DC Trip

I had the opportunity to go to Washington DC for a conference for work. While I was there I took in a few of the many site that were there. It would have been nice to have the family there at least Kim the girls would have been to small to really understand everything. I seen the major monuments in the DC area. There was so much to see I just hurried along so I could see as much as I could. I did see a few of the Smithsonian's Museums and went into the National Archives building to see the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. I also had the opportunity of taking a tour of the White House. Everywhere you went there was history.There was so much to see and so little of time to do it in. Cant wait to go back. Next time I will know what I'm doing and have a better plan.

First Band

I got my first band. Kim thinks I'm a dork for being so excited about something so dumb. Well if you know anything about waterfowl hunting it is not an everyday thing when you shoot a bird with a band on it. What it is when a bird is young or when it get captured the biologist put a band on the birds leg so when someone finds the band they can track the movements of the bird. The band has a identification number on it so anyone can call and give them the information. I sent mine in and the bird was banded when it was young back in 2007 somewhere in the salt lake area. So my bird didn't travel far. Never the less it is some bling to add to my lanyard. Again something Kim thinks is crazy.

Riggs

About the hunt. Kyle received some permission to hunt on some land. I invited my neighbors Jason and Cole to come along to see if we could find us some birds.
It was a very cold morning but the river was free of ice in parts. As we were setting up in the morning we scared a hundred or more geese off the water. Things were looking good. As the morning went on ducks were flying in here and there. The geese came in and a couple of different times. It was a great morning. We cant wait to get out again

5 Months Old - Holy Cow!!!

The twins turned 5 months old on Friday. How crazy!!! I took some pictures of them to post on the blog, but Ryan has taken the camera with him to Washington D.C. And once again, I wasn't thinking fast enough to get the pictures, so I will journal for now and add some pictures when he gets back.

Each baby is doing really well, it is almost scary!! They are both gaining weight and getting stronger every day. Our Babysitter put them on the scale earlier this week...so I have an unofficial weight of 13 pounds for both of them. Becky said that there is still about 1/2 pound between them. Her scale doesn't do ounces. As they are gaining weight, it is getting harder to tell them apart. Even Ryan said he has to put them together to make sure he has the right one. I won't admit it, but it is easier when they are side-by-side.

We have had to switch bracelets in the last month. We had some when they were first born and that is what we used to help tell them apart. We keep losing Hallie's new one. The bracelets are just a little too big and her's keeps falling off. Remie is better at keeping her's on. Maybe its the extra 1/2 pound.

It has been fun to see their personalities coming out. Hallie is our little talker. She will talk (coo) your leg off. She is so smiley and happy....most of the time. Remie is more reserved. Remie will talk and smile...it just takes her a little longer to warm up. They both are doing well with their motor skills. They both are beginning to find their hands and know that they can reach for things. Hallie is doing a little better with it, but Remie is starting to catch on. They are also starting to hold their own bottles. THANK GOODNESS. We still have to help, but it is nice to know that they be able to do it, on their own soon! It is also funny to watch them when we shake up the bottles. They get so excited or even stop crying when they hear it.

As for the sleeping, well, they are starting to sleep longer at night. They are generally waking up just for their binkies....those dang binkies! We typically don't feed them until 6:00 am. So I should probably be grateful it is not earlier. It is just all of the in-between binkie runs that make the night hard. Ryan has been really good about jumping up first. THANK YOU!! So that is the last month in a nut shell.

I should probably be more grateful that they are not walking yet, that is when all of the fun will begin!!

1st Attempt at "Normal" Food

After we went to their 4 month check-ups we finally got the ok to start them on cereal. This was the first night we tried. They both thought we were trying to kill them. They were gagging and not quite sure what to think.

Remie


Hallie





At least we got some smiles out of it!!!

A week later we have added a little flavor. Remie is not to fond of bananas. But Hallie likes both Bananas and Applesauce. They both still spit out more then they actually swallow, but it sure is good entertainment!!

Chunky Monkeys!

We just got back from our 4-Month Check-up. They both are doing very well. Here are the stats...

Hallie 11 pounds 11 ounces (25%ile) 23 inches long (20%ile)
Remie 12 pounds 7 ounces (30%ile) 24 inches long (30%ile)

At 2 months they were only 2 ounces apart. They both were cooing and smiling, up until the shots. They didn't seem to like that part so well. We get to start solids now. YEAH! Hopefully it will help us sleep through the night a little better!!!

Fishing with her Dad

We went to Soda this weekend. Ryan can't stand to just sit still, so he was going to take the big girls fishing while I worked on some Christmas stuff with my mom and sisters. Rylie didn't end up going. So Sydnie had a date with her dad. They ended up going to Chesterfield and had great time. Syd loves to go with Ryan any chance she gets. I think he will have a little competition when she gets a little older. She keeps telling him that she needs a pink gun! (Don't mind the dates, Ryan was using his hunting camera - they really were taken on 11/7/09.)





I don't think she wanted to touch it.










The end of a busy day!

Baby Pictures - 4 months Old

Here are some updated baby pictures. They are now 4 months old! I cannot believe it has been 4 months. Some days feel like an eternity, but when you look back, it seems like it was just yesterday. They are both doing very well. They are smiling and cooing, and even starting to coo at each other. Hallie is the smiley one right now. You can get her talking or smiling pretty easy. Remie will talk also, but it takes her a little while to get started.

We have also had to update the bracelets that they have been wearing. We have had them in bracelets since we brought them home and it was an easy way to tell them apart. Now the new bracelets are just a little too big, so we keep losing them. I'm sure they will fit in no time at all. We go back to the doctor on November 17th, so I will have weight updates then.

Hallie & Remie




And of course I had to switch them...Remie & Hallie


Ryan took this picture, and to be truthful, neither one of us can tell which one it is. Don't tell her that!

Carving Pumpkins & Halloween

We carved pumpkins on October 30th, after we got back from a USU basketball game, hence all of the USU shirts. As you can see, Rylie wasn't loving getting the "guts" out. We carved pumpkins that Ryan grew in the garden, this summer. It is so nice not having to go to the grocery store each year to buy pumpkins. We had some really big ones that were still sitting out on the front step. They were too big to bring in. The sad part was, that I didn't get any pictures of them.





Just taking it all in...Remie and Hallie








Rylie and Remie






Sydnie, Hallie, Rylie, & Remie


Halloween Night...Hallie & Remie





What a bunch of spooks!



Sydnie and Rylie with Great-Grandma & Grandpa Barfuss

The Mighty Duck Hunters

Since the first of October Ryan has been doing a little duck hunting. I think they spent more time trying to take "cool" pictures then they did hunting. Although, I have to admit, the first two are pretty cool.