon and were pulled by 2 beautiful horses.  The kids really enjoyed doing this!

This baby bouncer has been a life saver for me.  Ryker LOVES this thing and bounces like a wild man in it.  Most of the time he bounces himself so hard that he falls asleep.

Let the TERRORIZING begin!  Most of this post is of Ryker and all of his milestones.  In the last month he has developed quite the personality and has learned a lot of new things.

This little fella follows me around like a puppy dog and is all over the place and into everything.  This is his favorite spot to play in while I am doing laundry.

Tayson and Ryker have become best buds and love to play together.  If Tayson is playing in his room, Ryker will come find him and want to play.

There is no stopping this little booger.

We did some fun crafty stuff all month long.  We even got a little crafty with our food.  What in the world would I do without Pinterest and all of the fun ideas I get from there?!?!?!?

We stopped to see Santa at Star Nursery while out n' about running errands.  Last year Tayson wanted nothing to do with Santa, but this year he was all about it.

Stopped again to see Santa while out shopping for Christmas gifts.

Santa came to see Brynlee at Preschool.

Found the girls sleeping like this one night.  Most of the time Brynlee's foot is on Kamryn's face or Kamryn's hand is on Brynlee's face.  It's not very often I find them snuggling.  Kinda cute!

Helping mom with the dishes.

Ryker loves to play ball.  He will throw the ball in front of him and then chase it down.  It's kinda like watching a dog or a cat chase a toy down.

There isn't much I can do without Ryker QUICKLY getting into whatever it is that I was doing.  I sure do love this little shadow of mine though.

Ryker also loves Cars and will roll them on the kitchen floor and then go chase it down and do it over and over and over again.  He has to do it while Tayson isn't looking though cause if Tayson catches Ryker, he throws a fit.  Tays is pretty territorial of his Cars.

Little Ryker man also loves the stool and the kids kitchen table.  He is all over it.  He also loves to push the chairs along the kitchen floor and walk around.  I on the other hand don't love it so much.  He is getting way too big way too fast.

Taylor and I decided to take the kids to the park one saturday afternoon and let the kids play.  We have been to the park many many times before with Ryker but never put him in the swing.  This was his first time in a swing and he LOVED it!

Playing in the kids tube.

Brynlee has been into catching flies lately.  Ya, weird I know! But she loves it and is GREAT at it.  She would keep her eye out on a fly and then slowly creep up on it and grab it.  I was pretty amazed at how good she was at it.  She has caught MANY flies and LOVES to tell everyone that she is a "fly catcher".

Asleep again.  Too cute!

I LOVE moments like this!  Kamryn is such a great little reader and Brynlee is just learning to read so it is fun to see them all read together and to still like to read.

Ryker really loves the camera and is all smiles for the camera, but he knows that the flash is coming so he ALWAYS closes his eyes.  It is RARE for me to find a picture of him with his eyes open.

I am a little OCD and have my house pretty darn clean, but it is super hard to keep it clean now that Ryker destroys everything.

Brynlee's preschool went Christmas Caroling at the Zion Factory Outlets at the end of December.  It was really fun to watch her sing all the Christmas songs.

After watching Brynlee caroling with her school, we did a little shopping.  Ryker walked around with Grandpa Mike and pretty much licked his beard the whole time.  He loves beards!  Kinda odd if you aske me..

PLANKING...

I love naked pictures of my babies.  It's hard to tell how what they really look like underneath all those clothes.  Their little bodies are just darling and so soft.  I am trying to soak up as much as I can with this baby cause he is growing up on me.

Christmas morning.

We had a great Christmas morning.  We had Christmas in our own home and opened presents with just our little family for the first time EVER!  It was really nice!

Ryker's first christmas (of course his eyes are closed).

All the grandkids on the North family side.

How he does this?!?!?  I don't know!!!  Looks so uncomfortable.  But if I take him out he immediately wakes up and won't finish his nap.

Great Grandma North and Ryker.  He loved sitting with her and kept staring at her.  He doesn't hold still for many people, but he did for Grandma North.

I am happy to see the holiday chaos over with, and excited to start a new year along with some New Year's Resolutions.  I am anxious to see what this year has in store for our little family.  A new house, a new school, a new car, a new job, a pay raise, a puppy????  Who knows, but whatever it is.....I am super excited to find out.  Fingers crossed! 



NoVeMbEr

November happenings...

Where do I begin?  November was full of beautiful weather, fun, family, activities, and we started to get a little taste of the holiday spirit.  This is my favorite time of year and I am trying to soak up every second of it.

This is a little glimpse of what I see at least 3 times a week.  These boys are the BEST!

Parents day at dance.

Taylor and I got to go to Dance with the girls and see what they have been working on so far this year.

They are learning a lot and progressing.

This picture of Kamryn (she is on the right) makes me smile everytime I see it.  She is so NOT flexible.

Ryker is 9 months old.

It is hard for me to spit those words out, I TRULY can't believe he is 9 months old already.  This year has FLOWN by for me and it breaks my heart to see this little man grow up so fast.

*He is crawling

*He LOVES ALL food (we have yet to find anything he dislikes)

*He claps

*He says mama and dada

*He sits up

This is how Tayson entertains himself while trying to go to sleep.

Brynlee just goes and goes and goes all day long.  Somedays her little body and mind just give up on her.

Ryker does a little army scoot to get himself around the house.  It's the cutest thing ever.  As soon as we turn the tub on and take off his diaper he is off in a matter of seconds, but as soon as his little body touches the cold tile he kind of freezes and his body curls up.  He tries to get on his knees and curls his toes and does whatever he can to not touch the cold tile. 

Another exhausting day for Brynlee.  hehe

Little Ryk is the sweetest and most adorable little kid but he can't leave my side for more than a few minutes.  It's great to have someone who loves me so much but it makes it really hard to do things sometimes.  This is where Ryker sits while I do my hair and put on my make-up.  This prevents him from touching and getting into everything and it also makes him really happy.  He loves to sit in the sink and play.  Sometimes I undress him and fill the sink up with water and he just splashes and has a dandy old time.

Brynlee just being silly.  Love this pose and her facial expression.

Ryker is all over the place and into everything now that he is doing the army scoot and now he is figuring out how to climb onto things.  UH-OH  I am in trouble.  There is no stopping him now.

Kamryn's Kindergarten Picture

Thanksgiving

Not many pictures were taken this day but I did take a picture of Brynlee enjoying a Turkey leg.  She was soooo excited for Thanksgiving and just as excited for some Turkey.  The anticipation was killing her while Grandpa was carving the Turkey so he gave her a Turkey leg and she was in heaven.  Looks disgusting if you ask me.

Brynlee took a big bite of her apple and it got stuck.  She thought she was so funny and she walked around the house like this for awhile.

Santa's Workshop

Kamryn and I met with my family at Santa's Workshop and looked around at all the cute crafts.  Kamryn was lucky to be able to sit on Santa's lap and to also not have to wait in line at all for it.

Little Ryker monkey climbing out of his swing.  And yes he is buckled.  I kind of have a feeling he is going to be a lot like his older sister Brynlee.  The two of them have a lot of the same characteristics and mannerisms at this same age.  Oh boy, I really might be in trouble.

Happy Boy

He is such a happy smiley little guy.  He is full of energy and life.  He bounces, hops, kicks, and swings himself all day long.  He bounces, hops, and kicks while nursing, sitting, and holding him.  He swings and bounces in his bouncer.  He rocks himself in his carseat and bangs his head on everything (intentionally too).  If he is sitting on my lap he will bang the back of his head on my chest, if he is in his highchair or carseat he bangs the back of his head on the back of the seat.  What a goof!

This picture just makes me smile because this is what 99.9% of his pictures turn out like.  He is all smiles for the camera but he can't keep his eyes open to save his life.  I have to take multiple pictures to get one with his eyes open.

I have been refinishing a lot of my furniture in my house.  It's been fun and very therapeutic.  I didn't get all the before pictures but just imagine all of these looking like the top left brown table before and this is what they all look like after.

Last but not least, here are our family pictures for this year.  Enjoy!  I will save my favorite picture for our Christmas cards so unfortunately you won't see it on here.  Thank you http://www.kelliestilsonphoto.blogspot.com/ for our adorable family photos.

We are saying farewell to another wonderful month but saying:

Let the holiday spirit, chaos, shopping, and excitement begin.  Bring it!