Aaron David and His Little Brothers, Ryan James and Alex John

Niner!

2012-01-24T11:50:00.000-08:00

Our little Alex John is 9 months old now! He is scooting quite proficiently and navigates throughout the downstairs with no difficulty. He pulls himself up to his knees anytime he can get a grip on something. His napping habits stink, but he does go down to sleep beautifully at night- guess you can't win 'em all! : ) He's got a little stranger anxiety going on and definitely prefers Mom (or Aunt Stacey....). He has a cute toothy grin with all 6 of his little teeth moving into place. He likes to grind his teeth, which drives Daddy nuts. We love this little monkey like crazy!!

Aaron in Autumn

2011-10-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

This was a rare photo taken of Aaron, in which he did not have time to fling his arms out and put on some ridiculous facial expression. (I keep telling him that one day he WILL regret this phase.... to no avail.)

Love this boy!

2011-10-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

This is not your classic cheesy smile pic- but, this is SO Ryan and I love this photo!! I had to bribe him to sit on the pumpkin with the promise of a piece of gum. (Note to self, keep gum in purse at all times.) Happy Fall!

Family Fun Trip!

2011-10-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

We took a family trip up to Niagara Falls this past weekend with the two older boys. Special thanks to Grama Susan for keeping our little Alex safe and sound in our absence! : ) We got a chance to stay in a fantastic fallsview suite and enjoy all that modern day hotels have to offer- namely, the pool.

The Falls

2011-10-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

We took Aaron and Ryan for a walk down to the falls during our visit. It is, after all, one of the 7 wonders of the world. They were much more estatic over the fuzzy caterpillar that they found crawling along the fence and Aaron declared the falls, "tiny". Sheesh. The excitement of the caterpillar was quickly trumped by a chance to ride an escalator.

Hot Tub!

2011-10-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

Ryan loves hot tubs. He would scamper off to climb in here as often as he could get away with it. This is such a classic Ryan face...

The 'rents

2011-10-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

We have recently discovered that Aaron can be occasionally utilized as family photographer. Here is a pic we had him take of us at the Rainforest Cafe. It's probably one of the better shots we've had taken in a while! : ) Thanks Aaron!

Rainforest Cafe

2011-10-27T06:37:00.000-07:00

We dined at the somewhat-overpriced-but-super-fun Rainforest Cafe for dinner. Ryan was a little out of sorts. You can imagine him saying, "I'm not getting my picture taken, never, ever." However, we did enjoy our dinner complete with thunderstorms and animatronic gorrillas.

Guess Who Goes to Kindergarten?

2011-09-07T16:41:00.000-07:00

Aaron's first day of kindergarten was Tuesday, September 6. He has been so excited about school all summer and the big day finally came, much to Mom's surprise! The big, yellow bus came a rollin' down the street and Aaron climbed aboard without even a backward glance. Mom cried as that bus carried her little boy away, but it thankfully returned him a short three hours later. Guess half day kindergarten is okay by me! : )

First Cereal

2011-09-07T16:38:00.000-07:00

We tried a little bit o' rice cereal with little Alex John a few nights ago. See, Alex hasn't been sleeping so well at night. He seems to be inclined to eat at about midnight and four every night. This schedule is rough on the mama. So, why not try some cereal? Desperate times call for... desperate measures. Alex seemed to enjoy his cereal. He ate it well and didn't gag. And so, we went to bed. And then he was up at midnight and four. Darn.

Tilt-s-whirl!

2011-08-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

"No, Aaron. Mom does not go on the tilt-a-whirl." Aaron loved this ride and he and Scott went on several times. Ryan braved it once and found the ride "scary". Thankfully, he held out for the duration of the ride, regardless!

Beach Baby

2011-08-25T18:25:00.000-07:00

We embarked on a family vacation last week and... had a great time! We chose Old Forge as our exciting destination, primarily because it is only three hours from Rochester. We spent two beautiful days on the beach, a day at the Enchanted Forest Water Safari, a day on the town and one day in the rain. Aaron and Ryan thought it all just grand. Mom and Dad thought it was a lot of work, much like every day life- but, with better scenery! Special thanks to Nana Ensign who managed to get all our vacation laundry done in one day- amazing.

Three Months!

2011-08-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

Alex John was an adorable three month old. He's four months now, but I didn't post this one yet! He is so smily and such a sweet baby, for the most part. Mom appreciates that his hair is starting to grow back- gotta love that Ensign boy hairline! He loves his swing and loves to lay on his back on the floor. He's got quite the appetite these days which often translates to an over-tired mama.

Takin' the fam...

2011-08-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

out to the ball game. We finally made it to a Red Wings game this season! I love going to the ball games with the kids. I'm not the hugest baseball fan, but it's just kind of fun to be there. We had a great evening and the boys had a super time. Sometimes I still can't get my head around the fact that I have three boys- yikes!

Ready for Bed

2011-08-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

Aunt Amy babysat the boys so Scott and I could go out to dinner and then to Harry Potter, in IMAX, in 3D. It was a great way to view the flick. Although, I was kinda grossed out by the reusable glasses. I wondered if the teen kid cleaning them with paper towel and a spray bottle of ? has been properly schooled on infection control. And then I saw the sign on the rest room- "Please do not take your 3-D glasses into the rest room. Turn them in and get a new pair when you come out." Because 2 out of 3 people do not wash their hands when leaving a public rest room. Scott assures me they are all men. Anyhow- the kids were all in their pj's when we dropped them off.

Tow-mater Mouths

2011-08-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

So, mom was responsible for these party favors and we got a good laugh out seeing the kids with these buck-toothed suckers. Kind of like the ring pop idea with a twist! I love that Maddie has hers in upside down!

HB Ry-Ry!

2011-08-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

Our little Ryan turned three on August 1st. The Ensign clan was here to celebrate with a Lightning McQueen party. Cake courtesy of Aunt Amy, of course. We're so grateful for this crazy kid!

Ice Cream Window

2011-08-25T18:06:00.000-07:00

Scott started a new gig with the boys this summer and they LOVE it.... Ice Cream Window. The boys come up to the window off the dining room and Scott lets them "order" their ice cream of choice from the available selection. He then hands it out to them through the window and they get the biggest kick out of it. Looks like both boys went with Scott's homemade blueberry ice cream from my fresh picked blueberries- good choice. Sprinkles are optional. And yes, Ryan is often scampering about in his undies.

Pops and #6

2011-08-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

Here is Papa Ensign with Alex in early July.... he's a lot bigger now. But, it's a sweet pic of them, anyhow!!

Mini Garden

2011-08-25T18:01:00.000-07:00

I would have never gotten a garden in this year, due to multiple boys on the premises. However, Aunt Amy came swooping in to save the day and bought my plants for me and planted them. Planted them with the help of two boys, no less! The boys have loved having the garden and are willing to water it whenever the need arises, which is almost every day this summer! I love that the boys are willing to try the veggies because they helped to grow them! I was quite dismayed to see a deer out here EATING MY GARDEN in the middle of the night a few weeks back. UGH!

Little Gamers

2011-08-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

It's strange how electronically savvy our kids are these days. Here was the group on the couch one day at Papa and Nana Ensign's in July. Jacob on the Nintendo DS, Ryan on his Leapfrog Texting Tablet, Aaron and Maddie on the Leapsters.

Ssshhhhh- don't tell...

2011-07-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

Don't tell Ryan that he is attached to a rope! He thinks he has the run of the pond and is just giddy in this little inflatable boat! This idea worked great for keeping Ryan in check. Aaron swam about with his little arm "swimmies", but he is rather cautious and just stuck to the area by the dock where he could touch. You can see Aaron behind the floating raft on yonder shore of the pond. He was fishing with Papa and Uncle John and Uncle Russ. Apparently, he scored a catch of a whopper of a sunfish for his efforts!

Pop!

2011-07-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about the Fourth of July for kids is the big vat of pop at the picnic. You can totally drink as much as you want because you don't even need your parents help. Any adult in the vicinity will gladly serve your child! : ) Ryan and Aaron also spent quite a bit of time in the sandbox, playing with cousins!

Fun on the Fourth!

2011-07-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a patriotic little Aaron, partaking of Cousin Manda's flag cake... which was pretty darn impressive! We had a great day at our family reunion, beautiful weather. The kids swam and swam and swam.... just like mom and all her cousins would do- back in the day!

Two Months Old

2011-07-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

Little Alex John is two months old now! I totally stole this milestone idea from my sister- Thanks Jen!! : ) I loved the idea of being able to see the stages at a glance with a little "month" label. He is starting to get quite smily, although these moments are still difficult to capture on camera. He is 10 pounds 9 ounces and Mom is finally starting to feel like she can relax about his weight gain. (Big brother, Aaron , was 11 pounds at 1 month, Uncle Jon was 10 pounds, 10 ounces at birth!!) We are just lovin' our little guy!

Bros!

2011-06-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

Ryan and his little brother, Alex. Ryan will very enphatically tell you that, "I'm the big boy brother!". He continues to ignore Alex for the most part, but does have the occasional tender moment with him.

Blue Eyes!

2011-06-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

Alex is all ready for beddy in his little tiger gown. He stays up with Dad most nights and Dad does a bottle feeding, so Mom can get a few hours of un-interrupted sleep. (This does wonders for Mom's disposition!)

Good Morning Ry-Ry!

2011-06-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

This is Ryan's typical morning entrance to the living room. Looking slightly disheveled, he surveys the scene and then quickly climbs on the couch. If you happen to be on the couch, you will be the recipient of rare moments of snuggling. You might even get a kiss on the cheek.

Artiste in the House

2011-06-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

Ryan takes his painting seriously. So seriously, in fact, that he tastes the colors to make sure they are expressing what he desires. So seriously, in fact, that he paints a hole into every picture because of the multiple brush strokes required.

What we do for fun!

2011-06-28T14:05:00.000-07:00

Aaron has become an adept door way climber. Then it's Ryan's job to run back and forth underneath as many times as he can. I promise to take those mitten doorway decorations down any day now...

Alex

2011-06-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here is baby Alex on his back, just chilling on the floor. He seems to really enjoy the occasional stint on his back. He gets all squirmy and makes all sorts of cute noises.

Tree House

2011-06-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

Dad had a three day business trip, so Mom high-tailed to Grama and Papa's house with her three boys. The boys love the elaborate tree house that Papa has been working on for grandkids. Here they are enjoying a picnic lunch in the establishment.

Meeting Manalastas-es!

2011-06-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

Aunt Kat and Uncle Russ came up for a wedding in early June and Uncle Russ finally got to see his new nephew! Alex loved the attention from his Baltimore rellies!

Manny for Hire

2011-06-01T06:19:00.000-07:00

Ryan is a responsible two year old with a lot of experience caring for younger siblings. He is available to watch your children in the comfort of your own home. Although not yet potty trained, Ryan has a firm grasp on what younger children need for growth and development. References available on request.

Cake!

2011-05-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

Ryan apparently takes after his Mom in the love of sweets category. He devoured this cake at the reception of Aaron's graduation. It was a particularly good cake, in my opinion. (I'm so glad I can eat cake again!!) Aaron declined to have any cake. The other day, he said to me, "Mom, you know how sometimes when there is cake, it looks good, but you just don't want any?". I had to admit that this had never happened to me, but I thought his Dad could relate.

Our little Graduate

2011-05-29T14:31:00.000-07:00

Aaron graduated from Precious Kids Preschool in the top eight of his class! (Just kidding, there were only eight kids in his class!!) It was a little bit of a teary moment at first for Mom. Here he is clutching his faux diploma... it opened up to read that his real diploma was in his Memory Book. We are so proud of our little guy and can't believe he will be starting kindergarten!!

Maddie's Graduation

2011-05-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

The boys and I had the esteemed privilege of attending Maddie's graduation from preschool last week. Here we are celebrating the happy occasion with a group photo. It actually came out pretty good, considering the number of participants! Each of the children had to stand and announce what they would like to be when they grew up. Some memorable occupations included cowgirl and rock star. Maddie would like to be a kindergarten teacher when she grows up. Congrats Miss Maddie- love you!

Meeting Family

2011-05-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

Alex's Great Grandma and Grandpa Bannister recently returned from Florida to the family homestead in Point Breeze, NY. Great Grandma finally got to meet Alex last weekend. The family had gathered for a welcome home dinner and Bethany took Alex for the occasion. (Ryan had a fever, so Dad was home with the older two.) Grandma seemed to love having a chance to snuggle up with her 18th great grandchild! Alex met many cousins and aunts and uncles too! Everybody comments that he looks like Aaron-we think so too!

After careful consideration-

2011-05-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

and many weeks of unbiased research, Alex has declared his team loyalty to be for the Green Bay Packers! Go Pack Go! (Packers gear graciously provided by Papa and Nana Ensign.)

There are no words...

2011-05-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

Alex is sometimes appalled at the goings-on in his new family.

Sweet Little Guy

2011-05-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

Aaron meets....

2011-05-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

Walter Wick! Mr. Wick does all the photography for the "I Spy" books that are popular with kids. If I may be allowed to brag for a minute- Aaron attends Precious Kids Preschool and has the phenomenal teaching duo of Mrs. Hadzima and Mrs. Dean. They entered a national Scholastic contest where the classroom designed their own I Spy picture and poem and WON!! Out of 2000 entries! So, Walter Wick himself came to school and did a presentation and each child received an autographed copy of an I Spy book. So, so cool!!

Amy Buddy

2011-05-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

Aunt Amy designated herself as Ryan's buddy quite some time ago and Ryan has let it stick!! If you ask him who is buddy is, he will say "Amy Buddy!" usually. Sometimes he will say, "I not saying that!"- but that's just how Ryan rolls. Aunt Amy has graciously been an immense help in these early days, spending afternoons and evenings with us and helping out with the kids and the house. It looks like she might be enjoying herself though!

Brotherly Love... for now

2011-05-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

2011-05-15T17:05:00.000-07:00

Three boys!

2011-05-15T17:04:00.000-07:00

It seems somewhat impossible, but we are now a family of 5!! Every now and then, I am still startled by the thought that I have THREE boys! Here are those precious three on the occasion of Alex's homecoming. It was a great day! : )

School???

2011-05-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that our little Aaron starts kindergarten in the fall... He got to go visit his classroom and ride the bus around the block- big fun! He will graduate with the class of 2024- YIKES!!

Happy Easter!

2011-05-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

Not the best picture, but here are the "big" brothers in their Easter finery. Dad took the boys to church on Easter Sunday, while Mom went to spend the day with baby Alex at Strong Hospital. The boys had leftovers for Easter dinner and Mom had a tuna sandwich at the hospital. Thankfully, Mom Ensign brought us Easter leftovers for dinner, as she came out Sunday afternoon to spend the week with us.

Alex John!

2011-05-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

Alex John was born at 11:52 pm on Sunday evening, April 17. Mom had to be induced for pre-eclampsia and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. The induction started at 7:45 and he was born four hours later... not bad! However, he didn't fare so well and spent his first 10 days in the NICU. We are grateful for God's hand upon our little one and for sustaining our family during those difficult days. Alex is now a happy newborn with no lingering effects of his rough start... except for his pacifier addiction! : )

Packer Partay!

2011-02-07T15:56:00.000-08:00

So, our house was the family get together for a momentous Super Bowl this year! Packers versus Steelers. And yeah, we're happy with the outcome of the game! Here are some of Rochester's cutest Packer fans getting pumped for the game!

The Ensign Men

2011-02-07T15:54:00.000-08:00

Here's Dad and his favorite little Packer fans enjoying the game... or whatever it is that Aaron is doing! Ryan was more interested in snacks than football. Aaron was more interested in playing with his cousins. But, the apparel was right!

Footballl Brownies!

2011-02-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

Ryan was (and is!) obsessed with these football brownies. I think he ate three of them during the game. That and about 12 'lil' smokies in barbeque sauce was about the extent of his (ahem) dinner. The first words out of his mouth the morning after the game was, 'I want a football brownie. Where are the football brownies?". Football brownies courtesy of Aunt Amy. 'Lil Smokies courtesy of Aunt Stacey.

Aunt Amy's Packer Treats

2011-02-07T15:41:00.000-08:00

Aunt Amy brought over some delightful baked goodies. These cookies were not only super cute, they were super delicious too. Not all the starters got a cookie, but all of Aunt Amy's favorites did. I ate Clay Matthews.... my brother-in-law Marc advised me to watch out for hair! : )

Pants optional...

2011-02-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

Guests at our party were not required to keep their pants on for the entire evening! : )

2011-02-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

Of course, there was much indulging in special foods and drinks. The kids were thrilled to get their hands on some pop!

Mario Shirt!

2011-02-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

Since our exciting Christmas appearance of a family Wii, Aaron has become quite the Mario fan. He was overjoyed to open a package from Great Aunt Karen and Great Uncle Ken to discover a Mario shirt. He wore said shirt for three days straight. He confided in me that he "wished shirts were like pajamas, so you could wear them a few times in a row before they went in the laundry."

Breakfast... apparel optional

2011-02-07T15:33:00.000-08:00

Ryan seems to delight in taking his clothes off these days. This will usually be accompained by a gleeful yell of, " I naaaaaaaaaa-ked." Unless we have to leave the house, I generally just let him go until he comes and tells me that he is "coldy" at which time, he will then allow us to dress him.

Cousins at Bedtime

2011-02-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

We went to Splash Lagoon in January with Bob, Jen and kids, and of course, Grama and Grandpa. While we have no pictures of the main attraction, the exciting indoor water park, I did manage a cute one of Aaron and Charlie. Here they are at the end of the first day, watching a little TV and quieting down for bed. I love that these guys are such good buddies!

Never Fear!

2011-02-07T15:28:00.000-08:00

Often these days, 146 Hedgegarth Drive is well protected by any number of armed and fearless super heroes. Here Ryan sports the ultimate Lightning McQueen/Superman/Jedi combo!

Blankie Cousins

2010-12-22T09:48:00.000-08:00

Cousins Ryan and Bryce had a happy Christmas together. They actually play together quite nicely, to the parents' relief! Here they take a timeout from the excitement to reenergize with their "special" blankets. Bryce has "mammy" and Ryan has "puppy" and "blankie". And yes, he is still sucking on the corners. : (

Great Grandma's Cookies

2010-12-22T09:44:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Christmas a weekend early with the Ensign family in PA. We were delighted to discover that Great Grandma and Grandpa Weber had sent along some edible Christmas treats for us all to enjoy together. Ryan is most definitely a cookie fan, requesting them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and multiple times in between. These were his favorites, "the chocolate ones". Thanks for the treats, Grandpa and Grandma!! : )

Cake!

2010-12-22T09:40:00.000-08:00

Ryan did not really appreciate the fine Christmas program at Aaron's preschool. I had to shush him as he sang along with his own version of songs... Ryan's version consisted only of the word "poo" sung over and over. However, he does love his sweets and was all too happy to have a slice of Jesus' birthday cake at the reception.

Jesus, Joy and Gingerbread

2010-12-22T09:37:00.000-08:00

We attended Aaron's preschool Christmas program this year. Here he is in the line, entering the sanctuary at the church. They did a great job and sang with much exuberance and enthusiasm. We are so thankful for his great little school and talented teachers. I also found out, via Annika's mom, that the girls (4) in his class always argue over who gets to sit by Aaron.... who knew? I wonder what causes such preschool admiration? How he looks so handsome in his Batman shirt? The way he writes his letters? His speed on the playground?

A Sweet Morning

2010-12-22T09:24:00.000-08:00

Aaron and Maddie assisted me in creating a Gingerbread House masterpiece. They really got into this project and worked very hard on crafting trees and sidewalks and all sorts of things out of candy. A "small" amount of candy was consumed during construction. I spent most of my time trying to keep Ryan out of the candy.... with minimal success.

If you had a Ryan James...

2010-11-30T07:40:00.000-08:00

I often daydream about a book that I would write and the title would be, "If you had a Ryan James....". This book would include such things as:
"If you had a Ryan James, you would clean up a dozen smashed eggs on your floor... Twice! In one day!"
"If you had a Ryan James, he would get out of bed and go downstairs for a snack. You would find him back in his crib with a bag of baby carrots."
"If you had a Ryan James, the neighbor would ring your doorbell at 7:30am to let you know that he is standing outside on your porch by himself, crying."
Today's entry would be: "If you had a Ryan James, he would help himself to yogurt without your knowledge and consume yogurt without the aid of the spoon. He would make sure to get yogurt on the hardwood floors and a couch cushion, as well as himself- from head to toe. And then he would need a bath.... all before 9 am."

Let the Christmas Decorating Begin...

2010-11-30T07:33:00.000-08:00

When we spend Thanksgiving with the Ensign's in PA, it always includes the decoration of the tree by all the Grandkids on Friday. This means that all of Nana and Papa's ornaments end up on the bottom half of the tree! But, the kids loved it and I think there were only two ornament fatalities.

Cousin Crew

2010-11-30T07:30:00.000-08:00

Recently, Aunt Beth got to watch Mia and Wesley while Mom and Charlie had an appointment. We had a little photo shoot on the living room floor!

Lovely Day for a Hike

2010-11-19T09:46:00.000-08:00

2010-11-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

2010-11-19T09:43:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely fall afternoon for hiking back in October. The boys were happy to join me on an adventure into the wild lands of Irondequoit. Aside from being rushed by three giant dogs... (Leash laws still apply, people. Thanks.), we had a grand time.

Not-so-subtle...

2010-11-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

announcement. In case, you missed it on Facebook. The Ensign family is expecting #3 in April! Ryan couldn't be happier!

Fire Station Open House

2010-11-19T09:37:00.000-08:00

I love being able to take advantage of *free* kids activities in our community. Every year the fire station has an open house for the kids. They get free hats and a goody bag, as well as the chance to climb in and on fire equipment. Ryan did spill his ENTIRE cup of cider on the firehouse floor.... but other than that, an enjoyable family outing!

Pumpkins in Progress

2010-11-19T09:34:00.000-08:00

Aaron and Scott were the main contributors to this year's pumpkin carving. Aaron's pumpkin is the large "alien" design. Ryan had the round pumpking, although he was sleeping and missed the festivities entirely. Which was okay because there would have been a lot more mess to clean up! The baby, naturally, has the teeny pumpkin. Beth's annual job is pumpkin seed separation and baking of said seeds with cinnamon and salt. Yum! (This was the first official pumpkin carving at our new dining room table that we got from Craig's List!)

Halloween 2010

2010-11-19T09:29:00.000-08:00

This year our adorable super heroes- Batman and Robin- went trick-or-treating with cousins, Charlie and Amelia. Wesley stayed at the homefront to help Grandma pass out candy. Unfortunately, we had to trick or treat in the hail, sleet and rain, which caused the outing to end shortly after it began. The kids were still happy with the candy haul and a good time was had by all, except the cold, damp adult chaperones.

Tour de Hedgegarth

2010-08-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

Aaron recently joined the ranks of kids who can ride a two-wheeler! It was an exciting day for all to see him finally master the balance, the pedaling, the steering, etc. etc. and take off down the sidewalk. He wanted his trainingg wheels taken off early in the summer. After his first unsuccessful attempt, he declared that he would "never" ride that bike again and asked me to sell it in a yard sale. However, his interest was rekindled and after working himself up and down the driveway for a few days, it suddenly clicked! We love to go for family bike rides now. Ryan rides in the kid seat on Dad's bike, followed by Aaron and Mom brings up the rear.

Ready to tube....

2010-08-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

Scott and Aaron were all set to give tubing a try. However, takeoff didn't go as planned and Aaron ended up doing a terrifying somersault head first into the bay, rather unexpectedly. Much sobbing ensued. (And understandably so!) So, Dad and Mom ended up being the only tubing representatives of the family.

The Ensigns go Boating

2010-08-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

We had the luxury of a day of boating with our friends, the Kusaks. (Thanks Kusak family!!) We went out on Irondequoit Bay and ventured out slightly into Lake Ontario. The boys were thrilled to be out on the open water. Aaron was overheard saying, "Wow, this is such a cool ocean!" We anchored down at a nice, sandy beach and whiled away a leisure summer afternoon.

Ryan is 2 (and a half) !

2010-08-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

Aunt Amy made Ryan a lovely dump truck cake for his birthday and Ryan was thrilled! Our little guy is two now, although if you ask him how old he is, he will tell you he is two and a half. Ryan continues to bring much joy and laughter to our lives as we watch him grow and learn new things. His emphatic speech, his wild curls, his super-cute grin, so many things to love! Happy Birthday Ry-Ry!

Did he or didn't he?

2010-07-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

Ever since the egg toss experience of the family reunion, Ryan has been fascinated with eggs as well... more like play things than an ingredient with which to cook or bake. This was the SECOND egg episode of the day... I seriously think in Ryan's mind that the discipline is totally worth the awesomeness of playing with eggs.

Sweet Slumber...

2010-07-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

There are few things so endearing to parents as that of their cherubic children fast asleep...

CoCo Key

2010-07-24T17:22:00.000-07:00

We just returned from the Ensign Family Vacation 2010 edition. We journeyed down to Louisville, Kentucky for Scott's cousin Luke's wedding. We spent a few days with the Murphy and Watts family at the Watts plantation in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Then we spent a few nights at Coco Key, an indoor water park in Ohio. We were able to savor some occasional sweet, idyllic moments of family vacation-ness... mixed in with some sleeping issues, and napping issues, etc. etc. But, all in all, a great week together!! Here we are on the Lazy River at the water park. Ryan would just bob along contentedly on our laps in a somewhat cuddly kind of way, which was nice. Aaron was more intent on motoring the tube into spraying water, which was not so nice.

Water Park Bliss

2010-07-24T17:16:00.000-07:00

Aaron loved, loved, loved the water park! He ran from activity to activity for hours on end...

Louisville Zoo

2010-07-24T17:13:00.000-07:00

We spent a day at the Louisville Zoo while we were on vacation. It was quite the fun excursion for all. Aaron particularly loved the animatronic dinosaur exhibit that was on display.

The Ensigns go to a Wedding

2010-07-24T17:10:00.000-07:00

Here is our family of four, decked out in all our finery to attend the wedding of Luke Watts and Sarah Harcourt in Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville Slugger Museum

2010-07-24T17:06:00.000-07:00

We visited the Louisville Slugger Museum while on our vacation. (without Ryan, thank you again Nana!!) Here Aaron has donned paper gloves to wield the bat of Big Papi..... How 'bout that, Uncle Russ?? : )

Cutest 'lil Cowboy

2010-07-24T17:03:00.000-07:00

Aaron spent the first week of July at his Papa and Nana Ensign's house. He gets invited to come every year for VBS week at their church. He had a great time with his cousins, swimming, playing and attending VBS. We went down for the weekend and the closing program. Aaron did not disappoint, singing his songs and doing his moves with enthusiasm. Oh, we love that kid!

"Life is not fair."

2010-07-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

I remember my Dad making me repeat that line after him when all was not well in my world as a little girl. Sometimes life is not fair to Ryan, either.

I got it egg! I got it egg!

2010-07-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

This was Ryan's first year as a participant in the Egg Toss at our annual Nesbitt Family Reunion. (the 81st reunion, this year) He thought this was just downright awesome, if not somewhat confusing. He threw his egg to partner, Amelia, with much enthusiasm. Then he went around shouting, "I got it egg! I got it egg!" while holding his egg in a triumphant pose. Unfortunately, this is the best pic I got of that moment.... Uncle JonJon has a better one! He finally broke his egg when he threw it on Great Aunt Lynnie's foot.... she's a good sport, though. However, Ryan has been obsessed with eggs ever since...... *sigh*

My little sweetness of a niece-ness

2010-07-24T16:50:00.000-07:00

Here is my little Amelia... the lone girl in a sea of boy cousins! She looks awfully darn cute in this year's swimsuit competition! : ) Actually.... she was Ryan's partner in the egg toss. She probably won't be his partner again!

Aaron's Game Face

2010-07-24T16:47:00.000-07:00

Aaron participated in the annual Egg Toss with his cousin Charlie. They actually did pretty well... since neither of them have such a good throwing arm (just yet), there was a lot of bouncing and rolling and chasing.

Awesome Uncles

2010-07-24T16:44:00.000-07:00

I just love it when the big guys are sweet to my little guy..... Uncle JonJon and Uncle Russ seen here fishing in the pond from the paddle boat. I wish I could say they caught something exciting, but I don't think they did.

Rescuing Noodles

2010-07-24T16:42:00.000-07:00

Aunt Kat and (almost) Uncle Russ spent some quality time with Ryan in the paddle boat. I think they were sent out to rescue noodles that had floated off into the pond.

"I'll catch him!"

2010-07-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

Here Mommy bravely hands off Ryan to his older brother, waiting in the water below... The kids had a blast swimming in the pond with cousins. I love knowing that the kids think the Fourth of July is just as awesome as I remember it to be! : )

Digger!

2010-07-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

Ryan is in love with vehicles of any type. Tractors, diggers, school buses, tankers.... if he sees it, he'll call out the name with gusto. (Ryan doesn't say much without afore mentioned "gusto"!!) Papa and Nana took us on a VIP tour of the Walrath Farm in PA. The boys got up close and personal with diggers and tractors. Special thanks to Farmer Scott for taking time out to entertain us!

First Race

2010-06-30T13:02:00.000-07:00

Mom and Aunt Amy ran a 5k together this past week and Aaron got to do his first kids "fun run". He was so excited about the occasion and specifically wanted to wear his "race shirt". (That means a shirt with no sleeves.) As the kids were lining up, Aaron turned to me with all seriousness, and said, "I think I'm ready, Mom." Here he is showing off his ribbon and goodie bag. If you ask him, he'll tell you he came in 5th.... which may or may not be the official race results.

Something about this one...

2010-06-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

I know this isn't the greatest quality of picture, but I love it. It makes me laugh because Ryan was still wearing his pajama top that day. He refused to take it off. He has taken a liking to any shirt or clothing article that has anything to do with sports. When you have a kid like Ryan, you choose your battles! : ) But, it's also such a Ryan "look", dirty face, tousled hair and all.

Tractor!

2010-06-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

So, it's really just a lawn mower, but the boys could not have been more excited. They took numerous trips around the yard while visiting Grama Susan and Papa LeRoy in Cherry Creek. I guess Dad actually let Aaron do all the steering, much to his delight!

Mushy Moments

2010-06-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

I love those moments when the boys want to be exactly like their Dad. (Usually.) Ryan had already been bathed and changed into his pj's, but he wanted desperately to go mow with Dad. And... I couldn't resist! I sure hope he'll be this excited about mowing when he's 16!! : )

Proud Big Cousin

2010-06-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

Ryan loves to push things, be that a lawn mower, grocery cart or doll stroller. He was having a ball at a recent picnic pushing an empty stroller and then Grama Susan came up with the idea of putting baby Wesley in there. Ryan was thrilled, Wesley? Well, I'm not so sure he felt super safe at the hands of Ryan!

Little Slugger

2010-06-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

Ryan loves to "hit the ball". Here he is perfecting his batting stance while Uncle Russ gets ready to pitch. Ryan will often just pitch to himself, but he's always grateful for a ball playin' buddy.