Devin started "challange" on Thursday. His first and second grade teachers nominated him to attend a once a week special class for him to keep busy and keep his interest. Since he's started school he has gotten straight 4's (except for once, and the teacher didn't give anyone all 4's that trimester). He was so so nervous. When I picked him up from school he had this huge grin on his face and he ran up to me and said it was "fantastic!". Way to go Devin, I am so PROUD of you!
I took Letti's idea when taking first day of school pics (thank you)but this is actually their 2nd day (my batteries were dead on the first day :( Anyways, Ryanne's 11 starting 6th Grade, holy cow.
and Devin is 8 starting 3rd Grade. It's amazing how time flies. Have the best year ever kiddos. I sure do love you, muah Y Mom
So for a new project I decided to refinish this "hot chocolate table". It was this honey varnish finish with loads of polyurethane to top it off. I never have liked the color, so I was ready to try something new.
At first, I was thinking about painting it and then doing like a cracke finish. But, when I saw how pretty the grain was underneath, I decided to try a colored stain. My first thought was RED, I love love love RED, but I already have quite a bit of red accenting my house. So, I decided on 
Botanical. What do you think? I love it! It brings out the green in my rug and carpet. 
I love the way it shows the wood grain. I am so happy with the way it turned out, now I want to refinish everything. Stay tuned :)
My little man also won the 2nd grade spelling bee :) I wasn't told about it until the morning of, and he said it wasn't a big deal we're just doing it in our classroom. Well, turns out it was in the computer lab and all of the classrooms were involved. Ugggh. I felt so bad when he came home with his goody bag and told me he'd won. The final word was GLAMOROUS. The other 2nd grader misspelled it and Devin spelled it right and won......Whoo Hoo!
He was also involved in Swimming Lessons and Gymnastics at the YMCA. If you are around Devin long enough you'll see him stretching, doing the splits, or posing in a cobra (yoga pose). He's moved up in swimming from polliwog to guppy :) he loves it except for he claims he's not very good at back floating. I remember as a kid fearing being in the water on my back, but I love it now. Instead of Gymnastics this session he's decided on Family Tae Kwon Do. Yep, I said Family so Devin & I are doing this class together, and let me tell you something, by the time it's over, I'm beat. We've only had one class (7:45-8:45 every Friday) and it's tough, but it's fun for Devin & I :)
Oh, and remember what I said about his first goal on his last soccer game? He did the same thing in baseball.......very last game....... very first home run. Way to go Debo. I am so proud of you :) 
Ryanne is on her way to California as I type this. It is not an easy thing to put my baby girl on a plane all by herself. She is really looking forward to being back in California and going to be visiting her Dad and all her family. I can't believe that she is going to be 11 soon after she returns home. Wow, time sure does fly. She has become such a beautiful young lady. I am very proud to be her Mom :)
I love love love this picture of my kiddos. See, I now how proof that my kids actually like eachother, and have fun together.
I wanted them to just play while I shot random pictures. I love pictures that are not posed. They are so much more fun and original.
Had to change out of the skirt. Thanks for being a good sport Ryanne and letting me take some pics of you in a dress, and a skirt. With them doing the wheelbarrow race, I thought it was time to get more comfy and change :)
Strong and spirited. You're no one's girly girl; actually you are very determined person with a strong sense of self. Never let go of that! The only thing that equals your sense of self is your family, but the traditions of society can always be bent to protect something or someone you love.
Here is my new baby Niece. Andee Sue Galyan. Isn't she sweet. She looks a lot like her Dad the older she gets. She was born May 5, 2008 at 1:37 p.m. She weighed 8lbs 8 oz and measured in at 20 in long :) She was supposed to be born on my birthday, but Jill can't have natural so she was born a little early.......atleast her middle name is my middle name :) I can't wait to see you Andee. I love you already, Auntie Leisa
Here are some of the GREAT things Devin got for his birthday. Gramma Jaye & Grampa Mark got him a gift card, 2 swimming suits, some shorts and shirts. Pops, Grandpa Doc, and Grandpa Scott gave him money :) Papa and Tutu (and Rocky, Rosy & Ruby), gave gift cards, did I mention he loves gift cards? Mom & Dad got him an ipod shuffle and an itunes card (so he can listen to High School Musical all to himself).
Aunt Jill & Uncle Neil got Debo this State Quarter
Aunt Beki, Uncle Adam and the boys got him this Mario Party DS game for his DS. It is his favorite game.
Nana made Devin this pirate quilt and matching pillow. It is soooo cool. I love the colors, and the back has a trasure map on it. Great job Mom.
Even Bowser likes to search for the treasure every now and then :)
Thanks everyone for the great presents!
For my big "30" Beki flew in for the weekend. I finally got to meet Everett. He is such a sweet baby. I wish I could hold him all the time, even though he did like his mama a lot more than me :) I wish I could spend a month with him like I did with Cael...... Cael, Auntie Leisa sure did miss you this trip.
Beki made my day. She is such a fun girl to be around. I wish I lived closer to my family (all of them) but atleast we can visit :)
Another one with Bek, I don't see why everyone says we look alike, I just don't see it. She is a beauty though, so it's a good compliment. Thanks Beki (and the boys) I appreciate your trip to come see me. Sure do Love you.
We tried to teach the kiddos to play phase 10. This is what I do when I get a skip card :) Ryanne lasted about 3 phases, and Devin made it all the way to phase 9 and "just couldn't take it anymore." It was fun. I'd like to play with adults next time though :)
Devin was in his school play called "Go Fish". He was a clown fish. I hate clowns, did you know that? I had to dress my sweet 8 year old up like a CLOWN, yuck, but you have to admit he was cute.
We had to clear everything out of the house last month to get new carpet.
Here is Devin helping with the tear out of the old carpet. He was such a trooper, we didn't even ask him to help, he was just right there along for the "dirty" ride :) See how irritated his poor cheeks are? He had to stay home from school the day after the school play, he had a reaction to the clown make up. Crazy huh? I used it on him last Halloween, no problem. Maybe he's allergic to CLOWNS like his Mama :)
I love love love my new carpet (thanks Grandpa Mark & Grandma Jaye), and I am not complaining, but usually when you move all your stuff out, you don't bring it back in. It was a lot of work, I think it was totally worth it.
Soccer is over. On Devin's last game he was playing a defender, which he loves, but the coach put him up at forward. He scored a goal, YAY!!! I was so ticked, I was watching, and so excited that I forgot that my camera was in my hand. Uggh! Please tell me I'm not the only one to ever do that. He was so cute when he came in at half time, he said "Mom, it was so easy all I did was shoot the ball where the goalie wasn't." Wow, now nothing can stop you son :)
And the next week we started baseball :) Devin plays center field right now. He doesn't really care for fielding (or as he calls it "catching"), he just wants to be up to bat. Kids are so honest.
And so starts softball for Ryanne. I am and always have been very impressed with Ryanne and her athletic abilities. This girl is a natural. She loves sports and she is very competitive. Get her autograph now :) If she keeps her grades up and continues to love the game, she could get a scholarship (fingers crossed).
Devin's warming up for their soccer game. Go Blazers :) They lost this game, but played very well. Devin is doing good, the coach really likes him as a defender. He's got his mama's big kick.
Ryanne doesn't like being on the sidelines. She is ticked that the school district doesn't offer soccer for her grade level. It is a little weird. So she decided to try to juggle the ball.
She actually did pretty good, this girl is a natural. Better get her autograph now, while you can :)
Easter was okay, but pretty boring. It rained all day so we hid easter eggs in the house. Bowser tried to hide the eggs.
He got pretty attached to this one. I think he had a crush :) I got a monster headache and took a nap (shocker). 
I finally got a new cell phone. Yay! You never know how much you use these until you're without it for a month.
It was sunny this morning, then it rained, now it's snowing, uggh, I don't know if I will ever get used to the weather in Washington.
