Little Laughs

While playing peek-a-book with Asher yesterday he started laughing. This isn't the first time he's laughed but it was so funny because he would laugh almost every time. I had so much fun playing with him that I had to share it with Kevin last night. I couldn't help but giggle myself. Don't you just love how contagious laughter is? I adore this little one, milk tongue and all!

What Did I Miss?

I'm not sure where I've been, or if anyone even knows, but why does Lady Gaga always have a crystal flashlight/magic wand when she performs? Is there a purpose behind it that I just don't get? Kevin and I laughed hysterically the first time we saw her perform...was it on SYTYCD? The crystal flashlight combined with her leotard costume left us rolling on the floor with tears streaming down our faces, wondering if the performance was maybe even a practical joke played on America. (Leotard costume not shown here.) I admit that she has some fun catchy songs, but seriously, every time I see that crystal flashlight I laugh. It's hard to take her seriously. Maybe I'm just getting too old and I'm not hip anymore...do the kids say "hip" these days? I gotta get out more.

Happy 2009

Despite having a sore throat and feeling a little icky, we went to my sister's house to celebrate the end of 2008 and welcome in 2009. My mom and dad were there also and we partied it up! We had great food and lots of fun, including a game of Phase 10 dice. Rylan stayed up to welcome in the new year but he wasn't too thrilled with the silly string and noisemakers. He did love the fireworks though and has even talked about them the last 2 days. We left shortly after the count down to get home and get in bed.

Thursday morning I woke up feeling absolutely horrible. Rylan woke up with a yucky cough so we called it a day of relaxing. We all stayed in our pajamas all day. Kevin loves me and let me stay in bed most of the day while he kept Rylan entertained. He even put him down for a nap on time! Asher was a good boy and relaxed in his swing or in bed with me and we all made it through the day.

Kevin had to go back to work this morning but he only worked a half day. Again, I stayed in my pajamas all day. I have been in these pajamas since Wednesday night and I haven't showered since Wednesday...I probably shouldn't admit that! But I have been brushing my teeth so I'm not totally disgusting. I did get Rylan showered today so at least he's not still in his same pajamas!

Steph (Kevin's sister) has a Mocktail Party every year and it's tonight. My parents were going to babysit while Kevin and I danced the night away, but sadly I'm not really in the dancing mood. Kevin went without me and here I am blogging and watching the Utah vs. Alabama game. Yes, I'm watching football and my husband is not even here controlling the remote. I'll watch a girly movie later to make up for it :)

So should I post my resolutions for the year? I've debated because you know, then I may be held accountable :) I've heard several people voice their discouragement against setting resolutions because "we always break them" and "setting resolutions just sets us up for failure". But I strongly believe that we all need to set goals to stretch ourselves and strengthen us and to always have something to work towards. So I decided I may as well post my resolutions for 2009. Here goes:

1) Do more with Rylan. Before the weather got cold (and before Asher was born) Jana and I would go walking together. We always stopped at the park to let the boys play. Rylan loved this and this happened 3, 4, or 5 times a week. Now Rylan and I stay cooped up in the house and I just know he's dyin to get out and do something. So I'm gonna get out more with Rylan, whether it's story time at the library, a jaunt to the dinosaur museum with Kacy and her girls (hint hint!) or lunch at McDonald's with Tami and the twins. Seriously, I need all of you to help me on this one because it's hard for me to get out with both boys--I'm a wimp! So I'm thinking story time once a week (Jana, I'm gonna call you about this one--you and Daylen wanna join us?) and at least one other activity once a month. That doesn't sound like much when I write it down but in my mind it's plenty for me right now :)

2) No candy. I got this idea from a very cool Wyview friend, Jessica. She's done it in years past (have you done this more than once Jess?) and now I'm gonna give it a go. Really, I'm not a huge candy person, but thinking about not having ANY makes me crave it all...junior mints, snickers, reese's peanut butter cups. mmmmm...

3) More service. This is my year of service and I'm very excited about it. This may be too much (wait, there can never be too much service) but I'm hoping to do some service at least once a week. Whether it's taking cookies or a meal to someone, volunteer babysitting, cleaning, etc. I'm also asking for help on this one. If any of you know someone who needs some help, CALL ME! If I fail on all other resolutions, and keep this one, it will have been a good year. So don't judge me if you get cookies late Saturday night. Just know that I love you and I'm always trying to be better!!

4) I have to add this one in...get to my pre-pregnancy weight.

So for some reason I had it in my mind that this would all start on Monday, January 5th. Don't ask me why I didn't start on the 1st because I really don't know. Maybe because we always start on Mondays??

Cheers to us all for a great year and many many happy experiences!

Welcome 2009!

December Fun-Part 2

We had numerous gatherings in December including Asher's baby blessing as well as Finn's baby blessing. We also had several Christmas parties. The Keil's were in town for Christmas and they organized a party at Brad and Rachel's. Kevin always has fun getting together with his high school buddies and we all had a great time laughing and eating. We wonder why we don't all get together more often?!





The Keil's came down to our house to play a game of Rage. We miss playing games with them...move back to Utah!! :) Our boys were born on the same day and we always joke that they will be best friends. Neither of them had naps and Rylan fell asleep while watching Curious George. We had to wake him up to say goodbye and take a picture. So they may not have had tons of fun together, but the mommy's and daddy's had a great time!!

Since the folks are on a mission in Switzerland we got together at Kim and Andy's house for the Doyle Christmas Party. You know when the Doyle's get together there will be lots of laughing and fun. Perhaps the biggest laugh of the night was the joke by Mark and Heidi. They broght a gift that was supposedly from the folks to the whole family. Kim unwrapped the largest pair of underwear I've ever seen with some inappropriate chocolate stains. Yeah, definately not from the folks! It was hilarious and I'm sure I had tears streaming down my face I was laughing so hard. Mark and Heidi were pretty proud of their joke and I admit, that's gonna be hard to beat next year.

We ate a yummy dinner of roast beef sandwiches with other yummy side dishes and dessert. Then we exchanged gifts, starting with the kids. Rylan was very happy with his legos (thanks Lauren!) and Asher's finger puppets are cute! I got a great bag from Steph (who got to spend Christmas in Switzerland with the parents so she missed our party) and Kevin got some socks, shirts and a book from Kim...awesome! It was a great party and somehow Kevin and I were the last to leave.






My mom's birthday is on Christmas Eve and we have a tradition to go to breakfast that morning. I love it, and I hope she does too! We've gone to Mimi's for several years but for some reason we don't have the greatest service so we decided to go to Ihop this year. It was delicious and we had a great time. I think my mom was surprised and happy with all her gifts.


It's our little familiy tradition to open one gift of Christmas Eve and that gift is a book. I don't know why we decided against pajamas like most people! Rylan got a whole Curious George library of books and Asher got The Velveteen Rabbit (opened by Rylan).

Rylan got a train set from santa. We recorded him coming down the stairs knowing he'd be super excited. And he was, but again, Rylan's not big on showing emotion. But in his own little way we could tell he was excited. He's played with it for hours every day since. I bought my own presents (earrings and a pancake griddle) and didn't wrap any of them so I didn't unwrap anything on Christmas morning. But that's okay because I'm super excited about my lazyboy chair we picked up (well, my dad picked it up for me) on Christmas Eve. It's nice and comfy and nursing Asher now sometimes puts me to sleep in the middle of the night. Kevin knew of a couple of his gifts but was also surprised with a couple more. It's his year of running I guess because he got a couple running shirts and some new running shoes. He also got some new dress pants which he bought himself.



That afternoon we met up with my parents, Tami and Garren and their family, and we drove up to a cabin in Timberlakes. We nustled in, had a delicious ham and potatoes dinner, and relaxed all weekend. Of course I ate way too much all weekend but all the food was so yummy and c'mon, don't we all eat too much on vacation? Kevin and Garren spent most of the time downstairs playing Xbox which was fine with the rest of us since the kids spent most of the time downstairs as well. That means that I got to play games with my parents and Tami and talk and just relax. We went to bed late and slept in late. The rest of the fam came up on Saturday to have a gift exchange and to play games. All of us being together for just one day was not enough. I think I could lock my family up in a cabin together for months and months and it still wouldn't be enough! But ohhh, how I love cabin time.







To end off this December fun I'll post some more pics of Rylan and Asher. Rylan was in the bath one day and heard the garbage truck come. He was too excited to finish bathing so he jumped out to look out the window. I just had to take a picture. And he just loves his doggy towel which cracks me up!


Asher is 9 weeks. He's all about smiles and stinky feet these days. I haven't been able to take a picture of him smiling because it's hard to make him smile and take a picture at the same time. And how does he have stinky feet? I didn't know babies could have stinky feet. He does. But I still love him and I can't seem to hold him and love him enough. Some days I just look at him and cry because he's so amazing.