Grandma Connie and Papa Mike visit

Grandma Connie and Papa Mike got here last Sunday, and left on Friday. We had a good visit, although Emma did not want to have to go to school while they were here. We shopped, ate, baked, played, decorated a ginger bread barn, and sold the truck! 

It’s always fun when Grandma brings surprises!

Sandwich buddies! 

On Tueaday we went for a chase car ride! 

We went shopping at Bass Pro...It was late and Emma was extra silly.

We decorated a gingerbread barn. Emma was so excited to do the piping!

And then she pretended to eat it.

She may have gotten some icing on her finger...yum!

Grandma didn’t feel good, but she was a good sport and played all sorts of things with Emma.

We all love the Great British Baling Show. So for Papa Mike’s birthday we made him a Victoria Sponge.

Emma first told me it was over baked, her standard answer. But then she gave me a thumbs up.

They left her a note which she found at bedtime. It helped her not be so sad.

Christmas tree

Today we got our Christmas tree! It doesn’t really feel like Christmas here, since could be in shorts, but we are definitely trying to get in the Christmas spirit! Christmas will be different this year since Daddy isn’t here. This is the first time in his whole career he will miss Thanksgiving and Christmas. He has worked them before, but we have always been able to go to the station. So since Daddy isn’t here, we decided to get an Emma-sized Christmas tree this year....mostly because that is what I could carry. We went for simple decorations since we will not actually be here for Christmas. We also started our pfeffernusse and wrapped all the presents we’ve bought so far. Emma was legitimately crying because I wouldn’t let her open her presents. Unfortunately for her we will have a month to go...it’s going to be a long month!

Emma got to put the star on!

It really is the perfect size for her!

She loves to taste the batter. She kept tasting it when we were creaming the butter and sugar, “but mom it’s so good!” 

She put all the presents under the tree!

We have had really good break. Days like today make me excited for not working anymore. This Sunday is my last, and I am looking forward to having some downtime and not been so busy and stressed out all the time. I feel much more patient and way less frustrated...and we have time to do normal things like play. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

We have had a good Thanksgiving week. We started off with going to a meeting a Chick-FIL-a, then to see the movie The Star, and a little Christmas shopping. Tuesday I worked, and Emma had dance class. Wednesday we had 2 play dates at the park, and could have had a third if I knew my stafff meeting was cancelled...it was a gorgeous day! And Today we watched the parade, the dog show, and football. Then we went to a friends house for Thanksgiving.

The kids played instruments while we sang a Thanksgiving hymn on Sunday.

Shh...it’s a secret! We made Daddy puppy chow.

Her unicorn balloon from Grass Valley.

Her Christmas card she made for Daddy.

Apparently I was sick in bed.

Playing ghosts with Siri and Eleia. 

Watching the cars go by...somehow Crocker got into her blood.

She wanted me to take pictures of the floats for Ada. 

And apparently got ahold of my phone while I left the room. Delilah is staying with us for a few days while the people helping us dog sit are out of town.

Emma took a selfie with Alhanna. Emma also wanted to play our charades game with the adults. She guessed right on a stingray and a couple other things. She did pretty good. 

Then she held baby Jael, who is a little over a week old. She held her for an hour, they were both pretty content. 

Oh Emma and the boys! Back row: Teddy, Noah. Front row: Sam, Emma, Riley. 

Darlene was playing with SnapChat

Alhanna, Bridget, Darlene, me

Shopping day

Our weather here today was fabulous! We took Delilah for a walk, during which Emma “talked” to Daddy on ‘her phone.’ They ‘chatted’ and I tired to take a video, but by the time I did, most of the interesting stuff was done...like how she told him she was allergic to dog poop when she was a baby. 😂🤨 Anyway, after lunch we went to Grass Valley to do some Christmas shopping. It went better than some shopping trips do, so I call it a success. And we got home before dinner time, so even better. It was nice to walk around shopping outside since it was so nice out. We started at a stationery shop, which had some office supplies and things. Then we went to a book store, with a whole downstairs kid area. I kept having to remind Emma that we were shopping for other people.... but then we went into the kitchen store. 😞 I seemed to forget that we were shopping for other people, but we did really need some of the things that I bought.  Anyway, I could spend all day in there (it’s 3 stories) and I kept thinking of things that I was looking for. I asked for help finding them and then felt like I had to buy them even though they were not cheap...they went all over the store looking for fish pliers to pull out fish bones. I could spend so much money in there...and honestly so could Emma. After watching these cooking shows she knows what stuff is. For example she really wanted some piping tips...even though we have never piped anything...maybe I will put one in her stocking though. We finally got out of there, and went to the next store...which from the outside looked like a store with normal non-kid things...and when you got in, there was a whole upstairs with a huge toy and game section. It took us a while to get out of there, and after the same experience at another store, I realized we were done. Emma really wanted a balloon animal from the balloon man, so we found him and then went back to the car to FaceTime with Daddy. We did end up getting a few presents, and we left before we were too tired or cranky, so I call it a good day. 

“Talking” to Daddy on her phone....which is really his old one.

These were her favorite cupcake liners.

She really wanted a sifter?

Sad that I wouldn’t let her get a unicorn horn and hair.

And yes, this kitty was very soft, but it was also too expensive. Shopping local=expensive.

I saved this because I might go back and get it, it’s a game where you collect all the ingredients to make something. 

End of a busy week

We finally have nothing to do tomorrow! (You know, besides laundry, and cleaning and grocery shopping. But no scheduled things.) Today was Emma’s last day of school until after Thanksgiving break. She brought home lots of crafts they have done over the last month. And Owen and Hannah also came over to play after school. They all play so well together, it was a pretty easy afternoon for me! Owen, a year younger than Emma, is taller than she is. And Hannah is the perfect little sister, and does whatever they tell her to. 😏

I only took pictures of the ones where she had to come up with something. (The last thing she is thankful for is “dog.”)

She was entertaining them by walking around in this and falling over.

Hannah walking a dog purse.

Putting Hannah to bed.Hannah said she couldn’t sleep so Emma told her to read some books. Sounds familiar.

They were pretending that Owen was the dad, Emma was the mom and Hannah was the baby. Also notice that Owen is taller than Emma.

She was reading to her. I heard, “My dad is a firefighter. He doesn’t work.” And some other interesting things. 😂😂😂

Cuties!

Emma seems so big! But I do remember when she had tiny pigtails like that!