Princess

And I quote, "I'm a princess now!"

About the video--I had accidentally pushed a button & couldn't see anything on the screen, so I took this completely by accident trying to fix it. I know it's not always nice to laugh at your kids, but this was too hysterical not to post!

Zoo

Today we went to the zoo with Grandma Jessie, Kim, Ryan, & Charlene.
The token pictures of Ellen on our outing...she was having tons of fun.

Two cougars cuddling.

Ellen broke out of her seat at the end and finally got to SEE the zoo.

Emily-isms

Me: Hey, Em, look at that dog!
Em: Look at that dog...he's so cute! Hey! Hey, dog! What's your name puppy?

(While swinging at the park, some other kids walk up)
Em: Hey kids! Children! What's your names?

Park

I made Ellen try the water today--she looks unhappy because I put her back in the stroller.

Stroller transformation

Ellen is big enough now to switch to the other stroller seat. I think Emily really liked looking at her on the way to the park today. I LOVE that we can switch both seats to face either way.

School

For those of you who are interested, I had a GREAT week of in-services/work days at school this week. And how often do you say that? Tuesday and half of Wednesday were in-service days at my school, and the rest of Wednesday & Thursday were days for planning and working in our rooms. I have an unusual schedule that I think I'll love--I teach middle school students (2 are currently enrolled) from 9-12:15. From 1-2:30 I teach high schoolers. The high school students come from 8-11:00 or 11:30-2:30 Tuesday through Thursday, and we have them on an A/B block schedule...meaning they go to Period 1 & 2 on Tuesday & Thursday, and Period 3 & 4 on Wednesday & Friday. Sorry if that's confusing...what it means is that I get to teach two high school classes. One will be Read 180, and I decided to teach PE for the other, so I'll get paid to go walking with teenagers twice a week. I love, love, love the freedoms of this school, and how wonderfully tight the faculty seems to be. There are nine of us on staff (including the aide & secretary), and having two new teachers is basically unprecedented--we're the first newbies in about four years. Which I think says a lot about the way it all works over there. Hooray!!!

Uncle Paul makes good cake

We don't normally give Emily much dessert, but since this was chocolate-zucchini cake, I figured she could have a little piece. She shoved the ENTIRE thing in her mouth. I think she liked it.

Grandma Jessie

Jon's mom is visiting town (staying at Kim's), and Emily is excited to play with her.

Like father, like daughter

Yes, that is a whole tomato. Yes, she ate nearly all of it. As if it were an apple. Gross.

Sisters

Blocks

I absolutely love when Emily finds some toy that she has forgotten about and becomes obsessed with it. This week it's blocks. She wants to build, and build, and build, and I find them in bed with her when she sleeps and naps.

Her favorite, however, is to have Daddy build something and then knock it over.

Ah, work...

...how I haven't missed you. But, I suppose it's time to go back. I had a quick, 2-hour shift at Starbucks yesterday, and today I had orientation for the school district. Next week I have in-service/teacher workdays on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and school officially starts after Labor Day. It was so weird to hear my alarm clock this morning...groan...

Thanks, Auntie Kim

First, thanks for the markers. She's actually been really good about only coloring on paper. This happened when Jon and I were both trying to make dinner.

And, thanks for the cute pants. The pants that you gave Emily when she was a baby. The pants that were on Ellen until Emily decided she wanted to wear them, and then were stolen. I don't think you gave her the pink socks, though. I guess you can't do everything.

Pony-spike?

It's amazing what wet hair can do.

Princess Fiona

Lately we've been watching the Shrek movies. Emily loves Shrek, Donkey and Fiona. Today she was dressing herself up and calling herself "Princess Ona." Granted, in the video it's Jon, but usually she's the princess!

Oh, and you can see her facial wounds better in this video, too.

Ouch

Today at the park another boy crashed into Emily when they were running through the water. She was airborne (think Mark Wahlberg in that scene from "Invincible"), and basically landed on her face. I tried to get good pictures of the 3 line-bruises, but they didn't turn out great. She also has a pretty big flap on the inside of her cheek that was bleeding. She's a trooper, though, and doing well.

Tights

Last night's tights have inspired Emily to wear tights often. Unfortunately, we tried on every pair she owns, and she couldn't find any that were perfect, although she did settle on the fuschia ones for a while.

Another talker?

Some of you might be inclined to think, "Wow, Emily talks a lot. Ellen will probably be a quiet kid." It seems that Ellen has instead taken this as a challenge. A challenge she will win. She will be the Michael Phelps of screaming.

Oh, dear

Emily found a highlighter this morning. A blue one.
And then had to learn the lesson that Ellen is not paper.

New favorite site

I found this site when I got a link from KeriAnn's blog to try an amazing pasta recipe. I have since been back many, many times both for recipes, and just to read her stories. She is HILARIOUS. I've added it on the right as one of my favs--The Pioneer Woman.

Wow, that was a hyperlink extravaganza.

More tights

Apparently they also turned her into a midnight ballerina.

A steal

Literally. It was a "steal" that was stolen. Well, sort of. Several of our friends are in a small group, and they were sorting clothes for their church's clothing drive, and some things were "liberated" to give to my kids. Emily got these CUTE shoes,
another pair of tennis shoes, a jacket, some jeans, and some pink tights that she's currently wearing to bed (even though it's hot). Ellen got a snowsuit and some adorable patterned knit tights. I love free.

Eeewww

So, I was initially going to use this post to gain sympathy from my Southern friends--I mean, we don't have the humidity, but 104 is still hot. And we don't have air conditioning. But I can't figure out how to hide the lows, or to hide the fact that it'll only be three days of hot, followed by 77-degree weather...

I love these giggles!!!

It's equally awesome that Emily is helping me make her laugh. I have more, but limited myself.

CHUBBY kid

Detox

After all of the visitors and crazy schedule, the girls are having a bit of a rough day. Ellen screamed for a while until Jon finally got her to sleep in the big chair, where she mercifully slept for about two hours.

4-month pictures, a bit late

Poor Ellen. I neglected to mention a major milestone--she rolled over! She turned from front to back last week, on her official four-month birthday, 8/5. Here's how she measures up:

Here she was at one week (how does 8lbs. look so scrawny?):
Not quite rolling over, but fun anyway: