Before Summer

When I finally downloaded all the pictures off of my camera I realized I had a TON of pictures on there from before the summer. So I'm gonna put these pics on here too. I go through the blog a lot sometimes to look at how big my kids have gotten and marvel at all the things they've done so far. Sometimes when I miss them during the day I'll go back and look at all of their pictures (I know my mom does this too :-)). So these are more for my benefit then anything :-) But I hope you enjoy them as well.

The boy loves raviolis!

but as you can see he cannot eat them with clothes on!

Very strange child, he LOVES to brush his teeth
Will sitting in his sister's bumbo chair.
He does NOT like that we've given his sister some of his old stuff.

Daddy and his babies in Astros gear

Chuck E Cheese

Eating at his big boy table

Pretty girl in a pretty bow

He's rather territorial :) When he wasn't sitting in the chair he was carrying it around. Determined to not let Ella sit in it. He sat in time out A LOT for this :)

Please pray for Emma

www.emmadunnam.blogspot.com

Emma Dunnam is the daughter of Kelvin and Christy Dunnam, the leaders of our small group at church. She is a very beautiful little girl. Emma has a rare degenerative genetic disorder called Batten's Disease.

The Dunnam's faith in the Lord is a remarkable one, and one that despite everything has never wavered. I'm blessed to call them our friends.
Emma is in a lot of pain right now and they are asking for prayers. Please stop and lift Emma up in your prayers.

Did you miss us?

I apologize for the blog absence. We didn't really have a computer at home during the summer break and I've had a pretty busy beginning of the school year so far.

We had a great summer. Didn't really do a whole lot other than hang out at the house and play around town every once in a while.

Will turned 2 and his vocabulary has EXPLODED! We still only understand every couple of words but it's nice to finally hear something other than NO (although we still hear it A LOT!)

Ella is 8 months old and is on the MOVE! She has been crawling since she was about 5 months old (army crawling). Finally started crawling on her hands and knees about a month ago, as well as pulling up and cruising on furniture. All she wants to do more than anything is follow her brother around so I don't think it'll be long before she is walking. Right now she is getting over the flu, and while it's been a rough week I know it could have been so much worse so we are definitely counting our blessings.

I have tons of pics from the summer and the last month that I will try to download soon. I hope to really start updating this blog more. These pics are ones that Grammie took over the summer so I'll leave you with these for now.

We got the waterslide out at Will's b-day party but he wouldn't go down it by himself. Brandon and Uncle Matt took turns going down with him.

Yummy cake

He couldn't wait for the fork and tried to dive in face first
Blowing out his candle

She looks scared

Ella and her Aunt MeMe

On August 16, 2009 we had Will and Ella's dedication at church. After church we had Will's 2nd birthday party at Brandon's mom's house. It was such a great day of celebrating our kids and spending time with family.

Ella and Pastor Tommy

(Tommy was the youth pastor when Brandon was in the youth group, so this was pretty special)

Will kept his back to the audience so he could watch himself on the big screen :-)

My handsome little man on his 2nd birthday

My Memaw

ELLA MAE ARNOLD, born May 16, 1937 in San Augustine, Texas to Will and Maggie Greer. She passed away on August 31, 2009 in Baytown, Texas. She was married to Tommy Arnold on October 2, 1954. They lived the majority of their life together in the North Shore, Channelview, and Galena Park area. Together they worked to create T & J Superette and operate many other enterprises in the North Shore and Cloverleaf area. Preceded in death by her parents Will and Maggie Greer, brothers Burton Simmons, Curtis Crocker and Earnest Crocker and sister AddieLackey. She is survived by her husband of fifty-four years Tommy Arnold; children Pat Grisham and husband, Dave, Belinda "Bendy" Arnold, Tommy "Bo" Arnold and wife, Kari; grandchildren Holly Lamb and husband, Brandon, Matt Grisham and wife, Nicole, Cory Arnold and Caisey Arnold; great grandchildren Will Lamb and Ella Lamb; sisters Bonnie Newton, Jo Rogers, and Gwen Citty. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and her extended family in the Cloverleaf area home of their family business. Ella Mae was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend. She influenced and helped many people with her caring and generosity. "Mom" will be tremendously missed by all who knew or had ever met her. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 8:00 PM Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at San Jacinto Funeral Home, 14659 East Freeway. Funeral. A Celebration of Ella Mae's Life will be held at 2:00 PM Thursday, September 3, 2009 at San Jacinto Funeral Home with Reverend Kenneth Plunk officiating. Entombment to follow, San Jacinto Memorial Park. Those serving as Pallbearers will be Matt Grisham, Dave Grisham, Rusty Scott, Steve Smith, Ross Shipley and Wayne Gray. Honorary Pallbearers, Cory Arnold and Bo Arnold. Please visit www. sanjacinto funerals.com to share memories and send words of comfort to the family.

I love you Memaw!!

We've been SOOO busy!!

haha (that was for you Meredith)

We actually have been pretty busy lately, but it's been a good busy. The kind of busy where you are having so much fun the days just seem to fly by. We have taken lots of walks outside, which both kids LOVE and Mommy and Daddy get some exercise in too. Summer vacation starts in 6 days!! YIPEEE!!! I'm hoping for a fun but relaxing summer. With 2 kids I don't know if thats possible :-) Should be interesting to say the least. Here's what we've been up to so far.

Papa D started his bike ride on Saturday. He actually started on Wednesday at the Gulf of Mexico. He rode from there to Huffman, and then on Saturday he started his ride from Huffman. These are pics from Wednesday when he dipped his tire and toes in the water to signify the beginning of his ride. Ella got in on the toe dipping action :-)

Saturday was my school districts employee picnic at a local ranch. There was bbq and a lot of fun things for the kids to do. Unfortunately it was really hot and most of the stuff was too big for Will to enjoy (maybe next year), but he still had a little fun. We only stayed a couple of hours because of the heat and it was cutting into nap time and the meltdown Will had signaled it was time to go :-)

Here he is enjoying some of the things that were toddler friendly.

Grammie and Ella at the picnic

The boy LOVES to slide!!

Friday night was Will's recital at school. All of the classes participate (even the little babies). Last year Will was about 8 months old so he just sat in an exesaucer, in a very cute Pooh outfit, while a short little song played. So I was really excited to see him up there dancing around. His class was marching and dancing to "The Ants go Marching." His whole class looked so cute in black shorts and red shirts with little antenna headbands. But, as soon as the curtain opened and the music started, Will saw me and burst into tears and started crying "mama." It broke my heart then but is now fairly comical. We got a few pictures, but he wasn't in a very good mood to say the least. Oh well, maybe next year.

Papa and Will when he finally got happy again

Daddy and Daddy's girl

I think this may be our first family photo

Papa and Ella -- side story, Ella got really fussy right at the beginning of the program. Papa got her and she immediately calmed down. We call him the "baby whisperer" because he can ALWAYS calm her when she's fussy!!

Memaw and Grandaddy

This pic sums up the performance :-)

Bonus pic, isn't she so cute

Just chillin'

Well, we've had a whole lot going on around here. We've had beautiful weather so we've spent a lot of time outside. Both kids love to be outside so we've been taking advantage of it before it gets so hot and humid that we are trapped inside all of the time. School is starting to wind down, we only have a week left. WOOHOO!! I'm so excited and I'm ready to spend the summer with my babies.

But Grammie and Papa D will be leaving soon (you know they are just winter Texans now ;)) and will be gone for most of the summer. We are going to miss them A LOT!!! Will and Ella aren't going to know what to do without them spoiling them rotten. Papa D starts his trip on his bike on Saturday. The first leg of his trip will be from here to Oklahoma and he will be traveling by himself (it's called self contained) on his bicycle (pretty amazing). Grammie will meet him in Oklahoma and kind of follow him in the car on the rest of his journey. He will be heading towards Kansas, then he'll take a right and head towards the east coast. He is a bicycling fool :) You can follow him on his adventure at: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/transam09

Or on Grammie's blog http://www.adventuresofgrammiep.blogspot.com

We are so proud of the both of them. They are definitely not your typical retired grandparents!!!

WE LOVE YOU AND WILL MISS YOU GRAMMIE AND PAPA!!!!

My little princess

Papa D is so cool, even Ella wants to be just like him!