Short but sweet

I've realized that blogging has overwhelmed me lately as I try to catch up with our busy lives. So, I've decided to post a pic daily with a short caption. Here's the last couple days (yes, the pics are in a weird order, but I bet you're smart enough to figure it out since I'm not smart enough to figure thus Blogger app out)...

Emma and I went to the Lollipop Concert (kids Nutracker shortened) with friends Bethanie and Dione Russell. Super fun new tradition!

Adele hates her car seat. In an effort to get her to stop screaming, I tried reaching back and feeding her GoGurt. She was so mad that she squeezed it. Everywhere.

We started Elf on the Shelf. Day one Bob brought Emma a sucker back from the North Pole. Day two Bob was getting a piggy back ride from the angel on top of our tree.

We've had two rounds of the stomach flu at our house in the last two weeks. Round one was awful for Emma, but round two was worse! I got the dreaded "your kid is puking" call from preschool. Adele missed round one, but definitely made up for it during round too. Poor pukers!!! On the good side, Emma has finally learned to throw up in a bowl!!!

Oh yeah... we bought a house.

Front view.  Obviously.   (The minty-green color of the house is temporary.)  

Driveway to the garage AND Jes's studio (that second garage behind the house).  Photos of studio below. 

Entry way.  Furniture forthcoming.  

View into entertainment room.  

Front room.  

Kitchen.  The plan is to remove the half-wall/counter and set an island/bar in the middle.  

More kitchen.

Office.  

Master Turtle's room.  

Bean's room.  

Master.  Clearly, the previous owners loved green.  Note curtains.   

Back deck. 

Side deck.  

View from the backyard.  Just beyond the trees is Hole 5 of the Country Club Golf Course.

Jes's dance studio.  A shout out to Craig Brown (aka The General Contractor aka Master Carpenter) for his help putting this together.  

Another view of the studio.  For more info on Jes's growing business go to dancevolutionflagstaff.blogspot.com.  

Of course, it wouldn't be Flagstaff without a beautiful mountain view.  That's Mount Elden through the pines.  

4 years

Happy 4th Birthday, Miss Emma-bean!

So excited that we survived those "terrible twos" and "worse-than-terrible threes".  Emma is actually much happier, a much better listener, and has a super fun personality!

Stats:

39 lb. 10 oz. (81st)  44.2 inches tall (97th...off the charts)  BMI - 14.3 (17th...we're doing our part to fight childhood obesity haha)

Nicknames:
Emma-bean

And...that's about it :)

Facts:

*Emma has a mind of her own and it is REALLY hard to change it!  She refuses to let me pick her outfits. Period.

*Emma has to match Adele almost daily.  If Emma gets dressed before Adele and Adele doesn't have an outfit that matches with Emma's, Emma changes.  Makes for a long morning.

*Emma also gets tired of outfits.  She'll change AT LEAST 3 times a day.  Makes for lots of laundry, which I've now taught her how to sort before washing and put away after washing.

*Emma is very social.  She loves hanging out with friends, and she has LOTS of friends (so not me).

*Emma asks deep questions!  Instead of just asking "why" to things, she'll ask, "Mom, how come that man is driving a cart?"  "What happened to his leg?"  "When can he walk again?" etc.

*Lately Emma has been really into relationships.  When I get off the phone with my mom, she'll say, "Who was that?"  "Your mom or dad's mom?"

Miss Steffanie: Emma's Preschool teacher that we will miss dearly!

Emma's new bike for her birthday.  Complete with a seat in the back for Adele...or her doll.

The new bike gang is in town

On Emma's real birthday, we invited her friend Alora to Peter Piper Pizza.  Emma won the jackpot--literally--at one game.  Here are her 200 tickets that she won from just one token.

With 20 tokens, Emma and Alora won 602 tickets.  Half of their tokens just went to rides, so I have NO IDEA how they won so many!!

Emma's first soccer game with friends--Kaybree and Bethanie. 

Emma's Spring Dance Recital to a 50's mix.  The picture pretty much captures everyone's personalities. 

Lollipop...lollipop....

Workin' it.  

Emma's birthday party--Pop Star themed.  

Little Divas:  Alora, Maren, Emma, Bethanie, Sabrina.  Special thanks to Madi for lending her dance costumes. 

*

6 Months

Adele my belle is nearly 7 months, so now would be perfect timing for our 6-month post, right?  :)

Stats:
13 lb. 13 oz.  (10th)  25.8 in long (38th)  at 42.8 cm circumference (61st)

Nicknames:
Adeli
Deli
Deli-cate
Delicatessen
Deli-two-testine (Emma's version of Delicatessen)
Del
Coronado (del)
Belle
Deli Belly
Deli Belly Jelly Bean
Jelly Bean (because we call her sister Emma-bean)
Turtle
Yes, it appears that her nicknames list is bigger than she is.  That's what happens when you've got an older sister.  :)

Facts:
*Aside from a 2-week lapse of waking up every 20 minutes during the night, Adele sleeps 8-10 hours at night before eating and going back to sleep.
*Adele is a very happy baby who smiles and everyone and everything.
*Adele LOVES the guitar.  She's Ammon's very best audience in the house by FAR!  She smiles, squeals, and stares at him at all the proper moments.
*Although we've heard Adele say a few consonants, she mostly squeals to make noise.  She's quite the loud squawker!
*Adele STILL does not take a bottle!!  NOT KIDDING!  The only time she's done it is for 2 oz of pedialite when the three girls all had the tummy flu at the same time.  SUPER fun!
*Adele does not take a pacifier, her thumb, or anything else that can help her self-soothe.  Instead, she uses me as a pacifier.  Awesome.
*Deli finally likes some solids, which helps babysitters since she doesn't take bottles.  She only likes fruit.  She'll take some oatmeal, and attempts at sweet potatoes.  And...that's about it.  It explains her weight, huh? Couldn't be more opposite than Emma!!
*Speaking of Emma, they are SUCH great friends...it's adorable!  I love it!
*Adele has no muscle whatsoever.  She rolls both ways, but is definitely a Weeble when it comes to sitting up.  We're hoping she walks by kindergarten.  :)

Here are some recent pics...

Einstein turtle

Love my Deli-two-testine!