Riley turns 6 months

I can't believe you are 6 months old, you are such a delight to have in our home. Your best feature is when you smile your entire face scrunches up and I can't help but laugh and smile every time you do it. You are just starting to sit up all by yourself, you hate being left alone and will cry until we walk back in the room and you love to pull Chase's hair and he lets you do it. You are still on the small side (we go to the doctor tomorrow) you wear 3-6 month clothes and can still fit into some of your 0-3 month. We love you little peanut. Note: I was never a fan of calling kids peanut, however it just fits little Riley.

Thanksgiving

What are you grateful for this year?  This year like years past, I am grateful for a loving husband, who works hard and has a strong love for the gospel, 2 beautiful children that make every day a little brighter.  I am grateful for the gospel, the knowledge and peace it provides me in my life, I'm grateful for a supportive family that I can count on at any time and for technology that allows as to be connected no matter where we live.

This year my brother and his family came over from Champaign, IL, for the week.  We had a great time exploring the City, with 4 kids under 3.  We walked through Central Park, lunch at the Shake Shack, 5th Ave, Rockefeller, Bryant Park, Brooklyn Bridge, lottery for Next to Normal and winning, balloons for the Thanksgiving Day parade, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thanksgiving dinner, Natural History Museum, and a little bit of shopping.   Wow what a week and the kids were great.

Auston, Audrey and Chase

Feeding the ducks in Central Park

Chase and Riley loved having Auston and Audrey around the house.  Auston couldn't get enough cars in his little hands, whenever we were home he had at least 4 or 5 in each hand.  Audrey her little voice is just too cute, I've missed having it around the last couple of days.   Thanks for making the drive, we had a fabulous time.

Riley and Daddy enjoying the parade

We arrived at the parade at 6:45 am, the kids were great given it didn't start until 9:00 am thanks to the help of a dvd player, ipod touch and goldfish.

Sesame Street

Cindy Lauper

This is how Chase enjoyed most of the parade, playing with my phone.

The only picture taken of Thanksgiving dinner, our place cards.  I must say Kristen and I made a pretty good team cooking dinner, given it was the 1st time either of us had cooked a turkey.

Chase and his cupcakes

About a week ago we walked into our favorite cupcake store "Make my Cake" and it just happened that the news was doing a feature on their "Sweet Potato Cupcake", Chase made the cut, you can see him at about 1:26, click here

White Mountains

I have always wanted to see New England in the fall and this year we decided to head North and take advantage of the Columbus Day weekend.  We made our way to New Hampshire to spend the weekend with my cousin Mike and Ariane, we had a great time enjoying great food, a beautiful landscape and wonderful company.  We met up with them in Portsmonth for dinner and a walk around a very charming downtown area.   The next day they were gracious enough to take us for a drive up to the White Mountains, which were beautiful, it was just what we were looking for.

We were also headed over to York, ME to check out the lighthouse, what a beautiful day.

Riley just chillin' on the rock.

We had a fabulous weekend, thank you Mike and Ariane for everything, it's been great to see more of each other the last year or so, we need to keep it up before one of us leaves the east coast. We can't wait to meet your little bundle of joy (in February of course), you will be wonderful parents.  Thanks again.

Back in Business

So, as you can tell blogging hasn't been happening/a priority lately it doesn't mean I haven't wanted to, it just means my time has been spent elsewhere (named Chase and Riley).   So here we go, I can't promise any kind of order but rather snap shots of the last several months.

Chase at 3

Chase turned 3, I can't believe how quickly they become little people.  He has always found a way to get what he wants, he in constantly pushing the chairs around the house in order to get whatever it is.  Lately he is all about getting his own food waffles, chicken, ice cream, milk, you get the idea, not a big deal as long as I'm around to help, right.  Well not long after he turned 3 I could hear him in the kitchen, chair and all, getting the waffles out of the freezer.  I told him I would be right there to help with the toaster and getting a plate, however by the time I reach the kitchen, maybe a minute later, he had already put the waffles in the toaster, pushed it down, got a plate out of the cupboard, utensils out, butter and syrup ready to go.  I just had to smile and cry just little at how self sufficient he is becoming. 

Other great things about Chase:

He loves letters and numbers

He loves the Subway, he knows all the subway stops

He loves "chicken and fries" 

He loves the park/playgrounds

He loves to play games with daddy on the wii 

He loves mommies iPhone

He loves to play with his friends

He loves to walk and walk and walk

He loves Riley and is a great big brother

Chase - Day 1

Chase at 1

Chase at 2

Chase you have been such a joy and a blessing to have in our home, we love you.