My little Tom Girl!!

Well I should have known that it would turn out this way!!! I was a tom girl myself!

It is probably a little to early to be calling Rylen a Tom Girl, she is only almost 15 months but i'm pretty sure all the signs are there.

1. She loves to play outside. She would stay out there all day if you could let her.

2. Dirt is now one of her favorite toys!!!

3. She isn't interested in baby dolls. She has a lamb that she sleeps with and a few teddy bears and dogs that she carries around.

4. She loves all animals as well!!! She even got to see her first baby goat yesterday!!

Last Sunday we played outside all day!! It was so so pretty! Cooper and I made a quick trip to Lubbock Saturday and picked up a seat for the back of one of our bikes. I was really wanting to put it on the back of Coopers bike but he talked me into just trying it out.

Our first take off was a fail but I caught us before we bit the dirt!!! Scared the poop out of me!! I'm going to just blame our little fall on the earthquake that happened just as we took off!! HA!

We finally got the hang of it and she LOVED the ride!!! I'm trying to make it part of our evening routine!! Rylen has fun riding and Momma gets a little work out!!! What could be better!

Later that evening we played in the backyard a bit and cooked out on the grill!! I just love this time of year!! (as long as it doesnt get to hot). As most of you know Cooper does construction, door work, and welding! He works from home in a shop out behind the house!! Sometimes around his shop can start looking like a pipe yard!! I went inside to get the steaks and squash ready for the grill and Rylen and Cooper stayed outside to play. About 5 minutes later I hear them knocking on the back door. I put down my stuff to see what is going on and this is what i find.....

Rylen had found a really big piece of pipe to play with!!!

I think she thought it was just a big piece of playground equipment!! And where was Pops you ask????????? Oh he was there looking on making sure she was safe!!!!

She is very proud of herself!!!!! But when we had to wash it off she wasn't very thrilled!!

Fast & Furious!!

So I found a quick minute to sit and blog! I sure have missed updating my blog with funny Rylen stories, and I hope I was missed! Our little family has been very very very busy!!! I love staying busy and sometimes I find myself taking on entirely to much but I enjoy it!! What I don't enjoy is when my house gets to be a mess because there is no time for cleaning!

So here is a small update on what has been going on in our world!!! Miss Rylen is walking all over the place!!! She loves to be outside and we have purchased quite a few toys for her to play with outside!! Every evening after supper we take a wagon ride through the neighborhood and she claps and giggles the whole time!! I'm totally diggin this nicer weather!! Me and Cooper got our bicycles ready and i'm looking for a wagon that I can pull behind mine for Rylen to sit in. I think she will love that!! This morning Rylen did not want me to feed her yogurt she wanted to feed herself.....so i let her........ It was messy but I didn't mind!! Her favorite foods these days are kiwi's and strawberries wich I am totally ok with!! I love fruits and veggies and I want Rylen to be the same!!

Jim Bob, Magan and Stash welcomed a new baby girl to the family!! Scout Linger Thomas born March 3rd at 1:36 weighing 6lbs 14 ounces and 19 3/4 inches long, the exact same as her cousin Rylen!!! I was so happy to get to be there with Magan and the family to welcome Miss Scout into this world!! She is a beautiful baby girl and I am one proud Aunty!!! haha!!

Work has been crazy busy for me!! I find myself not even knowing wich direction i'm going in sometimes!!! But I LOVE my job and wouldn't have it any other way!!! Summer is fastly aproaching and that means lots and lots of activities at the Library!!

I have taken on another project for the Summer!! It is something I have put quite a bit of thought into and then an aquatence of mine kind of helped me make up my mind! I will blog about it later when all of the kinx are worked out!!

Cooper has been busy with work and I know that makes him very very happy!! The ending of last year got a little slow for him!!

I am going to try and be better about blogging here lately but if there were only 25 hours in a day it would be easier!!!

Here are a few pics of baby girl!!

She has a little trouble with that first step out the door!

Playing in her new playhouse!!

Our first sucker experience! I was nervous about the mess but it wasn't to bad!! She loved it!!

Sucker in one hand, phone in the other!!! Such a multitasker!!!

YUMMO!!!!!!

14 Months!!!

As of Monday Rylen is 14 Months old!!! I can't beleive how fast it has gone by!!! She is doing and learning so may different things these days!! It is so much fun to watch her! Here is a list of what Rylen is up to!!

Rylen Loves loves to play outside!! She just got a new playhouse for Momma and Pops house and a slide and picnic table for Shuggie and Grandaddy's house! She does not like when its time to go inside to get ready for bed.

She is walking very well these days, before we know it she is going to be sprinting places!

Her favorite foods right now are yogurt and vanilla wafers!!

She loves to dig in the cabinets while I cook supper!

Her Pop's is one of her favorite people and if he is home she thinks he is suppose to carry her everywhere!!!

Booker (the dog) and Rylen are great friends and woller all over each other in the evenings!

Shuggie and Aunt Temi are Rylen's favorite people!! When they are around she pretty much wants nothing to do with anyone else!!

These are just a few of the things Miss Priss has been up to here lately!

She is always in action!!

Here are a few random pictures I have of her. I haven't been very good with the camera here lately. This will change when we get to play outside more!

Here she is on the run!!

Blowin bubbles with Pop's

Still a little groggy! Breakfast is her favorite meal of the day!

There I like that face better!!!

Last night while digging in a closet I came across some little doll furniture Aunt Brenda got Rylen for christmas. I had put it up because Rylen wasn't quite old enough for it yet. It is 2 chairs, a couch and a table. Rylen loved it she played with it for a good hour!! The funny thing was she kept trying to set in the chairs and would miss everytime!! OF COURSE I didn't have my camera with me it was at work... Hopefully she will do it again soon and I will get some kind of picture or something!!

This was a pretty sloppy blog but I didn't have time for much more and I wanted to post about what Ry is up to!!! Hope everyone has a blessed day!!!!

Happy Valentines Day!!

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentines day!!! It is beautiful here in Snyder! The next few days are suppose to be great as well!! I have always been a lover of cold weather but I think becoming a Mommy changed that. Cold weather means sick babies and being cooped up inside! I'm ready for no more bad coughs and runny noses and to go run and play outside for a change!!

We have had a crazy couple of days. Thursday I took Rylen to the Dr. in Snyder because I didn't want to make the trip to Abilene for her cough once again. After waiting 2 hours in the waiting room with tons of sick adults and then another 45 minutes in the back to see the dr I decided it would have been faster to drive to Abilene!! We got chest x rays done on Friday to make sure she didn't have neumonia. The results came back clear and all we have is a viral infection that will clear up when the weather gets better more than likely. Thank you guys for all the thoughts and prayers!!

For Valentines Cooper and I got each other an Ipad!! I think its become more mine than anything since i've gotten the most use out of it!!! I have been wanting one of these for a while now! It will really come in handy when Rylen gets older and we can download books, games, and movies to entertain her with!! It really really came in handy for me this weekend!!

Magan's (coopers sister) baby shower was this weekend and I was a host! It was a couples shower so I knew we needed to have some hearty appetizers there for the guys! I have always been a fan of Ree Drumonds blog she has great recipes and oh so much more! I used the ipad as my cook book!! I just had to take a picture to show you how neato it was!!!

I was really excited about Rylen's first Valentines Day so I got some goodies ready for her to take to daycare for all her friends!!

Rylen loves marshmallows so I got them some to have a snack time that were pink and heart shaped! And I couldn't forget about Miss Julie Rylen got her a coffee cup!!

Rylen got a cute little valentines puppy dog!! She was still a little groggy from waking up!

wide eyed and bushy taled!!!
Theres that smile I love!!!

Rylen looked very festive on Valentines day!! She was decked out in pink hearts courtesey of her Aunt Brenda!! She wasn't cooperating for a picture though!!! I was trying to get her to turn towards me but she was more interested in pulling wipies out of the box! Her new favorite thing to do!!!!


Every Monday morning from 10 - 11 I have storytime here at the Library! This Monday was our Valentines Party!! The kids had so much fun!! I made them little bags so they could bring V day cards for all their friends! We had snacks, read books, and they got to look threw their goody bags!!! I love my kiddos!!





I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentines day!!!!!! xoxoxo

Hey good lookin what ya got cookin?

Kelly's Korner is a "mom blog" I have followed for about 3 years!! She does this post every month called show us your life. Well this month it is SUYL What do you feed your kids????

This is a stressful subject for me. Rylen is quite the picky eater...... This is something she did not get from me. I have never been picky about food. I'm up to try anything and usually love everything!!!!

I feel like Rylen is just eating the same old same old everyday. I want her to have a variety of foods but so far she is pretty stuck on mac and cheese, and hot dog weenies for the most part.

Breakfast is the easiest:

Yogurt

oatmeal

maltomeal

scrambled eggs

mini vanilla wafers (yes i let my child eat a cookie for breakfast but she always has one of the above to go along with it)

Lunch:

weenies

craft single slices

mac and cheese

corn dogs

crackers

and we are still doing fruit baby food

Dinner:

Usually she will somewhat eat what we are having but mostly we resort to feeding her a weenie

mashed potatoes

green beans

spaghettie noodles

she loves any kind of breads

Snacks:

I love the gerber graduates! They have the best snacks that are a good size and easy for Rylen to feed herself!

Ritz crackers

gold fish are great

graduate gummy snacks

yogurt bites

I think Rylen has a texture issue. She only likes to eat one thing at a time. She finishes all her mac and cheese and then all her weenie. Don't even try to flip flop bites or its gonna come right back out!!!! I know this is just a phase she is going threw and it to shall pass. She gets a clean bill of health at every doctor visit so I think she will survive it!! haha!!

"Mom I don't like this and I don't like this and why did you buy this
I don't care for it at all!!!"

"Hey Granny why don't we put down this cooking magazine and get me some peppermint candy!!!"

Rylen stays a few hours at my grandmothers every once in a while so I can get some things done around town. They both have a blast playing. Granny Nell has a candy bowle on her coffee table that always has peppermint candy in it. Rylen LOVES it and eats entirely to much while she is over there!!!! Oh well it doesn't bother me!! I'm just glad Ry has a Great Granny to spend time with!!!

If you have any tips on what to feed this baby girl just leave me a comment!!!!!

Hope you all have a blessed day!!!

Wanted: A hobby!!

So there isn't alot going on here this weekend!! Temi and Jake came into town so as usual Rylen had fun playing with her Aunt Temi!!
I guess I jinxed myself by anouncing to everyone that Rylen was doing so well coming off of the bottle. These past few nights have been torture!! I feel so sad for her but I just am not going to give in. Besides I have already packed the bottles up and put them in storage. I know she will get used to it in the next week or so but it makes me so so sad to hear her cry. The doc told me that I would probably just have to be strong and let her scream in out. Cooper and I both pace outside her door listening to her toss and scream "MOMMA.......DADDA......" so so very hard to do!! But this to shall pass and my mom keeps reminding me how easy of a baby she was and that if this is the hardest thing we have to deal with we will come out of this on top!!!
I am in desperate need of a hobby!!! I think I am getting cabin fever or something! Since the weather hasn't been great and we have been stuck inside being sick for the past 2 months I am bored out of my mind!!!! Rylen goes to her Fathers on Sundays so that leaves me with a free day!! I love love love to read but here lately i've been flying threw books and now i've read everything my fav. authors have to offer!! I guess i'm just ready for some warm weather so I can do some gardening!!! I plan on doing my square foot garden again this spring and am really looking forward to it!!! We will be doing a lot to the outside of the house like painting, flower beds and a deck!!! I have always loved the cold weather but I guess i'm just ready to go outside and PLAY!!!
So i'll leave you with a cute video of Rylen!! She loves to look at herself in the mirror and give herself kisses!!!! Hope everyone has had a blessed Sunday!!!

Proposed Texas Budget Demolishes Statewide Library Programs

I have never been one to get to serious about politics. It has always been one of those things where I keep up with all that is going on but don't dive in deep or carry on long conversations about it with political people.
Wednesday my boss broke the news that Texas legislation is looking to cut funding for public libraries 99% statewide. This means your Public and School libraries. I won't go into full blown details on what all will be cut I'll post a website you can look at if you are more interested. What this means for me is that my job would pretty much disappear. Without the grants and funding we receive we would no longer be able to have Library Programs such as Summer Reading Club, Story time, Santa Claus, Back to School Bonanza, anything relating to the children.
We cannot stand for this. We have to speak out on this issue. This is not just our funding that is in danger it is the understanding of libraries and the role they play in our children's education.
Please take a look at this website if you are interested in helping us out. http://http://www.txla.org/texline-265
This website shows you how you can help. With your help we can possibly make a difference.

Linda and I had a meeting with our Friends of the Library group last night. They are a group of supporters who raise money for various activities and such. They are on board and are doing all they can to make a voice for Scurry County Library during this. If you would like to be a FOL please come and join!! Its a great group of people!!

I just wanted to share this information with everyone. Maybe you can pass it on to just two of your friends and they can pass it on and a difference can be made.

Today a reader Tomorrow a Leader
Jacki Thompson
Scurry County Library
Children's Librarian

Birthday Party Fun!!!

This past weekend our cousin Will had his 4th birthday party at a bouncy fun house!!! Rylen had a blast playing in the bouncy houses!!! She loves to play on the couch and fall face first into the cusions so this was right up her alley!! It was like playing on one HUGE couch!!

Can you see the excitment in her precious face!?

Every womans dream is to be carriend around

by a super hero!!!

Goind down the big slide with Braison!

This is FUN!!!

Yummy Cake!!!!!

A video of Ry doing a little bouncin around!!!

This floor was perfect for her!! She could walk around and not worry about getting hurt when she fell!!! She was getting a little tired in this video and kept falling!!!

Rylen is getting so big!!! I can't beleive it!! She had so much fun at the party!! She played like a big girl. Tonight will be the third night in a row she has gone to bed without a bottle......Makes my heart a little sad to know she is growing up so fast!!

First Steps!!

Rylen took her first steps Thursday Jan. 6th 2011!!! Just a few weeks after her first birthday!! We were so excited as you can probably tell by the video!! I knew she was going to do it any day she just had to get motivated. She is such a fast crawler and she really didn't like the idea of walking at all, but she is getting the hang of it! We had supper at some friends house this weekend. There were some older kids there so Rylen just stood right up and walked with them!!

Sunday was such a pretty day! Rylen spent some time at her Dad's but when she got home we took a stroll in her wagon. It was the first time we have gotten to use it since she got it, and judging by the weather I don't think we will get to pull it out again for a while!!

I do think she enjoyed it though!!!!!

Saturday morning we went to the Holden Uganda Fundraiser at our church!! Such a great the Erwin and Smith family is doing and i'm glad we could be a small part of it!! If you aren't sure what Holden Uganda is go check it out by cliking on the hand prints on the right of my blog!!


Rylen has been dealing with the croopy cough for a little over a month now. We have done antibiotics, humidifier, mentholatum, over the counter things and nothing seems to be helping. Just about the time I think we are clear of it it creeps back up again. We will be making another trip back to Abilene to see what else we can do for it. Keep her in your prayers that we can get rid of this thing. She just hasn't felt 100% in a while.
I know everyone by now knows about the Hailey Dunn case. So so sad!! I hope they will find her and I pray that her family can have some peace. I would handle the situation if something like that were to happen to my child. Gives me a sick feeling in my stomach to know that something like this can happen so close to home..

Well this blog was a bunch of mumbo jumbo but I do hope you enjoy the video of Miss Priss!!! Stay warm everyone!!!!!

Where it all began!!

Where it all began

This was my Harper grandparents home. The home that my Mom and Aunts and Uncles were raised in. The home that all of us filled up on any Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Mothers Day and all of the other holidays. The yard we watched fourth of July fireworks from, except for the few that watched them out of that front window because they were scared ;) . The home that we all met up at to cheer on the Snyder Tigers and our favorite #1 player Chris Sorrells!!! The home that most of the grandkids walked to after school to see what goodies Granny had for us. The home that was concidered "Poppa Johns" by all of the neighborhood kids! Or the home that we just hung out at to visit!! Man I sure do miss this place!! Would love to see the inside of it!! I hope whoever lives in it now is making great memories just like we all did!!! Thanks for posting it Michelle!!!!!

Sweet sugars!!!

Here lately I have been watching Rylen's actions and wondering where she gets her personality from. I know most of my family would say she gets her stubborness from me but really??!! Where does she pick up all these little habbits from??? Here lately I have been saying the word "NO" a lot!!!!! NO in Rylen's mind means do it 10 times faster!!!!!!!! At first I thought this was a funny thing but now its starting to bug me!!! :) Another new thing she has picked up is pulling hair... She will tug on you hair and you say No mam and she gives you a hug and a kiss..... WHERE DID SHE LEARN THIS??? It's the cutest thing ever but I can't laugh or she will think its ok!! Cooper and I have been calling her toot toot here lately!! She is such a stink.. but a cute stink!!!
As many of you already know Rylen loves to talk on the phone!!! I have know clue where she got this from because I despize talking on the phone and Cooper only takes business calls during the day. Anyways she will grab any object put it up to her ear and jabber away! It's her favorite thing to do. Last night we were laying on the bed and she would talk on the phone a little and then lean over and give me a kiss, and then talk on the phone a little and give me a kiss.. over and over again for about 15 minutes!!! She melts my heart!!!!
On a lighter note (or heavier) next week I am starting a workout routine!! I haven't tried to set any out of this world goals for myself just get a little more fit and have more energy. I'm going to need it when Rylen takes off walking!! I'm giving myself 110 days to get where I want to be. Weight hasn't ever really been a big problem for me but I do know if I don't stay on top of it now it will only get harder the older I get. So as of Jan. 9th I will be hitting the gym!!!!!
I hope everyone is getting back into the swing of things!!

Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers!!

Happy New Year everyone!!! I hope everyone is getting back into a normal routine after the holiday season!! I know this family sure is trying!! It feels like i've been on vacation forever so we haven't quite gotten down to the swing of things just yet. I go back to work tomorrow and am kind of looking forward to getting back in the norm of things!
I am excited about 2011! I've made a few new years resolutions!! Mainly just to get our family on a better schedule, and keep the house more picked up! Oh and maybe loose a few pounds!!
Some of the blogs I follow are doing reviews of 2010! I don't think I will show you every step we took in '10 but I will tell you that is was full of firsts for Miss Rylen and i'm happy to have all of the memories!
Yesterday while Rylen was spending time with her father I didn't have much to do so I just got to piddle around the house!! Sometimes when I don't have anything to do my mind starts to wonder! I am not really a Garth Brookes fan but a phrase from one of his songs popped into my head "Sometimes I Thank God for Unanswered prayers" I think this song is the theme song for my review of 2010!!!!
2010 was a rocky roller coaster of a year for me!! I prayed so so so hard for someone to love me that just wasn't going to. I felt like I needed to change myself for someone to make them love me and except me. I prayed so hard for these things and put myself on a roller coaster of a ride for someone that already had their mind made up that I just wasn't good enough. Don't get me wrong 2010 was full of great things but this one person had put me in such a tizzy sometimes I didn't get to appreciate fully all that was right in my life!! So all of those prayers that I thought were going unanswered was really just god trying to tell me to "chill out" i've got everything under control, and I have bigger and OH SO MUCH better things planned for you my child!!
Weeping may last throught the night, but JOY comes with the morning. Pslams 30:5

So for me 2011 is about following God's plan for me, and not trying to make one for myself. When I finally pulled my head out of my rear end I found Cooper!! Watching the way he loves Rylen and I makes my heart OH SO HAPPY and I couldn't imagine my life any other way!!!

Good luck to everyone on there 2011 ventures!! May it be full of wonderful memories!!!