Monday, November 2, 2009

So Thankful

Today was a stay at home day. No pictures today. I should have though...I made a chore chart for Emma and gave it to her for the first time today. It was precious. She has 3 chores every day: make her bed, pick up her toys, and the third one changes each day. Today it was to dust. There is not a speck of dust left in my house. She dusted every piece of furniture, the walls and tried to dust Harley. She loved it. Nathan even went and got a sock ( a clean, good one, but it's the thought that counts) and put it on his hand and started wiping off all the tables. I love that boy! Emma flipped her chart and pretty much did her whole weeks worth of chores in one day. I hope this enthusiasm lasts! I am going to have to come up with more ideas. Yeah for me...maybe there is hope for a clean house before they leave for college!

Tonight God gave me a chance to truly be thankful for everything in my life. I attended a rosary (prayer service) for a friend who is struggling with cancer. She has been battling it for two years and is currently on her last chance chemo. She is an amazing woman who is always smiling. I was blown away the last time I saw her...she was so beautiful. Several women were there praying for her tonight. We were praying over a prayer blanket. I wish I'd taken a picture of all our hands holding the blanket, tying the knots.
Anyway, praying for someone who is having to accept that God is calling them home is ....well, alot of things I guess.--Hard. Humbling. Beautiful. A Reality check. It made me thankful for my life...every bit of it. I am so thankful that I got to clean up spilled milk at least twice today. That I never got to work on my list of things to get done because I ended up playing "hide the pumpkin" and going outside to look for signs of fall with Emma and Nathan. That Nathan woke up early from a nap...so he and I got to spend some sweet one on one time together playing. That I have a wonderful husband who fed, bathed and put my kids to bed...and did dishes, so I could go pray tonight! Thank you, God, for my life!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Today, Sunday November 1, was such a great day! I started the day going to S.S. with Emma. I am teaching her class and so far it's been great!! I love being in there with her!
It was All Saints Day, and she had to dress up like a saint. She dressed up as Mary. She looked so cute. I think she loved carrying her babydoll most of all. This afternoon we all sat around the kitchen table and painted fall trees to hang in the kitchen. We had so much fun. Again, it was neat seeing everyone's personalities coming through in their paintings. Emma had her own technique, but her tree was very neat...all colors grouped together...a group of red leaves, a group of brown, etc. Nathan tried to mimic my technique (I am using the word technique, but that sounds much fancier than it really was. we were sponge painting!) I was amazed, and his painting looked great. He even drew straight lines for the trunk and branches. Gary's tree came out the "best"...he added lots of details. He reminded me that he HAD won first place at the State Fair for watercolor when he was in H.S.....I reminded him that I had a two year old in my lap when I painted my tree.
After painting, we went outside and played in the yard. Man, what a beautiful day!


I hope they are always this close!
Yes, Emma IS dressing herself these days. Why do you ask?





Emma was in a quiet mood today.

Going places.


Carving Pumpkins

On Friday afternoon we carved a pumpkin. Considering all the potentially crazy things that could have happened with a 3 year old, a 2 year old, a sharp knife, and a ton of sticky pumpkin seeds, it went amazingly well! We had so much fun. Emma dug right in and was up to her elbows in pumpkin gook. She got out as much as she could as fast as she could. She loved it! Nathan carefully took a few seeds out a time, inspected each one, and then carfeully put them in the bowl. He did try to eat a few. This was such a tell-tale activity in showing their little developing personalities.



Nathan checking out the insides. He kept saying "oooh. yucky!"
Emma lovin' life. Again.

We're all set and ready to start.



Halloween

We had a blast this Halloween. Emma is old enough to know what is all about, and Nathan is still young enough to appreciate the smallest things and enjoy every bit of it. Most groups of trick or treaters had 1 adult and a small group of children. In our group, we had Emma and Nathan and 7 so-called grown-ups making sure they were getting the most of their day. Happy Halloween!




Sweet Cinderella leading the way! She was on a mission this year. The best part of her night was running into Snow White. Another girl we didn't know was dressed up as Snow White, but to Emma, it was her BFF! It was so precious. It was like she hadn't seen her in so long!

I love how Nathan is looking up at his big sister.

"Hmmmm.....how much candy do you think we'll be aloud to eat?"
"I don't know, but I am NOT going anywhere without my baby."



Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Happy Father's Day

Emma and Nathan are so blessed to have two loving Grandpa's!

PePa, Nathan, Emma, and Gary

Sweet Macee, Madi, and Amber with a confused Nathan and busy Emma

Nathan LOVES Papa!!

Dad showing off his present from G.G.





More pics from Duck Pond Park




Emma and Nathan playing on the slide.



Nathan playing Peek-a-boo!

Tadpoles

This spring G.G. (Great-Grandma aka Gloria the Great), was kind enough to give us some tadpoles from her pond. We brought the tadpoles home and put them in a fishbowl. Each day we (I) fed them specially prepared lettuce, every 2 days we (I) changed their water. Emma and Nathan had so much fun playing with them helping care for them. Believe it or not, we (okay...I) only lost one out of about 13...and that's with a few tumbles to the kitchen floor, and several attempts by Nathan to eat one. We actually kept them alive long enough to turn into frogs! It was so cool!! One of God's little miracles right there on our kitchen window.

Emma, Nathan and I letting our little frogs go. We went to Duck Pond park. Hopefully they didn't become duck snacks.





One lone little tad-frog. We actually had one become a full frog. He lost his tail and would sit up on the rocks like he was so proud! However, Climby, as Emma named him...climbed right out of his container on the way to the park. He never made it to the pond. This is his bro. He still has his tail.







































Sunday, June 7, 2009

Dancing Queen

So it's been over a year since I've posted. I can't believe how busy we've been! I just looked back at the pictures from Emma's birthday, and I can't believe how they've grown!
I am determined to start blogging again. I have so many cute pictures to share...and too many extremely profound thoughts that Emma and Nathan just don't appreciate when I try to share them. Haha

Last night was Aunt Jenn and UNCLE Tad's wedding! Yahoo!! Welcome to the family Tad! We couldn't ask for a better uncle and brother-in-law! Emma was one of four flower girls, the youngest. As I watched her during the ceremony and tearing UP the dance floor at the reception, I realized just how much she is growing up! She is so confident and full of joy! Her love for life is just so contagious! Her independence and fiesty-ness that usually drives me crazy is going to be her strength to stand up for what is right in this getting-crazier-by-the-minute world! I LOVE my Sweet Emma Sue!

Summer, Amber and Emma dancing on the stage after dinner.

Amber and Emma walking down the aisle.


Jackson, Emma and Katherine getting ready before the wedding. Say cheese!


I will post the professional pics once the come in!