Growing Up

Ryder has found his go-to spot in the new house.  Our house is going to be one story, but we have a bonus room above the garage that will serve as a playroom.   And so therefore there are stairs that lead you up to the room.  Ryder loves stairs like no other. 

I wonder if he thinks they are as cool as I thought they were as a young child.  I remember blogging about my stair story a couple years ago and I went back and found that blog entry and copy and pasted what I wrote below.  
When I was younger, I thought it was really cool to have stairs in your house. Our first house had stairs, but I was too young to know how cool they were. Our second house didn't. I'm not real clear on the specifics of this babysitter situation, but I remember when I was either in kindergarten or first grade, a girl would drop me off at my house. Actually, she may have even babysat us so that means she had been inside our house.  I remember like it was yesterday, the first time she dropped me off I decided on the way home that I wanted her to think we had stairs. So, assuming she was still watching from outside to make sure I got in (like any good babysitter would), when I went inside the front door I squatted to the ground and did a fake stairstep. Like I crouched real low and walked myself higher and higher. I haven't thought about that in a long time, but it crossed my mind not too long ago and I thought it was really funny.


I posted that blog back in August 2011.  Good stuff.

In other news...

Every now and again I check the stats on my blog.  I can't see who reads my blog personally, but sometimes it shows links from different blogs, well heck, I don't' know, don't let me try to talk like I'm a website expert, but none of this is really the point.  The point is this - somehow the David Tutera's wedding blog (the show on TLC) found my blog and posted one of my pictures on their blog.  Here is a screen shot of the blog post.  The whole post had something to do with being pregnant as a bridesmaid so I guess that is how they found my picture.  I'm not real sure.  I kind of like that we are pictured right above a photo of the Kardashian's.  Are we famous?

Weird...

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Friday after John Michael got off work we had to go meet the guy who is wiring our TVs, speakers, etc.  Here's the house as of Friday. 

On the way out there I was looking on Facebook and saw something about the gala that night. Awhile back we had planned to go to our Hearts of Gold Gala but realized we couldn't go because it was on Saturday and we had my cousins engagement party that night.  On the way out to the house that night I said to JM, oh shoot, the gala is tonight, not tomorrow night.  He said, well let's go.  I said, are you kidding me?  no.  I am white as a ghost, we have 2 kids we have to figure out what we are going to do with, I don't have a cocktail dress, and it starts in two hours.  After about two minutes of talking about it I called my mom and she said she was happy to keep them.  We got home from the house around 6.  I dug around and found a decent dress, I packed the kids bags, we fed them and then my mom got here at 6:30.  This has got to be the most last minute, spontaneous thing we have done since we had kids.  This wouldn't be such a fuss if we didn't have kids to take care of, but it's no easy task to pack up children last minute, especially one who is still taking bottles.  I am glad we went, we had a great time and enjoyed time for just the two of us.

Casper and John Michael

We stayed at the Old Capitol Inn that night and it's just the cutest little place to stay.  Loved our room and enjoyed the balcony and a delicious breakfast downstairs the next morning.

Saturday morning we got the kids bright and early.  When I got there Ryder asked me not to get him yet because he was finishing his coffee (orange juice).

He just couldn't part ways with that coffee cup.

Then we took Ryder to sign up for t-ball.  He's going to be the youngest on the team but that's okay, he'll figure it all out.  He is growing up so much it's hard to believe.  It's so much fun but it's all happening way too fast.

It was a pretty day so we drove out to the house again after signups.  This is half of the living room and half of the breakfast area looking out into the backyard.

This is facing the fireplace and mantle and then our bedroom is over to the right and there are two other bedrooms to the left which will be the boys rooms.

Three man pile-up

Bless Ryder.  We have been trying to teach him how to dress himself.  His undies are backwards.

The sweetest smile

Hope Rhodes loves books like his brother does.

Night sugars

On Sunday we went and got Ryder some t-ball paraphernalia.

And Nanni and Grandaddy came over and helped Ryder practice with his new stuff.  Rhodes just slept like a sweet boy.

Then he woke up and did some practicing of his own.

Ryder is starting to get the hang of writing his name.  He has a hard time with the "e."  This morning I asked him to write Wilson.  We've never gone over Wilson, just Ryder 100 times.  He knew how to write Wilson better than Ryder.  I was a bit surprised over that.  Again, my baby is growing up!!!

Allyn Ann came over to visit and brought Georgia Claire over to play.  She's such a sweet baby and can hold her own against Rhodes!

Last night I went to Jaco's Taco's with some girlfriends to celebrate Ashlea's birthday and also as a going away party before she moves to South Carolina.

And today is Valentine's Day and it's been a great day.  John Michael got me a bracelet and a cute piece of decor for our new house.  We took Ryder to his favorite lunch spot.

And tonight I cooked dinner and we just hung out here.  Once again Ryder got crazy with my camera while I was in there cooking.