Christmas At Grandma and Grandpa Larsen's

When headed down to Utah Friday morning and hung out with Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Daren.  Ryleigh got to open her pjs Christmas Eve and Dad tried reading her the picture book version of the Christmas story.  She only sat through one page of it.

Devin woke up every hour that night asking if Ryleigh was awake yet.  It was a LONG night.  She finally woke up at 7:30.  We walked out to the living room and it took her a minute to realize what Santa had brought.



 When she saw it she said, "Baby, my baby!"  Of course she wanted Dad to open it right away.

Here she sits with all of her stocking goods.

We had to use the new nail polish Santa brought before we could open any more gifts.

We got her some dress up shoes and jewlery.  She new exactly how to wear it all when the package was opened.

Grandma and Grandpa McDowell sent her some bottles and dishes for her new baby.

Christmas afternoon the rest of the family came over and we exchanged gifts, played games and had homemade soup.  Ryleigh was not a big fan of her 1 year old cousin Amaryah and for sure wasn't a fan when Mom or Dad held her.  She wanted nothing to do with her.  She finally warmed up to her and decided she wasn't so bad Sunday afternoon.  They sat on Grandma's bed for a long time with Ryleigh giving Amaryah hugs and kisses.  Grandma got them their matching dresses.

Cookie Making and Decorating

Brainwashed

Dad has this child brainwashed already.  She loves to sit and "read" his Sports Illustrated magazines.  She will sit with it for quite sometime.

Christmas Tree

Ryleigh is at a fun age where she gets excited to see Christmas decorations.  Every time we go to the store she is quick to point them all out.  I put up decorations Friday afternoon while she was taking a nap.  It was so fun to see her recognize something new that I had put up every few minutes.

We put up our tree last night.  She was excited to put on the first ornament but after that she was more interested in playing with the ornament hangers than helping put on the actual ornaments.

Grandma Larsen helping Ryleigh put on the first ornament

Lights

We went this weekend to Winter Wonderland to check out the town's Christmas lights.  It was pretty cold but enjoyable.  They had a pretty good display and Ryleigh loved them.

New Shoes?

You would think Ryleigh had a new pair of shoes on. Nope, just stomping around like she has never worn them before even though she wears them everyday.

"Baaa"

Our ward Trunk or Treat was tonight so I took Ryleigh. She really got into it. She wanted to eat the first piece that was put in her bucket right away. I put it back in her bucket and we continued on. At every trunk, she would reach her hand out, they would give her the candy and she would put it right into her bucket. She carried her bucket the whole time. Everyone thought she was so cute in her lamb costume.

She didn't keep the hood on for very long.

On the way home she had her bucket in her lap. I turned around and she had a little tootsie roll opended just a little, taking tiny bites. I pulled over to take the wrapper off so she wouldn't eat it. Oops, I was too late. Tootsie roll was gone and no wrapper in sight.

Miss Independent

Ryleigh decided this weekend she was not a big fan of wearing clothes. Numerous times she was caught taking her clothes off and then would freak out when we tried to put them back on her. Luckily the diaper never came off, although she tried several times. And as I am typing this, Devin is yelling from downstairs that she is trying again:)

While I was at work today, Devin found her trying to put her clothes back on and put Mom's shoes on. She had pulled several clothes out of her drawer and had one arm in a shirt. He didn't get a picture of that, but did get a picture of her trying to put Mom's shoes on.

Please excuse her with no clothes. I just had to share this picture. She just fell out of the shoes.

Pumpkin Carving

Then we carved pumpkins on Sunday evening. Devin got his all cleaned out and said, "Ok, I am done." So I had to carve both pumpkins. Ryleigh had fun playing inside the pumpkin and watched the whole time I was carving it.





The finished products-

Cookie Decorating

Saturday evening we decorated Halloween cookies. Ryleigh was not too into it.

(click on collage to make bigger)

"It's A Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown"

We took Ryleigh to a pumpkin patch yesterday. She loved the hundreds of pumpkins that she saw on our hay ride and didn't want to get in the car to go home when it was time. Even though Dad's huge pumpking was sitting right next to her. I forgot to get a picture of it. You will have to see it when it gets carved.

Relaxing Long Weekend in Florida

This summer when we flew home from Florida we got bumped on our flight and ended up with two free tickets. Devin found a NICE and CHEAP resort in Orlando on-line. We decided to use our tickets to head to Orlando for a long weekend. We didn't do any of the big parks because Ryleigh isn't old enough and it wouldn't have been worth it. We did a lot of swimming and relaxing. Nicole, my sister, and her kids came down from Georgia to join us. We had a lot of fun and it was nice to get away.

Ryleigh loved to be able to walk into the pool.

One of the pools at the resort had a 2 story water slide that Devin and Blake had fun going down.

Blake playing volleyball with Uncle Devin

Blake and Ashlyn

This was how Ryleigh played mini golf. She would pick up the ball, Dad would tell her to put it in the hole, she would run and drop it right in the hole.

One of the days we headed over to our favorite, Daytona Beach. We didn't end up staying as long as we would have liked though. An airshow was going on and the two girls did NOT like the loud fighter jets. Even after those ones were gone, Ryleigh would not calm down. She kept pointing to the direction of the car and waving so that we would take her bye bye. It was cool though to see all of the planes doing there tricks.

One night Nicole watched Ryleigh while Devin and I went to a Pirate's Dinner and Show. It was really neat.

Alphabet Soup Anyone?

No Ryleigh, she is not a horse!

Amazingly, Lizzie lets her sit there for a little while before she slowly bucks her off.

Go Ducks!

I took this picture on opening day for Duck football and realized I never posted it. Here she is all decked out in her Duck apparel.

The Love of Shoes

I have mentioned Ryleigh obsession with shoes. She loves playing with our shoes in the closet or with our sandals that are left downstairs. Every time we are getting ready to go somewhere or when she wants to go outside, she brings Devin and me our sandals. She has tried a few times to put her feet in our shoes but has never been successful. Today she put my sandals on and was walking all over the house. She thought she was pretty funny.

She IS Growing

Ryleigh is now tall enough to reach the floor when she is on her bike. She just learned how to get on it herself. It does take her awhile and she doesn't go about it the easiest way, but she can get on.

First Quarter Ride

Ryleigh got to ride on the horse at the mall. We have been by it a few times and she likes to watch the other kids ride. Saturday we were there and Dad let her ride one this time. She loved it even though she looks scared to death!

The Fruits of our Labor

This is the first ripe tomato from our topsy turvy. Devin has been enjoying a tomato a day. I am sad to say the strawberry one did not work.

Sneaky

Ryleigh took Devin's Sonic drink off the coffee table and tried to take it upstairs to him. She only made it to the bottom of the stairs before she started sipping away at it.


But as soon as he came down the stairs she sure was quick to give it to him.

Is She Too Young to Already Have a Chore?

Ryleigh gets very upset if she sees you feeding Lizzie without her. If we tell her it is time to feed Lizzie she walks right over, picks up her dish, and heads for the garage.

Part 2. She can't scoop the dog food out of the bin yet. She just holds the dish for us. So you didn't miss anything in the garage.

She has to set it down so perfectly and on the right side of the water which is where we put it. If the water is in it's place, she pushes it over. One thing she didn't do this time was point to the dish to tell Lizzie to get it, which again is what we do. It is amazing how kids learn so quick by example.

Happy Birthday Grandpa Larsen!

For Devin's Dad's 70th Birthday the whole family spent a few days in southern Colorado in Pagosa Springs at some condos. We had a wonderful time and were able to do lots of things.

Ryleigh had fun playing on the toys at a park on the way there.

On the way down, we stopped at Arches National Park.

Devin, Daren, Ryleigh and I hiked to Delicate Arch.

Devin and I in front of Fiery Furnace.

Grandpa, Grandma, Daren, Me, Ryleigh and Devin at Sand Dune Arch

Ryleigh didn't like standing in the sand but loved sitting on the rock.

The resort had a mini golf tournament. Our family made up probably 3/4 of the tourney but some how, Donovon was the only one to win his age group.

We went to a wildlife park.

Ryleigh wanted to eat the animal food instead of feeding the animals so we put her back in the stroller and gave her some cheerios.

We hiked up to Treasure Falls.

Part of the gang

Grandma stayed down with the 2 babies and this is how we found Ryleigh when we came back. Grandma didn't want them to get bit by mosquitoes.

Grandma showed us that Ryleigh liked to give her cousin real kisses.

Grandpa, Donovon, Devin and I went to Chimney Rock. This is were the Ancestral Pueblo people built pit houses on a mesa facing Chimney Rock.

On the way back we stopped at Mesa Verde National Park. Here we were able to view and take tours of cliff dwellings where the Ancestral Pueblo people lived from 550 to 1300. It was very neat and interesting to see.

Ryleigh hiking to one of the viewpoints

The only three granddaughters

When we got back to Kristi's house in Lehi we took Ryleigh to a "farm" at Thanksgiving Point. She loved seeing the animals, going on a wagon ride and riding a pony.

We also hit a Real Salt Lake soccer game before we headed home.

Donovon, Devin and Daren

Our first goal. You can see the ball right on the goal line as it is going in.