Swing Set is COMPLETE

Helping Grandpa

Today, Emily and I helped Grandpa go and get the bark chips to complete the swing set! Emily was having the time of her life helping! She got to use her own shovel and rake to help mommy and grandpa! I should say that Grandpa loved every minute of today as well! Emily is really grandpa's girl! She LOVED, LOVED, LOVED riding in the wheelbarrows with or without chips in them! We all had a good time, but I must tell you all, I believe that grandpa and mommy had way more fun watching Emily have her fun! Enjoy all the pictures! I, of course, got it all on video as well!

Love,

Kathy

Having so much fun with Bampa

Such a hard worker

Emily thought this was GREAT fun!

Time to rake out the chips

The final product!

Trip to the Coast

Loving Life!

We had a fabulous time with JuJu, Titi, and Belen at the coast this past weekend! We went last summer and had a blast, so we have all decided to make it an annual trip! We stayed at my uncle Mike and aunt Carol's cabin in Ocean Park, and also had fun in Long Beach. We made it to Ocean Park by about 2:30 on Friday and headed straight to the beach! It was so lovely outside that the girls had a fantastic time in their swimsuits in the sand and water! It is so much fun to watch children play with such abandon in the elements! They could care less about how sandy and wet they get! Marvelous fun! They played in the sand and water for a couple hours, then we headed back to the cabin for showers, dinner, and movies!

Saturday we had a fun time in the morning, and then when we were ready, we headed into Long Beach! We did some shopping, had a yummy lunch, Emily and Mommy rode the carousal, Belen and Titi rode the bumper cars, and Emily and Belen rode the Ladybug cars! After the annual picture in front of the HUGE frying pan, we went back to Ocean Park, got changed, and headed back to the beach! Saturday was still warm but a lot windier. So the three adults had coats on with hoods up, while the girls played in the sand and water again in swimsuits! Ahh...to be a kid!!! Another fun evening was had by all on Saturday night. After a yummy dinner, we had brownies and another movie!
Sunday morning we all packed up and headed out after a nice breakfast. After having lunch in Astoria, we made it home and Emily found her surprise...Grandpa had finished putting up her swing set while we were gone! YIPPEE!!!!
Have fun checking out the pictures. Another post to follow about helping with the bark chips!

Love,
Kathy

Beach Fun!

Pretty Girl!

BEST BUDS

Does it get any better than this??

My sweet Sugarplum!

Time of her life!

Contemplating her next move!

Sweetie

Fun, fun, fun!!!

My angel girl!

Oh...that face

Enjoying a movie after playing at the beach

Mommy and Emily

BFFS

Fun in Long Beach

Just Chillin'

After a long day of playing

All tuckered out after a long day

Solitary moment in the sand

Ballet Showcase

During the Teddy Bear Song

Last Friday was Emily's last day at Ballet summer camp. Friends and family were invited to see what she had learned during the week. It was the most precious sight. Emily appeared to enjoy all five days of this camp and now Mommy will be signing her up for weekly ballet lessons this fall. She wasn't quite sure when her teacher called on her to show what she learned, BUT when the teacher said she would do it with Emily, then she willingly went up, and did her best with a huge grin on her face! When she took her bow the teacher gave her a new teddy bear. Then all of the girls did their little routine to the teddy bear song they had been learning all week. SO CUTE! Thanks Grandma Judi, Kylie, and JuJu for coming to watch the wee one dance! Enjoy the pictures!

Love,
Kathy

Dancing with teacher

Me and my Teddy Bear routine

Sweet girls all in pink

I love how they are all doing something different

Time for a bow

Teacher Annie, Emily, and the new Bear

Emily's final bow!

Swing Set Half Done...

Emily and her "screwdriver"

Today was a super exciting day for Miss Emily! She had her third day at ballet camp and LOVED every minute of it...and Grandpa and JuJu put up the first half of her new swing set!

The whole swing set would have been finished except for one little snafu...one little part didn't work quite right so grandpa is going to fix it at home and finish in the next couple days. Then next Monday we will go get the big playground bark chips to put down. We would do the bark chips this weekend, but we will be having our annual weekend at the coast with Titi and Belen! YIPPEE!!

Emily really wanted to help today when we got home from ballet camp, so she found her own "screwdriver" aka a stick to help grandpa and JuJu with the slide!

It was absolutely precious! When Emily woke up from her nap, she was able to go down her slide and climb her mini rock wall! YEAH!! She has been so patient for over three weeks! Big girl!

Enjoy the pictures! More to come when the swings are put up!

Love,

Kathy

Emily's new slide!

Catch me JuJu!

Using her "screwdriver"

Love the ensemble!!

WEEEEEEE!!!

Emily's busy summer continues...

Janice, Auntie, and Emily

Emily has had a very fun and busy past few days! Let me start out by telling you all about her first time to spend the day with Bampa and Bamma aka Grandpa and Grandma! They picked her up Saturday around 12:30 and headed out with the wee one! Grandma and Grandpa were very excited to spend the day with Emily! All of us were not sure how the little Miss would do, but she did GREAT!!! No tears as they pulled out of the driveway, and Mommy got a kiss and a hug bye-bye! They spent the day at the Merry-Go- Round at Jantzen Beach, having ice cream, hours at the park, helping Grandma prepare salads for James' party, and EVEN Bampa helping with her bath! From what I hear from my dad and Sandy, Emily had a BLAST with the laundry shoot, and had to try it out about 20 times. Each time running downstairs to see where the piece of clothing came out! Too funny! She also helped Bamma chop onions with Grandma's food chopper...while she was naked from her bath...how cute is that! Grandpa missed that Kodak moment, but did get some wonderful pictures from the day!

Yesterday, Emily had a marvelous time with her Auntie Mary Jo, who also went to China with us last year! Emily doesn't get to see her that often, and she loved every minute of it! We spent lots of time playing at our house, did lots of shopping in Portland (Auntie loves the no tax in Oregon), went to lunch, and best of all...played with Auntie's sister Janice's new PUPPY!!!!! She is a Springer Spaniel named Katie! You all know how much Emily loves DOGS!!! She was in heaven with Katie! We all agreed that we need to see each other more often as Emily LOVES her Auntie Mary Jo!

Today Emily started ballet camp! It is called Teddy Bear Ballet, and she got to bring her ever famous Doggy to ballet with her! At the end of the week she will get a new bear from her ballet teacher, as well as perform for family and friends to show what they have learned during the week long summer camp! From what I could see through the observation window, she LOVED every minute of it! She only cried one time, and the teacher handed her Doggy as soon as Emily started to cry, and it was all good! They all got to dance with their stuffed animals for part of the dance then put them down for other parts. Emily says she is very happy to go again tomorrow! YEAH!!!

Enjoy the pictures!

Love,

Kathy

Emily helping with Katie

LOVING Katie

Adorable Katie!!

Emily and Grandma

Yummy ice cream

My girl LOVES to swing!

Smile worth a million bucks!

Mommy's little ballerina!

Wuv you Bampa...

Bampa and his girl!

Well...my dad, Emily's grandpa, is in total heaven! This past Tuesday Emily walked up to grandpa and said all on her own..."Bampa, wuv you Bampa." Needless to say, grandpa was overcome with JOY and LOVE for his girl! Then today at LOWES, as grandpa was pushing the cart with Emily in it, all silly and crazy like a car, she looked up at him and said, "Wuv you Bampa." Let me tell you, as her mommy it melts my heart each time she says that! Nothing beats the love she has for her grandpa, as she tells Auntie JuJu and mommy quite often he is "My Bampa."

Just had to share this sweetness!

Love,

Kathy

Emily loves her Bampa!!