Hiking Fun!

My favorite hiking group headed out to my favorite trail thus far in MO - the Lewis and Clark trail.  It was gorgeous last year and just as gorgeous this year, and with glorious 70 degree temps!  We had a great time, and are headed back again (hopefully for the long trail) in mid-Nov.  Anyone is welcome to join us!  Conversations 'on the trail' are one of my favorite things in life these days!

I made these a little bigger than normal so that you can see some of the details in the landscape.  Made me wish I had a fancy-shmancy camera along for the hike! :)

My favorite picture of the day.

My second favorite picture of the day.

This is my friend Katie - we share rides (and breakfasts-in-the-car) together and have been on almost all the same hikes.
And, no, I'm not pregnant - I'm bundled up because we started early in the morning...I guess my vest underneath was pooching out a bit!  :( 

At first, the arrows confused us between the two signs, but then we got it.  :)  We did the Clark trail on Sat, which is 5.3 miles.  The Lewis trail is just at 8.2 miles.   

LOVE hiking through the woods!  My favorite way to hike.  Now, if only we could summit at the top of a 360-degree mountain, like in the Adirondacks, THAT would rock!

Our hiking crew on this day, except for Audrey, our fearless organizer and picture-taker.

Fun at a stopping/picture point.

A Weekend Visit From Grandpa

Grandpa came to town this past weekend and we had a fun and busy weekend!

Friday was work/daycare, chores (I got a break from cutting the grass! Yea!) and errands.  Saturday was the Magic House, nap (wish I had one!), carving a pumpkin and then a concert and hayride at night.  We had a great time, and Ellie got to spend time with "Pawpa."  We heard lots of "no's" all weekend, but hey...it's just part of the almost-2 phase.  We still got some laughter and goofy, lovable moments out of her, too.

The Magic House

"Hewwow?  No.  OK.  Bye, bye."  ...over and over...
This girl could have stayed, picked up the phone, "talked," hung up the phone and done it all over again...
for probably an hour!

Hi Grandpa!

CHECK OUT the EXPRESSION on EJ's face!  I love it!  :)

Mommy & her precious, big girl!

Ooh...we hadn't discovered this part of the Magic House before: construction stuff!  Mommy could have stayed here for hours with her.  EJ was pretty focused on the task at hand.  :)  (I, of course, LOVE it!)

Later That Day...

Pumpkin Time!

Mommy draws the face on there...

EJ's turn!
(see video links below)
Pumpkin Prep, Part 1
Pumpkin Prep, Part 2

Still Even LATER that SAME Day!

One last concert together with our friends CJ, Mary and "N."
Cheers to plenty to go to together in 2012!! :)

EJ tryin' on CJ's hat.
(I think CJ is particularly excited that her initials are similar to hers.  :] )

4/5 of the Brooks family.  SO glad they could finally join us for an evening out!  It was GREAT to have them, and the kiddos really had fun playing with EJ (and I had fun watching them WITH EJ!)

We forgot to "send Mary the memo" that us girls were supposed to  where pink jackets/fleece and jeans on the bottom.  :)  The other 3 of us got it.  (hee, hee!)

Us girls on the hayride!
Who knows?  "Maybe" Mommy started singing, "The wheels on the tractor go round and round, round and round, round and round...."  Funny part - some pre-teen boys were sitting next to Heidi on the other side and were chiming in and signing with us "uncool" parents.  It was pretty funny!

We stuck around and watched the first part of Toy Story 3 on a huge blow-up screen while sitting on the grass.  EJ was very much in to the whole movie and story...and really seemed to enjoy watching all the toys play and move around.  I can only imagine what was going on in her mind!  We had a really fun night...and a jam-packed, full day!




Sunday
After church, saying goodbye to Grandpa, and a nap, we headed outside to enjoy the nice weather before the rain and cold came!  We played with EJ's stroller, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, Junior Asparagus,...whatever we could come up with!  :)

Check out the video link below...it's a long one, so you can fast forward it.  The very last few seconds is just precious to any mommy!

Stroller Playtime

Quick Thought...

I should already be asleep, but I am sitting in bed looking at a MASSIVE binder I need to dive in to for a class I'm taking.  My house - atrocious...feel like for every 5 minutes worth of cleaning or picking up I'm doing, 10 more minutes of chaos ensues...either by an active, curious toddler tearing into things, or by trying to "do it all," like trying to be the healthiest and wisest with money and cook the meal for us to enjoy, rather than eating out.  Yet, the pile of dishes, pots, microwaveable plastic plates, sippy cups, washcloths, bibs...it all just piles up and MULTIPLIES! I'm just not enough of a person to keep up with it all.  (I think I need to be an octopus!  And even then, have my 8 limbs be detachable so that I can conquer the projects all at once!  Boy, is that a visual or what?!)  


So, as discouraging as it gets, and as embarrassed as I would be for just about any of you to walk into my house at any moment these days,...on SOME days - rather some moments (like right now when I'm too tired to care! :] ) - I have a good, healthy perspective.  It doesn't last long :], but since I just had "a moment," I thought I'd share it.  I was just emailing a new friend of mine when said, "I suppose life is not measured by how much or how often I clean up the mess, but by how much fun I have while making the mess, right?"  Right?  And, so, on these good moments, I will relish in the fact that I have worked hard to well, frankly, work hard (!), but also enjoy spontaneous chats with my friends and neighbors, walks to the park and around town with EJ, and just "being" present with her as much as possible while I try to manage the chaos of it all.  


May I continue to stay focused on the laughter and the joy that I want to instill in this house, in my little family-of-two, and in friendships that EJ and I both enjoy and are blessed to have....  If you are a friend, come over, come in and join in the chaos - and smile and laugh with us!    

Wonderful Weekend

We didn't do anything special this weekend, but for several reasons, this weekend was just a wonderful blessing to me.  My sweet kiddo was so interactive, so curious, so joyful (most of the time :] )...my house isn't an ounce cleaner, even though I felt like I worked, cleaned and picked up all weekend, but I suppose I can't put a price on these "heart" moments.  I've been having so much fun having conversations with EJ...and watching how much she talks and how many words she gladly tries to repeat...and watching her imagination start to come out and how much she cares for her little stuffed animals and her new friend Clifford (pronounced a bit like "calf-ford" :] )...and watching just how much she understands what I'm telling her or asking her about...just absolutely precious to me.


One of my absolute favorite moments this weekend was our Sunday afternoon.  One of my favorite ways to spend a Sunday used to be to come home from church, eat, and then crash on the couch in front of the football game...I particularly like dozing off during about the 2nd quarter for my little 20-30 minute "cat nap" and then wake up for the super fun parts of the 3rd and 4th quarters...rested and ready to watch the best parts of the game - the end!  Anyway, I cannot remember the last time I was able to relax and nap on a Sunday...probably a year and a half ago.  I missed my "window of opportunity" with a nap for EJ right after church, so I tried to get some food in her tummy to get her sleepy and then put her down, about an hour (+) past her naptime.  Friends just recently blessed me with a video monitor, so I watched as she played and procrastinated sleeping for nearly an HOUR in her bed...and then, FINALLY, she crashed...and then SO DID THIS MOMMY!!!  I was only out for about the 3rd quarter of the Rams game (poor, losing Rams...again, and again...) and then got to watch all the way until the last "4 minutes," which we all know lasts about 40 minutes with all the timeouts, etc.  EJ woke up and MUCH to my surprise, she was snuggly!  I plopped her on the couch with me and her blanket, tucked her under the newly-brought-out-awesome-winter-fleece-blanket, and spooned her little cozy baby body.  It was so fun to see her WATCH THE GAME with me, seemingly interested in the action (adorable!), and for once, just sit still and snuggle up with Mommy.  So precious...especially for those of you who know my kiddo cannot ever sit still.  I hope we can watch a few more games together....  :]


And, Mommy also did a very little, minor home improvement project on Sat, and EJ sat on my lap, handed me nails, helped me with the hammer and practiced using the hammer all by herself on the toolbox.  :)  I loved it!  Made me want to run out and buy a toddler toolbelt and workshop toys.  I hope this Mommy has opportunities down the road to continue learning handy skills...and then she has the opportunity to learn how to use the tools, too!  


Anyway, I feel like my whole weekend was full of these not-really-all-that-eventful-moments, but it was precious and special for me, nonetheless.  I feel like my heart can't help but just burst with love...it's often hard not to be able to share the moment-by-moment joys and new accomplishments, but I so appreciate those of you who delight in it with me, through this blog, through conversations and even through (nearly) daily walks around the neighborhood.


P.S. - Mommy's new favorite words (yes, I've taught her these. :]  Why not have fun with the developing language?!):


Chocolate
Snuggle
Cuddle

First night wearing her new PJs - Elmo!  LOVE this happy smile on her face!

Ah...the mischief doesn't take too long...she moved this booster chair over just so she could climb and reach things on the counter...the new "thing to do."

Caught!

OK, you're about to enter Clifford Overload - she's loving this new friend...and as you'll be able to tell, she has to take good care of him!

Need to brush Clifford's teeth!

Explaining how it works....

New friends added to (or taking over??) the bathroom as we add some excitement to sitting on the potty.  :)  Our sweet friend Heidi's girls colored these "potty pals" for us!

Elmo has his own special place, and is accessible for the random kisses that we have to give Elmo...

Clifford had to go potty, too!!  What a good doggie...

Taking good care of the the soft little bear friend.  And she even shared her snack with her bear friend!  Yea!

EJ also shared her highchair with Clifford, strapped him in, put her bib on him and (with a little help) put the tray on...and then tucked him in to get ready to eat her applesauce.  :)  

At least he LOOKS eager to eat his food!  :)