Jake Walker Bryson

So, this is my sweet boy. Jake and I went to the park last week so I could get some cute photos of him...a few turned out pretty good. This one is by far my favorite! He just looks so big with his jeans and big boy belt. I think we might try again once the leaves start changing colors...

He really is the sweetest thing! Tim's parents came over to watch him and Ryan Saturday night while we went to the BSU game, and when we got home, they went on and on about how sweet and happy and good he is...I can't dispute any of that...we got a special spirit with this one!

BSU Football Time!

Well, after a long wait, it's finally time for BSU football again! This is our 7th year as season ticket holders...Sydney was just a few months old when we first got them...time sure flies...

Here is a photo of me and my girl all blue and orange and ready for the first home game! She was super-excited for the Bronco tattoos!

I bought her these orange leggings as part of an outfit a month or two ago. I never imagined she would think to wear them with her BSU shirt for the game, but I'm SOOO glad she did! It was sweeeeet!

She had to make sure I got a picture of the side with the face tattoo. :)

The whole fam (minus Jake who was napping) ready to leave for the game. Actually, Ryan stayed home with Jake and Tim's parents, and we took the other two. It was an intense game, but lots of fun. Sydney got bored and whiny after about an hour, so I bought her some kettle corn. Once we got back in our seats with the kettle corn, she gave me a big smile and said, "This is the best football game ever!!!" Amazing what a little (or a lot of...) sugar can do for her. Tim suggested next time we just go by ourselves...he may be on to something...

Grasshoppers make great fish bait!

We went up to Grandjean over Labor Day Weekend for one last visit and to bring the trailer home. We went fishing at Lowman Ponds, but couldn't get any bites. Tim saw a grasshopper, and told one of the boys to catch it. On his hook it went, and grasshopper-baiting was born. Suddenly fish were being caught!

It was seriously the BEST entertainment watching Tim and Brandon trying to catch grasshoppers! Wally had a rake for them to use, which helped. They would stalk the little things, try to get close enough to strike, and hit them with the rake to stun them. They worked like a charm, though, and that reminds me--we still have trout in the freezer that need to be eaten!

Sydney wasn't too interested in fishing. Instead, she wanted to do what every little girl dreams of--catch frogs! I knew she had no chance of being overly-girly with 3 brothers... She caught like 30 or 40. It was crazy! She even shared some of them with her cousin, Hunter. They were pretty cute--for frogs.... They were only about an inch long each.

She needed somewhere to keep her growing collection, so she improvised and used her camp-chair sack. I'm guessing not many girls use their Disney princess camping chair for that use!

What good would a post be without a picture of Little Man?!? And yes, he's really that cute!

Time Out for ME!!!

Last weekend, I put myself in time out. I highly recommend it! I went to Boise with several friends and attended Time Out For Women, an uplifting, super-enjoyable women's conference. We had so much fun! We left Friday afternoon, got dinner at Pita Pit, went to 3 hours of amazing-ness, then went hot-tubbing at our hotel til they kicked us outta there at 11:15. Then we ate goodies and chatted til the wee hours of the morning. Nice.

Then Saturday morning, we got breakfast and went back to the conference for more awesome-ness. We got awesome tote bags while waiting in line, and had lunch along 8th Street in downtown Boise. There was a street fair going on, and we shared some yummy freshly-fried doughnuts after lunch. Pretty perfect.

Then it was back for the remaining session of the conference. It was just so great. I especially loved listening to the live music from Jericho Road and Mercy River. Gonna put their cd's on my Christmas wish-list. Once it was over, we left for home refreshed and recommitted to be ever better mommies and wives.

I'm so glad I was able to go and so glad Tim took care of everything while I was gone. He's basically fantastic.

Thanks, Kim, Raquel, Deidre, Pam, and Chantelle for an awesome time!

P.S. This pic shows me just how badly my hair needs a trim...

Apparently I have allergies...

So for the past 3 weeks or so, I've been a mess. Sneezing, runny nose, crazy-itchy, red, watery eyes. Not to mention feeling like crap! After speaking with some friends, they all thought I was suffering from allergies. WHAT??? I've never had a problem with them, and I'm 35. Isn't it a little too late in life for me to just figure this out?

So, first I tried some Claritin--for about a week--no change. Then I tried Benadryl for several days. It helped a little, but wiped me out. And when you have an almost-two-year-old, you really should try and stay conscious. :) So then I tried Zyrtec--again no change. And frustration mounting by the minute. Seriously wanting my mojo back...

So yesterday I finally drug myself to a clinic and got a Rx for Allegra. Today was my first day on it, and so far, it looks like this might just be the magic pill I've been looking for. I still have a little bit of a runny nose, but everything else is WAY better. Hallelujah!! I'm just afraid that today will turn out to be a fluke and tomorrow will be crappy again. Saying a little prayer that won't be the case, though...

So if indeed I do feel better tomorrow again, I can get back to blogging. I know you're all excited about that! I just haven't had the energy to do the dishes lately, let alone blog. But I'm so ready to be myself again...here's hoping this good feeling lasts.

Pork Noodles

There are a few things that make a Woodman a Woodman (and for those of you whom I've met within the last 15 years, that's my maiden name).

You must LOVE these things:

1. Papacitas in Longview, TX...mmmmm
2. Watching "So I Married an Axe Murderer" or "Better Off Dead" (or any number of other awesome oldies but goodies...)
3. Playing Spades
4. Singing around the piano on Sunday afternoons
5. The New Years' Eve family dance, haha!
6. Pork Noodles

The list is actually much longer than this, but I don't have that much time, and these are the things that popped into my head--and made me a little homesick, for that matter... Anyways, my point is that although Tim is 0% Woodman, I still want him to love what I love. And have these things make him as happy as they make me.

I have made him pork noodles before, and he was less than thrilled, to say the least. So I hardly ever make it...VERY discouraging... Well, on Sunday, I had some leftover pork chops in the fridge that I didn't want to just grill like usual, so I decided to make pork noodles. Tim asked me to leave one pork chop for him to just grill because he didn't like pork noodles and had no desire to eat them. Fine. More for me.

So I made those noodles, and boy, were they good!!! Probably the best I've ever made. I think Dad would've been proud! In the meantime, Tim proceeded to grill his chops, while the kids and I devoured our pork noodles. As I got up to get a drink, Tim apparently took a bite off my plate, cause next thing I knew, he was dishing up what I had hoped would be my pork noodle leftovers for lunch the next day. I said, "I thought you don't like these."

He has been converted!!! So the bad news is, I didn't get to have leftovers the next day. But the fantastic news is that Tim now likes the quintessential Woodman comfort food and I will now be making it much more often. This makes me very happy. :)

I guess now I'll just have to keep hoping he wants to join in my Sunday afternoon music-fest to become true Woodman material. Not very likely...

Sydney is SIX!!!!

My sweet little girlie turned 6 last week. That means she starts first grade soon and will be going to school ALL day EVERY day in a few weeks. I have really mixed emotions about that. I'm excited for someone else to have to entertain her all the time, and I know she needs the stimulation and social outlet. I will just really miss her every day. And so will Jake! It's just he and I from here on out...

Anyways, here are some pictures from her birthday. She had a luau themed party and it was great! She greeted each girl at the door with "Aloha" and a lei and grass skirt. They all looked super-cute! She wanted to help with everything for the party, and she did. I got some pictures of her helping with the fruit skewers for lunch. I think it turned out to be a little harder than she had anticipated. And Jakey was so stinkin' cute just begging for some of his own. They turned out really cute and REALLY delicious. For her cake, I made flip-flops. I was pretty dang proud of myself! I don't do cute cakes...but this time, I did. A lot of work, but totally worth it. She picked out the colors and everything and loved it. And of course, she licked the bottom of the candle.

For her luau, I "taught" the girls how to do the hula a little, as if I knew what I was doing...haha! They ate it right up, though. We also played the Limbo, and who knew what a hit that would be!! The biggest fan, though, was Jake. He just giggled every time he came out from under that stick. He LOVED it! The girls did, too. Definitely gonna have to do that at all our parties in the future.

Once we were all done with games and a little craft, we had snow cones in the back yard--also a big hit! Sydney had a great time and loved having all her little girlie friends over to celebrate. I can't believe how big she's getting. We're already halfway to Young Womens!!! Help!!!