Sunday, May 29, 2011

Afternoon in the sand

This is the face Ollie makes when I tell him to look sweet. Works for me:)

Chubby baby bodies in the sand= happiness

Me and my kiddos
Dad teaching Amelie a thing or two about sand toys
Snuggles

and more snuggles
Sand really is so cool
Girlfriend's first bun. It was a fluke when I was putting her hair up because she moved and this is how far I got to pull it through. I decided to leave it cause it looked a little sumo-ish and Ami is packing on the pounds lately.
My sweetheart and I
Oliver is gearing up to throw a huge handful of sand at this bird but you could never tell by how serene the scene is:)

Oliver is his very first wetsuit. That deserves a shaka I believe.
Out to the waves
Devin and Ryan, the hubbies as we like to call them. I've decided that these boys look too young for thier own good. Will my husband always look about 10 years younger than me. Not cool. You know you've got a problem when the girls at church are crushing on your man. Hands off girls. Hands off.










Friday, May 20, 2011

Father and Son

















































Today marks the first year that Ryan is taking Oliver to the Father & Sons campout! They are camping for the night in San Onofre, roasting marshmallows, eating hotdogs, and basically having some sweet male bonding time. I know that for Ryan growing up, the Father and Sons campout was special because they had 5 boys in their family and I'm sure it was a total blast! In my family, my dad got his one and only so I know it must have been a very special time. I am excited for Ryan to have these moments with Ollie and build those memories that will last his life. I mean isn't this the stuff that makes you who you are. What a lucky boy Oliver is to have such an awesome dad to do this trip with. Us girls are a little jealous at home but you know we'll find something great to do while the boys are gone. Maybe I'll paint Ami's nails and watch Clueless:)

Monday, May 9, 2011

Ode to Oprah



Well, this should be surprising to most that Ryan, not Becky, is dedicating a post to Ms. Oprah Winfrey. As a small boy I remember my friends Moms talking almost obsessively about the latest Oprah. However, I never really knew what Oprah was really about until I married Becky.






As you all know, Becky is very passionate (one of my favorite qualities about her) and the 'O' show tailors to the passionate, intuitive viewer. Even before I found out that this was the farewell season, I had internally committed to get her to a show at some point in her life (thinking Oprah would live forever). When I heard that this was the end, I felt helpless. So in a final effort I sent the show an email:






Dear Oprah,

I am a 27 year old California resident. I have been married to my childhood best friend and the ultimate love of my life for the past 5 years and we have two beautiful children. Although my wife and I grew up together and were very close friends, I did not cue into her enthusiastic routine of watching your show until we were married. During our time together at the University, I would often find myself walking through the door of our small apartment in the afternoon after classes to an increasingly familiar sight. The first thing I would notice would be your show on the television in the background, then my gaze would focus on the teary brown-eyed girl sitting closer to me. She would look at me thoughtfully and then say, “Babe, come sit down. You will not believe this story!”. Sometimes the stories were sad, sometimes horrifying, sometimes hysterical but mostly they were inspiring.

It was the inspiring theme behind your show that first gave me the impression to one day write a letter to the Oprah Winfrey show so that my Baby could go there in person one day. Now to be frank, I feel that I’ve been unjustly dealt with to have this be your final season. Other husbands have had 20 plus years to write you and do precisely what I’m doing while their wives have been avid viewers of your show. I can’t help it that I was born in the 80’s. Regardless, I still have to try.

I wish I had a story to tell you, to grab your attention. I wish I could say something notable enough for this letter to stand out above the hundreds of thousands that will undoubtedly reach your studio this season. All I really have to say is that I love my wife, I love my family, and I love to see ‘the good’ in other people and be inspired to reciprocate that light. So I guess I want to say thank you: for magnifying ‘the good’ in people and inspiring the rest of us to do the same.

You will be greatly missed weekday afternoons but I wish you all the best in life as you strive to do your part among so many. God bless.

Sincerely,
Ryan Facer






I wish this is where I could say, Oprah read my email and is sending Becky to the next show! I sent this email back in November of last year and have not heard anything. I knew it was a shot in the dark among so many other people doing the same thing; but I had to give it a shot. I love my Baby, I want to do everything I can to make all her dreams come true. Anyway, I just wanted you to know I tried; and although it may seem funny, I will miss the afternoon Oprah myself. It's refreshing having someone with so much influence consistently trying to do so much good for others.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mother's Day

Today at church, we had a lesson about Mary, the mother of Jesus. We talked about what kind of person she must have been to accept the calling to raise and nurture God's son. She was guessed to be between 14 and 16. Can you imagine what an amazing young women she had to be at that young age to have the faith and say yes I can do this and am willing to. I was overwhelmed with today's lesson. I have no idea why, but once I started crying, I just couldn't stop. Maybe it's because lately I have been feeling overwhelmed as a mom. Like somehow I've been failing. I realized that I have spent time complaining when really it should be spent in gratitude. Obviously we all have our moments as moms where we just need to vent and say this is a lot. But I want to spend my time laughing at those moments that are too much and dropping what I'm doing to spend time with my kids, instead of feeling inconvenienced. Honestly, what could be more important.

I couldn't believe my eyes when my little Ollie stood in front of church with the primary kids singing their mother's day song. When did he get that big and brave? And Amelie, she is talking and is showing so much personality and is so smart. She is on the brink of becoming a full fledged toddler. They truly are growing up every day and there is nothing I can do to stop it. But I can live in each moment, and participate in every step. Soon they will be teenagers and I will be saying "remember when" with tears in my eyes. The times with little ones at home can have it's challenges for sure but aren't they some of the most tender moments you'll have as a mother. I know they are.

Seriously, I thought if I had been asked what Mary was asked, I would have said outright, I am totally not cut out for this. The reality though is that I have been asked the same thing. We all have as mother's. I mean not to the extent to raise this perfect being, the savior of the world, but we have been trusted with these spiritual beings full of potential and goodness and it's our job to teach them and love them. So when I get caught up in the hard work of being a mother, I am reminded of the privilege it is to do so. And reminded that there is no other job in the world that compares to the rewards and blessings a mother receives. I hope that I can have a more grateful heart and fashion the desires of it after Mary who was the ultimate example.

I am so grateful for my mom. I honestly have no idea how she did it. Not only did she survive 7 kids in 10 years, but I do have to say, we all turned out pretty great. When I had Oliver, I remember my mom being there to help me with all my first moments as a mom and teaching me, never judging me along the way. When she left, we were both in tears as she walked out the door leaving me to figure these things out on my own. The best part is I have never felt on my own with my mom by my side. She is always there to listen and I know she had her struggles as a mom, but that makes my struggles seem so much more bearable.

I am also so thankful for my sisters and the mother's they have become and the examples they are to me. I am so thankful for the good friends I have who laugh and cry with me when things get tough. I am so honored to be apart of that sisterhood. Being a mom is all it's cracked up to be, and so much more.

Happy Mother's Day!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Sea World!!!

We went to Sea World yesterday with Cam's class and it was seriously the perfect day. Sad part was Ryan couldn't come because of work but that just means we'll have to go again soon:)

Ami and her little Shamu. Mom is sucha sucker

Oliver waiting pateintly for the dolphins to come over for us to pet. Oh and he got this sword and had not let it out of his sight since. Love the backshirt action.


While we waited the dolphins practiced and played. They are so amazing. This was the highight of the day for sure.

Check them out!






Ollie's first encounter!

He started talking to us and gave us this great smile:)

The kids looking like the last thing they want to do is pose for a picture. Oh well, I got one!




Ami checking out a sea turtle


Strike a pose. Doesn't this totally look like america's next top model for babies. Her stance and the background is so funny. I'd vote for her

Amelie and the starfishSharks!!!

Oliver decided he wasn't that scared after all. The verdict is still out on Ami

The reality of being too short. It sucks. Ollie next year is your year!One minute she was like this...
and the next...(luckily I had wiped off the dorito remains)



The group acting like tigers coming out of the jungle




After Sea World we wanted to get some local eats from a delish Mexican eatery. We headed to old town and had some yummy carnitas and definitely ate way too much. I think I'm letting Andrea's pregnancy rub off on my eating. It needs to get under control:) You got to take advantage of good food when you've got it! It was such a fun filled day and we all slept so well last night. We might need to get season passes...


Easter




Easter this year we hid the kids baskets in the house on Saturday and had them search them out. I was leaving for Utah the next day so Ryan took the kids to the Facers for an Easter egg hunt. I was so grateful this year for my savior's sacrifice and ressurection and the hope that I too can overcome my weaknesses and be made whole one day. I am most grateful for these precious Easter gifts...