funny little dudes

These little dudes make me smile and yes, I know I take LOTS of pictures, but I know they won't stay little forever and I NEED their funny selfs caught on camera! I try and TRY to get pictures of them both smiling or happy (see above), but I usually get ones were they're making funny faces (see below). Really, I'm lovin' the not so picture perfect ... they make me laugh...(click on them if you want to see them larger)

Sullivan is SOUND asleep and Oliver is screaming his head off... I just had to take a picture of this, it happens all the time. They go back and forth one will be screaming and the other just as asleep as can be.

My bug-eyed boys... not loving the flash!

Doing some tummy time, but not loving it...

I think tummy time is over!

BEWARE: out of control amount of posts!

The fall is one of the most WONDERFUL times of the year and also one of the BUSIEST times of the year for our family. Ryan's birthday hits the end of September and then it seems like craziness until Christmas! I'm trying to play catch-up and have blogged most of our October going-ons (BEWARE there are a lot). I knew if I didn't do this before Halloween I might never get all of the posts done...

October 2nd was a beautiful day. We met some friends at a local pumpkin patch/nursery and then had a picnic afterwards. Cooper was in preschool and Adrienne was home because of school break. This was the boys first pumpkin patch!

Sleepy little pumpkins!


Adrienne, Coriel & Alyssa

Art on the Avenue

Emily and I took our girls to Art on the Avenue this year... it was so nice to just look and not be selling this year. The girls did a few of the free crafts and we looked around. I, of course, analyzed all of the booths selling bows and was happy to not have put in the hours and hours of bow making these past few months. I had put up a blog last year for my bow stuff on (www.alittledramadesigns.blogspot.com) I have just recently started using that blog to document projects and things if anyone wants to check it out.

Emma and Adrienne have been friends since they were a year old... when did they get so big?

Aunt Robyn, Aunt Rachel & baby Riley...

Some of my most favorite people in the whole world, Robyn and Rachel came all the way to the east coast to visit for the weekend. They met the babies for the first time and helped celebrate the Waite birthday girls. Adrienne turned 7 and I turned the big 30. I also got to meet Rachel's little girl Riley... who is already 7 months and so cute!

We went for a walk around the "pond park", climbed some trees and

Rachel relived her HS Senior Portraits (minus baby Riley of course)

Party prep...

Adrienne had the two weeks off of school before her birthday (she goes year round) and was a big help with all of the party favors. She gave each friend a bowling pin necklace with their initial on it (thanks dad for cutting those out & mom for sanding them so they were nice and even:) when they got to the party and they each took home a little bag with 3 bowling sugar cookies (see below)

10/10/09... Adrienne's birthday morning...

Happy birthday to my silly

very spoiled and loved 7-year-old!

Who knew that dang finger from Uncle Joey and Aunt Jessie would be the hit of the day! Cooper got one too and feel asleep with it at nap time. Later that night he was being naughty at a restaurant and I threatened to take his finger away and he loudly exclaimed "Noooooo, don't take away my finger!!!!" I wonder what people thought he was talking about!

Adrienne doing a little reading before we headed off to her bowling party!

Birthday Bowling Mania...

Birthday Bowling Mania Buddies

(FYI I keep saying "mania" because that is what Adrienne wanted to call her party on her invitations)

a big THANK YOU to the Christensens who stayed and bowled with their younger kids and so graciously invited Cooper to bowl with them! Not having to worry about Coop made me feel like 5 less kids where there (love you Coop, but you're a handful my sweet boy!)

a big THANK YOU to my sweet babies who just chilled most of the party!

also, a big THANK YOU to all who helped out! After a good game of bowling the kids had pizza, ate cake and Adrienne opened lots of fun presents.

I think the party was a great success!

10/10/09... Adrienne's birthday evening...

For birthdays the birthday girl/boy gets to pick out where we go for dinner and Adrienne chose Guapos. She was really excited to be sung to in Spanish and wear a sombrero!

The three baby amigos...

We tried to get a pic of all of the babies on the floor, but Riley was all over the boys... it was hilarious watching her try to eat them...

Rach and Robyn left early the next morning so we got one last picture of them with the babies.

You'd think Auntie Robyn was their favorite by the huge smiles, but Auntie Rachel was the one workin' it and making all sorts of noises to make them laugh. Below they're not as enthusiastic, but still content and probably smiling huge smiles on the inside! Sorry Rach, Robyn and I just weren't cuttin' it!

Thanks girls for coming and sharing a fast & furious birthday weekend with all of us! We'll miss you and hope to see you all sometime again soon!

NYC to see Christina...

Ryan took Rach, Riley and Robyn to the airport early Sunday morning (Oct. 11)... they both fly standby and luckily they both got on their flights without a hitch (both Rach and Robyn have been stranded here trying to leave and had to stay a few extra days, which we don't mind in the least, but some folks have to work!)

After they were safely in the air we packed up the good ole mini-van and headed to NYC. Earlier in the week Ryan's sister Christina had been visiting NYC with a friend and on their way home from a show they were hit by a car as they were crossing the intersection. Christina broke her femur and had surgery the next day and her friend fractured her pelvis and broke her check bone. Both got beat up pretty bad, but are both doing very well.

We decided Christina needed to see some friendly faces so we went up Sunday and visited, stayed in a hotel and then visited again the next day. It was good to see that she was doing well and she was able to see the kids and meet the twins.

As we entered NYC we could see the Statue of Liberty off in the distance, showed the kids the NYC skyline and sang a little of "New York, New York" from the musical On the Town. It was a whirlwind of the trip and that was our extend of anything NYCish... we spent time at the hotel, Panera and the hospital.

They loved seeing their Aunt Christina, a "delicious" continental breakfast and a swim in the pool with dad... when we got home they both said they "loved New York City!!!!!!!" next time we'll have to actually see the city.

We're glad Christina is doing well and able to fly home today!

My birthday celebrations...

Since Rach and Robyn weren't going to be in town for my actual birthday we celebrated Friday, October 9th by going out to dinner, just us girls. We went to a restaurant called Founding Farmers downtown that a friend had recommended. Founding Farmers prides themselves in their "farm-to-table" approach... everything was very fresh and delicious! It was fun to just chat and chat and I was in no rush to get home because I knew my amazing husband was home watching all 5 kids...

and little did I know that he was watching 5 kids and getting a surprise party together for me! I was just taking my sweet time and he had to call and say that Riley wouldn't stop crying to get us all to finally come home!

I had NO idea and was very surprised! Thanks babe!

The big 30!

I had a nice birthday week and to finish it off the next Friday, October 16th, my friend Tiffany (thanks much!) got together a group of gals to go out to dinner to celebrate me joining the 30s club...

Tiffany, me and Emily

Thanks for celebrating with me ladies and we need to have girl nights more often!

SYTYCD

Also, during my birthday week, I squeezed in a little drive (or should I say long, with horrible traffic, but good conversation) to Baltimore. 7 other gals and I went to see the tour performance of one of my favorite shows...

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE!

Julie, Trish and me...

The following are 3 of my favorite dances I saw on the show and it was so fun to see them live...

Addiction by Mia Michaels

The Locket Dance, "If It Kills Me" by Travis Wall

A tribute to Breast Cancer Fighters by Tyce Diorio

Wow, three night out in one week... it was my birthday week:) and yes I did leave my four kiddos with their dad each and every time. I always get the question, "wow, you left Ryan home with all 4 kids?" and I always reply, "He is their dad... it's not like he's 'baby-sitting'... he's 'fathering!'" Ryan is amazing at always being willing to "father" and I'm thankful to him for that and his encouragment to get out and about when he is home so I don't go insane!