We went on a family date to Braum's. Mmmm! Got a Butterfinger sundae. =) Then we went fireworks shopping again. My man likes fireworks. =) I'm glad. =) =) We had a few things but then found out it was run by (and profiting) the homeschool organization that Luke and CK and Jed play basketball with. So we got some more stuff we kinda wanted. =P
Came home and put Laina to bed, transplanted Em's blueberry bush. It was sadly getting crowded by everything else in that garden. Cleaned it out a bit, too. Then we did a bunch of fireworks. =P We did one of the shells and they are awesome! The best shells we've ever had.
Em loves fireworks. It is SO cute. "Do you like fireworks, Daddy? Do you like fireworks, Momma? Who else likes fireworks? Does Uncle Quin like fireworks?" =P "Let's do some jumping jacks!" "Let's do a smoke bomb!" "Let's do a crackle ball!" "Let's do a shell one!" =P I love it! Harp loves it too. =)
Then we put the girlie to bed and we climbed up on the roof and watched fireworks across town. Very fun date. =)
Now for some Tetris Attack... And then bed. Night! =)
6.30.2007
Cinnamon Rolls, Wisners, & Fireworks
A bunch of fireworks. Everything is legal here except bottle rockets. So cool! In CO, you can do almost nothing. So we got 24 shells. =) My parents are going to come for the 4th (and maybe my sister?) and my dad has a bunch he bought in Kentucky a couple of years ago. =P So we will have a really fun 4th of July!!
Cutie. I was bummed that I didn't take a camera to the fire station, but we ran out the door... =P
My cowgirl at VBS. Diane took some cute pics of us and printed them for me, so I'll have to get them out of the car and scan them. =)
Lainey likes to stop like this on her side. =) Everyone thinks it's so funny, but I never really knew it was weird because Em did it too. =P I guess it's an Abbot girl thing?On Thursday, we went to a garage sale on the road behind us and they had the same stereo system we have in our living room. Harp had told me if I see anything like that to get it for the garage. Well we got it for $20 and it came with 5 speakers and a subwoofer, which he just put in the basement. =P He used to have that subwoofer, but it was stolen out of his car at LeTourneau. So anyway now he'll have music in the garage and there are beastly noises coming from the basement. =P
6.29.2007
Firehouse, VBS, Whatnot
This morning Em and I read this little book about a dog and a firehouse. She kept calling it a fireman house, knowing for sure that's not what it was supposed to be, but she just couldn't get firehouse out of her mouth without that man sneaking in there. lol, It was cute! Anyway she asked me about firemen and firehouses and I actually don't even really remember what the questions were except that I only had general vague answers. So I told her maybe we could see a fire station and see all the stuff they have and hear about what they do. I called to see if they ever gave tours and the man was really nice and said we could just come on over. So we did! We spent an hour and a half this morning at the fire station. We got to get in all the different trucks and go through the fire safety education trailer and listen to them get calls. We heard a lot of the history of the station and about things they're doing now. The man (Chuck) gave us plastic fire hats and glow-in-the-dark silicon bracelets, suckers, and a coloring book for Emmy. We had a lot of fun and I think he had a lot of fun giving us the tour. =) He said he has a great-granddaughter who is 4. He had 3 girls and they had all girls and he's on the third generation now of girls. =P Lainey loved him, too. She actually fussed in my arms for him to hold her!
Oh one thing that was really cute at the fire station is that Em really wanted to go see this one firetruck while we were still in the back of one of the medical trucks. I didn't really know what she was so excited about. I asked her why she wanted to see that one so bad and she said "Look, that one's in Daddy-O's car movie, Momma!!" I thought for a minute and she was talking about Stanley!! =P It was a 1916 firetruck from Wichita that they bought as a memorial to some firefighters that died in a fire that I had never heard of (probably in the 20's?). They had taken that truck to the fire. Anyway I thought that was cute. It did kinda look like Stanley. Only longer... And red. =)
Other cuteness from today: We took a whole bunch of canned food tonight for the Care and Share in Mulvane. It's like a Goodwill, but its own thing and all the money goes to missions and the workers volunteer. So I was telling Em how some people don't have any food. She hung her mouth open with a completely dumbfounded look. I said "I know! But we are bringing some food so they will have some!" She said "Oh, we are sacrificing for them!" I said "Yeah! It's food that we could have eaten, but we're going to give it to them to eat, so we're sacrificing for them!"
A little bit later, she asked if we were going to eat it with them. And I told her no but it would go to that place where Mommy got her pretty black skirt and then people could go there and say "I don't have any food!" and they'd say "Oh, here! Emily and Kate and Harper and Lainey brought this for you to have!" And Emily smiled big and was so excited. So sweet! =)
Tonight was the last night of VBS. It was fun, but I am soooooooooo worn out! I want to sleep all weekend. I took a nap today when the girls did for the whole entire time that they did (usually I set an alarm for me) and it was not enough! I am sleepy!
After we put the girls to bed, Harp and I made some sweet roll dough to make cinnamon rolls and caramel nut rolls in the morning. Mmm!
Oh and this is hilarious. Whenever we make scrambled eggs, Em says "Ooh, with BASIL!" like she is excited to put basil in them (which we pretty much always do, especially now that it's growing like mad in our garden). But then when we go to eat them, she doesn't like it. She will put a bite of egg in her mouth and somehow manage to eat the egg, but not the little pieces of basil and spit them out. How does she do it? I dunno! She's talented.
Oh one thing that was really cute at the fire station is that Em really wanted to go see this one firetruck while we were still in the back of one of the medical trucks. I didn't really know what she was so excited about. I asked her why she wanted to see that one so bad and she said "Look, that one's in Daddy-O's car movie, Momma!!" I thought for a minute and she was talking about Stanley!! =P It was a 1916 firetruck from Wichita that they bought as a memorial to some firefighters that died in a fire that I had never heard of (probably in the 20's?). They had taken that truck to the fire. Anyway I thought that was cute. It did kinda look like Stanley. Only longer... And red. =)
Other cuteness from today: We took a whole bunch of canned food tonight for the Care and Share in Mulvane. It's like a Goodwill, but its own thing and all the money goes to missions and the workers volunteer. So I was telling Em how some people don't have any food. She hung her mouth open with a completely dumbfounded look. I said "I know! But we are bringing some food so they will have some!" She said "Oh, we are sacrificing for them!" I said "Yeah! It's food that we could have eaten, but we're going to give it to them to eat, so we're sacrificing for them!"
A little bit later, she asked if we were going to eat it with them. And I told her no but it would go to that place where Mommy got her pretty black skirt and then people could go there and say "I don't have any food!" and they'd say "Oh, here! Emily and Kate and Harper and Lainey brought this for you to have!" And Emily smiled big and was so excited. So sweet! =)
Tonight was the last night of VBS. It was fun, but I am soooooooooo worn out! I want to sleep all weekend. I took a nap today when the girls did for the whole entire time that they did (usually I set an alarm for me) and it was not enough! I am sleepy!
After we put the girls to bed, Harp and I made some sweet roll dough to make cinnamon rolls and caramel nut rolls in the morning. Mmm!
Oh and this is hilarious. Whenever we make scrambled eggs, Em says "Ooh, with BASIL!" like she is excited to put basil in them (which we pretty much always do, especially now that it's growing like mad in our garden). But then when we go to eat them, she doesn't like it. She will put a bite of egg in her mouth and somehow manage to eat the egg, but not the little pieces of basil and spit them out. How does she do it? I dunno! She's talented.
6.27.2007
Fun With Blanchettes
So Tatum and her kids came over today and we had SO much fun! They moved here from Washington in the winter and I found out today that Tatum has never lived outside of Washington. All of her family is there and everything she has ever known is there! That is something I can hardly even imagine. My family was always in different states and we moved a lot. Not as much as military kids, I guess, but I guess it felt sort of the same because I went to a different school every year for 8 years. K-3 were at the same school and then it was different every year until 10th grade and the half of 11th grade I went to. (I did correspondence courses & a community college course the second semester and graduated early.) I never had the same friends for more than a year, that I can remember, except friends from TiP (summer program at Duke) and none of them even lived near me. I can't imagine having friends that you've had all your life and cousins and stuff that you've grown up with and then leaving! I don't know how old Tatum is. Between 25 and 28 I'd guess. Keller is 5 so she's probably older than me. Anyway, that was all sorta random. =)
We had a fun time playing inside and we had lunch and then I thought it had stopped raining so I told her about the slide and asked if they wanted to play outside. Well we went out and it was drizzling but we didn't care (Em likes to play in the rain and apparently Tatum's girls do too). Well Emily-O went down the little slide into the pool filled with yucky rain water and got soaked. So we said okay whatever and Em, Kenna, and Katen spent the next half hour going down the slide into the pool. =P Keller wasn't really into the rain so he played inside with this toy from Sonic that he was just fascinated with. It's a puzzle kind of thing that I really don't know how to explain but you twist it together different ways and it has random trivia on it.
The girls are napping and I tried to nap for about 45 minutes, I think. I don't think I ever fell asleep but I was so close to sleeping it didn't really matter. =P Then I took a shower and now I'm here.
I'm trying to decide if I want to finish the cowgirl shirt I was making (it's like 70% done) now that I hemmed my other one (and I washed it today so it's not icky for tonight). And if I want to make Em a cowgirl shirt or just keep the fabric for something different. Because I remembered that the shirt that had been up on the bulletin board was her size and Ann said she could have it. So hmm...
I'm gonna find my Beth Moore study and do one of the days I missed. Blog ya later!
We had a fun time playing inside and we had lunch and then I thought it had stopped raining so I told her about the slide and asked if they wanted to play outside. Well we went out and it was drizzling but we didn't care (Em likes to play in the rain and apparently Tatum's girls do too). Well Emily-O went down the little slide into the pool filled with yucky rain water and got soaked. So we said okay whatever and Em, Kenna, and Katen spent the next half hour going down the slide into the pool. =P Keller wasn't really into the rain so he played inside with this toy from Sonic that he was just fascinated with. It's a puzzle kind of thing that I really don't know how to explain but you twist it together different ways and it has random trivia on it.
The girls are napping and I tried to nap for about 45 minutes, I think. I don't think I ever fell asleep but I was so close to sleeping it didn't really matter. =P Then I took a shower and now I'm here.
I'm trying to decide if I want to finish the cowgirl shirt I was making (it's like 70% done) now that I hemmed my other one (and I washed it today so it's not icky for tonight). And if I want to make Em a cowgirl shirt or just keep the fabric for something different. Because I remembered that the shirt that had been up on the bulletin board was her size and Ann said she could have it. So hmm...
I'm gonna find my Beth Moore study and do one of the days I missed. Blog ya later!
6.26.2007
VBS & Cleanin' & Playin'
VBS last night was SO FUN! I am so excited for tonight! And tomorrow night! And the next night! And the next night! Way too fun that it's a whole week long. =) Emily had a blast, too. =) I took a few pics of her as a cowgirl but my battery needs to be charged before I can put them on the computer. I SO want Harp to take a picture of me as a cowgirl, lol! I love my chaps and when in the world am I going to get to wear them again? =) Harp took his off not long after we got there because they were too hot. I know he felt bad because I had taken the time to make them, but I really didn't mind. I was a little hot and mine weren't vinyl, lol! I never finished making my cowgirl shirt and I never even cut out Emmy's so she just wore a plain white shirt. I would have made hers today but I had a load of cleaning to do after being sick. Then I was kind of on a cleaning kick and I cleaned out the fridge. I tried cleaning using just water and baking soda and vinegar and it worked great!! Anyway yesterday before VBS I remembered that I had a long-sleeved shirt that was the most cowgirl-like thing I own and I decided to cut the sleeves and hem them short. I actually like the shirt a whole lot better now and it was perfect!
Kid-wise, VBS was really good. I have Ashley on my team, one of the new Bradshaw girls. Every time Dawn told someone I volunteered to "take her" they gave me this amazed look and told me I was so wonderful. It kind of freaked me out - what could be so wonderful about volunteering to have a kid on my team? What exactly was I getting myself into? =P So far I have had no problem with Ashley. I know she has not been adjusting easily to her new family (she is 11) and she has talked to me about some things that I don't agree with (and her family doesn't either) but I have just been trying to establish a friendship with her first so it's not like "oh that girl is against me too," which at this point is what I'm thinkin' she'd be thinking if I confronted an issue with her. But eventually it will be the "good friend" thing to do to bring it up, so I'm just trusting that I'll know when that is. =)
I have the two youngest Cota kids, Joel and Isaac. They are 4 and maybe 6. I was excited to get to meet more of their family. Their mom is the one that came and helped me with the girls' study for the last few weeks that we had it. (We're taking a break until fall.)
The only kid that I didn't know at all, even indirectly, is Andy. He is from Wisconsin and staying with his grandma. I don't know how long he is going to be here, but she is bringing him to VBS all week. I am pretty sure that he has never heard of God before, so it's super-cool that we get to share with him. We were playing the telephone game and "God is real" got passed around and he said "I don't know that word" and had Haylei tell me the message. I thought he just didn't hear her but then as other things got passed around I caught on that he had never heard the word "God" before. I asked him if he knew who God was. He said yes, but kind of shyly and like he didn't want to look like he didn't know. I said "Yeah, he's the one that made us! He made everything!" and we kept playing the game. I know he will learn more this week but it had to have been a confusing night up until then, talking about "God" when he probably didn't know who he was! It would be like telling him about John Doe when he had no idea who John Doe was. Anyway I talked to his grandma a little when she picked him up. Just met her and found out he was staying with her and whatnot and I told her he was very good and he smiled really big. He seemed like he was always on the edge of doing something he wasn't supposed to, but then decided not to. We'll see what the rest of the week will be like. I am excited to see him tonight.
This afternoon we are going to go play with Caleb and Eden. Em is very excited. =) And tomorrow Tatum and her kiddos are coming over. I hope that goes well because Emily and Katen did NOT get along well on Sunday in the nursery. Pushing, hitting, bonking... Yeah it was bad. We had Em apologize to Katen and Tatum said Katen was doing it too, but I think Em was the instigator of it all. She had to sit in the rocker twice, once for 10 minutes, because she was being so mean. And while sitting in the rocker, she kicked Laina in the head. Sheesh! I have to take some blame for the "bonking" part - we had a pillow fight the night before and we were saying "BONK!!" when we hit each other with pillows. All four of us did this. Well Lainey wasn't bonking, but we were bonking her gently and she thought it was funny. But Em ought to know that a toy is very different from a pillow.... Anyway!!
Today while I was cleaning the kitchen, Laina climbed onto the door of the dishwasher and got stuck there, holding onto the top rack. She didn't know how to get down. I tried to snap a picture (I know, I know) before telling her that was no, but my battery was dead. =P
Lainey is sitting her with me and she started saying "Mama, Mama!" I'll pretend she means it! Too cute! =P
I think Laina's other top tooth is in, but she hates when you stick your finger in her mouth. Usually, it's to fish out something icky... Anyway I haven't gotten a good feel yet. =P
Kid-wise, VBS was really good. I have Ashley on my team, one of the new Bradshaw girls. Every time Dawn told someone I volunteered to "take her" they gave me this amazed look and told me I was so wonderful. It kind of freaked me out - what could be so wonderful about volunteering to have a kid on my team? What exactly was I getting myself into? =P So far I have had no problem with Ashley. I know she has not been adjusting easily to her new family (she is 11) and she has talked to me about some things that I don't agree with (and her family doesn't either) but I have just been trying to establish a friendship with her first so it's not like "oh that girl is against me too," which at this point is what I'm thinkin' she'd be thinking if I confronted an issue with her. But eventually it will be the "good friend" thing to do to bring it up, so I'm just trusting that I'll know when that is. =)
I have the two youngest Cota kids, Joel and Isaac. They are 4 and maybe 6. I was excited to get to meet more of their family. Their mom is the one that came and helped me with the girls' study for the last few weeks that we had it. (We're taking a break until fall.)
The only kid that I didn't know at all, even indirectly, is Andy. He is from Wisconsin and staying with his grandma. I don't know how long he is going to be here, but she is bringing him to VBS all week. I am pretty sure that he has never heard of God before, so it's super-cool that we get to share with him. We were playing the telephone game and "God is real" got passed around and he said "I don't know that word" and had Haylei tell me the message. I thought he just didn't hear her but then as other things got passed around I caught on that he had never heard the word "God" before. I asked him if he knew who God was. He said yes, but kind of shyly and like he didn't want to look like he didn't know. I said "Yeah, he's the one that made us! He made everything!" and we kept playing the game. I know he will learn more this week but it had to have been a confusing night up until then, talking about "God" when he probably didn't know who he was! It would be like telling him about John Doe when he had no idea who John Doe was. Anyway I talked to his grandma a little when she picked him up. Just met her and found out he was staying with her and whatnot and I told her he was very good and he smiled really big. He seemed like he was always on the edge of doing something he wasn't supposed to, but then decided not to. We'll see what the rest of the week will be like. I am excited to see him tonight.
This afternoon we are going to go play with Caleb and Eden. Em is very excited. =) And tomorrow Tatum and her kiddos are coming over. I hope that goes well because Emily and Katen did NOT get along well on Sunday in the nursery. Pushing, hitting, bonking... Yeah it was bad. We had Em apologize to Katen and Tatum said Katen was doing it too, but I think Em was the instigator of it all. She had to sit in the rocker twice, once for 10 minutes, because she was being so mean. And while sitting in the rocker, she kicked Laina in the head. Sheesh! I have to take some blame for the "bonking" part - we had a pillow fight the night before and we were saying "BONK!!" when we hit each other with pillows. All four of us did this. Well Lainey wasn't bonking, but we were bonking her gently and she thought it was funny. But Em ought to know that a toy is very different from a pillow.... Anyway!!
Today while I was cleaning the kitchen, Laina climbed onto the door of the dishwasher and got stuck there, holding onto the top rack. She didn't know how to get down. I tried to snap a picture (I know, I know) before telling her that was no, but my battery was dead. =P
Lainey is sitting her with me and she started saying "Mama, Mama!" I'll pretend she means it! Too cute! =P
I think Laina's other top tooth is in, but she hates when you stick your finger in her mouth. Usually, it's to fish out something icky... Anyway I haven't gotten a good feel yet. =P
6.25.2007
Randomness (Again)
Friday night we camped in the living room. =P There was supposed to be bad weather or we would have camped in the back yard. I ended up going up to bed around 1. I couldn't sleep without my body pillow. =P
Sat was our anniversary. We went to YiaYia's for lunch - super-yummy fancy place in Bradley Fair. It was SO good. Then we played and took pictures by the fountain. I'll post some later. We went by the brew shop and stopped at the car statue in Wichita. Lainey was not thrilled. She was super-tired and had just fallen asleep and we woke her up to stick her in a metal car. =\ Then kids had naps, Harp and I read some (we've been reading Out of the Silent Planet by CS Lewis together), and then we went to Rock River Rapids. Fun!
Lainey has been giving hugs for a week or two. It's very very cute. And she gives "kisses" - if you ask for one, she puts her mouth on you. =P
Tonight is the first night of VBS. I am excited but also pretty tired, so I hope it works out well... Yesterday I got sick and had a temp of 103.1 at one point. Harp's dad called me in some penicillin and I have felt better since starting it (and taking some Tylenol). It's mastitis so I'm not contagious, just not feeling 100%. We'll see how tonight goes. Harp stayed home from work this morning because I felt yucky. He'll go in for the afternoon and hopefully I will feel up to going to the church to help get things ready.
Sat was our anniversary. We went to YiaYia's for lunch - super-yummy fancy place in Bradley Fair. It was SO good. Then we played and took pictures by the fountain. I'll post some later. We went by the brew shop and stopped at the car statue in Wichita. Lainey was not thrilled. She was super-tired and had just fallen asleep and we woke her up to stick her in a metal car. =\ Then kids had naps, Harp and I read some (we've been reading Out of the Silent Planet by CS Lewis together), and then we went to Rock River Rapids. Fun!
Lainey has been giving hugs for a week or two. It's very very cute. And she gives "kisses" - if you ask for one, she puts her mouth on you. =P
Tonight is the first night of VBS. I am excited but also pretty tired, so I hope it works out well... Yesterday I got sick and had a temp of 103.1 at one point. Harp's dad called me in some penicillin and I have felt better since starting it (and taking some Tylenol). It's mastitis so I'm not contagious, just not feeling 100%. We'll see how tonight goes. Harp stayed home from work this morning because I felt yucky. He'll go in for the afternoon and hopefully I will feel up to going to the church to help get things ready.
6.22.2007
Lainey Stuff
I forgot to blog that Lainey took one step on her own on Sunday! We were trying to get her to walk between us. We haven't tried since and she hasn't, either. =P
And that top tooth came in today! The other top one is really close.
And that top tooth came in today! The other top one is really close.
6.21.2007
Randomness
I don't think I have ever blogged that every time you put Lainey in bed, she immediately rolls over onto her side, but with her head face-down in the mattress. =P It's so cute. Lately she's been biscuiting up more (coined with Emily - where they tuck their legs under and their bottoms look like biscuits on a pan...) or sprawling out on her belly (still face-down, mooshed into the sheets). Still, very cute. Good night!
Happy Day
Lainey is teething. It looks like one of her top teeth is through but you can't feel it. She is snotty and kinda sad.
Today Emily told me "You're adorable, Momma!" =P Cuteness! And I may have blogged this but I don't remember. She'll tell me "It's nice to meet you, Momma!" =) I love that Schmunky.
Lainey likes to say "at" and "ap." And she really likes when we say it back. =) At, at, at, at, ap, ap, ap, ap.... And she likes to flip your lips (to make sounds). She asks to by making a b sound and flipping the air in front of your lips. =)
We've been sickish ever since we went to Grammy's a week and a half ago. I got horrible allergies that turned into something yucky and Em and Lainey got it too. Em's still snotty but I think we all feel fine. I think LJ's snot now is because of her teeth but who really knows...
So I am very excited that next week we are playing with Emily and Caleb and Eden on Tuesday and playing with Tatum and her kids Keller, Kenna, and Katen on Wednesday. Mon I think I'll be finishing stuff up for VBS (starts Mon night!) so half my week is already taken up!
Okay well I'm gonna go move some laundry. Later!
Today Emily told me "You're adorable, Momma!" =P Cuteness! And I may have blogged this but I don't remember. She'll tell me "It's nice to meet you, Momma!" =) I love that Schmunky.
Lainey likes to say "at" and "ap." And she really likes when we say it back. =) At, at, at, at, ap, ap, ap, ap.... And she likes to flip your lips (to make sounds). She asks to by making a b sound and flipping the air in front of your lips. =)
We've been sickish ever since we went to Grammy's a week and a half ago. I got horrible allergies that turned into something yucky and Em and Lainey got it too. Em's still snotty but I think we all feel fine. I think LJ's snot now is because of her teeth but who really knows...
So I am very excited that next week we are playing with Emily and Caleb and Eden on Tuesday and playing with Tatum and her kids Keller, Kenna, and Katen on Wednesday. Mon I think I'll be finishing stuff up for VBS (starts Mon night!) so half my week is already taken up!
Okay well I'm gonna go move some laundry. Later!
6.20.2007
Emilyisms
Emily loves to ask if she can "take your order." "Can I take your order?" "Anyone want to order?" "What do you want to order, Momma?" =P She started this when Harp's parents were here and she found the clicker thing for Outburst and asked if she could take Grandma and Grandpa's order with it. =)
So that reading book that I went back to that garage sale for... I read through some of it. While some of it is really cool, some of it seems sort of impersonal. You're supposed to follow the script word for word and they really stress that. Well I'm not going to be a robot teaching my kid how to read, but I do think the book is still useful and has some really cool ways that it teaches kids to read. One of the first things is to say a letter sound when you put your finger under it. You start your finger before it, move under it and hold for 2 seconds while they say the sound and then move your finger away, like you're reading... I wasn't sure Em would follow that. Then another of the first things is to play "say it fast." You say something like "motor" (pause) "boat" (pause) "sayitfast!" and they say "motorboat!!" I wasn't sure Em would follow that either... So I had it on the shelf and thought maybe later. But Em found the book the other day and was looking through it (not a pretty book at all, either) and I told her it was for teaching people to read and asked if she wanted to try it. She said yes and she was able to do all of the things it asked! I was surprised! She thinks it's especially fun to play sayitfast, too! Guess I should do the next lesson, too. =P I only did one the other day. When we were doing it, one of the letters she had to "read" the sound of was S and she said "ssssssssssssssssss...like sacrifice!" Whoa! We had talked about what it meant to sacrifice a few days before, but not about the s sound. Coolness!
After the last craft night, Harp put my serger in the garage. Em got out of the car the next day and said "I didn't realize your machine was out here, Momma!" =P
So that reading book that I went back to that garage sale for... I read through some of it. While some of it is really cool, some of it seems sort of impersonal. You're supposed to follow the script word for word and they really stress that. Well I'm not going to be a robot teaching my kid how to read, but I do think the book is still useful and has some really cool ways that it teaches kids to read. One of the first things is to say a letter sound when you put your finger under it. You start your finger before it, move under it and hold for 2 seconds while they say the sound and then move your finger away, like you're reading... I wasn't sure Em would follow that. Then another of the first things is to play "say it fast." You say something like "motor" (pause) "boat" (pause) "sayitfast!" and they say "motorboat!!" I wasn't sure Em would follow that either... So I had it on the shelf and thought maybe later. But Em found the book the other day and was looking through it (not a pretty book at all, either) and I told her it was for teaching people to read and asked if she wanted to try it. She said yes and she was able to do all of the things it asked! I was surprised! She thinks it's especially fun to play sayitfast, too! Guess I should do the next lesson, too. =P I only did one the other day. When we were doing it, one of the letters she had to "read" the sound of was S and she said "ssssssssssssssssss...like sacrifice!" Whoa! We had talked about what it meant to sacrifice a few days before, but not about the s sound. Coolness!
After the last craft night, Harp put my serger in the garage. Em got out of the car the next day and said "I didn't realize your machine was out here, Momma!" =P
6.19.2007
Zoo Pics & Sleepin' Baby Pics
Daddy and Laine.
We were just talking about how she's almost too big for this. =P If she's awake, she wants to adventure.
She's a cowgirl! I made her chaps this morning, btw! Very cute!
Cute dirty flower. =P
Raven
Audrey with Laina and Corbin. These babies adore each other. We need to start hanging out with them. We met them in childbirth class but ya know you don't really talk much in childbirth class... And then again at Emma's birthday party last year and we have seen them twice since Bessie got here to visit. Once at Grammy's and then at the zoo. They're fun!
I took as many pics of flowers as I did of animals at the zoo. =P
This peacock was a little, um, busy when we got there. Emily told Harp later that when we went to the zoo, the peacocks were snuggling and hugging. Later she told him the peacocks were married. =P SO cute!
Enoch and Bessie (and Nancy and Nellie in the background)
Laina wasn't thrilled... =)
Joy Joy Berry-Oy
(a name Em made up for Laina months ago - we still call her that!)
Laina Cutie-Bot
Father's Day Pics
Harp getting ready to fly his heli.
Emily-O at the park.
A cute and happy swing pic! I love it!
Another!
This is posed - Harper's depressed face because he broke his helicopter. =P
A better flower pic! I thought these didn't bloom last year. I didn't remember them at all. I was looking at pics from last year to scrapbook and I have evidence that they bloomed last year. Crazy. =P
Emily playing with the Dub Beetle. Someone gave it to her at a garage sale and it was slightly obnoxious at first (like I was going to quietly pitch it when she got tired of it) but Harp figured out what it does and it's actually pretty cool. It plays a dub beat when you press its belly and adds in another melody when you press it again and turning one of the ears adds another sound. It's kinda fun. And Laina likes to make it play and dance with it. =) So it's now a family fave. This is Em saying "Oh, sweet Dub Beetle!" after putting it in her shirt and saying she was pregnant. =)
If I remember right, she was singing the puppies song (from Esther) in this picture.
Munchin' on an apple. We eat apples alllllll the time. With peanut butter. The apple is just a vehicle for the peanut butter, really. Mmmm! We go through so much peanut butter that I'm thinking about making my own. I have saved the last 2 jars and I have one I'm using now. Won't be any problem to not can it because we'll go through it so quickly. But I suppose if I figured out where to put it it would be way cool to have a ridiculous amount of peanut butter on hand... =)
After a long napless morning at church, Laina fell asleep in the car and didn't even wake up until we were almost done with our food at Taco Bell. Usually she will wake up if you touch her.
Emmy and Daddy being goofy together. =)
6.17.2007
Happy Father's Day!
To all the Daddies! =)
Today we did snacks for church because Deanna (who usually does them) was out of town. We made soft pretzels (which we have made twice in the last week at home) and banana nut muffins and because it was Father's Day, little smokies with BBQ sauce. =P We had a whole lot of fun and working together, we are one efficient pretzel-making machine. =) Em and I made the muffins at home and she was a huge help, peeling all the bananas and unwrapping the butter and putting it in the bowl, etc. She really made things go faster for me. Then Harp and I started the pretzel dough, got everything we'd need in the car, went to church and Harp set up sound while I started heating the "baby hot dogs." Then we went to work on the pretzels. I just can't tell ya how fun it was. =P And they were sooooooo yummy, too.
We ate at Taco Bell after church - Harp's pick. =P I craved Taco Bell tacos when I was pregnant with Emily, but other than that, I'm not too fond of it. So Harp doesn't suggest going there very often but I said anywhere (hehe)!
Then girls had naps and Harp cut a board for Settlers of Catan (so the pieces don't shift) while I cleaned up the kitchen and then we worked on (sewing) my kite together.
Oh and I finished Tatum's quilt this morning while the pretzels were rising, but I haven't taken a picture yet. =P
We just hung out and played for the afternoon. We took pictures in the living room and then went to High Park. Harp flew his helicopter until it crashed =( and we watched for a bit and then went to the playground. Harp joined us at the playground not long after we went up there and we played for a while. Then we ate at Subway on the way home. =) Girls got to bed way late but I'm taking them to the zoo tomorrow (surprise) so I will give them early naps. I think it will all work out. Bessie is taking her girls and a bunch of other people are coming too. But Bessie is only going to be here a few more days so we really want to spend time with them.
Randomness I've been meaning to blog for weeks: Lainey always wakes up from her nap a while before Em does. She gets SO excited when Emily gets up. She giggles and wiggles and claps or flaps... =P Today she was crawling around when Em woke up and she quickly went to the bottom of the stairs and looked at me like aren't you taking me up? I took her to the top of the stairs and she crawled full speed, so excited, to Emily. =P I love how much she loves her sister.
Hmm okay there is too much I could blog and I don't want to spend forever on the computer. Harp had Dustin and Sam and some other guys from work over Tues night for a beer tasting kind of party. Everyone brought a 6-pack and they all tried different kinds of beer. That was the first time this week I made pretzels. They were gone within 2 minutes and Em and I didn't get one! I was at Bible study and she was sleeping... So we made some more Thursday and decided to make them for the church too.
Last night, we had Dustin and Ginger over for dinner. Dominick is getting so big! Two months old and he looks huge compared to last time we saw him. Em and Lainey were ALL over that baby. He is SO cute.
Okay gonna look at the pics I took today. Later! =)
Today we did snacks for church because Deanna (who usually does them) was out of town. We made soft pretzels (which we have made twice in the last week at home) and banana nut muffins and because it was Father's Day, little smokies with BBQ sauce. =P We had a whole lot of fun and working together, we are one efficient pretzel-making machine. =) Em and I made the muffins at home and she was a huge help, peeling all the bananas and unwrapping the butter and putting it in the bowl, etc. She really made things go faster for me. Then Harp and I started the pretzel dough, got everything we'd need in the car, went to church and Harp set up sound while I started heating the "baby hot dogs." Then we went to work on the pretzels. I just can't tell ya how fun it was. =P And they were sooooooo yummy, too.
We ate at Taco Bell after church - Harp's pick. =P I craved Taco Bell tacos when I was pregnant with Emily, but other than that, I'm not too fond of it. So Harp doesn't suggest going there very often but I said anywhere (hehe)!
Then girls had naps and Harp cut a board for Settlers of Catan (so the pieces don't shift) while I cleaned up the kitchen and then we worked on (sewing) my kite together.
Oh and I finished Tatum's quilt this morning while the pretzels were rising, but I haven't taken a picture yet. =P
We just hung out and played for the afternoon. We took pictures in the living room and then went to High Park. Harp flew his helicopter until it crashed =( and we watched for a bit and then went to the playground. Harp joined us at the playground not long after we went up there and we played for a while. Then we ate at Subway on the way home. =) Girls got to bed way late but I'm taking them to the zoo tomorrow (surprise) so I will give them early naps. I think it will all work out. Bessie is taking her girls and a bunch of other people are coming too. But Bessie is only going to be here a few more days so we really want to spend time with them.
Randomness I've been meaning to blog for weeks: Lainey always wakes up from her nap a while before Em does. She gets SO excited when Emily gets up. She giggles and wiggles and claps or flaps... =P Today she was crawling around when Em woke up and she quickly went to the bottom of the stairs and looked at me like aren't you taking me up? I took her to the top of the stairs and she crawled full speed, so excited, to Emily. =P I love how much she loves her sister.
Hmm okay there is too much I could blog and I don't want to spend forever on the computer. Harp had Dustin and Sam and some other guys from work over Tues night for a beer tasting kind of party. Everyone brought a 6-pack and they all tried different kinds of beer. That was the first time this week I made pretzels. They were gone within 2 minutes and Em and I didn't get one! I was at Bible study and she was sleeping... So we made some more Thursday and decided to make them for the church too.
Last night, we had Dustin and Ginger over for dinner. Dominick is getting so big! Two months old and he looks huge compared to last time we saw him. Em and Lainey were ALL over that baby. He is SO cute.
Okay gonna look at the pics I took today. Later! =)
6.15.2007
Playing With My Camera
6.14.2007
Eeeek!! (New Camera!)
I just got a box in the mail from my dad and he sent me a camera! It is really really awesome. I played with it some, taking pics of Emily, to figure out how to use aperture priority mode and it was so fun. This camera is so cool. You press the button and it just takes the picture right away! And if you hold it down, it keeps taking them. So cool! So my flower is ugly but now I know how to make it in focus and not the background and my camera will actually do it. Yippee!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Dad!!!!!
6.13.2007
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