Mommy's New Hair, Hope's New Hair

This picture doesn't show the 1/2 inch long patch she has right on top. My swollen eyes are from crying.

Even Ben decided to try something new.

After it's all said and done, Hope is happy that it's short like mommy's, and I'm getting used to the bangs all the way back across the top of her head look.


I went and got my hair done on Saturday. A badly needed freshening up. I cut a lot off and apparently this got Hope to thinking. Sunday after church she came in and asked me to take her hair out so she could put in the curlers I'd used. Since only the top was fixed I told her there was lots of room to put them in the back. She walked away and came back after having cut out the left side. I'm told every little girl has to go throught his, but this is round 2. The first time I'll admit was kind of my fault. I had cut Tony's hair and left the scissors out (about a year ago). This time she had used her safety scissors. Not quite as safe as I'd imagined. I was totally devastated. It had just grown out long enough from last time to really be able to braid and do stuff with the back again. So, on Tuesday she got her first trip to the salon. I took her where I'd gone and we had a good talk about who can cut hair. Hopefully, this will be her last haircut done herself. In the end, it is a lot longer than last time. I should be grateful.

Emrie's Biggest Fan

Although she's a couple of weeks old now. I've just downloaded our pictures so am now posting my adorable new niece Emrie. As Hope has watched Emilee's belly grow she's talked about the baby chicks in her tummy. She couldn't wait for her to come and once she did she never wanted to give her up. I was so impressed how good she was with her. She did awesome holding her and loved playing with her, putting her hat back on, giving her binkie to her, and figuring out the nursing concept. That's a whole other story in itself. We all can't wait to see her again.

Bouncing Fun

To make the day special for the kids (before I knew about Tony's plans), Jackie and I decided to take the kids to Pump It Up, well that's what I thought. After a little miscommunication, another friend and I ended up there and Jackie went where she had actually told me. It was still a ton of fun!! Most of the pictures are of Hope. That isn't because Ben didn't enjoy it. It's because it was so hard to catch him standing still.

Happy Valentine's Day

The "mommy enough pictures, let me play" look

We had a great Valentine's. Tony made it so special for all of us. Hope woke up to this balloon and her own chocolates (which she didn't even notice past the balloon). She came running in to wake me up and said "mommy come get my balloon" I laughed and asked if she was sure it wasn't for me. She gave me the dumbest look and said "mommy I love Tinkerbell" Once in hand she ran around the house with it yelling "wow, it's so huge" and "I'm so impressed" that was cracking me up. Ben got yet another Lightning McQueen who talks and races. He's been everywhere with us since. Tony and I have been trying to work out a lot more and so he surprised me with a Sony Walkman. Amazing. I spent all night downloading and have put it to good use. What a great husband and daddy.

Bonnie Springs

A couple of Saturdays ago we decided to spend a fun day as a family at a spot we'd been hearing about called Bonnie Springs out at Red Rock. It was fun, they had a train ride, a petting zoo that proved to be more than I had expected with a lynx, kangaroos, wolves, the most massive ox I could possible imagine, etc, etc, etc, and Hope's favorite - about fifty peacocks freely roaming. We could hear a donkey for about an hour before we finally found it and Ben was so excited to see "shrek and donkey", not completely disappointed, but of course a little let down. They even have a gun fight with a hanging at the end. Tony was excited, but I was scared for the kids. We did watch it, it was appropriate for kids, but really on the slow side. Don't go for the entertainment, but the rest was fun, especially for the kids.