The Riggs Family

This Month...

2011-02-26T21:08:00.000-08:00

...My kids are still cute! :)
...Evelyn has taught AJ to pose for the camera.
...I've not neglected taking pictures!
...I have christened: "The Month of CHEESE" :)

Evelyn got a small basket of candy for her birthday from our friend across the street. She was pretty excited about it, and I decided to let her have it all, as long as she shared with AJ. This created lots of smiles! (Hopefully not cavities.) :)

AJ was wearing a shirt my little bros used to wear when they were 1 1/2. It has some sort of greyhound dog insignia on the front, and I told him it was a wolf. He was really excited about this!!! He was talking about it for two days... no joke!

Evelyn posing. She loves to smile, especially in front of a camera!

... Playing in the snow with Addie.

AJ at one of many YW basketball games. He doesn't look very excited... apparently, YW basketball doesn't appeal to males of any age. :)

Zoo Today

2010-11-06T22:10:00.001-07:00

No pics yet, but my little kids were so adorable at the zoo today!! I went with my Mom & Dad and sissy, too. It's just so awesome when the kids start getting excited about little adventures like this! Evie just skipped around the whole time--she loved the elephants the best and was so delighted with family members that she played several rounds of musical hand-holding or just holding. She was singing most of the way home and for about a half-hour afterwards. :)

AJ was into lions and monkeys best. At one point he said "mowa (more)RARRRR!" He also loved the water animals--he kept trying to jump in with them. As a matter of fact, Evelyn was not shy, either, in this regard. We luckily caught her before she hurled herself in with the cheetahs.

What can I say? Our kids are hilarious!!! Thanks for a great day, Parents & Sissy!!!

XO,
Katie

Happy 4th of July!!!

2010-07-04T23:31:00.000-07:00

We hope yours was a blast!!

Evelyn Update

2010-07-03T23:23:00.000-07:00

Evelyn Joy is becoming a little imp-ier by the day, but as she bypassed the terrible two's, we can't complain too much. At 3 1/2 years old, Evie loves to shadow Mommy and Daddy and then do things exactly like them (in that too familiar, disturbing, toddler kind of way...). She is our little imitator. However, unique to Evelyn is her love for her blanky and her sippy cup. As you can see (above) she takes the sippy everywhere... EVERYWHERE! She is having a hard time right now transitioning into summer, as she refuses most every day to wear shorts and short sleeves. Mommy is a little worried about heat stroke. She is still wearing winter jammies, too. In addition, she sleeps with a stuffed bunny from Grandma Riggs and a stuffed American eagle from Grandpa Conway. She loves swimming, riding her tricycle, reading books, singing, dancing, drawing and swinging on everything she can find. She has a chipped front tooth from when she insisted on exiting the car by herself and landed face-first on the pavement. She loves helping Mommy and Daddy and doing things independently. She tries to hold and cuddle AJ, but he freaks out every time. She is a big time lover and cuddler, but she and AJ are always literally fighting for lap time. She also likes to steal his toys. Otherwise, they get along fine.
One thing that makes Evie very unique is her amazing recollection of songs. At age three, she probably knows the tune and words to over a hundred, and she'll pull them out at random times. Her favorite right now is "If You're Happy and You Know It." She LOVES her grandparents and is horribly spoiled by them! And, of course, she is adorable!!! :)

...Sweating profusely through the summer night (in winter jammies).

AJ Update

2010-07-03T22:57:00.001-07:00

AJ is 13 months old, now, and still a complete Mommy's Boy! His teeth total eight now and are sprouting up like mad. He is somewhat slight (his pants fall off of him), somewhat serious, uncompromising, persistent and bright. AJ likes opening and closing things--doors, drawers, containers of all shapes and sizes. He can push shapes through his shape sorter, and so far he uses the following words: book, dog, ball, up, sippy, outside, look, "yuck," no, "yeah," stair, momma, dada, "quack." :) He loves singing the "Five Little Ducks" song with Mommy and Evie. He loves making faces with Evie and playing peekaboo. He is ALWAYS sucking his thumb!! He loves balls, trucks, animals and books. He loves baths but not the pool (yet) and swinging but not the slide (yet). He LOVES to be held! He can't stand NOT being held when he's with a babysitter. He is standing, cruising, and walking while holding one of Mommy or Daddy's hands, but he will not walk on his own, yet, and I have the feeling he will not be coerced into it, as everything he does must be completely his own decision. :)

As you can see, he is also adorable.

Random Stuff We're Doing...

2010-06-28T23:40:00.000-07:00

Eating brownies...

Getting mad at Mommy for not holding him because I wanted to take a picture--he was TOO CUTE!!!
Playing dress up with neighbor-girl's raincoat.

...And her dog.

STILL trying to get clothes to fit on AJ (notice next to the wagon pictured above he's lost his pants again). ...and getting mad at Mommy again for not holding him. :)

AJ's 1st Birthday

2010-06-28T22:17:00.000-07:00

AJ celebrated his 1-year birthday last month in traditional baby fashion: tired, happy, and a little confused. Grandmas and Grandpas adored, parents practically gushed. I just know my AJ is perfect in every way. Try to tell me not, and I'll accidentally delete you from my phone book. Not kidding.

Voom! Voom! Voooom!!!

Block Party

2010-06-26T00:02:00.000-07:00

This was a day when I thought my kids were very cute. :) Playing blocks nicely. Evie said the house she made was "Grandma's House."

Birthdays

2010-04-15T23:20:00.001-07:00

Mine and Evelyn's birthdays are two weeks apart exactly. Justin loves it. Actually, no, he doesn't at all. He also doesn't like that our anniversary and Valentine's Day and Evelyn's birthday are all the same week. That's a lot of presents.

I'd like to say we did it simply, but that's just not how Mommy rolls. Evelyn had a nice big birthday party (eighteen kiddos... whew!) and then she went swimming in the afternoon with her friends and grandma and daddy and then we had a family party for her that evening. She was pretty lackluster by that evening's party, as you can tell. However, she has asked for her birthday again almost every day since. That's the goal: legendary birthday parties. ...This is how I'd like my birthdays to be, Sweetie. ...Sweetie??
Yeah, I know you don't read this... :)

...at Evie's "kid" birthday party, making Valentines and devouring chocolate cupcakes.

Evie opening presents with Grandma.
Oh. Yippee. A watch. (Feeling tired and definitely not in the mood to play it up for the camera...)

She did crack a little smile when she saw we bought her "Horton Hears a Who"...

Mom made me what looks like a wagon wheel cake... :) It was delicious!

Snowy Day in February...

2010-04-15T23:06:00.000-07:00

So I like to specify dates in the blogs, as it helps my reader(s?) get an idea of how old the kids are, but by doing so I must own how delinquent I am in posting my pictures. This was a snowy day in February, and the kids were so cute, I decided to take pictures of them in their warm snowsuits.

AJ doesn't have boots, so I just hauled him around while I took pictures of Evie. Evie have been foaming at the mouth to play outside more since January...

Throwing a snowball...

The snow was good and powdery, so we couldn't make the snowman stick together. Yes, this is a laying-down snowman, and yes, he has grass for eyes.

Mommy-holics

2010-04-15T22:54:00.000-07:00

My children follow me and often claw at my feet for attention (this is even after I've given it to them all morning). Just thought I'd post a picture of the view I have every second of every day. Yes, this is in the bathroom, and no, I rarely have quiet time even there.

Goodnight, Don't Sleep Too Tight!

2010-03-20T23:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Evelyn,

We're running out of Pull-ups and don't want to buy any more. You've done great at getting "potty a-train!"-ed as you like to say it. Now is the time to move to the next step. Please don't pee in the bed tonight. :)

Love,
Mommy

Wrapping Up December

2010-03-04T00:46:00.000-08:00

Justin's best pal from back-in-the-day was in town for Christmas, and we spent a fun evening eating and playing games with them. Here's both our families:
And here is Evie modeling her cute new Christmas clothes!
Cousins are up for one last cuddle with Grandpa, and we took a shot with them.
New Year's Eve, we decided to go swimming with cute cousins Porter and Keaton at the rec center in Golden. Uncle Ben kept them all from drowning. :)

Evelyn and Uncle Ben.
The light was pretty good, so I got a few of Porter and Keaton in the water. Here's Keaton playing.

Keaton practicing his freestyle. Porter is being chill.
Cute brothers.
Evie totally bonded with these two while they were in town. She keeps asking for them to come over, still.
Keaton takes care of his little cousin. :)

We miss you guys!

Christmas 2009

2010-03-04T00:17:00.001-08:00

Merry late Christmas! Too bad we didn't take more pictures! Last Christmas was priceless--kids make Christmas ten times funnier!

This was our best photo of the season, in my opinion. Poor Evie was traumatized by Santa. OK, so we obviously need to talk Santa up a bit more at our house. This was at our Ward Party and AJ had been sleeping through most of it, awaking to calmly and gamely take this picture. Justin was barely able to stop laughing long enough to take it.
Official Christmas shots...
Strangle-hold.
We chose this one. :)

I think these pictures were taken on Christmas Day? I'm not remembering... Anyway, we were at Grandma and Grandpa Riggs' home, and the kiddos were showing off their hats (AJ's was made by Sheila, owner of Croc. Rock, and Evie's was made by Grandma Riggs). Evie was reverting to babyhood again to crawl with AJ.

AJ is being attacked by Evie's doll that Grandma made her. There are those who voted that the doll looked possessed, and therefore able to attack babies. :) For the record, however, Evie sleeps with her little purple-haired doll and likes to cuddle with it because it reminds her of Grandma. :)
Evie and Aunt Annelise. I wanted to capture the extreme double-cuteness! :)

Glimpses Backward...

2010-03-03T23:56:00.000-08:00

So, Mommy is trying to get her blogging groove back again. It's so fun, I don't know why I ever stop.

Anyway, here are some glimpses back into December. I'm behind, I know...

We made gingerbread houses with some pals at our place towards the beginning of the month. Nathan kind of "won" so we took an official picture of him and the amazing creation he and his mom made (Jack looks on enviously and/or hungrily).

Evelyn was all about the red sugar sprinkles with her house (note the entire jar was dumped on top of her house). :)
December was a very cold month last year, so here we are, huddling for warmth... :) They were so cute together in their pj's! :)
This picture is to demonstrate a funny little habit Evie has picked up of taking AJ's thumb out of his mouth. She does it, of course, because she tries to suck her thumb (something she only started after observing her brother), and Justin and I immediately pull the thumb from her mouth. We keep trying to tell her that it's ok for babies to suck their thumbs, but not big girls (with some varied success). She's such a mommy!
Again, we'd been spending a lot of time indoors. :) Evie was so cute after her bath I decided to capture it for posterity.

Spoiled!

2010-03-01T23:13:00.000-08:00

Our precious wanted to eat blueberry pancakes with syrup and watch a movie at the same time, also while still in her jammies. We adjusted her eating space so she could do so. Yeah, I'm such a pushover! :)

AJ's Teeth

2010-03-01T23:08:00.000-08:00

So I know I'm late with the news, but AJ has teeth! Three of them! The first two popped out in December, when he was 6 1/2 months old, and then the last one came a month later. All on the bottom. :) Our kids generally have good teeth and good hair: good qualities in horses and fun factoids in kids.

Is it a disgusting, smarmy-marmy thing to say that he gets cuter every day??! I'm sure it is, but I don't care! :)

Funny Library Incident

2010-03-01T22:35:00.000-08:00

Justin took Evie to the library last Saturday while I overcame procrastination and finished our taxes. He reports that Evelyn found a statue of a little boy reading in the library (not unlike the statue picture below), and started not just talking to him, but also kissing him, stroking his hair, telling him stories and reading the statue-book aloud to him. Many onlookers passed. She was a hit. :)

"Bedtime" - Loose Translation

2010-01-21T23:05:00.000-08:00

Me and Evelyn were having a very fun night tonight with Justin gone--watched a movie and read a lot of books and talked and cuddled. Sooo much fun! I was almost sorry to say goodnight... and apparently, so was Evelyn.

I was on the phone about 10 min. after I put her down when she waltzed back into the room. "Evie," I whispered. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I do potty," she replied.

"OK, go potty."

Objective accomplished, hands washed, cheering completed, I walked her back to her room and tucked her in again.

Ten minutes later...

Evie sauntered in the living room for the second time, "What noise dat?"

"That was the breadmaker. Mommy's making bread for tomorrow."

"Tonite?"

"No, tomorrow. Evie let's go to bed, OK?"

Calmly, sweetly, serenely: "No... I fine." Thank you for asking.

Trying not to smile, "No, Honey. I mean, we're going to bed now, OK?"

I carried her to her room and tucked her in a second time. As I left the room, she started to wail, which lasted about 10 seconds until she finally fell asleep.

I'm beginning to see glimpses of what my mom went through... :)

Monkey Chant

2010-01-20T23:37:00.000-08:00

Evie, as many of you well know, sings. She sings and sings and sings. She also chants. Here is one of her more well-known chants, recited in the bathtub this evening:

Five a-munties jump-in ona bed,
One fall off an' bunt his he-ad!
Momma calla docker, a-docker said:
(low voice) "no mo-wa munties ona bed!"

p.s. AJ is well. :)

Love Yer Butts!

2009-12-16T23:02:00.000-08:00

The following comes from a dialogue with Evelyn at bedtime tonight.

Katie: "Say goodnight to Daddy, Evie."
E: "A-night, Daddy!"
K: "Say, 'Love your guts'!"
E: "Love yer butts!!"

I've decided I'm going to start following her around with a pencil and paper. More to come... :)

Wicked!

2009-11-13T07:57:00.000-08:00

Wicked! came to Denver and we saw it with some fabulous friends last week! I decided you can't just say it, you have to sing it, like, "WiiiCKeed! (bum) WiiiCKeed! (bum) WiiiiiiCKeeeeeeeed!!!!"
I know you're jealous!

Halloweenies of 2009

2009-11-07T00:49:00.000-08:00

Evie and AJ got together for a goodwill tour of Littleton, Colorado. The people of the city loved them so much, they showered them with candy.

OK, OK, it was just Halloween! But aren't they cute? Tinkerbell and Elvis would be proud...

...with Grandma Conway. ...with Auntie Charlotte.
Yes, those are blue suede shoes.

Daddy is showing them off. All ready to trick-or-treat on a cool night!

Now I'm going to brag because it's my blog and I can: I made that Elvis costume with my mom. Homemade! Of course, AJ does wear it well. :) It was so much fun! I'm smelling a new hobby.

Potty Trained!

2009-11-07T00:45:00.000-08:00

We are happy to announce that Evie is potty trained! We had a few practice days, but in the end the secret seemed to be having her drink sugary drinks all day long while sitting on the potty and watching "Elmo." She figured it out after that!

Here she is now, going potty while simultaneously reading her scriptures upside down! We're so proud!! :)

"Fends" = Happyyyyy!

2009-11-07T00:39:00.000-08:00

Here are some shots of Evie & Nathan and AJ & Courtney (Nathan's baby sister). As Evie likes to say, "Y awl fends, y happppy n playyy!"

Vamping Evie

2009-11-07T00:35:00.000-08:00

Here she is, vamping in Mommy's boots! (Yes, that's peanut butter and jelly on her face.)

Return of the Addster

2009-11-07T00:23:00.000-08:00

Here's our little neighbor, Addie, with AJ, whom she has recently "adopted". I suspect she wants to kidnap him and raise him in the wild. :)

She is actually very doting and pretty darn good at helping out when I let her. :) Two days after we brought him home she was knocking on the door asking to hold him, along with several other neighbor girls. Addie is the most persistent.

We captured the two on camera when he was about two months old.

More AJ (Mommy is a paparazzo)

2009-11-06T23:53:00.000-08:00

I am a passionately loyal member of the "AJ Riggs Fan Club." Give me some big green eyes, Cary Grant chin, and drool and I just melt!

He likes his swing. He is usually attacking his toys, but here he is simply admiring them... :)
AJ is mad that we dressed him up dorky to go on our little walk. Here is where the parental torture begins... :)
Our little baby has already learned sign language! Here he is signing "potty." ...if only he could get there on his own. :)

He is so angelic when he sleeps. I would probably take more pics of him that way if only I weren't barricading him in his room so Evie can't get in and wake him up. So peaceful...
Eat your hearts out, baby ladies!

Evie & AJ

2009-11-06T23:42:00.000-08:00

Evelyn is still into holding and posing with AJ. These are some I've taken over the past 3 months or so... Sweetest kids ever!

AJ 5 Month Pics

2009-11-06T23:21:00.000-08:00

AJ got his 5-month pics taken a couple weeks ago. Can you believe he's so big? Talented and kind and beautiful Colleen (mom-in-law) took them, of course! Here are my favorites! Enjoy!

Nice effect, eh? I'm totally printing this one! Look at his little muscles!

Save UVU Girl!

2009-11-06T22:31:00.001-08:00

Today I got an email from my Mongolian friend about this girl:

www.saveuvugirl.blogspot.com

Please spread the word and attach this link for KSL video: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=8505904

We have to help her! The goal is everyone donate $1 or more. If we get 300,000 people to donate at least $1, she can complete her treatment. It's a tall order, but we have to try! Please tell your friends!

Family Photos

2009-09-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

Some family photos (taken last June [ahem]), but still awesome! Thanks to a beautiful, lovely and talented mom-in-law for taking them! :)

So Evie was actually in a really grumpy mood that day... Here she is with her "fake" smile (we first coaxed and then bribed her into this)
...and it's fading...
Gone.

AJ's First Haircut

2009-08-12T22:37:00.000-07:00

Justin thought it would be hilarious to videotape me cutting AJ's hair. You can tell from the video how horribly long it was when he was born--kind of like ZZ Top, but not quite.

Sweet AJ just quietly endured, and even fell asleep for part of it. Now he looks a bit military--no drooling, girls out there!

Nieces and Nephews

2009-07-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

My nieces and nephews were also in town last week, at my mom's house in A-Town (Aurora, for all of you white-bread types (j/k)). I thought I would snap a few pictures of them--they are so cute, and they really liked AJ! :)

Unconditional Trust and the Joys of Parenthood

2009-07-25T23:13:00.001-07:00

This week Evie and I went swimming twice. It's her favorite thing to do, made funner by the fact that she's getting better and better at it. Lately, however, she's developed a disturbing habit of lunging herself into the pool while I'm looking at something else. Such trust you have to admire, but it makes Mommy nervous. She likes this game a lot. I remind her, "Wait until Mommy is ready," and "Wait until you can see Mommy's eyes." Hopefully it sinks in soon. Although my heart gets a little gooey each time she does it, after two or three times of barely catching her, mostly I'm just freaked out.

Evelyn was obviously feeling adventurous on the whole this week, because she also stuck a raisin up her nose. Yes. It happened like this: I'm changing a horrible blowout AJ just made when she comes into the room crying and holding her nose. I ask, "Evelyn, why are you crying? Do you need a tissue?" She nods her head--more crying. I strap AJ onto the changing table and run to get my suffering drama queen a tissue, which she blows obediently into a few times as I coach her and simultaneously finish the diaper. But the crying doesn't stop. "Evelyn, use your words. What is wrong?" I command/ask. "A waisin... nose!" she replies. All heck then breaks loose. Mommy runs to get tweezers, flashlight, more tissue and a nasal aspirator. After fifteen minutes of looking and having her blow her nose into the tissue, there is actually no sign of the raisin anywhere. I'm asking myself, "Is it stuck so far up her nose I just can't see it?" and beginning to panic even more. I call the pediatrician, who informs me if I can't get it out, Evie will have to go to the ER. I call Justin, who through laughter looks up solutions to the nasal blockage online. Here's what he finds: children who arrive in the ER with objects in their noses receive mouth to mouth. Mouth to mouth! I have to ask Justin to repeat this, because I think he is joking at first. But no--you hold down the unobstructed nostril and breathe into the child's mouth to get the little obstruction out. I'm like, "Uh, OK. I'll call you back." I then tell Evelyn what I'm going to do, and you've got to hand it to this sweet child... she responds with absolute unconditional trust. My heart warms, but I'm still very scared. She gapes her mouth open for me and lays on the floor. I have to adjust her a bit, but I hold down her open nostril and blow, only to hear the air whooshing through the supposedly blocked side of her nose. What??!! No raisin?!!! I think it must of fallen out before she even came to me. Sigh of relief. I run to go make a five minute dinner, because funnily enough we have company coming that night, too (this is the craziness that is our life). Evelyn wouldn't let me near her face the rest of that night. I guess mouth to mouth is more traumatic for the receiver than the giver. :)

Evie has many funny habits these days. Some that have lasted longer than others. She still drags around her little flannel blankies, and usually has a doll closeby. Lately, she loves to push her doll stroller (everywhere--she had it in the grocery store with me today), draw, and pretend to talk on the phone. She also dances around the house and plays the piano (completely arbitrary notes--she hasn't picked out a tune by herself, yet). Such a cute girl! When she's not doing these sweet little things, she is usually trying to do something dangerous, destructive or dirty. Sometimes I let her do the dirty stuff because otherwise I spend all day telling her, "no" and that really stinks for everyone. :) She also is in love with this kind of ugly green sunhat we inherited from the next door neighbor girl. When Evie's face is dirty it makes her look like a homeless person. Haha.

In recent AJ news, every time I put down AJ on a flat surface now (floor, changing table), he will start to inadvertently roll and scare himself. Then comes the panicked screaming like he's being dropped from a fifty story building. It's so sad and comical at the same time. I've started putting my hand on his tummy while I change him, so he doesn't get so scared, poor little guy! He still eats ALL the time. We are trying to get out more with him.

Bizarre and scary weeks like this make me want to write a book entitled: "Things No One Tells You Before You Get Married and Have Kids." But I'm afraid the book would be really, really long. It would have to be an encyclopedia. Even then, I don't know. Kids will always come up with new odd behaviors, frustrating habits and ways to frighten us: the unsuspecting adults. Not to mention all the weirdness that comes out from both spouses after you get married... I guess we all know why it hasn't been written, yet. But maybe it should be--maybe people deserve a little warning. What do the rest of you think? If someone out there wants to co-write, let me know. :)

The Latest

2009-07-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

Wading pool fun on a hot day...

Here's Evie with her "Ah-Jay." She keeps tabs on him like a heat-seeking missile keeps tabs on its sub. But they require pretty constant supervision, to keep AJ from suffocating or being strangled in the arms of our loving older child. I'm confident it could be much worse. I'm sure many of you have stories you could tell me... :)

Cuter Than Ever

2009-07-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

He's 7 1/2 weeks old and already a hefty 11 pounds, but definately cuter than ever!

I couldn't resist taking some pics of him in his spider chair a couple of nights ago. He's definately got my chin, and his daddy's eyes. We'll probably get some "official" 2 month old pics posted soon.

Beautiful Evie

2009-06-03T07:57:00.000-07:00

We went to my inlaws' place last weekend. My mom-in-law is a very good photographer, and she burned us a cd with a huge stockpile of pictures she's taken of Evie over the last couple of months.

I thought I would share some of my favorites. My heart is melting. What a beautiful and funny little girl!

More AJ & Evie

2009-05-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

I thought you might enjoy some pics of our family in the hospital (taken by lovely mom-in-law Colleen, of course)... especially of me in the sexy pink smock they gave me to wear. HOT!

We took about five pics with our cellphone, because we left in such a hurry to go to the hospital we forgot the camera. Of course, they turned out terrible. But I'm including this one with my mom, Evie and AJ just so you can see the priceless stunned look on Evie's face. I promise we tried to warn her ahead of time! :)

After getting her and AJ home, she began to get used to the idea--however, I think AJ was terrified. :)

AJ

2009-05-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

This is Andrew Joseph (AJ) Riggs. He was born at 12:11am May 23, 2009--38 weeks along--7 lbs, 8 oz and 20 1/4 inches tall. We have enjoyed our first full day at home with AJ and Evelyn, although I think Evie wishes this was a temporary situation. They will be best friends soon, I'm sure. :)

Here he is in the hospital (pic taken by Grandma Riggs)

He is especially cute with his daddy... :)

Late Mothers Day

2009-05-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I received a plain white plaster heart from Justin and Evelyn, and a note suggesting I spend some quality time with Evelyn painting it. Which is exactly what we set out to do with a lazy Saturday at home yesterday. As you can see, Evie liked painting a lot once we got into it. We got her and Mom's handprints on the heart, plus a few little artistic touches and then we really let her go crazy on our newspapers.

She probably spent two hours total painting. What a little artist! At one point, she lifted the jar where we were rinsing our brushes to take a little drink. I could hear her thoughts: "This looks just like the grape juice Mommy gave me this morning. I think I'll taste it." Luckily, Mom stopped her in time, but not before she ended up with purple lips. I laughingly related the tale to Justin, who just agreed, "Yes, that's funny... in a Poison Control kind of way." Snide remarks like these are what Justin refers to as his sense of humor.

Anyways, my daughter's cute and the heart turned out great! We took a picture of the finished product. Justin said, "Yup. That's exactly how I wanted it to look." Harhar.

Matching Summer Wear for Tots

2009-05-17T22:04:00.000-07:00

I need to take these two kids and submit them to a magazine. They are pretty cute by themselves, but together, who would not pay me a million dollars to help them advertise? Here Nathan and Evie are modelling summer wear for tots. Knowing they were doing something that amused their parents, they seemed game to let us play dress up. Sooo cute!

More Hawaii Pictures...

2009-04-27T11:26:00.001-07:00

The view outside our condo in Kapa'a - Honua Lanae Gardens.
Haena State Park/Beach (where they filmed "South Pacific") and my sweetie. :)

Maniholo Dry Cave. Cool!
A rooster haunts the cave...

Hanalei Bay Beach--my favorite on the island. So quiet and lots of space.

Justin and I flew on a charter plane around the island to see parts we couldn't see by car or on foot.
Air views...

This is the Na'Pali Coast. So beautiful...

Wailua River (the only navigable river in Hawaii).
Fern Grotto

Kiluea Lighthouse and endangered bird sanctuary.

Ope'eka'a Waterfalls--held sacred by Chieftans in Hawaii. Also near this site were temple ruins, build similarly to the temple in ancient Jerusalem (so the plaque said) :).

Waimea Canyon (also known as the Hawaiian Grand Canyon)

Spouting Horn and thereabouts...

Gardening

2009-04-24T22:29:00.000-07:00

Mom and Evelyn spent a wild day gardening this week. Maybe we're a bit early for Colorado, but I'm in serious "nesting" mode. We're planting now so we'll be ready for baby to come!

Here are some pictures of Evie helping. She's so great. :)

Evie's New Clothes

2009-04-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

Evie got some new Spring clothes for her birthday, which we've gradually been getting pics of her wearing... Here are some cute ones for you! :)

Grandma Riggs knitted Evie a sweater as well, and here she is proudly wearing. Can you believe it's hand-made? I am in awe of this woman's talent...

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T22:09:00.001-07:00

Evie sends her best wishes...

HAPPY EASTER!

Missing the Evelyn...

2009-03-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

I have to say, even with all there is to do here, we sure are missing our little Evelyn! So I thought I would post some pictures of the last week we were in town with her.
Here she is with Odwalla juice all over her face. I didn't wash it off right away, because it's testament to what a fruit-crazed maniac she is! This very same juice ended up all over the carseat, too, interestingly enough. Ah, well. :)
I wish I'd been gutsy enough to get some of her sleeping before, because children, as you know, are at their very cutest asleep. :)
We made butterflies out of tissue paper and twisty ties. Not the most ingenious project, I know--but one I knew a toddler could do! (Saw this on my friend Jamie's blog...) Evie calls them "fies."
Here she is, doing piques after dance class with Mommy. After a couple of months accompanying me to class, she starting doing some of our bar routines at home. Here, she's doing "pique, pique, pique, switch!"
Our little prima!

We're Here!

2009-03-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

With a doctor's approval in hand, we flew to Kauai Island in Hawaii on Friday morning. Here are some pictures we've taken in the past two days. We're on a very quiet island of Hawaii--perfect--with plenty of beaches and gardens to keep us busy.
This is a picture of Hoopii Falls, about 2 minutes from where we're staying. Gorgeous!
...At a plantation near Princeville, Kauai.
...A whale watching point, minutes from the airport.
Justin and I just drove to the whale watching straight from the airport in Lihue.

Christmas Revisited...

2009-03-19T19:58:00.001-07:00

We were bound and determined to enter the 21st century, so the other day we decided to learn how to post a video to YouTube. The first segment that came up on the camera was from Christmas, so Christmas is what you got...

Enjoy!

Medical Update

2009-03-16T23:19:00.001-07:00

So every now and again I get an email from a family member asking what is going on with me and the pregnancy.

The main news is the baby is still healthy and well, and growing quickly! My doctor has been keeping a close eye on me, though, so I don't have the baby too early. At the end of January, I was having contractions three minutes apart. So they sent me to the hospital, where I stayed a few hours and then was released with a prescription that makes the blood vessels dilate throughout my whole body, but keeps the contractions at bay, so I can't really complain. Since then I've had a Dr.'s appointment about every week--they are doing lots of tests and ultrasounds to see what is causing the contractions and to see if they're actually making me go into real labor or not. So far, no real labor, just lots of panicking nurses and one careful doctor. :)

We're still going along like we're going on vacation this week. We won't know officially until Wed. when the Dr. gives me this test (FFN) that determines with 99% accuracy that the baby will NOT be born in the next two weeks (amazing!). It's been negative the last two times, and Justin and I are feeling pretty comfortable, but nothing's for sure, I guess.

All of this has made me understand first-hand some of the foibles of doctors and doctors' offices:
1. Doctor make you do silly things to make sure they don't get sued for malpractice or something. Like, my Dr. calls me into his office sometimes twice a week, because he forgot to do some test that he meant to do the time before. I ask, "Can it wait until next week?" Of course, the answer is always "No."
2. Even though most of the labor and delivery nurses I've met are extremely competent individuals, they still must defer all major decision making to the doctor. This would make sense, except that I'm sure they've seen the same condition as the doctor 3000 times, and know just as well what is to be done.
3. Doctors sometimes don't read their charts.
On the days when my doctor is off, I have directed my questions to another one of the doctors in the office, and promptly receive a reply, to my complete satisfaction. However, when next I see the doctor and he asks innocently what questions can he answer, I ask for some follow-up on the last call I made and he looks at me completely blankly. Seriously, nothing behind the eyes, except maybe some crickets, chirping quietly. I usually have to tell the story of my medical life at least twice--sometimes more depending on who is on call. Of course, then he reads his chart.
4. Doctors sometimes forget about your existence. (Sometimes I wish he would forgot my existence entirely, but I've never been that lucky :)) On a busy day at the doctor's office, Evie and I will get left in a room and forgotten about--this has happened twice, now. We've learned now just to get dressed and stand in the hallway until we can get someone to notice us.
5. No matter what the doctor may lead you to believe, you still have the right to dictate the terms of your medical care. I'm learning to be more feisty. Mostly I'm just passive aggressive, because I'm too tired to be anything else.

But I digress... I just wanted to let you know that the commotion, in my humble opinion, is only partially warranted and Justin and I feel a lot of peace right now. And also, that these contractions wake me up at night and leave me to babble on my blog until they pass--which explains the weird, middle-of-the-night postings. :)

Thank you for caring, dear friends and family!

Love,
Katie & the baby

Couples Tag

2009-03-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

I saw this on my friend's blog. I don't think many people know about me and Justin as a couple, so I thought it would be fun...

What are your middle names?
Wolsey and Ruth (guess whose is whose! :) )

How long have you been together?
3 1/2 years

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
About one day... we just knew!

Who asked who out?
Justin asked me out--how refreshing!

Where was your first date?
Justin took me to see "A Christmas Carol" at the Denver Performing Arts Complex downtown--so nice! That was our first official date (the one he asked for in advance). We were on the phone the night before working out the details, and I told him I was going to see "Pride and Prejudice" with a group that night, and did he want to come? He said "Yes!" and it totally surprised me, because I knew he would be coming from across town. However, when we got there, we couldn't find the group, and we just ended up going together--he even paid for me--wow! I thought, "Who is this dream guy who wants to see 'Pride and Prejudice' with me in the middle of the night and wants to pay for me, too!?" I later learned my friend completely flaked because she couldn't get a big enough group together to suit her, but Justin still teases me to this day that I set the whole thing up on purpose.

How old are each of you?
I'm 31, Justin is 29--until August.

Whose siblings do/did you see the most?
Mine, I think. My sister is in town, all of his siblings have moved. :(

Do you have any children together?
Yes. Evelyn Joy, and an un-named baby boy on the way!

What about pets?
I had two cats when we met. I soon found out that Justin wasn't so hot about them--especially with their sleeping on the bed with us! ...So they were adopted elsewhere, and probably haven't thought of me since, the brats! :) I think we'd both like a dog at some point, but the guy next door is with Animal Control, and we're still in baby/small house-mode. Give it time, give it time...

Did you go to the same school?
College, yes. But we never met there, even though we had a similar major. Justin says it's a good thing I didn't know him in high school, because I wouldn't have liked him very much. And I was shy and more sensitive back then, so it was probably a good thing...

Are you from the same home town?
We're from opposite sides of the Denver area. And I didn't move here until high school.

Who is the smartest?
Justin, though he won't readily admit it. We were both in gifted programs in school. But then we took one of those "gifted" tests together... Wellll, he tested "gifted" and I tested "very bright" (which is just a nice way to say you're not quite as gifted as the truly gifted. :)) While we can debate the accuracy of those things, I think it is still Justin. And "very bright" sounds so happy, doesn't it? I'm fine with this... I'm the better tester, though. At tests we both took for our work at one point, I consistently scored just a few points higher--I don't think Justin cared as much about getting his answers completely right.

Who is the most sensitive?
Probably me, but sometimes Justin surprises me!

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Red Robin. It's just the best!

Who does the cooking?
I do. I like it!--Especially cooking cool ethnic foods.

Who is more social?
Me! I love to meet people and hear their stories. Justin is definitely more introverted--he's great with people, but more one-on-one.

Who is the neat-freak?
I am the sanitization freak, and Justin is the clutter freak. Together we make the ultimate neat-freak!

Who is the more stubborn?
Justin. I cannot believe how he holds on to things. I'm definitely more laid back--but I've learned when to put my foot down!

Who hogs the bed?
Justin. He likes to sprawl. I don't move when I sleep--unless I'm pregnant and contracting all night.. ugh!

Who wakes up earlier?
Probably me, since we had a baby. Sometimes I am the last to bed and the first to rise, because it takes me longer to get ready, too.

Who has the bigger family?
I have six siblings and he has three, so my immediate family is bigger. But I think his extended family is bigger, for sure. I'm still learning the names... :)

Do you get flowers often?
No, but Justin will get flowers for me once in a while, like my birthday. I am not that particular about getting flowers, but I enjoy thoughtful gifts. Funny story, I actually got him some flowers on Valentine's Day. I told him, "They're our wedding flowers, do you remember?" He says, "How did you get them to last this long?" So cute! I just wanted to cuddle him and put him in my pocket!
The point is: he doesn't know very much about flowers, so I just plant the ones I like outside!

How do you spend the holidays?
We try to carve out some "Justin Riggs Family" time at home--it's so fun seeing Evie enjoy the holidays more and more as she gets older, and we can build traditions. Both of our parents are in town, also, so we get to visit them on the holidays, too!

Who is more jealous?
Neither of us are jealous people, thank goodness!

How long did it take to get serious?
Again, one day. We just knew.

Who does/did the laundry?
I do, but I like it.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
It really bothers me when Justin doesn't make a decision on things--things that we need to decide as a couple. I'm impatient, I guess, but I can make decisions quickly--and I like things to be concrete. Justin takes more time to analyze--a good quality, I know, but one I'm still learning to accept!

Who’s better with the computer?
Justin. It suits him well, and it's his job! :)

Who drives when you are together?
Justin. He likes the control, and I don't really care either way.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Disneyland (until we go to Hawaii--only ten more days!!!!)

Who has the worst temper?
Justin is in general more surly. :) But temper? Hmmmmm... My temper actually flares more than him, but I also cool down a lot faster. It takes more to really rile him.

Whoever wants to fill this thing out: tag, you're it!:)

Babies!

2009-03-09T22:23:00.000-07:00

Evelyn loves babies. A quality, I hope, she will continue to nurture when our new baby comes. :) Here she is with Leif, closely monitored. She is closely monitored so she doesn't brain damage the babies with her love and the compulsive way she rocks them. :)

We have helped her to be "soft," but other than that, her love for babies was completely originated by her--no training necessary. Aren't little girls the best? :)

Political Blog

2009-03-05T12:47:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to writing that political blog.

If you're interested, here's the address: www.forreasonssake.blogspot.com.

:) Katie

Happy 2nd Birthday, Evelyn!

2009-03-02T23:30:00.000-08:00

On the prestigious birthday shared by our beloved President Lincoln and by controversial Christian and scientist Charles Darwin (February 12), Evelyn was born.All the grandparents came...And so did Helen from across the street. She always has presents for Evie. :)...Justin and I are laughing because Evelyn inadvertently exhaled and blew out her candle again this year. We need to teach this child about the fanfare of blowing out candles... :) >>This is Jackson, Camden and Ethan at the birthday party for the kids the next day. It was Jackson's birthday in February, too, so they shared a little party. :) Here are some more cute kids--Ethan (#2) and Nathan. I didn't get too many shots, because the rest of the party was absolute mayhem. Maybe next year...
Eating cupcakes on the floor. They were kind enough to leave some there for the ants. :)

Of Animals and Grandmas...

2009-03-02T23:06:00.000-08:00

We went to the zoo on a very warm January day. My mom has a gift for comforting and enchanting Evelyn at the same time. Evie was especially taken, however, by the gorillas and the penguins. Here is a gorilla who reminds me of any number of heavy-weight boxers--take your pick, really--big and mean-looking.

...Watching the penguins.

Lions... Rar!!

This elephant asked for a close-up. I obliged.

...Under the spell of Grandma.

Hyenas...

Evelyn & Nathan ...In Love

2009-02-24T21:49:00.001-08:00

Evelyn has a magical connection with little Nathan--a same-age toddler in our ward. His mom and I often trade-off babysitting, especially because they get along so well.

But neither of us knew the extent of their affection until a fateful night in January..."Should I make my move, guys?"Evelyn: "Oh, he's so dreamy!"...inching closer.
Is it right to post children making out? :)

Evelyn apparantly wasn't finished with the passionate kissing...

Toddler in a Box

2009-02-24T21:46:00.001-08:00

...We ordered this cute toddler for Christmas. :) All she does is play in that box!

Annelise & Evelyn

2009-02-24T21:20:00.000-08:00

Justin's cute sissy Annelise came and played with Evelyn at the mall during her last visit. Evie loves the carousel now, but I think she likes Annelise even more! :)

Christmas Photos

2009-02-24T21:08:00.001-08:00

Yes, we're catching up on last year, still. Hope you enjoyed your Christmas! Here are a few fun photos of Evie and our family.

Much love,

The Riggs

Funny Glasses = Hours of Laughter

2009-02-24T20:05:00.000-08:00

So we told Evelyn we had to get ready to go to the Ward Christmas party, and she came out of her room like this:

"Who, me?! Who are you guys laughing at??"

Thanksgiving Crafts...

2009-02-24T20:01:00.000-08:00

Evie was so cute doing crafts and eating pumpkin bread at our little Moms & Tots Thanksgiving craft day, I decided to take a quick picture!

SNOW!

2009-02-24T19:47:00.000-08:00

We've been getting snow about every other week in Colorado this winter. So Evie and I made our first snowman together (this was mid-Novemberish). I thought you might enjoy seeing Evelyn in her pink marshmellow snowsuit! ...The snowman was then decapitated and declothed the next day by our macabre next-door-neighbor girl.

Sometimes I have to laugh or else I'll cry...

The Horse Must Die...

2009-02-08T20:08:00.000-08:00

Have you guys seen this article about the giant horse sculpture outside the Denver Airport?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090208/ap_on_re_us/airport_mustang

I don't know about the rest of the world, but this horse terrifies me. It makes me not want to fly anymore--I wonder if it has affected traffic at DIA? And the writer of this article mentions the artist died when a piece of the horse fell on him! I submit this is proof positive the horse IS Satan's Steed--he killed the man that spawned him!

It's obviously possessed. My vote: the horse must die.

No Pictures of Evelyn?!? What Gives?

2008-11-29T16:39:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

I know that it's a shock to the system to come to this blog and see a post without a picture of Evelyn in it, but we thought we'd give you the night off. I just wanted to make a quick post and invite you to pop on over and take a look at my personal blog, http://www.yourfellowcitizen.com.

I started writing this blog after learning that both major party candidates in this election faced questions about being eligible to hold the office of President. I thought that was odd, since the qualifications are clearly laid out in the Constitution. Upon looking more closely, though, I was surprised to find that there is no easily identifiable process that governs the certification of our Presidential candidates. The blog is about my "quest" to find out how this process works. For those with too much time, or an interest in how our democracy works, it might be worth a look...

Thanks!

Justin

More pictures for your daily Evelyn fix...

2008-11-08T21:58:00.000-08:00

...at the grocery store

...playing Mozart.

...wearing Mommy's makeup. :)

Halloweenies!

2008-11-08T21:50:00.000-08:00

Fairy Princess Evie and Adorable Froggie (Nathan) meet at the Ward Trunk-or-Treat, but she declines to kiss the frog on camera--stagefright? I'm sure there will be kissing in the months to come... (wink! wink!)

Here's Evie enjoying her spoils... Justin bought the costume. Good taste, eh?

We both love our little pixie!

A Girl of Many Faces

2008-11-08T21:45:00.000-08:00

All these silly faces, one very funny little girl...

Pottie Time

2008-11-07T20:35:00.000-08:00

Evelyn has shown increased interest in using the bathroom. So we bought a little pottie at a thrift store, and since then she has used it for everything except going pottie:

...as a stepping stool,
...a vanity seat,

...show and tell,

...more show and tell,

...and a suitcase (inside are toys).

Maybe someday she'll get the idea! :)

Bad hair day...

2008-11-07T20:33:00.000-08:00

Evelyn did her own hair, and then had the most priceless face ever...

Return of the Cousins... :)

2008-11-07T20:23:00.000-08:00

Evie's cousins, Keaton and Porter, came to play again. They are moving so we won't see them again anytime soon! They were so cute on the swings, I thought I'd post it! They both wanted to hold their "Ebbie."

Mommy and Evie play in the leaves

2008-11-07T20:05:00.000-08:00

We were feeling sick a couple of weeks ago, but we had to go outside and see our maple tree and play in the leaves.

This tree was dubbed "Blaze" by the former owners of our home. It's the pride of the neighborhood!

Great Grandpa Conway

2008-09-30T23:19:00.001-07:00

This week also Evelyn met Great Grandpa Conway for the first time. He lives in Oceanside, CA, and even I haven't seen him in 20 years! It was a treat. And he spoiled Evelyn with lots of new toys. So he's really made an impression! Evelyn I'm sure will anticipate his return. (That's my mom with Grandpa and Evie.)

Evelyn's Undercover Op

2008-09-30T22:53:00.001-07:00

We discovered this week that Evelyn is actually an FBI agent, working undercover. Fortunately, Justin and I have averted suspicion of any grossly aberrant behavior, and have gained her trust--enough so that she is letting us assist her in her first mission... ...to change this intergalactic boy's-boy room... ...into a party room fit for a female that is "sugar and spice and everything nice"!!

She believes the operation was a success. So much so that she's messed it up a few times, now, to make sure it's properly broken in. She also seems to play more in her room now, which we are happy about, and she likes to point at the flowers on the wall. :)

Tanner and the Bread

2008-09-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Cassandra Stewart paid me once in banana bread to watch her little boy Tanner.

Boy, it was some gooood bread. The kids practically vacuumed it up watching cartoons. Probably the best banana bread ever tasted...

I love kids. Hilarious!

'xcuse me, did you say somshing?

Other Family at Estes...

2008-09-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

Sophie and Adam

Sophie, Nisha & Keaton
Justin's grandmother, Evelyn Wolsey, a.k.a Gigi (for whom Evie was named!)
April and Kevin
Ben, Porter, Keaton, Josie (April & Kevin's daughter) and Cousin Jen making cookies... Yum!

And Colleen took and edited the photos beautifully, as ever!

Estes Vacation

2008-09-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

Justin's family had a reunion at Estes Park this summer--a week packed with golfing, swimming fishing and crafts. Of course, you have to have the crafts!

We had so much fun and got some lovely family photos as souvenirs!

From left to right: Adam, Sophie, Nisha, Annelise, Justin, Evie, Brent (Dad), me, Amanda, Porter, Colleen (Mom), Ben and Keaton

Nisha brought this inflatable Dora toy that comes with all of these balls. Evie thought she died and went to heaven. Anyone who knows Nisha will probably agree she is the best ever!

Catching up on July 4th...

2008-09-22T12:04:00.001-07:00

Well, this just shows you how behind I've gotten. Here are some pics of our July 4th (2008). We were lucky to spend time with lots of family who came in from out of town. Here's my sister (the Sarah Palin lookalike--weird!) with Evelyn, and in the other pics, her son Dawson with Evie.

Dawson has a dream personality! Almost always happy! He and Evie spent a lot of time staring at eachother, but I think the boundaries are now clearly defined: you touch the sippy, you get hurt. :)
Don'tcha love those big brown eyes?

Evie's Ponytails

2008-09-22T11:51:00.000-07:00

Well, we're back and badder than ever!! As you can tell with all of our Evie posts, we really adore our child!
Here she is with her ponytails--a relatively new phenomenon. She looks like a big girl in them, I think! We took these last Thursday, after she helped me teach "Crocodile Rock" and her hair is a little mussed from dancing and jumping into a large parachute. She got a green crocodile stamp on her belly, which she is showing off here.

Uh, and here, too. I think she went half the day lifting her shirt and patting her belly. Do any of your kids do this? :)

Almost naptime...

Why I Love Romney...

2008-09-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=9580830&ch=4226716&src=news

Evie & Addie

2008-07-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Addie is our seven-year-old next-door neighbor, and one of Evelyn's enduring pals. A friendship made in heaven: Addie likes to feed and dress up Evie, and Evie likes eating and getting dressed up! Here are some recent pics of the pair...
Evie is always looking adoringly at Addie just like this!

...We made flower "crowns" for the girls to wear.

Evie Profile/Stats

2008-07-02T23:47:00.000-07:00

Name: Evelyn Joy Riggs
Nicknames: "Evie," "Mouse," "Boo-Bah," "Lovebug," "Aquagirl," "Princess," etc.
Age: 16 months, 2 weeks, 6 days
Height: 31 inches
Weight: 22 lbs.
Hair: Light brown
Eyes: Hazel/brown
Favorite Songs: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," "Popcorn Popping"
Favorite Toys: brown stuffed puppy, books, Sesame Street ball, any musical toy
Mascot: Winnie-the-Pooh blankey
Favorite Word: "No"
Second Favorite Word: "No"
Favorite Colors: Red and yellow
Favorite Foods: Any kind of fruit, soy milk (allergic to cow milk), animal crackers, anything she can throw and make it stick to the walls
Loves to... blow kisses; smile; scream loudly and repeatedly, while monitoring Mommy's reaction; hug and kiss (mostly kisses her stuffed animals and dollies and pats their backs); sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" again and again and again!; play the piano and the guitar; play on the swingset outside; SWIM!; go on walks; kick and roll balls around; flip pages in her books (sometimes she lets Mommy and Daddy read them to her)
Personality/Demeanor: Very loving, shy (around strangers), calm, sometimes very goofy!, stubborn, happy
Favorite Playmate: Addie, the 7-yr.-old next-door neighbor
Cool Tricks: Makes an excellent fish face; rolls and clicks her tongue; signs words for "more;" "please," "food," "night-night," "finished," & "star;" blows kisses; holds breath; walks eight steps at a time!; manages to delete and/or reconfigure very important items on the computer with a touch of a button; "sings;" unlocks the dog cage; goes up and down stairs; scatters food across kitchen in milliseconds; recognizes animals in pictures; answers all questions with "no;" dances; calls people on the auto dial feature; gives "fives;" recognizes favorite songs by their tune (I'm pretty impressed by this!); "leads" music; growls like a monster; good hand-eye coordination (according to Justin!)

A Day in the Life...

2008-07-02T23:01:00.000-07:00

Today Mommy and I played with Jack and his mommy (called Camille) at a fun new park! I played on the big train toy, fed the ducks and climbed on things with Jack. He's so tall, most of the time I just looked up at him while he climbed things, actually.
Later, I entertained Mommy and Daddy playing Daddy's guitar (which I think is actually mine) and practicing walking (a sure way to get lots of attention--plus hugs and kisses from Mommy and pats on the back from Daddy). I love my life!

Mommy likes to take my picture all the time, so sometimes I let her.
"I see dead people..." Strike that, it's just someone playing on the swingset--definitely NOT dead.
Jack standing tall on top of the train toy. What a hunk!

...climbing.

...feeding ducks.

Jack said he would rescue me from the geese, but then he just ended up chasing them.
...then he tried to get my sippy, so I had to hold onto it tightly.
This is Jack's mommy, chaperoning us. I don't think she saw him trying to hold my foot... I think it was supposed to be my hand.

Here I am rocking out for Daddy. I like to pound it extra hard to make sure he can hear me!

I like to play with Daddy when he gets home from work. But all he wants to do is exercise. Sometimes I tease him for a minute before I start walking.

Here I go! I went eight steps today! Mommy, put down the camera already and catch me!

Aquagirl and the Aquasquad!!

2008-06-28T20:58:00.000-07:00

We've renamed Evelyn "Aquagirl" after her swimming playday at the pool this week. I've never seen her enjoy water that much, ever!! She kept trying to dive out of my arms, and she was doing a very good job kicking her legs--good baby form!

Evie was invited to the pool by her ever-faithful "Aquasquad" buddies: Nathan, Spencer, Camden, Chris (girl), and Tanner (who didn't actually get in the water, but just near enough to throw in everybody's sandals--must be an "Aquasquad" initiation ritual).

Evie and Nathan.

And here's Alicia gamely holding everybody's children for the photo op: Spencer, Evie and Nathan. Thanks, Alicia! :)
The whole party!
Alicia helping Evie... that's Nathan in the background in the baby speedboat.

Melody, Camden & Uncle Joseph. Alicia dubbed this "The Baby Yacht." I think Camden had some caviar tucked in there... lucky!

Daily Newsflash

2008-06-23T22:34:00.000-07:00

I thought our friends and family would enjoy this trip through the twilight zone with us... I feel like I just blogged about Justin's job, but here we go again. Someone in mine and Justin's ward (Mormon church congregation) offered Justin a job as a Developer/Networker/Trainer in his company. It's a really good opportunity for Justin and the best parts are he won't have to travel anymore or work weird hours. We're still in a bit of shock, though. Since March of this year, as you know, our family has gone through so many changes, so we're trying to let this all sink in! The interviewing and hiring all took place within a week--last week Justin was working for his old company and tomorrow he starts with the new one. I am so grateful for the Lord's blessings in our lives right now!
So we decided to play today and just relax to celebrate Justin's great new job. He also had to pack up all of his old work equipment (laptop, printer, blackberry, car, etc.). While Justin was home, we snapped a few pics of him playing with Evie. It was so adorable! Afterwards, she helped me in the garden!

...sitting on Daddy's lap with a blankey and a sippy. "Ahhh, this is the life!"
...The puppy and the blankey go where she goes. Buddies!

And here's our "new" car we bought to replace Justin's company vehicle: 2002 Subaru Outback. I guess we're an official family now! :)

Evie and the Riggs Cousins

2008-06-23T22:05:00.000-07:00

Another installment of pictures of Evelyn playing with cousins... These pictures are of her and Porter and Keaton Riggs, who belong to Justin's brother Ben and his wife Amanda.
There's a park less than five minutes from our house with train rides and a petting zoo. They had so much fun! Porter and Keaton kept saying, "Choo, choo!" And the animals were a hit, of course. The one here of Evelyn stalking a turkey I love. Thought you might enjoy seeing these, too!

First Pony-tail

2008-06-11T00:07:00.000-07:00

I just thought I would document: the very first pony-tail Evelyn has let me put in her hair. The key is wearing her down--either that or I'm getting faster!! :)

Evie's Playdate with the Boys

2008-06-10T23:34:00.000-07:00

Some other mommies in the ward invited me and Evelyn to Denver Botanical Gardens last Friday. Here are some pics of the event. Evie is so spoiled to have such good-looking boys in the ward!

Me & Evie, Alicia and Nathan

Evie trying to catch a ladybug.

Time for a sippy-cup break!

Cutie-pie Camden.

Evie's thinking: "Hmmm... which should I choose?"

Fun with Cousins

2008-06-10T23:11:00.000-07:00

Just catching up on last week's fun events. My nieces and nephews came into town for a brief playdate with my parents, my sister and me (and Evie too, of course!). I adore these kids--but how could you not? Aren't they just the cutest little gremlins ever???

Here are some pics of us at the zoo and eating pizza at my parents'. The youngest, Stacia, was showing me how she can eat pizza while making a fish face.

Evelyn and Her Water Passion

2008-05-30T23:17:00.000-07:00

I'm making some effort to show Evie the fun side of playing in the water. So we blew up a little pink wading pool for her yesterday and went out for some fun in the sun! I think she had fun at first, but she, of course, had to bring her blankey with her. And then it was soggy and heavier than usual and the water was getting cold I guess, and she was done.

Here are some pics I managed to take of her, most of them with her desperately evacuating the pink pool. Poor cutie! So pitiful! :)

Irene

2008-05-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce you to our current boarder, Irene. She is a lady from our church who needed a temporary place to stay. At 90, she is very loveable and sometimes pretty fiesty! I believe the closest comparison to having Irene live with us is eating a delicious roast beef and potato dinner, followed by a large bowl of ice cream--that's how my soul feels when I'm with her!

So I'm full of analagies, apparantly, and now I'm feeling a bit hungry. But I didn't think our blog would be complete without mentioning her.

Her favorite saying is "Getting old ain't for sissies!" You've got to admire people with spunk!

Evie is spending some time with Irene, too. I think they're bonding. Irene says, "How much can I pay you for that baby?" to which Evie shyly smiles. Despite the competition, I am loving having Irene here with us! ;)

Not Moving!

2008-05-30T22:26:00.001-07:00

So we WERE moving to Utah, but found out earlier this month that Justin's job needs him here in Denver, after all. It's hard to explain without going into too much detail about Justin's crazy job... however, we are very relieved not to have to sell our cute home in this horrible housing market! It occurred to me that many of you out of state have not seen pictures of our place, yet. Here are a few:

So I'm sure moving involves mixed feelings for everyone. But I admit the way our lives have been changing, I have been completely dizzy with emotion and stress! We had been busily making plans to live in Utah with Justin's brother Adam and his family (Nisha, my galpal and future business partner(???), and Sophie, Evie's same-age cutie cousin). My heart is also aching to be nearer to all of my friends and family in Utah. After getting used to the idea, now I feel perfectly robbed!!

But we have the perfect home and a lovely life in Denver. Along with more very special friends and most of both mine and Justin's immediate family, whom I am very excited to be near. So we feel blessed and happy.

For those we will not live close to anytime soon--we love you and miss you terribly!

How to Sing Like the "Fat Lady"

2008-05-28T21:47:00.000-07:00

Above is my goofy-faced visual demonstration of how to sing OPERA. I thought you who are unfamiliar with the art form might be interested to know.

Some very open-minded soul passed me through an audition for Opera Colorado's 25th season. This is a shot of me after singing in the chorus of "The Flying Dutchman" last April at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver, CO. We photographed it, because I don't know when I'll be able to sing with them again--and also, because it was SOOOOO AWESOME!!!

...Here's Justin feigning interest, but being a very good sport by attending and not falling asleep once (so he says)!

I don't get why they have a ballerina statue at the opera house, either. :)

More 1-yr. Evie

2008-05-26T20:29:00.001-07:00

Some cute 1-year-old shots of Evie

2008-05-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

As most parents, I am convinced that my child is on the path to stardom and greatness. But how can I disbelieve when I see so many evidences?

I decided to share with you some of the evidences (see above). This is also a tribute to the greatness of my photographer friend Rebecca (see her website at http://www.rebeccamariephotography.net/). Thanks for putting up with our disgusting adoration!!!

(I might add that Evie peepee-d no less than three times on Rebecca's backdrops during the photo shoot! Just something else that she's good at... :) )

Memorial Day Thoughts

2008-05-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

Upon examining the small amount of change in my wallet, I made a sadly meager contribution this week for an American veteran's group and got to thinking more about Memorial Day.

My elderly friend Irene Allred says that in her day they referred to Memorial Day as "Decoration Day," which she celebrated by decorating her home with yards of ribbon to remember those lost in war and the freedoms we enjoy. An interesting idea--that makes me feel very chagrined to just BBQ every year and not do more to remember those fallen.

My father was in the Air Force during Vietnam, but was not assigned to battle. Instead he was stationed in Thailand, where he was taught North Vietnamese, and translated messages he heard over the radio. Both of my grandfathers were drafted to serve in WWII, but were still in training camps until most of the fighting was over and the rebuilding had begun. I might not be here were it not for those who fought in those horrible times in our country's history--so that my family did not have to. So I am grateful, and if nothing else, I am thinking of those fallen today as I raise our flag.

God bless.

Decoding the Color Code

2008-04-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

If any of you know the Conway side of the family, you will know we often speak "Color Codian"--which is a language that can help you in any social endeavor or any other kind of endeavor. I only wish they had a code for babies and animals!

My mission is to help others become fluent in this language. ...So you will know what we mean when we say something like, "Oh, he's soooo yellow."

Here are the colors: Blue, Yellow, Red, White.

Here are the motivations: Blue-Intimacy, Yellow-Fun, Red-Power, White-Peace.

Justin is a blue and I'm a blue/yellow. It makes for very interesting dynamics, believe it or not, since Justin brings out my yellow (read: makes me skittish). But I think in the end when you love someone and treat them with respect you bring out the best in people regardless of their personality characteristics.

Here's more info. below. Let us know if you want to borrow our copy of the book!

BLUE CHARACTERISTICS:
Loyal forever once friendship is established.
Feels intense on many issues.
Blues never wake up happy or sad, they have to think about it first.
Blues cannot accept an emotion without taking full responsibility for it first.
Blues always seek purpose in life.
Rigid with principles and unwilling to negotiate.
Requires a purpose in order to play.

YELLOW CHARACTERISTICS:
A natural "people person"
Have an innate ability to be happy.
Yellows find it easy to relate to people of all ages.
Appreciate what they have vs. what they lack.
Love to entertain and be entertained.
The essential ingredient in every Yellow's life - an escape, an out, a chance to run away.
Lack of commitment.
Few intimate friends. A very large number of associates.

RED CHARACTERISTICS:
Reds speak their minds directly and honestly, regardless of their popularity.
Driving need is to convert the world to their beliefs.
If Reds feel that you have something worthwhile to offer, they will gladly give their efforts to assist you. Reds are relentless in their commitment to causes they believe in. When converted to a concept reds know no equal. Reds throw themselves into causes. They are difficult to convince, but equally difficult to restrain once committed.

RED'S THEME: "I've got things to do, places to go, and people to see."
Are not natural conversationalists - ARE natural lecturers.
Enjoy verbal argumentation.
No tolerance for stupidity or being unprepared.
Parade their values and opinions in front of others.
Take firm stands and expect others to follow.
Quite opinionated.
Very strong willed and determined.

WHITE CHARACTERISTICS:
Strong empathy skills.
Whites are tolerant of other's disagreeable behavior regardless of the personal discomfort they feel.
The chameleon is their trademark and reflects their ability to adapt and blend with everyone.
Whites are very uncomfortable in making decisions that may be wrong and avoid responsibilities that require it.
Passive-Agressive. Will sabatoge other people's future plans that involve them, for past resentments that have not been verbally expressed.

Billy Joel Concert

2008-02-29T12:53:00.000-08:00

The great Billy Joel came to play in Denver yesterday, and lucky me and Justin won tickets to see him! I never win tickets to ANYTHING, so we are still recovering from shock at our good fortune. I would call it a blessing, but I don't know if the Lord blesses with rock concerts.

Anyways, Justin, of course, would not be caught DEAD dancing at a concert, so I understood it as my duty to do the rocking out for the both of us. It helped that I had an equally enthusiastic fan named Michelle sitting next to us, who danced with me for most of the songs. Didn't know her--she didn't know me, and neither of us cared! We hugged and shared Billy Joel stories and favorite musicians for most of the concert. She thinks he looks old and needs a good woman to keep him in shape. Is that what good women do these days? I hope you will keep me posted on this... :)

Just wanted to let everyone know the Piano Man is alive and well and puts on an amazing concert! "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Piano Man" were the two best for me. And in my humble opinion he is the best songwriter EVER! They did close-ups of his hands and it was amazing to watch him play the piano, also--he just pushed that instrument around. And his voice is still the same as his cd's. He's truly as good as or better than he ever was...

After 3 encores, he finally finished up. And I blearily write this post in awe of a great talent.

Here's to Michelle and all the other fans out there! :)

Evelyn's First Birthday

2008-02-24T19:01:00.000-08:00

The grand festivities took place on February 12th. Just a few snapshots to give you an idea of how the party went!

Here she is with Grandma Conway opening presents.

She is very excited about that new humidifier from Grandma Riggs. Here she is pounding the box to a pulp... And the winnah is...? (That's Daddy behind her.)
She ended up accidently blowing out her Winnie the Pooh candle with her heavy breathing.

She is still able to look dainty with cake all over her face...

A not so dainty shot. :) It was all over for that cupcake within minutes.

Love to you all! We hope you enjoy sharing these wonderful milestones with us!

Best,

Justin, Katie & Evie

The Long READ to Freedom

2008-02-22T12:41:00.000-08:00

So I am on page 612 or so of Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela. Only 13 pages left!!! And only 1 year and four months after starting...

Of course I loved it--it was an amazing inside look into the coming about of the end of apartheid in South Africa, from the viewpoint of a dedicated man who sacrificed his life to its cause! I guess it just took me forever to read because I normally don't sit down long enough to read anything over a page long. Is that why they refer to active people as 'dumb jocks'--because they're too busy keeping their body healthy to read War and Peace? This term is obviously just mean-spirited! Don't persecute jocks! ...Harmless, physically fit people is all they are!

Justin is one of those who likes to tease me about these things. He would have probably finished this book in three days, tops. All I have to say is: "book nerds should not make fun of active people, aka 'dumb jocks'." I have powerful friends.

Anyways, the point of this whole blog is that this book is awesome and I highly recommend reading it--even if it takes 1 1/2 years. It was worth it. ...And Mandela is one of my heroes. Take that, book nerds! I guess I'm one of you, now.

The Obligatory Baby-In-the-Bathtub Picture

2008-01-31T20:21:00.000-08:00

While most parents will post indiscrete pictures of their babies naked in the bathtub, WE couldn't because Evelyn is so modest!!!

So here she is all bubbled-up and ready to play. We took this when Evelyn discovered that bath time is NOT a means of torture... she'll even play once in a while these days!