Happy Birthday Shaylynn!

Shaylynn officially turns 4 in six hours. I realized last week that this would be her first birthday in Idaho since her BIRTHday. It's been so fun to celebrate with family. We had a party for her last Saturday with her cousins and friends. Tonight we're going low key with a possible trip to Article Circle to eat and play on the toys. Friday night we're celebrating with my family and having a pizza party. It's hard not having Doug here with us, but I'm trying to stay focused on the fact that this should be the last birthday he misses (well, at least for Shaylynn).

I feel like the luckiest woman to have such a beautiful, intelligent, comical, stubborn, aggravating, forgiving, and loving daughter. I didn't think life could get any better after Miriam joined our family. Shaylynn has just enriched our lives so much. Miriam is my perfect angel and Shaylynn is my little devil, but they both have the most amazing spirits. I can see why Heavenly Father saved them for these last days.

Shaylynn took treats to share with her "friends" at preschool. I surprised her with a balloon when I picked her up. We then went to Miriam's class where I was helping with centers. The other children in Miriam's class were so cute and made sure they told her Happy Birthday. We came home and made cupcakes for tonight and Friday. They are chocolate cupcakes which we'll add blue frosting and sprinkles to when they cool.

This morning I was able to go do some Initiatory work at the Rexburg LDS Temple while both girls were in school. It was the perfect place to be on Shay's birthday. My heart burned with the truth of eternal families and how much our Heavenly Father loves us. I was overcome with gratitude for the many blessings I have which at the top of my list are Doug, Miriam, and Shaylynn. How can one person be so loved and so blessed? I don't feel like I deserve it, but I'm trying to be the child He wants me to be.

There are so many things that make Shaylynn special, but I would be here all day listing them. I'm going to share just a few things I love most:

1. Shaylynn is very observant. She notices everything and everyone. She also loves everything and everyone.
2. Shay loves to kiss my nose. It used to make me nervous when she'd start coming towards me with her lips puckered because I thought she was going to go in for the lips. It took a few times to realize what she was doing. Now she just tells me she wants to kiss my nose. Silly girl, but I do love those kisses!
3. Shaylynn loves to play with Miriam. She will play whatever game Miriam wants, and she'll do every action, and say every word Miriam tells her to. Unfortuatnely I think she's getting a complex because she always has to be the boy. Just the other day she pointed to a picture of a girl and boy bunny. She pointed to the girl and said, "Meeum" and then pointed to the boy and said "Shay".
4. I love how Shaylynn has her daddy's personality and looks. I look at her and see Doug. I watched the silly things she does and it's like Doug is home with us.
5. I love how she is so resilient. Nothing gets her down for long. She scrapes her knee, no problem, all it takes is a kiss and she's off and running again. She tells me, "Mom, you make me sad". What do I do? Talk to her about why she is sad, give a hug and kiss, and she's off giggling and playing again.

Photos of Shay Through the Years

One of the cutest babies ever!
Blessing Day (Christmas Day 2005)
We moved to Philadelphia when Shaylynn was 9 months old.


Happy 1st Birthday sweet girl!


My baby turns 2!
Shaylynn has always had a love for Time-Out!


Last Birthday in Philadelphia---the BIG 3!


HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY SHAYLYNN!!
The TRUE Shaylynn

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIDDO!
I LOVE YOU!


(If you're wondering about all the blue coloring, it's because Shay's favorite color is blue.)

Happy Halloween!!!!

Okay, so I'm a bit late with all my posts lately. Doug's ready to string me up by my toes beacuse he hasn't seen any pictures lately. Sorry honey! This single parenting thing is harder than it looks. Enough excuses, it's just time to get it done.

To start the holiday off Melina (Doug's sister) held a Halloween party at her house (Sat. 24th). It was so fun with LOTS of food, a spook alley stairwell, and a place to take pictures. She even had bags full of toys and candy for each kid. My camera was having issues so I didn't get many pictures. I'll have to beg some off of Melina.

All the Ricks grandkids and Rebecca (in the mask). Don't worry, Rebecca's daughter was crying BEFORE the mask came out. The mask was an attempt to get Courtney to stay in the shot and for Rebecca not to stick out. I don't think it worked too well.

What can I say, my girls like to pose. Isn't the backdrop AMAZING? Melina has talent in its truest form.

Miriam trying to be a scary ladybug. Ick!

On Friday the 30th both girls wore their costumes to school. The school had a costume parade that Shaylynn and I made sure to attend. Miriam was so focused on staying with her class I had to yell her name so she'd see I was there. After walking around the school they ended in the cafeteria and sang songs. It was so fun to watch her. She missed all of these holidays last year because we were doing homeschooling in Philadelphia. Miriam wanted to be something different for each Halloween festivity. She was a ladybug for Melina's party, and for school she wanted to be a doll. If you have a good memory you'll remember this is the same outfit from Kindergarten when she dressed up as a doll from the book "The Little Train that Could" for their book parade.

Before school.

Costume Parade

Our ward had a carnival on Friday the 30th. We attended (mainly because my visiting teacher was in charge and I promised to be there) and had a fun time. The girls had their picture taken, fished for prizes, won a cupcake, crawled through a spider web, threw bean bags, threw ping pong balls at live fish, tried to eat a donut from a string, got squeamish about touching fingers and brains, and voted for their favorite decorated cake.

This is the only picture that turned out.

Saturday the 31st was such a beautiful day. The girls went outside and played in their sandbox while we waited to go to Grandpa and Grandma Anderson's house. I can't remember a Halloween in Rexburg when it didn't snow while we were trick-or-treating. This year was so beautiful! The girls went out early enough that I didn't have to worry about putting a coat OVER their costumes.

Miram found buried treasure!

My brother Kai was willing to take the girls around trick-or-treating. It was great because they got to do the same route I used to do as a kid. The best house is always "Big" Grandma's (Miriam's name for my grandma. Great-Grandma was too hard to say when she was two and it's stuck) because she gives out homemade treats to her favorite trick-or-treaters. I'm kicking myself though because I've always gotten a picture on Halloween with my grandma and the girls. I didn't get it this year. Arg! I should correct that, the years we've been home I've gotten a picture with my grandma.

Kai got asked what he was dressed up as for Halloween. His answer? A babysitter. I thought that was so clever. He's such a great kid, I'm glad my parents adopted him. I can truly say he is the BEST babysitter in the whole world. I don't know how he does it, but kids just LOVE him!

Shaylynn the Chicken and Miriam the Princess Ballerina.

They're off!

Sorry about all the pictures, but remember that Doug hasn't see any of this. It's too hard to cut out pictures when this is mainly for him.

Primary Program

On October 18th our ward had their Primary Program. The girls had been practicing for weeks on their parts. They were so excited to say their parts into the microphone. It was the hardest Sunday I've had since Doug left. This was Shaylynn's first program and it broke my heart that he couldn't be there to see it. He was well represented though by his family. His mom and dad came along with Katy (my sister-in-law) and Cece (Katy's little sister who is Miriam's age). It was so fun having them there, and it helped not having to sit by myself.

The girls did so well! Miriam remember every word and she said it clearly. Shaylynn said her part and everyone started mumbling how cute she was. As most of you know Shaylynn has struggles with her speech. We worked so hard to help her say the words properly. I'm sure not everyone understood, but I did and she did FANTASTIC!!!! However; she was THAT KID that every program has that stands in the front acting crazy. Yep, that was my kid. Sigh. Good thing she's cute. I don't think she sat still the entire time she was up there.

It was so cute though because her teachers are both male and one of them is VERY tall. It's so cute to see these men with such little kids. Shaylynn just adores her teachers. I love it when men teach primary. There is something special about learning the gospel from a man who holds the priesthood. I LOVE it!

Here are some pictures I took before we left for Church. Sorry they're so grainy. My camera has been acting strange lately. I need a lesson from my mother-in-law on how to make it work properly.

Shay refused to turn around for the picture. At least she was smiling. I'm not sure what was with Miriam's face. I guess she was going for the "serious" pose.

Miriam's part: "The gospel of Jesus Christ is a strong foundation for my family."

Shaylynn's part: "Singing Songs" (this was in reference to things they enjoy doing during Family Home Evening)

After the church we went to my parent's house for dinner. The girls both had to say their parts for their grandparents and uncles. They would have come, but my mom had to play the organ during their Sacrament Meeting (which is last and during our Sacrament Meeting) and as Bishop my dad had a speaking part in their Primary Program. The girls had fun being the center of attention telling them about how they did.

A Pittance of Time

THANK YOU VETERANS!!!

Red Ribbon Week

Remember learning in grade school about how icky drugs are? Well, Miriam is now at that stage. Today she came home and did this cheer for me. Her class will be presenting it during an assembly later this week. She wanted to record it so her daddy could see it.

First Snow

On October 6th we had our first snow of the season. It was also the first day of Potato Harvest. I shouldn't have been surprised the weather always seems to turn when they start digging up the potatoes. Even though there wasn't much, the girls insisted on going out and playing in it. It's so nice to have a little hill in our front yard. The girls attempted sledding. It was pretty funny.

Miriam outside playing.

Shaylynn the pink marshmallow with a cheesy grin and a carrot for Miriam's snowman.

"Here's your carrot Meeum"

"Oh, mom, can't I just play?"

Making a snowman or snow "woman" since the female gene runs in our family.

The sequences of a sled ride:
Step 1: Get in sled.

Step 2: Get into pushing position and let the countdown begin.

Step 3: GO, GO, GO!!!!

Step 4: Dump sister out into the snow.

Sister + Snow=FUN, FUN, FUN!!!!!