Man Trip and a Thrifty Deal

Ryder has really taken his gardening skills to the next level.  Looks like a gardener on crack with those eyes.

Shameless

I scored big on this app purchase.

Ryder wanted to race dad down the slide.

Then he wanted to race me.  He told me to go down on my belly like him.  Not happening.

I don't know what it is but everytime John Michael puts Ryder on his shoulders he holds on to his face for dear life like this.  One hand covering his eye.

This past weekend it was just me and Ryder.  John Michael and Will went on an interesting journey to the big city of Clarksdale to camp out.  I got lots of nice picture texts along the way.  As soon as they arrived I got this picture:

I jokingly told him they better hope it doesn't rain so they don't have to stay there.  He wrote back and said they were staying there the first night, that it was some historic landmark where JFK, Jr and others had stayed over the years.  That wouldn't sell me... 

Here he is chatting with Rat, the innkeeper since 1946.  True story.

Will and Rat having a good time.

They ventured out to this little gem Friday night.  The only people there were this man playing the blues and the two of them.

The next day in photos

So peaceful

While they were there Ryder and I had a grand time.  Not quite as relaxing, but grand.  We went for breakfast to Chick-fil-A and met my sister there.  On the way home as I was driving, Ryder kept saying "mama you're green."  I didn't look back at him until he had repeated it no less than 10 times because I kept thinking he was saying the light was green (he always tells me when I can go on green and when I need to stop on red).  Then I looked back and saw why I was green.

While Kayla was here I had her come over and help me organize the baby's room and more importantly, color coordinate my closet.  I switched my clothes out a couple weeks ago meaning I brought the spring clothes in and took the winter clothes out.  My closet is tiny and I have to do this every time the seasons change.  I haven't been able to find anything in a hurry, so sister to the rescue.  Oh, and my closet is not hot pink, that's a red bin up top full of my winter clothes.

Laid up on the bean bag in JM's closet and directing.  Not really, I was actually mopping, sweeping and doing all those fun things while she organized and Ryder napped, I was just taking a break.

My hero for the day!!!!!!!  At least she got something out of it too, a closet full of clothes to take home that don't quite fit me at the moment.

Saturday night while JM was still gone, Ryder and I went to eat with his parents and sister.

It is very rare, if ever, for Ryder to eat bread.  He refuses bread and picks it off of everything.  I'm not sure if because it was so dark brown he thought it was a big brownie, or he was just starving, but he nawed that thing down to the end.

Sunday was our city's annual egg hunt.

I was there with two hats on, parent and volunteer.

When John Michael got home from his trip he only had a few minutes before the egg hunt started.  So once we got home from there he was ready to crash on the couch.  Ryder thought he needed some animals to snuggle with and loaded him up.

Then he wanted to pretend he was napping with his animals too.  He was sweet, he said "Daddy you can have all my animals and I will just have one animal."

They rested for about 2 minutes and then Ryder was ready to go outside and play.

It was once again a jam-packed weekend, but a fun one!  And here we are on Tuesday and I just got Ryder ready for his school pictures.  I had to bribe him BIG time to put on this outfit.  He said "I don't want to wear an outfit, I want to wear shorts"  I told him he would get a really great surprise this weekend if he wore his outfit and smiled really good for me and for the lady at school who was going to take his pictures.  Bribe worked.  Not sure why he's got this skinny top lip going on...

This is also his Easter Sunday outfit, so you'll be seeing it again.

He rudely ended our session telling me, "I already told you no more!"

Can I add that I went to pick this outfit up from being monogrammed and he had some other child's monogram on it, she got the orders mixed up.  However, she fixed it in no time and here we are.  So let me give you a total of Ryder's Easter outfit (have to brag on my thrifty shopping skills).  Kelly Kids jon jon (consigment) $15, Bailey Boys white shirt underneath (consignment), $8.99 but had a small stain so I got it for $4.50 (stain came right out), Sun San sandals (consignment) $8.99 and last but not least, a mistake on the monogram order, FREE!  Total for a nice brand monogrammed outfit that he'll get to wear for multiple occasions = under $30!  Beat that mama's!

Workin' at the Car Wash

The other day when the weather was perfect I wanted to take a stroll.  I wanted Ryder to go too, and if I can be honest it's getting rather hard for me to push his 30-some-odd pounds in a stroller, especially up hills.  I get out of breath really quickly.  So I put on my sweet face and asked hubs to come along (and stroll Ryder).

Except Ryder refused to ride in the stroller

(Where's Ryder?)

He insisted on riding in the basket, or else he was not participating.

Saturday was a big day.  Last year, my office put together a group of young adults called Y.A.L.L. which stands for Young Adult Leadership League.  Our third event was Saturday and was a crawfish boil and YALL-lympic games.

Our crew

Here were two members of our team doing the 3 legged race.  John Michael participated in the egg toss, and out of 8 teams he won, and we got two zoo passes, yay!

The Fyke's

Ryder was organizing the Dizzy Bat Spin.

Cheesin before church

After church we had lunch.  This restaurant had a tree out front.  Ryder thinks when a tree is in sight that he must pee on it.  When I saw a car pull into the lot right next to the tree I ran inside and left him and JM out there to be embarrassed.  I wasn't having any part of this.

 Good mood after nap, getting ready to wash the car

He needed a reminder on how to get the popcicle to push up

"Look, I did it!"

(it's the little things)

Forget the $5 car wash

Our azalea's were looking sad, Ryder gave them a drink.

If you don't know, our house is for sale.  It's been for sale since January (I think).  Our plan is/was to let the house sale, find somthing to rent, and build on our land while we are renting, hopefully for 6 months or so.  We are not brave enough to start building with an unsold house.  I haven't been in a huge rush for it to get sold because of the new baby coming, but now I'm getting a little bit antsy.  I have decided if it doesn't sale by May 1 we are taking it off the market because I want to feel settled for those 2 months before the baby gets here.  JM says May 31, I said let's meet in the middle at May 15.  We will see. 

I have started washing clothes and getting them in drawers and hung up because I don't like them sitting in boxes and I'm just ready to be doing something for the baby since I'm not changing his nursery.  At least I don't think I am.  For now, I'm just sticking with Ryder's stuff.  If we were going to have already been in our new house, I would've gone with something new, but instead I decided to save that $$$ and keep it the same.  I think John Michael is pleasantly suprised with this decision of mine.

Now we have to settle on a name.  We've got something in mind, but we have to come to a 100% agreement because once I decide, I don't want to change.  I'll give you a hint, if we decide on this name, let's just say this baby will be getting Ryder's monogrammed hand-me-downs.  Yessssss!!!!!

I moved Ryder's diaper changing table/dresser to the new nursery and I took Ryder in there there to change his diaper the other day.  He pointed over to the crib and with a huge grin said, "That's not my crib, that's for my little brother!"  It totally melted my heart, it's really the first time he's acknowledged him without me saying something first.  And I've certainly never heard him call him "my little brother."  So so sweet.  Speaking of being a big brother, I decided big brothers deserve "push presents" too.  So I cracked...

I'd venture to say he is fired up about his new toy.

Spring Weekend, but not Spring Break

Ryder and some of his friends in their green, celebrating the holiday and playing on the playground at school

If you live in Mississippi, you were probably outside all weekend.  We were.  Friday night Ryder had a picnic with his buddy Gaines.

Saturday we made a last minute decision to brave the crazies of St. Patty's and took Ryder to the children's parade.  We called Todd and Lindsey to see if they were interested in taking Levi, they were.  So thirty minutes later we picked them up, strapped in Levi's carseat and us girls wanted to bring the wagon to drag the boys around in.  We were in the tahoe so since there were 6 of us, we had to use the back seats to sit in and there was no room for the wagon in the "trunk".  We did a little engineering and Todd really took one for the team.  He rode the whole way to and from the parade with this wagon handle in his face.

 Closeup.  Makes me chlostrophobic just looking at him!

During the pet parade.  Ryder was keeping a hard eye on those big dogs.

Still on high alert, he's making sure no dogs are getting here him.  Geez, we've got to get this boy a dog so he's not afraid of them like I was growing up.

This picture is telling of Ryder's mood that morning.  He was foul most of the time we were there because we wouldn't let him get on the slide (at first).

But here he is on the elephant ride.  I was quite terrified the whole time he was on it.  He was tiny compared to the other kids, and the seatbelt was loose as a goose, and the ride went way up high.

Levi and Ryder... Ryder is still begging to ride the slide.  It's not that we give a rip if he rides the slide, it's just that the line to get tickets was 15 minutes long.

Well what do you know, here are the dad's in line for the slide.

Yet, Ryder is still not pleased.

Mission complete.

Post parade lunch at Keifer's

Do you see Ryder's sandals?  I'm sorry, but Ryder is NOT too old to be wearing these sandals.  I have some friends and a husband who think he is, but he's not.  Well, I shot myself in the foot Sunday morning... Let me explain.

As I was getting him ready for church Sunday morning I put this outfit on him, but left his sandals off for the time being.  As I finished getting myself ready I heard JM in there putting Ryder's sandals on him.  Then I heard Ryder yell out, "OOOOH MAMA!!!  I got some new shoes just like Celie!"  (Celie would be a girl in his class).  Then JM yells out, "You hear that Brittany?"

Those sweet sandals are unisex, and I'm stickin' to it!

I've always felt this way when it comes to dressing Ryder - from day one.  I'm just not a fan of clothing my 5 month old in blue jeans, a button down polo, a sweater vest and loafers.  Just not gonna do it.  Ryder didn't do it and new baby won't do it either.  Bring on the smock and jon-jon's and I'm one happy mama.

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Sunday afternoon JM took the top off his jeep and this gave him every excuse to get out of the house and drive us anywhere and everywhere I would agree to go.  Ryder quite liked the windy ride.  Have you ever seen his hair so flat?

Then we went to the park

And swang

Ryder dunked all his crayons in this diaper box and they got stuck between the cardboard on the bottom of the box.

He tried very hard to get them all, but they wouldn't budge.

He gave it one last attempt, which worked.  Of course by the time he got them out of the box he was no longer interested in coloring.

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Back to the grind on Monday.  We didn't get off for spring break like lots of you, but you'da thought we did.  Ours could've been considered spring-weekend as much as we did.  Ryder was in tears when it was time to get dressed.  He cried and cried and screamed that he did NOT want to put on any clothes for school. He was much more content laying in my bed watching cartoons in his birthday suit and covered up in my robe.