Rylie room!

We took down the crib in Rylie's room some time ago & there has been a blank wall that I have been trying to figure out what to do with. I couldn't find pictures that I liked & I didn't want to paint directly on the wall, so I did these. They are a combination of acrylic & paper...mixed media inspired by none other than my dear art-guru friend, Dawn Wilson. She convinced me to add some paper in the mix to make it more interesting & it worked! Thanks, Dawn! Rylie loves the lady bug on this one!
Although you can't read it in this picture, this one says "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy..." I sing that to Rylie a lot. It was Stewart's idea to put a balloon in the tree...I love it!
Rylie is really into owls right now...go figure! Stewart put an owl statue in one of the trees in the backyard to keep the birds off Rylie's swing set & Rylie always wants to go see "Mr. Owl", so I painted one for her room! He has a button for an eye:)

My 31st Bday!!!

O.k....this is a picture less blog (boring) but I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed my 31st birthday! (I will add some pics later, don't worry!) I am so blessed to have so many wonderful family members & friends that made me feel so special, whether it be a phone call, an email or a card.....thank you so much! I especially appreciate it because I have been so bad with birthdays lately, but I love you all even if I sometimes forget to tell you. I started out my day with a huge bouquet of pink roses & sweet cards from both Rylie & Stewart. Then I opened my first gift (from Rylie )& it was a certificate for a local artist workshop where I get to go & paint my own canvas! Fun! Then Stewart gave me concert tickets to MICHEAL BUBLE!!! I am so excited! Then it was breakfast with the Foxes...Gary & Darlene, Grandma Fox, Skyler & Me Stewart & Rylie Kate all had a great time eating together. Then my mom & Haleigh drove up to see me & take me to lunch. Then I had a great dinner at PF Changs with the Wilsons & the Carlisles! After church Sunday, we had lunch at Sherry & Clay's with Vickie & Phillip & Skip & the girls. Lots of fun! In the midst of all of this I got several texts, phone calls, cards,gifts etc. from lots of great friends & family! Thanks for making it such a special day for me:)

Camping with the Carlisles

These are some shots from our camping trip with our good friends, The Carlisles. (Keith & Hollie, Jonah, Katherine). They embarked on the maiden journey of their newly purchased camper & we met up at Guntersville State Park for a fun weekend. My sister Melinda & one of my nieces, Haleigh, also joined us. We had a blast! My dad happened to be fishing there on Saturday, so he took Haleigh out on the lake & she came back with this catch! What a bass! He didn't make it, so we grilled him up for dinner...much to my dad's dismay. (He is an avid Bass fisherman & doesn't eat them! He catches & releases!) It was quite tasty, though, I must say:)

Rylie & Jonah, scarfing down some cinnamon rolls & blueberries for breakfast.....yes, that's how we "rough" it in the wilderness!


The deer were very domesticated. They came right down into the campsites, even eating from one woman's hand! They were beautiful and there were lots of them!

The only major mishap of the trip...Haleigh went to grab her bike & a yellow jacket stung her hand. We put a coffee packet on it to try to ease the swelling/pain. I guess it worked. She was as good as new in no time!

Yes, that is me, the rickshaw taxi driver for Jonah & Rylie. They loved it & it was great exercise for me! A win-win situation:) It was a great place to go for a ride & the kids were so cute holding hands & waving to everyone. Jonah is so chivalrous....he even pulled Rylie out of the road when another biker was coming down the path...such a gentleman!

Here is our special outdoor movie "Shrek the 3rd". We popped popcorn & sat around the tube outdoors! (pictured: Hollie, "Baby Kat-rin" (as Rylie calls her), Jonah, Stewart & Rylie) Somehow Keith escaped all my pictures! We had so much fun...maybe more can join us next time!

Another Funny....

I just went to get the oil changed in my car & while we were sitting there she started whining....I said "Oh, you are just sleepy." to which she adamantly replied...."I NOT SLEEPY!! I JUST RYLIE!"

Rylie update

Rylie is 22 months old today....her 2nd birthday is just around the corner! I can't believe how time flies!! I took her to Portrait Innovations today, but alas, we had another unsuccessful visit. It was a repeat of the attempt at 18 months.....let me paint the scenario for you......an otherwise jovial child, always quick to talk or smile.....as we enter the threshold of P.I. , assumes a vice-like grip on my neck, averting her eyes from all other human so as not to be captured by their tractor-beams.....She literally wrapped herself around me like a monkey & would not even let me put her down beside me! I tried to sit her in the "princess chair" they had on set & this resulted in a screech & the arching of her back much like that of a cat being placed in a bathtub. So, if you wonder why there are no professional pictures of my child from age 12 months to oh, say 15yrs (at this rate) ...that is why! ( Above: Rylie, Jonah & Kaylen having a hotdog!)

On to other topics...here is the Taj Mahal of dog houses, created by none other than my father! Here he is posing by the duplex (custom built for Jersey & Houston). Note that Houston already took up residence in the left side of the house before they could even get the doghouse in place! Pretty funny! We got him out & he jumped back in at least 3 times while they were moving it! Stewart later painted it to match our house!

Rylie's current faves: chocolate milk, Charlotte's Web, baby dolls & accessories, swinging, coloring with markers & singing/dancing to songs like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", etc. She is also sleeping in her"big girl bed" now & loves for her Daddy to read her stories each night at bedtime. She says the funniest things, too....today she said "I've got a good idea!" & she is getting better at saying please & thank-you! We are working on the potty training thing, but it is hit-or-miss....literally!

I was getting ready the other day & Rylie was sitting beside me in the bathroom. I looked over & heard her say "uh-oh" & this is what she had done~ Little did I know that she could get the lid off my mascara ! The "uh-oh" was because she got it on her cheek! Notice the rest is on her "eyes"!

Rylie & her daddy enjoying a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie with whipped cream! Oh-so-healthy!

One Big Happy Family

What a great day! This was last Sunday afternoon outside of Casa Blanca. We all went to church together & had a wonderful afternoon. Grandma Fox & Theresa (Darlene's daughter) were also at church, but weren't able to go to lunch. What a blessing to have Skyler with us...as you all know he has been through quite a lot in the past month. He is recovering from his head injury quite nicely...he is not 100% yet, so keep him in your prayers! He is doing great though & what a blessing to have him go to church with everyone! (From L to Right...Gary Fox,Darlene Fox, Skyler Fox, John Gavin Fox, Lindsay Fox, Clay Buie, Alaney Buie,Lakyn Buie, Sherry Buie, Me, Rylie Fox & Stewart Fox!)

Casa Del Fox

Here are the long-awaited photos of our newly renovated backyard! Stewart & his amigo friends worked vigorously designing & installing the stone on our patio...I love it! Stewart is very talented & he is ALWAYS working in our yard!

Here is the "inspector" coming to check things out....she became fast friends with Nacho, one of the guys working on the patio. He & his son Gustavo worked tirelessly, hand laying each stone! Certain sections are random patterned, which takes some major skill to do correctly. Rylie would come out after the guys had gone home & say..."Where's Nacho?" & "Those are Nacho's tools".

Another view of the columns & fire pit area. Stewart later installed lighting on the columns & it is so nice to sit out on the patio at night.

The inspector isn't happy!!! But it has nothing to do with the patio....probably just nap time! She sure enjoyed playing in all that dirt & sand though!

A lovely place for us to spend our mornings before it gets too hot! I can't wait to have our first cookout!

This begins the "before" shots...I wanted to include some so you would know how drastically different it is now! These are a little out of order...forgive me! In this shot you can see the columns beginning to go up......Stewart, Juan & Nacho in the pic!

Stewart & the official "ground breaking". (More like earth shattering or waking the dead, if you will). There is never a dull moment in the Fox household....he had been talking about starting this "little" project for some time, so lo & behold, as I drifted into a peaceful slumber while getting Rylie down for her nap, I was abruptly awakened by the sound of a machine gun...or so I thought as I wrestled my eyes open to see where I was! Sheesh! Warn somebody next time why dontcha! :)

I just realized that this picture is remarkably similar to the one above.....oh, well, feast your eyes once again!!

Here are Stewart & Nacho discussing the finer points of patio design......

...and once again our little inspector on the scene with her shovel, come what may!

**Thank you, Lord, for all of our blessings! Big or small, they all come from You!