Playing with Amelia

Amelia was showered with gifts from "Coe" Straty's golfing buddy, Tuesday night over dinner at our house. In that photo she's sporting her JMU onesie. She's ready for college! Yesterday we went to Central Park. Amelia enjoyed the swing. She looks forward to many more days swinging in her new park. This morning I walked passed our guest room and stood to admire it. It's of course clutter free, so I grabbed Amelia and did a mini photo shoot:) She's always willing to smile or what have you, at the camera. I love her rolls")

Amelia at her best...

This past week we've had many firsts. Amelia started saying "da da da da da da," she shakes her head like a rock star and she's sitting up on her own, using her hands to catch her balance. She's not into the crawling yet. She'd rather scoot around on her back. She does very well standing, using the ottoman as support. She's learning what "up" means and sometimes reaching out to you. Attitude is increasing and she's experimenting with her tones and pitch. She's a busy girl!

Daddy's last Softball game - 3rd Place!

Sunday was Straty's last softball game. The Green Machines came in 3rd place. Great job daddy on the RBI for the game! After the game, we went to our usual hang out - Ruby's at South Coast. Amelia was busy reading palms as she sat in a booster chair! She's a big girl now, sitting all by herself. We couldn't understand what she was "reading" on Auntie M's palms, but her facial expression left us in tears! She's a hoot!

Amelia's Radio Flyer

For our Birthdays, the family bought us an Radio Flyer Wagon! It's sooooooo cute. Indi and Hazel will love it, oh and our Amelia too:) THANK YOU FAMILY!!! We love it and you!

30 minutes of fame come and gone...

Man oh man what a crazy two, three...week! We pulled it off! The photographer arrived at noon and left a half an hour later. I kinda wanted to follow him around the house to make sure he liked everything:) This house is our first home and we're so thankful for it! She's beautiful (without all my clutter). Why am I such a pack rat? I dislike it very much. I spent almost a week going through boxes and throwing out things and repacking other things, and to be honest I don't even remember everything I packed. I walked around the house today and it looks really awesome! I feel bad for Straty. Poor guy, he's put up with it for so long. Sorry babe! I want the dumpster back!!!!! I took photos of the house as a reminder. I'm going to go sit. I'm pretty beat!!!! The baton is passed to Sean. Sell, sell, sell!!!

The "Bird"

It was brought to my attention our little princess is giving the "Bird" in her angelic photo. I didn't even catch it! It's those angelic ones you have to worry about:) Don't worry mom and dad, I was a pure angel in my younger years. I sure hope this isn't a sign of what's to come...

Amelia's first Tiffany's Box!

Thank you Uncle George and Auntie Carol (Straty's Godparents) for the Tiffany's heart frame and Bond. Amelia had such a wonderful time opening her Tiffany's box. She was soooooooo excited about the tissue and wanted to keep the ribbon:) She's such a cutie and a poser! Watch out Claudia and Brooke...her comes Amelia!

Amelia's First Earthquake 07-29-08

Well we had quite the day yesterday. While we were at our new home for the walk thru inspection, the house started to rumble. I looked at Sean our Realtor friend, in thought, what in the world is the inspector doing in the attic? Is that our heating unit making that noise? He looks down at Amelia and I, sitting on the kitchen floor, finishing up her lunch, and says we're having an earthquake, move her to the doorway. He swooped her up and placed her in the doorway. We stayed there for about a half an hour, waiting for any aftershocks. After the earthquake, the inspector walked the property again to see if there were any structural damage to the building or pool. What a great inspection:) The house is sturdy and on great foundation!!! I'm glad at least the house was strong, me on the other hand was ready to throw up. I was sooooo dizzy!!!! Amelia and I headed home and laid down, in hopes the earth would stop moving in my head. I still love the house. The daughter of the lady who had lived there is from NJ. She quit her job last year to come take care of her mom, whom passed two weeks after her arrival. She spent the past year totally remodeling the place. She's ready to go home for the seasons! Her mom loved to garden and hoped I was a gardener. UM NOOOO. I can't keep a fern alive!!! Thankfully mom was there to ensure her she'd upkeep the gardens. Well that was until we were escorted around the yard. Great news...we have an avocado, lemon, plum and orange tree:) We also have a rose garden. I'm seeing Great Yiaya all over the back yard:) xoox Anyway the bad news...there's a pencil cactus in the succulent garden, which is poisonous. I'm not a cactus fan. She's has the vine cactus and some other funky things. It'll be great getting in there and cleaning things up for Amelia and the dogs sake:) Yiaya and Papou need to come decorate their room:) Today has been a very busy day. Amelia and I have been all over the place, some places twice! I just finished painting the kitchen ceiling. The house is a mess, but I do better under pressure. I feel like I'm producing an event and it's crunch time! I can't wait to plug in my smelly plug-ins!!!! That's the icing on the cake:) That is after I finish painting the family room ceiling, figure out those kitchen cabinets and oh clean the house, after finishing packing up things. When that's all done, I'll plant the plants, go get the sunflowers for the tables and plug in my smelly's. Photographer comes Friday!!!! Monday, house goes in the MLS, Friday is the Broker Preview and next Sunday is our first open house from 1pm to 4pm. Keep your prayers going!!! SELL SELL SELL. Appraisal came back on the other place and it looks great. Loan approval check, inspection check...now we sit and wait for escrow to close. Yeah...Praise God!!! Like our pink bathroom:)

More photos of Sunday...

Amelia has the Great Grandma Inez look down. I love the one where she's looking at Grandpa with this look like "what did you do that for?" Amelia is so funny with all of her facial expressions. She's learning to communicate through looks and sounds. So far, she's wondering how in the world she got into this crazy family:) LOL

Whew...the weekend is over and we're pooped!

This weekend was a busy one. Missy and I cleaned the garage and threw a lot of things away in the dumpster we rented, while Straty was going through things in the house. Saturday Bill, Straty and I took out about half of the furniture and took it to storage, so we could properly stage the house. The house looks empty without all of our stuff. Hopefully someone will fall in love with the place as much as we did. We're still going through the loan process on the Central Park house. Keep your fingers crossed and pray for loan approval, inspection, appraisal and the sell of our RSM home. Oh and that us old people survive another move! We just moved and sold our desert house this past spring. We're, well, I'm learning to get rid of clutter. Can't take it to heaven!!!! Sunday we did a little resting. Straty had his softball game and then we headed to our favorite hang out, Ruby's at South Coast. Amelia sat in a booster chair for the first time, mom, Amelia, Auntie Sarah and Jessie took a spin on the carousal, dad made a Ruby's boat and put it in the fountain to see if it would float. Fun day!!!!!