Day with the Zieglers

So, yesterday my friend Lindsay (who many of you know) came up from San Diego, with her 2 kids, to visit for the day. We had such a good time hanging out together, watching the kids play and getting caught up on each others lives. The two of us sure have changed since we first met as young girls!

This picture was taken in May '08 at Sara and Dan's wedding when we were both very pregnant.


Fast forward 8 months and here we are again...we keep multiplying :)
(Lindsay, Talon, Chaelyn, Audrey, Wylie and me)

Audrey loves it when "big girls" come over to play with her. You can't really tell in this picture but Chae is 2 years older than Audrey.

Here we are with our 'lil men. They are both big time thumb-suckers! Wylie is actually making his thumb raw. I tried to put a sock on his right hand last night to try to get him to switch to his left thumb and let the other one heal, but he let me know at 1:00am this morning that he didn't like the whole sock idea!

You can't tell, cause my son is huge, but Talon is 3 months older than Wylie.

Sassy Girl!

So I didn't think that I had anything to blog about today until I remembered something that Audrey said the other day...

We were all getting ready for church on Sunday morning, when I said something to Audrey and she responded with "I don't care...it's not my problem!"
(Gasp!)
Where in the world did my 2 yr. old (ok, almost 3) learn this phrase? I don't really think she knew what she was saying, but still, HELLO! When I heard this, all I could picture is her as a teenager, rolling her eyes at me and saying the exact same thing (yes mom, I know you're laughing now and saying "what goes around, comes around!")

Wow, my little girl certainly is growing up!

(p.s. If anyone reading this blog is responsible for teaching her this phrase, you should be ashamed of yourself!

My family...

Ohhh, its monday...why do the weekends have to go by SO fast? We had a good weekend, but ya know, they're just never long enough! One thing that was wonderful about this weekend is that Michael and I got to go out on a date on Saturday night! We went to dinner and a movie and had a great time while the kids were at grandma and grandpa's house. For those of you who don't have kids yet, I'm sure you get to enjoy the luxury of a date night much more often than we do, and just so you know, I'm a little jealous! ;)

So, I just want to take a second and talk about my family. First of all, look at this picture above...how precious are my boys! This was taken last night after Michael gave Wylie his bath. Usually I am the one to bathe Wylie (and Michael takes Audrey) but I wasn't really feeling well, so he took over.
Last night (before bath time) Michael and Audrey were playing 'chase' around the house...they were having a blast! When Audrey was chasing after Michael, he would run ahead and hide behind something, then jump out and scare her...which she LOVES! It really is hysterical to watch! She loves her daddy...and she definitely is his mini-me!
Speaking of hysterical, Wylie thinks his sister is so funny! Every now and then, Audrey will do something that makes Wylie laugh so hard...like last night she was singing "If you're happy and you know it, pat your head" and everytime she would pat her head, Wylie would just crack up laughing! Nothing makes me happier than hearing sweet laughter coming from my happy kids!
Now to my hubby...Michael, you are such and amazing father and husband! Thank you for this beautiful family that you have given me...I feel so blessed! You do SO much for us and we love you for it! You are my best friend and I love you, my love!

Wylie's milestone

So, last night was a big night for Wylie! Not only did we have Nana Kerry and Wally over for dinner but Wylie enjoyed eating Rice Cereal for the first time! I thought it would throw him off, since he hasn't had anything but breast milk since he's been born, but he loved it!Obviously mom wasn't going fast enough, so Wylie took matters into his own hands! He tried to eat the bowl...

Here is one of the few pictures of just Wylie and I. He looks like such a big boy here! (As you can see, my bell's palsey is continuing to heal...yeah!)

After dinner Nana Kerry read (or rather paraphrased) Audrey's favorite story, Snow White. Kerry gives all the characters the best voices! As you can see, Audrey was enthralled in the story...much more exciting than when mom or dad reads to her! But then again, Kerry was a kindergarden teacher for a zillion years, so it kinda comes with the territory. (Look, even Wally was getting sucked in to the excitement, or maybe he was falling asleep, its hard to tell)

We sure are going to miss Kerry and Wally when they leave next week and move back to New Mexico! You have played a huge role in our lives and we love you very much!

Chuck and Mindy

We had a good day yesterday, visiting with friends! Since I had the day off, the kids and I went over to see our friends Chuck and Mindy and as always, we had a lot of fun with them. I know that Audrey loves all the attention she gets from them!
Chuck was even generous enough to share his yogurt with her :) Of course she had to have the pink kind...she is obsessed with that color! (just a side note, sometimes she won't even eat the blue and green pieces of trix cereal because those are BOY colors...and in her words, "I don't yike boys!")
Of course she'll make an exception to that statement if a boy is willing to give her food!

Nice Hair Wylie!

I want to wish you guys a happy 1st anniversary! Your wedding was beautiful and I have wonderful memories of that day (except for the fact that I could barely breath, trying to squeeze my pregnant body in that small dress!) Anyway, we love you both!

Getting to know your friends: 2009 Edition

1. What time did you get up this morning? 4:45am...I know, its just wrong!
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw? 7 Pounds
4. What is your favorite TV show? Grey's Anatomy
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Cinnamon Toast Crunch
6. What is your middle name? Deann
7. What food do you dislike? broccoli
8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Umm...I just listen to whatever is on the radio
9. What kind of car do you drive? Honda CRV
10. Favorite sandwich? Club
11. What characteristic do you despise? When people don't follow through with their commitments
12. Favorite item of clothing? flip-flops
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Greece
14. Favorite brand of clothing? Gap
15. Where would you retire to? Maui
16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? The last 2 birthdays I have had a blast going out to dinner with my closest friends and my hubby.
17. Favorite sport to watch? Gymnastics (if you consider that a sport)
18. Furthest place you are sending this? probably New Mexico
19. Person you expect to send it back first? Sarah
20. When is your birthday? September 1, 1981
21. Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning
22. What is your shoe size? 7
23. Pets? 2 Golden Retrievers, Sully and Mia
24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? I'm really tired (remember, I was up at 4:45!)
25. What did you want to be when you were little? A Veterinarian (then I realized that I don't particularly enjoy science)
26. How are you today? Umm, tired
27. What is your favorite candy? Reeses Pieces
28. What is your favorite flower? Leonida Roses (our wedding flowers)
29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to; Late in the year when I am done nursing and can vacation with Michael
30. What is your favorite pastime? Sleeping
31. What are you listening to right now? Chris Daughtery is on the radio
32. What was the last thing you ate? Rice cakes and reeses pieces...weird combination, I know, but I got hungry before I went to bed last night
33. Do you wish on stars? Nah, I pray to the maker of the stars!
34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? a cinnamony-burnt orange color (not a big surprise for those of you who have been to my house)
35. How is the weather right now? Rainy
36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today? My dad...Love you dad!
37. Favorite soft drink? Diet Coke
38. Favorite restaurant? The Melting Pot
39. Real hair color? a nasty Brown color
40. What was your favorite toy as a child? Super Mario Brothers on my Nintendo...I was really good!
41. Summer or winter? Hmm, I think summer, as long as we have access to a pool.
42. Hugs or kisses? Kisses! My kids and hubby have the most kissable lips!
43. Chocolate or Vanilla? CHOCOLATE
44. Coffee or tea? Coffee (actually a caramel frappuccino)
45. Do you want your friends to email you back? Oh, I would be delighted!
46. When was the last time you cried? I can't even remember, so not recently...and usually I'm pretty emotional
47. What is under your bed? Usually my dogs sleep under there
48. What did you do last night? My hubby made dinner, I went and got acupuncture, came home and put the kids to bed, and we watched desperate housewives (on the DVR) then american idol
49. What are you afraid of? Opening the biscuit can...I hate when it pops! Oh and I hate eels too. I think they are from Satan.
50. Salty or sweet? Before 8pm Salty, after 8pm Sweet
51. How many keys on your key ring? 6 but I don't know what half of them go to
52. How many years at your current job? 5 in April
53. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
54. How many towns have you lived in? 4
55. What did you do today? Got up and came to work
56. Do you make friends easily? I think so

Apple Dessert Recipe

For those who have asked, here is the recipe to that WONDERFUL dessert that Sara makes. Enjoy!

Apple Crescent Rolls

Recipe By: Suzanne Boerio (Sara's Aunt)
Serving Size: 16
Preparation Time: 1:00

Amount Measure -- Ingredient -- Preparation Method
2 cans crescent roll -- Pillsbury
2 each tart apples -- sliced thin
1 1/2 sticks butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 can soda -- Mountain Dew

Separate crescent rolls into triangles and place 3-4 slices apple at the wide end. Roll up and tuck point underneath. Place in long Pyrex pan--All 16 rolls. Melt butter and add sugar. Boil for 1 minute in microwave or until sugar is melted. Add cinnamon. Pour over apple rolls. Pour can of Mountain dew over top. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until light brown.

Serving Ideas : Tastes great with ice cream! Yummy!

NOTES : Pecan's are also optional.

Sunday

After playing late into the night on Saturday, we were very excited that Audrey slept until 7:45am yesterday! Wylie must not have got the "Let's Sleep In" Memo because he was up at 6:30. However we were able to just pull him into bed with us and he fell back asleep after nursing. Ahhh, sleep is GOOD! Michael and I look forward to the day that our average morning doesn't start before 6:00...I wonder what it feels like to sleep until 9am!

Later yesterday morning, while we were getting ready for church, Audrey thought it would be fun to model my swim suit. How cute is she!?!



Our friends Zach and Kristi had us over to their house for dinner last night. I'm sure many of you have heard Audrey talk of the renowned Miss Kristi...well here she is! She is one of Audrey's favorite people...I'd even guess to say she's up there with Amma and Grammie.

But little does Audrey know, there is a sad day approaching her little world. Next month Audrey will no longer be in the 2-yr-old sunday school class with Miss Kristi...she's got to move on up to the 3-yr-old class and leave sweet Miss Kristi behind :( What a sad day that will be in the Sullivan home!
All that aside, I just want to say a big CONGRATS to Zach and Kristi who are expecting their first 'lil baby Gibson. We love you guys and are SO excited for you both!

Saturday

Wow, we had a busy weekend! But it sure was fun!
On Saturday we spent all morning cleaning the house (we always dread doing it...but it must be done!) Afterwards we took a short break before nap time to swing (the excitement of the swingset still hasn't worn off...and it better not anytime soon!) We hung the baby swing for Wylie and I think the kid likes it! Every time I put him in there, he is asleep within 5 minutes! As you can see in this picture, he is starting to fade.

Then within just a few minutes, he was out like a light!

Then in the afternoon, our friends Sara, Dan, and Amy came over, along with the VanSoest family: Doug, Andrea, Adley and Weston. We had such a good time eating and hanging out...and the kids had a blast playing together!

Adley told her mom, Andrea, "I wish Audrey and I were sisters and we could live together". I think the feeling was mutual! I'm sure Audrey wouldn't mind swapping Wylie for Adley...at least she would do more than just lay around and drool!

By the end of the evening Audrey's room looked like a tornado had hit it...which is a sure sign of a good time! All three kids (yes, even Weston) had a great time trying on Audrey's princess shoes (I'm sure Doug will appreciate this picture...or maybe not ;)

We loved having our "Auntie Amy" back for a visit from Chico! We sure do miss having her around! On another note, do you think that boy is getting enough to eat??? Take a look at those cheeks!

As always, Sara spoiled us with her wonderful desserts. This is my personal favorite...its apples wrapped in croissants and covered with mountain dew, sugar and lots of other yummy stuff. Definitely not low-cal!

Thank you Dan, Sara, Amy, Doug, Andrea, Adley and Weston for such a fun evening!

Another Play Date

Yesterday, on my day off, Audrey, Wylie and I had our friends Jenni and Debbie over, along with their girls Bailey and Kierstyn. Its always nice to get together with other mamas and talk about life, kids, husbands, etc. Play dates are always fun...especially when they end in a trip to In-N-Out! Thanks for a fun day girls!

I think the girls had a better time playing Hide & Seek in the cupboards than actually playing with the toys!



Here's a pic of Debbie holding Wylie...catching the never-ending stream of drool that comes from that boy's mouth.

Big Belly Mama!

Ok so I know these pictures are old but I still want to share them with my friends. These were taken about 3 weeks before Wylie was born, by our good friend Dan. He's an amazing

 photographer! (to find out more about him you can click on his little picture under my "Followers")

Audrey and I went to visit Sara and him in San Diego for the day and I am very thankful that they talked me into taking these photos! We had so much fun!

Sorry Wylie, I'm sure you were VERY squished when we took this picture!

WOW...A must read for every American

Ok, I know this has nothing to do with 'My Sullivan Sweeties' but it is definitely important enough to be on my blog...please read!
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me, even a little bit, when people call those beautifully lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.
I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees!It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.
I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But, there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different. This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And, being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'
In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
Are you laughing yet?
Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many onyour address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what theywill think of you for sending it.Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not, then just discard it. No one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.
My Best Regards, honestly and respectfully,Ben Stein

Stocking Stuffers

I just found this picture and realized that I never emailed it out...and its one of my favorites of Audrey from our Christmas in New Mexico.

Play Date

I think we're still exhausted from the hard work of putting this swingset together but it is totally worth it. Here are a couple pictures of Audrey and Hayden playing yesterday.

From the looks of this picture, Hayden may have been going a little too high for Audrey...haha! Hang on girl!

Audrey had a SASSY day yesterday, so soon after these were taken, she was inside on timeout. The story of our lives!

Here we go!

Ok, so obviously this is my first blog and I really haven't figured everything out yet but I figure that I'll learn as I go.

This weekend, Michael and I took on a 'marriage enrichment' project...we built a swingset for our kids. WOW, what a job! After MANY long hours, a lot of sweat, and a few blisters, we did it! We had a great time working together! Audrey had a blast playing on it last night with her 'lil boyfriend Hayden from across the street.

Here are a couple of pictures...

I'll post more soon of the completed project. We put mulch on the ground so it looks a lot better now.

Here is a picture of Wylie after we finished at 6:30 last night. He obviously had enough of the excitement!

Here is a recent pic of my cute kiddos :)