SHE'S TWO!

She's two!

 

Payton's birthday was Friday, March 27th. She turned two! She is a little girl who knows what she wants and what she doesn't! Her favorite words are "me too!" and "me do it myself!" Definitely trying to keep up with her big brother whom she adores and eager to become independent!!  She weighs 30lbs and is 2feet and 9.5 inches tall! She loves horses, kitties, puppies and well, all animals.  She adores dolls and playing that I (or anyone else she can convince) is her baby. She is very maternal, loving to pretend to tuck me in. She always remembers to read me stories and kiss me good night.  She is the messiest eater and a little mischievious and full of LOVE!! She wasn't much of a cuddler as a one year old, but lately she's learned to hug tight, with both arms wrapped around my neck!! LOVE those big big hugs!!

For her birthday this year, Mom and Nic were gone, so the cake project was left up to me.  Drained of energy from report cards and feeling overwhelmed by my lack of skill, I took a short cut.  I baked cupcakes (yes out of a box) made icing (from scratch) and bought (from a kitchen boutique) Princess Sophia cupcake toppers.  All Payton wanted was a "sophia cake" and that's kinda what she got. (Mom and Nic, I missed your help!!!)

     

Friday, was a beautiful day and by the time we sat down to eat Payton's birthday dinner (pancakes, exactly what she requested) the sun was beating through the dining room window.  Birthday dinner turned out to be..topless!  That sun was just too hot!

 Making her wish!

 Big brother helping.

 Payton has a great hand me down "run bike" thanks to the kick ass one Uncle Hoser made Ryder three years ago, so a new bike was not on her birthday agenda.  She did get a Princess Sophia rag doll, a baby diaper bag for her "babies" and a Doc McStuffins docotr kit and coat.  Isn't she the cutest doctor???

We squeezed in some outdoor time just before putting our brand new two year old to bed!

 By the time we turned in that night, three of the four Wrights were a year older! One more birthday to go!

 

The weekend also held two other birthday parties for friends!  One of them had face painting.  Of all the choices, Payton picked out a...fish?!

 Ryder knew before we even got to the party that he wanted to get a puppy face painted on his own.  He has never had an interest in sitting still for this before....he did great!

    

The second birthday party was held at a gymnastics facility, The Flip Factory.  Such a fun place for a birthday!!!

 Payton's first party as a two year old!

 She LOVED to bounce! It was impossible to get a clear shot of her, she was always bouncing!! LOL

 All of the four year olds got to try out the reverse bungee.  Ryder "just" qualitfied!! So much fun!

Marty and I even got to go out for a night on the town. Date Night! It was a chance for us to celebrate both of our birthdays since they happen so close together! We don't often have the chance to get out together, so we took full advantage! Drinks and dinner downtown, part of the Lacrosse game and the late night comedy show! We need to get out together more often!!! We had a blast together!

 

Marty's birthday is Thursday.  After that, all of the Wrights will be one year older and wiser! :)

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and be thankful for everyday you find yourself on "this" side of the grass!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Four years ago Friday (March 20th) my life changed forever...for the better!  Ryder James Wright was born at 11:04am March 20, 2011.  He was and always will be my BEST birthday present ever (he arrived one day before my own birthday!)

 

Ryder weighs in at 42 pounds. He's almost 3.5 feet tall.  He LOVES to be outside. Cold, wind, snow, rain, nothing phases him! He loves to go fast, on bikes, skiis, sleds, anything that moves.  He is obsessed with all things hockey, Canada and Paw Patrol (his current favorite show on Netflicks.)  He has a soft heart, he LOVES his lil sister, he's an amazing brother and today on the way home from work he told me, "mom my heart is full of joyful things." :)  When he's mad everyone knows it! He's not afraid to get loud and yell, he's not afraid so tell us when he doesn't like something and he isn't afraid to run into his room and slam his door.  He's got an opinion and he isn't afraid to share it.  He's independent, you should see him make pancakes (only needs help with the stove,) crack an egg, bake cookies, help his sister get dressed, use a stool to reach things, (yep, he's a problem solver,) cut anything that requires HIS scissors, color and write his name.  He's 4 years old and he thinks he's braver, stronger and faster just because he's four.  He is.

 Both Grammy and Auntie Dic were out of the country for Ryder's birthday this year, so no fancy kick ass cake.  Marty and I resorted to Dairy Queen (they do make a mighty tasty ice cream cake.) Luckily they had one with a race car on it...it's no home made masterpiece, which we all missed, but it held the four candles Ryder proudly blew out!!!! 

 For his birthday this year, Ryder got a new (to him) bike. A faster one with bigger wheels, and a helmet.  He's ready to check out the BMX track when the weather is better.

The day after Ryder's birthday, March 21st, was my birthday.  I weigh in at...a little bit more than last year. I love our new home at the Sunshine Ranch and I love to be outside, but wind, rain, snow and cold make me grumble a little. I love riding horses, running (though I both less than I want to,) camping, spending time with my family, coffee and teaching.  I am still working on being patient, not yelling or loud talking, finding time to write and slowing down. I'm learning to balance work and play and to drink beer instead of Bacardi!! I continue to be stubborn, happy, optimistic and loud.....

Marty had to work the night of my birthday, so we're going out to celebrate next weekend which happens to be right between my birthday and his.  Our night out will be for both our birthdays....

 The kids gave me a Starbucks card (my favorite) and Marty gave me money towards new boots (I really need some.) Scout made sure I had no shortage of kisses. :)

Next Friday is Payton's birthday. She'll be TWO!!!

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and kisses from dogs count as birthday gifts!!

LUCK OF THE IRISH

It is March 19th, two days after Saint Paddy's and one day before Ryder turns 4. FOUR!!!!!  I am done my report cards, finally...well done until next week when I have to email each one out individually...  :)  At least I dont' have the job of reading over every single one like my principal....can you imagine?

Saint Paddy's was fun! The kids and I set a leprechaun trap the night before complete with "my little pony" guards, a dinosaur guard and even a tractor or two.  We used one of Marty's old hockey trophys (Ryder displays them like they are his own in his room lol) as bait since it looks like it's gold. :)

It was sooo much fun tapping into Ryder and Payton's imagination!! I love how eager they are to believe in the magic. It makes my heart smile! :)  Plus painting this box green was a great exercise in messy fun!!!
 

 We spread a little trail of Lucky Charms cereal leading up to the box too....

And then, after the kids were in bed what do I hear? Scout whining in the living room...she had eaten the trail of lucky charms leading from the door to the box, but was too scared? to eat the ones that were close to our fierce guards...are you kidding me? LOL I was hoping she'd eat them and knock everyone over so it would look authentic, you know, like real leprechauns had come and battled it out...but no. She's too chicken!! Bwa ha ha ha!!! I ended up rearranging all the ponies so it looked like they chased the leprechauns out of the room. I made it look like they dropped the trophy and the beaded necklaces and left a note saying: he he he you'll never catch us!! I also left them a loonie each...from the leprechauns ofcourse. 

Ryder was super pumped to check on the trap in the morning.  He was happy to have two loonies.  I asked him if the thought one was for Payton.  He said "no." I asked if he was the kind of person who thought it would be nice to share with his little sister or the kind of person who kept all the money for himself.  He said, "keep it for myself." I dropped it.  I figured I'd see what happened.  Payton really didn't care that much....eventually, without me saying another word about the money at all, I heard him say, "actually, here, Payt, this one is for you." Yep, proud Mama moment.  He gets it. :)

The kids and I wore green hats the next day to day home and school.  It was a fun, festive, magical kind of day that began with lucky charms cereal and smoothies!  Yummmm!!!

Ryder has been playing hockey every night with Marty in the basement.  I think Marty has been waiting since the day Ryder was born for him to be old enough to play hockey with him in the basement.  Payton also likes to play, Marty even got her her own stick.  Ryder is less impressed with that idea.  One day, I even heard him say, "Hey, I'm playing hockey Payton! You go play with your dolls!" WHAT??????   I was sooooo offended though Payton was happy to go get a doll....Ryder has got a few things to learn about women in sport and I have a feeling, Payton is gonna be the one to teach him. :)

Ryder loves to have stuffies as goalies. :)

When Payton isn't trying to "crash "a hockey game, she enjoys styling Daddy's hair.

 
It's been a great week and it's gonna end with birthdays and lots of 'em!! Since I managed to get my report cards done before the birthday madness, I'm gonna say I had the luck of the Irish with me this week.  Here's hoping you had a little too!!! :)

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and don't be ashamed if you are the one in your family who picks all the marshmellows out of the lucky charms to eat..in our family, it's me. shhhhhh!

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!!

Report cards! Ahhhhh!! They are consuming me!!! I know one day a teacher will spend this kind of time writing comments about my children and I will make a conscious effort to thank her/him for all of their own Family time they sacraficed to do it.  I should be putting marks into the reporting program right now, but our satelite internet here at home is so painfully slow that I think I will attempt a short blog post instead.  :)

Mom came to visit last weekend. It was her first visit to the Sunshine Ranch. 
Somehow all the pics of her with the kids are on her phone...remind me to get them from her!!! 
Ryder, Payton, Scout and I took Grammy for a hike up to the "Cowboy," the big statue in the Cochrane Ranch.  It is a short uphill, but since it's on a hill, Ryder says we can call it a hike.  You can "hike" beyone that to a ridge. I carried Payton in the backpack up the hill, but she made it almost all the way down by herself.  She is obsessed with pockets right now and took a few face first tumbles down the hill as she refused to believe me that hands in pockets = no balance....LOL

Ahhhh....Mom has all the good pics of the cowboy.  I should wait to write this post with all the pics, but if I do, I may never get back to it, so I'm posting it.  Look in the distance, you can see the statue... can't you?

Payton and I got to go to a birthday party for a friend.  It was a party full of almost two year olds and it was hilarious.  I LOVED having some one on one with Payton.  It's so great to see her shine and to really get to know her on her own!!! She is a funny lil thing and I LOVED watching her at the Splatter Paint Party!!!

Is there anything cuter???

Ryder and Grammy had some special one on one time while we were gone.  This week has been a crazy one with Daylight Savings time and all.  We all seem to be missing that hour of sleep we all lost!! I'm drowning in report cards but mostly cause I want to be done early so I don't have to think about them next week, Ryder's birthday week. I'd much rather focus on how my lil boy is turning 4!!!!!!!!  

I hate to cut this short, but Payton is teething and because of it she's all stuffed up, having a heck of a time sleeping, so I better sign off as I hear her calling......

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and try not to let report cards rule your life.....

End of Feb

Payton is going to be two!!! TWO!!! 

 

Exaclty 1 month before turning two I took her for her first haircut.  I have been refusing to take her as I just want her hair to grow long, but Marty cannot stand her bangs! Unless they are pinned back, she can't see and it drives him nuts.  I finally caved, but once I got there, the stylist convinced me that bangs would be a lot of work and maintenace (I didn't need to be convinced, just validated) so because we were there, I had her trim off Payton's ends. We pretty much left looking exactly the same, but she had her first hair cut experience and she was a champ.  I still pin her bangs back every morning and Marty still can't stand them. LOL

 She did start to get a little fussy at one point, but once Ryder climbed up in the chair with her, she was happy as could be. He is the BEST big brother every!

 

The end of February is not only significant of being one month before Payton's birthday (March 27th) but this year it signified the end of Payton and Ryder's stay at Auntie Dayhome's.  They spent a year there with her and they loved her!!! She was a wonderfully caring, loving person and we will miss her! Thank you Auntie!

Ryder was at that day home for a year with all girls.  He was the only boy.  He was the oldest, except for Mackenzie who is almost a year older than him.  She is a tiny girl, but they became tight friends and on our last day, Ryder really wanted to bring her a flower. Awwww!! But..by the time I got there with the flowers, Mackenzie was gone.  Ryder was heart broken.  Auntie kept the flower for Mackenzie and sure enough the following Monday night, Mackenzie's mom texted me a pic of Mackenzie holding the flower Auntie, true to her word, had saved for her.  Awwwwwww!!!

 The last day at the day home was the last Friday in February.  We spent the weekend doing normal, fun acreage stuff:

Playing hockey naked

Shoveling off our pond/hockey rink,

 attaching potty training seats,

 making blender muffins,

 learning to skate (at a fun birthday party for a friend)

 rocking Team Canada jerseys,

 rocking fire fighter costumes,

 and reading the paper.

Life is good!

Kiss your babies, count your blessings and soak up the little things, the normal things, the unadventurous things, for one day you'll look back and realize those were the things memories were made of!