Evie-ese

Not gone just...busy! Soon Christmas will be upon us and you may be seeing us so I've decided to help you dicipher a new language: Evie-ese!

cocks-socks
all none-all done
amma-grandma
ampa-grandpa
baby-baby
hoos-shoes
is dat-what is that?
ana-banana
duice-juice
onkey-monkey
apple-apple
puppy-puppy
oh no-oh no
pay Elmo-play Elmo
peas-please
ank-you-thank you
teese-cheese
ot og-hot dog
I want...-I want
on..two...tree...our...ive--1, 2, 3, 4, 5
map...map
la la la Elmo wald-Elmo's world
siper-Swiper

And because you haven't seen her in awhile, here are the pictures of Evelyn in December.

Rocking her "baby," which is technically a ball of white playdough.

Finger painting!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Today is one of the best days of the year for many reasons:

1. It gives us a chance to be thankful! I am thankful for my family. That I grew up in a home where love is abundant and unconditional. I am thankful for my extended family and friends that have been such a blessing. I am thankful for my handsome, thoughtful, and strong husband. I can't imagine life without him. I am thankful for my beautiful daughter. She is my miracle. I am especially thankful to God and His love, grace and wisdom.

2. It's the day before "Black Friday." I love the day after thanksgiving shopping. Crowds, bargains and FUN!

3. I can officially begin to listen to Christmas music.

4. Christmas decorations. The tree. The lights. The silly ornaments I made in 4th grade. Evie's first ornament. Shawn and I's first ornaments. The nativity collections! The tree skirt.

5. Holiday movies! Elf, Santa Clause (1, 2 and 3), White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, The Grinch, Mickey's Christmas Carol, and of course The Nativity.

6. The Singing Christmas tree at church. If you've never experienced it you are definately missing out.

7. That magical Christmas feeling.

8. Getting to play Santa. I love being a mama!

9. Doing Operation Christmas Child. Have you heard of this organization?? You take a shoebox, fill it with toys, games, toiletries, hard candy, school supplies and it is shipped overseas to a special child who has NEVER had a gift before. Can you imagine? Especially in our buy, buy, buy...me, me, me society! Plus the point of the shoebox is to let that child know that they are loved, by people who don't even know them but more importantly by God.

10. Spending time with family. All the complaining of traveling aside. I love that this season means at least 4 days with our families. LOVE IT! So often our trips are so short. The holidays are a great time to spend more time with each other.

11. It's Shawn and I's anniversary. This year will be our 5th. It is so crazy that it's already been 5 years! Shawn- I love you more today then yesterday. My love grows stronger every day. I am so thankful to have you by my side in this journey! I love you!

12. A new year. I like new years. It always seems to mean a clean slate. A new year to experience something new. Be somebody different. Grow. Change. The business starts a new fiscal year then too... so many possibilities. Isn't it exciting to wonder what the year will hold??

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! What do you like best about this time of the year??

Love,
Shawn, Tawnda & Evie

Here's the 411

Grandma and Grandpa V were here to visit for a few very short, very fun filled, days. Evelyn's favorite part: coloring. Lots and lots of coloring! Thanks to grandma and grandpa's influence Evie spends half of her day coloring. I love that she enjoys art now. Maybe she will develop an artists hand like her grandma V, who gifted Evie with several pictures of animals. I have no artistic aspirations, I am lucky to color inside the lines. However, I have often admired my moms talents and craftiness. Both of my sisters have inherited this. Jessie with her drawing, creativity and photography skills. Keesha is, and I use her own words, "crafty!" I channel any bit of creativity I have into my scrapbooking. I think that is where my talent lies, in preserving our family memories. Now Evie, we'll see...but we think she is amazing now and will be no matter if she continues to draw lines and squiggles or if she channels Picasso.

New Pages

Though I haven't had much time to scrapbook, I did manage to create these two pages. I've been immersed in pictures of Evie when she was less then a year old. Then I look up and I can't believe how big she is and how not-like-a-baby she is. At least we have the blessing of cameras. Can you imagine how you would feel if you only had a few photos of your children to capture their childhood? I can't...which is most likely why I have over 2000 photos of Evelyn {sigh}. I can't help it though, if she wasn't so perfect, adorable, and sweet, I wouldn't take so many photos. Though I think that what I am trying to capture is her spirit and how we feel being her "mommee" and "dad-dy." If only...

Almost Wordless Wednesday--My 150th Post

Crazy, right! I thought so too, but I guess I have a lot to talk about. Anyway, here is a recent photo that I took for my "Week in the Life" project. I taught Evie to give me Eskimo kisses. She gets so excited to give them, and I am a willing recipient of them!

Silly Saturday

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Today we took Evie for her first trick-or-treating! Actually, they called it trunk-or-treating as the church we visited had people handing candy out of their trunks. It was an easy way for Evie to treat without all the walking and door-to-door knocking! She LOVED it! But mostly she loved playing dress-up. Here is our little Belle!

And the winner is...

Your top 3 pictures, in order:


Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunties & Uncles: Please place your orders now. Please include size. You can chose ANY of the pictures from the previous post.

AND...

I finished my 2nd digital page:

I admit...

I've been a digital scrapbooking snob. I love the look of traditional scrapbooking. But in all honesty, I can't possibly keep up with all the photos I have. Approximately 1000 for each year of Evelyn's life. Therefore, I've taken up digital scrapbooking. And I am really loving it. I'll see what happens when they are printed, but for now I LOVE how my first page turned out. It took me 2 days (which isn't saving me time) but now I've learned how to work the program so this should get easier. So introducing my first digital page, let me know what you think:

Silly Saturday

She is too cute. If you are lucky, she will gift you with a great big, adorable smile and say "chees" when you put a camera in front of her. Not always, she is after all a tempermental toddler. However, even one beautiful shot is worth trying. Here are a few we've gotten with this, and my favorite, new phase:

In her playpen with her crazy collection of stuff.

Eating apples.

Watching tv.

My favorite: Just because I said, "say cheese."

Almost Wordless Wednesday

The San Antonio Zoo. We saw a lot of animals:

Elephants

Exotic Pigs

Rhinoceros

Pelicans

Monkeys

But this is what really caught their attention:

All those crazy animals and they loved the aquariums the most. Kids!!

Teaser

We're back!! So much to do, where to begin?? I wanted to give you a teaser of our much fun and awesome week in Texas with Keesha, Chris and Xander.

Silly Saturday

Evie has a suggestion if you are looking for something to keep you occupied for an hour and that is super fun! Here it is:



Bring ALL of your toys to your playpen and pile them inside, then climb inside and enjoy!! Good times had by all!

Silly Saturday

Just a little background before you watch the video. I was in the kitchen in the internet or reading my Bible while Evie watched Sesame Street in the living room. Then out of the corner of my eye I see Evie doing this. In case you have difficulty understand what is being said on the show: they are wingersizing (exercising their wings) both fast ("and fast and fast...) and slow (and slow and slow...). She is reacting to the fast. It was so adorable I rewound just so I could tape it!

Lots of wonderful pictures

Evie had her 2 year photos done by a good and super talented friend of ours, Suszi. The good side: lots of photos of our precious Evelyn. The down side: LOTS of pictures (274 to be exact) of our precious Evelyn! Here's where you come in. I'm taking your votes of your favorites. Give me your top 5. I'll announce the winners in a few days. I have to warn you though that it will be a challenge, I hope your up to it.

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Aren't they spectacular? Now you know why Shawn and I are having some difficulty picking a "favorite". Please help!