Emilies first talk in Primary.

To start off, I just had to post this picture. I threw a baby shower for my friend Jenna. These are a few lady's in our branch that came out for some support. But Jenna and Brian Hendricks have been some of our more recent friends. They both grew up in VA and have moved to the area for Brian's job. Anyways, I wish you could see the decorations better they were fun, and this picture isn't that great. But its works for those who want it. Jenna and Brian come over like every week and we play Agonize. The last time we played before she had the baby the boys were ahead 8-7. She had the baby last night and I'm really hoping she recovers enough before we move so that we can end with some girl domination. 

Now on to Miss Emilie. She was asked to give her first talk in primary. She was so excited and we practiced the entire week before. I printed pictures so that she could remember what she was supposed to say. Well it went down a lot like the primary program last year...she was shy and was playing with her hair and was totally talking quiet. At least this time she was talking, in the program last year she had her part memorized and she wouldn't even whisper it. Anyways, her talk was on My love for Jesus Christ grows when I study the Scriptures. She had it down...I taped her today so you can see it. I wish she would have done this good on Sunday.

Here she is all ready to go. She picked out her dress and let me curl her hair.
(picture is from my phone, not that great)

Here is the video. She did pretty good at remembering all the words.

We are having kind of a lazy week so far. Easton has tonsillitis and possibly strep and I have been sitting around because I have some kind of painful cysts. Other than that we are great and tomorrow marks our 1 month till we pack up the truck. YAY!

Busy, Busy

It's been nice to be busy because it helps the time go by so much faster. But I have to say I am exhausted. Last week we had something going on everyday/night. We got everything done and hopefully this week will be a little more relaxing. Saturday was crazy I did hair for like 6 hours and then when I got off I had to start a baby shower 30 min later. So we are starting off the week with a lazy day. I have also been doing so much crafting lately, I was getting sick of all the black furniture in my kitchen so I have redone a few things and made them red. I had a baby shower that I was throwing and so I made a ton of hair bows and a framed ribbon holder for the bows and also a I am a child of God vinyl board. Then I made some way cute decorations for the shower as well. I have had a few people order some vinyl family name boards so I have been working on those. I have also been busy making some Home blocks, YW temple blocks, I made a little diaper and wipes holder for my purse. Anyways, I have been enjoying doing crafts. Sometimes they are stressful but for the most part fun. But I am looking forward to a week with no crafts. I should upload some pictures of them all, but I didn't.. so you get these 2 pictures of the kids.

For our Youth Activity this week we went to the nursing home to deliver some blankets that we had made. We also brought some goodies along with us. I made Chocolate Chip cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, and Rice crispies. I think I ended with like 6 or 7 dozen cookies. Anyways, the kids wanted to help so I put them on the counter and let them help. Well, when you have a miss Emilie who doesn't listen to a darn thing you say and turns on the mixer full blast right after you put the flour in...this is what you end up with.

Yes flour was everywhere. I had tried to clean up some before this picture. It was all over the kids, counter and floor. As you can see Emilie is freaking out because she has flour all over. Her hands are dirty which she hates with a passion. (when we lotion her after a bath we can't put lotion on her hands she hates the feel, and she is constantly using hand sanitizer, I have to hide the stuff) anyways, she has flour head to toe. Easton thinks its cool and is total boy. So I ended up putting them in the bath while I cleaned up the mess and a few minutes into the bath Easton comes running out but naked and soaking wet. So this cookie making day was filled with lots of messes. Flour and Water are a great mixture.

This next picture is of Easton. I have posted before about how much he likes to climb and walk the edges of things. Well he now has figured out the use of Emilie's step stool at home. He will carry that thing everywhere and get into most everything. Well at church on Sundays he pretty much roams everywhere. He gets into everything in the library, kitchen, classrooms. Now remember our building is tiny, there is no such thing as a librarian who checks things out or makes copies for you. The library and kitchen are like a closet in a building back home. Just FYI. So Easton pushes this little nursery chair all over the building and gets into things. He loves going outside and was trying so hard to open the door.

Anyways, I thought that this pic was cute. He was trying so hard to get out. Then when I caught him he was laughing so hard. This is the entrance to our building, yes the main entrance. If any of you are wondering, we have sacrament, sunday school and primary all in the same room that is about the size of a normal primary or RS room back home. Sundays are crazy and not so relaxing. But good news for the members here, they are in the works for a new building. They will now have a phase 3 building instead of phase 1 I think. This next month we will be getting a trailer put in the parking lot of extra room. So that is a good thing. Well, I think I have talked/typed way to much. But there is an update for all you who care :) See Ya!

The Budget Beauty has been booked!

Today I booked this bad boy. The big ol, 24' Budget Truck. She's a beauty, right. It still doesn't seem close enough, but we are starting to get things settled and ready. I'm really dreading the Cost and the Drive, but we have to get back west somehow. We will be towing the mazda and the green machine will be spending the rest of its life in VA. But we will save that for a later post. The kids will be flying with Grandma and Grandpa, which will be so nice because they HATE the car. About 1 1/2 months left. I'm SUPER EXCITED!

Grandma is like Santa Claus

This past weekend Grandma Bartlett came out for a visit. And boy were we excited. Seems like forever since we have had visitors. Of course Emilie talked her ear off, made her play with her every minute of the day, and woke her up bright and early. We LOVE having grandma around and we did a lot of fun things while she was here. This was her last trip out before the big move, which was really nice because the next time we will see them is when we will be leaving VA. YAY! Anyways, Emilie is a very spoiled girl. The entire weekend Emilie kept saying grandma is like Santa Claus...it was like Christmas morning when grandma opened her suit case. Needless to say grandma misses princess Emilie. For a month now Grandma and Emilie have been planning a tea party over the phone. Grandma was in charge of bringing necklaces and rings and Emilie had the tea, crackers and cupcakes. Grandma definitely brought more than enough :). We had a great tea party. These are the pictures of her Christmas in September...lol.

Trying really hard to get Emilie to smile pretty

I can't even tell you how many times Emilie has asked me to make these Dora cupcakes she sees on TV. I have been putting  them off forever and decided that her tea party would be a great time to make these. She loved helping, and we got the Dora cupcake mission accomplished.

Getting all set up and ready to pour the tea

Posing with Dora

Finally a picture of her smiling

All her pretty rings

Miss Attitude

Oh... notice the ruby red slippers...Emilie loves these and loved that we didn't have to go to Kansas to get them.

Daddy got off early and had some tea and cupcakes with us

Mom and Emilie

Grandma and Emilie

We decided to take my mom on some hikes up at Breaks. Didn't quite turn out how we wanted it to, because holding Easton the entire time was kind of hard. Emilie was good though and loved it. We ended up probably only hiking a mile, but got to see some cool things.

Here is our stop at the Visitors Center. Yes we live in Moonshine country...they even give you the recipe....

Since it was Labor Day weekend, they had the weekend full of Gospel Bluegrass Music. Totally Hick, let me tell ya. Here was the amphitheater that everyone was gathered at.

Here is the Overlook, right here you are on the boarders of Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee

Emilie and Easton loving the outdoors

Emilie and I on our hike

A small slot canyon

Having some fun

Daniel and Emilie under this huge rock. It was probably 200 feet tall

Posing for grandma

My blue eyed boy

And the kids.. just before going home. They both crashed for the drive home, it was very nice!

We all had a great time with Grandma in town and cant wait 2 more months to be closer to family...real close :)

Camping...It's about time.

We FINALLY got to go camping this summer. Every weekend we would plan to go, it would rain. The kids would get so bummed every time. But we have had a few great weekends and so we took the kiddos camping with the other student families in our branch. Easton didn't do so well, for some reason he was freaked of the tent. Daniel and I ended up driving him around all night and then slept in the car. But minus the no sleep, we had a great time. We went to Breaks Interstate Park, and I love going camping here because it has bathrooms and running water and electricity so we can pump up our air mattress. Also it has hikes, pool, pond, park and a bunch of fun stuff for the kids and adults to do. Emilie loved every minute. This is where Easton wanted to play most of the time. He is so fascinated with Cars.

Emilie having some breakfast donuts

Emilie and Daniel having some breakfast

Easton going down the slides at the park

Emilie doing the monkey bars, she loves these things

Easton being a total boy, he love to climb and went all the way to the top.

My cute boys :)

Miss Emilie...always sticking her tongue out

And finally, the Family...getting ready to head home