We love looming, yes we do! We love looming, how 'bout you?

Emerson received a rainbow loom from Mimmy (grandma Z) for Christmas, and uses it every week! I'm so glad he got his own, because the months leading up to Christmas, he was kind of turning into the loom pimp at school. He had half his class making him bracelets and necklaces!

He has made dozens since and often wears 4-5 on each wrist. He also likes to string them all together to show off his goods.

Focus.

That face. We've moved onto charms. This was a banana charm. Not the hit Emerson thought it would be. So the next day, I had to make a football charm. He was the envy of the playground.

Loom bracelets for miles.

Sunny days...chasing the clouds away...

find my way...the where the air is sweet...!

I knew when I saw that Sesame Street Live was coming to Columbus that Scarlet should go. NEEDED to go. Jason actually suggested that we make this a girls' day, so we invited Terra, and my favorite Goddaughter, Norah, to come with us.

We started with breakfast downtown at Dempsey's, then headed to the Palace Theater to see Elmo, Big Bird, and the whole gang in "Can't Stop Singing." It exceeded our expectations!

Norah and Scarlet were enthralled. And so were we!

Scarlet's love affair with Elmo began a few months ago, when he started calling and Face-timing with her. He tells the best jokes!

Two little girls, ready for the show!

Waiting patiently.

Norah has NEVER seen a glow stick before. At least according to this photo. Love that face.

It only took $15 to keep these two entertained until the show started. $15 each. Yes, that's right. $30 for two glow sticks.

My girl.

The four of us.

Elmo can't stop singing!

Shaking hands with COOOOOOOOKIE!

Nowhere, Indiana

We are so lucky that most of our friends and family live so close to us. Many of which are within a half hour drive. Every so often, we have to let go of our geographic closeness when a family moves away. When the Sheppards moved to Kansas a few years ago, we were so sad that Emerson was losing his best buddy Ted, and that Columbus was losing one of our favorite families. It was so hard to miss milestones of all the kids, and births of more! Even with holiday and summer trips back home, we all were left wanting more Sheppard time. And more of Beth's amazeballs Swedish Almond Cake!

Fortunately, after a few years, they had enough of Kansas, and it's possible Kansas had enough of them! With our friends just a few hours away in Indy, we planned a trip! Don took a job at a YMCA camp, and they have a house on the camp grounds. How lucky are three little Sheppard boys that they get to grow up at a summer camp!?!? We can't wait to go back!

En route.

They don't skip a beat.

Loving a sunny Saturday and the freedom to run!

Of course we had to try everything. Including the rope swing.

We're going on a lion hunt...we're going to catch a big one...

Ending our day with s'mores. Yes, those are chickens in their yard.

Scarlet, trying to get to the chickens before we left.

She came in like a wrecking ball...

We have a lot of creative ways in which we describe Scarlet's "spirited" toddler behavior.

• She's a sour patch kid. She'll hit you with the one two. One, being an act of snark. Two, being a look and sweetness that makes you forget all about the one.
• She's a bit psychotic. Plain and simple. This isn't meant as negatively as it might read. I think most toddlers are psychotic. Case in point: mood swings and tantrums. But just as quickly as she turns it on, she turns it off and is back to chasing butterflies.
• The current, and what I believe to be the most accurate description, is wrecking ball. A 35 lb. ball of crazy, crashing with an intention of total destruction. (That's my definition. Merriam Webster might disagree.) Emerson and I often break out Miley Cyrus' version whenever Scarlet goes down a path. This is the only time I'll ever thank Miley.

Scarlet's vocal skills are as big as her personality. She often sings while she's "working." You know...when she's moving all the Fisher Price animals from Noah's Ark to the castle. Wouldn't it be great if we all felt that way about work?

In addition to singing, Scarlet talks non-stop. Non. Stop. If you say "Good boy, Grover." she then says "Guh-boy-groruh. Come on. Sit. Guh-boy. Awww. Guh-boy! Wanna treeee?" If you say, "No, thanks, Emerson. I don't want any chips." she then says, "No teenk you Em-ah-see. A chip? Yes? No teenk you. No. No. No. You eat it. Teenk you!" And then goes on with a few more sentences which we don't always understand. She doesn't really even speak in sentences. She speaks in paragraphs. It continues to crack us up when Jason enters the room, just a casual "Hi, Daddy," like she's been saying this for ages.

She came in like a wrecking ball...and we just love her.

Emersonisms - March Edition

A day late...but definitely not a dollar short. This kid's statements are pure gold!!!


On our way home from school one day...
"Mom, do you have any hanitizer?"

I may copyright this term. Genius. I make him repeat it often, and never correct him.
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When asked where Grover was when Emerson came upstairs without him...
"He's downstairs. He's just chillin'."
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Emerson was spending time with a friend in the neighborhood, and Jason was within earshot when he heard this exchange...
     Friend: "Everything makes me happy. My family makes me happy. My friends make me happy. Everything make me happy."
     Emerson: "Does your butt make you happy?"
     Friend: "No."
     Emerson: "Well, then, EVERYTHING doesn't make you happy."
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As captured by Great Uncle BF...

 Em, "Let’s play basketball or throw the football."

Jason, "We will play soon."

Em, "That’s not even a game."