space cadet

"Hello, Earthlings!"

Emillie's Birthday

Emillie is officially 14 years old!

We celebrated her birthday this past weekend when we had the girls over.

Emillie said she got her new cell phone as her big present.  She didn't have it yet though, as it was arriving in the mail the day after we had them.  I'm guessing that as I sit and write this, Emillie - somewhere, is texting on her new cell!

It's our tradition to take the girls to a restaurant of their choice on their birthday, and they pick what "treat" they want. 

I love baking and have not once baked for the girls on their birthday!  Can you believe it?!  Usually they just order a dessert when we're out.  We don't eat out often (since Riley's been born) so it really is a treat for all of us.  Besides the girls get to have two celebrations every birthday (one with their mom's side and one with us).  They get a cake (or something of the like) with their mom.

Emillie picked the Chinese buffet near us and Rita's (Italian ice) as her "treat."

We had a nice day together, as always. 

Emillie said she had a good birthday.  She kept saying, "I keep forgetting I'm 14!" the day we had them.  It was cute.  I remember that feeling too.  There is so much anticipation for a birthday, and then you just feel the same when it comes.  You have to keep telling yourself your new age, because it's easy to forget!  Haha.

Here are some pictures of our fun day...

Indoors and Out...

 

 

  

Restaurant

Rita's & the mall

Gifts

Happy Birthday, Emillie!

FYI - Email

In my last post I talked about some new features on my blog. One was the "Follow by Email" button.

Yesterday I entered my email address to subscribe, so that I could test it out and report back to you all.

Today I received an email from "the A team" with the newest three posts of mine. It looks like the emails are sent out a day after I make a new post. The email included everything, not just a link. I could read and see pictures very clear from what I had posted. I didn't even have to leave my email to view any of the material. And I love how simple the email format is. I like that I got one email with all three new posts too (since they were posted on the same day), instead of three separate emails. Pretty cool!

There is a link at the bottom of the email to unsubscribe too. So it makes it easy for you to stop receiving emails from "the A team" at any time.

I encourage you to try it out! Let me know what you think.

Happy Friday, all!

a few new features

Hi all,

I made a few changes to my blog. 

I'm sure you noticed the design change - but maybe you didn't (it depends on how detail oriented you are!)  I kept the style very similar.  I like simple, but pretty too.  I flipped stuff around too - so now my blog archive is at the right.

I added the "Reactions" as a way for my readers to comment without saying much, or even leaving a name.  It's one of the most private ways to comment on my blog.  I won't see who posted a reaction but I'll know that someone read my post and was amused by it.  This feature shows at the bottom of each new post.  Feel free to try it out!

I also added the "Follow by Email" button.  It's on the bottom right side bar of my blog.  If you are tired of checking my blog periodically for updates - just enter your email to subscribe.  By subscribing to my blog, you'll get emails anytime I post something new.  I just added my own email in there today to test it out.  If I find it acts funny, I'll let you know.  I will be the guinea pig.

I can also add your email address manually for you to receive email notifications.  You just need to tell me.  I can add up to ten email addresses myself.

I love comments, as reiterated by my new sign on the top right of my blog.  I really enjoy hearing from family and friends that read my blog.  I like to interact with you all and many times I feel like this blog is one sided.  Your comments and feedback truly help motivate me to keep blogging.

I understand wanting to remain private.  Just remember that under the comment feature you can select "anonymous" when leaving a comment.  You don't even have to put a name if you don't want to reveal yourself.

I hope you are enjoying your summer!

Thanks for reading,

XOXO
Abby

the next day...

Today I took some pictures of Riley. 

The day after her first hair trim.

I was able to pull it back into a ponytail too!

(She couldn't quite reach it to yank the elastic out, ha!)

It looked cute. 

Sorry the pictures aren't so great, she wouldn't stop moving!

Riley's Hair

Well y'all, majority rules. 

It only took us a couple months...


Riley's quickly growing, as is her hair.

The back and sides have been looking great, and she even has a cute curl in the back.

Other than that curl, her hair is very straight.  It falls flat.

The way her hair falls into her eyes has completely been driving me nuts! 
(My dedicated readers know this already, as I've mentioned it numerous times now on my blog.)

Riley does not like barrettes in her hair.  (Again, you know this already.)  Even if I'm sneaky when putting them in, she finds them and takes them out - if not immediately, just minutes later.

The only way to keep her hair to the side (which I prefer) is to constantly brush it out of her eyes (or blow it), or use a barrette.  (And her hair does not stay tucked behind her ears yet.)

All these methods have tired me out.

I've been seeing Riley pull at her hair, and even struggle to see at times.  Well, it's just plain ridiculous.

Enough is enough!

Last night, the scissors came out...

BEFORE

hair hanging in her face and eyes

AFTER

there's Riley's eyes!!

amazing.
she can see!

Aaron and I tossed around the idea of going to a salon that deals with children exclusively.  I wasn't ready for that though - and I don't think Riley is either.  The only thing that needed trimming right now was her bangs.  I felt like we could save money and a car ride (and probably a stressful event) by doing it at home.  I trim my own bangs so how hard could it be?  Turns out, it wasn't that hard.  Riley didn't sit still very well - no shock there, so we gave her her usual cup of milk and sat her in her high chair.  We offered her a taste of ice cream (a rare treat) but really she did better just drinking her milk.  It was the evening and she was getting tired anyway.  I'm so glad we decided to trim her hair this way.

There's always that first official haircut at some point.  Maybe when she turns 2 years old, and Aaron is home from deployment we will take her to the children's salon and get her a "real" haircut.  But we'll see.  Time will tell.  It'll all depend on how her hair grows.

For now, I will be trimming my bangs...and Riley's.  And I'm OK with that.  Anything to get that hair out of her eyes!  I already feel like a better parent for letting my child see again.

pie day

Yesterday was a pie kind of day.  We had a lot of rain and was trapped indoors most of the day (other than running to the Commissary in the morning).  I was in the baking mood (a common occurrence with me).  I don't bake pies often though.  I've only made a couple before this, and one was with my mom's help.  My mom makes all kinds of pies, and I grew up eating them.  Pies aren't that complicated to make but they are intimidating.  The more I practice the better I'll get though.  This pie was blueberry & blackberry.  I made it with frozen berries (cheaper and convenient).  It came out great!  I even used some whole wheat pastry flour in it.  My mom has been doing this the last several years (I think its been that long).


YUM!

Before baking

After baking
I get a D- for presentation!  The crust burned some and it oozed...

Riley - my baking pal

Yes, Riley is that child that hangs out wherever I am.
If I'm in the kitchen, so is Riley.

I don't mind her hanging out with me though!
She's cute.

piggy tails

Riley and I had a fun day today with friends.  It is beautiful outside and we enjoyed a picnic lunch while at the playground too!

Later on, when inside, she was given her first pigtails.  She looked so cute!!  Unfortunately, it only lasted a minute or so before she took them out. 

The pictures are blurry because she wouldn't sit still...but you can still see her cute hair!

dreary afternoon

On this rainy afternoon, while Riley is napping, I thought I'd get on my blog and give an update!

I haven't been in the blogging mood lately.  Maybe it's because I tend to blog so much in a row that I need a break from it sometimes.  That, or I just have been in a funk lately. 

Aaron's busy at work and at home, preparing for his deployment.  We've had lists of things to get done, more so for him.  There's lots of planning before he goes.  Other than that, his math class is finished!  He got an A+ in that class and kicked major butt (as usual).  Go Aaron!  He will continue with some college courses when he returns.  Later this month he travels for work to Atlanta...

Riley's busy being active.  She's really into doing everything herself.  It's amazing how fast she's growing.  Every day she seems older to us.  It blows my mind.  Soon, she'll be getting on the couch herself and sitting next to us!  She still has her outbursts and tantrums.  She hates the word "no" as all kids do.  She hates being interrupted when she's on her way somewhere or in the middle of something.  We have to give her proper warning before changing her course.  She still hates her barrettes.  Aaron and I are seriously (again) contemplating cutting her hair before he goes.  Her feet are big, growing out of her summer shoes we had for her.  Thank goodness her Crocs still fit - I think those will get her to Fall.  Riley loves to sing.  Loves it.  She's doing it everyday, more and more.  She dances some too but mostly sings.  She is talking more, and saying more words.  It amazes us when she repeats a word and says it dead on.  Aaron and I just look at each other, like "what just happened?!"  It's a lot of fun.  I love that we can give commands and she totally knows what we're saying.  She can't talk much but she knows what's going on.  It's a really fun thing about toddlers.  I just tell her it's time for "night night" and to brush her teeth and she heads for the stairs, blowing kisses as she makes her way.  Riley is loving bath time right now but I hate it.  She scares me!  She moves all around and doesn't sit still.  One night she had a tantrum in the tub and put her face in the water.  Well, the good thing is she hasn't done that since.  Whew!

Emillie is turning 14 years old real soon.  I think every time we see her now she talks about her birthday and how excited she is.  She has high hopes for a cell phone.  Aaron and I will not be getting her one, as she doesn't live with us and we can't monitor that - but there is word on the street that her mother is getting one for her.  I guess she took Emillie to the store and they were checking out phones.  I really hope she does get one, for her sake.  She's going to be in High School soon, after all!

Hannah is at a week summer camp right now.  This coming Saturday we will only have Emillie, as a result.  I know Hannah is sad she's missing a day with us but she's also really excited about this camp.  I hope she is having fun!  It amazes me how brave Hannah is.  She will go anywhere, talk to anyone.  At 10 years old, I would've been scared going to something like that alone.  The idea of making new friends would freak me out (still does).  Hannah is Miss Social.  I love that about her, because I'm entirely different.

As for me, I'm still here!  I think the "funk" I spoke of earlier has more to do with Aaron going away than I lead myself to believe.  I try to stay really strong about it, but deep down I'm nervous.  This is the first deployment with Riley.  Anyway, I signed up for a Mother's Time Out at my church this Fall.  It'll only be 6 sessions all together, but it'll be a little something for Riley and I to do.  I will continue seeing my friends when I can, and of course my parents too.  I know I have a great support network, and will absolutely rely on that if I need to.  I've had a lot on my mind lately, other than Aaron's deployment, and I just can't seem to shake it.  I know Aaron's had a lot on his mind too.  We're very happy in the every day moment but the unknown future is making us both think too much!

On a side note, Aaron's aunt recently passed away.  Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Also, please say a prayer for my grandpa!!

Thank you...hope all of my readers are doing well.  :)