February!

While I made a loaf of banana bread, Ryan was whipping up his own 'recipe' while having a little snack of sliced apples. He had a great time using all sorts of utensils! I love having his help in the kitchen!My sweet, sweet sleeping baby boy. :)

Time for Valentine's! I helped Ryan make 16 'custom' tractor Valentine's for Valentine's Day party with his class. I cut out the tractor shapes and he pretty much did the rest with my help here and there. It was fun to do, but man were my hands sore after cutting out that many tractors!


The finished product: he signed is name on every single Valentine and did a good job, if I may say so!

Yummmm.... cookies! These are the cookies I made for Ryan's Valentine's Day/President's Day program and were scrumptious! Not a single one was left!

The greatest little singer I know! :) So patriotic- I love it!
Ryan and a few of his classmates: Peter, Jordan, Ryan & Allyson

One of my favorites of these two to date! So stinkin' cute!
On the 13th we got invited to celebrate Macie's 4th birthday at Jungle Playland! So much fun!!!!

Craig H. & Ryan enjoying their yummy pizza lunch and watched Macie open her presents before they all headed back out to play some more!

Jacob had a great time, too! He loved all the riding toys and discovered the toddler play area a little while before we left- he had a ball! Definitely a fun filled party!

Ryan's 1st hair cut by Daddy!

Ryan was due for a haircut so I mentioned to Jeff that maybe he could try cutting it since he's been cutting his own hair for quite a few years and does a good job. Ryan wasn't too sure about having Jeff cut it- I think he wasn't too excited about anyone but Eric or Fred from the barber shop doing it at first, but then he thought the idea was pretty fun!
Daddy got him all prepped with a towel around him and they were off!

Exciting stuff! :)
Not sure why this picture got cut off, but made me chuckle b/c Ryan kind of looks like he's praying!

All done! Happy boy! Actually Jeff and I kept calling him a stud after he got his hair cut b/c he looks so cool! ;)

Showing off his Spiderman tat! (and haircut!)

It was a success! I think we're officially done going to the barber shop, which is fine by me! I won't miss spending almost $20 every time he gets his hair cut!

Build-A-Bear (or snowman!) day!

For Ryan's birthday from his Auntie D.D., Uncle Troy & cousin, Anna, he got a gift card for the Build-A-Bear workshop. We made a date to go up to the Bellis-Fair Mall today to make it. He positive he wanted to build a Frosty the Snowman that he saw in the window of the Build-A-Bear when were at the Alderwood Mall a few weeks ago. I warned him they might not have it anymore as I didn't know if it was just a Christmas time thing. Sure enough, we walked in the door today and he went straight to it, picked it up and said "See Mom, they do have it still!". He was oh so happy!
Here he is with Frosty before he came to life! ;)

Ryan with the Build-A-Bear lady, getting ready to make Frosty and chatting all about him in the process. I think here she was putting his the little noise maker that Ryan picked out- it was the "Magic" sounding noise that Frosty makes when he comes to life everytime in the movie! He also picked out a pipe, scarf and broom set to go along with it! All the Frosty necessities! :)

Ryan pushing on the peddle to get Frosty all full of stuffing! He thought this part was really cool!

When the lady thought Frosty was full, she gave him to Ryan for the "Hug Test" to make sure he felt just right. Ryan said, "Yep, he's perfect!".

This part cracked me up, it was like having a new baby! After Frosty "came to life" we got to take him over to the bath tub and get him all washed and brushed so he was ready to come home with us. Ryan asked me to do this part for some reason so he traded spots and he took the pictures instead!
After we made Frosty's birth certificate and paid for him, we were ready to go! One of the gals there mentioned that they had a little stuffed Karen and a Hocus Pocus, too! Ryan didn't think he needed them, but thought it would be nice for Jacob to get them since he didn't get to build a bear. So we did!

Ryan at home with Frosty, Karen & Hocus Pocus! :) What a special day!

After we left there, we did some more shopping around the mall. Ryan and Jacob were both such troopers for me! Jacob didn't make a peep, I just kept him content with snacks and his sippy cup and Ryan didn't whine once about having to walk around so much. I really did have a fun day with my boys!

Ryan's 5th birthday... part 2!

The Birthday Boy on his actual birthday, sporting his new Spiderman jammies! He loves them so much that I have to just keep washing them so he can keep wearing them since that's all he wants to wear to bed right now!

They yummy food at his par-tay! :)

A few of our party guests, Papa, cousin Darlene and Grandma! I think Ryan must have taken this because I didn't!

Singing "Happy Birthday"!

Present time! Opening up his John Deere tractor from Grandma & Papa Lee... slightly excited!

Mama & Jacob- photo by Ryan :)

His red velvet w/ cream cheese frosting Spiderman cake!!

Spiderman colored ice cream cone cupcakes- yummers!!

Ryan's 5th Birthday!

This morning Ryan was so excited to wake up and remember he turned 5 today! When we got to school, he knew right where to sit- in the special seat next to his teacher in front of his class and got to be the special helper for the day!

He got to lead his class in the "Pledge of Alligence" by holding the American flag!

And he got to be the leader of the class line... does it get any better than that?! :)

After school, we were off to Red Robin for his special birthday lunch! Daddy had to be in a meeting, but Jacob, Auntie D.D., Anna & Papa Lee joined up for delicious lunch to celebrate the big boy's birthday! :)

They gave him a couple Red Robin balloons, sang him their famous "Happy Birthday" song and gave him a yummy birthday hot fudge sundae. Yummers!!!
Mmm mmm good!!! One happy birthday boy!

Anna & Jacob- such cuties!
Ryan, Papa & Auntie D.D.
Mommy & her BIG boy!
Ryan and the balloons Auntie D.D. & Anna brought him to lunch- Spiderman! That is the theme he wanted for his big family party this weekend! Tied to it was a Superman monster truck- he loved it!

The Almost Birthday Boy... and LOTS of cupcakes!

Here's my little cupcake makin' helper... and soon-to-be 5 year old holding the beater with yummy frosting on it!

Mmm mmm good!

Here's our first set of cupcakes for his preschool class in the morning. He wanted to do a 'Cars' theme so here they are! Yummy homemade buttercream frosting with some festive red sprinkles and, of couse, a little Mator & Lightning McQueen!

All 15 of them ready to head out the door in the morning!

Then we made 35 for his AWANAs class tomorrow night at church. He thought John Deere green would be fun to do for these. Again, more buttercream frosting with some yellow sprinkles for the JD colors, green & yellow! :)

We're looking forward to a super fun birthday tomorrow!!! I told him when I tucked him in tonight that it was the last day he'd ever be 4 with sort of a sad look on my face. He sat up, in bed, reached over to me and gave me a hug, rubbing my back at the same time and and sweetly said, "It's okay Mommy, I'll still be the same even if I'm 5, don't be sad.". It was the most precious moment yet. Love that boy to pieces.

Ryan & Daddy playing the new Wii we got from my parents for Christmas! We've had a lot of fun playing it already!
We celebrated Christmas with Jeff's side of the family on New Years Day this year. On the menu was potato soup, pigs in a blanket, cheesy bread, salad and other yummy goodies. Here are my helpers Ryan, and his cousin, Cade, making the pigs in a blankets. They turned out great and did a great job making them on their own!
Here's our sweet boys, again. Just hanging out, taking a bath together, but I just couldn't resist taking this picture. They sure love eachother alot!

December!

This was our Christmas card picture for 2009! Such precious little boys! Love, love, love them!

Ryan got to be 1 of the 3 wiseman in their school Chrsitmas program! His buddy, Everett, & cousin Jordan were the other 2. In this picture they are getting ready to sing "We Three Kings". It was so adorable! I'm thankful I got the whole thing on video!
Ryan & Jordan enjoying some Christmas treats in the kitchen at the church after their program! Well deserved treats, that is. They did a great job!

Christmas morning! It's present time!!!!
Ryan and his brand new New Holland tractor from Mommy & Daddy. We were surprised he wanted something besides John Deere, but he did so here it is!