tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6910873860588579242011-10-11T09:04:49.382-07:00life with these guys = never a dull momentConnor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.comBlogger1461100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-36703702571802006492011-04-29T21:03:00.000-07:002011-08-18T13:31:19.655-07:00

We weren't lucky enough to have Riley's birthday fall on a "stay home day" but made the most of it.  Having it on a Friday is almost as good, right?  After getting ready for work and school, the boys and I headed downstairs.  Riley was thrilled to see all the birthday goodies waiting for him, many of which had to do with his favorite Buzz Lightyear!  It was almost sensory overload for him to take

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-46136658500242212122011-04-25T20:49:00.000-07:002011-07-07T12:51:57.338-07:00

When I got home from work this evening, Connor came bounding down the stairs asking for something to eat and/or something to do.  I sent him and Riley outside to try out the bubbles the Easter Bunny brought them yesterday while I got dinner started.  Before long, Connor came inside to announce he was bored of the bubbles, and wanted to get his ball and glove.  Riley was right behind him, and went

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-9511608029863412862011-04-24T21:38:00.000-07:002011-07-07T12:49:02.092-07:00

Jeremy and I recently learned the hard way that gone are the days we can spell out a word when speaking in "code" around the boys.  I had spelled out a word for Jeremy, and before he could respond, Connor piped up "candy?"  Connor has been using and improving his newfound spelling skills on a daily basis. A few days ago, as Connor was finishing up a bowl of ice cream after dinner: Connor:   "

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-37112902627197655352011-04-24T19:30:00.000-07:002011-07-09T09:12:12.787-07:00

We heard through the grapevine that the Easter Bunny was cutting back on candy this year.  Instead of oodles of candy like in years' past, the Easter Bunny decided to bring miscellaneous gifts for the boys this year, mixed with a little candy.  They didn't seem to mind one bit.  Connor's basket included a Zhu Zhu Pet named Stonewall, Cars bubbles, an Iron Man toothbrush, and Harry Potter

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-842425961589329042011-04-23T22:26:00.000-07:002011-06-22T13:00:21.562-07:00

Connor's best friend, Rita, celebrated her 6th birthday at Skate City.  Lucky for Connor, he had just visited Skate City a few weeks ago with his cousins.  He was ready to rock-n-roll right as soon as his skates touched the ground.  Riley, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with the skates.  Instead, he decided he had to be attached to my side.  Jeremy tried to cheer him up, but that just

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-48951424662298012402011-04-23T21:27:00.000-07:002011-06-08T19:56:40.800-07:00

Since the boys' birthdays fall within a month of each other, we get their birthday pictures done at the same time. In the past, after the photographer has done his work and Jeremy and I select the pictures we want, we go next door to get ice cream while the pictures are printing. Keeping this in mind, I set an appointment for last Saturday, mid-morning, so that we would finish just in time for

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-4938100577227010612011-04-20T12:43:00.000-07:002011-06-06T13:01:03.348-07:00

School is closed today.  Last night during dinner, out of the blue (and just as I was taking a drink of water), Jeremy nonchalantly mentioned to Connor, "By the way, I have a lot of stuff to do tomorrow so even though you don't have school, I"m going to drop you off there anyway."  A look of shock immediately crossed Connor's face.  I had to turn away to avoid snorting water out of my nose. 

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-55734584646149964742011-04-16T22:24:00.000-07:002011-06-20T11:10:39.971-07:00

We have four members of the family with birthdays in April - Chizuko, Dre, Jules, and Riley. Today was the chosen day of the month to celebrate the April birthdays, with the exception of Jules. She's on her own since she's not here.  Sorry Jules!  Riley was adamant that he wanted to sit on Aunt Tin's lap to open presents.  When the time came though, he changed his mind.  He opted for my lap

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-47121627581655272772011-04-09T21:06:00.000-07:002011-06-02T13:12:36.340-07:00

Pump It Up is old news to Connor.  He has attended several birthday parties at Pump It Up and is well versed in all it has to offer.  He loves it.  Riley, on the other hand, is a novice.  A family friend, Gavin, was celebrating his 5th birthday today.  Riley was finally able to experience for himself all the hoopla and fun that Connor has raved about in the past.  Connor was off and running as

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-53596974490705363772011-04-02T19:49:00.000-07:002011-06-02T12:57:49.963-07:00

Since the Bartletts were heading back home today, we gave Connor the option of spending the night at Grandma and Grandpa's last night so he could have some extra time with Kenner.  He didn't hesitate with his decision.  So after a night of games and laughs, Jeremy, Riley and I headed home for some sleep, leaving Connor behind so he could "camp" in a tent with Kenner.  We headed back to Grandma

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-33160365148816584192011-04-02T19:04:00.000-07:002011-05-27T12:57:51.297-07:00

When I pulled my camera out this morning to take pictures of the boys at the park, I found that one of them got ahold of the camera last night.  Any guesses?  Based on the hairline, I'm guessing it was Riley.  Typical.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-87175339004674781772011-04-01T22:01:00.000-07:002011-05-18T12:33:30.110-07:00

I don't think it's any big secret that I have some very gullible family members.  What better day to take advantage of their gullibility than April Fool's Day?  I brainstormed all day to come up with an idea for a joke.  When I finally came up with one, I decided I better run it by the hubby first.  It would be more credible if we were both in on it anyway.  Jeremy actually came up with the idea

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-51667272730372213702011-03-26T15:42:00.001-07:002011-05-18T12:22:26.356-07:00

When school began in the fall, Connor began inviting all the kids in his class at school to his birthday party.  He told them it was going to be a Star Wars party at Pump It Up.  In the six months that have passed since then, he changed his mind from Star Wars to Power Rangers.  About three weeks ago, he was still adamant he wanted a Power Rangers party until he was looking through the cake book

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-52787022608515274022011-03-24T21:51:00.001-07:002011-05-16T12:57:21.619-07:00

Riley's school does a very good job with planning school activities for the entire family, even extending them past normal business hours so parents don't always have to take time off of work in order to attend.  A few days ago, Riley brought home an invitation for us to attend his science fair at school.  Included with the invitation was a shirt his teacher made for him to wear during the fair.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-78954373959848633392011-03-24T21:49:00.000-07:002011-05-16T11:21:10.266-07:00

After eating lunch and devouring the dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts with Grandma, the Bartletts, and the DisneyLunds, we were just hanging around chatting while the kids played upstairs, passing time until it was time to leave for Riley's science fair.  At one point the phone rang.  I looked at caller ID and saw it was from the County.  Thinking that was odd, I answered, but heard silence on the

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-81665660851707162842011-03-24T21:46:00.000-07:002011-05-09T20:43:03.161-07:00

There are some memories from my childhood that can come rushing back by a simple smell or sound.  That's exactly what happened today when we walked through the doors at Skate City today.  I was instantly taken back in time to when I was in elementary school.  It looked the same, they were playing the same music as they did way back then (i.e. YMCA), and it even smelled the same.  Why is that?

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-25926453237883146382011-03-24T21:27:00.000-07:002011-05-09T20:31:50.611-07:00

Six years.  It seems like a long time, but yet it's hard to believe it's already been six years since Connor was born.  It's gone way too fast.  Wanting to spend time with him for his birthday, but also wanting to spend time with the Bartletts while they are in town, I took the day off.  We started off the morning with Connor coming downstairs to his birthday surprises waiting for him.  After

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-41639487034286778982011-03-23T20:24:00.000-07:002011-05-08T15:27:10.568-07:00

When we've asked Connor over the past few weeks what he would like for his birthday, he really didn't give us much direction.  Apparently in honor of St. Patrick's Day, he came up with a "wish" for his leprachaun at school last week.  He's out of school this week for spring break, so I'm not sure why we didn't see his "wish" before today, the day before his birthday.  Apparently he wants a DS

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-63266416566756817932011-03-20T21:50:00.000-07:002011-05-08T15:18:49.376-07:00

Even though we used celebrating the family's March birthdays as the excuse to get Tin to her party the night before, we really did want to celebrate the three birthdays in the family - Nate, Tin and Connor.  We all gathered at Grandma and Grandpa's house for dinner, presents, and cake.  All three birthday "kids" received a special card from Kenner. Although Connor has a pluthora of swords, he

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-73505683313097119822011-03-20T21:44:00.000-07:002011-05-05T11:09:52.454-07:00

The day has come.  Riley has been invited to his first official birthday party for a friend.  He was a bit grumpy this afternoon when I woke him up from his nap.  He snapped out of it pretty quick when I reminded him he had to go to Ryan's party.  And away we went.  The party was at Monkey Bizness.  We had been there once before, but Riley was too small then to really do much or even remember it.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-66879065065342734252011-03-20T21:03:00.000-07:002011-05-03T10:25:53.911-07:00

I got a crazy idea stuck in my head a few months ago that it would be fun to throw a surprise party for Tin's 40th birthday.  She has done so much for me and my family over the years, plus the countless good deeds she has bestowed on other family members and friends, I thought this would present a great opportunity to show her how much she's appreciated.  Maybe it's because I'm right behind her,

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-70056748677412380232011-03-19T13:27:00.000-07:002011-04-08T10:21:05.685-07:00

In my younger years, it seems like my family spent time with my mom's extended family each summer.  We were only a day's drive away, so it wasn't a big deal to make the trip.  My dad's extended family, however, lived further away so we didn't get to see them nearly as often as we would have liked.  In the past year, I have been able to reconnect with my dad's family via Facebook.  One cousin,

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-9025575843799242592011-03-18T17:36:00.000-07:002011-04-03T20:47:00.372-07:00

Within hours of me sending out an invitation for Tin's surprise 40th birthday, one of the first RSVPs I received was from our cousin, Laura.  She had just been talking with Tin the night before about the possibility of her coming out for a visit.  After quite a few emails, phone calls, and scheming for our devious game plan, Laura flew into town yesterday.  Tin thought it was just a coincidence

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-46443002486420606452011-03-17T21:01:00.000-07:002011-04-02T21:14:55.605-07:00

What kid wouldn't love to have their birthday fall during spring break so they wouldn't have to go to school?  Connor was pretty excited when he found out he didn't have to go to school on his birthday AND was going to be able to play with his cousin Kenner.  However, it still took some planning ahead.  He wanted to bring treats for his class, so we had to do it the week before his birthday.  And

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-51808166380848568572011-03-16T19:59:00.000-07:002011-04-02T21:04:47.071-07:00

Riley's preschool class at his daycare is called the Monkey Bunch.  I tell him almost on a daily basis that they named the class after him.  We've been referring to him as our little monkey since the day he was born.  He usually responds, "I not a monkey!" Just like Connor used to have when he was in daycare, occasionally Riley has pajama days.  Today was one of those days.  The

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-92231301328750969332011-03-10T12:43:00.000-08:002011-03-21T13:25:24.630-07:00

I have temporarily changed my work schedule for two weeks.  This requires me to be at work an hour earlier than usual so that I can leave work and get home in time to meet Connor's bus in the afternoon.  Since I have to leave an hour earlier in the morning in order to do this, all three boys are still sleeping when I leave.  Or I guess SHOULD be sleeping.  The problem is the garage sits directly

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-1909666676744724822011-03-06T15:03:00.000-08:002011-03-09T14:23:47.310-08:00

I see trees of green, red roses tooI see them bloom for me and youAnd I think to myself, what a wonderful world I see skies of blue, and clouds of whiteThe bright blessed day, dark sacred nightAnd I think to myself, what a wonderful world The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the skyAre also on the faces of people going byI see friends shaking hands, saying "How do you do?"They're really saying

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-26988853529262236672011-03-04T12:23:00.000-08:002011-03-09T12:34:45.732-08:00

When Riley was a newborn, I found a cute little camo onesie that read, "Little Rebel."  Little did I know then how those words would come so close to fruition, and at such an early age.  Since then, he has given new meaning to being a "bruiser."  Not only is the kid destined to play tackle football, he's constantly covered in bruises.  With his laundry list of daily antics aside, he now insists

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-14266785795129459342011-02-25T19:49:00.000-08:002011-03-01T21:41:54.599-08:00

About a month ago Connor brought home a permission slip to allow him to participate in a music program at school.  His first school program!  Of course I signed it (and then told Jeremy about it).  After a week passed, I asked if they were practicing for the program.  He said yes, but couldn't remember what songs they were singing.  Not a good sign.  About a week and a half ago, I found a half

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-61339527853365655782011-02-23T21:44:00.000-08:002011-03-01T21:50:53.405-08:00

Tonight I was sitting in the office working on our taxes.  Connor came in and asked for a blank sheet of paper.  I handed him one and he walked out.  A few minutes later, he came back and asked how to spell the word "because."  I wrote it down on a piece of paper for him, and again he walked out of the room.  Another minute went by, and in he came again, this time asking how to spell the word "

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-45426768250513651062011-02-21T21:51:00.000-08:002011-02-26T21:57:32.779-08:00

Gone are the days when I get to spend some time to myself on a random holiday.  Due to President's Day, school was closed for Connor and Riley's daycare was closed.  Even Jeremy was off.  It was a good day to run errands.  After breakfast, the boys got dressed and ready to go.  After coming downstairs for a minute, Connor disappeared.  When he reappeared, he was wearing a baseball cap and

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-16740236663400546402011-02-20T21:29:00.000-08:002011-02-26T21:51:07.933-08:00

Connor was invited to a "boys only" birthday party for his friend, Carter.  Before the party though, we got together with his best friend Rita to see Gnomeo & Juliet, followed by lunch at McDonald's.  When I set out his clothes for the day, I guess I was thinking more about the "date" rather than the party.  The party was at a martial arts studio.  Not really the place for jeans and a sweater. 

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-86217890353256215502011-02-17T21:11:00.000-08:002011-02-26T21:29:25.089-08:00

Whenever Jeremy or I discuss where we want to go when eating out, Connor suggests The Olive Garden.  Since he's such a picky eater, it's surprising he would even mention it, let alone suggest it over and over again.  His wish was finally granted.  My parents invited the family for dinner at The Olive Garden tonight.  Unfortunately, Jeremy was working at the range so couldn't make it.  When I

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-20978530593876202052011-02-14T20:33:00.000-08:002011-02-26T21:10:40.953-08:00

Connor has had a few parties at school since August. I had yet to attend one, so I finally took some time off work so I could go to his Valentine's Day party. I wasn't sure what to expect, but when I arrived, I walked into chaos. Kids were everywhere, parents were standing around, and I was at a loss as to what I was supposed to do.  To the unsuspecting parent of a kindergartener (thus, no prior

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-83607184225829761272011-02-12T19:56:00.000-08:002011-02-26T20:32:49.551-08:00

It couldn't have worked out better if I had intentionally planned it myself.  Aunt Tin called Thursday night to ask if she could take the boys to Mischa's play at school.  Of course I said yes.  As I thought about it, it occurred to me that Jeremy and I could seize the moment and celebrate Valentine's Day.  He was going to be working the rest of the weekend, so we wouldn't be able to do it any

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-53898797725183672282011-02-11T13:19:00.000-08:002011-02-11T13:19:52.098-08:00

If I have to run an errand, it goes a lot smoother if I only have one of the boys along for the ride.  Otherwise, they irritate each other and egg each other on, which in turn torments me.  With that said, the presence of both boys is not required to drive me crazy.  They are both equally capable of driving me crazy on their own.  Yesterday was no different.  I left work in time to meet Connor's

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-53062886124176080362011-01-31T13:25:00.000-08:002011-02-11T11:00:20.647-08:00

During our girls' night, Jules was telling us that when she lays Jasmine on the floor, Jasmine will arch her back and turn as much as possible towards the TV if it's on.  Almost as if on cue, Jasmine started doing it while Jules was trying to feed her.  She is one determined little girl.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-59166682758275228542011-01-31T13:18:00.000-08:002011-02-11T10:54:51.662-08:00

Whenever the Bartletts come into town, the guys like to get together and play Halo.  While they're off doing their Halo thing, the girls get together for a girls' night.  However, the girls always have the kids as well, so it's not really a true girls' night.  We usually have dinner, watch a chick flick, and gab, continually interrupted by at least one of the kids.  Friday night was no different.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-16002889480193390262011-01-31T12:57:00.000-08:002011-02-10T09:44:21.246-08:00

What started as a secret that only Nate, Dre and I knew, turned into everyone knowing except Grandma and Grandpa.  Shortly after Christmas, Jules let me know that Brian had some extra comp days at work, so they wanted to use them by making a surprise visit.  They let Nate and Dre in on the secret when they were visiting them over the holiday.  However, Brian blew the surprise by mentioning it to

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-67486959481961457382011-01-24T14:28:00.000-08:002011-02-03T14:21:21.978-08:00

The boys have recently become fascinated with the digital photo frame sitting on the bar in the kitchen.  It's become a game for them to figure out which one of them is in each picture.  As strange as it sounds, they're not always right.  When it comes to their baby pictures, it can definitely be a toss up.  There's no mistaking that they're brothers.  People used to tell me all the time that

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-9926627727003639452011-01-10T15:01:00.000-08:002011-02-03T10:23:10.833-08:00

I keep promising myself that I'm going to update the blog. But here we are, almost a year after my last promise, and no posts in between. Embarrassing! What really spurred me into action is the fact that both my mother AND my mother-in-law joined the social network Facebook just so they could see pictures of the boys. I've now succumbed to the guilt, and instead of trying to catch up the time

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-17099999529417740932010-02-19T12:02:00.000-08:002010-02-19T12:08:58.844-08:00

Since I haven't been faithfully blogging the past few months, I'm just now learning of some changes that Blogger has made to their website.  And those changes are driving me absolutely CRAZY!  Uploading the pictures is easier than before, but adding them to the post and moving things around is ridiculous.  Even more annoying is there is no easy way of uploading a video.  But hopefully these

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-25802294172795018072010-02-09T13:13:00.000-08:002010-02-11T13:29:44.921-08:00

As I was getting ready for work this morning, Connor asked "when is Valentine's Day?"  The ensuing conversation convinced me that we have a future entrepreneur on our hands. Mommy:  It's on Sunday. Connor:   Is that when I get to go to my party? Mommy:  No, you're party is at school on Friday. Connor:   Is that when I get to sell my valentines? Mommy:  Sell your valentines? Connor:   Yeah, my

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-47062068360564436972010-02-08T13:29:00.000-08:002010-02-11T13:30:03.620-08:00

I'm not quite sure where the time has gone, but the past year has flown by in the blink of an eye.  I can't believe the last post is for Riley's first birthday.  He's already almost 2 now!  I made a New Year's resolution that I would keep on top of the blog this year.  Here it is already the second week of February and I haven't done much with it yet.  So now my goal is to get it updated before

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-33521146746250485542009-06-12T21:04:00.000-07:002011-01-13T21:05:40.935-08:00

On Friday, Connor’s teacher sent home a note stating she was going to start writing down quotes Connor says during the day and sending them home for us to read. I think it’s a great idea considering the funny, quirky things he sometimes blurts out. I can’t begin to imagine what I’ve missed. Where does he come up with them? For instance, a conversation I had with Connor this afternoon: CONNOR:

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-57640413973511705512009-04-29T12:46:00.000-07:002009-05-20T10:44:11.050-07:00

Not only is he a charmer, but I'm willing to bet money that Riley will also turn out to be the class clown of his school. He is such a little joker. Getting him to sit still for these photos was quite a feat. When we wanted him to sit, he would stand. When we wanted him to stand, he sat down. I am truly impressed with the photographer for getting as many great shots of Riley as he did. I just

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-43069765403034161642009-04-20T21:10:00.000-07:002009-05-18T13:05:00.944-07:00

One of my friends from work gave Riley a lawnmower for his birthday. Although he would get frustrated, he kept coming back for more. He was determined to do it. It will be a glorious day if he's as persistent when it comes time to mow our lawn.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-18462770195913219232009-04-19T14:09:00.000-07:002009-05-20T10:39:55.770-07:00

Riley had his first interaction with balloons after we delivered a bouquet of them to Grandma when she was in the hospital. He didn't really care for them at first. However, now he is fascinated and goes ballistic when he sees them. Even though we took down most of the decorations after his party yesterday, the "special" balloons get to stick around for a while - at least until his actual

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Riley goes wild whenever he sees Mickey Mouse or Spongebob Squarepants so when I began planning his birthday party, I struggled with the options. I ended up opting to go the Mickey route.THE INVITESSince Riley doesn't technically have any of his own "friends" yet, I basically looked at Riley's party as an excuse to get together with friends and family to have a good time - eat, drink and be merry

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-41830542019340311172009-04-18T20:41:00.000-07:002009-05-13T13:07:28.018-07:00

I took the day off yesterday to run last minutes errands in preparation for Riley's birthday party today. However, Mother Nature decided it was a great day to dump a whole lot of snow. It made "quick" errands take longer, and naturally I didn't get them all done. I had to finish up a few errands first thing this morning, driving around in the slush and snow. When I came home, I found Nanny

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-29578030978996002072009-04-17T22:53:00.000-07:002009-05-13T12:47:50.145-07:00

Since we were getting their individual pictures taken, it only made sense to get some pics of the boys together. It was a much different photo session from the one we did a year ago. With Riley so mobile now, I was constantly dragging him back to where the photographer had placed him. He got some great shots of them though - over 160 altogether. It was hard narrowing down the favorites, but

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-46631113853406266742009-04-12T20:38:00.000-07:002009-05-12T13:13:26.584-07:00

In the midst of planning birthday parties for the boys, I remembered that the Easter Bunny needed to make a delivery today. Unknowingly, both boys helped me buy some stuff yesterday while we were out running errands. On the weekends, Connor usually wakes up around 6:30 and climbs into bed with me. Because of this, I was a bit surprised when I woke up at 7:30 and Connor was nowhere in sight. I

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-86234536271825771562009-04-06T20:38:00.000-07:002009-05-12T12:59:10.195-07:00

Connor received two gift cards to WalMart for his birthday. He was adamant that he was going to use them to buy a movie. He wasn't sure which movie, but that's what he wanted. I tried to reason with him that maybe he would want to take a look at some toys, but he wasn't even interested in looking. With both gift cards in his pocket, we began our tour of WalMart as we started on our shopping

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-73189059142578300042009-04-04T20:36:00.000-07:002009-05-12T12:48:06.627-07:00

Connor has always enjoyed bathtime. But he loves it even more now that Riley joins him. They love splashing and squirting each other with their toys. We've never had an issue with Connor standing up in the tub. Riley, however, does it each and every time. I thought he would have learned by now. If he starts standing, I tell him to sit on his bottom, and he usually does . . . the first time. After

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-24720421429139195642009-04-03T21:34:00.000-07:002009-05-11T14:37:43.325-07:00

When Riley reaches out for Lexi now, she actually flinches. The onslaught of slobber is almost more than she can bear. Connor, on the other hand, tries to get Riley to maul him every chance he can. All he has to do is plop on the floor to be at Riley's level, and Riley takes care of the rest.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-35813747487023262592009-03-29T20:46:00.000-07:002009-05-11T14:35:00.189-07:00

Bright eyed and a big smile on his face. Typical Riley.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-25023752978732270372009-03-29T20:27:00.000-07:002009-05-08T13:09:11.284-07:00

Connor informed me months ago that he was going to have a Spiderman birthday party. I started gathering Spiderman goodies together about 2 months ago. Soon after I started doing that, however, he informed me he also wanted a Batman and Superman party. With some quick additions to the plans, a superhero party was created. It actually worked out to be easier to brainstorm ideas for the party on

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-66305501431168724432009-03-27T13:04:00.000-07:002009-05-07T20:11:42.323-07:00

Connor is a donut addict. He doesn't care if it's Krispy Kreme, Lamar's, or Hostess. He'll take any he can get. I was a little hesitant about leading Riley down the same path at such a young age, but as he sat staring at Connor as he inhaled a donut, I caved and decided to let Riley try one. As you can tell, he hated every last little crumb..

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-63040166918875774522009-03-26T21:01:00.000-07:002009-05-07T12:46:25.193-07:00

One of the gifts Connor received for his birthday was a superhero puzzle. At first, he wanted me to help him with it. I convinced him he should try to do it on his own. He stared at it for a while, trying to figure out his first move. Once he started fitting the pieces together though, he put it together in no time at all. He was quite proud of himself when he finished. Rightly so.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-88671991355343206322009-03-26T20:53:00.000-07:002009-05-06T13:38:13.102-07:00

The weather forecast for today has been looming over our heads all week. Not just snow, but lots of it. When I woke up for work this morning, the roads were clear. I made it to work fine, but that's when the heavens opened. It dumped on us. We watched it getting worse and worse through the windows at work, and finally they made the executive decision to let everyone go early. We made it home fine

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-58689817946082616552009-03-24T20:05:00.000-07:002009-05-06T13:26:40.188-07:00

Hard to believe, but Connor turned four today. Where has the time gone? This time next year, I'll be registering him for kindergarten! As we've done in past years, we had his picture taken with his birthday gift. This year, he got his own set of real golf clubs. Let the fun begin.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-58544135241787093532009-03-24T19:51:00.000-07:002009-05-04T21:05:36.400-07:00

Due to teething, we've had a difficult time getting Riley to drink much lately. His appetite hasn't diminished at all. He still eats a hearty meal. He just won't drink. I've tried a bottle, sippy cup, regular cup, and straw, using formula, milk, a mixture of the two, and even juice. In an effort to keep him hydrated, I finally broke out the popsicles. It may not look like it, but he loved them.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-52058863625586715222009-03-22T12:48:00.000-07:002009-05-04T21:00:40.661-07:00

Riley has an unexplained fascination with shoes. We have yet to install the safety gate for the stairs. The only reason he goes near the stairs is to pull down any shoes that have been placed on them. The only time he has fallen from the stairs is when he bravely climbed to the third step to grab a pair of shoes we purposely set out of his reach. He has been known to crawl from room to room,

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-31579551204951375242009-03-21T20:44:00.000-07:002009-05-04T20:52:44.071-07:00

One of Connor's friends from school, Hayden, had a birthday party today at Pump It Up. It was fun seeing all the kids literally bouncing off the walls. Riley was enthralled with watching the kids run around as well. Connor spent quite a bit of time trying to attach a velcro strap on a slippery slope. He was very determined and persistent. Within minutes of arriving, he buddied up with another

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-147884441091663602009-03-20T21:42:00.000-07:002009-05-04T13:05:04.688-07:00

Grandma watches Riley for us during the week, which is a big help. When I arrived at their house today to pick up Riley, I was greeted with a surprise. He's just too cute! (If you look carefully, you can see the unavoidable Riley drool on the window.)

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-33002277422151469522009-03-17T20:41:00.000-07:002009-05-04T13:00:10.178-07:00

When Connor announced that he wanted pancakes for dinner tonight, I decided to get creative. After all, it is St. Patrick's Day. He thought it was pretty funny when I set his plate in front of him and he saw the green pancakes and green eggs. I couldn't bring myself to try to turn the bacon green.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-48283589898604840252009-03-14T22:23:00.000-07:002009-05-04T12:57:10.960-07:00

Keeping it a secret from Connor since January has been hard, especially once the commercials for the event started airing on TV. It wasn't just any Disney on Ice. This one featured The Incredibles, his all time favorite Disney characters. He recently admitted that Dash is still his favorite, even more so than Spiderman. I finally told Connor this past week the he was going on a "date" with me,

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-71292400959494036912009-03-02T21:01:00.000-08:002009-04-30T20:19:22.100-07:00

As I was cooking dinner tonight, Connor was galloping around the house, every now and then exclaiming, "Yeeha!" Not looking up from what I was doing, I asked him what in the world he was up to. He responded, "Just giving Buzz a piggy back ride. He likes it." Another memorable Connor moment.Side note: I can't imagine who Connor inherited that cheesy grin from - nobody I know, I'm sure.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-4493133327025687092009-03-01T20:52:00.000-08:002009-04-30T20:15:00.032-07:00

At school (a/k/a daycare), we receive a daily report from his teachers to let us know about his day. Until recently, he seemed to be having issues on a constant basis, such as not listening, not using his manners, or playing rough with his friends. For the past week, he received all of his check marks every day. When I picked him up after school each day, he would run up to me at the door and

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-10807648577025179732009-03-01T12:47:00.000-08:002009-04-30T20:23:33.535-07:00

As Riley gets older, he and Connor have more and more fun playing with each other. Connor is very patient with Riley and helps teach him all sorts of things.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-2685235784288512062009-02-28T21:48:00.000-08:002009-04-30T19:54:00.718-07:00

With so many family members, my family has at least one birthday each month of the year. We decided rather than trying to celebrate each birthday individually, we would start setting aside one day a month to celebrate all birthdays in that month. Tonight we celebrated March birthdays for Nate, Kristin and Connor. One of our family traditions is to do "heavy, heavy hang over your poor head" with

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-73959086321249768242009-02-27T21:36:00.000-08:002009-04-29T20:51:33.195-07:00

Grandma and I worked up quite an appetite while watching Riley get his hair cut, so we headed around the corner to Chili's for a bite to eat. While we ate, Riley took it upon himself to flirt with anyone within a 10 foot radius. Of course everyone around us loved it. How could they not? He also demonstrated how he is "sooo big."

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-27698241852283480772009-02-27T21:32:00.000-08:002009-04-29T20:43:17.206-07:00

Connor was pretty much a baldy and didn't need a haircut until his first birthday. He didn't even need one then, so it was done more as a ceremonial right of passage for him. Riley, on the other hand, was born with a head full of hair. We had a quick cut done right before Thanksgiving, but I don't really count it (mostly because I didn't get to take pictures of it being done). It's been driving

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-66281742474361631342009-02-22T20:39:00.000-08:002009-04-29T20:46:41.285-07:00

It turns out that Riley is quite resourceful. He has a few favorite objects he likes to tote around with him. Many times, he'll be holding one item, then go to pick up another item and realize his hands are full. So what does he do? Inserts one of them in his mouth so that he can pick up the other and continue on his way.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-4492478332614659272009-02-12T20:57:00.000-08:002009-04-29T09:31:56.763-07:00

Maybe he's just at that age where he thinks he's so grown up . . .Connor was showing me a picture he had colored for Valentine's Day. He pointed at Cupid and said, "See that guy? If he shoots you with an arrow, you'll fall and love."Dre reminded me of this quote today: "Mommy, when will I be a man?"If our timing is right, sometimes Rita's mom shows up at daycare at the same time I do after work.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-70630090832134884692009-01-29T19:47:00.000-08:002009-04-28T14:36:44.012-07:00

Well, apparently I forgot to have Riley pose for any 9 month photos. However, what better way to sum up Riley at this point than a picture of him doing what he loves to do . . . give kisses. For adults, this consists of him opening his mouth as wide as possible and sucking on a cheek or chin. For ill-fated smaller persons, such as Lexi or Kameron, he throws his entire body into it and it becomes

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-19736769116191292792009-01-27T20:59:00.000-08:002009-04-28T13:06:26.356-07:00

Now that he's mobile, it's pretty hard keeping Riley contained to a specific area in the house. We've come up with a couple of options to barricade him in the family room, but just when we think we've figured it out, Riley figures out a way out. He climbs over, under, or through whatever obstacle we attempt to put in his way. He's very persistent, and somehow makes it work in his favor each and

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-60823823366024893642009-01-18T12:48:00.000-08:002009-04-28T13:01:44.973-07:00

We finally had a day where it was nice enough to take Connor's new bike for a test ride. For never having ridden a bicycle before, he did a great job. I thought it would be fun to have him ride it to the park near our house. Not thinking ahead, however, I forgot about a pretty big hill on the route we were taking. Daddy was nice enough to help him walk the bike up the hill. Once we got to the

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-62489212790132752592009-01-17T14:39:00.000-08:002009-04-28T14:43:12.644-07:00

With the way the boys' carseats are situated, they can easily see each other. As I was running errands today, both boys started giggling. When I looked back, I could see they were holding hands. For whatever reason, they both thought it was pretty darn funny.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-16553425778207257242009-01-11T12:52:00.000-08:002009-04-28T12:56:17.091-07:00

It worked out that we were able to celebrate Lexi's first birthday while Jules and the kids were still in town. Hard to believe she's already turning one. And, it turns out, already has a motherly instinct. When Kameron was given his bottle, Lexi decided she needed to help him out with it, just like she does with her dolls. Kameron didn't seem to mind though. Nate and Dre (okay, so we all know it

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-75605174250130662972009-01-07T20:10:00.000-08:002009-04-28T12:40:43.627-07:00

There are several routes to choose from in order to get to Grandma and Grandpa's house, and Connor knows every one of them. Some are more direct than others. The fastest is to take the toll road, but obviously since it's a toll road, it can get costly. We happen to have transponders on all our vehicles so we don't have to stop at each toll booth when we choose to take that route. It costs us an

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-56812360496554275812008-12-29T12:46:00.000-08:002009-04-22T20:51:03.580-07:00

Even though it's throwing off my schedule of getting his picture taken every 3 months, I had to take advantage of the holiday and get Riley's picture taken in the Santa suit. He filled it out even more than Connor did. In fact, the jacket kept popping open. He's just so adorable! And now I'm off the hook for the professional pics until he turns one.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-6224101934912621152008-12-25T22:20:00.000-08:002009-04-22T20:50:26.711-07:00

Once the boys woke from their afternoon naps, we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's to spend some time with the family. We got there just in time for me to turn right around and head out to the airport to pick up Brrrian, Jules, Kenner and Kameron. We ate a great dinner, then sat around and opened more Christmas gifts. The kids ran around playing with each other while we all kicked back and

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-67347833438496002002008-12-25T12:17:00.000-08:002009-04-22T20:49:46.017-07:00

Last night, Connor was beside himself with anticipation to see what Santa would bring him. He usually wakes up around 6:30, so I was dreading Christmas morning, thinking he would be bugging us to get up even before the sunrise since he was so excited. I was pleasantly surprised that he let us sleep in until 7:30. That was better than any other gift he could have possibly given us. He patiently

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-7325953042901466362008-12-24T21:15:00.000-08:002009-04-22T20:37:50.648-07:00

Growing up, my family had quite a few family traditions for Christmas. One of the many was for each of us to open one gift on Christmas Eve. On more than one occasion, I remember my gift being new pajamas. As exciting as that gift is for an almost 4 year old (and even more so for an 8 month old), the boys each got a new pair of jammies to wear for Christmas morning. Connor willingly helped Riley

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-18335294223742547262008-12-21T20:13:00.000-08:002009-04-22T20:37:04.982-07:00

It seems like Riley was just doing the army crawl. Now he's crawling everywhere, and he's fast! Out of the blue, he's also now standing. He uses his newfound skills to get into trouble whenever he can. I don't remember Connor getting into as much stuff as Riley does. It's almost scary to think he may be walking in another month or two.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-57025042893264809322008-12-21T17:45:00.000-08:002009-04-22T20:36:28.192-07:00

Although we spent most of the day yesterday baking with Aunt Tin and Dre, we saved what I consider the best for last. Peanut Butter Blossoms. Connor invited Rita and her mom to come over this morning to help bake some cookies. Rita and Connor took turns adding each ingredient to the bowl, and even took turns turning on the mixer. Jennifer and I rolled the balls, but Connor and Rita rolled them in

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-27727180351301283412008-12-20T18:44:00.000-08:002009-04-22T20:35:33.628-07:00

Growing up, Christmas was always a time for lots of baked goodies around to munch on. Grandma and Aunt Tin have always done a lot of the baking. We decided to get in on some of the action this year. We invited Aunt Tin, Dre and Lexi to come over and make goodies with us. Connor soon became a pro at dipping pretzels in caramel and chocolate, then adding the sprinkles. While we were all busy in the

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-28412475225094079632008-12-06T14:41:00.000-08:002009-04-22T20:34:54.062-07:00

Each year The Children's Hospital holds a private fundraiser event the first part of December. Remarkably, Santa Claus makes a special visit to see all the kids that come to the event. Rita's mom happens to have connections, and was thoughtful enough to invite us along this year. Since it was first thing in the morning, Daddy came straight from work and met us there. Unfortunately, on his way

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-64177162895474833842008-11-30T14:34:00.000-08:002009-03-13T22:34:14.974-07:00

As I've done in past years, I frantically tried to get the tree up while Connor was down for his afternoon nap. It's a fun surprise for him when he wakes up and gets to help decorate the tree. Leave it to Riley to throw a wrench in my plans though. He woke up from his nap early, and wasn't about to go back to sleep. He was being very vocal, and I was afraid he might wake up Connor. I brought him

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-85254545246835306012008-11-28T21:22:00.000-08:002009-03-13T22:17:07.077-07:00

Unfortunately, Rea hadn't been feeling well on Thanksgiving and wasn't able to join us for dinner. After we had the family pictures taken, we ate dinner at a great mexican restaurant, then headed over to Rea's to spend some time with her. She was feeling much better than the day before. I took the opportunity to get a "generation" picture of Rea, Nanny, Julie, and Abbey. Riley had us in

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-90139714791394209692008-11-28T21:15:00.000-08:002009-03-13T22:18:34.397-07:00

The last time we had family pictures taken with Daddy's family was three years ago, when Connor was just 6 months old. With the addition of Riley to the family, it was the perfect time to update the family picture. Not only had Connor changed drastically, but so had Caleb and Abbey. I can't believe how much they've all changed in three years!

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-35068296247067629152008-11-27T21:31:00.000-08:002009-03-13T21:55:57.247-07:00

Since Riley is such a big eater, we were all pretty excited to see how he would handle his first Thanksgiving. As of now, the only food he has refused to eat is green beans. However, even with that said, he'll eat them if they're mixed in with something else. When it was time to sit down and eat, we handed over one of the turkey legs to Riley. He stared at it briefly, gnawed on it a bit, moving

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-83482398896835113662008-11-26T12:48:00.000-08:002009-03-13T21:24:11.333-07:00

Unable to get away sooner, Derrick, Julie, Caleb and Abbey arrived this afternoon. We had not seen them since last Christmas, so it was great being together again. Just like her mom, Julie had to whip out the boys' Christmas gifts early since we wouldn't be together for Christmas, especially since this is Riley's first Christmas. Of course the opening of his very first Christmas present had to be

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-20308970577440593902008-11-25T21:52:00.000-08:002009-03-13T21:12:47.747-07:00

After a long day in the car, we arrived in Amarillo this afternoon. After being cooped up in their carseats all day, the boys needed to stretch out and expend some pent up energy. Although we brought some of the boy's toys along for our stay, of course Nanny couldn't resist getting a few new ones for them as well. One was a Curious George jack-in-the-box for our Little Monkey. Riley took a break

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-79121253852367173442008-11-22T20:45:00.000-08:002009-03-13T20:55:46.302-07:00

We love having Lexi come over to play. It not only gives her parents some time to themselves, but it also allows her and Riley time to play together. It's been fun watching the two of them the past few months as they socially develop more. Lexi is kind enough to show Riley the ropes every now and then.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-35989368880017871282008-11-15T14:43:00.000-08:002009-03-13T20:47:53.555-07:00

Rather than just play the piano with his own fingers, Riley likes to use various objects to get the job done. It turns out Mr. Incredible is quite the pianist....

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-57689956250918546522008-11-15T12:52:00.000-08:002009-02-10T14:30:37.708-08:00

Daddy told me a story today that had me laughing for a while. Apparently, the other night he saw Connor hanging over the back of the couch.Daddy: Whatcha doin' there bud?Connor: Looking at all the papers.Daddy: What papers?Connor: The papers from all the candy I ate then hid.No wonder our stash of Halloween candy disappeared so quickly!(Just a small sampling of what we found under the couch.)

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-86766126926455619622008-11-06T12:43:00.000-08:002009-03-13T20:44:37.951-07:00

Riley has recently started making a face that Connor has affectionately dubbed "the old man face." Connor thinks it's absolutely hysterical. Riley won't do it on demand, of course. He seems to do it most when he's crawling around, deep in thought on what trouble he can stir up next.

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691087386058857924.post-90230818840166553312008-10-31T21:01:00.000-07:002009-02-10T14:26:44.213-08:00

Connor's daycare has held an annual "Treat Street" the past 8 years. However, at the last minute, the fire chief put a stop to this year's plans. It had something to do with the decorations covering the walls from the floor to the ceiling being a fire hazard. Rather than modify the decorations, they chose to cancel the festivities altogether. It was quite disappointing for the kids, and didn't

Connor and Riley's Mommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516307142008555165noreply@blogger.com0