Everhart Album

New Year, New Updates

2012-01-23T09:44:00.003-06:00

I'm a slacker...I know. Really I would like to say that we have been so busy LIVING life that I just haven't had a chance to document it! Our Christmas and New Years was a whirlwind with this crazy two year old. He is more active than ever (didn't think that would be possible a year ago) and we are on the go even when we're not going anywhere! Last week he spent four days and nights with Mimi & Papa while I helped out with sample sale at my old job/still part time job. It was a nice break for Jordan and I and we got to spend some quality time together and with some of our good friends. He LOVES Mimi & Papa and always has fun at their house, but I think he was ready to see us after that long. I got a big hug instead of tears upon his return and that made me feel good.

We finally had our home study two weeks ago. Lots of questions and boy am I glad it is over. Kind of feels like interrogation sometimes and I feel like our agency knows every detail of our family, marriage, past, and future! We found out we still have to have the fire marshal and health department inspect our home before approval...seriously?! So we are hoping to be really done in a couple of weeks.

Big Rylin update to come. He's growing way too fast!

Hurry Up & Wait

2011-12-15T12:59:00.003-06:00

A quick update on the status of our Foster Care training...

We had hoped to be finished with our home study by the end of December, but it seems that we will be waiting a bit longer. After delaying our first home visit because of scheduling, our assigned social worker was supposed to come by last Wednesday. I was so on top of things. House cleaned, safety checklist complete, and showered a ready for her arrival. Then about ten minutes before, she called to cancel! AHHHHHH! After the initial disappointment, we realized this is probably just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to inconveniences associated with "the system". We decided to enjoy our clean home and take a deep breath. So we've rescheduled for early January and trust this timing change is all part of the plan. A plan that we haven't had any control over from the beginning!

Our Not So Perfect Christmas Tree

2011-12-08T16:19:00.005-06:00

Last year we waited to the last minute to purchase our Christmas tree. We ended up getting a sad little thing from the left overs at Home Depot. I vowed that this year we would actually go to a Christmas tree farm and pick out our own, cut it down, and enjoy knowing that we supported a local small business. So last Saturday we headed a few towns north and enjoyed a lovely ride through the country. The fall trees were so pretty and it was exciting driving up to the farm which was lined with neat little rows of Texas Christmas trees. After parking, we took a hay ride to the field with trees while Rylin slowly woke up from his nap.

Then our farmer chauffeur let us off with saw in hand to pick out our tree. It was hard to decide on one because they were all so different.

We finially found one with a tall trunk so that little hands might not reach the tempting ornaments. Jordan set to work sawing while Rylin watched very intently.

While our hands were full of tree, he decided to try and get one his size!

After hauling our tree to the end of the row for the tractor to pick up, we loaded back on our hayride and to the gift shop for hot chocolate and apple cider. Yum.

Our tree was wrapped and loaded soon after. And here it is in all its glory. Not exactly perfect, but perfect for us! Notice the little sneaky boy in the corner...

Rylin's New Old Bed

2011-11-30T08:27:00.000-06:00

My Dad and brothers, 1976 in a photo for the local newspaper

Almost forty years ago my woodworking father built a really cool bed for my brothers. The firetruck bunk bed is infamous in our family. Constructed out of plywood and painted by my mother to match the Leroy-Tours-Gerald fire trucks (of which she painted the numbers on the same year), it was a little boys dream. I grew up seeing pictures of my brothers and their friends sitting in it. When my Mom was teaching first grade she even had it in her classroom as a reading nook. Since we put together our playroom, it was assumed that it would soon be merged into a bedroom as well. Either for Rylin or for his siblings. It was a while ago that I remembered that firetruck bed collecting dust in my parents garage attic. I knew that it needed to be resurrected! So for Rylin's birthday, I convinced my dad and brother to haul it down from the top of the garage and my husband to squeeze it into the playroom and assemble...without instructions. We're still married and it looks great! Rylin loves it and soon he'll be sleeping in it...hopefully:) For now he has enjoyed playing inside and filling the toy box under the "hood".

My brothers, Richie & David

...and our little ham

Pinterest Love

2011-11-29T09:30:00.001-06:00

So as I mentioned a few weeks ago, I am completely hooked on Pinterest, the online site where you can "pin" photos and ideas from the web into "boards" to use as inspiration for everything from fashion and the home to diy projects and crafts. I am trying to turn my inspiration into real life creativity so Thanksgiving was a good start. These are the latest of my many ongoing projects...

Fruit Cornucopias

Turkey Veggie Tray

dinosaur hoodie (for Rylin and Attie)

Papa's Helper

2011-11-28T13:33:00.004-06:00

We had a great Thanksgiving with my family this last week. Rylin and I went down early so we could spend a few days with MiMi and Papa before the chaos of the holiday took over. (who am I kidding?! It's always chaotic!) Rylin LOVES his MiMi and Papa and one of his favorite things to do when we get to their house is go see the horses ("neigh's"). He runs up to the fence with his lips puckered, and like he knows what he's doing, Tucson leans his head down so Rylin can kiss him! My Dad lets him help get the hay and scoop the feed and he is quite the helper.

Super Rylin

2011-11-03T13:13:00.000-05:00

Awhile back, I decided that it was probably the last year I could put my little boy in spandex for Halloween without it looking rediculous. So, true to form, I was sewing a little superhero costume a couple days after his birthday party and just a day before he needed to wear it for our church's Fall Festival.

He and Attie (puppy) were excited to see each other when we arrived!

He got his fill of candy and kept returning to the bucket!

I can remember Halloween when I was a kid...getting dressed up, and loading on a flat bed trailer full of hay to scout out the neighborhood for loads of candy. It was one of the most exciting nights of the year for me, so when my cousins said they were thinking of taking the little kids on a hay ride this year, Rylin and I were in! Of course, I demanded the adults wear costumes too, of which no one seemed to have. However, my Mom's junk closet turned out to be better than any Halloween costume superstore! After using our imaginations, we suited up and headed out for the candy loot.

Sweet little Monkey Crosby! So serious...

The whole group (hippie, 80's arobics instructor, superhero, monkey, scarecrow, army girl, meat packer)

Super Rylin!

We had a blast and Rylin was too funny going door to door saying "treat, treat!" He wanted to eat every piece of candy on the spot. I have some great pictures of him in action, but my behind in those sweats is too horrid for this blog! I'm sure they will come back to haunt me!

Houston Weekend

2011-11-03T12:56:00.001-05:00

Last weekend we headed to Houston for our annual family weekend with the Wines. The weather was great and we had a fun time visiting with our cousins a few hours south. We stuffed our faces with food, watched a lot of football, and wrangled kids.

Thank goodness for the heated pool!

Brayden and Rylin had fun playing together.

Rylin thought he was one of the "big" kids...

More pictures on our family photo website.

So Long "Joosh"

2011-11-02T10:02:00.001-05:00

It has been my goal from the beginning to be rid of the pacifiers (or "joosh" as Rylin calls them) in our house by the time Rylin was two. We were doing pretty well around one, just using them at nap and bed time, and then backslid a bit with the onset of molars. Who am I kidding? He was using two or three! However, when Mothers Day Out started, we went back to sleeping times only because that is what they "encourage" for his room while there. Then, just as I had planned (I note because my plans never work) we ceremoniously threw them away the morning of his birthday. Never to return. So far he has done great! Adelay gave him a stuffed Cookie Monster for his birthday, so instead of giving him the paci, we look for "Cookie" at bed time and he cuddles it all night. He has only asked for the "joosh" a few times and I told him that it was for a baby and he was now a big boy. He seemed to buy that explanation. If only potty training was this easy!

2 Years Old

2011-10-25T05:17:00.000-05:00

Rylin's Birthday Slide Show

almost 2

2011-10-24T05:02:00.002-05:00

Birthday Party

2011-10-23T16:17:00.009-05:00

The party's over! Perhaps I will have my life back now:) Seriously, though, we had a good time celebrating Rylin's 2nd birthday. Since our little grill master has been so into cooking lately, we ran with the cookout theme. We had some great weather and even better friends join us...

Everyone took their turn for a photo op

Rylin was enthused over his first present from Gramps and Grammie!

Homemade aprons were the party favors

Though the cake was the more difficult to execute, the hamburger cupcakes were the big hit!

Rylin was in awe of the sparkler "2"

Tess & Rylin

Rylin got all kinds of fun presents and enjoyed playing with friends and family. We all had a great nights sleep after a long day!

Checking In

2011-09-28T11:22:00.004-05:00

I'm way behind on blogging because my free moments have been wrapped up with planning a certain 2 year old's birthday party, designing that same little guy a Halloween costume, and working on Foster Care training. Add in Bible Study Fellowship, that I started a couple weeks ago with some friends, and working at my old job (a furniture showroom) on Saturdays and you'll see why I'm one busy gal. Still, I shall vow to be better!

Lots to update and share...first, Rylin's playroom was featured on my most favorite design blog Ohdeedoh! I seriously had a mini dancing celebration when I saw it for the first time! I am so honored it was chosen and it has inspired me to continue with a few other creative projects. I also joined Pinterest (as if I needed something else to do) and I've been collecting all kinds of ideas. More to come on that.

As I mentioned, our Foster Care training has been pretty time consuming. We finished our last night of six week PRIDE training last night and still have a few more days of other kinds of training in the next two months. When all training and paper work is complete, we will start our homestudy...hopefully to be approved/certified by the end of the year. I'll be adding some info for those interested to the side of the blog that includes all our requirements. They are quite extensive, even more than with our domestic adoption ,but the process is actually shorter.

Rylin has been active as ever and enjoying Mother's Day Out! Can hardly believe he'll be two in less than a month!

Summer Wrap Up

2011-09-09T23:22:00.000-05:00

You may remember our Summer Bucket List. Has it really been three months since we made it?! Well, we have done some seriously fun things, and although I'm sad our summer is over, I'm definitely ready for the cooler weather and fall activities! So here's some pictures documenting some of the fun we had...

cooking out with friends

Pump It Up Jr.
Sonic Happy Hour (we did this one more than once!)

Spray Park

Turned our office into the playroom

fig preserves...yum!

homemade ice cream (also done more than once this summer)

the beach!

...and lots more that I didn't document with my camera but still great memories!

First Day Of Mother's Day Out

2011-09-03T16:30:00.002-05:00

No I haven't been dreaming of this day for weeks. It is nothing like me to order a matching backpack and lunch box well in advance. I definitely didn't stay up several nights before sewing a coordinating nap mat. Or did I?

Yesterday was Rylin's first day of Mother's Day Out. To say I was more excited then he was, is probably an understatement. We met his teachers last week and he got to play in the classroom while Jordan and I went to orientation. He pretty much made himself at home and went straight to cooking at the play stove. I said a little prayer that he didn't scare the teachers with his boundless energy as we left him, and they were still smiling when we picked him up so I suppose he was on his best behavior. We'll see how long that lasts!

It was fun preparing his little lunch and packing it in the morning. I have recently become a follower of This Lunch Rox. She makes all kinds of creative and healthy lunches for her kids and the silly themes she comes up with are right up my alley. Makes me think of notes in my own lunch box, peanut butter sandwiches and ice in my milk...yuck! My Mom tried:) I went easy on the first day. (didn't want his teachers to think I'm going to be the high maintenance mom)

He was such a big boy carrying his backpack in the door. Then as soon as we got to the classroom he realized what was going on. Not a happy camper, but that didn't stop me from making a quick escape. I set out to tackle the mile long list of things I had to do while not caring for a almost two year old. I even managed to finish them all thirty minutes before I had to leave to pick him up, so I sat down in our living room chair and sighed. A mother's work is (almost) never done!

When we (Jordan had to go with me) finally picked him up, he was happy to see us. He got a little report that he had laid on his mat good and LOVED music time....and that he made his teachers smile a lot!

Here We Go Again

2011-08-30T13:32:00.006-05:00

So I've been trying to compose this post for a while now. This is my attempt to write what our hearts have been thinking for months.

We have known that adoption was in our future again in light of our infertility issues and desire to have a big family. (ok...my desire, Jordan's fear...haha!) Seriously, though, we have thought about it a lot in the last year. Because of the lack of specific planning for time with adoption, we have gone back and forth with when to start the process again. Would it go as quickly as Rylin's adoption or would we be waiting? With all the decisions about when to start the process (finding the finances, making room in our home, and telling our families) we had always assumed that we would continue with another domestic adoption similar to Rylin's. We had considered other types of adoption..Foreign Adoption was so expensive. Many countries who's adoption programs were in full swing a few years ago (China, Russia, and Ethiopia) are at a near stand still now. And Foster to Adopt. Well that just wasn't for us. That was complicated. We love our open adoption and that seemed like a tricky thing in a foster situation. Possibly children with lots of baggage. Legal hoops and then there's always "we'll fall in love and then loose them". No, that was for someone else. So when a stirring began in me a year ago, I don't think we were quite prepared for where we'd be now. God has a funny way of changing our perspective.

Almost two years ago, our class at church began to volunteer with a group called CityHouse. An organization who's mission is caring for children who are victims of neglect and abuse. We did things like yard work, organization of supplies, and home repairs as a class. Then, when looking for a place to get more involved, I found myself at an all day training to work with the kids housed at their new foster group home, My Friends House. To say that the reality of what I'd be facing as a volunteer came across daunting, is an understatement. I left wondering if I had lost my mind, but kept reminding myself that I loved kids and I could handle it. After all, I knew that God calls us to take care of "the least of these" and this was going to be my ministry(and concrete way of pushing that little foster care voice out of my head).

After my first night as a "Rock and Roller" (rocking and caring for babies), I cried the whole way home. Not only was the reality of abuse and neglect painful to witness, for the first time, the "foster child" had a face to me. More than just an imagined, hurting, baggage laden kid. I saw the universal need for love and experienced funny little personalities longing for attention and starved for affection. How could anyone reject them? Why would anyone hurt them? I would have taken each one of them home had they let me. The fact that I didn't get to choose their name, didn't take them home from a hospital, or didn't know every detail about their sorted past really didn't matter.

I began doing more research on fostering and adoption from foster care and shared this new interest with Jordan, who was a bit perplexed at first, but willing as always to hear me out. I signed us up for a conference at a near by church last November, where we heard speakers from all sides of the foster care/adoption circle. When we left the parking lot at the end of the day, Jordan conceded that he was on board. Whatever that meant. He got it too.

Since then, we have gone to our agency's orientation and spoken with several foster parents about their experiences. We have done our best to educate ourselves in the areas of our insecurities. We know that it won't be easy and we can't do it without our friends and family, but I can't imagine a more supportive group! I'm learning a lot about trusting God and following his lead even when it seams like the "difficult" route. Just because it's hard doesn't mean we're not called to do it. In fact, I think most things God asks of me are challenging. To my faith, my character, and my own will. I'm lazy, selfish, and a small thinker, but I know he wants me to be proactive, self sacrificing, and a big dreamer in what he can and will do.

So here we are. Last week we started the eight week training at Buckner. We still don't know all the answers or what our future looks like, but we're trying our best to let God fully shape it. After all, our idea of family has changed more than a few times in the last seven years!

Get Comfortable

2011-08-26T08:15:00.004-05:00

Rylin doesn't sit still for long. Watching Sesame Street is the one exception. Lately I've been catching him in some funny positions...

A few weeks ago Jordan decided "Elmo's Potty Time" would be a good idea. Seriously?! As if we needed to give our son a complete potty vocabulary! He loves it, of course.

One side effect of the potty DVD...the irresistable urge to remove his diaper. Unless I have pants on him (and even sometimes when I do) he sheds it. Duke obviously caught the raw end of it this day:)

My Other Friend Addy

2011-08-25T14:50:00.001-05:00

Rylin's had a new playmate the last couple of weeks and we are excited about having her over on Tuesdays now. Adelay is only four months older than Rylin, so they get along great...except for the occasional toddler banter:)

unsolicited hugs!

Adelay showing Rylin who's boss...or giving him a back massage?

Drumroll Please.....The Playroom!

2011-08-24T14:25:00.001-05:00

After some blood, sweat, and tears...the Play Room is complete! Here's to a toy free living room! OK, who am I kidding?!

First Rodeo

2011-08-23T09:07:00.004-05:00

So I fully realize that it has been almost a month since my last post. I do have several in the hopper, so to speak, but still need to finish them. In the mean time, we have been busy striking things off our summer list. One exciting outing that actually wasn't on our list was the Rodeo. Jordan and I decided it was time Rylin experienced his first rodeo seeing as he does live in Texas. He has been completely enamored with horses these days and I thought he'd love seeing a bunch of them. There is a near by rodeo that runs year round, so a couple of weeks ago we kept Rylin up past his bedtime and introduced him to the "other" cowboys. We lasted about half way through before Rylin had had enough and proceeded to throw one of his epic fits. After a quick photo on a stuffed bull as proof we made the trip, we high tailed it out of there. Not before loosing a tiny Birkenstock in the parking lot. I guess that's what you get for wearing hippie shoes to the Rodeo! Someone buy this boy some boots!

Serious Play Time

2011-07-26T08:15:00.001-05:00

Rylin is getting better about playing by himself these days. A few of his favorite things...his kitchen and tool belt. Since I've still got the trains and track from the train table hidden (awaiting my 7 yr old nephew to show me how to assemble), Rylin thinks the table is a food prep area. Who knows? Maybe he'll hate the trains and we'll have a culinary prodigy!

Starting Early

2011-07-25T16:07:00.002-05:00

Jordan told him he had to clean his room before his friends could come over:)

Beach Break

2011-07-19T21:48:00.006-05:00

Last weekend we set off for a little vacation time in Galveston. Rylin had never been to the beach so we thought it would be a fun summer trip. My brother and his wife have gone the last few summers with their kids, so we picked them up on the way to join in our fun. The trip there was a long one but the kids did great.

After a flat tire and several bathroom breaks we finally made it. Our condo on the beach was great even though it was pretty small for all seven of us!

We wasted no time to hit the beach. Rylin was so excited when he saw the water. He headed straight for the waves then back again when he realized they were chasing him!

Some of our cousins joined us and we set up our tent for the weekend. The beach was nice and private without a lot of people so we had plenty of room to make sand castles and when my nephew wasn't up for being buried, Rylin volunteered!

Saturday, my cousin Crystal and Crosby joined us and we spent the entire day on the beach.

Along with finding sand in all our bags, hair, shoes, and car...I'm still finding it in diapers!

Rylin and Luke were two of a kind. Luke had a little shadow the entire weekend. Rylin loves his cousins!

Besides our less than desirable sleeping arrangements (Rylin in the bed with us because we forgot the pack-n-play) and sunburns, we were not ready to come home. Can't wait to hit the beach again next year!

Way Too Big!

2011-07-12T18:11:00.001-05:00

It was inevitable. I just thought I had some time. Two nights ago, Jordan and I were in our living room when we heard a stomach dropping knock on Rylin's bedroom door. Little Houdini escaped his crib! And just to prove it wasn't a fluke, he did it again yesterday at nap time. So, to avoid a head injury, we reluctantly decided it was time to convert his crib to the toddler bed option. Boo Hoo! I don't like it one bit!

The first night was rough. He finally stayed in bed around 11:00p.m....three hours past his typical bed time. Then at nap time today he figured out how to open the door to his bedroom. After about fifty trips back into his bedroom, I think he got tired of contesting and went to sleep. Hopefully it will get better soon.

Play Room Update

2011-07-12T08:32:00.001-05:00

I have been a busy worker bee the last few weeks when it comes to this play room! One project has run into another and our house is a mess of hot glue strings, scraps of material, and receipts from IKEA. My legs still look like I had a bad spray tan from the orange paint I used on my Craigslist trundle bed find. However, the end is in sight! Feeling guilty for not blogging through it, I decided a sneak preview was in order before my reveal. Here is a little idea of what I've been working on...

Sadly, against my wishes while I was gone, (I promise I'm over it now) my husband let Rylin play in it before I had finished a few final touches. He LOVES it! Now, all I have to say is "go play in your play room", and he spins around the corner to his new little oasis!

Happy Fourth

2011-07-11T09:47:00.008-05:00

We have been a busy little family this summer so I am just now catching up on our holiday weekend photos. At the last minute, we decided to visit my parents over the 4th weekend to spend some time with family in from out of town.

Rylin got to play with his cousins a lot and was going, going every waking hour. Saturday night he and Luke spent some time in the sprinkler while the rest of us hung out on the porch.

After it started getting dark, we headed inside for some homemade Big Red ice cream compliments of my brother David.

Another tasty red discovery Rylin made that weekend was the tomatoes from Papa's garden. They are good enough to eat like apples and that is just what he did!

Sunday we went to church with my parents and then spent the afternoon with my cousins in the pool and enjoying all kinds of BBQ creations that the men put together.

Me & Crystal with Rylin & Crosby

Monday morning, I made breakfast (photo at the top), a variation on my Royal Wedding Watch Party contribution a few months earlier. My mini egg pie's were a hit with American flags that replaced the British one's used previously. Then we made our way to Jordan's Aunt and Uncle's for their annual fish fry dinner. Yum! Another great weekend with family!

Skinny Dipping

2011-06-28T16:40:00.004-05:00

Sometimes you just don't have a swimsuit handy when you want to take a dip.

Place for a Playroom

2011-06-15T13:02:00.001-05:00

I've been dreaming of a playroom for a while now. I know...I'm not even the kid, right?! But, I would LOVE to have a space to hold these multiplying toys and be able to shut the door when someone comes over instead of running around the house cramming things in baskets and on shelves in MY living area. So when my brother and sister-in-law handed down my nephew's train table for Rylin, it was the last straw. I got to scheming. See I have lots of time to scheme these days and it drives Jordan crazy. He comes home from work and I have a new "plan" every day. First our patio, the back yard, the dining room, the closet...I'm always coming up with a project. His most dreaded words, "I have an idea" bring thoughts of dollar signs to his mind. So when I mentioned my latest brilliant scheme, he just sighed. I had to reassure him that it wouldn't cost him...too much, and as with most things he agreed to just go along with it. Such a good hubby. Our house isn't too big, but we do currently have a guest room/office. You may remember when it got combined for Rylin's arrival to our family. It has been a good space for us but recently has become a little inefficient. (I'm all about using all the space you have) With the purchase of my laptop and Jordan getting his own laptop through work, we rarely use our desk top computer except for printing. Our only overnight guests (my parents and the occasional dog sitter/house sitter) only use the bed three or four times a year. So this room seemed like it was meant for such a purpose. I quickly decided that the love seat in our master bedroom could go as it was only collecting dust and helping us procrastinate with putting away the laundry, and become the new home for our desk and computer. I've become a real Craigslist nerd so it didn't take me long to find a willing buyer. I'm now trying to sell the bed to replace with a daybed trundle combo so that our guests won't be on the sofa, and then the project will be on its way. I'll chronicle my progress as I go and hope to be finished before Rylin's outgrown the toys I put in it!

Summer Bucket List

2011-06-13T15:18:00.009-05:00

Summer is here and it is hot as usual in Dallas. I have been trying to find fun activities for us to do indoors and out and cram some learning opportunities in somewhere. I saw this great idea at over at one of my favorite blogs and decided we should start some planning too. I have these bi fold doors that I painted in chalk board paint a while back that sit in our dining room. Not that we have to do all of our list, but having some inspiration for when we have time to fill is great.

One of the items on our list...library lapsit for toddlers. Our local library is literally right down the street and offers a free story/music time weekly during the summer. Today was our second visit, and I really think Rylin loves it. At least that's what he told me in the car afterwards..."did you love lapsit, Rylin?"....."yeah". Because it falls right before or after nap time (depending on when he got up that morning), he has been more subdued. Today they got to get up and dance, and he was really showing off. Hopefully this will be a fun time for both of us and he will actually learn something!

Family Photos

2011-06-07T21:10:00.006-05:00

We have been very busy the last few weeks. I hope to catch up on my blogging in the next couple of days. In the mean time, I had to post some pics from a couple of weekends ago. I have been thinking that we needed an updated family photo for a while now. (Maybe for another adoption profile???) This little guy looks quite different from the 6 month old in our last group shot! The problem has been finding time and money. So when my friend told me about a photographer that did mini sessions for a VERY reasonable price, I jumped. We were afraid we didn't get one good shot as Rylin was running around like a wild man for the entire 15 minutes and squealing every time we tried to slow him down, but Chera managed to catch quite a few. Here are our favorites...

Cloth Diaper Update

2011-05-18T21:54:00.014-05:00

I am happy to say that it has been over a month, and we are still cloth diapering! For all you naysayers, sceptics, and those still on the fence...it is really not that big of a deal. If I can do it...anyone can! I have learned a few things that have made my life easier, but overall the switch was not a dramatic one. I shall divulge for those that are interested...otherwise, you may skip this post:)

Poo is poo. (Or as my Mom says..."It" happens) Yes, its gross to deal with, but in my opinion, your "involvement" with it isn't much different than with disposables. I did purchase a sprayer to hook to the back of the toilet, though my husband has not acquired the necessary part to attach it to our mid 70's plumbing. When I have a spray worthy diaper, I usually take it outside to the garden hose (which is rare). Toilet paper can get off most solids that don't "drop" out on their own just fine. I made a handy little "nappy" bag that I put dirty diapers in for a total of $1 from a dollar store plastic draw string laundry bag and some scrap fabric.

It has worked magically and hangs out of reach on the back of the bathroom/bedroom door. I usually wash one load of diapers a day since I purchased 12. Rylin goes through 5 or 6 daily so this allows me some wiggle room. About washing. I purchased the Rockin' Green diaper detergent but might try one with baking soda next for the odor control and price. I learned quickly that something was off with my washing methods when it burned my eyes to put them in the washing machine! After some research on the Internet I figured out they needed to be stripped (aka...removal of built up detergent). I now also run a rinse cycle before and after washing and set it to a larger load on the machine to wash with more water. This has helped tremendously along with hanging them in the sun to dry. This week, I rigged up a clothesline in my flower bed that works great. The sun does wonders at getting out any ugly skid marks too!

We have traveled with them twice. Both times with a washing machine on hand, though with two days worth, we didn't have to wash any on our weekend trip. He pretty much wears them all the time except in the church nursery. I work there once a month, and the volunteers don't need any curve balls thrown at them...they get enough! We have had very little issue with leaks, only a few times when we first got them and I was still trying to figure out how tight to set the elastic in the legs. With FuzziBunz they were easy to adjust and solved the problem quickly. I could see where not having adjustable legs and waist could be bad.

The only frustration I have now is with the disposable wipes. With disposable diapers, they get shoved inside and thrown out, but now I have to find a place to put them. I don't have a waste basket in Rylin's room because he would empty it every time I left his sight. At first, I just used an old wipes container and emptied it when I washed the diapers, but that seemed gross. I am thinking now I will purchase some cloth wipes. I told Jordan this after a week or so in, and he quickly reminded me..."baby steps, baby steps"! So I told him I'd give him some time to get used to the cloth diapers first. He's really been great, though. He has only complained once (at the beginning) and other than that is a good supportive husband!

So yes, the cloth diapers have been a success! I'm sold!

Thursday x 3

2011-05-18T21:42:00.008-05:00

A week ago we added another toddler to the crazy circus that is our house on one of our typical Thursday's with Attie. Adelay came and hung out with the boys while her Dad was working. They all played great (though Rylin was a bit of a territorial terror), and I survived with three under two!

Rylin apparently didn't want his picture taken...

Elmo saves the day!

Wines Family Vacation

2011-05-16T16:05:00.006-05:00

You may remember me blogging about a fun family weekend we had last year. My parents decided a while back that a family vacation was a great Christmas present (the rest of us agreed) and we've been enjoying a weekend on a lake ever since. So last weekend, we all headed to Cedar Creek Lake. Though we didn't catch any fish this year, we had lots of fun playing games, kayaking, eating:), and just relaxing by the lake. The weather was great and the kids had a great time playing together.

Check out the rest of my pictures on my Shutterfly website.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-06T22:32:00.012-05:00

It's been a while since I posted about the other special mother in our lives. I wouldn't be a mother on Mother's day if it weren't for her! I'm talking about Rylin's birth mother, Tess of course! We are so happy that we have her around. We talk via text almost weekly and see her a couple times a month. She has even kept Rylin at our house several times (cloth diapers and all) so that Jordan and I could have a date night! Rylin is getting to the age where he recognizes people and it's been fun to see how he is learning who she is and even able to say something resembling her name. I think I mentioned before about the book I made for him on Shutterfly with the story of his family. He now brings it to me to read to him, so he can point out all the "characters" in the pictures I included. I pray every day that his adoption experience is one he will always see as filled with love. We are so grateful that our open adoption has been such a wonderful experience. Tess has been so supportive of us as Rylin's parents and I can't tell you how encouraging that is. I know that she cherishes getting to see him and watch him grow. We have great conversations when we get together and I love that we can be honest with one another about challenges or questions that come up regarding our unique family. We may live quite different lives, but what we have in common has grown us to be great friends. I am still overwhelmed daily to think about the magnitude of what she gave us...when this sweet boy wraps his arms around my neck and holds on tight, puckers his lips for a kiss, or looks up at me and says "mama" plain and clear. It's so hard to put into words. Sometimes I think my heart might explode! It makes me want to be a great mother, and I know she has entrusted me to be just that. So I'm happy to share this day with her because she deserves to be honored too. We love you Tess! Happy Mother's Day!

18 Months Old

2011-04-27T23:20:00.000-05:00

Where did my little baby go? Rylin is a full on toddler and in the last few months he has really seemed to grow up a lot. I can't believe its been so long since I could just swaddle him up! A few of the *fun* new things our big guy is doing...

~talking all the time! newest words include: "horse", "cracker", "thank you", "all done", "papa", "shoes". My favorites are "hottie" (hot), "welby" (Shelby), and "jush" (paci)

~signs "more", "please", "eat", and "all done"...thanks to Attie! He's a good teacher!

~points to get something he wants or show you something he likes.

~can identify most of his facial features and his belly button by pointing. His favorite is tongue!

~mimics everything! Last week put his hands on his face when Aunt Candy was telling a story and did the same at an embarrassing part. We laughed and laughed!

~sprints everywhere! No more walking...he loves to run and gets around like a track star!

~dances when he hears music or if you start humming or singing. He definitely has some rhythm!

~still loves to give hugs and kisses to everyone. He is such a sweetie and I hope it doesn't change any time soon! Melts my heart when he leans over, puckers his lips, and says "muwa!"

~likes to be outside all the time. His favorite things are collecting sticks and hiding in the bushes in our front yard. This boy would stay outside all day if I let him.

~has figured out how to truly ride on his ride-along toys. Duke beware! Spends a lot of time in his woody wagon.

~likes to pretend with play food. Last week he prepared me a mouth watering wooden cucumber slice in a Starbucks lid. I was so impressed...and of course, ate it quickly so he'd make me more! Funny to watch his little mind work.

~Loves to watch Sesame Street videos except when Kermit comes on. He is too boring! All I have to say is "wanna watch Elmo" and he runs to sit in our living room chair. The quietest 30 minutes of my day!

~Eats like a lineman! Favorite foods include eggs, spaghetti, and anything sweet or sour. Last week he tried fried pickles (yum), and loved them! He got his first sucker at the Dr. yesterday and ate it with a huge grin on his face.

~climbs and jumps everywhere. I'm surprised he doesn't have more boo-boos. The sofa has become his jungle gym and Duke, his trusty stud...he's even started calling him horse!

Stats:

26lbs

34 3/4 inches long

85% for weight and height

Easter In Leroy

2011-04-26T00:00:00.011-05:00

As I mentioned from my post last year, Easter at my family is a BIG DEAL! I was excited that Rylin would be old enough to really enjoy it this year and that is exactly what he did. We headed down to Leroy on Saturday morning for a day of dying eggs, baking, and photography. I commented to my Mom how most of our friends were coloring eggs with their kids this year, which translated into about a one dozen carton. At our family we dye around 50-60 eggs every year! Everyone has to have one with their name on it of course. You don't want to know how many plastic eggs we have either. So while my nieces and nephews did more dying of the kitchen counter, I snapped a few shots of my own little project.

You may remember the infamous rainbow cake of last year. I decided I would make it's cousin...rainbow cupcakes. Turns out they are a lot more work, but equally beautiful! However, I might have made a small blunder by decorating them with colored coconut. I was informed that children are not fans of this and so their were definitely left overs. Oh well.

In a few weeks, my sweet little niece is graduating 8th grade. I can scarcely believe it. So she's traded in her sweet blond curls and frilly dresses for a pair of heels and a flat iron...but I still think she's cute;) At the request of my sister-in-law we documented this milestone with my cousin KK who's recent maturity baffles me as well. Two pretty girls inside and out.

The big crescendo of the weekend was Sunday of course. Even though I like to spend weeks strategizing the coordination of our family Easter outfits, I do realize that is not what it's all about. Easter is a reminder of what Christ did for me, a very unworthy recipient of his love and salvation. So on Sunday morning we joined the rest of our family for church. Being that it is so small they don't really have a nursery, Rylin got to sit in on the sermon (well most of it). The ants in his pants calmed down when the choir started singing and we actually got to enjoy the musical part of the service. Jordan says he can't wait until Rylin's old enough so he can squeeze his knee when he moves in church...the same way his dad did to him!

After church we headed back to my parents for a big lunch of brisket, chicken, deviled eggs, potato salad, and every other home cooked side you could imagine! The Easter egg hunt got under way soon after and Rylin got to find out what it meant to clean up the yard(like we clean up his giant Lego's). He was much more interested in seeing what was inside the eggs instead of searching for more of them.

Jordan's egg fell victim to an old brother-in-law trick. Needless to say, he didn't fish it out of the horse manure and ants to eat it.

It was an exhausting day chasing Rylin around. He is one more busy boy and in to everything. With so many people there was plenty of bad distractions and random items laying around for him to kidnap. Once outside, he would make a B line for the horses. So you can imagine that around late afternoon, Jordan and I were feeling beat. I decided it was time to contain him and put him in his booster seat for a snack. A few minutes later, my Dad called me back into the kitchen to find this...

Pretty much summed up our day!

Check out the rest of our pictures from Easter on my Family Photo Website.

Addictions

2011-04-21T21:41:00.000-05:00

Just when I thought we were close to ditching the paci...Rylin decided he needed more than one!

Today

2011-04-19T20:05:00.012-05:00

Well it's Tuesday...which is usually a rather dull day. Nothing exciting. Attie comes on Tuesdays so we usually hang around the house most of the day. Today I decided to get the boys out. We have an awesome park near our house that Rylin and I have traveled to many times before. The last time we were there, I noticed that the ducks were especially friendly. I have been growing a small collection of heels in my bread box, and every time I look at them I think about those ducks. So after lunch we loaded up the double stroller and hit the park. The boys loved all the ducks and their crazy quacking, though when I gave them bread to feed them, they ate it themselves!

After a long nap Attie's mom picked him up, and by then, the weather was turning dark. It wasn't long before it came a big downpour. For the first time, Rylin took note of the rain falling on the patio. When I noticed him standing at the glass door, I couldn't help myself. I pulled out the galoshes and let him go! I knew I was asking for a melt down upon bringing him in, but I figured it was worth it to let him have his first romp in the rain.

So worth it!!!

Every Boy Needs a Papa

2011-04-15T05:00:00.002-05:00

...and we're glad you're ours! Happy Birthday, Dad!

Everyday Humor

2011-04-14T14:39:00.005-05:00

Jordan and I used to say that Duke made us laugh every day. That wrinkled Bulldog face, well it's pretty funny looking, and he gives us more to laugh at when he cuts the cheese at unexpected moments, perches his head on anything in chins reach, and a million other side splitting antics. Nothing compares, though, to the laughter that is created by the surprising things your child does. Here are a few of my favorite funny moments from the last few weeks. Most don't need captions...you could probably make up your own!

fetching a paci...gone bad

push ups with Duke

first signs of becoming a man?

resourceful use of a plastic ring...anklet?

surprise stick horse sculpture when I got Rylin up from nap

and the original funny guy enjoying a peaceful drink from the sippy cup!

Better Late Than Never

2011-04-05T21:01:00.009-05:00

And I'm not talking about blogging! I have decided that its time to go cloth. Yes, I said it, and no I haven't lost my marbles. Next week we will be 100% cloth diapering. (Well maybe 99%) It's been on my mind for a while now, and because of a little push from my buddy Bethany (who's also taking the plunge with Attie...no pun intended) and a recent bout with diaper rashes, I am really going to do it. Before I go on, I must say that this is a personal decision, and in no way is it meant to be a guilt trip for other parents reading this blog. In the last few weeks I have faced some criticism from those with whom I've disclosed, so I don't want any of you reading this to think I have it all figured out and my way is the only way. Be responsible and do your own research. BUT...I do think this recent change in our lives is blog worthy, so here's why we're ditching the disposables. Most of us know the impact disposable diapers have on landfills, and even how much money you can save cloth diapering (especially if you start sooner than me), but I have been recently more conscious of the toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis by way of our skin. I know that some people can go uber crazy when they "think" something is potentially harmful, or they've "heard" that something is bad, so I tried to take a conservative and sensible approach. In my research of chemicals found in disposable diapers, I found a lot of inconclusive and vague information, but the majority is negative. The diaper manufactures basically regulate themselves when it comes to what they put in their products and they don't have to give all this info on the box. What I do know from my own experience is that those suckers can hold a lot of pee for a small amount of material, and that just ain't natural! I also know that sometimes money can come before being completely safe when it comes to a product as widely sold as disposable diapers. So, as I tend with most things, I'm going with "better safe than sorry". It might be an inconvenience, but I know I'll sleep better at night. So how did I convince the hubs...especially since he does all our laundry?! I tapped into his environmental planning side. It also helps that he's currently heading up a project at work for a solid waste master plan and had to tour a couple trash and recycle hubs last week! Now those of you that don't have little kids might be picturing those old prefolds that my baby butt was wrapped in. The cloth diapers of Rylin's generation have come a long way. We're talking adjustable, snaps, Velcro, removable liners, and no more plastic covers. I have personally decided to go with Fuzzibunz one size (meaning birth to potty training age). They come in all sorts of colors, have adjustable leg holes and waist, and use handy snaps that are a lot safer and easier than those giant diaper pins. We've tried them a few times this week and they have been super easy....and Rylin really put them to the test if you know what I mean. It is pretty hard to get a picture of him that isn't blurry these days, but here's my best attempt...

I will also be purchasing the handy sprayer that hooks to the toilet to avoid the "swirl" cleaning method. We'll see how long it takes Jordan to use it as a bidet!

So here's to being a little more Eco friendly. Green has always been my favorite color.

Spring Break

2011-03-21T02:28:00.006-05:00

So we didn't really notice it was spring break last week except that Attie wasn't with us on Tuesday and Thursday. None the less, we DID do some fun things that are definitely blog worthy.

My niece, Shelby came to stay with us since she was on break, and she quickly became Rylin's new best friend. "Welby", as he called her, was a good sport in tagging along for a play date at Pump It Up Jr....

Attie & Bethany
Erin with Henry & Rylin

Adelay & Attie

LOVES Pump It Up!

A trip to the park...

Luscious lashes...wish I had them!

And sharing her iPod!

Adoption Blogger Playdate

2011-03-07T22:00:00.000-06:00

Today, Rylin and I got the pleasure of meeting some friends that I feel like I've known for a while. Melodie has a blog that my other friend Allison introduced me to when Jordan and I were considering adoption. When I first started reading, she and her husband had just adopted their oldest son Holden, and just two months before Rylin was born, they brought home their second son Paxton. I have enjoyed following their story and been encouraged by reading about someone I have a lot in common with who has a family like my own. These two boys are soooo cute, and Melodie's blog is always inspiring and entertaining, so I don't know why it took us this long to get together! We had intended to meet at a park half way between us, but because of the cool weather and lack of playground, we ended up at a nearby Chick-fil-a. The boys had fun playing in the indoor play place and Melodie and I got to talk adoption among other things...all between "no-no's" and squeals! (Good to know someone else's boys are active too!) She was able to snap a pic of all three which I snagged since mine didn't turn out so well. They didn't sit still for long!

So glad that we found each other and I know we'll be hanging out again soon!

Crosby Cash

2011-03-07T21:00:00.001-06:00

As I said before, I have been more than consumed this month preparing for the arrival of Rylin's new little cousin (designing the nursery, planning a baby shower, and quilting...yes, quilting). I'd like to catch you up on the last two weeks.

You may remember me blogging here about my cousin Crystal and her husband Rick who were expecting. Crystal, her sister Candyce, and I are all less than two years apart and have grown up very close to each other. I can honestly say they are two of my best friends and like sisters to me. So when Crystal found out she was pregnant, I was super excited (especially with the prospect of Rylin getting a playmate close to his age). Crystal doesn't have much desire for decorating or anything related so I was happy to take over when she asked me for some nursery help. We have had fun planning and shopping over the last several months, and as her due date was approaching (April 7th), we had decided that I would pay her a visit last weekend to help put everything together and deliver the funiture we bought in Dallas.

In the mean time, Candyce and I, along with some other family and friends began planning a shower. When I got married, my family made me a special quilt with squares decorated by different people presented to me at my bridal shower. I knew Crystal had liked it, so this ambitious girl decided I would round the troops and make her a baby quilt in the same way. Needless to say, it was a little difficult getting my family organized. The last squares were returned to me one week prior to the shower (one month past the deadline)! So I headed to my Mom's house to have my grandmother help me put it together while MiMi babysat. By Wednesday night, I had about quilted my fingers to the bone, but could see the end in sight...when we got the call. Crystal was admitted to the hospital with high blood pressure and they would induce in the morning. We were excited but scared and waited anxiously. On Thursday morning Crosby Cash was born happy and healthy, six weeks early at just 3 lbs 13 oz...but over 17" long! I finished that quilt just in time!

tiny and perfect

As you know from my own baby shower experience, my family believes..."the show must go on", and so, the shower preparations continued despite the fact our guest of honor would not be there! Saturday turned out to be a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed the quilt. I video taped the entire event for Crystal to watch, complete with well wishes from each guest and a full documentary of our parking lot cake cutting (because we got kicked out of the party room for running over time).

Cute as a Button theme

Our guest sign in...glue on a button "leaf" and write your name

diaper cake and my first attempt at a sock monkey

parking lot cake cutting

Proud Aunts and Grandmother

Those that stuck around for cake...

As planned, I headed to Crystal & Ricks the following Friday so that the nursery would be ready when little Crosby came home from the hospital. While Rick feverishly (more like ssslllooowwwlllyyy) painted the room, Candyce and I shopped, returned gifts, shopped, washed blankets and clothes, shopped, did a few "projects", shopped, and decorated the room. We had a big reveal for Crystal on Sunday afternoon and she was quite impressed. Crosby has the coolest room in the house...but that's not saying much since they are still waiting on me to get to decorating the other ones!

Green Smoothies

2011-02-27T17:10:00.007-06:00

Forgive my blogging hiatus. This month has been a blur and I promise to blog about the reason in the next week or so. Until then, I'll share one of my favorite new ways to get our recently decided picky eater to consume his veggies...the Green Smoothie.

A couple weeks ago I heard about this simple drink on a fellow blogger's site and decided I would make it for Rylin. Here's the recipe:

handful of frozen fruit (I used mangoes and strawberries)
1 cup water or juice
1 banana
fill blender to top with fresh baby spinach and blend away!

I admit it was really bright green and smelled a little like grass...but it was mucho delish and Rylin LOVED it! We have been making them ever since! Thanks again, Melodie!

More Snow

2011-02-05T01:25:00.004-06:00

The last week has been a crazy one as far as the weather goes. Lots of ice then 6" of snow, and needless to say, we were indoors A LOT. Rylin and I both were ready to get out of the house today...even if it was just to romp around in the yard for a while.

This is how he spent most of his time...falling:)

Recent Happenings

2011-01-29T14:11:00.008-06:00

I know I've been slow to post lately. Not happy that I had to change my page background because the company that hosted it discontinued my design, so I've been working on something new again. Maybe I'll have it up by next week, but until then I figured I better get a new post up before some of my family start sending hate mail.

We kept my brother's dog Jake again a couple weeks ago and Rylin was happy to have another furry friend around. He especially liked the lounging aspect.

Jordan's parents gave Rylin a gift card for Christmas, so we got him a fold up tunnel with some of the money. He loves it...and he's not the only one!

Daddy had to try it...

Attie & Rylin played hide and seek

Even Duke ventured inside...

The new year meant the return of Rylin's playmate, Atticus. I am keeping him again Tuesday and Thursdays. I will say that they play very well together, though they are getting to be more mischievous. They are always up to no good and I have to keep a close eye on them. Here is an example of a typical lunch time.

Someone needs to teach them some table manners!

Chilly Fun Weekend

2011-01-11T11:19:00.004-06:00

Friday morning my cousin Crystal came up from Houston with her husband Rick to spend the weekend looking for baby stuff. She is due in April with her first and I have been helping her with her nursery. Rylin immediately became attached to her and wanted nothing to do with me. Poor prego Crystal carried him everywhere Friday while we were shopping, and then he cried and cried every time she left the room to do anything. He hasn't even had separation anxiety like that with me! Luckily he has since recovered, but I'm not sure what he sensed about her that brought out this side of him. Perhaps he knows that she's carrying his cousin?! We did have a lot of fun shopping and we can't wait for the baby to arrive!

Sunday, we got a big snow and I was excited to get Rylin out to play. Last year he was so little when we got our first snow. So we bundled up, headed outside and he loved it! He was very concerned with eating as much as he could cram in his mouth, and it didn't take long for me to realize he needed gloves. After a mini melt down because I brought him inside, Jordan took him back out with Duke and they ran around some more. Those rain boots from Christmas sure came in handy!

Update: Big Playdate, Christmas

2011-01-05T16:25:00.006-06:00

So I feel a little behind...o.k., way behind, but I hope to give you the full update of whats been going on around this busy house before the "busy culprit" wakes up from his nap.

The week before Christmas, this slightly nutty woman decided it would be the perfect time to host a play date. It had been a while since all of my friends with babies got together...in fact the last official play date was this one. Yikes! So I sent an email out to my pals, half expecting they would be busy with holiday happenings. Well...they weren't too busy for a play date. We had eleven mommy's and twelve babies (under the age of two) for brunch in our pj's. As crazy as that sounds, we had a lot of fun and the kids played great. Thanks to my friend Kara for taking some pictures since I was a little preoccupied!

Christmas came and went quickly. We spent our first Christmas eve and Christmas morning at our house this year. Christmas eve we opened a few presents including a matching set of red union suit pj's (sorry no pic!), and drove around looking at Christmas lights. The next morning Rylin woke up to presents from Santa and then we drove to my parents for our family Christmas with them and afternoon with my Dad's family. We returned on Monday, and Jordan's family came to our house for their Christmas. It was a lot of driving around, but we had a good time visiting with family. Here are some of the picture highlights from the holiday. All my pic's are posted on my Shutterfly site for anyone that wants to see more.

Playing with his toy from Gramps & Grammy

running around outside with Papa

It was so cold!

Loving on cousin Pam

Rylin has had a blast playing with all his new toys. He LOVES his woody wagon and uses it as more of a jungle gym than a car.

hanging out the sun roof

I kept Attie one day this week and he got to play with Rylin's new toys too. We joked that it was Christmas all over again for him!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T06:00:00.001-06:00

Woody Wagon Make Over

2010-12-24T16:30:00.001-06:00

I've been collecting all kinds of things for Rylin's Christmas presents (trying not to go overboard) for several months. He recently discovered a Tiny Tikes Cozy Coupe at Attie's house and was all over it. I couldn't help but think I had to get him his own. I scoured Craig's List and found a rare edition woody wagon for a good bargain, though it was in need of some work.

I should tell you that this was a special find because growing up we had a brown woody station wagon that embarrassed the crap out of me. I remember sitting in the front seat on the "hump" (the middle armrest) so I could see out the window. I remember my brothers fighting and farting in the back seat. I remember the little flower my mom painted on the front seat to disguise a tiny spot one of us left in the vinyl. I was never so happy to see that thing go, though my parents replaced it with an almost equally embarrassing silver Buick station wagon. So when I saw the tiny wagon online, it brought all those memories back. And I laughed. I was determined to make Rylin's woody wagon a lot cooler!

A few cans of plastic spray paint, my own homemade stickers, Jordan's handy work repairing the faux wood panels, and I thought twice about taking it for a spin down the block myself!

I know Rylin will be excited when he sees it under the tree tomorrow morning...though he could probably care less about our little restoration job!

Santa:Take 2

2010-12-22T12:25:00.004-06:00

You might remember Rylin's first trip to Santa that I blogged about here. Well, gone are the days of sleepy smiles! Last week, Bethany and I took Rylin and Attie to see the Santa in the mall. Atticus loves everyone, so he had no problem smiling on his lap. Rylin was another story. He puckered his bottom lip and the tears began to flow! Luckily the photographer was taking some time to get set up so I had a chance to calm him down and wipe his face. After a little poking with a hand puppet, we managed to get a cute shot.

He refused to look the bearded man in the face, but he kept a death grip on his finger. It cracks me up every time I look at it cause I can totally hear Santa saying "hey, pull my finger". Ha Ha! Can you tell I grew up with brothers?!

Getting Ready for Christmas

2010-12-12T21:50:00.001-06:00

I know I've been slacking lately in updating the blog, but it is for good reason. (Don't I always say that?!) December always seems to be crazy filled with parties, traveling, and holiday events. This year is no exception, but we have been careful not to overload our schedule too much and miss the important things. We are excited about making new holiday traditions with our family and teaching Rylin about why we celebrate this season to begin with. As I've mentioned in the past, Christmas was a big deal in my family, and it began with setting the mood early in December. A couple of weeks ago, Jordan, Rylin and I did just that. I had hoped to visit a tree farm to cut our own down, but after a busy weekend, opted to visit our trusty Home Depot instead.

Rylin quickly learned to say "tree" and probably pointed and repeated that word over a thousand times...and who knows how many times since that night! We picked a nice fat one for our living room, and Rylin helped me put on a few of his ornaments from last year. Notice the stockings are hanging higher this year!

Now a gate safely keeps our tree from some tiny fingers who would like to disassemble it one needle at a time! He still gets excited every time I plug in the lights and I love seeing his big cheesy grin.

Christmas Card Photo Shoot

2010-11-30T07:38:00.001-06:00

I just read my friend Kelly's post about how much she loves Christmas cards, and I can't help but agree. I love getting cards from friends and family. It helps me get in the mood for Christmas, and I enjoy seeing how their families have changed over the years. I also love making my own cards because it's pretty much another excuse for me to get creative. I like pictures most and here are a few from my past Christmas cards.

Feliz Navidad!

You'll notice that Duke was our cute little subject for our early married years. He was pretty much our baby (and a cute photogenic one at that). But last year he got trumped (though he was mentioned)!

This year I decided to combine my two cuties. Here are a few of the pictures I got. You'll just have to wait for the Christmas card to see my favorite:)

Active is an understatement

2010-11-29T18:28:00.007-06:00

I am literally wiped as I type this. It seems that in the last two weeks Rylin has gone into hyper drive. This boy doesn't stop! He is constantly moving and getting in to EVERYTHING. He has figured out how to crawl onto the bed, sofa, fireplace, entertainment center, and open drawers and get in or use them to reach on top of things. He runs like a sprinter (especially with items he's not supposed to have in his hands...i.e. oreos, leaves, my phone, the remote), grabs at anything within reach...cords, outlets, books on shelves, table top accessories, opens all doors, drawers, boxes, bangs on all surfaces, drags what he can't pick up, pulls down what he can't reach, and generally terrorizes all animate or inanimate objects in site. I hope it means he's going to be healthy and active...ha, ha. All that being said, we had quite the busy Thanksgiving holiday with family. Jordan instituted the "zone defense", which he forced all family members to comply with. Whoever's "zone" he fell within was instructed to keep him from danger or destruction. I think we had a few tired grandparents by the end of the weekend!

With all this new action has also come quite the personality. Rylin still loves giving out kisses (now with a "mua" sound added) and has started blowing them too! He is always hugging and kissing everyone and everything. Even the characters in books (including tractors), Duke or any dog he sees, the sofa, his toys...everything! He is repeating a lot of words now, but consistently says things like "hi", "hair", "hot", "duck"(duke), "Attie"(his buddy), "daddy", "momma", "cheese"(as in cheese for the camera), and today has been on a kick of "thank you". He also said "papa" this weekend, much to the dismay of Mimi! He loves dancing to music and stopping to do the Rylin shuffle (as we now call it) when he hears a commercial on TV that has a soundtrack he likes. He loves for me to read him books and will bring me his favorites (Peekaboo, Tractors, and Brown Bear). He hands me the book and then plops in my lap ready to turn the pages. He's also learning what different things are used for. Last week he grabbed my brush and started combing his hair (with the wrong end of course) and this week he has started holding the phone to his ear, putting on Jordan and my shoes, pointing the remote at the TV, and clicking on the computer mouse. Such a smart little boy...but oh so busy! He never ceases to keep us on our toes and smiling!

Getting into trouble

Who says grocery shopping is work?

loving on Duke

first Turkey Day dinner

Some wagon time with our friends...

Henry & Rylin

Attie and Rylin
making Attie do the work...

Formula Freedom

2010-11-21T16:11:00.002-06:00

I'm sure we will find something to replace it, but this month we are celebrating a little extra $$ left in our bank account. Rylin is officially off formula! It was Jordan's idea to keep all of the containers (which have taken over the storage in our garage) and have a one year photo commemorating this big event. I think the recycling truck driver might kill over when he gets to our house this week!

So for you nerds out there, here are all the facts...

In one year Rylin has consumed:

101 containers of Similac (25 liquid, 76 powdered)

around 2,000 bottles

over 10,000 ounces

almost 65 gallons

and the big one...

roughly $2,000 worth of formula!

Fall Festival

2010-11-01T19:20:00.007-05:00

Since Rylin was a bit young for trick-or-treating this year, we opted for our church's Fall Festival as our dress up opportunity (never mind the fact that we are our Sunday school class directors and had to be there anyways). You probably know that I am the type of crafty girl who would whip up a creative little costume for my one year old, but you might be surprised. I found Rylin's outfit at a consignment sale back in August and couldn't resist. I was relieved that it still fit him and that it ended up being a pretty cool night so he didn't sweat to death in it. We got all kinds of compliments on our little elephant and he really played the part...grinning and shaking his ears at anyone who paid him the least bit of attention!

Rylin and Atticus in the Zoo game booth

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-30T21:51:00.006-05:00

This afternoon, my friend Bethany and I decided to take Rylin and Atticus to a pumpkin patch to get some cute fall pictures. Owen's sausage has a farm close to us with lots of animals and plenty of pumpkins. The weather was great and the boys had fun feeding goats and riding on the tractor pulled hay ride.

1 Year Old!

2010-10-29T14:00:00.006-05:00

On Monday Rylin turned one! Hard to believe we have a toddler! He is now 24 pounds and 31 inches long. He loves to RUN everywhere and get into everything! His newest accomplishment is climbing on top of the fireplace hearth. His vocabulary is increasing too. In the last few weeks he has added, "Attie"(Atticus) and "Hi". He still says "Daddy" the most, though he goes on kicks of "Mommy" and "Bye, Bye". He LOVES Duke and looks intently for him whenever he wakes up. Usually he finds him quickly because he's always somewhere snoring! Duke is becoming more tolerable as I think he has decided that the attention of a one year old is better than none! Rylin has a big appetite and will eat just about anything. His favorite is still blueberries, though cheese is a close second.

Rylin & Attie

For his birthday, Jordan and I made him a water table. And by Jordan and I, I mean Jordan made it. It was my idea, though! Yes, it is getting cooler here, but Rylin loves to play in Duke's water bowl, so I decided we could make him a table to play with inside. So far it isn't too messy...though, I know that could change:)

1 Year Birthday Party

2010-10-24T15:50:00.019-05:00

I love planning a good party, so it should be no surprise that I started getting the creative juices flowing for Rylin's 1 year celebration almost six months ago. I know that I only have a few years before he has an opinion of his own about such things so I was really excited to put together something that I thought was cool...and that he could care less about! I decided that being close to Halloween, a Creepy Crawly birthday would be the perfect little boy theme.

Though my plans were perfect for a nice patio party, the weather had other plans. An hour before show time the sky opened up and unleashed a nice dousing of rain. I almost had a meltdown myself, but held it together and pushed on. I did manage to get a picture of the entry before the thunderstorm, so that's all that matters right?!

Each guest stamped their finger print and turned it into their own creepy crawly for Rylin's scrapbook. I think it will be a great way to remember everyone who came.

The end result

The birthday boy

My mother was my saving grace this week, as she came up Monday to help me get things ready (which translates into: she babysat!).

I had a fun time planning our snacks which included; ants on a log (peanut butter and raisins on celery), frog eyes (grapes), lizard tongues (fruit roll ups), insect shaped pasta salad, dirt cake (in a bucket with trowel), and creepy crawly shaped sandwiches.

I made a photo collage wall of Rylin's monthly pictures and photos I took with my phone spanning the length of his first twelve months.

My mom also worked hard on our table decorations that included all kinds of plastic insects in jars.

Jordan named the cake Murphy. He was quite the challenge for me to construct. Fondant is not for the faint of heart. I nearly pulled my hair out, but the end result was worth it. I'm pretty sure the guests will be seeing blue for a week, if you know what I mean:)

Rylin enjoyed his own little cake that he tested slowly at first.

It wasn't long before the sugar took effect!

Rylin had lots of his friends join him on this special day. Here are just a few.

James and Henry

Adelay

Luke and Mitchell showing off their bug keeper arm bands

Rylin and Mimi

Daddy, Rylin, & Gramps

Valerie and Bonnie

Emily enjoying Murphy!

Tess and her friends Leah and Ashley

After cake, Rylin opened lots of fun presents. He was more interested in eating the tissue paper, but I know he was appreciative just the same!

After all the guests left and Rylin had a good nap, he began to discover that he had a lot of new toys. He played for over an hour in one spot. Every direction he turned, there was something else exciting. Jordan and I couldn't believe how grown up he seemed.

Daddy showing him his fort from MiMi & Papa

Playing with the barn from Tess

Sitting in his basket of sliceable wooden food from the McFarlands

We had a lot of fun celebrating one year! Can't believe our little man is growing up so fast!

Houston Family Weekend

2010-10-15T21:44:00.000-05:00

Last weekend our family loaded up and headed to visit our cousins from humid Houston, and surprisingly, the weather was fantastic! Since Tess's grandparents also live close by, we hooked her into joining us so that we could make a quick visit. We stayed Friday and Saturday at my cousin Kim's house where the men did their usual couch-napping-football-watching, the kids swam in the pool, and the women chatted and took lots of pictures. It was a great time and my extended family enjoyed getting to meet Tess. The girl cousins took a quick liking and had her teaching them flips in the pool and sleeping in the camper with them.

Rylin with some of his boy cousins

Rylin LOVES swinging
swimming with Daddy

The girlsAfter a yummy Sunday lunch at my Aunt Freda's, Rylin, Tess and I drove to her grandparents (Jordan had to go back to work). They loved meeting Rylin and of course thought he was so smart and cute! They gave him the sweetest little Adidas sweat suit and toy train that he has loved playing with.

I left Tess to spend the night with her grandparents and Rylin and I went to visit my cousin Crystal and her husband Rick. They recently found out they were expecting, so Crystal and I spent Monday morning shopping for fun baby things. We have our fingers crossed that Rylin will have a little boy cousin, but we won't be too disappointed if it is another girl:)

Crystal let Rylin play in her pots and pans

Monday afternoon I picked up Tess and we had a great dinner with Crystal and Rick. Then Tess dyed my hair (yikes!). I have been wanting to dye my hair red for a long time but really haven't had the guts. I went VERY safe, so the result is quite subtle. I figure I will ease into the whole Angie Everhart look! (sorry no pics of that)

Deja vu

2010-10-13T18:30:00.003-05:00

Things can sure change in one year and I'm feeling a little nostalgic. A year ago today we found out that Tess picked us to be the parents of the son she was expecting. You may remember this post. The week before was the first time we met her and this was the picture we took at our agency.

yes, that's a chihuahua with a broken leg! Little Tux:)

Fast forward. Our baby boy is almost one and the love of our lives, and Tess is a member of the family we only dreamed we'd have. A couple Fridays ago, we spoke again at our agency to a group of prospective adoptive couples...and this time we took Tess with us! We all had a lot of fun reliving our story and trying to explain our relationship (with all its quirks) to these couples who were seeing an open adoption for the first time from both sides. Tess is great at being honest, so I know they learned the most from her. So this was our updated picture!

I thank God every day for the blessing He so thoughtfully weaved from two different worlds of pain. We may look different from most, but we're a family just the same!

Fair Day

2010-09-30T22:00:00.015-05:00

Rylin's birth mom Tess had her sister in town this week, so we decided to get together for a fun outing. The weather has been unbelievable in Dallas, so last night, after a scrumptious dinner at their favorite Mediterranean restaurant (Tess's Mom's family is Lebanese), Tess, her mom, her sister, her sister's boyfriend, and the three of us headed to the State Fair.

Rylin was unimpressed by Big Tex, but quite enthralled with a giant pig they had on display. He jabbered the whole time we were at his cage! Then I hesitantly shared the story of how I used to raise and show pigs. (a fun fact I typically don't tell people when I first meet them...for obvious reasons!) I'm pretty sure they didn't hold it against me, though.

Then we headed over to the petting zoo, where we enjoyed visiting with the goats, cows, zebras, camels, kangaroos and even a giraffe. As I've mentioned before, Rylin has a thing for trying to kiss Duke with an open mouth. I was quite horrified to notice him attempting the same thing with a goat. Not sure what to do with this boy!

We then took a ride on the big ferris wheel. I don't think Rylin even realized what we were doing because it moves so slow, but he does look worried in this picture!

Tess's Mom Nanette, Sister Oren, and her boyfriend Jordan

Tess, Oren, and Jordan rode a crazy spinning ride that we were happy to sit and watch from afar. I think Rylin was relieved he was too short for this one!

After a lot of contemplation, we settled on some fried Oreos and fresh squeezed sugared up lemonade, and called it a night. Rylin was gassed since we pushed his bedtime back to nearly 10, but was a trooper the whole night and we had a lot of fun.

11 Months Old

2010-09-27T16:19:00.001-05:00

This picture about says it all! On Saturday Rylin turned eleven months old! In less than one month we will have a one year old! It still seems unreal to me. In the last month he has grown so much and is definitely a full on toddler. He now gets around on two feet very well and is in to just about everything he's not supposed to be. His favorite "no-no's" are the dog bowl, telephone(which he's dropped out the doggy door more than once), remote(we couldn't find for 3 days until I did laundry and discovered it hidden away in a basket), and kitchen and bathroom doors and drawers. We have been feverishly trying to get child locks on everything...or should I say, Jordan has been! He jabbers ALL THE TIME now in a language all his own. It sounds a little like German, though I'm sure the Germans would beg to differ! He has four teeth and eats all kinds of grown up food. His favorites are still blueberries, chicken, and beans of any kind. He has a happy disposition and likes to smile for just about anyone, but gives the biggest grins to his Daddy. He loves Duke and has added something sounding like "duck" to his vocabulary this week when running in his direction! He also says "bye, bye", "dada", and "momma". His favorite toys are wooden blocks and puzzles, which he mostly just chews on and then leaves in various random places around the house. He has figured out how to clap in the last week, and frequently gives himself a round of applause! He is great at showing affection and loves to give hugs and kisses to us and his little friends (who don't always appreciate them). He is a cuddler when he is sleepy and hard to resist! What would we do without him?!

green bean cigar

clapping

his "I'm up to no good" face

Out & About With Daddy

2010-09-27T12:06:00.001-05:00

Surprisingly I have managed to have more on my plate these days than I did when I had a paying job. Last week was quite hectic for Mommy, so Rylin got to spend a lot of one on one time with Jordan. He made his first trip to the park (besides in a stroller) and experienced his first swing. I hear he loved it...so much, they returned a few days later!

Other Daddy excursions included several trips to Home Depot and Half Priced Books.

Overdue Update

2010-09-15T21:37:00.008-05:00

I feel like I have been running behind this week. You know, when you have so much to do but as soon as you do it other things pile up. I suppose this just means I need more discipline and probably to wake up earlier. (yuck...did I just say that?) ANYWAYS, I've been getting heckled by my family for an update so here she is...

For those that don't know, I've been keeping Rylin's buddy Atticus on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They are getting to be great playmates and are already good at getting into trouble.

Rylin loves to try and stick his fingers in your mouth or nose. He has already caused some injuries to Jordan, and in this picture, has him hooked like a fish!

You may remember this picture from almost a year ago. Jordan was so proud of his little Cowboy. This jersey was a gift from one of Jordan's friends and was a little big last season...

But now it fits quite well! Here is Rylin before the first regular season game last weekend.

Since Rylin started walking, we decided it might be time for some "real" shoes. I ordered him his first pair of Toms last week. I wasn't sure if I really liked them at first, but I think they are growing on me, and they have proven easy for him to walk in. If you haven't heard of Toms, you should check them out. For every pair of shoes purchased, a pair is donated to a child in need. Here he is breaking them in...doing quite well!

Westfest Weekend

2010-09-06T20:00:00.000-05:00

Every Labor Day weekend as long as I can remember has been filled with Czech food and dancing...and heat! This weekend was the same except for the unusually cool Texas weather. For those that don't know...I grew up close to West, Texas (West comma Texas not the west Texas full of tumble weeds and Red Raiders). On Labor Day weekend, the town celebrates its Czech heritage with a huge festival full of authentic food, polka, pivo(beer), a parade, arts and crafts, a tractor pull, a 5K run(where you actually get Kolache's at the end), and lots of cool stuff for kids. This year Rylin got to experience his first Westfest! We came in Friday and my brother fried the fish we caught on our family weekend along with homemade onion rings and hush puppies. On Saturday morning we started out the day with the Westfest parade. Not exactly comparable to Macy's Thanksgiving Day extravaganza, but fun none the less. Rylin loved that people on floats were waving at him and his little hand was surely tired by the end because he waved back at everyone!

His cousins caught more candy than they could ever eat, and I know it won't be long before Rylin is right there with them.

After the parade we headed over to the fair grounds for the kids to enjoy some carnival rides. Rylin got to go on his first merry-go-round and he loved it!

Rylin loves his Uncle David...especially his prickly beard!

We then sat down to eat some yummy sausage, sour kraut, and potatoes and even a funnel cake. Rylin came down with some crazy rash on Friday and had not been wanting to eat; however, he would not let the sugar coated breaded goodness go to waste!

After a nap at home, Jordan and I, along with my brothers and sister-in-laws went back out to Westfest while MiMi and Papa kept the kids. We ate some more great food, watched the end of the tractor pull and horseshoe tournament, and ended our weekend with a crazy polka to Brave Combo(the best Polka band ever)!

It Was Bound To Happen...

2010-08-26T07:06:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Rylin finally discovered the doggy door. I have dreaded this day!

10 Months Old

2010-08-25T09:18:00.000-05:00

Today Rylin is ten months old and walking everywhere! He really hit his stride the last couple of days and does pretty good until he gets so excited that he falls down. He is so proud of himself! He now pretty much eats what we do except for the few baby "no-no's". He loves to be out of the house and and running errands or going anywhere, still chases Duke, is a cuddler when he is sleepy, and jabbers all the time. So far his only real word is "Bye Bye", of which he never does on command (usually at odd moments like in the tub or the car). He has a sweet little personality and loves to hand out dimpled grins to just about anyone (except our favorite grocery store checker who he makes work for them). He has started climbing on everything, dancing to music, and kisses his reflection whenever he sees it. He is DEFINITELY a Daddy's boy and cries for him if Jordan isn't giving his full attention. This morning he balled when Jordan left for work (I know it secretly made Jordan feel good). I can't believe we are so close to one year old! We are trying to savor every moment!

All I Know is No

2010-08-24T21:00:00.002-05:00

I suppose it's my own fault. How many times do I tell Rylin "yes"? Pretty much never. However, the word and jester "no" gets used frequently. I've tried to reserve it for serious offences, but it almost just pops out on it's own because Rylin is in to EVERYTHING. Well, recently our little booger has started to copy this command by shaking his head whenever you ask him ANY question. "Do you want to take a nap?" "Are you hungry?" "Do you like the green beans?" "Did Daddy change your diaper?" All I get is a incessant head shake. If you shake back "yes", he is even more fervent with his disagreement. Although I know it could get old fast, it's still pretty funny now. Sometimes Jordan and I make up silly things to ask and then laugh at our own immature humor!

Growing Like a Weed

2010-08-14T12:59:00.005-05:00

I am continually impressed by what Rylin learns every day. It seems like he does something new all the time. Several weeks ago at his Gramps and Grammie's, he took his first couple steps alone and since then has gotten braver. He will now venture out into the open room (not just between furniture) for four or five steps before loosing his balance. I have thus far been unable to capture the moment on video, but here are a few blurry pictures of his increasing independence!

This week, while at the mall with friends, I casually handed him a juice box assuming he wouldn't be able to drink from the straw. Was I ever wrong! He had the whole thing sucked down before we left...

I had to include one more picture from this week of what, thanks to inspiration from the recent Discovery Channel Shark Week, I have titled "Feeding Frenzy". We are keeping Jake again and he and Duke are especially excited when it's Rylin's time to eat.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-08-08T20:47:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was my 29th birthday (sniff, sniff), but my family and friends made it a good one. My parents came to visit Friday and spent the night, so we had a nice breakfast and visit Saturday morning. Early morning. Rylin decided that he would wish me happy birthday at 5:30AM. Booo! It did get the day started, though. After lunch my parents left to visit my brother and his family and Jordan and I dropped Rylin off at my friend Deliahna's. We visited the "Bodies" exhibit downtown that I had been bugging Jordan about seeing. It was quite interesting, but also a little unsettling. I made Jordan take me shopping before we went to dinner so that we could recover! When we picked up Rylin, he was worn out from playing with Adelay but he had made me a card (with his toes).

Too cute!

I hate getting another year older, but then there's the alternative...so I guess I'll suck it up and enjoy my last year of the 20's!

Plate Project

2010-08-03T07:50:00.003-05:00

I have thought seriously about starting a blog solely for my little creative projects, but considering I'm doing well to update this blog once a week, I figure I'll just post them on here. My latest endeavor began over a year ago. I've had this wall in my dining room that had really been bugging me. I had put a couple ambiguous flower pictures up when we moved in and pretty much started to loathe them a few months later. My life became a little busy so I hadn't really figured out a solution until a trip last summer. Jordan and I stayed in the cutest little loft called The Roadrunner Inn in Fredericksburg on our way back from a friends wedding. I opened the door and immediately saw this.

After googling "plate wall collage", I found all kinds of other variations and knew this was my answer.

I had the perfect starting point...a plate that I got from my Aunt Vivian's estate that my MaMaw had made. My Aunt Ruthie used to have a ceramics studio and I can't tell you how many little ceramic figurines that I painted growing up. I'm pretty sure that's how she kept me entertained when I visited! Well, I wasn't the only one to sit in her shop and get dusty. Pretty much any one of my six aunts and many cousins could show you some creation either made by Aunt Ruthie or themselves somewhere in their home. I thought it a treasure when I spotted the cup and saucer in the hutch at my Aunt's house, and even more so when I turned it over and saw my MaMaw and Papaw's names scratched on the underside. (anyone else have a Grandmother named Willie?!)

I had been looking for a place to display them and this was definitely my perfect opportunity. Then came the search for my saucer's companions. I made a goal for myself (and kept it) to spend $2 or less per plate except one or two splurges. So I started out going to thrift stores in the area scouring for my frugal art creation. Goodwill became my best friend, as they had the best prices and most selection of single plates. (I think I've been to every one in a 50 mile radius) On our finalization day, my whole family decided to head to Canton (one, if not the biggest flea market in TX for you out-of-staters) and my Mom, cousin, and I had a blast searching for plates! I tended toward plates that looked hand made or from the 60's-70's (the rest of my house is a mesh of mid-century and modern) and finally was happy with my accumulated collection. I ended up ordering plate hangers off the Internet because I could never find enough in any one hobby store. So when they finally came in a couple weeks ago I was really excited. I started out by making templates on tracing paper of each plate and giving them their own names. I laid the plates out on the floor to find a pattern I liked and then taped the templates to the wall and moved them around to get them just right.

Then I nailed in the appropriate hooks and one at a time, tore off the template and hung the plate. I was quite happy with my results!

Recent Happenings

2010-08-02T20:36:00.007-05:00

So there are a few things I've left out of the blog that have been sitting in my camera waiting to be seen. Here's what we've been up to lately...

About a week ago, we dog sat for my brother's dog Jake. He and Duke are good buddies.

Now he and Rylin are too!

Jake is a great dog around kids and he let Rylin climb all over him and never even winced. I think he just likes attention...even if it's negative! I made sure Rylin wasn't too rough on him, though. Jordan did have fun trying to walk both dogs. Duke goes slow and Jake goes fast, but somehow he managed without falling on the pavement like I probably would have!

This last weekend was Jordan's 10 year high school reunion. Usually these things are a snore for the spouse who didn't go to the same school, but I actually had a good time. Since Jordan went to a small private school, there were less than thirty in his class and I knew a few of them from college. Friday night was a fun "adult" night, and Saturday was a family picnic. I think Jordan really enjoyed catching up with some of his old friends and showing off Rylin.

Rylin was HOT, and not so up for taking pictures!

9 Months

2010-07-30T08:47:00.000-05:00

The days just keep going by. Rylin turned nine months old on Sunday! He is now 22 lbs 9 oz and 30 inches long. He's eating all kinds of finger foods and drinking from a sippy cup, crawling, pulling up, cruising (walking around furniture), standing on his own and constantly moving! He also had his first word last week. We were having dinner with my family, and when it was time to go he waved and said "bye bye". At first I thought it was a fluke, but he did it again two more times! We were all freaking out (literally...I know we looked funny) and poor Jordan missed it because he wasn't with us. Then this morning at his Dr.'s appointment he did it again! Such a show off for the doctor! Here are a few pics and a video of our big boy...

loves his MiMi!

on a walk

drinking like a pro

and a cute little wave!

Splash Park

2010-07-27T08:33:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we went with a couple friends to a local splash park. The weather turned out to be pretty nice and the kids had a good time playing in the water.

sweet Adelay

and Atticus

Battle Wound

2010-07-19T22:34:00.005-05:00

It started out a happy afternoon in the pool. Rylin was enjoying the noodle that I gave him...maybe a little too much!

He was having a good time...splashing and occasionally stopping to eat a few blades of grass (against my pleading not to)...and then it happened.

He found out the hard way that his top half out weighs his bottom, and tumbled out of the pool head first. It was an acrobatic flip caught on tape (though too cruel to show here) that left a nasty scratch. Our tough guy only cried a second and was back to playing. Jordan says it's his Bruce Lee face (must be a guy thing).

The first of many, I'm sure...

A New Look

2010-07-15T22:44:00.004-05:00

So I've been meaning to update the look of our blog for quite a while. I keep telling Jordan that I think it's funny that it said "our journey to adoption" at the top when we have definitely reached our immediate destination! So...I've moved our initial story to a different site that you can find here or on the left side of the page under "our adoption story". All my posts are still on this blog too, but I thought it necessary to hang on to that part of our lives in blog form elsewhere.

I've been up to my neck in HTML coding (i still don't know what that is) and Photoshop Elements, but I think I'm finally satisfied with the end result. Let me know what you think.

New Pictures

2010-07-10T08:10:00.001-05:00

I'm a little behind on 6 month photos, but I did manage to hook my very busy friend Jennifer into taking some pictures of Rylin at 7 months. You may remember his newborn pictures that she did here. Rylin was not so cooperative the day of our shoot, but you'd never know by the photos that Jenn got! Here is a little preview of his cuteness!

You can check out the rest of his pictures by going to her website http://www.mountainponyphotography.com/ and selecting Rylin under the slideshows tab...password: Everhart.

Week at MiMi & Papa's

2010-07-09T10:54:00.005-05:00

Rylin and I left last Friday and spent the weekend at my Mom and Dad's. Jordan joined us on Saturday and we had a nice 4th of July. My Dad cooked out and my brother brought over fireworks. (They live in the country so you can get away with that!) Rylin slept through the whole thing...which is probably good considering he doesn't like loud noises.

The rest of the week my Mom and I went through and organized old pictures in our search to put together a family cookbook and Rylin played with his cousin Luke, who he is quite enamored with.

On Tuesday night, I took Rylin to visit my Grandmother. She cooked us a fresh-from-the-garden dinner and we had a good time visiting. Rylin loves to "cheese" for the camera now!

The Tub Shot

2010-07-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

Because what's cuter than a baby in the tub?!

My Other Friend Addie

2010-06-30T21:45:00.006-05:00

Today Rylin hung out with one of the few girl friends he has (definitely not because he's lacking in looks or personality or has halitosis...just that all my friends have boys). Adelay is quite the princess and they had a good time playing (mostly Rylin chasing) and took a long afternoon nap before Adelay's mom picked her up. Perhaps a budding romance? I think Adelay's keeping her options open.

Typical guy...trying to impress Adelay by putting his entire fist in his mouth

I love this one...so dramatic!

8 Months Old

2010-06-26T08:00:00.002-05:00

Rylin was eight months old Friday! Times flies when your having fun...and are we ever! This month Rylin has added crawling and pulling up to his list of tricks. He's even started making his way around things on his feet and likes to let go with his arms straight out before falling back on his bottom. He eats three "real" meals a day, loves to repeat sounds and head shakes, and has two shiny white teeth. It seems like his personality grows daily and he can be a real sweety. He loves to charm the old ladies at the grocery store with his squinty grin and dimples, and has started giving out wet open mouth kisses to me and Jordan. He loves trying to put his paci in Jordan's mouth and this week attempted to use Duke as a step ladder to the sofa. Duke usually just moves out of the way when he sees Rylin coming (especially if he's cruising in his walker), but occasionally he sticks around to give a lick or two (to which Rylin opens his mouth...yuck!). He likes to play on the floor in his room or on the rug in the living room and his favorite toy is whatever kitchen utensil Jordan has given him on any given day. Plastic cups and the potato masher seem to be the most popular. He also loves paper. The quicker you try to get it away from him, the more feverishly he tears! He puts EVERYTHING in his mouth. This week I discovered him chewing on the following items at one time or another; books, a calculator, my flip flop, the leg of a chair, Duke, a tissue, his monitor (which he knocked into his crib), a magnet from the fridge, the sofa, his piggy bank, a CD, and I could go on. Seems like all I do is pull things out of his mouth and shudder at what germs he's picked up. I have learned to let a lot of things go, and I know that having a boy will teach me to continue that trend!

neighborhood watch

master of escape!

Swim Lessons

2010-06-23T14:32:00.005-05:00

Rylin had his first swim lesson yesterday. He definitely liked the water and was not afraid, though he wasn't exactly doing the butterfly across the pool by the end of it or anything! Maybe after the next lesson.

blowing bubbles

floating (sort of)

some of our other swim buddies

Bethany & Atticus, Ginger & Taylor, and Cathalina & Samuel

Happy 1st Fathers Day Jordan!

2010-06-20T21:40:00.003-05:00

Blues

2010-06-17T20:50:00.008-05:00

I read about these special edition Huggie's diapers printed with a denim pattern a few weeks ago on another blog I frequent. The video on their website is quite comical and I thought they were pretty cute, so I picked up a package for Rylin. Thanks to the typical Texas summer we're having, he spends most days around the house in diaper only. I snapped a few pictures today of our now on-the-move baby modeling his new favorite blue jeans.

Full Family Weekend

2010-06-15T22:56:00.002-05:00

So this past Friday Jordan and I got a chance to sit on the opposite side of where we were one year ago. Our agency asked us to come and speak to a group of prospective adoptive parents at the seminar that we attended last July. You may remember me blogging about it here and here. We were pretty excited because we LOVE to tell our story and share how adoption has shaped our family. Rylin sat pretty well, and we had a good time talking to the couples that attended.

Shortly after the seminar, we headed to my parents house and the Casey family reunion (my Mom's Mom) on Saturday. We enjoyed getting to see some of our relatives that we don't often spend time with and my Mom and I even entered the homemade ice cream contest. Though our fancy "Fat Bottom Crunch" only won 3rd place, it was an adventure to make(understatement of the year) and a clear winner in our minds! We left for Greenville Saturday night and to the Woodall reunion (Jordan's Dad's Mom) on Sunday. Everyone enjoyed meeting Rylin and we ate some more good southern food!

Part of letting go of our dream of biological children forced us to think about the loss of a genetic link in our family. This is a hang up for so many people considering adoption, and something we definitely wrestled with. I have to admit that going to these reunions made me wonder if Rylin would ever care about these people in the same way I hold an interest. I don't even know most of them. I haven't kept a close relationship with many. Yet somehow, their existence in my family tree still makes me feel a connection.

A birth family answers questions of history (physical traits, personalities, and geographic local), just as an adopted family adds to it (childhood experiences and values). Both are important in understanding the past, but neigther solely determine who one will become. I think a lot about the family Rylin will grow up surrounded with because of open adoption; his birth family and his adopted family. I now can imagine that each will be special in their own way but both play a significant role in understanding his heritage. I also know that he has twice the number of family reunions in his future!

Trouble

2010-06-09T10:02:00.003-05:00

This is what I found yesterday after nap time...

Looks as if the mattress will be moving down today! (he's on his knees in the picture) Some other new found activities he's been practicing this week...crawling, crawling to sitting, shaking his head, and my personal favorite...spitting(with spit or food-whatever is applicable).

Silly Faces

2010-06-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

Like I said before, this kid is full of funny faces. Here are a few more of my recent favorites.

The laundry room...one of his favorite places (daddy's teaching him well!)

Water Baby

2010-06-01T23:11:00.006-05:00

Summer has arrived in Texas and thus my whining for a pool has commenced. Since the giant maple in our backyard is dashing my chances for a below ground oasis, I guess we're just stuck with (as my friend Rebecca would say) the giant turtle. Or in our case, the plastic blue thing from Target. A couple years back, when we learned our fat bulldog liked the water but couldn't quite get his short legs moving fast enough to swim, we bought him his own kiddie pool.

Much to his delight and ours, we have enjoyed it more than we ever thought. Jordan and I even got desperate enough to lay in it once! However, in the spirit of Duke moving down the family priority totem pole, it seems it will now become someone else's. We ceremoniously broke it out of the garage attic and cleaned it up on Saturday. I managed to stuff myself in a swimsuit (don't worry, no pics of that) and dressed Rylin too, while Jordan snapped some pictures of another great first. I had to laugh at my child's natural "base tan" next to the blinding nature of my own brilliant white legs! (so jealous) The water was cool, but Rylin definitely enjoyed it. We practiced for his upcoming swim lessons...

Duke was not sure what to think...

7 Months Old

2010-05-25T15:15:00.002-05:00

Our little guy is 7 months old today! He is growing so fast and the last month we've had some big milestones. Rylin finally started to enjoy eating solid foods. I've been making most of them. He will pretty much eat anything I feed him, but definitely prefers blueberries, yams, pork, and apples. He's also now tried cauliflower, potatoes, plums, peaches, green beans, peas, squash, carrots, avocados, bananas, chicken, turkey, and some gross congealed concoction that O Organics calls beef. Yuck. A couple of weeks ago we moved to a larger car seat since he was pushing the weight limit on the infant carrier. He loves it. He has a better view of the outside world and it is definitely a little more cushy.

He now enjoys riding in the grocery store cart too.

He has started to perfect the scoot and army crawl and we know that crawling is literally days away. It blows my mind how fast he can already get around. Yesterday I went to pull a piece of paper out of his mouth (an everyday occurrence) and felt a sharp little tooth poking out of his bottom gum. That would explain the crankiness and extra sleeping we've had lately. His little personality has really come out. He has a big cheesy grin that he loves to give when he is really excited, and he can squeal at the top of his lungs loud enough to make Duke leave the room.

He LOVES his walker and is quite skilled at getting around the house since almost every room has wood floors. He has learned to make the motor boat sound with his lips and is currently yelling "dadadadada", though I told Jordan that it doesn't quite count as his first word! He loves to roll around on the floor in his room and this is how I found him the other day. Laying in the pile of stuffed animals!

For once we went to a Dr.'s appointment and it wasn't for him! This was he and Duke waiting in the vets office this morning. Not exactly Norman Rockwell, but still pretty cute!

It's finished. I think...

2010-05-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

I promised to post pictures when I finally completed the decorating of the nursery, and six months from start date, I think I can say I'm there. Maybe. The last piece I added derived from the theme of the room and my longing for a table something like this, but as always...much less expensive.

My crafty father managed to score me a great piece of oak stump (a better color for the room) and widdled it into quite a unique little table. A coat of lacquer and you'd hardly believe that it was anything but the perfect baby bottle holder!

And here's everything together.

Anybody need a nursery designed anytime soon? I already have more ideas than Jordan will let me have babies!

Little Green Wagon

2010-05-19T08:00:00.003-05:00

Rylin's Gramps bought him his very own little green wagon a couple of weeks ago. Since he is sitting up pretty well on his own, he was happy to take a ride! Sometimes when he starts getting fussy, I pull it out from the garage and give him a spin around the house. He loves it and holds on tight for the bumpy ride!

Fun Weekend

2010-05-18T09:29:00.001-05:00

We had quite the busy weekend that started with the arrival of my good buddy Nicole. Nicole and I met in college and lived together for several years. She quickly became one of my best friends and was the maid of honor in my wedding. Not long after she herself graduated college and got married, she moved to Boston. Jordan and I got to visit she and her husband Kyle but were happy when they decided to move a little closer to St. Louis. A couple of summers ago, we made a vacation trip to meet them in California, where her parents were living at the time, but other than that we haven't gotten to visit a lot in person over the last several years. Nicole has been following the blog and I follow her's, but it just isn't the same. So we were super excited when she said she was coming to meet Rylin. We had an emotional reunion at the airport and then set off for some Mexican food! Nicole is one of those great easy going friends and Jordan says she has one of the best laughs...and laugh we did! By Saturday I had pretty much lost my voice from all the talking and catching up we did! Her Dad, Rocky came up from Houston and took us to dinner and Rylin entertained us with his new found high pitch squeal and gummy grin! I was sad to see her go on Sunday morning, but so happy that she could come for even a couple of days.

Sunday morning, we dedicated Rylin at church. He did quite well at containing his squeals during the service and even smiled a little. Afterwards we had some family and friends over for lunch to celebrate our finalization and dedication. We are so blessed by everyone who has prayed and supported us through this venture, and we can never express how appreciative we are of the friends and family we have!

Mom's Day

2010-05-09T00:00:00.001-05:00

Mother's Day holds new meaning for me this year, but probably not for the reason you may think. It is a special day since it is the first time I will celebrate "in the first person", but I really think the focus for me will still remain the same as who it has been in previous years...but with a clearer appreciation!

I know that a lot of who I am as a mother I owe to my own mom, and as much as I sometimes like to deny it, I am a lot like her. A few things that I've already picked up...

*worrying (a.k.a. praying harder)

*talking in that annoying baby voice with the scrunched up nose

*loving my time in the rocking chair with my baby

*drinking coffee early in the morning in order to engage in a civilized manner with my child and the rest of the world

*giving my child ridiculous nick names (me & my brothers were DK Magilicutti, Ricardo, & Angelita Sopapilla)

*getting weepy when anyone talks about my baby growing up

*peeing with the door open

*singing (no matter how far fetched the song) in an attempt to distract my child from crying

I discover new things every day! Seriously! Rylin is only six months old. Wait until he's in high school...I'll probably be raising one eyebrow at him and wearing a robe. One like my Mom's big, purple, furry robe that me and my brothers referred to her in as "the bear"!

Still, I should be blessed to have inherited even half of my mother's characteristics. As much as I like to joke about the things that drive me batty, there are a million things that ting my heart. I still wish my mother were with me every time I get sick. Only she really understands when I'm too choked up to talk. She always has a listening ear. Sound advice. Calm perspective. I can count on her to share in any disappointment or excitement. Surprise me with something thoughtful. Remember every special occasion. Challenge me to be better. Speak the truth. Encourage me often and love me no matter what I do.

My mother is retiring from teaching in a few weeks after 25 years. I know that she has made an impact on many more lives than just those of her own children. After attending her retirement party last week, it was evident that she will be greatly missed. Except for the "I've never seen Ida mad" comment (refer back to the purple robe and the nickname), I could relate to all of what her fellow teachers remarked. My mom is down to earth, loving, creative, genuine, and smart. She was born to be a teacher, and designed to be a Mom. Today, I remember to thank God that he made her mine. I couldn't have asked for a better example.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I think I get it now:)

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2010-05-04T15:30:00.004-05:00

Jordan turned 28 yesterday! We all got dressed up and went to dinner at one of our favorite places in Richardson, Amore. Family dinners are definitely getting a little more exciting these days, but we managed to finish without too much destruction and mayhem. Rylin loves his Daddy (as you can tell) and he always gives him the best grins. Not long after this picture, Rylin spit up all over Jordan's shoe! Happy Birthday!

My Buddies

2010-05-04T15:27:00.005-05:00

We LOVE that we have great friends so close to us. This week Rylin got to hang out with a couple of them. On Monday, we ventured to the Farmers Market with Henry and his mom Erin, in search of some fruits and veggies for my picky eater.

They both passed out soon after we left...

Then today, Atticus came by to visit for a couple of hours while his Dad ran some errands. He and Rylin rolled around on the floor, tried to steal each others pacifier, and had a little bounce off. They couldn't have been any cuter!

Final!

2010-05-01T09:40:00.002-05:00

We had Rylin's finalization yesterday morning and he is now officially an Everhart! Our day started out with sleeping through the alarm clock and running around like mad trying to get ourselves and Rylin ready. Our families beat us to the courthouse, where we met our lawyer at 8:15 A.M. (yuck), and the actual time in the court room was around 5 minutes. Our lawyer read to us the order of adoption and we had to answer some questions in front of the court acknowledging our role as Rylin's parents. Then our judge was nice enough to take a few pictures with the whole family! It was all very surreal but a big relief to be complete.

6 Months Old

2010-04-29T10:30:00.004-05:00

Sunday Rylin turned six months old! Wow, time flies. He now weights a whopping 20 lbs and is almost 29 inches long! He loves to smile, giggle, roll, scoot, reach and jump, and he is doing pretty well at sitting up by himself. He still hates baby food and rice cereal, but I'm not too worried about malnutrition at this point:) He likes to splash in the bath tub, take walks in the stroller, and always wants to be moving.

He played till he dropped...

an example of messy meal time
more on the table, Rylin, and me than in his mouth!