Friends

Emma goes to Awana on Wednesday nights with several of her friends from PWOC. She loves them. Last Wednesday night they all got an award, so they went up on stage. Emma had to stand by her friend Joy. I'm pretty sure over half the Cubbies class is from base. :) 

On Thursday we went to Color Me Mine, a paint your own pottery place with some friends, who yes, we're also at Awana. When I told her who we were going with, she said,"Cole! He's nice to me, they all are nice to me. I like them." She sure does love her friends, and was sad when we had to go for dance class.

We have been very blessed at Beale with wonderful friends...other times Steven was deployed we felt very isolated, so we don't take these people for granted. 

Joy is behind her. Clara and Elise on either side. And a couple more in there somewhere.

When they get an award they get to pick a prize. Emma picked a bunny. 

I ordered her some new magnets since her's were falling apart.

Her plate that she painted. We pick up the finished product next week.

Cole wanted in on the picture, too. They loved  playing on the outdoor play area at the mall. Even if it was raining. 

When you jump on these it makes music. 

Mom, look, I'm hanging!

Busy Wednesday

This mornings by we had PWOC like normal , and a board meeting after. Then we came home for some quiet time and got to talk to/violently hug (the phone) Daddy. Emma was very excited to see him. :)  She told that me her dollies were crying in their beautiful house because they missed their Daddy because he was in Texas and they loved him. :( so we FaceTimed with him. She really is doing well, the first couple days were a little off, but we are getting into our routine. Today at PWOC her friends helped her dress up in this: 

Like Daddy!

This afternoon we ran some errands, including stopping by housing to make fruit pizzas. 

Emma ate all of hers. And we got Pepper some treats, too. But apparently it was exhausting because this is what she is doing now:

I'm letting her sleep. We have Awana tonight so it will be s late night. 

Pretty

Aunt Suzanne sent Emma a package...she loves getting presents. :) in it was this dress. So Emma had to put it on, and then asked to skype with someone to show them. We FaceTimed Grandma Connie and she twirled around for her. She then asked to "call Daddy to show him how pretty I am." So we did. Technology is a beautiful thing. Side note, I did not want smart phones a year ago, or whenever we got them, but now there is just no price you can put on being able to FaceTime Daddy at the drop of the hat.

Chatty Emma

So...a few days before Steven left, Emma woke up very chatty. Well, when Daddy woke up, at least. Maybe she knew he was leaving and had to get ALL her words out before he left. Although, she didn't stop talking in the car, or for the next couple days. It was hilarious, we couldn't get a word in. I wonder where she gets it. ;)

Puzzle girl

Emma got a few puzzles for Christmas, and since we did potty training right after Christmas, she got pretty good at them. She loves to do them over and over. Most of them she can do all by herself, and it's a quiet activity. :) so I'm glad she enjoys them so much. Last Thursday Steven and I went out to dinner and then walked around a new mall, which had a puzzle and game store. It was great, and we only got Emma a couple of things. ;) Steven prefers the wooden puzzles because they don't break as easily and are easier for her to do. So we picked one out for her the had 7 puzzles in it.

She had to wait until she woke up to do her puzzles. So that's what she did. 

This was one of her favorites.

All done!

We love to play Alphabet Go Fish with her. She is trying to shuffle. 

Playing go fish.

Her Anna puzzle we got for 25 cents didn't have corners. But thankfully Daddy taught her to start puzzles by finding things that she knows, like lips, eyes, etc.

She loves to do this one over and over and over again, all by herself.

Daddy leaves...Mommy and Emma play/shop

This morning we took Steven to the airport. He will go through some training before he actually goes overseas, so it will be nice to be able to be able to call him...he hasn't even been gone a day and we already have a list of things to tell him. Emma knows where he is right now, and that he isn't coming home for a while, but she still keeps asking for him, and to FaceTime. 

Security let us go through to wait with him at his gate, but since I forgot to make Emma go potty, she and I had to leave abruptly. But she had a blast going up and down the escalators and seeing the planes. 

After a quick trip home, she and I went to the JBF sale, there always seems to be one when he is coming and going. She got some new books and clothes...and had fun being able to pick some out herself..she wanted all the pink fluffy skirts and dresses. It was fun taking her, there weren't very many people there, and she would look at tags and say, "a hundred dollars!" The place they had this sale apparently used to be an Air Force base. On our way we saw a BX and commissary that are very much still open...and busier than ours. Afterwards we went to Walmart...and got a Shamrock shake before we got her some much needed shoes. She has apparently had a growth spurt, as many of her clothes and shoes are suddenly too small. (Although according to the luggage scale at the airport she only weighs 28 pounds.)

Now we are enjoying our evening, relaxing after a long day and listening to the rain. 

The TSA Agent gave Emma a sticker badge. 

Telling a few last secrets.

I let her pick out one toy. She loves to bounce like Tigger.

Napping. It's what Tiggers do best.

Shamrock shake. She asked for another one.

She really wanted the whipped cream.

Burning off some energy 

Trying on some new clothes...these are workout shorts.

The outfit she put together herself from her new clothes. 

D-day approaching

Tomorrow is the day...we think. ;) we have had an interesting week, since all of last week we were thinking that was our last week. We had enjoyed lots of sweet family time, but then didn't know what to do with this week. So we just kind of did our normal things, with some extra family time built in. We played, shopped, relaxed, Steven packed, finalized some details, and did most of our normal activities. I picked up my computer that still doesn't work, and Steven set up the old computer so that I have something do work on until mine gets fixed. Yesterday we watched Lady and the Tramp, and had date night while Emma exhaustingly went to a friends house. I'm not going to lie, this past month has been rather tiring. We have been very flexible, but it is exhausting to be so much out of our normal routine or even our planned schedule of events. But  we have managed and soon we will settle into a new normal for a few months...with lots of skyping and getting out of the house enjoying friends and the beautiful weather. In a couple months Emma and I will head to Kansas to enjoy the summer with family. Here are a few pictures from this past week.

Emma had fun playing in her pile of toys, but not long after this I went through her toys and donated about half to the thrift shop on base. She never noticed.

We went for an evening walk, Emma didn't want to be cold in the 60-degree weather. 

Beale sunset...also prime time for mosquitoes, so we headed back early. 

Daddy taught her to low the dandilon seeds. 

We got rid of lots of toys, but we did get her several new puzzles. She loves to do them and they are quiet. She did this one all by herself. 

Trying to ride her bike. I'm no good at teaching her...

So we got daddy to help. 

Hanging out while daddy packs. 

Kid loves to do dishes. 

Outside playing ball with Pepper

Pepper had a blast