Thursday, April 30, 2009

PSU Blue & White Game ~ 2009

Once again, we packed up our Penn State gear and headed to State College, PA for the annual Blue & White Game!

It was a beautiful summer-like day on Saturday, April 25th and over 75,000+ fans, students and alumni showed up for game. The atmosphere in Happy Valley felt like a Fall football game with the parking lots packed with tailgaters and parties galore!


At the end of the game (we arrived just in time to view the second half), Ryan, Chris and Pop-Pop High went down on the field to walk around. Ryan LOVED it!


Future PSU football player? (he is so little that I think maybe just a punter!)


Isn't this picture the cutest?! The famous TUNNEL. Well ok, it's cute except for the bums of the other fans and the profile shot of the random woman...otherwise, I love this photo of Ryan and his Pop-Pop. Their first time walking through The Tunnel together.


Our trip to Beaver Stadium would not have been complete without a family photo at the JoePa statue. Kara had fallen asleep as we walked out of the stadium. She looks so precious in this photo!


Here is our 2008 photo! I thought I'd include this picture to show how much Ryan has grown in the past year....and how much my tummy has shrunk! I was 8 months pregnant in this photo. Now if only I could get these hips (and the tummy!) to shrink some more! haha...


Grandma and Pop-Pop High decided to attend the game this year too. I convinced them that they needed a photo with the JoePa statue...and I think they will agree, it's a great photo!



We spent the remainder of the day doing a little shopping and walking around the campus. Then ended the day with a trip to The Creamery for a yummy treat!


In keeping with a new tradition, I decided to create a montage of the pictures and video taken from our fun-filled day in State College. Enjoy!




Missed my post about our trip to Penn State for the Blue and White Game last year? Click HeRe to view it.


Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Jail Bird

Kara is on the MOVE! She is quick and fearless...

Walking unassisted is just around the corner...

I would love to bottle up her unending energy and use it just to keep up with her and Ryan...

MOMMY. IS. EXHAUSTED.

Here is a video from today showing our jail bird sweet pea doing what she does best....escaping "the pit." (more on the pit later...)


Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Easter Week


Finally our Easter review with LOTS of pictures!

Our Easter weekend was filled with family and travel. We started with a trip down to York for my niece, Madison's Baptism and 1st Communion on Saturday.

Before the service, we had dinner at the Eagles Nest (a beautiful restaurant with a gorgeous panoramic view of York County and excellent food- I recommend the Twin Lemon Chicken) and a lovely visit with my brother-in-law's family. Sadly, we broke our New Year's resolution and were late for dinner...we are getting better though!

Family Dinner before Easter Vigil
(our family is on the left and Zach's family is on the right)

We prepared ourselves for a long service but what we didn't know was that it was going to last 3+ hours! Ryan and Kara did great the first hour but as hour two began, they started to get antsy with sitting still and staying quiet. Thankfully, this church had a cry room and we spent a good portion of that second hour there until it was time for the baptism.

Madison Nicole Woofter Chris stayed with the children while I snuck back into the church and took photos of Madison during her baptism (no flash of course!). I am so proud of my beautiful niece!

By the time Maddie's baptism was over, it was well after 9pm and we still had over an hour drive. So we quietly said our goodbyes and headed home. I was sad that we missed her 1st Communion, but I know she was happy that we were able to stay as long as we did to support her on her special day.


After we got the kiddies to bed, we prepared for Easter morning and another day of travel. Ryan couldn't wait to go to bed because he knew the Easter Bunny would not make a visit until he was fast asleep. Lucky for him, the bunny did stop by and left some goodies for him and Kara!




AND...he left some eggs for Ryan to find the next morning too!

(isn't this microwave adorable?!)



Here's a cute video of Ryan finding the Easter eggs that morning!




This year was extra special because it marked another "Kara's 1st"...




She seemed to really enjoy her gifts...




...but thought the easter grass was quite yummy!



Here's Ryan showing off all the eggs he found and getting ready to check out his gifts too!



His favorite gift was his new TAG book but he thought the easter grass was cool too. Hmmmm....Maybe we should tell the Easter Bunny to leave only "grass" next year!



This picture makes me laugh. Ryan was asking us why the Easter Bunny didn't stay?! He truly was upset that the bunny didn't stick around to have breakfast with him. The things that come out of his precious little mouth these days...Love him!


Kara just being cute and silly...she didn't care that the bunny didn't stick around!



We dressed the kiddies up in their Easter outfits (again!) and headed up North this time to spend the day with Chris' family in Hazleton. It's tradition to celebrate Easter Sunday at Nanie Smith's house each year. Again, we were late but only by a half an hour (big improvement from last year!). After filling our tummies with yummy ham, kabasi, twice baked potatoes, veggies and "the scrambled egg ball" (forget the name!), Ryan got to go on another Egg Hunt!

He is really good at finding eggs!

It should be interesting when we add Kara to the egg hunts next year!

Speaking of Kara...LOOK WHO CAN STAND alone!


Of course, the Easter Bunny also stopped by Grandma's house AND Uncle Paul's house!



Kara thought this adorable "bunny" that Pop-Pop High got her needed a kiss!



Then we tried to get a photo of the two of them in their Easter outfits...


...it's didn't go so well.



Time for another tradition...decorating Easter Eggs! This year Ryan's cousin's, Samantha and Alex joined in the fun and helped Ryan decorate the eggs...


...while Aunt Adrienne spent some time with Cranky Kara. (will this child EVER get over her stranger anxiety?!)



She may have cried a bit for others, but she did think climbing Uncle Mike's back was a lot of fun! But again, he wasn't trying to hold her so I guess that's why we got some smiles and giggles!


I love this picture...such a cutie pie!



Our 2009 Easter Eggs



As we were packing up to leave, I tried to get a photo of the kiddies with Great-Grandma Smith (aka Nanie). I wasn't successful with this group photo either...someone is either looking away OR moving! Oh well...better luck next time.

What better way to end our Easter week, then attending our Community Association Annual Egg Hunt?! Our development hosts an egg hunt each year on the Saturday after Easter. The weather couldn't have been more perfect this year! Usually, it is freezing cold or windy and wet. Last year, Ryan had his winter coat and hat on! This year he got t0 wear short sleeves.

Ryan doing his best Easter Bunny impression! hahah


Here's Kara with the Easter Bunny....I was able to get a picture before she screamed her head off! Sorry Mr. Easter Bunny, it's not you...it's her.



Ryan waiting impatiently for the hunt to start!


Kara's age group was up first. 0-2 years old. I decided to sit her in the grass and surround her with some eggs to see what she would do. Let's just say, it took her a while to warm up to the idea of touching grass, eggs, etc...


Then Ryan's age group started. 3-5 year olds (he moved up this year!). He was so excited to grab as many eggs as he could carry. We were impressed with how he left his bucket in one spot and brought the eggs back to it. Last year, he tried to pick up eggs with the basket in his hand and kept losing eggs in the process.


Then it happened. He cracked one open and saw....CANDY. He was then on a mission to find all the ones filled with candy...


Just a few of my favorite shots from the Egg Hunt...







Until next year...Happy Easter!

Ryan Funnies

Easter post is coming soon...maybe even today! Until then, enjoy another installment of Ryan Funnies....

This morning Ryan wanted to play with his musical instruments. I never turn down an opportunity to create beautiful music with the kiddos! We played and sang a great rendition of ABC's to Kara with the maracas and tambourine. She loved it!

After our mini concert, I was in the kitchen getting a snack ready when Ryan came in to show me something. It was a little plastic annoying horn he had left over from his birthday party. He was upset because the bell part of the horn had broken off. I explained to him that it was time to just throw it away because it couldn't be fixed. This is the conversation that followed:

Ryan: What?! No, mom. Dad can fix it.

Mommy: I don't think even Dad can fix this. We need to just throw it away.

Ryan: MOM! No, Dad CAN fix it. He fixes everything.

Mommy: Oh, ok. I guess we can show Daddy aka Handy Manny when he gets home.

Ryan: Moooom. He is not Handy Manny! He is Daddy. He is Chris.

Mommy: *laughing at this point* Yes, you are correct. Daddy's name is Chris. Do you know what my name is?

Ryan: Yes. It is Mommy Jo.

Mommy: *laughing really hard now* Did you just say my name is Mommy Jo?

Ryan: Yes. Mommy Jo.

Mommy: Do you mean Bobbi-Jo?

Ryan: *sighs* Yes, Mom. You name is Bobbi-Jo. But I like just Mommy, ok?

Mommy: Ok. I think Mommy sounds much better.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Happy 10 Months!

Today I turned 10 months old!

(and you know what that means...Mamarazzi had a photo shoot!)

I've learned a lot in the past month. I can now get up into a sitting position all by myself. I also like to be on my hands and knees and rock back and forth. I can crawl but get frustrated after a little while and do the 'worm' instead!

I surprised everyone the other day when I showed that I am able to pull myself up using my activity table and gate. It's a lot of fun and I practice all the time!

Here. Let me show you how it's done...

First, you need to get close enough to the gate so it's easier to hold onto:

Then grab onto the gate and slowly pull yourself up...

Viola! See how easy that was?

Oh...don't forget to turn and give your mommy a cute face to photograph. She will not only take your picture but she will clap and say, "yay! you are such a big girl!!". It's exciting stuff.

So exciting that you might just drop your nuk. No worries....

....just bend down and pick it back up!

Got it?....piece of cake, right?! Now let's cruise!!

Mommy and Daddy are amazed how strong I've become in the past month. I'm not going to let being petite stop me from doing what I want to do...just check out what I did today!


Crib Chaos! from Bobbi-Jo High on Vimeo.