What we've been up to!!

We had a great time with Jason's mom visiting us for a week, which came to an end mid last week. We did lots of fun stuff, some things, I've already mentioned! We mostly just relaxed but did do some fun things as well. Ryleigh wanted to show Nana/Grandma Peggy "Sibley Park". This is where we go to see live animals when the zoo is just too far away. I am just glad they have a little something for the kids to see here in Mankato. We went shopping (and got some great deals), had a bonfire, got massages, went to "Mom's and Muffins" day at Ryleigh's preschool and did go to the Como Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul on our way to the airport. The day before Peggy arrived it was 90 degrees here, but it cooled off for half of her visit and then started warming up again towards the end. The slide show are some pictures of the past 2 weeks. I did put some on of the day before she arrived of the girls running through the sprinkler.

Landree is doing well! Talking up a storm and every day it gets clearer and clearer! I am able to have conversations with the kid! She is our little sweetheart. Loves to cuddle, and give hugs and kisses. One of my favorite things about her is when we are putting her to bed. She knows just how to lure us back in. Once we get to the door, she'll make a kissing noise which gets us back in for one more kiss. Then she will say, "love you mama", or "love you daddy" as we are walking out the door. It is the best thing to hear (in which I then go back and give her another smooch)!!

Ryleigh has a busy week this week. Yesterday, she had show and tell at preschool. Today is Kindergarten day. She is spending the day with the Kindergartners, eating lunch with them, meeting the 3 Kindergarten teachers and seeing what Kindergarten is all about! She is pretty excited! Then on Wednesday it is her last day of Preschool. She has a bike parade on her last day. She is doing so good without her training wheels but still needs Jason nearby, so we are putting them back on for the parade!! She is super excited about the bike parade as well!! I think we were given the best piece of advice by her teacher a few weeks ago. I think she is absolutely ready for Kindergarten, but it's always nice to hear what the teachers think, so when I asked they agreed 100% with me. But here was the advice: yes, practice stuff over the summer with her, but most importantly, LET HER BE A KID! I think all to often we get caught up in who's kid can out do who's and who's is smarter, and who's is doing what and blah, blah, blah. But really, letting them be kids is important, they grow up way to fast! That really made me sit back and think, "ya know, she is right!" She has learned so much this year, she has reviewed so much that she has already known this year, she will be a Kindergartner in the fall. SHE IS GROWING UP WAY TO FAST! I can't believe she is going to be 5 in July. What happened to my baby Ryleigh, she's a little lady now! Holy Cow!!

Then we are off on a little vacation, so adios until June!! I'll have tons more pictures to share then!! We had some storms go through the other day. I've never seen it rain through a rainbow before, but I got a cool shot of it. Isn't it neat:

Don't forget....

My other adorable, sweet, cute buttons!!! (Taken at the Como Zoo Conservatory)

Cute as a Button!!

Here are some of the other pictures I wanted to share. Some are the same picture with a different effect. I just couldn't choose a few so I posted all that I've played with so far. I have more coming. I came up with the button idea, but was going to use the huge button for the "O" in the word button, but then Jason came up with the idea to spell out button using buttons. I sewed a button onto her headband, I thought it was cute!! ENJOY:

2 Months Old!

So, Reese is 2 months old as of yesterday. I have more pictures to share, but I am not done playing yet, so this is what you get for now and then I will post the others soon!! Reese's 2 month stats: Weight: 11 lbs, 3 oz. (75th %)!! Length: 21 1/2 inches. She had a good week meeting her Nana Peggy, but the week before that she got her first cold. And, she defeated it well!! Tough girl. She continues to be such an awesome baby. Very content, nothing seems to really bother her (except when I eat chocolate)! She was sleeping great before she got sick, 8 hours in a row, only waking up once around 4 am. But, since then it has been sporadic. The last two nights have been more routine, only waking up twice, so we're getting back there and who knows, maybe she is going through another growth spurt. She's not a fan of the bottle, but she has taken one every day for the past week. Trying to get her ready for when I return to work. Man I just love her to pieces, I love all my girls to pieces!!

Sweet baby yawns!!

Getting some fresh air while we grilled supper!!

Moms Day Extended!!

So, my mothers day was extended into the week last week. Jason's mom is in town visiting and Jason got us each a massage at Liv Aveda for Mother's Day. We both agreed, it was awesome!!!! Then, on Friday, Ryleigh's class had a moms and muffins day. It was so fun. Ryleigh showed us (Jason's mom joined me) some stuff she likes to play with, then we got to sit in a circle and be introduced to her class, then they sang this song for us! Jason's mom video taped it so I have it posted here. Thanks Peggy, for capturing it on video. It is the neatest little song and I was almost about to cry while they were singing it. I have heard it a lot over the past several weeks, but not the whole song, so it was fun to hear.(To hear the video, scroll down to the bottom to pause the music, then enjoy the video!) Anyways, then we had muffins and lemonade with Ryleigh and I got a gift--a pillowcase with her hand prints and name on it--can't wait to sleep on it!! Thank you Jason for the massage, it was absolutely wonderful!!!

Happy 1st Birthday Mr. Thatcher!!

Just wanted to wish this adorable, sweetheart of a little man, a very happy 1st birthday today!! I miss you and wish I could see you on your birthday! Have fun with Grandma Terri!! Love you

Mothers Day!

Wow, so I know I just did four entries today, but this past week has been kind of crazy. First Landree caught this bad bug, then Ryleigh about two days later, then Jason two days later, then my poor little Reese about a day after Jason. So, if I look tired in any of these photos, it is because I am. Of course, Jason dealt with the older two more than I did, but poor Reese has been getting my constant attention, as I do not want her ending up in the hospital. Anyhow, I am feeling a little under the weather, but not nearly as bad as the other 4 got it. Also, poor Reese went 6 days without pooping (IDK whats going on) but that moved from my priority to number two after she caught this nasty bug. She doesn't seem constipated at all, so I am thinking it's just her norm. It's just so different than the other two who seemed to poo every time I nursed them. Anyhow, I think we are on the up and up. Which is good since Nana Peggy is coming to visit and the weather is becoming beautiful (forecast for tomorrow: 85)!!!!! Also, I talked to Ryleigh about fun things to do in the summer and she wants to try T-ball!! So, we signed her up for that today. I am so excited and hope she enjoys it. It starts after we return from KS and goes until mid July. Should be lots of fun. I would love to help coach, but with Reese being so new, I will wait until next year if she really likes it. The neighbor kids play lots of soccer and she wants to try that as well, so maybe she will want to try that next summer. Anyhow, here are some photos from Mothers Day. I hope all my readers who are mom's had a wonderful day. Especially my mom, Terri, Peggy, Shea, Ana, Andie, Grandma Mary, all my aunts and the to-be's: Sarah and Kelli!! Love you all! oh, and don't mind squirrely Ryleigh below. This is the best one the four of us took, so one person out of four has to be doing something silly.

Ryleigh and I on Mothers Day:

Ryleigh with the project she made me:

Ryleigh made this for me at Lowe's when Jason and the girls ran an errand on Saturday. Isn't it sweet. What a lovely Mothers Day gift!

Smiles

Finally got a shot of Reese and her smile. It is so much cuter in person. And her big blue eyes just gleam. She has been smiling up a storm this past week. She even giggled today at Jason for the first time. Ryleigh has no dimples, Landree has one, and Reese has two!!

Bicycle Safety Rally

So, last Thursday, the girls and I went to a bicycle safety rally at the mall here. You can buy really nice bike helmets for only 8 dollars. They have all kinds of events and safety stuff at the event. You can even bring your bike and there is a course you can ride. Since it was just me, we decided to just do helmets this year. Ryleigh has had hers, but they check to make sure the helmets still fit. So, Landree got a new one and Ryleigh got hers checked. Guess who has been riding her bike without training wheels.............you guessed right if you guessed Miss Ryleigh Grace. She's no pro yet (as you can see Jason is running with her, especially to make sure she doesn't go out into the street), but she is doing great. I have videos of her progression that I will hopefully be getting posted soon. Only took her a few weeks to learn her balance, hopefully she will be good by the time her last day of school is, as they are doing a bike parade the morning of her last day. Take a peek:

Ryleigh Grace--no training wheels!!!!

The girls wrestling in their helmets:

The girls in their helmets:

Here is a picture of Landree with her new bicycle helmet!! She picked it out!!

Pictures to share!

Here are some of my favorites from the past month that I haven't gotten on here yet.

Fire Station Visit!!

The last week of April we took a trip to one of the Fire Stations in North Mankato to check out the firetrucks and firefighter gear. Here is a slide show of our visit. I think the girls enjoyed it. It was an evening field trip set up by the Preschool teachers.

Basement Bathroom

YAY!!! We are finally finished with the basement!!! Jason spent about 8 hours on Saturday finishing with the bathroom and putting the finishing touches on. This slate is really beautiful, but it was a major pain in the butt for Jason. He spent one night scrubbing and scrubbing, I didn't think the skin on his hands would ever be soft again. But it was worth it. The bathroom turned out to be beautiful and now, we like the basement bathroom better than any other bathrooms in the house! It is so nice to be finished. Now, for the next thing on Jason's home improvement list.............well, you'll just have to wait and see!!

The bathroom before (2 years ago--a gleam in Jason's eye): The bathroom after Jason's hard work and dedication (and this is NO lie):