July 4, 2011 ~ Eager

Kinzie passed away on the 3rd of July, 2010 in our home although the time of death was actually 45 minutes later at the hospital.  It took 20 minutes to navigate the parade route of the Show Low parade that had just began.  That same night we watched the firework show in Taylor; we did it for Emma and to avoid our empty home full of Kinzie's posessions.  It was probably the best thing we could have done as it forced us to continue on that same day.  It was with the same thoughts that we contemplated this 4th of July.  I think it fair to say I will never fully love the celebrations again but for my family we carry on...with Kinzie in our hearts and on our minds always.

We chose to join Cale's family in Greer for a small reunion.  The parade was held a few miles away in Eager and it was a big one!  Emma claims "It was the best parade ever."

Chris' girlfrieind Stephanie joined us and it was so nice to meet her!  Emma and her became great friends.

Waiting for the parade...and it was hot!  Over 100 degrees and not a cloud in sight!

Emma often grabs one piece and then is happy with it.  We have to send her back out at least a couple times to get some for mom and dad!

My best little bud!

"The best parade ever!"  ... at least until the next one! 

Some Favorite Moments!

"Like Mother, Like Daughter" - I have been known to sleep like this also and this is how I found her one night when I checked on her before going to bed.  This is becoming a favorite ritual as she does so many cute things at this hour.

On one of our drives to get Emma to sleep she took her baby and put her to sleep before falling to sleep herself. 

Again, when checking on my sleeping Emma, I found she had tucked her baby in too! 

One of my favorite moments is to watch my little girl with her Daddy! She loves her Daddy and their time together, whether reading a book or drinking chocolate milk and eating cookies at the grocery store cafe. 

The Moments That I Cherish as a Mom!

Sometimes, OK, oftentimes, I feel ready to go crazy if I hear one more whine or have to clean up one more spill but then my little girl will do something or say something or hug and kiss me and it just makes it all worth it.  Here is one such moment caught on film. 

I remember this night was a hard night to get Emma to bed.  She kept coming in and out and being sent back to bed.  Finally it was quiet and we breathed a sigh of relief and relaxation.  Later that evening I checked on Emma before going to bed myself.  She had her covers up tight around her neck but I noticed a different colored shirt than what she had been put to bed with.  I pulled the cover back just a bit and realized she had changed her shirt....to a much smaller jammie shirt.  I peeked a little further and found that she had completely stripped out of her jammies and redressed herself in tights, ballet skirt, small jammie shirt...and of course the tap shoes!   I ran out of her room before I busted up laughing and grabbed Cale and the camera! 

Emma, we love you and your sweet, sweet spirit. 

(Since then, she has done this many times but always when it's quiet and we thinks she is asleep.  One time it was 77 degrees in our house and she put on long, flannel jammies.  In the morning I asked "why" and she said, "I was cold!")

Annual Go Carting!

Since moving to Arizona, one of Cale and Emma's favorite things to do is to go ride Go-Carts as soon as they open for the season.  Emma's first ride was at 18 months and then at 2 1/2.  I can't believe how big she is now at 3 1/2 years old!  (In our haste last summer, we must have missed the annual picture).

 18 months old!

3 1/2 years old!

She yells "Ca-chow" as she goes bye and often a thumbs-up! 

After riding, Cale told her "Daddy sure had fun riding go-carts with you."  Emma said, "Aghh, my pleasure." 

We love this little girl so much!

Kara Turns 30!!

May 21, 2011

I love birthdays and I don't mind getting older as long as I don't feel older and since I still feel 25 I enjoyed my 30th birthday.  Honestly, when I think of how old I am, I always imagine 25 in my head and then have to do the math and realize I'm not.  Cale on the other hand counts down the days to his birthday, knows exactly how old he is and used to love his birthdays.  30 was very difficult for him!  :-) 

Cale and Emma threw me a party complete with hats and dinner and black-cherry cheesecake for dessert!  Emma loved my 3 and 0 candles and kept saying we were both 3 since she knew that number from her birthday!  I do feel old when I realize that I am 27 years older than Emma!

I love my little girls and I love seeing the love that Emma has for me in her eyes.  For Mother's Day, she picked out two shirts.  One says "World's Best Mom" and the other "#1 Mom."  She loves when I wear them (mostly to sleep in, lol) and just loves that I'm wearing her gift! 

I love my sweet husband and how very kind and patient he is.  He is always thinking of me and willing to help out in anyway - breakfast, clean bathrooms, clean house, etc. 

Thank you all for a wonderful day!

 Cale's parents came up the next day for cake and Emma decided to play "Hair Cutter" (doing anything to hair, not just cutting it) and do her Papa David's hair!  She declared that she was making him "pretty" and "into a girl." 

(Yes, we told a little white lie in order to catch her in the process of beautifying Papa! )

Emma's Choir Concert

Emma took choir this last spring and had her concert on May 12, 2011.  This was her first time doing any type of performing and she was so excited.  She was also a little young (just over 3years old) as she had trouble sitting still and definitely didn't sing all the words.  She does know the songs very well but is often too curious about things around her to focus on the singing.  It was still very cute and we were very proud...especially when she yelled out Hi Dad! 

 This is the other pre-school age class but so cute with there dalmation ears on. 

Emma's class sang "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story and "Bare Necessities" from Jungle Book.  They had bear ears on for that one.

I tried so hard to get her to take a nap that day so she wouldn't be grumpy for the concert but it didn't happen so she was definitely a little moody and in this final song you see her rub her eyes half way through it.  She hung in there though and then luckily had a melt down later towards the end of the long concert away from the audience. 

True Story:  The people sitting behind us kept watching Emma too and laughing and we'd hear "Whose little girl is that?"  Cale and I'd look at each other and think "Do we claim her?"  Of course we did and loved every second of it! 

Happy Easter Emma

Easter was April 22, 2011.  Emma was 3 this year or 9 months if you believe the whole Leap Day thing.  We took her to the annual Easter Egg Hunt here in Snowflake.  Emma found her 1 egg and got her candy so she was happy.  She didn't quite know what to make of the Easter Bunny though. 

 This was the first year that we colored Easter Eggs.  Emma loved it and of course now refers to hard-boiled eggs as Easter eggs.  Please excuse her outfit.  She'd just gotten out of the tub and I didn't want food coloring on her jammies so we just put her apron on instead. 

 

We decided to get her an Easter dress this year and found these cute matching ones for her and her doll. She loves it. I especially love this picture becasue I have a similar one of her looking that way at Kinzie.

Happy 15 Months Kinzie!

Dear Kinzie,

Just a note to check in and let you know we were thinking of you today.  We went Easter Egg hunting today with Emma and couldn't help but remember last year.  We had just recently gotten out of the hospital with you and couldn't take you out due to RSV season.  So, your Daddy took your big sister to the Egg Hunt and I stayed at home with you!  We had lots of fun with pictures including the one of you in the Easter basket.  My little Easter bunny!  We made you a cute Easter sign to hang on your fence in your Garden.  We sure miss ya and wish you could check in too but we know you're busy, working hard, and watching over us. 

With love,
Mom, Dad, and Emma

P.S. Emma talks about you often and currently tells us that she has a little sister already so now she needs a little brother. 

Emma's Birthday Party - Turning 3!

 We threw Emma a Princess party.  Her birthday is February 29th but we had it March 5th this year. She invited three friends and they all dressed up as little Princesses.  Emma called them Tinker Bell, Snow White, and Ballerina Princess.  Emma called herself Birthday Princess.  We got pizza for the girls and I made my first "cupcake cake."  It's supposed to be a Princess crown! 

 It was so cute to see all the little princesses eating together.  I made them each a princess hat but Emma wore hers the whole time!

 We told her friends to not bring presents because she was getting plenty from family.  She talked nonstop and daily about this green chair that her Papa David and Granny got her!  She also got some more pony's and books and coloring activities.  Oh, and of course a doll with hair to sit in the chair! 

 Who knew that little girls could sit for so long working so intently! 

Not sure who had more fun on this, the girls or Cale!

We have to have a pinata!  Emma loves them.  They all took turns with some pretty good whacks but in the end Cale beat it open for them and they went.....CRAZY!  We laughed so hard watching them zone in on candy.  Olivia (in green) has older brothers and was definitely the fastest!