There's no place like

HOME!

So cute and oh so fun!

We went to see The Princess and the Frog this week and we all LOVED it! It's one I'd say "YES, go see it!" And I will own it when it comes out on DVD!

A new favorite

This is the look and smile that Emma gives everyone she meets and sees.
She even gives me this shy smile and I love it!

6 years!

Happy anniversary, Mike.

I love you!

Daddy

Mike is a fun dad and really loves his kids.

We had so much fun in Disney World this year and Ethan has more fun because of his dad, a 4 year old at heart.

Mike even dressed up, somewhat, for Halloween and rocked Emma!

Happy birthday, Mike. We love you!

Best birthday

Ask Mike what his best birthday and birthday present was and I would think he'd say his 22nd birthday and me!

We were married on his birthday 6 years ago!

Missionary

Mike served his mission in Paraguay and here he is with his mission president and his wife when he arrived in the mission.

Wreckful driver

Mike was trying to impress a date on the wet, slippery roads of MN when, oops, he wrecked!

This is what was left of the fence that he hit.

And the damage to the van.

Luckily, he was okay, he did have to have a titanium plate put in his arm, but all things considered, he came out okay.

Drama King

Mike was in drama in high school and therefore in a lot of plays. Here are a few pictures of those plays. (I'm not sure what they all are, I was in band and not really interested in the thespians when I was in high school)

Mike went to Cooper High School, the same school that Steve Zahn went to. Steve was pals with Mike's drama teacher and came to speak in class once, so Mike was able to meet him. I love Steve Zahn, so funny!

Mike and the apple tree

Apparently this was one if his favorites where he spent the first part of his life, Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

Mike's birthday week

Sunday is Mike's birthday! He's getting so old, but not as old as me yet!

In honor of him and his getting old, I'm going to post old pictures of him as he has been growing up.

This is a picture of Mike the day he came home from the hospital.

His birthday is so close to Christmas that he was brought home in a stocking.

Sleep in heavenly peace

Shh, the babies are sleeping!

Christmastime at the Herrington's

Last week while Mike was at the BYU football game, Ethan and I needed something to do. So we got out the Christmas decorations and decorated for Christmas.

Here are our stockings.

My cousin, Carolynn, makes these with her knitting machine. (She is making Emma's as we speak and yes, I know I need an extra hook for hers. I usually hang them on the railing but thought this would be fun until we get Emma's.)

Ethan helped me decorate the tree. He did a great job. I told him I'd put stuff up high and he could do the stuff down where he could reach. He's such a good helper.

I just couldn't pass this cute picture up...it maybe the picture we use on our Christmas card this year, if I get around to making them (see my last post).
Tonight was our ward Christmas party and we had a surprise visitor, Santa! Ethan cried when Santa walked into the room last year, and Santa was all the way across the room. This year one of the young women took Ethan to see Santa. They didn't get far because she brought him back to me. I took him and that didn't last long either. However, when we were just about ready to leave, he saw kids with candy canes and wanted one. I told him that he had to go see Santa to get one. He said, "Okay!" We stood in line, again, and got almost to Santa when I noticed he was fidgeting with his hands and almost shaking. I pointed out his friends who were having their picture taken with Santa and that it was fine. When it was Ethan's turn, he walked up to Santa and Santa pulled him up on his knee. It was cute. He then asked Ethan what he wanted for Christmas and gave him a candy cane.
I think Ethan was a little scared still because he wouldn't look at the camera. So this is what I got...
Merry Christmastime!

How can I be mad?

It's been a long and stressful week.

Today I had a lot going on and I felt I hardly had time to stop and do anything. I even went without breakfast, which has become the norm around here, too much to do and eating is not on the list.

I was feeling a little better about things, but still stressed, when I sat down to feed Emma her lunch. She had just woken up from a nap and was eating, happy baby, right? Right! She started to smile and with all the rice cereal on her face, I just couldn't help but smile myself and forget about everything else.

Really, how could I stay mad when this is what's looking back at me?

Or this?
And my favorite...this!

Sometimes I think she knows just when I need her to be oh so cute and cheer me up!

Big kids already

My kids seem to be growing so fast. I can't believe that Ethan is learning to read and Emma is getting so big, which wasn't too hard to do seeing that she started life so small.

Emma has become quite the BYU fan.

Ethan is learning to shave.
And would you believe that he didn't even cut himself?
Emma has been eating cereal for almost 3 months now. I've been feeding her in the bouncy and she has been kicking so hard that I have a hard time getting food into her mouth and not on her nose so I pulled out the highchair a few weeks ago.
Doesn't she look so big now?
I can't wait to see what this week holds for us.

Day 30

Mmmm, a bean burrito, chips and salsa and to top it all off a strawberry-colada to drink!
And Mike is always so gracious to give me his guac!

Day 29

My musical abilities. I know I'm not the best flute or piano player in the world, but I enjoy playing. I especially love to pound on the piano when I need to cool off!
Thanks Mom and Dad for all the lessons!

Day 28

I'm very grateful for dates with my husband. We don't go often, and it's been even less often since Emma was born. We went out yesterday, thanks to Tina and Dustin who came through at the last minute. We owe you two!!

First, we went to lunch, neither one of us wanted much. We went here...

We each had 1/2 a sandwich, and Mike had soup I had a salad.

After lunch, we went to see New Moon here.

I liked it and so did Mike, until the end.

Oh and did I mention that while we were eating we bumped into this awesome man?

I guess President Eyring likes Paradise Bakery too.

The funny thing is that his wife was really familiar to me, and I haven't seen her much. Then I saw him. We sat in the booth behind him. Mike was back-to-back to him though he didn't know it. So I said, "Pst. Go get something and then look at the man in the red jacket on your way back!" When Mike got up to get something he looked back and stared. Too obvious. Silly guy.

The best part of our date wansn't seeing President Eyring though, it was spending 3 whole hours with my husband and not having to fight kids. We got to hold hands the whole movie. It was fabulous!

Day 27

Why stop at only 26 days?

I'm going finish out the month with things I'm thankful for.

These help Emma calm down and go to sleep when she needs to. I've even put one in her mouth to get her to go back to sleep when she wakes up in the middle of the night. Fortunately, she isn't attached to one and thinks she needs it just for fun. Maybe one day she'll find her thumb, just like her older brother did when he was not much older than she is.

Day 26--Happy Thanksgiving

The temple and most of all
My temple marriage to Mike.

Day 25

(and this is my new favorite picture of Him)

Day 24

My house.
It may not be big, fancy, or even what I wanted, but after 2 years, I love it. It's our home and it's big enough for my family. We have what we need here, including central air, which wasn't here when we bought the house. Sure there are things to do to improve it, but it's my home and it's where my family needs to be at this time in our lives!

Day 23

My favorite is this stuff, chocolate devotion, and don't you think it would make a great Family Home Evening treat? I do.

Day 22

Day 21

Last year when I was pregnant with Emma and having morning sickness, smells bugged me, most smells (even the soap Mike used in the shower and the shampoo Ethan used) except for Bath and Body Works lotions. Then when I was feeling so prego and fat and unattractive, the only thing that made me feel pretty again was sweet smelling lotion. This was the same scent that I took to the hospital so I could feel pretty there too. And now, ending tomorrow, is another sale at Bath and Body Works, buy 3 get 3 free. I need to make it there today so I can feel pretty, baby fat and all.

Day 20

My college education-I graduated, it only took me 5 1/2 years, but I did it!

Day 19

My ward.

Day 18

It's all over!

Day 17

The mountains are so close to me and I love the way they look this time of the year.

This is the view that I have of them from my front window!

Day 16

I really need to go but it'll have to wait until after Young Women's in Excellence tomorrow night.

Day 15

Warm and cute preferably.

Day 14

This is what Ethan, Emma, and I do at least one of the nights that Mike is working. We have a jammie party. We put on our jammies at 6:30 or 7 and watch a movie. Most jammie parties we eat a treat too.

Day 13

My very own bed! Mike sleeps there too, but no kids allowed!! Another thing I'm grateful for today-kids that sleep in their own beds!