Productive And Fun Day

So, during nap time on January 14th, Emily completed her paintings for Everett's room.

The next morning, we hopped in the car pretty early and drove all of the way back to LA to pick up a few items from Terry's house (Uncle Rick's mom) that had been given to us.  Once those were loaded in the car, we stayed in the area and went to the Griffith Observatory.  Of course I had to get a picture of the kids with the HOLLYWOOD sign...

and then get some of the 360 view (though I really only photographed about 195 degrees).

After just a short visit, we raced back to the car...

and drove into Griffith Park to find the Old LA Zoo.

We found a big enclosure to explore...

and went up the steps to the zookeeper's access gate.

Don't feed the animals...

We moved on to some smaller enclosures...

 before viewing the zookeeper's access from the top.

We were all a little nervous because the stairs are STEEP - but I made them sit at the edge anyway.

Then we went up the hill to climb around in another big cage...

 and peek in the nooks and crannies.

The kids were very interested on the way up to see some young adults making a movie so they stopped to watch a little as we went back down.  

Then we walked back out...

and ran in to IKEA for a couple of frames on the way home.  Oh, and some ice cream cones.  :)

Once home, we put our new items on the porch (bench rocker and giraffe)...

and in the house.  (Terry collected giraffes and since Emily loves giraffes, we acquired many of Terry's.)

The last things on the list for the day were to frame Emily's paintings (IKEA frames)...

 and hang them in Everett's room.

Then it was bed time!  Whew!

Current Obsession

Frozen.  Emily loves Frozen.  These videos were taken on the 22nd when we went to Daddy's office to take him dinner (while he was working late) and he played some of the songs on his phone.  We had seen the movie once and Emily had watched songs individually with video clips on my phone or computer several times.  That was enough.  She had it locked in her brain and we were a little shocked by her dramatic lip synced performance.  (Two different songs, broken recordings because my phone kept running out of space)

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Daddy has since burned the songs to a CD and we listen to the music around the clock.  Around.the.clock.  Everett and Emily can both sing every song.  I will have to video the two of them together for posterity.

Drama, anyone?

Smiles

January 22nd, we were heading out of your room for breakfast when you told me, "No, mama, I have to change my shirt!"  I responded, "why, what's wrong?"  "I have dinosaur pants and a monster shirt!  *It's not matching!"  I was a little surprised that A. you noticed and B. that you cared.  I took a picture to mark the occasion.  

Then, I took a second one because you actually smiled WITH YOUR EYES OPEN in the first.  And... you did it again!!

We talked all through the change about how great it was that you learned how to smile while also keeping your eyes open.  When we were all finished, I took a picture of your matching outfit.  But, even though you were trying very hard, you weren't able to have a three-peat on the open eyed smile. 

*I originally had to change your pants from a little overnight overflow - hence the sudden mismatch issue

Fool Proof

My plan to survive the early driving years.

A Day Of Favorites

I took several pictures on January 8th - a regular day.  On that one "boring" day, we covered many of your favorite things.

1. Early morning story time - binky and lovey, bonus!

2. Grocery car with a stop by the bakery for a cookie (if it is earned).

3. Running with wild abandon in the wilderness

 4. Park play and taking pictures - both Emily...

 and Everett like being the photographer

 5. Story time before bed - reading in tent, bonus!

House Becomes Home

So, we moved into our house on May 15th.  But, after just moving in and settling what needed to be settled, we left town.  Then we had guests in town and the projects that would turn our house into a home, were left behind.  One area in major need is Everett's room and one project forgotten was his Mod Podged name.  But, on January 14th, the letters were finally finished...

and ready to be hung.

Things got a little hairy though when I bent down to pick up a letter and Everett climbed on my back.

 I told him that he better hang on and he did.

But, since that seemed like an accident waiting to happen, I just told him to climb the ladder and hang the last letter himself.

Then I made a plan for another wall and commissioned the best painter I know for the project.

Big sister art. Another step toward "home."