Happy Birthday Big Ry!!

Big Ry is 22 again... (34 reality years)!!

We celebrated with a little dinner at Red Robin. We are heading down to Jodee's house this weekend for Resurrection Sunday, so tomorrow (Saturday) we'll have another birthday celebration for Big Ry at Jodee's house.


The Ryans. I love this shot of my two guys.



JoJo, Shelly and Casey. Shelly and Casey gave Ry a really nice gift... $75 to Starbucks!! Should last a whole week (smile).


Shelly and JoJo before Casey arrived.



Mariah and Ry



Quinny didn't really care for the bird!!



Quin hanging out with mommy and little bro in the belly.



Mariah got a hold of the camera. Close up of Her and Ry.

Till later... Nic

Quin is a truckin' along...

Well Quinny has been doing well with his school time. He has picked up quickly and is now working with Josiah on phonic blends! Everyone works at their own pace, and our Quin is extremely self motivated. Jo and Quin will join up on a few lessons next week, but here is pics from school time on Tuesday when he finished up on his first level and moved on. I tell ya... he'll be reading by the time he is 4!

Mariah's here!

My little niece from Cali arrived on Saturday. She is looking so grown up. She's 13, so I guess she is all grown up! (smile).

She'll be here for a couple of weeks for a visit. Next week is the Generation Conference at our church, so she'll be going to that too. She came last year and really enjoyed herself. She is such a great little woman of God. She has also helped with the boys too. Praise God!!

Till Later... Nic

Happy Birthday Ayden!

March 1st our youngest little cousin on the Kelly side turned 1 year old. Ayden is Ryan's sister, BreeAnn's son. Since Jodee had a little trip to the hospital the weekend of his previously scheduled party, we all got together last weekend to celebrate. And Jodee was there with bells on!

The party was at Bree's house and all the cousins, aunts, uncles, nanas and papas were there. It was a fun day.

Happy Birthday to you!!

Big Papa K and uncle Keegs had front row seats.

Mmmmm... tasty. Soon after he got into it, but I didn't get shots. He actually was tired and almost fell asleep in the high chair. It was sooo cute!

Right before cake time, he and cousin Quin found a fun toy to share.

Quin lovin on some candy from Big Papa K.

Everyone had a great time... Daisy didn't particulary care for being put outside for the party though. She finally made it back in the house towards the end and refused to go back outside.

Dori Baker

I moved to Stockton California in 1986. It was a great summer... I was freshly double digits (10) and back home from Louisiana after a year with my grandmother Moore. My parents had bought a house on Friar St. (our first purchased home) and had bought all new furniture for all of us. We felt like little princes and princesses.

That summer I met the girl that lived 2 doors down. Her name was Dori Baker. She was a year older than me and made sure I remembered that. She was tall like me, funny and had a great older brother named Frank. We hit it off right away and started to hang out. School year after school year, drama and trauma with friends and through our four eventful summers we remained friends.

I particularly remember our endeavours to make money. From washing cars all over the neighborhood to babysitting... I think we even tried mowing lawns. We had a detective agency one summer even. Can't recall if we ever solved anything. Either way we always seemed to make it down to Tony's Pizza for a calzone or to the grocery store for ice cream.

As time crept by... we eventually went to different schools, made our own friends and my family moved away from Friar St. Though we didn't hang out anymore, we always found a way to bump into one another and catch-up.

After I moved to Washington, I found her on classmates.com.... Yes, that site really works. This was before you had to pay for everything. Come to find out we lived in the same state, she was down in Vancouver. She had married the man of her dreams (JJ) and had a little girl (Haylee). We hooked up for Haylee's birthday and that was the last time we saw each other face to face. Although we did keep in contact through e-mail.

Then 2 weeks ago I received unsettling news that Dori had passed away.

At first I thought... "how unreal" it felt. In my mind, if felt like she was still alive somewhere out there. This was my first childhood friend to go on. She was only 32. It didn't make sense. How could it? Her daughter, husband, parents and brother Frank lost a part of themselves that day.

The same week I found out about Dori, 2 other people that crossed my path went on to be with the Lord. Myles Corrigan from my job here at Northwest and Bro. Archie Harris from my job back at Samuel Hancock/Christ Temple Church. So in the span of 4 days, 3 people were just not here anymore. I really haven't known how to process all of this.

But I know one thing is true... Blessed are they that mourn, for they will be comforted. I've been trying to not think about Dori or any of the people that passed. But the last couple of days I've been thinking about her and how she touched my life. She was somebody special and she touched my life for a season. Taking the time to mourn and honor her life has brought comfort to me.

So this is my memorial for her...

Till later... Nic

Jodee

My lovely mother-in-law Jodee was released from the hospital yesterday! Praise God!!

She went home last night after stopping by the house to visit for a minute. She is walking well and looks good!!

She had surgery on Friday (29th) to treat what they thought was Crohn's disease. Once they got in there, they found a small tumor that had begun to spread to her intestinal areas and small bowel. They removed what they could but the rest is too small and inoperable.

BUT we believe in the word of God that says "By HIS stripes, we were healed" and we are standing on that word for Jodee!!

Till later... Nic

THE DAY HAS COME!!!

February 24, 2008 will be one of those great "memorable" days in our home simply because Quinny stepped over into official big-boy hood!!

Yes... drum roll please. The Kelly house is officially diaper free for the first time in 6 years, 8 months and a few weeks.

And here's the official shot. Yes, I'm positive that I will save this forever to show their wives one day!

Now for all who really care to know...

June 8, 2001 Ry and I became parents and thus entered the diaper filled life. Granted we received so many gifts that year, that I honestly didn't have to buy a pack of diapers or clothes for that matter, till about a week before his first birthday. I know... slap me. I really didn't get that those things impact a budget sooooooooo much till my first kid was one.

Well since that wonderful day in June we have been changing, wiping, running to the store, throwing them away and unfortunately finding misplaced ones EVERY DAY!! Not to mention all the wipes, creams, powders, and Vaseline that goes with the process.

Since we had our boys relatively close together, there really hasn't been a time we were absolutely diaper free. So that is why this day is soooooo great!!

Now for the official baby-book story...

Quinny has been potty training since he was two. Don't gasp... it was just his desire to do what the big boys were doing, so I went along with it. When he turned two he wanted to get on that pot and I let him. He would climb up there by himself and squat straddling the toilet seat. That is why we called him "little spider man". Well he wasn't that dedicated to actually going by himself... and to tell you the truth I wasn't that dedicated myself. However, when he turned 3 I discontinued the diaper and told him to get it together! :-) So Pull-Ups became our friend. Problem was they essentially became a pull on diaper, which I resented. They cost more than a diaper and yet we were throwing them away as frequently. Talk about irritating!!

Well one day in February he ran out of pull-ups and funds just weren't there. We just couldn't go to the store to buy him his pull-ups... I was irritated, but believed God would bring us something. Then it just hit me!! Put his little butt in underwear and "just do it!" I'm sure all the moms out there that did this is rolling their eyes at me right now. But I will tell you, I do work and when I'm home with them, everything else has to get done, so making time to run after a little boy peeing all over the house isn't something I wanted to add to my "to do list".

So officially on Tuesday the 19th he woke up, took off his last used pull-up and donned a pair of undies. He loved it of course. We had tried this a few times over the last year already. He liked the freedom. He had about 4 accidents that day, BUT he also made it about 4 times that day. Working with the babysitter was interesting, so he went through all his undies in his drawer in two days. Night time was fun too. I had to keep making myself get up to take him to the potty. I know... cry me a river... I was tired!!

Well he figured it out and woke up 3 nights in row without an accident and stayed dry for two days in a row without accidents too. So on Sunday morning (the 24th) as we were getting ready for church, I declared Quinny a big boy!! The other boys were excited too and felt they were deserving of all the attention too. So they were all declared big boys together!!

Now that its been a couple of weeks (he has had a few accidents here and there) he has taken complete ownership of his personal duty time. This week I've been particularly happy because I haven't had to make him go poop. He actually came and told me or jumped on there by himself!!! Then this morning he came to my room when he woke up to say he had to go poop. I wanted to cry! Yes, my beautiful little curly head angel is a big boy now.

And of course I had to tell someone about it... (big cheesy smile)

Till later... Nic

March is here...

Well I actually need to update the last part of February, which I'll do once I can get the pictures I took on this computer. I really need a digital camera!!!!

Anyway, March is a fun little month around Casa de Kelly. To me it kicks off spring and the birthday season... Although Technically February does for my side of the family in Cali because Miles, Dad and Celestina all gain a year in Feb. But for our little family here in Kirkland, March is the month of a few things...

1. Ry's softball season begins (technically end of Feb)... honestly this marks the time period I give up my trunk space to the cause of softball and all conversations must somehow end up with some type of softball update/analogy/revelation/hope/exasperation/etc...
2. Ayden's b-day (March 1st)
3. St. Patrick's Day (Major deal for us Irish folks) ... yeah I know I'm not Irish, but my handsome lad of a husband is... so Erin go Bragh!!
4. Daylight savings time... this is major for Ry because he hates to get up early. And since he is already getting up at 5:30... this means a 4:30 feeling for the first month... actually I don't think he ever gets used to it.
5. Big Ry's b-day! (March 20th)... I get to be creative for a birthday gift. This is so much fun for me... not sure if he cares that much, but all the same I like to figure something unusual out.
6. Anniversary of our first proposal (big cheeky smile, March 19th) The first time he asked, though he didn't have a ring...
7. Bree and Dan's Anniversary (March 17th) ... this goes hand in hand with the St. Patty day thing.
8. Resurrection day is in March this year too!!
9. Spring time begins - my favorite season of the year!! With my Ry and my b-day in spring, Resurrection day, school ending and a plethora of family birthdays its usually a fun season.

Really, any reason to celebrate with ice cream and bread pudding from the Ram is valid!! And believe me all 8 reasons will be celebrated!! :-)

Happy March!!

Till Later, Nic

Valentine's Day/Weekend

Thursday was "I love you day" ... as I like to call it. Around here it is low key, with enough cheesiness to get you through the day. The boys made their construction paper hearts and cards for everyone they could think of. Our neighbor friend "Keegan" brought over cookie hearts, which the boys ate up as soon as I would let them. Michelle brought me a bouquet of flowers and Ry and I did the "more effort" hugs and kisses and the day was through. I had class on Thursday night, so homework was a bit of a priority and class didn't get out till 10 PM, so not much time left.

On Saturday, Ry and I did our little "celebration" of love. Nana and Papa Kelly came up to spend some time with the boys while Ry and I spent a whole 8 hours to ourselves! Its been a while since we had that much time alone (while awake). We went to see a play a friend of mine, Roger Wilson, was in called Sense and Sensibility. It was at the Meydenbauer in Bellevue and the tickets were given to me. Great deal!! It was fun and pleasant to see a play again. I forget how close you are to the actors and the feeling of being in a theatre. It was great!

After that we hung out in downtown Bellevue till our 8:30 pm reservations at McCormick and Schmick. It was a nice time to lounge around and talk. We tried to not talk about kids, because that dominates our conversation alot of the time... BUT it was so hard!! I had to think "what did we talk about before kids??" We are natural around one another and since he knows so much already about me, there really isn't much more to share or reveal... But get us in a coffee house and comfy couches and we do just fine.

We did walk around Lincoln square and seen the new swanky bowling alley. I initially thought it would be a great place to hang out for a minute, but it is definately marketed to a different crowed... Think hip, single, child free night club meet mid America entertainment and you get Lucky Strike. It has a dress code... cost about $60/per hour/per person. Interesting place.

We then went to McCormick and Schmicks around 7:50 pm. Let me tell you, the place is crazy busy and in the future we will make reservations days to a week in advance. We got one of the last ones at 8:30 when I called earlier that day at Noon. We were hoping to get seated early, like at 8:00, but we actually got sat right before 8:30, so not a bad wait to me. We were hoping to get in a closed curtain booth, but I assumed they were for people that requested them or paid extra. Not so, when they sat us, we were put in one of those booths and it was the best thing!!

Ry and I could talk without being distracted by people walking by. It was like our own little room in the midst of a noisy restaurant. The food was good. Not extraordinary. I got sliced sirloin atop of mash potatos and Ry got fish atop of rice pilaf. I forget what kind, but it was a white fish. We both got chowder, which was really good to me. We decided to do desert, since it was our special dinner. It was a trio of creme brule, berry cobbler and chocolate bread pudding. All of it was good.

Oh by the way... McCormick and Schmicks has a $20.00 off coupon in the entertainment book. We used it and our final ticket was $48.00. We also had those gift certificates from Costco, where you pay $80.00 for 2 $50 gift cards. So we only used one of those gift cards. So our great little dinner only cost us $40.00... Nice. But it was well worth the original $70 bucks.

All in all it was a fun and relaxing day. Really it was great just being with Ry and not chasing a small child around. With our lives as it is right now, we don't get these opportunities that much, so it is great to do it and know the boys are safe.

Love all of you!!

Nic

Buggy Batman and his side kick Robin

The fun thing about having children is that the simplest things make them happy and in turn fill me with the greatest joy. Josiah got attanae at church a few weeks ago. They are 2 stars, one red the other blue. Nothing big or flashy about them, but the boys have enjoyed them without fail every day. Little Ry was Batman for Harvest time and he has loved that mask since. Well, Ry likes to be buggy Batman and one day last week, Aunt Michelle caught them sitting around and took some pictures.

What I absolutely love about Ry is that he doesn't mind loving on his brothers. Josiah doesn't mind either. I plan to encourage this forever and believe they will always respect their relationship with another enough to hug whenever... yeah I'm a female but I know it can happen. :-)

Buggy Batman finally disconnected the stars... Now he actually has some super powers.