Izzy takes Ash for a ride

My cute girls!! (Ashley thoroughly enjoyed her ride!)

Karate Tournament

At the end of April Ryan and Isabelle both competed in a karate tournament. Ryan was excited and Izzy was nervous (at least initially) but they both did a fantastic job. Ryan competeing is sparring for the first time. He tends to be more of a defensive sparrer (I don't know if that's a word) but he did really well and took third place between the 6 competitors. He also took third in his form. Isabelle also took third in her form. They did well and I was very proud of them.

Ryan and Izzy receive their medals




One of Ryan's friends is a karate kid too - Ryan and Izzy were excited to see Te there.

Ryan's Mohawk

Over the years Ryan has asked me several times if he could have a mohawk. Of course my response has been an emphatic no. However, recently I was cutting his hair and unintentionally ended up giving him a buzz. As I was cutting I decided to give him the desired cut. I didn't tell him what I was doing, I just finished the cut, spiked it up and pulled out the camera. After I took a couple of pictures I showed him the result. He was shocked when he saw what I'd done and he giggled nervously then said, "Okay, now hurry and cut it off!" I laughed, but I was glad that he didn't want it to stick around for long - although, I would have let him wear it to karate had he wanted to (which was shortly after the cut).

Playing Catch-Up

I'm waaaaaaay behind in pictures and journaling, but maybe if I just start then things will get better, right?
So, the latest is this:
Scott is still Bishop. He is busy running a little credit union and trying to dig it out of the very deep hole the previous guy got it into. He still dabbles a little in real estate but where he finds the time, I don't know.
I just got over Strep Throat with an additional infection on top that pretty much knocked me out for a week+. Luckily, Scott, my mom and neighbors helped to pick up the slack. I was supposed to go out of town to a clogging competition and had to skip that as well as skip the talk I prepared for church. (It was okay though cuz "I know a guy...")
Ryan is doing pretty well in school but would rather be outside playing or reading his current favorite book. He has zoomed through the "Percy Jackson" series, "Harry Potter" (for the second time), the "Fablehaven" books and is now working on the "Black Cauldron" series. It's really fun for me to have him reading books that I enjoy, we talk a lot about them and he loves to use his imagination.
Isabelle is as dynamic and energetic as usual. I recently discovered that she is getting molars which I hope will explain away a bit of her emotion and drama, although I'm not too hopeful. She is intense and helpful, loving and delightful. She enjoys kindergarten and sadly has discovered how to text Scott using my phone which she thinks is the best thing ever.
Ashley seems to be learning a lot lately. She loves to stand against things and has figured out how to move her little feet (little by little). She will walk a little holding hands yet she doesn't know how to get onto her hands and knees (we're working on that). She has a brand new tooth today but she won't show it off. She says "bye-bye" only on occasion and usually just to Grandma. She will smile at you if she is in the mood but feels most comfortable in my arms and is often willing to charm anyone from that position. She bobs her head to dance and today when asked to dance, twice she shook her head "no" although to be fair, I'm not sure if she was trying to do a new dance move, but it was still funny. She watched a bit of "Princess and the Frog" with us last night and danced to the music and laughed hard at herself. It was really cute. She loves the cat who doesn't love her. She is a very picky eater. She is delightful and wonderful and we adore her.
So there goes my "begin again". Hopefully now that I have lots of pictures uploaded I will go back and put in lots of what has been missed.

One of the last snow adventures of the season (not the last snow, sadly).


Beautiful Isabelle in her Easter dress.

My girls playing in the "tent".

Beautiful Ashley in her Easter dress.

Ryan and Isabelle decorating Easter eggs.

Sisters

I L.O.V.E. that my girls have each other. I'm not very poetic, but I will say that there are few things in this world that are greater than a sister. I could quote Jo March from Little Women and say that I could never love anyone like I love my sisters - or something like that - but I know that there are greater relationships...but only a few.
On that topic - I get a Sister's Weekend this weekend - YIPPEE!!! and thank you to my very sweet and adorable and wonderful husband who so unselfishly is taking care of my darling three - yes, I said three - who I will be leaving at home!!!

My Muscle-Bound Son

Ryan just came up to me with his shirt off: "Mom, guess how I found out I have a four pack?" Then he started rolling his stomach proudly showing me the "four pack" then he confessed - "I don't really know what that means."

Ashley's Forever Day

I will post more tomorrow but I wanted to get a picture up and say that it couldn't have been a more perfect day.