John's is incredible!

Our good friends Willie and Crystal are moving to Hawaii on Wednesday (bummer?)...so we went out last night. Crystal absoutely LOVES John's Incredible Pizza. So, we went to dinner there. If you haven't been there. It's a buffet. Incredible pizza. {thats the perfect word to explain it, wonder how I thought of it}

You can even request specialty pizzas. My favorite was margherita pizza. But, they have more than just pizza. Salads, pastas, potatoes, dessert, etc. And, it's like Chuck E Cheese. Games and arcade stuff, bumper cars, and lots more. It's a lot of fun. Amelia was busy doing hair, but Erick came with us and brought along Mason.
This is Crystal with Mason. He is playing with/eating Emery's zebra. He loves that thing.

My new favorite picture of me and my daughter. <3

She didn't actually ride this. I just put her in it for a picture. Silly mommy with her silly pictures.

Well, enough updating for now...I have to go start dinner and take care of Em and get ready for that silly class tonight [maybe I'll talk about that later].

-Netty

Emery is ready for high school....

Blacklight Rally

Isn't this CREEPY? Well, yes...Elena's face is a bit creepy. However, that is not what I'm addressing at this specific moment. That shirt was black when not by a blacklight. Now, there's a face. It's scary.
Oh, dear. Another scary face. This is what happens when you attend Elk Grove High for too long.

Kidding.

Rachel, Brittany, Elena, and Mary...all in their black! Goodlooking, eh? I should rock that style 24/7.

Them again...but now with me.

Oh, look. My hair is ALL brown again.


Val, Sammie, Elena, and Lauren waiting for the rally to start.

If you don't know what the blacklight rally is. You are MISSING OUT! It's a rally at EG, pretty much the Drill Team's rally. We set up blacklights, turn out the regular lights and perform in the dark! It will rock your socks off. You should come see it next year. It's every year in May. Our last performance of the year....

There are a few routines we do. The first is always the best. It's called 'Hands.' It's the best because only our hands glow. And sometimes we hide them and it's all black again.

Check it out!

Cod-something Trail.

Cod-something Trail. I don't remember what it's called. 2 weeks ago, Christa [Christopher's sister] invited us to go on a hike with her and Pat [family friend who just got home from his 2-year mission last month]. I'm not a big hiker, but I wanted to go for Emery's sake. Well, I enjoy getting out. Although I prefer less tiring hobbies. But, it was really for Emery. I shouldn't turn down anything that she might love.

We went to REI and bought a special backpack to carry a baby in. She was really happy in it for the first half. But not the second half. I think she was just exhausted. Well, I know she was tired. But, I think that's the reason she was upset. That backpack did not make it comfortable, or even possible to sleep for her.

Emery is sitting by herself in this picture. It was a big rock, and I though it would make a cute picture. I was nervous that she would fall. It wasn't the safest environment she's ever been in. But, the picture came out adorable <3

Don't worry. I'm not a horrible mom. Christopher was next to her in case she got a little wobbly. But, she didn't. She understands how mommy likes her pictures.

Spotlight on Excellence

Am I mean for putting this picture up? Haha. I couldn't help myself.

Some of the girls at Spotlight. It was my first event as a coach. It was also the first fundraiser for the new team. We served at Spotlight on Excellence, which is a dinner for high school seniors recieving scholarships from the community.

There was a lot of down time, which is how all these pictures came about. As they announce names, we just wait. And there is a LOT of people, so many names to announce.

Me and my sister Sammie. Do we look alike? I don't know. I suck at seeing resemblances.

Valerie and Sammie. Oh yeah, and Elena sneaked in the picture too.

To pass time, we played games. If you know me, you know I like games. That's an understatement. I love games. I don't even know if that does my adoration justice. But i'll leave it at that anyways.

This is the hand game. But, I don't feel like explaining it. Maybe one day if you'd like to learn it, we can play. It's best with a huge group of people.

It was a lot of fun, and pretty much the first chance Val and I had to bond with the team. I am so excited for this year!

So much to catch up on!

I have a lot to catch up on here. I just put Em down for a nap, which should be a good hour or two or three. Let's start with all the things she has been getting into lately when my head has been turned. OK, so I was in another room. But, not for too long...

1. So, this is actually the most recent. She hates getting put in her carseat but she loves playing in it. Weird girl.
2. Oh, man. She grows so fast. May 5th, this was her first attempt at climbing stairs. Yes, these two dinky stairs are the only ones in our apartment. It makes it easier. She can definately climb then now. Whenever I'm in the kitchen, she comes "upstairs" to visit me.

3. This one is my favorite. She loves the innertube. When I first found her, she was actually sitting in it. But, my camera was dead. So, I had to charge it for a minute, and then she was here. I don't even know how she got it. It was between the wall and the TV entertainment center. She must be a genius.

More, Mommy!

So, Emery has recently learned to clap. She is very good at it. Her palms hit each other right where they should, and her fingers stay in the upright position. She does it over and over again, and it usually makes a sound.

So, I've been trying to teach her to sign more. It's easily confused with clapping. But she knows now. She will imitate me when I do it. Her hands go together slowly where moreso the fingers touch, rather than the palms. She will do it only 1-3 times in a row. There is a difference. I can tell.

So, I'm sitting her on facebook, approximately 5 minutes ago. She is sitting in front of me at her high chair, munching on yogurt bites. I look up, and they are all gone, and she is signing for more! I've never felt so proud in my entire life.

If this is what being a mommy feels like, all the hard work is worth it!

Short Update

Emery claps now. It is so cute! She only has like a 20% success rate, the other 80% she misses. But she's trying. And it is so cute! Maybe I'll get a vid up here later...