Thanksgiving 2008

An attempt at a family photo (someone not looking... )

What a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a great week of hanging out with family, decorating the house for Christmas and eating lots of yummy food. We have so much to be thankful for this year. I wont go on and on in a list of what we are thankful for, but I do want remember how thankful I am to have 2 sweet little girls. God has given us more than we could have ever imagined. And we couldn't be more thankful.

Most the week was spent with my older brother, Bryan, my sister-in-law, Becky and their little one, Jackson! Jackson is just 3 weeks younger than Emma. They were so cute together. It will be so much fun as they get older to celbrate holidays. If they only lived a little closer.

Bryan, Becky and baby Jackson

Thanksgiving morning Adam, Bryan, Becky and I got up to go run the Turkey Trot. If you have never been to the Turkey Trot in Dallas you are missing the best way to start Thanksgiving. 40,000+ people come to run or walk before they dig into that turkey! I've done it several times... I guess its sort of a family tradition. But this is the first year I really ran. Sure I've run it before, but not like this past Thursday. My goal (after my last 5K) was to finish in under 30 minutes, but really in my head I wanted to finish in 27 minutes... getting my mile down to 9 minutes. Well like I said there are A LOT of people at the Turkey Trot, so I knew my goal would be tough. And it was. I finished at 29 minutes and 40 seconds. Which I was super happy with. Since most of the race I was weaving in between people, dogging dogs and strollers, and people walking SUPER slow. They really need to break up the runners and walkers... its practically dangerous. But I'm running in another 5K on Saturday (one that is much smaller) so I'm hoping to finish in under 27 minutes there. I'll let you know.

As for the rest of the day, it was great. Adam and a lot of my extented family went to the Cowboys game and they met up with us later. The rest of us (mainly the girls and my dad) went to my dad's side of the family, then my mom's side. This is pretty much every holiday in Dallas for us. Busy but fun. Anyway, here are a FEW cute pictures of the week.

Emma enjoying turkey and peas... all gone... she must have liked it!

Grace and my cousin Lexi (Lexi is 8 months older than Grace!)

The little ones... Emma, Jackson and my cousin Audrey (yes my first counsin is 2 days older than Emma!)

And they didn't sit still for long...

Hope everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

emmy...

I know this isn't her 9 month update yet, but she has been doing so many new things that I had to write a little Emmy update...

Wow is this girl growing and fast. I've been meaning to post this video for over a week now, so I figured I better get to it! She has been pushing a walker for at least a couple weeks and loving it. (Btw... yes that is Grace in the background and that pretty much sums up my days... if I'm giving attention to one of them, then the other wants it too!)

She has also stood holding onto nothing a couple times this past week. OH no... I hope that means walking isn't too soon. I'm not ready for her walk... or better yet run. So hopefully I have at least a couple more months to wait! (This was the best picture I could get... she doesn't stand for long!)

Oh we are also moving towards table foods. Emma has never been a true fan of baby food... pretty much only eating what I could force down her throat, but she LOVES table food. She has eaten everything I've given her including black beans, avacado, peas, green beans, corn, shredded cheese, applesauce, deli meat, and even a little pasta. I'm so happy b/c I really hate baby food... maybe that is why my girls have never really liked it. Besides the fruits have you ever tasted that stuff! YUCK! Oh and don't ever try the meats... I wont even give those to my girls b/c they smell terrible!!

And my sweet nephew, Jackson, is here is for the Thanksgiving holiday. Emma and Jackson are so stinkin cute together! So fun that they are only a few week apart in age!! More pictures to come of these two...

Flashback Friday

Grace Fall 2007...I love this one.

girls

So yeah I think its kind of fun to compare photos of the girls when they were about the same ages.

I was snapping a couple pictures the other morning of Emma crawling and I remembered I had pictures of Grace that were simular. Definitly sisters! But they are starting to look different to me... what do you think?

Grace - 7 months

Emma - 8 months

Thanksgiving feast

One of the things I like most about Grace being in school is she gets to experience all sorts of fun and different things that we might not do at home.

Sure we celebrate Thanksgiving and thank God daily for all our blessings.

But not at a little toddler size table with her homemade place mat with her friends while eating turkey rolls up, cheese cubes and fruit. Precious.

They even made turkey centerpieces.

Oh and watching them all say their prayer before they ate... I wish I video taped it! All 11 kids listening and repeating their teachers and practically yelling AMEN when their done eating.

Oh how I hope I can remember her little feast she had when she is grown. She is growing so fast. (You know only a couple months and she will be THREE!) Until then I'll hold onto the memories that we are making with our little 2 year old.

i love hats

even more when they are on a cute little blue eyed baby...

birthday fun

First off, thank you all for your sweet birthday cards/emails/calls/comments! My 29th birthday was wonderful. Birthdays are so much more fun when they are on the weekend!

Friday during the day I had over some friends and they brought me some yummy cupcakes!

Then Adam and I enjoyed a nice dinner (alone) on Friday. Thanks mom and dad for watching the girls. It is so nice to have a dinner where you don't feel rushed. Having kids out to dinner is like having a time bomb... and you just don't know when its going to go off (thankfully that doesn't happen too often with us).

The rest of the weekend was fun too. My mom took me shopping. I love that! Makes me feel like I'm in high school again and my mom is helping pick out clothes and she is buying... even better :)

Then last night I went out to dinner with a bunch of my neighbors. Have I told you how much I love our neighborhood. It's like we hit the jackpot for awesome neighbors. Everyone is about the same age and most of us have young kids which makes it nice. Lots of friendships to hopefully last for years to come.

The birthday girls (yes 3 of us had birthdays within a 2 week period!)

The whole group... a couple girls couldn't make it, but hopefully the can next time b/c we had so much fun!!

29 and holding

Today I turn 29 years young. Wow. I remember thinking (not very long ago) that 29 was pretty darn old. I know it isn't really old, but some days... especially after a long day... I feel old.

When I stop and take a look around at my life I tear up. God has given me so much in my short life of 29 years. I feel so blessed and lucky to have 2 beautiful little girls and an amazing husband. I have a beautiful home and a nice car, great neighbors and wonderful friends. What more could a girl ask for.

I'm not much for birthdays... for some reason I always get into a funk on my birthday... but this year I think that's changing. I think I really just don't like all the hoopla. But I do love birthday wishes. My granny is best about birthday wishes. She sends me a card every year... never fails... and she has the mail system down such a science that I normally get my birthday card on the right day. Pretty amazing huh.

Anyway, so I'm rambling. But I wanted to remember this day. Only 1 more year in my 20's... weird to think that. I know I'm getting older everyday... I have 2 growing girls to remind me!

Christmas

Jingle Bells

Jingle Bells
Jingle all the way!

Okay so maybe its just a little early for Christmas shirts, but I saw something like this and had to have them. Since the ones I saw were $25/each I thought maybe I could make it. So I suggested it to my neighbor, Jenny, and she helped me make them! She has the coolest craft room (yes a whole room just for crafting) and the nicest sewing machine. She is such a great teacher!! Thanks again Jenny! I look forward to our next project... :)

(Oh and just in case you are wondering... that is how Grace's hair looks when she gets up in the morning!)

She sews!

One of my sweet new neighbors, Jenny, made a super cute smocket for her daughter. And I just had to have one for my girls! She was so very kind to come over and teach me how to make them. I'm hooked! She just came over Friday and I've already finished another set (still to take pictures of). Anyway, if you sew or not really (like me... I can hem or simple stuff) you should try it. It does take a while ... took me about 2 hours per smocket.

Anyway, here are the girls! Maybe I should make all their clothes. Or not. :) Thanks so much Jenny! I really enjoyed hanging out!

Front view (they are reversible too... so I did the opposites for the girls)Back view (Aren't they cute!)

Oh and its called a smocket because its a smock (an old fashion apron) with a pocket... aka smocket!

8 months!

Today you are 8 months old little Miss Emmy!

You still continue to be our sweet happy baby except when its time to eat or sleep. You are into everything that is not for you. I look away for seconds and you are gone... off to play in the toilet or destroy Grace's puzzles... but when I find you, you couldn't be happier!

Here is what else you are up this month:

*You have 2 bottom teeth! And I think you might even be starting to work on the top teeth.

*You weight about 17lbs.

*You are eating more baby food (YEAH!) with your favorite being pears.

*You have also tried a few table foods like peas and carrots and you seem to like them, but don't really get it yet. Hopefully soon.

*You can push a walker and will even move from one object to another. No real steps yet, but honestly I can wait for that!

*You are napping twice a day and sleeping okay at night. You were our rock star sleeper until more recently your wake up time seems to be getting earlier and earlier and day light savings did not help! Hopefully this month we can get you back to sleeping 11 hours at night so mommy can have her sleep too!

*You love to play peek-a-boo and love to be sang to. Your favorite song is patty cake!

*Oh and the best news of all is I *think* you might have said your first word... "dada"... you have only said a couple times in the last 24 hours, but I really think that is what you are saying. Overall though you are typically quiet and only talk/scream/cry when you sister is invading your space!

run Lisa run

... so Adam and I ran the 5K this morning. It felt really good. I ran it in 31 minutes, which was a minute over my goal. I hit a bit of a wall the last 1/2 mile, but Adam pulled me through. I think being the morning after a busy Halloween evening didn't help... including the frito pie, banana pudding & beer I drank last night. I could feel every bit of it this morning. Next time spaghetti and going to sleep earlier are in order. That said, we are signed up for the Dallas Turkey Trot. I've done the trot many times over the years... probably 10 times... I've run before, but I've walked the last couple times. So right now my goal for the turkey trot is 28 minutes. My older brother (who is a runner) said to shave off 90 seconds would be good especially with the big crowds. So we will see. Gotta have a goal right?!

Halloween party!

I almost forgot to post pictures of the Halloween Party we went to last weekend. I didn't want to post before Halloween b/c then you would have seen the girls costumes. Anyway, here are the fun pictures... Adam and I were Christmas carolers!