Let's Get Physical!....

Bella is channeling her inner Olivia Newton John this morning.

Getting ready for gymnastics class, we threw on these adorable leg warmers (even better with little crystals on them!) and turned on some music so Bella could shake her groove thing.

She just cracks me up. She was singing and dancing her little heart out, and even showed me how close she was to being able to do the splits! I've really seen how her self confidence and little spirit has come out since starting dance classes and gymnastics classes. She just glows!!

Enjoy the below dance sequence :-) but try to ignore the purple panties sticking out from underneath her leotard...I don't know how to make them stay hidden!

And just to make me smile....here is a picture of my boy right after waking up from his nap. He has his favorite blanket and favorite duck in hand...such a happy little man! Such joy!

A few pictures of Bella at gymnastics are in her Picasa album- just click here and look towards the end of the album: http://picasaweb.google.com/Bri.and.John/LifeOfA3YearOldOctoberToRecent#

Come And Knock On My Door....

"..we've been waiting for you...."

You know you're singing that in your head now ;-) But it's the appropriate welcome song for my new neighbor...my little sister!! Starting in May she will be another resident of the Valley of the Sun. Scottsdale just got a little bit sunnier :) It may not be permanent, but she'll be finishing up her nursing degree here, so that puts her here for at least a few years! Most of you that know my sister and I know that we are 5 1/2 years apart...so that means the last time we lived near each other, I was 17 and she was 11 1/2! That's almost 10 years ago! (Yes, do the math...I'll be 27 soon and I'm not happy about it) So finally, the Riolo sisters reunite.

We found a great apartment for her this weekend, and then went out to celebrate at the same Mexican restaurant John and I went to after buying our house here in Scottsdale. The tradition carries on!!

Love you Em! See you soon neighbor!

Disney On Ice!!

I've mentioned it before....but John and I are most definitely suckers for our kids.

Although we love going out with our friends, hosting dinner parties, going to Suns games, eating out and seeing movies....nothing sounds better to us on a Friday night than surprising our little girl and taking her to see Disney on Ice. When did that happen?

But here we stand, completely and utterly in love with our son and daughter- and so, Disney on Ice has now replaced the usual Friday night outings. But the best part is always seeing the look on their little faces. We took Bella by herself to the show because we see what a great big sister she is...and sometimes she needs alone time with just mom and dad. Bella was enthralled by everything. The lights, costumes and of course...the Princesses. She sat and clapped and waved and laughed the entire time. John and I just laughed watching her laugh. What could be better?

More pictures will be in Bella's album in our Picasa web albums....Easter pictures too.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Bri.and.John

Easter

There is seriously nothing cuter than little kids on Easter Sunday at church.

Running around in little suits, frilly dresses and my favorite- Easter bonnets. My little Prince and Princess were all fresh and clean and in their Easter outfits, ready for church and looking as precious as can be!! We got up early in the morning to do an Easter egg hunt, followed by breakfast together and then off to church as a family. Tyler especially loved the Easter egg hunt because, let's face it- anything that resembles the shape of a ball will get him excited! I tried to get a picture of the two of them together...honestly I tried. But the only one that came out clearly was one of Bella giving poor Ty a choke hold in order to get him to stand still. So here are a few other (separate) pics!

And here's (above) a picture of Bella, Grandma and Papa dyeing Easter eggs the night before. It's a Riolo family tradition to dye eggs and everyone "claim" their own egg for an egg fight the next day! Bella had a blast.....Tyler just wanted to eat them :)

Mystery Fruit....Solved!

After many people giving me ideas as to what fruit might be growing in my yard...we have come to the bottom of our mystery. A bird had started to peck at one, so we picked it and took one look and smell of the fruit inside, and realized it was a passion fruit! We googled it and found that my mystery tree is actually a yellow-rind passion fruit. And they are delicious! You scoop out the sweet center and the rest of the fruits' meat surrounds it. My mom could tell right away that it was a passion fruit after taking one taste. Its so sweet and tropical tasting...like we picked them right out of Hawaii! They are my little pieces of tropical refuge here in the desert ;-)

Reporting For Work Dad....

My boys are twins again!

I worked the night shift last night, so as I slept in the morning, John took Ty with him to run some errands for work. But you can't go out without representing the family company! :-)

Tyler was an honorary employee of AutoMate today. Hey- we've got to start making these kids earn their keep around here, right?!

Like Father, Like Son.

We thought it was kinda funny how Ty looked like John after getting his hair buzzed today.....so John and Ty went off to the gym dressed as twins! :-)

Both have big blue eyes, shaved heads, and matching Jordan basketball gear. Whenever Tyler goes with John to the gym, he stands at the glass window where the Tot Stop looks out onto the basketball court, and he goes nuts when he sees his dad. He's obsessed with basketballs, so he's probably just excited to see those! But as I look at this picture, I can't wait to see him turn into a man like his dad. I love my boys!!

So Fresh and So Clean!

Ty got a much-needed haircut this morning! First a bubble bath, followed by a trip to the barber for a fresh buzz cut...my boy looks so clean and handsome! Now I just have to figure out how to keep his nose from running...his shirts from getting dirty..and how to keep him from trying to eat crayons.

*Sigh* A mom's work is never done!

Best Big Sister.

I have been so proud of Bella lately.

She is really coming into her own as a good "mommy's helper" and fantastic big sister. Now that Ty is in a big boys' bed, Bella goes in his room in the morning when she hears him calling us, and she gets him out of bed and brings him to the couch in the living room. Actually, its more like she pulls him out of bed...poor little guy! But then she gets a cup of juice or milk from the fridge for him and the two of them play together. It's awesome!

This morning Bella even got herself dressed for gymnastics...and picked out her shoes and everything. I didn't do anything to help her- she just did it on her own! When she heard Ty waking up from his nap, she went in and got him, and the two of them sat together on the couch watching cartoons while Ty woke up. I ran to get the camera because this is how I found them....

She's so tender with him, and you can just see how much she loves her little brother. I'm sure someday (when Ty is towering over her!) he will return the favor by being a very kind and protective brother. Boys that want to date Bella will have to go through Ty first!

When Life (or Katherine..) Hands You Lemons...

John's Aunt Katherine lives down the street from us and has the biggest, most productive lemon tree right in her front yard. I love making sweet treats out of fresh fruits, and even better- I love making them with the kids. So today we decided to make some good ol' Old Fashioned Lemonade with a bag of fresh lemons Katherine had given us.

Of course Bella was excited. If it involved squishing things, making a sticky mess and adding cups full of sugar to something.....then count her in!!

She helped with everything, and then proudly brought a glass of her handiwork down to Dad and little brother in the playroom. And surprisingly....it was really good!

Little Miss Lipstick

Bella is obsessed with lipstick.

I keep all my favorite glosses and lipsticks in a small pink satin purse with an embroidered "B" on the front, and Bella knows this. In fact, she told me the other day that the "B" stands for Bella, so these lipsticks must be hers. She knows exactly where I put the little bag, and it takes her about 2 seconds to get it out and search for what color she wants to wear that day.

Last night I gave her and Ty a bath, and as soon as I was finished combing her hair, she bolted to my bathroom and found the beloved lipstick purse. Before I even knew what she was doing, she came out proudly wearing her freshly applied make-up.

John snapped a few pictures of her because we want to remember these moments...and probably show them to her to embarrass her when she's a teenager :-)

But as beautiful as I think my little girl is (and she is!!!), I am just as proud of what a beautiful little girl she is on the inside. Kind, loving and full of joy. I'm just loving these years so much!!

Night Out With the Ladies

Every now and then its nice to get away from work, the kids, the house and the everyday things that keep us so busy. I'm blessed to have a tight-knit clan of girls who know just when we all need a break for the evening! So we got together...left the men at our house (to watch the kids and of course, play poker as usual) and headed out to enjoy the night!

First stop- AZ88 for dinner. Loved the vibe- the decor and the mood in general. Thanks to the good planning by Miss Amanda, we were seated right away on a packed Saturday night crowd.

Next- The W Hotel. John is friends with the owner..so we were treated to VIP service! We felt so special walking right past the ropes and treated as special guests. The Sunset Beach lounge on the pool deck was the perfect atmosphere, with good music, a fun crowd and gorgeous weather....and of course I had the perfect company with me.

Last stop was to wind down the night at Tapino's Wine Kitchen. Too bad we were late and missed our reservation because by the time we got there the kitchen was closed! We settled in for some sparkling wine and then headed home to finally get into more comfortable clothes (and shoes!)

In retrospect- it doesn't matter if its a night of getting all dressed up and going out to fancy places, or if we are just talking around our favorite table at Barnes and Noble like we usually do....I thoroughly enjoy, love and appreciate each of these women. Each one is different and has her own quirks, but we wouldn't have it any other way.

PS. More pics in the Picasa Web Albums... there is a link on the sidebar, and go to Friends and Family album

Little Quote To Make You Smile..

Little Miss Isabella has learned something new and exciting at preschool lately.... The Pledge of Allegiance! She puts both hands over her heart (yes, both hands- I don't know why) and recites it word for word. I don't exactly know how long she's known it...sometimes I learn things about her only when she decides to suddenly share it! But the best part is the ending, and I quote-

"...with 'yiverdy' and justice for all!"

We've made her say it a hundred times and that's exactly how she pronounces it.

"Yiverdy"

Just makes me laugh.

What A Little Ladies Man

The handsome yet menacing smirk...the sparking blue eyes, the tough manly motorbike...

yes- he is ALL boy.

I had to post this picture because it made me smile at what an adorable little boy he is becoming. He's sweet and kisses me in the mornings...he loves being read to on my lap and he has dimples to die for. But he is also becoming a rough-and-tumble little boy who finds great joy is destroying his sister's block castles and splashing his hand in the toilet water.

And as evidenced in this picture- ...yes, he's also the kind of daring boy who rides his motorcycle with no pants on.

:-)

Mystery Fruit

Can anyone tell me what the heck these are??

Last spring I noticed a small tree on the side of our house was producing some fruit. I cut one open but it was still green an unripe, so I couldn't tell what it was. It had tons of little seeds in the middle- kind of like a kiwi or some tropical fruit of some sort. But before they could fully ripen, our gardeners accidentally trimmed the tree back and they were gone!

So finally its spring again, and my mystery fruit are beginning to appear! They are still small and hard, so I'll keep checking on them as they ripen. Hopefully I can get to the bottom of this mystery tree.

Here are a few pieces of information that could help-

* It blooms small white flowers

*It only blooms in the Spring

* It doesn't lose its leaves in the winter
* It grows next to our grapefruit and lemon/lime hybrid tree (I call those limons!)

Let me know if you can help me figure it out!

Also, here's a pretty picture of my new Hibiscus that bloomed :)

A Little Housekeeping...

So just a few tidbits around the blog lately.....

First a big shout-out to the new blogs on the block! A couple more people haven fallen victim to the blogging addiction, so see my list on the sidebar and check them out! The latest additions are:

*Robinson Family

*Knudtson Family (Kayla, did I spell your last name right?)

*Kristy Heinrichs

*Wiley Family

*Terveen Family

Also, I added a list on the sidebar of the most recent books I have just finished, or are currently reading. If it weren't for my faithful girls' group ...I don't know if I would haven been so dedicated to reading all of those!

Lastly, here's a fun little activity that I've seen before on other blogs.....

Take a look at the picture below. It was taken at Nana's house at Thanksgiving this past year. The look on Ty's face and on the face of his cousin David is hilarious. The picture itself is totally out of focus and dark, but you can still see their expressions.

So the game is- make a funny caption, quote or story to go with this picture. Email me (brianderson24@gmail.com) or just leave a comment, and the person with the best caption wins! Have fun!

(you might be able to click on the picture to enlarge it an see it in all its glory)

Picture Day!

So today is picture day at school, and Bella was very excited to put on her favorite "Minnie Mouse dress" (that's what she calls it because Minnie wears pink with polka-dots). We even found a matching ribbon that was perfect for her hair. But this time, I made her practice her smile before going to school because last years' picture day.....let's just say we will always look at it in her photo albums and laugh. It's one of those hilarious pictures that will one day end up in an embarrassing photo montage at her wedding :-)

Anyway, so here is my little model- trying out new poses, pouts and smiles for the camera. She's simply gorgeous, and I am ever so grateful and honored to have the privilege of being her mom.

Hopefully this years' picture day turns out better!!

They Really Do Love Each Other!

Just a quick story that I had to post because it just melted my heart!

Ty and Bella were busy chasing each other and playing in the playroom this morning while I was drinking my coffee and cleaning up the kitchen. Bella came running in to inform me that "Tyler stinks like poop". So I followed Bella back to the playroom to get Tyler and go change his diaper. As I scooped him up and we headed down the hall to his room, he waves to his sister and calls out,

"Bye Bayah!" (His way of saying Bella)

over and over again! At first I thought he was just talking in his baby babble. But he kept repeating it and it became clear that he was definitely saying "Bye Bayah!" So I pointed to Bella and asked him, "Tyler, who's that?" and he smiled and said "Bayah!!"

**Melt**

They were smiling at each other and I could have just melted on the spot. I was so proud that Tyler could now say her name- and even better, have such joy and love for her. Its naive to think they will always enjoy each other this much. But I'm going to enjoy it today!

Playdate......for kids or moms? ;-)

This morning my girlfriends Heather & Heather came over for a play date with the babies.Which actually translates to us eating danishes and having coffee while chatting about the important things in life...like the latest articles in Us Weekly.....just being honest ;-)

Reese, Allie and Tyler actually posed for a picture for us! And let me just say, Ty and Allie were having a full on love-fest today. They hugged and kissed...and later (when I figure out how), I will post a hilarious video of the two of them playing....you just have to see it to understand how hard we were laughing.

Anyway, I just love mornings like these. Spending time with these wonderful women in my life that mean so much to me. Its really been an honor to be able to all share with each other our lives, and watch each other have babies and grow together.

And quickly- for the record-

Yes, I know Ty looks lanky and skinny.

Yes, I feed him (ALL day!)

I just can't understand why he barely gains weight. But for further explanation..simply look at his dad. Like father like son :)

PS- Stay tuned for the video!

All By Myself!!!

Oh those dreaded three words.

I remember when Bella started asserting her independence more and more...it taught me to learn how and when to pick my battles with her. You just can't win every battle with a toddler!! Now, it's Tyler's turn.

Today was the first time he absolutely refused to let me feed him his yogurt. Usually, he takes a spoon and plays with it as I scoops spoonfuls into his mouth- but today, he wanted to fly solo! He screamed and pulled away until finally I gave in and gave him the spoon and let him have at it. He was sooooo happy to dig into his yogurt cup; and I was pleasantly surprised that he did an awesome job! Now that he wants to use his own spoon....what's next? Tucking himself into bed? Dressing himself?......Driving the car?! I'm in total denial that my little boy is getting bigger every day. So nobody remind me that it's happening.

I like living in my little world of denial :-)