Kitty Hawk or Bust!

It was about time. . . .after a year of discussing our next big adventure, in April we packed our bags, hopped a couple planes, jumped in a rental car and made our way to Kitty Hawk North Carolina.

Our vacations usually consist of a day here, two days there, and a hip hop and jump around Northern Va and Maryland and an occasional trip to the midwest.  This year I decided that I wanted to have a REAL vacation.  Combine all of our free time into one trip where we actually got to relax.  A vacation where I didn't have to spend most of it in a vehicle trying to fit everyone in.  This year we would go to one place and let those that wanted to see us (I mean Emma)  could come to us. 

Our friend Ryan scored us an amazing house on the sound in Kitty Hawk NC, and both Brian's family and my family as well as our friends Kara and Ryan came to the coast to enjoy the beach with us. 

We had a wonderful time, even though the weather wasn't optimal.  We fished for crabs, sat on the dock reading books, had a few good days on the beach, had big meals with family, and best of all, we got to relax.

Em and I cooking up the blue crab we caught right off the dock.

Our few days on the beach consisted of :

Emma making friends with the wildlife. 

She and Mr. Crow-like bird hung out for most of the afternoon.

Kite flying

Playing on the beach

.

  Hanging out with family:

The Ramey-Anderson-Schroeder Girls

Big bad Uncle Chad and Aunt Cory came down to spend a day with their god-daughter

 Emma and Kim had a fabulous time. 

Emma got to sleep over several nights and couldn't get enough of Kim time. 

These two are definitely kindred spirits.

 One night Em decided to "tatoo" everyone with their names. 

I think I about hit the floor when she started with Tooey.

New Camera Fun!

Its been a crazy few months, which has kept me from blogville.  I am slowly going through my photos from April and May and will post as time allows.

Here are a few of my favorites using my new camera!

Brian and Em at Justin's birthday.

Bubble!

The first (and probably last) time she's ever held a worm. 

 Old Man Tuck posing.  What a handsome devil!

Sunset in Kitty Hawk, NC.

Emma!!

My child in a nutshell:

Me, "Emma you dropped blueberries and ceral on the floor. Can you pick them up?"

Em, "No. Truman will get them."

Me, "Em, Truman's a dog, not your maid."

Em, "Mama, Truman's not a DOG!! He's a GREYHOUND!!"

In the car on the way to preschool,

Em, "Asher did you fart?"

Asher, "NO!!"

Em, "It's okay if you did. Everyone farts. I fart. Mama farts. Truman farts. And Truman farts are stinky."

Em recieved two vaccinations and she informed me, "That lady hurt me. You know, the shot would be a lot better without the thorn on the end. You should tell her."

My mom's birthday was on the 28th. We called her to wish her a happy birthday and Emma asked, "Are we getting on a plane to see grammy after my nap?" I told her no. She then stated, "It's grammy's birthday. We have to fly to see her to celebrate. We can pack all of the ingredients for her cake in our luggage. Okay, mama?"

My favorite Emma quote usually happens when I lay with her in her bed. She often states, "Mama, I really really love you!" And at that moment she could do anything she wants.

Three dogs. . . .three separate techniques

I brought home three 36" bully sticks and gave each dog one. . . .

I realized that not only do they have three distinctively different personalities, they also have three different techniques for enjoying a mega-treat!

The old man guarded his

Mazie laid on hers.

But this method posed a problem with making progress.Truman laid his out and treated it like a cigar. . and was by far the most successful.and decided that sharing with his dinosaur was okay!
"what'cha lookin at? I'm not sharing with you too!"

New Camera

I finally broke down and bought a new camera. Not just any camera, a Canon Rebel EOS T3. At first I thought it was too much camera for me. . . . . I was tempted to return in.

Well, now I'm about 600 pictures in and have decided its a keeper.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Last night at our weekly pizza night at Stellar Emma made a new friend. On our way to the car she proclaimed,

"mama, the boy with the crazy hair is coming to our house. I invited him. He has two moms. I like him"

Henry, age 4, is the biracial son of a lesbian couple. Why is that important? I think it is important because it demonstrates how much different the world is through the eyes of a child. Children are blind to struggles of the world and unaware of society based judgments. Emma and Henry played all night long in the airplane taking trips to who knows where. To them, they were just two kids having fun.

Emma has no idea that she lives in a world where people are judged because the color of their skin. Emma is unaware that in this country same sex couples are fighting for the right to be married and to have equal rights. Emma doesn't know about discrimination. All Emma knows is that she really liked Henry. She was not concerned that his skin was a different color. She didn't care that his family was different than ours. All she cared about was that he was a new friend and that they had a good time.

That is beautiful.

Can you imagine how much better the world would be if we could step back and look at the world through the eyes of a child?

Little Cowgirl

One day about 8 months ago, Emma declared, "Mama, I want pink cowboy boots!!"

Huh? Pink Cowboy boots? What does she know about pink cowboy boots? I laughed it off and figured like everything else, this too will be a short lived request. Maybe she saw someone on the street with pink cowboy boots. . who knows. She'll forget about it and it will be business as usual.

Well. . to my dismay (or delight. . you interpret as necessary) the request for pink cowboy boots kept coming. At least 3 times a week Em would ask for her boots. I did a little web surfing and scoffed at the selection and prices of toddler sized pink cowboy boots. I hoped she would let this go.

Did she give it up?

Nope.

Several times a week Em would ask for her boots. About 2 weeks ago I decided to start the search again. Low and behold I found a pair of good looking boots in her size for 1/2 off (for the record, it still doesn't make them cheap). I added the boots to my shopping cart and clicked buy.

Call me a pushover. Call me a sucker. Call me the mama of a well dressed kid. It's your call!

A few days after the boots arrived I finally figured out where the idea for pink cowboy boots came from. Our neighbors planter! Of course she wanted pink cowboy boots, we walk by these everyday twice a day.

If I could edit the video I would show you Em's reaction to her boots.

Did she squeal with delight?

Did she run and give me a hug and thank you?

Did she pass out from surprise?

Um, no. She looked up and said, "Where's my cowboy hat?"
Little ingrate.. . ha ha ha.

What did we do. . .say stuff it? Nope!

Brian went online and bought the matching hat. The set is now complete and she's ready to go for a ride.