forts vs. tents

The kids were in the living room, dragging around heavy kitchen chairs, getting pillows all stacked around, draping blankets across the couch arms and chair backs...only to have the blankets cave in and not give them the incredible fort they were going for. So Ryan and I stepped in. We told them to go in their rooms and we would make them a really great fort in 5 minutes flat. When the kids came out-they found a tent. HA! No, it's not a fort built of blankets and chairs...but its sure the hut they were looking for! They've played in here for hours and tonight they are camping out :)

the little man is FOUR!! (well, tomorrow)

Wow. How time flies by. My baby boy is turning four tomorrow. I cannot believe it! Wasn't it just a week ago that I brought this perfect baby boy home with me? It seems like yesterday that I was rocking this little guy to sleep in my arms then resting him in the bean bag chair on my bed...he wouldn't sleep in the bassinet! He loved the bean bag chair because it snuggled him right in :) And I loved that he was basically in bed with me-safely. I miss him as a tiny baby! (lets face it...not really tiny, coming into this world at a healthy 8lbs 8oz) My little chunky baby has turned into a little man, right before my eyes, and all too quickly. I am so proud of the little boy that he is. He is a sweet boy! (thank goodness!) He brings so much joy into our lives every single day. I am so incredibly happy to call him mine! Although I wish I could keep him as a new baby forever, I am so happy to watch him grow and really become his own person. He is adventurous and loving, eager to learn, wild and kind, smart, funny, and has a big heart. Cash would do anything to make you laugh and he still has the best giggle I've ever heard...I hope he never loses that! Cashy boy-Mommy is so proud of you and loves you the mostest, cinnamon toastest!

(Cash weanted Alien Cupcakes :) Cuz he's outta this world!!)

William Cash Curtis Anderson-the day he was born!

We had a little party for him with the Burraston Family. It was so much fun to have them all here celebrating with us. We'll be having another party with my side of the family when I'm back from Hawaii (YAY!) For now-here is the preview of his first celebration of turning 4! We had Sweet Pork enchiladas, Alien cupcakes (which I cannot believe I forgot to take a picture of!! Oops) and ice cream and he opened gifts---all of which were cowboy things, and he LOVED every second! :)

[new boots from Mom and Preslee]

[New trucks, bulls, buckin' shoots and farm equipment from the Burrastons]

[New cowboy hat from Ryan!]

[Blowing out his 4 candles]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASHY!!

Valentines Box!

In Kindergarten at Preslee's school they were assigned the theme "Nursery Rhymes" to create their Valentines box around. (Not sure why they think they need to give the kids themes...I think they should just let their creativity go!) Preslee chose Humpty Dumpty! She did such a great job, with just a little help from mommy with the pipe cleaners sticking out of the box :)

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

l.o.v.e.

Life is good. I don't know where to begin; So I will just start by saying that I'm completely in love. How's that for getting to the point? Ryan and I were set up over 2 years ago; it was very poor timing for my life and nothing happened after our first date..but 2 years later Ryan was brave enough to get a hold of me and life has been so amazingly different since. I am so happy! I was happy with life before, but my happiness has shifted to a level that I have never experienced before. He brings a light to my life that I don't think I've ever felt. He's brought back an energy to our lives that has been missing for a long time. He makes me laugh every single day. He teaches me. He makes me feel safe. He loves my kids. And they love him. He loves me, completely. Our home feels more complete and content when he is here with us. He's an honest, hard working, smart, fun, giving, genuine man and I feel so lucky that he found me.

He is perfect for me. I love Ryan.

Photos by Ashlee Fackrell www.photobyashlee.blogspot.com

...december twenty-ten...

Ok, so as it goes, December was not nearly as relaxed as November was. Well, of course not! There is so much going on in that month, it becomes crazy very quickly...but we love every minute of it and sure do love relaxing after it's gone :) We had lots of Christmas parties to go to...the craziest and most fun is of course the Abel Family Party! We had a blast...I will upload some pictures of that on the next post.

The kids were so brave and tried mutton bustin' this month! Preslee held on so tight, she rode all the way to the other end of the arena, losing both of her boots in the process! Cash wasn't as fortunate..his sheep took a sharp right turn just a few jumps out of the shoot and he ate dirt...crying the entire way. My brave little cowboy wasn't so sure about all this once Grandpa and Uncle Tate had him in that shoot with that big, scary, wooly animal anyway...as they were tying his rope he was saying "I don't want to.. I don't want to...." all the while setting his hands and holding on tight. He tried to be so brave after his ride, but the minute mommy hugged him, he broke down in tears. I think we'll stick to piggy back rides for a while..... :)

We built a snowman in the front yard! We didn't have a scarf, so she got a feather boa!

Our every day lives have been improved. Ryan makes our lives so fun, and we all feel so loved with him around. The kids adore him and he really became part of our family this month! (not OFFICIALLY, people! We are not married... nor engaged... but we love having him around and apart of our every day lives. He brings so much into our lives that has been missing for such a long time. I'm so thankful for him) We built gingerbread trains, went miniature golfing, and had lots of fun with him this month!

CHRISTMAS!! I know I should post a bunch more pictures of Christmas, but I will have to do that another night. I'm updating as much as I can here! :) The kids were so much fun with Christmas this year. They are really good kids, I couldn't really ask for better. All they really wanted was a pillow pet! Santa brought them both pillow pets, along with lots of games and movies..he brought our family a big screen TV to watch all the new movies on, and an ice cream maker so that we can have treats while we watch them! We were spoiled this year!!

MOMMY TURNED THIRTY!!

thank you to my girls for helping be celebrate:)

(and thank you to Ryan for watching the kids so that I could!)

NOVEMBER 2010

November was pretty relaxed for us. We didn't do anything very crazy or exciting, which was kind of nice! We experienced the 2 year mark of Jeremy's passing on 11.11 which I posted about; Preslee is still loving Kindergarten as much as ever; I was able to go meet up with one of my best friends, Meredith, in Taos, NM. We had so much fun together--the weekend went by WAY too fast! I sure wish she lived closer!! ; We had Thanksgiving at my parents house-which was delicious as always! My Mom made the kids the cutest "kids table"... she made a 'turkey' out of paper bags that were full of popcorn--so when she "carved" it, popcorn was spilling out! They loved it!! ; We missed having our Hawaiian family here for the holiday!

[And I heard from someone I've been missing for 2 years... post about him to follow...]

ok now.

This is just ridiculous! I haven't even done my November post?? Let alone December and now January is already gone?! What in the world happened to my TIME? I can't believe it is already February. Time has really flown these last couple of months, but I have promised to update....so I will stay up tonight and update with some pictures and trying to remember what we did these past few months; they feel like a blurrrrr....