Creepy!!

Last night, I went to a Mom's Club board transition meeting. It was nearby where we used to live in our last apartment. So I'm familiar with the area. I was 10 minutes early, so I decided to drive around. I looked at the map of the neighborhood...and I saw a loop that was kind of hexagon shaped that would take me back to the house. After the 2nd turn, I noticed a car behind me. After the next 3 turns, I was concerned that they were still behind me. The 2nd to last turn...still behind me. So I told myself not to get too concerned until my last turn where it's a cul-de-sac. And....then I realized...I really am being followed when they followed me onto the cul-de-sac street. I checked the house number and slowed down. There were 3 Hispanic guys in the car behind me...they pass me and turn around...stare at me...and then gunned off.

 

Totally creeped me out!! I have no idea why they would follow me....scares the bejeebies out of me!!

Water Table

I recently bought this table for the kids. It was $30 at Aldi's...and I was undecided  if I should get it. Then it got dropped to $20, and I had a $5 coupon...so not bad for $15.

Elliott loves. I finally put Emily out there....and she even loved splashing in the water.

Love these 2 kiddos!

Love this smirk of Elliott's....so cute!

And I love this smile of pure delight for Em.

Father's Day 2013

Happy Father's Day Patrick!

We had a casual and relaxing Father's Day (and Mother's Day too in May...I didn't post anything). I updated the "DAD" picture.

I also made him this picture and framed it:

He also got an extra magazine clip for his semi-newish gun.

I am so grateful that Patrick has such an active father role in our children's lives. When we go to a park...it is Patrick you see playing with Elliott. I am so glad the father of my children isn't someone who ignores his kids. He doesn't play as much with Emily...but she's still little and there is only so much you can do to play with an 11 month old.

Happy Father's Day and 64th birthday to my own dad. I am also grateful for my own father. I spoke today in Sacrament Meeting. I think I did a pretty good job. But it gave me the opportunity to reflect on what my father has given me and what kind of influence he has been to me. When I was going through my divorce....he was my #1 supporter. I was so afraid my family would judge me...but he was there for me. Because of him I feel deeply rooted in the gospel. I share his love of the temple. I am so grateful for his influence in my life. He does so much for us and I feel so grateful that he is my Dad..

Brock posted this on facebook. So I snagged it. Funny story. I told Elliott that this was grandpa and grandma. And he said, "No it's not! That's Uncle Brock and Mommy!" I LOVE IT!! Ha ha! I guess he thinks Brock looks like Dad and I look like Mom.

Grateful for My Cutie Pies

Elliott started calling me a cutie pie today. It started when we went to CVS...and the lady there said "Here you go, cutie-pie", as she handed him his candy I bought for him.

So we ventured on to Jo-Anns. Elliott kept calling me a cutie-pie. And I called him silly. A lady popped from around the corner and told me that he is not silly. But I'm his cutie pie because I'm his mommy. She then told me she lost her "cutie-pie" 2 weeks ago...and she would give anything to hear him call her his cutie pie. And I should enjoy this time with my 2 cutie pies. She then proceeded to tell me what a great job I was doing with my cutie pies. My heart broke for this sweet lady...and I couldn't say a word....because tears were streaming down my cheeks. I think I did manage to tell her thank you.

It's been hitting me hard lately that I need to spend more quality time with these 2 cutie-pie kids of mine. I want them to remember that they had a mommy that loved them and loved spending time with them. Plus, I started reading "Heaven is Here", the memoir of the Nie Nie Dialogues blog. So when this lady "attacked" me at Jo-Anns....it just hit me really really hard. I am so grateful to be Elliott's and Emily's Mommy.

So many things that we think are important in life...just aren't. It's not important to have a clean house, or to sew the cutest dress for Emily, or to even craft a fun DIY thing for the house. And let's not even go into facebook, pinterest, and this blog. These 2 precious spirits are what is most important to me. I am so very grateful that my Heavenly Father has entrusted them to me. 

Emily 47 Weeks

My camera subject wasn't cooperating this morning. Apparently, it likes to move...a lot! So much easier when she was immobile. ha ha!!

Emily is 47 weeks.

I'm looking forward to when she turns 11 months next week so I can start weaning her off of formula and onto milk. Man, formula is expensive! I stopped nursing Elliott when he was 7 months...and Emily at 9 months. Maybe the next one will be the full 1 year.

Emily is busy busy busy! Always moving...always on her way to put something in her mouth.

Wednesday she start using her knees to crawl a little bit. But her preferred mode of transportation is still the army crawl.

She is officially a fan of goldfish. I was hesitant to give them to her since she has no teeth...and they don't dissolve in your mouth like the puffs do. But she crams 5 in her mouth and gets them down somehow.

I thought for sure I'd be posting that she has teeth today...but she doesn't. They really are so close to popping through her poor swollen gums.

Emily is on her 2nd cold this week. Yuck! Poor thing...she hates me cleaning out the gunk in her nose too. Sadly, she is getting used to it.

Emily really knows how to get to me and spoil me. As soon as I pick her up from her crib....she lays her head down on my shoulder and lets me hug on her. So so sweet! I love it! Elliott stopped being a cuddler at 6 months. I am loving this cuddly little girl.

So the cutest pics I could get of her are of before I got her dressed...oh well.

Oh what a serious little girl she is!!

This headband is what entertained her during the pictures.

 She loves the penguin her Grampy Steve got for her...seriously...she rolls around on the floor with it.

Monday Emily finally played in the water at the splash pad. It was her play group day...so I'm glad she had some fun.

These pictures were way underexposed since I had my phone to take the pics...so these are the best I could do to doctor them up.

Emily 46 Weeks

Wow...I only have 6 more weeks until Em gets to 52 weeks!

I brought out the cage. Sad...I know...now that I have to. We don't leave her there, of course! It's just for playtime. Sometimes we take it apart and block off certain parts of the house.

She has been teething all week. Those bottom teeth should be cutting in soon...poor thing.

Swimming lessons got delayed until today...we go this afternoon. I'm pretty excited about it.

Emily is pretty independent...or tries to be.

She likes to play with light switches, she loves to pester her older brother, she tries to get her hands on anything electronic or food related, and she loves to eat everything off the floor!!

We were in Patrick's parent's house when Elliott was this age. We couldn't let him explore as much as Emily is able to now. So this is all new to us...I wonder if Elliott would have been the same if we had stayed in our house.

I'd be happy if we skipped this crawling phase and zoomed onto the walking phase. But Elliott didn't walk until 15 months, and I expect the same for her....they've had the same timeframe on their milestones. I find that so interesting.

We went swimming on Monday....all three of us. Emily lounged in her big floatee. No pictures...I was not going to sacrifice my kids or my phone. But Emily LOVED it! Her first time to go swimming. We went to a splashpad yesterday..she hated it. It was too "bath-like".

Here's her pic before we got into the pool.

And here's her weekly Friday pictures.

This was a happy face...it may look like she was mad...but she wasn't.

I call this her "old man grin" face.

Sun was cutting in on my pictures here....

She has her little giraffe....one of her favorite toys.

Craft Night

I haven't been that social lately. I've been such a homebody. I finally went to a Mom's Club activity yesterday at the splash pad...I hadn't been to an activity for several weeks. 

I really need to get out more.

So when I saw a friend hosting a craft night...I jumped on that asap!! I really do love crafting...and I learned a few new things too.

I chose to make this blessings board. I love how it turned out!! Funny thing is...when she was trying to help me decide how many blocks to put on top....she asked me how many kids I have...I told her three and continued on with conversation. Did you catch that? Three!?! A few minutes later I caught myself and laughed...I don't have three kids!! I only have 2! Gosh. I'm sure they thought I was pregnant and was hiding it...ha ha!!

We also made another project...but I need to fix it up. Houston's lovely humidity prevented it from drying...and I needed to get home. I'll post that when I fix it up.