Christmas tree

Saturday we went to Lowes in Roseville to get a Christmas tree. Growing up we always went to a Christmas tree farm, but after the Charlie Brown Christmas trees at the farms in Texas, we have just been getting them in town somewhere. I'm always nervous about doing things like this...you know, trying to have a nice family outing to make good memories, but this time we actually did have a nice family outing. Emma said she wanted a tree that was bigger than Daddy, so that's what we got. We looked around at all the Christmas decorations, Emma loved looking at all the giant Frozen decorations. And we finally picked our tree. We put it in the van and went home. When we got home we decorated it, which was also very exciting for Emma, who kept asking to put up the 'starlights.' She loved the ornaments, and is still having trouble leaving them alone. When Landon (he isn't quite 2 yet) she told him, "don't touch our Christmas, we just made it. " We had a good day, and a good, relaxing Thanksgiving weekend. 

Wearing the Christmas guy hat.

Relaxing before heading out. 

That one? Nah

This one!

Helping Daddy

She got to sit by the tree.

Picking a tree is hard work

All done!

Thanksgiving morning

We had a low key Thanksgiving here. Emma helped me make homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast, then we watched the parade. We had pizza for dinner with pumpkin pie. We also watched lots of football and took naps. I got a bad headache about lunchtime so I was glad I didn't have to cook a big meal. 

My little 'helper'

Emmaloved the parade. She danced with every act. 

Watching the parade with her is so much fun. 

She also loved the balloons.

Making faces with Daddy

Emma and Daddy were making faces at each other the other day. Emailed to be a copycat, so Daddy gave her lots to copy. 

She wouldn't make an ice Dave for me.

Tired girl

It appears I spoke too soon...Emma was in fact not done with her 4:30AM wake ups. So she had to get in a couple cat naps to make until the end of the day. But we survived. 

Football and cars

Today was a good day, but a little busier than usual. Chapel is at 9 now, which we like, but it makes the rest of the day seem longer. We got our TV fixed for the World Series, and honestly I don't have any desire to watch it...except on Sunday's to watch some football. So today Emma and I watched a little while Daddy was working out. She gets confused sometimes, calling it baseball. And then tonight a NASCAR race was on when ore game was supposed to be in, so we watched racing...which she oddly liked. But in between games we 'helped' Steven work on the truck. Emma loves to 'help' us wth whatever's we are doing. And he was nice and even let her turn the wrench a couple times. The she had to get her 'banger,' aka hammer. Mans she hammered everything she could, just to make sure it would all stay together. While he was finishing the new guy got to bar and stopped by, so Steven went with him and got him settled. Emma fell asleep on me watching football...which she seems to be doing. Her sleep seems to be regulating, and by that I mean she hasn't been waking up at 4:30AM. But she also can't seem to make it all day without falling asleep. Sometime she just needs a catnap, like today. But days like yesterday it becomes obvious she does still need naps sometimes. She didn't get a nap and was extremely tired by dinner, which she didn't eat and then fell asleep on my lap at 6:30. But we got to watch a whole movie, so it worked out. :)

Update....guess what time Emma woke up this morning!? 4:25AM....guess I shouldn't have spoken so soon. :(

Relaxing, watching football with Mom

Watching Daddy 

Checking out the manual

Helping Daddy

Using her hammer

Crawled up on my lap and went to sleep

Daddy's office

Steven has a new job, which I think involves working on the accreditation for the fire department here on base. He supposedly answers to Chief, and the nice part is that when his work is done he can leave for the day. He finally has an office of sorts, only a few people at the fire department actually have their own real office and computer, but he found a place to do his work at least. So after the Thanksgiving dinner for CE (civil engineering squadron), we hung out in his 'office.' These pictures aren't the greatest, but I will post a few anyway.

Being silly

Copy cat

Always wants to use the phone. 

Also...a few sillies: 

Yesterday Emma did not get enough sleep the night before and woke up literally asking me to sing the Twelve Disciples at 6am. I told her to wait a little and then I would, but apparently it was the end of the world. 

For Christmas apparently she wants a teddy bear and candy canes. 

And when she saw our neighbors Christmas decorations, she said, "look, a snowman! And...a Christmas guy!" Aka Santa Claus. 

Awana

Emma went to Awana tonight at a church in Lincoln with a friend, Carter. She wasn't sure at the beginning, but they gave her an Olaf figurine at the end so she said she liked it and wanted to go back. She was mostly very excited when I picked her up. It made me miss San Angelo, as the Fishers would have been her cubby leaders. She does have a few friends from chapel who go to Awana her, so hopefully that helps her. 

Here she is being recognized for being new, and Carter for inviting her. 

Beautiful day at the park

Today Steven got up with Emma so I could sleep in, so I had a late run. It was so nice out by the time we left, I may just change my running time. We stopped by the park since it was such a nice day....Emma has a great time. 

This is her posing 

Jesus loves me

So Emma loves to sing...she can get a song stuck in her head and sing whichever words she knows over and over and over again. Today she started singing Jesus Loves Me, which was good. Except that I needed  to break through her own little singing world. I was cleaning up her things and told her repeatedly to pick up some specific toys. But what do you do? I was about to say, " if you don't stop singing Jesus Loves Me you will be in trouble," but really, I couldn't say that. So I just let her finish. Eventually she came back into the real world and she did pick up her toys. 

Anna braids

She got a tiara at the dentist 

She asked for a nap so I let her...she needed it. But then she couldn't sleep at bedtime...this was after she came downstairs at 9.

Goodbye

Today we took Grandma and Grandpa Bency to the airport. We stopped at IHOP for lunch before we dropped them off. Emma sure does love them...and being silly. 

Papa Steve and Gloria

So while Grandma and Grandpa Bency have been here, Emma, being the little mimic that she is, has been calling us Hope and Steven, in stead of Zmommy and Daddy. We correct her, but she has great fun with names anyway. For example, for quite some time she has found it very funny to call everyone, including random strangers in the commissary, Papa Steve. So grandma and grandpa (Bency) just started calling her funny names too, like Gloria or Grace. She thinks it's hilarious. And for the record, she called the real Papa Steve 'Papa Mike,' you know because she couldn't call him his real name...that wouldn't be funny. 

Here she is yesterday being silly with Daddy....apparently it was raining inside.

The Ocean

Did I mention that our room/house was across the street from the ocean? We stayed at a rental house thing with 3 bedrooms and a great view of the ocean. Emma especially loved looking at it. She asked to see it first thing when we woke up the first morning...it was too dark to see by the time we got to the coast Thursday night . She loved watching the waves, assigning them names by how big they were...big daddy ones, mommy ones, or little Emma waves. It's so much fun for her to see all these new things. I was 14 the first time I saw the ocean, which I have now seen a total of 6 times...I'm keeping track. 

Chillin at the beach house

Pretending to sleep

Daddy and Emma

Walking to the beach

Looking for seashells

Found you a seagull, Tory!

Walking on the beach...she didn't want to get too close to the water..and was very concerned for Daddy

We have a first aid kit that is not helpful for bee stings, but it did have binoculars in it, which Emma loved.

I took some videos so we could listen to the sound of the ocean later....