Well the day I've been dreading is finally here. My Canadians head home this afternoon and so begins a long dry spell of being empty- nesters again. Our little nest has been bursting at the seams for the last month and we will miss the baby chatter, laughter and most of all the open mouth kisses from one little girl and the heart melting smiles as she runs to your arms.

Labels: Becky, Emma, Jerry

This is Miss Emma in her Bronx Zoo Sun Glasses. She looks like she has been on safari! We spent several days with Suzy and Tim. Uncle Andy was there also so the whole clan was together.

A Big "Shout Out "to Suzy and Tim for opening their home to all of us and for planning unusual outings such as the Bronx Zoo and we also experienced Nathan's Famous American Hot Dogs (so I can check both off my to do list for New York!)




You may remember that Nathan's hosts the 4 th of July Hot Dog eating contest every year. They are good hot dogs but I wouldn't want to eat them as fast as the contestants do. (Some of us were more into the experience than others.) As you can see Emma wanted to help and promptly donned on the proper hat immediately. What a girl!






Emma really loved the "Critter Carousal" at the zoo. Instead of horses all the rides were bugs and critters. She really had a great time. I especially like this picture taken by Auntie Suzy. Don't ya just love Emma's converse all star high tops? Be prepared to see many Zoo pictures in the next few installations of the Emma Tour.






We have one more full day with our Canadians. We have had a wonderful time watching Emma grow right before our eyes. Our "nest" will certainly seem empty once all the toys and baby things are packed away. We are hoping to have some studio portraits done this afternoon. Thanks for your prayers for all our travels. Please pray for our travelers tomorrow afternoon as they make their long trek back to Canada. Our car certainly knows the way to Richmond airport and to Chick-fil-a.

I promise to visit and catch up with the blog land soon, but as you well know Babies don't wait.

Labels: Emma, pictures

What a cute picture of Auntie Suzy with our Emma. (You can't even see her baby bump!) This Saturday daughter Becky and I have been invited to a baby shower for Suzy. How sweet to schedule it so we could attend.

We are bringing up lots of clothes, baby items, and baked goods, not to mention a high chair, stroller, baby gate and wading pool.

This Diva is determined to get a family picture taken since it is a rare occasion that we are all together at the same time.

This is a big "shout out" to son Andy who just scored a new job. So if any of you are at Planet Hollywood at Times Square....ask for the cute waiter! We are so pleased at his determination and drive to work and attend college to work on a degree in Business.

Labels: Emma, Suzy

Yesterday was another learning day for Miss Emma and her very knowledgeable Poppa. They set out to create a masterpiece for Diva's refrigerator (which has never featured a young budding grand child artist before!) Poppa decided that she was into Contemporary or post modern art with a definite flair for the abstract . She worked very hard and was most diligent with her choice of colors. (This Diva can hardly wait to take her to the Crayola Factory when she gets a little bigger.)


Mom and Dad took a field trip into Harrisonburg and Waynesboro using Poppa's GPS. They really enjoyed being able to get around so quickly by punching in Sonic, Walmart and Target. The GPS certainly has made our life easier.

Diva has plenty of pictures to choose from. Now all I need is a
magnetic frame to show it off. More fun today. We ate all our berries before we could make our pies so looks like it's back to berry batch for us today.

Labels: Emma, Poppa and Art

The Cats are all looking out the window and waiting for the Divine Miss "Em". They had better get their rest in now. I'm sure she will find them fascinating and will want to play chase. JJ will be a nervous wreck for the next three weeks . Lucy is a little braver. They may want to retreat to the basement or attic till they get used to having a little person in the house.




Pop pop spent some time putting the little red wagon together for his girl and bringing down the high chair, changing table, baby bed, Emma chair, and assorted toys. The wagon has a back and also a safety belt! He still needs to hang the baby swing. We've heard from reliable sources that our girl is a real swinger.




This Diva is prepared to be on the run for the next few weeks. Miss Emma is a free spirit and likes the wide open spaces. Fortunately we have a big back yard for her to explore and plenty of time to make discoveries.




These anxious grandparents are all set to have big goofy smiles for the next three weeks. We leave this afternoon about 2 o'clock to pick up our Canadians in Richmond about 5 p.m. First stop after the baggage claim?.....why Chick-fil-a, of course! Stay tuned for the adventures of Diva and Em. Keep us in your prayers as we travel.

Labels: Emma, Virginia

Counting down the days till Miss Emma is back in her Diva's arms. She loves to be outside now that it is warmer. Of course we had to get her a swing for the back yard and a red wagon too.

Labels: Emma, Wordsless Wednesday

Weekend Wrap - Up or
(Your Mother knows what you've been up to!)


It's been a busy week here in Virginia. Mr. Wonderful and I are getting ready to hit the road again this coming Friday. We will be going to New York to visit with Suzy, Tim, Andy and go shopping for Jellybean's arrival.

We planted a Bloodgood Japanese Maple tree in our front yard. One of our Dogwood trees died so we replaced it with this colorful Maple. I love the splash of color it gives to the yard. Whatever we plan on planting this spring has to been done this week as we will be traveling the next two weeks.

I'm packing away our winter clothing. My winter clothes are too big now as I've lost two dress sizes. It's a nice problem to have. So they are all boxed up ready to take to the mission. I'm going through the attic trying on skinny clothes and deciding do I really like this? Some of those clothes that I saved till I got skinny aren't as cute as I thought they would be.

Good News, Bad News....Emma had the 3 day flu and passed it on to her mom and dad. She is getting into everything ( so you know my baby is better!) Suzy Q ended up with a bad head cold and so congested she could barely breath. Her OB told her she could take plain Sudafed which helped her considerably. I told her she has to be all better so we can do some marathon baby shopping this weekend.

Wednesday is the day we may be able to know "what flavor" our jellybean will be...passionate pink or blissful blue. Either way this Diva will be glad to see a picture of our baby. Emma was a very modest baby so we couldn't tell...hopefully Jellybean will be a little more cooperative.

New York this week, Savannah the following week and my Canadians arrive shortly after we get home. Can life get any better than this?

Labels: Emma, Jellybean, Suzy, weekend wrap up

Rag dolls have had an big role in the lives of our girls. Baby Becky's first birthday cake was in the shape of Raggedy Ann. Several Christmas' later I made both girls a set of Raggedy Anns and Andy's (which they still have!)

The first time Baby Becky had the flu she was just as limp as a rag doll. She would lay on the couch so I could watch her and help her when she started to vomit. We really had a hard time getting any fluids down her and would literally give her fluids with a teaspoon as that was the only way she could keep any down.

The doctor told us not to feed her since she wasn't able to keep anything down. As parents we felt really bad watching our baby that was normally so lively and energetic just lying on the sofa like a little rag doll.


I had fixed dinner for Mr. Wonderful and myself. After we finished eating, before I could clear the plates off the table I saw Becky licking our empty plates because she was so hungry. It broke my heart.

Now our sweet Emma is having similar symptoms and it is even harder being this far away . Poor Beck is experiencing the same things all mothers go through watching their babies when they are sick. It never gets any easier does it?

Labels: Becky, Emma, Rag dolls

1. Just got back from a quick trip to Virginia Beach. We left Thursday afternoon and had a great time visiting with my Mom, seeing other ministries, visiting with old friends and just getting away for awhile.



2. We were able to visit Operation Blessing which is a part of the Christian Broadcasting Network. They have three huge warehouses and distribute 75 to 150 tons of products every week. We were very impressed by the people and the organization. We provide clothing to them that they distribute to other countries.




3. My Mom cracks me up! She had a list of items for Mr. Wonderful to do while we were home. Some of them very simple such as removing addresses from her email address book and making the green light stop flickering on the TV. We also replaced some azaleas bushes in the back yard. We were able to go to a senior banquet with her and go to church with her. I know she gets lonely so it was good to be able to spend some time with her.




4. Just heard that our little Munchkin is sick. It's so hard to be so far away when your baby is sick. It's hard on her momma and really hard on her long distance Diva. Just yesterday she was out playing at the park on one of their first spring days.





5. So glad, my good buddy Floozie is starting to feel so much better. She got off some medication abruptly and it really messed up her blood pressure and her whole system.
Sandy is one of the sweetest, kindest people I know and she rarely lets anyone know how she really is feeling. She has had a really hard month with mood swings, crying, fatigue,
and just plain feeling lousy.



6. Our cats JJ and Lucy were really glad to see us. I'm sure they got lonesome with out us to entertain them. A big shout out to neighbor and good friend Beckie for feeding the cats and loving on them while we were gone.



7. The lilacs are in bloom now. We have two big bushes that are in bloom under my window where my computer is located. I love smelling their fragrance . I love the sight and smell of spring.



It's good to be back home to my own bed and familiar surroundings. Long weekends really give us a needed break and a little perspective. Hope your week goes well.

Labels: Cats, Emma, Mom, Sunday Seven

Some of you may have gotten an email from me that ended with "miss you more than hot biscuits with butter". Believe me.....that's a lot of missing.

Would you believe I dream about hot biscuits and butter? I had my last biscuits yesterday. I also ended my love affair with Peter Pan peanut butter, rice, pasta, and mashed potatoes.

I'm having my first filling of the lap band today which will make me feel full for longer periods of time. However, anything that makes a doughy ball can potentially get stuck and cause problems.

I'm learning a whole new way of eating! Wish me luck! These are foods that are gone....but not forgotten. Guess, I'll have to remember the good associations and attach the feelings to some new foods. Not to mention having to eat slower and really chew my food....which is actually a good thing.


Daisy Dilemma: Do you ever have food dreams?

Emma likes to Eat, Eat, Eat, also. Warning: This song will stay in your head for a long time!

Labels: Dreaming of Biscuits, Eat, Emma

More Pictures of Emma's first birthday.

Green Eggs and Ham anyone?

Looks pretty tasty to me.





Baby Cakes.....cup cakes for little hands.

Emma really liked these and ate two!

I bet she got a sugar buzz from them.




It the cupcakes didn't do it....then I'm sure the Hat cake (4 layers) would have. According to her Mom she liked both the cake and being the center of attention.









She's a girl after my own heart.....She dives into her food and now she's just as sweet on the outside as she is in the inside (I stole that quote for Mom poet).










Nothing is wasted on this girl...obviously the cake was finger lickin good.

Labels: Emma, firsts, Happy Birthday

Today is Emmalee Anne's First Birthday!

Her birthday party was last night and she was properly adored by those who love her.

This anxious Diva is waiting on some pictures of the event. Her birthday cake was 4 layers and iced in alternating red and white icing to look like the Hat in the book (The Cat in the Hat!)

Her Momma also had gummie fish in various colors to celebrate another great Dr. Seus classic One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

From the looks of contentment on Emma's face I would say the party was a great success. I love the way she throws herself into the celebration and the cake! Happy Birthday darling girl.....What a joy you are to your Poppa and Diva

Labels: Emma, Happy Birthday

The last of our family left this morning. We were up at 3:30 a.m. and on the road by 4 to reach the Richmond airport for their flight. It's a 12 hour trip for eldest daughter and baby Emma. They are flying into some really cold winter weather which will be a major change from the balmy sweater weather we have had in Virginia.

The house is unusually quiet....there is no run on the bathroom, no toys on the floor, and no squeals, giggles and smiles to greet me. I do have a picture ornament with Emma's voice recorded that I've listened to a lot today while looking at the tons of pictures we took while we were all together.


Emma loves Little People so of course not wanting her to forget her beloved Poppa and Diva I was thrilled when I found these for her. They actually do kind of look like us! I got really tickled when she picked up the Diva and kissed her! (What a clever girl!)




Uncle Andy bought Miss Emma her beautiful red dress so Saturday we took her to the Mall for her visit with Santa. She was in a really good mood when we got there but unfortunately Santa had pressing business at the North Pole so it was quite a while till we were able to get a picture with the two. Poppa was very good at amusing Emma by one of the giant Christmas trees.


Emma's Christmas shirt says, "Best Present Ever" and has a big bow on it. I certainly can say that she is the best present ever for our family. It was a thrilling experience to have my birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas all rolled into one one big eventful week. I may never get over it...I hope not! I can look at the pictures and be transported right back to the fun and laughter.

I was gently reminded that Thanksgiving is every day. Thank you family for the sacrifice of time and travel. All of you may me feel very special and very loved.

Labels: Andy, Emma, Thanksgiving 2007

Here they are! All my babies home at one time except for SIL Jerry (husband and father to Emma still in Canada.)



Boy Wonder had not been home in three years so of course we had to kill the fatted pizza at his return. Suzy and Tim join us Tuesday afternoon after a brief visit with friends in Tennessee.



Tuesday night we ate at Cracker Barrel (family favorite and not available in New York or Canada). Oldest daughter and Emma love that you can eat breakfast at any time of the day there. It's also fun to look around while you wait for a table. No one went away hungry!

We were able to borrow a pop-up camper from a friend so it made for an extra bedroom in our drive-way. It worked pretty well till the temperatures dropped and the heaters tripped the breaker. I had some cold kids the next morning!

All of caught a "bug" of some kind, at various times, so some were well when other were feeling bad. Becky and Tim with the help of good ole Dad came through with the Thanksgiving Feast. Mr. Wonderful did the bird and Tim and Becky did all the side dishes. It was a wonderful feast made better by having every one home.

Auntie Suzy made Emma an Indian outfit to celebrate the day. She even made a head dress with feathers and braids.
Emma seemed to enjoy being the center of attention and also got two board books for Thanksgiving. One us called the Five Silly Turkeys and the other was about The first Thanksgiving.

Uncle Andy had to leave Friday afternoon so immediately after
our Thanksgiving feast the house was decorated for Christmas. The girls and Tim put up the tress and some decorations to make the house look very festive. Christmas came early at our house. It was nice to share the celebration with family and Emma doesn't know one day from another right now.