4th of July Shirts

While looking at some of my favorite blogs, I came across a very cute cheap easy idea for a run around 4th of July shirt. The Horsley's will be joining us this weekend and we will be doing lots of fun activities and playing time and I thought the girls needed some patriotic shirts that they could mess around in. I thought I would give it a go and here is the end result.

Here is the blog if you would like to give it a try!! It was super easy and I did the non sewing method...probably would look better if you can sew!    Tatertots and Jello

Much Love,
The Reynolds

The Love for a Dog

This girl is IN LOVE with this big ole Beagle!! She has always been very sweet with both Finn and Mally, but as of late she has just become infatuated with him. She wants to show him things that she makes, she says hi to him when we come home from somewhere, and she always gives him morning kisses. She also has taken on the job of feeding him in the morning and in the evening. She tells Thomas and I many times that Finny is hers and we have share Mally. It is the most adorable thing ever and her sweetness just explodes with him. What a lucky pup!

She still loves Mally too!!

Much Love,
The Reynolds

Please write your name

As school was ending, I was trying to think of some of the things that I needed to work on with Addison during the summer to get her geared up for school in the fall. I thought of all the things that our 3 year old class would do at our school (Martin) when the I was still there. One of the things that the kids really struggled with and the teachers were constantly working on was the kids writing. They worked on their names everyday. So, I knew that was something that Addison would absolutely love doing. She enjoys drawing and working at her art table, so this was going to be up her alley! Let me tell you, she has surpassed our expectations. I did not think that she would catch on this quickly to writing her name and much more.

This was the first week of the summer.  I helped her trace her name so she would understand how to follow the dots and then while talking her through it, she wrote independently on the bottom.

This was Addison writing her name on Friday.  She was so proud of it, she told me I had to take a picture! She is getting too good!

This was Addison's name today.  She did not have any help from Mommy and Daddy. Way to go girl!

After having Addison write her name everyday, she has quickly picked up a couple of great skills that are going to be so great for her in a new school, but also just great skills that all kids need. She has began to identify lowercase letters quite a bit easier and she is now spelling her first name independently. Along with taking a picture of her name, she wanted me to take picture of her spelling her name. Here she is...

Much Love,
The Reynolds

Reynolds shoot 2011

Hello!
So we have our photos from our most recent photo shoot! We wanted to share with everyone and show some of our favorites.  If you would like to check them all out go to the picasa site.  The link is on the side of the blog here.

Happy Father's Day

This year, I think Thomas had a pretty good Father's Day. During the week Addison and I surprised Thomas with a couple hand made gifts from the 2 of us. We got a picture that was taken at the Autism walk and added some wording on it along with a frame for him to hang up at his office. I also did a special tshirt for him. I got Addison to draw a large picture of Thomas along with writing Daddy at the bottom on freezer paper. We went and picked out a shirt for Thomas and I cut out the drawing and ironed it on the shirt and painted it. Now he has an original Addison art shirt to wear and to show off.
For Father's Day weekend, we headed over to Midland to spend some time with Thomas's family and our friends. While we were there, Thomas and Ronnie went to Home Depot with Addison for a special edition of their kids workshop just for Father's Day. They made a mini tool box. I think they had a great time!

To end Father's Day, The whole family and The Vaughns pitched in to help surprise Thomas with a new IPAD for Father's Day and an early birthday gift. He has been wanting one for a long time now and I think he is very very happy.
We hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day!
Much Love,
The Reynolds

Bad Mommy Moment

So, I have a couple of times felt guilty for spanking Addison or getting upset for something that really was not that big of a deal. Well, yesterday I had a blow up moment!
Many of you know the issues that we have with Addison at meal time, trying to get her to eat is a constant battle.  We had to move quickly at dinner last night because we had ballet at 6. I started her with dinner 40 minutes before we had to go thinking that would be enough time.  Of course, I was constantly getting onto her trying to get her to eat and my frustration level was at a high! We got through dinner and was on our way to getting dressed and out the door.  I told her we were going to use the bathroom one last time and as I turn she is sitting on the floor...red faced...this is her I feel like pooping face.  For the most part these days, she will get up and go on her own, but yesterday..NOPE.  She pooped in her pants and because I had not fully cooled myself off from dinner, I snapped! I screamed at the top of my lungs, holding back the bad words, and trying as hard as I could to not punch a hole in the wall. I thought, why this, why now, you know what to do!! I just was sooo sooo angry.  I didn't talk to her the entire way to ballet and once we got there, I crawled in the back seat with her and apologized to her.  I explained why I was mad and that I was wrong for getting upset like that.  I also told her how mommy should have reacted.
The reason I am sharing this is because I really felt like a CRAPPY mom last night! I never have reacted that way to her and I thought, oh god I scarred her for life! This afternoon while I was hanging out looking at my Parents magazine while Addison was taking her nap, there was a section called, "Bad Mommy Moments" and there was one that was exactly like what happened to me.  It made me feel so relieved that it happens to everyone.  I want other moms to know that it is okay if you loose your temper and as the magazine shares, sometimes we can't be perfect! I stress so much to Addison to take deep breaths when she gets upset and I guess last night I needed to do the same thing! So no more bad thoughts on being a bad mommy, I know I am a good mom and it is okay for me to fumble every once in a while.

Let's cool off!

We decided last week that we really needed a way to battle the heat that we have been having lately.  The pool was the best idea we had, so we headed straight for Midland Saturday morning.  We had Tosha, Justin, and the 3 boys, Lonetta, Kirk, Reba, and Michael, and our wonderful friends the Horsley's! We spend the whole afternoon hanging out by the pool and enjoyed hamburgers, hotdogs, and homemade ice cream.  It was such a great Saturday doing nothing but relaxing and having fun!

Much Love,
The Reynolds

Pizza Pinwheels

Addison and I had alot of fun making this great lunch the other day, and I wanted to share it with all the other moms that might read this and are looking for some fun cooking recipes for moms/kids.

ingredients:
1 tube refrigerated pizza crust
1/4 cup ranch dressing
Shredded Colby-Monterey Jack Cheese (or any kind that you like)
1/2 cup diced pepperoni
Pizza sauce or ranch dressing if you want to dip

1. Let your child spread flour on a surface, and roll pizza dough into a large rectangle (great for talking about shapes). With a basting brush, let your child "paint" the ranch dressing on top of the pizza dough. Let your child sprinkle the top with cheese and pepperoni.  Roll up jelly-roll style.
2. Cut into 1 in. slices.  Place onto a greased baking sheet. Bake 425 for 10-13 minutes. Serve warm with the pizza sauce or ranch if you would like. Refrigerate leftovers.

Addison loved these! She is not a pepperoni fan, but did not even seen bothered by them because they were cut so small and the yummyness of cheese and the pizza dough was great for her!

Enjoy and Much Love,
The Reynolds

Finn's 6th Birthday

Our sweet boy is 6 years old today! I still remember the day we decided to make a 200 and some dollar purchase on him in the parking lot of what was Albertsons. The whole day we had been on a "search" for our new puppy. We had gone to a pet store and saw a dachsaund puppy that was super cute, but decided to sit on it for the day to make our decision. We went to the pet adoptions at PetSmart but saw nothing. After our search we went to dinner and on the way home there was a truck in the parking lot and from a far away distance I saw the sign "Beagles" I high-tailed it all the way across three lanes and screeched into the parking lot. There were two puppies left, a female which a couple was looking at and a male that was all by his lonesome. This puppy became our Finnagen. We got money out of the ATM there and took him home. He was a pedigree Beagle, but as much of you all have seen, Finn is definitely a goliath inbred beagle.
We truly love him and he is the sweetest boy! Although he drives us crazy with his car riding, kleenex, sock, and underwear stealing, and whining that goes on consistently we would not trade him for the world! We love you Finny boy and Happy Birthday!

Much Love,
The Reynolds

Friends Weekend

Last weekend we had our first vacation of the summer to Fredericksburg. We went with our friends Trinity, Diana, and Grace; Jen and Mike; Erin and her fiance' Craig. We stayed at the Avery Haus which is under the same Bed and Breakfast company that Thomas and I stayed at for one of our anniversaries. It was absolutely beautiful! 4 bedroom house, with wonderful porches, awesome kitchen, and a great living room for the kids to hang out in.
We spent the whole day on Saturday on Main Street shopping, enjoying each other's company, eating and drinking! It was wonderful and our two little girls of the group did Awesome! On Sunday, we went and traveled around to 3 wineries. The last two, Grape Creek and Becker were absolutely beautiful and we spent quite a while enjoying the scenery and the rest enjoyed the wine!
Monday we headed home, glad to get back onto our routine but sad to say goodbye to our great friends. We had such a great great time and loved our Friends weekend! Can't wait for the next one!

Much Love,
The Reynolds