Click Ranch July 2009

We went to my family's ranch in Des Moines, New Mexico for a nice vacation in early July. The girls and I were there for 10 days, but Bryan was only able to be there the weekends. We had a lot of fun with lots of family there to help take care of the girls. At one point there were 20 of us in one house with only 2 bathrooms. Only my cousin, Derek, was not able to be there. Towards the end of the week, Ella and Emma were kind of grumpy, for reasons unknown, but we didn't let that ruin our week. They worked quite a bit on learning to walk while we were there, and really started taking off shortly after we got home. On to the pictures:

Ella and Emma "Riding the Quads"

Our Safety Team

Ella really riding with Daddy

Emma really riding with Daddy

We LOVE the swings Grandy put up for us in the front yard.

Ella

Emma

Reading with Cousin Bryan

Reading with Aunt Connie

Aleisha was a BIG help with her cousins this week!

A Beautiful Sunrise

(It was not I, but Grandy who was up early enough to take these wonderful pictures)

Orlando Countdown!

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Ella & Emma's First Steps

Look out, Mommy and Daddy!  Here we come!  

Ella and Emma started taking just a few steps this weekend within just a couple of days of each other.  They can now each take about 5-6 steps before losing their balance.  Here is a very brief video of some of the first steps we actually caught on video last night.  Bryan would stand them each up, they would take a few steps, fall or sit, then crawl back to him to do it again.  This went on for about 10 minutes.  The first baby is Emma (wearing pink), then Ella (wearing green).  Finally there is a snippet from the traffic jam we now have in our living room thanks to this new found freedom.

We are super excited about this new milestone.  I guess I need to put on my running shoes to keep up with them now.

Junction, TX

A couple of weeks ago, we went to Junction, TX for vacation with Bryan's family.  We had a nice time visiting, resting, and playing in the river.  Ella, Emma, and I flew down there with Norman and Connie (a.k.a. Datt and Memaw), while Bryan drove with his brother Micah.  

Ella (above) and Emma (below) enjoying a Papa San chair

Emma getting to know Lindsay

Ella and Memaw

Ella and Papa

Ella (above) and Emma (below) playing in the tire swing.  This is very fun!!!

Daddy and Ella in the river

Daddy and Emma in the river

The beautiful house we stayed in

South Llano River

Cousins: Annmarie, Price, Ella, and Emma

Ella splashing and crawling.  Emma trying to eat a rock.

The flight home

Memorial Day- 1st Zoo and 1st Swim

We had a marvelous Memorial Day.  On this beautiful day, we spent some quality time as a family.  We had been trying for about a month to go to the zoo, but cool, windy, and rainy weather had kept us from going.  However, this morning was sunny, warm, and calm.  We made it to the zoo around 8:45, and had the zoo all to ourselves.  The only other people there were the zoo keepers.   It was a great visit to the zoo.

Is it nap-time?

We decided to wait around for them to let the monkeys out, because what's a visit to the zoo without seeing the monkeys.  We had to wait for the moat around their enclosure to fill with water before they finally let them out.  But, it sure was fun to watch the monkey parade heading out for breakfast.

Later that evening, we went to Memaw and Datt's house for a cookout and Ella and Emma's 1st time in the pool.  The girls love their baths, so we were expecting them to have fun in the pool as well.  Ella, swimming with Daddy, enjoyed it almost instantly, splashing, smiling, and giggling.  Emma, swimming with Mommy, was a little more reserved.  She whimpered and clung to me until we switched girls.  Once she was with Daddy, Emma started splashing and smiling.  We didn't swim for too long, but the girls really had a good time.

Ella and Daddy

Emma's not so sure about all this water

Emma decided it was kind of fun after all

These are just some other fun pictures.

We LOVE our bath!!

  As soon as Mommy turns on the water, we come crawling as fast as we can, pull up onto the step, and watch the water fill the tub.  We just can't wait to get in that water.

Modeling the new dresses Aunt Clora Ann sent us for our birthday.  Don't we look cute?!?

Ella

Emma