Precious Illusions

Advent: Bring Treats to Friends

2012-01-25T20:20:00.001-05:00

We hosted a wonderful party for our neighbors (of which I neglected to get any pictures!), which left lots of goodies to take to friends. Dave and the girls went on the delivery circuit one Sunday afternoon.

Advent: Christmas Music

2012-01-24T20:39:00.001-05:00

We spent one evening listening to some new (to the kids) Christmas music: the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. We watched their Christmas special on PBS. Their favorite is the Christmas Canon.

Advent: Christmas Cards

2012-01-18T16:27:00.001-05:00

One weekday afternoon in December, we set about to work on Christmas cards. The girls drew their own cards while I addressed our family cards.

Advent: Christmas Devotional

2012-01-17T16:56:00.001-05:00

A few days after the fact, the girls and I watched President Monson's talk from the Christmas Devotional.

Andrew: 5 Months

2012-01-13T17:41:00.001-05:00

Okay, so technically as I post this, Andrew is 6 months old, but I never posted his 5 month pictures. Here he is in all of his adorable 5 month glory.

Stats:
Size 2 diapers
Size 3-6 month clothes

Loves:
--Sucking on his thumb!
--Sucking on pretty much anything

Hates:
--Waiting for food
--Being in one spot for too long

Firsts:
--Rolled over, front to back
--Thanksgiving

Personality Notes:
--The wonderful sleeping continues. I am one happy mama.
--He prefers sleeping on his tummy, and can often be seen (on the video monitor) face down, bum in the air. But if he's really really tired, he conks out without rolling over.
--He thinks his sisters are funny.

Advent: Decorate the Tree

2012-01-05T15:06:00.001-05:00

We decorated our tree on the first Sunday of December, having procured it the day before. I have no pictures of either getting the tree or the actual decorating, but here is the finished product about a week before Christmas:

Advent: Christmas Parade

2011-12-30T16:14:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite events of December is the town Christmas parade. It is all local and so much fun! We always see so many people we know, both as spectators and in the parade. And both girls know how to work it to get candy!

Dad hooked us up with donuts and hot chocolate while we waited for the festivities.

Andrew, sleepily bundled up in his stroller.

The parade begins!

Our friend Audrey jumps rope at one of the elementary schools.

This Polar Express was so cool!

Our dancing friends

Our friend Kenzie hooked us up with candy.

Emma checking out the Chick-Fil-A cows.

Santa ends every Christmas parade!

Advent, Day 3: Church Christmas Party

2011-12-20T16:33:00.004-05:00

We have a LOT of kids in our ward, so the line to see Santa was long. Two out of three looking at the camera isn't bad, right?

Advent, Day 2: Town Tree Lighting

2011-12-19T17:39:00.000-05:00

I took the girls to the local town tree lighting at city hall. (I had a sitter for book club later that evening, so I left her with Andrew while I took just the girls). We got there nice and early, but the games were already set up. We practically had the bounce house to ourselves! We fit in all of the activities and even grabbed some cookies and hot chocolate before the festivities officially began.

My cute ginger-girls!

Maddie working hard on her build-a-sticker scene.

Ditto Emma.

It's lit! And don't worry, it looked way better in person.

The girls, on a hill overlooking the tree and festivities.

Advent, Day 1: Santa at the Courthouse

2011-12-15T16:42:00.001-05:00

In "old town" Rockwall there is a lovely town square with an old courthouse. Every year they have a free visit with Santa, "sleigh" rides, and free cookies and popcorn. I love it. It is one of those events that make Rockwall feel like a smaller town than it is. (Oh, and we always wear our pajamas and get loads of compliments.) Here it is: Andrew was a little nervous, but mostly because he was tired. And the girls couldn't wait to tell Santa what they wanted.

Thanksgiving Wednesday

2011-12-15T16:20:00.001-05:00

Dave has been working a lot of late, so when his boss generously offered him the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off, we jumped at the chance to hang out as a family. We headed to the Museum of Nature and Science, where the girls saw their first Imax movie, Dolphins. It was perfect for them and they both loved it. We had about 45 minutes before the movie started to play around in the children's section of the museum.

Emma with shark's jaw. They were promoting a new shark exhibit (which we skipped).

Maddie rides a tractor.

Maddie rides a horse.

Groovin'.

Thanksgiving Break

2011-12-14T11:49:00.001-05:00

Emma had a whole week off from preschool for Thanksgiving, so we took advantage of the break to invite some friends (including our beloved Sarah, who started kindergarten this year) with us for one last trip to Autumn at the Arboretum. The pumpkins were starting to fade a little and it was actually a little cold out, but we had a blast anyway.

Sitting on the throne of the Little Mermaid Castle

I love the Turk's Turban Squash and the Lakota pumpkin. Maybe I should do one in my garden this year???

Goat lovin'.

Sweet little butterflies.

Cinderella's carriage.

Can you believe these two used to pound on each other in nursery?

Dave took the girls camping and all I got were these pictures.

2011-12-13T17:18:00.000-05:00

A Boy and His Toys

2011-12-05T17:44:00.001-05:00

One day in November I found Andrew looking like this:

Apparently he had been crying and Maddie thought he needed some attention.

Thanks Maddie!

Emma's 5th Birthday

2011-12-05T14:07:00.001-05:00

For her 5th birthday, Emma requested a fairy party. Up until this point I had no idea that she was really interested in fairies--she had only a passing interest in Tinkerbell. But she insisted fairies it was, so I did some searching on Pinterest and came up with a fun party. We had a lovely group of girls who were so polite and kind and had such a great time playing with each other. I love this age!

Fairies playing in the "bower"

Patiently waiting turns

Pin the wings on the fairy

Musical flowers

Fairy scavenger hunt

The scavenger hunt gets abandoned as everyone just starts playing

Opening presents

The birthday girl seems happy with her party.

Using stickers to make fairy scenes

Halloween

2011-12-03T17:55:00.001-05:00

This was Maddie's first year going trick-or-treating. I guess technically it was Andrew's first year too, though he didn't collect candy, he just came along for the ride. We went out around 6 for an hour and a half and got a lot of loot, and we didn't even hit up that many houses (we were kind of slow). The girls watched out for each other and had a great time.

Maddie's Music Class

2011-12-03T14:01:00.001-05:00

Madeline is taking a Kindermusik class at the Rockwall School of Music. She absolutely loves it, and has a fantastic teacher, Miss Leslie. (Emma took music classes here for two years, as well). I think it has really helped her speak better because she wants to sing all of the songs. On Halloween, all of the kids dressed up in their costumes for class.

Story time. Can you spot Maddie's Minnie Mouse ears?

We play a game by rolling a ball back and forth.

Time for family jam! The kids dig for instruments.

Maddie is a big fan of the drums.

Dancing around with her friends.

Maddie with her BFFs Sophie and Ella.

They always love the parachute!

Trick-or-Treating at the Arboretum

2011-12-01T15:31:00.001-05:00

On the Saturday before Halloween we like to go trick-or-treating at the Arboretum. Mostly we like that Dave/Dad is off of work and can come with us. Please prepare yourself for a picture dump.

Doesn't she look like a princess in her castle, waiting for her prince to come?

We loved the fairytale pumpkin houses!

Trick-or-treating from another Rapunzel.

The obligatory picture of the crepe myrtles.

And what is the Arboretum without Maddie bonding with a goat?

Trunk or Treat

2011-11-30T19:41:00.001-05:00

We went to the church Trunk or Treat a few days before Halloween and all I got were two pictures. But the kids scored some good candy and had a great time!

Fall haircuts

2011-11-28T20:35:00.001-05:00

The girls had been begging for haircuts for a couple of months, and they were overdue for a trim. Maddie before, with her toddler mullet:

Maddie After:

Emma before:

Emma after:

Autumn at the Arboretum

2011-11-27T22:21:00.001-05:00

Autumn is my favorite time of year at the Dallas Arboretum. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but something about the fall just makes me want to be outside. (Maybe because the summer is so hot here that fall is when you can go outside comfortably again??) The kids love it too.

Andrew looks a little worried that the pumpkins are bigger than he is!

Maddie and Emma pet a goat with their friend Bridger.

Maddie likes to show her love with a full body hug.

Pretty butterflies!

The State Fair of Texas!

2011-11-26T18:04:00.001-05:00

It's kind of an unwritten law that to be a Texan, you either need a gun, a truck, or to go to the fair. Since we don't have the first two, we decided this year to go to the fair so they don't kick us out of the state. Emma had the day off from preschool, we had free tickets from our museum membership, and Dave was able to take the afternoon off. We had a fantastic time, and I can't wait to go next year!

Waiting for the dog show. PS. Maddie's weird look is due to a mouth full of funnel cake.

The girls wait for the Backyard Circus.

Emma as part of the butterfly ballet in the Backyard Circus.

The obligatory picture of Big Tex!

On the Ferris wheel

View of the midway and the Cotton Bowl from the ferris wheel

View of D-town

The pig races!

Emma and Maddie with the butter sculpture

Fun with Grandpoppy

2011-11-25T16:01:00.001-05:00

Dave's dad came into town in September for meetings at the American Heart Association. Lucky for us, he took an early flight and had the whole afternoon to play with us before his meetings! We headed for the Dallas World Aquarium, one of our favorite spots in D-town.

Feeding blueberries to the birds.

I have been there at least 3 times and have never noticed this sloth!

I love their reflections in this one!

In the shark tunnel

Andrew: 4 Months

2011-11-23T20:17:00.001-05:00

Stats:
Height: 25.5 inches, 72%
Weight: 13.3 lbs., 18%
Head: 15.8 inches, 6%
Size 2 diapers
Size 0-3 month and 3-6 month clothes
Andrew is definitely one of our children: tall and skinny!

Loves:
--Blowing raspberries
--Cooing and "singing," especially in the car
--Rolling over
--Licking stuff
--Sucking his thumb and fingers

Hates:
--Getting stuck on his tummy

Firsts:
--Rolled over, back to front
--Halloween

Personality Notes:
--Andrew continues to be a super mellow baby. He cries only when really really hungry or if he gets stuck on his stomach.
--He keeps easily to a schedule, and it keeps him happy. He sleeps 6 pm-6 am.
--While awake, he eats approximately every 2 hours.
--He loves to look around and observe the world. Even if he is really tired or hungry, I can usually hold him off from eating or sleeping by holding him up so he can see around.

Utah: Friday, 8/26

2011-11-14T16:59:00.001-05:00

On our last full day, we went up to Salt Lake. We started with a visit to Temple Square, where there is a temple and a vistitors' center for our church.

Maddie and Emma check out the Christus statue.

Checking out some of the videos in the visitor's center.

Statues of Joseph and Hyrum Smith on the temple grounds.

Madeline relaxing.

Contemplating how she can jump in???

Our family in front of the Salt Lake temple.

We had lunch and then went up to This Is the Place Park. It has replica homes and activities from the days of the pioneers in the 1850s.

Maddie doing the laundry.

Emma hanging the laundry up.

On the train that takes you around the park.

Utah: Thursday, 8/25

2011-11-12T11:27:00.001-05:00

Thursday was perhaps my favorite day of our vacation. We went up to Park City a second time, this time to Park City Mountain Resort. It was so much fun! In the summer they have a lot to do--alpine slide, zip line, and even a mountain roller coaster! And never fear, there were rides for the kids too.

Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the most fun things--I didn't even think about bringing my camera down the zip line. Even the ride up the lift terrified me (I've never been skiing), especially when I thought about bringing up my wiggly little girls to ride down the alpine slide with us. Luckily they did fine, and we all had a blast!

Uncle Peter ( my dad's twin) on the Alpine Slide.

Tyler

Chris and Jordan

Emma on the carousel.

Dave and Maddie

Jordan

Emma on the airplane ride. Check out that view behind her!

Maddie

Emma, Maddie, and Jordan on the train ride

After we played for most of them morning and early afternoon, we went out to Midway to hang out at my aunt Trixie's house. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures, because she has a gorgeous house and is always so generous to host everyone. We hung out for a few hours, then went into Orem to have dinner with one of my best friends from high school and college, Rachel. I don't have any pictures from there either, but for that I blame my tired kids. :) It was a fun, busy day spent playing with people we love!

Utah: Wednesday, 8/24

2011-11-08T11:23:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday morning, my brother and sister had to move into their apartments in Provo, so those of us with kids had a slow morning before heading up to Park City to do a little outlet shopping. (The downside to this is that when you are traveling with 5 people and only 3 suitcases, there is no spare room for shopping!) It was fun to browse anyway. We met up with the Provo people for lunch at Cafe Rio. Then we headed to the Utah Olympic Park.

I decided on this trip that Park City is one of my favorite places in Utah. I loved the Olympic Park. While we were there, we got to see people practicing the ski jump into the pool.

Next we checked out the actual ski jumps:

Mom and sister Brittany

The kids got bored and started throwing rocks down the mountain.

The stroller brigade headed back up the mountain.

Tyler and Brittany with the Olympic Torch in the museum.

Emma and cousin Jordan

We checked out the bobsled tack too:

After an afternoon of fun, we went back to Salt Lake to spend a lovely evening with on of my best friends from BYU. Of course we had to get a picture of us with all of the kids.

L-R Laura, Asher, Talmage, Emma, Maddie, me, and one very unhappy Andrew

Utah: Tuesday, 8/23

2011-10-26T16:45:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday we went down to Provo again. I think Brittany had a job interview, and the kids had cut our time on campus short the previous day. So we'll call this one Dave and Jess take the kids down a trip on Memory Lane. Dave wanted to make sure the kids were indoctrinated to want to attend BYU when the time comes.

The girls in front of the Brigham Young statue in front of the ASB

Checking out a classroom in the SWKT

Maybe they'll be professors someday?

Joseph Smith statue in the ASB

Running towards the Maeser Building

In the Maeser Building. Perhaps they will be Writing Fellows someday??

The obligatory picture with the Y in the background

After spending the morning on campus, the girls were BYU-ed out, and cousin Chase was done with preschool, so we met up with him and the other cousins at Thanksgiving Point for a trip to the dinosaur museum.

Jordan and Emma next to a bone

Jordan, Emma, and Maddie check out a fossil

Tyler, Chris, and Dave help Chase, Jordan, Maddie, and Emma in the water pool

Emma, Jordan, and Kallee check out a dinosaur

Maddie, Jordan, and Kallee

Emma, Jordan, and Chase check out a computer exhibit

Uncle Tyler is always good for a dance

Maddie, Emma, Chase, and Jordan. And some creepy lady behind.

Jacksen, Maddie, Emma, Jordan, and Chase in the path of a prehistoric shark

Maddie and Emma dig for fossils

Utah: Monday

2011-10-18T16:26:00.001-05:00

On Monday we headed down to BYU. We spent the morning in the bookstore and helping my brother and sister apply for jobs (none of which they got, though they have gotten other jobs since). After lunch it was time to entertain the kids, so we headed for the Bean Museum.

Emma and Maddie with the Liger, of Napoleon Dynamite fame.

Emma and Maddie roar like cougars.

Cousins Chase, Jordan, Emma, and Maddie in front of all the animals.

All the kids (notice the addition of little Bobby in the middle of the two bigger boys) doing their best roar.

A funny story after that last picture: The kids were exhausted, and you can kind of tell that Maddie is not happy with Emma. After this picture was taken, she started screaming and went down the row, hitting her sister and cousins in turn. It was hilarious, and unfortunately only captured on my dad's cell phone. (We need that picture, Dad! For posterity!) After that it was time to head home for the day. :)

Utah: Sunday 8/21

2011-10-17T18:25:00.000-05:00

Way back in August we went to Utah for a week. It was the first time my whole family has been together in over two years, as my youngest brother returned home in July from serving a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Manaus, Brazil.

On our first full day, Sunday, we blessed Andrew. He was blessed on the same day as his cousins, Bobby and Jacksen. Three little boys born in the same year!

My dad (Papa) with Maddie, Emma, and cousin Bobby

Aunt Brittany with Emma and Andrew

Our family at the Church

My sister Brooke, with husband Jason, Chase, and Jacksen

My parents and siblings. L-R: Me, Tyler, Mom, Dad, Brittany, Chris, and Brooke

The whole gang

The kids relax while watching "Tangled."

Papa takes a nap with Andrew.

Family picture later that night at my Aunt's house

Tyler and Emma dancing in the streets

Andrew: 3 months

2011-10-15T13:35:00.002-05:00

Andrew turned 3 months old a week ago. We are starting to see his personality shine though. The best part about him right now is when he smiles and laughs at us! (Emma gets very concerned whenever he isn't smiling--she thinks he is sad. I don't know how to explain his mellow personality to her.)

Stats:
12.5 lbs. (Wii)
Size 1 diapers
0-3 months clothes, with a few 3-6 month sweatshirts

Nicknames: Gee-gee Bubba, Gee-gee Bubs, Bubs, Geegs, Buddy, My Boy

What He Does All Day:
Sleeps semi-regularly
Coos, smiles, and giggles
Sucks on his pacifier
Sucks on his fingers, when he can find them

Firsts:
--Kindermusik class (as an observer, not a participant)
--Visit from Grandpoppy
--General Conference
--Visit to the Texas State Fair

Some more shots of our boy:

Emma's First Day of Preschool

2011-10-06T17:44:00.001-05:00

Emma started preschool again on September 7th. This year she is going three days a week, Monday/Wednesday/Friday. She is in the Fives Class and she absolutely loves it. They use a "stop light" discipline system, and everyday she tells me who is on yellow (a warning). She is frequently "caught being good."

Some more pics of her first day:

I thought it would be fun to interview Emma. Here is a Q&A with our almost-five-year-old:

Favorite Food? Pizza
Favorite sport? Soccer
Favorite TV show? Jake and the Neverland Pirates
Favorite movie? Tangled
Favorite color? Silver and pink
Favorite book? Fancy Nancy
Favorite season? Summer
Favorite song? "Sparks Fly" and "Livin' in a Big Old City" (more commonly known as "Mean") by Taylor Swift
Favorite thing to do? Get vitamins (she has the gummy kind)
Favorite thing about preschool? Playing on the playground
Best friend? Sarah
What do you want to be when you grow up? A ballerina
What food do you really dislike? Plums
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Utah and (Wis)Consin--where her cousins live
What did you use to do when you were little? Roll over
Best memory? Going to Chicago
Who is the coolest person you know? Dexter
3 words to describe yourself? Friendly and nice (She had a hard time wrapping her head around what it means to describe herself).
What do you want to learn about this year? To not fight and to be quiet in the hallways at preschool.

I think her answers really describe her personality right now. :)

Andrew: 2 Months

2011-09-20T16:26:00.000-05:00

Andrew is now 2 months old and getting a little chubby. We love it!

Stats:
Height: 23 1/2 inches (73rd percentile)
Weight: 11.4 lbs (45th percentile)
Head: 14.8 inches (7th percentile)
Size 1 diapers
Size 0-3 month clothes (He is already too big for most newborn outfits).He is by far our biggest baby!

Nicknames: Gee-gee bubs, Bubs

Loves:
--His swing! This is a nice change.
--Sleeping while in motion--either the swing or in the car.
--His binky.
--Cooing to anyone who will coo back to him.
--Eating

Hates:
--Wet diapers

Firsts:
--Cold. So sad to see a little runny nose!
--Sick doctor visit (see above. Luckily, though it never developed into anything more).
--Time at Church
--Dinner party
--Trip to the grocery store. He cried most of the time, even though he wasn't really hungry, just tired. I guess the shopping cart wasn't enough motion for him to sleep.

Shoutout to his Uncle Chris, Aunt Kallee, and cousins Jordan and Bobby for the cute outfit!

Andrew's First Bath

2011-09-13T15:29:00.000-05:00

Andrew had his first real bath on August 4th. Before that it was sponge baths, usually late in the evening after he had, ahem, showed his manly prowess and leaked out of his diaper--thus no pictures. He was startled a bit at first when placed in the water, but settled quickly and seemed to enjoy it.

Apparently the lighting in our bathroom is terrible.

Andrew: One Month

2011-09-07T16:41:00.008-05:00

So technically Andrew is two months old today, but I never posted his pictures and stats from his one month birthday.

Weight: Approx. 9 lbs. (so says the Wii)
Newborn and 0-3 month size clothes
Newborn size diapers

Nicknames: Baby Brother, Gee-gee Bubba (Maddie-speak for "baby brother")

Loves:
Sleeping
Eating
Mommy
Snuggling
Staring at the ceiling fan
His sisters

Hates:
The swing
Being put down
Dirty diapers

Firsts:
--Visits from Grandma, Grandmacita, and Uncle Tyler
--Trip to the ER. His overanxious parents were worried about his circumcision the day after he was released from the hospital.
--Trip to the mall.
--Trip to an aquarium.

We love our boy! Here he is posing in his Sunday outfit:

Welcome Back, Tyler!

2011-08-31T14:53:00.010-05:00

On July 27, my "little" brother Tyler returned from Manaus, Brazil (that's in the Amazon) where he served a two-year mission for my church. Lucky for us, he had a five-hour layover in Dallas, so we got to spend the morning with him!

We hit some crazy traffic, so we were a little late getting to the airport. He also got through customs VERY fast--he was already outside when we found him!

First we took him out for a big, American breakfast. No pictures but we took him here, and had some yummy Nutella french toast! We still had a few hours to kill, so we went to the Sea Life Aquarium in Grapevine. It had just opened, and in the 100-degree weather it was a popular spot! We had to wait in line for a while, but we had fun catching up and taking pictures:

Tyler jumped right back into "uncle" mode, and the girls just loved him for it!

They had a cool tank with a glass floor that you could walk on:

Seeing how we measure up to the sharks (this is sooo not accurate, I may be short but I am taller than five feet at least!):

Playing peek-a-boo with the tanks:

Before taking Tyler back to the airport, we had to compare tans. My Texas tan is almost as dark as his Brazil tan, though in the bright sunshine neither of them look as dark as they really are:

We loved having Tyler back with us, even if it was just a sneak peek on his way back to Mom and Dad's house!

Grandmacita Was Here, Too

2011-08-18T15:57:00.002-05:00

Grandmacita came by to see Andrew, too, and we were lax again in taking pictures. But we got this one:

While she was here, we watched movies, went bowling, went out to lunch, and read a lot of books. (Again with the indoor activities.) It was fun!

Sleeping Babies

2011-08-17T15:18:00.005-05:00

Who doesn't love a sleeping baby? I haven't taken nearly enough pictures of the great positions this boy gets in, but here are a few:

Grandma Was Here

2011-08-16T16:30:00.003-05:00

My mom (aka "Grandma") came for three glorious weeks. And we barely took any pictures! But we did a lot of this:

Reading and snuggling babies. We also watched a lot of movies, played games with the girls, and tried out new kinds of homemade ice cream. (Hey, what else can you do when it's over 100 degrees every day and you've got a newborn?) We loved every second of it! Come back whenever you can, Grandma!

Newborn Portraits

2011-08-15T13:47:00.008-05:00

Andrew is a typical third child, I suppose, in that I've been lazy about getting out the camera. But he does have something that neither of the girls have: newborn portraits. My talented friend Whitney took these:

And my very favorite:

Paternity Leave

2011-08-11T14:26:00.004-05:00

Dave was home for three glorious weeks (he still has one week left, saved for when we go on vacation). We did a lot of this:

If you look closely you'll see Dave's swimsuit. They swam, played, read, watched movies, and snuggled, all the while I was busy snuggling and feeding Andrew. It was great!

Day 4

2011-08-09T16:23:00.003-05:00

No, we didn't take pictures everyday. Here's a random picture from Sunday, July 10th. The girls were dressed to go to church, but of course they had to say bye to baby brother first.

Andrew, Day 3

2011-08-08T16:26:00.006-05:00

As nice as it was to go home and not sleep in our own beds, we were still pretty tired by Saturday, July 9th, Andrew's 3rd day of life. We spent the day at home in pajamas, taking pictures of Andrew in his crib:

The girls took turns holding Andrew:

And, like we did when Madeline was born, we had a birthday party for Andrew, with cupcakes for all but the birthday boy, and presents for the big sisters:

Andrew, Day 2

2011-07-30T15:08:00.006-05:00

So technically this was still Andrew's first 24 hours, or day 1, but it was kind of our second day at the hospital, although we only had to stay for 24 hours ourselves (a fact which thrilled me. I don't know how anyone can ever recover in a hospital, what with all the poking and the prodding). After breakfast, we took a shower and were finally moved to a recovery room. Dave went home to get Grandma and the girls for a visit:

The girls seemed to like Andrew well enough, but after Maddie got restless, we turned on PBS, and they became much more interested in watching TV:

After about an hour, we sent them home again, and spent the afternoon making sure all of the necessary paperwork was getting started so we could leave. Around 9 pm, they took Andrew for his PKU test (which has to be performed at 24 hours old), and then they let us go home. The requisite "car seat" shots:

We arrived home a litle before 10 pm, exhausted. But it's better to not sleep in your own bed than in a hospital bed.

Hike that baby out!

2011-07-21T15:14:00.009-05:00

On Wednesday, July 6th, I was still 2 days from my due date with no sign of baby. I had my mom and my girls to entertain, so we went up to the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney, mostly because I have a membership and it would be free. (We discovered it during our adventures last summer, and found a good deal on Groupon). So off we went.

We arrived shortly after 10 am, hoping to get in a quick hike before it got too hot. (I walked miles around Manhattan and did stairs up and down my apartment building when Emma was due, and while it didn't do anything for me then, I figured it was worth a shot). But when we got there they told us about an animal program, so we started inside.

These shots are for Mumma. She LOVES geodes, and we found one in the shape of Mickey Mouse!

During the animal program, we got to touch two animals: a turtle and a snake (unfortunately, no pictures). Then we went out on our half-mile hike:

Though it was quite hilly for Texas, it did nothing to induce labor but it certainly made us all HOT! But we couldn't leave without checking out the animals:

I have no idea what this thing is, but it reminds me of the R.O.U.S.es from "The Princess Bride".

We left around noon, hot and ready for lunch. We figured we'd have to wait another week for this baby and consoled ourselves with some In'n'Out burgers on the way home. But little did I know, it might have actually worked! I was up half that night with pressure contractions, which stopped by Thursday morning, and then came hard, fast, and painful by Thursday afternoon. A few hours later we had Andrew. If I decide to have another one, perhaps I will renew this membership???

July 4th Parade

2011-07-14T16:13:00.008-05:00

Ever since we went last year, Emma and Madeline have been eager to be in our town's 4th of July parade, when they saw other kids ride their bikes and walk their dogs. Bikes were a big part of this dream, though neither of the girls is quite proficient enough to ride for a mile or two that is the parade route. So we opted this year to push Maddie in her Cozy Coupe, with Emma walking beside. The only downside was that the parade was held on Saturday (the SECOND of July), right around the time we had to pick Grandma up from the airport. But Dave agreed to take the girls. They dressed up in their most patriotic attire:

At the parade gathering point, they found some friends:

Maddie made sure to practice her flag-waving skills:

And then they were off and marching:

In a fortuitous turn of events, Grandma and I made it back from the airport just in time to see the marchers turn the final corner by the courthouse:

We are already practicing riding our bikes in anticipation of next year!

Andrew Karl's Birth Day

2011-07-10T17:58:00.009-05:00

Here is Andrew's birth timeline. I will actually start a few days before.

Saturday, July 2: My mom gets into town!

Monday, July 4: Mom and I go for a two-mile walk around the neighborhood, in the hopes that I am far enough along to get an induction date at my appointment on Tuesday.

Tuesday, July 5: Doctor's appointment. I am barely 3 cm and only slightly effaced, but my doctor agrees to schedule an induction anyway. She calls the hospital and the earliest available is the following Tuesday (July 12th). I am annoyed.

Wednesday, July 6, morning: Mom and I take the girls to the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney. I joke that maybe our short hike (1/2 mile) will put me into labor.

Wednesday, July 6, evening--Thursday July 7, early morning: I start feeling contractions in the evening, though they aren't painful--just pressure. After waking up around 1 am, I am up for several hours with contractions coming every 15 minutes or so. I pack my bathroom stuff in my suitcase in the wee hours of the morning.

Thursday, July 7, 8 am: Contractions stop. I unpack my bathroom stuff, bring Emma to preschool, go to Kroger.

July 7, 1 pm: I email Dave to tell him the earlier contractions were a false alarm. I take a nap, go pick Emma up.

3 pm: Contractions start up again with a vengeance. I can't lie down or sit. They are coming every 10-15 minutes.

4 pm: Painful contractions continue, sometimes coming every 5 minutes. I call Dave and leave a voicemail that he should come home.

4:30 pm: I call the doctor and she agrees I should head for the hospital. Finally get ahold of Dave, who leaves work.

4:45 pm: Contractions are coming fast and hard. I start to panic. I call Dave, who is stuck in traffic. I decided to meet him at the hospital.

5 pm: We leave for the hospital.

5:45 pm: We arrive at the hospital. Dave is already there. I get into triage and start begging for drugs. After all of those painful contractions, I am only at 4.

6:05 pm: My begging for drugs gets me a room. The nurse keeps telling me how strong my contractions are on the monitor. No kidding!

6:30 pm: Process paperwork, blood tests, and I get some pain meds through an IV. Contractions are still strong, but not quite an painful.

7:20 pm: Epidural time! Suddenly I am much happier.

7:35 pm: The nurse administers pitocin. Might as well get this show on the road!

8:10 pm: The doctor's resident comes in to break my water and check my progress. We are all surprised to hear that I am almost complete and go for launch! The nurses try to frantically find the doctor.

8:25 pm: Begin to push. Doctor is convinced this baby will come right out. But he's wrong. I can't feel a thing because my legs are completely dead.

8:35 pm: My contractions seem to stop. We wait a little bit.

8:40 pm: My IV, with the pitocin drip, has fallen out. I get a shot of pitocin to get things going again.

8:57 pm: Andrew Karl is born. He is 7 lbs, 7 oz and 20 3/4 inches long.

He looks a lot like Madeline, with my ears and freakishly long, skinny feet and toes.

9:20 pm: First feeding. Andrew eats like a champ for 15 minutes.

10 pm: The nurse tells us there is no room at the inn! All of the recovery rooms are full, so we settle in to stay in labor and delivery for the night.

Mini Vacation

2011-07-06T17:29:00.010-05:00

On Father's Day weekend, we escaped to the Gaylord Texan for a mini vacation. It was partially to celebrate my birthday, partially to celebrate Father's Day, and mostly to just enjoy time as a family after a long Spring where Dave was working a lot. It was so nice to get out of town, even if it was only an hour away.

We picked Dave up early from work on a Friday afternoon, checked into our room, and then hit the pool.

Emma's favorite was the lazy river, but unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of that.

After an hour or two of swimming, we were ready for dinner. We changed and ran into Big Tex:

We ate dinner at the Texan-themed restaurant. It had a sports bar in the front with a HUGE screen. Maddie enjoyed relaxing and catching up on Sportscenter:

After dinner we wandered around the four-acre atrium.

We ended the night with a fireworks show over the Grapevine Lake. The girls enjoyed it, even though Maddie in particular was exhausted.

It was a great weekend!

Two Sous Chefs

2011-06-27T15:02:00.002-05:00

When Emma was about two, I started baking with her. I would measure the ingredients, and she would dump them into the bowl.

Lately I have added a second sous chef. It's getting a little crowded around the mixer, but we sure have fun!

Fall Flashback: Nature and Science Museum

2011-06-24T14:47:00.011-05:00

The day after Thanksgiving, the whole group piled into two cars and set out of the Museum of Nature and Science. We started with the dinosaur exhibit:

But with four kids four and under, we quickly made our way downstairs to the children's museum, where we crawled in animal tunnels:

Practiced our balance:

Fought fires:

Enjoyed life on the farm:

Finally, we played in the stream. A great way to work off our Thanksgiving dinner!

Fall Flashback: Thanksgiving

2011-06-23T15:30:00.010-05:00

For Thanksgiving we were able to host Aunt Amy with cousins Kate and Rachel, along with Grandpoppy, Grandmacita, and Uncle Matt. It was so fun to have a full house! The girls were often found upstairs in the play room:

Getting ready to eat:

Of course, there were some after dinner performances:

All that fun is enough to tire anyone out!

Fall Flashback: Zoo with Cousins

2011-06-20T15:30:00.008-05:00

I can't believe I never posted this! I must have been feeling really bad in December. Anyway, we were lucky to have both Dave's parents and his sister and her two daughters visit us for Thanksgiving. A couple of days before the big dinner (November 23rd), we took advantage of the 70 degree weather and went to the zoo. (These cousins live in Wisconsin, so they seemed to really enjoy the mild temperatures!)
Emma and Kate were like two peas in a pod:

Everyone loved climbing on the statues:

And of course we had to feed the giraffes!

Fall Flashback: Emma Plays Soccer

2011-06-15T14:22:00.006-05:00

Last September, we signed Emma up for soccer. The program was perfect for preschoolers: 6 sessions, 45 minutes each, mostly practice with 2 games at the end. (I am not a fan of giving up entire Saturdays for team sports). Emma enjoyed it and learned some good skills, but I am not entirely sure she is going to be big on team sports. During the game, she came running over to the side where we were and asked when it was her turn to kick the ball. We told her she could go kick it any time, but our sweet girl is not very agressive. I think she will do better at individual sports like gymnastics. Nonetheless, here are some pictures of Emma in action:

I need a makeover!

2011-06-11T19:13:00.006-05:00

The lovely and talented Nicole from Making it Lovely is offering to do a Social Space Makeover. If any room in our house needs help, it is our family room!
From the kitchen:

A slightly different angle:

The bones of the room aren't bad--it gets great light and is a good size. But it is extremely boring, and all of my plans for the space have been put on hold because of our STILL unsold condo (grrr....). Help me, Nicole!

May 24th: Last Day of Preschool

2011-06-09T15:44:00.006-05:00

September 7, 2010: First day of preschool:

Last day:

We absolutely adored Emma's teachers, Miss Kay and Miss Kim:

It was a great year!

Trip to the Zoo

2011-06-08T15:18:00.011-05:00

Though I am currently rather pregnantly large and uncomfortable, I had to document this as I do, occasionally, do fun things with my children. (Especially this summer, which will be VERY low-key.) Last month we took advantage of our zoo membership and went one more time before it expired. It was a gorgeous day (highs only in the 70s!). We called some friends and had a fabulous time.

One of my favorite parts of the zoo is in the new "Giants of the Savannah" exhibit. You buy some overpriced lettuce, then you get to feed the giraffes! We were the first ones to feed them for the day, so they were excited to see us.

Emma, looking a little nervous after the lettuce is snatched out of her hand. (And yeah, that's not me. My friend held the kids while I took the pictures).

The cheetahs were out enjoying the "cooler" weather too:

We always have to sit on the elephant statues:

We took a ride on the Jungle Monorail:

And for the finale of the day, an especially rare treat: A tiger sighting! (We have been going to the Dallas Zoo for 3 years now and I have NEVER before spotted an actual tiger in the exhibit.)

Garden Update: Signs of Growth

2011-06-07T16:52:00.011-05:00

So it's been a while since I showed you the garden. These pictures were taken about a month ago, at the beginning of May, when it was just showing signs of an upcoming harvest:

Little green tomatoes:

Sugar snap peas:

Peppers:

The pear tree:

Since then we've harvested a TON of lettuce, most of the sugar snap peas, and a few cherry tomatoes. I am looking forward to the next month, when the garden really kicks it into high gear!

Oh Happy Day Goes to Paris!

2011-06-06T15:13:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite blogs, Oh Happy Day!, just relaunched, and it is gorgeous, filled with inspiration for everything from kids to fashion to food. But the best part? There is a contest to win a trip to Paris! Check out the contest page here. And if you win instead of me, don't forget who referred you!

Madeline's Birthday Party

2011-06-03T17:32:00.005-05:00

When you ask Maddie who her friends are, she will say "Shizzy" (Lizzy), "Sha-sha" (Sarah), and "Oomer" (Boomer--a nickname). Lizzy, Sarah, and Boomer all belong to the same family, neighbors and friends from church, so that made it easy to invite them all to her party. We had a low-key backyard party, with hamburgers and hotdogs for dinner and plenty of backyard games the kids could play at random (ring toss, golf, water table, and the swingset). The kids had a great time playing and the parents had a great time talking, so much so that the only time I remembered to take pictures was during the present opening and "happy birthday" singing:

And here's a bonus picture of Maddie modeling her new sunglasses while putting on her shoes to go outside:

Madeline's Birthday Day

2011-06-02T14:46:00.005-05:00

Although we celebrated Maddie's birthday while in Chicago, and we had a party planned for her the following weekend, we couldn't let her actual birthday day go by without a little celebrating. We opened a couple of presents:

And of course we had cake!

Stylish Blogger Award

2011-05-20T16:32:00.003-05:00

My friend Ginger (who also happens to be a talented writer) bequeathed me with the Stylish Blogger Award! You can read her often hilarious musings here. Thanks Ginger!

Along with the award comes a few responsibilities.

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.
2. Share seven random facts about yourself.
3. Pass the award along to five blogging buddies.
4. Contact those buddies to congratulate them.

Here are seven random things about me:
1. I have never, ever broken a bone (knock on wood!).
2. I have been scarred by reading--as a kid, I was running with a Dr. Seuss book, tripped, and it hit me in the eye. I still have a slight scar.
3. I hate activities where they ask you for your most embarrassing moment. Why would I want to share that???
4. I used to be allergic to strawberries. I have since grown out of the allergy, but since I never ate them growing up, I don't particularly care for them.
5. I once scored two meals on the same day from two different guys. Oddly enough, I never dated either of them.
6. I could live in flip flops all year long. Here in Texas I live in them for most of the year.
7. I knew that baby #3 was a boy long before the gender ultrasound because I lost my taste for Coke. None of the men in my family like Coke.

I'd like to pass this along to the following blogging friends:
Random Roberts Ramblings
A Breath of Fresh Air
Chad & Erin
Four Boys & Me (except you have a girl now, Sara! :)
Mom Has the Mondays

Chicago: Easter Sunday

2011-05-11T14:08:00.011-05:00

We woke up early on Easter Sunday and were eager to get upstairs for breakfast. (We were sleeping in my grandparents' basement). I think Emma had forgotten about the Easter bunny, because Madeline was the first to find the Easter loot!

Never fear, Emma soon found hers.

Church wasn't until 1 pm, which gave us plenty of time to show off and play with our new stuff.

After church, we took pictures in our Easter finery. I felt bad for the girls--their dresses had been purchased at the end of the previous summer in anticipation of a warm Texas Easter! Instead it was maybe 50 degrees and windy.

The girls with their aunt Brittany. (PS. Brittany, your hair is looking a little feathery. Is it just the wind or are you wishing you had been born in the 80s? :))

The girls with their grandparents.

Me and the girls with MY grandparents.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing (ie, playing with Mumma's recliner chair and singing Primary songs with Brittany).

Chicago: Madeline's Birthday, Part 1

2011-05-05T16:39:00.012-05:00

While we were visiting in Chicago, we celebrated Madeline's 2nd birthday with my family. First up was opening presents. Maddie has become a total pro and needed no help at all.

Then we have to show off our presents:

And of course we have to play with our new toys!

After some good playtime, we had cake!

It was a fun party, and only the first of several celebrations!

Chicago: Papa's Prerogative

2011-05-03T17:00:00.007-05:00

We recently spent a wonderful Easter weekend up in the suburbs of Chicago, visiting my grandparents, parents, and sister. While there, we made several trips to our favorite bakery. On one such trip, I opted to stay home and take advantage of the one shower in my grandparents' 1950s bungalow while my dad took the girls. They came home with the most gigantic Mickey Mouse cookies you have ever seen. I didn't take a before picture, but here are the girls enjoying their feast:

The cookies had thick, colorful (maybe too colorful???) frosting. They were good, but as you can see, they left a trail behind them.

So what's a mother to do? Why, only give her kids half and finish the rest off herself during naptime. :)

Bluebonnets 2011

2011-05-02T16:22:00.008-05:00

On April 16th we also embarked on the annual Texas ritual of getting pictures in the bluebonnets. It was a busy weekend, in a busy month, with kids who can't quite smile at the camera at the same time. Below are our best attempts.

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-27T16:59:00.011-05:00

On Saturday the 16th, we went to the town's Easter Egg hunt. They mark off different fields for different age groups, so we split up. Maddie and I conquered the 0 to 2 field. About five minutes before we were allowed to start, we lined up to wait:

And we're off!

Emma and Dave were on a different field, away from the camera, but we got Emma to reenact it for us:

Perhaps even more fun was the bounce house:

Toy Story 3--On Ice!

2011-04-14T15:56:00.009-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, we went to go see Toy Story 3 on Ice. The best part was that we got to go in the corporate box leased by Jones Day! (Usually we are WAY WAY WAY down the list for this sort of thing--I've never been before, and Dave's only been a couple of times. But I guess there's not a whole lot of demand for Toy Story 3 on ice). Dave entertained some clients and their kids, and Emma and I joined them. After a very busy March for Dave, it was great to spend some time as a family.

(Stuffing her face from the catering)

The lighting was bad and I had the crappy camera, but I did get a couple of pictures from the show:

Emma and the rest of the kids absolutely adored it. And the corporate box was really cool--the only way to do the American Airlines Center, in my opinion. :)

Spring Break at the Arboretum

2011-04-12T15:12:00.012-05:00

Spring break doesn't really affect us too much, since Emma only goes to school two days a week. But it does mean that some of our friends were available to play more often! We went to one of our favorite places, the Dallas Arboretum.
We loved all of the tulips! They are my favorite flower.

The petting zoo is always a favorite:

We checked out the fairy tale castles:

And played with our friends:

We even talked our friends into getting a membership too, so we expect more fun outings in the future!

Summer Flashback: Chillaxin'

2011-04-08T16:55:00.004-05:00

After a full day of playing, what better way to relax than to watch a movie with your great-grandparents?

Summer Flashback: Riding Bikes

2011-04-06T16:36:00.006-05:00

Perhaps the most ironic thing about these summer flashbacks, besides that fact that summer is almost here again? We are headed back to Chicago in about 2 weeks. I better hurry up and finish these posts!

One afternoon we took the cousins (my girls plus Jordan) over to ride bikes at a park behind an old elementary school, which I think is being used for district offices now. But it's where my mom went to school! They had miniature buildings which were fun (though they would have been slightly more fun if you were able to go INSIDE them).

Super Lawyer!

2011-04-05T16:18:00.004-05:00

Dave was recently named as a "Rising Star" of the 2011 Texas Super Lawyers. And it came at an appropriate time--he had a particularly busy month in March. We are very proud of how hard he works and appreciate the recognition, even if it's the kind where they ask you to pay for a fancy profile. (We declined. He's plenty busy as it is.) But at least his firm can brag about it on their website.

The only downside? The distinction doesn't come with a cape! :)

Awesome*

2011-03-28T16:52:00.003-05:00

Guess who can now reach the cereal shelf in the pantry??
*At the office Christmas party, Dave's boss told me that whenever he hears Dave say "awesome," it's the equivalent of someone else in the office saying a four-letter word. So imagine this post with a good dose of sarcasm.

Friends of Scouting Fundraiser

2011-03-25T16:36:00.005-05:00

Among the things Dave has in common with his boss is a love of fishing and the fact that they are both Eagle Scouts. Because of this distinction, Dave has been invited to the big Friends of Scouting fundraiser held in Dallas every year. Dave feels lucky to be invited (the price of a table is significantly out of our price range, though we do make a contribution). The guest list if often distinguished. This year he was able to see George W. Bush (see the screen in the right-hand part of the picture):

President Bush introduced the keynote speaker, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (again, see the screen on the right of the picture):

Gates shared a nice story about how, though he was often in the public eye and surrounded by security, he could go camping with his son to fulfill scouting requirements and thus be a little more "normal." A nice event to fundraise and commemorate a program we believe in.

Summer Flashback: Cousins at Breakfast

2011-03-09T16:28:00.001-05:00

This picture cracks me up!

Summer Flashback: Sunset Park

2011-03-08T18:04:00.008-05:00

When my siblings and I were little, we loved going to visit our grandparents because they had such fun playgrounds in their community. When we visited Chicago last August, we made sure to bring our kids to Sunset Park, a favorite stomping ground in the '80s.

Emma waves from the top of the rocket.

I love Madeline's expression as Papa helps her down the roller slide.

Whoosh!

Cousin Jordan.

Emma swings with Aunt Brittany.

Summer Flashback: Hanging with Papa

2011-03-07T17:35:00.002-05:00

Sometimes playing with Papa is so tiring that you just have to snuggle...

Our Big Backyard

2011-03-01T17:40:00.009-05:00

I know I shouldn't brag, but our back yard is pretty big by suburban Texas standards. And we've been hard at work improving it over the last few weekends. Let me show you the different areas:

The Orchard: We have a peach, plum, pear, and pecan tree. We also have two apple trees that are not pictured because they are on the side of the house. The trees look pretty bare at this distance, but they are starting to bud and I even spotted a couple of flowers on the peach tree.

Yesterday I showed you the garden:

This past weekend we added our newest addition, a swing set:

Of course, it's quite a big hit already.

And last but not least, the pool and spa:

What?? You don't see it???? Well, give us another 5 years. Or 20. Probably closer to 20. :)

Garden 2011: Week 1

2011-02-28T16:43:00.004-05:00

Two weekends ago, we decided to enlarge our garden. (I do square foot gardening--but this is my favorite site about it--be sure to sign up for the weekly reminder emails!)Dave built me a 4x12 foot bed using this cinderblock plan from Covington's Nursery. He filled it with new dirt and I planted my first crops last week--lettuce, spinach, peas, carrots, onions, and broccoli. Thus far the only thing up is the broccoil, and that's only because I used transplants. Everything else is from seed.

I hope to update my progress every few weeks!

Summer Flashback: Shadow Showdown

2011-02-25T17:00:00.004-05:00

Shadow is my parents' dog. They got her (I'm pretty sure it's a her, anyway) long after I moved out, after an extended campaign from my youngest sister. She's okay, as far as dogs go--I must admit I don't particularly care for them--actually she's kind of a wimp. Perfectly mild-mannered to be around toddlers. Last summer was Madeline's first time to really be old enough to interact with her. She was a fan.

So was cousin Jordan. He tried taking Shadow for a walk.

Another Car Conversation

2011-02-24T17:46:00.003-05:00

Occasionally when we are driving on the highway we see "chicken trucks." I don't know the technical term, but they are basically semis stacked with cages. Usually when they are heading west (towards Dallas) they actually have chickens, and when we see them heading east, they are empty.

One day, Emma pointed out an empty chicken truck.

Me: "Where are all the chickens? Did they go to Chick-Fil-A?"

Emma: "No, chickens don't go to Chick-Fil-A, just people! They went to the farm."

I think it will be a few more years before I tell her that the chickens went to that big farm in the SKY! :)

When Your Mother is an English Teacher

2011-02-17T17:17:00.002-05:00

On days when she has preschool, Emma is allowed to choose what we listen to in the car. Lately she has favored a CD of Disney Princess songs. The following are two conversations we've had in the car recently.

Emma: Do all movies have bad guys? [She doesn't like to watch the actual Disney princess movies, because they scare her.]
Me: Yes. Bad guys are the antagonists, who create conflict with the protagonist, or main character. Conflict creates the plot.

.......................................................

Emma: What is this Pocahontas song about?
Me: A river. Well, really it's a metaphor.
Emma: What's the other Pocahontas song about?
Me: The wind. That's a metaphor too.

It's a...

2011-02-15T19:18:00.003-05:00

I'm morally opposed to pictures of genetalia on the internet, even in utero, but let's just say that he was showing it off loud and proud, leaving us no doubt. We are beyond excited. As Emma says, "We need a brother--we don't have one of those."

Let the shopping begin!

Summer Flashback: Chicago

2011-02-11T16:08:00.009-05:00

After visiting with Dave's family in Wisconsin and Nauvoo, we headed for Chicago to meet up with mine. My parents and sister came over from Michigan, and my brother and his family flew in from Salt Lake, and we all met at my grandparents' home.

A favorite spot to visit when at Mumma's and Poppa's is the Lincoln Park Zoo. We went there all the time as kids. And with 3 grandkids age 3 and under, it was a natural choice!

Emma and Jordan got up close and personal with the gorillas:

The seals (that's Emma in the middle with the bow on the right side of her head):

The polar bears are always a favorite, and they were very active when we were visiting!

Ice Day...

2011-02-10T19:20:00.003-05:00

What do you do when the roads are covered in ice (and snow), and Dad is working at home so you have to be quiet?

Yeah, we've been doing a lot of this...

I hope they don't get too used to it!

Summer Flashback: Nauvoo, Day 2

2011-02-08T17:17:00.026-05:00

Thursday, July 29, was our second full day in Nauvoo. The boys went to the temple in the morning (so Dave's brother, who stayed home to babysit the previous day, could go), so Amy and I took the girls to play some pioneer games. Madeline loved the animals, even the fake ones:

Rachel was a bit more solemn about it:

Playing house:

Pioneer children also went to school:

And played games:

After lots of play, we headed over to Carthage, the site of the martyrdom of Joseph Smith.

After a full morning, it was time for lunch and naps. Later that afternoon we headed out to view some of the restored homes in Nauvoo. We started at the home and gun shop of Jonathan Browning, a relative of Dave's family:

We took Emma to the schoolhouse:

And the Brick Shop:

Since the little girls couldn't go inside the temple, we took them to the grounds:

These two girls were peas in a pod wherever they went:

That evening we went to the County Fair, held before the pageant. These two knuckleheads had to try the stick pull:

Amy and Tyler took on Matt and Dave in the sawing contest:

Emma made some crafts:

I went home and put the girls to bed. Dave went down to Parley Street to watch the sunset.

He also found the names of some relatives who didn't survive the crossing of the Mississippi when the Mormons had to leave Nauvoo in 1846:

It was a busy and varied day!

Forgotten Harvest

2011-02-05T15:16:00.004-05:00

Last fall we were kind of lazy and didn't get around to clearing the garden. So during last weekend's glorious weather (we miss you, sun and 70*!), we decided to rip out the old plants and turn the soil in preparation for spring planting. During the process we found a few forgetten plants:

After washing and cutting down to managable bites, the carrots were delicious! The unexpected harvest made us really excited to get gardening this year.

January Sun

2011-02-03T16:43:00.008-05:00

Last weekend we had four glorious days where it got up to 70 degrees, which seems a world away from our current day 4 of below freezing temperatures. We took full advantage of the weather and spent plenty of time outside. My favorite was watching Madeline as we road bikes and cars on Friday afternoon. She is getting to be quite the big kid! She rode the plasma car down the driveway and then dragged it back up all by herself.

Snow Day

2011-02-02T16:26:00.005-05:00

We are stuck in a rare deep freeze (rare for North Texas, anyway), and are cooped up inside on day 2 of ice-covered roads. We got barely an inch on Tuesday morning, but it was pure ice and has caused a lot of problems. We did get some snow this year, though, last month. These pictures are from January 9th.

The girls lasted maybe 5 minutes outside? But at least no one cried this time. We don't have any real winter gear (like boots or waterproof gloves), so they got cold quickly, but still had fun. As for me, I'll take snow over ice any day.

Does she know something I don't??

2011-01-27T20:01:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago Emma ran a fever for a few days. It never really developed into anything, but she was listless and out of it, so we stayed in the house and spent most of the week watching movies and napping.

In the midst of her delirium on the worst day, we were snuggling on the couch. She turned to me out of the blue and asked, "What should we name our baby brother?"

I replied that I was still waiting to find out that it IS a baby brother.

She responded, "What about Nicholas?"

I have no idea where that came from. Ditto where the name came from--it's not on my list of favorites and I don't think she even knows a Nicholas.

Summer Flashback: Nauvoo

2011-01-25T17:34:00.009-05:00

On Wednesday, July 28, we were able to attend a session in the Nauvoo temple. It was so beautiful and I love how they restored a lot of the original details.

After our morning session, we were off to tour some of the sites. We tried to get an oxen ride, but it was too hot, so we just took some pictures on the wagon:

We cooled off in the Visitor's Center:

We took a short nap and then headed out to see the sights controlled by the Community of Christ. We saw the original homestead of the Smith family:

And the graves of Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, and Emma Smith:

We also saw the Mansion House:

And the Red Brick Store:

That evening, after a nice dinner, we put the kids to bed and left them with Grandmacita and Tyler (thank you!!) while the rest of us went to see the Nauvoo Pageant. It was a wonderful, incredibly touching show. As an added bonus we also had an apostle sighting (Elder Neil Anderson) and saw some old friends from New Jersey.

Baby #3

2011-01-24T17:51:00.002-05:00

Why has the blog been so silent, you ask? If you got my Christmas card or are a Facebook friend, then you already know that baby #3 is on the way...

I've spent the last 2 months feeling terrible and trying to survive on a steady diet of cereal, gatorade, and prenatal vitamins. Then a week ago I ended up in the ER for dehydration. A couple of IV bags and a decent night's sleep later, and I feel great! Or at least, loads better. I think it was the grand finale to a miserable first trimester. Hopefully I will get everything updated soon!
PS. Baby #3 is due on July 8th. We find out if Emma's prediction of a baby brother is correct in mid-February.

Summer Flashback: The Mississippi River

2010-11-19T17:22:00.014-05:00

On Tuesday, July 27, we left Wisconsin and drove down to Nauvoo, Illinois, crossing the Mississippi several times. (Nauvoo was the headquarters for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1839-1846, until they were forced to move West). During our drive we crossed the Mississippi River several times. I was fascinated by the landscape, and by the river itself.
The rolling hills of Wisconsin:

First river crossing:

We crossed back and forth from Iowa to Illinois for a while.

Finally, we spotted this:

It was early evening by the time we arrived. We settled into our house rental, had some dinner, and put the little people to bed. Grandmacita and Amy generously offered to stay with with the kids, so we took a walk down to the Nauvoo Temple to enjoy the beautiful (but VERY humid) evening. And take some (okay, a LOT) pictures with my new camera.

The statue depicts Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, leaving Navuoo for Carthage, Illinois, where they were killed. I know they really left in the morning, but I like this image; the symbolism of the sunset seems appropriate.

Matt got a new camera last summer too:

Sunset over the Mississippi, facing west. Just gorgeous.

Emma's 4th Birthday

2010-11-17T16:44:00.011-05:00

Emma requested a Princess party (surprise, surprise) for her 4th birthday, and I was happy to oblige. I was not feeling as creative as last year, but she had fun and thought it was great nonetheless. We invited her friends from church over for games, lunch, and of course, cupcakes.
They made crowns:

We pinned the crown on the princess:

Played a little musical "thrones":

Opened some presents:

Had pizza for lunch:

Madeline amused herself by trying on the guests' shoes. (Perhaps her favorite princess is Cinderella???)

We also had a princess pinata:

We ended the party by storming the castle:

Emma has sweet little friends and we were glad they were able to come celebrate with us.

Summer Flashback: Wisconsin

2010-11-03T15:40:00.012-05:00

When we visted the midwest this summer, we had the pleasure of spending several days at Dave's sister's house in Dodgeville. It was gorgeous and green and I loved the rolling hills punctuated with farm and forest. One evening we went to have dinner at a local state park. The girls loved running around together:

Playing with Grandpoppy is always fun:

Grandpoppy took us all on a little hike:

While we were out enjoying ourselves, Tyler was so kindly making us dinner:

It was a very pleasant evening in a beautiful setting!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-02T16:01:00.014-05:00

Halloween 2010 was a weekend-long celebraton. We started off on Friday night with the church trunk-or-treat.

On Saturday morning, we went trick-or-treating at the Arboretum:

Saturday afternoon we went to Scare on the Square in downtown Rockwall:

And, of course, on Sunday night I took Emma trick-or-treating. (Don't feel too bad that we left Maddie out. She can only say like 8 words, none of them being "trick" or "treat", and we have been sharing the loot).

Halloween 2009, Revisted

2010-10-29T16:52:00.004-05:00

Emma's preschool doesn't "celebrate" Halloween, but they do hold a "harvest" festival the week before Halloween. The theme was Creepy Crawlers, so Emma pulled out her costume from last year. The black dress from last year is now more of a tunic. Stay tuned for this years' costume.

Summer Flashback: Old Friends, New Friends

2010-10-26T16:27:00.004-05:00

When we visited Dave's sister and her family in Wisconsin this summer, we were also able to visit with one of my dearest friends (and former college roommate). It was really fun to meet her son (who was born a week or so before Madeline), and get to know her husband a little better. We visited their apartment and saw the beautiful campus of the University of Wisconsin--Madison and the surrounding lakes.

I love the kids in this picture. Emma is posing, Maddie is hunting for a snack, and Owen is quenching his thirst.

It was so fun to see you, Jen! (Perhaps next year in Germany???)

Arboretum Pumpkin Festival

2010-10-25T15:51:00.018-05:00

It's no secret that the Dallas Arboretum is one of my favorite places. This time of year they hold "The Great Pumpkin Festival." We've been several times this month to enjoy all of the festivities. Madeline's favortite by far is the petting zoo:

While Maddie preferred the goats, who were roughly her same size, Emma liked the horse:

We searched for the perfect pumpkins:

And took some fun pictures in the pumpkin patch:

We checked out the pumpkin houses, outside:

...and inside:

They have lots of great activities for kids. Emma did a craft, and got her face painted:

After exploring all of the seasonal offerings, the girls pulled up a patch of grass and settled in for a Kindermusik class in the garden:

Summer Flashback: It's All Relative

2010-10-22T15:31:00.004-05:00

Last summer we were able to go visit Dave's sister and her family up in Wisconsin. It is especially fun for the girls to see their cousins. This trip was the first time that Madeline (14 months at the time) and her cousin Rachel (19 months) were cognizant of each other and could actually play together. Though a mere five months separates these two girls, when you count your age in months, it's a relative concept. Rachel thought that Madeline was a "baby" and did her best to take care of her, such as the feeding going on below. Maddie, for her part, played along for a little while before she became indignant. :)

Channeling Fall

2010-10-21T19:03:00.003-05:00

It's still pretty much summer here in North Texas (albeit a MUCH more pleasant "summer" than the actual summer), but sometimes, for a few hours in the mornings, we can put on sweaters and pretend that it's actually fall.