This is my screen saver....I love my girl and the fact that she loves pink and rose colored glasses. Look how long her hair is getting. My toddler is rapidly becoming a full fledged little girl. She loves to sing, do crafts, loves babies, her best friend Jack and loves to show off for an appreciative audience (that would be Poppa and Diva via Skype).

She is composing her own songs that she sings to her baby doll. She loves to jump, run, and loves to be tickled.

We are making plans to come see her in Canada this summer. I thought it would be fun to celebrate her half birthday and have a day for each of the holidays we missed...we might have to invent our own holidays too. What do you think of "Pink Day"?

Miss you my Emma Bug! Your Diva XOXO

Labels: Emma

I love pictures and especially ones of my grandchildren. This picture is our divine Miss Em in a white flower girl dress. Emma loves comfort clothes like her Diva, but occasionally enjoys dressing up. This dress weighs almost as much as she does and she wasn't very happy when her mom dressed her up.

Now I ask you.....is this a happy face?

Becky works with the Girl Guides in Canada and co-leads a group of "Sparks" which are girls that are about 6 years old. Emma loves to go with mom to the Sparks meetings and the girls have adopted her as the troop mascot.

This is a happier Emma "Twirling" around the floor in her long white dress with the Sparks. I love this picture because it reminds me of my childhood. (Yes, Emma your "Dita" was once a little girl who loved to twirl in front of the mirror and watch my full skirt swing.)


Becky's co-leader Adriane , rents out flower girl dresses and brought the dresses to a meeting so the girls could wear them . Isn't it amazing that girls like to dress in white dresses and dance and twirl around the floor. It seems to be something instinctive with girls (even little ones) . Emma seems to be holding her own on the dance floor.

When I was in grade school full skirts with lots of petticoats (or can-cans) were popular. The fuller the skirt the more can-cans you wore. I liked the swishing sounds it made made when I walked and twirling in front of the bathroom mirror at school was almost irresistible . It made me laugh to think that girls are girls no matter what their age and still enjoy the simple things in life.

Don't you just love the tights under the dress? Who knows....flash forward twenty years and this could well be the same little girl in a long white dress only with a veil and a groom
waiting for her to waltz down the isle.

Labels: Emma, Monday memories

The Divine Miss Em is two years old now. She had a Blue's Clues Birthday Party with her friends. For those of you who have forgotten or never knew...Blue is an animated dog that leaves paw prints (or clues) to her owner Steve. (Yes, gentle reader we prefer Steve videos to the current host Joe.)

Blue has animated friends.....Magenta (a pinkish version of Blue only with glasses) Periwinkle (a bluish cat) , Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper and their children Paprika and baby Cinnamon, Tickety -Tock (yes, a clock), Green Puppy, Mailbox, Shovel and Pail and many other friends. Em knows all the songs, and motions and loves to watch the show.



Her very talented Momma fixed a Blue's Clue Cake. A big blue paw print. Emma loves cup cakes so you know she enjoyed digging into the blue iced cake. I have to laugh at this picture of Emma with blue lips!

Happy Birthday To Our Sweet Girl Emma!

Labels: Emma, Happy Birthday, Two years old

Here are some of my favorite fall pictures .

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

Labels: Emma, Fall Babies, Oscar

Here's our Emma. Isn't she just the cutest? Not that I'm at all biased! I love to see my little ones in costumes. Mr. Wonderful is already talking about making a play area in the attic with a trunk of costumes for the grands to dress up. Emma loves hats (like her Diva and Mom).

Labels: Emma, Halloween costume

1. I'm back home! Praise the Lord ( and my sis) for the opportunity to spend a week with Oscar and his mom. Yesterday my day started at 3:45 A.M. and I found that Laguaria Airport is not difficult at 4 in the morning. Tim helped me with the electronic boarding passes and security isn't very busy early in the morning. What I thought would be my biggest hassle turned out to be really easy.

2. Most of my day was spent at Dulles Airport in D.C. There is only one flight a day that goes into our airport(Shenandoah) and after a two hour delay it was canceled. My sister (watching over me from Ohare's computer) got me on another flight to Charlottesville which left at 12:45. I arrived safely but my bag is still on vacation.


3. Mr. Wonderful met me at the airport and after reporting my "run-away-bag" took me to Chick-fil-a for a late lunch of chicken nuggets and a shared brownie with ice cream. That made me do a "happy dance" but he also surprised me with several home projects that he completed that I had almost given up on. I should go away more often! Yeah Mr. Wonderful!!


4. It's good to be home with my cats, my bed, and my man! I got to sleep all night long! What a treat! I forgot what it is like when you have a new baby. I took the early morning shift so Suzy could catch a few winks.




5. I have lots of pictures of Emma that Becky posted. Isn't she a doll? She looks so adorable. Becky says she kept the wig and hat on the entire time. Becky also had a small Raggedy Anne that Emma carried with her. Emma loved the attention and the chocolate (can you tell we are related?) I'm working on a scrapbook for My Little Raggedy Girl!




6. Speaking of my Canadian Girls.....Becky and Emma will be flying to New York for Christmas. Jerry can't get away but we are so thrilled to be able to get both grands together. You know there will be lots of fun, food and photos. This is the last time Emma can fly without having to purchase a seat for her. Her second birthday is in January.




7. I got to be a part of some of Oscar's firsts. I got to be his first babysitter so his parents could celebrate their first date as mommy and daddy. I had a wonderful, fun-filled time that ended all too quickly. I'm looking forward to having both grands to love on and spoil rotten over Christmas. I love being a Diva to Emma and Oscar.



Hope your week went well. I think I may have found my missing spirit of adventure . I still don't like to travel by myself but I don't think it will be my last outing. Dim the lights, cue the music, and exit thankfully for another busy and memorable week.

Labels: Emma, Home, Oscar, Sunday Seven

Would you believe our Emma Bug is getting ready for her second Halloween. Thought you might enjoy a sample of her first Halloween.

Labels: Emma, Halloween costume

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess who lived in a beautiful castle three floors above the ground. The beautiful princess lived in the country of New York where people never sleep and every one is always in a hurry.

She married a handsome prince who treated her as the love of his life, his soul mate, and protected and cared for her greatly. Together they went on many great adventures to strange and far away lands and life was good.

But the beautiful princess worked with children and in her heart she wanted one of her very own. This idea grew and grew and only increased after meeting her golden hair niece from the land of the cold north. Princess Emma definitely needed a cousin she thought. So she spoke to Prince Charming and he also thought it was a good idea.



The beautiful princess and Prince Charming had a very handsome baby boy. Prince Oscar had his Daddy's dark hair and dark eyes and his Momma's sweet lips and small frame. He rarely fussed and was the most kissable baby in the whole kingdom. Surely such a remarkable boy as this should be celebrated throughout the kingdom of the land that never sleeps located in the beautiful castle nestled on the third floor.

And so a royal birthday party was planned for his one week birthday that would occur at 11:55 P.M. (the exact time of his birth) because he was much too young to be out after midnight.

The Queen Mother prepared totally decadent carrot cake cupcakes with one candle while the beautiful princess decided to make party hats in lieu of their royal crowns. Right before midnight Prince Oscar was awakening with a kiss, and many warm wishes from his loyal subjects whom he observed were wearing rather strange head gear.

Can you tell which hat belonged to the beautiful princess, the handsome prince and the royal old couple?

Labels: Emma, Oscar, Suzy, Tim

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