The Haddon's

ONE and Thankful

2011-11-23T21:57:00.001-08:00

I realize the timing of this post should probably be about Thanksgiving (since it's Thanksgiving Eve) but my littlest man turned one last week and I still haven't posted some pics from his big day.... and it just so happens to be that most of the things I am thankful for can be captured in these pictures.

So to start, I am truly THANKFUL for my family. I am beyond GRATEFUL for the chance to stay home with my kids. I love (even on the hard days) that I get to be here for them, I get to love them, teach them, disciple them, correct them, and teach them. It's what I was created to do and I am honored to be called to the overwhelming task, and thankful for the opportunity to be able to.

Happy Birthday Sweet Jedidiah Matthew, I can't believe you are 1!

You sure have some spunk Mr. Man!

His first cupcake, he loved the chocolate chunk cupcake, not a fan of the Maple Whip Cream... you are missing out my friend... missing out!

Sweet Big Sister Emery borrowed the neighbors hat to celebrate his "Dr. Seuss" themed bash!

The best shot of us 4... I love that, I love that I have a family of 4.

I am thankful for that- good picture or not!

Beyond THANKFUL that we have ALL of our family to celebrate with us, not just Jed's birthday, but they celebrate life with us and they love us along the way. I am truly thankful for that. I feel blessed that we have friends in our lives who want to love on our kids, celebrate them and cheer them on to what they will become!

What a blessing to have so many people who WANT to share in the fun of loving my kids! They are always willing to travel and make time to invest in our lives! More to be thankful for!

(my parents)

(Bubba's mom... we missed a picture of Papa Mike!)

I am thankful that I get the opportunity to get my craftiness out before I explode! HA!

And I am thankful for moments like these...

and faces like this...

Sweet boy, you melt my heart and always will.

Thank you Lord for my many blessings.

My boy....

2011-10-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

I looked at my blog today for the first time in a long time--- 4th of July? seriously??? That was my last post... well, I am too far behind to catch up, so I just have to do a quick update... and tell you... I love having a boy. How can it be so crazy different to love, raise, nurture, cuddle, shepherd, and care for a boy?? I don't know- but it is. Both are so fun, both are so different, both are such a unique blessing to me. So, here's a few things I am learning about boys....

1. They look up to and love their big sisters to the millionth degree.

(He is enthralled with her!)

2. They are rough and tumble, that's for sure... he has to bang on everything!

3. They are fast, AND sneaky, and NOT good at hiding it. :)

4. They are BIG AND MESSY eaters... nothing dainty here!

5. They have a smile that could melt your heart and a twinkle in their eye that makes you nervous all at the same time!

6. They climb on EVERYTHING, bite the dust, and do it all over again!

7. They melt your heart like no one else can.

Oh how I love my boy!!!

And just for a side note... this little lady- she is wonderful, one of a kind, as sweet as pie and the best big sister and helper a mama could ask for. I absolutely love spending my days with her.

Couldn't get better than this!

A Fun 4th of July!!

2011-07-08T07:51:00.001-07:00

This year was such a fun 4th of July, probably my favorite so far... we had a great time with fun friends, goofy kids, yummy food, and a great view of the Fireworks on the front lawn! Here's some of our fun moments, most of them are of the kids... go figure!

(L to R: Emery, Jedidiah, Ella, Milo, Calvin, Ollie, Brady, Cody, & Will)

All suited up for a swim!

Our make-shift water slide was a big hit this year!

There were little swimmers all over the pool!

Good food, good talk, good friends & family!

My sweet kids, love these little firecrackers!

Thanks to the fun dad's who brought all the fun fireworks!

Sparkler time!!!

And like always, popsicles and fireworks on our front lawn! We love the free Country Club show! ha ha ha!!!

Sweet memories, loved it!

Hope you all had a great day celebrating!

The Best Big Helper...

2011-06-13T22:57:00.000-07:00

See for yourself... she's the best big helper I could ever ask for! Love you Lulu, and I love you Avocado Face! You guys make my job so much fun!

Little of This'n'That

2011-05-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

I am feeling behind in my posts, and so here go a bigillion pictures all at once to summarize our last few weeks, months, adventures, and milestones!

We celebrated Easter at my parents house in Bass Lake, it was great to be there with family, enjoy the little ones having a blast with their Easter Egg Hunt, watching the adults go head to head in the adult Easter Egg hunt (my mom hides cash, so it's a little cut-throat!), we died Easter Eggs, spent some time praying for my sister (UPDATE & PRAISE: she had some swollen lympnodes in her neck all which came back benign- AND we PRAISE JESUS for those results and his MERCY!!) It was a great weekend for so many reasons!

At home we are just lovin' on these babies (and monkey- as always!!)

Do you think this baby is too big for the sink or what?? Can you say... "Lazy Mama that doesn't want to lean over the tub??" ha ha ha!

So BIG, starting to sit up all by himself!

And this one, we've had 2 major milestones this week: 1. Braids 2. Pink sparkle toe nail polish!

Sweet boy, you melt my heart even though you give me a run for my money some days!

My little guys....

2011-04-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

Per Auntie Lisa's request... more pictures of the wee-ones...

Jed's first time on the "real swings!"

Two peas in a pod....

My snuggle-buggle... LOVE this about this boy!

Em's "new glasses", she's a hoot!

Mr. Giggle Pants... love him!

Smile Jedders!

My two Toe Heads :)

And the best for last...

Licking the chocolate off the spatula.... notice it in her hair too??

"Dance School"

2011-03-19T22:32:00.000-07:00

So, Emery took her first dance class this past week- she calls it "Dance School"... and OH MY GOODNESS, it was so fun for me to see! I grew up dancing and to think that I now have a daughter old enough to partake in the fun is so WILD! I loved it! I loved seeing her all dressed up and really enjoying the class with her little buddies... I am guessing we have many more fun memories on the way!

She is really diggin' the tutu!!

Her buddies Mia and June...

And my sweet little man, well, his gummy smile could cheer me up any day of the week! I love this little boy! One of each really is fun!

He even makes folding laundry fun!

Emer-doo and Jedders

2011-03-08T22:08:00.001-08:00

My peanuts are getting bigger! Emery turned 3 yesterday and Jed turned 4 months today- they are so much fun... I ABSOLUTELY love them to pieces, I love that I get to stay home with them, I love my job, I love playing with them and I love loving them!

Always lots of laughs with Cousin Griffin!

Emery loves to put Jed in the swing along with Beloved Monkey and let them both enjoy the ride! He's such a good sport!!

Cousin Jude giving Baby Jed a stroll around Grammie's Kitchen in the dolly stroller!

SO much fun to be had!

Overdue Update....

2011-01-28T20:48:00.000-08:00

They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words... so I hope these speak for themselves! Short on time, but wanted to get some pictures up here to share with friends and family! Here we go, not in any particular order...

Love this little man, he steals my heart :)

He's already 2 months!

All 5 cousins together!!! Blurry, but it's the memories that count!

Owen, Jude, Emery, Jed, and Wyatt

This guy smiling at me- what a flirt!

Jedder... we love you!

Celebrated my wonderful sister, Happy Birthday Best Friend!

We also celebrated her husband, but he escaped without a picture!

January is birthday month for my family

Celebrated this Awesome Guy- just turned 6! Owen, you're the best!!!

AND celebrated my WONDERFUL (Super) Mom, she's amazing!

Took my nephew, Jed, and Emery to feed the ducks...

and Jude fed himself :)

This guy earned the new nickname "Dennis" as in "Dennis the Menace"... this picture should explain why! What a sneaker!

And the neighbor dropped off some stuff her kids have outgrown... Em's favorite:

Her new "Click-Clack" princess shoes! HA!

That's it for now! More soon I hope!

Christmas Time Fun...

2010-12-21T14:01:00.000-08:00

We have actually been having a lot of fun, me and my kiddos, these past few weeks getting ready for Christmas and enjoying the indoors. At first I was feeling a little cabin fever- we were staying in more than normal because my kiddos were sick and Jed was so little so it took him a little longer to get over it, but after a while, I really started to enjoy being at home and spending some serious quality time with my little ones. I was really intentional with crafts and activities to keep Emery busy- and she loved all of it (boy, do I love that part about my sweet girl, she loves CRAFTS! Yahoo!) Here's some of the snippits I will remember about this holiday season...

Emery got to decorate her first Gingerbread man... she loved it!

... the finished product...

We also made some "crayon pucks" for her friends and wrapped them up as gifts!

We've spent a lot of time ready books and sharing them with Brother...

If you look closely, she gave him the book "Farmer Jed" to read :)

Cousin Griffin came over and we made "Jingle Bell" Christmas Ornaments and they ran up and down the halls singing the song for... oh... 20 minutes!

We watched a Christmas cartoon as a family in our jammies and had popcorn...

We painted lots of things and made presents for our family...

she was really into painting, so we found more things to paint!

Emery also got to make a snowman on her window...

Then we made Christmas cookies together....

And Emery and Bubba delivered them to the neighbors! Emery loved being an elf!

And one night Bubba made a big fire and Emery got to stay up late to read Christmas books, just her and daddy :)

We've had a lot of fun, it's been a quiet season, which is different for me because I like to be out and about more & see more friends and family- and I actually really like the usual holiday bustle- but this year has been different and I am really enjoying the simplicity of my family!

And this little guy, no, we didn't forget about him, we are loving having him around- he's just been doing a whole lot of this:

Jedidiah has ARRIVED!

2010-11-18T17:12:00.000-08:00

...just a few hours old...

We are so excited to have our new little man here, he is absolutely great, we love him to pieces and are soaking up the snuggles and quietness right now :) I want to try to record the event, in hopes of someday making a book/album of our family off of my blog, but time is precious right now between the two little ones so I will do my best.... this is my recording the experience via my pictures... I guess some would call that photo journalism, I would say it's really just aiding my memory along the right path :)

It was Monday night, around 11 pm when I MADE my husband take one last picture... my 39th week!!! before he could go to bed.... little did I know it would be just a few hours later that the labor would begin! Here I am being a nerd, "3 more days until he's due!"... it was way too late!

My sweet friend Vali came over at 4ish to sleep on the couch with Em, I was picking up Candy Land, trying desperately to dry my only 2 pairs of pants that I just had to wash the night before (which never dried by the by so I wore my husbands!) and doing other random things that were pointless but felt like a good idea at the time! We got to the hospital and got checked in at 4:45. Most of my contractions were about every 8 - 10 minutes but really intense and I was a 6 by 6am- not the norm, but things were definitely moving along! Here's a shot between contractions ENJOYING those delicious ice chips! Honestly, my dream house would have that kind of ice machine in it.
So I guess a little after 8 I was fully dilated and ready to go, so we waited for the doctor and by 8:30ish I was pushing... 10 minutes later he popped out at 8:47 and I got to meet the little man that I'd been waiting to see for 9 months- how crazy is that first few minutes! He came out doing well, I was feeling great now that I wasn't sitting on his head, and then we got to snuggle... just me, Jed, and Bubs.... it was perfect.
Wow, so weird to think we had a "son" now. His name Jedidiah means "loved by God" which makes the name even more perfect for me, it was part of the reason why we chose it. We had a hard time picking out a middle name, until it hit me one day. I decided I wanted to name my son after my husband, if he turns out anything like the man that my husband is, my heart will be overfilled with joy. What an example that my husband is of a man who loves God, loves his family and is full of integrity- it's my hearts desire that my son would follow in THOSE footsteps. I love you Bubs (aka Matthew!).

So, I had been waiting ever since I knew Emery understood that she was having a baby brother, to see her response to him... and it was perfect! She knew exactly who he was when she came in. She was a little overwhelmed, looked under my sheets after she saw him- kinda puzzled that he had somehow escaped my belly, and then, as naturally as the little mother hen that she is, tickled his cheek and said "getcha, getcha, goo.... Hi baby Jedidiah!" Loved it, it's a memory I will keep locked in my heart forever. She's the best!
He was so great, slept lots, nursed really well, was so kissable and huggable--- those newborn smells and sounds were really fun to experience all over again!

My mom was the greatest, she came down when I called her in the morning, and she has been here to help... which is GREAT because it's a challenge with a toddler for sure! She is a baby lover, a soother, not to mention a great "baby burper", and my sweet friend. Thanks for your servant's heart mom and loving us always.

We ended up staying the night in the hospital because Jed's got some eating/barfing issues that they wanted to keep an eye on, so by the next morning we were ready to leave and head home. You can still pray for the eating/barfing issues that we figure them out, they are manageable but we just want to make sure everything is okay for him.

Home sweet home, ahh... it feels good to be home... as a family of 4!

And I will leave you with two pictures, which will probably be followed by many more... Emery loving on her new "baby doll".... he will probably learn to be very patient is my guess!

Halloween

2010-11-08T20:17:00.001-08:00

Halloween was a real hoot this year- like years past, our little family of 3 all dressed up.... and Emery picked the theme! She really wanted to be a snowman (what can I say, as a Christmas Elf myself, I was secretly really excited!) I couldn't resist the opportunity to "flaunt what I got" at this point (my super huge belly!) so I went as Santa, and my "good sport of a husband" accompanied us as an elf... we had so much fun... have I mentioned before that I love this age? or this girl? or my wee little family of 3... which is about to be a family of 4??? I love it! I love it! I love it!

Baby Boy's Shower...

2010-10-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

Warning: if you don't like details, you won't like this post!

This was one of the BEST days I have had in a long time, and I mean a LONG TIME.... I am still soaring high from all the love, encouragement, and sweet friends that were there to celebrate with me. As a mom, time alone or with sweet friends can rejuvinate your heart like nothing else, and this to me, was one of those times- my heart was needing it more than I knew...

My Baby Shower for Baby Boy Haddon...

Here are all the wonderful girls that made it as special as it was- a big thank you to them all for coming!

(here is where the details begin, I took a picture of everything because I LOVED everything about this outside garden party, it was perfect, I needed to document it ALL!)

The lunch table overlooking the golf course...

The darling party table with yummy Cake Pops (made by Kristen), delicious bird nest cupcakes (made by Katy), and a favor for everyone to take home... so cute!

"A Tweet for You"... so so clever!

A darling little laundry line with boys clothing...

The cutest book, Little Hoot, that everyone signed for my Baby Boy...

They even made the present area look darling, are these girls creative or what!?!

Soup and Salad for lunch and some presents...

The darling party planners & sweet friends- Kristen, Vali & Annah

The Cupcake Queen and good friend, Katy

My Sweet Friend & hostess Jennifer...

My family- My mom Debs, sister Danika, me, Sister-in-Law Lisa, Mother-in-Law Jackie, and Sister-in-law Gelayol... so thankful they could all be there!

And these two girls have become part of my home away from home in Bakersfield, Annah & Allison, love them lots!

And when we got home there was time to catch up with the rest of my family who came along for the visit, I really enjoyed seeing my newest little nephew, Wyatt.... what a cutie pie!

Look at those yummy cheeks on that little guy!

Everyone going ga-ga over the new baby...

Emery taking care of her little buddy Jude, she is such the Mother Hen wiping his hands and feeding him dinner...

And Grammie reading books and tucking the little ones in to bed- she's the best!

What a great weekend, what great memories!

One Last Trip to the Coast...

2010-10-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

We (hu...hum...I) really wanted to take one last trip to the Coast before Baby Boy arrived- It was a much needed getaway and dose of SLO that I was longing for!

Here's Em eating breakfast before we left, ready to go with her "beach hat" on!

A stop at one of my favorite places, Avila Barn...

Checking out the giant pumpkins

and their little petting zoo...

and a trip to the pumpkin patch...

A tractor ride that she couldn't wait for....

we couldn't resist a trip to Firestone... everyone was excited about that!

My request- breakfast at my favorite coffee shop, Linnea's... I knew Emery would love the outside patio, the fish, and...

the scrambled eggs!

My "happy place" in the garden patio with a vanilla latte next to the pond with green stuff growing everywhere- this is where I will escape to in my mind during middle of the night feedings, crying, and changing newborn diapers :) Ha ha ha!

A day at the beach in Avila...

What!?! How old are you getting Emmie Lou! You look so big... please don't grow up, I love this age!!!

Daddy took us girls out on a fancy date to Giuseppe's in SLO, us girls had a great time!

Just the 3 of us... well, I guess there's kinda 3 & 1/2!

and the count down continues, 5 weeks to go in this picture!

(bad picture but important to document!)

A big, giant thank you to my darling Honey, he is so sweet, so thoughtful and such a love. This weekend was something I really wanted to squeeze in (and it was a squeeze into a busy fall so far!) I so appreciate you valuing things that I value and loving me in this way.

YOU. ARE. THE. BEST.

Vacation with Grammie & Papa Haddon

2010-10-18T16:48:00.000-07:00

This year we got to go on vacation with Bubba's parents, unfortunately his brother & his family couldn't make it- so it was just us and Grammie Jack & Papa Mike. We had a lot of fun and lots of time to rest!

We spent our time at Bass Lake and had fun on the boat...

Everyone's favorite snuggle bug...

The Ducks at Bass Lake now know Emery and her bag of Wonder Bread :)

She's always sad to see them go...

And this time we went on a train ride, it was really cute and so nice to enjoy the fresh, cool air! Of course Monkey accompanied us and took his 1st train ride!

Is that Punky Bruster??? or Rainbow Bright?? Oh wait, it's Emery after Daddy dressed her! Ha ha ha!

What a great way to unwind and enjoy sometime away from busyness... loved it!

Kern County Fair

2010-10-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, let's be honest, I am way behind on things I want to post and I can't go out of order- totally goes against my organizational brain... so let's hurry up and get some pics up here.... Here was this years adventure to the Kern County Fair!

The Horsey Neigh's... not really a fan of them

The Piggies... she loved these guys, even went in the pin with them!

She loved petting them!

Her and Daddy sneaking a peek at the rabbits and baby chickies...

And the BIG GUYS- they were loud! But she liked 'em!

She got to pick out 2 "roller coasters" to go on, she chose thePink Elephants...

and the Kangaroo's from last year... loved them both!

and a little rockin' out with the guitar man singing on stage!

A fun night, but we were all ready for bed by the time we got home!

Thanks Daddy for taking us, you're the best!

Nephews...

2010-09-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

We have had a special week this past week with my little nephews... one of them turned 1 month, one turned 1 year, and one turned 2.... and Owen, well Owen started Kindergarten- a big week huh?? Here's a sneak peek at the little men who still my heart with their big eyes, contagious laughter, and squishy cheeks... I love you ALL!

Baby Wyatt... the littlest of them all...

This little guy steals my heart each time I get a new picture of him (thanks Lisa for always sharing them with us!). All I have to do is look at those big bright eyes, those chunky lil' cheeks, and take a peak at that rockin' hair and my mouth automatically curls up! He makes me smile with just the littlest glimpse! We love you Wyatt, congrats on the 1st month of life, we can't wait to see you grow up!

Next is Jude.... oh, this boy, he is our Awesome Long-Awaited Blessing!

This little MAN (cuz he really is the size of a man already!) is such a tangible and real answer to prayer for me. I cannot believe how much being part of his life has changed mine. He has shown me God in new ways, I have seen pure JOY and CONTENTMENT in this little person like none I have ever seen before, he has brought hope and love to our family in ways I never knew exsisted. The Lord knew he was meant for our family, he saved him just for us, and I couldn't be more thankful for that, Joshua Jude you are our GIFT and reminder of God's goodness and faithfulness ALWAYS.

Mr. Owen Samuel, O-Sam, O-Pie, Owie Bowie.... I could go on and on...

This guy started Kindergarten recently in his K-1 combo and is rockin' the school idea... he told his mom on Saturday that he was bummed they canceled school! He is our laughter, our silly man, and has more imagination that the rest of us put together. He is bright, witty, creative, and totally confident in who Jesus has made him at a very young age- and I envy that about him! His ability to befriend anyone he meets is a true gift, one we "big people" should try to be more like- we can learn a lot from these "little people". I love you Owen, I will never forget the miracle we got to experience when you defied all odds and were brought into this world when everyone else said it was impossible- YOU Mr. Owen will accomplish great things!

And Griffin, who turned 2.... my little Griffie, G-riff... you're not so little anymore!

What fun it was to celebrate you the other night- your smile could light up a room, along with those gorgeous green eyes. I love our play times together, especially swimming with you. Life is more exciting through your eyes, the little things that us adults let slip by, you notice without fail, and I love that about you. Thanks for brightening my day when I see you, for the squeezes and hugs- I love being your auntie!

Introducing the NEW "Miss Potato Head"

2010-09-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

The New "Miss Potato Head" .... she wanted to sit on the table with her "buddies" and get her picture taken.... oh, I LOVE THIS AGE!

and a pic of her friends, taken by herself!

Wedding in San Diego...

2010-09-01T09:03:00.001-07:00

So a few weekends ago, we got to take a quick jaunt down to San Diego to see one of my favorite people, Miss Monica Hite, get hitched to an awesome and darling guy, Mr. Elliot Coupe. It was an awesome wedding to witness because it had so much of what the couple valued- their love for God, their love for one another, and all of their favorite things! It wasn't over the top, but it was so specific to them- I could have guessed whose wedding it was even if their names weren't printed on the invites! I loved it!!! Here are a few snip-its from the fabulous weekend!

The Darling Bride & Groom

The adorable and fun decorations- I loved them!

The rehearsal with fun college friends!

My wonderful friends from Cal Poly, Monica & Kara, and all of our honey bunnies!

Fun friends and old roommates, together again!

The fellas... we even got to see our good buddy Josh again- a delight!

My good buddies, you'll always have a special place in my heart girlies!

Congrats again Monica & Elliot- we are SOOOO excited for you!

Newest Addition: Baby Wyatt

2010-08-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

So much to update on, so little time! So most important things first!!!! My LITTLE BROTHER had his first baby... so so so fun!!!!

We got a call Saturday morning that my newest little nephew was about to make his entrance into the world 2 weeks early, so we headed up north to be there for his grand appearance. He is so stinkin' cute, tons of black hair, looks like his Mama, and just as teeny as can be... we love you already Wyatt Scott Zaballos!

Hanging out in the waiting room with Daddy to be "Uncle Cott"

Our chance to visit little Wyatt once he arrived - we love him!

Proud Grammie & Papa- this makes 4 grandbabies for them!

Welcome Wyatt to the "Clan of Chaos!!!"

(From L to R: my sis Danika, her son Jude & her other son Owen, my mom Debs holding baby Wyatt, and of course my goof ball Emmie down below)

And we had time to celebrate my honey's birthday, the day after Wyatt's arrival- lots of celebrating to do! Happy Birthday Bubs, I love you!!!!

(Baby Haddon Update: I am 7 months along and can't wait to meet our little guy to add to the clan of boys!!!)

Annual Family Vacation

2010-07-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

So this year we got to enjoy our annual family vacation in my parents new cabin at Bass Lake. It was so much fun- a good mixture of relaxation and action! And of course, a tradition of my family's- a competition... in the years past, we have done a cookie competition, but this year we switched it up to a Homemade Ice Cream Contest and my hats off to Lisa who finally took home 1st place- way to come from behind girl--- I envy you!!! (Lisa and I have lost the cookie contest 3 years in a row so this was a big victory for her!)

The Zaballos Fam

Lots of laying around and soaking in the sun

... and playing in the sand or dirt, one of Emery's favorite past times!

And of course lots and lots of boating, thanks to my honey!

Emery even went tubing, but she would only go if she could ride with "Auntie Simie" (my sister!)

Feeding the ducks and geese

And a bike ride or two- Emery held Jude's hand the whole time and gave him kisses every few minutes, she's in love with him- isn't he just the cutest!

And My Honey, still eating Ice Cream even when the contest was over!

...another great vacation!

Drumroll.....

2010-06-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

And that's all I have to say about that.

Today's the BIG day...

2010-06-08T07:26:00.000-07:00

So, let me back up a smidge- I had this wonderful weekend this past weekend, celebrating one of the most special people to my heart- Miss Monica- who's about to get hitched to a total hunk and so we all were celebrating with her in her excitement! It was a great time to reconnect with some sweet faces from college (see below!). I really had the most wonderful time, it was SO fun and refreshing!

That leads me to point # 2.... some of those girls (not to name names- huh hum) were a little "disappointed" in me for not posting that I was pregnant! So here it is, the official post that I am pregnant, due in Nov.

Here's point #3 which leads me to "Today's the BIG Day".... I find out today whether we have a boy or a girl in there... and to be honest.... I really, really, REALLY want another girl, but think I might be having a boy... aiy yai yai..... we shall see at 4:00!

Suit #2....

2010-05-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

We're on a roll here with this hot weather, so I thought I would keep the swim suit updates coming... Here is darlingness #2 from Auntie Danika- the Red Cherry Suit. She had it on by 8 am and wore it everywhere- including the store and the boat repair shop! She calls it her "party one"! I guess if she's planning on wearing them everywhere and all day long- it's a good thing we have 5!!!!

Weaknesses

2010-05-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

Self confessed weaknesses:

1. Target, there's always something new & spectacular- like this suit

2. Little girls bathing suits (Emery has 5 for this summer!!!)

3. A-line bobs on little girls (we're almost there, thanks to my sister's talent!)

I love this little chickie, she is such a delight, just want to smooch her all day long! I LOVE MY JOB OF BEING HER MOM! Thanks for a great mother's day :)

(Had to get a shot of the almost-there A-line bob- if it weren't for the squirrely curls I think we'd be there!!! But they're cute too!!)

... I know I haven't posted anything on my blogs lately, more news and updates to come.... soon.

Easter and Such....

2010-04-05T14:25:00.003-07:00

It's funny how time flies... here's a picture when Emery was just 2 weeks old- Easter of 2008

And here was a picture from this years Easter celebration- 2010!

Well, we have had some fun times in the past few weeks even though I've dropped the ball in posting about them... here are a few pics to capture the moments!

We got to celebrate Easter this year with our cute little Nephew, Griffin

Such excitement with every egg that she found!!!

They had so much fun the first time, we hid the eggs again and let them do it again!

Loved the look on her face!

We also had a "Pre-Easter Egg Hunt" at the park the week before, it was a big hit with lots of little munchkins everywhere!

We've also been planting flowers and Em's been filling my bird bath with mud, so now it's technically a "mud bath spa" for the birds :)

And Emery can't resist a chance to mow the lawn with Daddy!

Today she's 2...

2010-03-07T20:52:00.000-08:00

My favorite cuddle bug and birthday girl...

I can't believe it, my little girl is already two! What a fun adventure, what a HUGE growing opportunity for my husband and I as we explore parenthood, what an ENORMOUS amount of love I have for such a little peanut- I love her to pieces! Happy Birthday Emmie, we are so thankful to God that we have you, you bless our hearts daily!!! I look forward to everyday with you :) ~ Love, Mommy

Candles in her French Toast... a little unsure of them!

A special birthday dinner with the Haddon family... and Elmo :)

She was all smiles all day- she felt loved, especially from Daddy!

Lots of love from Grammie and Papa or "Mike" as she calls him!

And her partner in crime was there, egging her on all night like normal :)

Cousin Griff, Auntie G and Buddy-

Excitement was not lacking, this was her response to everything she saw! How easy to impress a 2 year old!!!!

See, I wasn't exaggerating, it was a card with an elephant on it...

Or a view of a card board box, it didn't matter, it brought her lots and lots of excitement!!

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY MUNCHKIN!!!

Happy Love Day...

2010-02-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

Love is in the Air!!!

We had a great weekend, one of Bubba and I's best buddies from Cal Poly was able to drive up from San Diego and spend the weekend with us. We had a super fun, relaxing weekend with lots of great time to catch up with Josh. Best part about it, he loved Emery and she LOVED, LOVED, LOVED him- she followed him around where ever he went, and especially melted over the GIGANTIC pink teddy bear he brought for her... thanks for making our Valentines weekend so great Josh, it was GREAT to have you in Bako!

A lunch time picnic at the park & lots of playing around!

pure bliss on her face-

Waking up from naps, what a snuggle bug she was with him!

Early this morning making a special breakfast for Valentine's Day, me and my helper!

Little Valentine's treats, boxers for the fellas...

and Elmo socks for the little lady!

Holding hands with Daddy at Breakfast...

A sad good bye when Josh left, we look forward to the next visit!

Per Katy's Request...

2010-02-07T20:50:00.000-08:00

I must say, the majority of "requests" I get from my blog to be updated are from my mom.... but this one is from Katy... thanks girl! Not a lot going on here, hunkering down in the rainy weather and having some snuggle times with Dad when they're feeling a little under the weather.

Putting Daddy to bed on the hard wood floor with her stuffed doggie "Roo".... what's cuter the pig tails or the belly??? (excuse the dump of a house, I know you're looking- we were gone for a week).

Peek-a-Boo with Pig Tails= a totally give-a-way

Ahh, love that, melts my heart... and he thought he didn't want a girl! HA!

Passing it to the Next Generation

2010-01-20T22:14:00.000-08:00

This one's for you mom, how cute is this??? It made my heart smile!

Winter Festivities...

2010-01-10T20:32:00.000-08:00

So, here are some highlights from these past few months, there were so many to choose from, I included a ton! But we had really fun pre-Christmas, Christmas, and Post Christmas celebrations- it was great to spend time with good friends and family!

A fun rooftop holiday party with our good buddies, Annah & Nick (who welcomed their 1st baby on Dec. 23rd, Baby Will) which was so much fun!

Bubba and Emery spent the day on Saturday out at the nursery (where Bubba works) while I stayed home to bake! She had a ball and napped GREAT when she came home! I loved this picture of her out in the grape fields.

Then we all went and delivered cookies to our neighbors in our red wagon, a fun little family tradition of ours!

We had a quick pre-Christmas gift exchange with Griffin since the kids wouldn't see each other for a few weeks, they got shaker cars and played with them up and down the hallway!

Then Emery and I headed north to make it to my extended families Christmas Party that we haven't made it to in a few years. She had a blast making gumdrop trees with the big kids even though she could barely see over the table!

We had a great dinner, Santa came for a visit, then we sang some Christmas Carols and enjoyed some delicious desserts! My parents were great hosts, it was a big shin-dig and they did a great job planning the whole thing!

All the cousins (of which Emery and Jude are the youngest) had a great time playing together.

Loved this picture of my sister and her sweet son Jude, aren't they just the cutest? Too pooped to party!

Once everyone got into town, the heat was on- it was time for the gingerbread house competition. Each couple had their own house and had to assemble it with the tools provided. There was an unfair advantage because of the construction skills held by some family members, and you guessed it- my brother the contractor and his wife won- not a surprise!

(These two goof balls had a blast the whole time!)

We also have a tradition of riding the "Train of Lights" on the Christmas Years that we are up north. We pack up a sack dinner, bundle up, and ride the train through the Sunol valley. It's a beautiful ride, Santa walks through the train cars and hands out candy canes, and the caboose sells warm hot coco..... it's really fun!

Christmas Eve....

My family.... not the best picture due to the self timer, but does have great memories!

Christmas morning, Emery opening her OWN truck, now she doesn't have to borrow one from all her BOY cousins!

Bubba got himself a real fine video camera.... and he got me the best present ever, sweet husband- a NEW BIKE!!!

And once we were back home, we celebrated Christmas again with Bubba's side of the family, more fun!

And a New Year's trip to Bass Lake, an unexpected surprise from my parents! We headed up there for a few days, played in the snow for a day, banged pots and pans and then headed home again!

Emmie loves this sweet baby, she wished she could carry him around or push him in her new baby stroller, unfortunately, he almost weighs as much as her, so for now, she'll just have to settle for giving him his pacifier!

We had a great Christmas and are reminded again by life's twists and turns how thankful we are for our families and friends- the time we get to spend with them and the memories we get to make because we know this life is but a glimpse and can be gone in just a moment. We also lost two dear people this season, it is sad to see them go, but we are hopeful to see what God will bring through it all.

Thanksgiving...

2009-12-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

Just a few pictures from our festivities....

Playing in the Backyard before the feast began.... some of my favorite shots...

The family at the feast...

cousins...

Our little family of 3...

And yes, the very next day we went and got our Christmas Tree....

And someone snuck me a Christmas smooch! Loved it!

The kids browsing the ornament selection!

And last but not least, Emery showing all of her friends her beautiful pink Christmas tree--- She loves Christmas already... just like her Mama :)

What's New???

2009-11-24T16:57:00.001-08:00

We've had some crazy weeks- with showers and traveling, spontaneous trips and lots of visitors, here's some pics that capture it better than words... and are probably more enjoyable :)

My sister in law, Lisa, and I gave my sister a shower to introduce everyone to our sweet Baby Jude! It was such an awesome time, she shared in detail about their journey to adopting Jude, it was an awesome account to the graciousness of God- wish I would have video taped it- darn it!

Had to snap a picture of the centerpiece because it turned out so cute- click on the pic to make it bigger, it's his name and some birds in a tree :)

And we had a blast making the favors (and eating them- oops!) and more owls to go along with the bird theme- thanks for the stamps Sarah Jane!!!

And a picture of the best mama ever and her sweet little man, Mr. Jude Stokes- who in typical Jude fashion slept through the whole party!

And back home, me and Emmie practiced smiles when I say "cheese"- pretty good huh?

Then off to SLO for a convention for Bubba, and me and the little miss tagged along- we had a blast with my brother and his wife, they are wonderfully hospitable and just down right fun. We did our normal run to Coldstones and had lots of good laughs, thanks guys!

And then some pics of me and Em at a park down the street from my brother's house ....

And a quick trip to Availa Beach, so much to do on the Central Coast.. miss it already! We had a blast!

the end.

Happy Late Halloween....

2009-11-05T11:40:00.001-08:00

Here are some snipp-its of our Halloween this year, we had a blast!! Emery was a Bumblebee, I gave a go at making her costume which was fun since she's little and has no opinion! The first two pictures were taken by Curtis Nemetz- hence that's why they look so awesome, the rest of them are taken by little ol' me :)

Back up the train--- the day before Halloween we carved pumpkins with our cousin- Emery in her totally girlie fashion wouldn't touch it because it was too gushy- instead she hung with Uncle Buddy. So me and Griffin went after it.

Back to Halloween Day---BEE-utiful bee's!

Bubba was the Bee Keeper, I was the "Honey" (check out my ALL NATURAL Bee Hive, that was a dozey to take down!), and Emery and Griffin were bee's.

Bubba's parents stopped by to say hi!

All the little creatures... and the UPS guy :)

"why do we have these things on? and why are you taking our pictures so many times????"

Pizza Party with Jeff and the kiddos!

At the church carnival, Emery loved the baby cows, as you can see she was waving at them while they were trying to sleep!

Me and Em with our fun buddy Annah (and baby Will the pumpkin bump!)

The "Official Skeleton"

2009-10-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

Well, here you have it, Jude is now officially part of our family as my newest nephew, the adoption is complete, we celebrate in God's goodness and grace, His mercy and provision! We love this sweet baby, we rejoice that he was chosen to be part of OUR family, and we give "Praise and Thanksgiving"(the meaning of his name!) to God for him!!!! We love you Baby Jude!!!! And thus, this little "skeleton" is officially ours to love, smooch, and cuddle forever!!!!

Beach Vacation...

2009-10-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

So this past week we were recovering from our fabulous beach vacation with the Haddon side of the family, it was so fun and relaxing, we are already looking forward to next years!

We had a blast spending time at the beach, here's my favorite pic of the week! Look at the belly and bikini, they were made for each other!

And, Emery found little need for sleep this week [ugg!] so we had a early morning walk on the beach--- two sleepy heads!

Two peas in a pod- Griffin and Emery had so much fun together all week...

they even strolled the beach on their own! (Another one of my favorite pics!)

How cute is "Big Guy"???? We love him so much!

The kids had so much fun playing in the sand with Papa and Grammie... lots of digging, lots of castles, and even some munching on sand and seaweed!

And we had perfect beach weather, what a great end to summer!

Look at our beautiful ocean view- no gate mind you with two small kids= nerve racking at times!!!

Auntie Gelayol's great bedtime stories....

Emmie sneaking a before bed snack in her new Glow-in-the-Dark jammies (thanks Grammie Debs!) and her pink fuzzy boots! Too cute!

1st Fort & The Kern County Fair

2009-10-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

So, we were feeling a little restless two weeks ago and tired of the heat, so we decided to make a fort in the family room, and Emery was pretty jazzed about it. We kept it up for two days and she loved it!

Of course, she spent some time reading a few stories to her animal friends!

And then that night we got to take Emery to the Kern County Fair! She was a little leery of the sheep, but she loved to look as long as we held on to her!

Same with the pigs, those boys are BIG, much bigger than the ones in her books!

She liked the baby chicks, more her size, and they were fun to watch as they hatched!

And she played her first carnival game, it was intense, she picked a duck from the pond and depending on the letter underneath, she won a certain prize--- guess the prize... another rubber duck! But she like it, so that's what counts!

And of course, what night at the fair would be complete without her first roller coaster ride??? She chose the Kangaroo's (or really, they chose her because it was one of the only ones for little peanuts to ride on). She was amused, not in love, but definitely amused.

And by the time we made it to the buildings, she was too pooped to party. What a fun family night, we're already looking forward to next year!!!

Welcome Joshua Jude...

2009-09-18T23:44:00.000-07:00

My sweetest little nephew was born today, Happy Birthday little Joshua Jude, we love you and can't wait to meet you!! My sister and brother-in-law waited a long time before being introduced to their son. They have been on a long journey with this adoption and they are anxiously waiting the day when they can bring him home- we hope it's soon so we can smother him in smooches!

Our welcome sign for him when he arrives,

made by Big Brother Owen & me

A picture of Jude in the hospital with Noah

Proud Mama Danika and Baby Joshua Jude

Big Brother Owen playing at our house waiting to meet his new little brother!

Thanks to everyone who has prayed and been so supportive of my family during this long journey, praise God for how He has blessed us ALL with Joshua Jude!

Video of Emery Reading....

2009-09-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

Here she is, inflections and all, reading just like I taught her too :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llZ8u1_MgXM

Good Times...

2009-09-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, we headed up north to visit my family for many a'reasons. 1. Bubba and I wanted to spend a quality weekend with our nephew Owen so my sister and her hubby could get a weekend away before their adopted baby arrives in a few weeks. (For those of you who have been praying about the situation, thank you, and keep praying, they are waiting to get a phone call as soon as the baby arrives so continue to pray for all hearts involved! Thanks!). Which leads me to reason 2. My sister's friends threw her a baby shower in honor of the adopted baby boy, that Lord willing, will enter their loving family. It was such a great day, a great time of prayer for Danika and Noah and the birth mom as well. And of course 3. I love to spend time with my family, anywhere, anyhow!

Before we left Em chowed on an entire bowl of watermelon in the 100+ weather, her typical afternoon snack!

On Thursday Night we headed down to Hot August Nights to check out all the old and sporty cars, this one was Owen's fav.

Em and Papa, a little past her bedtime :) But, huh hum, she is wearing the capris I made her, ain't they cute???

On Friday, we took Em & O to the pool to do some all day swimming, Owen was a little hard to get a picture of, he was submerged most of the time!!!!

Saturday morning, this was the sweetest moment, the two of these twirps eating breakfast side by side, I wish we lived closer so this could be a more common thing!

A pic of me, my sister, and long time friend Sara at Danika's baby shower.... we can't wait to meet you and love you sweet baby!

Grammie took Emery to feed the ducks with her dress up jewelry on....

And she fed herself while she was at it- in one hand a cracker for her and one hand bread for the ducks!

And once we were home, our friend June came over and Emmie showed her how it's done, lipstick time girls!!!

Happy Birthday Hubby!

2009-08-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday My Sweet Husband!

Thanks so much for your wisdom, support, gentleness, and love towards Emery and I. I love being married to you, I love raising Emmie with you, I love navigating this life with you. Thank you for leading us, praying for us, and being our rock. You're the best honey ever!

So today was my hubby's birthday, and we got to spend the day together, he called in sick- because he is actually sick- the first sick day he's used in 5 years for himself!!! CRAZY HUH? Anyhow, I got to make him some special birthday meals- breakfast, lunch, and dinner (stick a fork in ME I am done!!!) and we gave him some fun little presents and lots of birthday wishes!

This is what I found Emery doing this morning, opening daddy's birthday gift...

sneaky, sneaky girl.

Here's the look I got when I caught her and told her "no, that's for daddy".

Bubba's birthday breakfast... yum, yum!

My sleep/sick hubby smiling from the camera at 7 a.m.

Bubba & Emery opening Bubba's presents!

Happy 31st Birthday Bubs!

Me and Em left the house for awhile so Bubs could get some much needed rest, so we went to - TARGET, where else do you go when you need to get out the house? And Emery got to pick out a treat because I've had a gift card that was for her for awhile. Here's what she picked, no kidding, she's in love.... and it's just as girlie as you can get!

It is this sparkly silver and pink purse, 2 lipsticks, makeup compact & powder poof, pink cellphone, a set of car keys with a clicker, and 2 CREDIT CARDS!!!! OH my gosh! I can't believe I bought this, and you know what, she's played with it all afternoon!

Look at this happy girlie girl!

A little of this, little of that...

2009-08-07T21:37:00.000-07:00

Not a whole lot new going on around these parts, here's a few snip-it's from what we've been up to...

A visit from Aunite Danika, Owen, and Grammie Debs

(along with story time and popcorn on the couch!)

Grammie & Em at the park... oh how we love when they visit!

Monkey's Jumping on the Bed!!!

Emery Lynn found a tube of lipstick and knew just what to do with it thanks to Grammie Debs and her "lipstick 101 teaching".

Lots of playing outside with chalk, buckets, and bubbles at ALL hours of the day...

An evening downtown with family...

We had fun hanging with cousin Griff, Aunite Gelayol, & Uncle Buddy!

I am going to try to load a video of Emery busting out her dance moves in an Art Gallery downtown to some live Jazz music, she doesn't miss a beat!

Our first crop!

2009-07-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

Emery and I checked our garden yesterday and realized our first crop is here! We have 2 huge cucumbers, a huge bunch of basil (come get some if you want some) and our pumpkin and pepper plants are growing huge! How fun, can't wait to dig in!

Things are looking up!

"If I look sassy in this picture, it's because I am"

Just Us...

2009-07-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

So I haven't had a chance to blog about our little getaway trip last weekend. We were able to escape and spend a foot-loose and fancy-free weekend together, just Bubba and I. We went to a beautiful wedding for one of Bubba's friends on the coast, stayed at my brothers house and basically borrowed his life for the weekend! It was so much fun!!!

My brother and his darling wife have a darling little place 2 minutes from downtown SLO, so we borrowed their darling little beach cruisers and rode all over darling little San Luis! I woke up early and headed to my favorite coffee shop to read and Bubba took advantage of the chance to sleep in. We met up for breakfast, rode around town, went to a few shops to do some early birthday shopping for us both, had lunch, and headed home. We couldn't hit the road though until we stopped at the Avila Barn to snag our favorite Ollalaberry Pie (next time your on the coast, grab one- you won't be disappointed!) When we returned home, Emery was swimming with her crazy Uncle Buddy & cousin Griffin... and she didn't even crack a smile when we returned! Guess she had too much fun with Auntie Gelayol & Uncle Buddy!

What a fun and refreshing weekend.... can't wait for the next one!

Happy Red, White, & Blue!

2009-07-08T11:03:00.000-07:00

We had a great and relaxing Red, White, and Blue over here- a few friends to celebrate with and some TASTEY burgers to fill our tummies, if I don't say so myself!

My very own little Firecracker, Miss Emmie Lou

Love this girl in a bikini and piggies...

Cousin Griffin swimming with Papa Mike

A little show of our own before the big ones start!

Everyone grabs their favorite desserts, thanks to Janey and Ryan, and hunkers down on the front lawn for a spectacular show of fireworks across the street!

The Picture Perfect Prays

Our Lovely Lewis Lovebirds

The Neighbors!!! (they just moved in a few streets over- yipee!)

The Party Poppin' Pearsey's (they supplied all the goods!)

The Had-it-Haddon's :) Emery feel asleep during the fireworks!

Snoozin' away with explosions bursting above her head!

Hope you all had a Happy 4th of July!

(my sad attempt to take a picture of the show! HA!)

Sassy...

2009-07-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend Jocelyn is taking a photo editing class and her word to use was "sassy"- she chose Em, how appropriate! Here's what she came up with- isn't it so cute??? She's got some serious talent! Thanks girl!

Cry Babies....

2009-06-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

I was watching my nephew the other night and it was time for bed, so I attempted to put both kids down and let's just say it never worked- they were so bummed on me for breaking up the party- so we pulled a late night hang out sesh until 10! Seriously, I feel for all my friends with twins- how do you do it??? I put one down, they would cry and wake the other one up- one wouldn't want to leave the other and would cry out and reach for them.... on and on it went! EXHAUSTING I tell ya! This picture really captures the tear stained faces and "happy attitudes" about the whole evening!

And we finally put together Emery's "Crazy Coop" she got from Bubba's parents for her birthday (4 months ago!) She was so jazzed about it, she couldn't wait to get in it- so we let her ride in it- slammed, the way she likes it :) Don't worry, it eventually got upgraded and has all the essential parts to it.

Belated Father's Day...

2009-06-25T20:11:00.000-07:00

This year we got to spend Father's Day in Santa Barbara with my side of the family for our family vacation- and it was a blast! We went to the zoo, farmer's market, a parade, the beach and hung by the pool. It was so fun, and as always, I loved spending time with my family- especially the dads! One bummer, my pics from the week were lost when my camera card malfunctioned- so I am in the process of retrieving them (if possible)- so here's what I got so far.

Happy Father's Day Bubba!!!!

We spent the day at the beach and had a chance to tell the dad's in our lives how much we love them. I am constantly encouraged by my husbands efforts to bless me in my new role of motherhood. We have had our times of adjustment into our new parenting roles, especially with that changing our marriage- but I am so grateful that my husband is constantly working at our marriage, serving me, relieving me on long days, working hard to provide for our family, keeping us mindful of the Lord and His call on our life, and always being mindful of the future. Here's to you my sweet Bubba-lou,

I love you!

I also got to celebrate my dad in person this year- we had a great time having a big Sunday morning breakfast made by the ladies, then we took turns sharing what we appreciate about our dads. A really sweet time. My dad got some cute presents from the kiddos, a handmade mug from the little peanuts with their handprints on it! I was able to share with my dad how thankful I am to him for his selflessness and constant generosity to all who are around him. He has been such a great example to me of humility and serving others with a giving heart. Thanks Dad, love you.

There were many fun play times in this crazy shower- with 7 shower heads and no door!!!

My sweet girl playing on the beach in the hat my mom made her- so cute!

Emery on a train ride with Auntie at the SB Zoo

Two of the cutest rugrats I know... getting ready for their bike ride to the beach!

There's a Beast in my Back Yard...

2009-06-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

So, check this out- we have the BIGGEST hydrangea bush in our back yard, probably 40+ years old like the house, it's honestly a beast! If you ever wanna a fresh bunch of flowers, please help yourself! Anyone having a party, shower, etc.- come over and cut as many as you'd like!

So, the family spent a little time out in the sunshine a few weekends ago, planting a few things in an empty plot of dirt on the side yard.... a rose garden, an herb garden, and a little pumpkin patch for the fall (with a few cucumbers mixed in!) I am excited about it and have already begun to enjoy some of my crops from my harvest! Everything is growing well, except the caterpillars are enjoying my basil before I get to it! Bummer! Thanks Farmer Bubba for your help!

I know, I know...

2009-06-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

I know what you are thinking- "honestly Andrea, can't you keep your kid away from the chocolate already- haven't we gone through this already???" But can I just say, I live in an old house when they didn't believe in pantries, so the only thing I have for my dry goods is this tiny cupboard with a knob that is eye level to Emery. Often times, she helps herself to a snack and brings it to me to give her a small bowl of it or a cracker from the bag. But yesterday, she helped herself. Was is because she knew I wouldn't have given her any? probably, but here's what my stinker got into today- my dark chocolate I use for baking- is there "guilty" written on her forehead or what? I think the bar was as big as her! At least she makes me laugh with all this choc-o-holic behavior... she's just like my mom, we'll and me to for that matter!

Trip up North

2009-06-03T21:41:00.000-07:00

Bubba had to do some work in Sacramento this past week, so me and Emmie hitched a ride and hung out with my family. We had a great time and enjoyed the much cooler weather in the Bay Area. We spent lots of time outside, playing in the dirt, riding tractors, bikes and visiting extended family.

Uncle Bubba and Owen checking out "Mater's" motor :)

Two of my favorite little people

Grammie showing "Em & O" how to play the piano- oh what "music" there was!

My sweet girl....

My cousin Katie, her daughter Brooke, Me and Emery, and Danika & Owen

My dad looking on as we all pile on his tractor and take it for a spin :)

Family tractor time....

There was work to be done moving trees...

This trip was really fun because Emery and Owen played a lot together, they are getting to the age where they really enjoy each other and get along/interact well. Owen is so awesome with her and will be a great big brother to his new brother arriving in Sept. Danika and Noah have been chosen to be adoptive parents to a sweet baby boy due this fall. They have chosen the name Finn for him and we are all prayerfully awaiting his arrival, not only into this world, but into our family as well! Can't wait to meet you, my 3rd nephew Finn!

Summer Time is Officially Here..

2009-05-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Emmie in her new bikini, we love to lounge by the pool- literally, she loves to climb up in the lounge chair and sit all by herself- no room for me!

Isn't she the cutest???

Sweet little Emmie wishing the pool gate wasn't there, she tries to stick her legs through in hopes to get into the pool!

2 of the 3 Nemetz boys (Milo and Calvin) teaching Emery how to throw dirt clods, cool huh? he he!

More summer time pics on there way soon....

Monkey See Monkey Do....

2009-05-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

And a little something more...

2009-05-05T23:18:00.001-07:00

A few snip-its from what's been going on around these parts lately....

Our newest GIRL buddy came to hang out, Miss June- which is big news because most of our buddies are little boys, not a bad thing, but every once in awhile, we need a little pink! Emmie loved her and kept kissing her head :)

Like all little ones, Em found the toilet paper and unrolled it... then ate some of it- cool.

Then proceeded to dump out all my fabric scraps, a very fun and frequent game at our house :)

On our way home from SLO this weekend we stopped to stretch our legs- I don't have many pics of me and my girl, but this one I liked- great backdrop huh? Bakersfield actually looks pretty from that far away!
And a little family shot, of course not everyone can be looking at the same time, that's illegal....

Why do babies get so weirded out by grass??? Everytime she's on it, she acts like it's her first time! Love that disgusted face...

And this is just cute- she'll love me later for it....

Why do people keep telling me they look alike? Do you really see any resemblance? HA! HA!

And a sneaky face, who can resist???

"Ah mom, you shouldn't have...."

That'll do for now.... over and out.

Sweet Husband...

2009-05-05T22:45:00.000-07:00

So, Bubs and I celebrated our 5th Anniversary and my sweet husband was so thoughtful- he took me out to lunch, a movie, and then made me dinner. Here's a snip-it of our celebration.... just so I can say I posted something other than pics of my kid :)

For starters, here's my Not-so-Hot cookie I made him, is was supposed to be a 5 for 5 years.... he thought is was an "s"... kinda random...maybe for shnookums :)

This is what I came home to- how cute he even found the china and bought candles at Hallmark!

Here he is cooking up a scrumptious meal- I mean SCRUMPTIOUS!!! The recipe will be on my recipe blog shortly because it's now in my top 5 favs!

A sneak peak.. Thai Chicken Wraps with Spicy Peanut Sauce, thanks Rachel Ray!

And an overexposed, bad lighting snap shot of us... five years into marital bliss :)

Happy Anniversary Honeyman, I love you!

Easter... a little late!

2009-04-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

So for Easter we headed up to the Bay Area to spend some time with my family. Emery and I went up earlier in the week and Bubba took the train to catch up with the gang for the weekend. Here are some shots from our trip...

Emery and her Easter Breakfast... and her Crazy Egg Hair!

Emery and my nephew Owen had so much fun this trip- he was so good to her and so patient- even went on a stroll with her down the drive way- "Emmie style". How cute are those little buns!

Love this picture- do you think she's got some sass in her or what!?!

Emery and Bubs with her 1st Easter basket- she loved the chalk!

Sweet face, big cheeks... gonna miss those when they're gone :)

We also had a lot of fun at the Lang Winery's Annual Easter Bash. They had a HUGE Easter Egg hunt and lots of activities for the wee-ones and a yummy BBQ for all to enjoy!

Haddon Family Easter 2009

Men in the family: Brother-in-Law, Hubby, Brother, Dad

Owen with the Easter Bunny- breaking for a shot in the middle of the hunt!

Emmie just enjoying herself- she didn't give a hoot about the hunt!

Grammie and Emery on the Winery tour...

Another family shot, Em still not looking at the camera!

My sister's family watching the crazy angry goats- good thing there was a pen!

My brother and his sweet wife Lisa- they went home with 3,824 jelly beans- that's right folks- he did some mathematical formula to figure out how many beans were in the jar and he was only a few off!! Ha! Too bad he got all the brains- and ALL the jelly beans!!
My sweet brother and Em, learning how to walk with her tutu and ballet socks on- perfect gear for a stroll!
And last but not least- this is my mother in a nutshell! If she wants to "remind" me of anything- she's always saying "don't forget your lipstick" and "how about some earrings". So... was I surprised to see her trying lipstick on my daughter in the back seat? No, not the least.

Finished Product:

I think she liked it!

Sneaky Girl...

2009-04-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

So, I want to post some Easter pictures on my blog, but first I had to post a great pic from today. We arrived home late last night from my parents house and everything was still out on the floor where we dropped in once we walked in. While I was working in the kitchen this morning, I left Em in the other room. I walked around the corner to find this:

She had found the box of See's Candy my parents had given us and lets just say the one tooth she has must be a sweet one! She was loving the chocolate covered carmel square she had sunk her gums into! It was all over her hands, her face, her shirt, and MY carpet!!!! It sure made me laugh!

She found the BOOTY!

2009-03-31T14:43:00.000-07:00

Pirates Booty that is! I had left this out and Miss Em was all over it like a hot potato! She was sneaky and fast and had both hands in before I knew it! Good thing I found her when I did, otherwise she probably would have eaten the whole bag!

Love this little face....
We had a real mess on our hands at dinner time- I fixed a big pot of chili and Emery loved it, so much so that she wanted to wear it all OVER her face!
Papa Mike came over on Sunday to help Bubba with a project and Emery wanted to join in- she was totally into the drill and wanted to sit in the tool box!

My sister...

2009-03-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

Ever wish you could stand on top of a mountain and shout to the world something great??? I do. And today, if I could, I would shout from atop a mountain and tell everyone about my amazing sister. I would tell everyone how her faith has radically changed my life- simply by watching her live her faith out in a tangible way. I would shout about her unfailing trust in God and how she lives so openly that others might know how faithful the Lord is to those who love Him and seek Him with everything they have. I would shout about how much I admire her for choosing to walk through her many trials that hurt, deeper than a lot of us will ever experience, and yet she CHOOSES to thank God for what she does have and she CHOOSES to still love Him even though this is not the life she would have chosen for herself, but she knows He has CHOSEN her for it. She is strong, courageous, loving, patient, brave, and wise beyond her years. She has let go of the things she wants and accepts the things she has. She lost her baby this past week, the baby they had been trying to conceive for 3 1/2 years. And yet she has found God's purpose in it again and has accepted graciously what is before her. She is not bitter or angry, and of course she has grieved, but because her eyes are set on something other than herself and her own wants, she has yet again, walked through another valley with nothing but grace abounding from her. That's what I want to shout from my mountain top today.... but because there aren't a lot of mountains in Bakersfield, this blog will have to suffice. If you want to be encouraged and have your heart warmed in ways in which you forgot it could be, check out her journey. You will walk away encouraged.

To my sister and my best friend, I love you. I am proud of you. I pray God's mercy upon you.

And to those who read this, join us in praying for her as her family continues to walk through the adoption process. They have been selected by a birth mom after 3 long years, and now we pray for the best home for this unborn baby (of course I think the best home is hers!).

Emery's 1st Birthday!

2009-03-09T11:50:00.001-07:00

This past Saturday was Emery's 1st Birthday! I can't believe she turned one- too much fun! My parents, sister's family, and all of Bubba's side, plus a few friends came over to celebrate. My mom, sister, and I had a blast making the cupcakes, thanks to Katy's cupcake book "Hello, cupcake!"

(Directions on how I made these cupcakes are now on my recipe blog- happy cupcake making!)
At first Emery (and her fruffy crown which I can't believe she wore) were a little undecided about the cupcake, but after a short while, she had her mind made up and the results were all over her face!

I love these girls- all 3 of them! They help keep Emery feeling loved and girlie with smooches,snuggles, pink tutu's and ruffley swimsuits! Thanks you guys!

This birthday girl was pooped! All partied out with Grammie Jack...

A snapshot of my family, with the best news ever- MY SISTER IS PREGNANT! Praise the Lord for His goodness and mercy! Isn't that cool? That means another little peanut to celebrate next year, Nov. 5th to be exact! Check out her blog to read more about her cool journey.

The 3 of us... ahh, we just love our little mouse!

Ava and the Park

2009-03-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

Our little friend Ava got to spend all day with us on Friday and we had lots of fun-we danced with Barney, had some snacks, walked to the park and did lots of playing!

Emers playing/eating the sand!
How cute is Ava? She was concentrating so hard on this tractor!
How sweet is that face... and those curls! Ohh the curls!

We are so glad she was able to come hang with us, we had too much fun!

New Favorites... for Grammie :)

2009-02-22T20:43:00.000-08:00

Hi mom, I know you'll be checking this tonight, here's some new pics of Emery. Thought you might like them.... I love this one because of the little look on her face and the simplicity of it.

And I love this one because of her little stink pot face she's making... that's Em!

And I couldn't resist this one, she's got her typical "owl look" accompanied by her owl noises... but I think it's also a combination of the bow (woo hoo! I finally put one in her hair!) the ruffly skirt, and the agile tights that just make it a complete package! We miss you guys!

Crazy Fun Up North...

2009-02-15T16:54:00.000-08:00

So, January is birthday month for my side of the family- my mom, sister, brother-in-law, and favoritiest nephew are all January babies! So we have a lot of celebrating to do!! We kicked off the trip with a surprise visit at 10pm to my sister's house the night before her birthday. We tied some balloons to Emery and rang the doorbell! "Surprise Aunite Danika, here I am!"
Here's my little stink-pot, not cooperating while I put her pants on... did you notice both of her legs are in one side of her pants... how come my legs don't do that? :)

The day wouldn't be complete without an "apple & cheerio" picnic in the dining room would it? These two twirps warm my heart, thanks Lord for them both!

Don't ever get big Em, never ever.

And before you know it, it was Owen's turn to turn 4! He had a "Handy Manny" birhtday theme (Handy Manny is a fix it man, if you weren't familiar with the likes of him... he has a lot of tools, the latest being "Flilcker the Flashlight" featured here with this birthday cake my sister, her friend, and myself made. ) Turned out cute huh?

And, Owen's very own "Pin the tool in the tool box" party game... my sister's one creative gal huh?

Some party attenders, my "little brother" Scott and my fabulous mom, we call her Debs.

A quick pic of the girls, me, my sister Danika, and my sister-in-law Lisa.

The birthday boy and his mom!

Sneaking some yummy blue frosting from what's left of Flicker... no one's watching but Grammie, but she doesn't really count does she?Bubba and Em hanging out during present time!

Bubba, Lisa, and little Em getting some rays... sure was beautiful weather for January!

Love this age, doesn't get any better....

Uncle Scoot chasing our "Army Crawler" down the hall way....

Auntie Danika taking Emmie on a free ride... have you ever riden a plasma??? they are surprisingly fun!

More smiles at the park with cousin Owen swinging right by her side!

Sweet Auntie Lisa gave these two a fabulous ride in this stellar Radio Flyer wagon :)

Auntie Lis and Em, just hangin'.

Goof balls. That's all there is to it. All you need is mom's scarf and your imagination!

What's new around here...

2009-02-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

Why are little feet so cute? You never think they can get any cuter, and then you find a pair of shoes that just make you shake your head in amazement--- "They just got cuter!" Thank you cousin Owen for passing down the red converse goodness :) So here's something new, Emery has been making this face a lot lately- crinkling up her nose like a big sass... who knows where she picked that up!

And, this is new in our neck of the woods, Emery has been standing up and pulling herself up on things, but to be honest, she's still perfectly content to sit in the middle of the floor and watch everything else going on! Late bloomer I guess!And one last new tradition that has begun, Bubba & Emery and Buddy & Griffin (Bubba's brother & his son) have started to go out to breakfast on Saturday mornings... a daddy and kiddy adventure while the mommy's get a morning to themselves! Cool huh!? (we'll see how long it lasts!)

Swingin' along...

2009-01-20T20:57:00.000-08:00

So, Emmie Lou and I have been a little under the weather this week with some ugly colds, but we thought a little sunshine would help, so we went to Emery's newest hang out spot.... the park down the street. This swing pretty much belongs to her, we're going to paint her name on it :) As you can tell from this shot, she wasn't feeling her best... "oh bother".

Top 9 of '09

2009-01-11T22:07:00.001-08:00

OK, am I crazy that I am posting my favorite pics from '09 and we are only 11 days into the new year?? Oh well! I found some really cute pictures as I downloaded my camera tonight and my mom & sister have been on my case for me to send them some new ones of Emery, so these are for you!

1. This picture takes the cake for me, how cute is that little face?? and the feathers, she has feathers on top, not hair!

2. I call this one the "Rocky Balboa" picture, doesn't she bare a slight resemblance to him? My sister made Em this awesome hooded towel for Christmas this year, it's perfect for bundling her up after her bath! Thanks Auntie Danika!

3. Here's Emery taking a bite out of her cousins side, poor little guys not mobile yet so he didn't stand a chance!
4. Where's Waldo? I was kinda embarrassed to post this picture due to the state of my messy kitchen, but I couldn't resist the little pee-pod in the sink amongst the breakfast dishes and rig-a-moroll all around!
5. A snap of Em sharing her pacifier with Mr. Pig.... this is a good sign, right?
6. Emery recently learned to play peek-a-boo and it's been pretty fun to see her in the beginning when she would get a little confused and cover her ears or her hair, but now she's got it down pat!
7. Love this, love to see her Daddy lovin' on her.... which happens whenever he is home!

8. Emery vs. the Avocado. The avocado won... by a landslide.
9. Here's a great snap shot of Emmie and Kade, one of the cutest little guys I know. My sweet friend/roommate from college (Kara Ryska) came through town with her big guy, Dan, and her little guy, Kaden. We had fun hanging out and playing with the kiddos in their footie jammies... don't we all wish we had some of those!
That'll do it... at least for now, who knows, in another 11 days I could have 9 more favorites!

Sour Raspberries

2009-01-06T20:54:00.000-08:00

So, I am lame and can't figure out how to post a video, I am getting all these errors... per my mom's request, I downloaded a funny video of my munchkin- so if your board and you want to click on this link, you can see a short clip of Emery puckerin' up with some raspberries... stay tuned: