Snow Princess

Just a couple weeks ago Rease finally had the chance to pull out her snow clothes. She has been asking all winter to go "play in the snow" or go ski with Josh. So Josh decided it was time and took her out during the last storm that came in.

They started to build a snowman and Rease helped roll the snow.
Taking a look at their progress...

And taking the chance to catch some snow.

The snowman actually ended up being a "snow princess." Rease requested it and Josh did the carving. The final result - Cinderella.

Rease was happy with the way she turned out - so beautiful.

And one final hug!

The snow didn't last long that day and the snow princess actually fell and melted by the end of the day. Rease kept saying "mom my snow princess fell off the ground." Yeah it did. But it was fun while it lasted!

Boogers

This is what you get when you cross a cold with a teething one year old...

Ward Chili Cookoff

Friday our ward had a chili and chocolate cookoff. Everyone brought either a pot of chili or a chocolate dessert and the judges decided which ones were the best. Josh and I made our chicken chili to enter into the contest. There were so many yummy ones to choose from and so many delicious chocolate desserts that I ate too much of. After the judges took a taste of each one, they gave out awards. They gave a "spiciest" a "most original" a "people's choice" and a "best overall." In the end, Josh and I took home the prize for "Best Overall Chili." We were so surprised! We won a pot of candy - just what I needed after all that yummy chocolate dessert I ate!

Just hangin

Rease has turned into a picky eater. She is constantly saying "I don't like that" or "I want to eat something else." Josh and I decided long ago that the kids will eat what we are having for dinner and nothing else. We will not make them something else just because they don't like what we are having. Rease has been to bed many times without dinner because she didn't eat what was in front of her. Lots of times she sits in front of her food for half an hour with us telling her over and over to eat before she actually takes a bite.

That is what was happening when this picture took place. Josh was dressing Rhen and at the same time yelling to Rease to get her to eat. She was just laying on the chair and wouldn't even sit up to the counter and he couldn't figure out why. He finally asked, "Rease what are you doing?" She said "Dad, I'm just hanging here." He went over and found out that she had hooked herself on the doorknob. No wonder she wouldn't sit up and eat - she was stuck! The funny thing about it was that she kept saying, "I'm just hanging here."

Potty bum

This is what happens when you sit on the pot too long...

Shower time

I don't know what it is that makes naked babies so cute, but I love Rhen when she is just out of the shower. Her hair is crazy and I just want to squeeze her cheeks. Plus I love that her hair is starting to curl in the back. She still has skinny legs but her stomach is catching up with Rease's when she was this age.

The worst part about letting her roam naked is that she has left some pee puddles once or twice. Not fun when she is already clean and has to go back into the shower.

Good morning

Rease and Rhen are such good sleepers. They go to bed early and wake up early and hardly ever wake up in the night. Every morning when Rease wakes up she knocks on the door so we know she's ready to come upstairs (yes we lock them in their room - we just don't want them out once they are in bed. We have a monitor in our room so we can hear if they cry or if a catastrophe happens, but we just really like our sleep too. Don't think we're bad parents!) Anyway, once she wakes up she knocks on the door and then Josh goes down and unlocks it for her. When he gets to the bottom of the stairs she always has her pudgy fingers sticking out from underneath the door. I'm not sure why she does this but it's her morning ritual: wake up, knock on the door, stick fingers underneath. She's a crazy girl.

Under where?

I love this picture. Rease was playing with her phone and this is where she "put it away." I love that she thinks this is where it goes - she sees Josh put his away in his holster on his hip so of course this is where hers goes.

Banana Hair

Josh sent me a text picture while I was at work one day of Rhen's "banana hair." He said he gave her a cut up banana and this is the end result. Banana Hair.

What a messy girl!

Making a mess

Rhen loves to eat. She will eat anything you put in front of her and just chow and chow and chow. But when she's done eating, she's done and lets us know it. She takes a bite in her mouth and then blows a raspberry at us. Yeah that's right it goes all over her and all over whatever is in the area. This is an example of how she looks after one of her spitting episodes.

She's happy about the mess she made.

"Whatcha doin'?"

***Disclaimer***

I wrote this post yesterday in an effort to vent privately. My original intent was to not publish it in light of today's continuation of yesterday's frustrations and the fact that I gave it a day before posting my sometimes "kneejerk" comments, I feel I should post this for those of you who can relate.

Many of you may think I'm a patient man. What I'm about to say might change your impressions of me but I'm willing to risk it for the opportunity to vent.

It is finals week for me. I went to bed at midnight and was upt at 5:00 working on a massive group paper that is due thsi weekend. I've also got a final in that same class that I need to prepare for and take before Saturday.

Today has been...shall I say...not the best. Rease has had a mild temperature off and on but has been in pretty good spirits. So let me give you a rundown of the last half hour's events...

2:00: Rhen woke up from her nap and at the same time Rease decided to cut her nap short. Rhen was hungry - Rease was crabby.

2:01:

Rease: "Daddy, Whatcha doin?"

Me: "Feeding Rhener."

2:02: I feed Rhen and cherish every moment the bottle is in her mouth because it is sweet silence except for...

Rease: "Daddy, whatcha doin?"

Me: "Just cleaning."

-Fast Forward_

2:08: Rhen is done and it looks like a bomb went off on the top of her high chair tray (quesadilla explosion.) I quickly move the kids downstairs to play with the toys while I deal with the aftermath.

Rease: "Daddy, whatcha doin?"

Me: "Going downstairs."

2:10: I thunder back upstairs and just as I get started on the kitchen Rease yells from downstairs...

Rease: "Daddy, whatcha doin?"

Me: "Just sweeping."

2:11: I don't even really get the broom in hand before I hear the sound of little footsteps on the stairs (Rhen is not ready for going solo on the stairs so I'm in a bit of a panic.)

Rease: "Daddy, whatcha doin?"

Me: no comment

2:12: I barricade the bottom of the stairs with as many things as I can.

Rease: "Daddy, whatcha doin?"

Me: "Blocking the stairs for Rhener."

The minute I get back upstairs and pick up the broom once again I hear a familiar voice.

Rease: "Daddy, whatcha doin?"

Me: "Sweeping the floor."

Rease: "Rhen is poopy!"

Down I go again...

2:13: The diaper is open and it is NASTY!

Rease: "Daddy, whatcha doin?"

Me: "Changing Rhener's bum."

2:14: I remove the stair barricade to get by then replace it and head back upstairs.

Rease: "Daddy, whatcha doin?"

Me: No response...by now I'm that frustrated

2:15: Screams of bloody murder erupt from downstairs. Rhen has taken Rease's toy (or vice versa.) By then I need a little peace and two minutes to get something done. Down I got to break it up. While pulling out the pack and play I catch myself imagining what two child-size muzzles would look like.

Rease: "Daddy, whatcha doin?"

Me: "Putting this up for Rhener."

You can imagine how this story ends...

Me: Unresponsive, frustrated and silent

Rease and Rhen: Happily playing...

Nat used to tell me that days would pass and she didn't feel like she'd gotten anything done. I honestly admit that at that point in time I didn't have the first clue what she was talking about.

Now I do...

Happy Birthday Justin!

We celebrated Justin's birthday Sunday with dinner and presents at mom's house. He is turning the big 3-0 this week! Oldie Goldie!

Rease loves to help open presents and uncle Justin was nice enough to let her help.

Dessert was this delicious fondue spread...

Such a fun birthday and we loved the dessert!

Super Saturday

All us girls at the office have been wanting to get together and work on all our crafty projects together. So last Saturday we finally planned it and got together for the day.
Gayle taught us how to frost cupcakes. This is a good start for my run at making Rhen's birthday cake. I feel much better after Gayle's class.

Hayley taught us magnet making.

Kilee showed us these cute baby burp cloths.

Isch made headbands with us and we also made baby hairbows. We had such a great time together and got all our projects done. Maybe this will be our monthly tradition!

Toilet bowl

Rhen has found the toilet. Oh man I'm not quite ready for her to be walking around and getting into the toilets.

But she does look so cute and innocent!

Smoothies anyone?

Last weekend we were at mom and dad's house and dad was nice enough to make us a big batch of smoothies. He had it all made and poured it into this cute plastic picture - then this is where it ended up. The handle broke off just as he was pouring and the smoothie ended up all over dad and all over the kitchen. The best part about it was when mom saw what happened she said "oh crap on it!" I thought it was hilarious. We all cleaned up together and dad was nice enough to make another batch for us.

Delicious!