School Sewing

School started this Tuesday for both of my kiddos. That means I spent most of Monday afternoon and evening sewing:) I had projects in mind for both of the kids but hadn't yet taken the time to actually sit down and get them done.

Like last year, I wanted to have Kyla use reusable baggies for her lunch. It would be more environmentally friendly and save us some $$ too:) Unlike last year, I made them out of oilcloth. We went to our local fabric store and Kyla chose the fabric that she liked best our of their oilcloth collection. Add some thread and some velcro and you have lunch baggies. I made a total of three sets, one sandwich bag and two snack bags per set, and they have worked wonderfully so far. I just wash them up in the sink and let them dry for the night and we are ready for the next day. And oh the fabric is so bright and cheery or cherry:)

Now Gavin started preschool and when you start something you need to look sharp, at least that's my take:) I made Gav a tie shirt a while back and he has worn it out he wears it so often:) What better way to look sharp than with a tie:) But really, a three year old can't handle a real tie so we made him a fake one...way better than a clip on:) Looking snazzy!

The school sewing has begun! I'll be sure to keep you updated:)

Seven Years Old

Miss Kyla Rayne ~ 7 yrs old

Big Boy Bed

The time of cribs and toddler beds have passed here in our household. We now have a little boy who is sleeping in a twin bed, sharing a gradually shrinking room with his big sis.

The most exciting part of this transition is the fact that we did it all on the cheap:) My brother had an extra twin mattress taking up space at his house and is in need of a crib mattress for their little one to move up to a toddle bed...Hmmm, a quick switcheroo and we both have what we need. (As in quick I mean that my brother squished the mattress into his new SUV and drove down 4 plus hours and left it at my parents' house for my dad to throw it into his truck and drive the hour over to our house. Thanks guys!)

The bed frame is another gift. Many years ago, Chad's cousin made a beautiful wooden bed for his daughter. Time passed as it seems to do and now their two gals sleep in bunk beds. Bryan desperately (okay, maybe he wasn't desperate...more like really, really) wanted the bed out of his garage to give him more space. Are you seeing where this is leading? Yep, we now have a beautifully handmade bed for our boy while helping out those around us:)

Gav helped Daddy put it all together as I put on the newly purchased sheets. I'll be working on a blanket that fits in the next month. I wasn't expecting it to all come together so quickly:)

When we dragged that toddler bed out of the room, I was both elated and saddened. How fast time is flying by. My kids seem to be growing by leaps and bounds in just seconds.

The favorite part of his bed seems to be underneath it:) The kids have spent an unmeasurable amount of time under there, hiding, and planning, and giggling:)

After a good nights sleep that included NOT falling out of bed...we are happily skipping on down the pathway of life:)

The First Day of School

It is official, the Riddle family is going to school! Kyla started 2nd grade at Wascher Elementary and Gavin started 3 yr preschool at Curious Caterpillar Preschool. Gav will be attending twice a week while Kyla is full time. What a change for all of us!

Kyla is in Mrs. Morton's class along with a couple of kiddos from her class last year. She was a bit nervous for her first day, but quickly found her desk and started unloading her school supplies.


Gavin's preschool is a small home based christian school here in Lafayette. The family that runs it goes to our church and Gav knows a couple of the kids already. It looks to be a good fit for him this year.


We have high hopes and dreams for this school year; new friends, new knowledge, growing interests, and grand adventures!

Wish us luck!

Birthday Girl in Oregon:)

We did our traditional family birthday dinner this weekend for our amazing 7 year old. We invited all the grandparents/aunts and uncles/cousins that were around and had a big BBQ, cake, ice cream and, or course, presents.

As each birthday rolls around, Chad and the birthday celebrant start brainstorming as to the cake design. Chad has taken it upon himself to be the cake decorating master here at the Riddle Ranch and has done famously so far:) This year Kyla stumped us with her desire for a Canadian cake. What exactly is a Canadian cake?? Well, according to her, it's one that has a flag on it:) So, introducing the Canada cake for 2010:) Notice that Kyla helped with most of the decorating this year:)

The hit of the party was a stomp rocket. Wow, what fun we had! I think that Uncle Bryan wins the title of highest rocket launch by my rough eye calculation:)

Happy Birthday to my 7 year old little lady!

Birthday Girl

Kyla turned 7 this month. In celebration of this, her and I took our long awaited trip up to Canada to visit her godmother. Aunt Kristel and Uncle Brent made sure that her birthday was special and filled with special memories. We did some horse riding, jumped on a trampoline and the most important...we had cake. Ice cream cake:)

Uncle Brent won the key to her heart by sneaking some downstairs the next morning while I was in the shower and letting her have it as breakfast in bed:)

As I came out of the bathroom, that gal was shoveling the cold treat into her mouth as fast as humanly possible:) Thanks Aunt Kristel and Uncle Brent for making her special day SPECIAL!

Mutton Bustin'!

Now if Kyla was asked about the most memorable moment on our trip, I believe that she would answer with this, " Riding the sheep!" She did indeed ride a sheep at a family friend's rodeo while we were up in Canada. I was surprised at her desire to do so as the option was given to her a couple of days before the rodeo. I was not surprised that as she watched the sheep being led to the chute, that she changed her mind about riding them:) Uncle Brent quietly told her that if she rode that sheep she would get her own trophy and that was all it took. She was up for the challenge:)

Each kiddo that rode had an adult right there with them to pull them off before they actually fell off. Some of the older kids choose not to be picked off before they got bucked off, Kyla was not one of those:)

With trusty Uncle Brent by her side, she bravely put on the hockey helmet (yep, we were in Canada) and let herself be thrown on that stinky, wet sheep.

She held on tight...

And she was off!

Uncle Brent grabbed her, the sheep kept on running, and Kyla landed on her own two feet with a smile as wide as the barn.

All the kiddos that sat on the sheep and made it out of the chute got their very own trophy. Thanks Warren and Marcia for letting us be a part of this fun community tradition.

It will long be a memory that we treasure and tell.