Memorial Day Weekend

Boating, beer, capri suns, slip n slide, and a few sunburns later...yep, IT'S SUMMER TIME! That sums up our weekend. We spent the long weekend outside. Kayla swam in her pool and played on her slip n slide on Saturday. Sunday we went boating at the Lake with the Hubers. Kayla and Ellie had lots of fun on the boat and playing at the beach. This is the first time in 2 years that the beach hasn't been flooded so they thought it was pretty cool to actually get to go to the beach this time. Poor girls were hunting for seashells...I had to break the news to them that we were at a midwest "beach". But they still had fun ;-)

The Girls!

I'm learning to use my hands!

Face Painting

Kayla got her face painted today at the zoo!

Hy-Vee Fishing Derby

Kayla recently got her first fishing pole. The Hy-Vee Fishing Derby was this weekend so we took her to test out her new pole. There were over 30,000 people there so we had to walk a ways to find a spot to fish. Despite Daddy's best efforts we weren't able to catch a fish with the little Barbie fishing pole. Kayla was getting tired of waiting to catch a fish and she said to me, "Mommy I'm tired of trying to catch a fish, can we just go home a make one with a craft."

Rylan's Nursery

It took me forever to decide how I wanted to decorate Rylan's room. I didn't want to do a "typical" baby boy theme so I turned to my favorite website ETSY to find some ideas. I love ETSY because it's all handmade stuff that people make and then sell. I have bought a ton of stuff from people on this site and they are all so nice and creative so I like supporting their hard work! I found this super cute owl and quilt that I fell in love with so I decided an owl theme it would be! We slowly have been adding too it. All of the owl stuff was ordered from Etsy because you can't find stuff that cute in stores, so it took awhile to have it all come together. Rylan's room is complete now and I think it fits him perfectly! I hope he likes it :-)

This owl was the first thing I bought for Rylan's room. Then we found these clocks on Etsy and my mom ordered one for him! I asked them if they could make it match the stuffed owl that I had ordered from someone else on Etsy and they did. I think he did a great job! They look so much alike!

I decided to hang his quilt I got on his wall but wasn't sure how. Then I came across these birch hooks, made from real trees. Scott tied some string to it and we made it look like a clothes line.

Aunt Mandy found these cute owl prints on Etsy too and she got them in 4 different colors to go with Rylan's owl theme! Daddy painted his wall letters and mommy glued some buttons one them!

And Grandma Connie got him his first piggy bank! Thanks everyone for helping me make Rylan's room look so cute! I love how it turned out!

Fun @ the Zoo

This is my last full week off before I have to go back to work :-( So I am trying to take advantage of the nice weather and my remaining time off while I still can. Yesterday my friend Emily brought Jase and Tyce over for lunch and then we headed for the zoo! Kayla and Jase had a lot of fun looking at the animals while Tyce and Rylan enjoyed their stroller rides! Rylan got to ride the train for the first time! Kayla loves going places so the zoo was the perfect thing to do on such a nice day. Thanks Bates fam for spending the day with us, it was good to see you guys again!

Mother's Day

This Mother's Day was extra special since I was recently blessed with another wonderful child. I had not 1 but 2 little loves to spend my mother's day with this year. We went to a park and had a picnic and played for awhile. It couldn't have been more perfect weather either. Kayla had fun playing at the playground and with a frisbee. It was a great way to spend my mother's day :-) I love spending moments like that with my little ones.

Kayla, I love the way you laugh when you are having fun. I love your sweetness. I love the way you rub my arm when you are getting tired. I love the way you love your little brother. I love how you tuck your shirt into your panties after going potty and you don't even realize it. (so funny) I love how when you want to dance you always go put on your snow white outfit first. I love how you suggested we just use your money in your piggy bank so we can afford to go to Disney Land. I love how in your mind the world is so simple. I love the extravegant names you come up with for your baby dolls and imaginary friends. I love how you are always quick to remind me of something I said we could do. (nothing gets past you!) I love your HUGE imagination and creativity. I love your hugs and kisses. I love when you say: "I love you Mommy" I love the way you love me.

Rylan, I love the way you smile at me when I talk to you. I love the way you look at me when I'm changing your diaper or pushing you in the stroller. I love your sweetness and innocence. I love how you turn your head into my chest when you are tired because you want to snuggle. I love how you hold your hands together when you are eating. I love that we have come to an agreement that you will not pee on me every time I change your diaper. I love the way you smell. I love how you are such a good little boy. I love how right now you think I am the coolest person in the world. I love your cuteness. I love the feeling you give me every time I hold you. I love listening to you coo. I love the little noises you make when you are getting sleepy. I love to watch you sleep. I love your company... you are my little buddy.

I LOVE being a Mom. I have a new appreciation for the way my own mom loves me. I just feel like after I became a mom of my own that I could truely understand what she meant when she said "I love you". I hope one day that Kayla will be a mommy of her own so that she can experience this kind of love that only a mommy can. It is truely the most rewarding thing God can bless you with in my eyes. It's so amazing how the hardest job in the world is also the best one. Kayla and Rylan complete me as a person and I love them more than I can ever tell or show them. Thank you for making me the happiest Mommy in the whole world. I love you both SOOO much!