Family photos

We took some family photos this afternoon in hopes of getting a good shot of us for Christmas cards. It was a beautiful but windy day outside, and we were on a mission. It was challenging to get Ryland, Cooper, and us adults smiling and looking at the camera all at the same time. The photo above gets pretty close, and I love Ryland's big smile.

An outtake of a silly moment.

I tried to snap a shot of Ryland with his great grandparents, and this facial expression pretty much sums up how the mini photo session went. Ryland was not feeling the smile and pose mood.

Great grandparents, Nanna, and Ryland

Ryland loves Mr. Gobbles (the metal turkey decoration) on our front porch. He would say hello to Mr. Gobbles everyday and even gave him a kiss on the head one afternoon. We had to say good bye, so we could pack him up until next year.

Our first fire

It was cold out tonight, so we decided to try out the fireplace. This is the first time we have used it, and we didn't know what to expect. Would it work? We were unsure if the gas logs were operational and how this experiment would go.

John Chris opened the damper and lit the gas light. A poof of gas inside the fireplace ignited, and Ryland screamed in fear. He started balling and ran to me. John Chris was sitting on the hearth and noticed several wasps burning and trying to crawl out of the fire. We think a nest dropped inside when the damper opened. Good thing the poof of fire got them before they flew inside.

The gas logs worked perfectly, and it was so nice to enjoy something that we didn't have to repair. It put off a warm glow and the heat warmed the family room. It was wonderful coziness.

Silly visitors

Nanna and Ryland's great grandparents came to visit, and we had a great time hanging out and talking. Ryland joined in the pilgrim napkin hat fun. He just started saying Nanna, and my mom loved it.

Entry hall

The after photo of the entry hall.

The wall on the right side of the photo was originally open to another room, and we sheet rocked the opening. The wood flowers have been stripped, sanded, repaired, stained, and polyed. The baseboard is new, and all the trim and walls have been painted. I just have a little trim paint to finish around the door. Notice anything else? The beautiful brass lighting fixture has been replaced. Much better!
John Chris finished up the paint in the high areas with the scaffolding before we return it tomorrow. It was a little tricky and dangerous around the curved staircase area. I won't even begin explaining the way we set it up. It did involve a paint bucket, two bricks, and some scrap boards.

Thanksgiving 2010

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year, but it was definitely different. We started with working on the house then a delicious lunch of turkey sandwiches. We then loaded up and headed to Cowboys stadium to watch the Saints and Cowboys. The Owens invited us to join their family in a private suite, and it was absolutely awesome.

Ryland loves football, and he liked to be close to the glass to see the action. It made me nervous, because I know how much he loves to climb. He did great and kept both feet on the floor most of the time.

What a view! This is the best way to watch a game. The game was action packed, and the fans really got into the game. It was funny to see the suites on both sides of us yelling for the Cowboys, and we were yelling for the Saints. Who dat!

A fun moment with my boy.

Ryland and Jackson played with the trucks when they took a break from the game.

When John Chris and I stopped to think about everything we are thankful for, we were overwhelmed with the numerous blessings in our lives. We are forever thankful for every moment.

Making chicken nachos

Ryland helped make chicken nachos for dinner tonight. He was really curious and was saying "up, up, up" over and over, so we put a step stool next to the island for him. He helped sprinkle the cheese for us.

Just like a true chef, he had to taste his masterpiece. He loves cheese.

Baby update

I had the monthly doctor visit, repeat sonogram, and glucose test this morning. I was a little nervous about the sonogram, and I was really ready to have an answer. I have thought about the potential kidney issue for the past month, and I had an odd reassuring feeling that the kidneys were just fine. I started with the sonogram and was pleasantly put at ease. The kidneys were visible and functioning, and the baby looked great! The baby's heart rate was 146 bpm, and I will have the glucose test results in a couple days. So far so good.

Napping with Daddy

After a long hard morning, my boys crash on the sofa for a little nap.

Christmas lighting in Town Square

We enjoyed some Christmas spirit tonight in Town Square. We attempted a family photo right as Ryland spotted an airplane.

The tree didn't impress Ryland, but the horse drawn carriages and Santa were a hit.

Family room progress

We rented scaffolding to paint the family room and install the new ceiling fan. It is crazy how a little bit of paint can totally change the look of a room. The ceiling has several different vault lines, so it is a pain. This is the last area we have to paint in the main living area, and we will be ready to move into the formal areas.

Ryland helped with the fan assembly. More like the dis-assembly of the fan box, but whatever makes him happy and content is great. The new fan is a good bit bigger than the old one, and it was pretty difficult to get hung. It looks great now that it is hung. I love progress!

Sitting in a dinning chair

Ryland is a big boy tonight. He was pointing at one of the dinning chairs and wanted out of his highchair. We put him in a normal chair, and he acted like such a big boy. He ate his dinner, and he behaved very well. It must be getting time to get a booster.

Thanksgiving feast

Ryland's school had their Thanksgiving feast today, and I volunteered to help out. I was amazed at all the little ones sitting down together and wearing their turkey headpieces. All the little ones except Ryland. I tried everything to get him to sit at the table with his classmates, but he wasn't interested. He wanted to run around and play.

Don't even think about it. The turkey headpiece was jerked off and thrown immediately.
Ryland's teachers assured me that he normally sits and eats with everyone and doesn't act like such a bully. They said he was showing off for me. That better be it.

Neighborhood playground

Our new neighborhood has great amenities, and we have been talking about visiting one of the playgrounds for a few weeks. Today was the perfect chance to try out the slides and swings. Ryland loved it!

Outside lighting

The project for today was our outside lighting. The previous owner had up lights installed, but they were not operational and several of the light brackets were broken and hidden in the bushes. We didn't expect much of it to be salvageable, but we were pleasantly surprised. All of the electrical wiring worked, so we just needed to replace all of the fixtures. We are so pleased to have another project done, and we love it.

Sunday

John Chris's parents left today, and as always they were a tremendous help. While visiting this time they cleaned out the gutters, repaired a downspout, repaired exterior light fixtures, caught a salamander, helped with flowers, and several other household chores. Thank you!
Proving that Ryland can throw a fit when it is time for a nap.

One thing that always cheers Ryland up is Cooper. Ryland loves him so much. They love to roll around and wrestle, and Cooper is so patient and kind to Ryland.

So very sleepy

Ryland fought going to bed tonight with everything he had. John Chris's parents are in town to visit, and he was loving every moment. His fussiness was over the top, and we finally had to end the whining with a trip to the crib.

House project - kitchen lights

We updated our kitchen light cans tonight, and it is one more project we can check off the list. The old can lights had a black insert around the light bulb, and we now have a white insert. Minor detail that really made a nice difference. It looks so clean and refreshed! The kitchen is now lighter and brighter. Thanks to Daddy and Ryland for doing such an amazing job installing them.

Eating with a fork

Ryland wants to eat like a big boy with a real fork. He has been using a plastic spoon and fork for a couple months, but he has been curious about the "flashy" metal forks that mom and dad use. Over the past week, he has been trying to get us to give him our forks. It hit me tonight that we have little specialty forks that match our flatware that might work for him. He was super excited when he got one tonight. We will now just have to work on the grip.

Wild man

Ryland is a wild man! He has started going crazy with climbing, throwing, and running. He is into EVERYTHING these days, and I can barely keep the child safe. The climbing is ridiculous because it is followed by jumping. Sofa, fireplace, toy box, rocking chair, bed, you name it. He climbs and then jumps off with no fear.

Lowes

Another day and another trip to Lowes. I really think we will start getting mail there one day soon. Ryland even knows the aisles by heart at this point. He was getting a bit fussy in the shopping cart, so we let him down to walk with us. He did great until we stopped to find something. He then got a little silly, and he quickly discovered that Lowes is a pretty cool place to play hide and seek.

The house projects are coming along, and I will post more photos soon. We now have 3 fully fuctioning toliets! Progress is beautiful.

Fun school day

Ryland was in the best mood today when I picked him up from school. It was a beautiful day outside, and all the kiddos had been playing and having a good time. We cruised home with the windows down and let our hair blown in the breeze. What a life!
Ryland made a colorful windsock today with streamers and fall leaves. He was very proud of it and was eager to show it off. He would spin around to get the streamers to flutter.

The construction was a little fragile and the string broke pretty quickly. He wasn't too upset but then decided to pull the streamers off as well. Typical boy!

A hat like Daddy

Ryland wanted to wear a hat today. He handed it to me and said Daddy's. It is funny how he picks up on little things and knows that Daddy wears hats, so he wants to wear a hat. I put it on his head, and the silly hands and poses started. He definitely looked like a little John Chris in his hat, Polo shirt, and jeans.