the Nadeau Family

2011-12-05T09:21:00.000-06:00

Here is our Christmas card this year!! :)

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Mother's Day

2010-05-10T13:09:00.003-05:00

Mother's Day was such a treat this year. Katelynn was dedicated at church and we had both our parents there plus my grandparents and Sheldon's grandparents on his dads side. We also had my aunt and uncle from Texas there. After church everyone, except my aunt and uncle, came over for lunch. It was low key and so much fun. Emmy and Bella put on a concert with their karaoke machine singing Go Fish and Brandon Heath. We are so blessed to have such a great family! Hope all the other mommies had a great Mother's Day.

*The picture is of my grandma holding Kate, me and Bella and my mom and Emmy. 4 generations!

Letter

2010-05-06T16:18:00.004-05:00

NADEAU NEWS

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” ~Phillipians 4:6

Dear family and friends, April 2010

Some of you are finding out for the first time that we had another baby. We like to call Katelynn Jo our “unexpected blessing”. We did not plan on having anymore children after Emmerson but God had another plan for us. We fully accept the challenge of having 3 girls all within 4 years of each other! (ahhhhh!)

We started 2010 off by expanding our family from 4 to 5! What a joy Kate has been. Big sisters, Isabella and Emmerson, love her to pieces. Bella loves to kiss her, hug her and hold her. Emmy is a great big sister when she is not pulling her hair or poking an eye; she is still adjusting to the fact that she has to share mommy. Emmy has also given Kate her first nickname; “Baby Cake”. We find ourselves calling her that and we laugh. It will be so fun to watch them grow up together, play together, and even have some squabbles; as long as they always kiss and make up. We are blessed to have 3 healthy beautiful girls.

About 2 weeks after we had Kate, Sheldon found out he had till the end of March, approx. 6 weeks, to find a new job. It was a little scary. So, Sheldon kicked it into high gear and had a lot of interviews in a very short amount of time. We prayed God would provide what we needed and trusted that he would. 2 weeks later he started a new position as a Sales Marketing Executive for LabCorp. God provided what we needed and then some. We were reminded that God wants so much more for us than we want for ourselves and if we are faithful he gives us much more than we are expecting. God does things better than we do. We are thankful, excited, relieved and blessed for this new job!

Back in September of 2009, Sheldon and his friend, Matt, ran and rode across the state of Missouri in 4 days and finished at The Arch in St. Louis. It was 285 miles; 60 of it they ran and 225 were spent riding their bikes. They called it The Show-Me Challenge put on by the two of them to launch a new website they created called www.ChallengeFactor.com. Not only were they launching Challenge Factor they were also raising money for the Touched By Cancer Foundation here in Kansas City. Little did we know that 6 months later we would be “touched by cancer.” Sheldon’s dad, Jonathan, was diagnosed with a Grade 4 brain tumor. He had surgery in March to remove a large mass on the right side of his brain and is now undergoing chemo and radiation to stop the growth of another tumor on the left side of his brain. We are hopeful and prayerful during this time and ask that you would keep Jonathan, Denise (Sheldon’s mom), Sheldon and Jamie (brother) in your prayers.

At the top of the front page there is a verse. We have this on our refrigerator so we see it everyday. We have had an eventful year so far and this verse has given us a reassurance of the things God is doing in our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 is another verse that has reassured us and given us hope. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” He does have a plan and we are fully ready to accept the challenges and joys he has in store for us.

We hope this finds you and your family healthy and happy. We have a website that has updates and pictures of the girls that we would love for you to check out. They are growing way too quickly! www.NadeauNews.blogspot.com

God Bless you and Happy 2010!!

Love,

The Nadeau Family

-Sheldon, Laura, Isabella, Emmerson and Katelynn

* This was a letter we sent out with Kate's announcement. I thought I would share it on here.

Hell

2010-05-03T22:55:00.003-05:00

As I was praying with Bella before she went to bed I prayed for God to protect us from evil and to help us have good dreams...etc. After I was done Bella asked me why I asked God to protect us from evil. I have always talked to her about God and Jesus but have never brought Satan in the picture. I figured in due time she would ask me. Well, tonight was that night. I told her I prayed that so God would keep Satan away from us. She asked who Satan was and I told her he was the most beautiful angel there was and he went against God so he wasn't able to live in heaven anymore. She asked me where he lived and if he lived in our house or outside. I told her that he lived in Hell. "What's hell", she asked. Deep Breath, "Well, hell is a place where people go when they don't have Jesus in their heart. It is a very hot fiery place. Satan likes when we do naughty things."

"Did he like it when I screamed at daddy? Was he laughing?"

"Yes he did like it and I am sure he was laughing. Do you think it's funny when we act like that?"

"No."

"That's why we have Jesus in our heart to help us make the right choices. God helps us do that."

"Mommy, do you have Jesus in your heart?"

"Yes I do!"

"Do I have Jesus in my heart?"

"Not yet, but you will someday soon!"

I cannot tell you the joy in my heart having this conversation with my 4 year old!! She is so inquisitive and I feel like she is starting to get it. I just pray over her little soul!! There was definitely more than this during our conversation but I just had to share this little part. We talked for about 10 or 15 minutes and she was full of questions. More than she ever has had before. I am excited for the day I can get on here and tell you all that my daughter accepted Christ in her life!! My heart is so happy!!

Peanuts??

2010-05-03T22:44:00.002-05:00

My dad and Bella were playing Dora Candy Land one night and Bella landed on the peanuts. Bella says to my dad, " Papa, I landed on the peanuts. Boys have peanuts and girls have vagina's." My dad buried his head laughing hysterically. What does a papa say to that?!

Sweet Greats!

2010-05-01T21:14:00.003-05:00

Oh how I LOVE this picture! This is my Grandma and Grandpa Finley; they are my mom's parents. Words cannot express how much these two people mean to me. The girls really love them too. They are called Grandma and Grandpa- Great to the great-grandchildren. The night this picture was taken, we walked into the house and Emmy yells out, "HI, GATE (great)!" It definitely made their night. We love out Greats!!

*side note- My grandpa and I share the same birthday; Isabella shares my grandma's birthday and also her middle name which is Chloe; pronounced Chlo. That makes it more special!

Our girls...

2010-04-21T15:10:00.002-05:00

loving~ fighting~ hugging~ pinching~ kissing~ pulling hair~ sharing~ not sharing

having each other's back when it counts...

that's what sisterhood is made of!

Baby "Cake"

2010-04-21T15:03:00.002-05:00

Babies take some odd photos sometime. I found this one very funny! It looks like she is using some karate moves. "Watch out or I'll kick that camera out of your hands!"

Making her smile is very easy to do. She is so easy going and I can already tell she is going to be our little one that will make sure we are all happy and the one that is very sensitive. After all, she is the baby.

Her eyes are also piercing blue! I never imagined having a blue eyed baby because the other 2 have big brown eyes like me. So glad that she is different in that way. Ahhh, she makes me so happy!

Bella's New Bed!

2010-04-21T14:51:00.004-05:00

We finally got Bella her new bed( no more toddler bed)...well, it's actually my old daybed that is hers now. We couldn't find the screws to the bed so we had to use the trundle. We were so excited to go get her new bedding and get it all together that we forgot to make sure we still had all the parts. Sheldon still needs to make a trip to the hardware store!

We got her bedding at HOME GOODS! LOVE that store!! When I saw it, I knew it was perfect for her. She loves it and is so proud! We are proud of her too!!

This was a sweet moment I was able to capture. Sheldon was gone one night and I had to get Emmy to bed. So, I decided to put Kate in bed with Bella because Kate was just wanting to be near someone. When I walked back in, this was the picture. Kate ended up falling asleep in Bella's bed and then I moved her to her own. Bella is such a good big sister!

Getting Crafty!

2010-04-07T22:29:00.003-05:00

These are the shirts I made for the girls birthday party. We had it at Monkey Bizness and had a blast. My camera went dead so I didn't get any pictures. I am waiting from friends and family to share their pictures with me!! Anyone, anyone?!?!

Random Pictures

2010-04-07T22:05:00.002-05:00

Bella was playing with her Barbie pool and I put water in it. She thought she needed her suit on too! There was snow on the ground outside and it was cold! A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

Bella and her cousin, Jayden, playing outside at Mema and Papa's house!

Driving the Mini Cooper!

Papa Johnny making snowballs for Emmy. This was our last snow of the season.....we hope!

I think this picture is hilarious! Emmy has short sleeves on, standing in and eating snow with a beach ball next to her! Gotta love Kansas City!!

Easter 2010

2010-04-07T21:43:00.004-05:00

Coloring Easter eggs with their cousin, Jayden.

The girls with Mema and Papa White after church.

Emmy finding one of her eggs!

Bella searching for her eggs!

It is so weird to see five of us in this picture. I am still getting used to the idea of being a mom of 3. I definitely wouldn't trade it because Baby Cake (that's what Emmy calls her) is a gem!! Hope everyone had a fabulous Easter!

The girls

2010-02-21T15:37:00.002-06:00

Katelynn has figured out she likes her pacifier. I am glad because it pacifies her so we don't have to hold her all the time, thus the name 'pacifier'! She gets very intense with it sometimes, like she can't suck hard enough.

Already looking up to her older sister, Bella!
My new favorite picture of my three girls!!

Snow, snow and more snow!

2010-02-20T20:10:00.004-06:00

Emmy and Bella
I love this picture! She is so stinkin' cute!
Bella was mad because there wasn't much snow on the ground. I told her to wait until tomorrow when we are supposed to get a big snow storm!

Emmy enjoying the snow she could find to eat!

Bella got over being mad and started running around our yard! She ran for a good 5 minutes. I don't know where she gets her energy.

We have had so much snow this winter! Today was not too cold so I told the girls we could go out and play. It has been too cold to go out and play so it has been a VERY long winter. Cannot wait for spring to come!!

Valentines Day

2010-02-20T20:04:00.002-06:00

I wanted to do something special for the girls for V-day because I wanted to let them know how special they still are even though we have a new baby here that is taking so much of mommy's attention. They were so excited to see the balloons, new plates, placemats, candles, and heart candy. I made biscuits and gravy for breakfast and told them how much I loved them. As you can see, they were all smiles. Mission accomplished!

Our newest little Valentine....

2010-02-20T19:05:00.003-06:00

Katelynn Jo was born on January 14, 2010. She was 7 lbs. 6 oz. and 19 3/4 inches long. We were so happy to hear we were having a girl! We don't have to add toys to the house! Her sisters love her; sometimes a little too much! She is a good baby but is going through wanting to be held all the time. It gets a bit tricky but we are managing. She sleeps pretty well but every now and then she wants to get up at 3am and stay up for about 2 hours. That always catches up with me the next day. Katie Jo...our sweet baby girl!
Very proud mommy!

2010-02-11T11:36:00.002-06:00

NEW PICTURES COMING SOON! I am a very busy mom of 3 now! Will post VERY soon! Love to ALL!

Louisburg Cider MIll and Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-06T22:45:00.002-05:00

Over the weekend we took the girls to a cider mill to have some cider and apple donuts! We had such a fun time and so did the girls. We will probably go again before it gets too cold! This is just one of the many reasons why I love fall!

The girls enjoyed jumping in the bouncy house!
They also enjoyed a pony ride. This was Emmy's first time on a pony so she wasn't too sure at first but ended up loving it.

Our sweet girls!

I just love this picture of Emmy. She looks like she is filling her pants with a special surprise but that didn't happen. This is one of those picture she will wish I didn't have!

Bella was watching the apples being washed and sent off into the mill. It was really cool watching them being pressed into juice!

So much time....

2009-09-29T15:20:00.003-05:00

There has been so much time that has passed since I have blogged. Why??? Life has been busy. And....I have spent way too much time on FACEBOOK! I know! I need to get away from that a bit. It is a little addicting. I figured I should start back up because life has taken an interesting turn these lst couple of days and would love to share them with you. I first want to share what has been going on with the girls. They are all gfrown up, or at least they think they are.
Sweet Isabella- My little nurterer who doesn't want to hurt people's feelings and wants everyone to get along. She loves to sing, dance, dress up, put on make-up, play mommy and baby, listen to "her" music, go to Cubbies (AWANA), play with her best friends, talk on the phone, being a big sister and be with mommy and daddy. She is becoming quite the little lady. She is still 3 with a 3 year old antics but is so much fun to be with! She says the darndest things; some I am not able to share. Here is one little story that still has me laughing.

We were in the car getting ready to pull out of a BBQ place and take dinner home to Sheldon and Emmy and from the back seat I hear....

Bella: Mommy, you're stupid.

Mommy: Excuse me? We do not call anyone stupid. I don't want to hear that come out of your mouth again. It makes Jesus sad when we talk like that.

B:(looking up in the sky) Did he hear me?

M: Yes Bella, Jesus hears everything we say. He even hears the things we don't say.

A couple of nights after she spent the night at my in laws. Before bed, Mema was playing with her and all of the sudden a little voice says......

Bella: (smiling) Mema, you're stupid.

Mema: Bella, that's not nice to say.

B: Did mommy hear me?

M: She sure did!!

I love the way she (Bella) thinks!!! So pure and real!

Sweet Emmerson- She really is sweet and still loves to cuddle but she has become our more aggressive kid. She is a very physical little girl. She is also VERY loud!! She has the middle child role played out really well. She loves to, dance, sing, dress up, eat, watch movies, play with the baby dolls and the stroller, play in the play kitchen, talk on the phone, play with her friends and torment her big sister she also loves her big sister. She is at a very funny age right now. She loves the attention we give her when she is being silly. A lot of jibberish comes out of her mouth with words that we do understand. We are starting to understand her so much more every week. There are some things she says I don't think I want to know. We love our little Emmy!

As for the third.......we had our first ultra sound 4 weeks ago and the baby did not cooperate. Sheldon said to me, "Maybe this is God's way of saying we should wait." If you know me evry well, you know I am a planner and like to know what's going on. I told him, knowing the chances of not fiding out again were slim to none, " Ok, if we can't find out next time, I will surely consider it. " Ha Ha! God has a ery good sense of humor! Yesterday we had another u/s and low and behold the baby was in the same exact position as the last time. She really tried to ge tit to move but this baby was not budging. I was devastated and so sad. I really wanted to find out what the sex of this baby was and there was nothing I could do about it. So I went home knowing in 4 weeks there would be another chance. Then I started thinking, maybe this is God's wasy of saying to us that this baby was a surprise anyway, why not make it the ultimate surprise. So long story/thoughts short, we have decided to wait until this baby is born. I really can't believe I am doing this but I am extremely excited to wait! Sheldon would have done this with the first but I couldn't imagine not knowing. Now, things have changed.
At 24 weeks things are great and baby is healthy. No complications and we expect to keep it that way! Baby is not as active as the other 2 were which makes me want to believe it won't be as active out of the womb; at least that is what I am hoping for. So, that is the latest on all 3 children! I will do my best to keep up on this blog! I really do miss it! Take care!

On my mind....

2009-06-04T23:16:00.004-05:00

So, I have had something on my mind the last week or so since finding out I am pregnant and I need to vent. If you care to read on then please do. If not, then don't.

I don't understand why people are so into what the sex of a baby is going to be. Don't get me wrong, when it's time to find out I want to know, but until that point comes it doesn't matter. Boy or Girl; God will bless us either way. It frustrates me because sometimes I hear, "I am going to be so jealous if it's a boy" before they even congratulate us or not at all. I also hear others say, "I hope it's a boy" only because I have girls. Well, I am sorry, I LOVE my girls and if I have another one, I am not going to be dissappointed. What happened to, "Congrats! I pray you have a healthy baby!" There are those that definitely say that (thank you), but then there are those you expect not to "go there" and they do.

Maybe I am reading way too much into this but it has been bothering me. I deal with enough issues during my pregnancy like giving myself shots everyday during my whole pregnancy and thereafter. It's life and death for this baby. My last concern is if it's a boy or a girl! God has blessed us with 2 beautiful girls and if he blesses us with 1 more I will be so happy!

Is this hormones talking?

Calling God

2009-06-03T22:50:00.004-05:00

Bella: Mommy, I want to call God.

Mommy: You want to call God? On the telephone?

Bella: Yes.

Mommy: Why?

Bella: I need to ask him for a baby brother.

Mommy: Bella, we can't call God on the phone. You know how we talk to God? We pray to him and he listens to us. Why don't you pray and talk to him.

(about 30 seconds of silence)

Bella: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today. I need a baby brother. Amen.

Mommy: (eyes glistening) Amen.

What a precious little girl!

Sweet Emmy

2009-06-03T22:13:00.003-05:00

Emmerson loves to sing and she loves to sing to her baby. She is really starting to remind me of Bella whe she was this age. She is very nurturing and loves to love on her babies. I would like to think they learned it from their mommy...

Unexpected Blessing....

2009-05-27T15:41:00.003-05:00

So, we have another little blessing coming to our house! We are expecting baby #3! It sounds so weird. Last night I was having a really hard time with the thought of having another but as we told our parents and now friends are finding out, the excitement from them is making me excited. I really thought we were done at 2 but God had other plans for us. I did always say I wanted 3 but that was before we had any kids at all. God took that and went with it. That's okay, though. He always, always knows best!

Bella was so cute when we told her. She wasn't quite for sure what I was actually saying but then she started understanding. I have a friend who is pregnant right now so I was telling her that I was going to be like her. After that she understood. She said, "Mommy, I get to hold this baby because Emmerson is too big for me to hold." I told her that she could because she would be almost 4 when this baby came. Then she said with a big smile, " I am going to have 2 babies, mommy!" She was so excited. Everything she said, she got more excited. I think I will have a lot of fun with her during this pregnancy because she understands more this time around.

WOW! 3 babies! Bring it on!!

My Tulips!!

2009-05-22T10:29:00.001-05:00

I just realized I hadn't shared my tulips with ya'll! Here is what my tulips came up to look like! They were so beautiful!! I was very proud of my planting!

My girls!

2009-05-22T10:11:00.004-05:00

Sharing a snack while watching Scooby Doo!
Luch time is our favorite time of day! This day it was grilled cheese with strawberries!
I love her eyes!!
Emmy had a pencil and was laying on her tummy coloring. It was very cute! She looked like a big girl!

This is my favorite thing!! Emmy bottom is the most sweetest, juiciest, jiggly little thing! I had to take a picture of it!

Speaking of bottoms.......I took the girls to the library last week and we were almost ready to leave. Bella was in front of me and I saw her just staring. I said Bella, "Stop staring, please." She looked at me and said matter a factly, "Mommy, she has a big butt.". I was mortified! I knew someone had to of heard her. I took her aside and told her that saying things like that are not nice and disrespectful. It hurts peoples feelings when we say things like that. The look on her face was a face of remorse so I knew I got my point across. So we were looking at the videos and I am kneeling down and there is this lady by me kneeling next to me looking at the movies. Bella comes over to my ear and whispers, "Mommy, she has a big butt too." What?!?! I leaned into her ear and said firmly, "If I hear that out of your mouth one more time, you will get a spanking!"

So, I guess lesson #1 is that it's okay to say things about others if you whisper it in someones ear so they can't hear you?? Hmmmm.....

Lesson #2....don't give her full view of my butt!!

Mom's night out...

2009-03-24T22:25:00.005-05:00

~ Fork and Screen~
~Cinema Suites~

So tonight, me and a girlfriend went out just the two of us because we both had very long, hard, emotional days. The kids were not behaving! Are ya with me?! Anyone?! Anyway, we decided to go to the movies and we saw 'Duplicity' with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. It was a little confusing so I think I will rent it when it comes out but it was funny and entertaining. We decided to go to the show that was playing in the FORK AND SCREEN. A place where you can eat dinner, have drinks and relax. We were so excited. When we got to the movie theater, we found out the same movie was playing at the same time in the CINEMA SUITES. What's that you ask? Well....let me tell ya! Leather chair that reclines all the way back with a push of a button, complimentary popcorn in a mini silver bucket, a call button, a swivel table in front of you, a great movie and NO screaming kids misbehaving!! It was pure bliss. I told her all we needed was an oriental man scrubbing and painting our toe nails! That is our new favorite place!

Tulips!

2009-03-24T22:23:00.002-05:00

I planted tulips in the fall and here they are...right on time! I can't wait to see them when they bloom!!

Emmy Walking!!

2009-03-24T22:11:00.003-05:00

Here are some of Emmerson's first few steps on her own! We are so excited for her and she is pretty proud of herself!

Random pictures

2009-03-22T16:09:00.006-05:00

Where we live, it gets pretty windy. Not because we live in a windy city but because we have a huge open field to the south and west of us. The wind comes over the hill and it makes it very easy to fly a kite. This is the first time Bella has done it by herself. She had so much fun and I think I got a pretty awesome picture of of the deal!!
Here is my hot mama!! She is so stinkin' cute! Emmy was feeling really crafty one day!

She got this toy box for her birthday and her sister taught her how she could get in it! She thought it was pretty cool!

Good Little Mommy

2009-03-19T23:22:00.004-05:00

Today I was picking up a few things around the house and Bella was playing with her shopping cart and one of her babies. She put Nicole, her baby, in the cart and looked at her straight in the eye and said, "You stay in your seat or else we are going to go home. We don't get up. Is that understood?" Hmmmmm, wonder where she's heard that before??

Happy Birthday Princess Emmerson!

2009-03-19T23:09:00.003-05:00

I am a few days behind! Our sweet Princess Emmerson turned 1 on March 14th! I cannot believe it! Where has the year gone?! She rang in her first birthday with an ear infection and now we have an appointment with an ENT to see about getting tubes in her ears! She was a trooper, though! She got a lot of great gifts and I think her favorite part was the cake! She wasted no time digging into it. I will post pictures of the party soon!

Emmerson, from the first day I held you I knew you were going to be my easy baby! I was right! You are such a sweet girl and I love how much you are a momma's girl. You are so close to walking and when you figure out that you can do it, there will be no stopping you. You are a cautious little lady and I know that is why you haven't taken off quite yet. Being cautious is a trait that will be good to have as you get older. You will take more time to think about what you are going to do instead of just going for it head on. You are so very smart and I look forward to watching your little personality blossom even more over the next year! I love you my little honey! Happy First Birthday!!

My New Favorite Thing!

2009-03-07T09:18:00.004-06:00

I am sure most of you have heard of Method cleaning products. I am a HUGE fan! Well, I bought the Tub 'n' Tile to use for the....tub and tile and the counters. OH MY! The smell is so amazing! Sheldon loves it too. It says it "smells like a spa" and they weren't lying. It has this eucalyptus/minty smell and it is soooo refreshing! It makes the bathroom smell wonderful!

I have been trying extremely hard to go "green" in our house and I would love to say mainly because of the environment but I'd be lying. It is mainly for my family. Method makes it easy to do that! I have used the wood floor cleaner, stainless steel cleaner, numerous hand soaps, non-scrub shower cleaner and now the Tub 'n' Tile! The cheapest place I have found this stuff is at my favorite place.....TARGET! Try it out! You won't be disappointed!!

Happy Birthday to our sweet Bella!

2009-03-03T21:20:00.002-06:00

Today our sweet princess turned 3! It has been a bit challenging at times but we are so blessed to have her in our lives. She puts a smile on everyone's face that comes into contact with her. She has a heart of gold and is so sensitive to others. I cannot wait until the day I will be able to call her friend, because I know she will be the best!

Isabella, you are a strong, independent young girl and I know that will carry you through some great things God has for you later on in this life of yours. You are also very beautiful. Not only on the outside but on the inside; that is what counts the most. Your sweet spirit will always lead you doing the things you know are right. We love you and look forward to the many joys, tears and love we will share with you as you keep growing into a young lady. You are our little angel girl! XOXO

Isabella's 3rd Birthday Party!!

2009-03-01T21:16:00.001-06:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Random Photos

2009-02-27T14:45:00.003-06:00

This is the new fun thing at the Nadeau house! Courtesy of Mema and Papa White, we have a swing set to enjoy!! As you can see both girls are enjoying it!
It is really fun! It has this little merry-go-round that holds 3 kids. Bella really loves spinning fast. It is 3 swings, a glider, handle bars and a slide. It is going to be nice to be able to go out and play this spring/summer!
One of our favorite places to go here in Kansas City is called The Legends. It is an outdoor shopping mall. We like to eat down here, walk around and shop. They have this really cool fountain that Bella loves to watch and here is Sheldon and her getting upclose with it.

Oh the girls! They are so much fun to watch! Emmy LOVES to play in Bella's room and about 99% of the time Bella loves it too. It is cute to watch them in there playing together and pretending to eat dinner with the kitchen stuff. I know this is only the beginning!

Emmy has found a new hiding place! It seems like the cabinets are a perfect place for her to fit into. I do remember being young and doing the same thing! She's so cute!

Back into the swing of things!

2009-02-17T15:38:00.009-06:00

I have been in a funk with my blog and I am going to get back to doing it so that means not as much Facebook! AHHH! I love having this blog so I need to keep it up. To start things back up, I am going to share some things that I cannot live without or things I really love!

First of all, I love FACEBOOK! I have reconnected with old friends I have not seen in over 15 years! It has been so great to see where life has taken everyone. If you have not signed up, you should! It's AWESOME!

Something we CANNOT live without in our house is AllyZabba blankets!

Both girls have their blankies and they are very much loved. The one shown is the one Emmy has. Go to http://www.allyzabba.com/ and check them out! We also have the MegaZabba's which are awesome! FYI: the girl who makes them is an old friend from California. She is fabulous!

Another thing I discovered a while back is http://www.etsy.com/ !!

I am sure most of you have heard of it but I love it! If you haven't you need to check it out! This is a site strictly for those who handmake things.... anything....from jewelry to baby items, clothing, etc. I have purchased a few things off of it and it is a great thing!

I am truly blessed to be invovled with MOPS! (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers)

I go approxiamtely every other week and I look forward to it every time. It is a place where I don't have to hide that I am having an awful week because other moms are probably going through the same thing. We eat breakfast, listen to wonderful speakers, make fun crafts and we are able to build friendships we probably would not have made otherwise. I feel revived when I get to go!

I know I have shared this one before but I have to mention it again. It is my handy dandy Dirt Devil Broom Vac!

This Broom Vac has saved me soooo much time sweeping. I got it as a gift exchange gift at Christmas! I think I scored with this!!

We left our church in Lee's Summit during the summer last year and began our search for a new one. The drive was getting too much for us with the gas prices and with a new baby it made it hard to be involved like we wanted too. We ended up visiting a church with our friends and it has become our home church. Lenexa Baptist Church is unlike a lot of churches we have been involved in in the years past. Our pastor does not sugar coat things...he tells it like it is! Black and White! His heart is for his church family. We are getting involved and the kids are really enjoying it. I am in a women's bible study on Tuesdays. We are studying Beth Moore's, ESTHER. It has been amazing studying from this book. I am also involved in MOPS like I shared before. I help out with the babies one Sunday a month and we also are in a class on Sunday nights called Equipping U. Also, Sheldon is going to start ushering every Sunday in a week. We will be in our new sanctuary starting March 1 and we are excited. And, yes, I do sing in the choir and I love it! It is like no other choir I have sang with! We are so blessed to be at this church and look forward to serving many more years with the people at this church. http://www.lenexabaptist.com/

I think this is where I will end things. I could share and share but maybe I will add more at another time. Thanks for reading!!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-20T10:20:00.002-06:00

It's not to late to say HAPPY NEW YEAR, right? I don't think so! I meant to post this picture up a couple of weeks ago but I forgot. So "Happy New Year" from our house to yours! May God Bless you and your family this year!!

I'm In LOVE!!!

2009-01-13T14:15:00.002-06:00

At one of our family Christmases, we had a gift exchange and I am sure you can guess what I received! I won a Dirt Devil Broom Vac....and I am IN LOVE!!! She has knocked 15 min. off my sweep time! Most of my house is wood floors and with a crawling baby and a toddler the floor doesn't stay free from messes! I don't know about you but I hate doing my floors. I actually love sweeping now and my husband appreciates the clean floors!! I know Walmart had them for $25. It would be a good investment! I promise! Thanks Dirt Devil!!!

I was tagged.....

2008-12-31T14:04:00.002-06:00

I was tagged, and I’m supposed to give you one word answers, immediate responses to phrases.

Where is your cell phone? … up stairs?
Your significant other? … HOT!
Your hair? … up
Your mother? … friend
Your father? … runner
Your favorite thing(s)? … family
Your dream last night? … none
Your favorite drink? … tea
Your dream/goal? … baby weight gone (how do i answer that with one word?)
The room you’re in? … basement
Your fear? … wreck
Where do you want to be in 6 years? … debt free
Where were you last night? … couch
What you’re not? … greedy
Muffins/donuts? …muffins
One of your wish list items? … diamonds
Where you grew up? … Whittier
The last thing you did? … blogged
What are you wearing? … jeans
Your TV? … off
Your pet? … dog
Your computer? … addicted
Your life? …chaotic
Your mood? … sleepy
Missing someone? … friends
Favorite pastime? … reading
Something you’re not wearing? … socks
Favorite Store? … Target
Your summer? … eventful
Your favorite color? …pink
When is the last time you laughed? … today
Last time you cried? …hmmmm?
Who will re-post this? …no clue
Four places I go over and over? … Target, Hy-Vee, Wal-Mart, Church
Four people who e-mail me? … Facebook, Sheldon, Facebook, Facebook
Four of my favorite foods? … Mexican, Italian, Japanese, Chinese
Four places I would like to be right now? … Vacation, Bed, Vacation, Bed
Four people I tag? … Shirley, Lizz, Kim, Kacie

Christmas Day! (finally!)

2008-12-31T13:58:00.001-06:00

I thought I should post a few Christmas pictures up before the new year is here! I barely made it! We had a wonderful Christmas, but it was exausting. Bella was sick with the vomiting thing a couple of days before so it changed our plans and the way we did it was not smart. We ended up having 4 Christmas in 4 days! It was a little much but we were glad to see the family and friends we were able to see. We are definitely blessed! We hope that this year has blessed you and pray that 2009 will bring more blessings your way! We love you!!

2008-12-31T13:46:00.001-06:00

Baking Christmas Cookies!!

2008-12-18T19:25:00.003-06:00

Bella wanted to bake so badly so that is what we did. I got down the old cookie cutters I used when I was younger. She had so much fun!

She loved the icing part! I think she even stole a few licks.

Here is the finished product. I think she did a magnificent job! They tasted delicious!!

Another snowy day!

2008-12-17T10:07:00.004-06:00

I love watching the snow fall! We had some extremely cold weather before this snow storm. It topped 9* the day before and it was in the teens the day the snow came. We are supposed to get an ice storm in the morning so hopefully that doen't turn real bad. I just hope this snow comes back for Christmas!!
Here are the girls watching the snow fall!
My beautiful brown eyed girl!

And here is the other beautiful brown eyed girl! She just turned 9 months this past weekend and we had her 9 month wellness check up on Monday. She did really well and only had one shot; I was glad. She weighs 17.9 lbs. (25%) and is 27 inches long (25%). She has definitely slimmed down and is not as big as she was before; she was in the 75% with her weight at 6 months. I don't usually share her head measurements but I have to this time. I have had a really hard time getting clothes over her head adnd I always tell her in the most loving way, "you have a big head." She does! It was 75%!! When you look at her she doesn't look like her head is taking over her body but I knew she had a big head! She is so sweet!!

I thought only boys......

2008-12-15T16:23:00.004-06:00

Okay so the new word in our household that won't go away is , do I dare say it...."POO-POO"! Why must my 2 year old say it over and over again and think it is so funny? "Hi mommy, poo-poo." "Hi daddy, poo-poo." "poo-poo, poo-poo, pee-pee, poo-poo!" Ugh! And then she toots and thinks it is so hysterical! Why are these bodily functions, that are not pretty, so hilarious? Will someone please clue me in?! I thought only boys acted like that!!

"It's begining to look a lot like Christmas..."

2008-12-13T21:53:00.004-06:00

The girls found the lights as I was putting them up on the tree. I know, it's really probably unsafe for Emmy to have them in her mouth, but it was really cute!! Like I always say, "Sometimes beauty (or being cute) hurts."
Here is our tree. It is not a huge one this year. As I am looking at the picture, the fireplace is swallowing the tree. It doesn't look like that when you see it in person. You can also see our singing snowmen from Hallmark. We have gotten one every year since they started and we love them. It's fun for the girls.
It was an eventful day! Sheldon took the day off of work so we could get the tree and take the girls to see Santa. Believe it or not, this is the first year we have done this. I don't know why we haven't done it before but they both did really well. I love the deer in the headlights look! And, poor Santa wasn't looking at the picture! Oh well! We walked around the mall and went and ate at BD's Mongolian Grill.... one of my favorite places. That night we watched 'Mickey's Twice Upon A Christmas' (one of our favorites) and decorated the tree. Bella helped Daddy make brownies too. It was a great evening and very much needed!

In the hustle and bustle of this CHRISTmas season, remember the reason for the season. I was chatting with a friend of mine the other day and times are tough right now. We are not buying a lot of gifts this year and I am sure it is like that for a lot of others. The thing is, CHRISTmas is really not about the gifts that you give or receive, they are nice, but it is about the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ! God sent his son, Jesus, to save us. As we go on the next couple of weeks, please remember that JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!! What I love about this is that this just leads us into Easter where Christ died and rose again!! What a gift we have been given! God Bless you and your family as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The best thing to hear from your 2 year old.....

2008-12-11T16:03:00.001-06:00

"Mommy, I love you SOOOOO much!"

All better now....

2008-12-10T18:17:00.001-06:00

I was having some issues trying to change to this template but I've got it all figured out. Isn't it beautiful?!

Please excuse the mess!

2008-12-10T10:50:00.003-06:00

I am in the process of changing my template. I think I have messed it up but I am going to fix it!! Hang tight!!

Turkey Day...

2008-12-05T16:30:00.002-06:00

Emmy's first Thanksgiving was great. It was a very busy one, though. At the first stop she had mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and green beans. At the second stop she didn't have anything but at the third stop she had homemade squash that was made by her great grandma. She really enjoyed that. By the time we got home, we were stuffed and ready for bed.

Emmerson is one week away from being 9 months and I can't believe it. She is doing so much right now. She is pulling herself up to a standing position and walking along side furniture and whatever else she can get her hands on; she is saying mama, dada and bubba (K.C. our dog). She has her 2 front teeth which is absolutely adorable. It was a pain getting them, though. I was so happy when they finally came in; 4 days apart. Her and Bella love to play together, most of the time. They squeal and giggle at each other. It is the most beautiful sound. What is very funny right now is that Emmy has the baby sister syndrome; that's what I call it because my sister had it too. When Bella gets near her, she automatically screams to get her away. It is quite funny to watch. She is a mama's girl. We thought Bella was but we were wrong! She would be happy with just me, her pacifier and her blankie (allyzabba.com). I mean what else would any child ever want if you have those three things. They sound good to me! Anyway, it has been so much fun thus far with these girls. I can't wait as more CHRISTmas decor gets put up around town so we can see the reactions of their faces. 20 more days!!!

funny for the day...

2008-12-04T21:32:00.003-06:00

Bella: Mommy, I like your boobies.

Mommy: (smiling really big) Thanks, Bella.

Bella: Where did you buy them at?

Mommy: (laughing) I didn't buy them, God made them for me.

I could not keep a straight face. Little does this sweet, innocent soul know that they really can be bought!! Had to share!

"Fall Party" at school...

2008-10-30T22:14:00.006-05:00

I hate being politically correct because I think it is REDICULOUS!!! Anyway....here is Bella for her Halloween (there, I said it) party at school today. Bella is Snow white this year and I think she is the most beautiful Snow White I ever did see! They had a little parade for the kids and they got candy from somewhere; not really sure where. First they came out class by class and sat down in the foyer part of the building and smiled and stared at all of us parents who were taking pictures and making faces at our kids just to try to get them to smile; how embarrassing! They all looked so cute. Bella was so excited to see me and to show me the bag they made to put all of their candy in. It was really fun! After that, they were oof ont heir parade route and we left. What a great day! Tomorrow will be the real festivities so I will post later about that! Happy trick-or-treating ya'll!

Officially potty trained!

2008-10-28T22:43:00.003-05:00

Yes!!!! We did it.... or she did it.... but we helped her!! We are so excited! The chart worked and now she doesn't want to put stickers on it or even want an M&M. She was definitely ready! Hmmm, what will I do with an extra $40 a month???

so sweet!

2008-10-28T22:39:00.003-05:00

Today, Bella threw the biggest fit because Sheldon was making her pick up some crayons she had thrown on the floor because she was mad about something. So it was, of course, a long drawn out deal. Later that night we were walking and Sheldon asked Bella...

Daddy: "Are you still mad at me, Bella?"

Bella: "No, I'm not mad at you, I'm happy at you."

We just laughed...it was so sweet and innocent. I love these little moments!!

bye-bye

2008-10-22T15:38:00.006-05:00

I believe I mentioned that Emmerson is waving bye-bye a few days ago in another blog. Well, the other day she was mimicking me when I was saying bye-bye to her while waving. Here she is yesterday saying "bye-bye" in Emmy language! ~7 months 1 week old

(mute the music before you play)

something new...

2008-10-22T15:22:00.003-05:00

So after our crazy couple of days with Bella and the potty training, I decided what I was doing was NOT working. So, I decided to have her help me make a potty chart. She picked out the paper and ribbon and helped me glue them on the paper. Yesterday was the first day with it and as you can see, she has been doing VERY well. She was rewarded last night with a trip to Monkey Bizness. It is a place where they have a lot of inflatables the kids, and parents, can jump on and go down slides. It is just like Pump It Up for those of you who know what that is. We are now working towards a new toy that will be $10 or less. After that, she gets to eat with the dinosaurs at T-Rex. It is owned by the same people who own Rainforest Cafe. she loves it there. I guess she needs to be rewarded with other things than just 1 M&M for pee pee and 2 M&M's for poo poo. She is doing great and is even going in there without telling me. We are well on our way to saving $40 a month!! YAY!!

A day, or night, in the life of a potty trainee...

2008-10-21T16:38:00.003-05:00

Middle of the night.......

thinks to herself~ My diaper is full. I need to take it off because it is bothering me. Maybe I will just sleep on the floor tonight just in case I go potty on my beed. I wouldn't want to get that all yucky! Mom and dad won't notice the carpet!

the next morning~ Hmmmm, Emmy's bedroom door is open.
Bella- giggles
Mommy- "Good morning, Bella........Bella, where are your pants and your diaper?
B- "In my room."- proudly
M- "Did you sleep with your diaper off."
B- "Yes I did."
M- "Did you wet your bed?"
B- "No".

A little while later.....
Sheldon- "Bella, gross, you blanket is all wet!" UGH!
B- "Because I just pee'd on it."

A little while later after that....
Mommy- "Bella, where were you sleeping?"
B- "I was sleeping right here." pointing down where she slept that night.

Mommy is sniffing my carpet. I thought only dogs do that! I hope she doesn't find where I went pee pee.

Mommy- "Bella, we DO NOT go pee pee your bedroom floor or anywhere else in the house, is that understood?"
Bella- "That's understood."

The next day in the car, on our way home....

Bella- crying "Mommy, I just went pee pee."
Mommy- "You what? Ok, we will be home in a few minutes. There is nothing I can do right now."

Outside, at home while mommy took my car seat out to clean it.....

Mommy- "BELLA, WHY DO YOU HAVE YOUR PANTS DOWN??
Bella- "I have to go pee pee." with a huge smile on her face.
Mommy- "We DO NOT go pee pee outside. Only KC goes pee pee outside. There are boys over there building that house and we don't let boys see us naked. Let's go inside and go potty."

I didn't want to go potty!! So I threw a ginormous fit! I got my way but I am still gonna cry because mommy is taking Emmy outside with her to get my car seat cover. Not fair! Just because I don't have pants on she won't let me go!

After mommy came back in the house I was still in the bathroom screaming and throwing a fit.

Bella- " I JUST WENT PEE PEE ON THE FLOOR!!!"
Mommy- "BELLA, you know better. You are getting a spankin'." ( yes, I do spank my child.)
We DO NOT pee pee on the floor!"

What's the big deal?

~typed by mommy for Bella

Emmy...

2008-10-10T23:00:00.004-05:00

Our pretty little mama will be 7 months on the 14th. It is so hard to believe how quickly time has flown by. "They" always say life goes much faster after having kids and "they" weren't lying. I don't know who "they" is...... just random moms and moms I have known over the years, I guess.

Here are a few things my butterball is doing now. She started army crawling about 1 week ago. Bella did the same thing before she actually crawled on her knees. It is very cute to watch her get from one end of the room to the other. She started waving a few days ago. I was walking towards her as she was sitting in her high chair and she was waving. I started waving back saying hi to her and she just thought that was pretty neat; She was smiling and laughing. It was really sweet. She has also said "mama" before "dada"!! Yay! That's puts a huge smile on my face! She has also officially started teething, we think; ok, maybe she really is. She has had a low grade fever today and has a runny nose while chewing on her fingers. This is about the time Bella started teething too but she did not have any symptoms except for a little diaper rash.........and as I am typing this I am realizing that Emmy, too, has had a little diaper rash that started yesterday. HMMMMMM! I have been giving her tylenol and Sheldon gave her teething tablets this evening while I was gone. She took a 4 hr and 15 minute nap today too! That was nice but I felt so bad. I think it may affect her differently than it did with Bella. Bella cut her 2 year mohlers about 3 months ago and we didn't even know it. One night I was brushing her teeth and I noticed 2 of them and the other 2 cutting through and I asked her if they hurt and she said no. So, this will be a new experience. She had her 6 month check up a few weeks ago and she weighed 16.7 lbs which is in the 75th percentile. For those of you who knew how petite Bella was this is a big difference for us. Bella was 14.5 lbs. at 6 months which was 25%. I know I am comparing them alot but it is so exciting to see how different they are. They are so unique and different in their own way and that is what makes them so special and for that we are very blessed!!

Gone, Baby, Gone!

2008-10-10T22:35:00.002-05:00

The ME-MO (pacifier) is G-O-N-E, GONE!!!!! Bella was really sick last weekend with severe cold sores in her mouth so she could not eat, suck or hardly drink for a couple of days. So, we didn't want to miss an opportunity to say sayonara to Mr. Me-Mo!! We just told her that her mouth hurt too bad to suck on them and we never gave them back. She did tell me when her mouth was better that she could have them again and I told her that they went bye-bye and that was the end of that conversation. She has asked a few times for it but we just ask her where they went and she tells us they are gone. Sheldon was really wanting them gone and I was not in a big rush. It didn't bother me as much but now that they are gone, she sleeps better at night and it was not as bad as I thought it would be!! Asta La Vista, BABY!

night, night prayers

2008-09-20T21:50:00.003-05:00

It was just the girls and I this evening so it was tricky trying to get them to bed. Emmy wanted to be held, Bella was being naughty because she was trying to keep herself awake and I was really wishing Sheldon was home to help me put them to bed. So I decided to put Bella to bed first because I figured if I let her run around unattended I wasn't sure how the house would be when I returned or what she would have gotten herself into if I put Emmy down. I took Emmy with me and had both girls sitting on my lap. Thank goodness for 2 legs! Anyway, we read and it was time for prayers. As we were praying together, it hit me how important it is for these girls to hear me pray with them. One day, they will be doing the same thing with their little ones, God willing. I am the person they will be looking up too as they grow and I need to be a strong role model for them. I know I will mess up from time to time but I think that as long as I am honest with them, they will understand that we all aren't perfect and the most important thing is that our God is a very loving and forgiving God. I just pray that God fills me with his patience and love for my children and my husband. They are the most important things to me here on this earth!
Thank you Father for the privilage of being a mom to 2 beautiful babes who light up my life each and every day; and thank you for giving me a wonderful husband who is patient, loving, hardworking and my safe place. I am blessed!

Proud sister!

2008-09-15T14:22:00.003-05:00

For those of you who don't know this girl....this is my little sister, Michelle. She graduated the Los Angeles Police Academy back in June and we couldn't be more proud of her. She patrols parks and tries to keep peace around them against gangs, homeless people and those who have nothing else better to do than to make trouble. If you think about it, please pray for. One, that she continues to keep safe. The streets of L.A. aren't that nice. And two, just that she stays focused on the direction she is wanting to go which is Forensics.

I love you , Michelle and I am so proud of the accomplishments you have made for yourself! I couldn't ask for a better little sister!

( by the way, she turned 29 yesterday!)

Funnies...

2008-09-09T22:11:00.005-05:00

This morning we were watching Sesame Street and Bella says to me.....

"Mama, I want to go in the TV."

M- "Why?"

B- " Elmo's in there."

M- "Bella, you can't go in the TV, honey; I'm sorry."

B- with a VERY sad face, "I want to play with him."

Doesn't that just melt your heart? It does mine. I love the way little ones think. It is so simple to them! If we only thought the same way at times!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Saturday morning it was "very foggy outside" and I explained to Bella that it is sort of like clouds that are on the ground. About 10 minutes later we took KC out to go potty and Bella says to me.....

"Mama, it is sooo funky outside."

M- "What?"

B- "It is sooo funky outside."

Kids just say the darndest things!!

First Day of Pre-School....

2008-09-04T16:00:00.003-05:00

...and surprisingly, I did very well!! I realized when I dropped her off I had 5 hours with Emmy plus there were no timeouts and I didn't have to use the word "NO"! It was great. On our way there Bella said to me, "Mama, I am not going to cry because I am a big girl." I said,"Yes you are a big girl and you aren't going to cry; you are going to have fun with Ms. Michele and Ms. Amy." And she said, "Yes!" It was really cute. When we got there she didn't cry. I was so proud of her! When I picked her up, though, she was crying. Ms. Michele said she did really well all day until parents started picking their kiddos up. I guess maybe she thought I wasn't coming! I told her that next week I will be the first parent there!! I think this every Thursday thing is going to be really great!!

I am so nostalgic!!

2008-09-02T21:39:00.002-05:00

This is my beautiful Bella. She was 9 months old when this picture was taken! A future University of Missouri Alumni!!
Here is my beautiful Emmy wearing the same exact outfit at 5 1/2 months. I love to see Emmy in Bella's clothes. They look so cute!!

Catching up...pictures from the last 3 weeks!

2008-08-28T15:55:00.001-05:00

Hello all! I can't believe how the last 3 weeks flew by! We got a new computer so I hadn't uploaded pictures so I am a little behind on blogging. So, this is a very long blog with some fun, cute and adorable pictures... so enjoy!

Meet the Teacher Night

2008-08-28T15:50:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday night we met Bella's Pre-School teachers... Ms. Amy and Ms. Michele. They were so incredibly sweet. Bella will start next Thursday, Sept. 4th! I can't believe it. She will only go one day a week from 9-2. I will join MOPS at my church so I can meet some of the ladies there. That is only the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month so the other Thursdays Emmy and I will most likely getting my grocery shopping in. You mommies of 2 know how it is grocery shopping with 2! I will get pictures up next week of Bella's first day of school! :( BooHoo!

Cutie-pa-Tooties

2008-08-28T15:43:00.002-05:00

That's right folks... in Bella's hair are 2 little pigtails! Can you believe it?! We have waited for this moment for 2 years! She loves them and can't keep her hands off and can't keep herself from looking in the mirror! She is SOOO VAIN!! :) And this little cutie is just, well, cute! She just hangs out and smiles with all the madness of having a 2 year old sister! These days it's jumping in the jumparoo!

And yet another Milestone...

2008-08-28T15:38:00.002-05:00

Our pretty little lady has done it again! She has conquered another milestone. She is sitting up with the big girls now! She prefers this over laying down. I prefer laying down, but that is just me! ;) Next milestone...... CrAwLiNg!! YIKES!!

Chris Sligh

2008-08-28T15:14:00.004-05:00

We had a very special guest come to our church this past Sunday. For all of you American Idol watchers out there I know you know who this guy is with the black glasses and big curly hair. Chris Sligh was on A.I. last year. He didn't make it to the end but he has definitley made it out here in the real world! He has a hit that plays on K-Love and I am sure on other christian radio stations called "Empty Me". If you have not heard it then you need to find it and listen to it. It is a song he wrote after A.I. His testimony is encouraging and I hope is around for a long time to come!
(I uploaded his song which should be playing right now!)

Another FUN day at Deanna Rose

2008-08-28T15:01:00.004-05:00

Papa Eaton and Bella feeding the ducks and geese.... watch those geese Bella!
Bella got to feed the goats a bottle for the first time. While going to Deanna Rose is FREE, bottle feeding the baby goats was $1. She was so cute and making sure all of them got a drink. We could have gone inside the pin but we thought it was wise to stay outside of it so they wouldn't jump all over her trying to get a drink.
She also wanted to go on a hay ride. She wanted to go with Papa and so that is what she did. I think Papa felt a little bad because she didn't want to go with Daddy but I think Sheldon was ok with that. He didn't mind at all.
Emmy couldn't do much so in the barn I sat her on a saddle. She thought it was pretty cool. She just smiled. Typical!
We love going here. We just pack a lunch and and play. It is very interactive for the kids. They can feed animals, listen to stories, ride on horses, milk a pretend cow, watch a real milking, catch fish (and then release), play in various playgrounds and enjoy the beautiful landscaping. It beats paying $XX for the zoo!! WE LOVE DEANNA ROSE!!

Gage Center Gymnastics Gym

2008-08-28T08:00:00.007-05:00

Bella is practicing the rings after all the gymnastics we had been watching!
Bella and her cousin Nolan jumping on the trampoline. It really is a sport?!
This place we went to had a huge area where you could jump into foam blocks. It looked like a lot of fun!
They also had a huge slide that Bella enjoyed going down.
We went with Mema White. It was a really neat place. I guess every Friday you can go for an hour and play. I guess that is how it works. All I know is that Bella had a good time jumping around and playing. Emmy just looked pretty and watched her big siter play!

Simply ADORABLE!

2008-08-28T07:52:00.002-05:00

Emmy is 5 months in this picture. Time is getting away from me too quickly! I just think she is stinkin' cute!!
This one is pretty stinkin' cute herself! She got these boots from from Shirley, my BF ( The Casey Family). The story behind them are pretty funny! When Shirley came out to visit back in February she had boots with her. Bella loved to play with them. So, when Bella's birthday came around we got a nice little package from Shirley. They were Bella's very own boots! Back then they were too big but she still trotted around in them but now they fit! She looks like a natural!

Friends

2008-08-08T23:05:00.003-05:00

Corrin, Bella, Emmy, Cammie and Camrie
Jackson, Cullen, Dathan, Asher and Beau
The kids!
The Moms!

(from left- Jennifer, Dana, Carrie, Me, Michelle, Angie and Natalie)
A few of the dads

(from left- Clint, Richard, Steve and Lance)

We had our old Youth Pastor from First Baptist of Lee's Summit come into town. Him and his wife along with their 3 kids, now 4, moved to the Dallas area to serve down there. They are from Texas so they are home now. They came into town this last weekend so we met at a friends house and we all caught up while the kids played. It was great to see them! We miss you Richard, Carrie, Cammie, Cullen, Corrin and Camrie!

Feeling Crafty!

2008-08-08T22:36:00.004-05:00

On this particular day, Bella was feeling crafty! She wanted to finger paint, so that is what we....she did. She loves getting all messy but when she is done, she wants the paint off her fingers! She is my girly girl!

After she finger painted, it was beading time! We made some bracelets and a necklace. It was an exausting day but Bella was a happy camper. Emmy sat in her bouncey seat being a sweet little girl. I know she wanted to play too. That day will come soon enough!

Bath Time!

2008-08-08T22:27:00.003-05:00

We decided to put Emmy in the regular bath and so Bella wanted in also. They loved being in there together. They shared water, made big splashes and there were lots of giggles. It was fun to watch them. I can't wait till Emmy can sit up by herself in the tub!

Yummy, yummy in her tummy!

2008-07-29T22:48:00.002-05:00

Emmy loved her rice cereal. I was going to try to hold off for a while but she seemed so ready for it. And I was right! She could not get enough! She even tried helping me put it in her mouth!
Our little Gerber baby!
After she was done she started sucking her thumb. We think she was trying to make sure she got it all. It was finger lickin' good!
This is the face of a very satisfied baby.

"Take me out to the ballgame!"

2008-07-29T22:31:00.002-05:00

We went to Emmy's first baseball game. This was before the game. Don't you just see the excitement pouring out!!
What happend to that beautiful smile?? Well, it was so incredibly hot. I guess not as hot as it was humid. Needless to say it was very uncomfotable but the game was fun!
Here is daddy and Bella enjoying the game together!
Mommy and Bella taking time to smile at the camera before we got all yucky from the humidity. Ok.... Bella wasn't amused.
She did love the peanuts, though. It was so fun watching her crack the shell and enjoy the little treat inside. We made sure we stayed till the 7th inning stretch so Bella could sing "Take me out to the ballgame." She would have been devastated. We stayed till the 8th and then it was time to go home. It was a good time!

Her own style!

2008-07-27T22:10:00.002-05:00

Bella definitely loves layers! If I let her dress herself, this is what she would look like leaving the house. I know.......she really does look cute!

my pretty little baby!

2008-07-27T22:03:00.003-05:00

So we have passed another milestone! A week ago today Emmy rolled over from back to front! Now when I lay her down, she is immediately on her tummy. She really likes it. Today she rolled about 4 or 5 times across the floor. It was quite entertaining!

Curly hair??

2008-07-27T21:57:00.002-05:00

With the humidity, my hair gets curly and frizzy. Bella came in one evening after playing and this is what her hair looked like. Do you see her little fly aways? I think she may have my curly hair, once she gets all her hair!!

Summer Days

2008-07-27T21:51:00.003-05:00

We've been doing lots of hanging out in the sun. Although, that has come to a halt with the heat index being over 100*!

another milestone....

2008-07-07T14:17:00.001-05:00

On July 3rd, Emmerson rolled over onto her back. This is right after she did it! I am so proud! Next thing I know she will be crawling!! :(

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-07T14:04:00.002-05:00

We had so much fun on the 4th! We went to Sheldon's aunt and uncle's and the kids played on the inflatable, went swimming and we all ate! When it was nap time we went to Sheldon's parents and Bella took a nap and we got ready for a party at their house. His parents have a huge deck in the back and it overlooks Grain Valley, which is the city they live in; you can see for miles. From 8:30-11pm fireworks filled the sky. It looked like a war zone and was absolutely beautiful! It was better than any fireworks display we could ever see. Can't wait for next year! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Pre- 4th of July party

2008-07-07T13:54:00.003-05:00

On the 3rd, we went to Sheldon's aunts house so Bella and her little cousins could jump on the inflatable castle with a slide. They had so much fun! Nolan is the little boy. He is Sheldon's cousin, Crystal's son. Crysta belongs to another cousin, Billie, Crystal's sister. Nolan and Bella are 5 weeks apart and Crysta and Bella share the same birthday and are 1 year apart. They have fun together.

our sweet girls..

2008-07-07T13:52:00.001-05:00

We are so blessed to have these two little sweeties!

A new swimming pool!

2008-07-07T13:43:00.002-05:00

We got a new pool for Bella because it has been sooo hot here! She absolutely loves it! It makes the days a little cooler while we are outside.

tickle, tickle

2008-07-01T10:35:00.004-05:00

(mute music before playing video)

Saturday night I was cleaning Emmy's neck so I could put some powder on it and while I was cleaning, she let out the cutest laugh. Sheldon and I both looked at each other with big eyes and he said," I have never heard her do that before." I told him I hadn't either. I was so happy he was able to see or hear one of her firsts. There are so many firsts he misses because he works so that was pretty special to him. We grabbed the camera and recorded some more laughs. She's growing too fast!

Clean up, clean up everybody grab a toy......

2008-07-01T10:01:00.002-05:00

I was sitting on the couch nursing Emmerson when Bella started piling stuff in the living room. I asked her what she was doing and she said she was "cleaning"! Cleaning???? Is this what she thinks I do when I clean??

thumb over binkie

2008-07-01T09:53:00.002-05:00

So I was so excited when Emmerson took the pretty pacifiers vs. the green soothie ones. Well, these days she has thrown me for a loop. She would much rather have her thumb over her binkie!! Ahhhhh.... you can't take a thumb away! Oh well, she does look pretty darn cute, though. It does make it easier especially in the car. I don't have to reach back and give her her pacifier and during the night she is happy with her thumb so it makes her sleep better. She has been sleeping about 6-8 hours a night, nursing and then going back to bed for a few hours. She is doing great! What a precious soul!

New friends...

2008-07-01T09:44:00.003-05:00

This is Bella's best friend named Audrey who is 3. Grady, Teri and Audrey are our next door neighbors. It has been so wonderful getting to know them! They are a great christian family and we are so thankful to have them as our newest friends. They are making it easier to live here in Olathe (pronounced O-lay-tha). We live in a cul-de-sac so we are usually outside most evenings after dinner watching the girls play and visiting with each other. We do have to be referee at times but that is to be expected with girls! Drama, Drama!! We are just thankful Bella has a girlfriend to play with!

Playing Catch Up!

2008-06-24T16:24:00.001-05:00

I have been meaning to post more blogs over the last few weeks but it has been crazy busy. Now I am catching up on the posts. Enjoy!

Emmerson's babbles...

2008-06-24T15:41:00.005-05:00

(pause music on the sidebar)

Emmy is really starting to use her voice. It is so much fun to sit with her and make "conversation". She loves when someone pays attention to her. (Sounds like another little girl I am a mommy to.) She is still such a good baby! She makes having 2 kids a bit easier for me. She is growing so fast so I thought I would share her talking to me!

Our San Diego Trip (May28- June2)

2008-06-24T15:31:00.004-05:00

Our trip to San Diego was fabulous! We got to see family including my dad's cousin, Steve, and his family, minus their son. My sister Michelle, nephew R.J. and bro-in-law Richard. We had so much fun going to Sea World with Bella also! The most important thing we did was to go support Sheldon, my dad and cousin Emily. They ran the Rock-n-Roll Marathon on June 1st. What an accomplishment! We were so proud of them! We were ready to come home by the end because we were all exausted. It was well worth it, though.

Isabella's Bedroom!

2008-06-24T14:02:00.002-05:00

Her big girl bed! She loves her toddler bed! When Emmy is ready to get out her crib, we will get Bella a BIG girl bed! She loves being a big girl!
This is her toy box and her table and chairs. Above her table are pictures of her cousins, R.J. and Jayden, her sister and mommy and daddy! She loves looking at them.
Her books! We put these books away 2 or 3 times a day. She has a shopping cart and she loves to load it up with her books. She loves to read too! She loves books by Sandra Boynton and her Elmo books!
She loves playing in her kitchen. We recently brought it up to her room so she could play with it up there. It was downstairs in the playroom but I thought it would be more fun since her table is in her room too. I was right!
Here is Isabella's canvas painting my friend Kacie did. Bella's is beautiful! It was Kacie's first one and I think she did a wonderful job!

A Day at the Park...

2008-06-19T09:22:00.002-05:00

It has been so nice the last few days so we decided to take it to the park with some friends! We are trying to enjoy it before we get into triple digits with high humidity; which is right around the corner.
For some reason Bella was going down the slide with her eyes closed. She was being a silly girl!
Bella and her "friend" Colter.

Emmerson's bedroom

2008-06-11T18:05:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to share a few photos of Emmy's room with you. It is very simple but fun!
My mother-in-law and I painted the pink stripes. Thanks to my good friend, Kacie, who gave me some tips, it turned out great!
I love this bedding! Believe it or not, I got this at Wal-Mart! I saw it and knew it was for Emmy. It is perfect!
Kacie, who I mentioned before, did a painting for us when Bella was born. It was so beautiful and so I wanted one for Emmy too! Here it is. She is such a talented friend! I will post some pictures of Bella's room soon so you can see hers. As I am on the subject of Kacie, I would like for you to keep her in your prayers. Her and her husband, Chris, just had a baby boy on Saturday name Schafer (sp?). He was perfect and beautiful. Before they left the hospital on Sunday they did the routine check before going home. Long story short, they found a heart defect. He is going to have to have open heart surgery when he is 4-6 months old. The success rate is 95% so that is good but as any parent would be they are upset and concerned. They are definitely leaning on their faith in the Lord but it is still difficult to comprehend. You always EXPECT your child to be born with nothing wrong but when it doesn't happen that way you are forced to not take life for granted. Life is so precious and is more precious when you have little one's to share it with! Please don't take it for granted and please pray for my dear friend, her sweet baby boy, Chris and Hayden their 2 year old daughter.

Potty training time!!

2008-06-09T14:05:00.003-05:00

This is what we are doing now! Bella is doing great! When she goes she gets 1 M&M for her reward. She has done both in the potty and is very proud of herself. So are we!!

A Day at Deana Rose

2008-05-21T16:56:00.002-05:00

Deana Rose is a place that has many farm animals that you can pet and feed. They have numerous play areas for the kids and plenty of fun activites for them to do. The best part is that it is free for everyone. There are a few things inside that cost like a pony ride or a hay ride but all of the other things are free. We had such a good time. It is only about 15 minutes from us.
I was really shocked when Bella was petting the goats and feeding them. She has been going through this stage of not liking to get close to other creatures. She was so much fun!
This is Bella's "friend" Colter. An arranged marriage is already set up for the two of them. We went with my friend Jennifer, Colter and her daughter Alex. It was a great time with them!!

Mother's Day

2008-05-16T10:09:00.007-05:00

Me and my girls. I was so proud that day to be a mom of these 2 beautiful girls! I am very blessed!

Emmerson was dedicated at church so that made it extra special. I was also asked to sing and the video shows that. It was such a beautiful song and I wanted my girls up there with me. Isabella was so cute but she kept distracting me and so I lost my words a few times. I know nobody cared because most were crying and laughing at the same time. It was such a special moment for me. Hope you enjoy!

Our first zoo trip of the season!

2008-05-06T14:41:00.004-05:00

Bella eating her strawberries. She has always got to be snacking on something.
We were not sure how she would react to the sea lions getting right up to her but she loved it. They did it a few times and barked and she loved it.
They have these kangaroos there and we have never seen them come this close to the path. A couple of them were very close. They are normally up in the field sleeping in the sun. It was really cool.
Emmy slept most of the time in the B' jorn but when she woke up she was a happy girl.
We can't wait to go back. We bought a pass this year so we will be going as much as we can as long as the weather stays nice and not too hot.

The "joys" of living in the midwest!

2008-05-01T21:33:00.006-05:00

Our weatherman Bryan Busby!

(I got this picture on-line)

Ok.... so tonight a storm rumbled through and it wasn't just any storm. It was a severe thunderstorm that produced baseball size hail and tornadoes. We were watching the news and all of the sudden we heard our tornado sirens go off. "Are you serious?? We have to go down to the basement??" So we got the kids and made sure we had their pacifiers and blankies and off we went. Thank goodness most of the basement is finished with a t.v. Wait! We have sattelite!! It went out so we listened to the radio. Finally the t.v. came back on and we were able to watch the storm blow through. The tornado did not touch down; there was just "rotation" in the sky. The storm headed right towards my parents house and there was actually a tornado that touched down right before it hit my parents town. We are all safe and all is quiet now.

Ever since we (me, my parents and sister) moved here to the midwest (13 years ago), I have hated storms. Some people love them and I think they are crazy! I grew up with earthquakes and I would much rather be in an earthquake than a tornado eventhough you don't get a warning with earthquakes. Anyway, I just had to share our experience. It was very scary and I am so glad it's all over....until the next storm comes!