Emmy's First True Laugh

Emmy is a walking, babbling, steal-your heart little munchkin. That girl has me smiling at every turn. She has been our only child, though, that doesn't seem to truly laugh. She giggles here and there but doesn't surrender to it...until now. Amazingly , I caught some of her first real laughing fit on video.

My Little Lemon Tree Project

All of my extra time lately has been spent on creating a new blog called The Lemon Tree Project. It is a blog where life's "light bulb" moments can be shared. Simple tips, tricks, and advice to make life easier and more fun. This random idea has felt, not to be cheesy, inspired.

Since being jolted out of my comfort zone with the new move, I've been sort of going through this stay-at-home mom crisis and needed to feel like I was contributing to the world and growing as a person. This blog idea came to me and when I dare told Joey about it, he really encouraged me. So, after almost calling it "Life Shared", "Fireflying", and "Unexpected Insight" - the Lemon Tree finally wafted into this brain of mine and it just flowed from there.

Where did I come up with the name you ask? I always adored the Lemon Tree in our front yard growing up and as a kid I loved to climb and practically live in trees (no kidding, does that make me so strange?). So, what better place for me to "sit in" for a while than my own little Lemon Tree.

You can click on the "button" Katie created to check it out. And before you do, just know that she is the talent behind the beauty and graphics of the blog. I couldn't have done it without her!

Rockin' the Mid-Week Date

This is me and Joey on a hot mid-week date at what they call here a "Walmart Shareholders Meeting". This was just one of the many free concerts they put on when they have these so-called "meetings".

This is REO Speed Wagon entertaining us with songs I didn't even know I liked, like, "I Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore" and "Heard It Through A Friend Who Heard it Through A Friend Who..." and other awesomely 70's songs.

This is REO Speedwagon's drummer, who kept me in giggle fits with his pursed lips, wife beater, and American Girl Doll hair. Classic.

These are the Skinners, our bestest buds and neighbors out here, who weren't fortunate enough to find a school night sitter. Love this candid of them. That little cute guy Connor is Luke's best friend. They can't seem to get enough of each other.

This is The Bare Naked Ladies, the reason Joey wanted to go. And before you size my man up, it's a band people! They sing that "Chickity Chine of the Chinese Chicken" song and "If I Had A Million Dollars". Arkansas didn't seem that into it, but were.

This is a video of the sign language interpreters that were signing & dancing their hearts out to every song. I've never seen anything like it, and man could they groove. The Bare Naked Ladies couldn't get over the fact that they were, and I quote, "deaf people's favorite band".

And to top off the night, the newbie babysitter, who just so happens to live a few houses over, had a glowing report! Good Times.

We (He) Did It!

Lucas Dale Hobson is officially potty trained! Phew.  I promised myself I wasn't going to stress over potty training him because trying to train Kaela just about sent me over the edge.  So, I figured I'd let him figure it out on his own.  Only that wasn't happening.  Joey finally had had enough and encouraged me to at least get this boy started a good month ago.  So I did.  And 4 Weeks Later we dare leave the house in BIG BOY UNDIES!  So nice.

Turtle Crossing