Happy Birthday to Ryan!

Ryan's birthday is actually Wednesday. He turns a big ol' 26! Getting a present for Ryan is very tricky. Not that he's hard to please, but more like he doesn't need much and isn't one for spending money on things he doesn't need. Well we celebrated his birthday this last Saturday and I made him spend moeny anyway. :o)

We decided to go to Wyoming to get some "good" fireworks. Don't worry we won't be lighting them off here in the city. We'll save them for Idaho where we light them off by Ryan's Parent's canal. Anyway, Right across the border there were many many firework STORES, not stands, but actual stores. I had never seen anything like it! a grocery sized store with shelves and shelves of different fireworks! Wow! It took us a bit to find what Ryan was after, but I sure had fun wondering what the humongous $80 cylindar did! We didn't get it of course, but all the pricey fireworks were sure fun to look at and wonder. The store was having a buy 1 get 1 or 2 free. So we ended up spending around $40 on fireworks, but we have enough for like 3 years! Ryan stocked up on his classic favs. whisteling bottle rockets, water dynamite (little firecrackers you drop in the water), roman candles, sparklers, and flowers. We're going to have some fun next weekend!

On the way back we stopped at a really nice rest stop so Jaden could run around a bit.
and boy did he run!!

There were a few trails and the view was very pretty.

These little ground squirrels were everywhere. There were tons of holes that they kept popping out of to see if anyone had dropped any food for them. It was so funny to watch Jaden run from hole to hole as they popped up then back down. It was like a crazy real life version of Whack a Mole.

That evening we went out to eat at Famous Daves then that night we went and saw Transformers 2 at the drive-in. Thankfully Jaden slept in the back seat through all the noise.

Ryan suggested I make his cake Sunday instead of Wednesday so he would have time to eat it all before we left for Idaho for the weekend. So here's his cake that he picked out. complete with 26 candles!

Happy Birthday Ryan! I hope it was a good one for ya! We love you lots!

Baby Bump update

I had some friends ask to see my baby bump. (yes I have some friends, and yes it's more than a bump) So here I am at 24 weeks. That's 6 months pregnant!

I had a doctors appointment just last Thurs. and all is going well. Bella is about 2.5 pounds. She's on track as being an average size baby just like Jaden was. That's around 7 pounds. I can't take Jaden with me to the doctor anymore. Chasing him around makes it difficult for them to get an accurate blood pressure reading. Hee oops. He's not bad really, just wants to explore.

My easier days of second trimester are coming to an end. Already I'm having more trouble sleeping, walking, breathing, you know all those non-essential things. Jaden has learned that if he drops flat on the floor and squirms a lot that Mommy can't pick him up. I can't even begin to tell you how annoying THAT is. His toddler tantrums are becoming more frequent and he's very good at setting off Mommy's pregnancy irritability. Anyone want to take him for the next couple months?

Bella is as busy in my tummy as Jaden was. The guidline is that I should feel the baby move 6-10 times an hour. Oh my. I think I feel her far more than that in a minute! Usually it's not too painful unless she's turned in a way to kick some sort of vital organ with full force. That's not comfy.

I'm so grateful that all is going well with the pregnancy. I'd rather be big and uncomfortable and have her safe and sound than any other way. I'll never be one that likes being pregnant, but I'm very excited to see my little girl's face and have her meet her big brother.

All Done!

For now anyway. What's all done? Ryan's school! Saturday he passed his last journyman's test and is now offically a journeyman electrician. For those of you that don't know how that program works, Ryan had to get an electrical company to accept him as an apprentice, then he had to do 4 years of school and a whole lotta practical, or work hours. After all that he had some very difficult tests to take, a bunch of paper work to track down and send in, but what started shortly after we were married while living in Rexburg and Ryan working at First Call Jewel in Idaho Falls, now is completed! Yay!

The independent electrical companies (what I call the non-union union) threw a great graduation banquet back in May. They really know how to throw a party. Prime Rib was served among other fantasticly yummy food. The new electricians got to rub shoulders with some important and very successful electricians (now owners) of the area. Also there was a great gift of all sorts of fun stuff supplied by various electrical wholesale companies. Ryan was the only apprentice graduating from his company (Eagle Electric) but his boss and second in command (also boss) were there to support him. It was great.

With the classes Ryan took at ISU before he started his apprenticeship he was able to take one more class and also get his Associates in Applied Science.

As for me, I'm all done too! For about a year and a half I've been taking a writing class from the Institute of Children's Literature. I've learned a great deal about writing and just as important marketing my work, but I'm glad it's over. Finding time to write with a toddler around is like trying to breath under water. Just plain impossible! I hope at some point my writing bug will bite me again, maybe when all my kids are at school age. Aww the things to look forward to.

What now? Well Ryan is considering a few more classes in business. He may eventually want to move up to owning his own company and some business know how would certainly help. He also intends to become a Master Electrician, which mostly involves more tests and work hours, but he's in no hurry at this time. At 25 he's doing pretty well for himself, and us too!

For me, no more school for a good while. Jaden keeps me busy enough, and with Bella on her way, I don't think more time is magically going to appear for me. I'm always learning new photo editing and digital scrapbooking tips and tricks here and there and even signed up for photo editing online workshop, but that'll do it for me for awhile I think.

I love to see the temple

The Oquirrh Mountain temple is having it's open house right now! Because it is in our stake and is our regular temple, we were asked to volunteer for one or more of the many needed positions to make the open house run smooth. Yesterday I worked in the hospitality tent. Besically after they get done with the tour they come in and get cookies and water and can relax for a bit in the beautifully decorated and air conditioned tent. It truley does not even look like a tent! Crazy. So I got to stand there and hand out delicious cookies and talk to lots of great people who came from all over the country. 4 hours was a bit long to stand for this pregnant lady, but it was a great experience!

Want to see more pictures of the inside of the temple check them out here.

The open house ends Aug 1st. so if you want to see the temple for yourself get a move on. The temple tour is open to EVERYONE! yay!

Daddy's Day

We had quite a bit of time to prepare for Father's Day this year. Ryan was away to Youth Conference Thurs-Sat. (possibly pics of that to come later). Ryan already got his geft several weeks earlier. He got a week eater and wanted to play with it. Anyway, because it was just me and Jaden for several days we got right on our other father's day plans.

I thought I'd let Jaden create something for Daddy like he did last year, but this time I was more prepared, what happened last year? you can see that here: http://ryanandrachelyancey.blogspot.com/2008/06/daddys-card.html
So this time I decided to get some finger paint. Washable it said, but I was ready just in case. I put garbage bags over EVERYTHING! Jaden knew something was up and was pretty excited!
At first he wasn't sure what to do with the paint. "Eat it? I am in the high chair after all." But it only took me to dip his finger in the paint then on the paper, and he was on his way!

I told Jaden to show me his hand. He was happy to oblige. So proud to be messy!

Here's our works of art. Yup I had to get in on the action too. Jaden thought that was pretty funny.

Clean up was a snap! Just threw all the garbage bags away, and what do you know, it really was washable paint! Even came out of my shirt! (yeah I should have extended my precautions to myself. hee)

My other idea to spoil Ryan came from Bakerella. cute little cupcake hamburgers and sugar cookie fries. What was I thinking? I don't bake! It was so hot from all the baking and my feet hurt so bad, i had many things go not quite right, but Saturday morning I did get something close enough to eat.

Cute huh? Here's the instructions from Bakerealla, just don't compare mine too closely okay?

http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2009/06/fast-food-fun.html

We were happy to spoil Dad a bit. Ryan is such a good father! Jaden missed him lots while he was gone and was so happy to play with him all day Sunday. I love that Ryan helps me out so much around the house, he'll even change a poopy diaper now and again. What a great husband I have. Jaden and Bella are so lucky to have him as a Daddy!

Shoe!

Jaden loves to say "shoe" he especially loves what it mean! We get to go outside! Yay! He panics whenever Daddy puts his shoes on if Jaden doesn't have any on. He'll point to them and say shoe shoe shoe, until daddy either takes them off or explains what he's doing. ex. mowing the lawn, you can watch through the screen door.
Jaden even likes to put on everyone else shoes. How do you think he walked from the kitchen wearing my flip flops like that? He thinks it's hilarious.