While the Cat's Away..

Tripp is finally home from Portland, but today, he's at the fire station, so we are still really missing him around here. But I wanted to post some pictures and videos of some of the fun things we did while he was gone. I tried to make the 5 days pass quickly by doing some fun and special things.

This first video is of Lucy PLAYING! Our mellow and timid dog has never shown an interest in playing, but we discovered that she will go crazy for the toy lawn mower! I let the video go on for too long (something I'm known for, but can't seem to learn when to shut it off!).

These next pictures I took when Emily was giving out free hugs. She is so sweet. Usually her hugs are accompanied by a kiss as well.

This was a sweet scene with Casey laying on the floor by the dog, petting her head then Emily came and sat on his back. I couldn't get to my camera in time, before the dog got up. But I got Casey and Em. Then they started a piggy back ride fest!

One of the nights, I let the boys sleep in my bed with me. This particular night, we had a big monsoon blow through. So I let them sleep with me so that I wasn't scared they weren't scared. First, though, we had to tell some knock, knock jokes:

One night, Casey and Emily were playing on my bed. I kept hearing Emily do this belly laugh! I captured a bit of it on video.

After a while, I didn't hear them anymore, so I went to find them. It was really quiet, so I was very concerned! I went all the way back into my closet and saw these little feet peeking out.

Why is mom's closet always such a fun place to hide? Tripp remembers hiding in his mom's closet when he was little too!

I just love how Casey and Emily play together lately. She calls for him, "DeeDee! Mon!" Casey, come on! And he responds, "okay, Em, Em!"

We also did some baking, but I didn't get pictures of that. I made granola bars, but wasn't impressed with the recipe I tried. I also made no-bake cookies. Unfortunately, none of the kids liked them. Oh well. They still had fun pouring and mixing!

Though this was a long 5 days, I truly enjoyed my kids! We swam almost everyday and I didn't worry about getting my "mom hair" wet. I didn't try to get too much done around the house (Tripp is saying, "what's new?") :-) I just had fun playing with my chit-lins! Sure love these guys!!

So Pretty!

Today Tripp left for Portland to finish up the unfinished basement of some friends. He started this project probably a year ago. I think this is the last time he'll need to go. But he'll be gone for 5 days so I'm trying to come up with some fun things to do with the kids while he's gone. It's been REALLY hot here. About 115 today and tomorrow. So we don't like to go to too many places except the backyard to swim. I like to run errands in the morning because when you come back to your car it's only about 250 degrees rather than 350.

Anyway, it was Ryan's idea to pamper me this afternoon. He and Casey took turns doing my hair. Then I decided to let them have a go at making me up. What do you think?

Casey was in charge of blush and lipstick. Do you like the vampire-ish line going down my face? And I don't know if you can tell that there are massive amounts of blush all over my cheeks too!

Ryan was in charge of eyeshadow and he touched up my lipstick - it's a good thing, right?


It was Ryan's idea that I hold something pretty and pose with my hand up by my face like that. He even acted it out so I'd know what he wanted me to do.


Then it was time for a silly face!

Then it was Casey's turn to take some pictures

We tried to take one with Lucy, but she got cut out of the picture

We had a lot of fun! Ryan says we should do this more often. He suggested maybe next time we could do it to Daddy! Well, minus the hair clips. I highly reccomend this activity to beat the heat and summer boredom!

My Birthday

So let me just start by saying that I'm so happy that Tripp got our computer working again. He is a problem solving genius. He doesn't quit until he figures it out.

On Tuesday morning, our power went out which causes our computer to not want to turn back on without removing the side panel, unplugging a few things then plugging them back in and restarting it. I did not know the "protocol" for this and Tripp couldn't explain it to me (as he was at the fire station that day). So I was without my beloved internet all of Tuesday. By the end of the day I had the shakes. After I put the kids to bed, I was beside myself. I didn't know what to do! Nothing was on TV that I was interested in, so I think I just went to bed.

Well, while at the station, Tripp hacked onto my blog and posted the previous post. Wow. What a great husband I have. Scroll down to read it after you finish here. So when he got home from the station, he began trying to get the computer to turn back on. Which he did, but then our mouse didn't work and he couldn't figure out why. So he told me that my "birthday card" was a post on my blog from him. Well, now I HAD to get to a computer! So thankfully, my sweet friend who lives a couple blocks away, let me use hers after we had coffee at Starbuck's.

Anyway, for my birthday surprise, we went to dinner, which wasn't really a surprise, I knew about that part. The surprise was what was to follow dinner! We hadn't decided on a restaurant yet, so we drove down 83rd Avenue off Bell Road because there are about 30 different eating establishments all in a row. We saw a place we'd never tried, called "The Tilted Kilt". We decided to give it a try. I was a little put off by the main entry doors, which have a stained glass bar maid barely dressed, holding a big pitcher of beer. "Huh", I thought, as we ventured through the doors. But if only I'd known that the doors were just a prelude to what was waiting for us just inside.

So we walk in and we're greeted by about 5 teenagers at the hostess stand. One of them, who might have actually been 12 years old, wearing toddler size clothing says, "Hi! How many?" I'm dumbfounded by their appearance and fight the urge to run right out of there and stammer, "Can we please see a menu?" So she hands me one. Tripp and I head to the door to pretend like we're looking at the menu and I tell him, "I'm not eating here!" Seriously, do you know what their "uniform" is in that place? It's a tiny piece of plaid fabric that barely covers their rear. The little girl who greeted us had a pierced navel with her hip bones protruding and the skirt is so low, I'm sure she has to shave her pubic hair (if 12 year olds can even grow pubic hair) to be able to wear it that low and the tops are plaid bras covered with a tiny white blouse that is tied right under the boobs. OH MY GOSH! I told Tripp, "sorry, but I'm not eating here, especially not on my birthday. We can go back for yours though!"

So we head on down the road and end up at the Elephant Bar. Which was a good choice, we both had really good drinks and dinners. Our waiter was a nice looking young man (am I 80? Did I really just call a guy in his 20s a "young man"?) wearing a long sleeve black button up shirt, slacks and apron. Much better, in my opinion.

For my surprise after dinner, he took me to Dolce Spa and Salon where he had scheduled pedicures for BOTH of us! I was shocked, but realized that is why he said I couldn't bring my camera with me on our date ;-) So it was fun and he scored husband points with that!

Here are a few pictures of us before we left and of our feet after we got home.

Tripp always says, as the summer progresses, "I'm golden". Clearly, you can see who is more golden, by the pictures! I tease him that I didn't realize "pasty" is a shade of golden.

Don't his toes look so nice? The gal buffed them!

happy birthday, Baby

My wife's birthday is a huge event, a month long event! Well, it was until Emily was born and now they share a birth month. So Amy's birthday has been REDUCED TO A WEEK LONG celebration. And don't tell her this, but she deserves it! All you Mom's out there know how special Moms and Wives are and you do not get half of the recognition that you deserve. So I hope that my wife has a special day filled with conversations with Meredith, laughter, coffee, dark chocolate, well- behaved children, and a husband with a servants heart. I am looking forward to our date tonight and have a little surprise (bigger than a 6-pack of Dr Pepper) planned for you. Love you and have a happy 21st birthday (for the 12th time).

A Scrappin' We Will Go!

Tomorrow afternoon, around 1:00, I'm outa here! For 2 and a half days and 3 nights, I will be scrapbooking in Scottsdale, at a hotel suite with Tripp's mom and sister and their friend. The 4 of us will be holed up, scrapping to our hearts content. No children to interupt, no husbands to ask when dinner will be ready. Just scrapbooking (and hairbraiding, my husband is sure we sit around and braid hair too). My MIL and SIL have been doing this for the past several years, every July. I've never been able to join them. This year, my MIL is making it my birthday present. Isn't she the best?

My birthday is July 15th (in case you all want to send me a birthday card!!) and it used to be a month long celebration. But now that I'm a mom and I share my birth month with my daughter, I'm lucky to make it a week long celebration! Aren't I a brat? Seriously, though. The "only child" in me really comes out around my birthday. My mom always made a big deal about my birthday. Once I was grown and out of the house, she always had to be the first one to call and wish me a happy birthday. So happy early birthday to me!

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Emily!

My Dear Sweet Emily,

How in the world are you 2 years old already? It doesn't seem possible that 2 years ago, on July 3, 2007 I was on my way to the hospital to give birth to you.

Then at 7:43pm, after delivering you with a failed epidural (only my entire left leg was numb), here you were!

You gave us quite a scare right after you were born. A few minutes after you came out, you stopped breathing and turned a horrible shade of gray. But the nurses got you breathing again right away and we were able to take you home 2 days later.

You were a ray of sunshine during an emotional time in our lives. My mom (your Mimi) had just gone to heaven to be with Jesus 4 weeks before you were born. Your middle name, Mary-Margaret, was Mimi's name. Though I was very sad and missed her so very much, you lit up my world!

You have been a thumb sucker since you were only a few days old! Even still today, you are devoted to your thumb and the blankie that Mimi made you.

You were born in Vancouver, Washington, but we moved to Phoenix when you were just 2 weeks old so Daddy could be a firefighter.

4 weeks old (with my Gram)

You were a good baby but you didn't want to sleep through the night until you were about 3 months old. I was up nursing you about every 3 hours for the first 3 months of your life.

September 2007 (wearing my Christening gown that Mimi had made)

October 2007 December 2007
January 2008

February 2008

Halloween 2007

You are so blessed to have 2 big brothers! They love you and watch out for you. I pray this is always true, though when you become a teenager, you may not appreciate it as much!

November 2007

May 2008

May 2008, finally crawling!

June 2008

Your first birthday wasn't a blessed event for you. You were pretty crabby about it!

But for your 2nd birthday, you were very into it! The theme for your party was Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street. You really like all Sesame Street characters, but we went with Abby because she is so girlie and the way you say "Abby" is so cute!

You are a bit like your biggest big brother, not wanting to touch the cupcake because your hands might get messy.

You kept the fairy wings and headband on for about 2.8 seconds

You really liked this stroller from your cousins. So much so, that you didn't want to take your hands off of it to check out the new kitchen that Nan and Papa got you!

I love that you are so into babies and dress-up

We didn't have your party on the day of your birthday, so on your actual birthday, we went to this fun place called "Busy Bodies" with Ms. Amie and Brooke who is just 4 months younger than you.
You loved this little trampoline!

I'm so thankful that the Lord brought you to us, to complete our family. I love watching you grow into a little girl. You have so much personality, albeit, sometimes overly dramatic. But I hear that the drama has yet to start and that I'll know real drama when you get a little older! But you are such a joy and such a mama's girl. I soak it up and welcome the "up monster". You always want, "up, up, up". You are talking so much now and even just in the last few days, have been saying sentences with 3 to 5 words in them! Just today in the car, on the way home from church, you asked a question that Casey always asks me, "Mama, who sings this?" You like to have your back tickled and just like your brothers, you lift up your shirt and say, "mew gee-co" (more tickle).

I look forward to watching you grow from a toddler to a little girl. I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for you. I pray that you will know Him in a real way someday and live your life for Him.

I love you, Little Miss. Please don't grow too fast.