The 2nd Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread:

Nora {The cowboy boots are just a bonus}

The 2nd Best Thing Since Sliced Bread:

I am in love with pinterest.com.  It's so neat to be able to "pin" (or bookmark) things I like and save the ideas for later.  It is pure sweetness for party planning, craft ideas, and recipes especially.  It makes all my bookmarks organized and easy to look at because it uses pictures.  You also follow others to see ideas they like so I can get ideas without the work of finding them.  An added bonus:  I won't loose my ideas if my computer ever crashes again because they're saved online!  

If you want to jump on the bandwagon, leave me your email and I'll send you an invite.  I LOVE IT!

Our Daily Vitamin D

I snapped a few pictures of Nora today during our daily dose of Vitamin D.  She amazes me how much she's grown up this summer.  It's so fun!

I walked back into the kitchen for a minute and when I came back outside Nora handed me a freshly picked tomato.  The ONLY tomato left on our plant.  Our plant that I watered for months and then decided to ripen while we were on vacation.  I can say I honestly never got to eat any of the fruits of that labor.  Nora on the other hand...

Well, the evidence is on her shirt.

Must not have been too tasty if she handed it to me.  Oh well.

I was moving the outdoor furniture around until I heard this squawking.  Nora was slightly panicked because this little friend was trying to share her castle.  What, you can't see it?  She's pointing to it.  It's a green lizard.  She did NOT like it being anywhere near her.  Well, that is until I gave her a stick and *may* have shown her how to poke near it and make it move.  

 We are SO blessed with this little girl.  She loves to play.  Especially outside.  Her newest trick on this toy is riding backwards.  Even while holding a stick (incase her green friend comes back perhaps?).  That's talent she was born with.

Note:  I WILL catch up on blogging soon.  I have lots to blog about from our summer of fun, fun!  Be on the lookout, but don't lookout too soon.  =)

Becoming Quite Accomplished

Okay.  Maybe more like 'Becoming Quite Able'.  This little girl is growing like crazy these days.  She amazes me (& I'm the one that's always with her)!  Out of the blue she is picking up words and skills.  I LOVE IT.  It makes my life easier and hers.  Win-win.

Nora is almost 15 1/2 months old.  What, you can't believe it?  I can!  I get to spend every day with her and soak it all up.  It's been a great 15 1/2 months.  I loved teaching, but this is EVEN better!

Her favorites:

-Jewelry (especially long necklaces) real, fake, she doesn't discriminate

-Chairs; any size as long as she can figure out a way up

-Bags/purses; anything she can put on her arm or around her torso

-Playing outside; on her slide/swing or just exploring (ie picking still green tomatoes off the vine) as soon as she hears the door open she RUNS for it

-Shoes; again no discriminating here

-Water; pool, hose, or water table...doesn't matter

-Snacks; cookies, crackers, Cheerios, string cheese, yogurt (Gogurt or drinkable with a straw)

-Baby dolls

-Cupboards/bags; anything she can get stuff out of to make a mess =)

Her Tricks:

-Folding her arms (pray and to sign 'love')

-Sign language--eat, milk, please, thank you, bye, done, more

-New words--ssss suz (shoes), whassat (what's that), tutu (Tutu her g.gma), ouside (outside), oh oh (ut oh), tay tu (thank you), ca cker (cracker or cookie), hi (she used to say hey),  {favorite word is still dad/daddy/dada...calls mommy that too}

-Pointing to things/pictures and asking what it is...all. day. long.

-Chewing some of her food (this girl swallows stuff whole to not slow down)

-Panting like a dog whenever she sees or hears one

-Copying noises--clicking tongue, Daddy's burps, coughing, sneezing, etc

-Copying actions--Mommy rubbing lotion on, washing hands, twirling around, etc

-Copying words--sit down, color words from a toy, etc

-Following simple directions--go get your milk, go find your shoes, go get the ball, etc

-Blowing kisses/giving real kisses (comes automatically with the word bye)

-Rocking, kissing, and hugging baby dolls---especially her cousin, Millie's, that makes noise

-Dressing herself--clothes and shoes (doesn't always work but she really tries)

I got a great deal on a sweet pair of red cowboy boots (think Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse) for Nora.  They are the next size up, for the Fall.  I let her wear them early (she wouldn't stop begging) to a cowboy birthday party.  Now she is obsessed with them.

Here are 2 videos to prove it.  The first is her finding her boots and saying shoes.  The second is her putting them on.  Enjoy!


Nora LOVES her red boots!

She can put them on (with help)!

A Happy Fourth of July!

This year to celebrate the Fourth of July we had a full day!

It started with breakfast at church, but before we could get there (already late of course) we found this...

Yes, that's my 2nd flat tire in less than a week!

Then, we got ready and went out on the lake with April & Travis.  Nora loved it!  It was a world of difference than the last time she went (when she had a fever and Roseola).  It helped that we got to ride around in the boat instead of just the go/stop of pulling tubers and skiers.

Captain Nora.  When the cat's away... 

Nora & Daddy enjoying the boat.

Nora took a nice long nap!

See the tiny ripples?  That's Aaron trying to ski barefoot.

April & Travis on the boat.

Thanks Aunt Karen for the perfect blue & white swim suit!

After we were finished boating, we came home.  Nora got a nap in while Aaron enjoyed Transformers with my brother, Xan.  Of course that was when the storm hit us.  Luckily, it passed quickly and we voted for pizza instead of grilling out.  Then, we headed to The Dellingers' house for the festivities.  I'd guess there was more than $500 worth of fireworks there between the men.  Don't worry, they all bargain shopped and got good deals!

The men taking over the cul-de-sac for fireworks

Nora enjoyed all of her 4th of July outfits.  1 of them being her last year's dress.  =)  (Pillowcase dresses do fit for a while.)  Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of her (any of the 3 times she wore it this weekend!).  Her favorite accessory though, her new red cowboy boots.

Thanks PawPaw & Dee Dee for the outfit!

Sitting down to eat my stolen un-ripe tomato from Mommy's plant.

Jenny's picture captures her perfectly!

Hope everyone else had a great holiday as well!  We are so blessed and grateful for this country we live in!

Fathers Day Weekends

We celebrated Father's Day to it's fullest this year!

It started with Nora & I heading to Summerville with Niki, Buck, & Millie the weekend before Father's Day for an early celebration.  We got to relax and spend some time with my Dad.  Nora quite enjoyed exploring the chickens coop, big backyard, and oh-so-kind dogs.  (Even if it meant scaring chickens by walking to close to them or sitting on the dogs while pulling their hair and/or ears.)  She also got some good swim practice in with Millie.  I must admit, Nora is getting much braver in the water these days!  We ate well (like usual) with pot roast, pizza on the grill, and french toast for "Father's Day".  Nora especially liked the food...G.Viv made sure to have her favorites like puffs, Gogurt, and fresh fruit.  I didn't take pictures, other than the girls swimming...oops.  But we did have  a good time!

Drinking the water...new trick

Splashing

Millie cheesing it, Nora trying to climb out!

Our little swimmers with G.Pa watching

The next weekend, we drove to Georgia to see Aaron's Dad and Dee Dee for Father's Day!  This was our first time seeing their new house and boy is it nice!  They have a good bit of land but the best part is that it's on a big pond.  Aaron loved grabbing a rod and heading out the door several times to fish.  Nora liked all the area to run around.  We spent lots of time relaxing, visiting, and watching movies or Food Network.  Aaron's Dad likes to cook and make us some yummy food!  From his famous breakfast (eggs, bacon, biscuits, tomato gravy) to ribs and stuffed jalapenos.  The only down side was how extremely hot it was outside!  Then, Saturday night the A/C went out and we really knew hot Sunday until the repair man made it!  Whew!  Brought back good old memories of our honeymoon cruise when an engine cut off and so they couldn't run the A/C.  =)  While Aaron didn't get his own Father's Day, I think he still enjoyed it.  It was a special treat to go see his Dad and (don't you worry) we just took his presents there.  Oh the best part for Aaron was probably not having to change any of Nora's diapers!  We definitely enjoyed our stay!

Like father, like son

Nice grass to run on

a beautiful background

Nora  & Mommy sweating outside

Nora & PawPaw on Father's Day

Nora with PawPaw & Daddy on Father's Day

 We are SO grateful for all the father's in our lives.  There are plenty of fathers around us from our fathers, step-father, grandfathers, step-grandfather....we're some lucky kids!  We both have wonderful fathers that we know are the best!  They are great grandfathers for Nora, too.  Nora is one spoiled girl though, because Aaron is a fabulous dad to her!  We (Nora & I) are so grateful to him for all he does for our family like working hard in the boiling heat!  We love all of you soo much!  Happy Father's Day one last time...well, until next June that is.

May Short Stay

I know this is really late, but this blog is not just to entertain our friends and family.  It's also so our memories can be documented.  I just am not that good at keeping a journal or scrapbook.

In May we got to have vacation with my Dad.  To try something new, he took us to the a Navy Short Stay in Moncks Corner, SC.  We had a lot of fun hanging out and spending time together.  We got to stay in some condos (no camping here) that overlooked Lake Moultrie.  We shared the area with some geese and ducks though.  There was lots of poop!  Nora did a good job of only touching it once.  =)  We went for a long weekend (Wed-Sat) and did a lot of relaxing.  There was a fabulous playground that Nora & Millie loved.  It was 3 playgrounds plus swings all together and one was geared for smaller kids.  Of course, Nora spent a lot of time on the slides.  That girl can't resist climbing up and sliding down any slide she sees!  On our way into Moncks Corner, we stopped at the store and picked up food and things we needed for the trip.  Rest assured we ate well and did not ever stop! Since this place was created for the Military to relax and vacation they made sure there was plenty available to do.  There was everything from basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, sailing, pontoon boats, fishing, to a man-made beach on the edge of the lake.  We played horseshoes and went to the beach a few times.  It was only May and it was very hot!  My Dad took the "sailing test" and passed to rent the catamaran, but unfortunately there was NO wind, so we couldn't ever go out.  Regardless, we enjoyed our Short Stay-cation!

Xan & Nora ready to walk to the playground

Loving the playground

Buck & Niki trying to cook popcorn over the coals

Aaron cooking popcorn over the fire

We used the popcorn handles to roast marshmallows to make s'mores

Nora, Millie, & Xan hanging out

G-Pa doing the "sailing test"

Aaron, Xan, Niki & Buck playing horseshoes

Millie & Nora exploring

Checking sturdiness of the picnic tables

Measuring the height of the benches

Testing the temperature of the concrete

ALWAYS climbing on tables now 

Pushing the limits to see where they can go

Best for last:

Nora loves Daddy!

May Days

May was a busy month for us!  Nora got to spend lots of time playing with her cousin Millie.  We also had lots of family get togethers with both of our families.  Here's a few highlights of our "May Days".

Nora went back to the doctor for a shot they were out of at her 12 month check up.  Of course she was all smiles.  That's our Miss Happy.

PS-Isn't that a cute outfit?  Thanks, Elizabeth!

One of the MANY days of no power (or so it seems) we went to Bass Pro.  AKA the free aquarium.  Nora enjoyed fish-watching.

There were some MASSIVE fish!

Nora & Millie had their first ride in the annoyingly-huge cart at Walmart.  They thought it was pretty fun.  Even the part about the seat belts not really fitting.

Don't worry it's treated with Microban...ha,whatever that means.

Nora has started swim lessons with Aaron's mom.  So far she isn't too much of a fan.  Millie's been coming too and is much more interested.

We went to a fabulous Early Childhood museum with Millie & Lexi (and their moms).  Discovery Place Kids is in Huntersville and they have done a great job making it developmentally appropriate and cute!  Nora had a blast.  I may have even heard her whisper to Daddy that she wants to go again...soon.

Lexi's so sweet to push Nora around, instead of the bricks in the construction area.

Just to make sure Nora's hair is indeed growing...we did pigtails.

If you're wondering, NO she doesn't like them.  But I do!