Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Put the Gumbo in the Wagon

I think this is about the cutest thing ever. Mia Beth and Riley Cate LOVE for Daddy to take them for rides through our yard.

Cookie Project

We've been trying to have "project time" more often in the afternoons. Last week we made sand art in a baby food jar out of crushed up fruit loops. Today's was a little less involved, but much tastier! And please...no snide remarks about how these don't count as making "real" cookies! Thanks Nana for buying our project for us!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Riley Cate and Daddy's Day of Fun

Here's Riley Cate out on our adventure today. She picked a flower and carried it around forever. Here's me and Cate in a self-portrait. I shot this while holding my big digital camera out in front of us. It was kinda tricky to get both faces in there, and I was really happy to catch such a great expression on Cate's face.


Sunday, March 15, 2009

The Goings On

Remember when it was warm in Arkansas? Here are a few pics from the days that we actually go to go outside! In short sleeves! By the way, anybody recognize that cow? Yep! That's Cow, Riley Cate's old friend. Mia Beth loves him too! Ok...my hope and prayer is that they'll always be like this. How stinkin' precious are my kids?!

Oh, and this is just a random picture of Belle and a monkey dancing on top of a My Little Pony wedding cake. Just thought you all might enjoy.




Sunday with the Carlton Cousins

The other Carlton's came down this weekend and the kiddos had sooooo much fun! They always have a great time playing together, even if the game is Riley Cate and Rex taking turns pushing each other down. Abbie is definitely the "mom" of the group. She told Riley Cate to tell her if she needed to go potty, but that never really worked out too well. Mia Beth just sat back and took it all in. Bet she can't wait for the family vacation in June so she can get in on the fun a little bit!




Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Silly Riley Cate

Scene #1... this afternoon at the house.
Phone: Ring Ring Ring
Riley Cate: I get it, Daddy.
[Riley Cate then moves a box into position so she can reach the phone on the counter]
Phone: Ring Ring
Cheney: BARK... BARK... BARK!
Riley Cate (speaking into the handset): Hewwo? I talka on the phone. CHENEY HUSH!

I'm not sure who it was on the phone, but nobody answered when I got the phone from Cakey.

Scene #2... later this afternoon at the house.
Riley Cate: Where'sa my milk go?
Jason: I don't know Riley Cate.
Riley Cate: It's probally hidin. My milka is hidin.

Friday, March 06, 2009

This is what Riley Cate wore to church last week. Yes, that's a bonnet. And she was precious!!

Mommy wasn't here for this adventure and I hate I missed the fun!


Below: The actual confession?

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Cakie in Color

Ya'll, I just decided the black and white picture didn't do the little cutie justice. So there you go. :o)

Monday, March 02, 2009

Mommy's Birthday

Even after a long, long week, we couldn't miss doing something for my birthday! Most of you who know me know that I am obsessed with my birthday and I love to drag it out for weeks if I can. This little party was pretty low-key but I was so happy that we were all well that it was just perfect. Papa Joe made some crock-pot pork, Mamee made my favorite hashbrown casserole, and we had Wal-Mart cake which I ADORE.

Here's Riley Cate helping to put the decorations on (she was a pro after the gingerbread house!).

She picked out the candles herself with Mamee at Wal-Mart. They were Disney Princess ones and each of them looked like a magic wand. I love that kid. You can see that Mia Beth wants in on the action and RC actually tried to let her help, but of course it went straight to her mouth and not the cake.
And here's the finished product! Thanks to Papa and Mamee for the cake and Cakie for all the decorating work :o)

Even after we cut the cake, Riley Cate thought Mamee needed several of her own candles.





Dirt Road Adventures and Christmas in February

Riley Cate had been so sick and stuck in the house with not much to do, so the first day she felt good, we took advantage of it! Mia Beth, on the other hand, was with Papa Joe and Mamee with some tummy issues of her own, but they went away quickly, thank goodness!

Anyway, after a morning nap, we decided to take a walk down the dirt road next to our house. She had the best time drawing in the dirt with a stick and having me draw pictures of Daddy talking to dragons. We found rocks and smelled flowers and raccoon tracks and had so much fun! We even walked much further than we ever have and made a new friend, an older man named Mr. Morris. He lives in a beautiful cottage with his wife and the whole place is surrounded by daffodils right now. AND he has an Airstream--my favorite camper in the world! Just knowing I can go look at it anytime I want makes me sooooo happy! After a nice visit during which he invited us to explore the trails on their 20 acres anytime we wanted, we decided to head back to the house to tell Daddy bye-bye before he went to work to call THREE games on the radio!

In a burst of brilliant parenting (ha! yeah.), I remembered a gingerbread house kit that I'd bought on sale at Wal-Mart. Surely this low-key activity would beat the 13th viewing of the Sound of Music (known by Riley Cate as "Mahwia"). Ya'll she LOVED it! I never called the decorations "candy" because I didn't want to take a chance on seeing it again and she never tried to eat any of it! Basically, she would tell me where to put the icing and she or her "weopard" would stick a piece of candy on. We did this for almost an hour! It was awesome!


Below: Riley Cate held the candy to leopard's hand and put it on the icing. It was too cute!

Cakie, leopard and the finished project...My only real contribution is the Mickey Mouse that she asked me to put above the door. A child after my own heart!

A close-up of our work of art!






Poor Cakie

Cake was sick for sooooo long. This is the day that she finally started feeling a bit better, but you can tell she's still just worn out. I think Daddy is just happy that no one is puking on his Duke shirt again.


And, although this looks a little yucky and related to the above subject, it's just carrots that we just haven't figured out yet!