Cookies.....

 Every time Daddy takes Rayn to Dierbergs she 
comes home full and with a few treats for herself. This last time she came home with some cookie dough and two things of chocolate milk (which I swore I would never give my kid.)  So, because it was 100+ degrees outside, her dad had to grill the cookies.  Yes, you are reading that right, he grilled cookie dough. Let me tell you, I thought that they were yummy!


On the other hand, we gave Rayn a cookie (which is her favorite treat) and she broke it all up and passed it out to everyone at the table but herself. She was so kind for sharing but also so funny that she wanted the cookies but never ate any of them. I really think that she just wanted the dough but she never got any of that!

A BIG LONG POST TO CATCH UP........

We have been doing a few things since I have last posted....first, our internet wasn't working very well, so that is why I couldn't post anything. Then we got a new computer and I had to get that all set up. Now, that I have all of that all squared away, I am back in business. YAY! :)

So, over July 4th, Rayn experienced her first sparkler! She was soo cute with it, until....(wait for it) she decided to twirl it and it landed on mommy and I screamed (like a huge girl) and then she didn't want to touch it.  As a result, she was scared of any and every firework that went off.  The best part of that was, Rayn and mommy could watch the fireworks in the air conditioning from the sliding glass door in the kitchen.  So, in mommy's world, it was a win-win. 

After the fourth of July we had a play date with Jonathan, Rayn's friend since birth, (mommy forgot her camera) but I am not sure who had more fun, her or Jonathan. That same afternoon Rayn's twin cousins came over to play with her. As Rayn calls them "CooperCarver." (She says it all like it is one word.) So, funny! First, we began the day being outside for over an hour, then we moved inside, ate dinner, did baths, and got a second wind after our bath. All in all, all of the kiddos had a blast!

Rayn supporting her new hat and testing the waters of the pool!

Rayn wanted to sit outside with her feet like her mommy and Aunt Sara. Then the boys had to pour water on her legs, just like the other girls. 

Love this picture of Cooper!

Curious Carver...

"TIME TO EAT..." (In Rayn's screaming voice..)

After not eating dinner, taking less than a 30 second bath, Carver got a second wind. This began with him running laps around our living room for around 30 minutes. (No lie!)

The next day, we decided to go and drag my dad out of the house (love you, dad) and bring all three of the kiddos to Grant's Farm. Cooper, Carver, and Rayn all had a great time! The adults did too because we got our free "adult" beverages at the end! :) 

STL ZOO

Rayn, Papa, and I took a trip to the zoo yesterday. Despite the few showers on the way to the zoo, it turned out to be a beautiful day for the zoo! It was a very successful and wonderful trip!

First, I would like to thank my dad a million times over for getting up so early, so we could get to the children's zoo before they charged you, and for going with us because Rayn thoroughly enjoyed his company more than mine.

Rayn and her Papa looking at the snakes in the Children's Zoo. (Note: Her dad's only fear in life is snakes and this was the exhibit that she looked at the longest) :)

She can look and se this one all by herself!



Papa trying to get her to pet the goat and she kept saying "No like it!"



I absolutely loved this picture of this puffin and how close it came to me! Rayn really enjoyed watching the penguins and puffins swim.

This is a result of what she looks like after an hour and a half of running around and seeing "more animals" at the zoo!

Besides the gorillas the elephants are one of my favorite things to see! I am just impressed by their size, how they look, and watching them eat with their trunks!

Her first zoo experience for this summer was very successful. I know we both thoroughly enjoyed my dad's company. I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful, kind, caring, and compassionate person for a dad, who is also the best listener that I know. I couldn't be more grateful for him. Rayn is so blessed to have him as her Papa!

A FEW NEW THINGS......

We have experienced a few new things with Rayn lately....her ultimately protesting about different things because of her strong personality is one of them. Lately, she has been picking out her own shoes, some too small, some winter and others summer shoes (which are the right ones, obviously). :) Below is a picture of her with her winter boots on because she had to wear them to school and to play outside when we got home. It was hilarious!

Next, is her first ice cream cone. Yes, she has had I-Cream (that is the way she says it) before but never in a cone.  She loved it because she thought it was like a cookie (one of her favorite sweets). Rayn was finished eating the I-Cream cone with about three bites left. She left her momma the last three bites the bottom of the cone, which is the absolute best part! YAY!

"Where my bike at?" Is a question we were frequently getting from her. Finally, we caved and went to Target and bought her a "bike." Really, a tricycle but if she wants to call it a bike who cares, right? After a couple of tries with the bike, this past Saturday she finally learned how to ride it. She needs to grow about 1-2 more inches for it not to be so hard for her, but it still works! She can do it with ALOT of effort and she LOVES it, so that is all that matters!

IT'S BEEN A LOOOONGGG WHILE.......

So, it has been a looongg while since I have been able to take some time to blog and update you all on Rayn and her latest and newest (tricks) things. Whatever you really want to call them is fine with me. I don't think that the blog could even possible fit all of the things that I would like to on here so I am going to do one really long post here and then my goal is to be better about taking pictures of her and sharing her hilarious stories. This will be my way of looking back at her and seeing what she has done in the past! Thanks, Amanda over at Life Down South's blog for the idea.

First, this picture is of my mom and Rayn. Rayn used to call my mom "Grampy" because she couldn't say Gramma. However, now she loves to go to "Gramma's" house and she loves to have sleep overs at Gramma and Papa's house, too. She loves to use the word, "too." It is absolutely adorable when she does. She sounds like such a grown up.

Next, this is Rayn breaking some bread and throwing it out to the birds in our back yard. Just about every night after dinner, we have to go out and feed the birds at least 1-2 hot dog buns. After we tear all of the bread up, she loves to sit at the window and watch them eat all of her food. and then "flyway." That is how she says it. These birds/ducks are like her animals, we spend $.99 on a bag of hot dog buns about 2/x a month and she feeds them about every night. Cheap animals if you ask me! :)

Honestly, I just had to post this and have a bragging mom moment. How in the world can you resist this face?!?! :)

Besides feeding the birds, she loves to play in her pool this summer. Her favorite thing in the pool is to pretend she is "taking a shower." Couldn't you tell that is exactly what she is trying to do? :) This is one of my favorite pictures because I love the way the water droplets look in it.

Her latest obsession, God bless her Nana, is having her toenails painted ALL of the time. Her Nana is a trooper and let Rayn paint her toenails one evening and even went out with her friends that night, with her toenails like that! Her Nana must absolutely love her!

Lastly, Mike and I just got back from our wonderful and ever-so-relaxing vacation!

I'll be back with some more updates soon, I promise you all, this time!

HAIRCUT!

Here are some new pictures of Rayn and her new haircut! I just quickly took them and they are straight out of the camera...edit free! :)

MORE PHOTOS OF THE SHOOT IN ST. LOUIS

My little ham-bone! She is getting so big, but it is just sooo much fun! ENJOY!