Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Wrapping Up August

The dearest of hubbies got some pics uploaded for me--yeah!! So here is to wrapping up the last of our summer...


At the New Orleans Aquarium

Feeding Birds!! 





Petting Sting-Rays (yikes!)


Some corny pirate humor ;)



And some oldies of Emma when hers was wittle...



Oh, and a glimpse into our bounty of tomatoes before the Great Drought of 2011...



3 gallons of honey gleaned from our very own hive....



Turnip greens being cleaned, cooked and frozen, to be enjoyed all year long....



I do so love to take pictures. Maybe one day I'll have a better camera....like Christmas....(hint) :)



Sunday, August 28, 2011

Emma's Interview

A little late, but too cute not to share! Emma's birthday interview :).




Thursday, August 18, 2011

Summer 's End & Emma's Birthday










Summer is nearing its end (though you couldn't tell it by the weather around here). All in all, it's been a good summer. We've made some great memories, but mostly stayed in the air-conditioned indoors as much as possible. The heat seems to have taken control around here, making it literally dangerous to get out and "fan around" in it, as the old-timers say. We've been doing good to have a day when the temp is under 108 big ones. And rain? My front yard looks like someone has spread dry hay all around, and makes a dry crunchy sound when you walk across it. The leaves are already falling off of the trees, giving the appearance of fall without the welcoming cooler temps. Odd, I tell ya. I'd get out and perform a rain dance in the yard if I thought it would help. Well, at least it would provide the neighbors with some free entertainment :).

I have so many memories captured on digital film to share with you, BUT once again the PC isn't cooperating with uploads. We took a little vacay to Baton Rouge and New Orleans a few weeks ago, and I've wanted so badly to share those pics. Plus, our garden gave us a beautiful bounty (mostly tomatoes) despite the drought and our honeybees provided us with 3 gallons of delicious, nutritious honey. But alas you will have to use your imagination.

On the 14th of August my little one turned 3. I no longer have a baby! :(. My house is baby-LESS. But this little 3 year old is busy as a bee and keeps me hopping every minute that she is not asleep. I often joke that she is the child God gave me to bring me closer to Him, because she requires a lot of prayer! ;) If she is not right with me all the time, chances are she is up to no good or doing something that could cause herself serious bodily harm. Think tornado child. A few weeks ago when we were on vacation, we were leaving the hotel pool and I took her swimmies off, told her to sit down, and don't go near the pool. I turned around to take care of another kid and the next time I look up Emma is in the pool, bobbing right under the surface of the water. THAT fast I tell ya, she could have been a goner. So glad the Lord let us keep her to celebrate another birthday. And if you think fat girls can't move fast, you should've seen me jumping in that pool ;).

(I hope you weren't expecting a short post because I haven't blogged in about a month so this is going to be a doozy!)

Annnyway, back to Miss Emma turning 3. My mind keeps going back to 3 years and about 8 months ago, when we were living in Fort Worth and my 2 kids and I (then 2 and 3) took a trip to a nearby Hobby Lobby. Here I am, happily perusing the aisles while keeping my two toddlers from climbing out of the buggy, when I start to feel a little funny. There seems to be a pressure building up in my stomach, slowly but surely. I am starting to sweat and feel light-headed to the point that I call John on the cell phone and say, "I don't feel so good. Something is wrong with me." In a few seconds I am sitting down in the floor, in the middle of the aisle and my husband is racing to the store as fast as he can get there. Meanwhile, my two monkeys are having a wonderful time using the buggy as a jungle gym while I look on helplessly. Finally, a kind lady stops and asks me if I am OK. I tell her my husband is on the way and ask her will she please make sure my children do not bust their heads by falling out of the buggy and she is kind enough to do so. After a few minutes, I know I need to find a bathroom FAST. I ask the lady if she knows where it is and she points randomly toward the back of the store. I take off, as fast as I can in a furious search for the door with a little lady in a skirt on it. The first door I find is just blank, but I don't think I noticed. I was just thinking door. bathroom. gotta make it. So I burst into this room (which turned out to be NOT a bathroom, but a break room) and frantically search for a toilet. Since there is no one insight, I open a random door and lose the contents of my stomach in a broom closet. Then a trash can. And the floor in between the closet and the trash can. By the time it's finally over I realize where I am and high-tail it out of there before someone comes in. I look down and my clothes and shoes are no longer clean. I am the walking up-chuck girl. Gross, I know, but I had no one to sympathize with me at that moment so I'm hoping you'll make up for it now.

I walk out and find my husband has arrived and he is chatting with the woman who helped me and as I walk up she walks away with a cheerful, "Congratulations!" to my husband. He is looking puzzled and then horrified at the sight of me. Later, as I relayed the story to some friends they were all, "Are you pregnant?" And I was all, "No way, it was just those scrambled eggs I ate for breakfast." Duuuuuh. But the point of the story is, THAT was Emma. That's how she made her prequel into this world and that's how she's been ever since.

But you know what, I wouldn't have her any other way, the little stinker. She is the joy of our home and I am so blessed to be her Mommy. Since I have not recent pics to share, I will leave you with a few celebrating this precious, beautiful little 3-year-old life.