V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!

So Jer and I considering taking a little trip this summer. Less than five days. It will be soo hard to leave the kids, but I think it will really be good for us. I really want to celebrate finishing school. Besides, when will we ever get 6 G's back from taxes again? Anyways, I dug out some old pics of Jer and I when we went on a trip to Jamaica in 2005.


Ignore the fact that I am so boobalicious, apparently that's how I rolled back then.



This sign cracked my sister and I up everytime we passed it.

My we were both thinner back then!
It actually wasn't a top of the line resort. But due to some overbooking we got an upgrade to a private villa! This was the view from our private pool.

Ok, enough reminiscing. Back to the real world. I think I will go watch the season finale of Top Chef. Toodles!

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

This movie is simply fantabulous...if you share my sense of humor, anyways.

Pinkalicious

If you're girlie toddler hasn't checked out this book yet--it's a must!

Look At These Cute Patoots!

Two Babies

Wow. I cannot believe all of the amazing and kooky things my two little darlings are doing these days. I wanted to take a little time to remind myself of all of the tiny wonderous things that I get to witness every day in my life.

Alex just turned eight months old a few days ago, and I don't know where the time has gone. He still grins ear to ear when he sees me and laughs so hard when his daddy entertains him with funny faces. He barely likes to be held, because he's intent on wiggle worming his way out of our arms so that he can explore the entire house. It kind of looks like's swimming--he glides around effortlessly through the rooms, rifling through everything in his path. Alex weighs over twenty pounds, and when you carry him outside, he throws himself backwards to stare up at the sky. His hair grows longer around his little ears, and he has the brightest blue eyes. His favorite pastimes are jumping in his johnny jumper, sucking on his binky, and listening to his lullabye CD, which he enjoys as much as his sister does. Ava entertains him constantly, and they love to kick back and watch Elmo videos together. Ava still loves Elmo, and doesn't care much for anything else on TV. She most enjoys watching an Elmo video in her little Elmo chair, with a nack (snack) of cheerios, dried fruit, yogos, and animal crackers that mom makes her. If she's really lucky she also gets a prune or a "baby bite" as she calls it(she named them this because I was constantly reminding her to take baby bites when she eats them.... and YUCK, by the way)! Ava stil has more energy than I have ever seen in one human being in my entire life. She runs circles around the house constantly, pushing her baby stroller into everything in her path. She is all about accessories--she is often wearing mom's shoes, a headband worn as a visor over her eyes, sunglasses on her head, and gloves on her hands. She cares for all of her babies like a little momma--removing their clothing, feeding them, smacking them around, and diapering them. Her vocabulary is getting really impressive--she's getting the hang of counting, likes to sing, and yells "I want my moooozic on evabodeeeee" when lullabye CD stops playing at bedtime. She finally allows hair pretties to stay in place, and even went pee pee on the potty tonight!

It just takes a little time and reflection--but I do know--how much I value every minute I have in this life with these two special babies.

Sugar Love

Giggly Girl

Winter Days

Look at this little Army crawler!

Be patient..for when it happens..it happens fast!

Isn't My Little Pork Chop Cute?

YUMMMM!! Can you hear him saying it? He loves to eat!


And these cute chubber legs are sooo ticklish!

Is it really about the bread, people?

Today I was given a Ziploc bag containing the starter batter of Amish Friendship Bread. Amish Friendship Bread has always made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I love the idea that in this hectic world, it requires you to slow down, complete small steps, and wait ten days before even baking it.

Sure, it's a little odd that it sits in a Ziploc bag for that many days and "ferments" (according to the directions), but anyone who has had it knows it's worth both the wait and its strange means of preparation. Even more so, what I like about Friendship Bread is that you give to a friend, and they pass it to their friends, and so on. It's like a tiny little gift that yields this yum-o bread and mini science experiment all in one.

Today at work I tried to get a few co-workers pumped about me giving them a starter bag of batter when I mix mine in a few days, and they just weren't game. They even wrinkled their noses.

They just don't get that it's not all about that Ziploc bag of goo, do they?

Glamour Girl and Tubby Turkey

Doggy Bowls

Look what I found by Sosa's icky food bowl the other day:

Toddler Rules

Toddler Property Rules





If I like it, it's mine.

If it's in my hand, it's mine.

If I can take it from you, it's mine.

If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.

If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.

If I'm doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.

If it looks just like mine, it's mine.

If I think it's mine, it's mine.

2008 in Review

Goodbye, 2008

Wow! Can you believe 2008 has come to a close? It's hard for me to believe. It has truly flown by. This year has brought us so many special blessings. In January of 2008 Ava earned a new cousin when Chase Thomas Ritchie was born to Ryan and Kristina. In April Ms. Tess turned the big 3-0 and celebrated with an 80's themed bash. Later that month I was diagnosed with low amniotic fluid and sidelined with what was to become seven weeks of bedrest. It didn't turn out to be the leisurely life of eating bonbons and watching "A Baby Story" all day liked I hoped. Instead, I was depressed because I couldn't play with Ava, concerned for my baby's health, and worried about my keeping my job and paying the bills. On May 29th, 2008, we welcomed Alexander John Ritchie into the world. Our big, big, boy weighed 8 lbs 13 oz at birth! No wonder it took so long for him to make his appearance! Alex has given his mommy more love and adoration than she could ever imagine. A few short weeks later in July, Ava and Alex met their newest cousin, Finnegan Ross Ritchie, who was born with the most adorable red coif you have ever seen. Littlest sisser Ashley turned the quarter century in August, and Ava celebrated her 2nd birthday on September 11, 2008, with a birdie themed party. Ava spent all of 2008 pushing the limits, cracking us up nonstop, and letting off more energy than should be legal. Jeremy said goodbye to Bridgeway in October of 2008, and started a new adventure as a Correctional Counselor for the state of Iowa. November gave us the most historic election of all time, and a renewed hope for the future. This December we celebrated our first Christmas as a family of four. We feel complete and can't wait to see what 2009 brings.

Merry Christmas, Baby

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

It's one of those days..

You know, one of those days when the last person at the coffee machine took the last cup and didn't make more coffee, when you hit your knee on the edge of your desk, when your kiddo poops after getting him bundled for zero degree weather, when your car windows and doors are all frozen shut, when your windshield wipers are frozen to your car even with water poured on them and sixty combined minutes of work to unstick them, when your flaccid dollar bill isn't accepted at the machine, when you wear heels and it snows five inches, when you have a headsplitting cold. You know, one of those days.