Emma and her first activity

Emma attended her first Young Woman's activity.  It was to be a makeover event helping the girls with make-up, nails, and hair.  Emma was a bit nervous.  It all worked out really well.  A friend of Jake's named Jessie has taken Emma under her wing so to speak.  She sat with Emma during YW opening exercises on Emma's first week.  I thought that was nice.  Then she called Tuesday (we meet on Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays).  She asked if Emma would like a ride.  She and another girl were going to have dinner before the activity, and they thought Emma would have fun joining them.  I took Emma really quick to get a new shirt (most of hers are stained and not so nice looking anymore.  Why is it she is SO hard on clothes?).  We found her a new shirt and a pair of jeans that fit her really well.  No more saggy bottom for her!  haha  We made it home in just enough time for Emma to change.  Then Jessie showed up and off they went.  Emma got home and was super excited.  She had a great time!  She got her hair straightened, her toenails all sparkly blue and her face painted all purty like.  haha  We had to go out shopping Wednesday so Emma could spend her birthday money for a new straight iron.  My little girl is growing up!   I will forever be thankful to Jessie for helping this process be a little easier.  :)

Emma is a Young Woman!

Emma turned 12 on the 22nd (yesterday).  She is excited to be in Young Womans finally.  :)   She was a bit nervous about going into YW but, the YW president came and talked with Emma.  She gave Ems her Personal Progress book along with a ton of other goodies.  Emma has been wearing her YW necklace every time we go anywhere now.   I also told her now that she is in YW, she is allowed to wear make up.  Just not too thick of make up!  haha  I had found her some sparkle eyeshadow and she was excited to wear it yesterday.  It's not too sparkly and not too noticeable.  :)

She received a lot of gifts.  Mainly because I tend to wrap EVERYTHING!  haha  I know she likes opening gifts, so I wrap everything into as individualized packages as possible.  This year she was lucky enough to unwrap a few gifts that she picked out and was told to "forget about until her birthday".  She did a good job with her surprised face.  Mike didn't even know.  haha

 This was a particularly fun gift.  The boys helped with the wrapping and Jake was determined that this tiny gift should have a big bow.  Emma made a comment about it being small with a huge bow on it.  Mike then said something about "Emma, you never know.  There could be a huge diamond in there."  I shot him a "What are you doing" look.  Once Emma opened it, she found a big diamond heart necklace with a pair of diamond earrings.  They don't have to know that I found it on sale months ago.  haha  The look on Emma and Elaina's face was priceless!

Emma made out like a bandit.  She got a new church bag, the diamond set, some pendants for her necklace making (she has been making a lot of beautiful necklaces and bracelets lately), a sewing kit for a pillow case, new shoes, and some red sugar crystals for her cupcake making (she has enjoyed getting creative with making cupcakes as well).  

Then, being the super nice mom I am, I let Emma decorate her birthday cake.  :)  Actually, I was going to do it, but she really wanted to.  She is getting really creative lately.  I am not very creative, but I try to encourage her whenever I can.  She is a LOT more creative than I will every pretend to be.  :)

I am thinking I will have her make the cakes from now on.  ;)

We got new furniture!

So, it's not new to us, and we've had it for a couple of weeks, but we are SUPER happy!  Alright.  Josh isn't happy, but the rest of us are.  Josh says he doesn't like all the furniture (in the kitchen and living room) because we are taking care of it.  In other words, he isn't allowed to destroy it.  haha  Actually, I don't know why he is upset.  He isn't the one who usually destroys things in our house.  :)




 

Today marks a milestone

Tonight, Elaina was complaining about her feet.  They are peeling from all the swimming she has been doing.  I got her some water shoes today to help her not be as bothered.  :)  She put on my sandals and the were a little big on her.  Not a big deal.  They are a bit big on me because Emma wore them and stretched them out.  Then she compared her foot to mine.  That's when I noticed.  Today is my milestone.  Elaina and I wear the same size shoes.  Yes.  My 8 year old (yes, she turns 9 in OCTOBER...  too far to count for now)  and I wear the same shoe size.  I always thought I would be like my mom and sisters.  They shared shoes growing up.  I was always so jealous because they could share with each other when my sisters were in High School.  I thought it was just because I was still in Jr. High that my feet weren't fitting their shoes.  Then once in High School, I was proud of my small feet.  I didn't have to share shoes with anyone, but that also meant I couldn't share shoes with anyone!  :)   I hoped that I would get to share shoes with my girls.  Emma blew that one out of the water once she was 8.   She went from a size smaller than me to 2 sizes larger within a month!   Plus, it's just not fashionable for a 30 year old to share shoes with an 8 year old.  Ya know what I mean?  ;)  I held a glimmer of hope that Elaina would have my small feet gene.  That hope is gone.  As she was running around the living room boasting about how she can now wear my "high heels " (I'm wondering where I hide these high heels she is talking about) I was secretly crying inside.  Then the boys chirped in.  Oh how they love to let me know I'm shorter than they are.  Once they heard Elaina and I share shoes, it was a free for all.  Don't feel too bad for me, though.  I still hold a lot of power.  I get the pleasure of driving them around if and when I want.  They know to stop and be nice to me once I give them "the look".  haha

What I'm good at

I have found over the years that I am good at cutting things.   Maybe "things" is a bit too broad.  I try to cut fresh bread and it looks like I have attempted to make a pyramid.  I cut vegetables and they are all different shapes and sizes.  Kind of like if you drop a piece of glass and it shatters.  Lots of different sizes.  Yep.  That's what my veggies look like.  Mike, on the other hand, is a master at slicing bread and chopping vegetables.  He makes it look easy.  Everything perfect and professional looking.  Anyway, I have found that I have a talent for cutting myself.  I don't even require anything major to help me with this.  I have cut myself with steak knives, butcher knives, butter knives, and forks.  Yes.  You read that right.  Forks!  I know.  It's a talent.  Go ahead.  Take a moment to be jealous.  :)  My latest scar to be is from washing a butcher knife.  I usually don't use this knife because, well, it's sharp.  I don't have much feeling in my hands and that with my knack for slicing skin is not a good combination. Therefore, I don't use this particular knife very often.   I was trying to be nice though.  The boys (and Mike) were getting home from high adventure for scouts and I wanted them to have a special treat.  How was I to know it wouldn't work out so well.  haha

 

It doesn't look like much, but it is a very nice slice along the meaty part of my fourth finger.  Don't worry.  I didn't cut the whole thing off.  There is still skin keeping it attached like a bad hair toupee.   haha  Now if I were only as good at healing as I am at slicing! 

Our new kitchen furniture

With my friend Denise leaving, we were able to get a new table, chairs, china cabinet, a mirror, and two buffets.

Here is the table (with the leaf in it).  For our family, we put the leaf away and it still fits the whole family. 

Here is the china cabinet.  It fits a WHOLE lot of stuff! That makes me happy.   :)

Here is what the buffet tables look like.  We put one in the kitchen and one in the entryway with the mirror.  This is the one in the kitchen.

Here is the buffet in the entryway.  No.  We haven't attached the mirror yet.  It's only been a week. I wouldn't expect it to get hung until sometime next week.  haha  I did try to do it, and the mirror is heavy and it requires me to line up the nails and put in anchors so it doesn't fall down.  In other words, I'm waiting until Mike is available to help.  That hasn't happened yet.  That poor man works non-stop.  The mirror isn't life or death for me.

I'm actually more concerned about getting the old chairs and shelves out of the living room first.  ;)   

My favorite faces...