The latest

So, we leave tomorrow for our big first family trip. I'm so excited. I've been planning and dreaming about this trip for 4 months or more. We bought the Disneyland tickets at the beginning of December and booked our hotels right after that. I've been picking up extra shifts for 4 months to help pay for it. Then life happened and the universe tried to keep us from going.

Last Monday, Jonathan was in a car accident on the freeway and totaled our Buick that my parents had so nicely given us when we were having car trouble. It feels like we're ALWAYS having car trouble. Well, we decided to take the money from the crash and our tax refund and buy a gently used van. I couldn't stand the stress of doing it right before our trip, but on Friday we were hanging out and thought that we'd go see the vans at Carmax. We fell in love with a 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan and actually drove off the lot with it. Then I went to our credit union and got it financed at a great rate with a nice down payment. It all sounds so nice when I sit here a couple days later and type it, but it stressed me out completely. I couldn't eat all that day and still feel anxious about spending that much money. Well, our great luck with cars continued because yesterday I went to start our Malibu and it wouldn't turn over. My awesome dad was nice enough to spend the entire afternoon figuring out that it was the fuel pump and it probably needs to be replaced. Well, it won't run and I guess it's really amazing that we went and bought the van because without it, we'd be stranded and wouldn't be able to go on our trip until the car was fixed. Now, we can still leave as planned and just worry about the car when we get back. I even have a friend at work who's husband is a mechanic and he thinks he can replace it. So, I guess it kind of depends on how you look at things. Either it's a pretty amazing string of events that we didn't take the Malibu and get stranded here or in California with a broken car. Or, it's the Universe trying in every way possible to tell us not to go on this dream vacation of ours. Time will tell for sure. We'll post when we get home hopefully safe and sound next Sunday.

That Darn Cat

We have a love/hate relationship with the cat we inherited from my parents who got stuck with her after my little sister got married. The kids love her and the parents hate her. Her name is Sneakers and she's about 13 or so years old maybe more who knows. She's a great cat - good with the kids and all but she is a TALKER. She is constantly whining about how we need to feed her milk or pet her while she eats. The only time she's quiet is when she's sleeping which luckily for us is a lot of the daytime. It's taken her a while to get really comfortable with all of us in this close space we have. There's 4 people, a dog and a cat in less than 1,000 square feet. That's cozy. Plus, we can't let her outside without a leash. She used to be an indoor/outdoor cat and was used to being able to come and go as she pleased. Now every time we open the door she bolts out to pee in the super small garden area in our backyard. That's fine with me - one less scoop I have to clean out of her litter box. Anyway, she decided the other day she wanted to snuggle with the kids on the couch. Actually, I believe it started with her taking over the dog's usual place on the couch and the kids spotting her and then snuggling with her. It was so cute I had to snap some photos. Right after the photos Sneakers decided she had enough and hissed at the kids took a swipe at Emily's hand - giving her a tiny little scratch- and bolted upstairs. She hasn't been downstairs much at all today so I think she decided that usurping the dog's position on the couch wasn't worth having to snuggle with the girls.

Emily's Birthday

Emily snuggling with one of her favorite lovies. Jonathan bought a Piglet for Gwen and a Mickey for Emily when we were first planning our family trip to Disneyland. They are really soft and Emily uses them to snuggle to sleep with. We try to get her to stick to her Mickey, but she can't resist stealing one of Gwen's toys and then getting into a screaming match with her over it.

For Emily's birthday we made her favorite dinner - frozen lasagna. She'd probably prefer homemade lasagna but her mom is just too lazy for that. Walmart makes a very tasty family size lasagna and it's pretty cheap. I just can't be bothered to work that hard when it can be so easy. Her birthday was so much fun. We got to spend the entire day together as a family because her birthday was on a Saturday this year and I got the day off work. We had a party with most of her cousins that night at Grandma Buckholts' house.Here's Emily opening her presents at her party. That's Sam, Gwen, and Noah helping and Kim video taping it - well sort-of.

Emily thought it was fun to hide the presents under the used wrapping paper and then find them again.

This little phone with sound and buttons was (and still is) a big hit.

Noah came to the party but the rest of his family stayed home with Max who had just gotten released from the hospital. They needed the rest and relaxation after such a busy week.

We bought little $1 presents for everyone to celebrate Emily's first year. That was funner for me than Emily getting presents. I think the kids liked the idea of getting a present at someone else's birthday too.

Gwen showing Emily how to work her new phone.

The birthday cake that Gwen and I made. Gwen helped frost and put the letters on it. I had to keep showing her where they went so it would spell the right things. That's Sam, Mason, Gwen, and Noah lined up to watch.

Emily loved being the center of attention and having all her big cousins over. It's fun when you're the littlest and there's so many big kids to play with.

Emily eating her birthday cake. She loved the frosting which she delicately ate with her little fingers but the biggest hit was the two scoops of ice cream that she got with it. She didn't touch the actual cake.

Our newest little cousin, Max, just got home from China where he's been since he was born 16 months ago. Aunt Laura and Uncle Dude brought home really neat presents for everyone when they went on their trip to bring him home. The girls each got beautiful Chinese "princess" dresses that they wore to church last week. The funnest part of that was getting to tell everyone about Max when they asked about the dresses. Gwen loves talking about her little cousin Max who is Noah's brother.

I'm almost sad that they have to grow out of these dresses because they look so beautiful in them. Thanks Laura and Dude.

Yes, Emily's walking and she's getting better and better each day. The above video is a quick example of her newest skill in action.