A lovely weekend!

This weekend was amazingly...simple. We just played all day Saturday at home, did a little cleaning, I tried to convince Emmy that her job was to dust mop the hardwood floors. She actually fell for it a little better than John, but not much. It rained all day Saturday so we didn't get out much but just enjoyed chilling out at home. That night, I met some friends downtown for a wonderful birthday dinner. I often forget what it is like to not have to carry crayons in my purse to entertain my dinner companions. It was lovely to have such great company!!!

Sunday morning we woke up and were so thankful that it wasn't raining, we did what anyone would do... head to the zoo! The first thing Emmy said was "can I call Aunt Becca???" So, we did just that and they were going too!!!! We do love seeing the Jacksons and of course, the Meyer family. As we were leaving, AunTee sent me a text message and asked if we wanted to go to the zoo with them. I thought we might do a second round at the zoo, but after an Indian lunch, we decided to head home for naps. When we were eating lunch, Emmy saw my papadan and said, "I want some of that big cracker!" It's pretty mild so I didn't think anything of it but one bite, and she was wiping her tongue with her napkin. She was not amused!

After our naps, we hopped up to get ice cream--pink of course. Of all the toys this child has, she insisted on carrying my computer mouse around the house and calling it her dog, "Scott". Then she had her unicorn carry her around the house. Some kids have their daddies pretend to be horses, but of course, Emmy Ruth is always asking Daddy to be a unicorn so she can ride on his back.

Emmy's other latest adorable thing is her dinner blessing. She always says it really loudly but ends with "CHEERS!" and we all have to toast. Seeing her toast with milk is pretty precious.

Emmy Tales

--Today she was playing outside with Daddy and when a plane went over, she said, "oh look! a falling star". She told John her wish was for a pink helmet so that she could put it on and ride her skateboard over to AunTee's and give her a hug, eat some dinner and then come on back to Mommy and Daddy.

--John told her to tell the puppies goodnight and that she loved them and she said, "let's just leave it at like".

--"oh Lordy!" is coming out every time she drops something.

--She told her baby doll that she couldn't eat her pizza, it was for her.

--I brushed her teeth with my toothpaste and she was not happy. She told me "That was not delicious!"

Rose's Bacon

Rose really liked the bacon that we had for breakfast Saturday morning. Really. Liked. It.
Becca decided Rose had eaten enough bacon.

Rose disagreed. The look on Becca's face pretty much looks like the sound Rose made when she took it away. I like a girl that gets what she wants.

A camping we went!!!

This weekend, we went camping with some of our favorite folks. Friday night, Neall, Becca, Sol and Baby Rose met the Salinases at Heber and we showed up eventually. I can't figure out why it takes us so long to get anywhere! The kids had so much fun. There were bicycle races and rock throwing and "kickity kickball" and lots of running and laughing. The Jacksons headed home Saturday and the rest of us stayed until Sunday afternoon. I am disapponted that my camera is having shutter issues so I didn't get many pictures when we were all together. After the Jacksons headed home, the second set of Jacksons, Papa Richie and LynnLynn, came to visit.

Aunt Becca is a great race starter. Emmy loves her new fairy wings.

John even got in on the race. And the kickity kickball.

Just kids by an anchor.
Emmy said beforehand that she wanted a pink fishing pole and of course she had one. She didn't catch anything but had fun trying. I literally caught a fish the first time I threw out my line. The look on Emmy's face was perfect--she was so proud of me!!! I have to say that was the first time I have ever seen her PROUD of me!!! She kept saying she wanted a pink fish so the rainbow trout was absolutely perfect for her. She told us all she was going to catch a "biiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggg fish" (in her best monster voice) the next time we go fishing.

I wonder what they are talking about. They were both really concerned about our fish getting away so they stayed close to watch them.

On Sunday, the kids and AunTee walked to a little park while we packed up the fishing gear. When we arrived, we went to the little creek behind the playground and took our feet in the cold, cold, cold water. As we were getting our shoes back on, Emmy tried one more time and tumbled into the water. Her face was priceless... as she looked up and said, "I ..am.. cold.. EVERYWHERE!" AunTee let her wear her sweatshirt back to the campsite so she didn't have a cold, soggy ride back!

Obviously, she was pooped on the drive back to Memphis.
We are so thankful for such good times with good friends and family!!!!

Fun times!!!

We got to go see the Wonder Pets!, the Backyardigans, Dora and KaiLan on stage last Saturday. Emmy kept saying, "Everyone is going to be there". I shutter as I imagine her saying this as she wants to go to parties as a teenager. They had the best time! The Backyardigans was a Robin Hood variation where the mayor stole everyone's soap and locked it up. She couldn't stop talking about how he wouldn't let them take a bath. I didn't expect that to be her favorite, at all! The kids wore their Wonder Pets shirts with capes and had fun riding "up top" downtown.

After that, we headed to Wynne. Aunt Becca and Uncle Neallio went to Chicago so we got to hang with Sol and Baby Rose. To make it even more fun, we all spent the night with Joy and Julia and had a super duper slumber party. Obviously, it's really cool to live out of the city so that you can wear your Princess nightgown, Spiderman PJs and diaper in the yard!

In today's episode of "Life with Emmy Ruth"...

I took the suggestion of another mother and tried to bribe Emmy to sleep in her bed. So, last night, I told her if she slept in her bed, the Sleeping Fairy would visit. Earlier in the day, we ran into Dollar General for cat food and she found a Sleeping Beauty ball she wanted. I told her that we could get it for the Sleeping Fairy to give her for sleeping in her bed. Last night, she did sleep in her bed. For about 2.5 hours and then came to our bed. But, still it's a start so the Sleeping Fairy came and brought her the ball and a lovely note.

John had an appointment with the World's Best Dentist today so on our way to Wynne, we were talking about what the Sleeping Fairy might bring tonight and Emmy cried out, "but I slept in my bed last night! I already got my toy! I don't want another toy! I want to sleep in your bed!"

Failure of massive proportions.

On the way home, she was watching Snow White (which she calls Snow Wipe) and it was almost over when we pulled in the driveway. I got in the backseat with her as we finished watching it. When the prince kissed Snow White (Snow Wipe), I asked her who her prince was... Of course she said "Daddy". Then she told me she was Snow Wipe and I could be the seven dwarfs. I tried to confirm that I was to be all seven of them and she told me "no, you can be this one... Dopey".

An evening with the old folks

As we sat in the backyard this afternoon in our adirondack chairs while Emmy Ruth played on her swing set, I remarked to John how this was just the life... how great it is.

Emmy brought over her pretend baby and asked me to watch her, which of course I did. The first time she called me Grandma for her baby, it was slightly amusing. However, this time she took off and called back, "Take care of my baby, Grandma and Papaw". I almost fell out of my chair at John's face at being a grandfather so early!

EGGS!

On Sunday, Papaw Jim said something to Emmy about eggs coming from chickens and she got so tickled that she was laughing hysterically. She thought he was trying to pull something over on her, he is known to be quite the prankster, but she was doubled over laughing at him, saying “No they don’t! They come from my kitchen!!!”

 

We stopped at the store this morning and when I pulled out my own bag from my purse, the cashier said, “oh you have your own green bag”. Emmy quickly corrected him that no, it was a blue bag. I tried to tell her about how we were using our own bags to try to help the environment and that was called “being green”.

 

 As she was sitting on the counter, he went on to tell her that although it was a blue bag, saying it was green was an allusion to something else. I asked Emmy if she knew what that meant and of course she did.

 

Up from the grave HE AROSE!

What an amazing day we had! How lucky we are to have our Lord and then to be blessed with so many friends and family that love us. We started out the morning with the Jacksons. It is quite comical to me to remember all the Easter mornings that Momma made us stand in the front yard to take pictures and we were appalled and now we are doing the same thing to our kids. I love it! After the photo session, we went to visit some residents at a local retirement community. I am so thankful for a sister in law with such a great idea for Easter Sunday. We are so blessed. Then, we headed to church and I was so glad that we sang my favorite hymn of all, "Up from the Grave He Arose". I try to hold it together but of course cry each and every time I hear it. Thankfully, I was able to sneak out and get Emmy and Sol without making too much of a scene. And on to the pictures...

Solomon is such a good big brother and stopped Rose from eating this egg!

Emmy asked me to take a picture of her in front of this tree in Neall and Becca's neighbor's yard. Her shoes are on the wrong feet. :)

We went to Nana's for lunch and had a good Easter egg hunt. When we pulled up, Emmy said, "Oh, Nana is the best grandmother ever". What a precious child she is... and how lucky she is that she has so many people that aren't related to her by blood but that love her so dearly.

After lunch, we went back to Neall and Becca's and met Papa Richie and Lynn Lynn, as well as Uncle ET. How lucky we are to have family that we love so much and that are so good to us. The kids had a big time playing outside and nothing is as adorable as seeing them run around like

little madmen.

Amazing grace... how sweet it is.

My artist

Emmy and I painted some flower pots to match the decor of our front porch. I am so thankful for such a talented artist. As I was going through some things the other day, I found this apron of mine. It was especially sweet to find the note that Momma had pinned to it. Oh, how she would have loved to have seen Emmy Ruth painting in the apron Grandma Ruth made.

Easter at the Mall

Of course we have the 2010 pictures of Emmy Ruth and Lucas Anthony at the mall. I seriously think I might burst sometimes. :)

2007...

2008... 2009...

2010...

We tried to get a picture of them showing that they are three years old... but this was the best we got with all the excitement!!! How lucky we are to have LynnLynn and her fabulous Easter shirts for Emmy Ruth to wear.

Barbie Pool

AunTee gave Emmy a Barbie pool for her birthday. I remember playing with mine and carrying water from the bathroom to my bedroom to fill it up, always spilling some in the hallway, so it was pretty sweet to see Emmy Ruth playing with her pool.

I don't remember my pool coming with any accessories, but this one came with little frufru drinks for Barbie and in one picture, Emmy is serving Barbie her cocktail. My Girl. :)

And here is Rudy in Emmy's teepee.