Stuff

Not a lot has been going on lately; just the same 0l', same ol'. Here are some pictures of the girls.

Anna, Emily and I went hiking one day just for fun. I love being a non-working mama. It lends itself to random opportunities that I appreciate. We didn't go very far, but it was fun.
(I tried to turn the photo, but it wouldn't the first time. I was too lazy to actually go the extra mile to do so.)



Here is Emily singing...



We took our annual trip to the Renaissance Festival. I love that place. Both girls enjoyed themselves. Anna even was tall enough to ride the free flying butterflies this year.



Here was another visit to the Schnepf Farm. That tree to the left of Emily's head is a whitethorn acacia - my new favorite desert tree. Those little yellow round blossoms smell like heaven! We are planting one in our front yard to replace the dead something-or-other that is there now. By the way, Emily is squinting, not scowling. She really does love her mommy.



Happy girl!



Well, so long; we'll post again when more nothing is going on! :)

So Cute

This little darling has been such an amazing addition to our family! She cracks me up when she smiles SO big during diaper changes, and even giggles when tickled. Anna always has an audience whenever Emily is in the room. That girl never loses sight of her big sister. I am certain she just can't wait until she can keep up with her!

Emily is still spoiling me, too! She sleeps so well and is growing so fast; it's hard to believe she is already 11 weeks old. She and Anna now sleep in the same room since they are basically on the same schedule. I just have to sneak in a little early to feed her before she wakes Anna up. I kind of think it is important for sisters to share a room, especially since it is only the two of them. I know I will envy the connection they will share as they grow.

Anna has always shown constant love toward her little sis. Even when she doesn't think I'm looking, she is so gentle and loving. She sneaks in as many kisses as she can throughout the day, and even gets upset if she doesn't get to say goodbye if one of them leaves.

I love my little girls. They bring so much energy to our home and we feel so blessed having them in our lives!

Favorite Things

One of my children (and I won't mention which one...) decided that the "shift" key on my laptop wasn't necessary and proceeded to remove it. I can't believe it takes several weeks to fix one key, but it seems my computer will be away for a while. Anyway, in the mean time, I didn't want to download any of my new pictures to our dinosaur desktop. Thus, this post is pictureless. :(
However, I've been thinking lately about all of those little things that make me smile each day and decided to share them!

Here are a few of my favorite things:

*Waking up just because the sun began to light up the room, not because anyone screamed or cried or started shaking their crib really hard or snored extra loud.

*Having a very clean and organized house with all the dishes put away and the floor vacuumed.

*Watching both girls watch their daddy. Especially when Emily quits feeding and tries to talk to him with her mouth full.

*Not that it has happened in a while, but snuggling up in a warm blanket with an awesome book, a glass of cold milk and a few cookies on a rainy day.

*A perfectly made bed with crisp clean sheets.

*Going to the park with my girls, packing a lunch and having a picnic.

*When Anna tries to sing. She's really bad and its so cute.

*That moment you get home from church, change into your grubby sweats and know you have all the rest of the day to spend with your family at home.

*Spontaneously dancing with my girls and occasionally my favorite man!

*Eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

*When Anna trips over something or drops something and says "Whoot!" for "Whoops!".

*Getting that perfect idea for my book and writing it even better.

*Having a newborn fall asleep on my chest and a toddler rest her head on my shoulder when she's tired.

*Seeing both my girls increase in ability and awareness.

*Finding those old beloved jeans actually fit again!

*Catching hubby in an act of secret good-doings!

*Having Anna scream, "Mama!" with a huge smile on her face if she hasn't seen me for a few minutes.

*Having a safe home, a healthy family, a wonderful knowledge of the gospel, financial security, an education, and so many other things that it's too much to list!

I hope you all have favorite things that bring joy to your life each day! Let me know what they are!