Just my size

With the Fourth of July fireworks coming up with weekend the kids needed some lawn chairs to take to the fireworks show on Friday. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Ringman we only needed to buy one chair. Riley's old chair is green and smaller and is just perfect for Brenden to sit in and use for the show. Look how happy he is to be sitting in a chair just like mommy and Riley.

Here is Riley sitting in her new "camping" chair. She picked it out at Wal-Mart. It's a little bigger then the old one and is pink. She was so happy to get a new chair. Of course I bought new adult chairs too. Our were weather beaten from the past summer and being left out in the rain. So when the fireworks show begins the Ringman's will be perpared to enjoy the show.

This is my favorite picture of Riley. She wanted me to take her picture. A very rare moment for her at this age.

Our Visitor

This is Reese's dog Hercules. He is staying with us for a few days while Jess and Reese visit family in Arizona. He is a good dog and the kids love him. He is not too sure about my kitchen floor. It is different then his tile floor at his house. He is enjoy himself.

This is Brenden and Herc playing. Brenden is not afraid of him at all. Riley on the other hand has her moments with him. Brenden has taken well to him and enjoys beating on him. Brenden thinks its funny to play with anyones mouth and teeth and Hercules is no different. Hercules does not seem to mind too much. He just rolls over and walks away from him when he has had enough. Not that he can totally except from Brenden but he has learned that he can no

t be reached when he sits back on the couch. It's been fun to watch the two of them play.

Brenden is trying to play ball with Hercules and he is not too sure what to do. Brenden threw the ball and he rolled to Hercules and he moved his head out of the way but then did not move has Brenden crawled over him to get to his ball. Brenden did not understand why Hercules was moving out of the way when sissy and I would catch the ball and throw it back to him.

This was a good test for me to see if I was ready to have a dog of our own. Well at this point the kids will have to wait on getting a pet dog. I am NOT ready. But yes at some point the kids will end up with a puppy dog of their own. It will have to be when their daddy is home more often to help out with everyone.

A walking thing

Watch the video below closely. Notice that Brenden is learning to walk with the aid of Riley's jeep. He loves to push it around the house. He has is own way of making it go where he wants to go. He pushes it until it stops and then he walks around the jeep (always going to his right) and pushes it from the other end until it stops. Notice that Brenden makes his own motor noises has he pushes the jeep around the livingroom. This can go on for a long time. He will be walking by himself soon. He is trying to keep up with his sister, Riley who is on the go non-stop. In fact yesterday he took two steps without thinking about it. He was running towards Riley and ended up out of me reach so I let go and two steps later he was down. It was a one time thing. I could not get him to try it again. Believe me I tried and tried but nothing. So his time is coming. They will keep me on my toes.

A Fun Day at the Park

Over the weekend we all had a fun day at the park. We along with our friends Jess and Reese went to the playground and sprinkler park on post. Our morning start as normal that with my two children getting along wonderfully as noted in the pictures below. Riley wants to hold Brenden and he wants be on the go. They both hugged and we were out the door to enjoy the sun.

Our first stop was the swings. Riley wanted to swing with Brenden and Reese but there were only two "baby" swings and yes Riley wanted to swing in one so Brenden rode in a different type of swing.
This swing is made for those children who have physical disabilities. Brenden seemed to enjoy the short ride.
We were able to have both Riley and Brenden swing together has Reese went to enjoy the sprinklers.
Brenden wants to play with Riley and do the things that she does. Here he is trying to spin a wheel on the side of the jungle gym. Notice that he was able to spin when he tried his hardest.
Riley enjoys climbing and balancing on things. She has had experienced a few falls before she mastered it but she learned what not to do and is able to complete her task. Reese and Brenden learning how to make the wheels move inside the plastic. Both here "taking turns" trying to turn the red handle.

(The little girl enjoyed watching the "babies" play)

Riley has learned that she has strong muscles. She is able to hold herself up and swing from the bars that go around the playground.

Here Riley is climbing the "rock" wall. She made it to the top with mom standing under her in the fear that she would fall. She made it up and back down without any problems.

After such a hard day of playing we made our way over to the sprinkler park. Riley was not to sure about running through and getting wet but Brenden did not care. He moved around and waited for the water to hit him and he would giggle from his toes.


Riley watching all the children playing. She wanted to see everyone else get wet but was not to sure about herself. In her defense there were lots of children playing and she does not like to be splashed in the face or surprised. But she did get wet a little with the help of mom.

Pictures

So the boys are still learning how to work the camera to make a few more videos. I have learned that they have made several more but they were too long to send via email. Ben is working on the length and trying not to be so camera shy. But as we wait for more video clips of the guys being guys, Ben sent a few pictures. I hope you enjoy them.

HAPPY DADDY'S DAY

Happy Daddy's Day to all. Here is Ben as a first time daddy. His little girl and him hanging out as he is watching Sports Center. Riley loved to just sit with her daddy and watch sports. Football was and still is her favorite to watch. Two and half years later............................

Ben with his son. The conversation must have been boring because Brenden is fast asleep.
Happy Father's Day to my dad Don and to my father-in-law Bill for helping Ben and I fix up our house and enjoy life. Without the two of you we would not be where we are today. You have both taught us so much. Thank you for all that you have done over the years. I know that we never made it easy on you. But as a parent I now know that it was our job to make things difficult.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!

Learning through doing

Here is a video of Ben and his cheif Sgt. Grigsby learning how to work the camera. I thought you all would like to see what happens when you give guys a camera and a little free time to learn how it works. I am sure that once they learn we will get a few more videos that are of something. Notice Ben's hair cut. He is going bald and without a barber there he shaves his head bald. I don't think it looks all that bad. At the end he acts like he is reading but I am sure he is just hoping that the camera gets turned off. The kids and I enjoyed seeing daddy at work. Riley had me play this video for her about three times before we went to bed last night. She laughed and yelled "Hi, Daddy!" and then blew him kisses. It was a sweet moment. Enjoy!

Summer Time

Ok with summer temps here to stay I have been brave and started to go to the pool with the kids. I only own a two piece and was not feeling that great until I put it on and went out to the pool. I have decided who cares what other think I feel good and that is all the I care about. Here I am in a pair of shorts that were not fitting last month that are just a little big now. Maybe I will be really brave and take a picture of me in my bathing suit but at this point that is a negative. I have had to wear tank tops for about three days after the pool visit thanks to the hot sun and my pastel white skin. At the age of 28 you would think I would have learned my lesson about the sun many years ago but no I still end up with red skin after being outside for more then 30 mins. But I also come to realize that have spending 5 years here I have never been able to enjoy the pool or the summer like I am this year. Since I am a stay at home mom I have been able to go the park and the pool with the kids and enjoy the sun a little more then I have since I have moved south. Now I have learned the hard way that the sun here is hotter then in Michigan and I have to wear sunscreen doing yard work, playing outside, at the pool and the park. I also apply it more then once if I am going to be out longer then an hour too.

As you can see the kids do not have my pastel white skin. They were both lucky enough to have their daddy's skin tone that tans nicely each summer. Yes they have been sunscreen every time they have been outside. Both Riley and Brenden have enjoyed their time at the pool and the park. Brenden enjoys the pool more because he can do more but the park will be fun once he can walk/run around on his own. Riley likes the park where she can run and climb and be independent. We are off to a wonderful summer.

Extra, Extra Read All About It......

Brenden is 10 months old today!

Brenden has grown a lot in the last month. He is slowly turning into a toddler. Yesterday we hit another milestone with cutting our FIRST tooth. His bottom left tooth made it into the great world yesterday afternoon and its twin right looks to be close behind. Even with just cutting his first tooth yesterday he has been eating table food more and more often. Now with teeth coming in he will be off baby food completely by next month. He is a very happy little boy. He loves to be outside and play with his sister. He has been to the pool and loves to swim. He is a water baby through and through. Brenden loves to torment his sister every chance he can get. He is talking more and more. Loves to talk about his daddy and knows that we talk to him on the computer all the time. He calls Riley "Rye, Rye" and yells "hey!" if you don't look at him or he wants you for something. He waves hello and bye-bye. He is on the move now too. He can crawl with the best of them. He is trying to stand up while crawling on the floor. He has learned that it hurts to crawl outside on the patio. So he crawl/walks on his hands and feet. It is very cute. He is growing up way too fast. Can't believe in two more months he will be the Big One!

Double Take

As I was looking through some old photos. I came across these. Now I did not think that my children looked that much alike when they were newborns but from these pictures I believe I was wrong. Riley is only about 3 weeks old in this picture. Yes she really was a little peanut when she was born. AND ......................................

This is Brenden at about 7 weeks old. He was not the peanut Riley was but still very little. Look at their eyes. The only real difference I noticed in these pictures are their months. They are shaped differently.
As I continue to look through the old photos and come across more of the look a like pictures I will post them. I know that Ben has a lot of them on his flash drive in Iraq. He had them from our computer that was fried when when moved here. So I know that when he returns there will be lots of pictures of my two children that look the "same".

Our Hero at Work

Ben sent me a few pictures of his day at work. He is working the "hot" gun. He works 24 hours on and 24 hours off. They are on stand by during this time. Ben and his guys just sit around and wait to get a call saying they are needed. Sounds like lots of fun! They have only been called once and fired four rounds and they have been on this job for a month now.

Here is where they go to get out of the heat. Which its now "summer" where the temps are getting well over 100 degrees. Ben said that the other day it was 130 out. They do their training in the early mornings when it is cooler out. Yes they give each other hair cuts here because the FOB does not have a barber. Here is a picture of Ben actually working. He is getting things ready for training his section on the gun.
These are just a few pictures that Ben sent to give us an idea of what he does every day. Notice all the wonderful colors. So now we now why Ben does not care to go to the beach when he returns home from being in the "sand box".

Nana's Little Helpers

Helping Nana back some cookies. Brenden had to be in the middle of everything. If Riley was doing sometihng then Brenden needed to do it too. He followed Riley every where now that he is crawling.

Brenden showing Riley were that cookie needs to go. He wanted it in his hand so he could chew on it. He did not care if they were baked yet or not.
Now that the cookies were baked and the kids sat at the kiddie table and played play-doh. Not that Brenden played but he watched Riley and drank from his big boy cup. Yes, Riley is making that face. That was her was of smiling for me.
Here is her silly smile again.
Brenden showing off his new task. He has started to drink milk from his cups. It wont be long and we will be off the formula and baby food. Then I will need to buy a farm to keep up with the milk supply.