Hinten Family Adventures

Valentine's Day

2012-02-13T16:00:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is almost here and we are ready!

The girls have gotten a few packages in the mail and Haley's favorite part about the one from my Dad and step-mom was the newspaper. She kept asking for her "paper" so she could read it.

Of course, it wouldn't be a holiday in our house without making cupcakes. We decided to make red velvet (because it was the color of love) and add a little something extra in there, a chocolate kiss (because it is Valentine's Day after all).

Haley helped and boy was she a hot mess! She loves to lick the spoon when we are done and got it all over her cute little face. She thought it was hilarous and wouldn't let me clean her up.

And here is the final prodcut. There were cupcakes with kisses, hearts, and sprinkles. A lot of love and laughter went into these.

They were a big hit with everyone and boy were they messy! The only rotten thing about red velvet is that it leaves a little red mess everywhere.

We even made some Valentine's Day rice krispie treats suckers for Haley's school friends. I got the idea from here and while mine didn't turn out quite as gorgeous, I was happy.

We've had lots of fun getting ready for the holiday!

The Park

2012-02-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

The weather was fabulous this past weekend and we were finally able to take the girls to the park. I think it was much needed for all of us.

Emily saw Haley sit in the big girl swing and wanted to try it all by herself. Not sure I'm ready for her to be there :)

Haley was a great big sister and helped push Emily in the swing. She wanted to push Emily as high as she gets to go, but we worked on gentle pushes.

Emily was all about the slides. That's all she wanted to do.

And when she got to the bottom, up the stairs she went again and again.

The girls even went down the slide together. I loved it!

At one point, Daddy and Haley wandered off to chase some birds. Those poor birds :)

Haley was full of silliness the whole time. She wouldn't smile for the camera, so we ended up tickling her into submission.

The girls thought that they could walk up the slide to get to the top quicker,

but that didn't happen.

It was so nice getting to be outside for a while. We'll have to take it while we can, because the hot and rainy season will be here before we know it.

Circus

2012-02-12T16:00:00.000-05:00

I'm a little late on this one, but a few weekends back we were very lucky to have the circus come to town. Now mind you, this is no Ringling Bros. kind of a cicus. This was an indoor (tent) big top circus.

There was the ring master, of course, who also ate fire.

There was also a tight rope.

As long as Emily had a pretzel, she was more than happy.

There was also an ariel act.

The girls were in awe of this one. They didn't take their eyes off of her.

There may not have been lions or elephants, but at least there were giant pigs. I mean, you can't have a circus without pigs, right?

And of course, for the grand finale, there were the giant balloons.

The girls ended up with a blue one and I'm sad to say it only lasted about five minutes in the car before it deflated. Oh well, it was worth the fifteen minutes of excitement and entertainment before its demise.

And that is what a circus in Key West looks like. It was definitely fun (and unique) way to spend an afternoon.

18 Months

2012-02-02T11:03:00.000-05:00

Where did the time go? Little Miss Emily Grace is now 18 months. She is now closer to being two than she is one! I don't even want to think about how quickly she is growing up.

Little girl has been teething almost non-stop for the past few months. She is pretty attached to her "fly" teether lately. Her 1 year molars are in and now she's working on the canines. Those seem to be the worst for her. Thank goodness she only has two left to cut.

Emily is already a big help around the house. She loves to take her plate to the sink after meals. And after bathtime she can't wait to take her diaper to the trash. Sometimes I even catch her singing the pick up song when we are picking up toys. I wonder how long she'll enjoy doing all these helpful things!

She loves to read. I've been finding her a lot lately in the rocking chair in her room with a book on her lap.

She will read the same book over and over and I love how excited she still gets.

Emily wants to be a big girl so badly! She loves playing with Haley and all her big girl friends. After watching Haley ride on the zebra scooter, little girl just had to do it too. Anything Haley can do, Emily wants do too. She actually asked me to sit on the potty twice the other day! I'm not sure I'm ready for her to be a big girl quite yet. I need my little girl to be little for a bit longer.

It amazes me how much this sweet little girl already knows. She loves to count. She usually starts at 4, but can count all the way up to 10. There may be a missing number here or there, but that doesn't even matter. Emily also enjoys singing her ABCs. She may miss a letter here or there, but that doesn't matter either.

Happy year and a half birthday Little Miss! You will always be mommy's little girl!

Things On Thursday

2012-02-02T10:47:00.001-05:00

We've been busy having lots of fun the past week.

A box came in the mail with Emily's diapers and the girls had a blast playing in it. Haley would cover herself up and Emily would open the box. Lots and lots of laughs and fun.

There have been lots of "big trucks" (the electric company) in our neighborhood lately. For a few days, they were in our backyard and the girls were camped out on their chairs watching them. Emily will hear a sound now and say "Sound? Truck?"

We have also been doing a lot of reading. Mainly the same book- It's Hard Being A Bunny. I pretty much have it memorized, but the girls love reading it. Sometimes they read it to each other. So cute.

And somehow in our busy days, I found time to craft a little. I get so much inspiration from one of Zach's fabulous cousins (whom I've never met, but feel like I know), that I copied her idea of a no-sew banner. I was so excited about how it turned out and Haley said "OH! I love your decorations!", so I must have done ok.

I even borrowed her idea of little hearts on a stick. I put them in a vase with some valentine's day filler and think it is all pretty perfect. Not bad for a first try.

A Perfect Day

2012-01-24T16:01:00.002-05:00

This past Sunday, the girls and I had a fabulously perfect day. We didn't really have anything to do, so we made the best of just being around the house.

While Emily took her morning nap, Haley and I made "hot chocolate" in her kitchen. Then we played doctor for a while. I found an old bandage and Haley got "fixed".

She enjoyed being wrapped up so much that she didn't want to take it off while she kept playing.

When Emily woke up, the girls and I played with bubbles on the back porch until it was time for lunch. These girls love their bubbles and could probably play with them all day. Then came lunch. Haley wanted to sit at the little table and asked if Emily could sit there too. They looked so grown up eating their lunches at their own table. I admit, I was a little lonely at the big table.

After lunch, Emily's mouth was hurting a little so she got a teether. She thought it was pretty cool that the purple side vibrated and tickled her teeth.

Not to be left out, Haley said her teeth were hurting too, so she got to play with a teether as well.

Early in the afternoon we got lucky and Zach was able to sneak out of work and meet us for ice cream. Haley said she wanted to go to the "factory", so we met Zach at the Dairy Queen.

The rest of the afternoon was spent dressing up and building towers and more towers.

We ended our perfect day with a super bubble bath.

It was such a wonderful day and I hope that there are many more like it.

Things On Thursday

2012-01-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

We are off and running in the new year.

Last week we decided to take a day trip up to Miami and go to the zoo with some friends. Haley loved getting to feed the giraffes again. She says that their tongues still tickle her hand. I love that shes fearless enough to go up to these huge animals and feed them.

Emily has been practicing her driving. Only 14.5 more years to get it down.

One afternoon Haley set up her music . She had her book that had all her songs and then she had her xylophone in front of it. She was playing music from her "music book" all afternoon. So creative for her to come up with!

Emily loves to sprawl out and play anywhere. On this day she made herself quite comfortable on the kitchen floor while I was making dinner. She was so precious with her Elmo slippers on and playing so well by herself.

Another afternoon, the weather was so nice that we went to the park. It was a funny little surprise to see a drum on the playground, but Haley got right to it. She loves drums and had so much fun banging out some music.

And Emily was super happy when she found a Mickey/Minnie Mouse ball. That was all she needed.

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

2012-01-06T11:15:00.000-05:00

2011 was a great year-

Zach was promoted.

We took lots of trips and had some wonderful adventures.

My youngest brother graduated from high school.

Zach's youngest brother got married and our first nephew was born.

The girls grew and changed so much!

But I am happy to say good-bye to 2011 and Hello 2012!! This is going to be a year of change for us and we can't wait! We already have so much planned and have already started crossing things off our list.

We paid off the rest of the mortgage on our San Antonio house (even though it was sold 8 months ago) and are now debt free! Talk about an amazing way to start off the new year!

There are trips we plan to take- Lubbock for my Grandmom's 80th birthday and Tampa with Zach's parents.

And the biggest change coming our way- WE MOVE!! New location and new adventures are coming this fall.

2012 promises to be an amazing year!

Christmas Vacation

2012-01-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

I'm a little late in getting this up, but better late than never. We had such a wonderful Christmas vacation! It was great being able to spend the holidays with family for the first time in three years.

I'll spare you of all the details, but here are some of the highlights.

Oklahoma and Zach's family was first up. We played indoor baseball one night and all the kids loved it! I'm not sure I've ever heard that many squeals and giggles in one night. We followed that up by cramming 6 adults and 4 kids into an Expedition and going to see some amazing Christmas lights.

Haley got to help Grandma decorate the Christmas tree. She was pretty excited about getting to put ornaments on the tree and did a great job!

Another night the whole crew (10 adults and 4 kids) made a trip to Chuck E Cheese. Everyone had so much fun! The night ended with a few of us getting sick (including myself, from some nasty bug was flying around), but it was still a great evening with family.

Then there was the trip to see Santa. Haley liked seeing him from afar and wasn't too thrilled to sit on his lap. Emily was so excited to see him, but ended up in tears when it was finally her turn. It is certainly a picture I'll cherish forever.

Last year on Grandpa's birthday, Haley painted him a picture and sent it to him. When we got to OK for the holidays, he showed us that he had framed it. That was so thoughtful and sweet.

Christmas Eve was the day everyone got together to exchange gifts. The best part for me was seeing all the cousins together.

After an awesome week in OK, it was time to head down to TX and see my family. When we got there on Christmas day, Haley and Grandpa Glen built a fire in the outdoor fireplace. Later in the week we got to make s'mores over the fire. It was perfect!

We spent lots of time outside even though it was pretty chilly. This was the first time that Emily had ever worn a coat, hat, and gloves.

There was also a lot of time spent out on the Argo (or amphibious vehicle). It was all decorated with Christmas lights for our visit. Haley loved "driving" it.

Another day we went up to the Red River (which divides TX and OK) and waved hello to OK.

We had such a wonderful time on our trip seeing family and doing all the things you can't do here. It was a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Morning

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

We celebrated our family Christmas a little early this year because of travelling and Zach's work schedule. Haley was very excited about getting to set out milk and cookies for Santa. She kept telling me that she was going to eat them and I had to explain that Santa gets very hungry and thirsty delivering all those presents and that this was for him. I'm not sure she understood it all, but she ended up being ok with leaving the goodies on the table.

The next morning Haley was very excited to find the milk and cookies gone. She said "WOW! Santa ate the cookies!". I love how amazed she was.

Then the girls discovered all the goodies that Santa left while they were fast asleep.

Before they could get started ripping into all the presents, Zach read a passage to the girls to let them know why we celebrate Christmas and why we give gifts.

And then the madness began! Emily was ready to tear open the wrapping paper. She really go into it.

The girls must have been pretty good this year because they got quite a few presents. Haley's favorite was a clock to help her learn to tell time. And Emily fell in love with her Mickey ("Mi Mi") Mouse.

And my favorite gift was from my Grandmom. It is perfect and I absolutely cannot wait to start cookin'!

It was a wonderful morning! We all stayed in our jammies for a good bit of the day and the living room was a complete mess full of scraps of wrapping paper, boxes, and new toys. But it was perfect!

Now we are looking forward to spending the holidays with family! Merry Christmas y'all!

In The Holiday Spirit

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

We are officially in the holiday spirit!

The girls were pretty excited to find a Santa hat laying around. It has been worn just about every day since it was discovered.

Emily is completely fascinated with the three little "sansas" that are on the dining room table.

And Haley is pretty sure that every time we leave the house, she has to give Santa a kiss.

Just about every night we have been going out to walk to check out the Christmas lights and see the stars. Emily loves going to our neighbor's house to check out the snowmen lights. She calls them "mo mo" (for Elmo) and thinks they are the greatest thing ever. She will squat down and watch them change colors and is just so happy.

This week Haley and I went to get our toes done in preparation for our Christmas vacation next week. Haley picked out the color, a very sparkly pink, and we got our toes painted the same color. (Just ignore the sandal tan lines on our feet, because even though it is December everywhere else in the world, it's still July here.)

We've even made some little paper Christmas tree ornaments. I think they are pretty cute!

We finally got around to making some Christmas cookies this week and Haley was a big help, as usual. This girl loves to put some sprinkles on cookies!

Needless to say, we are ready for Christmas! The girls don't know it yet, but I've been talking to the North Pole and I'm pretty sure that Santa will be coming to our house early this year. I can't wait to see their little faces on our Christmas morning!

Family Photos

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Every year I like to get family pictures done. Mainly because so much changes in a year and we rarely get the opportunity to have a picture with all four of us. This year, we knew we wanted to take some beach picutres so that we can remember our time here. We were very fortunate that one of our neighbors is a photographer and she was able to capture some of these beautiful moments.

And this year was also a first...both girls got school pictures.

I am so lucky to have such a wonderful (and pretty darn cute) family!

Key West Christmas Parade

2011-12-08T10:35:00.001-05:00

This will be our third Christmas in the Keys and we finally made it to our first Key West Christmas parade. And boy oh boy! Was it ever an experience!

We had a few of Haley's friends with us for the big event. The parade didn't start until 7, which is a little late for this group, but they all hung in there pretty well.

I'm not sure how typical it is to get candy at a parade, but just about every float that went by threw candy at us. We are still working on our Halloween candy and now we have Christmas candy too! But all the kids enjoyed a lolipop (or two) while watching the fun go by.

There were lots of cute floats that went by.

And then there was stuff you would only see in Key West.....

Ho Ho Ho and Merry Christmas?

A roller skaing Christmas viking and elf.

Drag queens. And lots of them!

The Conch Train with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

It was a great night with great friends! And a fun way to start off the holiday season!

Things On Thursday

2011-12-08T10:01:00.001-05:00

We have been pretty busy lately and with nothing in particular. In between school, classes, Zach working, and the day to day stuff, not much time is really left. But, somehow, we've managed to squeeze in a little fun.

The first Saturday of the month, Home Depot does a class for kids to come in and build something. Haley always loves going. This month's build was a snowman napkin holder. I think she did a great job!

One of the nice things that Key West does every month is a free locals Sunday, which means that certain attractions are free to anyone that lives here. The girls are loving trains ("choo choos"), so we took them out on the Conch train this past weekend. They both loved the wind going through their hair and all the waving to people on the street.

I was recently inspired by a friend's picture to make a no sew Christmas tree skirt. The girls each have a 3ft silver tree and it's so hard to find a cute mini tree skirt, so I thought I would just make my own. I wasn't too sure what I got myself into, but after a few hours and lots of glue sticks, I think the end result is pretty good.

And speaking of Christmas trees, ours is up. This is not our usual tree. Haley let us "borrow" her tree this year. Since we are going to be with family this holiday, we didn't want to get out too much stuff and we couldn't not put up a tree. So we used the smaller silver tree and only a few ornaments. It's been perfect and we are in the holiday spirit!

A Climber

2011-12-02T10:59:00.001-05:00

It all started so innocently a month ago.

Emily started to climb on top of the coffee table. And she knew she wasn't supposed to be up there because she would shake her little finger and say "no no".

Then she started to stand on her zebra and let go. "Look mom, no hands!" she seemed to be saying with her proud little smile.

Then came climbing up on the dining room chair.

And then standing on the chair and doing her little victory dance.

And a few days ago, she started climbing on top of the dining room table.

Haley was never a climber, so this is a new adventure for us. Emily is always so proud of herself and smiles so big once she's tackled her latest climb. How can you be mad at that?

Thankful Thursday

2011-11-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

As Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, I try to remind myself of all the things that I am thankful for.

~My family. That we are all happy, healthy, and together.

~Our families. They love and support us from afar and we couldn't be where we are today without them.

~Our friends in Key West. They have been like a second family for us and have helped to make our time here special.

~Our friends back home. Even though we are thousands of miles away, we know that you are thinking of us and hope you are looking forward to the next time we get together as much as we are.

~That after two years of not living in our house in Texas, that it finally sold and will be paid off next year.

~Little girl laughs. The sweetest sound ever.

~Family vacations. Not everyone gets to go on wonderful trips with their family and we are lucky to be able to do so.

~That Haley is in school and Emily still takes a morning nap. This equals a little quiet time for mommy.

~The help I get around the house.

~That I get the opportunity to stay home with my girls. Even though it was not something I ever thought I would do, I love being able to watch my babies grow up in front of my eyes.

There is so much to be thankful for each and every day!

Veteran's Day

2011-11-13T14:45:00.001-05:00

Before I met Zach, I never thought much of Veteran's Day. Yes, I would stop and think about all those who have served and are currently serving in our military, but nothing more than a fleeting thought.

Then I married a military man and that all changed. And this year, for some reason, it hit me a little harder than in previous years. I am truly thankful and appreciative of what Zach, and thousands of other people, do each and every day for our country. He may not be out on the front lines like so many are these days, but what he does sitting behind a computer impacts us all. He is helping make the world a better place for our family and your family. And that makes me love him even more.

This year we went to the Veteran's Day parade. Zach had just worked the night before and went back again the next night. He is such a trooper.

I love that the girls will grow up knowing that their daddy is serving our country.

I don't think it matters how patriotic you are, but I do think that we should thank our men and women each and every day for what they do. They are giving up so many things to help keep us safe and free.

Halloween

2011-11-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Halloween was kind of a big deal in our house this year. Haley was really excited about it and when I asked her what she wanted to dress up as, she knew. A pirate. With a sword. Emily was just excited that she got to wear more beads.

The week of Halloween fun began with the Fall Fair that the base puts on. There was pumpkin decorating. Haley created a very silly pumpkin.

And Emily was quite content just holding hers.

There was a petting zoo and Haley held and petted the baby alligator.

And Emily fell in love with a turtle.

There was even a hay ride and somehow (a miracle!) we managed to get a picture of all four of us!

Next up was the girls' school pumpkin patch. Emily was in serious mode. She wasn't very sure what to make of it all.

There was a cute little parade where all the kids marched around in their costumes. Then there were Halloween stories and songs. Haley was just excited that she got to wear her costume to school with her friends.

Then came the pumpkin carving. Haley was beyond ready to dig into that pumpkin. She loves getting in there and making a mess.

Even Emily got into it a little. She mostly played in the rocks while the carving was going on, but she did stick her hand in the pumpkin a few times to see what was in there.

Finally, it was time for trick or treating. Our street doesn't get many kids, so we only planned on going to three or four houses. The girls looked so cute in their costumes (even with Haley's pink sparkle shoes).

After an exhausting night of asking a few people for candy, Haley was able to kick back and relax while sucking on her lollipop.

It was a great holiday this year, but I am happy to say it's over!

Outdoor Fun

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

The weather has been so great lately that we've been spending a ton more time outside.

Haley asks for bubbles daily now, so we've done lots of bubbles.

I love that they were blowing bubbles together.

We've also done lots of coloring with chalk (and getting ready for Hallween, can you tell?).

Haley even drew her first smiley face.

There have also been lots of trips to the park. Haley loves getting all dressed up for that.

Emily had lots of fun going down the slides.

We've also been running around in the back yard. Zach found an old tarp and we turned it in to a super hero cape for Haley.

Then it became a dragging toy. Haley particularly enjoyed this.

She was a good girl and shared the fun and let Emily have a turn.

I am so thankful that summer is finally over and we are able to spend more time outside.

A 3 Year Old

2011-10-27T11:35:00.001-04:00

It's been a few weeks since the big day, but I am still in disbelief that Haley is 3. I mean really, where did the time go???

She loves to do everything by herself these days. I am finding that it's been a little hard to let go and let her do things on her own. But she is amazing and keeps trying until she gets it. Even if she can't do something, she seems to be happy that she tried it.

Haley is still fearless. It still scares and thrills me.

This girl loves everything. She tells us she loves school, books, pink sparkle shoes, her new bike, broccoli (before she tried it), her friends, boys (a little too early for me), and mommy and daddy.

I almost can't find words to describe how wonderful this 3 year old is. For me, she is beautiful, hilarious, sweet, kind, brilliant, and so much more.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-27T11:20:00.001-04:00

Last week we made our trip out to the pumpkin patch. Haley was really excited about getting to pick out her pumpkin. She had the hardest time trying to find the right one. And she looked everywhere!

Emily thought it was serious business too.

It was a little hard getting a sister picture, only one would smile at a time. Too much excitement going on around them.

Emily found a little pumpkin that she thought she could just eat.

After searching the ends of the patch, we ended up with these perfect little pumpkins.

Our Story

2011-10-26T15:05:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time (six years ago), in a land far away (known as Texas) a boy and a girl met, and this is our story.

I had been in San Antonio for a few months and made a few good friends. While we were out one night, one of my friends brought a friend of his who was in town. He in turn brought a friend and that friend brought Zach. We talked and laughed that night and eventually he asked for my number. A few days later we met up and went on our first date. There was another date the next week too.

Our third date we weren't sure where to go to dinner, so we both asked friends and ended up coming up with the same restaurant. During dinner, Zach was telling me he didn't feel to good and it hurt to breathe. He didn't think too much of it because he had worked out pretty hard right before we met up.

I had offered to cook dinner at my apartment the next evening. Zach called me that morning and said he still wasn't feeling well and was going to the ER to get checked out. Later that afternoon I got a call. "Is this Leslie? I hear you are supposed to be meeting Zachary for dinner tonight. He's not going to make it. He has a collapsed lung." So I rushed out to the ER and poor Zach is on oxygen about to get a chest tube.

Twelve days and one surgery later, he finally got out of the hospital and I had met his dad, mom, and older brother. We joke that it was the longest date ever.

After a pretty intense start to our relationship, we have been going strong ever since.

Before we got married we did so many things. We went on lots of trips around Texas. We moved a few times and eventually bought a house. We had lots of fun parties with our friends. We made so many wonderful memories.

After a year and a half we got engaged.

And a year later, we were married. (At the same restaurant that we both picked out for our third date.)

Now, here we are, six years after we met. We have added two beautiful little girls to our family and we are busy making so many more wonderful memories.

Miami Seaquarium

2011-10-25T10:53:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we made a trip off the rock and headed up to the mainland. We usually try to combine our shopping trips with something fun for the girls and this time it was the Miami Seaquarium. Haley was super excited about getting to see all the sea animals.

When we got there, the first stop was the dolphin tank. It was really neat because it was a large circle tank with lots of windows, so you could just stand there and the dolphins would swim by.

I loved watching the girls looking for the dolphins.

And it was even better when one would swim by and the girls would get so excited about what they just saw.

Haley really enjoyed playing with the sea lion.

While at one of the shows, Emily was practicing her new love of climbing stairs.

During the day, we saw lots of dolphins...

...and whales.

Both girls loved watching all the shows.

It was such a fun day!

Four Year Anniversary

2011-10-25T10:45:00.000-04:00

Four years (and a few days) ago, Zach and I shared a wonderful day with our family and friends as we said our "I Dos".

It's kind of funny, but we have really never celebrated our anniversary before. Our first year we had a two week old little Haley. Our second year we had just moved. Last year we had a three month old Emily. And this year, we were just busy.

The night of our anniversary Haley had gymnastics class and afterwards was a dinner fundraiser for her school. It was actually pretty neat because the kids got to dress up like prince and princesses. Haley doesn't usually have much interest in the princess thing, but one of her BFFs let her borrow her Cinderella dress and she loved it! She kept walking around saying "I'm a princess! Cinderella!"

It was a great dinner with friends. The girls kept us laughing all night.

The night after our anniversary, I made a nice dinner for all of us followed by a yummy dessert.

It was nice to celebrate our day with friends and our girls. I don't think I could have imagined a better way to spend the day.

Playing In The Rain

2011-10-19T18:07:00.000-04:00

The past few days we've been dealing with some pretty yucky weather. Thunderstorms, tornado warnings, and flooding. It's been awful. Classes have been cancelled and we've been cooped up in the house. Finally, one afternoon, the rain let up to a light drizzle and there was no thunder and lightning, so I put the girls in their swimsuits and let them go play in the rain.

It was Emily's first time to play in the rain and she loved it.

Haley found the puddle at the end of the driveway first and enjoyed stomping her foot and making the water splash.

Emily found a stick that she was pretty proud of.

Eventually both girls started stomping in the puddle.

Then Haley decided she could jump and make a big splash.

So Emily tried to jump too, but both feet remained planted to the ground. It was so cute.

She then realized she could just sit and play in the water.

After a few minutes, Emily found part of a coconut and we had to take it away when she tried to start eating it. Ick!

Haley went back and forth from the yard trying to find things to float in the water.

The fun came to an end when Emily fell over in the water and got all dirty. But it was a great escape for a little while.

Granddad Visits

2011-10-17T17:46:00.000-04:00

A few days before Haley's birthday, my dad came to town. I always love when family comes to visit, but especially when it's one of the girls' grandparent.

Granddad came with a special early gift for the birthday girl- two little puppies to remind her of her favorite two little puppies that live in Texas, Coco and Mousse.

As soon as he got here, we pretty much put Dad to work. There was lots to do to get ready for Haley's big day, like putting together her bike.

There was some just fun time. We went to lunch at a little take out place and Haley just wanted to be next to Granddad the whole time. She sat by him and they ate their lunches together. It was sweet memory making.

Granddad even enjoyed Haley's birthday party. He made paper plate jellyfish with the birthday girl.

On her birthday, she gave Granddad lots of hugs and kisses for her birthday present.

And then they played doctor together for most of the morning.

It was a short visit, but I'm just glad that he came for a few days. One of the biggest downsides for me about living down here is that it is so hard for family to come out and visit. So when they do come, it is such a treat! I am so happy that dad was able to be here to see his two little granddaughters and share in such a special day.

An Under The Sea Party

2011-10-11T14:00:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, Haley's 3rd birthday party was quite the undertaking. I wish that I could say that I did most of it myself, but I'm just not that good :)

Once we decided on the Under The Sea theme, I was online seeing what was out there. I needed decoration ideas, games, food, anything I could find.

I was thrilled when I found ReadyMadePartyParade and saw all of her fabulous decorations. Needless to say, Haley's party wouldn't have been nearly as great without Party's help. I'm pretty sure we got all the under the sea cuteness she had.

Then came the food. I searched everywhere for some creative ideas and came up with some great finds.

Fan-Sea Treats- cupcakes. Haley picked out yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting. I spruced them up a bit and added cookie dough to the middle making it a little hidden treasure.

Fruit of the San and Crunchy Coral- fruits and veggies

Turtle Eggs- meatballs

Chicken of the Sea- chicken salad sandwiches cut out with a fish cookie cutter. I would have preferred Peanut Butter and Jellyfish, but we had a peanut allergy. Still turned out great!

Next up was trying to find clever (and cheap!) activities to keep a bunch of 2 and 3 year olds busy. I found a great suggestion for a craft- paper plate jellyfish! Talk about super easy. All you need is half a paper plate, some crepe paper, construction paper, glue, and paint if you want.

Another idea we came up with was digging for treasure. Luckily, we already had a "treasure chest" hiding out in our guest bedroom. So we just put a piece of plywood in so the kids didn't have to reach down too far. Then we added treasure (rings, necklaces, and chocolate gold coins) and mixed in some gold paper shred.

The final touch was an under the sea photo cut out. We just got some inexpensive wood and traced some pictures on there and painted. It was pretty time consuming, but totally worth it! The kids loved it!

Everyone left the party with a small little thank you. I made sugar cookies and royal iced them. I think they turned out pretty cute for a first try.

Last up was the birthday girl's attire. Haley loves seahorses and I thought she just needed a seahorse dress for the big day. I was in luck when I found Bugs & Beez. She had the perfect dress, simple and cute.

And I hit the jackpot when she offered to make a pennant banner for the big day. It turned out super cute and was the perfect way to welcome everyone to the party.

Haley Turns 3

2011-10-10T15:19:00.002-04:00

Haley has been so excited about her birthday for a while now, that it's hard to believe it's over. But, in all fairness, we did celebrate her birthday for three days.

We started off taking cupcakes to her school and letting her friends sing Happy Birthday to her. Everyone enjoyed the treat and I know Haley loved having a cupcake before lunch.

Then came the birthday party. Every day she kept saying "It's my birthday party?" And finally it was.

She got to dig for treasure.

Be a mermaid with her sister.

And have more cupcakes.

Then came the big day. Her actual birthday. We covered the floor of her room with balloons and put a few on her bed. She was so excited to wake up with balloons everywhere.

Then it was time for presents. She loved opening all her gifts and would look them all over to figure out what it was.

After presents came her big surprise gift. A new bike! When daddy came into the living room with it Haley said "OH! A bicycle!" She was in love!

And of course we sang Happy Birthday at every meal and she got the Celebrate Plate all day too. She especially loved blowing out candles at each meal.

And at 3:10pm, my baby girl turned 3.

14 Months

2011-10-03T20:47:00.001-04:00

Another month has flown by and Emily Grace has turned 14 months old. I'm not sure where the time is going, but I do wish it would slow down a little bit.

She LOVES dress up jewelry. She is constantly putting on necklaces just to take them off and put them back on again. There is usually no less than two on at a time.

We are also practicing using a fork. Some days she uses it and other days not so much, but at least we're getting used to it.

Emily's new fascination is the trash can. We have a lock on the trash, which is great because it took Haley 2.5 years (and Uncle Zeth 2 weeks!) to learn how to open it. Unfortunately, it only took Emily 14 months to figure it out. She loves opening the trash can and finding all sorts of yuckiness. I even tried turning the can around, but Emily just pushes it back and opens it up. I guess it's going behind the baby gate now!

Caught in the act! :)

Emily has lots of words in her vocabulary now, but her favorite new word is "shoes". She is always talking about shoes and looking for the shoe box. When we are ready to go somewhere, she is ready for "shoes".

This little girl loves her "sissy" or "sis sis". When she wakes up from a nap, her first word is usually "sissy". She is always watching Haley and learning from her (which can be good or bad, but mostly good). They are great sisters.

And speaking of watching Haley, Emily says "peas" (please) the same way her big sister does. She puts her hands on her tummy and says "peeeeas". It makes me smile every time because it is so adorable!

This is Emily's "cheeeese" face. Don't you just love it?!

Fun With A Ball

2011-09-30T14:59:00.002-04:00

Emily seriously loves the pink princess ball we have.

She loves to sit on it.

Roll it.

Grab it.

And hug it.

Gotta love how much fun a ball can be.

13.5 Months

2011-09-14T13:53:00.000-04:00

Emily Grace has changed so much in the past few months that it's getting harder to keep up with her now. Just when I think I have it all figured out, she goes and does something new.

She is walking more and more and with great confidence. I love that she walks with her hands up by her chest, trying to keep her balance. It's cute stuff.

This is also a fun new thing that she does. I'm not entirely sure how she came up with it, but she does it a lot.

She also has quite a bit more hair these days. It's starting to get in her eyes, so we keep trying to put it up, but it never lasts and then her hair is stuck looking like this. What a rock star!

Emily loves to read. Most days you will find her by the book box with books everywhere around her. There are a few books that she wants to read over and over again (and mommy and daddy already have them memorized :)) Her love of books probably explains why she already has a crazy amount of words in her vocabulary. It amazes me the things she says each day. Besides learning new words, she already knows a few animal sounds and a few body parts. She's even working on her good manners with "peeeas" and "xcue me".

Her favorite game is peek-a-boo. She will play it anywhere and with anyone. Whether she's covering her own eyes or just peeking out from around the corner, it makes her smile every time.

No matter how much she changes, Emily Grace is nothing short of fabulous!

Things On Thursday

2011-09-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

The past few weeks have been a little crazy, so here are a few things we've been up to.

Haley and Emily had an impromptu picnic one afternoon with the plastic fruits and veggies.

Haley loves using the mixing bowls as hats. Pretty stylish I think.

Zach would be pretty proud of me for posting this since I usually rag on him a little about his nerdiness for a few things. We had a brown out one morning and our power was pretty weak. So he got out his "tell me how much power we have" machine and we only had half of what we normally do. He was so excited that he took a picture and I'm happy to show it off :)

We haven't had the safest of weeks here.

I burned my wrist on the oven one day. Awful.

Then Haley had a minor face-plant into the coffee table. There was blood, lots of tears, a few cuts, and a fat lip. But as most kids do, she bounced back pretty quickly and was back to her wild ways.

Haley had her first day of preschool and Emily had her first day of Mommy and Me last week. So to celebrate, a few days before we went out and got some frozen yogurt. A big hit with both girls!

And the day before school started, we had a big pancake breakfast. I attempted to make Haley a butterfly and Emily a ladybug. A so-so attempt, but we had a good morning celebrating our growing girls before school started.

Working Out

2011-09-07T15:44:00.002-04:00

Haley recently discovered my weights on our back porch and has decided that she wanted to lift weights with daddy.

Ok daddy, let's work out.

Look how strong I am!

And put them down.

PHEW! That was hard work!

Time for the second rep!

Haley Lynn

2011-09-06T17:04:00.001-04:00

Hard to believe my sweet little girl is going to be three in a little over a month. She has changed so much since her 2nd birthday. I know she will change a lot between all her birthdays, but in the last 11 months, she has gone from toddler to little girl.

She still loves cooking and baking with me. You never know what she'll find to play with or what she'll do with it.

Sometimes I wonder what she thinks about. She has a few moments where she'll just sit and be really quiet. It's rare, but it happens.

Haley still loves to read and that makes me happy. She has started memorizing the words from some of her favorites and reads them to herself a lot.

She's still got a great sense of humor. Walking around with buckets on her head or saying something silly is a very common thing around here. She's also more than happy to introduce herself to almost anyone- "Hi! I'm Haley!" she'll say with lots of excitement.

We've had a couple firsts in the past few weeks with Haley.

She started taking a gymnastics class with a few of her friends. She tells us she has "so much fun!".

Haley also started preschool last week. She was so excited about going back to school and seeing her friends. I was a little nervous wondering how she would do with me leaving her, but she didn't even notice I was gone. She is such a social butterfly. At the end of the day, I practically had to drag her out of her classroom because "I stay here!!". She loves school and I love that she loves it.

Haley is a free spirit. She is emotional (like me). She is loving and sweet. She is so many wonderful things. And she'll always be my baby girl (no matter how old she is).

Things On Thursday

2011-08-24T09:41:00.003-04:00

Here are a few things that we've been doing to pass by the last days of summer.

Haley has been building lots of things.

Emily is helping with the dishes.

Haley helps out with the laundry.

We've even been to the beach a few times.

The weather isn't always great, so we don't usually stay too long.

There is a lot of coloring with chalk and usually a few games of tic tac toe.

Haley has been busy painting masterpieces.

Hard to believe school starts next week! Summer has just flown by!

Irene

2011-08-22T10:00:00.003-04:00

One of the things we get to deal with being in Key West is hurricane season. The season starts June 1 and doesn't end until November 30. That's five whole months that we are closely watching the weather.

And let me tell you, this city girl is not a big fan of hurricane season. It makes me nervous. Not knowing if the storm is going to stay on its current path or go a different direction. Not knowing if you stay put or have to evacuate. Not knowing where you have to evacuate to. There are just too many variables to know what a storm is going to do.

The size of the storm pretty much dictates what we do- either stay in Key West or drive 8 hours to Orlando. It's not like we don't have any time to prepare (like with a tornado) because you usually have a good idea of what's going to happen a day or two out, but the whole wait and watch thing just makes me go a little crazy.

Last summer I was even more nervous about the season because Emily was supposed to arrive around the end of July. I kept hoping and praying that nothing would come along because I wasn't prepared to- a) have a home birth, b) go up to Miami or Orlando to have a baby, or c)evacuate with a newborn. We have been really lucky since we got here in September of 2009 and haven't had any major storms come our way. Until Irene.

We have been watching the weather pretty much every chance we get. Looking at these maps makes me more nervous. A category 1 and 2 hurricane!?! Oh boy. Of course, we still don't know what's going to happen. It's looking like we won't really know what Irene is going to do for another day or so. Sunday it looked like she was coming right for us and today it looks like she's going east. I would love to send her towards Texas for family and friends to get a little rain, but Mother Nature is in charge of all this.

In any situation, we are prepared. We have food and water to get by. We will be together. I was hoping we would get really lucky and not have to deal with any hurricanes while we were down here (probably wishful thinking). Only time will tell what we do. Keep you posted!

Theater of the Sea

2011-08-22T09:54:00.007-04:00

We left our little rock last week for a day trip up to Islamorada, which was about a two hour drive up the Keys. Everytime we go up to the mainland we pass by Theater of the Sea and always tell ourselves we should go there before we leave. And we finally did it!

We got there just in time for lunch and a major rain shower. We huddled under our little table umbrella trying to eat and not get soaked.

The rain eventually let up and we were able to run over to the first show- The Bird Show. The parrots did all sorts of tricks and Haley loved cheering them on.

My favorite was when she kept "shhhh"ing the birds who were talking during the show. So cute.

Even Emily enjoyed watching all the birds.

Our next stop was to see the dolphins. Talk about cool!

Then we moved on to the sea lions.

Haley loved watching the shows with Daddy. She was so interested in everything the animals were doing.

The last part of our day was the bottomless boat. Both girls were pretty excited about this one.

In the middle of our tour, a dolphin jumped through the middle of the boat. Now that was something you don't get to experience every day.

The girls had fun and we made lots of fun memories.

One more thing checked off our Key West "To Do" List.

Gotcha!

2011-08-16T19:00:00.003-04:00

Emily loves to crawl all over Haley (and Haley is usually a pretty good sport about it). I see lots of wrestling in the future. This is what I imagine Emily saying.

"Oh, I got my big sister!"

"Look Mom! I got Haley!"

"Haha! I got my sister and she can't get out!"

"Oh Haley, are you sad that I got you?"

"Here's some kisses to make it all better."

"But I still got you."

Two Little Girls

2011-08-11T14:27:00.007-04:00

Before I had kids, when I thought about having kids, I always envisioned that I would have one boy and one girl. It just seemed like it would be nice to have one of each. When I was pregnant with Haley people would ask if we wanted a boy or girl. I would usually respond with it didn't matter to me, because it didn't. When we found it we were having a girl, I was pretty excited. I had my little girl to dress up with pretty girl clothes (at least that's what Zach would tell me).

Then, when we found out we were pregnant again, I was pretty sure we were having a boy. The day we found out the sex of baby #2, I was pretty surprised that we were having another girl. Once it sunk it that there would be two little girls running around our house, I was beyond excited. They would get to be sisters. They would get to share secrets and clothes. They would be best friends.

Now that Emily is 1 and Haley is almost 3, it's fun to look at them now and then and see how similar and different these two little girls are.

When they were first born, Haley was 1lb less and Emily was 1/2 an inch longer. Both labors were totally different. They both were born with their daddy's beautiful blue eyes and long eye lashes. Neither one had much hair.

At 1 year, they have very different personalities. Haley was (and still is) fearless. Emily is more laid back, but will go after what she wants. Haley likes to get into things, get dirty. Emily doesn't really like a mess. They both are very affectionate and sweet.

We gave away quite a bit of Haley's baby clothes before we moved, so Emily is just now starting to wear her sister's old clothes. It brings back so many memories of Haley as a toddler. But I love seeing these two little girls wearing some of the same clothes.

I love when I get a picture of Emily that reminds me of one that I have of Haley. Like this little red chair.

I've had people ask us if we plan on trying for a boy and I tell them no. We are so happy with our two little girls. They complete our family.

Things On Thursday

2011-08-11T10:08:00.000-04:00

Well, I missed last week, so here's a little bit of catch up of a few things we have been up to lately.

Emily is such a rockstar!

We built a fort under the kitchen table one day. Haley put all her pillows under there and read all afternoon. Emily enjoyed playing peek-a-boo with the sheet.

Zach took Haley to Home Depot for one of their kids workshops. She loves hammers, screwdrivers, and fixing things, so this was perfect. She built a pencil holder all by herself.
Another day we somehow managed to sneak in a trip to the park. It was pretty overcast and that was the only reason we figured we could do it. Haley had so much fun. She found a wagon and a shovel and was digging up treasure the whole time we were there. Emily loved playing with (I mean eat) the rocks. It makes me wish we could get out to the park more often. Maybe in November when it starts cooling off.
Don't you just love a little girl who just woke up?!

I was making mashed potatoes one night and for whatever reason, Haley decided it was a phone. She held it up to her ear and kept saying "Hello, hello? No. It's a smashed potato."

And this bunny. Every day he keeps appearing at the end of the kitchen rug. I'm not entirely sure why Haley chooses to leave him right there, but he watches over me while I cook...every day.

A Birthday

2011-07-31T10:47:00.008-04:00

I just wanted to share a few of my favorite pictures from Emily's birthday.

This is our new tradition. For each birthday, this little candle will be on the table reminding the family that today is a special day.

Haley was all about helping her sister celebrate her birthday. She sang Happy Birthday and helped Emily blow out her birthday candle at breakfast. She even told Emily "Happy Birthday sister. I got you a present." She then went over to the toy shelf, got the big orange truck, and gave it to her sister. It was beyond sweet.

Our birthday girl.

Opening presents was fun. Haley helped a lot while Emily mainly played with (and ate) the tissue paper.

This was her favorite present. Thanks Grandpa and Grandma Hinten!

Emily got half a cupcake (it was really big!) after dinner on her birthday. She picked at it a little and then realized it was delicious.

Haley helped me make the cupcakes for the party. I love that she enjoys being in the kitchen with me.

Time to party! I love the way the decorations turned out! Pinwheels was a great theme.
This little girl just makes me smile.

She definitely got her daddy's serious face. This is when she reminds me of Zach the most.

She got a cute little birthday hat from her Granddad and Tante, but she wasn't having it at her party.

The cake smash turned into a group effort. Emily wasn't all that interested in digging in, so all the little ones came over to help. It was precious.

Could she be any cuter??

Happy 1st Birthday Emily Grace!

One Whole Year

2011-07-31T10:16:00.004-04:00

If you were to ask Haley, she would tell you that Emily is one whole year. Can't believe it! This past year has gone by quicker than it should have.

She loves her milk. We made the switch about a week ago when we said bye bye to the bottles. She was always going after her sister's cups, so we knew it was time to move on.

Peek A Boo is a favorite. Emily is always poking her head around corners or lifting something in front of her face so she can surprise you. It's so sweet.

This girl also loves shoes. But really, what girl doesn't!? If there are shoes lying on the floor, you can bet this girl will go after them. She also enjoys eating them.

Emily's not walking yet, but we are working on it every day. She is still so proud of herself when she stands up by herself.

She is talking all the time and already has about 10 words in her vocabulary. I'm so impressed. Although really, she amazes me every day with something new. Emily Grace is growing up.

Luce Love

2011-07-25T13:15:00.005-04:00

Emily loves her some Luce cat. And for her part, Luce tolerates Emily pretty well. Emily has even started trying to say Luce (it usually comes out like ucy) and she gets a huge smile on her face whenever she sees the kitty. And this is how it usually goes.

Luce sits in the window, back to Emily to let her know she wants to be alone.

Emily doesn't care and keeps on coming. Luce turns her head to let Emily know she knows she's there and kindly tells her to back off. (Luce is very good about not hissing or swatting.)

Again, Emily doesn't mind and stands her ground. Luce will eventually give up sunbathing and jump down from the window sill and head under the dining room table. No biggie for Emily and she usually follows and goes right under the table too.

Luce finally realizes that Emily's going to keep following her and decides to take off.

But Emily is quick and crawls over to Luce before she has a chance to leave and will usually get a quick pet.

I think secretly Luce loves being chased by Emily. I see them being good friends.

Things On Thursday

2011-07-21T10:38:00.000-04:00

We have been so busy lately that I haven't had a chance to update everyone. So here goes.

It's been so hot lately that the only time we can go to the park is early, which means we haven't been going very often. One morning we actually made it out and the girls had so much fun. And I love that Haley still goes down the slide backwards and on her tummy.

Speaking of Haley, she had her very first dance class the other evening. We told her that she was going and she said "I looooooooooooove dance class." (To be honest, she looooooooooves just about everything right night, but it was still nice to hear.) The class is called creative movement, but it's mainly like pre-ballet. They did ballet stretches and a little bit of tumbling. She has so much fun and the teacher told us that she did very well. We are excited to take her back next week!

I love cooking with this girl. Never a dull moment.

We have been pretty busy lately and I guess this is the proof. Poor girl was so tired she fell asleep at the dinner table.

This just makes me smile. Sisters.

Our sweet little Emily is standing up more and more by herself. I know that it is any day now and she will be off and running. Hard to believe she will be 1 this time next week.

Promotion

2011-07-06T11:18:00.008-04:00

Last March he tested for promotion (he was going for Master Sgt or E-7) and he found out in May that he made it! Then came the waiting. His line number was at the very end, so we knew that it would be a while before he sewed on his new stripe. Then, after 14 months of waiting, the day finally came!

Zach's dad hadn't missed a single one of Zach's promotions yet, so he flew all the way down to be here for the ceremony. The girls got all dressed up. It was a special day.

Zach's commander gave a very nice speech. She spoke about how impressed she is with Zach. The fact that he has promoted through the ranks very quickly and that at just under 12 years in he is pinning on Master, speaks very highly of his abilities. That he completed his CCAF (or associates degree) and is now pursuing his Bachelor's degree, all while working full time. She also spoke about the range of missions he has worked on and how they have all contributing to the war on terrorism. She said all the things that I am so proud of about Zach.

Then came the pinning on. Haley even got to help put the new stripe on.

It was a wonderful ceremony and I am so incredibly proud of Zach.

Congratulations MSgt Hinten!

We are so very proud of you!

Baby Picture

2011-07-06T10:22:00.000-04:00

Everyone always asks us who we think our kids look like. I know without a doubt that Haley looks like me, but never saw much of myself in Emily. While we were in Oklahoma last month, I was telling my mother in law that I assumed that Emily looked like Zach did as a baby, but had never seen any baby pictures to compare. So that night, Zach's wonderful mom searched through baby pictures.

I think it's perfectly clear now just who Emily looks like.

11 Months

2011-07-05T09:11:00.000-04:00

A few days late, but Emily is now 11 months old. Less than a month until her first birthday! How did the time go by so quickly??

Emily has the sweetest little face. She still smiles all the time, showing off her six little teeth.

Now that her hair is long enough, I've been trying to keep bows and headbands on her. When she knows there is a bow there, she reaches to take it out. It's always a losing battle for mommy.

She does the cutest little thing her her hand. She puts it up to her mouth and then moves it to make noise. It's just precious.

She wants to stand up and walk so badly. She'll push anything around to walk with.

It amazes me how much she already knows and understands. She mimics the way Haley did her ABCs at school by clapping along with the song. She will usually start clapping and then say "Aaa, bee". It seems incredible that she picked that up! Emily also has at least SEVEN words in her vocabulary already! I just don't remember Haley talking that much that early. I love hearing that sweet little voice.

Hard to believe this little cutie will be a year in a matter of weeks. I love her so much and couldn't imagine our family without her.

A Few Favorites

2011-07-05T08:28:00.000-04:00

Now that we are all settled back in at home, I thought I would share a few of my favorite pictures/memories from our month long adventure.

Haley got her first Build-A-Bear. Truthfully, I think I was more excited about it than she was. But now that we are home, Haley and Spots are spending more time together.

Granddad won this inflatable color when we went to the Kemah boardwalk. Haley loves to pretend color with it.

My baby brother graduated from high school! He's now on to Baylor in the fall. Can't believe it!

And speaking of brothers, I love seeing my brothers with their nieces.

I just love seeing two little girls in a wagon :)

I can't even begin to tell you how much Haley loves to play in the sprinkler. So many of our evenings were spent playing in the water.

Nothing beats a hot summer day like playing in the washtub with your cousins.

It was so much fun getting to see my brother and two cousins. I couldn't tell you the last time we were all together.

While we were at the children's museum, Haley made herself right at home in the kitchen section. She was busy putting food together and even set the table all by herself.
One afternoon we went to the sprayground. I had never heard of this before, but it was fabulous! Haley loved shooting the water canon and Emily enjoying splashing in the puddles.
Another day we went swimming and we found out that Haley was ready to start holding her breath under water. It may look like she was drowning, but she was holding her breath. She'll be ready to start swimming in no time!

The last weekend of our adventure was Zeth and Emma's wedding. It was fabulous! Haley even made some new friends and spent most of her time out on the dance floor with them.
We had a busy trip, but lots of wonderful memories were made!

Oklahoma

2011-06-28T21:12:00.004-04:00

Well, we are all back home in Key West now. It was a fabulous trip back to Texas and Oklahoma to visit family and friends, but it was time to come home. Here is how we spent the last week of our adventure in Oklahoma.

We arrived at Zach's mom and dad's (aka the in-laws) home on Father's Day. We didn't get to spend the day with Zach, but he was left a present in Key West that he got to open. The evening was spent with aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins for the girls. It was a nice way to spend the day.

The next afternoon we were off to the airport to get Daddy! We were all so excited to see him. And I'm pretty sure he was happy to see us too :)

One of the days we were there, Zach's dad took us all out to see the Clydesdale's. It was so neat! The horses were huge! Haley loved getting to see the horses and even got to see a zebra out there. Emily was pretty fascinated with all the animals too.

Another afternoon, Grandma took a break from baking wedding cakes and took us out to a sprayground. It was one of the best things ever! I'm not sure why these aren't everywhere! It's basically a little area with fancy sprinklers for the kids. Haley loved playing with the water cannon and running around. Even Emily got in on the action and sat right in the middle of a spray area. It was a lot of fun.

Somehow the days got away from us and it was time for the big event- Zeth and Emma's wedding! It was a beautiful ceremony and both bride and groom looked great. The reception was wonderful. Haley took center stage and wanted to dance all night. She partied hard and made it until late in the evening. The morning after the wedding, all of Zach's family came over to the house and there was a big brunch. It was fun getting to see everyone. Wish we were closer to see them more often.

Then it was time to come home. The girls did great on the flights back and we had no major meltdowns. We are now unpacked and settled back into life here. Thanks to everyone who came out to see us on our trip! We made lots of wonderful memories and can't wait to see you again soon!

Texas, Part II

2011-06-22T12:04:00.003-04:00

We have just left Texas and are now on the last leg of our adventure in Oklahoma City. Here are some of the highlights from our last week and a half in Texas.

We stayed with my mom for ten days and it was absolutely wonderful! The girls had so much fun! We spent most of our days just tinkering around doing this or that. The evenings were spent with Haley running around in the sprinkler. Such easy entertainment. My oldest younger brother came to visit and it was great to see him. He was so wonderful with the girls and Haley just adored being with her Uncle Joel. The weekend my brother was there we had a bunch of family come up to visit and it was a party! There was lots of food- fabulous steak and homemade ice cream, can't get any better than that! Eventually everyone went back home and we only had a few days left with mom. we finished off the rest of our shopping list and just enjoyed being together. It is always hard to say goodbye to my mom, but we had to. It was time to move on.

After a short drive, we made it to Plano. Our first stop was to an urgent care clinic because I was fairly sure Miss Emily had an ear infection. Sure enough, she had two! After picking up her meds we made it to my great-aunts house. The next day we went to the children's museum and Haley had lots of fun running between the exhibits. Emily enjoyed the Under Two room playing with all the soft blocks and just crawling around. That night I was able to meet up with some friends from college. Always a fun time with those guys! The next morning we had a family breakfast and then the girls and I were off again!

We met up with my grandmom for lunch and then we were off to Lubbock to see more of my family. The night we got there was a big family dinner. My uncle grilled and the girls were introduced to a lot more family. The next day was filled with family again. Haley ran around with her cousins and wore herself right out. Emily did very well being passed around and meeting everyone for the first time. After a whirlwind stay, it was time to say good bye to Texas.

Texas is such a wonderful place for me and I'm so glad that we were able to spend as much time as we did there seeing family and friends. Now we are in Oklahoma for our final week. Stay tuned for what happens next!

Texas!

2011-06-03T12:19:00.005-04:00

After a very long day for everyone, we finally arrived in Texas! The girls did great in the car up to the airport (a 4 hour drive) and on the plane (a 3 hour flight). We were so lucky not to have any major meltdowns. Although bedtime was a little rough since they were adjusting to a new time zone and a new bed.

Everyone was up bright and early and in great spirits our first morning here. The big plan was to go to the mall! This may not seem too exciting for most, but I haven't been to a mall since well before Christmas. There is one particular mall we enjoy going to here because there is a Target for me and an awesome playscape for Haley and Daddy. My little brother was our chauffeur and got to hang out with us, which is great because I don't get to see him very much. We spent most of the afternoon wandering around and soaking in all the stores that I rarely see anymore. Haley even got to do her first Build-A-Bear! She got a very cute dalmatian that was named Spots.

The funny thing about leaving the island for a little while is that everyone back on the rock wants to know where you eat, mainly because there is not a huge selection back home. So for them I say we ate at Chick-Fil-A and Marble Slab. And they were delish!

We finished off our time in Houston with my little brother's high school graduation. There was a wonderful lunch for him and his best friend with their families and friends. Since the ceremony was a little late in the afternoon, Zach braved it and kept the girls by himself so that I could go to the graduation with family and not have to worry about taking care of the little ones. He is so sweet! The ceremony was very nice and I can't believe that my baby brother is heading off to Baylor in a few months.

Then we were off to the airport and a few hours later we were in Oklahoma City with all of Zach's family. It was a very brief visit, but it was nice to see everyone for a little bit.

The very next day, Zach headed back to Key West to go back to work and the girls and I travelled back to Texas to see my mom. We have had so much fun so far shopping and doing all those girly things. Haley is loving being with her Grammy and Grandpa Glen. So far she has helped feed cows, humming birds, quail, and a horse. Both girls have been so tired at the end of our days and have been sleeping much later than they do at home.

It has just been fabulous and we are loving our time away!

Things

2011-05-28T20:28:00.005-04:00

Well, I miss posting this up on Thursday, but better late than never. Here are a few notable things from the past week.

Haley had her last Mommy and Me class. It was very bittersweet. She loves going to class and all her friends there, but I am happy that she is moving up to the 2s class in the fall. She will still be with most of her friends, so that makes me happy. Hard to believe that how much Haley and all of her friends have grown up since they started back in the fall. And even harder to believe is that Emily will be going to Mommy and Me in a few short months!

Miss Emily Grace is now 10 months. I couldn't tell you where those months have gone or how they went by so quickly. Emily is such a happy little girl and is almost always smiling. She loves when we sing the ABCs and will usually initiate the singing with "aaaaee, beeeee". She has four teeth now and has been off baby food for almost a month. Emily is cruising and crawling like a pro and we are just waiting for those first steps!

Haley has now been helping me cook dinner in the evenings. She will go and get the step ladder and stand at the counter while we make dinner. I usually do all the cooking and she empties my drawer of measuring cups and spoons.

The other day Haley has been missing for a few moments and it was pretty quiet so I went to find her. I found her painting her toes.

I just love seeing two little girls watching cartoons in their jammies.

Life is so good!

Things On Thursday

2011-05-19T08:46:00.000-04:00

Since I missed last week, I have a whole lot of catching up to do. Here are a few happy moments from the past two weeks.

I caught Luce checking out Emily's bib. Apparently I hadn't cleaned it out and she found a snack. Guess I should check the bib more often.

And speaking of Emily and her bib, I love that she is on table food now because when she gets to feed herself she looks this cute after a meal.

Haley loves her daddy's headphones. She enjoys wearing them around the house. She's my little rocker :)

Which reminds me of when she was 16 months old.

Emily has found the mixing bowl/play cabinet. She loves to play in there when I'm cooking.

For some reason there has been a lot of hair activity lately, so now for the hair portion....
Emily's hair is getting longer.

I love these perfect little ringlets Haley gets.

Haley has been "cutting" every one's hair lately with her two plastic knives. A stylist in the making??

Haley and I got our hair cut yesterday (by a real stylist :)). Haley did very well sitting still in the chair. She just got a trim and a few bangs cut. I got some length taken off and added a few more layers. I'm pleased with both haircuts!

Haley Goes To The Dentist

2011-05-17T10:12:00.006-04:00

Haley had her very first dentist appointment this morning. We've been "prepping" her about what was going to happen so she would know what to expect.

Finally, the big moment arrived and she was called back. The assistant was wonderful with Haley and made her feel really comfortable. She gave her a purple bib and sunglasses, since it would be bright looking in her mouth.
Haley also chose a purple goodie bag that had a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and a timer.
Then came time for the cleaning. Haley chose the chocolate flavored toothpaste and tried to eat it the whole time she was getting her teeth cleaned. I guess that's the problem with yummy tasting toothpaste. Haley did a pretty good job of opening her mouth big and wide.
Then the dentist came back and looked at Haley's teeth and told us they looked great, but to probably expect some orthodontist work later (better start saving!).

Since she did such a great job, the dentist let Haley pick out three prizes from the treasure chest!

I'm so proud of how well she did for her first trip to the dentist!

Luce Lou

2011-05-15T17:25:00.012-04:00

I got Luce as a birthday present between my sophomore and junior years of college. 10 years ago.

A lot has changed in the past 10 years.

Luce has grown up.

I graduated from college, moved several times, and got married.

Kids were born. It took Luce a while to get used to Haley. Haley was 9 months before she would stay anywhere near her.

She doesn't seem to mind Emily, who absolutely adores Luce.

And today is Luce's birthday. She is 10 years old. I told Haley that it was the kitty's birthday and she was very excited. Haley went up to Luce and yelled "Happy Birthday Luce!", several times. She also thought Luce would blow out some candles like she did on her birthday. Haley was also very sweet and brought Luce some cupcakes. You can see the excitement on her face.

Happy Birthday to my Luce Lou.

Mother's Day

2011-05-09T16:11:00.004-04:00

This year Mother's Day was pretty low key. Zach had to work Sunday, but left me a wonderful surprise- my favorite flower.

The girls and I had a nice breakfast and spent a quiet morning at the house. We were able to meet Zach for lunch at a fabulous local French restaurant. The girls had their first crepe, which Emily devoured.
After lunch, Haley told me that she wanted to go see the butterflies, so that's where we went.

The butterflies were very active when we got there and Haley loved chasing them around.

Both girls fell asleep on the way home (happy mom day to me!). I had a wonderful day with my girls and I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend the day. I am so lucky to be a mom to such sweet and fabulous little ladies.

Things On Thursday

2011-05-05T14:13:00.002-04:00

A few things that have made us smile this past week.

Emily is almost completely on table food. She loves it! Noodles are a big favorite.

25 mph! This may not be a big deal for most, but on base the speed limit is only 15mph, and we live on the back side. So we have been driving what feels like a snail's pace for the past 20 months. But just last week, we were given the ok to drive 25 mph! Now it feels like we are speeding and it's fabulous!

Haley was given this little chair a while ago and has always loved sitting on it. She still is pretty possesive of it. I was able to sneak a picture of Emily on it and it's so cute seeing how similar the pictures and girls are.
This is what happens when you try to take a staged picture of our girls. Haley plays peek-a-boo behind a tree and Emily's eating grass.

Sweet Haley

2011-05-02T12:33:00.008-04:00

It is amazing just how much Haley has changed since she turned two, almost seven months ago. She's looking more and more like a little girl and less and less like a toddler.

I've measured her a few times this year, and she's already grown an inch and a half in four months! No wonder her shirts are getting shorter.

She LOVES to read and will do so anywhere. The Easter bunny brought her the first two books in the If You Give series and she's hooked. Her favorite fairy tale is The Three Little Pigs.

Haley also enjoys taking pictures.

We've been spending some of our afternoons outside on our porch coloring with chalk or painting. Haley really enjoys being creative.

We have had some issues with napping the past few months. She doesn't want to take them, but can't get through the day without one. We've re-arranged our day a little and sometimes, if I drive around a little, she will eventually fall asleep in her car seat.

Haley is a wonderful big sister to Emily and Emily adores her. I think they will be great friends as they get older.

Haley is one of the sweetest little girls. You know when she walks into a room. She will say "HI everyone!" and just start laughing. She loves giving hugs and kisses. She is one of a kind and I am so happy she is mine.

Aquarium

2011-05-01T16:43:00.001-04:00

The first Sunday of the month is local's day here, which means we get into a few places for free. So right before we packed up to go, we told Haley we were going to the Aquarium. She was over the moon! She started telling us all the things she wanted to see, "sharks, sea horse, star fish, turtles."

As soon as we got there she was already pointing out all the fish.

She was so excited to get to the touch tank.

Emily was having fun watching all the fish too!

Haley went to see the alligators and was telling us that they go "chomp chomp".

Then she found the starfish. She wanted to touch it so badly, but that's one thing you're not allowed to touch.

"Look daddy! More fish!"

Emily got to get up close to some of the fish too.

An hour later, the girls had both fallen alseep in the car seats. Just too much excitement!

Trike A Thon

2011-04-28T13:16:00.010-04:00

This morning Haley participated in her very first Trike-A-Thon at pre-school to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. I feel like we are blessed to have two happy and healthy girls and it is important for us to remember that there are children out there that are not healthy.

Haley was very excited about getting to wear her bike helmet for the event. She even put it on herself, backwards.

Then she was ready to go!

Haley doesn't have a trike because her legs haven't been long enough to reach the pedals, so she rode her truck.
Look mom, no feet!
After completing about half the course, Haley ditched her truck and did the rest of the course by foot.
And she crossed the finish line by foot.

Thanks for supporting Haley's first Trike-A-Thon!

If you would still like to sponsor Haley's ride this morning, it's not too late to donate here.

9 Months

2011-04-28T10:54:00.003-04:00

Hard to believe it, but only 3 more months until our Emily Grace is a year.

She is finally crawling. She's not a fan of it, but will scoot her little self right to where she wants to be.
She is working on cutting her front two teeth on top, which has been a lot easier than the bottom two.

Emily has the best sense of humor. She loves playing peek-a-boo with her cup. She also knows what makes Haley laugh. So when we are brushing teeth or in the bath tub, she will always look at her big sister to make sure that she will laugh when she intentionally falls down or does something silly.

She really is the absolute sweetest thing ever!

Easter

2011-04-27T10:12:00.013-04:00

Easter this year was pretty low key. Zach had to work the night before Easter and the night of, so we decided that we would celebrate Saturday before he had to go to work.

We actually started all the Easter fun at Haley's Mommy and Me class. Her class dyed eggs and had an egg hunt.
The Easter bunny came Saturday morning and dropped off some goodies.

Haley dug right on in to her basket. She was so excited about her Wonder Pets coloring book!

It took Emily a little bit to figure out the Easter basket, but I'm pretty sure she had more fun with the grass than with the contents of her basket.
Haley got some chocolate eggs and she told us that they were "magic beans".

Our sweet little flower.

Give Haley a card that has music and she is captivated for hours.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

Sold!

2011-04-25T17:42:00.000-04:00

After a year of being on the market, our house in San Antonio is finally sold. It is very bittersweet.

Zach and I first bought the house in 2007 and this is what it looked like.

After a few months.

And finally, our home was built.

It was so much fun watching our home come together. The first night we had the keys, Zach taped up one of the walls to paint and he even left me a little love note.

Like I mentioned before, it is very bittersweet to have the house sold. We are so relieved to not have to worry about it anymore, but at the same time, letting it go is hard. We knew that we wouldn't live there forever, the military makes that kind of hard to do. But we made so many memories there that we will keep forever. This is the home Zach and I first lived in together. It's where we got engaged and then married. It's where we found out we were going to have a family and where we brought Haley home to. We spent lots of holidays and time with family and friends there.

It was a wonderful first home and I hope the new owners enjoy it as much as we did.

Pool Time

2011-04-23T11:14:00.009-04:00

Yesterday we made our first trip of the year to the pool.

Haley was ready to do some lounging in the sun.

I was so impressed with how much confidence Haley has in the pool now. She's done swimming lessons every year, so she is pretty comfortable in the water. But yesterday she didn't mind going under water. She was holding her breath. She would walk in the pool until her feet couldn't touch anymore. It was incredible to see the difference from what seems like just a few months ago.

Emily was pretty excited about being in the sun a little.

She had fun sitting in the zero entry part of the pool and splashing around. She loved watching Haley in the water. Unfortunately the trip didn't end on a high note. Emily got her first boo boo when she fell off the lounge chair. I don't even know how it happened because Zach and I were both right there next to her. But she's a trooper and isn't letting it slow her down, even though we feel awful about it.

Things on Thursday

2011-04-20T17:34:00.007-04:00

A few things that have made me smile over the past week.

~The girls and I went to the grocery store one day and Emily fell asleep on the way. She didn't even wake up when I took her out of the car or put her in the seat on the shopping cart. She stayed alseep the whole trip. Sweet little girl was tired.
~The girls and I met Zach on base for lunch one day, which was really nice because we rarely get the opportunity to do that. Haley enjoyed her "salad" and was pretending to be the giraffe she fed lettuce to at the zoo.

~After lunch, Zach walked us back to the car. It just makes me so happy and proud to see this.

Easter Party

2011-04-17T15:53:00.007-04:00

Last year we had a few friends over after an Easter egg hunt to play in the pool and splash mat. It was so much fun that we decided to expand the event into a party! So this weekend, we had our Easter party, complete with Easter food, egg dyeing, a water slide, splash mat, and ball pit.

Haley and I had fun baking cupcakes and bunny ears for the party.

We had a great turnout and it was a beautiful day for a party!

I was so excited for Haley to dye her first egg! I have so many wonderful memories of this when I was growing up and I couldn't wait to start creating these memories for Haley.

Emily was a little too small for the egg dyeing, but she still had a great time at the party. She enjoyed hanging out in the shade.

Haley was a fan of the sprinkle mat. She thought it was a water fountain.

She even went down the big water slide! The first time she held Daddy's hand down, but after that she decided she was a big girl and could do it all by herself.

Haley and her friend Alana even tried to climb up the slide.

Emily eventually hung out in the ball pit and I even caught her trying to eat some grass. Silly girl.

We had such a great time with all our friends and hope to do it again next year!

When?

2011-04-14T20:52:00.024-04:00

I had a moment tonight. I was looking at the girls while they were getting a bath and wondered, when did they grow up?

When did these two precious little babies....

...become these grown up girls?

I've seen these beautiful girls every day of their lives (well, almost) and you think I would have noticed. Every time I look back through their photo albums I wonder, "when did this happen?" Just when did they go from baby to pre-schooler/almost toddler? I must have blinked too long because I don't remember. At least I have pictures to remind me of all these wonderful moments.

Things on Thursday

2011-04-13T20:51:00.005-04:00

Here are a few things that made me smile this week:

I made chocolate covered strawberries for dessert one night.

They must have been really good because they ended up all over the girls faces (even Emily got some!). Haley enjoyed them so much she asked for them again the next night and was pretty upset that there weren't any more. Guess what I'll be making soon?!

THIS is so exciting! Emily finally has a few hairs long enough to put a bow in. It's not much and the bow barely stays in, but it's something.

Some pictures don't even need explainations as to why it makes me smile.

Spring Fair

2011-04-12T10:57:00.006-04:00

This past weekend was Haley's pre-school's annual Spring Fair. There were lots of rides, games, and fun things to do. Unfortunately Zach had to work, so the girls and I met up with one of Haley's friends and her parents. Emily was ready for some fun! Our first stop was the bounce house. Haley always enjoys jumping, so this was perfect for her. She had so much fun I was afraid she wouldn't come out. Next up was the petting zoo. Our local sheriff's office sponsors a free petting zoo (kind of a weird combination) once a month, so they brought some of the animals out to the fair. There was an alligator, rooster, pony, goat, and, of course, the turtle.

Haley and Rayna are just so cute! They loved holding hands and walking around together.

Poor Emily was so hot and tired. She just couldn't hang with the big girls without a nap.

Haley's most favorite part of the fair was the carousel. This girl would have been on it all day if we didn't have to go home. I'm pretty sure I lost count of how many times she rode it.

All in all, it was a lot of fun for the girls and we can't wait until next year!

Things On Thursday

2011-04-07T20:54:00.005-04:00

So I thought I would start doing a blog on Thursdays about things that have made me smile during the week. There are so many little things that go on that I thought I would share some of those sweet moments.

HI! How could that not make you smile?

Haley has decided napping is for the birds and hasn't taken one in a week. We've tried laying down on the couch together or just letting her have quiet time in her room, but nothing has worked out, so we've decided to go with the fact that she is just not going to nap anymore. Then today, I took the girls to the grocery store, a five minute drive. By the time we got there, this is how I found Haley. She must have been tired! So Emily and I played in the front seat while Haley napped for a little bit. It did the trick because we had the nicest evening and no meltdowns! Maybe I should go driving with them more often :)

This makes me smile and a little sad at the same time. Table food! Emily is wanting it more and more, which means no more baby food. I'm happy that she's wanting big girl food, but it means she's growing up.

My mom sent me this picture. Bluebonnets. It means spring has sprung in Texas! I am a little sad that it means another year that the girls don't get bluebonnet pictures (it's a Texas thing), but hopefully I'll get one soon.

And speaking of bluebonnets, here is Haley's first bluebonnet picture. She was six months old. Hard to believe that was two years ago.

Friends

2011-04-06T16:07:00.003-04:00

Haley has made quite a few friends down here, but she is particularly smitten with the boy across the street, Jacob. When we are getting ready to school we ask Haley who she's going to see and Jacob is usually the first person she mentions. And it turns out that he adores her just as much. Jacob's mom told me that he told her that Haley was his girlfriend. How sweet is that!? Yesterday the two got to play at the house and boy, did they have fun! I love that she props her arm on his shoulder.

Jacob is just as funny as Haley. She loves doing this too.

I know that Haley will be so sad when Jacob leaves this year and I hate that it will happen, but there will be lots more play dates until then.

8 Months

2011-03-30T11:31:00.007-04:00

Our sweet little Emily is 8 months old. She celebrated the day with her very first fever. She was a trooper and didn't let us know she wasn't feeling very good, but she did take some very long naps. Luckily, she's feeling better now. Emily waves now. She will wave hello, bye bye, or just because she feels like it. She waves to just about anyone, including herself in the mirror (which I think is her favorite).

This is how she spends most of her floor time. Forget crawling, she will just flip herself back over to her back and play with her feet.

Emily is so happy all the time. Except when she's hungry, and she will let you know when she is. She loves to eat. Right now she's on a mix of baby food and table food. She is enjoying baby food a little less each day and wants to eat what the big kids are eating.

Emily has also gotten a lot more talkative in the last month. There are lots of "ba ba ba"s, "da da da"s, and I swear she's even said "mama".

She's changed a lot in the past month, and I can hardly believe she'll be one soon. But, no matter how old she is, Emily Grace will always be my baby girl.

Baking With Haley

2011-03-27T10:45:00.010-04:00

Haley loves being in the kitchen with me when I'm baking, so I try to let her help as much as I can. Knowing that she would be helping quite a bit, I just had to get her an apron (what baker doesn't have an apron?). Of course, she loves it. So this morning it was time to whip up a batch of cinnamon chip oatmeal muffins, so of course I let Haley help me. She loves to "stir and stir and mix some more".

But of course, she is very easily distracted.

She loves to watch things cook in the oven, so I usually turn on the oven light so that she can watch. This morning was no exception.

Haley's favorite part (as is mine) is the tasting right after it comes out of the oven.

She didn't want to share with Emily and that made Emily a little sad.

Eventually though, Haley decided it was ok to share and fed her sister a little bit of muffin.

I love spending time with Haley in the kitchen and hopefully, we will spend lots of time together there as she grows up.

In Love

2011-03-24T17:07:00.003-04:00

Boy oh boy, I love these two little girls!

I love this smile. Even when she's been fussing, all she has to do is flash this smile and all has been forvigen.

I love what a nut she can be- walking around in a tunnel, bumping into things or pretening she has binoculars. This girl has a great sense of humor and is pretty funny. She enjoys telling her knock knock joke- "who's there? boo hoo. don't cry, joke."

I love how she sleeps. When she's really tired, she goes to sleep on her tummy and face down.

I love this two tooth smile too! She has the sweetest smile and laugh. She loves to laugh, mostly with her sister, and it is one of the best sounds in the world.

I love that I have two girls, sisters. A boy would have been great too, but these two little girls are perfect for us.

Halfway There

2011-03-23T20:47:00.007-04:00

We are now halfway through our assignment in Key West! For the past 18 months, this has been our home.
And it will be our home for the next 18 months. But we are now on the downhill stretch of this assignment. And looking back, I don't even know where the past year and a half has gone.

It's funny, because when we first got here someone told me it would take about a year to get used to it here. At first I thought that was strange, but now, it's true. I think I have finally gotten used to life down here. It's still very different than anywhere I've ever been and I'm pretty sure island life was not meant for me. But, I've adjusted to it and life is good.

We've done some unique and fun things while we've been here, like a trip to the Southernmost point of the continental US.

We've also seen some unique and fun things too. I mean, where else could you see a full grown man walking around in an apron, chefs hat, and meat between his buns?

Key West is my first real assignment with Zach. I was already living in San Antonio when Zach and I met, so to me there was no real adjustment. When we got married, I knew that being the spouse of a military member was going to bring relocation, but I never actively thought about what that meant. It meant being away from family and things that we were used to. Both we things I've never done before. The farthest I've ever been away from my family was less than 400 miles. Now we are 1542 miles away. It was really hard at first, but we have a great support system (here and back on the mainland).

I know that Zach and I are both excited about a new assignment. It's a new place with new possibilities. Of course, we are still a year away from knowing where we will go next and another 6 months after that before moving. So we are just going to enjoy the last 18 months of island living before moving on.

Easter Baskets

2011-03-21T09:53:00.004-04:00

When my mom was here a few weeks ago, she brought Easter baskets for the girls. When I saw that they were unfinished, I got a little nervous. I am not the super crafty type and the things I do make tend to not look the way I wanted to. I knew that I really had to put in an effort to make the girls' baskets look great so that they would last through the years.

I searched the internet for pictures of baskets (because I am a very visual person) and stumbled into Martha Stewart world. I found these baskets. I thought they were so cute and surely I could do this.

So I started with these.

Added a little paint.

And then added the fabric lining.

Then came the flowers. I originally wanted to do the whole basket with flowers, but thought that this looked great.

I thought I was done, but it seemed like something was missing. I went through my box of leftover things and found two little butterflies. They were perfect!

I asked Haley which one she wanted, so she has claimed the pink one and Emily's is the yellow/orange one. I have to say that I am pretty proud of myself for doing this. So, thank you mom for the baskets, Martha for the idea, and Zach for watching the girls so I could do this for them.

Beach

2011-03-17T13:42:00.004-04:00

Last week we were planning on going to the beach. Bags were packed and everyone was in their swimsuits. Zach was getting the car started, but the battery was dead. No beach. Haley was so excited about going and we didn't want to disappoint her, so we improvised a little by getting out the sprinkle mats (IN MARCH!).

Haley thought it would be fun to drink the water.

Haley was splashing the water making Emily laugh. It was hilarious!

The next day we did end up making it to the beach. It was a little cooler and windier than we had thought, so we stayed long enough for Haley to get her beach fix.

At times it was a little loud because the jets were in the air, one of the benefits of going to the beach at the Navy base.

Braving the cool water with Daddy.

It was a good day.

Grammy's Visit

2011-03-16T13:20:00.004-04:00

Last week we were very lucky to have my mom come and visit us. She stayed for just over a week, but to me the trip was way too short.

Grammy got lots of kisses from her grand-daughters.

Every night Haley would get on the phone with Grammy and help her call Grandpa Glen. Haley doesn't usually enjoy talking on the phone, she just likes being a part of the excitement.

While she was here, Grammy even made ice cream sodas (the kind she made when I was growing up). Haley LOVED it!

We had lots of fun running around with Grammy and taking her to Haley's music and mommy and me class. There were also lots of trips to the park. It was so wonderful having my mom here for a few days. It's been hard being this far apart from family. I hated saying goodbye, but I know that it will only be three short months before we see Grammy again!

Grammy and her girls.