Reese's Pieces

Grandma Reese

2008-08-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of Ryan's Grandma with Izzy, because Izzy is just sprawled out and all comfy. Grandma Reese is so sweet and loving to all of us! We are so lucky to have her!

Izzy!

2008-08-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

I had to take these pictures of Isabelle because we were having so much fun playing in her room today!! She is getting so big! I feel so blessed to be able to stay home and spend almost every single moment with her!! I don't want to miss anything! She is seriously my little buddy. This is the cute outfit Ryan picked out for her in Park City when we stopped at the outlets on our way home from the Cabin.

The Cabin

2008-08-22T21:51:00.000-07:00

While my fam was here visiting, we took a little trip up to my parent's cabin. Kids running around with beebe-guns, babies hanging out, everyone playing games... It was tons of fun! Everyone spread out to sleep in the cabin, but Ryan and I decided to spare everyone else of Isabelle's wonderful sleeping habits, so the three of us camped out in the back of Shawn and Susan's car. I wish I had a picture- we made the comfiest bed ever and had a fun family sleepover. Izzy actually slept pretty well, but I was sure that I was going to wake up to a moose staring in the window!! (We survived moose-free.) I love the cabin... we always make such fun memories there and it was (as always) a great time up there!!

My favorite is the picture of Brooklyn with the babies... "which is the real baby??" Haha Troy is always up to something.

Girls Love Shoes!!

2008-08-01T01:57:00.000-07:00

I am pretty sure my daughter already has more shoes than I do. It is so fun to have a girl!! Everything is cute and fancy! Besides the fact that everything is cuter when it's small; I love travel size and mini things... So of course we can't live without teeny-tiny shoes!

Grandma surprised us by sneaking these on while Isabelle was sleeping. When she woke up, I couldn't figure out where they came from. They are so darling... they fit perfectly and match everything!! Thanks, mom!

When I saw these cowboy boots, I HAD to get them in honor of Leo. He's my little buddy that I tended and he wore cowboy boots every single day. He would wear them with jeans, sweats, shorts, whatever! He is the funniest little guy, and I hope Isabelle is spunky just like him!

Shopping Trip!

2008-08-01T01:53:00.000-07:00

Today Sally and I took the girls up to park city to go shopping. They both did so great. oh and PS, Sally and I had fun too. It's fun to hang out with people that have babies the same age because you both have to take changing breaks, feeding breaks, and you're just generally slow at everything... and it's just fine.

Izzy's First Date!

2008-08-01T01:51:00.000-07:00

Tonight we were able to go out to dinner with our friends that had a baby boy just a couple weeks after Izzy was born. I teased Izzy that it was her first date. We all know that won't really happen for about twenty-five years if her dad has anything to do with it!!

Cade and Izzy... how cute! (And let's all notice that for once it's not Izzy screaming in the picture... that's a change!)

This picture makes me laugh because it looks like Russ and Ryan are going on a date! Lucky for us, they decided to take Chelsea and I, and we had lots of fun. Isabelle was amazing- she was so good during dinner, and really happy all night. Cade is such a cute little guy, she was probably trying to impress him :). It was so nice to get out and feel like real people again! We love hanging out with the Murphy's they are always fun and despite the super mean waitress, Russ still managed to charm the cook/owner with his accent and knowledge of yummy bbq food.

Happy Pioneer Day

2008-07-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

Izzy and Linc got to celebrate their first pioneer day! They had lots of fun. We had a BBQ at my parents house and did fireworks. Here's a picture of me and Jody with the babies. It was a really fun day!

As you can see, Lincoln and Isabelle are kind of opposites. He's a super mellow little fellow and Izzy is well, ...she's Izzy! We love them both!

Here's a shot of everyone watching fireworks. We had a great firework display, thanks Dad!

Here's my Dad and Melissa after their water fight. Grandkids get away with everything... including dumping a bucket of water on their Grandpa!!

Happy Pioneer Day

2008-07-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

The day before the parade, you can go view the floats at the expo center. We've never done it before, but I went this year with some of my family and it was so much fun! The floats are totally overwhelming when you see them up close. It makes you appreciate all the time and effort that goes into making them. Also, they had these amazing face-painters (is that what you'd call them??) there. I kind of wanted mine painted too, but I guess they don't do adults!! Megan and Melissa's were both really cool...

This is a pirate float for Linc... it was his favorite.

Linc, Jody, My Dad, Megan, My Mom, Izzy, and Melissa. It's important to notice Melissa in this picture. #1 She is so cooperative when taking pictures #2 She is ADDICTED to crystal light packets in her water... she is drinking it constantly!!

After we were done voting for our favorites, we went to Crown Burger. The day was super-fun and I think it will have to be a tradition. ooh... I just realized next year we can get Izzy's face painted!!

yay for neices

2008-07-15T18:24:00.000-07:00

This summer, Megan and Melissa got to come stay all by themselves for a while before the rest of their family joins them. They have been wanting to come, so my parents suprised them by picking them up and bringing them back to Utah. I am so excited to hang out with them- I only wish their parents would let them stay ALL summer!! They really are so much fun!!

Every so often we get together with my aunt and cousins for "lunch" which usually lasts all day... it's so much fun! I'm so glad Megan and Melissa were able to come! Jen and Shanan decorated the tables so cute and then we all could take the pretzels home with us.

We stopped by Daybreak Lake on the way home. We walked around and took lots of pictures... it was super fun!

We were able to go swimming at Ryan's Grandpa's pool with Kim and her kids. Melissa was hilarious... she put on every single floatie thing she could find then jumped off the diving board.

Ooooh, pretty. We found the coolest store in the mall, EVER! It had tons of makeup and you could try on whatever you wanted. Obviously, we tried on pretty much everything we could find! It was so, so much fun! Oh yea, they sold jewlery, too so we each got a necklace that matched out makeup-color-scheme. It was hilarious noticing all the looks we got on our way out of the mall!

Izzy's First 4th of July

2008-07-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July, everyone!! That's what Izzy is trying to say. What a cutie in her patriotic gear.

What would the holiday be without a little sickness?? Poor Izzy has impetigo. That's okay though- she's still up for posing for pictures!

Ryan's parents gave Izzy a cute 4th of July shirt and socks. They stopped by to say hi and help set up the tent for Sunday. Eva even said she's sleep over Saturday night to help get things ready. I just want to know how in the world I used to get so much done!! Now I can take care of Izzy and that's pretty much it. Oh well, that's more fun anyways!

Stockhams!

2008-07-02T23:14:00.000-07:00

Wow, time flies when you're having fun! I have been sitting here trying to think of how long I have been working for this amazing family, and I cannot even remember. (btw, can you even call it "work" really??) I know that I've been working for them regularly since about a year after Ryan and I got married, but I babysat for them on and off since before Ryan and I even met, so it's been a long time! I have just been cracking up thinking of random memories I have with them. I have had so much fun with these guys and learned so much from them- they really are family to me. I know they are going to have such an amazing time, but I'm going to miss them!! I think it's just really hard to see this chapter of my life come to a close. I am so grateful that the Stockham's took time out of their super busy schedule to come visit us and say goodbye! I am so glad that they all got to meet Isabelle! They have been so incredibly supportive through all of the baby stuff (including the most amazing baby shower, visits to the hospital, yummy food, surprises on my doorstep, the list goes on and on, oh yea; not to mention how super patient they were with me throughout the whole pregnancy- being paranoid, sick, etc... they really are nothing short of amazing.) I am so sad to say goodbye to this family, seriously... they are the best!!

I will never forget, the day I told the kids I was pregnant (well actually I guess the day I confirmed that I was pregnant, since I had only told Leo and he spilled the beans to everyone else in Lake Powell!) Sadie and Thomas each immediately made me a list of baby names. I have them in Izzy's baby book! And every day when we would lay down for Leo's nap (talk about a job perk while you're pregnant :)) he would ask "your baby come out now?" They are such great kids, I can only hope Isabelle will be as smart, sassy, charming, smart, funny and adventurous as them!!

My Sleepy Baby

2008-06-18T01:55:00.000-07:00

Because of her acid reflux, Isabelle has a hard time sleeping. She has a hard time getting settled and staying asleep. She does a little bit better in her carseat, because it's so upright. I couldn't resist taking these pictures because she was finally so exhausted she was totally out and snoring a little bit... how cute!!

No matter what I do, she manages to wiggle her little toes out. I think she has the cutest, softest feet in the whole world. I love to rub them and kiss each little toe. She is such a miracle to me, and I don't think I'll ever get over how amazing she is!

Happy Father's Day!!

2008-06-15T22:54:00.000-07:00

On Father's day, Isabelle and I got up early to make Ryan breakfast in bed. We were so excited for his first official Father's Day!

Ryan is such a good Daddy to Isabelle. Even though she's screaming in this picture, I promise she loves him very much! He is so sweet with her and I love seeing this protective daddy side of him! I am so grateful that he works so hard so that I can stay home with Isabelle. I love being able to take care of her everyday... thanks Ryan! We love you!!

I just wanted to also say how grateful I am for our dads. My dad is such a cute Grandpa. Isabelle is so lucky to have him! I am so glad that even after thirteen grandkids, he is so excited to see her and play with her. He even got her to stick her tounge out at him!! He's always been an amazing dad- the kind of dad that knows how to do everything. He takes good care of us and I'm so grateful for him and love him tons!

Isabelle is lucky to have another Grandpa who also loves her very much!! Ryan's dad is so cute with her. He always wants his turn to hold her and play with her. He has always been so nice to me, too. He has always been so welcoming and he's the kind of father-in-law that you can always joke and tease with. We're so grateful for him and love him very much!

Happy Fathers Day!!

Alder's Picnic

2008-06-12T23:03:00.000-07:00

Every year Ryan's work has a picnic during the Summer. It's especially fun because he works with family, so we get to hang out with his brother and cousins. We were excited to take Isabelle to meet everyone, but nervous that she would scream the whole time. Well, she did great! She was happy and sleepy the whole time.

Isabelle getting ready before the picnic... I love bath time pictures!!

Alex, Cory (with Isabelle), and Ryan

Little Luke giving Izzy a kiss

The bow looks cuter on Izzy, sorry Alex!

You know you're a mom when...

2008-06-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's right... that is poop on my leg. It's from a poop/sneeze. It's one of Isabelle's best tricks.

Isabelle's First Vacation!

2008-06-09T01:45:00.000-07:00

Isabelle went on her very first trip... We went down to St. George with some friends. It was so nice for all of us to get away! Ryan had lots of fun helping Mark plant palm trees (he even has scars to prove it!) while us girls went shopping! Isabelle did great on her first shopping trip. Amanda did great shoved in the back of the car on the way there, too! Isabelle loved the warm weather... she took naps in her stroller parked in the shade while we swam and layed out. It was such a fun trip!!

Thorson Lincoln

2008-06-03T14:45:00.000-07:00

Isabelle has a new cousin!! After a full day of labor, followed by two hours of pushing, and then a c-section... my sister Jody had her baby!! Poor girl- what a hard delivery, but I'm sure she'd tell anyone that it was worth it... he could not be cuter!! They named him Thorson Lincoln Wixom. I love him so much already! I really wish they'd call him Thor (how cool is that name???) but they are going to call him Lincoln. That's a cute name too, so I'm ok with it... not that it really matters what I think, I know. Anyways, I am so grateful to have such a wonderful sister, it has been so fun sharing the pregnancy experience, and now the newborn baby experience with her!! I am so excited for these two kiddos to grow up together!! Five weeks seems like a big difference in right now, but really that is such a close age! I can just imagine all the fun things they'll do growing up together!

T-Linc and Izzy... buddies already!

Look at all that hair... what a cutie!!

The proud parents with their sweet boy

We are so excited for Jody and Troy! I'm so grateful he's here and healthy and that Jody's doing good as well. Babies are such blessings. Yay for cousins!!

One Month Old!!

2008-05-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Isabelle is one month old!! She is so cute and so much fun! My sister just got a new camera, so we were trying our best at being photographers. We took about two hundred pictures and these are the four that she wasn't screaming in... no, not really... She did cry a lot, but that's just our Isabelle! My mom was worried Izzy was getting cold, and Jody and I were doing our best at being artistic... the whole ordeal was hilarious!! Isabelle is allready learning at a young age that she is going to have to be patient with me!!

Maycee Jane

2008-05-22T14:28:00.000-07:00

Isabelle has a new best friend!! My friend Sally had her baby... Maycee Jane Anderson on May 21st. I am so excited for these girls to grow up together! I can only hope they can have as much fun together as Sally and I have... without causing as much trouble :)

Here's the girls all together! Sally is such a cute mom! We were able to see her right after she had the baby and it was so fun. Thank goodness for Marin or I could never have made it to visit Sally! Poor Marin had to carry Izzy for me and I'm sure that the car seat weighs as much as Marin does!! Just wait until Marin has a little one come along and then the the kids will really cause havoc together! Congrats Sally and KC... we love you!

Happy Mother's Day!!

2008-05-12T17:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all you Mom's out there. What a great chance to celebrate the women who mean the most to us!!

This is a picture of my mom with Isabelle. She is such a great mom and Grandma! I am so grateful for my mom, she's the best! She is always helping me with something, and especially since Izzy was born- she has totally put her life on hold to be with us. My mom and I have always been super close and I love spending time with her! She's so much fun and I love her tons!

This is a picture of another great mom in our lives. This is Ryan's mom with Isabelle. She is so excited about being a grandma and is so sweet to Izzy! She's so good to us and we love her tons!

I am so grateful to have Isabelle in my life and that she made me a mom!! She is so amazing and I love her so much. We had such a great day together- Ryan got us out of the house for the first time and I think we all needed it. I will always remember my first mother's day!

Izzy!!

2008-05-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

Our little girl... she is so precious to us!! This is her hanging out in the hospital. It is so hard to see your little baby like this!! I just hated all of the poke-marks all over her body from all the needles! I wanted to hold her all the time but it depended on the nurse... some let us hold her and some wouldn't. But even when we could hold her it was only for a couple minutes so they could keep monitoring her and so that she could use all of her energy to get better! So most of the time we just would sit right next to her and stare at her, wondering how lucky we were to have her!! They never let her have a real full-on bath, so one night Ryan and a super nice nurse snuck and cleaned her up a little. And yes, they did try and give Izzy a fo-hawk!

This is one of the times I got to hold Isabelle. I was so scared that Isabelle wouldn't be bonded to me because I didn't get to be with her after she was born. I didn't get to see her until about eight hours after she was born, and didn't get to hold her until the next day-- let me tell you, that is the most heartbreaking thing for a mom!! Well I shouldn't have worried because the first time I held her, I started talking to her and she opened her eyes and just looked right up at me! My heart melted... I just started crying because I knew that my baby knew me!!

Here's Isabelle (exhausted from getting dressed for the first time!) She's six days old and getting ready to go home from the hospital... Finally!

Ahhh... it feels good to be home! I'm pretty sure we all felt like this when we got home... Ryan was so sick of being cooped up in that Hospital he was about to go crazy!! I, on the other hand, was pretty nervous to leave all of the machines and nurses that had been monitoring my baby. I really wanted to take some of them home with me! I missed them so much in fact, that the first night home (at 2am) we had to make a trip back to the hospital to see one of our favorite nurses... Izzy was giving me a little scare, by turning blue, so we ran her over. It wasn't anything serious, but we are sure glad we'd made friends with the NICU nurses! We are so grateful for all the people that helped us with Isabelle... nurses, doctors, and especially family and friends. We are so grateful for a happy and healthy baby- we feel so blessed that everything is working out well and that Isabelle has overcome her rough start! She is such a joy in our lives and we feel lucky every day to have her!!

She is finally here!!!

2008-05-05T22:56:00.001-07:00

Okay...so this is Caryn's friend, Abbey, posting this...but Caryn and Ryan wanted to give everyone a little update on the baby.

Isabelle Blanche Reese was born Monday, April 28th. She weighed 6 lbs. 11 oz. and was 19 inches long. The delivery was a hard one. At first they found out that the baby was breech and had to make the decison to do a C-section. It actually turned out to be a huge blessing that a C-section was done because when they got in there to get the baby they found out that the cord was wrapped around her neck and body. The doctor later told Ryan that he only sees 2 or 3 babies a year with the cord as tight as it was. So the baby had to be put into Intensive Care on a all sorts of machines to help her. Ryan was such a good daddy and he barely left her side for three days. There was also some concern about Isabelle's red blood cells that the doctors were watching closely. Isabelle stayed in NICU until Saturday afternoon, when Caryn and Ryan got to try having her in a room with them to see how she did... a NICU nurse would come in every hour to check on them. After they could see she was stable, Isabelle was able to come home Sunday afternoon. She is doing so much better and Caryn and Ryan are so glad to have her home. Because of the stressful delivery and other issues, Isabelle's little immune system is very weak right now, so she probably will not be making any appearances for a few weeks. But Caryn and Ryan wanted to thank everyone for all their love and support and look forward to seeing you soon and showing off the little one...but in the meantime enjoy a few photos!

Tagged!

2008-04-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

All about ME...with pictures!
I love this, I thought it was fun! I know I have other tags to do and I promise I will do them. For this one, you type your answer into Google images and choose the first picture that comes up!

Age on my next birthday:

28... I am getting old!

A place I'd like to travel:

Who DOESN"T want to go to Hawaii, with all this crappy weather!!!

A favorite place:

My Doctor's Office! (and to clarify... it's just right now, not all the time!) This stage of pregnancy is so fun... going everyweek to see if this baby is ready to be born yet!!

One of my favorite things:

Slurpees...And lucky for me, Leo (the little boy I tend) loves them just as much as I do! We can come up with a good excuse almost every day to go get one! And he mixes all the flavors just like me!!

My favorite food:

Spaghetti... I could eat it everyday!

My favorite flower:

Ranunculus... and just so you know, I didn't know how to spell it until today :)

My favorite color:

Purple- and at one time I even had purple hair.

What city do I live in:

Herriman, Utah.

Name of my last pet:

I'm not sure exactly what "last pet" means... so we'll go with the last pet added to our family, which is our plastic goldfish, Gertrude. I wanted a real one, but I fiqured it would either freeze (since the bowl is in the bay window) or there was a good chance Baxter would eat it. So we got a fake... she's cute and no mess! (PS this picture of "Gertrude" is exactly why Ryan vetoed the name for our baby, I think!!)

A nickname I have had:

Carebear! (That one is much better than Slow!)

My college major: Does a General Studies Associates Degree from SLCC count???

My first job:I worked at Jamsey... a kiosk in Cottonwood Mall. It was all t-shirts and once they had me miss school to work- hello, I was 15!

A hope for 2008: That the Ute's do well so that I will have a happy husband!!

I am going to tag anyone that still looks at my blog, considering I haven't posted for two months!! (Thanks Lindsey for making me post!!) Have Fun!

Welcome Home Alex!!

2008-02-09T11:55:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to have Ryan's little brother Alex home from his mission in Spain!

Three Months to Go!!!

2008-02-08T22:30:00.000-08:00

Time is going so quickly... we can't believe our baby girl is due in less than three months! We just got out maternity photo's back and are so excited about them! My friend Abby took them... she is so amazingly talented!! She owns her own photography business and she did such a wonderful job! She had so many great ideas and captured tons of great shots! These are a few of our favorites, and you can see the rest on her website at: http://www.akstudio.typepad.com/

If anyone's considering doing maternity photos, do it for sure! It was a blast, and this way we'll never forget how huge my tummy was (Plus, I would recommend Abby to anyone, she really is amazing!)

Tagged- all about my husband!

2008-01-27T00:46:00.000-08:00

What is his name? Ryan Erik Reese
How long have you been together? Five Years , Married Four Years!
How long did you date? 1 Year (Almost Exactly)
How old is he? Too young to be bald, poor guy!
Who eats more? That is a sensitive question right now, considering my pregnant state.
Who said I love you first? Ryan
Who is taller? Ryan (by an entire inch...which means nothing once you put shoes on because girls shoes always have bigger soles!)
Who can sing better? Ryan, and you should hear him make up his own lyrics, it's hilarious!
Who is smarter? Ryan... plus he is good at absolutely everything he does!
Who does the laundry? Me, I'm pretty sure he does not know how to turn on the washer or dryer.
Who pays the bills? Me, but he earns the money :)
Who sleeps on the right side? Me. But when the baby's born we'll switch because the cradle fits on the other side... it's going to be a big change!
Who mows the lawn? He does - it's his favorite!
Who cooks dinner? I don't know if the word "cook" really applies, but I guess it would be me.
Who drives? Ryan!
Who is more stubborn? Ryan... after the first year of marriage, I learned it's easier to just give in!
Who kissed who first? He kissed me first... on the cheek, how cute. Then for real on our next date.
Who asked who out first? He asked me out first.
Who proposed? He did. We had talked about getting married, but never looked at rings or anything so I was VERY surprised, and VERY happy when he poppped the question.
Who has more friends? We pretty much have the same friends. I steal his.
Who is more sensitive? 100% me
Who has more siblings? Me
Who wears the pants? Ryan!! But he told me once that I wear the capri's...

I tag Trisha, Kalli, and Abby... have fun!

Top Ten Holiday Moments

2008-01-03T21:04:00.000-08:00

Alright, I will start by admitting that I am really bad at this whole blog thing. Next, I would like to ask where December went??? I swear by the time all the Holidays are over; it never ceases to amaze me how quickly it all went by! We really enjoyed all of the festivities, traditions, and fun! We feel so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends to share those times with!! Here is our top ten list of our most enjoyable Holiday moments…

#10: Our (sort-of) Annual Christmas Date!!
Our little group tries to go out every year for Christmas, I think. Except the only other picture I could find was from 2002, and Sally wasn’t even there.. sorry Sally! (This counts as my formal apology, btw) ...Maybe we’ve just been bad at pictures.

#9: Making Christmas Cookies with my Mom!!

We had so much fun making cookies and fudge. I think we went cross-eyed decorating so many cookies. In fact, we were so busy; we forgot to take any pictures!!! So this is a picture of my sister, me, and my Mom at a fun lunch outing right before Christmas (that could count as #9, too... so many fun things!)

#8: Two fun Christmas Concerts!!

We were able to attend the choir concert with Ryan’s parents and a Peter Brienholt concert with his family. Both were lots of fun!! (And our baby totally kicks to the music, so we know she enjoyed them too!)

#7: Ryan in his Fancy Christmas Sweater (AND snowflake turtleneck)!!

He didn’t even win the contest… can you believe it??

#6: My Niece Whitney’s Christmas Songs!!

She prepared a whole performance (with props) for our family… how cute!! And yes, all she wanted for Christmas were her "two front teeth"!!

#5: The Most Handsome Santa I’ve EVER Seen!!

He almost gagged on his beard, but was quite jolly nevertheless!! This year Christmas Eve was at Kirk’s house and it was so much fun!

#4: Derek’s Great Gift Giving!!
He picked out an outfit (with matching shoes), onesies, and a swing for our little baby!! How sweet! I wouldn't have guessed he even knew what a onesie was!!

#3: A Tijuana-Inspired Christmas!!

We had a little help from the “Mexican Santa” this year…Thank goodness the Utes went to San Diego for their Bowl Game!!

#2: Christmas Brunch at my Parents!!

I was sick Christmas Eve and almost started crying thinking that I was going to miss out on Egg Breakfast… Thankfully I got better!!! And I think Ryan enjoyed his new U helmet even more than the Egg Breakfast!

#1: Christmas Morning with our Dogs!!

I promise, they really do get excited to open their gifts on Christmas!!

Most of all we are grateful for all the fun time spent surrounded by family and friends. We loved being able to talk to Ryan's brother Alex who is on a Mission in Spain. We look forward to him coming home in February! We hope you all had a great Holiday Season!

RYAN vs. THE FENCE

2007-12-09T12:54:00.001-08:00

The Fence Won.

Ryan found a big rock in our driveway (it actually happens a lot – which makes him convinced someone is doing it on purpose!)

Anyway, he thought "I can't leave that… Caryn will run over it and ruin the car somehow"

So he picks up the rock, looks at it for a minute and thinks, "Yeah, I can make it."

SIDENOTE: Those of you who have been to our house know the distance between driveway and Fence is not too short… any normal person would probably set the rock in the gutter.

No, not Ryan… he did a total shot-put throw (yea, I said a shot-put throw) and yep, it went right through the fence.

After I got done laughing, I had to take a picture for evidence. I can defend myself next time I do something dumb – or the next few times!