pool

 pretty orchid and a lovely smoothie. ever heard of the Green Smoothie Girl? check her out. she'll change your life.

 finished the first shoe, dreading the second. haha. i don't like making pairs!

 

 bella mastered her catching skills with the neighbor boy.

 Once we told her to just WATCH the ball, she got it.

 

 

Florida, how i've missed you

  Beautiful Auntie Savanna

 Poser!!

 How I have missed these palms.

  Beautiful friend, Michele! How I have missed you!

 Don't let Isabelle lie to you with that sweet smile - she's SPICY too!!!!

 

storyteller

 funniest book ever. especially for my mom! she was laughing so hard, she was snorting.

that's what i love about her. she gets into the moment and enjoys it! as you can see, bella has the stone serious look on her face, while my mom is cracking up. she kept looking upward at her grandma, like "Really? It's that funny, Gramma?"

now everyone should own this book, and snort while you read it, too.

Walter the Farting Dog.

Florida bound

 crashed at the final hour.

auntie isabelle and savanna were very excited to see their bella girl.

doing big eyes on the ipad.

Aubrey Graduates

I got to see Aubrey graduate from pre-k (i think?) and it was weird to think bella is only 2 years away from this!!!! Stop growing up! Pictured also is Ty's brother, Mykel and his beautiful wife, my sister-in-law, Camille.

Look out world. Here come our little ones to change the world!

thinning peaches

we thinned the peaches this morning at the welfare orchard and it was so addicting!!

we had to pluck any developing peaches so they spaced 2 inches apart.

we couldn't stop!!

i can't wait to pick them when they're ripe!!

puddles and random thoughts

sometimes i use my brain and think about stuff. no really.

and my husband gets tired of hearing what he calls "Emily's parables".

so i thought i'd think aloud here.

puddles.

my eyes are drawn to them. mostly to avoid them while running, but sometimes because they lead my eyes upward.

i can see the reflection of the blue sky with her fluffy white friends. it's hard not to be mesmerized by how clear the sky seems.

why are there puddles?

it rains.

could the rain be a welcomed storm? unexpected maybe? or mostly just overlooked and tolerated.

what storms are coming in your life? are they tolerated with grumbling and ingratitude?

or are you out rejoicing as each drop hits your face? humbly embracing.

once the storm passes, do you look at the puddles with gratitude and reflect?

does the time of reflection draw your eyes to the heavens?

it does mine.

not all the time. but mostly.

and those are my deep thoughts for the day.

g'night!

Solar Eclipse

 i walked out and couldn't figure out why it felt so dark and eerie.

the air was perfectly still and it seemed darker than normal. 

yeah, i really need to watch the news.

cuties

one of bell's very dear friends, olivia. but we call her "boo" like the girl from monsters, inc.

i love when they play together!

stop being a grown up

bell helped me stop being so grown up today.

we played with my friend's baby chicks...

planted my tomatoes & peppers, played in the dirt looking for spiders...

.. and after shopping a little, we played at the treehouse museum, then i let bell be a dragon. 

after scolding her for painting her body again, i caved. 

fine. tonight, i'm not a grown up.

then i let her run all through the neighborhood growling at everyone with her fearsome dragon-ness.

now all her friends want their faces painted.

tomorrow she's gonna be a dog.

a mother

my mother.

i love her. 

thank you for all you are.

and for giving me your love.

of course, i'm thankful to be a mother to this girl. 


and i would be ungrateful if i didn't send a heartfelt thank you to all the women who influence(d) me. i am who i am because of them. friend, grandmother, in-law, step, half...whatever you are! you're all alike, because you have helped shape me by your influence. 


thank you. sincerely.