Little Apple

Ida turned five.

Purple blankie is worn and tattered but better to her than the day she first loved it.

She still loves clothes and shoes and shopping.

She loves riding her bike, holding her breath in the swimming pool and pushing Urban in his stroller.

She likes putting on lotion with Mom, doing yard work with Dad and playing in the sandbox with Emerson.

She loves playing with her dolls in her dollhouse.

She is really great at being funny, won't pass up the chance to side under the front tree for a lunchtime picnic and practices running indoors and out. 

When she grows up, she says she wants to be chef.

Ida throughout the years:

newborn

Age 1

Age 2 (She was scared of her birthday morning picture)

Age 3

Age 4

Age 5

She eventually decided on a butterfly and stuck with it.

Mr. Dowtown was pretty mellow about the whole birthday scene.



Grandpa came to enjoy Ida's birthday with her.

Emerson had asked her earlier in the day who was coming to her birthday.

She said, "Grandpa."

"That's it?" asked Emerson.

"That's the only person I want here," said Ida. 

Ida whispered to Josh, "Mom is an awesome cook."

  

When Grandpa came for Emerson's birthday, he couldn't help but check our Emerson's 3-D shark book.  And, it was no different for Ida's birthday.  He had so much fun taking this picture with Emerson that he bounced up and down giggling in his chair for a good four minutes while begging Ida to come try.  I should have taken a picture of that.

Ida is very into girly things.  She has wanted these ballet slippers for a while.  She put them on with her make-shift outfit and told me to go on the porch and take her picture.  It is like she was planning it.  She ripped the shoes off by the end of the night because they were making her feet sore....the nerve.

urban and big fern

Urban is seven months old today.  Wow.  I am having a hard time wrapping my head around that statement.

Here he is at six, five, four, three, two, one and birth.

What does he do and not?

*He has changed his mind about liking bananas.  Now he does.

*He army crawls and is still working on his regular crawl.

*He sleeps through the night from 7 pm to 7 am!  WOOT!

*He likes going on vacation.

*He looks for his brother and sister after he wakes from his naps.

*He loves to eat paper.

*He likes to be sung to and will sing back.

*Any food goes, except peaches.

friendship pins

I have made it a point to be organized this summer with activities for the kids.

So far so good!

Our project last week was making friendship pins like I used to make as a kid.

Little Apple is insanely infatuated with them.

She is so cool!

The multi-colored pin is from Applette and the patriotic pin is from Emerson.

Running is starting to become my thing.  I am now going for 30 minute jogs and hope to keep improving over the summer and see where it takes me.  These friendship pins are perfect to put on my running shoes as company or to even make me run faster!  Perhaps they will bring me good luck. That is if I can use my running shoes in the next few days.

Maybe I should have pinned them to my sandals......I sure did need them today at Walmart.  I don't get our much by myself, so when I do, I make it a goal to make one stranger smile through conversation and one through service.  Today's service hurt.  While helping a man with his shopping cart, it ran over and bloodied my big toenail and may lose it!  I DO NOT like that.  That has happened to me once before in the past during soccer season.  They take forever to grow back and I am bummed.

Here are my completely justified woes:

1.  It hurt and hurts

2.  It is sandal season and my toe is ugly.

3.  Running may be put on hold.  BOOOOO!

The tragedy happened at the beginning of my shopping trip leaving me to walk my bloodied foot to the pharmaceutical aisle, snag some bandages and limp to the bathroom to clean myself up.  Once arriving I was instantly helped by an middle-aged Hispanic women, who I really wouldn't have minded taking home.  She insisted I go home, drug up and go to bed.  I LOVE her.  

I didn't follow her advice seeing as I don't have many nights available to shop sans chickies, but instead powered through and started and finished the shopping.  Gosh, I wish PeaPod grocery delivery were available in the boonies!  My cousin clued me into the fantastic idea and after tonight's events, I am ready to call PeaPod and do some begging to add our small little town to their service list.

When I got home from the store I was feeling sorry for myself and I let Josh know.  I let him know again for good measure and suggested I sleep in in the morning to help cheer me up.

Good idea, don't you think?

  

Wallpaper Talk--Favorite Vacation

I'm sola this week.

Having two weeks between question and answer on top of it being the summer months makes Wallpaper homework hard to remember.

I understand.

We will see how next week goes.  If everyone is ready to be done with the wallpaper, we will take a break and maybe bring it back when the snow starts dropping and there is more indoor time on our hands.:)

UPDATE: Vacations have been added

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Question:  What has been your favorite vacation?

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Seeing as we just got back from a vacation that was very relaxing and extremely fun, I will share pictures from our most recent.

But, as a side note, I did go on two great vacation's with Laura in high school and college.  One to California and one to Florida.  They were both REALLY great.  I went with my friends while in high school to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico our senior year and that was a hoot.  Josh and I haven't been on any huge, planned out vacations.  Usually spur of the moment trips to Texas and Arizona.  They are always fun.

I do want to go to Nashville.

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Anyway, our annual family vacation was so great this year.  The weather was perfect, once it cleared up the first morning we were there.  Then, our days were spent on the beach and around the fire.

Everyone enjoyed some fishing. 

Swimming and boating.

 

 

   

 

Cousin B loved sharing her Twizzlers with Urban.  I figured it was vacation and a little Twizzler gumming wouldn't hurt.

He was more than sizzlin' mad at me when I took it away.

  

  

 

The men.

I forgot to organize a little birthday party for Ida last year and I felt terrible. 

This years party was a huge hit!

I got the cake idea on Pinterest.

Ida told her Uncle Mike that "Mommy made the best cake EVER!"

Hearing that couldn't make a mom feel any better. 

I am surprised I pulled it off so well seeing as I made that tower in our cabin.

 

 

 

We are excited for next year!

   

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STOP THE PRESSES!!!

Dearest Wallpapertalk,

I'm late! Better later than never, right?

I have 2 favorite vacations.

1. Las Vegas. I've been 2 times. It is so much fun.

My favorite place to stay is the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Because it has this:
Lots of pools. You never have to fight for a chair!:)

  

And because it has this: A wave pool!

Along with a lazy river.

I LOVE Vegas because you can also see-

at Caesars Palace
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2nd favorite vacation....Chicago Miracle Mile over Labor Day weekend.

If you love shopping and want a big city feel without the intimidation of the big city grind, this is the place for you! Chicago is CLEAN, fun, and the people are friendly. Not to mention the shopping is GREAT!

I have been here 3 times, and after leaving, all 3 times I have tried convincing my better half into moving there. We can't afford it!

And, to end my adventures in Chicago, I would like to state that I walked the whole Miracle Mile in these shoes. My feet paid the price in the end, but I looked so good walkin' that mile!:)

See you next week (on time)-Emily
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 Question: What are 3-6 characteristics you feel you got from your mom and from your dad?

(Of course, do whatever number you are comfortable with.) 

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