New Couch!

I have NEVER owned my own couch. When I lived in Oregon, I could only afford a futon...which is not the most comfortable thing! This time, I had time to save my money to afford a nice couch...which I plan on keeping for a VERY long time! I went yesterday and ordered this couch and I can pick it up tomorrow! I even paid to have it treated and protected for the next 7 years. Moving this weekend and will try to post pictures of the new place!

Singing

Emily has recently decided that it is ok to sing in front of people, so I was finally able to capture it on camera! I am not sure what she is singing, but she sure has fun! I took the first video and Kenneth took the second one with her "playing" the guitar!

Quick Update

Been a tad on the chaotic side over here and no time to really do much online these days. My job has been keeping me REALLY busy. They had to lay off some people for different reasons, which has led us to being EXTREMELY short staffed. I have to work a few nights of 3rd shift, which is 11:00p-7:00a. It isn't so bad until you get off at 7:00a, and only get an hour of sleep before your 3 year old wakes you up and you can't get back to sleep and have to return back to work at 3:00p! Lack of sleep and crazy hours at work have added up. And on top of that, I am moving 2 weeks from today and I feel like I have so much to do!
Anyone who has ever moved with a toddler understands what I am going through right now! I have saved all of Emily's things to pack until now. All of my stuff is basically packed for the most part. But I have left Emily's books and toys alone because she needs those. Wanting to feel less overwhelmed, I decided to pack the toys and books that she doesn't play with. (Yup, most of you are probably seeing where I am going with this and are laughing at me!) I started with the books while she was playing barbies with Tina. As I was placing the books in the box, Emily came over and was taking a book out every time I would put one in stating that they were her books! By the time I emptied off her two shelves of books, half of the books were in the box and the rest were surrounding her on the couch while she was carefully looking at each and every one of them! So, then I decided that I was going to start packing some toys that she doesn't play with anymore while she had herself surrounded in books! (Ok, continuing laughing...you see where this is going!) I had a GREAT start on packing the toys! And then she looked up from her books and saw what I was doing! Off of the couch she came and to the box of toys pulling out each and every toy that she had to have at that moment! I tried to explain that she NEVER plays with these and that I was packing the to go to our new house for her to play with. She didn't want to hear it, she wanted her toys! I was finally able to actually pack everything when she went upstairs to play with her cousins. And then....she came back downstairs and seen the boxes!!! She opened the boxes and proceeded to unpack EVERYTHING! I have now managed to keep her stuff packed for 24 hours now....we shall see if it will last for another 2 weeks!
Today I have the day off(fingers crossed) and I am going to out couch shopping finally! Hoping to find a good deal on one. Never realized how much furniture is required for an apartment! AGH!! Will try to post some pictures of Emily soon...when I find time to even take pictures!!!

REALLY?!?!

I am quite the procrastinator...this I cannot deny! Even in high school I would do an entire research paper the night before it was due! (Yeah, that didn't work out so well, those of you who were in Mr. Sollers AP Communications class know what I mean!) Any ways, I have noticed this fact and I am REALLY trying to work on it, especially since becoming a mom. So....last week I decided to go through Emily's clothes and see what she has outgrown this summer in preparation for fall and winter! I know, I know...I am finally thinking ahead! I want to start buying clothes a little bit each paycheck so I don't have to buy them all at once. Well...I guess I must be blind because I didn't think she had grown that much this year...that is until I went through her clothes! 10 pairs of jeans, 2 skirts, 6 pairs of shorts, 4 sets of pajamas, and over 20 shirts! AGH!!! First of all, I had no idea she had that many clothes! Second of all...REALLY? She fit into those jeans in June!! This is insanity I tell you!
And then to make matters worse, yup...worse! I went to Meijer Saturday and decided to try to figure out what size Emily would wear now. BIG MISTAKE! I knew she was too tall for the 5T, so I headed straight to the little girls department. Asking Jen what she thought, she quietly told me she thought Emily needed the size 6 pants!! I am going to have to cinch those pants in as far as they will go, but she does fit into the little girl size 6! Then it hit me...she is up to her cousins shoulders almost...and she is going to be 9 in October! My child is going to be so tall!

Family Reunion

Getting ready to eat a piece of aunt Jen's red velvet cake! Yummy!!!

She made a friend....how cute!!

Playing BINGO!! And she actually won a game! She got to go pick out a prize...which was a coloring book with crayons!

Learning how to jump rope!

She had so much fun. This obviously is not her actual family, it was Jen's family reunion. I had to work, Rob had to work, so Emily got to tag along. Jen's mom and grandma have unofficially adopted Emily, so it wasn't a problem. Jen said she had tons of fun and had to take pictures so I could see how much fun she had while I was yet again stuck at work!!!

Last Day with Nana and Papa

LOVE this picture! Had to get a picture of her with the lake in the background...just love the added butt crack shot!!

Building sand castles!! Of course I thought of the shovel and bucket AFTER we got to the beach!

Friday was my parents last full day here in Michigan. We had to do the tourist stuff because it wouldn't be a full trip to Michigan without it! We left in the morning and headed to lake Michigan. Emily had so much fun! Ever since we left, she has been asking to go to the beach...which she just asked upon seeing the pictures!! My mom realized how I get my ocean fix at the lake. You can't see any land when you look out and it is just like the ocean...except warmer! Emily even decided that she was going to attempt to put all of the sand on the beach back into the lake...I took a video of it because it was just too cute!

After the beach, we were going to go to lunch at the Olive Garden, but then thinking about it, I realized that there are Olive Gardens everywhere and my parents could go to one in Oregon! So, I opted to go to one of my favorite restaurants back here....Quaker Steak and Lube!! The have the BEST hot wings! We had to drive to Portage, IN to get there, but it was so worth it. I think my parents loved it.

After lunch, we headed over to the famous Notre Dame. Now, having lived here for nearly 3 years, I have yet to step foot on or near the campus! We had fun looking around at everything and my dad was in heaven when he seen the stadium!! We finished off at the book store and got a few things. My dad got a hat, my mom a shirt, and then little miss had to get a pink Notre Dame shirt...which her uncle Rob was just thrilled over...NOT!!! We are Michigan fans out here!! I got some magnets so when I move into my apartment on August 26th, I will have a start to magnets to hang up Emily's drawings!

My parents had to leave Saturday and Emily decided that she was going to help take down the air mattresses!! I took the cutest video of her rolling across the bed to get the air out!

The time flew by, not helping was me having to work so much while they were here, but they got a lot of time with Emily at least. Emily is still asking to go see Nana and Papa...aka the king!! She has the greatest imaginary play. She and my mom were the princesses one night, and my dad was the king. From that night on, it just stuck that he was the king and would correct me if I called him papa! I am praying that I get to go to Oregon in March...I am already missing my parents!!

More Zoo Pics

Yup, I went out to my car and got my camera!!! Here a couple more pictures from the zoo trip today!