I'm a little bit crafty

I wanted to make flash cards for Ryan, so I looked all over the Internet for ideas. Well as many of you may know I don't have a lot of experience with craftiness so I was a bit overwhelmed. I finally found this site. I printed off a set of flash cards and fancied them up. They are not quite done yet, I need to get a ring instead of ribbon to hold them together. I call it "semi-homemade"

EFR 09

Money dig (Ryan's goal was to get the most sand in her bag. I think she got about $2.75 and 3 pounds of sand)

So the last week of July we were able to attend EFR 2009 in Utah. We flew to SLC. This was Ryan's first time flying and she did pretty ok for a girl of her age. Luckily our cousin Aaron was on the flight to SLC so she was able to fall asleep across his and Will's lap on the last leg. Then Uncle Dan drove us down to Lehi, and to thank him for his amazing driving skills, she threw up and threw up, then threw up a little bit more. This was Owen's second time flying so he is pro. On Sunday Casey with three kids in tow (can't believe he survived flying with all of them by himself) Jeff, Peggy, Malerie, Robby and Brisa all made it down. Ryan was having the time of her life with her cousins she was giving all those under 4 ft tall hugs and kisses whenever she could. She also stayed up hours past when all her cousins went to bed, because she was sure there was still partying to be done. Monday we travelled up to the Elmer Family Reunion. Ryan had no idea this trip was going to be even more fun. When we got there and everybody had on the same shirt she thought she was pretty hot stuff, especially when she saw her Ella and Nate in it as well. EFR was loaded with fun and late nights. Its always fun being able to get together with eachother. Out of the 88 of us (now 89) less than 10 were missing. Can you say tons of Elmers! Amanda and Miles were very missed.

Brother/Sister Love

So Ryan is a very loving big sister. She loves to hold Owen (especially if it is to show off how cute she is being to anybody in the room), She loves to take Owen's pacifier out just so she can put it back in, she loves to console him by patting him on the back (sometimes more agressive than necessary), and she has recently started juicing Owen, yes juicing him. She even says "ju, ju" when she is doing it, thanks to Sam and Luke for teaching her (or not). She is going to grow up thinking juicing is a common thing that everybody knows about, since you all are wondering what the heck juicing a person is you know how very wrong she will be. Owen loves his sister and smiles when he hears her and crys when she crys, tender, I know.

The Return of Jeff & Peg

Jeff and Peggy returned to the states on the first of July. There was quite a gathering of people at the airport to welcome them home. After they got over the initial shock of being in America Peggy made this profound statement... "You are all so colorful!" She later explained that was because we didn't all have dark hair, dark skin and dark eyes like the Peruvians. We are so happy to have them back and glad they made a special stop to visit us on their way home. As always we do not have any pictures documenting the moment, but our fabulous photographer Judy documented the baby blessing and baby shower. Thanks Jude!

We really are good parents, sometimes we just forget to fully support Owen's head.

Love Jeffs face in this picture


My dad and Weihua flew down for the festivities

Owen tells great jokes

Stephanie also hosted a baby shower the same evening as the blessing

Ryan, Nathan and Elle "The gang." Ryan calls them "Lella" and "Neigh"

Where have you been all my life tissue paper?!

Pure Joy

Isn't tissue paper great? It sure turns Ryan into a whole new loud mouth party girl!


Who knew tissue paper could be so exciting


Ryan is always taking babys binkies and giving them back, so thoughtful really.

Summertime and the livins easy!

We have been spending a whole lot of time in the pool lately and Ryan is Loving it! It amazes me everytime she gets into the pool how natural it is for her. Within minutes of having her floaties on she was pro. She is quite the daredevil as well as you will see in the following video.

Check out this sweet spray park!

Ryan has been enjoying all the cousins around to play with she's always talking about her homies and how dope they are. And if you are wondering how Owen is enjoying his summer here are a few pics. For some truly amazing pictures of Owen check him out at Urban Photo

Fathers day

Chilaxin like always

*Contrary to what you may see in these photos Owen sleeps quite nicely in his own bed*

ABC'S of Nicole

A-Age: 27
B-Bed Size: Queen
C-Chore you hate: Doing day+ old dishes...the dryed on grossness is ten times harder
D-Dessert: I have dessert at least one time a day, it is very important to me. I have a major sweet tooth, I'll eat almost any dessert.
E-Essential(s) to start your day: Breakfast, otherwise i am not pleasant
F-Favorite Flower: Iris
G-Gold or Silver: Silver
H-Height: 5'4"
I-Instrument you play(ed): Not musical at all, i can play mary had a little lamb on the piano
J-Job you had in High School: Never had one, playing sports made that hard to do
K-Kid(s): Ryan 16 months, Owen 1 month
L-Lunch spot: Love Mcdonalds sleezy Cheeseburgers and Fries, but normally it is at my kitchen table
M-Mom's name: Sheryl
N-Newist item bought: Diapers
O-Overnight hospital stay:When I had my children
P-Pet peeve: Right now it is Dingo Pooping in the house after being let out to do so.
Q-Quote from a movie: Pink is my signature color (steel magnolias)
R-Right or left handed: Right
S-Siblings: 2 sisters, 2 stepsisters, and 1 step brother
T-Time you wake up: about 2-3am and 6-7 to feed Owen, then for real whenever Ryan decides to wake up(today it was 8:45!)
U-Underarm deodorant?: Shocking maybe, but I don't use it, ask anyone who knows me well enough to smell my armpits and they will tell you I don't need it. I am allergic to most deodorants so i just gave up and realized I didn't really need it.
V-Very surprising fact: I feel my answer to the last question was surprise enough for one day
W-Ways you run late: My kids
X-X-rays you've had: Of my back, neck, lungs and teeth
Y-Yummy food you make: All my food is yummy, it is just getting me to make it that is hard ;)
Z-Zoo animal: Lion

I tag Aimee, Michelle and Karen

Cousins, Brothers and Waterpark Fun!

New Pics

Owen and Ryan

Owen Eugene

Born at 11:43 pm on May 15th 2009. 6 lbs 13 oz. 21 inches long.

37 wks

Owen has been so kind this last week, he dropped out of my lungs so now I can breathe again!

Happy Easter!!!

Happy Easter to all! So Ryan went to her friend Ella's Birthday/Easter party, where for the very first time she got to experience an easter egg hunt and bubbles.

She picked up on the goodness inside of the eggs really quick, and was immediately snatching as many eggs as she could find. The cute part is she would actually put them in her little bag every time she found one.

This is her "I might be small, but I'm tough" face.

Playing with the bubbles on the grass was a real highlight, she was constantly doing her little dancing feet.

And of course what is a great party without a couple of cupcakes!!

Conference Cuddles

So Ryan decided that today was the day when she would be willing to sit still for longer than 6 seconds. She asked for her Daddy to pick her up and then sat on his lap for the next hour and watched the whole first half of conference with minimal wiggles and giggles.

There is a Phantom Baby Ghost in our House!!!

31 Weeks

So here is Owen at 31 weeks...Isn't he cute!