Some of my favorite things

Well I got a not so gentle reminder to update the blog last night. The thing is though that I can't load any pictures right now because we're moving our office area around and we have everything unplugged (read - Nathan hasn't finished and I don't know what to do). So these are two old favorites of mine, Evie's "NO!" face and Meri's kissy face. And since my posts lately have been rather too much keeping up with the Jone's - the child rearing version, I thought I would submit for you to some of my favorites. It's like my own personal people's choice awards. And don't complain - you don't have to be reading this you know.

• favorite blog Have a little time to spare? This blog is quite fabulous, very entertaining and yummy pictures of ranch type stuff and flowers. And I will warn you some not quite yummy pictures of ranch stuff too.
  
• favorite publication Need a good book recommendation? Admittedly I haven't read it in a awhile, if only I knew one of the famous editors and could get a copy out here in the sticks.
• favorite catalogue Need some good clothes? Or want to buy Evie some really expensive but totally non skanky clothes?
  
• favorite online shopping experience Speaking of clothes, how about shoes? You can look at the soles for goodness sake! If only we could do that with people, wouldn't the personals be so much more interesting if they had that feature for our souls? oooh and you can search by heel height and color and they have free returns, quite fabulous I assure you. There's a pair of pink and purple puma's I've been eyeing, sometimes you need to let your inner punk come out, ya know?
  
• favorite time waster picture upon picture - it's like a time sucking vortex though if you like photography. You have been warned.
• favorite designer Rumor has it they're not in production anymore, if I only had lots of money and some pull.
• favorite thing I've found for adult interaction
  seriously, best Mom's group I've been to yet. They watch your kids and it's all about Mom's not just a playgroup. Very cool.
• favorite movie. Spirit, it's a cartoon about wild mustangs. Why is it my favorite? Well it will keep Evie dead still for a good hour and a half. Every single day.

That's all we've got time for folks. I'll give you a little Evie update tomorrow, get your hankies ready.

Roar! Just playing with my lights but isn't she sweet? We are so ready for this rain to go away, cold gray and just yuck. Makes me very depressed. She's cute enough to brighten any day though. She's started counting, I know she doesn't know what it means but it's fun anyway. She says 1, 2, 3... go! She also does this thing that I so wish I could get a picture of. If either Nathan or I are holding her and anywhere close to each other she'll reach out and grab us and push our faces together to kiss. Well, it does get annoying if we're trying to talk and she repeatedly does it but her face when she makes it work is priceless.
Evie amazes me sometimes, we were listening to the Chieftans last night, the girls were dancing and Evie stops and says, it's like Camelot. And well yes it was. That's a great cartoon by the way if you've never seen it, very girl power and good over evil. But they have this music on there that was just like what we were listening too. She's soo smart. Okay I know that's really not that big of deal but it's to wonderful to finally be hearing this stuff. Another speech first happened yesterday too, we were brushing her horse and she told me it's name and I asked what his favorite food was and what he liked to do, you know the usual stuff. Her favorite answer for anything that might have involved in depth communication used to be "pink" but last night she answered them all. His name was oggy and he liked to run and eat and do horsey stuff (my abbreviation for the long drawn out answer I got!).
whew! I guess that's enough :)

The letter "E"

Look at that little frown of concentration, how cute is that? She's trying so hard and learning so much and it's just so neat because it's all on her own. I never bought into the educational toys or videos, I just wanted her to play and worry about that stuff later but it's so cool to watch her learn. She walks around saying "ha horse" and sounding the words out, I don't know if she picked it up from school or Mimi but it's definitely fun. I guess I had better get some books on teaching reading and phonics because I sure don't remember what to tell her! I'll confess it is a major relief, just because I didn't do flashcards didn't mean I wasn't worried she'd be behind.

Yesterday I was walking to the car, holding Meri's hand when it hit me. I wasn't bending over, stooping or struggling. Yes, my baby and I were walking hand in hand - she's that tall. So I'm doing a little reminiscing, remember when she wasn't such a big girl?.

I often wonder what it looks like from his side of the window. It's nice to be so loved - and missed!

Love

My darling girls, just when I want to set you on the curb for doing the above (that's about 10 storage containers of clothes on the floor folks!) I walk into this.

Happy Birthday to me

Thank You for all the birthday well wishes. I had a really great, if normal, day. Got my hair chopped if you notice. It's usually longer and a wild, wavy mess(See Evie for and example). Why do stylists always insist on straightening it into sleek oblivion? I always feel like I have a ski hat for hair or something. We'll see how it washes today...
Funny Evie story, I had my makeup mirror(one of those magnifying light up ones) on the floor in front of my full length mirror. Evie walks up to it and says "I have big feet - like Momma!" Lol! So true my dear!
Nathan took the girls shopping for my birthday, it was so sweet! Meri got me a basket of daffodils (my absolute favorite flower) and Evie picked me out a bracelet. Although she seems to think it belongs to her, "that's mine Momma" Nathan got me handmade chocolates from this store in town and some bath goodies. Yum! He also made me one of his famous handmade cards. Good Times! Thanks Everybody!

A little fun in the mud! Too bad they ended up SWIMMING in a deep hole. I had to haul them back across the yard(and we were on the other end - all 2 acres, lol!) and pour the water out of the boots and strip 'em down! They were muddy and soaking wet and I was trying to protect my camera and my clothes! Poor little feet were all red and cold by the time we got in, nothing a little hot chocolate didn't help. I'm having a very good day already. I love it when Evie does something to just make my day. I was still in bed and She and Nathan were rattling around the kitchen making the oatmeal and she yells "where are you at momma?" So I answer back, "coming, coming, I can't find my glasses" (remember I can't see but like 3 inches in front of my face so if my glasses fall on the floor or I push them away from the edge or something I have to get down and fumble around till I find them - pathetic, I know) So anyway, she comes running in and says "I'll help!" She reaches down, plucks them off the floor and says"here's your glasses Momma" and then she gets my rings and hands them to me too. How cute is that! She listened and then came to help! And then I got to go into the kitchen and find a table full of presents, I opened my cards and you could totally tell they picked them out! Garfield and Mickey, GAG! But the thought was very sweet! When we get her from school in a little bit we're going to make my cake, that's always fun.

Why the numbers? Well, part of the reason I never get pictures sent (asides from me never being satisfied with what I get) is that I can't decide what you would like. So, pick a picture and email what number and size and I cross my heart promise I'll do my best to get them out to you. I'm still working on Meri so unless you just love that one of her wait a couple days and I'll get some more up. Happy choosing!

Trying to do "portrait" type shots for family and this is what I get. Love my girls and their strange, goofy ways.
Here are some updates I keep meaning to share, in bullet formation for ease of my mental abilities.

• Meri is jumping - both feet off the ground.
• Evie is starting to write. All on her own too, Mimi showed her how to write her name, just playing and the next thing we know she's "making the E's Momma"
  
• She is also recognizing letters, made a "T" with her arms the other day and told me it was "the letter T" (all letter are always referred to in this manner!)
• Meri has so many new "words" (sounds really) that I just can't keep up. Stop, NO, E(for Evie, duh!) Ja, get down,dog, cat, drink, banna and many more that I can't remember now.
• She has also gotten the hang of animal noises, oinking and meowing and barking, fishy swimming, chicken bawking... you get the idea, right?
• Both girls are doing itsy bitsy, little teapot and if you're happy.
• Their favorite song right now is "FA. la, laaaaaaa" The Muppet's version from uncle Josh!
• And the last - Meri is about to start her interpretive dance career. We don't know where she got it but that baby has got soul! She picked up Evie's ribbon stick(like from the rhythmic gymnastics?) and was just doing all the twirls and motions with it, the thing is almost as big as she is!
• Bedtime in the new room has transitioned smoothly, I wasn't certain how 2 in one room would work but it's been just fine!
  

Picture a day blog.

I've decided to join a challenge and start posting a picture a day. To keep this from interfering with my bring personal stuff I just created a new blog.
http://mogphotoaday.blogspot.com/
So if you're here looking for my pic a day just redirect and accept my apologies for being confusing! I never really thought anybody would come and look!
Thanks for all the comments!

Another one from the beach, you know it's my favorite place! I sure am missing it in this miserable drizzle we are having now.
I have to share about Evie , we're pretty much not worried about her speech any more. She is talking and communicating more and more almost to the point that it's not noticeable. You might just think she's quiet child if you didn't know her history. She's still behind but we don't worry about the future - we know she'll get there eventually. This is in part due to a book I read recently, The Einstein Syndrome: Bright Children Who Talk Late by Thomas Sowell
It's pretty much Evie to the inch and it made me feel immensely better.
Here's a good example of what she's doing now : we were eating with Mom in a local restaurant the other night, completely empty except for us. She won't leave the server alone, talking and waving to her so she came over and talked to Evie for a little bit and then left. So were just eating and talking about what the server was doing, being Cinderella - sweeping the floor etc... and Evie is sitting there and says "I have pretty eyes!". What on earth? Where did that come from? I know she does, but it's not like anybody had told her that recently. It's kinda scary listening to all this stuff coming out that has been whirling around in that little brain for years.
Also, we have NO worries about Meri either. She's just talking her little head off. she even said "get down" today. I love her cute little baby voice too! Missed that with Miss E, which is sad but it's fun discovering it now!

Just a random assortment, opening up the Aunties goodies , Christmas Eve story time and Christmas morning.

I know, I know... I promised Christmas pictures. I just keep thinking about poor Grandmama going back to work tomorrow when just a couple days ago we were playing on the beach and laying in the sun. This way she can remember how much fun we had... thanks for a great visit! We miss you!