Shelly's Baby Shower

I had the pleasure of co-hosting a baby shower for one of my best friends from college - Shelly. It was a lot of fun. There is just over a month until little Taylor Lynn arrives and we can't wait to meet her! Here are a few pictures from our whirlwind trip to Abilene.

The Unexplained

My child is a reader. If you give her a book in a room full of toys she would be happy with just that book. Yesterday morning, she begged me (in her own little way "Please, Mommy, Blocks") to bring her wooden blocks out into the living room. So I did. Then she said "Out, Mommy." So I dumped out the blocks and sat down, thinking that she wanted to play and build towers and castles but I was sadly mistaken. She then took the green block box back into her room and preceded to empty one of her book shelves. After she got as many books into it as she thought fit, she pushed the box full of books into the kitchen and laid down and began to read all of them. One after another. On the hard stone floor.

My Pet Rock

Last week, we were playing in the backyard and Clara found the most unusual rock. I looked man made with the curves on the sides. It was so symmetrical. We decided to make a pet rock for Clara. She had a great time coloring it.

Last Day of Stroller Strides

Friday was the last official day of Stroller Strides and instead of working out, we let the kids workout at Pump it Up. It was alot of fun but I am very sad that it is over. It has been a great part of my life for the last year and a half. Enjoy the slide show below.

Bless You Mommy

So, I had a bit of an allergy problem today. I could not stop sneezing and blowing my nose. I mean, who doesn't have an allergy problem when one day it is 70 degrees, then the next it is 20 degrees and the next it is 60? I think Clara got a little tired of hearing me sneeze so she went into her room to play. I was sitting at the computer, sneezing. She kept opening her door to say "Bless You, Mommy!" I had to get it on video because it was just too funny. Please realize that my sneezes are fake but LOUD. Sorry! But you have to turn up the volume to hear her sweet voice.

Playing Dress Up

I had to post this short video of Clara and Thatch from the other day. Thatcher discovered Clara's dress up clothes and he was interested in them. Unfortunately, we own zero dress up clothes for boys. (Maybe we should expand our collection since Clara mainly has male friends) You are probably figuring out what the video is about by now. Yes, Thatcher is in a pink Tu-Tu (Sorry, Bryce). It was too cute and honestly he only had it on for about two minutes before he figured out that he didn't like it.

Mmm...Playdough

I made playdough for Clara today. I used nearly equal parts peanut butter, dry milk, and honey. Clara really seemed to enjoy it, especially because it was edible. We used heart cookie cutters and made lots of different things too. Her favorite was making snowmen and eating off their noses.

Notice the full mouth in this one:

Feeding the Ducks

We headed to the park this afternoon with a bag full of stale bread. We haven't fed the ducks in about six months but Clara definitely remembered what to do. She sat patiently on the edge of the water and tore apart the bread and threw it at the ducks and geese. They were pretty docile today so it was a lot of fun.

Coloring with Clara

Clara has been spending a lot of her free time coloring lately. She wakes up wanting to color. Adam brought home some new highlighters for her to use and she has been in heaven. I had to post this video from yesterday. She just rolled out of bed from her nap and went straight to the table. Adam and Clara are coloring "Happy's" a.k.a happy faces. After Adam draws the happy face, Clara colors the details: glasses, ears, hair, etc. I especially love the way she says orange. Turn it up your volume and sit back for over two minutes of coloring with Clara.

Oh Happy Day

Whether or not you agree with my views, whether or not you voted for Obama or for McCain, whether or not you even voted at all, you must admit that today is huge. Today is great. Today is big. I spoke with my mother today and she still remembers nightmares she had about the Ku Klux Klan back in the sixties. Our views, our beliefs, our country, our world has come a long way baby. I am so excited about the future. I am so happy that I am raising a child in this day and time.

Look at what is on the television - God is good.

Look at that silly little girl in her pajamas

and a Tu-Tu - God is great.

Neigh...Neigh...Neigh

Two years ago, at my baby shower, my friend and former co-worker, Mary, gave us a stick horse for Clara for when she got older. I especially loved it because my kindergarten classroom had a cowboy/cowgirl theme at the time. I kept it in Clara's room for nearly a year as a decoration and put it away in her closet when she got a little older because it was drug against the wall a few too many times when she got ahold of it. For some reason, I felt like today would be a good day to reintroduce it to her. Man does she love it. She played with it for almost an hour today and probably would have kept playing but it was dinner time. I have no idea how many times she said "Neigh" but she said it nearly the entire time she was playing with it. Tomorrow, we will work on the gallop.

It All Began With an Apple...

It all began with an apple. No not the Adam and Eve bible story. The Thatcher and Clara story. They were just innocently eating an apple today on the couch cushions on the floor. Well you can follow what happened after that.

We are in trouble...they are not even two yet.

Clara's New Trick

Maybe it's her new favorite show Curious George that inspired her. Maybe it was my "Hug a Tree" t-shirt that I was wearing today. Maybe the tree was calling her name.

Out of the blue, she just started to try. I love the determined look on her face.

Apparently, Adam started climbing trees at age two - like father, like daughter. Look at Adam's proud smile in the background of the first picture:

Who Doesn't Love Bath Photos?

Granny and Clara

Here are a couple of shots from Granny's visit last week. Clara thoroughly enjoyed her visit! I am not exactly sure what inspired Clara to climb onto Granny because they were just simply coloring but it was too cute not to document it with a picture or two!

Zoo with the Bartletts

We have been fortunate enough to have gorgeous weather lately. Today was no exception. You can't ask for a better day: 75 degrees and sunshine. We took advantage of the day by visiting the zoo with the Bartletts. It was our first time on the monorail and the kids had a blast riding their first train and seeing animals from a unique perspective. It was a real treat. We did lots of walking and the kids did lots of pointing and saying "Oooo's" and "Ahhh's" We ended our day on the carousel. Enjoy the slide show below!

Cotton Bowl

Adam's brother, Derek, was able to score last minute tickets to the Cotton Bowl on Friday. It was an absolutely gorgeous day for watching football. Unfortunately and surprisingly, the game did not turn out the way we wanted it to. Our killer offense did not show up. Although we left the game feeling very deflated, we still had a great time.

Quick pic while we were still ahead:

Christmas with the Brewsters

Last Saturday, we traveled to Hideaway to celebrate Christmas with Granny and Papa. It was a wonderful weekend. Derek and Jenn arrived on Sunday to help us celebrate our third Christmas celebration! By this time, Clara had the present opening down to a science. She didn't even wait for us to get them nor did she care who they were to - she just wanted to open them! Granny and Papa surprised Clara with a precious pair of black, patent leather tap shoes just like Granny's. They spent the weekend tap, tap, tapping away. Thank goodness we have a free dance instructor in the family! If Clara could chose, she would wear them morning, noon, and night :) Derek and Jenn spoiled Clara with a sweet pair of pink, polka dot boots, a cute Texas Tech Horse from Build a Bear and a very cool Aqua-Doodle mat. Enjoy the pictures and the video of Clara tapping below!