Yellow River Game Ranch 2012

Each year, for Jeff's birthday, we go as a family to the Yellow River Game Ranch and do dinner at Provinos. Jeff chose this as his bday celebration the first year we had Rhyan and we've enjoyed it each year since. This year marks our third. Its been fun to see Rhyan grow in the pics compared to the years past. And last year, Mack was in my belly! Whew, glad he's not living there anymore ;-)

We've had a busy life lately (havent we all). With Jeff in his masters degree and coaching baseball and teaching, he's got very little time for much else. So we ended up celebrating his big 3-2 a week and a half early this year. Yes, that means we had to PAY for his provinos dinner... oh well!

The weather was PERFECT! And Rhyan remembered last years trip (or so it seemed... she kept asking if she'd get to pet bunnies which she did last year) so that made it lots of fun b/c she was VERY excited!

Check out her excitement here!!!

 

Mack, on the other hand, was a little more interested in eating his stroller :-)

Rhyan and the "Burro"

 

Ok, highly inappropriate, BUT... Jeff's only comment was "boy Burro, you know how to make a guy feel small" LOL. Gratefully, he quit showing off after a minute or so!

She was so proud to feed everything, but unlike last year where she had NO fear, she was a bit hesitant and had to be encouraged/helped by her Daddy with a few of the animals.

Second inappropriate pic :-) This donkey was peeing a HUGE puddle. I have a knack for catching these kinds of moments HA!

Last year, Jeff was semi-obsessed with getting a squirrel to eat out of his hand. We're there looking at ALL kinds of animals that we never see and he's obsessed with a common squirrel! The obsession continued this year and we spent lots of time trying to "entice" them....

SUCCESS! They only like peanuts :-) Btw, Rhyan was chasing squirrels everywhere saying "i wanna pet it! it not want a cracker. it like a nut. 'mere squirrel. onna pets you!"

And i guess since the squirrel didnt eat the cracker, she figured she should.

Oh look! Mack found a pocket for his finger!! (i promise the finger went from the mouth to the nose, not the other way around... not that anyone cares)

The deer were a real disappointment this year. Last year, Rhyan loved petting the deer (well, after she quit being scared). This year, we only saw a few and they were all mangy looking like this one!

The kids did GREAT at the ranch! So we headed on over to provinos for some yummy dinner. I wanted to get a family pic like last year, but i snapped this ONE cute one of mack and my batteries died in my camera. I thought jeff was gonna break out in the halleujah chorus. I'm telling you, one day he'll be glad I took so many pictures.

The kids were not, however, very good at dinner. Rhyan still needs to be confined to a high chair, in my opinion just to keep her from moving around and thinking she has freedom. But since Mack is in one, that leaves her with a booster or a normal seat. So she was a booger. And Mack, while happy as could be, was showing off his vocal cords via screaming. Jeff was embarassed. I was trying to hold him to keep him distracted and quiet. It wasnt really enjoyable :-)

Luckily, to go boxes are easy to come by!

But really, this is just life with two. Sometimes things go great, sometimes you think "why do i ever go out of the house with the kids" HA. 

We love you, Daddy! We hope you had a great birthday. Thanks for sharing it with us (part 1 anyways)

Fun with Friends!!!

Rhyan has not known life without Taylor and Shelby. They started staying with her at Tracy's house when Rhyan was a newbie and they spent the first 2.5 years of her life together there three days a week. They are her best friends!

This year (2012), Taylor and Shelby started staying with their grandma and so Rhyan doesnt get to play with them as much anymore. BUT! They live in our neighborhood! So their grandma (Connie) has been bringing them to play occasionally! The girls are LOVING it!

It didnt take long this day for them to end up wet... and mostly naked! But really, is there anything much cuter than a partially naked toddler?!

An attempt at a group shot. FAIL!

Taylor can write her own name!!

BEST of friends :-)

MAN! I love these girls!

Mckinnon: 10 months

Mack! You are only my second child and I am already having a hard time writing down and keeping up with all of your milestones! Maybe thats because you add things so often :-)

This month, I had a HARD time getting any pics in the chair because Mack is EVERYWHERE! I'm going to try again here, soon, but on the day of his 10month I was alone w/ the kids that evening (jeff was probably at a baseball game?) so i couldnt get it done alone safely! HA!

Rhyan and Mack continue to LOVE each other. Rhyan has a hard time with the fact that we love mack, but she for sure loves him. She plays with him and makes him laugh and he looks for her all the time, now!

Mack loves to crawl! He is crawling EVERYWHERE and we call him the "bulldog" b/c when he crawls super fast, he looks like one! Its hilarious. His head bobs back and forth and his whole body moves with the crawl side to side. Cracks us up!

I bought him some sunglasses for outdoors. He loves them! (obviously)

This is SO typical. Spud is eating and Mack is 5 feet away but looking at him, which Spud feels is growl-worthy. He is a grumpy old dog!

The curls continue!!!

Rhyan has decided recently that instead of doing her puzzles on her table, she likes to do them on the floor. She's such a little drama queen :-) Of COURSE she knows Mack is gonna want to "help". This day she was "hiding" her puzzle as she told Mack "go away, mackers! no no! dont touch my puzzles! you gonna eat it! no mack! go see mommy! mommy wants you come see her!"

But, as any good sister, she is also teaching him how to do bad things like climb the stairs :-/

At 10 months mack is:
-CRAWLING! (started a few days after he turned 9 months)
-trying so hard to pull up
-still sleeping 7pm-7am
-cutting down on his morning nap. He naps 9:15 or so till 11 but usually wakes a few min before.
-loves spud!
-eats most any table food we have in very small bites. sometimes he's not content with his babyfood if we are eating dinner with him.
-loves to swing outside
-says MAMA!!!!! halleujah :-)
-is in all 12 month clothes
-size 4 diapers for day, 5 for night w/ a "pad"
-eats 4 bottles a day, 6oz each time (7,11,3,7)
-is really SO fun to be around now! He's not usually cranky in the evenings anymore and in general is a much happier baby. We think its because of his mobility that he's more content!

Mack, we are enjoying you and your sweet personality so much!

Here are a few pics from our slightly unsafe attempt at a solo shoot!