A little Baby Love

My friend is having a baby boy in October and the shower is toomorrow. I thought a pod swaddler and some burp cloths were the perfect gifts to make her.



After Dinner Serenade

I do dishes while the kids sing...I just love it! I can see the back porch from the sink and also hear the kids through the back door. They play band several times a week using the racquetball racket-guitar and roasting stick-microphone. Emerson Ida band....that's a great name for a band, don't you think?

Letter Hunt

There just so happens to be 23 sidewalk squares and three steps leading to our front door....that makes 26, right? The teacher in me, which has been dormant since the birth of Emerson 4 years ago, also knows that there are 26 letters in the alphabet, so let's play a game. The kids had a blast running back and forth standing on the letter I called out to them.

Emerson gave Ida a hand at first. She was feeling a little letter shy. But she warmed up quickly and was infatuated with the letters "Q" and "Z."

Here is some letter love.

The letter champ!

So SWEET!

Hurricane Ike threw a twist to our anniversary tradition last year when he almost rained out Toby Keith and Montgomery Gentry, but we stuck it out in our rain suits and it turned out to be a great night. The rain cleared up, Toby was awesome, and we had the most fun ever! Well, Josh topped last year's concert. I never thought he would be able to do it. I mean, how do you beat Toby Keith and Montgomery Gentry? The answer: Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry, SUGARLAND, and Kenny Chesney! How did that happen? I would have been won over with Sugarland alone, but happy for me, they were a package deal. To top things off we were inside and didn't have to think about the rain one bit!

Here is a picture of the best babysitter ever! We don't know what we would do without Grandpa coming to babysit every now and then. The kids just LOVE him and he really plays some fun things with them. I love coming home and hearing the stories of the night: Grandpa taking "Grandpa bites" of his tomato with dinner, playing store with Grandpa's pennies, running the loop in the house messing up Grandpa's hair, and hearing how Grandpa tucked them into bed.

The boots of the night......they have been waiting since last year to go to a concert with me!:)

Traffic was INSANE! Josh felt terrible when we got there late and I missed Lady Antebellum. I was sad, but then thought....I bet we will get a little "Lady" in our concert next year. So, the night started with Miranda Lambert.

Then things got totally crazy with Montgomery Gentry. They were just as awesome as last year. I just love Eddie Montgomery and T Roy. They are great story tellers and just awesome.

Things got absolutely CRAZY when Sugarland came out. I can NOT believe I was there. It was so stinkin' AWESOME! If you have ever thought about going to see Sugarland, all I can say is GO! They are SO fun in concert.

I thought the place was going to blow up when Kenny came riding down a cable above the crowd. He seemed genuinely happy to be there...really nice guy. Talking to the crowd, taking gifts, and making sure everyone was having fun.

Thank you again, Josh, for making our anniversary so awesome. I can't stop laughing at the idea of us being 80 year old, concert-going, rowdy folks. Love you.

We love you, driveway!

I always dreamed as a little girl of watching my kids ride their bikes in the driveway while I played the part as "gas station." Today was just perfect! Thank you, driveway.

Is It Possible To Gift Thanksgiving?

I think Thanksgiving Day is probably the best gift you could possible give someone, don't you? Doesn't Thanksgiving Day just make you feel so giddy and kiddish inside? But, I obviously can't give Thanksgiving Day to my dear friend, and because she doesn't live close enough to bake her a turkey, I decided to make her an apron. I hope she pulls it out whenever she makes a feast and thinks of the fun we have had visiting and chowing together.

I apologize

To Ida: Why haven't we done pony braids before during your whole 3 year life? We should play hair more often.

To Emerson: For leaving you to fight a moppy head for 4 years. I don't know that I am totally used to you with really short hair, probably because you look older and mom's don't like to think of their kids growing up. You probably feel much cooler in this summer heat. And why didn't I try this before family pictures? Oh well, thanks for being patient with me.

ChIcKeN LiCkIn' GoOd!

No matter what time of year, the kids LOVE Chicken soup and it is always SO lickin' good! This time the kids helped me make the noodles and cut them out using cookie cutters. It was a deliciously entertaining meal.

Happy Anniversary!!

".....Our love's the only truth

That's why I run to you.....

And when it all starts coming undone

Baby you're the only one I run to

I run to you, I run to you"

~Lady Antebellum "I run to you"

Dear Josh,

"Oklahoma" taught me so many things about our relationship. Best lessons: My love for you grows wheather you are with me or in another state, I need your humor, your determination facinates me, and our relationship is not going ANYWHERE! You have been my best friend for 12 years and will be for many more to come. I will always run to you.

Love,

Mellissa

One down, one to go!

I finally finished Emerson's quilt. It has been a work in progress that I started way before our move and finally finished it for the little guy. Emerson chose what animals he wanted parading across the front and he thinks it is the coolest thing ever! And, he told me I am "the best sewer he knows." What a great little guy he is. Ida's quilt is next!

"Camp Firing Is Awesome! Yeps!"-Emerson and Ida

We had a very busy Monday planned, but before we knew it, every plan fell through. But not to worry, we were only disappointed for a second before the word "smores" snuck out of Emerson's mouth. He has been dying to stoke a fire and "camp" in the back yard. Ida wasn't far behind. And so the "camp-firing" began. I had gotten everything ready earlier in the day for a huge spaghetti dinner to make plan A run more smoothly, but seeing as spaghetti didn't fit into plan B, it stayed in the fridge and we ate hot dogs, pasta salad, and smores instead. Plan B's can be SO fun. This has topped every summer activity we have done so far..........except daddy coming home.

 

 

I'm 5'8'' so....

I have officially grown a beast! Brandywine tomotoes are welcome in our garden every year.

And, this juicy guy was part of our delicious dinner. I am LOVING the monsterous garden this year. My bean plants are going crazy as well. I have picked 4 buckets so far and it looks like I will be picking another small bucket tomorrow. Dream...pickled beans! Oh, how yummy! But, probably brown buttered beans......oh so good!