Go Razorbacks!

Saturday Mimi and Papa came and picked up Ryan, Emma and me. We hit the road around 12:15 stopped for lunch at a local Dairy bar and headed to watch the Hogs play. Emma did amazing the entire ride thanks to a few new movies Mimi purchased for the trip. We only stopped once to get gas. That is pretty amazing with a potty training 2 year old. Emma's favorite part of the drive was the tunnel. As soon as we got through it she wanted to turn around and go again. The longest part of the trip was waiting in the Scholarship parking line to turn towards the stadium. When we finally turned Emma saw the tailgaters and a blow up Hog and said " I see the kickball!"
Since Ryan and I play kickball that is really the only sport she has ever seen. We headed up the Hill to the stadium after a quick stop at the Hog shop and made it inside. Emma did wonderful through the whole game despite how hot it was. She cheered...watched and called the Hogs. Her favorite Razorback was the one in the cheerleading uniform. She was a doll! At one point in the game Northern Illinois called a timeout. Emma heard it and said, " Did they get a timeout?" It had a whole different meaning to her.
She made it through the whole game till the last few minutes and passed out. The crowd was really at its loudest at this point wanting the Hogs to hold off N. Ill. We did and won the game and our little cheerleader got her Jammies on and slept all the way home.







This is how tiring watching Football can be. With 1:30 left in the 4th Emma Passed out despite the noise around her!

Becky and Ralph at the game! Tiffie and Emma

Emma learned how to call the hogs! She caught on quick!

Papa teaching Emma how to use his Binoculars and Mimi and Emma cheering on the Razorbacks!

Lovin each other and those Hogs!

Our row at the game!

Our seats are in the chairbacks in the endzone....a nice view of the screen and the game from here!

The hike to the stadium Emma got a shoulder ride!

"Go Hogs go!"

My Little

Cheerleader!

This was our picture before we got all hot and sweaty climbing the hill!

Our wonderful Driver Papa!

Mimi was crocheting blankets on the way!

Mommy was along for the ride....my sole responsibility keep Emma happy!

Daddy the navigator!

Emma at the start of the trip.

Buddylicious

Emma has come up with a new name for Buddy. She recently has been calling him "Buddylicious" I think because I have said Bootylicious and she likes the way it sounds, so now Buddys new nickname "buddylicious".

Also on Monday at Gymboree I was encouraging Emma to climb over this wall they had created. After she had climbed about three times she told me to climb and I said I was too big. She promptly responded, "Come on Mama. I KNOW you can do it!" My little encourager.

Fun times!

Who knew buying a house could be so crazy. Lots has been going on here signing papers, going to the bank, calling insurance companies. I have come a long way in learning things about buying a house. Three years ago I thought you could get a house for around 35,000. That is a blonde moment for sure. Then I learned about closing costs. Who knew there was so much stuff that goes into it. I am amazed at how complicated it can get.
Busy Busy Busy.....This weekend Ryan had a shooting event with my Dad and brother and Emma and I attended a birthday party for a little friend of hers at Oogles and Googles. Then Sunday we had kickball. Let me say we lost the kickall game but I had the game of my life. I have never played as well as I did on Sunday. I made a double play, a single play, and stopped the ball 4 times. Also I slid into home and knocked the ball away from the catcher which allowed Ryan to make it home as well! I was Super proud of my Athletic Prowess!

I will try and post pictures of the house tommorrow!

Candy from Church

Last Sunday Ryan and I gave Emma her first offering to put in the offering plate. She had $1.00 in quarters. Ryan held it for her till the time came. She held the money till the usher got to us and since we sit in the balcony we always have the same ushers. After Emma put her money in the offering plate our usher gave her a piece of candy. I thought it was really nice of him to do that.

However, Later that evening Emma was talking to my dad her Papa and I told him she had given her first offering today to which she promptly responded "And the church gave me candy.!" We both started laughing. I think she will be suprised next time if she doesn't get any! :)

Move over Martha Stewart here comes Emma

Emma has discovered a love for baking! Move over Martha Stewart here comes Emma Browning. I am pretty sure she loves baking because she enjoys the rewards of baking like her momma....licking the spoons, and bowls and eating the treats afterwards. We recently have baked Blueberry muffins and a Funfetti cake today! She wants everyone to sample them after they are done too.

I like to cook, but I LOVE to bake sweets. I adore sweets and Miss Emma has gotten a bit of a sweet tooth herself lately. Today while we were making the cake she could not stop herself from dipping her finger in the cake mix and sampling it. She was tasting just the dry mix in the bowl. It was pretty adorable! She will tell you either it is "licious" for delicious or "gusting" for disgusting.

Her cake was "licious"

Exuma

Well I have uploaded a small sampling of all the photos taken on this trip. Ryan, Emma and I traveled with his mom to Exuma, Bahamas where his Dad Works and lives to meet up with a few friends from St. Louis and Chicago. We made lots of memories and had a blast catching up with friends we don't get to see that often.

Emma had fun getting spoiled by her Nana and Pops and loved on by lots of people. She was definatly the center of attention all week. She loved Pops neighbor Doug and his giant but gentle rottweiler Shadow.

Emma is an early riser and if you have had a two year old you know when they get up....You don't have a choice you get up. We are the only one with a child in our group so they quickly learned your mornings are early and loud with Emma. They were all so sweet to her though even when they were sleep deprived and she was waking them up with her water gun, and some help from Shannon. She played parachute with Andrew and Shawn till their arms wore out. They even attempted to lift me in the blanket with her.

Lots of good meals, swimming, and snorkling occurred. My new years resolution this past year was to be braver in the ocean. I have a fear of big fish, sharks and Barracuda. On most trips there I do not snorkel. I have done it before but have a huge fear of Barracuda. I do not want Emma to see me afraid and become fearful herself so I was determined to be braver.

I however was not the only chicken in our group which made me feel like I was braver than I originally had thought. I snorkeled three times. The first time I saw a barracuda right off the bat and I was out of the water pretty quick. The second time I was drawn in by the promise I could find some cool seashells. I did find some beautiful shells and saw a lion fish ( These fish are not native to the bahamas and are a danger to the reef) they are beautiful however and it was Ryan and my's first time to see them in the wild.

The second time I also snorkled even though there was a small barracuda in the water near us. I climbed on top of Ryans back till I could get out but none the less snorkled. The third time I snorkled in the open bay and the most beautiful fish were there. Lots of angetl fish and parrot fish and Thankfully NO BARRACUDA :)!
Ryan and I also fed and touched three wild stingrays...pretty cool huh?!? One of them was about 4 ft wide.

We had a blast all in all. An amazing trip with lots of memories we will never forget!

This picture is of Megan and Emma. She became interested in poeple making faces and even learned a few of her own.