Reflecting...

So this blog is so supposed to be about my kids, their lives, how much I love them. But lately I've been doing a lot of reflecting. You see, I have a friend - I worked with her for a short time, we continue to exchange Christmas cards, and I get routine updates from other friends as to how charming her life is with her sweet husband and delicious children. Well, she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Stage 3 breast cancer. She's 39. She has two children - I know I mentioned that - but it means so much. She has a wonderful husband. She has a nice life. She's blogging about her experience...and I am addicted to it. It. is. just. so. sad.

Thinking about it turns on the faucets in my eyes. I mean, I'm 36. I have two children. I have a wonderful husband. I have a GREAT life. How does this happen and can/will it happen to me? It all makes me want to be a better person. I want to cook more, laugh more, play with my kids more, take walks with my husband more, pray more. I just want to enjoy life more...and trust me, I already enjoy it so, so, so much.

So I am praying like crazy for my friend. Wishing everyday that she gets great news. I plan to keep up on her progress and I will walk the breast cancer walks in her honor and I will do everything I can to help her where I can. And I am going to be the best person I can - I am going to do it for me, my family...and for her.

Reading from Memory

Ryan can read!! Well sort of. He loves Dr. Seuss. It's great...everything from Green Eggs and Ham to Hop on Pop to the Foot Book to the Nose Book to Ten Apples Up On Top - get the picture?! Dr. Seuss wrote a great A-B-C book which we read over and over and over. He's memorized the pages, but can identify the letter and then recite...super cute video. Check it out!

Easter Love

We had a wonderful Easter weekend with family and friends. It was a super busy weekend. Friday night we had a family Birthday celebration with the Handleys. Saturday started with a great Easter egg hunt at Church and then had a great BBQ with friends and their kids.

The kids had a great time playing in the yard - Allison loved the bubbles.
Sunday started with a beautiful Easter service at Church - Ryan is at a wonderful age - his innocence is adorable. He likes to walk up towards the alter to say high to the "nice man in the window." He's referring to a stained glass window with an image of Jesus. When we leave he shouts "Bye Jesus". It's awesomely cute.

After Church we headed south to Chandler for another Easter egg hunt at Aunt Sandy & Uncle Paul's house...surrounded by cousins and friends, the kids had a blast.


The day ended back at Grandma and Grandpa Handleys house for a yummy Easter dinner with Aunt Val, Uncle Ben, Grandma, Grandpa, Aut Verone, Uncle Tom and new Cousin Heath. I forgot my camera - of course - so no pics of Allison's 2nd Easter dress or Ryan's awesome catepillar shirt - maybe I'll stage this photo - it would be a great one to capture.
We missed our family who lives far away - and hope we will all be together next year. Happy Easter!

Chicken

When Allison was born, I called her "chicken" for two to three weeks. I don't know why, not even sure when it began, but whenever she would squawk, I called her chicken. Grandma Handley didn't like it one bit. She much preferred "sweetie" or "cutie", but definitely not Chicken. Then one day - she was maybe three weeks old - she became my little ladybug...and the name has stuck.But don't you think from these Easter pic that Chicken was apropo? She loves the eggs!

On the move

Allison is officially on the move. She started crawling about two weeks ago - it began as an army crawl, graduated to a "catepillar" crawl, and now it's a real crawl...she can get anywhere she wants and especially likes to go for Ryan's toys. When propped up, she even likes to stand now!!

Sweet Babies!

Morning is one of my most favorite times of the day. Ryan gets up first and he always wants to see "baby." We head into Allison's room together and he likes to sit with her in her crib. Each of their eyes light up when they see the other and Ryan makes Allison squeal - which in turn makes Ryan giggle. Listening to my kids laugh together is simply the best sound ever. Love these sweet babies!

FORE!!

Ryan has a true love for golf. And at 2 1/2 as a biased mom, may I say he is pretty darn good. He wakes in the morning asking for the "gofing store". He likes to hit balls at the "golfing range" and in our backyard he like to "hit em over the fence." Jason takes daily trips over the fence to shag the balls. (Daddy needs to watch out for jumping Cholla cactus in the future!) The kid loves to watch Phil Mikelson's "Secrets of the Short Game" - and likes to practice "putting the ball in the hole." We are encouraging his love of the game - and secretly hoping he's the next Phil the Thrill - but only as long as he loves it. The minute he doesn't - we'll move on to the next sport!