Iowa State Fair :)

We went to the BIG Iowa State Fair. Its the largest fair in the country - with over 75k people a day. Crazy i know, Iowa?? Ha Ha, and yes there were some characters there - not to say that there's ANY in the south. Nope, we live in the perfect little south :) Not a single redneck where I'm from! Wait, their all in my family.. I'm married to one, my cousins are one! What if I'm one? ahhhhh!!!!!!!!

Ever notice when you have a 2 year old, the minute they wake up your telling them these bright and wonderful things your going to do all through the day with them, and hoping they are just as excited as you are! Its sad, but the first day I was actually excited about riding in the truck, picking wild flowers and taking pics of E.

Then the next day we ventured out to the Big City of Des Moines and went shopping... with a 2 year old...then it rained horrendously! It just doesn't rain in Iowa, it floods and everyone gets washed away! We had to run in Old Navy and literally buy jackets and an outfit for E so that we wouldn't freeze to death.

P.S. She smiles like me when i was 2! The "big fake = here i am doing it for you mom...snap the picture!!"

Here we are at the fair, she met clifford for the first time! She ran back and told me, "Mommy I not cry!" (she was obviously scared of him, but knew the 2 year old had to suck it up and face the fact that its just a guy in a costume)

She wasn't real sure what was going on with the situation at this point, she just smiled for Mommy and said, "Baa Baa Black sheep getting hair cut"

HA! I just love this picture of the pig, it doesn't even do justice, it actually makes him look smaller. This thing was a beast!

It's just funny to know someone is entering the poor thing in the fair! E really liked him... they bonded.

And by this point, she was like seriously Mom, stand by the pumpkin!! Why yes, this thing is the state record child, weighing in at 1,323 pounds!!!!

It really was cool how they have entries for EVERY vegetable and fruit you can imagine. People don't win just by it being pretty but some times by the largest, the healthiest.. etc.

the Grapes...

farm crops...

the largest watermelon..

Here she is stealing someone's corn, and sitting in their basket! She told me to take a picture.. and of course Mommy isn't going to turn that offer down!

the corn..

the only picture i took of my parents, and Madre had to have her eyes closed.. it must of been the corn in her presence, she was just overwhelmed by seeing it.. she meant well.

Then it was off to, as E says "rides Mommy, rides!!!"

This one scared me, my 2 year old on a roller coaster!! Grant it she was with her Daddy but my Lord! She screamed the WHOLE time, i couldn't get a good picture, oh wait probably because she's 2 and the ride is for ADULTS, and the crazy people at the fair have a sign on EVERY ride that reads 36" and taller can ride this ride! ugh!!!

okay so maybe you could see her, but still from a Mommy's point - the ride was TOO big!

...and WHAT?? she wants to go on there.. shes 2 she can't make these decisions!!! and WHAT?? Daddy is taking you!!!

and look, all you see is Daddy, somethings telling me Daddy is the one wanting to ride these rides!

Daddy, giving her what she wants.. more tickets..

Pals :)

tired and at the end of a great day!!!

Banana Nut Bread - Revised

Banana Nut Bread

Revised Version

Here is what you need:

2 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup shortening

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.

Mix in bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder and soda. Stir in pecans.

Pour batter into 2 greased 9x5 inch pans. Bake for 50 to 60 mins in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Fabulous!

Wishful thinking...

I wish....

I could relax and just enjoy things

My little girl would not drink so much juice during the night that it goes thru her pull ups and in the bed, and that leads to washing sheets, and putting them back on.

My dishwasher wasn't broke

I didn't get migraines

At 4 months preggo my legs did not swell at the end of the day :(

I could say I've won alot of people to God

I did not have hunger pains at 2, 4 and 6am.. I need to sleep not think about food.

I lived on a 3 acre wooded lot, with a garden and underground pool

For a healthy baby who looks like me, grant it folks E looks just like her Daddy

For front row tickets at the circus for my princess (oh wait, that comes true in September) :+)

I didn't sweat the small stuff

My little Angel would eat

To go camping one day

I was really good at taking pictures

I could make biscuits from scratch

More skirts fit me right now

Max & Ruby would come out with a show for the South and i could take E

More baby cousins for E

To go back to the place my husband asked me to marry him

Insurance wasn't a rip

For Chili's chips and salsa

To be seven again with no responsibilities and worries

For 3 kids and hopefully 1 a boy

Princess didn't grow up so fast

For all my breakfast dishes to be cleaned up right now!!!!!!

Catching up...

Well after months of letting my blog go due to "Life is so busy", I figured no more of using that excuse..it was time to do a little updating. Where do i begin? So much has happened in the past several months...

My little Angel turned 2 in April.

My hubby and me celebrated 5 years in June, took several vacations - including a cruise with another couple-undeniably the best trip i have ever been on with anyone! My long, lost cousins from MiSSiSSiPPi, whom we never get to see :(

She is a spaz

We really would like to try at modeling - i mean she's got it down,

I'm still working on my facial expressions.. ;)

and this pic sums up our trip. Just had to be there..

E got a new kitty "boots" or "booters" and then we find

out 3 months later its a girl, poor boots..

my brother after 30 years is FINALLY getting married,

it took him this long to find the perfect one.

Elizabeth got to experience the laser show at Stone Mountain

the music, a train ride & fireworks. Fireworks of which she hated :), but talked about them for the next 2 weeks saying, "day scare me!" Kids are funny and very whinny, ew did i say that? :)

Oh, and yes we are expecting # 2!!! whoo hooo!!! This one wasn't planned, but of course alot of things in life aren't, right? Like when you wake up in the morning and your husbands like, "well let's go to Florida today"...and you do, and those are the most memorable trips. Things that happen at the spur of the moment, no planning, just go. So, baby #2 we are looking forward to seeing you, and E bossing you around:)

Whether your another Princess or a Prince you will fit right into E's plan. :) If you are a girl, you will be her little baby, she will dress you, change your diaper and feed you bottles oh, and most definitely will put you in the corner. On the other hand if your a little man, she's just not going to know what to do with you, all your trucks and dinosaurs. E is going to be a great big sister, i can honestly not wait.. well, i don't look forward to being so fat in the last trimester that i wont be able to touch my toes :) On the other hand, January you can take your time :)

Whatever you are little peanut inside, please have some similarities to this...

Mommy's Princess

Well I have seven days till the darling, love of my life Baby turns two. Man, does time fly or what. I use to hear that as a kid but didn't realize what that meant, now I know. Everyday I look at her and just can't believe how smart she is, five and six word sentences and not even two. Yes, I am bragging, but I can. :) When I hold her, it seems she should only be about six months old. I remember this time last year, she just started walking. I took a bazillion pictures-called everyone I knew, and was like, "YOUR NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS GIRL!!" She was such an early walker, but that didn't surprise me, she's got her Mommy in her. (and by that i mean, i was very active as a child..ok..hyper maybe) :) Many people told me when she was 12 months old, you better enjoy this time cause Honey do they ever grow. I remember specifically saying to myself, "I am cherishing this moment," but you still don't realize how FAST it goes by. Some of my favorite moments with my E...

Here we were by the lake, she was playing with a stick, could barely walk and at this point I was like she FINALLY looks like me!

She turned one.

Sick and holding Mommy's finger.

Playing peek-a-boo

Okay, so i may just cry now.

So Innocent

First day of "school" or Mommy's day out, this was a very, very

sad day. I cried the second i dropped her off and for the next 3 hours

until i picked her up. I have never felt so bad, if i knew how hard

it would have been to leave her, i would have probably never taken her.

She runs into school now... :)

First school party with my Daddy

...but they have to grow up.

Happy 2nd Birthday to my Beautiful Princess Elizabeth!!

Mama + Baby + Nana = FUN

This particular morning started at 5AM rushing to get to the airport. Tip toeing around my room trying not to wake princess, (you know most kids would just sleep through it all, and eventually find themselves at the airport lying in the stroller with their PJ's still on... NOT my daughter!!) She woke up 5 mins after I did. I knew we were in for a loooong day ahead. We pulled up at the airport and she starts yelling, "pretzels Mommy, pretzels!!!" I didn't exactly understand what she was saying and went on. We were the last ones on the plane, and boy did we come on with a BANG! I had an over stuffed backpack, jackets, toys, juice and a camera bag wrapped around my neck, turning my hips left and right to make it thru the aisle. It was a small plane folks!...like only 15 people! E got her very own seat, and to a 23 month old that means a whole, whole lot!!!

She said to me again, "Mommy pretzels!" Oh!! Pretzels?? What? How did you remember that? Kid you are smart! ....thats what she was talking about earlier!! So not only did she get her OWN pretzels but the flight attendant gave her sprite and a straw, that was such an easy flight :) She played with her straw the entire time-go figure!

We arrived and covered Nana Ollis in kisses. Not seeing her since November i thought she would be a little shy.. pppfffff.. riiiiight.. she warmed right up to her by counting , and of course skipping the #7 along the way. It just wouldn't be right if she didn't skip Mr. 7.

I didn't bring many toys because I figured going to Nana Ollis' house she would find something to play with, and she did, pens, a concrete dog, and some yard ornaments.

We went to the Imax Theater and watched a story about animals, they gave us free popcorn and coke. E liked the free popcorn, why are the best things in life free?? I'll never understand.

We tried taking her picture with Nana Ollis and she was being stubborn, but that doesn't surprise me, her and Daddy are so much alike :)

We had a great time! Drank Coffee, ate, shopped, talked, laughed and yawned, of course all good things must come to an end. :( Those times will be cherished forever. Can't wait to go back!!

Love you Nana Ollis :)