a barnyard mess

Last night we got some serious rain. I missed most of it since I spent the day scrapbooking with my friends a couple hours away in Victor (it did also rain there though and I fully participated in it because I had to dash out to roll up my car windows!)

But I didn't miss this:all our chickens playing in the big mud puddle. I chased this rainbow most of the way home. At one time I could see the full arc. When I got home, this was all that was left, but the clouds made it all the more beautiful.

4 months

Happy 4 months, sweet Emma girl. This has been a busy month for you. You have become quite the little gymnist. You have perfected the art of lunging out of the arms of anyone who is holding you. You arch your back and throw your head back. You're lucky we haven't dropped you. You have also managed to do a near-flip out of your carseat and bumbo on several occasions. You have mastered rolling over. And most recently you have been spotted laying on your tummy, getting those knees up under you with your little bum in the air. You scoot and roll all over the place. Gone are the days of finding you exactly where I left you!

You've also turned into the girl-who-hates-riding-in-the-car. Anytime we go anywhere over about 30 minutes (which is everywhere except going into town) you grace us with your cries and screams. It's lovely. Especially when Mason joins in, "stop crying! stop crying! Emma NOT happy!" Good times. You make up for it with your sweet snuggles when we get wherever it is we're going.

You adore your brother (and he adores you). Sometimes he is the only one who can make you stop mid-cry and smile. He makes you laugh with his sillyness. Which in turn makes him act all the more silly. It's a delight to watch your face light up when he plays with you.

At 4 months, Emma, you:


~don't care for your baths
~usually take 2 good naps
~prefer to sleep on your tummy or your side
~smile, "talk", and giggle
~roll over constantly
~grab on to anything within your reach
~like to be sung to
~love to watch the ceiling fan
~are a little scared of loud noises
~have just about the fastest growing fingernails and have gotten a scratch or two
~respond when we talk to you
~are so full of energy and hardly ever lay still

We love you baby girl, more than you know!

xoxo,
mommy

wordless wednesday

right now

A few things I'm loving right now:

~mason singing songs

~new friends

~fresh basil from the greenhouse (I'm putting it in everything!)

~afternoon rain showers and rainbows out our window

~emma snuggles

~playdates at the park

~buttermilk vanilla bean cake

~emma giggles

~making cards

~new library books

~trying new recipes

~chasing mason around

~watching mason help stack firewood

~ryan's sourdough bread

~family walks in the evening

~planning vacations for next summer

~working in my classroom a little here and there

~handwritten notes from my best friend

~ice water...the colder the better these days

~lazy summer days

Not so much:

~sunburns

~laundry...it's never ending

~critters nibbling on our plants in the garden

~lonely doggie howls from Daisy...missing her pal, Java I suppose

a little dirt

We've spent a lot of time this summer cutting firewood. Call me crazy, but I actually like the whole getting firewood process. You get to be outside, prepare for the coming winter, and get a workout all at the same time. We usually spend the day cutting (always bring a picnic!) and loading the truck. Then we bring it all home and unload it. We usually spend a few evenings splitting and stacking it. I love stacking it...it is so satisfying to see the rows fill up. And freshly cut wood smells so good. It is a little different with kiddos though. Now when we go I spend a lot of time doing this:

while mason does this. Sometimes he brings his fishing pole too. The creek is pretty dry this year, but he still manages to "catch" some fish. Daddy takes a break to help with all the fishing.


We've spent several days hanging out and Ryan had a lot of wood cut. On Friday we brought about two cords home (thanks to our new truck that holds just under two cords!) and split it all and stacked most of it.

Today Grammie came to watch Mason and Emma while Ryan and I went and cut some more and get another load. I spent most of the day throwing logs down the hill, putting them in the truck, getting in the truck to stack them and then heading back up the hill. Luckily, the rain held out until we were done. We were filthy when we got home. Gotta love a little dirt now and then!

comanche lake

On Monday Ryan and I headed out on our first hike together in over a year. We hit the trail to Comanche Lake. It was 11 miles roundtrip. It felt so good to get out and do some hiking. I'm not gonna lie though...my legs are still sore:) It was a beautiful day (we made it home long before the afternoon rain showers) and a beautiful hike. There were wildflowers all along the trail. The lake was so peaceful. We stopped and had lunch there before heading back down. I tried a new recipe for homemade granola bars, but I found them to be too sweet. So I'm still on the lookout for the perfect bar.

There were many places where we stopped to enjoy the views. We could even see town a couple times through all the trees. We saw a couple marmots (I totally lost a bet too...I thought it was pikas that were nicknamed whistle pigs but it turns out that it is marmots..so ryan got the backrub!) I love those little creatures. We always see them when we get above treeline...our little hiking companions that let us know we're almost there. About the time my legs start to feel like jello.

It was the perfect way to start the day, hiking with Ryan in such a beautiful setting.

travels

We've done a little bit of traveling this summer. About a month ago we headed off to a family weekend in Glenwood Springs. I don't think I've laughed so hard in a long time! I get to see my sister and my cousins quite a bit, but there is just something about going on a trip together! We got to see my other aunt and uncle, cousins, and my papa.

We had an ongoing water fight...so we spent lots of time "drying" off in the sun.
We also spent lots of time lounging in the hammock.

We went to the Strawberry Days Festival while we were there as well. But, mostly we hung out as a family. It was pretty sweet.

Then a few weeks later I headed off to New York for my friend Anita's wedding. There were five of us girls that went: me, emma, a friend from school and her two grandaughters. We had quite the adventure. We got lost numerous times and barely made it to the wedding on time. We also went to Niagra Falls, Hamlin Beach, and picked strawberries and cherries. We also had just about the best burger and buffalo wings that I've ever had.

It was a whirlwind trip, but I'm so glad I got to share in the celebration of my friends.
Emma was a great traveler. We spent many hours on an airplane and saw four different airports (lots of layovers!) but she just took it all in as she usually does.

The wedding was at a family pond and it was just beautiful! The next day we went back for brunch and to help clean up. We also did a little paddle-boating. This reminded me of a cabin on a lake that my family went to every summer when we were growing up. Back then paddling a paddle boat seemed so hard! It's funny how your perspective changes.

I also got to meet up with an old friend, kim, from my junior high and high school days. I haven't seen her since my wedding over 7 years ago. She was only three hours away so we met at Hamlin Beach and spent the afternoon and evening together. My goodness, it was so fun to get together. We laughed, talked about motherhood, watched the kids play, remembered funny stories from long ago, and laughed some more. I'm so glad it worked out to see her.

That's a quick recap of our latest adventures. I am so blessed by my friends and family!