Big, Toothless Grin

Irelynn has been mimicking me when I open my mouth really wide at her. Now, she opens her mouth extra wide instead of smiling. It's hilarious!

This one is my favorite. What a little sweetie!

Geico Money Eyes

Our church had a pinewood derby activity for anyone who wanted to enter a car. Brian had this crazy idea of making his car look like the Geico money eyes from their commercials. With Brian's sawing/nailing skills, and my creative mind, we came up with this:

Yep - those are Mr. Potato Head eyes. We used two pair and hot glued them together so the eyes are visable from both sides of the car. After painting the car white, I used a blue Sharpie marker to write GEICO. The money is children's play money - we opted not to use real cash. :)

Our car certainly wasn't the fastest. But we weren't really going for "fast". We lost all 4 races. In fact, we didn't quite make it to the finish line. But we did win the "Most Creative" award!

I'm thinking of sending this picture to Geico. Considering our auto insurance is through Liberty Mutual, maybe they'd give us a deal for switching! Kidding kidding.

The Good News Is... I Got a Full Refund.

Branson is such a good supporter of Natalya's activities. He patiently waits through Natalya's dance class, watches when she participates in primary activities, and I drag him to and from Natalya's school multiple times a week. We thought Branson might enjoy doing something just for him - so we signed him up for a community center soccer team. Prior to his first practice, I bought him new tennis shoes, athletic shorts, and soccer shirt - we even started practicing basic soccer skills in the living room.

The good news is... I got a full refund!

Branson watching his team and coach play - hanging onto daddy, near tears.


He decided he'd rather play on the park playground instead.


His team - still playing.


A frowning Branson.


Branson after a long morning, taking a well-needed nap.

After about 15 minutes of "soccer practice", Brian and I agreed that he's just not ready yet and we'll have to attempt an organized sport again in the fall. So I ran to the community center's office to get my money back. LOL. Hey- we tried!

Spikey Hair

We've been waiting so patiently for Irelynn's hair to grow in. Wait no longer - I'll just spike it instead! Despite the fact that a spikey hair style is usually prefered on boys, I think she looks absolutely adorable.

OK - so this is the only picture where you can really tell that I spiked her hair, but the other two were so cute, I had to include them, too.

Lunch With Daddy

I take the kids to Brian's office for lunch every few Fridays. We picnic outside his building on the common lawn. The kids love hanging out with dad mid-day and Brian enjoys the break.

Natalya likes to postpone lunch to go searching for ladybugs.

Irelynn didn't stay awake long enough to enjoy crawling on the grass - she usually loves that.

Irelynn's New Favorite Place...

Irelynn loves to go exploring. She has explored every inch of the entire downstairs. Her new favorite place is underneath the dining table. With no real intent, she enjoys crawling through and around all the chair and table legs.

She hangs out under the table at least three or four times daily. And yes, I have to vaccume all the time so she doesn't chow on any leftover crumbs.

Tease & Trouble

I was feeling a little impulsive the other day. As in - I took my kids to the pet store just to look at the animals, and I came home with two Beta fish. Meet the newest additions to the Reeve household: Tease & Trouble.

Their names are Tease and Trouble for obvious reasons. The red one, Tease, swims back and forth along the glass divider, spreading his fins as if trying to get a rise out of his neighbor, Trouble. And Trouble, the blue one, spends the majority of his time trying to cause trouble - swimming in a pecking-like manor at the glass divider like he's trying to pick a fight.

They both have plenty of energy and live up to their hoodlum names. The best part about finally conceding to a family pet, is that Natalya a Branson absolutely look forward to feeding them every day. They talk to them and treat them lovingly. It's pretty cute to see them take their responsibility seriously. They are always asking me if it's time to feed their fish again - or when we're supposed to change their water.

I guess I've learded that sometimes even impulsive decisions are the right ones.


Here are our little fish awaiting completion of their new home.


Natalya and her cousin, Tanner, adding rocks and greenery to the little tank.

And as you can see, Tease is pacing the glass, and Trouble is pecking at it.

Welcome home Tease & Trouble!

Random Cuteness

Despite the expected daily struggles that accompany motherhood, I wouldn't trade my role as "mom" for anything. These three children have brought me so much joy. Every day I'm treated with some random cute moment or act of kindness. Sweet moments like those make all the frustration melt away.








Branson wanted to show off his new sandals.

That made Natalya want to show off hers.

Branson and Natalya wanted me to put Irelynn in the blocks bucket. She fits!

And this is my favorite picture.

Today I was laying on the couch while holding a sleeping Irelynn. Natalya really wanted me to play with her, but I informed her that I was sick from some food that I had eaten. (I will never go to Mimi's again - food poisoning.) After thinking about that for a minute, she ran to the backyard and brought me back a flower she had picked. "To make you feel better, Mommy," she said. Then, of course, Branson wanted to do the same. They put them in tiny tea cups by the window, "so they can get some sun."

They make me so happy.

Forget Crawling. She Wants to Walk!!

Irelynn started army-crawling and scooting at 6 months. Once she turned 7 months old, she started really crawling. Though she won't be 8 months old until next week, she is already so dissatisfied with crawling - she wants to walk!! She could be walking before our other two kids even started to crawl!

She pulls herself up onto everything! Here she is at the Leapfrog table. (I LOVE those thighs.)

Yes, the baby gate is up already! I caught her crawling up the stairs.

And she still manages to find a stair to crawl upon.

If not the stairs, she'll pull herself up on a table...


...the ottoman...

...a chair...


...the excersaucer, the armoire, the couch, the drawers, or whatever crosses her path. And all that was just today-

Twice now (for only a second or two) she stood standing alone without holding on to anything. Yes, nothing is safe in the Reeve house with Irelynn on the loose - but she's so stinkin' cute, who could get upset with her. And I love that every time she climbs onto something, she gives me a big, open-mouthed, proud grin!

A Very Easter-ish Birthday!

Every few years, my birthday lands on Easter! So this year I happened to have a very Easter-ish birthday. It was a lot of fun - especially with little kids. The night before Easter, our kids had a lot of fun coloring eggs - though admittedly, I got a little psycho when it came to food coloring spilling all over the place. Everyone's favorite part was putting the little silly faces on their eggs.

We had q-tip paints so the kids could paint their eggs as if using a marker. Then after they dried, we dipped them in the egg dye.


Our bunch of silly eggs.


We loved looking at them through the egg carton - they were peeking at us!


Easter morning. The kids found their baskets where the Easter bunny hid them. Instant excitement filled our home! It was like Christmas morning all over again. :)

After finding all 31 eggs, we stopped for breakfast. Brian had cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. Then it was a mad dash to get to church on time! With church at 9:00am, we had to be out of the house by 8:45.



I wanted to take pictures of the kids before we left for church (you know, while their hair is still in place) but didn't get a chance to. Here are our 3 little sweeties with their hair still slightly in tact.


They love their baby sister.


Irelynn was exhausted after all the commotion - she ended up falling asleep while Daddy was feeding her a veggie puff on the couch!



Once my birthday rolls around (usually after Easter - and Branson and Brian's birthdays, of course) instead of baking another cake, we just pick up my favorite cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory! So I get their banana cream cheesecake every year as my birthday cake. And I try to savor it - eating one slice every night for as long as I can draw it out.

What a fantastic day!

Happy birthday to me - and Happy Easter to everyone else!!!