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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

One Size Cloth Diaper Event


When I started using cloth diapers, I didn't really know about one-size diapers or two-size covers. As I started winning diapers, though, I quickly found out the benefits of one-size diapers. I have one-size pocket diapers I'll be able to use on Emily until she's potty trained and on next baby (no, this isn't an announcement) from birth to potty training.

I can't remember how I found Take time to smell the rose, but I'm super excited about Chari's One Size Cloth Diaper Event! Take a moment to visit her site if you're interested!

Friday, December 25, 2009

Two Christmases down...one to go

As I sat in the quiet coldness of the house, I realized that it has been quite a while since I updated everyone on our family.

Yesterday, Emily started saying “dog.” Her version is “do” (just drop the “g”). It’s so cute! Still no other words to speak of. Right now her vocabulary consists of boo (boo), baba (balloon), do (dog) and ah duh (all done). One of these days, she’ll start saying sentences and surprise us all!

Yesterday, we also spent time with Phillip’s family.

Emily and her cousins

Emily and Great-Grandma Palma

Emily got loaded up on gifts...way more than Phillip or I imagined! We are so grateful to have so many people who love Emily.

Grandma & Grandpa have a Frosty that sings and dances when you push a button. I’m so glad it lives at their house because Emily loved it! She would just rather not push the button herself! (Sorry there's no sound...I didn't know the mic was turned off.)

She enjoyed “playing” Bingo with her cousins who are 6-8 years older than her.

Christmas Day was spent at home, just the 3 of us. Quite different from the way I grew up, always at grandparents' houses. We did enjoy the day, though!

Santa brought Emily a kitchen for Christmas and she loves it!


She’s poured herself tea from the kettle (and from the stuffed one that cousin Mia gave her!) and cooked things on the stove. But, mostly, she just likes making the stove make noise. The batteries may die a quick death. :-)

I cooked my first-ever Christmas lunch. It was so yummy! I bought a quarter spiral-sliced ham and we had corn casserole, Grandma’s broccoli & rice casserole, cranberries (for Phillip and Emily...not me!), honey-butter rolls and chocolate and peanut butter cheesecake. I’m pretty proud of the lunch and we have tons of leftovers!

On to Abilene for more Christmas!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Handiwork

Several years ago (perhaps before Phillip and I met), I bought a Christmas tree skirt kit. I've been working on it ever since. I originally planned to have it done last year, for Emily's first Christmas, but the move and just life in general prevented that. So, my goal was to get it done for this Christmas. And, finally, it's DONE! I just wanted to show off a bit. So, here it is!


And, here it is under the tree.

Friday, December 11, 2009

18 months

Emily is now 18 months. In the past week, she's been helping me bake for our Christmas party. She is always so excited to help!

No smiles for the picture today, though. It's been a rough morning, but, thankfully, she is now sleeping!

Friday, December 4, 2009

Snow & baking

I know it's been a while since I posted. I've been busy getting our house all Christmas-y. This morning, we woke up to snow on the ground and in the air! I took Emily outside for a few minutes (forgot the camera) and she enjoyed it, but really just wanted the pinecones!

Also today, Emily helped me make Strawberry bread & muffins.

I'd measure out the ingredients and she helped pour them in the mixing bowl.

She also put the muffin papers in the pans.

Such a good helper! So, if you're blessed to be a recipient of some of our muffins, know that Emily put some love into them too!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The Streak

Friday, during Emily's morning nap time (she doesn't ever sleep during this time any more, but she gets time in her crib anyway!), she got awfully quiet. When I went in to check on her, this is what I found.


No clothes, no socks, no diaper cover. Just the cloth diaper she couldn't get off because it was pinned on! Such cuteness!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

17 months


She's just getting so big!! She ran up and sat down on Mr. Snuggles. (I did have to ask her to sit up after she laid down on him, but at least she can now sort of follow directions!)

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Go Vote!


I entered Emily in the Safety 1st Halloween Photo Contest. You can vote once per day now through November 19. There's already on picture with 116 votes...Emily just has 1. Please go vote for her! I can't tell you which page she'll be on...it was different every time I clicked through. You'll just have to look for the picture above to find her.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Greener

In doing the Great Cloth Diaper Hunt (see my last post), I'm starting to think about using more cloth items around the house. I mean, yes, they may cost a bit now, but I won't have to keep buying paper stuff. For example, my friend Shandra has some reusable sandwich bags she got from MamaMade on Etsy. (For that matter, I could MAKE those!) And, I've found the "un-paper towel" and kitchen wet bags to keep them in. My parents have used cloth napkins for as long as I can remember.

So, what about you? What do you use that is reusable?

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Free

If you know me, you know I'm a sucker for free stuff. Recently, I've subscribed to quite a few emails that tell me about deals I can find online and in stores to get stuff free or cheap. Here are just a few:

I'm also always in search of sweepstakes I can enter and last May I found an online scavenger hunt sponsored by Diaper Decisions. It's happening again and I'm playing! Several of my diaper stores participate and I could always use the freebies I might win! Below are a few of the sponsors in the Great Cloth Diaper Hunt. (They're not all diaper sellers, either!) Play along if you'd like!! (I may be adding some if I find that I can get an extra entry into a contest for listing them!)

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Pumpkin Patch

***Warning...lots of pics!***

Last year my mom and I took Emily to the DRI Pumpkin Patch in Abilene. We had planned to do this again a couple weeks ago, but timing just hadn't worked out. Finally, yesterday, we were able to make the trip. A willing subject was a little harder to find this year, but we still got some good pictures. Here are a few of my favorite pictures (out of the 89 that we took!).

Ready, set, go...

Emily loved picking up the little pumpkins and carrying them around. We had to remind her to put them back where she got them!
The itty, bitty pumpkins weren't quite where Emily wanted them, so she kept giving them to me and Pearlie!
Okay, everyone's watching!
One of the few times Emily was still. Okay, she wasn't still, but I snapped the picture at just the right time!
One of my favorite pictures!!
She really liked this pumpkin, for a few minutes at least. Then, she rolled it to the ground.
She found grass on the ground that she wanted to share.
I don't remember seeing these sunflowers last year, but they sure were cute for Emily this year!
Emily played in the sand and tasted it for the first time...like a whole handful!
One of the few shots of me and Emily that actually turned out good!
Toward the end of our time there, one of the DRI residents brought Emily this pumpkin. I had planned to buy a small one because she was loving them so much, but they just gave us one!
Emily couldn't quite figure out the corn. She was intrigued by it.
If you're still reading by now, you deserve a prize. That was a lot of pictures!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Fall Festival

Back here, I gave you a sneak peek at Emily's costume. Martha guessed correctly when she guessed a clown. Here's the full costume, pumpkin and all. Both the costume and pumpkin were mine when I was little. (Actually, the costume was Aunt Jenni's first!)


At the Fall Festival, Emily and Papa played Plinko and Emily won us 4 pieces of candy and a Diet Coke.


Then, we all did the cake walk and Emily won us a white cake with rainbow sprinkles! (Sorry, no pictures there!)

"Papa, wait for me!!"
Emily played several other games...she shot a basketball (with the help of our boys' basketball coach), picked a duck out of the duck pond and "fished."


Of course, at all of these stations, we got candy. So, we're all set with candy for a while. At least until the Fall Festival at church tomorrow night!

Friday, October 16, 2009

16 months

I thought about putting this picture up earlier this week. But, thoughts aren't actions, so I'm just now getting to it.
Emily loves some hugs from Pearlie and Mr. Snuggles!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Winner!

In checking my blogs today, I saw that Heather, Kimberly and Jana were winners in the Fluff Friday giveaway at The Cloth Diaper Whisperer. I've won from them once before, so I didn't expect to win. But, I clicked on Heather just to see whose profile came up and it was me!!! I'm so excited! New diapers to try!

Here's what I won (picture and info from The Cloth Diaper Whisperer):


Each winner will receive:
1-Baby Beehinds One Size Hemp Diaper
1-Baby Beehinds One Size Bamboo Diaper
1-Baby Beehinds Wool Cover (all given by distributor)

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Travelers

Emily and I have been traveling for the last couple weeks. While we've slowed down, we're not done traveling yet!

Three weeks ago, we went to Nashville for the MOPS International Convention. Thankfully, my parents were able to go with me to watch Emily. The convention was wonderful and I came away with lots of good information.

Emily made her way (on her own) into the carry-on size-tester basket. She fit so we decided to carry her on!
Emily loved playing in the cabinet under our sink in the hotel room!
Emily & Grandpa

Our group after supper one night


We also were able to visit with family while we were there.

Four generations!
Emily had her first boo boo while playing with her second cousins

The Monday that we came home, Phillip and a friend had gone to San Antonio for a Metallica concert. Apparently it was wonderful! :-) Emily and I stayed in Abilene for an extra night.

Came home for two days then headed out again. Our first stop was Dittos for Kiddos in Abilene where I found some overalls and 2 long sleeve onesies for Emily (total: $7.58!). Then we had lunch with my dad and headed to the DFW Airport to pick up my jacket I'd left on the airplane on Monday. Thankfully, it had been turned in so I got it back!

On to Aunt Jenni's house where we took pictures of Emily in her Wildcat Babywear. Watch for it in a future edition of the ACU Today.


Jenni had gotten free tickets to the Dallas Zoo so we headed there Saturday morning. It was PERFECT weather!! We took a picnic lunch and enjoyed eating in the shade.

Waiting for the train
A horse in the children's zoo areaEmily riding a very large tortoiseA fun butterfly bench
On our way home, we stopped at a light and I recognized the car in front of me. It was Josue, a friend from Skillman Church of Christ. Since we didn't have each other's phone numbers we pulled into a parking lot and visited for a minute.

Sunday was church with Jenni then back home to Panther Creek. Needless to say, Phillip greeted us at the car!

This coming weekend is ACU Homecoming, then I think we're settled until Thanksgiving. Maybe!