Another Year

As I sit here looking back on 2010 I am still amazed that Christmas has come and gone. It was very quiet and peaceful around the Tellington home. We didn't have visitors, we didn't travel afar, but what we did have was our family together as a whole for the entire weekend. I was hoping for a giant snow storm like last year, allowing us extra time together. What we got were a few flurries throughout our Christmas morning. Andrew had a long weekend away from work which was wonderful.

The children loved their gifts from Santa. Ryder was gifted with a Wii, which I was a little uneasy about.  I didn't want to have to deal with a fight over playing it everyday. We put rules in place from day one and things have been just fine, actually better then expected. Callie received a suitcase full of dress-up things. She loves it, and so does Ryder. I think I may have to put together a "boy" version because as Callie says, "He is NOT a princess!".

New Year's Day was wonderful in just about every way. We attended a baptism in the morning which proved to be a wonderful teaching tool for Ryder. This was the first baptism Ryder has been to so he asked lots of questions. We can home and spent a few hours outside taking down Christmas lights and cleaning out the car. We had temperatures in the low 50's and had to take full advantage. We don't have many days like this in the winter and the kids are desperate for outdoor time. We then decided to head to the movies. We took the kids to see MegaMinds. It was really cute and they loved it. I think this will become one of our New Year's Day traditions.

I look forward to a new year. I look forward to setting new goal and working on others I haven't quite mastered. I received a wonderful book for Christmas and can't wait to lose myself in it when I get the chance, but I wanted to share this inspiring poem.

For every Winter there's a Spring-
   Oh, that's the beauty of the thing!
For ev'ry midnight there's a morn,
   For ev'ry loss a hope is born,
For ev'ry sultry day the dew,
   For ev'ry old year there's a new!


Yes, buds for all the leaves that fall-
   That is the beauty of it all,
New dreams for all the dreams that die,
   For ev'ry night a dawning sky-
For ev'ry heartache, failure, fear,
   Another chance, another year!


                         -Douglas Malloch


I wish you all a Happy New Year. May it be filled with all the things that bring love and happiness to you and your family. And to the princess in all of us may all your dreams come true!

I love Cleanings

I am on cloud nine today. Why might you ask, because after almost two years I got my teeth cleaned. I was able to lay peacefully back in a chair with no interruptions (kid free) and get my teeth scraped. Is there anything better? Going to Costco kid free before bedtime comes close, and I was able to do that today too. Is it my birthday? No, but the cleaning was part of my birthday gift. The one thing the military doesn't provide is dental coverage for the family. I told Andrew that all I wanted for my birthday was a dental cleaning. So he talked to the hygienist and she kindly slid me in. To her I say THANK YOU, for one of the best hours I have had in a long time.

Fall Fun

For the past month the kids have constantly been asking if this is leaf pile day. Meaning... is this the day we get to run and jump around in all the leaf piles. The leaves have finally been falling and there are a few huge piles along the street, so I decided that before the piles become wet (which if likely to happen tomorrow) I would take them out for LEAF PILE DAY! They had so much fun playing together, and as Ryder says getting fresh air. They threw leaves at each other, chased each other, hugged each other and even tossed each other around. I can't say that I remember that as a child. I don't think I really ever lifted a rake since Vegas has no trees! It's only fitting I get to experience the joy through their eyes. 
 

Today while Ryder was at school I managed to get the fall decorations assembled outside. Can I just say I love hay, scarecrows and pumpkins. Hooray for Fall!

Halloween 2010

I love this time of year. I love pulling out all the decorations. I love making new ones, and I love when Ryder tells people our house is SPOOKTIFIED! I heart all things pumpkin, pumpkin patches, pumpkin treats and my two darling pumpkins. But, most of all I love creating our costumes. This year Ryder chose to be Batman. I did opt to go ahead and buy his costume because I didn't want to mess with trying to make muscles, and the one I found was great. I was a little disappointed in the cape. I thought it could have been made better, and looking back I should have made it better myself. Oh well. Callie wanted to be Tinkerbell.. I think. I may have convinced her, I can't remember at this point. I looked and looked for an amazing costume but there wasn't one I felt was good enough. I was also thrown a challenge, to create a costume that was 75% homemade. That was all I needed and I was off. I found a great pattern and made a few changes and ta-da, it came to life. I made the wings, snagged a pair of shoes from the thrift store and glittered them up, and found her wand on clearance at Walmart. She looked amazing, and I couldn't be more proud of her costume. So much so that I let her cry over a dough nut because I didn't want her dropping it on her costume. I know, shame on me. At the last minute I managed to pull together a costume of my own. I really didn't recognized myself, and the kids continually told me to take that off my face. I guess green just isn't my color. Enjoy our Halloween 2010.

Princess Potty Training

Going to the bathroom never looked so cute! All I can say it Hallelujah! This was two years easier than my dearest Ryder. Someone is looking out for me. Can girls really be that much easier?

Disneyland

We took our first official trip to Disneyland in July. The grandparents, Greg, Kelly and the girls all joined us for a fun filled day at the happiest place on earth. Ryder absolutely loved it and after each ride begged to go again. We had to distract and drag him from ride to ride to make it through the park.

My mom was the official Callie sitter. Callie wasn't able to go on very many rides, and grandma gets very sick very easily. I think she went on two rides and ended up having to leave a little early because she was motion sick. We got to the park right when it opened and managed to hit all the big rides before the crowds.

It was a success. We only had enough meltdowns to count on one hand, made it back for a 2 hour nap, made it home and to sleep before 10:00pm.  A day he will remember forever, mission accomplished!

BAT GIRLS

Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen. 

We have had a busy 2010 to say the least. We returned a few weeks ago from a 2 month vacation to visit all the Grandparents. We had so much fun in each location and can't wait to share some of the adventures. There was Disney Land, San Diego Zoo, beach, baby shower, Train Museum, Fairy Tale Town, Sewing Class, Baby Birth and so much more. 

I can sum it all by saying it's good to be home. I realized after all the traveling that it doesn't matter where you live, or really what you live in, your home is your home. I am a home body. I love my space be it messy or clean, although I prefer the clean. 

Ryder is back in preschool 3 days a week and loving it. However, I can't tell you much of what goes on because when I ask or mention the word school he says "don't say that word". So I proceed to tell him that I am here to listen and when he is ready to tell me I will be waiting. Small bits and pieces come out here and there.

Callie is a girl, and I love girls. Just yesterday she woke up from her nap, which I take with her, and she said, "I want you to paint my nails". So while Ryder was still napping we went down stairs and she sat on the table and let me paint her nails. She then carefully blew on them while I was painting her toe nails. And the hair. Need I say more. She rarely lets me brush it, and when I try putting a clip in it she instantly pulls it out. Luckily she was blessed with curls that hide everything!

The above photo was taken at the Orchard in Las Vegas. Torrie and I took the girls for a photo shoot. I am trying to get an etsy shop up and running with the aprons I have made and needed some cute pictures. We captured this one at the end when we put their capes on and let them run free. The life of a two year old. Need I say more.