Like Father Like Daughter

***DISCLAIMER!!!! Jeff does NOT wear high heels!***

But he has passed on the shoe lovin' gene to Pearl. The other day I heard clippity-clopping in the kitchen and well, need I say more? Pearl is obsessed with shoes just like her dad. I've blogged about it before, but I think this video certainly proves my point that I have a shoe clepto on my hands. Every morning I find Jeff's boots scattered in the living room because Pearl is fascinated with them. Apparently she also has a taste for black high heels - they do make fun noises on the tile so I can't blame her. So the next time we drop by, you might want to hide your shoes! Oh and the video is kind of big so if you can't open it, sorry.

Freedom is Not Free

I know it's late and I still have a few things to get done with my internship, but I couldn't not post something about the incredible sacrifice so many have made for our country on this Veterans Day. I even thought about this last night after I went to bed and remembered a couple of trips to Washington DC that I think for the first time really made me understand just how many lost their lives for the freedoms I take for granted everyday. I really can't describe the feelings in my heart as I think back to the monuments honoring all those killed fighting for our happiness and way of life. Not to mention the untold sacrifices our Veterans' families, friends, and communities made. I posted a few of my favorite pictures from our Washington DC trips that remind me of how grateful I am to live in this choice and promised land... the haunting faces at the Korean War memorial, a massive Lincoln overlooking the entire "Mall," the simple and yet powerful Vietnam Memorial with thousands of names etched forever, hands reaching up to raise the flag as a symbol of freedom and perseverance at Iowa Jima, and the long overdue and absolutely breathtaking World War II memorial with it's wall of stars representing the tens of thousands killed and the beautiful fountains. I remember seeing WWII vets in wheelchairs surrounded by family sobbing at the memory of lost buddies and the horrors they saw to which I can never begin to imagine. But the most impressive part of this whole experience was seeing how many times thanks and praise was given to God in the memorials, acknowledging our Heavenly Father and his love and compassion on His children and the faith and hope of millions that He would protect them and the freedoms they sacrificed their lives for. May God bless America!

What every girl wants

Yesterday I was milla-seconds away from blogging about how grumpy and defeated I was feeling living with a 30 inch tornado (aka Pearl) and dreading the late night hours to come this weekend with homework. Not to mention the typical I'm feeling frumpy and fat mood I seemed to be in as the day progressed. But I held off, thinking who wants to read about me having a bad day? And it's a good thing I did because now everyone can read about Pearl. I mean, that's why you come to my blog in the first place, right? :)

What does every little girl want, well minus the pony? A table and chair set! Think of the possibilities of having a pint-sized table and chair to color and build towers of blocks on or even use for tea parties! Jeff and I had been hinting to my dad that Pearl really wanted her very own table and chair for Christmas but Great Grandpa beat him to it. And we couldn't be more excited to have handmade ones from Grandpa Great. He's always up to some new project and while Pearl does love her elastic gun he made, we were secretly hoping he would make the great granddaughters something really special that they could treasure forever. So after remembering a set he made for my Aunt Denise when she was three years old, he set to work building new tables and chairs for Pearl and Ruby.
We picked it up after Pearl's first Aggie basketball game of the 2008-2009 season (had to find some excuse to post these pictures too) and she couldn't have been more excited. She pushed it all over my grandpa's kitchen and climbed up and down it. And even though it was well past bedtime, she kept trying to get my grandpa to swing her under his chair, I guess to show her appreciation because she wouldn't kiss him.

Jeff and Pearl in front of the "Meet the Challenge" statue! Pearl was super giggly outside with her hat and mittens on but when it came to meeting the real "Big Blue" she screamed. I couldn't tell who was more upset, Jeff (at the thought his little girl hates Big Blue) or Pearl.

It was really fun visiting with my grandpa and Pearl had a great time exploring a new house. My grandpa said he even cleaned because he knew we were coming up after the game. He's so worried that Pearl won't remember him and while she may not, with a beautiful table and chair set, she will always have a reminder of how much she is loved. Pearl was thrilled when she figured out we were actually taking them home with us. She wouldn't let go of the chairs and even had a hold of the legs after she fell asleep. Let's just keep our fingers crossed the crayon marks keep to a minimum for a few days so we can all enjoy this special gift!