She had a blast playing in the water.  Although she never figured out the water guns.

Emma was running out of steam by the end of the party.  It was past nap time by this point.  She did get a little nap on the way home though.

Sometimes I am amazed at how big she looks.

Carly, Chris, Sydney, and the homemade cake.

Sydney with the little wooden doggie we gave her.  Isn’t she adorable?

They started the class working on their dives.  The biggest boy was doing them standing up, Emma is still working on hers from her knees.  She needs to get better at pushing off the side of the pool with her foot, and straightening her body as she dives.

By the end of today’s class, he had her doing the backstroke without help.  Her first few tries, she sat up as soon as he moved his hand from under her and she sank.  After a while, she was making it a few body lengths before stopping.  He also had her try elementary backstroke, which I had to ask her what he had called it, because I didn’t know what it was.

I had a great Father’s Day yesterday.  It was a perfect day.  Nice breeze.  Relatively calm water, but not flat.  Chris and I took Emma out on the lake.  He put the Opti on his Whaler and I sailed the Sunfish out.  I gave Emma a ride on the Sunfish, and she wasn’t to keen on it.  It’s been a long time since I’ve sailed a dinghy, and I felt like I was all arms and legs on it.  Not the smoothest sail she could have had, but not too bad.  She thought being on Grace was more fun.  If I take her out again any time soon, I need to figure out how to tack without us bumping into each other.  After that we tied the Sunfish up to the whaler, and played around in the lake.  We had the Opti in the water, and she kept getting in, and we would push her away.  She would steer going backwards, and when she ran out of line, she would climb out, and swim back to the whaler, and then want to do it all over again.  After a while Emma and I got in the opti, and Chris towed us around with the whaler.  She had a great time trying to steer the opti behind him.  Figuring out how to work the tiller.  Chris took some pictures, and when I get copies of them I will post them.

After playing in the lake we went to Southern to play in the pool, and have some lunch.  Pearce and his clan were there.  It couldn’t have been a better day.

Bath Time, December 28, 2008

Emma and Susan made snow men out of Ivory soap powder and water.

Emma had a great time jumping on the trampoline with Kate and Norah.

There was also a soccer ball to play with.  It got kicked off and on the trampoline, as well as used in a more standard fashon.

Pearce, Susan and I took the girls to a little playground one evening, and had a great time.  Here is Kate coming down the slide.

I thought this was a particularly interesting shot.  The little tunnel was missing the top board.

Emma on the See-Saw

We took a ride in the trailer behind Pearce’s four wheeler, and then a walk down to the river.  It was a beautiful spot.  Emma had a great time trying to skip rocks.

While we were on our ride, we found these flowers to put in Emma’s hair.

We started with a small Christmas at home.  Here is Emma opening some dot paints.

These are Gears!  Very cool present from Great Aunt Dotti.

We got her a little gumball machine.  Once she emptied all of the gumballs we refilled it with marbles.  Most of the fun comes from getting something out of it, not necessarily chewing the gum.

Warm Fuzzy Gloves!

After our little Christmas at home, we went to Mamere’s house to celebrate.  Mamere got a new set of cookie sheets.

Soft hat and scarf

After a visit with Mamere, we went to Grandma and Grandpa’s house.  Warm fuzzy jammies for Mommy.

A steering knob for Grandpa’s boat.

Mommy and Emma opening a present.

Emma and her new dress.

Soft fuzzy gloves!

Uncle Chris.  (I guess it was a warm Christmas Day.)

Grandma.

A fairy dress from Grandma and Grandpa

Uncle Chris and Aunt Lani gave Emma a wagon.  What an awesome present.

So Soft!

We always have fun with ‘Holiday Poppers’ on the dinner table.  They have a little toy in the middle and a paper crown.

She spotted me.

I really like this one.  Almost looks posed.

I wish this had come out a little sharper, but it was too cute a smile to pass up.

This is after she finished a pull over with a lot of help from Mommy.  Now she has them mastered all by herself.

Awww…  What a cutie!

This first set is from the Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival.  We have a great time going, although we really don’t get to see the boats.  We spend most of our time in the kids area, and then for lunch head back across the river to eat on my friends, John and Jeanne’s, boat.  After lunch, we watch the race that is the finale to the down and dirty boat building contest.  I don’t have any pictures of that race, but it is a great time to watch.  The competitors have the weekend of the festival to build their boats, and then they race them on the river.  One leg under sail, one leg paddling.  October 19, 2008

The Insectarium had a tent set up.  Emma and Susan are looking at an Australian walking stick.

For Halloween, we have been going to the Monster Mash, which happens on a weekend right around Halloween.  It is a great day for kids to celebrate Halloween.  Here Emma is in her costume taking a look around a fire engine.  October 25, 2008

Emma dressed as a ballerina for Halloween at Toddlearn.  (The preschool she went to last year.)  October 30, 2008

Emma at the Pumpkin Patch, when she picked her pumpkin.  October 30, 2008

Emma and Susan carving her pumpkin.  We let Emma draw the face on the pumpkin that we cut out.  October 30, 2008

So proud of her handy work.  (I don’t think he is going to scare anyone away.)

Checking out her candy after trick or treating.  October 31, 2008

We went to the Baton Rouge State Fair, and Emma got to have her first funnel cake.  November 1, 2008

Emma wearing Daddy’s boots.  November 13, 2008

Emma’s first time bowling.  November 26, 2008

SNOW!!!  What a great morning.  This is the first time Emma got to see snow.  I spent a couple of hours playing with Emma before I headed in to work.  Truly amazing to see our neighborhood covered with snow like this.  December 11, 2008

She was still in her Pajamas when I first brought her out to play.  Mommy changed her into more appropriate clothes after she got to see a little snow.

This is looking from my driveway across my front yard, and across the triangle by our house.  Just amazing to see this much snow.

I think Susan may have been more excited than Emma.

I never thought we would see enough snow to try and build a snowman.  In all of my life here, I have never seen this much snow.

]]> http://hfw.thewilkes.us/?feed=rss2&p=1043 0 http://hfw.thewilkes.us/?p=1041 http://hfw.thewilkes.us/?p=1041#comments Sun, 21 Feb 2010 02:57:56 +0000 hfwilke http://hfw.thewilkes.us/?p=1041 One of the parents from Emma’s class gave us this recipe after Emma’s birthday party. We finally made them tonight. Be careful when you make them that you don’t eat them all in one night.

Cocoa Fudge Cookies

You can mix these incredibly easy, fudgy cookies right in the saucepan. When
freshly baked, these thin cookies have crisp edges and chewy centers. You
can make them with either Dutch process or natural unsweetened cocoa powder. We mixed our Dark Dutch Cocoa and Black Cocoa from King Arthur Flour, just like we do in our hot fudge.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine
flour, soda, and salt; set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan over
medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars (mixture will
resemble coarse sand). Add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine. Add
flour mixture, stirring until moist. Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches
apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. (We did not use the cooking spray, but our cookie sheets are well seasoned, and food rarely sticks.)

Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pans 2 to 3
minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.