Art de Rye

I got Rye some new markers the other day (so she'd stop stealing mine) and she's been coloring up a storm. I just wanted to share a couple of them. I love how much more detailed she's getting. Can anyone guess what kind of dinosaur that is? I was wrong when I guessed.

Videos de Jo

Two videos of Joey. The first of is her laughing, it's not that great she does it way better in person. The second is of her "screeching." Again she does it better. When she starts getting tired and I'm holding her at my shoulder she gets crazy. It is sooo funny. I wish I could show you that. It's hilarious.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books
Don't mind my icky voice.

Just a fun pic of the two of us...

Finger Lickin' Good

Jo has progressed from knawing on her hands to gumming her cute lil' fingers. Her digits have not replaced the beloved binky but she enjoys them during the waking hours. Here are a few cute pics of her enjoying her latest hobby.

The funny thing is is that she has no problem with it when she's sitting up in my lap. But lately if she's reclining (like in her car or bouncy seat) she feels that she cannot be bothered to raise her chubby arm to her mouth...apparently she feels it's more worth while to try and bring mouth to her hand and then she gets soooo mad when she has trouble. I have tried explaining to her the flaws in her plan but she is uninterested in my opinion. Here she is hard at work.

Don't enV me...

I got a new cell phone today. Woot! It's the LG enV (hence my witty post title). I am totally in love with this phone. I text with my sisters constantly through out the day and my poor RAZR just couldn't keep up with my flyin' fingers. The enV has a full keyboard that is my new best friend. I can tell you that this baby is going to get quite a workout with me as it's owner. That sounded much cleaner in my head....my only regret is that htey don't sell this wonderful phone in PINK, ah well, I can live with the funky orange.

Pictures, Pictures & More Pictures

I took lots of pictures yesterday and this morning. So I thought I'd share. I guess I don't have to worry about Jo getting that feeling that we didn't take enough pictures of her, being the second child. Hehehe. First we have some adorable ones of Joey Rae...

Love the spit bubbles, she does those when she zerbitz...

The last one is her saying, "Mom...I am SO over this!"
Next we have some of the girls together...can't give up a photo op. Rye loves to get up in her face and Jo usually doesn't care one bit. The first one she get a good hold on Rye's hair and surprised her...she's already holding her own against her big sis.
I hope you can see these Eric. We all miss you very, very much. Oh, there are two more new posts below this one...don't miss them.

Citizen...

Rye was chosen for Citizen of the Month for December and January. She was very proud. We had an assembly with juice and cookies afterward. To be the citizen you must show Safety, Responsibility and Respect. I'm very proud of my girl.

Rolling Along...

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books I thought this was too cute not to share. I promise I wasn't pushing her over when my hand shoots out there, we just have a thin carpet on tile floors and I didn't want her to bonk her head off the ground. Enjoy...

3 Months Old

Lil' Joey Jo is three months old today. Time has gone by so fast. So I'm going to post her 2 month and her 3 month picturein her bouncy seat, for comparison...you know I'm all about comparisons. ;)Yowza...you really can see a difference. Next we have some more tummy pictures...I'm going to have to print on of these off and put it on the wall.
Man, look how big her head looks in that second one...hehehe, look slike Daddy.
And I just thought I'd share this last one. Both the girls love to have their face covered when falling asleep. Rye still does it with her blankets and Jo is following suit. If she can't get her blanket up there then she'll use her little hands.Happy 3 months Baby Girl!

Late Night

I have so many things buzzing around in my head right now. I had a vanilla frappuccino today so I'm up. Hey, having caffeine only 3 time in 6 weeks is a big deal for me. I'm going good I think. I got to talk to Eric again tonight. It's so nice to hear his voice, even if we're not really talking about anything. I always come to appreciate out relationship when he's away. Not that I don't appreciate it when he's here I do...but when he's gone it tends to hit me what a good relationship we have. We get along so well and we love hanging out together. We work well together on big stuff and small stuff. We make each other laugh. He cracks me up, I can still picture him "hi-yahing" around the living room and I still laugh.
Rye is getting so big. She is Citizen of the Month at school for January. She is so proud. We'll be going to an assembly on Thursday where she'll get a certificate. It's hard for me to remember her when she was little, even when I look at pictures. Makes me want to cherish this time with Joey....even when she's going ballistic all evening because she was in her car seat for a bit earlier in the day.
I'm going in Thursday for an eye exam, getting me some new glasses. Woot! I'm going to have fun picking out a new pair. A little treat for the bills I've paid off so far, plus a bit of a necessity since my prescription may have changed and I need a new one written up even if it hasn't changed to I can get some more contacts. I'm gonna start working out again next week. After Charles leaves. I'm looking forward to it...I need to gain some muscle. I'm down to 125 and I'm kind of bummed. I wanted to stay up in the 130s...so hopefully working on my guns (or should I say pee shooters?) might up my weight in the long run. I might even try some of Eric's protein powder smoothies.
Alright, I should go lay down, even if I don't sleep. Let me body rest even if my mind isn't going to.

Advice Anyone

I wanted to ask for advice from the wonderful ladies who read this. This weekend I will be totally alone with the girls. Our friend that's been staying with us leaves to join Eric over in Iraq. I just wanted to ask for some advice on scheduling and the little odds and ends that I'm going to be dealing with. I know all of you have kids and have been through deployments before. Are there any tips you all could give me to help the days run smoother?

Soooo BIG!

Incredible

The incredible swollen, bug bitten girl....

Not sure how well you can see it in the pictures, but Rye has the tendency to swell up real big when she's bitten by a bug. Both her and Eric started doing this right before we left Virginia. It creeps me out a whole lot. I wish I had pics of Eric infamous bite where his whole eye swelled shut. It's her left foot that swollen and that bump on her arm that looks like her elbow is actually below her elbow. Weird!
sidenote: Something else that's way incredible...I should have the Nissan paid off on the first of March. That'll be the 4th bill I've paid off. I am soooo excited!

Sometimes...

Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be easier if I didn't like my husband so dang much. I think then maybe then I wouldn't miss him so much.

Random Shots

Just thought I'd post a few random pictures. These first ones are from the night Eric left.

Rye lost her top tooth today. Only a matter of time before my girl has two top teeth for the first time in 4 years. And this is Joey favorite past time right now...gumming her little hands.

My babies...

2008

Last year instead of doing numerous resolutions for the new year I chose one word to try and strive for through out the year. Last year I chose the word Commit. I wanted to stick to decisions I'd made or would make. Looking back I didn't do too bad...I obviously stuck to the decision to try for another child. Hahaha!
So the time has come to chose a word for this year. I know I'm a few days late but I have a baby, give me a break. =D This year I have chosen the word PRAYER. With Eric leaving for 6 or 7 months and raising the girls by myself for that time I know I'll be doing a lot of praying. I really want to get back to having time with God everyday. To grow closer to him in those minutes we share everyday. I want to go to him when it's time to make decisions, not think I know it all and can figure it all out...or handle it all on my own. I know that when Eric gets home and we're all in one piece that it'll have been God that got us through this rough time. God needs to be the center of my life, of my family's lives.
I want the peace that comes with being close to Him. All I can do is start and see where it takes me.
So that's my word for the year....what would yours be?