A Drive & a Picnic

Last Monday we celebrated Labor Day by not doing any of the at-home labor we were planning. Instead we loaded up on an impromptu trip up to Waha for a picnic lunch and some creek dam-building and wading. Love that we are able to do those kinds of things!

Grandpa Steve helped build the dam to make the pool.



Mae wanted to check it out too.



And it was cold.



There were ripe huckleberries so we were able to enjoy a few before lunch. Mae was such a baby bird with her mouth just a-going. Bob had her in the backpack and thought she wanted to keep walking. I finally had to say, "Bob, stop! Mae just wants to keep eating huckleberries!"

Just One?

Grandma and Grandpa were here for two solid days and I only took one picture? Sheesh...what is wrong with me?

Thanks Aunt Molly!

For the new fire boots. I wear them all the time...



Love,
Etta

Let's Watch...

Lately Etta has been pretending to either a) watch a movie or b) watch TV. She sets up all of the kid chairs that we have and says, "Let's watch a movie!" And since Mae absolutely adores sitting in little chairs it works out quite well.

Let's watch a movie!



Silly face!



Bwwwwwaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!



Mae's very favorite way to sit in a chair (when she is not trying to climb over it...) - backwards!

Mae is One!

We've had a whirlwind weekend with MT Grandma & Grandpa being here. A ton of fun. And as Etta said when she got up this morning, "Why do they have to leave today?"

But Friday was great. We got up and had our birthday breakfast. Mae enjoyed little smokies for the first time. And boy howdy did she enjoy them!

The Girls joined us after school for some birthday fun and also Grandma Cathy, Grandpa Steve, Great Grandma Barb and Great Grandpa Lynn. It is different for second children, but still fun! (Open another window so that you can compare the girls' one-year old pic.)

Big sister showed her how opening presents is done. Mae caught on quite quickly though, way faster than Etta herself had. Show her some paper or a gift bag and she was ready to go.



I tried my hand at cake decorating. The Minnie Cake was Etta's idea. Mae has a Minnie Mouse lovie and Etta thought a Minnie Cake would be appropriate. I didn't think it turned out too bad for my first time. A big thanks to Grandma Cathy for having the pan!



And our one year shot. Finally a straight leg!



She laid still for exactly two pics. But wanted to show her playful side as well.



What a difference a year makes for these babies. Here she is in all of her skinny glory at 1 month.



And here is what I posted a year ago today actually...

Let the Birthday Celebration Begin!

Tomorrow Mae will be one!! But we started celebrating at church on Sunday.

Cupcake cake with Runts and Oreo Funstix as decorations. The cupcakes were delicious! You take a box mix (without pudding - which is really hard to find I discovered...) use 1 cup buttermilk instead of the water called for and 4 eggs instead of the amount of eggs called for. Sooooooo good!



With the cake. She really has no idea what is going on. But did kind of like the singing.



Oooooooo, daddy has food...



What is this stuff?



Ugh, not that good mommy...



She was not impressed with the cupcake. Since she eats most everything I was kind of surprised. But not really that disappointed I guess. More for me!

First Day of School 2011

Today was Bob's first day back in the classroom with kids after a great summer vacation.



It was quite different than his first day back last year and his second first day back last year.

Kind of the same as two years ago, and kind of the same as three years ago.

I've written and written about not going back to school and don't think that I need to write anymore about it right now. (You're welcome.)

And some how in the whole swirl of things I've technically missed Etta's first day of school since she started yesterday. I don't think that I should really be calling it school - she is "just" hanging out in the Beacon pre-K/kindergarten room while I am teaching band. But the more I think about it - and talk to friends - the more it is really school. Pre-school. Or play school I guess. But school. I am not with her, she is in a classroom and she has to follow all of the same rules as the other kids. But since I am on site I hesitate to call it her "real" first day of school. That and the fact that little sister also gets to hang out with all the bigger kids too...those lucky second children...

And thanks to Aunt Molly for the AWESOME fireman boots. I think it will be all that she wears for quite some time...