Welcome to Emma & Owen's website!

Emma has started at her school here and LOVES it! I am so thankful. Ty and I walked her into her first day and started to leave and she got teary eyed (she was very excited until we got there- then she looked soo nervous- it broke my heart)- so her teacher gave us a seat and we stayed a little longer. By the time we left, she was doing a science experiment and laughing! That ws Tuesday and I am excited that I already get to volunteer in her class (tomorrow)! I love being able to be there to bring her, help in her class and be there when she gets home! I am thankful for that. We met with her teacher today and she has done some testing on Emma and she already knows 49/66 of her sight words!! She said she has great handwriting and is reading very well!! We knew this but it is nice to hear from someone who works with kids all day. (Yes, I am bragging!) She likes the writing center the best so far (they rotate every day from science to math to writing lab to group reading and then a reading class one on one or in a group with kids on your level and then their special (PE, art, music, library)). We are glad we decided to start her right away. Now she can have the Christmas parties that she would have been missing- the week before Christmas break is so fun for them!

We are attempting to potty train Owen. The more we go on, the more I think he is not ready yet. I don't know- Emma was soo easy to potty train. He will be 3 in March and his cousin, who will be 3 next month, has been potty trained for a while and so I feel that pressure when everyone talks about Grant and how Owen should use the potty. He pees very well and pooped today (after promising a present) but he doesn't tell me he needs to go pee until he has done it in his underwear. I try to take him every 20 min. or so but sometimes that slips or he won't go when we sit and then 10 min. later he goes. I guess I need to make more of a commitment out of it. And if he is wearing a diaper and poops- he doesn't care and won't tell me until I ask. But he DOES take after his mother- he is not shy like Emma and talks and talks and talks to anyone who will listen- he also jumps and jumps and jumps and has ENDLESS energy!!! He doesn't nap anymore (Lord help me). Sleep seems to be his enemy.

8/27/2009 - Emma did great on her first day of kindergarten. She is a very shy girl around those she doesn't know (don't know where she gets that from) so I figured she would have some anxiety but she did great. I actually had a very hard time in the months leading up to school but didn't want her to see it. The first day I was sooo lonely without her and I didn't cry. BUT I did stalk her on the playground after lunch to make sure she was okay. When she got off of the bus, I scooped her up and started crying- I didn't care if I wasn't supposed to. I have packed her a lunch every day (per her request) but she is going to buy her lunch today. I am waiting to see how that goes.

Yesterday Owen and I went to a zoo tots class and then into the zoo afterwards and I felt like I was cheating on her by going without her. It is hard not having her here all of the time. I am getting very good a building legos and hanging out in our playhouse outside!

The strangest thing happened yesterday when we were at the zoo. I’ve always known that Owen had a different personality than Emma. She is more shy and quiet around strangers and he is more like me- outgoing. Well yesterday was the first “activity” without Emma and Owen really shined. He was like a different child without Emma there- it was weird- like getting to know someone new.

Emma started ballet again this year and has a new teacher- who is sooo good! I think she learned more ballet in one class than in the whole year last year- but they are older and last year they had a teacher change mid-year, which threw them off. She looks so graceful and has nice, long legs- perfect for ballet and swimming. I haven’t put her back into lessons since her last ones a few weeks ago but she is a swimming champ!! She was swimming like crazy in Phoenix and then again in Houston. Owen is much more wary of the water- strange since it doesn’t go with his crazy personality.

First thing is that there are a lot of pics- most of them not on the front page, so check them out! Papa and grandma are here visiting and it has been great. They leave Thursday and my parents, sister and nephew come that night!! A full house- love it!!

Emma had a cooking class last Friday and they had to try every new thing- if they did then they got a balloon each time. Emma tried everything- I was proud. The only thing she did not like were the radishes- and I can't blame her.

We also had our local fair this past weekend. It was like torture Wednesday and Thursday because it takes place in the acreage behind the library- which is across the street from our neighborhood! So EVERY time we left or came back, Owen would see the tractors and the giant slide and all the rides- he cried and cried "Open...tractor....open...tractor" John Deere sponsors it and so they have tractors there also- and I told him it won't be open until Thursday night (I would say 1 more day and then tonight so he understood better) but it was soo hard. But Thursday night did not let us down!! We got the wristband so they could ride all the rides they wanted to as many times as they wanted- then they had snow cones and lemonade and cotton candy!! A sugar high and about a million dollars later- we headed home in the wagon.

Of course Sunday was Father's Day and it was nice to have Ty's dad here for that. We had brunch and hung out- it was nice- got some good pics of the kids with the great golf course in the background.

A few days ago, papa and grandma got Emma a snow cone machine. Another piece of this is that Emma wants a cat and carrier and all the stuff that comes with it for her American Girl doll. Tyler told her he would pay half if she earned the other half. So Emma and her friend Katie decided to have a snow cone/lemonade stand today- the hottest day of the year! We got everything together and it went well! We have a great neighborhood but unfortunately for them, we live on a semi-circle and so it doesn't get much traffic so their customers were neighbors- and now she is that much closer to Chrissa's (the doll) cat.

Emma is taking a class called Safety Town every day this week. It is a preparatory class for kindergarteners- not manditory but I thought it would be fun. They learn about playground safety, poisons, strangers, fire, etc.

So that is what is going on in our lives now. Owen is doing great and crazy as ever but sweet!!! He is growing so tall- his foot almost fits the crocks that Emma wore last year and he is not even 2 1/2 yet!!

5/25/2009 - I sit here before you a broken woman....broken yet victorious!!!!!!!!!!! Owen has been getting out of his bed 7 times or more and eventually we give in and let him hang out with us or Emma until really late. We decided that it was time to finally break this! So tonight I camped out in front of his bedroom. We did his normal bedtime routine and layed him down and sure enough, within 15 seconds, he was out- well, he was NOT happy to see me meet him immediately and "supernanny" him by placing him back into his bed right away----he came back for more, and more and more and more- 12 times until finally at my breaking point....tag team!! Tyler came in and took over for a whopping another 6 times!! So I actually do feel bad- and know I shouldn't but can't help it.

We did have a great, great weekend. Emma and Ty had a daddy date today full of the mall, Chick-Fil-A lunch (her fav) and Claire's shopping! We had a BBQ Sunday afternoon with her BFF and family and Emma tried to do her first sleepover...it lasted 45 minutes!! She had her tap recital Saturday and she did great!! Looking forward to gymnastics this summer!

5/18/2009 - We had a GREAT birthday weekend!! Thursday we threw an end of the year pool party for everyone in Emma's class and that was a lot of fun. We also had her Kindergarten roundup- we went to the school and met in the library and we got some info. while the kids got to see the school. Emma was soo excited about it- she called it her kindergarten "meeting". She can't wait for school.

Saturday we woke up and went to Panera for breakfast- the kids LOVE their cinnamon rolls and chocolate milk! After that we went home and the guys did their man stuff outside and I took Emma to pick up her balloons and get her toes done- she loved that. The birthday party could not have gone better. Tinkerbell came with her tinkerbell cake and it was great. They had fun games and prizes and a story and lots of pictures. After that we went to a friends BBQ and by the end of the night both kids were wiped out!

Yesterday we went to church and then brunch with some friends. Wednesday is Emma's actual birthday and we have a field trip at her school. Then Saturday is Emma's ballet/tap recital!!

5/11/2009 - So Tyler just called me upstairs. He went upstairs and couldn't find Owen in his bed or our room and so I check and he is laying in bed next to a sleeping Emma. It was soo cute! We've been having issues with him lately- he won't stay in his bed- he gets up again and again and again no matter what we do. He used to go to bed and stay there but not anymore.

Emma is looking forward to her birthday party this weekend. Tinkerbell is coming! She is also excited because she finished one of her reader books in one day!! She is getting to be so good at it and the better she does, the more she wants to do. She started picking up on reading some of the harder 4 letter words. We have her kindergarten "meeting" this Thursday (that is what she calls it). She gets a tour of the school while Ty and I talk to the principal and then one of the teachers reads them a story- kinf of like orientation but she won't find out her teacher until the summer.

4/26/2009 - I haven't written any new stories in depth in a while. The kids are doing well.

Owen is doing really well. It's like he turned 2 and his vocabulary exploded! He will repeat about anything you say and can communicate so much better. He is also getting better with me leaving him at church. I just keep trying to explain up front how much fun he is going to have and he gets to color, have a snack, sing and then mommy will come back for him. He only cried for a second when I dropped him off and then as soon as he saw me he cried but the woman in charge said that he was fine the whole time! She said he is very cuddly!! He LOVES being outside and riding in the Barbie Jeep (clearly we were not thinking about any other children when we bought this for Emma) He is not good at driving it so Emma does the driving most of the time for him. He also loves to swing.

Emma is doing well- she only has one more month of pre-school before she is an actual kindergartner! She can't wait. We had her ballet pics in her recital outfit this weekend. Her recital isn't until May though. This summer she will take a safety class called Safety Town for kids entering kindergarten, she will also be doing gymnastics! She is excited about this. She is loving her swim lessons and is doing well in a group setting. The past two years she has had private lessons but now that she is comfortable with it, we put her into a class.

4/9/2009 - We had a great visit with Maureen, Landon and Caleb!! It was so great to have one of my sisters here. The boys got along GREAT with Emma. We had full days. We went to the zoo, had an Easter egg hunt for the kids, made a craft at the library and went to Chuck-E-Cheese!

Owen clearly has sharing issues (love the 2's!) that Emma did not have so I/we are adjusting to all of that goodness (ha!) Yesterday we got Owen some underwear and he LOVES wearing them- although over his diaper. He goes potty in the morning but that is it- he doesn't try to tell me yet or anything- after all- he did just turn 2! His vocabulary has FINALLY exploded. He now says at 2 what Emma said at 1. I have had to adjust (duh) that they are two totally different kids. We have an Easter Egg hunt complete with the Easter Bunny this weekend at a small park in our neighborhood! I am excited for the kids. I think Owen will love it. He will see the eggs and want to get all of them. I signed Owen up for a Summer of 2's class. It is just a fun little class for two days later this summer of playing, water fun and other stuff. I think he will like it. He always wants to go to school like Emma and was so excited when I told him he would be going to school in the fall (like he knows when that is). We signed him up for a Mother's Day out program 1 day a week. It will be good for him to have a few hours a week away from me learning how to act with other kids.

2/28/2009 - We went to the Mall of America yesterday for a quick trip (we plan on making it a weekend in a few months). Anyway, I made reservations for Emma and I to have lunch at the American Girl Bistro where you can eat and bring your doll and she sits at the table with you. WOW!!!! This place was amazing! We got there and Tyler and Owen decided to stay with us for lunch- it was soo cute. Before we got there we told Emma that we were just going for lunch and she just got an outfit for her doll and so we would not be buying anything. BUT- her dad gave in and bought her a new outfit. Big surprise. Anyway, it was a ton of fun- can't wait to go back.

This morning Emma and Tyler headed out to Home Depot to get the necessary supplies to make "Chrissa" a bed- we saw one in the magazine for $80 (and laughed)- it isn't painted yet but it looks great! A canopy bed.

Crazy but already working on summer activities and a Mother's Day out class for Owen for the fall- they are already registering!! We have decided to do one day a week to begin with. I didn't have to do this with Emma- she was in daycare until she was nearly 3.

1) Tyler got Emma a carnation for Valentine's Day and Emma cut the stem really short and put it into a glass full of water. Owen woke up from his nap yesterday and came down (out of his big boy bed!) and I was in the kitchen. He climbed up onto the table and grabbed the glass and when I turned around to look- he was drinking ALL of the water from the flower cup!!! Ewwww- nasty- anyway, called posion control just in case but he was fine.

2) I was loading the dirty dishes this morning and Wrigley, the dog, was licking the bowls (he pre-washes sometimes :p ) anyway- I look down and Owen is on all fours and bending down licking one of the bowls too!!! Double ewwwww!!!

Trying to adjust to these things as Emma would never do these things! Anyway, even though he does these things- he has such a special place in my heart- I LOVE MY BOY!!!!

12/28/2008 - Christmas has come and gone this year and I can honestly say that it was full of our family traditions. We stayed at home and it was just us and it turned out to be really nice. The Tuesday before Christmas we took the kids to Chuck-E-Cheese. Owen was soooo amazed from afar at everything but up close he wanted NOTHING to do with any of the rides except playing skee-ball. He was deathly afraid of Chuck-E but can't blame him. Emma had a blast though. Christmas Eve we had a nice family lunch and then went to Church. We wrote Santa a note thanking him for the gifts the year before and set out homemade milk and cookies (with sprinkles because Santa likes sprinkles apparently).

Christmas morning Emma was EXCITED! She went downstairs and we opened presents. Owen was a little overwhelmed and wanted to play with every toy right then. Emma made us so proud. Santa hid her "Pooping baby" (yes pooping baby) behind the tree and so Emma had opened all of her presents and you could tell she was happy but a little sad because she talked about that thing for weeks!! So we asked her if she was happy with her presents and she said "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit"! We were expecting whining and complaining about not getting the baby! So we told her to make sure we didn't forget any presents and she found the other one and was soo excited!

We go to visit my family in 2 1/2 weeks and I am soo excited for the kids to play and of course to see my mom and dad and sisters!! Tyler is off again this week so we will just hang out. We have a New Year's Eve party to go to but other than that- maybe some after Christmas shopping and just hanging out.

We've had an exciting few weeks. This blog will actually have some body to it as I have decided to write down ideas and what has been happening instead of going off the cuff!

I was gone a few weekends ago and Tyler took the kids to the library for a craft/storytime and cookie decorating. Santa was there and Emma got to sit on his lap and tell him she wanted a pooping (yes pooping baby- they actually make one) and Owen wanted nothing to do with Santa. He likes him from afar but that is where it stops! Can't blame him though.

We have decorated cookies at home- Emma had the idea to make and bring cookies to the firefighters and policeman and so that was fun. (It is nice living in a smaller town!) Emma and I went to breakfast with Santa. We decided with Owen's past love/hate relationship with Santa to skip it for him. So we ate breakfast and are standing in line to see him and I asked her if she was excited. She just said "I already saw Santa and told him what I wanted" - so we left. Every time we go to the mall, Owen creeps up to the side where Santa is but whenever we try to get any closer, he runs away.

Last week we had an activity at the library that included story/singing, etc and at the end they usually have a craft- this week they had decorating gingerbread cookies. There was a photographer there from the local paper and she shot a few pics and took down my kids names. A few days later I get a call from our neighbor advising me (we don't get the daily paper, just Sunday) that my kids made the front page!! They look so cute. If I had a scanner I would scan the pic but I don't. Anyway, I went out and bought copies and I had 4 neighbors drop by with their copies and I'm calling everyone. (I know obnoxious but it was cute!). My sassy little Emma turns to one of her friends over playing for the day and says "I can't believe I made the front page of the newspaper!" Someone needs a piece of humble pie but I guess when I am going around telling everyone, what is she to learn?

We had a fairly decent snow last week and when Ty got home he was snow blowing and then shoveling. Owen wanted to go outside with him and helped him shovel. I didn't get any pics but it was cute. Owen also love to say "ho-ho-ho" whenever we see Santa on tv or anywhere!

Emma doesn't have school for 2 weeks so tomorrow we are going to meet the other pre-school moms and their kids at Chuck-E-Cheese for lunch. Should be fun- Owen has never been there. When Emma was small she went there all the time because we would visit my nephews in Phoenix and they LOVE that place. Ty is taking off a lot of time for the Christmas so it will be nice to spend time together.

12/12/2008 - Here is the link to Emma's Christmas ballet recital. It is the short mid-year one. No costume and just 1 minute long but she is soooo cute!!

12/8/2008 - I got back yesterday from a weekend away with the girls and totally missed my kids. It is so weird to me (not really) how I can be soo ready for a break but then 1 hour after I am gone, I miss them tons!! Anyway, it was nice and I got the kids some great stuff for Christmas.

We had a great Thanksgiving with Tyler's side of the family and meeting baby Kate (was soo awesome- my only niece!) The drive went well. We got to see my best friend Vanessa and her daughter Taylor!!

Emma is excited for Christmas- we have 3 countdown things for Christmas- she has a small tree in her room and every day she gets to take an ornament out of santa's bad and put it on the tree until they are gone (on Christmas)- we have the "put the cotton on santa's beard" countdown and our normal decoration with a countdown on it! She has her "Winter Extravaganza" ballet performance this Friday at the mall! I will try and post the video this weekend.

Owen is excited- Shane and Missy got him a train table with the tracks and trains and he LOVES it! Plays with it every day, multiple times. What else has saved us is bringing him hot wheels inside since it is too cold to be outside. We actually went outside today for about 20 minutes in the snow. We have the Christmas cards sent and are getting everything together to make Christmas cookies. We are having Christmas here at home so I will begin that planning soon. Trying to wrap up last minute Christmas shopping for the kids and will begin wrapping tomorrow to get it over with!

11/10/2008 - Poor Owen fell while running in the driveway and smashed his cute little nose on the pavement and scraped it up pretty bad- of course, a few days before I was going to get Christmas pics taken so I postponed it until next weekend. It is healing quickly, thank God!

We are having issues with Emma in the afternoon. She gets home from school at 3 and gets sooo crabby and cries at the drop of a hat! So yesterday she was sleepy and took an hour nap and sure enough what I thought would happen happened- she wouldn't go to sleep until 10:30!!!! I am scared for this afternoon but no matter what will keep her up so we don't have a repeat. We are in no nap limbo- maybe she is going through a growth spurt?!

So Emma and I have been playing a lot of games. I have asked from my family to buy her board games because she is getting into them. She loves "Go Fish" and today we just played "Old Maid" but she doesn't like that one because she is too afraid of getting stuck with the old maid card (the loser card)!!

Well, Owen just woke up and so I'd better go. We are leaving in less than 2 weeks to drive to Houston for Thanksgiving so any ideas for the car trip, please share!!!

11/2/2008 - Halloween was a hit- a week-long event but a hit. Last weekend we went to a place here that has old time living and they had a festival for the kids and on Monday we had a Fall Festival at the library- the kids got to play games- Owen had a lot of fun! So many new things for him- Emma has done this all before and it really excites me to see him go through it too- it is all so brand new to him and he loves all of these things, Wednesday, Emma dressed up in her costume for ballet and Thursday was her party at school and trick or treat night (long story but something for safety they do here). We had dinner with our neighbors and then we went trick-or-treating with their family as well. Owen would mostly just run around like crazy lovin' it and every once in a while go up to someone and try to grab a handful of candy from them and then he would want to eat some (thanks to my neighbor- I never let the kids, nor was I allowed, to eat the candy until I got home) Anyway- Emma had a blast and we even ran into a neighbor that has a golf cart and let Owen sit up there- he looked so cute. Friday night we had some friends over for dinner and to keep Emma busy, dad bought her the new "Tinkerbell" movie, which was supposed to be saved for Christmas- but he is a sucker for her!!

Owen continues to amaze me with his "boy" acrobatics. It is only by the grave of God that he has not been seriously injured yet. He is also talking more and more finally. Emma is smart as a whip and loves learning. I know that sounds cheesy but she always wants to learn new things- higher counting- spelling. She is reading (when we slowly take the time to sound out all of the letters) some words and can write all of the letters too! Some days I want to bust with pride for her. But sassy-look-out with this one- MAN she can be moody!!

We have plans to go to Houston for Thanksgiving so we are starting to look forward to that!! We can't wait to meet baby Kate and see Grant again.

10/27/2008 - Congrats to Shane and Missy (Tyler's brother) on having baby Kate Saturday! Can't wait to see pics of her- heard she is gorgeous from grandma!!

Emma did something funny last Friday! She had been singing that song "London bridges falling down, falling down, falling down......take the key and lock her up, lock her up, lock her up..." etc. - so all of a sudden I walk into the computer room where the dog kennel is and see her trying to coax Owen into the dog kennel- she said "You don't have to if you don't want to" and she was singing that song!! Poor kid- he didn't do it though- too smart already- knows what sissy is up to!!

10/14/2008 - Andrea, don't get mad, will add new pics later (I know how she gets when I put up a new story and no new pics)

Owen is so funny- he does the craziest things- at least crazy for me, used to a prissy girl. Now, Emma knows how to have fun and be very silly but she doesn't try to dive bomb off the couch or body slam CONSTANTLY!!!! He likes to ride his bike backwards down the driveway holding his feet up, nearly wiping out every time and lovin' it! He loves copying his sissy- with what she says and does (granted no one but Emma and I can understand him). When he goes #2, he will tell me that he is going but nothing preemptive or only wants to sit on the potty when I am. I think he kicks the soccer ball better than Emma. He can actually dribble it somewhat (as much as an 18 month old can). I am thankful that the separation issues are slllllooooowllly slowing down. I feel like a partially bad mom because with Emma I was always up on what to do next with them (transition from sippy cup to real cup- should be doing puzzles, etc.) and I have slacked on that with Owey- so I will try to be better from now on- I know I am just being crazy. He is very violent towards Emma and I only (thank God not towards anyone else) and I know it is a lack of being able to communicate with us- which is getting better- he is learning more words and I understand his body language and can anticipate things better. That being said- he still likes to pull hair for absolutely NO reason- just out of the blue will walk up to Emma and yank it!! Sooo (don't judge me)- nothing else has worked- he could care less about time-outs- so I am pulling his hair back and it seems to be working!!! (Or he is growing out of doing it- either way, it has slowed down!!)

I can now leave the house for a second to put his diaper in the trash without an all out screaming fit- as long as I tell him where I am going first- and he still watches for me, but at least I am allowed to leave. He is also getting upset if Tyler leaves now- not just me. It has been trying and I know I should hold onto these days, it is just hard to see when it is all day, every day. But I can honestly say that as crazy as this life is now, I wouldn't give it up for anything and am soo thankful for Tyler and especially God for allowing me to be home with my babies!!

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