Lovely, LONG, and Lively Day

Where do I start?!


Well, I don't feel like typing my day/week story right now so I won't. I just wanted to say that tonight I had an amazing dinner. And I'm not being sarcastic. I had a peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich on fresh slices of soft, wheat bread. It was amazing. Then, I had a bowl of broccoli with chopped up warm tomatoes... and a splash of ranch. I'm serious... It was great.


Anyway, I have had a lovely, long, and lively day. Today my practicum class had a Powwow with parents and grandparents... and even some cousins. It was great. I've learned so much and have been able to do so much this semester. Words can't express how blessed I feel to have been placed in Mrs. Price's class. After hearing some horror stories from other classmates, I feel extremely lucky and grateful.


This weekend will be busy. My unit is due Monday, and I still have a lot to finish. So, wish me luck!


Much love,
Em

Nine Years

Nine years ago today... actually late late last night... this guy asked me to be his girlfriend.

Zac's prom 2003

Here are some pictures from our journey....

Mexico Mission Trip 2004

Nate and Jes's Wedding 2005

Engagement Day 5.13.06

Engagement Picture by Ruple Photography 2006

Cruise Summer 2006 with the parents (wrong date on picture)

Cruise Summer 2006

Cruise Summer 2006

Our Wedding Day 8.12.06

Christmas 2006

Summer Family Vacation 2007

My 21st Birthday 2008

Third Anniversary 2009

Boston 2010

Nikki and Clay's Wedding 2011

(Adding pictures & reorganizing them is ridiculously frustrating!)

I thank God everyday for blessing me with such an amazing man coming into my life at the young age of 15. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Zac, I love you... more with each passing year.

All my love,
Em

The Good Wife

Yesterday was a "get things done for my unit" type of day... or at least that was my original plan until I decided to cook an amazing meal for my hubby. :) It was well worth it even if I didn't accomplish everything I needed to for the day.

While browsing Pinterest the other day, I came across a recipe for Grilled Bacon Jalapeno Wraps. If you know my husband, you know that this is something he would love. So, being The Good Wife that I am... I decided to make him some to welcome him home. In planning to make him those, I looked through my recipe box my momma stocked full of good recipes I rarely have time to cook and found her recipe for Chicken Breasts in Sour Cream.... aka Cordon Bleu by Momo (which it actually isn't). Anyway, long story short... I decided to cook a delicious meal of Chicken Breasts in Sour Cream, Bacon Jalapeno Wraps (for Zac... I can't handle any spice, unfortunately), fresh Green Beans, and egg noodles. While cooking, I decided to photograph the process. It was rather fun.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees

Chop up package of lunch meat (ham) or chopped beef - thin is best,
but I had this ham in the fridge that needed to be used.

Place in bottom of a greased or sprayed oblong pan

Place 6-8 chicken breasts on top - trim fat and poke holes in chicken

Wrap each chicken breast with a slice of bacon

Mix 16 ounces of sour cream (I used low fat) with 2 cans of
cream of mushroom soup in separate bowl. Spread on top of chicken.

Wrap with foil and let it cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours

Don't forget the gloves!!

Slice jalapenos in half length wise - remove seeds and stems
(I left some seeds to increase heat... next time I will leave more)

Don't they look pretty!

Spread cream cheese inside each jalapeno half - I used
a cream cheese spread with southwest flavoring. Next time
I plan to use normal cream cheese and add my own seasonings
to it because I think this kind was not as thick as the usual type.

Wrap each half with a slice of bacon - I bought two types of bacon
to try. We usually buy Applewood Smoked Bacon, but I wanted to buy
a cheaper kind too. The cheaper kind actually worked better because
it was not as thick, more flexible, and stuck to the jalapenos better.

I placed tooth picks in them to hopefully keep them together.
It didn't work too well. Next time, I plan to use less thick and
more flexible bacon on all of them.

:)

I was also worried that the tooth picks would scratch my pan.
It was quite challenging.

Here's the recipe for the Grilled Bacon Jalapeno Wraps.
I cooked mine on the stove. The recipe recommends using
an outside grill.... too bad it was rainy!

Here's the recipe for Chicken Breasts in Sour Cream

:)

Don't they look yummy! As you can tell, the cream cheese
came out of the ones that did not stick together well.

If only I could handle spicy foods...

Only half actually turned out right - but Zac said they were
delicious!! So, that's all that matters.

Be jealous! :)

The sauce on the chicken is delicious...
and you can't beat egg noodles!

YUMMMY!!!

I guess maybe I have a little of my mom's amazing ability to cook. I'm glad we have lots of leftovers. Now, I must accomplish a lot today on my unit.... and other school assignments. Blahhhh... what happened to enjoying Spring Break?! I miss the days where skiing with my dad and brother were the main things I did during the break. Oh well, the joys of becoming an independent adult. :)


Much love,
Em

Day Four

Day four without Zac... home alone with the dogs. I'm really not the "oh i miss you" type of gal... but these last four days have been s o   l o n g. I'm seriously realizing how lame my life would be if I weren't married to Zac. I guess it might be a little different if I didn't live in Fort Smith... but still. I'm getting tired of sipping fruity wine and watching Supernatural by myself. I guess it could always be worse. The wine and show are pretty good. :)

Em

p.s. - I look forward to seeing this face tomorrow night...

 ........oh, did I say face! ;)

some of my favorite quotes

all that shimmers in this world is sure to fade - fuel

life is the art of drawing without an eraser - john w. gardner

lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. you have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. my entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath - psalm 39:4-5

be the much needed salty light - a friend of nathan's from enshi, china

look at life through the windshield, not the rear-view mirror - byrd baggett

put it in a bubble and blow it away - dharma and greg

don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it - hebrews 13:2

be the moon (reflect the son and shine) - jumpstart 2002

if you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat - proverbs 23:2

keep the son in your eye - momo

as a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person - proverbs 27:19

enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. just dreaming about nice things is meaningless - like chasing the wind. - ecclesiastes 6:9

writing is the inking of your thinking - dr. weber

the 3 c's to marriage: (created by me)
communication
compromise
commitment

you are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream... - c.s. lewis

work for a cause, not for applause. live life to express not to impress. don't strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt. - unknown

when was the last time you did something for the first time? - unknown

be sure to taste your words before you spit them out - unknown

marriage lets you annoy one special person for the rest of your life - unknown

i think everything in life is art. what you do. how you dress. the way you love someone, and how you talk. your smile and your personality. what you believe in, and all your dreams. the way you drink your tea. how you decorate your home. or party. your grocery list. the food you make. how your writing looks. and the way you feel. life is art. - unknown

she turned her can'ts into cans, and her dreams into plans - unknown

 laugh till your stomach hurts - unknown

our family. our family is like the branches of a tree. we may grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one. each of us will always be a part of the other. - unknown

collect moments/not things - unknown

everybody is a genius. but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid - albert einstein

we must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society - martin luther king jr.

take pride in how far you have come and have faith in how far you can go - unknown

i write better than i talk - unknown

perhaps they are not stars in the sky, but rather openings where our loved ones shine down to let us know they are happy - unknown

the only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. you either have to laugh or cry. i prefer to laugh. crying gives me a headache. - marjorie pay hinckley

while we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about - unknown

a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. an optimist see the opportunity in every difficulty. - sir winston churchill

when something bad happens you have three choices. you can either let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you. - unknown

pick your battles - unknown

your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. and most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. they somehow already know what you truly want to become. everything else is secondary. - steve jobs

your journey has molded you for your greater good, and it was exactly what it needed to be. don't think that you've lost time. it took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. and now is right on time. - asha tyson

you can do anything, but not everything - david allen

sometimes you just gotta be your own hero and save your own little heart. because sometimes, the people you can't imagine living without, can actually live without you - unknown

life's a journey not a race - unknown

it takes a big heart to help shape little minds - unknown

if you want to know where your heart is, look to where your mind goes when it wanders - unknown

time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time - unknown

one of the best feelings in the world is when you hug someone you love, and they hug you back even tighter - unknown

seize the day/carpe diem

imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring - marilyn monroe

we must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us - joseph campbell

nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles - charlie chaplin

you make me happy when skies are gray - :)

a smile is the best makeup any girl can wear - unknown

talking with quiet confidence will always beat screaming with obvious insecurity - unknown

if there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, i'll stay there forever - winnie the pooh

before you act, listen. before you react, think. before you spend, earn. before you criticize, wait. before you pray, forgive. before you quit, try. - ernest hemingway

every person's life is a fairytale written by God's fingers - hans christian anderson

i love you to the moon and back - unknown

an essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail - unknown

wouldn't life be perfect if sweatpants were sexy, mondays were fun, junk food didn't make you fat, girls didn't cause so much drama, guys weren't so confusing, and goodbyes only meant until tomorrow - unknown

sometimes we expect more from others because we would be willing to do that much for them - unknown

 promise me you'll always remember: you're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think - christopher robin (winnie the pooh)

in three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. it goes on. - robert frost

tell me and I forget. teach me and I remember. involve me and I learn. - unknown

throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you, and treat you bad. let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you too. - will smith

we must all make the choice between what is right and what is easy - professor dumbledore

finish each day and be done with it. you have done what you could. some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. tomorrow is a new day. you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. - emerson

 the future belongs to the few of us still willing to get our hands dirty - unknown

do not regret growing older. it is a privilege denied to many. - unknown

life is like a roller coaster. it has its ups and downs. but it's your choice to scream or enjoy the ride. - unknown

the next best thing to having you for a mom is knowing my children will have you for a grandma - unknown

now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy - guillaume apollinaire

your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. the only way to do great work is to love what you do - steve jobs

be a fruit loop in a world full of cheerios - unknown

God doesn't give you the people you want, he gives you the people you need. to help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you the person you were meant to be - unknown

God has a habit of picking up nobodies and making them somebodies - unknown

you are the cheese to my macaroni. you are the horizon to my sky. you are the bacon to my eggs. you are the laces to my sneakers. you are the jelly to my peanut butter. you are the smile to my face. you are the gravy to my mashed potatoes. you are the bubbles to my bath. you are the milk to my cookie. you are the ink to my pen. you are the ketchup to my french fries. you are the water to my ocean. you are the icing on my cupcake. - unknown

you're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child - dr. seuss

do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not: but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for - unknown

love is not just about finding the right person, but creating a right relationship. it's not about how much love you have in the beginning but how much love you build till the end. - unknown

overthinking will ruin you. ruin the situation, turn things around, make you worry, and just make things worse than they actually are. don't do it. - unknown

take chances, take a lot of them. because honestly, no matter where you end up and with whom, it always ends up just the way it should be. your mistakes make you who you are. you learn and grow with each choice you make. everything is worth it. say how you feel, always. be you, and be okay with it. - unknown

apologizing: does not always mean you were wrong and the other person is right. it just means you value your relationship more than your ego. - unknown

love is a temporary madness. it erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. and when it subsides you have to make a decision. you have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. because this is what love is. love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. that is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two. - st. augustine

Spring Break

Zac left early this morning for Houston, TX. He will be attending some Microsoft conference until Thursday... which leaves me home alone with the dogs for several days. The conference actually might be fun. Tonight, they have Chris Daughtry playing to start things out with a bang. I wish I were there with him. Or actually I wish he had someone else there with him to keep him company at least. Oh well, work is work.

As for me, I will be watching Christian the first three days this week. I've asked my parents to meet me in Alma for dinner on Tuesday. So that will be nice. I also plan to get a lot of school work accomplished this week. I found out last Wednesday that my entire unit will be due on April 2nd! That's like TWO WEEKS AWAY! Ekkkkk.... But I actually feel pretty good about it. I've pretty much gotten all of my teaching for my unit complete. The week after Spring Break, my practicum class will be finishing up planning and preparing for a huge classroom Powwow they will be having on Friday the 30th. I think it will be really neat. There will be authentic Native American Indian food, dances, music, crafts, and regalia (clothing). The parents are also invited to come to the Powwow. So, this week I will be busy trying to get my unit all organized... along with finishing several other assignments. It will be a busy week.

It's been awhile since I've had the time or energy to really update my blog. Last week was not fun at all. Probably one of the worst weeks I've ever had. I took the Praxis II and PLT last Saturday... lost an hour because of Daylight Savings... woke up sick early Monday morning (nearly 48 hours of me being worthless). Then, cramming to finish assignments by Wednesday (which means I stayed up way WAY too late). Which means I got zero sleep. Which means I was extremely worthless. Then, I had to cram to finish other assignments by Thursday (which means I stayed up way WAY too late again). Thursday morning my practicum teacher came to observe me teach. I think it went well... but I still felt overwhelmed because of the lack of sleep. Seriously, this week was not fun. But I slept in Saturday morning and felt/feel 1000x better. Now, to finish up other assignments and things that must be done or should have been done ASAP. Plus, to clean my house. Gah, the house gets bad when I am sick/energy-less/stressed with school/busy BUSY with school. I started cleaning some yesterday. And need to do a lot more today (on top of finishing some assignments by 12). Okay, I don't think you wanted to hear about all that... I guess this was more of a venting session for me.

On a different note, have you ever watched America's Funniest Home Videos when a dog runs into a clear window or door? Well, that happened yesterday. It was like slow motion. It was the saddest and most hilarious thing ever. So, Zac and I were emptying the car after I came home from Walmart. Winston and Mocha were in the backyard... and Coffee (the sweet, retarded obese pup) was in the house. Well, I decided to just leave the front door open so Zac could easily come back inside with an arm load of groceries. I went back out... Coffee came with but knows not to wander too far. So, Zac comes back out closing only the clear storm door. As I'm walking up the stairs back into the house, I hear fat-girl breathing and see full speed Coffee charging up the stairs to get into the house. BANG... she was abruptly stopped by the clear door. It was pitiful... and yet, I couldn't help but laugh. She was very disoriented and didn't know what happened. So, Zac went to comfort her and opened the door to let her in. She hesitantly waddles to the entrance and paws at where the door could have been before going inside. It was so sad. If a human were to have done that, they would definitely had broken their nose and had a concussion. Zac thinks I'm heartless for laughing... but I can't help it. Some things like that I just can't help but laugh at; while, Zac doesn't find people or dogs getting hurt funny at all. You laughed though, I know :).

Friday, Zac took a half a day off and met Christian and I at the dog park with Winston. It was so neat to watch Winston swimming out in the water with the other dogs! He usually would get in the water, but this time he really swam a lot. I wish I brought my camera. Next time I will have to remember to bring it. It was great.

Anyway, enough with the update. Off to clean and do school work.

Much love,
EM

Sleep is for the Weak

Sleep is for the weak... or so I keep telling myself.

After this week is over, I will sleep... and sleep... and sleep... and hopefully clean up the mess of a house I'm currently moving around in occasionally when I need to pee or get something to eat.

Oh well. I must get off. Just had to post that I don't really need sleep at the moment.

Much love,
Em

God's Way of Saying I REALLY Didn't Need That Ice Cream

Last night, I decided to have my "March Dessert of the Month". Zac recommended Eddy's Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream. It was delicious last night at 8:00.... Not so great again at 2:30am. Let's just say I haven't been this sick since Lads to Leaders (a thing for church in Nashville, TN) about 18 years ago.


To say I've had a miserable day is an understatement. Please pray I feel better soon. I can't afford to miss anymore school or to have zero energy to do the things I need to do for school.


Much love,
Em

Who is Joseph Kony?

While briefly checking facebook, I couldn't help but notice non-stop publicity on some dude named Kony. At first I thought it was some political campaign thing... but decided to find out anyway.

Wow. Probably the best study/lesson plan writing break I've ever taken. Now, I recommend you do the same.

Who is Joseph Kony?

Pretty Successful Day

Today, I slept in... but not too long... and woke up with a "must get things done" mindset. It felt nice.


I also decided to buy new hairbrush #2 since Winston has a strange love of hair brushes. Instead of buying another Walmart one, I decided to check out Sally's. If you know me, I'm not a fancy-getting-ready-type-of-girl. I have a hand-me down chi that has started to not get hot enough and one of its ceramic plates is loose... and my hair dryer is from probably 9th grade... and losing heat. Long story short, I walked out of Sally's with more hair product stuff than I have bought in the last 10 years (maybe longer) and an empty bank account. Oops.. but I did get several good deals. First, I bought a different type of hair straightener (GVP) that is 1/2 the price of a chi and works just as well. It also came with a free hair brush (which was why I went in there in the first place) and free hair product (which I never buy). Oh, then I decided to look at hair dryers. I found a reduced price one which meant I could get another reduced price product free... So, I came out with a bag full of goodies that I never would have bought it if weren't for Winston loving my hair brush a little too much. :)


Anyway, after that I decided to go to Carol Ann Cross Park for the second time this week. It was such a beautiful day! Who knew walking and reading could be so relaxing and fun? I'm glad that some of my class reading material isn't in huge textbooks. I was able to read several chapters from my Endless Possibilities book by Pat Cordeiro. This book has SOOOOO many neat classroom ideas. If I'm completely honest, the book is rather intimidating since I'm not actually a teacher with my own classroom yet. I'm learning so much from it but feel like I don't know if I'll be able to emulate the same type of classroom when I'm a teacher. Will I be able to give the students control over the things they will be learning? How can I provide riveting activities that engage all types of learners? I guess I will pass those obstacles when they come. Either way, I highly recommend any teacher or future teacher to read this book.


So, after the walk in the park... I planned to spend several hours at the library studying for the PLT and Praxis II. I was shocked to see that it would close in thirty minutes. Instead of studying at the library, I decided to return some books and find some other books on Powwows (I'll explain their purpose in later posts). So, five o'clock came, and I still needed to go to Walmart. I did. Then home... and homework... and studying... so, that's what I'm doing now.


It was a pretty successful day. I really want to kick back and watch a movie... maybe after I study a little more? For now, back to the binder full of material to study.


Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! I wish I were camping in a cabin at Mt. Nebo like my parents. Perhaps that will be my weekend before too long.


Much love,
Em

81 Degrees

Today my phone read 81 degrees... Where was our winter? This weather is beautiful, I'm not going to lie.. but I have missed winter. I have the hardest time transitioning from winter to spring. I hate going from sweatshirts, sweaters, and sleeves to short sleeves and skirts. I'm weird. But I just feel twice as fat during this time. I hope I'm not alone. Oh well, I need to embrace it.


Yesterday afternoon, Christian and I decided to go to Carol Ann Cross Park. I think it is my new favorite park. It's by water, has a nice walking path, zero traffic (from what I remember), and a great area for kids to play. And it does help that the weather was perfect. It makes me happy to see random dad's in their work clothes and little girls playing together. I also loved watching an older gentleman with probably his grandson. Christian and I decided to walk around the water (I'm not sure what the water is called... it's like a large pond that looks like a dam on one side...). As we walked around, I saw this adorable little girl and her momma sitting and reading on a blanket with her stroller beside them. It was picture perfect. I want to one day be that type of mom. I plan to take my kiddos to the park on a regular basis. I may change my mind once they are here, but I think I'll really enjoy it.

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For the last few weeks, we have been leaving Winston out of his cage in the mornings.. He usually appeared to sleep and be lazy; however, the well behaved, sleepy-morning-dog did not last. We have a mail slot in our door so lots of retarded ads, bills, and important mail items fall to the floor in our front entrance. Really charming, right? NO. First, the girls use to destroy the mail (they learned quickly). Now, Winston has found a L-O-V-E of tearing up mail (or anything made of paper or plastic... or soft cushiony things like bras...) all the time. To say the least, we can't leave him out all morning anymore. Breaks. My. Heart. But he's just not learning. So for now, the cage is where he stays. Well, to make this long story even longer... this morning I was not happy. First, I woke up to a headache that would not leave... and didn't leave until late this afternoon. Second, I had to finish some last minute things I planned on doing at my Practicum site. That included printing stuff, gathering stuff, and touching up a little bite on my PowerPoint presentation. This procrastination was lengthened by having to replace my toner in my printer, lazy dogs demanding to sit in my lap (so I moved to the table), and Winston destroying a huge map and little sticker dots I bought yesterday. At least of the three maps I bought, he choose to destroy the Arkansas map that I really didn't need for my lesson but wanted to buy anyway. And I was able to salvage some of the dots I plan to use on the other two maps of Oklahoma and the central states. Oh, and I didn't find the dots until I went outside to look for them... and I found them nearly buried with half of my torn up bra.... {sad face}

It's been a long day. Week. Month. I'm glad it is March already. And somewhat scared that it is already March. I am taking the PLT and Praxis II on March 10th. I have a lot of studying I need to accomplish between now and then... along with a lot of assignments, too. Oh well. It's all worth it.


I'm also considering speaking at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in April. My advisor asked me if I would be interested in speaking about the experiences and things I've learned by watching a child with Autism. I think it would be an amazing opportunity but also a lot of work. I've learned so much about children through my experiences and feel better apt to dealing with many behavior problems I will have in my future classroom. However, do I have the time to plan, write, and present the things I've learned? That's the question. I don't want to overwhelm myself with extra things while trying to do well in my classes, pass the Praxis II and PLT, and keep up with my wifely duties. We will see. I'll let you guys know what I decide when I decide. I really need to decide soon... I think the deadline to register with my abstract is March 9th...

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Other things on my TO DO LIST include removing wallpaper and painting the house (as well as a number of other things I'd like to do to the house). I've already bought some wall paper remover stuff so that I can attempt to remove the wallpaper in our small 1/2 bath and see if I can actually realistically do it myself. In the near NEAR future, we will be having our roof replaced and some inside damage fixed. I really want to be able to at least remove the wallpaper in the bathroom and paint... since some of the wall has to be fixed anyway. I hope it won't be too large of a task. If anyone has any tips or tricks, please share.

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Last weekend, Zac and I made a short trip back to Russellville on Saturday after Christian's 9th Birthday party. It was really nice getting to see most of the family and spending Sunday morning at River Park. My parents and grandparents even came. I know I only live a little over an hour away, but I really wish I lived closer and could do more with my grandparents while they are still here. The slowly growing older has become quite a quick process. I've been so blessed to have all of my grandparents live well into their 80's and now two of them are in their 90's. Both of my parents are the babies in their families and most likely "surprises". Because of that, I have always had relatively old grandparents. They have experienced the many changes in America in ways none of us can even imagine. Anyway, my Practicum class is doing a lengthy study on Oklahoma. This semester my unit will be over "The Land of Oklahoma". The students will learn about farming, Native Americans, tornadoes, specific events from history, and famous people from Oklahoma. Since they are learning about farming and picking cotton, I decided that the class should write a letter questionnaire for my grandparents to answer questions about their childhood - living off the land, farming, and picking cotton. Last week, they wrote their letter and on Sunday I interviewed Momo and Pawpaw to learn more about their childhood. It was such a rewarding experience. I did the same type of project when I was in fourth grade with Pawpaw. There are so many things we can learn from that generation... they were such hard workers! Anyway, I advise anyone who has access to speaking to an older individual to do so before it's too late. If you know my grandparents, I'm sure they would welcome you into their home and tell a number of amazing stories.

Aren't they lovely?!

This was taken almost a year ago at their 65th Anniversary party.

Well, I guess this update is getting rather lengthy.

Much love,

EM

p.s. - Here are some picture's from Christian's Birthday party! It was lots of fun. I'm glad that Zac finally got to meet Lori and Tim - Christian's parents.

First LAN party at 9! 

Opening gifts

Super excited about Skylanders from his older brother

Pin the Sword on the Noob! (Roblox themed party)

Happy 9th Birthday!
Check out that Roblox Ice Cream Cake!!!

Tim, Christian, and Lori

Make a wish!!