Family

Love my Papa...

Love my Grammy...

Love my tree...

Snow Dog

Snowing in Seattle

Snow in November!

Hello. Bing Crosby? Are you there?
Could it be a white Christmas this year?

Emily practically hurled herself out of her crib when I told her it was snowing.
We rushed downstairs to eat breakfast and quickly put on our snow gear.
After peeking out the door for a few moments, off we went!

Playing with Em's BBF (Best Boyfriend), Peyton, made the snow day play all the merrier.
Not enough white stuff to build a snowman, but maybe tomorrow...

Digital scrapbooking design generated with Smilebox

Falling in Love with Fall

Are we really midway into October? Where has the time gone!
This picture above is how true Pacific Northwest kids do it! Rain? So what!

Overall it's been a gorgeous autumn in Seattle. We've had very little to no rain at all, making this season incredibly enjoyable thus far.

Em and Caroline - twinsie cousins!

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We've been busy little bees in the past few weeks - from making caramel apples, to visiting a pumpkin patch, to attending a Mariners game, to playdates and working, to painting and carving our pumpkins at home, to taking care of business on our newly acquired rental house in Tukwila.

Check it out! Matt, his dad and my brother, Chase, worked their little butts off to beautify the inside and outside of this charming little home. It looks fantastic. The new family living there is incredibly satisfied and happy to call this place home.

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Emily has been in a 2-year-old "preschool" class for a month now and is absolutely loving it! She's making new friends and making many advancements in her confidence and all-around social skills. I can tell she's coming out of her shell more and more every day.

And potty training...YIPPEE!!! Emily has been making incredible strides this month. We haven't had an accident in more than two weeks in the house. And this week, she's managed to keep dry in underwear while we're out and about. I think she's really taking to this new-found awesomeness of being diaper-free. Mama and Papa couldn't be more proud!

Enjoy more pictures of what we've been doing this season. Hope all is well with all of you!!!

My little arteeest. She LOVES to paint, draw, etc. And she's so focused while doing so.

Emily playing "big sister" while holding her newest cousin, Penelope. Babies are her new favorite toy.

What a little nut!

Emily at her first Mariners game in the seats:

She's silly like her Mama. :) Can you tell?

Isn't She Lovely

Wow.
This Mom thing is really quite cool. Sure - I complain more than a hypochondriac in a doctor's office about certain things and, yeah, it's a wee bit exhausting.

But when it comes down to it, this kid (and kids in general) is simply amazing.
Every 3 months she seems to grow by leaps and bounds. It makes me excited to think what's coming next.


I was told prior to having kids that it was the most rewarding job in the world.
I didn't quite get that until now.
My hard work is paying off and now I see it!
Emily is saying please and thank you and a regular basis. She knows how to share, wait her turn. She knows the rules of our home, the rules at the dinner table. Our daily routine is down pat.
She understands everything I say to her. Her confidence level is growing every day.
It's so freeing!

She has sprouted into an awesome, well-rounded little girl - funny, stubborn, witty, and incredibly loving of friends and family. Check out the ham:



In the past few months, she's had a few bumps with teething and simply being 2, but overall she has simply been a joy. Her vocabulary amazes me as well as everyone else! I frequently hear from others, "She's TWO and talking like that?!" It makes me feel pretty proud. She makes me belly laugh on a regular basis. She says things like:

Em: "Can we play outside?"
Mama: "No, it's raining."
Em: "Well, turn it off, Mama"

Em (while in the dressing room with me): Oh, Mama. You look sooooo cute! I really like that."

Emily at the shoe store: "Oh, Mama! Look at these. They are my favorite!"


We started a co-op preschool this year.
It's two hours a day, two days a week. I'm in the class with her most of the time. It's only the first week and Emily has it down. I love seeing how confident yet quiet she is; she listens and follows instruction and shares so well with others. At this rate, Kindergarten should be a breeze!

Here are some recent photos we took this summer. Enjoy!

Reading a book with Meema

Lovin' on GranPapa

Snuggling with Andy

Her first M's game in the seats!

Blue

POW!
Are these not the bluest eyes you've ever seen?



I went garage sale hunting last weekend - my first time. I don't know why I didn't do this sooner!
I scored Emily a simple Barbie dollhouse and three barbies - all for $7. Score!
Watching her play with this stuff made me a little blue though.
All of a sudden my little baby is starting to look like a little girl.
Those piggies sure are cute on her.