Ryder's Mia went to Cupertino...

My mom and Dad went to Cupertino in Northern California, the mecca of all things Mac, and guess what Ryder got:

He's very excited about it! So excited that he thought he would try to do a flip, but got stuck half way...

Thanks you guys for always thinking of the little man...

Too bad he didn't like the shirt!

some family time...

Last night we had a family dinner to celebrate new chapters in our lives, with jobs, and moving to new places, there was a lot to celebrate, and why not celebrate with food...

The girls: (I always have the best of intentions to to get one of the guys, but it just never happens!)

The amazing home made vanilla pudding and banana layered dessert that was so tasty,( Andrew and Mal, you guys are phenomenal!)

We love you guys and we are so thankful that you you are our family!

Melissa Fay Greene

One of the most life changing books to date that I have ever read was by Melissa Fay Greene, entitled "There Is No Me Without You". It's about Ethiopia and adoption and I read it with my sister around the time that we received the referral for our niece.

This incredible author has recently come out with another book that shares more of her journey with adoption and I just wanted to pass the title along to you.

In our family we say that our family adopted a baby from ethiopia. She is not just my sister and brother-in-law's daughter, but she is my parent's granddaughter, our nephew's sister, she is our niece and Ryder's cousin. Kit and I are her god parents if anything were to ever happen to her parents. I just can't tell you how much adoption has changed our lives, that little girl is a phenomenal human being and we are different because we know her and have the privilege to live life with her.

Baby girl, you are wanted, waited for an loved!

Buddies

They can not get enough of each other...

They are definitely best buddies.

My put away helper...

I have been getting lots of "help" from the little man. I am not kidding, no matter how many sippy cups we have, I always feel like I can't find any (or at least I can't find any where they SHOULD be...)

The new concepts that Ryder is having fun with are:

Open~Close

In~Out

Up~Down

And apparently the kitchen is the favorite spot to practice each one.

summer reading

Summer always seems like a fun time for reading, with trips and little get aways... I don't know about you, but I have a hard time reading more then one book at a time, and since I have been reading New York, consisting of 860 pages, I haven't really read anything else for quite awhile. I am nearing the end of it and I have a few books that I am looking forward to starting and so I wanted to share my list with you:

If you have any books that are on your list or that you have enjoyed, please share them with me. I love adding titles to my stack♥.

highlighting a favorite in our house...

Recently, a friend of mine asked me what a day looks like with Ryder and can I just say that I should have just given her this book title. We read it SO MANY TIMES during the day. It goes with him in the car while we do errands, it sits on our table while he eats his meals, and it sits on the sink while he bathes. I have the darn thing memorized because we have read it so often. I remember it when I was little and something about the simple story and the voices that it allows the reader to do must be why it is one of our favorites.

(However, is it bad if I have the urge to hide it so that I can have a little Grover break...?)

Gardening...

Last year we relocated our garden and so this year we just decided to grow tomatoes due to the space that we had. There is nothing like a vine ripe tomato from your garden! Ryder really enjoys his with fresh mozzarella. (A kid after my own heart...)

Our tangelo tree is also giving us some tasty goodness and Ryder just LOVES them!

Now we are just waiting for our avocados to ripen...

Guacamole here we come!

Basil Spaghetti with Cheesy Broiled Tomatoes

We made this recipe last night and it was so tasty and so EASY! Kit loved it and asked if we could PLEASE have this again soon. You know my criteria (tasty, easy, and kit loved it...)

I hope you have a chance to try it!

Enjoy!

The Big God Story

This is what we will be doing this week.

Happy Monday to you!

Where is Ryder?

Well, I always know where he's been:

Yep, Ryder has definitely got his own ideas of where things in our house should go...

Have a wonderful weekend!

(I will be spending it trying to locate things that have been "reorganized" by my 15 month old.

Say a prayer we find Kit's keys♥)

celebrating friends!

Yesterday we celebrated our friend Angelina's birthday and we had such a great time!

Our babies are 5 weeks apart and we are excited to watch them grow together...

We love you Angelina and we look forward to sharing many birthday celebrations together!

time with the cousins...

Yesterday we got to spend some time with two of Ryder's counsins... It was so fun! They are so good with him and they care for him so well...

We love them so....

these are a few of his favorite things....

Ryder is a funny kid. He has these incredibly dramatic expressions that, even when he is in trouble, I just want to laugh.

He is also very articulate about things that he likes, with baby blabber, pointing, laughing, the waving of arms... you don't have to wonder if he likes somethings.

So as a 15 month old, these area few of his FAVORTIE things:

~Kit

~Humus on crackers or carrots (first he licks the humus off, and then proceeds to eat the cracker or carrot)

~his extended family and friends (he goes particularly ape when he sees my dad...)

~being outside

~being ANYWHERE near or in water (our fountain, the hose bib, the hose, the bath...)

~Kit

~the vacuum cleaner (which makes me laugh because he used to be so scared of it but now he loves it when I vacuum. go figure.)

~going "bye-bye" (first you tell him he is going "bye-bye, then he smiles and waves at you and then he heads to the front door

~Kit

~reading his dinosaur books (if you ask him to go get his dinosaur book, he will go into his room and pull them off his book shelf and bring them to you...)

~stacking and then knocking down blocks. (This one could keep him entertained for hours!)

~watching "Sesame Street" or "Shaun the Sheep"

~Kit

~the game of chase and wrestling (generally combined)

~ripping my magazines... (He thinks it makes the coolest sounds ever, not to mention the huge mess of papers that it leaves.

~coming in bed with us on a morning when Kit is off and cuddling.

~Kit

~climbing on anything that will hold him.

~pushing buttons (Usually mine... just kidding, sort of), on our computer or Kit's laptop.

~Music videos on You tube by sesame street

~turning light switches on and off (this is combined with his love of climbing and my vintage kitchen step ladder...)

~music with a beat and he LOVES to dance!

~his bed (which he will point to when he is ready for Kit to put him down for the night.)

~Kit

I am excited to watch this little man grow, but I am loving where he is right now...

(Wait, where is he right now!?)

Oh right, enjoying his three hour nap time!

Thoughts on my job...

I find that I can fall easily into "complain mode" when I am at work. Which is so sad because I love my job and I am thankful for the flexibility that it allows for our family and that it enables me to be home with Ryder 99% of the time.

I worked this last Saturday and I was reminded of how great my job really is. I connected with new and growing families and got to encourage parents, specifically c-section moms that were feeling completely sleep deprived and overwhelmed by the daunting task of recovery and parenthood... No matter how many deliveries I attend, I always cry, it's that incredibe! I really enjoy my co-workers and I am so thankful to have some incredible women around me.

(My sister, a Surgical ICU nurse, loves to tell me that at my job, I hand out Motrin and stool softeners and tell breastfeeding mothers how great their "equipment" is. It can feel very true, but sometimes a breastfeeding mom just needs to hear that kind of encouragement♥.)

I have been challenged by Kit to remember how it was to do three years of oncology and work with hospice patients with palliative and end of life care. I am so thankful that the Lord has opened the door for me to do what I do now. Kit has challenged me to constantly invite the Lord into my day and so the very simple prayer that has become a habit (and almost a mantra) for me has been:

"Lord, be with me today, I invite you in to all that I do and all the people I will interact with. I want to do today with you."

Kit, thank you so much for your wisdom and encouragement!

You are an amazing man...

I hope you have a wonderful week and a very happy monday!

happy friday!

Have a wonderful weekend!

like I need more fish in my life...

I have dusted off the old sewing machine and have made room for some more fish in the play room...

Before:

After:

Who'd have thought how much fun I could have from one 14 in napkin!

Over the last few years, Kit has played in a summer softball league with friends from college. (We did take a break last year due to the little man's birth) but every year, Kit has so much fun and it's a great time for him to have some time of play and then on the sidelines, there are several kiddos 5 and under for the cheering section while the mamas sit and talk. (While occasionally running to help some one on the playground or stop some of the little guys from eating dirt or handing out snacks...)

One of our best friends Mark and one of Ryder's best friends, Hank.

It really makes for an enjoyable evening...

Then you add a little Yogurtland after the game and you have some very happy campers♥.

(Ryder is a plain tart and fruit kind of guy...)

Weekend/party recap

It was a VERY full three day weekend!

On Saturday we went out to visit my parents and we pretty much spent the day relaxing in the pool and eating amazing food... It was one of those days that felt like vacation...

Pool:

Food:(Mom, you out did yourself!)

Then for the fourth of July, we spent the entire day at our house for a block party and we had our friends, family and neighbors come and go as they liked and we just relaxed in our front yard and BBQed. It was really nice...

Kit smoked ribs and they were incredible! Kit Rae, you are a phenomenal cook!

And at the end of the day, we set off some sparklers and watched fire works. It was a wonderful evening...

It's our second year and we are already making plans for next year... I hope you had a wonderful time being with friends and family