Today's the Big Day!

We're ready to meet out newest family member, Duncan Rick Baguma Neill! Flying into Wichita all the way from Uganda today! Jordan cannot wait to meet her new COUSIN!

Rylie at Two

Happy 2nd Birthday to my baby girl! Rylie, you have been a source of joy and happiness in our family since the day that you were born! We are so blessed to get to be your parents. We pray that you will soon know the true source of joy by one day asking Jesus into your heart. Here are some things that I want to remember about you at age two:

*You are more attached than ever to your blanket. Now you insist on sleeping with your baby, too.

*You still suck on your two middle fingers when you are relaxing or sleeping.

*You LOVE to have fun! We predicted your orneriness a long time ago, and you haven't let us down!

*Did I mention that you love babies? You especially love to push them around in the stroller.

*You are at the stage of wanting to do everything yourself. Right now, with anything that buckles (like your car seat), you say, "I do it! I do it! I do it!"

*You like to sleep in much later than your sister. It takes you a LONG time to fully wake up and be ready for the day. Sometimes, when you think I'm coming into your room too early, you yell, "no, no, no!" because you'd rather just lay in bed for a while! You also love to keep your pajamas on and get upset when I have to take them off to get you dressed in the mornings.

*You are very much into movies. You grab your cup, blanket, and baby and climb on the couch and say, "watch movie, watch movie."

*You are getting good at playing hide and seek with your sister. You find a little hiding spot (often where mommy or Jordan are hiding!) and sit so still and quiet until you are found, and then you shriek with joy!

*You talk ALL THE TIME! You can say pretty much any word, but we're not always good at understanding your dialect:)

*You have not started potty training yet, though a couple of times you've asked to sit on the toilet to go poopy. Instead, you tooted and thought that was hilarious!

*You are a problem-solver and, unlike your sister, will try anything without fear of failing or messing up.

*You LOVE your big sister. You would follow Jordan anywhere or do anything she does. But, you also have a mind of your own and stick up for yourself very well.

*You practice, over and over and over, jumping off things, like the bottom step. It's so cute to watch you do it. You say, "I dumping, I dumping!...I did it! I did it!"

*You are still a mommy's girl! You're at a stage where you are very attached to me, so I'm glad it's summer so I can spend all the time I want with you!

More Birthday Pics

We had a fun time with cousins and friends!

Calvin and all his bling!
It is hard to get a picture of Rylie smiling. When the camera comes out, she usually refuses to smile. But I got a little candid picture with her lotion!
Kail and Ellie came to celebrate, too.
Sitting at the new kids table.

Running through the obstacle course.




Even Rylie did it!
Justin bought silly string for all the kids...our girls did not like this game!

Rylie's 2nd Birthday Party

This year, we decided to keep it small for Rylie's birthday. Family and a few friends helped us celebrate and it was a lot of fun. Here are a few pics. I'll get some more posted soon.

Drawing People

This picture makes me laugh! This is Jordan's version of Rylie. Guess what that pink thing is sticking up out of her head?

...it's her ponytail! Don't ask me what that circle thing is off to the right; I don't have a clue!

Happy Mother's Day to My Mom

Happy Mother's Day Mom! I know everyone says they have the best mom in the world. But, I think those people have it completely wrong...because there can only be one best mom, and that's mine! Mom, you are the shining example of selfless love and sacrifice. You worked full time to provide for our family, yet you never missed one of my hundreds of ball games or any of my 4-H events. Even when I played softball for another school and only got to play in three of the 15 or 20 games, you did not miss any of them. I may not have ever expressed gratitude back then, but it's the best memory I have of my jr high and high school days. You showed me what hard work truly is. You are not afraid to get your hands dirty and I'm so glad you taught me to do the same. You're the strongest woman I know. I pray that one day I will reflect some of the godly character that is so evident in your life. Thanks for being the best mom:) I love you!

Some Fun in the Sun

Mother's Day 2011

Have you ever read the book on love languages? Are you married to someone that "speaks" a completely different love language than you? Just like pretty much everything else, Justin and I are complete opposites when it comes to expressing love. Giving and getting gifts is one of Justin's top love languages, but gifts are not even on my radar. Even so, Justin usually buys me something for Mother's Day. But, I think this year, Justin finally got me the right thing...quality time:) He took us girls to breakfast, then to visit his mother (A wonderful mother-in-law. I can't relate to people who don't have a good relationship with their in-laws), and then a trip to the zoo. I'm so excited that I actually get to be in some of these pictures! Most of the time I'm the one behind the camera.

Justin got a little fancy with his photography! These first three pics were taken in front of our beautiful willow tree in the front yard.

There was a long line to get into the zoo. While we waited, a young girl in front of us offered Jordan and Rylie each a quarter to feed the fish. Such a sweetie!
We moved much faster through the zoo with daddy carrying the girls on his shoulders.

Look, I'm in another picture! This is on the boardwalk above the bison. This is the part of the zoo where I used to be a keeper. Such good memories!

Sitting down to eat some lunch. Rylie put her arm around Jordan and I HAD to get a picture. This is a rare sweet sister moment! I should add that it's rare for Rylie to be the affectionate sister.

Not-so-girly princess

We were watching American idol tonight. When Lauren sang, she was wearing a pretty "princess" dress. Jordan said, "Hey, I have that dress!" (you do?). She ran upstairs and got into her dress up outfits--which she never wears!--and put her princess dress like Lauren's on, along with her crown. She was so cute I had to take a picture (since dressing up does not often happen at our house)...

Dancing around...
And then...
...she laughed and a big booger shot out of her nose! Well, it could have been a booger. I personally think she stuck something up her nose...it looked more like a little piece of chicken!