Oliver is 2 years old!!

I cannot believe that today my lil baby boy is 2 years old! How the time has quickly flown by- he is such a great joy to my family. We are truly blessed to have him. I hope that you all enjoy this lil video montage that I have put together of the last year!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Update- sorry!

I'm sorry to have been absent from blogging for so long. Things have been hectic around here to say the least. Mainly the kids have just been sick quite a bit. Right now we are dealing with Oliver having strep throat and Avery having "reactive breathing disease" both of with kinda bite big time, but they are both on the mend and we are hoping to have a long healthy stretch here.

We have had some really wonderful times lately as well though. Andrea came out to visit for a weekend- we only got to visit for a little bit, but it was like she was never gone and it stunk cause it made me miss her even more than I allready did if thats possible! We also had some family come to visit for their spring break and did loads of fun stuff with them- Then we went to NYC for a 4 day weekend just the family for some fun and to celebrate my baby girls 10th birthday at American girl place. We had such a great time- but that is a whole other blog in itself :) Also my March of Dimes team rocked the house- we raised almost $7000- way more than doubled our goal. I am really stoked about it.

I have a million and 1 pictures from all of our wonderful happenings lately and it took me all of 3 days to update my piczo website to share with everyone. While I would love to put them all on here as well I sadly just do NOT have the energy to do so- instead I'm just gonna give you all the link to go to my website and check it out!

http://mymonkeykids.piczo.com/

these are the pages that are new~
You can just click on the one that you want to see and it'll take you right to the page :)

Big boy's first haircut
January 2008
Snow tubing
Andrea's visit
Rickys bday
kids :)
Bunnyland
The Houghtons come to visit
A day downtown
Brookside gardens with the Houghtons
Easter 2008
Smithsonian Kite festival
Our trip to NYC
The Zoo :)
Beautiful spring day

Enjoy looking- I hope to be able to update more often. I do come on quite a bit to check up on everyone else!!

Lets save some babies!!!

Every year, half a million babies in the U.S. are born prematurely. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death and many life long disabilities. The funds we raise in March for Babies support research that saves babies' lives.

Last year the Frederick Mommies teamed up with the March of Dimes and joined in Walk America. Together we raised over $1500, and had 10 mommies walking on our team! This year we're trying to exceed last years milestones!

The March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.
Walkin' walkin' last year in 2007's March of Dimes walk! Fellow walker Tara and I getting ready to head out!
The 2007 Frederick Mommies March of Dimes team :)

To help us please go to my March of dimes page~

http://www.marchforbabies.org/CoffeyCake

thank you thank you thank you!!

Holiday lights :)

Every year we go to see the Winter lights at Seneca park- last year we went on the trolley ride which was wonderful. WE didn't get to do that this year because of the weather, but the girls loved it anyway becuase we let them get unbuckled and watch together out the window :)

Oliver isn't too sure what he thinks of this!

Very happy girls :)

Took this right before Miranda fell over and bonked her head :( Guess the no seatbelt thing wasn't the greatest idea ever!

MyMonkeyKids page

Hey friends~
I have finally updated our picture website again :) Actually I have spent the larger portion of my day doing it!! I have posted lots of the pics on here - but there are just sooo many more to see. There are loads of new pages of fun pictures to check out! One of these days I'll find the time to actually write something interesting about the pictures, but for right now this will have to do!

Have fun looking~

http://mymonkeykids.piczo.com

This is a list of the new pages-


carving and painting punkins
Trunk or Treat!!
soccer chic
Miranda ballerina
more random kid pics
Happy Thanksgiving- 2007!!
Let it snow!!
2007 Gingybread house
O Christmas tree
Temple lights
cookie monsters!
December pics- more

The Temple Lights

My first time at the Temple was wonderful when I went a few years ago with Katie, Julie and Arianne but I had never been during the Holiday season!! How crazy is that? I have lived here for 6 years and never seen the lights at the Temple! We met our friends Jen and Beth and saw the DC Mormon Chior sing- they were pretty amazing, even Oliver sat semi- still to listen. Here are a few of our pictures from our evening~
Me and my kiddos~
The girls

The Nativity- this was Miranda's favorite part. She was really funny- I think this is the first nativity that she has seen since she has really learned the story of baby Jesus and she was so excited that she new what was going on. We walked up and she said (pretty loud) "hey that's Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus!!" We watched it about 4 times before Avery insisted that was enough and that we needed to go see something else. Avery's favorite was listening to the choir and the Nativity room with nativity scenes from around the world- I think that was my favorite too!

Our friends Jen with her son Cole and Beth with her boys Andrew and Preston! What a wonderful time we had, but it did really make me miss all my girls that have moved from here!!

Let it snow :)

OH the weather outside is frightful, but my kids are so delightful :)

I think we got somewhere around 4 inches today and somehow the craziest of crazy school systems that normally shuts down for 1/2 inch stayed open all day- poor Avery missed out on all the snow fun! Lucky for her it is freezing out- which means ice on the roads and most likely no school tomorrow.

In true Rankin fashion we hung in our pj's most of the day- only to get dressed to bundle up and go play in the white stuff. And then get back in our warm jammies with hot cocoa watching holiday cartoons straight after!

Its days like this when I know for absolute certain that I am exactly where I am supposed to be- I could do with a little more sleep and a lot less housework, but I love my family, my house, my life today. Seriously- was just one of those days where you take a step back and say "this is it- this is what life is about- it cannot get any better!"

Hope you all enjoy our pictures :)