What a year!

Stay with me as I post a gaggle of photos right now.  I am working on a yearbook for our family in 2010 and I have so many fun photos.  I wanted the last post of 2010 to be a recap of all our adventures this past year.  It's been quite a year and we have had made some great memories.  I feel so blessed and we look forward to seeing what 2011 will bring.

 Ryder Louis Whyte is born January 7th, 2010.  Mimi gets to be in the delivery room.  

Such a wonderful surprise!

 Ryder's first photo session, 3 weeks old.  We celebrated Cory's birthday in February with family.

 In March we get to meet Mason and visit with Dana & Scott.  What a treat.  

Little besties born on the same day.

 Ryan has surgery to remove the 'bump' on her head. 

 Baby shower for Jared & Jessica.  Such a cute pregnant girl!

 Reese & Ryan's first day of preschool at Tumbleweed Rec Center.  Nice yawn, Reese :)

 May 14th, 2010, William David Ryan arrives.  Jessica and Jared are proud parents.

In June we redesigned the family room.  So happy with the outcome.

 A trip to Mexico for Father's Day weekend.

 We got to meet William for the first time during our San Diego trip.

 We also got to meet Ms. K while in San Diego.  She and Ryder were quite the duo.

 Family photos in July.  One of my faves of the kids.  Love the expressions.

 First day of preschool at Risen Savior.

Grandma's birthday in September.

 Ryder is mobile and into everything.  He also puts everything in his mouth.  What a crackup.

 Jared and Jessica visit AZ and all the extended family gets to meet William.

 Two trips to Mexico in October.  Reese & Ryan are flower girls in Kyna & Eric's wedding.  

Such a fun weekend!

 Cornrows on the beach for our 2nd trip.

 Halloween was very festive this year and we got a kick out of dressing up.

 Happy 4th Birthday, Reese & Ryan!

Our first family photo of everyone together, all 11 of us.

North Pole Experience with the Whyte Family.

The Destroyer has fun with the Christmas decorations.

 Getting all the cousins together.  Cute babies!

Cheers to a wonderful year filled with blessings, love, and laughter.  I know that 2011 has some wonderful moments in store.  Over and out!

So cute!

I was just going through our Greer weekend photos and I found a photo that I adore.  At first glance I thought this was Ryan but I quickly realized it's my little Reesie.  When they are wearing hats I get a bit confused.  I can tell when I look at her eyes and her sweet mouth that it's Reese.  She is such a little lover and so sensitive.  This photo perfectly displays her personality. 

Yummy

Ryan: "Mimi, my thumb tastes funny."
Mimi:  "Do you think you're getting tired of sucking it?"
Ryan:  "No, it just has marker on it."
Mimi:  "Go wash it and see how it tastes then."
Ryan:  "It tastes good again, Mimi!  Here taste it."

And, of course she did.  :-) 

Christmas got the best of me

Ryan is obsessed with my small camera and I just downloaded the photos she took on Christmas day.  It's pretty cute because she took photos of:

Ryder,

 her new stickers,

 their dollhouse & mermaids that Santa brought,

and then there were at least 5 photos of me passed out on the family room floor at Mimi & Papa's house.  I was beyond tired on Christmas day and it seemed like a good place to rest.  Ryan was like a paparazzi, photographing me in a comatose state, drooling and snoring.  Blackmail photos for sure.

Back to normal

I love decorating for Christmas.  It goes up the day after Thanksgiving.  It's so fun and festive.  But I REALLY love taking it down.  I don't waste any time ripping down the decorations.  When it's over it's over.  Last year I moved a little slower because I was preggo but this year the ornaments and tree were coming down pronto.  I have the cleaning lady coming on Tuesday and you can bet that our house is ready for some spring cleaning.  We got all the decorations put up in the attic and now the house is ready to be scrubbed down.  Ahhhhh!  I'm a happy girl.

Santa Claus is coming to town

The girls insisted that the reindeer want sweet pickles and carrots.

Santa left this for Ryder

We ran out of time to bake cookies today so Santa got some rum cake and a glass of milk.  He seemed to enjoy it and now he's going to get a DUI in his sleigh. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what the kids are going to wake up to.  I'm so excited!!!

White Christmas in the hood

Our neighbors did it again.  They come up with some fun & crazy things for their kids and this year was no exception.  They had snow delivered and blown into their front yard.  They let us romp in the snow for awhile before their friends came over.  It was so much fun and such a treat on a warm winter day!

There's nothing better than playing in the snow in a short sleeve shirt.

Even Ryder boy got in on the action.

Hangin out on the sled.

Oatmeal anyone?

Ryder has never enjoyed being spoon fed.  I know he's still a baby but he's transforming into a toddler right before our very eyes.  Today was a good example of refusing me as I tried to feed him oatmeal.  After a few times of trying I handed him the bowl and spoon and went to town.  Here is the aftermath:

After he's done he loves to throw his bowl on the ground.  I'm off to the store to buy him a bowl that suctions to the tray.

Meeting Santa

We met Santa at the Hobbs' house and Reese and Ryan were really excited about it.  Check out Reese in this photo below when he arrived.  Ryder wasn't too fond.  He would look at him and then start to tear up.  It was a crackup!  William stared at big Santa in awe.  He's the sweetest, most mellow baby.  Love these kids so much!!

"

"Yay!  He's here."

"I'm not sure I like this guy."

"Ok, I'll take another look and check him out."

"Who the heck are you?"