Emery is ONE! Oh, and I'm 30.

Being a mom to this little angel is my most favorite thing in the world.  She makes me smile no matter how cranky I am and no matter how cranky she is.  She is coming into her own and I am loving every second of watching her grow.  She is such a happy, lively, curious little baby.  She is constantly putting things in her mouth that I have to fish out and chewing on things that are disgusting.  She is not walking at all, but will pull herself up on things.  Then she gets stuck there because she is afraid to get down.  She prefers table foods over baby food now but will eat it if I force her.  She LOVES her bottles.  She is very picky about what kind of sippy cup she drinks from.  She is a fantastic sleeper.  She is super squirmy when she is getting her diaper changed.  I need a third hand badly.  She adores her daddy and sisters.  She has 4 top and 4 bottom teeth and is growing 2 more up top.  She loves to bury herself in one corner of her crib, and when I go to get her up she lays face down, kicking her legs and burrowing her head into the corner so hard- all while laughing.  I LOVE her so much it hurts.

Her birthday was low key, just how I like them.  We stayed home most of the day and had pizza and cake at the Overton's that night.  Clint went straight from work to a scouting thing and didn't get home till around 8, so he wasn't able to come but got to see her before she went to bed.  We didn't get her anything this year because--well--she's one.  I probably should have let the girls pick out a gift for her, but I've been failing in the motherly department lately.  

We share a birthday, which I LOVE.  I mostly love it because I can take the spotlight off me and direct it toward her. I turned 30 this year--which is quite the milestone I guess.  I feel the same except I swear it's true that your body starts failing you at 30.  My joints have been giving me fits like no other!  Audrie sent me a gift card to Ulta which I swear I am going to use soon.  I have been out of perfume for 3 months now.  Literally not a single drop.  I never have more than one bottle of perfume at once because I feel like I can't buy more until I'm done with the bottle (OCD much?) and I haven't wanted to spend the cash to buy more.  But I'm sure everyone is sick of the stink by now and would appreciate a little spritz.  So it's happening.  Thanks Aud!  My dad also came over late Friday with an armful of goodies.  He had flowers, a gift card to the See's store (which is my absolute favorite chocolate in the WORLD) and a wireless MP3 player.  My folks are the best.  Shari and Joe got me the cutest matching dresses for the girls to wear.  I'm so glad too because I'm too cheap to buy new clothes for Charlotte and Emery when they have Sage's old clothes they can wear!  ha.  It's possible Clint forgot it was my birthday until about 6pm that day, but he has never been a big birthday guy.  We took the girls to their favorite restaurant (Texas Roadhouse) Saturday night to celebrate though.  All in all, a fun day.  

Shari made the cake, obviously.  I possess no cake baking talents!

 Emery was so not sure of what to think of everyone singing to her.  She was so straight faced!

 

Once she got a taste of her cupcake, there was no stopping her.  She LOVED it!

Shun The Sun

Clint and I ran in the "Shun the Sun" half marathon last Saturday.  We ran this one together two years ago but didn't do it last year because A) I had a baby two days before the race and B) Clint had not recovered from his surgeries.  We really debated about it this year because we are on a tight budget and every race seems to get more and more expensive anymore.  BUT, we did it and I'm so glad we did.  It was so nice to get some one on one time with him doing something we both love.  We used to race together all the time and it happens far and few between now.  Sometimes I wonder what the heck we have in common anymore, but our love for competition and races and exercise is something we both love.  I think sometimes I forget how much he loves it simply because he doesn't have time to participate much.  Anyways.  Neither of us trained for this one.  Clint ran 4 miles about a month before the race, and I ran 3 miles two weeks prior.  I get to the gym often enough, but never get to run because of the kiddos.  So we were both hoping to just finish without too much pain.  Thankfully we did.  Kind of.  For me, I felt great and kept a decent pace until mile 10.  Then my knees started to crap out on me.  By mile 13 I was really done and thinking to myself, "why the hell would I ever want to train for a marathon?!"  Clint says he started to really feel it at mile 8 but never walked once.  I can't tell you how proud I am of Clint for doing this!!!!  After everything he has been through and after zero prep, he gulped down a Red Bull (don't get me started) and ran 13.1 miles with no problem.  This makes me proud.  For some reason I am STILL feeling the affects of the run.  My endurance is not my problem, but my knees are apparently getting old.  My right one especially.  I will be doing normal everyday chores and it will just give out on me.  And I can't fully bend it without excruciating pain.  I think I'm due for new running shoes but can't justify the price when I'm not running on a regular basis.  Anyways-we had a blast.  

I never carry my phone when I run because I don't have a case, but I borrowed my dads for this one and LOVED it!  Not only could I track my pace and listen to Pandora, but if I needed a distraction, I had plenty!  Audrie texted me mid  run asking if I was running a race.  I answered by taking a picture of myself and sending it to her. 

Something I want to remember but will not be funny to you:

On the way to the race, I kept telling Clint to slow down or he was going to get a ticket.  On the way home on the freeway, I noticed cars zooming past us.  I looked over and started cracking up.  He was going 50!  Once he realized, we were both dying laughing.  See?  Not funny.  But at the time it was hilarious!  He was just too worn out to push that pedal down any farther. 

2012 Family Pictures

 It turns out when you spend all of your "getting ready" time making sure your three daughters are primped and beautified, you neglect your husband.  Whoops.  He REFUSED to wear what I laid out for him because he REFUSED to be ok with my having spent $17 on a new shirt for him.  So he chose his own attire for family pictures.  Thankfully he looks good no matter what he puts on--but I still wish he would have worn what I asked him to.  It's always stressful each year around picture time.  I hate it.  I always love the end result but the drama leading up to it kills me!  I lucked out this year.  Not only did Katherine do my hair for me, but she picked out my outfit from her closet, AND assembled all three of the girls outfits.  Oh.  And Charlotte is wearing an 18 month outfit of baby Kate's.  Emery is sporting Kate's clothes as well.  I LOVE having extra closets to rifle through!!  Emery was not in a super smiley mood unfortunately, but she still looks sweet.  I sure love my family.

Random

 Inappropriate to put in my husbands lunch box?

 This lady LOVES to chew on shoes!  I have two shoe racks in my house and she alternates back and forth all day, ripping the shoes off the racks and munching on them.  Yuck.

 I am running a half marathon on Saturday.  Ask me how many times I've been able to run?  Once.  Three miles.  It's virtually impossible for me to find a way to run with three kiddos.  Clint leaves before (way before) the sun comes up and is home after (way after) the sun comes down.  Instead, we take little walks.  So this Saturday should be a real treat.  There is no way I will not complete it, because I'm just THAT stubborn, but I have no doubt my bones and joints and muscles will be aching for days after.

 Sunday  morning ball games.  Little Em is so unsure of what is happening.

 Where's Waldo? before bed:

 This is so gross.  I found Emery sucking on our toilet bowl plunger container.  I almost barfed.

 Charlotte never goes anywhere without a doll of some sort.  Lately, it's these little ones.  And when we cross the street at the library, or gym, or store, or where ever....we have to hold hands like this:

 Sage brought this picture home from school and I immediately thought of something dirty.  Dirty and funny enough (so I thought) that I sent it to Clint at work.  He did not see what I saw.  He thought it was a great drawing.  Printed it up and hung it up on his desk.  Hmmmm.

 This is good news!!!!  After almost 2 years of paying bills for Clint's ruptured appendix, this is the very last little bit that we owe!  Hallelujah!!!

Trick-or-Treat

 Our ward's trunk-or-treat was on actual Halloween night this year.  I think that is pretty strange.  That, combined with the fact that we still know no one in our new ward, and the fact that Clint was not home to help at all Halloween night, meant that we were going to my moms.  She and I took the ladies out.  Up one side of the street and down the other and they were DONE.  Tired feet, heavy pumpkins full of candy, ready for bed.  It was actually pretty perfect.  Clint got home from work just as we were finishing up so at least he got to see them all dressed up.  Emery was this perfect, chill little butterfly that did not make a single peep the entire time.  And Sage and Charlotte were SO GOOD.  They held hands the whole time and were so polite at each door.  At one point there was a man in a mask sitting in a chair on his porch.  Charlotte started bawling and they both refused to go anywhere near him.  Nice man that he was, he took off his mask and the second he did, Charlotte said, "Look Sagey!  It's just a costume.  Not scary anymore.  You can stop crying."  Then they got their candy and were on their way.  Maybe you had to be there but I about died.  I sure love my ladies.

Preschool Halloween Part

Now.  I have a lot to learn when it comes to helping children with school projects.  Sage was told to decorate a pumpkin that would be judged at her school Halloween party.  So.  I gave her a marker and she went to town.  You should have seen the pumpkins the other kids brought!  They were masterpieces.  I felt guilty.  And hers was the only teeny tiny one.  In fact, she won the prize for the "tiniest" pumpkin.  Can she help it if her mom is not willing to spend $5 on yet ANOTHER pumpkin?  Her beauty cost us $0.50.  And she LOVED it.  But...check out her little friend's pumpkin.  Wow.  So creative!

Sage's:

Friend's:

I was so glad to be able to go to her little party.  Good thing she managed to participate for two minutes and then cling to my leg the remaining hour.  Little stinker.