Recent Randoms

I haven't had any time to blog lately. So this post is pretty all over the place!

I haven't been great about taking pictures as regularly as I would like to. What it's really looked like lately is that my camera is in my hand when some asks me to take pictures for an event or something. It makes me kind of sad. I need to start picking out which ones I'm entering into the Evergreen State Fair this summer, so I picked it up again.

Here are some recent photo ops!

One Friday night a few weeks ago, we decided to be spontaneous and go out to dinner at Anthony's! We really only planned to go for apps and visit with Robert's former co-workers, but we ended up staying for dinner. It was such a nice treat! Ellie Jo came with mommy & daddy, so it wasn't exactly a date night, but we all had fun! For anyone who thinks you can't do anything spontaneously after you have kids, this ought to prove you wrong: From the time the decision was made, reservations placed and we got in the car to leave (with a baby who was hours overdue for a nap), it was literally 15 minutes. And she was a perfect, sweet little girl all through dinner (about 2 1/2 hours). It's all about teaching and training, my friends!

Daddy shared his sourdough bread with Elizabeth
(but that meant having to cool it down a bit).

"Mmmmmm!"

More of this....

...for more of this!!

After awhile, Robert asked me if I wanted to go out and take some pictures at the marina (this was one of the reasons we had wanted to go). I didn't want to just abandon him and our sweet baby girl, but he said it was fine. So I went. :) Sorry you can't see those pics yet - I'm considering entering one or two in the State Fair!

Yes - I am obsessed with food pictures!

That shrimp was SO GOOD!

The light was perfect also!

Baby got tired about this point. So did Daddy.
This was before our dinner came.

Banana leaf!

Seriously, I LOVE food pics!

One sad event did recently happen, as our Great Uncle Bill passed away on June 1st. :( It was so surreal for me, because I had literally seen him hours earlier. I wouldn't have seen him if it weren't for perfect timing - we were at Youth Group doing the cookout for the kids, and Leah sent me across the street for more forks at the precise moment that Uncle Bill & Auntie Lois were leaving the church. I got the opportunity to literally say goodbye to Uncle Bill. Although I didn't realize at the time that when I told him goodnight and goodbye that it would be the last time, I'm still so grateful for the opportunity. That was such a comfort to me in the days following his passing! And - for the first time in over a year, he knew my name. He usually stuck with "kiddo" or "young lady," as proper nouns, since he had a difficult time discerning specific names. But, he greeted me sweetly with my own name that last night, hours before he went to Heaven to be with Jesus forever. It's such a sweet memory for me!

Here are a couple of pictures from his memorial service:

Color Guard

Beautiful flowers

Aren't these gorgeous?!

Nana kept Ellie at home with her during the
service. She was totally ready for a nap when she
arrived for the reception. You can't tell from this
pic, but she was having a fit right before Daddy
took this!

Roses!

Lots of laughs!

Grandpa Byers

Grandma Byers

Pastor Dave

Luke, reading the Scripture passage

Linda & Lee

Pastor John

The front of the church, including Uncle Bill's
flag.

"Loving Husband" arrangement
from Auntie Lois

This spray was just bursting with
color!

Bright, like Uncle Bill's smile

The past couple of weeks, Ellie has been cutting teeth. That basically means she doesn't sleep all night, and she hardly eats. Last night, after having cut two teeth the day before, she cut a third. I finally gave up and let her have an entire container of yogurt, and a Mum-Mum cracker dipped in  peanut butter. And then her Zoe got dunked in the peanut butter because mommy & daddy were trying to get out the door to Brent's graduation party. (Mommy snuck Zoe into the washer early last night!)

You know we were desperate to get her to eat - I
allowed her to keep her pacifier while she was
eating.

Clearly, eating out of the side of her mouth,
because those new front teeth HURT!

A little peanut butter up the nose never hurt anyone,
right?

Mmm mommy!

Tonight, I caught some super cute moments of Ellie Jo at the screen door!

What nap, Mommy?

I see your plants, mom!

"Pease?" (She wanted to go outside)

Don't mind the stupid eagle
sticker - we can't get it off. Look
at the sweet baby pointing at
mommy's plants!

I brought Ellie outside with me to check my garden. I let her help me pick some ripe strawberries and peas! Then I let her touch and explore them. It was so cute!

Digging in!

She was shrieking "Yaaay!"

Giggles!

"So big!"

Exploring the peas & strawberries

Peek-a-boo under the chair

What's under here, mommy?

Big girl standing up!

Strawberry, mama!

Trying peas!

Trying strawberries!

I like this!

Yay for strawberries!

We have been having so much fun watching Ellie Jo grow into a little girl. She is very sweet and precious! I still sing her the "precious baby" song that I made up for her, and now she has learned how to "squeeeeze!" and give loves. She gives kisses and says, "baaayye baaayye" with this adorable little twang in her voice when she waves bye-bye. She started signing "thank you," and she is curious about EVERYTHING. She can hold up one finger when you ask her how old she is. She can point to many body parts, and she sniffs flowers.

Yay for being one!

I promise to be better about posting in the coming summer months. Stay tuned!