Cake time!

Earlier this month Jake organized a celebration for my 30th birthday. I'm not sure how many people showed up, but I do know that our entire downstairs and garage was swarming with family and friends. Just how I like it!
I couldn't have asked for a better party, or better people to celebrate this new milestone with. I'm excited to enter my 30's and see what wonderful things are in store!

Thanks for my yummy cake, Mom. Star gazer lilies, my favorite!
Thanks for the bench, Daddy. It's the perfect size for a Spunky just like me!
For some reason toys are more fun to play with in the garage
Maybe they don't teach you how to feed yourself in Kentucky?
Haaaaapy birthdaaaaay toooooo yoooooooou!
Getting help blowing out all those candles
What you can't see is the missing frosting on the side of the cake closest to Midget
Comfortable, Isaiah?
I'll open this one, Mommy. Chase you read Mommy her card. She's old now; needs all the help she can get.
Where's Isaiah? Where he always is if there are kiddos around - off playing!
Birthday hugs from my favorite 2 year-old

Move over Aunt Lindsay...

...there's a new cowgirl in town!
While we were in Bellingham, Washington for Thanksgiving, Ashley had the opportunity to help her Aunt Lindsay out at the barn. She was happy to assist in anything from picking Jewels' hooves, brushing her, giving treats and even riding her around the barn. I didn't get video of Ashley riding by herself because I was too busy clicking pictures, but I did manage to get a video (click here) of her sharing the saddle with Lindsay. To say Ashley was happy is a total understatement!
Watch out NRHA!

Why?

(I know, I know. I've been a horrible blogger lately. But fear not! I'm back and boy do I have oodles and oodles to share! So hold tight as I work my way through nearly 500 pictures and too many stories to count.)

WHY does pulling the TP off of the roll entertain a nearly 1 year old? What is fun about covering yourself in 2-ply? How come seeing a floor covered in Charmin can cause such fits of giggles and laughter?
I guess knowing it makes more work for Mommy is reason enough.
WHY, no matter how often I do laundry, is there always something in the hamper? What is it about dirty clothes that makes it never-ending; do they multiple every hour on the hour? How come it seems between Ashley and Natalie we own every pink, purple and red item of little girls clothing ever manufactured?
I guess this is life with 2 girls.

...might as well suck it up because I don't think anything will be changing.

Really?

As if this little ball of energy doesn't keep us busy enough, Natalie has recently decided to add Climber Extraordinaire to her resume. After using the stool to climb onto the coffee table, I promptly put it away to avoid injury and possible limb dismemberment. Next thing I know here she comes walking with the stool in hand. As if that didn't shock me enough, she set the stool down next to the couch, then climbed onto that and continued right up onto the couch. SERIOUSLY? Girl you're not even a year old! You're not suppose to be able to reason like that!
I'll be honest; I'm afraid to even ask what's next.

Oh you caught me, Mommy
One more inch and I've just about got it

A kick-off...

...to Christmastime fun!
Click here and enjoy!
And once you've seen that, come back and click here for more festive fun!

New mode of transportation

Scene: Riane, Ashley and Natalie in the car

Ashley: Santa's not here
Riane: You're right, he's not here
Ashley: But he'll be here soon
Riane: Yep, soon
Ashley: Mommy, he'll be here next week. Natty Kat, Santa will be here next week. He'll be here soon
Natalie: ~giggle, scream, giggle~
Ashley: He'll be driving an excavator. Santa will be on a BIG excavator. Okay, Mommy?
Riane: Okay Ashley, whatever you say!

A look back

Check out these adorable pictures of Ashley taken September 2009. We had just come from the airport where we picked up Shawna. Ashley was too excited to sleep in the car because all she wanted was her Aunt Shawna. She made it through the first 1/2 of lunch, but couldn't fight The Sandman any longer. She simply put her head on the table and put herself to bed!

Snoozefest
Check out those cheeks and short hair

What?

Am I the only one that just realized Natalie's first birthday is 2 weeks from today?

You know...

...you're on a small airplane when the stewardess says "Well, we've only got 26 folks on the flight today (FYI plane seats 50), so some of you up front can move to the back and have your own rows if you'd like. (pause, pause, pause) Well I'm going to have to ask some of you to move anyhow (FYI for proper weight distribution)."
4 words: Welcome to South Dakota.
:)

Cel-e-bra-tion!

For my birthday I had the opportunity to enjoy a nice brunch with my mom, dad and favorite girls. Turning 30 doesn't seem so bad after all!

A cookie as big as my noggin!
All smiles all the time
Cutie pie

Choo choo!

What the country needs...

...is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds.
-Unknown

Birthday's are the best

Ashley and Natalie are always ready to party! So it's a good thing Nana had a birthday (number 81!) and they got to get their party-girl on!

Waiting for this party to get started
You said 'smile big' so that's what I'm doing
Birthday girl digging into her birthday cake
Come here and give me a little cousin-kiss Ty
Mm! Cake!
Cousin Club
I've got my very own apple and I couldn't be happier
Helping Nana do dishes
Strike a pose, Ty
Self-shot time
Mommy and her favorite girls

Another first

Ashley was invited to her first birthday party. I have to admit I was a little nervous as she doesn't spend *that* much time with other children her age, so I didn't know what to fully expect. Plus she has this thing where she sees presents and automatically assumes they belong to her.
And only her.
Nobody else.
But Ashley laid any fears I had to rest by behaving like a little lady; sharing her party favors, sitting nicely next to the birthday girl as she opened her gifts, asking please, saying thank you and being a total doll-child.
Ashley had a blast and I walked away feeling like Super Mom because she was *just*so*good*. I love it when she proves me wrong!

Balloons - my fave!

I found a rocking chair, I'm happy
Cake time!
This was at the house and I couldn't help but smile when I read it

Adding 1 more to the mix

Last week my MOPS group had an outing to the pumpkin patch. Ashley was so excited to get another pumpkin; it's practically all she talked about the whole day. Now it seems her favorite past-time is sitting at the window and counting all of the pumpkins on the porch!

Hay ride to the pumpkin patch
Can anyone guess who's super excited?
Natty and Mommy had fun too

Spunky update

Yup, it's an ear infection. Thank goodness for our awesome pediatrician who has been emailing me since yesterday morning and managed to slip Natty in before he's even scheduled to see patients. The world needs more docs like him!
So 10 days of amoxicillin; let's hope she doesn't have an allergic reaction to it like Midget did her second time taking this drug.

I certainly don't look sick

What a difference...

...10 years makes!

Celebrating Riane's 20th birthday, November 1, 2000

#1 Big Sister