T.G.I. almost F!

It's amazing how a shorter 4 day work week can feel twice as long as a regular week! But guess what?...Only 9 days of kindergarten left!!! Woo hoo! And thankfully, tomorrow is Friday. Here's what I can look forward to:


movie night with my darling babes

Flirting with forty...

...pounds, that is.

For months now we've been begging and pleading and pretty much all out cheering every time a piece of broccoli or slice of avocado or bite of grilled chicken or anything termed reasonably healthy, for that matter, made contact with Grayson's mouth. Why? Do you know how much easier it will be to take this:

instead of this:

on our trip next month?!! (plus Molly's, of course)

Way to go, Big Guy! (Just don't tell him that his friends passed up 40 AGES ago!) :)

Just for fun...

Who is who? :)



My niece, Michelle, just gave birth to a beautiful little boy this morning. Seeing pictures of him, brand new and bright-eyed, gave me the urge to search thru hundreds of old pictures so that I could 'ooh' and 'aah' over my own babies when they were brand new. There's nothing quite as special as those first minutes, hours, and days when you get to meet the little person(s) who will forever change your life.

BTW, Grayson on top; Molly on the bottom. Can't tell they're related, can you? Ha! Ha!

One Month Out!

Woo hoo! In one short month, not only will school be out (Hallelujah!), but the McMinnville-based Ryans will be hangin' down south in sunny California!!! The occasion? 10 years! Come June 20th, Dave and I have been married for 10 years! Hard to believe. The jam-packed super fun itinerary that we enjoyed all those years ago on our honeymoon gave us inspiration for our upcoming trip. Only this time, we'll have 2 kids in tow! My how life has changed over the past 10 years. And of course the biggest and best change was going from 'couple' status to 'family' status! So it is with great excitement and anticipation that we look forward to celebrating our 10 years all together as a family. Our destination(s)? We'll start in San Diego and hit Seaworld and the beaches of La Jolla. Next, it's off to Legoland for a day. Finally, we'll finish out the week at "the happiest place on Earth"--Disneyland!!! We can't wait!

Happy Birthday, Grayson!

How can it have already been 5 years since I held that sweet baby?

And has it really been 4 years since he tasted cake for the first time?

And Elmo. I can still hear "Elmo's World" playing thru my head.

And really? It has been 2 years since he got his first bike?

Even just 1 year ago he looked like such a little guy.

Now he's our big boy--a 5-year-old. What a big year for a big boy.

Grayson, you mean the world to us, and we are so proud of you. You are kind, funny, and smart beyond your years. We are often awed by your observations and inquiries. You're such a thinker. And what an awesome big brother you are. The tender way in which you love your sister--that's not something that can be taught, that's just who you are. How lucky we all are to have you as our son and brother. We are excited for you--excited for all of the things that you will learn and accomplish this next year. Thank you for bringing indescribable joy to our lives each and every day. We love you.

12 years from now...

Ever wonder what Grayson might look like when he's 17?

(Yes, I'm sure that burns in the forefront of all your minds!)

Perhaps a little something like this:

Okay American Idol fans, I concede that David Cook probably has the most all around appeal as well as amazing musical talent, but around here we are Archuleta fans...if only for one reason...we think he's a spitting image of what Grayson will look like someday! And truth be told, he's a pretty darn good singer, too! Go David A.!

The "sink" hole...

While on a walk thru the neighborhood earlier today...

Grayson: "Whoa Mom, that's a huge hole!"
(commenting on the rather large sink hole in the neighbor's yard)

Me: "Yep, that is a big sink hole, isn't it?"

Grayson: "A SINK hole? Do people really wash their hands in it?"


Oh how I love the literal mind of a 5-year-old!