Happy 26th Birthday, Ryan!!!

...and Happy Easter, everyone!!!

With it being Easter and Ryan's birthday today, we had a pretty fun day! We started off the day with Jared running in and waking daddy and playing with him 'til he got out of bed. I made some of Ryan's favorite things for while he opened his card and present from us. We gave him a CTR ring, since he hasn't had one since we got married because he gave his to me. After breakfast he had a couple other cards and presents to open from family.

(Thanks family and friends for Ryan's gifts and happy birthday wishes!)

 

Later in the evening we had his birthday dinner. When I was helping him think of what he wanted for his birthday dinner, a few days ago, I had suggested hamburgers and french fries as one suggestion and pulled-pork sandwiches as another. My meat-lover husband chose to have both together, making a very meaty sandwich. So, that's what we did and I think he really enjoyed it. Just to add a little Easter to our meal, I also made colored deviled eggs. I saw someone post something like this on facebook, so I thought it'd be fun to do.

 I made extra food because we were planning on having a friend and her kids over, but she wasn't feeling well today, so we brought her some dinner, cupcakes, and Easter baskets for her and her girls, instead. We then did Jared's Easter egg hunt. This was his first time and it was fun to see what he made of it. Ryan and I took turns helping him and showing him where the eggs were so he'd go get them. Once he realized there was candy inside he wanted to open nearly every one, just to make sure, before putting it in his basket.

For his Easter baskets presents we gave him a squirt gun (without water), which he was crazy about, an Easter puzzle, and an Easter coloring book. He had fun with his presents and had to play with them right away. It wasn't 'til later in the evening that we were ready for cake. I found a recipe for Banana Fudge Layer Cake, and Ryan said that sounded good, so that's what we did. Luckily Ryan sang "Happy Birthday" to himself with me, so I wouldn't have to sing a solo, and then he blew out his candles. It turned out to be a pretty good cake!

 Today was a very special day for different reasons and we hope everyone else had a great Easter Day! We're were very grateful to celebrate Ryan's life today and how much he means to us, but, also, to especially appreciate the life of the Savior and all the hope that brings into our lives, on this Easter Day!

 We wish everyone the best; Happy Easter!!!

Making Faces %)

Today, when I meant to get a little recording of Jared playing with his toy in the kitchen, instead I got a recording of him making faces. He has many faces he likes to make; I don't know where he learned it from. But, in the video he kept going back and forth between his glary face and his wide-mouth face.

He's quite the little face maker. Sometimes, randomly, he'll lower his eyes and start glaring at me and then I'll do it back and then he'll smile and think it's fun and then we'll do it again.

 This is his wide-mouth face, as I like to call it. I think it's his silliest. He's such a playful little guy. He's so much fun and I love his many sweet little faces!!

Jared's Buddies :)

 Lately Jared has been getting to have friends over quite a bit, or at least that's the way he probably sees it. We got to have Reagan and Wyatt over at our house again, this time to play (a.k.a. be baby-sat). The first thing Jared did when they came in was give them each a hug. I think he was just so excited to see them again. Reagan loved getting her hug; I think they hugged a few times. Wyatt was a little more sad about seeing mommy go and wasn't really ready for hugs yet, but Jared tried anyway.

 

 They had fun playing; Reagan really liked Jared's sunglasses, which she kept on most of the evening. They got along pretty well; Jared luckily, with each time he has friends over is getting better and better at learning how to share. He loved to be doing whatever the other two were doing.

Kashiva

 Jared's other little buddies were Remika and Kashiva. Their mother is an investigator in our ward who Ryan and I have become friends with. Jared gets really excited when they come over too. Remika's a good helper and even helped me fold my laundry one day, and Kashiva's a cuddly little one. They're very sweet little girls!

Remika

I've noticed baby-sitting has become more of a blessing then a favor when you have a little one of your own. I'm thankful that Jared gets someone besides Ryan and I to play with every once and a while. =)

You've Been Egged!!!

 Thanks to Kris, we have tons cookie cutters. Between her and Alisha, we now have 110 or so. So, whenever a holiday comes around I like to try and use them. This Easter, I decided I wanted to make some sugar cookies for us and some of our neighbors, but I wanted to have a little fun with it, so I made a sign that said "We've Been Egged!" to give to them with their cookies along with a note. In case you haven't heard of being "egged" around Easter, it's when you get plastic eggs hidden in your yard anonymously and a little poem left on your porch saying you've been egged. Along with the poem or note is a sign that says "We've Been Egged"  for the family to put on their door so they don't get egged again. That family then goes and eggs three other families and it's like a chain reaction that gets bigger and bigger until Easter.

 Well, I wanted to leave my cookies instead of plastic eggs, so I changed our note a little and just made a sign of my own to leave with it.  I used my mom's sugar cookie and frosting recipe that Jacque passed along to me.  It never fails; they turned out delicious!!! I made sure each of the families got their cookies safely inside, but I'm not sure how it went after that, if they ever passed it along, but for me it was a fun little project and I really enjoyed making treats for some of the people we really appreciate in the ward. There was a pan of cookies left over for us at home, but little Jared got a bite or two out several of them while mommy was busy in another room. That little climber!!

 We hope everyone has a very Happy Easter!!!

St. Patrick's Day Fun with the Richens!!!

 

On St. Patrick's Day, we had the Richen's (well, almost the whole Richen's family, Adam had to work), my cousin Jessie, and her kids, Reagan and Wyatt, over for dinner and a treasure hunt. For our treasure hunt a leprechaun had left drawings as clues to lead us all around the apartment until we found our treasure.

 

Reagan was our lead treasure hunter with her assistant Ryan to help her decide what the pictures on the clues were and where to find them. They did a great job, and Jessie and I help Wyatt and Jared to keep up.

 

 Finally, at the end of the hunt, the leprechaun had hidden our treasure in the dryer! Each of the kids got bubbles and a fuzzy pet worm. We immediately had to play with the bubbles. Meanwhile, Ryan and Jessie helped them open their worms. It was funny to see the kids get used to those. Jared especially thought the worms were real and squirmed away when one came near; Reagan and Wyatt were a little more brave, or knew it was only a toy.

 For our St. Patrick's Day dessert of course I had to make a pie, a green one. So I made a minty Grasshopper Pie.

I had to tweak the ingredients so we didn't have to buy any alcohol to make it, but it turned out pretty good.We had a fun day, we were glad to have the Richen's there to enjoy it with. =)

Sleepy-Head

Jared's fallen asleep in some funny places, and we've accumulated a few photos, so I thought I'd share them.

Jared doesn't really have a set nap-time; I just lay him down when he's looking or acting tired. But, sometimes he gets drowsy with out any of the signs of sleepiness. So, he'll just be playing and then he'll suddenly be out like a light.

Sometimes I'll be in the kitchen working on something and he'll all of a sudden be very quiet, so I go and check on him and find him asleep. He likes to be cuddled and cozy sometimes when he's getting tired, so he'll go to his bedroom and find his favorite blanket and either ask me to wrap him in it or he'll put it on himself. He's funny how he loves to be wrapped in a blanket.

Occasionally, since nap time and lunch time are both in the afternoon, he'll fall asleep while eating his lunch. That's pretty cute when that happens because his head usually ends up resting on his plate.

 That's our cute little sleepy-head!

This one's just for fun. This was a few days after he was born; he was so little!!

He recently had his 18-month check-up. He's 34" and 24lbs 6oz. :)

Jared's Day at the Park

 The sister in our ward had a park play-date yesterday, so Jared and I went to play with the other kids in our neighborhood. Jared had a great time. Sadly, we've only been to the park once or twice before, so when we first got there he didn't quite know what to do right away.

So, at first, I played on the playground toy and went down the slide with him a couple times. Then I left him to play and decide what he wanted to do.

 The first thing he wanted to play with, and the thing he probably played with the most in the playground, were the wood chips. He liked to pick them up and drop them again, I just had to teach him to not through them.  Later, he came over to where I was sitting on a bench and he played with them like they were action figures. It was pretty funny!

 He also really liked climbing on and off the bouncy bridge and going up and down the slide. I had to help him with the slide every time, but it was fun to see how excited he was to ride it. He also really liked playing with the dogs a sister in our ward had brought with her. He really wanted to hug them, but I taught him to just pet them; then he had to learn how to pet gently. He caught on pretty well. He’s a quick learner.

 It was a nice hot day and we were there for two hours, so luckily the little guy had sun screen on and he didn’t looked burned at all today. We had a fun time, but Jared got to a point where he just wanted me to hold him. So, I decided we should go home, but Jared didn’t want to leave. He cried almost the whole way, but was happy when he was there, comfy on the couch, watching cartoons.J

Ryan's New Talent

 Ryan's been taking a ceramics class this semester. He's been really dedicated to the class and made a new talent for himself. He finally got to bring home some of his work this week. I was so amazed at what great work he does. Our house is now decorated with his lovely work. :) Today we took Jared to our neighbor's to play and be baby-sat and Ryan and I went in to the ceramic studio on campus so he could teach me some of the basics. It was fun to work with the clay, but I discovered that ceramics/pottery is a lot harder than it looks. It takes a lot of practice and I am now even more amazed at what great work Ryan does!

Our Colorful Little Goober

 

 Jared has loved coloring ever since he's discovered it exists. Now he can't see a pen or a pencil without wanting to draw.

 He got a coloring book for Christmas, and that's what really got him going. I pulled out my crayons that probably haven't been used in years, and let him color with them.

 He basically figured out all by himself, maybe by watching Ryan and I, how to hold a pencil really well.

 It's funny to watch him. He's very particular about how he draws. He'll stop and look at the page and then start drawing again. He's a smart little boy and quite the little artist! We're proud of him! :)