family pictures

after her ride since I made her get off because of the rain.

Emma rding the quad with her daddy. She loves riding and everytime she came by me she would wave her hand at me. When she'd go over the jumps she'd scream with laughter. We may have to buy her her own little quad for her birthday instead of some girly foofoo thing I'd like.

These were the pics I promised a few days ago and am finally getting around too.


Our family and my SIL and her kids

Our family

All the kids

I had to post these pics of Emma on the quad. She looked so cute. I was in her room organizing her toys and such when she comes in butt naked and is opening her drawer to put on some panties. So I help her put them on and she proceeds to put on her shoes and go out the back door to the quads because she heard her brothers out there riding. So here she dressed in her choice of clothing. ENJOY!!!

I'll send more pics later since I don't have them all uploaded on my computer.

Emma lounging on the couch with the remotes

Kayla and Colin

the kids being silly


I know it's been awhile since I've blogged. It's hard with a toddler who is literally into everything and can go to opposites ends of the house in less than a second and still have time to get into something. I can't use the work excuse right now since i'm off but i have been bust trying to get ready for the holidays. Thank God it's over. I love Christmas but by the time I get to Christmas day I'm exhausted. We had a low key Christmas this year. We got a WII for the family. What fun that is. I'm well on my way to becoming the champion bowler. I only played a little because I didn't want to over do with my surgery and all plus that game is addictive. Fixed dinner for the family and my sis in law and her boys didn't bother showing up or calling to let me know she wasn't coming. I have enough food for an army. Anybody know someone who's hungry. :0)

Vern's daughter was here for 3 weeks. She left the 23rd and barely managed to leave on time. We thought for sure her flight would be cancelled with the weather in the NW. Instead it was delayed a couple hours. For those who don't know she is 18 and we fairly recently came in contact with her and her family. Long story there we won't go into. We had a nice time with her her. Didn't do much because of my work schedule (I worked every weekend she was here), the kids being in school and then my surgery. She got to be my chaffuer on several occasions since I'm not allowed to drive. Can I say what a pain that is. Not much else happening here that anybody wants to be bored with all the details. I'm trying to keep it short since Anjee complained the last one was too long. LOL

a few pictures

sending loves and hugs

Chillin on the laundry hamper

I don't have much time because I have to be up early. My MIL was wondering why I haven't posted pictures in awhile. So I'll post a few and write more about what's going on another day. For those who don't know I'm having surgery on Monday so hopefully I'll have more time to blog.

camp fire

Emma heard the dog barking and wanted to go outside to check it out. Of course she had to have her sunglasses too. I just had to take this picture of her in heard daddy's shoes. It's a reminder that our kids want to follow in our foot steps and what kind of example are we going to be.

This post will be on a lighter note. We had a bill/important info camp fire last night. I had Vern trim some trees around the property so it wasn't just paper burning. Here are a few pictures from it. This is Emma's first time having a fire.


Erik and Emma


Vern tending the fire


Emma hiding her eyes it's so bright


Colin being blase' about the whole thing

Things have been busy around here. No time to blog with Emma around so I have to get up at the butt crack of dawn to do this. Been busy working and keeping the house together. Vern went up to Oregon this past weekend to spend some time with his parents and to see his daughter. He had a really nice visit and I'm sure he wasn't as glad to get home as I was for him, since he had NO responsibilites. He met his daughter, Kayla, up in Washington and they got a chance to connect. She wants to come visit us and will be here the first part of December. We're excited to have her come down. It seems surreal. Vern has waited for this moment for so long.

While he was gone the washing machine decided to die, of course it was in the middle of a load. I called Vern in a panic since I didn't know what to do. We (me and the kids) had to bring part of the hose into the house with the other end outside and siphon the water out. Then I got the privelge of hand wringing the clothes and putting them in a garbage bag so we could run to the laundry mat. Since i was going to be there I decided to take the rest of the laundry with. Got to the laundry mat and had no soap @%$%$^. Some guy I'm sure hoping to hook up offered to let me use his but of course when I thanked him and told my sob story and mentioned my hubby he didn't bother me again. Thank God!!! I left Colin there while I ran to get fast food for the kids. What a trip it was having Emma there. NOT!!!! I'm so thankful I don't have to use the laundry mat on a regular basis.

When Vern got back we went washer and dryer shopping. Did you know it costs more to fix it then to get a new one almost? I did get to buy the front loader kind which I've been wanting, but wasn't practical before since I had a set that worked. The guy at home depot who helped us gave us a great deal since it was veterans day and Vern is a veteran. Only problem was that there were none in stock so we had to wait till Saturday to have them delivered. I spent the majority of the day doing laundry.

I would also like to say What causes people to live in total filth? Vern saw an ad on craigs list yesterdy mornig from a single mom who needed some furniture but didn't have the money to buy it. So Vern being a big hearted guy wanted to help. Me after dealing with stupid people all the time was skeptical, but wanted to give this woman the benefit of the doubt. We had a few extra things around here that we didn't need so Vern called her up to make arrangements. We load our stuff and take it to her house. It wasn't in the greatest neighborhood, but I know there are hardships in life and you can't afford to live somewhere else. (For those down here it was near the old hospital). I understand that not everyone's house is cleaned to the standard that I have, but what we saw this woman's son living in infuriatated me. I wanted to snatch that poor kid up and take him home with us and give him a bath. It doesn't cost anything to clean your house. You just have to get off your LAZY ass and do it. We walked it and it reaked of smoke and crap. Old food laying around. No laundry hanging in the closet. It was all on the floor. There was milk spills on the floor, toys scattered around. you name it. TOTAL FILTH!!! I wanted to slap that girl upside the head for allowing her son to live in that. Vern and I have been that poor before but we NEVER let our house look like that or our kids to be dirty like that. We had self respect. I can't understand what makes people want to live that way. So what should have felt good about helping someone made me want to pack our stuff back up and leave. That was pure lazziness on that woman's part. I want to help people but when they're like that I don't. It makes it hard to want to do it again, because I'm going to remember this situation. Am I wrong in feeling this way?

Belated halloween

Emma with hair for those of you wondering what she will look like


Trick or treating


Emma and Will pushing Ellie


Stopping to dance


Candy break

I've been busy working since Halloween so I've not had time to post Emma's halloween pictures. Thanks to Anjee for taking some and sending them to me since I forgot the camera at home in the rush to get out the door. Emma had alot of fun. She thought it was a pretty good deal that you go to people's houses and they give you candy. She didn't get scared at all. There were a few things she was skeptical about. One house was pretty decked out and had music so she had a great time dancing.

For those who live in the cold it was about 80 degrees. Just thought I'd rub it in....

oops I forgot

I forgot to mention about the other night. We were sitting at the table eating dinner and Emma's fussing to get out of her chair. I know she's hungry but she wasn't eating so I decided to go ahead and get her down. Once she's down she climbed up to the dinner table and starting pointing at ther chair and the food sitting there. I give her her food because sh'e signing she wants to eat. She sat down at the table and ate her dinner. As Vern was taking pictures she decided to stand up and do some posing for us.

We went to Joe's farm grill in Gilbert on Sunday and I thought I would share a few pictures.
climbing again
picking up all the "yucky" fruit

look at those lips

trying to get in the chair
suceeding at getting in the chair

playing catch up

Well I have lots of news to catch up on so if my thoughts seem rambled I apologize. This isn't a college writing course here. I'm going elementary today so my ideas may not flow smoothly.

Footbll is finally over, thank God! What a nightmare that has been. Vern and I will NEVER put our child in BGYFL. It's supposedly founded on christian values. It's certainly not any that I was taught growing up. I won't go into the whole thing because it makes my BP rise whenever I think about it. They (Erik's team) did manage to go to playoffs for a game and I was happy they lost. Is that bad of me? I was just tired of all the practices and entire Saturdays being "ruined". meaning nothing but football could be accomplished because of the times and all the traveling.

Concerning Emma, I'll try to go back to the beginning of all my latest thoughts and her achievements. The 20th she went in for her 18 month check up. She was 25 lbs and 33 in. 60th for weight and 95th for height. The doc thinks she'll probably be about 5'9" or 5'10",. I told him that was good because there were lots of fat genes on both sides of her family. The taller she is the skinnier she'll look. He got a good laugh out of that. According to him and of course us she's perfect. I think she's a little behind in her speech but she's always with someone who knows what she needs/wants so she doesn't have to use her words as much. We've been working with her on using her words. She uses sign language for some things so I'm making her say the words also. She's getting much better. Although she is so stubborn about getting her way she pushes our buttons so she can get what she wants without saying the words.
I had a friend over on Thursday who's daughter is 9 mo. old. I thought Emma would really enjoy her. She did only until she wanted to play with her toys. What a BULLY she is!!! It was cute though because she kept trying to sit in Grace's lap or getting Grace to sit in hers. She has this thing that if your sitting on the floor she'll come sit in your lap.
She is such a monkey. She has started climbing on everything. I can't leave the tray to her highchair off because if I do she's on it. She likes to stand up there and rock back and forth. It's a miracle she hasn't fallen yet. I caught her the other night climbing on the desk in the office. She was trying to get to the phone. I'll include the picture. I had to shoot it before getting her down.
She has also started taking off her diaper so we;ve been putting her on the potty and she has gone several times. If she doesn't pee within the first few seconds she's done ( because there a places to go and things to get into to). Vern and Erik were with her the first time she went. When they started making a big deal of it she looked at them like they were insane. So I decided to try it when I came home from work. She went potty again but when I started praising her and making a fool of myself she just beamed and started clapping to. So SWEEET!!!!
Last little thing. I was up getting ready for work the other morning and I heard Emma cry out so I decided to go in and get her so I could see her before work ( she rarely gets up before 7) I picked her up and felt a naked butt. She had taken off her pants and diaper. The diaper was dry and so were the pants but everything else was wet. I just bust up laughing because it was sooo funny. So I would say she's ready to peepee in the potty and mom and dad need to get her some one piece nightsuits for now. Enjoy the pictures.

a

1 1/2 yr B-day

Sitting on her potty after her bath

this is after a chocolate treat

Miss Emma is 18 months today. Oh how time flies. She loves her potty chair and carries it wherever she thinks she may need it. She see's it as the perfect seat vs a place to go pee. We'll keep on working on it. I know it's a little early but I won't force the issue with her. She's a stubborn child. She has started throwing fits and drops her little body to the floor to roll around it. If it wasn't so annoying it'd be the cutest thing ever. If noone pays her any attention then it doesn't take her long to get over it. I really have to watch the boys because they like to laugh at her and give her all the attention she needs/wants. She doesn't say many words but I'm not sure if she's behind in her language skills or the fact that someone is always there to know and anticipate her needs and wants. She can sign to us for simple basic needs. She just won't say it most of the time. She has an appt next monday so I'll ask the doc. I'm not going to worry too much about it because it's obvious she's not behind in other areas. Not much else is going on..same ole, same ole!

Brrr it's cold

I just have to say "Thank you GOd for cooling it off here." I woke up this morning and yesterday morning COLD. I have to say I LOVE it!!!! I was hoping to see some snow so I could sit by the window drinking my coffee and watching it. I know that's pushing it though. This only proves my point that I need to live somewhere it snows. Just not Alaska. I don't want that much snow or cold. (I'll go back when I start having hot flashes). Have a good day everyone. I'll post more when I have time. I've go places to go, people to see, and things to do.

Emma's dress up shoes

I got Emmma some dress up shoes today since she likes shoes so much. I just had to post these pictures of her with her shoes one. What a HAM!! Notice the cute little purse she has on her shoulder. She's such a girl despite spending all that time with her daddy.

our trip

passing the time while waiting for the plane


Look at that face...this is serious business


Emma going down the slide


My sis with her son Kodi


Kristal and Emma


they're back yard...see all that green


Emma riding in the doll stroller (a must for christmas)

I went to Indiana this past monday to see my sis who hasn't seen Emma in a year. We had fun but it would have been nicer if her butthead husband wasn't around. The first day we did some shopping and then we drove over to see her son who lives with his dad during the week because I haven't seen him in 3 years. Day 2 we took it easy around the house so Emma could get a nap because after 2 days in a row without one she was quite crabby. We spent alot of time outside since the weather was wonderful. They had a huge yard and the neighbors (who were wonderful people) had a nice swing set and riding toys for their 19 mo. old grandson. Emma got to meet him and played with him for awhile. He feed her tomatoes (cherry sized ones) that had been picked (and cleaned) earlier that day. It was soooo cute. She'd put the whole thing in her mouth, chew it around for awhile and then would spit it out. Unfortunatley I didn't have my camera on me to capture it. Chris (my sis's butthead) has 2 daughters 11 and 9 who doted all over Emma so they would take her out and jump on the trampoline with her and such. She was in heaven with all of that outside time.

We're glad to be home in our own beds and with our family. I do believe Emma missed Kira (the dog) the most (after her daddy) because she got the biggest reaction from Emma. Colin and Erik barely got a "hi"