A Touch Of Tyrell

We got invited to a beach BBQ for Memorial Day. There were 5 families total... but you would never know because I only managed to get pictures of Everett. The weather cooperated beautifully and we had a great time. I always love spending time with friends- especially over food! I had really been missing girl's night so it was nice to catch up with my lady friends while the kids (and dads) played in the sand. (Everett trying to win over Ehlanna. I just love the way he is sitting!) And Everett ate about a gallon of sand... but what's new. We went on a bike ride around 5-mile drive once the party was over. It was so beautiful. You basically ride through "rain forest"-see then ocean (Puget Sound)- then ride back into the "rain forest". It's amazing. We stopped at several view points to take pictures. It was pretty scary because right where the grass ends it drops like 100 feet down to the water. There is also...

Everett is quite the character.  Lately, instead of smiling he will just stick his chin out and squint his eyes. It's hilarious. Sometimes he fights his naps like a ninja. His body is always cracking and popping. Practically slides down the stairs now. He’s been a much better eater and sooo much sweeter the last few weeks. He loves to be sung to. His FAVORITE song is Happy Birthday! (I ran out of songs and started singing Happy Birthday a few months ago. He smiles every time. I have a feeling he will like birthdays as much as I do!) New favorite food is Ramen noodles with shredded cheddar cheese. LOVES the Kids Klub at the gym. Still lights up like a Christmas tree when he sees a dog. His pooper works for the most part. He still has some internal problems that we are trying to figure out. He's in love with dirt. Favorite sport: climbing. The stairs, the couch, us... anything he could possibly climb up. Thinks that the tv remote is a toy. He records shows all of the...

Dear Everett, Today is your first birthday and I’ve been on the verge of tears all day. For the past week I’ve been looking through pictures and watching videos of you and a flood of memories and emotions wash over me every time. You were so tiny, I just want to reach through the computer screen and hold you again. I just want to wrap you up and rock you, but those days are long gone. I can still remember bringing you home from the hospital, we drove so slowly. You were so little and we didn’t want anything to hurt you. I wasn’t nervous or scared to bring you home… I just couldn’t wait to raise you and watch you grow. Now you are big enough to make funny faces during dinner and I wonder where the time went. Four seasons have come and gone since you were born. The first year wasn’t easy, you know. It was tough a lot of the time. Dad and I cried, worried, and stressed about you; a few times we even fought. It’s because you are worth crying and fighting over, you are our son and...

This past weekend my 17 year old sister in law called and asked if I would take some prom pictures for her. I took it as a compliment and agreed. A few days later she called and asked me to meet them on Ruston Way (the waterfront) in Tacoma. I knew that she and her date were with a few other couples… so I expected to see a bunch of parents taking pictures of their kids, too. It turns out that I was the only one taking pictures. They had their limo driver take them all of the way out to Tacoma just to take pictures on the waterfront…. And they asked me to do it! I was a little embarrassed because I didn’t realize that my sister-in-law really thought that I was good enough to do a little prom photo shoot. So I did what I could. I think they turned out pretty good given what I had to work with. It was 8 p.m. (so the lighting wasn’t awesome) and there were a few odd couples. One girl asked the boy to the prom and he was a real winner. I asked them to hold hands for the picture a...