Emma - 7 months

She is on her knees!


Since Redge was out of town last week, Emma started experimenting with getting up on her knees. She was so cute doing it. One time we watched her on her hands and knees and she was looking down at her knees like she was saying 'hmmm what about that!' She will get on all fours and then rock a little. It is so cute to watch. I guess I had better start thinking about babyproofing my house. I have been warning the boys about legos... I guess now I am going to have to get serious!
On the flipside, her gums have just changed... hmmm teething is finally starting too.

To My Mom - Happy Mothers Day

I wish I were a great writer and could make some great eloquent speech to my mom but you will have to endure my lack of talent in this area!!
I was listening to the speaker today in Sacrament Meeting and was reminded of the wonderful things that my mom taught me. The speaker was telling about how her mom was her art teacher and how she instilled in her the love of art. So my mind wandered for a moment to my mom and the great loves that she instilled in me. I love to read because of my mother. She will pick out a book and share her favorites with us. I remember the first 'church' novel that she suggested. 'Charley' by Jack Weyland. I was hooked!
Another great love that my mom instilled in me is the love of music. I will always wish to be better than I am at playing my instruments but I am still able to practice - so it might take me a long time but I am going to improve!! We watched a link that Chad and Annie had posted on their blog of Jon Schmidt playing the piano. Oh I can't even tell you the emotions that brought to my heart. It was the same feeling of watching Jenny Oaks Baker play her violin. I could almost cry listening to these types of music. It literally sings to my soul. I could put my mom right in that category of listening to her play the piano and just wanting to cry from the joy of hearing such beauty! Thank you mom for sharing your talent and, yes, making me practice and stick with my instruments!!

My mom also instilled in my the ability and love of (should I say eating first? HAH)making good food. I do love to eat the creations that I come up with but I love to make yummy food. I always do better with a little inspiration first - cookbooks, children, restaurants, sister-in-laws (hmm and even sometimes my sisters HAHA!) - all great sources!
I also learned to love to work from her. She is the hardest worker that I know. She loves to putter in the dirt... hmm why do we like to pull those darn weeds. It really is therapeutic. My kids would not agree yet but they are learning to love work as well. There is nothing like putting in a hard day of working and looking at what you accomplished. I love to look at my lawn, house, laundry whatever I have attacked with vengeance and see the neat 'done' look. Thanks for passing this legacy onto your grand kids! (Even Rhett would agree with this!)

Love you Mom!

Beach Pictures

I just wanted to share a few of our pictures from our trip to Oak Island last week. We had a fun relaxing time playing on the beach and being tourists. As a way of explaining a few picures... We went to a plantation where they have a large garden. Next trip we will actually tour the gardens but because the kids were so tired from exploring the battleship in Wilmington we decided it was too much for that day. But on the way into the plantation we were facinated by the bogs. So I took a picture of the swampy area that had a sign telling us not to stop, not get out of the car, and not to feed the animals. On the way back out... we saw why, there were probably 15 aligators in that area. I think we were going to quickly to notice them the first time but then we were studying the waters once we spotted our first alligator! The picture with lots of mud is one of the smaller alligators... we saw some smaller (maybe a foot in length.) And we saw a very large one... not the one pictured - but just as big. The large guy we saw by the side of the road in a different area. The large alligator was meandering slowly through the water. We stopped to watch him for a minute and Rhett thought he was so cool - he wanted to get out of the car to get a closer look. hmmm wonder what that gator would have done with my big Rhett?!! He still wonders why I didn't let him out. hmmm...The rest of the pictures of the kids playing on the beach, burying each other, etc. We had an enjoyable time... very relaxing to listen the the waves beat on the shore and just enjoy the sunshine!

Random pictures

I was telling Brian (brother) about the pine straw that we use here. He asked what it was so I took a picture of it spread in the flowerbed in front. I think 'straw' is because it is bailed like straw. I guess I am getting aclimatized when pine straw is a normal term to me.
Megan used the blocks to form her dollhouse walls. I really wish I had a dollhouse for her but I guess I don't need to wish anymore...and she can remodel anytime!

I really thought I was being cool to do Megan's hair this way. Thought I would share my great talents!!HAHA! (I think this one goes back to braiding the horses tails, right Krista? Do you remember doing this so they would have long tails for the horseshow?)

Emma totally loves her jumper - she really can fly in it! What is funny is how many shots it took to get this one with her smiling. Everytime I tried to take the picture she would frown. I think she saw the red eye light and then would frown at the light...