The fiesta in pictures....

I kind of blew it in the picture taking department this year, my apologies......Here's what we do have:
Talk about lazy, I had just redone her letters in her room with new fabric (to match the curtains I made - sewing skilz in action) and hadn't hung them back up yet so thought to my lazy self....lazy self, why don't I just plop them up on the windows and that will be my decor seeing as I didn't make a cute little banner again this year. Great idea lazy self.
Now lazy self, what shall we decorate with....hmmmm, how about some of the 84 balloons up in your daughter's room right now. And poof, we have decor:
and yes, that is a picture of Ryan using Reese's head as a drum in the background....could not be a more fitting depiction of their relationship
Family photo time....and this, people, was the best of the ones with Grandma and Grandpa - that should tell you something...
Love her
Time to get down to business
So my lovely sister has obviously been harboring some resentment for the last 20+ years and decided to bestow upon my daughter a Barbie doll with no hair. She claims that as the tormenting older sister I was, I used to take all the Barbie dolls and cut off all their hair, leaving her to play with a bunch of bald Barbies. What's wrong with that, I ask?
Ryan, we're all going to start singing Happy Birthday to you now, what's your reaction going to be?
Presentation of the cake
Blowing out her candles
Fun with her new bubble machine
Jack-man
All in all, a success, even with a lazy mom!

June 29th

Is a very special day for we Stiff's.  Miss Ryan Elizabeth's third birthday.  Three years ago today, Grant, Peg and I were chillin at Rose Medical Center in Denver, CO - epidural nicely taking hold - playing a few Phase 10 card games waiting for our lives to forever change.  At 10:35pm, our little GIRL made her debut (thankfully she was she as we were still iffy on boy names).

Off we go.....
And oh my lord has life changed....for the better!  Ryan you bring us such joy and entertainment you can't even imagine.  We love you dearly, even the sass. 
First birthday....

Second birthday....

Third birthday with her cousins....special appearance by the Chandler Bing / Pirate smile

Wake up call....

Thanks to dad, Ryan had quite the wake up call on Sunday morning.  When she finally rose (which was remarkable she slept through the setup considering the power had gone out so it was silent as can be in the house), Grant found her lying in bed, wide-eyed with excitement and awe at all the balloons.
Props to dad for getting up so early to make this happen seeing as he had quite the night down at the neighbors party.....not a college kid anymore, are ya Grant?

Sunday Spencers Series....birthday edition

While we're a few days shy of Ryan's third birthday, you'd never know as yesterday was the big party and Ryan was treated to a room full of balloons when she woke up.  For their weekly pancake sojourn, she was able to pick three of her new friends to bring along for the ride....
As soon as the PPC gets their act together and releases the official party photos, we shall share the big 3rd birthday bash with you all.

Arts and crafts with the Stiffs.....

Craft hour for the girls.....we quickly learned that Reese and paint don't mix.  Unless you and the furniture are covered in head-to-toe protective wrap.  As the resourceful ladies we are, we opted for two work stations.  One for the semi-serious pros, the other for crazy, off-the-wall, loud, hysterical toddlers.
Careers are being formed here people....be a witness to the revolution.
'Cicada' work of art courtesy of Ryan (assisted by mom)
And when painting gets old, we refashion the benches and voila....a cafe/restaurant.  Use your imagination, the girls sure did.  We had coffee being made, waffles being served, you name it.
Happy Friday!

*The  Party Planning Committee is gearing up for the birthday of a certain soon-to-be three year old.  And as president of the PPC, you can rest assured she is all about making sure Sunday is well decorated and goes off without a hitch.  More to come......

**Actual birthday is June 29th but we will be celebrating in style this Sunday while Christopher is still in town, it would really be a shame for him to not witness the PPC in action.

Reese...

in a nutshell

The artist formerly known as Reese....

And like most creative souls, she has a fiesty temper.....after having had enough, she grabbed her trusty Christmas blanket and got the hell out of dodge.

Belated Sunday Spencers Series...

Apparently her bear needed a nap, mid-breakfast
Some reflective thought on Father's Day...
And in a coffee shop across town, this lovely crew celebrated early on Father's Day with papa.

Kick ass dads....

For all you do, have done and ever will do.....we love you all!

When dad does ice cream....

A little different than when mom does it. Read = use of napkins. However, on the eve of all days Father, we'll give him credit for saving a tree or two.

Just cuz...

She is precious and her laugh is so uniquely her own.

Light reading for the summer....

For whatever reason, Ryan is obsessed with my Bill Clinton's 'My Life'.  She calls it her book and when we read in mom's bed and she's allowed to choose one book, what does she choose?  This oh so appropriate children's wonder....
The thing is ginormous. I'm barely a 1/3 of the way through and I think I started it last summer. Now that I have to share? Well, holy hell. Hopefully by 2016 we'll know even more about Bill's life.
Moving on to other light-hearted, children's books....Ryan has also been enjoying 'A Million Little Pieces'. What toddler can't benefit from a little hard core drug therapy.
And just to take her literary prowess up a notch, this is what she came back with when I told her to run into her room, pick one book and bring it back to read...

Sam and his club

Try taking a 3.5 year old, an almost 3 years old, a 15 month old and a 5 week old to Sam's Club.  Throw in a safety czar named Grandpa (you know how many accidents there are every year from stuff falling from those top shelves?) and you've got yourself the makings for a freak show trip to the club de Sam.
Oh yeah, and that ill fitting dress on my beloved Ryan......that was hand made with love. Love trumps the fact that the straps are a tad bit too far apart and the dress itself is a wee bit short. Project #1 complete and go figure, she has actually asked to wear it on more than one occasion. Perhaps sensing my need of reassurance, perhaps as a ploy to endear herself to me so she can get a few more treats.  Either way, I'll take it....