Aleisha's Blog

I am in LOVE...

2011-10-21T00:01:00.002+02:00

I can't even tell you how much I love this. The color in this picture is PERFECT. Is it bad to lust a sweater? lol

http://www.victoriassecret.com/ss/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1258579553985&pagename=vsdonlineshop/Page/vsdCQOProductPage&CQOItemNbr=QN-258884

Buggies got her ears pierced....

2011-10-20T23:58:00.004+02:00

She took it like a champ and as you can tell, she loves them.

Howard kids fishing trip...

2011-07-30T08:47:00.003+02:00

Stuarts ship made it possible for us to go on a kids fishing trip for free and the kids had a blast. Truly a day we will never forget. We just wish daddy could have been there with us. Thank you for an amazing night.

Kyler's Kindergarten Graduation...

2011-07-19T19:29:00.008+02:00

I can't believe my little man will be in first grade next year. Time goes by so fast. Kyler, we are so proud of you and love you so much!

I love the certificate they gave them for graduation.
Kyler with his teacher Mrs. Smith.

Texts from Daddy...

2011-07-18T03:30:00.005+02:00

Stuart texts me all the time so I can talk to him where ever I am and I don't miss him. Brylie is use to the text sound and always runs to the phone to text him back. Stu suggested changing the sound to see what she does. Now we know...lol I love it!!!

Kiddos...

2011-06-23T04:17:00.014+02:00

It's been 10 weeks (tomorrow) since Stuart left and we've been trying to stay busy so we don't go insane. Our biggest thing is going to the beach. The kids have a blast with their friends and it wears them out, which I love. It's a win win. But first off...
Kyler's Kindergarten Graduation pictures. I am so proud of him. For not going to pre-school first, he sure did a lot better than I thought he would. He's so smart and a fast learner. I can't wait to see how well he does next year.
I got to go to Rylan's Father's Day celebration at school and these are what he made his dad for Father's Day. He misses him so much. I think it's cute that he just happen to be wearing his super man (super dad) shirt that day. :)
All three kids were given daddy quilts from the ASYMCA. They are adorable and I can't thank them enough. They love them. They won't go to sleep without them.
This is our beach tent city...lol And worth every penny. Truly the best thing ever!
The boys are in LOVE with boogie boarding so I finally went and got them their own boards yesterday. I am now officially the worlds greatest mom. Now they won't stop begging to go back to the beach.
I dig the holes, they fill them up by burying each other in them. Hey, whatever keeps them busy.

My cute little bug.
Our message to our dads for Father's Day.
I can't believe we have been back state side for almost a year now. It still feels like yesterday. But looking back at the pictures of when we got here, my kids have grown like weeds. I just can't believe how much they have changed. Time sure does fly by quickly. (Just not deployments.)

For daddy...

2011-04-30T18:02:00.001+02:00

Easter...

2011-04-25T05:45:00.008+02:00

The kids woke up to the house covered in eggs so they started the morning off hunting them down. After showing off their loot for daddy, we ate breakfast, got ready and headed to church.

We had our friends over for dinner and after we threw the kids outside and fed them cake so they could semi-run off the sugar high...lol They had so much fun together. It's so great that they have such good friends to play with.
Brylie first lemon cake. She was going to finish it all no matter what.

We had a great Easter. We just wish daddy could have been here with us.

Family Pictures...

2011-04-09T02:25:00.019+02:00

My friend, Alicia Powell took our family pictures for us and they turned out great. We really wanted them done before Stuart deployed and now we each can have new updated picts of each other when he leaves. Here is a little glimpse into our family.

Rylan got another award...

2011-04-02T20:57:00.004+02:00

Were so proud of him. He's such an amazing/smart kid. We love you buddy!!!

My baby is two...

2011-04-02T20:51:00.004+02:00

These last two years have gone by so fast. I can't believe my baby is already two.

Rylan and Kyler's awards...

2011-02-17T17:51:00.007+01:00

Kyler getting called up to receive his award. I LOVE how Rylan (straight across from kyler) is peaking up to see him.
He showed everyone his award. He's so proud of it. :)
Rylan receiving his award.
Kyler kept yelling at him, look, I got one too...lol
We are so proud of them both. They continue to amaze us with how smart and talented they are in everything they do. Congratulations on an amazing job!!! We love you!!!

Rylan's art work...

2011-02-09T04:11:00.005+01:00

I LOVE seeing all the new pages he brings home from school every day. Art is his favorite subject. But now that she has them write the story, it's just that much more fun.
But I have to say, these two are my favorite. It makes me so happy that we have something we both enjoy that we can do together. :)

Finished products...

2011-02-09T04:04:00.006+01:00

I finally finished Brylie's blanket that I started before she was born. Although, Minky is a pain in the butt to work with.
Plus, I made two table runners for Valentine's Day. I thought they turned out pretty cute.
It double sided so I can switch to either side.

Christmas 2010...

2011-01-03T06:17:00.019+01:00

I admit it, I am bad at the blogging thing lately. But in my defense, were just trying to enjoy time as a family before Stuart deploys.
Brylie bug and I eating Stir fry on Christmas Eve. Stuart loves these pictures.

As a tradition, the kids get to open on present before they go to bed on Christmas Eve.
They were all pretty excited for morning to come. :)
Brylie LOVES her kitty.
Christmas morning started off with the stockings...
and then the paper ripping commenced.
Brylie finally got a puppy and I don't have to clean up after it.
The boys got their Bionicals and legos and they play with them non-stop.

Clothes from Grandma...
and cool foam animals from Grandma that are a challenge to put together put pretty stinking cool when they are.

Brylie loves her kitchen. It's fun to see Rylan playing with her in her room.
Rylan got a light saber gun and brylie wouldn't put it down. She chased Stuart all around the house with it. She would rather play with the boys toys then her own. That's MY girl. :)
We had a great Christmas and just enjoyed spending time as a family. Now we are praying for a safe and happy New Year.

Early Christmas Present...

2010-12-24T03:03:00.004+01:00

My mom sent me this little dress and trousers my Great Grandma made with a picture of her, for Christmas. Each one of us got a set, but a different color. So I put it in a shadow box for display and get it out of reach of little grubby fingers.
I tried to fix this in Apple's photo edit, but it started to erase the picture and I didn't know how to fix it. But you get the picture of the true color. :)
Thanks mom! Perfect gift, I love it!

Just like Daddy...

2010-12-21T18:21:00.003+01:00

Our new car...

2010-10-31T19:54:00.005+01:00

I finally got to pick up our new car and I am LOVING it. It's the best present I've ever gotten. Thanks babe, I love you so much!!! :)

How to bag a bug...

2010-10-24T00:40:00.001+02:00

Pumpkin Patch...

2010-10-24T00:22:00.016+02:00

We took the kids to the pumpkin patch before Stuart left so we could have some family time together. We loved it and the kids had so much fun picking out their own pumpkins. I think we found a new tradition. :)

Single parent again...

2010-10-19T19:44:00.002+02:00

Stuart is offically out to sea again so I'm going to be posting more so he can see whats going on at home. I've been a military wife for almost 10 years and I still will never get use to the time apart. I am looking forward to these next three years going by fast so we can retire and actually have a "normal" family life. But until then, it's on day at a time. Love you handsome and we miss you like crazy!!

Words can't even describe...

2010-10-17T00:24:00.003+02:00

how bad I want these. Have you ever had that dream where you win a million dollars and you think up all the stuff you want to buy. Besides getting debt free and buying a house, these bad boys are right up there with them. Except, I would buy the whole entire set, not just the three pans. But I don't have a thousand to blow. I know, crazy. But I have wanted these since I can remember. Yup, I can sure dream!

Inspired by nearly a century of culinary craftsmanship, Le Creuset is proud to present the Signature collection as the next evolution of its enameled cast-iron cookware. Signature seamlessly blends Le Creuset’s classic form and feel with the latest ergonomic and functional innovations.

Optimized for steady, even heat, Le Creuset’s improved enamel interior resists staining, dulling, and wear and tear.
Enamel interior’s light sand color makes it easy to monitor food while cooking, ensuring less sticking and burning.
Stabilizers in the newly engineered lid prevent rocking, keeping the lid snugly in place.
Improved ergonomic, composite knob resists temperatures up to 480°F and provides a sure grip.
45% larger handles provide a better grip even while wearing oven mitts.
Enameled cast-iron construction boasts superior heat-retention and requires no additional seasoning.
Dishwasher safe for fast, convenient cleanup.
A Williams-Sonoma Exclusive.

6-piece set includes:

5 1/2 –qt. round oven with lid.
1 1/2-qt. saucepan with lid.
4 3/4-qt. sauté pan with lid.

Brylie bugs...

2010-10-01T22:02:00.006+02:00

Everyday before we go get the boys, Brylie gets on her little back pack so she's ready to go get them. She LOVES her backpack.

This is her cute little Halloween outfit daddy got for her.

Recent picts...

2010-09-23T02:12:00.010+02:00

The kids LOVE having a backyard. It's not huge but big enough to throw them out for a while to play so I can get some stuff done in the house. It's fun to watch them all play together.

I pulled this out of a storage bin and she put it on and was running around the house. She thinks she's funny with it on. The boys had fun chasing the little monkey around.

This little one HAS to feed herself and won't let anyone help her or she won't eat at all. She's getting to be quit the little independent stinker.

Stu's new truck...

2010-09-10T20:34:00.005+02:00

Stu traded the Honda in for his new 2005 Toyota Tacoma. He got up, took the boys to school and came home, cleaned her out and washed here up, again...lol He's in love. Now were just waiting for the Volvo.

My poor pinky toe...

2010-09-05T06:21:00.005+02:00

Our clone troopers...

2010-09-05T05:48:00.003+02:00

Kyler got these for his b-day from his dad and he won't put them down. If he could sleep in them, I think he would.

Brylie's many funky dews...

2010-09-05T05:41:00.006+02:00

She woke up with this one the other morning. It was to funny! She didn't want me to touch it, she liked it this way.

Her natural Curls.
And the popular fish dew...lol

Kyler's 5th Birthday...

2010-09-05T05:28:00.006+02:00

Little man woke up early and dad made him breakfast. Then he got to open his presents so he could play with them before we left to Dave and Busters later.

Brylie thinks this one is hers. She likes how loud and cool it is...lol She won't let him touch it.I picked this one out for him and he thinks his eyes are "adorable". I couldn't stop laughing. He sleeps with it almost every night.
Kyler at Dave and Busters playing games for three hours.
The cake he picked out from Costco. He only ate the frosting and said he was done, the stinker. I can't believe how fast he's growing up. He starts school next week. I'm still in shock!

The hair is finally growing...

2010-08-15T06:29:00.005+02:00

We finally had enough hair for two pony tails. Progress...lol

Bummin in CA...

2010-08-09T06:46:00.002+02:00

For the past week, we've been in the car 24-7 checking the area out. We finally get into our place tues, but won't have anything in the house until our shipment gets there. We found what church building we'll go to today and they are going to help us wrestle up some beds to sleep on till our stuff gets here. Other than that, were having fun spending time as a family. We'd like the pop each other by the end of the day, but we mean it with love...lol Were still trying to adjust to the time difference, but doing better than I thought we were going to. Brylie is having the hardest time. I think once all her stuff is here, she will feel better. This hotel living is not the best. We are LOVING the beds though. European beds SUCK! When we finally get into our place and get settled, I will try and post more. With Stu starting to go out to Sea again, this will be his link to us. Hope everyone is doing well and we love and miss you all!!

Were back in the U.S.A...

2010-08-02T16:17:00.002+02:00

After a LONG day and two really bad flights, two lost bags, a jerk in customs and my bad mouth, cranky kids, were finally here. I hope I don't have to do that for a VERY long time. I do have to say, I'm in a culture shock coming back and I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Italy. :)

Brylie's first pigtail...

2010-06-27T22:33:00.001+02:00

I LOVE that I can finally put her hair up. :)

We bought a new car...

2010-05-07T19:25:00.002+02:00

A 2011 XC90 R-DESIGN VOLVO
The color is dark gray...
But this is what the inside will look like. I am so excited. We ordered it directly from Sweden, but they are shipping it to San Diego for us. So we will pick it up as soon as we get there. I am so excited to finally have a bigger family car.

Weight loss progress...

2010-05-03T19:06:00.005+02:00

I've lost 25 pounds but I still have 10-15 more to go and really need to tone everything. I'm finally on my way to getting back to the size I was when we got married. It's nice to finally see somewhat of a change. :)

Our little Cheerleader...

2010-04-30T19:03:00.002+02:00

McFarlane Family Pictures.

2010-04-30T19:01:00.002+02:00

We had these taken the first week of March for Brylie's first birthday and family pictures.

Happy Birthday, Rylan!!!

2010-03-07T14:54:00.008+01:00

Rylan has a Transformer bowling party yesterday so I made him an Optimus Prime cake for his b-day. We had 17 kids show up. It was pure chaos, but he sure had a fun time. It was worth it to see the smile on his handsome face.
Instead of making another cake for his Birthday, we let him pick out some treats on the way home from Church. He did a good job, cuz these bad boys were AWESOME!!! :)
Can you tell?? lol
The thing was as big as his arm...lol Happy 6th Birthday, buddy. We love you!!!!

Anniversary present...

2010-02-23T22:22:00.002+01:00

Picture of down town Naples, Italy at dusk. The colors are so beautiful. Stuart's been wanting this for a while. :)

Brylie playing Peek-a-boo...

2010-02-21T21:06:00.003+01:00

Pictures...

2010-02-21T19:13:00.015+01:00

From our traditional Christmas Eve bowling. I know, it's been a while.
Classic. I can never get them all at the same time.
Little bug loves being outside. Hopefully we get some good weather soon. Really getting tired of the rain.
Kyler bean being silly.

A miracle happened here. IT SNOWED!!! Only for about 2 mins. But it was great.
Brylie bug LOVES wrestling with her brothers. She pins them on the floor and sits on them...lol That's my girl.
She always gives them loves afterwards. :)
Sporting her new boots that daddy got her. Just like momma's.
Her new top teeth. The only way we could get the picture was to hang her upside down, the stinker.

Italian Drip Beef Sandwiches...

2010-02-11T18:58:00.003+01:00

I apologize for putting this up a day late. Brylie is just getting worse and it's been a LONG few days. Enjoy!!! You will love it. :)

Ingredients

1 whole Beef Chuck Roast, 2.5 To 4 Pounds
1 can Beef Consomme Or Beef Broth
3 Tablespoons (heaping) Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ cups Water
½ jars (16 Oz) Pepperoncini Peppers, With Juice (we didn't have any at the commissary here, so I used hot spicy peppers and it was GOOD.)
Buttered, Toasted Deli Rolls

Preparation Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot or dutch oven. Stir lightly to combine seasoning with the liquid. (I did mine in the crock pot and just let it cook all day.)

Cover and bake in a 275 degree oven* for 5 to 6 hours, or until meat is fork-tender and falling apart. **If meat is not yet tender, return to oven for 30 minute intervals till it’s tender!**

Remove from oven. With two forks, completely shred all meat, leaving no large chunks behind. Serve immediately, or keep warm over a simmer on the stove.

May make the day before, then store in the refrigerator. Remove the hardened fat from the top before reheating.

Serve on buttered, toasted rolls. Top with cheese and melt under the broiler if desired. Serve with juices from the pot.

Update...

2009-12-30T22:48:00.006+01:00

My baby girl turned 9 months old the day after Christmas and she's into EVERYTHING.
Including her brothers room. She loves playing in there.
Yes, this is my oven. Don't ask me how she did it, but she got stuck under it. I couldn't save her just yet. I had to get a few pictures of it first...lol

We are up for new orders right now, but we are trying really hard to get these specific orders to Germany. We could use all the prayers we can get. :) Our only other option our detailer is giving us is Virginia and we DON'T want to go there. This is our last four years in and then we retire. If we can get them where Stu does not have to go out to sea again, that's my pick. Plus, it would be so much fun to go to Germany. We loved it there when we went for Christmas last year.

Were winding down from Christmas vacation and can't wait for Rylan to go back to school. The boys are going crazy teasing each other. I now understand why my mom was so excited for school to get back in. He has also lost his 5th tooth. He's growing them out as fast as he's losing them. It's crazy. I will take picts and post them soon. I am trying to homeschool Kyler to get him ready for Kindergarten next year. He's going to be a tough one. He's the complete opposite of Rylan, always wanting to play and can't sit still. It's going to be interesting to see how he does when that time comes.

Idea's for next year's cookie plates...

2009-12-23T21:58:00.003+01:00

Precious!!!!

2009-12-23T21:57:00.002+01:00

Eggnog Cookies...

2009-12-12T16:23:00.002+01:00

2-¼ cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Cinnamon
½ teaspoons Nutmeg
1-¼ cup Sugar
¾ cups Butter
½ cups Eggnog
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 whole Egg Yolks

Preparation Instructions
Add all ingredients together and mix. Spoon onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 mins or until done. Place on cooling rack and sprinkle with nutmeg. Let cool and then drizzle with vanilla frosting. I think they taste better cold, but thats a personal choice. Great with Hot Cocoa.

Christmas Pictures...

2009-12-11T23:14:00.016+01:00

Brylie Bug turned eight months old...

2009-11-27T22:39:00.009+01:00

My baby turned Eight months old on Thanksgiving. She's growing to fast, but we have been having a lot of fun with her.

Early Christmas Presents from Stu...

2009-11-12T19:29:00.007+01:00

Stuart bought me my Polish Pottery I've been eyeing for months now. I went to use the bathroom, he thought he could hurry and buy them without me knowing, but I got back before he was done and I found them. Hence, the early part. Sorry babe!
Star pie pan...
Serving platter with plates.
Tea Pot with Tea pot warmer, sugar jar with spoon and milk jar.
All the pieces together. I love them!!! :)

Roma, Italy

2009-11-03T10:13:00.004+01:00

After two years, we finally made it to Rome. It's so amazing living near all this history and amazing works of art. I love it!!!

The spanish steps.

Fountain below the steps.

My beloved Trevi Fountain.

It's good luck to throw a penny in.

The entrance to the Vatican.

The Vatican.

The Colosseum. This was the view from our dinner table.

Pisa, Italy

2009-10-19T23:10:00.018+02:00

Stuart's mom is here for a couple of weeks visiting so we hopped in the car with our friends and went to Pisa for the night. The drive through Tuscany was so beautiful. It made Naples look even more like a crap hole. But we had a lot of fun.

It's so beautiful!! So worth the long trip.
The baptistry.
I think I'm winning.
My cutie pie Brylie Bug.
Our little family.
The Cathedral and the tower together.
We went to dinner after, right next to the tower and I had my favorite pizza, the Diablo. Spicy Italian sausage, Yummy!!!!

Then we went back to the cabin, made an illegal bon fire and made some awesome smores. What a great night.

Me hiding Brylie's taggy ball to keep it clean.
My three Wee-ones.
Another church in the middle of town, on the river.
What a great trip. Highly recommend it. Next stop, Paris and Venice.

Vino Pictures cont...

2009-10-19T21:43:00.016+02:00

I finally got my pictures back, so here are some more of our vino picts. I LOVE the way they turned out.

Vino Pictures

2009-10-05T09:47:00.001+02:00

We had our family pictures taken in a vineyard saturday. These two are the sneak peaks she sent me. I will get the rest this week and post some more. I LOVE how they turned out.

Pumpkin Pictures...

2009-09-17T10:23:00.004+02:00

I went and had the kiddos pictures taken out in an Italian Pumpkin garden... My little sweet pea. I just want to pinch her cute little cheeks. My toothless twosome. Classic Rylan. He was so shy, we were having a hard time getting him to smile. Vampire boy...lol Holy Kyler Smiler...LOL This kid cracks me up. Brylie just wanted to chew on the basket. I LOVE these of Brylie bug. She's so stinking cute. I hate the outfit Brylie is in and they were ready to go. By this point I said I didn't care anymore and we all started making faces...lol All in all, they turned out pretty good for having three cranky kids. :)

A hard week and a half...

2009-09-10T10:32:00.002+02:00

My little one has had a rough week and a half. She's been in and out of the ER for allergic reactions, but they kept telling me it was nothing and couldn't do anything about it. Five days ago, she went into anaphylactic shock and was choking. Stuart got her breathing again and I rushed her to the ER. By the time I got her there, her face was swollen and blistered and her eyes were swollen shut and still choking. She had to have three different meds to stop the reaction. And another two days for the affects to completely wear off. Now we are on high alert to try and figure out what caused such a horrible reaction. We think it's a combination of seasonal allergies with possible milk. Now I'm carrying around the dreaded Epi pen, in hopes we never have to use it again. She's been doing good that last few days, but is only down to one drug and will be taken off that in two weeks to see if we can find the trigger. (which scares me to death.) I am so THANKFUL that she's ok and was not taken from us. And hope and pray whatever it is, we can figure it out ASAP.

Rylan's First day of Kindergarten...

2009-09-10T10:31:00.001+02:00

Stuart pulled both his front teeth the day before, so he went toothless. Lovely!! As always, he still loves school and can't wait to go everyday.

Cake for warrants farewell...

2009-08-29T20:44:00.004+02:00

My friend, Shawnie and I, made a cake for Stuart's warrants farewell and surprised him with it. The saying is what warrant calls Lago, where they work. It took us two days to make, but I think it turned out ok. The frosting started to melt off towards the end.

The Solfatara Volcano

2009-08-16T21:48:00.012+02:00

We took a little trip to an active volcano that is right next door to our old branch in Pozzuoli and I will never be doing that again...lol The smell is beyond horrible.
This lovely little bubbling mud pit stunk so bad we all starting gaging and almost throwing up, even the little ones. Kyler did start throwing up until I had him move a good distance away from it. Even then, we were all still sick to our stomachs.
This is how we walked around the whole time. I think we were there a total of 20 mins max. Walked in and had to walk right back out.

A well that use to be full of water.

Buh Bye, stink bomb!

We quickly took a group photo and got outta there.

But the view on the drive home was not to shabby. :)

My three little loves...

2009-08-16T21:33:00.002+02:00

I just can't believe how big they are getting.

First time having rice cereal.

2009-08-05T14:01:00.003+02:00

I gave Brylie rice cereal today for the first time. She LOVED it. I am not going to start her on fruits and veggies till she's 6 months old. But she's been eyeing my food for a week now so I thought I would try to see what she would do and she inhaled it. Didn't even do the tongue and funky face thing. She's been having a hard time nursing during the day because it's to hot. She does great at night, but not so hot during the day. So I am going to start giving her cereal in the afternoon with breast milk and see if that will help.

Brylie Bug, 4 months old

2009-08-05T13:58:00.001+02:00

This little one needs to stop growing. She's just so much fun. Were so blessed to have her.

Grotte Dell' Angelo- Angel Caves

2009-08-05T13:10:00.025+02:00

We drove south for about an hour and a half and went to the Angel Caves last saturday.
Family picture in front of the falls outside of the cave.
Can you tell they are excited?
Brylie hitching a ride.
My home boy...
What a cutie pie.
You have to take a boat ride into the cave.
Map of the caves.
The flash was so bright I was seeing stars for a while.
Going into the cave...

This is the waterfall. We couldn't get a front picture of it, we came up on it way to fast.
But this is what the boat looks like on the water with the lights turned off, from the top of the waterfall.

Kyler called these noodles...lol

I felt like a pack mule. I was carrying everything and half way into it my shoulders were killing and I was ready to go. We now know this is not something to do with kids. They were scared at first but was ok with it in the end. Come to find out, Rylan peed his pants and we didn't even know until that night when looking at the pictures. I felt HORRIBLE. We won't be doing that again. But it was great to be able to see it. It was pretty amazing.

The heart of the cave. :)

The view coming out of the cave.

Capodiamonte Factory

2009-07-28T21:10:00.013+02:00

I took a tour with my friend to the Capodiamonte Factory where they make these clay flowers/pots/plates by hand. We got to see him in action where he showed us each step that goes into making them. At the end of the tour, we were able to purchase what we wanted.
My styling Italian baby!
Getting all fired up...lol
Making a flower.
Finished product.
Then painting by hand.
And the final finished product. They range from very tiny to very LARGE. Amazing!!
That artist holding the bella babies.
These are what I bought. A tiny baby bell.
I love the colors in this one.
This is actually a broach pin. It doesn't look like it in the picture, but it's really small.
All the goodies together with certificate of authenticity. It was so much fun. Tomorrow, were heading out to the Nola markets and Sat...the Angel caves. The plan to get out more often is working. :)

Brylie laughing

2009-07-24T13:56:00.004+02:00

I finally got her laughing on video. It's more towards the end that she really gets going. She's so stinking cute!!!

Happy Birthday, Mackenzie!!!!

2009-07-24T12:27:00.001+02:00

Hope you have a great b-day. Eat lot's of cake for me. We miss and love you TONS!!! Happy Birthday, cutie pie!

Last Day of Swim Lessons...

2009-07-24T11:24:00.006+02:00

Today was the last day of swim lessons for this sesson, so they let them do whatever they wanted.
Kyler got his far and then went back. It was to high for him. But I was amazed he went that far.
Rylan is addicted to the slide and diving board. He'd spend all day on them if you let him.
Kyler's first time down and he had this panic look on his face, but loved it.
Their prize and certificates.
Rylan's swim class. And here are a few videos of the boys going down the slide and off the diving board.
I am very proud of the both of them. They did awesome!!

1st Official Olympic Pictures

2009-07-21T18:52:00.003+02:00

This is my sister Shauna Rohbock and her pusher Val. They will be in the 2010 Olympics and these are some of the first official pictures. Were very proud of her and can't wait to see her compete.

Caserta Royal Palace

2009-07-18T18:57:00.046+02:00

Starting the day off with two cutie pies...lol We spent the day with our friends and went to the Caserta Royal Palace. It's only 20 mins from our home.
The front of Caserta Palace.

Right when you walk in the front gate there is this long hall way leading out to the garden.
And to the right is this stair case that leads up to the larger one to all the apartment area's of the castle.

The ceiling of the stair case.
The stair case going all the way up.
Oh, so handsome!!!
Looking out into the garden/falls. It's two miles round trip, from top to bottom. We got a really good walk in today. The boys did Awesome without any help.
Looking back onto the back side of the castle.
This guy looks like he's telling everyone off.

These coy fish were piranhas. They were psycho fish.
The first fountain you come up on.
Isabella cutie pie.
The second fountain. So Beautiful!

Going up to the next fall.
Daddy and Rylan showing Brylie the fish.

Another fountain on the way up.

Can you find Kyler and I in the fall?
Almost to the top.
Kyler, king of the mountain.
Looking back towards the castle from the top.
A bunch of maiden statues at the top.

Rylan giving me a hug. What a sweetheart!!!
Me and the boys. My cutie pies.
Going back down, another look at the fall.

I love this one of the boys.
Our friend Shawnie at the top.
Were having a camera war.
Perfect ending. :)

Kyler Potato Head

2009-07-11T14:36:00.002+02:00

My next attempt...

2009-06-27T13:44:00.005+02:00

This is going to be my next attempt at fun with food. I'm thinking I might do this for Kyler's birthday.
These are cupcakes cut in half with brownies in the middle and frosting as the mustard, ketchup and lettuce.
These are sugar cookies made to look like french fries. I love it!!

This months favorite pictures...

2009-06-24T19:31:00.019+02:00

Can you tell they enjoy having their picture taken?

My three cutie pies. It's amazing how much you can love someone, let alone three little ones.Her smile melts my heart. Oh...she's so stinking cute!!!!

Beautiful Blue eyes.
Daddy and Kyler were trying to make her do the pucker face and they got it, the meanies.

We ate at a Chinese Restaurant a few weeks ago and ever since, Rylan's been wanting to eat with chop sticks at every meal. So I made Chicken and Rice, his Favorite and he got to use them.

Rylan asked to play this game this morning and I told him that if he started fighting with Kyler it was going to be taken away. He said he wasn't playing with Kyler, he was playing with Brylie and he was helping her. Those two are always fighting over who gets to play with her. I love it.

Happy Father's Day, Stuart!

2009-06-21T18:22:00.006+02:00

Happy Father's Day to my awesome, amazing, hard working, loving, handsome husband that is the best father ever. Our children are so lucky to have you as their dad. We love you so much and appreciate everything you do and sacrifice for our family. You truly are a wonderful example to our children. And I know you will be rewarded for being such a hard worker and make Chief this year. Your amazing faith helps keep this family strong and I am so grateful for the power of the priesthood which you hold. It has blessed our family more times then I can count. We love you!!! Happy Father's Day!!!

Happy Birthday, Grandma McFarlane!

2009-06-14T13:06:00.002+02:00

We hope you have a great b-day. Were sorry we can't be there to celebrate it with you. We love and miss you all!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Name Plates

2009-06-13T20:31:00.002+02:00

We had these made for the kids when we were in Germany. We had them printed on Italian license plates, for where we live and stickers from the countries of where we have visited. So far, these are one of my favorite souvenirs.

Blessing

2009-06-13T08:16:00.003+02:00

We are finally blessing Brylie on Father's Day. She fits in the dress a little better now, so were just going to do it then. I think she looks like a little old lady with the hat on, so we'll be doing a head band.

BBQ pool party

2009-06-09T21:31:00.016+02:00

We went to our friends house Saturday and had a pool party/BBQ. We had so much fun hanging out. We need to do it more often. (hint hint) :)

I wanted to see how Brylie would act in the bouncer they had. I've been looking into getting her one. She loved it, but needs to get a little bigger before she can actually play with it.

Brylie and Isabella hanging out. I don't think she was happy that Brylie was playing with her toys and hanging at her house.
Check out the dirty look...LOL Brylie was smiling at her and she was not having it. To funny!!

Last day of school BBQ

2009-06-09T20:28:00.016+02:00

This year went by way to fast. I can't believe how big he's gotten. He loved his class and his teachers. He was so excited to go to school everyday. I sure hope he feels that way next year as well.

Sarah having a shoot off.
Mrs. Willley, their teacher aid. She can come over anytime. She can get Brylie to sleep really fast. :)
Lots of yummy food.
We made bug catchers and magnify glasses and went bug hunting.

Brylie had her own little play area all to herself.
Everyone got their own bubbles.
And can't forget the water balloons. We sure had a lot of fun. We are going to miss that class and the wonderful teachers.

Field Day

2009-06-03T21:09:00.016+02:00

Today was Rylan's field day at school. They got to play outside all day long and had so much fun. Kyler even got to join in the fun. I'm going to miss having him in school during the summer. He sure loves it. We have a BBQ tomorrow with the whole class for the last day of school. I love that he really enjoys school. I just hope it stays that way. :)

Brylie Bug

2009-05-31T13:27:00.006+02:00

This is the dress we bought while in Sorrento. The lady was making them right there in the shop. Perfect for summer. The stinker spit up right as I was going to take the picture.

Brylie's first time in the excersaucer. She LOVES it. She loves sitting and standing and always wants to see what's going on around her. She's just to dang cute!!!

Baby shower cake/cupcakes

2009-05-31T13:13:00.005+02:00

Ever get the feeling your being watched?
She is having a frog/duck theme, so I made some frog cupcakes for the kiddies that are going to be there.
This is the giant cupcake cake. It's so hot here the frosting kept melting off the bottom. I had to hurry and take a picture and get it in the fridge before it all slid off. I don't think it looks the best, but couldn't really fix it anymore without scraping it all off and starting over. Hopefully she likes it. (The smaller sprinkles are baby booties and balloons.)

Memorial Day Fun

2009-05-27T11:11:00.013+02:00

We spent the day at the pool with our friends. It was such a nice day.

These are our friends, Sarah and Brian and their two little girls.
Kyler's girlfriend, Zaylee. They walk every where like this. It's so cute watching them play together.
Rylan and his best friend Zachary. They are in the same class together.
Brylie's first time at the pool and she spent most of it sleeping. I love her little swimming suit.

Brylie at 8 weeks. She's getting so big.

Sorrento, Italy

2009-05-23T20:01:00.014+02:00

We spent our saturday in Sorrento and it was a BEAUTIFUL day!

My three kiddies with Naples in the background.

This is one of the many private beaches you have to pay to use. Nothing like taking a swim in the Mediterranean Sea.

I just noticed that she's flipping Stuart off. Guess she doesn't like her picture taken either.
This is the picture we bought. It's all inlaied wood made by hand. Not a painting. It's Beautiful!

I'm a bad girl and I have the butt and love handles to prove it.

2009-05-17T19:25:00.009+02:00

I've been craving doughnuts since we've been here. So I gave in and made some and ate one to many. Although, next time I need to make them when I don't have a fussy baby. They raised to long and were not as light and fluffy like as they should have been. They were still good, though.

Mmmmmm, Lemon filling. Yum!!
Rylan thought they were pretty good. I think I got major mom points since they were our lunch. lol Here's a thought...if someone can sue McDonald's for making them fat, can I sure the food network as well as every other food based web sight on the internet for making me fat? It's pretty much the same thing right? By the looks of me, I think I have a pretty good case. =o)

Shauna inVancouver 2010

2009-05-17T10:22:00.004+02:00

My sister Shauna did a NBC photo shoot this week in LA. Getty images took about 80 photos but only posted a few on their site. She will be in the Olympics in Vancouver. We are all very proud of her and can't wait to see her win the gold medal. =o)

7 weeks old...

2009-05-14T20:20:00.003+02:00

and rolling over. Yea, the stinker rolled over today, more then once. So much for taking it slow. Now I can't put her in the sink anymore...lol

Petite Blueberry Casserole (14-oz.)

2009-05-14T20:18:00.003+02:00

How stinking cute is this? I LOVE IT!!!

Random Pictures

2009-05-10T21:16:00.007+02:00

Kyler with his girl friend. They LOVE each other, it's so cute. This is the grin he gives you when you ask about his girl. He cracks me up.
This is my baby holder when I have to use the bathroom. She fits perfectly in it.
What do you do when your stuck home with the chicken pox? We play Rock band 2. I don't think he's going to want to go back to school.
Brylie at 6 weeks old. She's smiling all the time now and she's talking/cooing. Having a girl is so different but fun! She's just so stinking cute!!!

The whole family...

2009-04-29T21:56:00.006+02:00

This is the true face of my family. Pure Craziness!
Little miss Brylie bug. So stinking cute!
This is what happens when daddy changes her diaper. The pants end up on the head and not back where they belong.
Our cute little family. Man, do I have a LOT of work to do. Can't wait for next week when I get the OK to start doing the major work outs. This walking is not cutting it.

Four weeks old and growing like a weed.

2009-04-23T18:13:00.008+02:00

We're all having fun with our little one.

If she wasn't in pink, he would look like he's holding his mini me.

Another one gone...

2009-04-18T21:38:00.002+02:00

Rylan lost another tooth two days ago. He has his whole class wanting to lose teeth so they can get money from the tooth fairy.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T21:23:00.008+02:00

Decorating easter eggs with dad. This is the first year Stuart was able to do it with them.
Kyler, my ball of energy. This kid can run circles around all of us.
Rylan lost his first tooth today. He was playing lego star wars with Kyle and didn't even notice it came out. He found it in our bed. Now I have two toothless kiddos.
Today was Brylie's first time at Church. I have to admit, it was weird putting a dress on her. But she looked so stinking cute.

We're all ok...

2009-04-06T17:45:00.003+02:00

We didn't even know there was an earthquake here. Apparently we slept through it. The worst of it was up by Rome. We only got shaken down here, but slept through it. Thank you for checking up on us. We are feeling loved.

One week old

2009-04-04T09:42:00.005+02:00

We had this onezie made for her. Both the boys have one from where they were born.
Thank you Aunt Melissa and Uncle Matt for all the cute clothes. (Stu wants to have JUICY printed on her butt on this one...lol)
I love it when she curls up and sleeps like this. She's such a cuddle bug.

Our little Angel...

2009-03-29T17:24:00.005+02:00

3 days old and already smiling. I wish they could stay this small.

Brylie Elizabeth

2009-03-27T12:35:00.003+01:00

SHE'S HERE!!!

2009-03-26T14:27:00.001+01:00

Brylie Elizabeth (pronounced bry-lee), born today at 2:06 am. She's 7lbs 7 oz and 19.9 inches long. As soon as we get some pictures uploaded, we'll post them.

Grandma!!! Your how old?!?!

2009-03-19T14:28:00.001+01:00

Just kidding! Happy Birthday, Grandma!!! We love and miss you and hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Rylan's Spring School Photo

2009-03-16T15:27:00.000+01:00

Handsome little devil!

I'm stuck...

2009-03-15T21:16:00.001+01:00

In between a 4 and a 5. The only thing holding her in is the water. And since I am only 37 weeks, they won't help me along. This has been pure torture and very painful. I am ready to hurt someone. This is just adding another notch to the board of why we hate Italy. I knew I should have stayed in Germany!

Happy Birthday, Rylan!!!

2009-03-07T08:49:00.006+01:00

Okie-dokie is FIVE today! That just blows my mind. Man, they grow up way to fast. Happy Birthday, Rylan!! I love you!